The Chicago White Sox break camp in Arizona following their seventh straight exhibition game loss.  John Danks took the fifth starter role and ran with it...right to an early shower.  And now that the roster is complete, all you can do is wonder how both Brian Anderson and Cubs castoff David Aardsma made the roster.

Actually, it was pretty easy to understand why Aardsma made it.  While Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf digs the long ball, Sox GM Kenny Williams digs the fast ball. The Sox now have a bullpen (Aardsma, Matt Thornton, Mike McDougal, Andrew Sisco, Nick Masset and Bobby Jenks) that all can throw middle to upper nineties.  The soft tossers like Boone Logan and Gavin Floyd were sent to Charlotte for the beginning of the season, even though Logan was much more effective than Aardsma or Sisco.

Even the Cubs showed some guts in putting their roster together.

I'm not the only passenger on the "this could be a long year for the Sox" bandwagon. 

Here's an excellent article from "The Chicago Sports Review."  In fact, in my opinion, this is probably dead on.  It really gets inside the head of Williams.  It also warns of an impending feud over the make up of the club between Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen.  I guarantee you Ozzie won't win that one.

Also, Tom Fornelli of "Foul Balls", a Chicago based blog site doubts the White Sox will contend this year. 

There was at least one piece of good news for the Sox on an otherwise blustery day.

There is a difference between a person who is a realist and a person who is just plain negative.  I, my friends, am a true realist.  Coming Monday, the fearless forecast for 2007.

Lighting Round:

• You read it here last week: Kevin Stallings is in play.  Other teams like Georgia and Washington State are scrambling to take care of their coaches so they don't run off.  Arkansas continues to get Billy Gillespie's voice mail.
  
• Bigots in the news: Michael Ray Richardson probably kissed his CBA coaching career away making remarks some would find offensive.  Personally, I did not.
  
• Nomar might be wearing a Dodger uniform, but right now, he's playing for the twins.
• ESPN released their rankings of the ultimate fan satisfaction ratings.  The Buffalo Sabres topped the list while the Detroit Lions manned the bottom.  Canadian hockey writers, please note the team that you say no one wants, the Nashville Predators, finished 8th.  That would indicate there is a fan base, ay?
• I have a soft spot for Indiana State.  I did their baseball games for three years.  My daughter Jordan lives in Terre Haute.  Yesterday, they named Creighton Assistant Kevin McKenna head basketball coach.  Long before he ever lit it up for the Blue Jays, McKenna played for Palatine High School in Palatine, Illinois.  In the 1977 IHSA regional, he put an exclamation mark on Palatine's victory with a monster dunk.  I can still see it in my head.  It's going to be hard to hope the Sycamore basketball team does well now.
• Ladies and Gentlemen, Giggles Comedy Club welcomes George W. Bush!
  
• WHY ON GOD'S EARTH IS THIS NEWS?  WHY?
• Can you believe Circuit City?  They have the balls to fire 3,400 people who they say were over paid when they were hired and will replace them with people who will accept less.  Who do they think they are?  A radio company?
• Luke, I am your postage.
  
• I have always said that when I die, I want to be reincarnated as a Triple Crown winning race horse.  Caution: sensitive readers may be offended. (Of course if you read this BLOG and are sensitive, you no doubt find the whole thing offensive.)