Reporting on this stuff is a tough job but somebody's got to do it.

For the most part the media and fans, round the clock year round, are only capable of seeing what is directly in front of their face at the moment. And even then they will misinterpret it, draw faulty conclusions, or miss it entirely. It's almost brainless...robotic. Once a team is out of the race, it's time to perk up for the prime-cut slabs.

I'm in Reds country. They are now out of it and their TV and radio guys are now proclaiming the Reds will have a huge say in who wins the division. Starting with their 3 game series with the Cardinals Tuesday. The Reds could "knock the defending champ Cardinals out of it."

It spreads from the media to the common folk like a virus---talk show and blog.

The problem with that is, even if the Reds were to sweep the Cards, that would give Saint Louis a 9-6 season record against Cincinnati. If the Cardinals had beaten everyone else at that clip, they would be on their way to nearly 100 wins and an easy division title.

This in the midst of the Reds media also constantly echoing the universal condemnation of the NL Central Division as being shitty as usual. The problem with that is, over the last 3 years the NL Central is 19-8 in playoffs versus other National League divisions, .700 ball. And if the Central was to send the NL World Series rep this year, it would be the fourth straight year for that.

Of dumb announcers calling the game, dumbing down the fans.

Digital cable has hundreds of channels and a boatload of games on throughout the day on Saturday. I'll jump from game to game. Every game has the dreaded score ticker running almost non-stop.

Two instances this past weekend--Southern Miss-Tennessee and Cal-Colorado State.......Southern Miss and Colorado State have lengthy, solid traditions in football. Very respectable. But the scores come up on the ticker 7-7 first quarter, or 13-10 one way or the other second quarter, and the announcers invariably say--"Ooo look at that one."

It's like if the big name team isn't ahead 21-0 after 3 possessions it's--"Oooo"......Playing them even into the second quarter is stunning.

All this is Bullshit of the Highest Order. Regardless of surges or successes the question for Petraeus is--what the hell is going to happen when we leave, whenever we leave. The only honest answer to that is---I have no idea. Probably a free for all.

Needs to grow up. There were offended congressmen holding up the GENERAL BETRAYUS Newspaper and ranting against it, and he sat there with the little lost puppy look on his face.

Hey General, you've dedicated your life to defend the people who made that ad. That's the point of having you. If you can't handle it, get another job.

This again falls under the heading of overglorification of military. Just because some guy has a uniform on with a bunch of colorful pins on it, that doesn't set him above anything or anyone. It doesn't preclude him from being criticized or ridiculed or insulted.

Kornheiser is banal and witless. He bores people with stories about his fantasy team. He's an idiot who doesn't know anything about the sport and keeps talking anyhow. He has moments of exuberant yelping. And he's unbelievably unfunny, almost to the point of being unfunny.

Jesus, how did a common everyday fan get into the broadcast booth. I concur. Get him out of there.

And they see themselves.

What is the sportsbar? What are the bleachers at the ballpark? What is on the sofa in front of the tube?

It's Kornheisers.

Is the magnificence of America.

In the middle of war, the military leader can be publicly mocked. That is magnificent freedom.

Theoretically, that's why we are in Iraq. To give them the same thing. Or at least, that's been one of a long list of evolving reasons.

The Neocons did not anticipate or plan for the consequences of their actions. It was all very simple-minded. The American right wing and their grade-school platitudes stampeding militarily into the complex world of Middle Eastern Islam. They thought the air-craft carrier party ended it.

Now we are up shit creek. Iran is poised to take full advantage of the poorly planned and thought out disaster.

And that ain't gonna happen, even if a few hundred thousand Iranians have to die too.

Of these two gentlemen about Iraq, there's way too much "Al-Qaida" in it for me. Do these guys wear specific tattoos or something? They keep saying enemy without uniforms. Then how do you know who is who?

It's really taking on a catch-all flavor now--you say "Al-Qaida" and that is clearance to do what you, when you want, to whoever you want.

Worthy of condemning is Barry Bonds.

That the Patriots have had a more comprehensive approach to this with better results than others? And that, to some degree, has been of assistance in their dynasty?

At least you aren't foot nudging in restrooms.

I'm not sure about "war supporters." Most of the right wing do not really support the war, or the strategy, or understand the implications, or even care how it turns out.

It's just an oppurtunity to pretend they are more patriotic than everyone else. They latch on to that like a tick on a hound and won't let go.

Know what the guy across the scrimmage-line from you is going to do, I'd have to include that in the category of performance enhancer.

You can't even trust when these conservative clowns say we won. We won the cold war. Today Putin is dissolving the government and Russia is testing the "dad of all bombs."

With Iraq and terror. "Win" is so fuzzy and undefinable it's practically eliminated. Now it's an endless striving for victory.