Michigan’s football team will have some new threads this fall (and for many years to come). The new uniforms are courtesy of adidas. Michigan has been in a relationship with Nike for many years, so this is a huge change for the university the traditionally has been a leader in merchandise sales.

Some cool points about the jerseys. They have Bo Schembechler’s historic quote, “Those who stay will be champions” embroidered into the hem of the shirt. There are also silicon inserts in the sleeves commemorating all of Michigan’s 42 Big Ten championships. I think that these 2 things give me a small sense of hope that all tradition is not lost at Michigan. It shows me that Rich Rodriguez is at least aware that tradition is very important at Michigan. Can Michigan retain it’s tradition as a football powerhouse even though the offense that’s on the field will be decidedly un-Michigan? I guess this is an indication that the answer could at least be maybe.

Now comes the question of like. Do I like the new jerseys? I like the plain home blue jerseys but I’m not a huge fan of the maize stripe on the away white unis. There has been a maize stripe on the away uniforms for a while that was fairly unperceptablel, but these are a bit wider. All in all, I like the traditional elements that have been brought in, and at least they don’t look like Cal’s or Rodriguez’s last stop West Virginia. Or even worse, Oregon.

The Bears took a step towards being a real football team Tuesday by signing running back Kevin Jones. Jones is coming off a torn ligament in his knee, but he has NFL experience (something that previously likely starter rookie Matt Forte doesn’t have).

Whether Jones starts, or shares time with Forte it’s a move that at least gives them a bit of depth at one of the most important positions on the field. If they don’t get an offensive line, neither back will have success, but this is a step.

You were my favorite. But you had to go. You were stinking up the joint and pulling down an All Star’s paycheck. I still have a place in my heart for you Richie… but I think it’s better. It’s not me… it’s you.

I know I’m a little late with this one, but I’ve been travelling. My apologies.

I LOVE THIS TRADE. Obviously Rich Harden is an injury risk. But he has Cy Young capabilities. If he stays healthy the rest of the year, he will probably win 8-10 games for the Cubs. You give up a lot to get a guy like Rich Harden, Sean Gallagher and Eric Patterson are obviously good prospects, but you have to give up quality to get quality. I think the hidden gem of this deal is Chad Gaudin. To me Gaudin is insurance for Harden in the rotation, and if Harden stays healthy, he’s a solid bullpen guy.

The Cubs give up Matt Murton, but there was no room for him in their outfield. I’m glad that Hendry gave the kid a shot, albeit in Oakland. I think Murton will be a solid player for the A’s.

In Harden’s first outing for the Cubs he struck out 10. He didn’t get the win because Marmol blew it, but I’ll take outings like that for the rest of the year over having Eric Patterson as a back-up infielder and Sean Gallagher in the rotation. To me, it’s a no-brainer.

Fernando Torres knocked home the 1 goal that was needed to win Spain’s first major Championship since 1964, when it won the European Championship on it’s own soil. Since I have been in the Czech Republic this whole tournament, I’ve been able to watch most of the games on a huge screen in a public square. This is something that puts any Super Bowl party to shame.

I haven’t written about the other matches mainly because I don’t know a ton about soccer and didn’t feel like I could adequately comment on the games. What I can tell you is that I’ve definitely become a soccer fan. And I have definitely accumulated some likes and dislikes for national teams. For example, I don’t like Germany. They seem to play dirty. But I do like watching Bastian Schweinsteiger, always seems to be making a play. And while Portugal are very pretty to watch, they do a lot of diving and whining. I genuinely enjoyed watching Spain with Torres, Senna and David Villa.

I could go on and on, but you probably don’t care who my favorite footballers are. Suffice it to say, I had a great time watching Euro 2008. I will definitely continue to watch, and can’t wait for the next World Cup.

So what?

Yeah, it’s a big deal. And obviously no team wants to get swept, but just a week ago, the Cubs swept the Sox at Wrigley. I may be biased (maybe?) but Cubs fans were excited about it, but I didn’t see the across the board outcry of Cubs fans that “Sox suck!” I can’t even believe that I’m defending Cubs fans. As a rule, Cubs fans (save myself of course) are a bunch of dopes. Now I do have to say that Sox fans are typically knowledgeable, but also generally classless (I guess most Cubs fans are too, but I digress).

It’s 3 games. The Cubs are still 16 games over .500 and in first place and the Sox are 11 games over .500 and in first place. They split the season series, and both look like likely playoff teams. If they meet again and either team sweeps, there’s your story. Until then, let’s relax a bit?

The Mariners completed Phase 2 of cleaning out the crap that is the “leadership” of the Seattle Mariners by firing manager John McLaren. McLaren will be replaced by bench coach Jim Riggleman. I have a little history with Riggs. He managed the Cubs a while back and he didn’t do too much with a pretty good ball club. What is he expected to do with a crap heap like the 2008 Mariners.

Interim General Mangager Lee Pelekoudas said that the firing of Bill Bavasi and now John McLaren would not be the last moves they would make. Ichiro Suzuki also made statements that players needed to be held accountable for the teams horrid year and that they should also be dealt. It seems like no one’s job is safe on the Mariners… and that’s a good thing in my eyes. I want everyone on my team to know that he is replaceable. Do your job, or it won’t be yours anymore. Accountability. Richie, you know I love you, but you’re not good, and you’re paid too much. You’re probably next Richie.

Congratulations to the Mariners true leadership, president Chuck Armstrong, for seeing that a change must be made and making a sweeping, extensive change. I like that. And I am excited to see the direction the team will now take.

By the way, you think we can get Adam Jones back?

The Mariners started the season expecting to challenge for the AL West title. Now they’re just trying to get out of last place. Because of this, the Mariners fired Bill Bavasi. I think this is definitely a move in the right direction. But more should be done. John McClaren should be next. Even though he exploded at his team a while back he is too passive and doesn’t seem to be leading the team anywhere good. Now with Bavasi out, they can fire McClaren, and put some interim head coach in there. Maybe Mel Stottlemyre? And when then find a GM in the off-season they’ll be poised to bring in a top shelf skipper.

So Carlos Marmol should replace Kerry Wood, eh? 15 pitches, 1 out and 3 runs. I really do like Carlos Marmol, but he’s not ready to be the closer. Kerry Wood has been seasoned and even though his arm can’t go much longer than an inning. He’s the closer… it doesn’t have to. Marmol has electric “stuff”, but he nearly blew the game against one of the worst offenses in one of the most pitcher-friendly ball parks.

Of course everyone has a bad day, and I’m not writing off Marmol at all, but Kerry Wood is and should be the closer.

And they weren’t even Red Sox fans. Well, there were a bunch of those too. But I’d like to concentrate on the group of high school dopes that were sitting behind my wife and I as we took in the rubber game of the Red Sox series on Wednesday.

This guy was screaming so loudly that my ears were literally ringing. I don’t mind loud fans, what I do mind is ignorant “fans”. This guy was going on about how Ichiro sucked, and didn’t deserve his paycheck, and that he doesn’t contribute to the team, blah, blah, blah. I didn’t have the heart to break it to this loud-mouthed young man, that Ichiro was the best player on the Mariners… by far, and a future Hall of Famer. And while no one really “deserves” $16 million to play a game, there’s such a thing as market economics, which I’m sure he’ll fail, should he ever make it to college.

All at the same time, it got worse, but it also got better. One of the shining moments in the game was when he and his mush-brained buddies stepped out to grab some ice cream (which he proceeded to slurp down in my ear). So we, and the people around us got a little reprieve from his idiocy. But, as they always do, they came back. Wiping the tear from my eye (and wishing for industrial-sized ear plugs), we braced for the final 3 innings.

The cherry on top of the slurped sundae for me was in the top of the 8th inning after Erik Bedard had been replaced  by Brandon Morrow. First the dope started screaming about the Dallas Stars. I’m not a hockey guy, but apparently the Dallas Stars captain is Brenden Morrow. The Screamer seemed really excited by this cross-sport name similarity. Stunning really. So following this achievement in heckling your own team about a guy who has a similar name, but plays a different sport, he starts chanting “Let’s go Erik! Let’s go Erik!” I, of course, try to restrain myself, but can’t help laughing. My wonderful, beautiful, brilliant wife turns to him with her angelic (albeit cheeky) grin and says “That’s not even who’s pitching anymore.” Oh the pride. Oh the love.  Words really cannot express the flutter and joy of my heart. The sweetest woman in the world just shut down this dope so few words. His response, “I’m an idiot.” Truer words have never been spoken, my friend. Truer words have never been spoken.