The Royal Treatment

Well it looks like Just South of North's very own Casey Knopik has started a trend. That's right everybody is hopping on the Kansas City Royals bandwagon. The Royals currently are tied in 2nd place in the American League Central division, 1 game back of the Detroit Tigers, which is as close to the lead in the division this team has been since the 1st Bush was working on starting a recession. Royalmania has gone nationwide as evidenced by Sports Illustrated featuring the star of the Royals staff, Zack Greinke, being this weeks cover boy (this of course means the Royals will go in the tank by losing 15 out of their next 18, with the Manager and GM getting fired and the city going up in flames).

By making the cover of SI Greinke has done a complete career 360. In 2002 Greinke was named Gatorade National Player of the Year and was selected in the first round of the 2002 draft. He went on to be named the Royals Minor League Pitcher of the Year and The Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year in compiling a 15-4 record with a 1.96 ERA at two levels of Minor League ball. Everything looked promising for the young pitcher.

Then 2005 came along and Greinke struggled going 5-17 with a Carlos Silva-esque 5.80 ERA. The spring of 2006 was no better as Greinke left spring training for personal reasons. It turns out he was suffering from social anxiety disorder (kind of like what Casey has, which explains why he throws things at people when they talk to him). He eventually returned to the team and bounced between starting games and working out of the bullpen.

Last year Greinke again reminded the Royals organization as to why they drafted him in the first round as he rebounded from personal issues to have a solid season (13-10, 3.47 ERA). He ended 2008 with a string of 14 consecutive scoreless innings pitched. That streak of scoreless innings continued into this year when he pitched his first 24 innings without giving up a run (now get your calculators cause that equals.....38 straight?). The streak was snapped when he gave up an unearned run against the Tigers, a game in which he pitched a complete game, his second in a row.

So far this year I'd say Greinke has pitched pretty well. He is 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 36 strikeouts, 6 walks, 2 complete games and 1 shutout in 29 innings pitched.

This leads me to believe that maybe Casey knows something the rest of us don't? Here I thought he became a fan just because of their cool fountain and the fact that the city initials sound like his name.

By the way you can catch Zack and the rest of the Ragin' Royals in action tonight at 8:10 pm eastern time against the Toronto Blue Jays. Greinke will put his 4-0 record and spotless ERA on the line against Brian Tallet (1-0, 2.95 ERA) who is making his second start of the year.

Outside Magazine

I was stuck in the airport awhile back, and got bored. Very bored. Like start to count the number of rolling bags in the terminal bored.

Deciding I might be looking like a homeless man who just came in from the cold (yes, it was very cold outside, and yes, I haven't gotten a haircut in far too long) I decided to prove to the terminal workers that I indeed could buy stuff. So I decided to purchase a magazine.

I headed over to the incredible wall of magazines the clerk had. No joke, have you seen that selection? It makes a Barnes & Noble look understocked. Anyway, I started perusing through the magazines. Did you catch that? Perusing. That's my word of the day. Hope I used it right.

There I was, looking through magazine, after magazine. When I came across Outside. Now I have always been a lover of the outdoors. And one day I hope that I can get paid to write about them. But I figured, hey, until then why not read other people who DO get paid to write about their adventures.

I cruised back over to my bench. Now I looked like a homeless guy who came in from the cold and happened to find a magazine. I started reading. And I must say. I was impressed.

And then I found the insert between the pages. You know, those dumb postcards that readers either use as bookmarks or just throw away. Yeah, one of those. I looked at it, and realized that I had just found the legendary Golden Ticket that Charlie craved for. I had found my Golden Ticket.

For there, written in normal Times New Roman font was the words. For a subscription, fill out and return.

Now you're probably thinking, "Hey Casey, what is the point of this story?" Well I tell you, I'm getting there.

For it wasn't those words that turned that simple postcard into my Golden Ticket, but rather the words that were printed below it. They said, "A three year subscription, 36 magazines, for $36."

Now that is a deal. I had been getting letter after letter from Sports Illustrated, saying I needed to renew now or else. They even went so far as to threaten they would make Brett Favre come back another year if I didn't renew. Sorry guys. I didn't. And I won't.

The main reason is that while over the past four years of receiving SI, I did enjoy it. But not enough to renew my subscription for $80 for a year. I understand that it's a magazine a week. But that is just crazy for me to pay. I'll stick with my ESPN magazine. I kinda like the larger pages anyway, not to mention the cheaper prices. And now I'll have Outside. A buck an issue. For a great magazine. That is all this kid could ask for.

Six-man football

I saw a teaser for this story by Sikids.com in Sports Illustrated... and man, I thought Chewelah was a small town but boy was I wrong.

The town of Arthur, Nebraska has 145 citizens; 34 attend Arthur County High, of whom 19 are boys. Of those, 16 are on the roster of the Arthur County High Wolves' six-man football team. Six-man football is far removed from the world of the NFL. The dimmensions of the field are 40 yards by 80 yards, and the rules are different, too. Field goals are worth four points and a team must gain 15 yards for a first down. But that doesn't change the players' passion for the game. In Arthur County, putting on the pads is all about a love for the game and a love for the community.

If you're wondering how 6-man football is player, here's a link to the Wiki article. And of course, there's a video story by SI on the Arthur, Nebraska team.