I Lied and said Chris had tumorsyphilisitisosis. They were gonna cancel Gumbel 2 Gumbel!

Hello friends. Do you believe in miracles? Our softball team made it seven in a row last night as we defeated the defending league champions The Mix 8-5, improving our record to (8-2) heading into the playoffs. I had a TERRIBLE game offensively going 0-4 for the first time in my softball career, but made up for it in center field with a nice diving catch that saved two runs.
We're tied with The Score and Jack FM for first place, and The Mix is in fourth place with a record of (6-4) after their loss to us which ended their four game winning streak. Playoff time starts next week, not for the faint of heart.

After the game, while drinking at a bar on Division St. with some friends/teammates, CBS' Greg Gumbel walked by the open window where we were sitting. He had two very creepy bald white dudes with him, each with a very impressive Tom Sellick-esque mustache (possibly bodyguards/lovers?), and it got me thinking of some of my brushes with athletes/celebrities that I've had over the years.

Working in sports radio for three + years, I've had my share of encounters with "the famous," mostly athletes of course, and there's generally a funny story that goes along with each meeting.

I was Shaquille O'Neal's personal escort around Chicago one time (not sexually...you creeps!) and for some reason I asked him, "Shaq...Kazaam?...Come on man?!" (Obviously, EVERYONE knows that Kazaam was a terrible movie, but only a D-BAG (me) would ask the star of the bad movie why he did it). The question didn't even phase him. He just looked at me, smiled and said, "Brotha, I made 6 mill doin' Kazaam." And that was it. Those seven words were one of the coolest things that anyone has EVER said to me.

I once got to play "Golden Tee" with the voice of "Golden Tee" Jim Nantz of CBS Sports. Not only did he kick my ass at the game, but we got him to say some of his lines from it as well, such as..."Get out the putter Peter." Excellent. I remember Cal Ripken Jr. would always say "cheese" before getting his picture taken (every single time). It was as if he was a robot, and saying "cheese" was his signal to let you know that he was now programmed and ready for you to snap the photograph. I've always thought that that was kind of strange. Ryne Sandberg was really cool (not just because he was my hero growing up), but he told me that he expects to see my picture up on the wall with all of the other NBC icons at the "NBC Tower" where I used to work. I'll NEVER forget that. Susie Esman from my favorite TV show "Curb Your Enthusiasm" said that I was "hot." She wasn't too bad either for a woman of her age. Jose Canseco was pretty much the tool that you might imagine wearing sun-glasses indoors and not saying two words to anybody, and I remember being pleasantly surprised about how nice and courteous Alex Brown of the Bears was when I drove him around on a golf cart down in Bourbonnais for training camp.

It's weird that these people (the famous) are so eccentric in their own way. I've always wondered whether you act like that because you're constantly in the "lime-light" due to your immense fame/fortune/popularity? Or, if the reason that you became famous/rich/popular in the first place was because you acted in that way? Not sure?

Let's just promise each other this...if either of us ever get rich/famous/popular at whatever it is that we're striving to do, we won't EVER do ANY of the following: Wear make-up for no reason (Steve Stone, Michael Jackson), sunglasses indoors (Jose Canseco, Jesse Rogers, Michael Jackson), become ultra paranoid about everything around us (Murph, anyone in radio management, Michael Jackson), alter the color of our skin (David Kaplan, David Schuster, Michael Jackson), or simply be an assclown to those around us (too many in sports/sports media to mention, Michael Jackson).

It's funny how MJ is so similar to everyone in sports/sports media isn't it?

Enjoyed talking to you today. I just found out that through all of the tie breakers, our softball team earned the #3 seed and will take on The Score (#2 seed) in the first round of the playoffs on Tuesday. Let's go. Hit me up on facebook or in the comments section of this blog. Right now I'm listening to "Last Pale Light in the West" by Ben Nichols. I've been on a real acoustic kick lately. Drinks of choice: After Bud Lights last night (didn't have a choice, and almost chose water. I feel as strongly about anti-Bud Light drinking as most Chicagoans feel about ketchup on a hot dog). Miller Lite I guess?

Peace the F.
Webby