Ramblings

• In 2008, the Richmond Braves left Richmond and moved to Georgia after 42 years in the capital city. After a year with no minor league baseball, Richmond got the Giants' AA affiliate this year. The team had a contest to name its new team -- despite having over 9,000 entries, the team chose the following lame finalists: Flatheads, Hambones, Rhinos, Flying Squirrels, Rock Hoppers, and Hush Puppies. Seriously? Hambones was later disqualified because it is apparently the name of a dance performed by slaves. Flying Squirrels was chosen as the winner. The Richmond Flying Squirrels. The new name begs the question: is the Flying Squirrel the worst mascot in the minor leagues? Others team include such weird names as the Isotopes, the Iron Pigs, the Biscuits, the Nuts, the Rawhide, the Tourists, the Lugnuts, the Manatees, the Sand Gnats, and the Loons. So, yes, Flying Squirrels is the worst. Or at least second-worst to Lugnuts.

• I've said before on this blog that I have been a Red Sox fan since 1995, but I started feeling guilty when the Red Sox won two World Series since I was not from Boston and really had no legitimate reason to be a true fan (other than going to two games at Fenway when I was 14). To compensate for my guilt, I became a Washington Nationals fan. Being a Nats fan makes sense because they are the closest team to my hometown in Virginia and their best player is former UVa star Ryan Zimmerman. However, the Nats are absolutely terrible. I cheered for the Red Sox this season, but I did not follow them as closely as I had for the past decade. Then something happened to rekindle my interest in the team from Beantown: the Yankees won the World Series for the first time since 2000. Watching the World Series reminded me how much I hate the Yankees. It made me want to get back on board Red Sox Nation. Part of the fun of being a Sox fan is cheering against the Yankees. So, I'm putting my guilt aside and coming back to the Sox. But don't worry, I'll keep up with my Nats too -- they might lose less than 100 games net year.

• I recently started selling a few items on Craigslist. Craigslist is like having a yard sale one item at a time, but you don't have to worry about stalkers and vultures parking outside your house at 6 a.m. In fact, I recommend meeting the buyers in a crowded parking lot.

• NBC recently canceled "Southland" -- one of the best new shows from last season. I feel like "Southland" is the first casualty of NBC's experiment of putting Jay Leno's show at 10 p.m. every night. I understand that NBC is taking its chances that some people would rather watch a funny talk show than the serious crime and hospital dramas on other networks at 10 p.m. However, Leno is not funny. Never has been. Moreover, "Southland" was the best drama on NBC. Fortunately, TNT knows drama and they are picking up "Southland" -- the first episode will be aired on January 12.

• "90210" is in the middle of season two -- and yes, I still watch. I know I said I would never blog about this show again, but I have to make 10 observations from season 2:

10) It's better than season 1.

9) Silver is not alty anymore.

8) There has been no mention of Silver's blog.

7) Annie might be a worse actress than Naomi.

6) No one ever goes to the Peach Pit anymore.

5) Dr. Pepper must no longer sponsor the show.

4) It is still hard to believe than Dixon played Michael on "The Wire."

3) Fortunately, Donna and Brenda are gone for good.

2) Unfortunately, Brandon is still MIA.

1) It's still not that good.

If you haven't watched all season, consider yourself caught up.

• Meet the dirtiest player in women's college soccer: #15 from New Mexico. She is the Bill Laimbeer of women's soccer. I kind of want to punch her in the mouth.