Our long national nightmare is over (again)

Justin, you old lifesaver. The same day that the new hard drive was installed, I downloaded a copy of the R-Undelete program that Justin had recommended in a previous comment - let me tell you, it cuts through those write-protection errors like a hot knife through butter. I wasn't able to get every last file - some of my MP3s didn't make the jump, and other files seemed not to have been found here and there - but the bulk of them survived, and as I already said, I got the most important ones. It's almost as if the computer had never gone down at all. I had to pay 55 bucks for the non-trial copy of the program (the trial copy can only download files up to 64kb, which isn't much use except to see if it will work for you), but if you consider that I almost certainly would have had to pay any recovery service that much or more, it seems worth it to me. Now to get that iPod up and running...

I may have neglected to mention in the last post that Northwestern's loss was due in large part to having not one but two onside kicks not just recovered by UCLA but returned for touchdowns, and, even more horrifyingly, by the same guy both times. What a special teams debacle. Of course, giving up 286 yards combined to two running backs who are not Maurice Drew, as well as utterly failing to build on the momentum of going up 22-0 on two interception returns for touchdowns in the first quarter, doesn't help a team win either. There's clearly a reason this team still hasn't won a bowl game since the Truman administration. Now let us never speak of this again.

Computer update

New weirdness on the computer front. So the new hard drive came, and I installed it and Windows and all that. I'm typing this from my own computer, which is nice. Then I hooked up the old drive (Dell let me hang on to it, though they want it back after ten days) and tried to get my files off of it.

I can see all the folders and loose files in My Documents. But, for reasons that absolutely surpass my understanding, I can't copy anything that was created before June 9, 2004, nor can I open any folders that were created before that date (even if there are files inside them more recent than that). (At least that's the date I came up with based on copying over loose files by date modified and seeing when the last time was it would let me do it.)

Good news: this means that the two most important files from that computer - my movie rating database and my spreadsheet of finances - are intact and are now on the new C: drive.

Bad news: so what, I can't save anything else?

I assume this has something to do with the security settings I had on Windows on the old drive. The question is: does anyone computer-savvy (Justin, I'm looking at you) know if there's a way around this? Would even a data recovery firm be able to beat this problem, or are those ingrained settings going to kill me? I have to figure that enough people use passwords these days that there has to be a way around this, but if it only involves lasers, there's nothing more I can do here. Thank God I got the movie database file, though.

In other news - Jesus, does Northwestern ever suck. A 22-0 lead and you end up losing by double-digits (after allowing 36 unanswered points)? Fuck me.

Easy bowl access

It's a huge pain in the ass to update the bulk of this site (i.e., anything that isn't the blog) from a web browser, but it's okay with the bowl page because the HTML is pretty simple. It's slightly more complex on the main page, so I replaced the link to the soccer blog with the button for the Bowl Challenge. So you don't have to bookmark the page or go back several posts in the blog to find it now. (Yes, the soccer blog link will be back after the Challenge ends, as though anyone was reading it anyway, to say nothing of my general lack of recent updates.)

Warning: Condiment-related humdrum.

Yesterday Alma and I went to Old Orchard so that she could return the iPod to the Apple Store, and I noticed an interesting store while I was there. It's called Oil and Vinegar, and it's apparently a worldwide enterprise, with stores in twelve different countries (with six, the United States is just fifth in store count, behind Holland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Germany). It also sells a few different things, but the bulk of the choice falls under the heading of condiments.

For those who don't know, I'm pretty much Mr. Vinegar, so seeing a store called "Oil and Vinegar" piqued my interest quite strongly. In fact, it's exactly as amusingly haute as you would expect a store that sells mostly the items in its name and has the bulk of its stores in Europe to be. The back wall features jugs of oil and vinegar that can be dispensed by staff members into bottles; the products are sold by the deciliter, which strikes me as hilariously effete.

There are also samples out everywhere, so you can try pretty much anything on a bread cube. I don't know why I feel guilty for trying free samples - that's what they're there for - but I tried not to make it look like I was trying everything, even though I ended up sampling just about every vinegar on offer. (The one I was disappointed to have missed out on, because there was no sample dish, was this cider vinegar, since that's my favorite normal variety. Next time I'll probably just pick up a bottle.)

I ended up walking out with two deciliters (see?) of Orange-Lemon-Basil vinegar, which is seriously just about the greatest stuff ever. It's a bit too strong to drink right from the bottle as I would with regular store-bought cider vinegar (no, really) - I wouldn't be surprised to find it had an acidity level slightly higher than the usual 5% - but it's so unbelievably flavorful. I'm about to go to Jewel and pick up some French bread just so I can while away the evening (since I sure won't be on the computer) with some bread dipped in vinegar. No, I'm not kidding.

They also had a garlic mustard, which has a good bite and is generally pretty awesome. This is not a sandwich mustard, it's a dipping mustard, and I'm going to pick up some unsalted pretzel sticks in that same Jewel run.

The whole thing - two deciliters of the vinegar (plus the cost of the two bottles, but you can bring them back to be refilled and so you only have to buy them once) plus the mustard - ran me up to $13-something, so I felt like a little bit of a doofus. But as Alma and Drew both noted to me, can you really put a price on something you like that much? (Answer: "Yes, but it's higher than $13.") I have sometimes had people question how I can enjoy my food when I eat as quickly as I tend to, and I guess the answer is that just because I'm eating fast doesn't mean I'm not tasting it. Or maybe the answer is just that I don't care enough about how most of my food tastes. This vinegar and mustard is not going to be consumed in any kind of a rush - it's savoring time.

Merry fucking Christmas.

I spent two hours on the phone with Dell today only to find out that, apparently, my hard drive is corrupted beyond repair. Fan-fucking-tastic. They're sending a new hard drive, but of course good luck saving any of my files. I don't care about most of them that much, but my database of movies I've seen and their ratings is a tough loss, along with a few other things. I'm going to look into a data recovery service, but right now it's "prepare for the worst and hope for the best," as they say.

Of course I got some nice stuff for Christmas. The centerpiece of the present package, so to speak, from my parents was a 60 gig video iPod, which is pretty awesome - but of course I can't even put anything on it right now with the computer issue. Outstanding. I also got some clothes, including an amusing Toothpaste for Dinner shirt from my sister and a sweatshirt from Alma's parents, a few CDs from my dad, a Target gift card from my aunt and uncle (who I visited on Christmas Eve and stayed over to Christmas morning), and a handheld electronic Sudoku player from Alma.

As they say, though, it's the thought that counts, and even though Alma's last-minute replacement gift was a good one, it's worth noting that she had bought me an iPod Nano. I opened my parents' gifts at my aunt's house on Christmas Eve night, finding their iPod - then when Alma called me, I couldn't wait to tell her about it... and was met with an "Um..." on the other end of the phone. As my aunt noted, plenty of people wanted an iPod for Christmas and didn't get one... and I got two. Of course, I don't get to keep both of them, but again - it's the thought that counts, and Alma's thought was fantastic. I guess my desire for an iPod was just a little too loudly and consistently stated.

Back to whining. (a) Has anyone ever had files recovered from a hard disk that went down? (b) If you're from this area and you have, can you recommend anyone?

Well, this sucks.

So I come home today and my computer was off, which is odd. Sometimes I'll come back and it's on the sign-on screen because Windows installed some crap and had to reboot, but off? That's a new one. I turn it on and Windows won't even boot... I get some error message saying that a system file is missing or corrupt, and that I need to get the Windows setup CD and try and repair the file from there.

But of course, guess what? I can't find the CD. In fact, I'm not entirely convinced there ever was a CD... pretty much any OS comes pre-installed these days, and the CDs are only ever backup. I have the CD for the Windows ME from my old computer, but a fat lot of good that does me. It's possible that there is a CD and it's floating around in my morass of a room - I found the CD for my printer, and for Microsoft Front Page, and these are both things I would have to have used on my current computer... so if there is a CD, you'd think it would make sense for it to be there... unless of course it's still in the computer box, which is I'm not even sure where. (Home? I feel like I've had this computer since senior year, because I remember picking up the box at Plex. So I've been home - I'm referring here to DC - at least a couple times since then. Did I take the box back with me? I probably didn't throw it out - especially if it contained CDs - so that's as reasonable an explanation as any.)

But still, this sucks ass. What if I can't find the CD? Am I going to have to buy a new copy of Windows XP just to repair this thing? And God forbid I have to format my hard drive - I have everything on there and no backup. (Yeah, yeah... clearly I should ask for an external hard drive for my next birthday or something.) Anyone ever had an experience like this before?

(By the way, I'm posting from Alma's now, obviously. Depending on how this plays out, the bowl picks will probably not see much updating for a few days or longer. Grr.)

Let the games begin

The Bowl Challenge picks are here.

Game One has started, and it's scoreless in the first. Thrills!

Going bowling

The 2005-06 bowl season will be shortly upon us. Here now, my picks.

Tuesday, December 20

New Orleans Bowl
Southern Mississippi vs. Arkansas State

A bit of a misnomer this year since the game is being held in Lafayette, but would the crowd be much smaller? It's a bit of a wash on "local advantage," but Southern Miss plays in a real conference. The Sun Belt? Come on.
Pick: Southern Miss.

Wednesday, December 21

GMAC Bowl
UTEP vs. Toledo

The Rockets didn't play Marshall this year, depriving this matchup of a common opponent. It should be a high-scoring game - the GMAC frequently is - but Toledo is a little more seasoned. Give them the edge.
Pick: Toledo.

Thursday, December 22

Las Vegas Bowl
BYU vs. California

Cal struggled down the stretch, losing four of their last six, but three of those were to ranked teams and only a 35-10 loss to USC (of whom you may have heard) was decided by more than a score. BYU scored a lot of points (117 in two weeks against Air Force and UNLV) but also allowed quite a few, and didn't beat anyone of note.
Pick: Cal.

Poinsettia Bowl
Colorado State vs. Navy

Seriously? No, seriously? This would be the lowest-rated game if one of the teams wasn't a service academy (the lack of a Sun Belt school helps too, I guess). The Mids' schedule was scandalously weak outside of a trip to South Bend (where, of course, they lost), but the Rams weren't much more impressive. San Diego is a Navy town...
Pick: Navy.

Friday, December 23

Fort Worth Bowl
Kansas vs. Houston

This has to be the least-attractive matchup of teams from major conferences. Kansas was just 3-5 in the Big 12 (and aside from a shock pasting of Nebraska, the two wins were unimpressive), meaning that they owe this bid to their pre-conference schedule - of Florida Atlantic, Appalachian State, and Louisiana Tech. Now, let's be fair - Appalachian State are national champs! Of I-AA. Says a lot about the talent gap between I-A and I-AA, don't it? It's high-flying offense (Houston) vs. the collegiate equivalent of the Bears (Kansas' schedule included a 12-3 loss to Kansas State). Unless Kansas can really shut down Kevin Kolb, they'll probably have to score at least 28 points to win, and they've done that just once since the OOC schedule ended. A 30-17 loss to Texas Tech, which plays similarly to Houston, may be a sign.
Pick: Houston.

Saturday, December 24

Hawaii Bowl
Nevada vs. Central Florida

Jeez, another winner. I'm just amazed Hawaii's not playing in this one for once. Central Florida went 0-11 in 2004, then turned it around this year... but this is still their first ever bowl, and Nevada beat a ranked team this year.
Pick: Nevada.

Monday, December 26

Motor City Bowl
Memphis vs. Akron

DeAngelo Williams is a crazy runner - 1726 yards - and Akron is not known for their D. Or getting to bowls.
Pick: Memphis.

Tuesday, December 27

Champs Sports Bowl
Clemson vs. Colorado

Now we're starting to get to the slightly more interesting matchups. Colorado is reeling and has no head coach, though, so you have to like the Tigers here.
Pick: Clemson.

Insight Bowl
Arizona State vs. Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights might have a better overall record, but I can't see them pulling this one off in AZ State's backyard.
Pick: Arizona State.

Wednesday, December 28

MPC Computers Bowl
Boise State vs. Boston College

A home game for the Broncos, but BC hasn't lost a bowl game since 1999. But Boise State puts up a ton of points. And they're playing at home.
Pick: Boise State.

Alamo Bowl
Michigan vs. Nebraska

Nebraska finished okay by stomping Colorado, but then who didn't? They have a 7-6 win over Pitt on their schedule, which I think was won on a two-run homer in the ninth. Michigan in a laugher.
Pick: Michigan.

Thursday, December 29

Emerald Bowl
Georgia Tech vs. Utah

Utah's closer to home, but GT beat North Carolina this year and Utah didn't. That'll do.
Pick: Georgia Tech.

Holiday Bowl
Oregon vs. Oklahoma

A surprisingly interesting offering. Do the 10-1 Ducks fall apart out of disappointment? OU quietly finished 7-4 (and probably should have been 8-3), with their only losses to ranked teams with the exception of the opening loss to TCU. Still, Oregon should be better.
Pick: Oregon.

Music City Bowl
Minnesota vs. Virginia

Virginia is not a good team. Minnesota's not great, but they're good enough to win this - they like going to Nashville, it seems (third time in four years) and they also like winning there.
Pick: Minnesota.

Friday, December 30

Sun Bowl
Northwestern vs. UCLA

7-4 vs. 9-2... well, you tell me. NU's defense was last - LAST - in the country this year. Still, there's no money riding on this... so fuck it, Northwestern. They've gotta win one sometime, right?
Pick: Northwestern.

Independence Bowl
South Carolina vs. Missouri

It's baffling that a 6-5 team gets to play this late. Spurrier's boys should beat the Tigers.
Pick: South Carolina.

Peach Bowl
LSU vs. Miami

Nice matchup. This year's LSU team should be better than this year's Miami team, though.
Pick: LSU.

Saturday, December 31

Meineke Car Care Bowl
South Florida vs. NC State

I take it all back. December 31 and this is the best we can do? Ugly. NC State because they're closer to home and more experienced.
Pick: NC State.

Liberty Bowl
Tulsa vs. Fresno State

This is also the least appetizing Liberty matchup in years. I'll take the team that gave USC a game.
Pick: Fresno State.

Houston Bowl
TCU vs. Iowa State

ISU choked away a chance to... well, get killed by Texas. Maybe they're not so upset. Still, TCU handled Oklahoma as you'll recall, and should have more fans at the game.
Pick: TCU.

Monday, January 2

Cotton Bowl
Texas Tech vs. Alabama

It only just occurred to me while writing this that there are no games on January 1 because it's a Sunday and college football avoids the NFL like the plague. Anyway, to say this game features contrasting styles is underselling it. Yikes. Bama ended with two tough losses; Tech squeaked past OU but at least ended with a win.
Pick: Texas Tech.

Outback Bowl
Iowa vs. Florida

Florida seemed to fly under the radar this year. I still think they're better than Iowa.
Pick: Florida.

Gator Bowl
Louisville vs. Virginia Tech

A new-Big East team vs. an ex-Big East team. Louisville is missing its QB; big edge to Tech.
Pick: Virginia Tech.

Capital One Bowl
Wisconsin vs. Auburn

Did we see much of anything out of UW this year? It's Alvarez's last game, but I just think Auburn's better.
Pick: Auburn.

Fiesta Bowl
Ohio State vs. Notre Dame

Ugh. Do I have to root for someone? Okay, OSU.
Pick: Ohio State.

Sugar Bowl
West Virginia vs. Georgia

Interesting. But with the Sugar moved to Atlanta, hyorge edge for the Dawgs.
Pick: Georgia.

Tuesday, January 3

Orange Bowl
Florida State vs. Penn State

I wonder if they can get Geritol to sponsor this one?
Pick: Penn State.

Wednesday, January 4

Rose Bowl
USC vs. Texas

I'm anticipating a good game, so let's hope UT doesn't disappoint. I still think USC is better overall and will win, but we could be looking at a really fun shootout, just like last year's Rose. It'd be nice.
Pick: USC, 31-27.

Everyone else's picks go up later today, just before the game.

The 2005-06 BigFlax.com College Bowl Challenge

The 2005-06 BigFlax.com College Bowl Challenge is officially upon us. We're just playing for pride again this year, both because it's easier and because I was a tad late on coordinating this. If you're up for it, send a list of your bowl picks to the usual e-mail at any time between now and midnight CT on December 20. Include as a tiebreaker your score for the Rose Bowl (be sure you include this - I've had to ask for it again way too many times in the past). Good luck!

You'd better not pout, I'm telling you why

Juan Pierre is coming to town.

It's like an early Christmas present from the Cubs to me. I've had Pierre on my radar since he killed us in '03 - in fact, I wrote the following in the brief period during which I maintained the Cubs blog back in July:

"Trade rumors: ESPN suggested that Hendry might be looking at Juan Pierre; Hendry denied doing any such thing, though it's hard to imagine why he wouldn't. Pierre's having a down year, but in three of the last four he's racked up at least 200 hits. Hendry should know what's up since Pierre killed the Cubs in '03, getting ten hits in 33 at-bats in the NLCS, including two triples. He's also a base-stealing threat, getting at least 45 in each of the last four years, though he does get caught quite a bit (2004: 45 SB, 24 CS), which lowers that value. Still, he plays center and is a proven leadoff commodity, and he would likely come on the cheap in a down year with the Marlins evidently looking to dump salaries."

Is three minor-league pitchers "on the cheap" for a guy who could bang out 200 hits for you for the next ten years? I say yes. Mitre started 18 games in three years for the Cubs, going 4-10 with a 6.12 ERA. Not so good. He had back-to-back nice starts in July this year, but the fact that he could throw sixteen shutout innings over two games and still finish with a 5.37 ERA when he only pitched 44.1 innings the entire rest of the year is pretty damn ugly. The only things I know about Pinto and Nolasco are their stats in that article; it's a shame to give up a lefty who goes 10-3 with a 2.71 ERA in Pinto, but that's Double-A. Who knows if these guys will ever really turn into decent pros? Meanwhile, the Cubs still have a fair number of arms in the system and they just got the hit-machine leadoff hitter they didn't have down there.

One does wonder what happens to CP now - do they try to stick him in right, or is the Corey era just over? It's kind of a shame, but let's face it - the guy simply never showed enough of the skill he was supposed to have. When you're being raved about as a five-tool guy and in your best overall season you hit .266, that's not the best sign.

The Cubs have come up on a few other radar screens - for those of you who don't shell out for ESPN.com Insider, here's some paraphrased information about other possible avenues:

Bobby Abreu: I guess they'd stick him in right (or left; Murton's not that big a lock out there yet). But the Phillies are apparently asking for Prior, so guess what's not happening.

Julio Lugo: It looks like this deal is probably going to go down with other teams and not the Cubs. A shortstop - or at least an infielder - should be the other big key on Hendry's shopping list and Lugo wouldn't have been a bad one, but I won't be that disappointed.

Aubrey Huff and Kevin Mench: Potential guys to play right, according to ESPN. With three pitchers already shipped out and Felix Pie and Rich Hill near-untouchable, though, one wonders who exactly Hendry is going to send off for either of these guys, or indeed anyone else. Hendry has also confirmed that neither Prior nor Zambrano will be traded and Wood has an NTC, so the big pitchers aren't going anywhere (mercifully).

Milton Bradley: The Cubs are allegedly at the top of the list, though I think that was written before the Pierre deal. I don't see what's so great about this deal, anyway - Bradley's stats have never been astonishing and he's a total head case.

Orlando Hudson: I'd love this one. He's a light-ish bat up the middle, but he plays Gold Glove defense and with Lee and Ramirez at the corners we don't need a 40-homer guy in the middle infield.

There are a few other names, but none that seem worth mentioning at the moment. Still, I really hope Hendry keeps going - the Pierre deal alone has me really excited, but why stop there?

Are you ready for a football post?

Except for bitching after the Michigan game, I don't think I've talked much about football this year, either college or pros. So let's do a little of that right now.

First of all, if you're interested in the College Bowl Challenge, let me know in the comments box; last year, as you may recall, I gave up on trying to collect cash - especially as entry fees had previously been a scant two dollars - but put in your two cents (ha!) on whether or not you'd rather play for money if at all possible. We could always up it to a more-worth-trying five bucks, although with the crapshoot nature of bowls I don't know if anyone would care enough. The alternative, of course, is simply to do it for pride, as last year.

So - Northwestern. In the Sun Bowl.

Pros: It's not a bowl we've seen them in before; it's not lame-ass Detroit; it's slightly more "prestigious" than the fairly new Music City Bowl; UCLA doesn't have a great defense.
Cons: UCLA does have a usually strong offense; it's lame-ass El Paso.

This is the kind of game where you could see more combined points scored than in a Northwestern basketball game. The last time Northwestern was in a bowl they came up just short; this year the defense seemed to frequently make plays when it absolutely had to (save the Penn State game), but can they hang around long enough to put themselves in that situation? The Cats never seem to have real bowl chops, so I'm not exactly optimistic, but I'll watch it as long as I can.

In other news.... da Bears.

I've avoided talking about this as long as I could because I figured it couldn't last, but the defense keeps being ridiculous and the offense combines to do just enough to win. Still, the comparisons to the '85 team are a little worrisome - that team, after all, had Walter Payton (1,551 yards that year), and while Jim McMahon may not have been Joe Montana, he wasn't quite as esteemed a graduate of the "Please God, just don't let him mess up" school (McMahon's '85 stats: 178/313, 2,392 passing yards, 15 TDs, 11 INTs; Orton's 2005 stats so far: 165/309, 1,591 passing yards, 9 TDs, 13 INTs). Sure, the defense may be a little better - though there's the argument for the rest of the league being kind of watered down, and certainly the Bears have capitalized to some degree on having a schedule that isn't exactly one of the hardest out there - but despite the old "offense wins games, defense wins championships" adage, it really does help to have some offense. While this team has shown flashes at times, it seems like in general they're content to run it constantly, not ask Orton to do much, settle for field goals, and assume the defense will get stops and turnovers. And it's worked so far, but can that really translate into a playoff run, even in a fairly weak NFC? I don't know. I like Orton (even though he went to Purdue), but can you honestly tell me you wouldn't take someone like Jeff Garcia right about now? 6-for-17 for 68 yards might be enough against the 2-win Packers, but that's not holding up in January (not that Orton doesn't usually have a better game than that, of course, but still). There's now the rumor that Grossman could be back, but do you just throw him back out there if you're Smith, saying he earned the job before going down? I don't know.

I'm also starting to get worried about the Vikings, suddenly one of the hotter teams in the NFL and just two games back with the toughest stretch of the Bears' season coming up in these final four games (at Pittsburgh, Atlanta, at Green Bay and, of course, at Minnesota to finish the year). Of those games, the Bears need only go 1-3 as long as the one is against Minnesota, but it's a little worrying. I have faith in the defense, but Pittsburgh has a pretty good defense too and it takes very little to stop this Bears offense. That's one of those games where there isn't a potential score low enough to surprise me. 6-3? 3-0? How about 4-2? Anything could happen as long as it involves no touchdowns being scored. The Atlanta game - well, you never know what you're getting from Vick. At least this one's in Chicago. I have a hard time believing that the Bears as configured should be losing to either Green Bay or Minnesota, but it's hard to believe that they're going unbeaten in the division (even if it's only 6-0 now with the gerrymandering). I figure they might trip up at Lambeau - Favre is certainly not what he was, and they finally got him at Soldier (first win over Green Bay there since 1993? Ridiculous!), but you can't write him off in a game against the Bears. The Vikings game - well, they'd better win that one, especially if they lose to the Packers.

The weird thing to think of is that if the Bears win 12 games - quite possible, though hardly certain - they might actually be the #1 seed in the NFC and potentially have just two home games - in Chicago, in January, possibly against teams not as familiar with the weather like Seattle, Carolina, or Tampa - standing between them and a trip to the Super Bowl. Bizarre thought. Of course, it didn't help in 2001, but there was something very flukey about that year. This year it seems like the defense might actually be the real deal and ready to hold up in the playoffs, though the offense's mediocrity is going to prevent any blowouts. This team isn't winning any 46-10 games.

The other odd thing is that I find myself caring more than I expected to. I'm a Bears fan, but I'm not a crazy die-hard Bears fan. Their general futility over the past decade and a half - the amount of time that I've really been into sports - has never affected me as much as the Cubs' has. The distinction here can probably be traced to the fact that the Bears have won in my lifetime, even if I have no recollection of it. But this morning I was in the car and they played the call of Vasher's INT return in the fourth. The announcer yelled "Touchdown!" as Vasher scored and immediately followed that with "Touchdown Bears!" - and as he yelled "Touchdown Bears!" I could feel something within me leap, almost palpably, as if I had some deep, buried inner Bears fan conscience that was doing cartwheels. And I was suddenly reminded of what all this means, of what a good Bears season is really supposed to be about, of what it feels like to beat a bitter rival in December (even in 2001, two of the Bears' three losses came to Green Bay), of what it feels like to hear "Touchdown Bears!" and remember, "That's my team doing that." And I suddenly remembered why I cared and how much I cared.

I have often wondered if I'm really the right "kind" of sports fan. I follow the scores and sometimes watch the games, but I am rarely to be found at the stadiums and I cannot recall ever feeling emotional over a big win or a big loss. I didn't cry when the Cubs lost in 2003; I was happy when the Bulls and Devils did all their winning but I cannot say I feel like it provided me with any superlative joy. Yet I care deeply and unreservedly about the outcomes of games. So why is that, I wondered, when what seemed like it should have been the real importance of their outcomes seemed to elude me?

What it comes down to is simply that I do care. I'm not at the games because I don't have the money. I haven't been emotional after a big win because all the big wins in the last 10 years have seemed like foregone conclusions. The Bulls and Devils? They've already won, how could they not do it again? In some respects I was the same person I hated - I could justify it because these were my teams, they had been since before they won (even if in less conscious fashion), but I was spoiled. I expected titles and anything less was simply a bitter disappointment. And that's no way to live.

So what this season's Bears provide, and what I hope at least one future Cubs team will provide for me, is hope. The hope that we will see something we have not seen in a long time and do not feel like we can say for sure if we will ever see again. The way you hear "Touchdown Bears!" and do not simply feel relieved, like "Thank God they finally took control against a 2-10 team," but feel pure joy washing over you, the sheer unadulterated pleasure of your team beating your biggest rival on your field in a critical game for your playoff chances. Feeling so connected to what's going on that referring to the team as "we" no longer sounds toolish. Finally realizing just how much you don't want this run to end.

I can't say I expect the Bears to win the Super Bowl, or even make it. But I hope they do. Of course I do every season, but usually that's over long before this point of the year. Now, it's a hope that for once can have some actual foundation. A hope that lifts my spirits every time a Bear crosses the plane into the end zone. I wasn't even prepared for how good it would make me feel - but I hope it doesn't stop anytime soon.

Commute from Hell

Let's start by describing the commute on most days.

Generally speaking, I leave the apartment around 8:25 and get to the bus stop at about 8:30. There are four lines that service the Cornelia and Lake Shore stop at this time of the morning. In order of preference:

1. 135 (Clarendon/LaSalle Express). This is the preferable one because it gets onto the Outer Drive at Belmont and doesn't get off again until Wacker. I get off at Wacker/Stetson (second stop) and just cross the street to the Illinois Center.
2. 145 (Wilson/Michigan Express). This one gets off Outer Drive at Michigan, which means at least ten minutes for the mile down Michigan between Lake Shore and South Water.
3. 146 (Inner Drive Express). Just like the 145, except it turns off Michigan at Wacker, meaning more walking than either of the other two (albeit not by a significant amount).
4. 151 (Sheridan). Ridiculously suboptimal, as it's the only one of the four that isn't an express bus. And of course a local bus takes about 45 minutes to make this trip despite the fact that it's less than five miles.

Today I was at the bus stop around 8:20. It was also fucking cold. About five degrees on the positive side of zero, in fact. The one good thing was that there was no wind, though this is less a "good thing" than simply "not a bad thing." This was probably the first truly bitter cold day of the year - it was pretty cold on Thanksgiving, but it never got below 15 or so, and anyway almost no one goes to work on Thanksgiving - so of course the CTA picked today to roll out its brand new transportation schedule, tentatively titled "No Buses Show Up, Ever."

From my vantage point at the Cornelia/Lake Shore stop I can see north on the Inner Drive about as far as Grace, which is maybe four full blocks up. Roughly speaking, here was how today went:

8:20: Arrive at bus stop.
8:25: Hey, here comes a bus! Oh... it's a 151. Never mind.
8:27: Another one! [the bus turns onto Addison] Okay, that's a 152 (the Addison bus).
8:29: Is this a bus I can get onto?
8:30: ...no. It's another damn 152.
8:32: Okay, now this bus is definitely coming to us... but people keep getting on at Addison...
8:33: ...and it speeds right past us, totally crammed.
8:35: Here comes another 151. Great.
8:37: Here come two buses now!
8:38: Okay, well, one was a 152, but the other is at Brompton [one block north]...
8:39: ...and it fills up. Well, it was only a 146 anyway, right?
8:41: Another 152 turns off at Addison.
8:44: ANOTHER fucking 152 turns off at Addison. How many goddamn people go west on Addison to get to work?
8:45: Aaaaand it's another 151. A guy at the stop actually snaps and shouts at the driver, "What's going on with the express buses? We've been here half an hour!" The driver, of course, has no idea. I finally get fed up and get on the 151.

To recap: I stood there for 25 minutes and in that time five buses went west on Addison. That's one 152 bus every five minutes. Yet in the same 25 minute period only five buses - on four total lines! - came by our stop. Two of those didn't even stop because they had filled up (gee, I wonder why) and the other three were all from the same, local, line. Also worth noting - not a single one of the five buses that actually came by was a double bus. I mean, why would you want to send a larger-capacity bus along a busy route during AM rush? I can't think of a single fucking reason.

Here's the problem with commuting. Say work starts at nine (as it standardly does). If you leave at 8:30, it might take you 30 minutes to get to work, but if the buses don't feel like showing up or if traffic is particularly bad, it might take 45 (or, in this case if you include the 45 minutes I spent on the 151, over a goddamn hour). But if you leave at 8:00 to account for these problems, it probably takes 20 minutes tops and you're there ridiculously early. (Also, then I have to get up earlier.) The train is also usually more reliable than the bus in terms of showing up, and it takes less time to get to Lake (only 15-20 minutes), but it's nearly a ten-minute walk to the train even if you're rushing, probably a five-minute wait (again, at least) unless you get lucky, and then another ten minutes from the train station to the office. That's nearly half an hour of added time and totally negates the train's advantage, plus doing all that walking when it's five degrees out is not exactly the most awesome thing in the world. Plus the train is never not crammed to bursting, whereas most buses at least have some breathing room, if not any seats.

I guess it all probably gets worse during the winter - at least, that's my impression of it so far, as post-Thanksgiving I don't think there's been a decent commuting day yet. Obviously I haven't had to do any of this prior to now, so I don't have previous years to which I can compare this. But is it too much to ask the CTA to actually send buses to meet the need? It's like they have some mathematical formula where the number of buses released is proportional to the temperature outside - as the mercury falls, the bus flow does too. I imagine that the perfect point is at -40, where Fahrenheit and Celsius are the same and the number of buses is exactly zero. Remind me just to stay home if it ever gets that cold.