I speculate that they’ve realized there is NO WAY they’ll have enough interest for the course to actually go private in 2010 so they’ll try to increase revenue now as a public course. The thought of this being a private course was a flawed theory all along. It’s Independence, MO – there isn’t the population base with the income levels to support a private golf club. At least I wouldn’t think so. So I don’t expect the course to actually go private next year. But still, promoting a $50 rate all Spring then taking it away after 6 weeks really sucks and could be an indication that this course has horrible ownership/management so I’d be very wary of joining this private course.

I haven’t played it yet – I had absolutely planned to but I’m not sure I will. If for no other reason on principle.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about both the change in the preview rate and if you’ve played the course what you thought.

One of the arguments is that the division is really weak. Since when? Exactly a year ago this time the AL Central was considered the best division in baseball. Now, just a year later it’s winnable by the Royals??? Wow – that’s a stretch.

The one thing I hear that I agree with might be that the offensive is better. Well, that doesn’t take much. Jacobs hadn’t hit over 20 HRs in his career and so last year he hits 32 and is the power savior of this team??? Better than Ross Gload certainly but I don’t expect him to hit 30 HRs and he strikes out WAY too much. Crisp is a nice addition, but does an extra 20 stolen bases really mean 20 more wins in a season…I don’t think so. Teahen was terrible most of the season last year with the bad and 2 of our better hitters in DeJesus and Guillen will (not might, will) miss at least 20 games each with injury. And the other BIG IF that everyone points to is Alex Gordon and Billy Butler blossoming. Same thing we heard last season and it didn’t really happen. Maybe it will this year, finally.
And I didn’t even mention how terrible the defense is in the infield. Teahen at 2nd, Jacobs at 1st and one year ago Aviles wasn’t considered good enough to be a minor league shortstop now he’s the answer for the Royals at short???

But in order to win you need pitching – isn’t that the age old adage…pitching wins. So lets look at the Royals staff on Opening Day in 2009. Even though they struggled at times in spring training I’ll give Meche and Grienke the benefit of the doubt that they’ll be solid and Grienke could be great this year. And although I somewhat cavalierly say they are givens, those are few more decent size “ifs” and I haven’t even gotten to the problems. #3 starter Kyle Davies. He had a good September last season and a good spring this season. And don’t we always hear that we shouldn’t evaluate players in September and March???
And now is when I get really pessimistic. Sidney Ponson and Ramirez as 4th and 5th starters while OVERALL #1 draft pick from a few years ago couldn’t make the majors and one of the Royals top pitchers 2 years ago in Brian Bannister also finds himself in the minors.
Everyone just assumes Soria will be nails again as the closer and perhaps that’s one of the shorter stretches in the scenario that has the Royals not sucking this season but he’s had one good year, one. Not to mention the entire bullpen getting to him is new from the very successful bullpen of ‘08.
And, oh yes – this team has absolutely no depth and a 2nd year manager who still thinks you win games in the AL by stealing bases (which we aren’t very good at) and playing defense (which we got a lot worse at) and still thinks Japanese baseball is the same thing as MLB.
So like I said, I hope I’m very wrong about a lot of things but I just don’t see it with this team.

I predict 74 wins. IF a lot goes well could they go .500, yes – so 81 wins and IF 90 can win the division they’re still 9 games away from getting to that number. Even if you believe 90 games wins the division, there is no way I see the Royals winning 90 games even if A LOT of big if’s go the right way. In the perfect storm, maybe, juts maybe but there is very little to even point to that perfect storm.

Last week was my birthday
and I didn’t feel very well
waking up on that morning.

I went downstairs for breakfast
hoping my wife would be pleasant and say,
“Happy Birthday!”,
and possibly have a small present for me.

As it turned out,
she barely said good morning,
let alone
” Happy Birthday.”

I thought…

Well, that’s marriage for you,
but the kids…
They will remember.

My kids came bounding down stairs to breakfast
and didn’t say a word.
So when I left for the office,
I felt pretty low
and somewhat despondent.

As I walked into my office,
my secretary Jane said,

“Good Morning Boss,
and by the way
Happy Birthday ! ”

It felt a little better
that at least someone had remembered.

I worked until one o’clock ,
when Jane knocked on my door
and said,

“You know,
It’s such a beautiful day outside,
and it is your Birthday,
what do you say we go out to lunch,
just you and me.”

I said, “Thanks, Jane,
that’s the greatest thing
I’ve heard all day.
Let’s go !”

We went to lunch.
But we didn’t go
where we normally would go.
She chose instead at a quiet bistro
with a private table.
We had two martinis each
and I enjoyed the meal tremendously.

On the way back to the office,
Jane said,

“You know,
It’s such a beautiful day…
We don’t need to go straight back to the office,
Do We ?”

I responded,

“I guess not.
What do you have in mind ?”

She said,
“Let’s drop by my apartment,
it’s just around the corner.”

After arriving at her apartment,
Jane turned to me and said,

” Boss, if you don’t mind,
I’m going to step into the bedroom
for just a moment.
I’ll be right back.”

“Ok.” I nervously replied.

She went into the bedroom and,
after a couple of minutes,
she came out
carrying a huge birthday cake …
Followed
by my wife,
my kids,
and dozens of my friends
and co-workers,
all singing

“Happy Birthday”!

And I just sat there…

On the couch…

Naked

This is absolutely unbelievable… 
Bailed-out Wells Fargo plans Las Vegas junket
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28999671/

Basically, if you can’t pay your bills because you got into a house over your head irresponsbily the government is now going to bail you out.  Are you kidding me?

LONG story short my parent’s lost the house they built from the ground up and that my sister and I grew up in because they ran into financial trouble because of inflation and a real estate market that all but literally died in the 80s.  Nobody bailed them out – their were consequences for irresponsbile actions.  This is absolute crap.

Welcome to Socialism!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28891956/

So I should stop paying my mortgage for a few months I can get bailed out!

How is this not racist?
Robert Reich Excludes White Male Construction Workers from Obama Stimulus Plan

ALSO….

Nothing like fair & unbiased coverage of the news:

I’m not going to go on and on about this, it makes me too angry and upsets me too much.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/22/guantanamo.order/index.html

But these are just examples of the candy-ass crap we can expect from our liberal President.  Attention all terrorist – go nuts – you will suffer no significant consequences for your actions.  You’ll be treated better in US prisons at US taxpayers expense than you have it in your own country.  Despite the fact that have killed thousands of American citizens you will have your handheld and be treated with kid gloves.

To quote Colonel Jessup
“I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. ”
Those should have been Bush’s parting words! 

God help us all for the next 8 years.  Yes, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that 95% of African Americans voting for Obama for one single reason will be too much for the Republicans to overcome in 2012.