Monday Medley

What we read while eating a variety of fried foods in Rick Parry’s tent…

• Heaven isn’t too far away for Jani Lane of Warrant now, who passed away this weekend at 47. Chuck Klosterman puts the passing of a glam icon in perspective.

• Klosterman also put this season of Louie in perspective, joining its chorus of praise.

• Did Conan pull a Jay Leno on George Lopez? (Not really)

• In other TV news, the end of Breaking Bad is sadly in sight. Meanwhile, Matthew Weiner’s recent deal for Mad Men may be wreaking havoc on other AMC shows.

• Dan Uggla’s recently snapped hitting streak inspired a couple of pieces by Joe Poz.

• Cato Unbound has a discussion on the rise of women, and fall (?) of men.

• An intriguing online law journal, The Journal of Things We Like (Lots).

• More tax-the-rich garbage from that famous class warrior, Warren Buffet.

• Every villain has an origin story, and Michele Bachmann is no different.

• This is the story of a wealthy family who lost everything…

The Sports Revolution: Fixing the All-Star Game

In preparation for this year’s Fall Classic, we asked Pierre Menard if he would be interested in revising his plans from last season on how to fix Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game. “Revise???” Pierre responded indignantly. “What revisions are needed? Fine, change the moronic number of current All-Stars from 32 per side to 34 and we’re done.” We didn’t even go that far. Here, unrevised and from last season, is Pierre on, well, revising the All-Star Game.

Let me set the scene for you: It’s an All-Star Game, and nobody cares.

Let me reset the scene for you: It’s an All-Star Game, and everybody cares.

My esteemed colleague wrote a vapid, nonsensical, and generally tedious post on why the Major League Baseball All-Star Game isn’t that bad. But John S, let’s be honest with ourselves and call a spade a spade. What fan of baseball is actually going to subject themselves to the abject torture that is the All-Star Game? I challenge you, John S, to sit there through the interminable player introductions, ceremonial first pitches, shots of Bud Selig, and not least in inducing woe, the actual four-hour game, and come out on the other side of it thinking yourself somehow enhanced by the experience.

A confession: I have not watched an All-Star Game in its entirety; this is because I have a sense of propriety. I did monitor bits and pieces of last year’s, which proved mildly interesting. But suffice it to say that, each year, Major League Baseball errs more in its All-Star shenanigans than Daniel Uggla.

The Sports Revolution: Fixing the All-Star Game

Let me set the scene for you: It’s an All-Star Game, and nobody cares.

Let me reset the scene for you: It’s an All-Star Game, and everybody cares.

My esteemed colleague wrote a vapid, nonsensical, and generally tedious post on why the Major League Baseball All-Star Game isn’t that bad. But John S, let’s be honest with ourselves and call a spade a spade. What fan of baseball is actually going to subject themselves to the abject torture that is the All-Star Game? I challenge you, John S, to sit there through the interminable player introductions, ceremonial first pitches, shots of Bud Selig, and not least in inducing woe, the actual four-hour game, and come out on the other side of it thinking yourself somehow enhanced by the experience.

A confession: I have not watched an All-Star Game in its entirety; this is because I have a sense of propriety. I did monitor bits and pieces of last year’s, which proved mildly interesting. But suffice it to say that, each year, Major League Baseball errs more in its All-Star shenanigans than Daniel Uggla.