I used to think interleague play was a cool thing.  The White Sox and Cubs meeting each other six times a year was awesome and having the bragging rights over my Cub friends was a particular guilty pleasure.  I would watch the games, yell a lot and hang on every pitch like it was the world series.  In fact, I almost got booted from a bar in Nashville because I got a little too into the game.

But that all changed on October 26, 2005 when the Chicago White Sox won the big piece of hardware.  No matter how many times the Sox beat the Cubs, it is not like watching them beat the Astros in the world series.  Playing for a championship is far more compelling than playing for bragging rights.  Cub fans can brag all they want, it's still been 99 years since they took home the big trophy.

In thinking it through, interleague makes sense for the markets or states with two teams. Fans in Florida, Chicago, New York, LA, Oakland, Ohio and Missouri can enjoy some friendly rivalries. But some of the forced rivalries are silly.  You'd have to be my 83 year-old father, who grew up in Brookline, MA, to get why the Braves play the Red Sox.  Will the Rangers play the  Nationals every year  or the Orioles play the Cardinals?  How about Athletics-Phillies.  Or Twins-Nationals.  Or Mariners-Brewers? Consult you baseball history book if you can't keep up.

Most interleague matchups are underwhelming.  And the ones that excite the fans excite only the fans.  Ozzie Guillen or Lou Piniella are not going to manage any differently or any more urgently against the Cubs or Sox.  Ozzie is more concerned about the Indians, Tigers and Twins while Lou frets about the Astros, Brewers and Cardinals.  The players, who come from all over the world, have no sense of what this means to the average guy who is born and bred in a certain locale. 

The only fix that works is to realign everything and put the teams in the same city in the same division. Do what the NFL or NBA or NHL does and have all one league with two 15 team conferences in six divisions.

Eastern Conference
Northeast Division	Boston, Yankees, Mets, Toronto, Philadelphia
North Division	Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Minnesota, Cincinnati
South Division	Atlanta, Tampa, Florida, Baltimore, Washington
Western Conference
Midwest Division	Cubs, White Sox, St. Louis, Kansas City, Milwaukee
Mountain Division	Colorado, Arizona, Houston, Texas, Seattle
West Division	Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, San Fransisco

Now, these games actually mean something. BTW, here's a brilliant piece from a site called "Bat Girl" which is actually a Twinkie site, but funny none the less.

Lightning Round

• In the calm before the storm, the White Sox once again got good starting pitching and timely hitting (at least from Jermaine Dye, but Tad Iguchi was pretty good in the nine hole as well) and beat the Yankees 4-1, a team even more offensively pathetic then they are.  Help could be on the way in the form of Toby Hall, but I wonder if Ozzie will let him catch given the fact that with his torn up shoulder I don't think he could throw me out.
• Either way, it's an angry Cubs team today at Wrigley.  For the Sox to win, they need to get into the bullpen and face either Jane Eyre or Ryan Dumpster.
• The Brewers avoid a sweep in Philly and should take two out of three from the reeling Twins.
• Is Brett Favre still an effective quarterback?  Discuss.  My take is an older quarterback needs a solid supporting cast and with the Packers right now, Favre is Chevy Chase to the not ready for prime time players.
  
• In the chase for Lord Stanley's cup, the Anaheim Ducks, without Chris Pronger take down the Red Wings 5-3 last night at the pond.  The Ducks tie the series at 2 all.  I can just see Gary Bettman, with his pinkie in his mouth like Dr. Evil, yelling at Colin Campbell "You said suspending Pronger would work.  I need Detroit in the finals you fool!"
  
• For a guy who was caught sleeping in the clubhouse a few years ago, Kyle Farnsworth sure has a big mouth. Speaking of stuck on stupid, meet Julian Tavarez, a former teammate of Farnsworth's with the Cubs who has never heard of former Cub Ernie Banks (whose retired number flies on a flag on the left field foul pole.)
  
• God bless you, Boston Red Sox. Eric Hinske, you da man.  Anyone who goes face first into the right field warning track and hangs on to the ball earns our respect.
  
• Memo to Jeff Fisher: Two words: Carl Pickens.
• Billy Donovan is about to get a new contract which will pay him a handsome sum until he quits and goes to the NBA.
• Which Major League Baseball players would you want dating your daughter? 
  
• Like fast food?  Here are the best places to go.
• Can you believe that in England, a woman is evicting her grandchildren after her son left the family for an affair with a nanny?
• Joey Buttafuco's ex-wife, Mary Jane Buttafuco comments on the possibility that Joey may be getting back together with Amy Fisher.  Buttafuoco.
• This is right out of Law & Order: A defense lawyer claims a NYPD detective had an affair with the daughter of a star witness. 
  
• A buddy film for the ages: Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino doing more than four scenes.
• Happy 400th episode to the Simpsons, still cranking out funny stuff after 18 years.  They've had some great guest voices too.
• Finally, we celebrate today's Sox and Cubs matchup with film of a Cub fan parking at Wrigley Field.  You have to park anywhere you can.