Was it a witch hunt by those congressional muckety mucks by having Roger Clemens
show up on the Hill to answer questions about his alleged use of steroids and human growth hormone. Oh, joy! Just what I want to hear regurgitated over and over and over…

It's getting to the point to where I am numb on this topic, primarily because it's too little too late. For all practical purposes, the steroids era ended almost six years ago.

Now Congress decides it wants to stick its nose in because someone that stature of Clemens may have actually been a cheater. Wonderful. Apparently they've forgotten it's an election year and people are more concerned about things such as oh, I don't know, the mortgage crisis, a possible recession and the rising cost of health care. I dunno, it seems to me that those itty bitty things might take precedence over a gazillionaire ballpayer who allegedly shot his ass full of muscle medicine.

This all should have been left dead and buried after the Mitchell Report came out in December. Mitchell seemed to take a common sense approach to this entire scenario. It happened. The league was at fault for turning a blind eye and the players were certainly at fault, but it's over. Mitchell recommended no retroactive investigations, but that is being ignored by Congress and my guess would be that baseball czar Bud Selig will do the same. If that's the case he comes across as someone trying to protect a sorry legacy that likely will have little worth remembering when he's done anyway.

So yeah, I'm sitting at home sifting through OSU notes today when I get notice that the Indians 2008 schedule has been set.

I open the email like a fat guy attacking a cupcake only to see that the Indians' first home game of the season will arrive on March 31. March 31? MARCH 31?!!!!! Are you freakin' kidding me or did the brain trust at Major League Baseball not get a look at Opening Day 2007.

Ya know, take me out to the ball game…buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack and, gee, by the way, my freakin' limbs are freezin' so gimme some hot chocolate.

I don't know who is responsible for this debacle, but this date does Tribe fans a disservice. Better they start praying for good weather beginning March 1 and hopefully the baseball gods will be listening. Of course, we know what happened with them last week now, don't we?

Last night was a wee bit surreal.

I'm in West Lafayette for the OSU-Purdue game, but managed to catch the last 4 innings of that marathon between the Tribe and Yankees. And all I could do is sit in the bar where I was having a cold beverage and laugh because the big bad Yankees freaked out over some midges.

Joba Chamberlain looked as if he wanted to squirm right out of his uniform and may as well have done just that given the two wild pitches he threw. You contrast that with the resolute attitude displayed by Fausto Carmona and you have the exact reason I believe the Indians will be going on to the ALCS against the Red Sox. It also doesn't hurt that Alex Rodriguez is currently in the midst of his annual post-season disappearing act.

To be such a young team they possess a seriousness, an earnestness that comes through on every player's face whenever a camera fixates on an individual player. It's refreshing to see a team that has fun but knows when to be serious.

Here it is, folks:

ALDS DATE TICKETS LOCATIONS TV TIME

Game 1 October 4 HOME GAME 1 JACOBS FIELD TBS 6:30PM

LHP C.C. Sabathia vs. RHP Chien-Ming Wang

Game 2 October 5 HOME GAME 2 JACOBS FIELD TBS 5:00PM

RHP Fausto Carmona vs. LHP Andy Pettitte

Game 3 October 7 YANKEE STADIUM TBS 6:30PM

RHP Jake Westbrook vs. TBD

*Game 4 October 8 YANKEE STADIUM TBS 6:00PM

RHP Paul Byrd vs. TBD

*Game 5 October 10 HOME GAME 3 JACOBS FIELD TBS 5:00PM

LHP C.C. Sabathia vs. TBD *if necessary

All right, the life is back in order.  I'm in reasonably good spirits considering Mother Nature decided to relieve herself on my rec room carpet Tuesday morning.  And alcohol wasn't necessary to create that mood.  Shocking.  Simply shocking.

What's going on in the world of sports?  Oh, let us see.

Ahhhh yes, we have a new home run king in Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants, who boldly stated, after whacking No. 756 off of some nobody that the Washington Nationals called up to serve as a sacrificial lamb, that the record wasn't tainted.

I never thought I'd agree with that, but in essence he's got a point.  Why?  Bonds played in an era when performance enhancing drugs (such a wordy statement) permeated the game.  Almost anyone and everyone who put up gaudy numbers in the smash-em-bash-em '90s is suspect.  Some in the game and media will want to hold him to that higher ideal, but when everyone else doing, how can they single him out?  Logically, they cannot.

On a completely different note…

Brady Quinn is in town with a brand spanking new contract.  Gee…now was that so tough?  C'mon do you mean to tell me that the Cleveland Browns low-balled him so much that he needed to not sign his deal oh…I don't know…ummm…back in June? early July?  I'm not seeing it.  You can say a lot of things about the Browns since the team's return (like they stink, they can't block or tackle, quarterback, what's that) but the Lerner family has never been accused of being cheap…Sorry Brady (or is that Tom Condon), this one is on you.

And on a completely different topic…

I never ever wanted to get into the great racial divide that has become the Michael Vick Saga.  It shouldn't have even come to race, in my opinion.  I should have known better, however, given that I lived in Selma, Ala. for a year and it was quite evident that then and on a recent visit there that the racial wounds of the Deep South haven't come close to healing.  In some areas such as Selma that wound has an infection. In other parts, such as Atlanta, it's just a scab that keeps getting picked.

But there is a divide when it comes to Vick.  On one side we saw a bunch of white faces, animal lovers and although I didn't scan the photos completely, I'm sure there were some black ones.  On the other side, however, his most vocal supporters were almost universally black.  I could go into a deep philosophical reason why, but I couldn't do it with the depth, compassion and intelligence that Wright Thompson shows in this piece.

 Add end…

Lastly I haven't gotten the chance to thank those who posted kind words about the recent loss of my grandmother.   Perhaps I just didn't want to acknowledge that she's indeed gone, but to those who said a kind word, my warmest thanks.  A special thanks for a couple of folks who took the time to send a sympathy card to the paper. 

Yes, the silence is gone and I'm back ranting and maybe raving.  We shall see.

What's there to talk about? Well despite the fact that the only real sport playing right now is baseball plenty.  But let's start with America's Pastime and the hometown team.

After several years of being labeled cheap and not wanting to be competitive, the Cleveland Indians have to be given some serious props for inking DH Travis Hafner - a.k.a. Pronk - to a four-year contract extension.  Although the DH struggled the first half of the the season, his bat will eventually awaken and he is a core member of what will hopefully be a championship season.  With him and Westbrook signed, the Tribe can concentrate on C.C. Sabathia.  Although I suspect that will be much more difficult because the hurler hasn't been shy about saying that he'd would love to pitch near his home in the Bay Area.  But as they say: "money talks and …."

Speaking of a little bull.  Apparently Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants to buythe Chicago Cubs - or at least is applying to check out the team's books.  Good for him.  Baseball needs a little showmanship, but more importantly it needs owners such as Cuban who possess a competitive spirit and are willing to actually spend some cash to win.  It would also be enormously entertaining to see how he tweaks the noses of the powers-that-be in baseball.

My colleague, Brian Windhorst, who I soon learned was one of the best NBA beat writers in the country after spending some time with him covering the Cavaliers during the playoff run, reportedthat the Cavs still itching to get the Sacramento Kings' Mike Bibby in the wine and gold.  If nothing else it's going to prove to be an interesting off-season.  The Kings reportedly want Drew Gooden in the deal.  Eh.  Gooden has his flashes, but where he might be missed most is the locker room.  He's one of the Cavs' genuine good guys.  As for Bibby?  He can score.  The assists this past season were a bit scant, but what I'm afraid of is a contract that he can opt out of after next year.  If I were the Cavs I'd want nothing to do with that.

Brady and Thomas where are you?

Cleveland Browns' training camp is two weeks away and still there is little mumbling out of Berea.   Word is that both Brady Quinn and left tackle Joe Thomas might go through lengthy holdouts.  That's not music to the ears of Browns fans, but it's reality.  With respect to Thomas, it has a lot to do with his slotting.  Players selected in the No. 3 position in the draft the past three years - Larry Fitzgerald (WR), Braylon Edwards (WR) and Vince Young (QB) - all received ginormous signing bonuses.  But keep in mind that they play skill positions, which means those huge piles of cash weren't out of line.

The Browns will likely argue that kind of cash is out of line for a left tackle.  Given the state of the left side of the team's offensive line since its return in 1999, allow me to disagree.  The team drafted him there.  He fills a cavernous hole.  Now pay him.

As for Quinn that's a different story.  General Manager Phil Savage said all along that Quinn was listed in their top five on the draft board.  Don't think that Quinn's agent, Tom Condon, didn't take note of that and will use it as leverage.  Additionally, the Browns worked feverishly to get back into the first round so they would get Quinn, Condon will use that as well.  The reality of the situation, however, is that Quinn fell fast and hard during the draft and it will cost him a huge hunk of cheddar.  He should be paid like the 22nd choice in the first round and get his tookes into camp on time.

No, there isn't going to be a lot of game analysis here, primarily because I don't think there's much of a point to dissecting something that's likely already been sliced and diced to death today.

A lot of people have asked me what it's like to cover the Eastern Conference Finals, so what the heck.  I figured I'd offer some insight (as if the rest of you really care).

-  I've heard some people complain about the pyrotechnics the Cavs use before games.  Here's a piece of advice:  do not go to The Palace of Auburn Hills to watch one.  During their pre-game festivities they use the fireworks and spewing flames.  By the time it was done I felt as if I should have had an apple in my mouth, been garnished with pineapple and pineapple juice and roasted over an open pit.  Fun. Fun. Fun.

- I've been to a few arenas in my lifetime, but I've yet to meet ushers the caliber of the ones in Motown.  Ushers?  Who the hell am I kidding?  Some of them acted as if they worked with Tony Soprano.  Some of the badges don't even give them the title of "usher".  They actually read "crowd control."  How welcoming.  But on at least two occasions the crowd control folks crossed the line.  One grabbed me without permission and by the time he was done I wanted to ask him if it was good for him and whether he wanted a smoke.  Such fun.  And the biggest crime of all, he didn't even ask for my number.  I feel so cheap and used.

- Then there's always the irrationality that follows losses such as the one Thursday night.  I get home from Detroit and this gem waits in my mailbox.  Please note that as sloppy as I can be on this blog occasionally, the spelling and grammatical errors are not mine:

"i am sending in this preemptive email, before everybody starts bashing lebron.  why is it that everybody except maybe dan gilbert, see that mike brown is the problem.  he could get away with ineptitude against terrible teams, but the pistons bring out what many die hard cavs fans have been seeing all year."

Now everyone out there raise your hand if you think that the Cavaliers have a championship caliber team.  Go stand over there and the folks from your local mental health institution will be by shortly.

- Then there was this gem of an email that came in response to a column of mine that ran today:

After reading your article about the guy who doesn't have cable, I thought you might offer up better solutions. There are plenty of places to go and enjoy a game that are fan friendly. How about going to watch the game at a Damon's Grill??? They are family friendly

with four 12 FOOT Big Screen televisions. Personally I am sick of people whining about cable tv. This isn't 1979, its 2007! This person wasn't complaining the Cavs weren't on television when they were they were only winning 17 games a short time ago?!?!
Tell the guy to quit whining and do something about it!  He is probably the same guy who called Mark "Munch" Bishops show the other day complaining the game wasn't on TV.  It was on TV, its called CABLE TV and no one wants to hear his whining.

Ahhh such intelligence.  Such compassion.  Such questionable taste in dining choices.  Damon's?  As Rodney Dangerfield said so eloquently about the country club cuisine in Caddyshack - "Tell the chef this was low grade dog food."

As for getting cable because it's 2007, please.  He's a parent who doesn't want to put temptation in his house in the form of unwanted channels.  Being a parent, I get that.  Secondly, any league that wants to please its fans will want to make sure its post-season games are easily accessible.  Selling the rights to cable networks who do not intend to sell the feed to over-the-air stations doesn't exactly fall into that category.  This is why the NFL continues to dominate and the NBA and MLB continue to eat football's turf.

Well I'm finally wested and wewaxed and roaring to go.  Shocking that a week in Las Vegas can do that for you.

It's a good thing too with the baseball season officially underway and the Cavaliers heading to the playoffs, it could be a very exciting time in for the area - at least for a little bit.

Yes, there's a healthy bit of skepticism in that last statement.  Why?  Because I grew up in Northeast Ohio.  Skepticism is part of being a sports fan in this town.

While in Vegas I camped out at the ESPNZone for a couple of evenings to keep up on Cleveland area sporting events.  It was an excuse to eat things that I have no business eating and down a couple of frosty brews.  We could use an ESPNZone in this area, near the Gateway area as part Downtown Cleveland's revitalization right next to the House of Blues.  Not like I have a spot picked out or anything like that.  But that's another topic for another time.

I was able to see some of the Tribe's action in their "home opener" against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and part of the Cavs' thumping of the New Jersey Nets.  But let's deal with the Cavs first shall we?

Yes, they've looked fantastic during their last couple of outings - especially the other night against the Atlanta Hawks, yet I'm concerned.  Why?  Because unless the Cavs win out and da Bulls drop one of their last two, LeBron James and company will be the No. 5 seed.  What's the difference?  Let's see, who would you rather have in the opening rounds of the playoffs - New Jersey or the defending champion Miami Heat who now have Dwyane Wade back?  Yeah, I thought so.  During the times that I subbed for Cavs beat writer Brian Windhorst, the Cavs' lack of fire about losses frustrated.  In interview after interview local beat writers heard "it will work itself out."

Yes, it has.  Into a situation where the Cavs are fighting for a playoff position that they should have had locked up.  I was speaking with another media type guy today and we counted the number of games this team through away to sub-part teams such as the Charlotte Bobcats and New York Knicks.  If they end up in that fifth position they have no one but themselves to blame.

As for the Indians, right now you have to marvel at the fact that they sit atop the American League's Central Division standings. Given snowouts, home games in Milwaukee (where they outdrew the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks) they deserve mad props and so far, in a season where expectations are once again high, they look good.  Ace C.C. Sabathia is 3-0 after last night.  Grady Sizemore looks like an All-Star.  The best part of this?  It's April, the month the team is known for thinking they're still in spring training.  It could be a very fun summer.

Yes, many of you are sitting at home right now warm and comfy in your flannel jammies sitting in cushy recliners watching the Tribe on television.  No one in his or her right mind would be watching baseball in person right now.  You're the smart ones because, to be quite honest, if I didn't have to work I wouldn't be at Jacobs Field right now.  It was freakin' 31 degrees with a wind chill of 20 by the time Paul Byrd tossed the first official pitch of the home campaign.  Ummmm YEAH!!!

"Take me out the the ball game.  Take me out to the crowd.  Buy me some peanuts and hot chocolate…"  That just doesn't quite have the same ring as the normal lyrics, does it?  Nope.  What I would love to do is meet the mental midget that scheduled the Home Opener for the first week of April against a West Coast team that only travels here once.  Hello…is there anyone home McFly?

Had this been a A.L. Central Division foe, this game would have been postponed, primarily because even Eskimoes wouldn't have played baseball in the type of weather we've seen today.  Wouldn't things work just a wee bit better if MLB made sure teams in more meteoroligically challenged cities were on the road for the first week of the season?  Perhaps that makes much too much sense.

It's too early to tell what exactly is going to happen with Major League Baseball's Extra Innings package now that InDemand, a consortium of three of the nation's largest cable companies, apparently has agreed to match the terms of DirecTV's pact with MLB, according to a report from the Associated Press.

The pay-per-service has apparently agreed to carry the Baseball Channel (scheduled to launch in 2009), which is the crux of all of this metaphorical  pitcher's mound melee, to "at least the same number of customers" that DirecTV does.  MLB had decided to withhold the Extra Innings service to cable companies unless it was placed in the companies basic channel line-ups.   Were they right to do so?  That depends on your point of view.  Are they playing ummm…errr…hardball?  Yup, you betcha.

However I am scratching my head trying to figure out exactly what InDemand and the cable companies are doing.  Why?  It's simple.  DirecTV has approximately 15.6 million subscribers, the three cable companies that own InDemand - approximately 43 million.  If those companies are only guaranteeing that at least 15.6 million of their customers will see the new Baseball Channel, what's to happen to the other 27 million or so customers?

So parts of Northeast Ohio get the Baseball Channel and other parts don't?  South Jersey gets the Baseball Channel and Philadelphia doesn't?  It'll be the equivalent of chaos - dogs and cats living together - mass hysteria.

What should have been a simple business right of Major League Baseball - deciding the fate of a premium package of games - has grown into little more than a quagmire.  Let MLB does what it wants - if baseball fans vacate in droves, so be it.  But given that fewer than half of Extra Innings subcribers come via cable, I don't think that's going ot happen.