Why Being Afraid of Flying is not the Worst Thing in the World

I watch a lot of television. A lot. But, I tend not to watch television dating shows. I can justify watching Lost and 24 and The West Wing and Boston Legal and The 4400, and, and, well, you get the idea. Smart writing, great actors, witty characters. Fulfilling stories. Suspense. Action. Drama. Things worth putting down the Theodore Roosevelt biography I'm reading or worth changing the channel from MSNBC or CNBC for. In fact, the only dating shows I can ever remember watching were the original Joe Millionaire (which had ratings practically rivaling the Super Bowl if I remember correctly), Average Joe 2 (the house of 516 Walnut Junior year of undergrad got into that one for whatever reason -- Probably because of its star, Larissa) and, of course, MTV's awful Singled Out from when I was in middle school. But, at the time, the Chris Hardwick/Jenny McCarthy hosted show seemed like one of the best shows on television. Shows what I knew.

So, with that said, I have not been watching NBC's summer dating show Age of Love. For those that missed it (and I don't think you're alone if you have), the show features a guy in his 30s "dating" women from one of two groups, women in their twenties and women in their forties. Yeah, sounds great, I know. And NBC wonders why it's stuck in 4th place among the major television networks (and I'm a big NBC guy, so it pains me to write this).

Why am I writing about this show and what does it have to do with the headline to this story you ask (assuming, of course, you've read down this far and weren't turned away by the Singled Out reference)? My parents watch the show (maybe they are the only ones, I'm not sure) and they called me in the room tonight while watching this week's episode. Apparently, one of the twenty-somethings on the show, a college student named Megan, eliminated herself from the show. Why? Because she's afraid of flying and refused to board a plane taking her and some of the other contestants to Australia. My parents, knowing my intense fear of planes, now think they've found the perfect woman for me. And perhaps they're right.

Like Megan, I have a very strong fear of flying. I know it's irrational. I know driving is far more dangerous. I don't care. If I can avoid flying, I do my best to. Amtrak and Greyhound have been used (on trips to Washington D.C. and from Los Angeles to Las Vegas respectively) in the past. I fly when I have to, which basically comes down to when taking a train would take so long, it's impractical. Though, I guess some would say taking a 15-hour train ride to Washington D.C. would qualify as "impractical." I don't count myself in that camp though. I flew to Los Angles in 2005 to go to the Rose Bowl, and I'll fly out to Las Vegas later this month for a family vacation, but, likely until I get married and go on a honeymoon, that's it for me and airplanes. Unless, of course, Megan from Age of Love finds this post, we get married, and take Amtrak somewhere. That works too.

"We're in a bit of chaos right now" - Detroit Tigers Manager Jim Leyland

"We're in a bit of chaos right now." That's the lead from MLive.com's Danny Knobler who reports this afternoon that Andrew Miller has been placed on the 15-day Disabled List with a bum hamstring, making him the third Detroit Tigers starter to hit the DL this year. The vaunted Fernando Rodney will return to a still-in-flux Tigers bullpen, even though the Tigers would have preferred he continue to fine-tune his delivery at AAA Toledo for just a bit longer.

At the start of the 2007 season, the big question surrounding the Tigers was whether they would become this season's version of the Chicago White Sox. In 2006, the White Sox, fresh off of a World Series win, were primed for a repeat (especially considering how weak the AL Central was -- remember, this was before the Tigers turnaround). The long 2005 season, though, came back to haunt the White Sox. Especially their pitching staff which led them to the World Series but never seemed to recover in time for a 2006 pennant run.

When the Detroit Tigers started off 2007 as hot as they played in 2006, the White Sox comparison seemed like nothing more than a foolish warning from the ultimate pessimist. Even midway through the season, the Tigers had so many pitchers they didn't know what to do with them all, and they eventually traded Mike Maroth and Wil Ledemza (both of whom have starting experience).

Today, though, mired in an almost month long slump, placing yet another starting pitcher on the DL, the 2006 White Sox comparison doesn't seem so far fetched. All of Detroit's starting pitchers, except for Justin Verlander, have at least missed multiple starts, and only Verlander has not spent time on the Disabled List (reading Kurt's similar thoughts over at Mack Avenue Tigers reminded me that even Jeremy Bondman was placed on the DL back in May with blister problems. I thought he had just missed a few starts). As has Zach Miner, who was a key member of the Tigers starting rotation last season. And the bullpen? Those woes have been well documented, with seemingly everyone, from Miner, to Fernando Rodney (two trips), Joel Zumaya, and Tim Byrdak missing time.

Now, the White Sox comparison isn't entirely accurate. Miller did not pitch significantly last year. Bonderman's problem was a blister, and Rogers blood clot likely had nothing to do with how many innings he threw in 2006. Same with Joel Zumaya's freak finger injury. But, the bottom line is, the injuries keep coming. And now, the Tigers batters (like Marcus Thames and Gary Sheffield) are out too.

This has been a rough stretch, obviously, for the Tigers. Chaos, as Jim Leyland described it, is a good word to use. But, you get the feeling that the light may be visible at the end of the tunnel. Fernando Rodney, shaky as he may be, is back, and is said to be 100%. Joel Zumaya should return before the end of the month. Marcus Thames as well. And Sheffield's injured shoulder is feeling better. So maybe, just maybe, two or three weeks from now, this stretch will be nothing more than a memory.

And there's always the possibility of a trade. Though, if the Tigers are serious about moving Carlos Guillen to first base next year (not the worst idea in the world), Pittsburgh's Jack Wilson is not the answer. But, a former shortstop (current third baseman) who hit a historic 500th home run today will be a free agent at the end of the year. But, that's a post for another day.

Rick 'Wild Thing' Vaughn vs. The Natural

YouTube is pretty amazing. Not a revelation, I know, but it still needs to be said. So I was driving home the other day, listening, as always, to WDFN's Stoney and Wojo afternoon show, and Mike Stone is going on about this great YouTube video, which splices together footage from two classic baseball movies, Major League and The Natural. Some would argue the two best baseball movies of all time (though, I plant myself firmly in the Field of Dreams camp.) So, what we get as a result, is Rick 'Wild Thing' Vaughn versus Roy 'The Natural' Hobbs in a matchup of biblical proportions. Great job editing by UBBarstoolSports, who created the video, and nice job by Stoney, who also has some other great videos on his WDFN page.

Actor Robert 'Arli$$' Wuhl Defends Barry Bonds

I am nothing if not a journalist. Well, I try to be anyway. Which is why even if I think Barry Bonds is a cheating, no-good baseball player who doesn't deserve to break Hank Aaron's historic home run record, I am open to those who think differently. So, watching Morning Joe tonight (as I've elsewhere explained, I usually watch MSNBC's new morning show, or at least the third hour of it, when I get home from work) I caught a segment where host Joe Scarborough was interviewing actor Robert Wuhl.

Sports fans (as well as HBO subscribers) may recognize the name, as Wuhl, for seven seasons, played sports-agent-extraordinaire Arliss Michaels on the great HBO series Arli$$. Arli$$ had more real sports superstars as guest stars than any other show, and was hilarious, though it might be best known, in the long run, for helping to start the career of Sandra Oh, who of course has become much more well known for her portrayal of Christina Yang on Grey's Anatomy.

Anyway, Wuhl is good personal friends with Barry Bonds, and after posting a clip from Monday's Morning Joe where Bob Costas just ripped into Bonds, I felt it was only fair, in the spirit of journalistic integrity, to also share Wuhl's thoughts defending Bonds. Well, maybe not defending his alleged steroid use, but defending the great numbers he has put up in his career, especially when compared with Hank Aaron. And no matter what you think about Bonds, Wuhl does bring up some good points.

And for those that missed it, or are too lazy to check out my post on Costas' rant here's what Costas had to say. Point, Counterpoint if you will.