2 Years Out...

Wolfy, Phil and me in O'Hare before taking off for our journey

Yesterday, June 20, 2009 marks an historic day in Mikechop history.  Am I referring to the anniversary of the day our beloved Chicago Bulls took down the Phoenix Suns 4-2 to complete their first three-peat of the 90's back in 1993???  No.  How about the anniversary of the day Joltin' Joe Dimaggio had his 2,000th career hit in 1950?  Nope.  Perhaps the anniversary of the day Late Night king Johnny Carson married his 4th wife Alexis Mass back in 1987?  Negatory, ghostrider.  I'm not even talking about the day O.J. was arraigned on the murder charges of Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman OR the day Pete Rose became just the 5th player ever to appear in 3,000 games...

I'm obviously referencing the 2 year anniversary of my trip to Europe with the Wolfman and Philbuck!!!  Come on!!!  How could you not know that?!?

So many great memories came rushing back as Wolfy and I reminisced yesterday that I decided it would be cool to put up a few pictures from the trip.  So sit back, relax, crack a beer, roll a splif, and enjoy a few gems from Euro-trip '07...

Boldly entering the crypt at St. Michan's cathedral...

Touring Paris with our old camp friend "Chappy"

Can you tell which one is the wax figurine???  I didn't think so.

Wolfy "falling" off the cliffs on Inis Moor

The Three Amigos in Madrid.  Classic.

Dinner at "Botin" in Madrid -- the world's oldest restaurant (Est. 1725)

Cable cars up Le Saleve in Geneva, Switzerland (Alt: 1,380 Meters)

Step aside, Lance.

Wolf and Philbuck: "Go away!!!"

"To the death!!  Theirs, not ours! Sparta!!!"

Florence - Drink it in...  It always goes down smooth.

A canal in Venezia

"AHHHH!!!!!!"

The best sunset I have ever seen in my life in Mykonos, Greece

Priceless.

Dinner and drinks at the Hofbrauhaus beer hall in Munich, Germany

The view from inside Neuschwanstein Castle - the model for the Cinderella castle and home of Mad King Ludwig ("King Ludwig was NOT crazy, he was just a little bit ahead of his time!")

....

A funky astronomical clock in Prague, Czech Republic

What a trip!!!

Nobody ever accused Ozzie of being too smart

A quote from Ozzie Guillen after the White Sox blew a 5-1 lead in the 8th inning to lose to the Cubs 6-5 on June 18, 2009:

"I think the reason they won is because Linebrink didn't

throw the ball over the plate.  When he threw the ball over

the plate, it was a home run."

Let's all just take a brief moment to appreciate the utter stupidity of this comment.  So the Cubs won because Linebrink didn't throw the ball over the plate, but when he did, the Cubs hit home runs, which led to their victory.

Everybody get that???

Just checking.

"What do tigers dream of...

...when they take a little tiger snooze???

Do they dream of mauling zebras???

...Don't you worry your pretty striped head--we're gonna get you back to Tyson and your cozy tiger bed.  And then we're gonna find our best friend Doug!!  And then we're gonna give him a best friend hug!!!!!"

Thoughts on a dark and dreary Cubs season thus far...

OK, if last nite's game against the Braves doesn't show what it's like to be a Cubs fan then I don't know what does.

It's just so damn depressing sometimes...



For those of you who were lucky enough NOT to be paying attention to the slop-show that was the Cubs last nite (or this whole season for that matter), let me fill you in. Rookie starting pitcher Randy Wells continued his surprising year (as he still looks for his first big league win), taking a no-no into the 7th inning. All this went for naught as he was removed for the increasingly incapable Carlos Marmol, who was then relieved by the continually disappointing Kevin Gregg. I'd rather not go into specifics, but during this time the Cubs managed to blow the 5-0 lead that Wells had staked them to, went to extra innings, and then eventually lost 6-5 on a Chipper Jones base-hit.

I guess Wells will just have to wait another 5 days to get another shot at his first W. I can't imagine the Cubs deciding to send him back down to triple-A or converting him to a reliever at this point, especially with the consistent health issues of Rich "I'm a Gimp" Harden, and the disappointing performances of Sean Marshall, Ryan Dempster, and Big-Z. However, I suppose he could just end up being the odd-man out of the rotation if Harden comes back and can stay healthy. Personally, I would much rather have Wells taking the mound every 5th day than seeing Marshall out there.

Some other tidbits floating around my pea-sized cranium this morning:

-Gameboard, thanks for nothing. I seriously can't believe you are injured AGAIN. 1st year of a 3 year, $30 million deal is looking pretty good. I'm realllllly glad we decided to go out and get that left-handed power bat in the lineup, it's working out great.
-Dempster, way to also not live up to your huge contract thus far. $52 million??? Although in all fairness I will say this: I was in favor of resigning Demp for that much. I think Dempster is going to be just fine. He's steadily improved in his most recent starts with 1 exception. I, unlike many others, do NOT believe that last year was a fluke, and I think that as the season progresses he will post far better numbers, especially as he gets more starts at home.
-Zambrano, get your act together. You're supposed to be the ace of this staff, start acting like one. If you need an example, take a look at Roy Halladay, CC Sabathia, or Johan Santana. (All players to whom you would probably compare yourself.)
-Lee, I think it's time to move over and make way for the Hoff. And I don't mean the Hasselhoff. (I don't care if you did homer last nite..)
-Reed Johnson, your beard is glorious.
-Marmol, I have no words for you...
-Gregg, as I said when we got you and ditched Kerry: "UGH!!!"

Zebras.

Yep.