The Rays will win the World Series, and yes, I'm typing this as they're down 2-0 in the 2nd inning of Game 1.  People are so concerned with the Rays' bullpen, but why not so much with the Phillies' starters?  Outside of Moyer, I think the Phillies' starters' ERA against the Rays is over 6.  The Rays just have the feel of a team like the Marlins or the D-Backs when they won it all.

People who need to get out of my life, now:  Jose Canseco.  Brett Favre.  That's it.  I don't ask for much.  Ok, maybe I'd get greedy and ask for one more.  We'll see if either of my first two are granted.

Someone needs to put a bounty out on Terrell Suggs.  What a jerk.

I know he apologized, but before that, why was he the "Embattled Larry Johnson?"  Shouldn't he have been the "Woman-beating Larry Johnson?"  Or how about "That guy who spat in a woman's face and threatened to kill her boyfriend?"  I think both of those work better.

I'm no expert, I know I'm supposed to be, but how does pleading guilty to state charges get Michael Vick out of federal prison and into a halfway house?  I'm only ok with this if the halfway house is filled with attack dogs trained to go after him the whole time.  Darwin baby.  Survival of the fittest.

I am so sick of both presidential candidates.  Neither of them talk about anything.  Note to both of them:  A question about the financial crisis does not equal a question about your tax plan.  Speaking of tax plans, to you Senator McCain, if Obama's tax plans are so socialist, and socialism is so bad, where were you with the bailout of the banks?  Senator McCain, do you realize that the government is buying equity in private banks?  We're nationalizing banks!  Shouldn't you be about to pop with this?  Where's the rhetoric on that one?  Personally, I'm fine with injecting equity into the banks.  In fact, a few days before Gordon Brown announced Britain's plan, I opined that we should buy equity in the banks just because it makes good business sense and will be good in the long run.  I don't want to nationalize banks in the long run, just have a short-term fix with positive long-term effects.  Then Gordon Brown got up and was ok with it, bashing the U.S. in the process.  What happened the next day?  We did the exact same thing.  This is our problem.  Why did we have to wait for someone else to act before we tried to fix things and why on Earth is nobody talking about this?  Here's the solution, for every minute you spend becoming dumber listening to Sarah Palin talk about something like what a positive impact she'll have on the Senate (even though that's not the VP's job), you're obligated to watch a half hour of CNBC or Bloomberg at night.  That's my rule.  Less Sarah Palin in your life.  More Ben Bernanke.  I'm so sick of this election.  I can't wait until it's over.  Can you tell?

Let's get this over with early:
1.  Big 10 - You're not allowed to have a team in the BCS Championship.
2.  USC - You're not allowed in either.  You lost in Oregon State and you really haven't played anybody else (a Beanie-free Buckeye team almost lost at home to Ohio.)
3.  The SEC is guaranteed at least one team in the BCS Championship.
4.  We're never going to have a playoff.  The current system sucks.  It's all about money with the BCS.  We all agree on these facts.  Let's not talk about them every year like something new happened.

Going back to the World Series.  This is not a knock on Jason Bay.  He is a very good player.  But, the Red Sox would have won the World Series this year if they had just paid Manny and catered to his random whims.  The guy works hard.  He wants to win.  He produces.  How many of us have ever hated a boss and therefore not tried as hard (by not trying as hard I mean doing the job as is required and nothing more.  Zero extra effort that may have gone in before)?  How many of us have switched jobs for a better work environment and then been so happy at our new job that we started producing much better work?  How many of us have taken a job for the sole reason that the employer was the highest bidder?  That being said, why do we treat baseball players any differently?  By the way, I still love Manny.

Did anyone watch that tape of Kobe's knee and have 58 heart attacks at once?  I did. 

My Mom's right.  I need to lose weight.  I finally weighed myself at the gym.  Not pretty.  So I left mayo off of my tuna sandwich at lunch (yes, I still had fries though).

The guy on ESPNEWS needs to learn how to pronounce Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United) before he uses his name twice in a highlight.  By the way, big time equalizing goal by Simao today for Atletico Madrid against Liverpool in the 83rd minute of the teams' Champion's League match today.

Hockey has started!  Anybody know what channel Versus is on Directv?

Bernard Hopkins.  Wow.  I have to say, I thought he'd just dance around and avoid getting hit then complain about losing another decision.  I had him winning every round.  What a clinic.  I'm a B-Hop fan again . . . until he fights Roy Jones and I waste PPV money again.

Here's the new great ad:  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-PzDk_brV0)

Ok, one more comment on the elections:  will either candidate restore the 4th Amendment so the government can't invade every aspect of my life please?  Good thing neither of them will talk about it.  It's only the Constitution.

I know they're trying to explain why oil's dropping in value is a bad thing, but, I love it!  $20 a week I have back now!  And how about that dollar?  Not so smug now are you Mr. Pound and Mr. Euro, are you?

Here's one I heard today:  Going to war without the French is like going hunting without your accordion.

The Tennessee Titans will win the Super Bowl.  I know I had them as my #1 in the RW Power Rankings a month ago, but seriously, come aboard the bandwagon.

Kellen Winslow is off the rocker crazy.  I feel bad though.  He's a soldier.  It could be PTSD.

I'm actually really glad that I'm not interested in the World Series.  Less Joe Buck and Tim McCarver in my life is definitely a good thing.

Sorry to my fellow UCLA fans, I know it was a good win, but I mentally checked out of this season and moved onto UCLA Basketball and the Jrue Holiday era.

How do you even set on o/u in the Oklahoma State-Texas game?  Know the name Dez Bryant.  My friend who knows things in that area told me about him.  He's sick.  He has 11 receiving TD's, 2 return TD's in 6 games, and one of those games he only played a quarter.

Attention to the Man Upstairs.  It's the end of October.  Please adjust the thermostat accordingly.

And finally . . . yes . . . O.J. did it . . . again.  The only difference is that there was a tape recording this time.  You're over the hump everybody.  On to Thursday!

P.S.  Mailbag is next.  Get those comments in.  Eric.Rudin@gmail.com