In my previous post, Wednesday night, I wrote about "not getting reps" and feeling pretty bad about my on-air performance in the early going. However, I had a real nice, confidence-building (maybe just heartwarming, or warm fuzzy-y) moment before the game Thursday.

I've spent a lot of time making small talk with one of the guys who works in our suites. He's a high school coach and teacher, and he's a pretty good conversationalist, and we both have time to kill at times, and he's not the R/DS. So, Thursday, about 90 minutes before game time, he stops by the booth.

He wants to know about my background, where I was before this and the like. So I talk about radio at NU, and about my time in the 'Port, and about leaving the 'Port, and about how nice it is here, being a member of an organization that the communicty seems to really appreciate and value. And we talk about the similar benefits of coaching and teaching in high school - having a positive impact on people.

So the conversation continues along those lines for eight or ten minutes, and he gets ready to head out. And he says, "Well, I just wanted to let you know that you do a really good job. Listeners get a sense of what's going on, but also of your optimism and your enthusiasm. And it's real nice to listen to."

So I brush it off, and give him an, "Aww, shucks," smile, but it really did mean a lot and it really did resonate. Sometimes, you need an ego-stroking, and it was a good time to get one.

(Whether or not he was right is another question. Answers will start to develop during our six-game homesteand, starting Tuesday.)

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The Gimme Indie Rock is down to the Round of 16, and both GbV's "I Am a Scientist" and Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" remain. Get your vote in by Wednesday. Dayton's finest and Ruston's most deranged each send their gratitude.

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U.S.-Italy on Saturday afternoon was absolutely thrilling. I watched the first half alone, squaling at every shot and gasping at every hard tackle. (Lots of hard tackles.) I watched the second half on the phone with Gurs, doing the same thing. My squeal on DaMarcus Beasley's (later disallowed) goal was a pretty good one.

Observations:

- Keller is awesome.
- Onyewu was fantastic.
- I had always thought Clint Dempsey was Clint Mathis. I hadn't seen Clint Dempsey play until Saturday. I love his aggressiveness, and the fact that he wasn't afraid of the Italians. I'm not saying that the U.S. would have gotten a point against the Czech Republic if Dempsey had played, but I will say that the Czechs wouldn't have been so thoroughly dominant.
- Bobby Convey was great. He would have been better if he could serve a decent cross every once in a while.
- I sure wish Eddie Johnson had gotten in the game in the final 15 minutes or so. But, with the 3-4-1 (?) alignment, I guess Arena couldn't risk a defensive lapse. A loss hurts you more than a win helps you there, I guess.
- I think Bruce Arena's probably gay. This is based on his tantrums after cards. For the record, I have no problem if Bruce Arena's gay.
- The Mastroeni card was complete crap, and hurts far more than the legitimate Eddie Pope cards.
- Donovan was a different player for whatever reason. Maybe he's finally no longer afraid of playing in Germany.
- Dave O'Brien is an idiot, but we already knew that.

The U.S. certainly has an uphill battle in getting through to the knockout round, but at least there's hope. The Czechs looked broken during the Ghana game, and the Italians have incentive to play for the win (win the group, avoid Brazil in the round of 16). Of course, the U.S. also looked broken on Monday morning, so a completely different Czech team could come out Thursday.

Anyway, the U.S. was the better team, but I'm happy to get a point. And, had the game gone eight more minutes, the U.S. would have lost. Keller, I repeat, was awesome.

Also, I'm making my debut as a soccer analyst on the radio station that carries our games Monday morning. I won't give you a full report.

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Running officially became a "hobby" today, as I invested in an actual pair of "running shoes."

The tab was about 90 bucks, but I left feeling like I had made a good purchase. Per Gurs' suggestion, I purchased the shoes at an actual running store. I probably could have bought the same shoes across the street at the sporting goods store for 15 bucks less, or at the Kohl's down the street for 30 bucks less, but I left feeling good about the purchase.

Put three miles on them at about 5 today, then 2.2 more at about 8:50. I like late sunsets.

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I got home from the running store this afternoon at about 2:20, having purchased my shoes, along with The Raconteurs' Broken Boy Soldiers (eh) and the Evangelicals' So Gone (on pitchfork-approved special order, and possibly really good), and in time to flip on the top of the first inning of the Cubs-Tigers game.

A Carlos Guillen three-run homer and a Chris Shelton two-run blast (both against Prior) later (I had missed Granderson's solo shot to start the game), I was calling a coworker, Michigan born and raised.

"Hey pal."
"Hey."
"I'm watching the Cubs-Tigers."
"What's happening? Can't get it on the cable out here."
"Prior's allowed three homers in the first inning."
"Oh yeah, I forgot Prior was going today."
"Sucks."
"Not really."
"Listen pal. I'm calling because I need your approval."
"Huh?"
"I'm done with the Cubs. They're terrible. I can't handle being a fan of theirs."
"O...K?"
"I need your approval. I'm now a Michigan native. I'm going to adopt the Tigers as my team the rest of the year. They seem like a fun team to support."
"You're jumping on the bandwagon, then?"
"Yeah."
"There's plenty of room. Welcome aboard."

What this means:
Instead of suffering through Len "Here's Another Meaningless Stat" Kaspar, I get to listen to Mario Impemba, a pro. And instead of cheering for Juan "I've got one tool, and I can't use it because I can't get on base, and I'm old" Pierre, I can cheer for Curtis "I've got between three and four tools, and I'm great and - hello - I'm young" Granderson. Plus, Verlander is awesome. And Zumaya and Rodney are, too. And there's this fat dude, Humberto Sanchez, who needs to join the rotation soon. I love Humberto Sanchez.

And I love a chain-smoking manager. Leyland, yes!

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WIDiRVoFOW

This Week's Reason:
He's a professional baseball broadcaster, but he clearly doesn't understand baseball strategy.

Two instances, within about four innings of each other on Thursday.

Situation one:
Road team leads 4-1. Runner at second. He's a big, slow, lumbering runner. One out. 1-1 count. On the 1-1 pitch, runner gets a great jump, breaks for third. He wasn't being held on at all, and he took off. Batter fouls off the pitch.

R/DS says, "If [runner] is trying to steal, you know it's a hit-and-run!"

Of course, there's no such thing as a hit-and-run with the guy breaking for third. Defeats the purpose of the hit-and-run. Idiot.

Situation two:
Home team has tied the game, 4-4. Two outs, bottom nine. Number two hitter at the plate. Number three hitter has been removed due to injury, and a scrub is in the on-deck circle. Winning run at second.

R/DS says, "Don't be surprised if [batter] tries to bunt for a hit here. Even with two outs, I've seen him try to bunt for a hit before. Sounds crazy, but I think he might do it.

Of course, this would be awful baseball. Two outs, one hit wins it. Bunt hit doesn't win it, idiot.

It's one thing to misidentify a pitch or a player, or to miscall the action itself - those things happen - but it's something completely different to flat-out not understand why players bunt or why a runner would go on his own or any other strategic maneuver.

Worst Part of This: There's no tactful way to correct him, either on air or off. Oh well. Lost cause.