in the sporting world over the weekend, but I can’t remember anything as bizarre as what happened at the US Grand Prix on Sunday: F1 begins to count the cost of its darkest hour. In short, there are two tire suppliers to the ten teams (Bridgestone and Michelin), and one of them – Michelin – determined that the tires it had supplied for the race wouldn’t be safe on the circuit. So they had all of the teams running on their product pull out of the race. The race ran, but with only 6 competitiors! Blame has being freely apportioned ever since.

you’ll love Michael Lewis’ article on two unlikely young players: Absolutely, Power Corrupts. The larger question: is the end of steroids (assuming we’re there) the beginning of a renaissance of small-ball?

Major League Baseball continues the extortionary policy of requiring all-public funding for any stadium: Baseball Rejects Council’s Changes In Financing Plan for D.C. Stadium. This is the underlying reason why baseball left Montreal and will likely leave Washington before ever playing a game there. MLB needs this cautionary tale to force other governments in other jurisdictions to put up the money or lose their team. The reason Montreal wasn’t viable had nothing to do with attendence or revenues and everything to do with the fact that the Provincial and Federal gov’ts can’t be bought or intimidated as easily as US municipal, county, and state governments can be.

but I’m a huge baseball fan. October is always magical for true fans of the game; no matter who is still in the running, you are pretty much guaranteed some very good, gripping baseball. This year is special, though. Last night, the Boston Red Sox won the AL Pennant sending them to the World Series. It will be their first visit since 1986, and it’s possible they’ll win for the first time since 1918!

In the Senior Circuit, tonight’s Game 7 between the Houston Astros and the St Louis Cardinals should prove to be a corker as well. The teams have been very easily matched through the 6 games that have been held, and both have great offensive talent and overall well-rounded teams – either would represent the National League very well against the Sox.

Personally, I’m pulling for a Red Sox-Cardinals Series. Two old-time teams, both featuring future Hall-of-Famers, and chemistry to spare.

I went to the Big O to see what was likely my last Montreal Expos game. The ‘Spos lost to the Phillies, as they have done many times before in my presence, but there was an odd poignancy about as well. Aislin, the noted editorial cartoonist at the Gazette, put it well: “It’s going to be weird…”