[guest post by JVW]

Let’s try something a bit different here and have a weekend open thread in which the topics set out on the table are not related to politics. Inevitably discussion will turn to politics, being this close to the election and all, but at least we might try our hand at some other interesting items. Here we go:

The World Series
Today begins the 118th World Series. Thanks to changes made to the Major League Baseball schedule at least one game is guaranteed to be played in November, and should the series go the full seven games we’ll have the majority of them played in the eleventh month.

I’m still a bit sore at the Astros for getting away with blatant cheating a few years back, but they beat the yankees so in book that expiates a whole lot of sins. I don’t know what to think about the Phillies — the purest in me resents the idea that the sixth-best team in the National League this regular season is playing for the trophy, but the fan in me loves it. And I know he’s a very divisive player, but right now I really do like Bryce Harper, so help me.

Baseball Literature
The five greatest books ever written about baseball are as follows:
5. Guys, Dolls, and Curveballs: Runyon on Baseball, Jim Reisler, editor
4. Fifty-nine in ’84: Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball and the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had by Edward Achorn
3. Crazy ’08 by Cait Murphy
2. The Glory of Their Times by Lawrence S. Ritter
1. Eight Men Out by Eliot Asinof

College Football
Quite an interesting year. Tennessee has made quite the resurgence under second-year coach Josh Huepel, the former star Oklahoma quarterback. If they can get by a tough but inconsistent Kentucky team tomorrow then next week’s showdown with defending national champions and number one ranked Georgia should be a doozy.

Number two ranked Ohio State gets their toughest test yet this season when they go to Happy Valley to take on number thirteen Penn State. Should Ohio State leave with a W then it’s a near-cinch that they will be undefeated when they host Michigan (currently also undefeated and ranked number four) on November 26.

As for me, I’ll be taking in the Colorado-Arizona State game in Boulder, a tilt between two of the worst programs in Power 5 conferences and two schools which have already fired their head coaches and are playing with interims carrying the clipboards.

NBA Season Begins
Lord help me, but I am tickled pink to see the Lakers start the season 0-4. It’s not so much that I hate the team, but if you live here in Los Angeles you understand the sense of entitlement that Lakers fans exhibit every season. I had season tickets to the Lakers for about 14 years, including all of the five NBA titles won in the Kobe Bryant-Phil Jackson era, and I can attest that the fanbase is absolute insufferable.

Speaking of insufferable basketball — and breaking the rules just a bit by touching on politics — Brittany Griner lost her appeal for her conviction of drug possession in Russia earlier this week. It’s now up to the diplomats to get her out of there, but it will certainly come with a high price.

National Football League
You guys should know better than to expect me to write about that.

Have a tremendous weekend, everyone.

– JVW