BLUE THINK TANK

Finally got over whatever illness that was hampering me the past few days. Some quick thoughts.

Jamie McCourt and I share something in common.

It's tempting to make some sexist remarks and predict the doom of the franchise now that the team has a woman president. Labeling Jamie McCourt as the real-life Rachel Phelps is somewhat cheaply entertaining, using examples such as the rumored Fernando ticket downgrade last year. It's humorous, but that's an unfair attack on someone I do not know. So I decided to check out out her qualifications a bit.

I was aware that she has a background in real estate and law. What I didn't know was that she received an MBA from my alma mater. Curious, I logged in to my alumni website and did a search for McCourt. Sure enough, she showed up as "Ms. McCourt, Jamie D." It turns out that we're sort of classmates, as she and I received our respective degrees in 1994.

(Her alumna listing also showed her home address. Befitting its $25 million price tag, the home's street name is one I'd never heard of in all my years in LA. I don't know whether one's address is considered public knowledge, but since the information is from a private website, I will resist the temptation to post it here and save the McCourts the disgrace of having their home address listed in a fan blog. )

Congrats to a fellow Beaver, the highest ranked woman in baseball. If I ever bump into her at an alumni function, I'll make it a point to say hello. Now if I could just get the Rachel Phelps cardboard cutout reference out of my head...

Ticket sales idea.

Back in April, there were some young door-to-door solicitors selling Dodgers tickets at my workplace. I had never seen a sports team not named the Clippers resorting to such tactics to sell tickets.

The Braves had a promotion this year where an autograph from a young player would be given out for purchasing a 9 game package. A similar promotion might be a good fit for the Dodgers, whose future might lie with all those prime prospects who might make the Show from now to about 2007.

There are no attendance problems. LA is currently averaging about 46,000 per game, which might set a team record. Seeing how Mrs. McCourt is a "classmate" and all, that's my small suggestion to raise ticket sales without looking desperate like the Clips.

The bullpen is back, for now.

There has been one deficiency after another throughout the year, given all the injuries. First, the starting rotation was in shambles. Then the offense went into a funk as every important bat except Kent missed significant time. Lately, the loss of Gagne has been magnified as the bullpen collapsed, the exclamation point being that horrific loss to Philly last Wednesday that resulted in Brazoban's demotion from the closer role.

LA's bullpen has recently done a reverse. Prior to tonight's debacle, the bullpen has pitched 10 innings while giving up 1 earned run since last Wednesday, allowing 0 HRs, 1 walk, and striking out 7. In that same span, the hitters got some clutch hits off the opponent bullpen.

All hope not yet lost?

OT: Reverse pedophilia discrimination.

Why didn't I have a teacher like her when I was in middle school? It's sick and twisted and all, but the comments in the link are are absolutely hilarious.

On a related note, I wonder how the movie "Big" would have been if the plot had been about a 13 year-old girl who grows up overnight.

Eh, never mind. That sounds like a cheesy porn waiting to happen.