Have you ever been to a concert and checked out the artist’s merchandise?  Have you ever seen an item (or perhaps two or three) that caught your eye?  And has your jaw dropped in utter disbelief (and disgust) at the astronomical prices on these basic items? 

Good, me too.

A couple weeks ago, I attended a Wilco & Neil Young show on a cold, raw night in Worcester, MA.  First, let me just say that if someone were escorted into the venue as a surprise, I probably could have guessed that it was a Neil show just from the people walking around the concourse: lots of folks well into their 40’s & 50’s sporting bandanas, long burns, fu-man chus, wavy hair, beer guts… and, well, you get the point.  The show itself was fantastic; Wilco jammed for about an hour, with a set list that included “Hummingbird,” “Jesus, Etc.,” “Walken,” and “I’m The Man Who Loves You.”  Although it was an older crowd, Wilco was still received well and there were definitely a handful of die-hard Wilco-ers in the building. 

And Neil?  He sported his trademark frizzy, electrical hair with a pronounced bald patch that stared you in the face every time he lowered his head.  He may have missed a few notes here and there, but I couldn’t tell, and I’m pretty sure no one else could either.  But that may have been because everyone – on the floor, anyway – was either piss drunk or flying high.  I think I got an herbal lift just from where I was standing.  The fumes didn’t seem to get to Neil, though: he rocked like it was 1975, playing numbers like “Cinnamon Girl,” “The Needle & the Damage Done,” “Old Man,” “Heart of Gold,” and “Cowgirl in the Sand.”  The icing on the cake, though, was his encore selection: “A Day in the Life” by The Beatles.  A middle-aged guy next to me almost wet himself at the beginning of the song, and asked me, “DOES IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS?  NEIL DOING A BEATLES SONG?!”  I don’t think it does.

With October now only a few short weeks away, the baseball regular season is winding down and the postseason is rapidly approaching.  At this point, most divisions have already been decided, but there are several teams still fighting for berths.  I'm going to break down the playoff picture for you in both leagues and give you my picks for each series.

The AL

October-bound: Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago White Sox

The Rays are undeniably the best story in baseball this year.  After finishing last place in 2007 with a record of 66-96, they are now 1st in the AL East and own the best home record in the majors.   The team has been without catalyst Carl Crawford since mid-August due to a finger injury, but they are hopeful that he will return in time for the playoffs.  And let's not forget that they still have a formidable offense in Carlos Pena, B.J. Upton, and rookie of the year candidate Evan Longoria.  Their pitching is also dominant, with a core of Kazmir, Shields, and Garza, and while CL Troy Percival has battled injuries all season, they've had guys step up and get the job done in tight situations.  Their only weakness is inexperience, and against veteran teams like the Red Sox and Angels, this doesn't bode well for their postseason hopes.  They'll end up with the wild card, but they're going to be ousted in the Divisional Series by the halos.

The Red Sox are a complete team, and they will ultimately prevail in the division race.  They have a comfortable lead over the Twins for the wild card, but their mix of talent and experience is unique. Dustin Pedroia (205 hits, .324) is having an MVP-caliber year, rookie Jed Lowrie has been a drastic upgrade at SS over Julio Lugo, and since the acquisition of Jason Bay, the BoSox are 29-16.  And they are, after all, the defending world champions.  The Red Sox should have no problems with the White Sox (or Twins) in the Divisional Series, but they're going to have trouble getting by the Angels in the ALCS.

CONTINUE ONTO REST OF THE RUNDOWN

With the college football season finally upon us, everybody seems to be stirring over Georgia, Florida, and all the other top-ranked schools.  Who’s going to win it all?  Who’s going to choke?  What will be the biggest upset?  Enough already.  The AP released its preseason poll a few weeks ago, and you can pretty much guess who’s in the top ten. 

I think the underdogs deserve some love.  But perhaps even that’s a bit generous – I’m referring to the teams who are utterly hopeless.  They’re out there working hard just like every other team; the only difference is that – well – they suck.  They’re the schedule-fillers.  The blowout victims.  The teams we so freely dub a ‘joke.’  The winners are always under the spotlight, so I’m calling an audible and giving the losers some recognition for once.

Here’s how they line up:
           
10.  UAB
Over the past two seasons, the Blazers have won a staggering five games.  Last year, new head coach Neil Callaway took over this depleted system and raised the bar for academic standards and offseason conditioning, which led to players failing out or leaving the school.  Doesn’t Neil know that athletes aren’t scholars?  Just ask Chad Johnson.

9.   SMU
They had a dreadful 1-11 finish last year, with their only win coming against North Texas, who finished 2-10.  They allowed 40+ points seven times last year, and opponents had more than twice as many rushing scores.  New head coach June Jones brings promise to a struggling program, but let’s face it: the Mustangs have enjoyed only one winning season over the past 20 years.  Brutal.

 

8.  NIU
The Huskies are coming off a 2-10 season, during which their defense allowed an average of 434 yards per game and turnovers were standard.  Players will be adjusting to a new coaching staff after the departure of Joe Novak, and this spring, almost 20 players missed time due to injuries.  Four of their first five games are on the road, and playing at Tennessee should be fun, too.  It could be another cold winter.       

I can already smell the seasons changing, and I can taste the frosty brews.  It must be football season – and I’m not talking about the NFL, boys and girls.  I’m talking about the league that is fueled by school spirit, historic rivalries, and a genuine passion for the game: the NCAA.  

So what’s in store for us this season?  Here are some things to watch:

Top Dogs
With the Georgia Bulldogs atop the AP poll for the first time since 1982, it’s going to be interesting to see if they can live up to the hype.  Only ten preseason number one teams have gone on to win a national title, and let’s not forget that Georgia plays in the SEC, which has six ranked teams this year.  After a strong 11-2 finish last season that was capped by a convincing 41-10 win over Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl, people quickly began forecasting their potential.  And with 17 returning starters, it’s no wonder expectations are so high.

Weis’ Woes
After one of its worst seasons in school history, Notre Dame will be looking to get back on track.  They were a disappointing 3-9 last year, and ranked at the bottom of many offensive and defensive categories.  Fortunately, they have a friendly schedule that has them matched up against six teams who also finished under .500 last year.  

They have 16 returning starters, but nine of them were true freshmen last year.  Also returning is quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who was the nation’s top recruit in 2007.  Last season, a weak front line plagued their offense by allowing an abysmal 58 sacks, but every lineman has surpassed the 300-pound mark this offseason.  The question at stake here isn’t talent – it’s youth.  Is one year going to make a difference for Charlie Weis and the Irish?  Stay tuned, for it could be another long season in South Bend.