Cubs Hire Joe Maddon As Manager

CHICAGO (AP) -- Joe Maddon has been hired as manager of the Cubs after the team fired Rick Renteria.

Chicago, without a World Series title since 1908, announced the hiring Friday about two hours after announcing the firing.

Maddon is to be introduced Monday at a news conference at a restaurant across the street from Wrigley Field.

15 Phrases Successful People Avoid

By Sujan Patel, of Yahoo! Small Business:

If you want to become more successful as an entrepreneur or in your career, you can start by making a habit of talking and thinking more like the people you know or read about who are already successful.

Here are some phrases you’ll never hear a successful person say:

1. "We can't do that."

One thing that makes people and companies successful is the ability to make solving their customers’ problems and demands their main priority. If a need arises repeatedly, the most successful people learn how to solve it as quickly as they can.

2. "I don't know how."

Instead of automatically shutting down solution-finding, successful people learn what they can in order to succeed in a project or in their career. For example, you would never see a truly successful international business consultant who travels to Italy multiple times per year refusing to learn Italian.

3. "I don’t know what that is."

Pleading ignorance doesn’t make the problem go away. It just makes the asker find someone who is able to work with them to solve the problem. While’s it’s always good to be honest with those you interact with, finishing this phrase with “but I’ll find out” is a surefire way to become more successful.

4. "I did everything on my own."

The best people know to surround themselves with others who are smart, savvy and as dedicated as they are. What makes this work is always giving credit where it’s due, as due credit to you will always come back in hand. Recognize those that have helped you or made an impact and you’ll continue to earn success and recognition yourself.

5. "That's too early."

You would never hear Benjamin Franklin or someone such as Steve Jobs say, “that is too early for me to be there.” If there is a networking meeting, project launch or interview opportunity at the very beginning of the day, the most successful people do what it takes to be there. Part of being successful is being at the right place at the right time, no matter if you’re a morning bird or night owl.

6. "That’s too late."

Along the same lines, if you’re asked to a 9 p.m. dinner by a potential business partner, and you can make it, definitely go. You may be tired the next day, but the connections you will make during a small dinner or after-hours meeting can make all the difference when it comes to your career or next project.

7. "It's too bad we couldn't work together."

Truly hitting it off with someone can be a rare occurrence, but if you truly connect with someone and want to work with them, find a way to make it work. Finding people that you really enjoy communicating with don’t come along too often, so whether it’s a case study or a new business, successful people know that working with those who truly align with your personality and interests are the path to true success.

8. "Let's catch up sometime."

Many times, this phrase is said as filler, without any true follow up. Successful people know that if they really want to catch up with someone, they follow up to make it happen. This also builds on the idea that the most successful people have worked hard to build genuine connections and relationships within their network, without any hidden agenda. Nurturing your network means being thoughtful of others, while keeping your relationships with them on top of your mind.

9. "I'm sorry, I'm too busy."

If an opportunity comes their way, successful people do what it takes to make it happen. Sure, this might mean longer hours occasionally, but if you want something to work, that is what it takes. After all, according to Lao-Tzu: "Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time,’ is like saying, ‘I don’t want to.’”

10. "That was all my idea."

Again, as mentioned in number four, the most successful people spread the wealth when it comes to doling out praise from a successful project. No idea is truly one’s own -- it’s a sum of their experiences from interacting and building off of collaborative ideas with a team. Doling out praise and encouragement is a crucial part of building a successful company and culture.

11. "I never read books."

Tom Corley of Rich Habits found that rich people read (and listen to) books at a much higher rate than poor people: “63 percent of wealthy parents make their children read two or more non-fiction books a month vs. 3 percent of poor.” Also, “63 percent of wealthy listen to audio books during commute to work vs. 5 percent of poor people.” Reading non-fiction (as well as fiction) can helpreduce stress, enhance creativity and boost your memory.

12. "I'm not good enough."

Part of being successful is having a high sense of self-worth. Being yourself is one trait that promises success in business and your personal life. Follow your true interests. What you would do in your life if you didn’t need money?

13. "It's OK." (over and over)

Successful people know when to walk away and stop taking excuses from others. If there is a bottleneck and something (or someone) is preventing you from completing a project on time, build up your business, or move you forward in your goals, then it’s time to set boundaries and decide to limit your involvement.

14. "If our competitors don't have it, then we don't need it."

Copying competitors is one of the many possible deaths for most companies. True innovation comes from the flip side: figuring out what competitors aren’t doing and fill that niche to answer a need in the industry.

15. "Time off is for suckers."

True success should be seen as a well-rounded approach, one with vacations, weekends with friends and family and hours of downtime on the weekdays. While workload varies for everyone at times, taking vacation can make you better at your job.

Sometimes to get to where you want to be, the best and easiest thing to do is to simply follow the examples that others set for you.

What phrases are you going to eliminate from your day-to-day conversations and thinking?

Gibson, Bulls' Bench Show Swagger In Crushing Win

NEW YORK -- Taj Gibson tried to warn everyone. 

He tried to tell the masses that the Chicago Bulls' second unit beat the starters in practice every day. He tried to explain to everybody before Wednesday night's destruction of the New York Knicks that the new Bench Mob was better than it had shown throughout much of the preseason. 

[+] Enlarge

Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty ImagesTaj Gibson led all scorers with 22 points and helped turn the tide in the Bulls' favor in the second quarter.

Gibson let more than his mouth do the talking against the hapless Knicks in a 104-80 season-opening victory, scoring a game-high 22 points while leading a hungry second unit to a solid first impression. 

"I'm always talking," Gibson said with a smile after the game. "Because I remember years when we could never beat the first unit and now we got that momentum and we're winning a lot of games in practice and [coach Tom Thibodeau] loves it. We talk trash. [The starters] talk trash. But we all make each other better and there's never [any] hard feelings. We push them hard and they push us hard and it's going to show on the court and like it did tonight it showed on the court." 

The Bulls came into this season believing this was the deepest roster in the Thibodeau era. On paper, they appear to be at least 11 deep on most nights. The players understand that this is only one game, but Gibson believes it's the type of game fans will be seeing a lot of this season. 

Aaron Brooks (13 points) came in alongside Gibson and gave the Bulls the spark that changed the tempo of the game in the second quarter. Rookie Doug McDermott (12 points) knocked down several shots and seems to be more confident every time he steps on the floor. Nikola Mirotic and Tony Snell stepped in and gave Thibodeau another jolt from the bench in the absence of injured swingman Jimmy Butler. 

The second group, which scored 55 points, was so good, especially at times with Pau Gasolplaying alongside Gibson in the second half, that it seemed to make Thibodeau forget how much they struggled at times to find a rhythm as a group during the preseason. 

"I thought our starters struggled more than our bench guys did [in the preseason]," Thibodeau said, when asked why the second unit played so much better together. "Our bench guys, some of them were in starting roles, when you put the bench group in there together they usually play very well together." 

The one constant in the group is Gibson. He's the one Thibodeau has been raving about throughout training camp. He's the one teammates have been praising over and over during the offseason. He's the one who continues to improve as an all-around player despite the fact that Gasol was signed over the summer to take the starting power forward job that many thought would be Gibson's after the final year of Carlos Boozer's deal was amnestied. 

"Taj, he's being patient with his offense," Derrick Rose said. "He's taking what they're giving them. They kept giving him the jump shot, he kept taking it and making it. But it just comes with work. That's something that he's been doing the entire time in practice so that's why he's been bragging a little bit, talking about beating the first team. But he's in a good rhythm and the second team is doing a good job making sure that they're finding him on the court." 

They are in that rhythm in large part because Gibson is playing with more confidence than ever. Every night won't be this easy, but his teammates feed off his confidence when he enters a game. Now in his fifth season, Gibson hasn't just become the leader of the second unit, he's become one of the key leaders of this team.  

"That's one thing about our second unit, we're really talented, man," Gibson said. "We've really been taking it to the first unit in practice. And we talk a lot of trash in that second unit. So when you come into the game in this league you really have to have that kind of swag. You really have to be motivated to help your team and that's what championship teams do. 

"That year we went to the Eastern Conference finals (in 2010-11) we had a second unit that had swag, that understood when we come in the game we're going to go do work. It's early, we still got a long way to go, but that's a good way to start the season off."

Interest-Free Checking

Retired McDonald Downsizes To One Job, Leaves Heartland

Heartland Community College tutor and retired actuary Joe McDonald announced his intent to leave the staff at the end of the semester to focus on his expanding private tutoring business.

He had served as a tutor in one-on-one appointments, and in the walk-in tutoring lab, in all math and accounting courses for three semesters. This semester he was working six hours a week.

"I have greatly enjoyed my time at Heartland," McDonald said on his weekly radio call-in show, "bntutor.com Live!"

"I'm also blessed with the gift of helping two dozen students improve their lives, and looking forward to the opportunities to serve more."

Bloomington-Normal Math Tutoring currently tutors 14 high school, 7 college, 1 junior high, and 1 home schooled student on a weekly basis, and 6 additional students on an as-needed basis. He is tutoring algebra, geometry, algebra 2, pre-calculus, calculus, statistics, financial accounting, auditing, and financial markets.

QB Forgets Game Isn't Over, Loses Playoff Game

Never quit if you're down! Never be satisfied!

Devotion And Potion: The Week In Thanks

Every six months or so I get another chance to celebrate the medical magic that is Zicam spray. On Monday night after a full day of tutoring my throat was a throbbing wreck and I collapsed into bed. That is, moments after taking a spritz of Zicam, and some Nyquil pills. After regular 3-hour doses, I was good as new in just a couple of days.



Cupcake's becoming a magician at escaping from her collar, and even from the harness. A couple times this week she got loose while we were walking her around the yard, but she just let us pick her up without frisking away. She keeps learning new games to play and shows tons of affection. The other night I got home late, stepped out of my car and could hear her mewing enthusiastically to me through the upstairs window, then she sprinted up to me when I entered the house.



Yet another sign that the band is so strong and devoted: Sean got a wicked cough from Jackson this week, yet dragged himself to church to help lead.



I accidentally left a dome light on in my car this week. The reason I was spared a dead battery the next morning was Cuppie's insistence to go outside for a walk. I heard about another man who, after 15 years of shoulder problems and considerable medical experimentation, was healed when he slipped and fell on the sidewalk. God works in mysterious ways, which is great for bloggers.


I notched another fantasy football win, or five more in total than Yahoo! predicted for me at season's start.


I added two more students this week, and am scheduled for 25 hours + 6 at Heartland.


I'm off chiropractic care on advice of my doctor, and since applying the potion he prescribed and monitoring my exercise and posture, have had a good week of joint health. May the trend continue!


Our carports have begun to grow again, and are looking good!


I've discovered a tutor-for-massage trade situation with the parent of one of my clients, which will surely help my general health.


We've had classically beautiful fall days so far this season. Life at home is grand, Dena's getting consideration for full-time employment with her bank. These are days to celebrate while the good times last.

Community Players Theatre Presents: RENT

It's almost here, Brett Cottone's most recent creative directing project filled with a wildly talented cast and backed up by a formiddable crew.

 

Opening night is November 7!

 

http://www.communityplayers.org/rent/

 

FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. Set in the East Village of New York City, RENT is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, RENT has become a pop cultural phenomenon with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages. Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, Jonathan Larson’s RENT follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side. How these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves, and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this groundbreaking musical.

CAST
Mark Cohen - Aaron Wiessing
Roger Davis - Sean Stevens
Mimi Marquez - Sammantha Bettis
Benny Coffin III - Matthew Henry
Maureen Johnson - Breeann Dawson
Joanne Jefferson - Felicia Jiardina
Tom Collins - Tony Gannaway
Angel Schunard - Chris Stanford

ENSEMBLE
Nick Benson
Kallie Bundy
Latrisha Green
Ben Hauck
Kyle Holliday
Aimee Kerber
Missy Montefalco
Jake Rathman
Tony Smith
Chris Terven
Austin Travis
Allyson Troyanovich
Becca Williams
Kristin Woodard
Isaiah Young

Analysis Paralysis

Analysis is definitely one of the top five qualities that separate me from others. Not that I'm great at it, just that I lean heavily that way. I'm almost always willing to develop a spreadsheet to study what's happened or project what will.

It goes beyond numbers. When crucial decisions need to be made, my mind leaps back and forth on either side of the yes/no line, rustling up the pros and cons. It's not infrequent that I change my conclusion.

Analysis is a gift - it helps make sure that buildings aren't shaky, that a company stays solvent, that planes fly safely. But it's also a breeding ground for the fearful to slip into "analysis paralysis," where someone falls behind because of the hesitancy to make a mistake or the obsession with picking the best path.

Like any characteristic, it needs to be embraced but not too tightly. Too much of the world is gray. Too many times the 5% nagging worry isn't worth our energy to resolve. Too often we lose faith that God will take care of things within the great plan of creation.

Sometimes, perfect effort means devoting ourselves fully to the thought for a while, and then knowing when to take an educated leap of faith into the unknown.

Quiz Results: Which American Accent?

You have the classic North Central or Upper Midwest accent! You drink pop, frequently end sentences with "don't ya know", and you would never say "ya'll"! You say Mary, marry, merry all the same but you have no clue why someone would say "pen" and "pin" the same! Interestingly, this accent is the product of Scandinavian immigrants who settled in the northern Midwest. Your accent is unique. You just can't let anyone give you a hard time for it.... don't ya know?!

Tampa Paper Picks Cubs As Maddon Destination

ST. PETERSBURG — It didn’t take long for the rumors of Joe Maddon to the Cubs to reach a boil.

Cubs fans woke Saturday to Maddon’s picture covering the front of the Chicago Sun-Times and a headline that said Maddon “sets his sights on the Cubs.” Meanwhile, columnists at both of the city’s papers called for the Cubs to pull the trigger and hire Maddon.

The move makes sense, even if it means the Cubs will have to fire or reassign managerRick Renteria, who is under contract through 2017.

Renteria, hired before last season, drew criticism for the way he handled the roster, and his in-game moves often were questioned.

Maddon is praised from coast-to-coast for his in-game moves and the way he handles his roster.

Maddon never hid his love for the National League style of play. He fawned all over Wrigley Field during the Rays’ three-game series there in August. He even talked of how the ground rules governing the park’s walls should be tweaked.

Maddon is never one to shy from the spotlight, and life in the big city would appear to suit him just fine.

The Cubs have a handful of young, talented players either at the major-league level or ready to join the parent club, and they have money to add quality free agents to the roster.

And then there is the challenge of guiding the Cubs to their first World Series appearance since 1945 and first world championship since 1908.

You think beating the Yankees and Red Sox for the AL East title was a big deal? Take the Cubs to the Fall Classic and, oh boy. Win it all and they might build a skyscraper in Chicago and name it after Maddon.

Cubs president Theo Epstein is familiar with Maddon and Maddon’s body of work.

As GM of the Red Sox, Epstein interviewed Maddon after the 2003 season before hiringTerry Francona.

As GM and executive vice president of the Red Sox, Epstein watched Maddon and the Rays eliminate the defending World Series champion Red Sox during the 2008 AL championship series, then watched Maddon and the Rays chase down the Red Sox in September 2011 for the AL wild card.

There is even speculation that the Rays think the Cubs contacted Maddon before he opted out of his contract. Rays president of baseball operations Matt Silverman declined to comment on that matter.

Leaving Tampa Bay, where winning 90 games and reaching the postseason were considered huge accomplishments given the organization’s limited resources, for Chicago, where anything less than a trip to the World Series is considered a bust given the team’s resources, could prove for some uncomfortable moments for Maddon. Yet, Maddon always talked about how leaving your comfort zone was the only way to really meet a challenge.

In February 2006, Maddon stood in front of his first Devil Rays team and told them he believed they could win the World Series that fall. Some players thought he was nuts, while others came alive at hearing such confidence from a Tampa Bay manager.

It’s not hard to imagine that scene taking place in Arizona in February as the Cubs assemble for their first full squad workout of the year.

Lovabull Surprise Wedding Proposal In Mid-Dance

ISU Alumni Make 8-Figure Donation To Athletics

Two longtime supporters of Redbird Athletics are now making the largest single-gift commitment in Illinois State University history.

The eight-figure gift commitment from Jim ’74 and Carole (Czerniak) Mounier ’75 was announced at the Board of Trustees meeting Friday, October 24. Athletics Director Larry Lyons called the gift “transformational.”

“Jim and Carole believe in our vision, and this incredible act of generosity will have tremendous lasting impact on our Department of Athletics by benefiting generations of student-athletes through scholarship support, as well as the Weibring Golf Club and the Mounier Golf Training Center,” Lyons said. “It is truly humbling for us and incredible on their part.”

The Mouniers felt the decision was an easy one to make, since Illinois State and Redbird Athletics feel like family to the couple.

“We are proud of ISU’s status as a highly rated national university, value the great friendships we have made, and are excited that our contributions are helping talented men and women achieve their dreams and goals,” Jim and Carole said in a statement. “Our relationship with ISU is more than we could have ever imagined it would be.”

Illinois State President Larry Dietz recognized the Mouniers’ passion for Illinois State and applauded their support.

“Clearly, this gift is a brilliant reflection of the Mouniers’ love for Illinois State, and their unyielding commitment to their ideal that participation in sports builds character and leads to success,” Dietz said. “I have known Jim and Carole for some time, and you don’t have to be around them long to understand their depth of feeling for ISU and their desire to make their University home the best it can possibly be.”

The Mouniers are longtime members of the Weisbecker Scholarship Fund, and in 2007 they established The Mounier Scholarship. Jim and Carole are proud Illinois State graduates who were active in Greek life―Sigma Nu and Delta Zeta―during their collegiate careers. They both enjoy golf and believe the sport builds character and life success. The scholarship is awarded annually to a golf student-athlete, which alternates each year between and a male and female golfer.

“Our alumni relationship with ISU began in 2007,” Jim and Carole said. “We had evolved and progressed in our careers. We developed a new passion. It was golf. When asked to consider a donation to ISU, we chose to endow a golf scholarship.”

Five years after establishing The Mounier Scholarship, the Jim and Carole Mounier Golf Training Center at Weibring Golf Club was completed in fall 2013. The Mouniers made a financial contribution to help with construction of the training center’s first phase, which includes a team-only driving range.

The facility is nearly 500 yards in length and houses tee areas able to accommodate about 50 golfers on the south end with a smaller tee area to the north. With six to eight target greens, golf team members can now practice hitting in different wind directions. They no longer travel to an area golf course for extended practices.

Campus leaders attended an official dedication for the training center Friday, October 24.

“Jim and Carole have transformed the Weibring Golf Club with the addition of a premier Division I intercollegiate golf teaching and learning center,” Lyons said. “It is easily one of the best in the country and will significantly enhance the experience for the Redbird men’s and women’s golf teams.”

Added Jim and Carole: “When asked for support in the construction of the golf training center, we were told it would be a ‘game changer’ for ISU and the student golfers. Who doesn’t want to be part of a ‘game changer?’”

Who Told You To Put The Balm On?

"You put the balm on? Who told you to put the balm on? I didn't tell you to put the balm on. Why'd you put the balm on?" - Jackie Childs, Seinfeld

Kramer got blasted by Jackie because the magic Chinese balm he put on his skin healed the burn over which he was suing the coffee company.

I'm more practical. I'm putting the balm on because my doctor told me to.

It took a few weeks to get into his office, but my doctor steered me away from chiropractic care and toward this alternative treatment to try to alleviate the ongoing sensitivity/tightness in my back and knee.

mapi.com's Joint Sooth II is supposed to improve microcirculation in the applied area (a pretty targeted area, for $50 per 4 oz. bottle), so we'll see what it does to loosen things up. I hadn't seen any significant results after a week of chiropractic adjustments, so in the spirit of persistence we'll keep experimenting.

Hopefully Jackie will be excited to hear the results from me.

Stranded My Friend In Turkey

I received an urgent e-mail from a person with whom I have a faint professional acquaintance:

"I Hope you get this on time, I made a trip to (Turkey) and had my bag stolen from me with my passport and personal effects therein. The embassy has just issued me a temporary passport but I have to pay for a ticket and settle my hotel bills with the Manager.

I have made contact with my bank but it would take me 3-5 working days to access funds in my account, the bad news is my flight will be leaving very soon but I am having problems settling the hotel bills and the hotel manager won't let me leave until I settle the bills, I need your help/LOAN financially and I promise to make the refund once I get back home, you are my last resort and hope, Please let me know if I can count on you and I need you to keep checking your email because it's the only way I can reach you.

Thanks.

Bev."

As much as it tore at my heart, the e-mail violated several tenets of my loans-to-hotel-stranded-people policy:

- Request must address me by name

- Request must not use words like "therein" while capitalizing words mid-sentence

- Request must not scream LOAN at me.

- Request must not appear to be a form letter with (fill-in-the-blank) country.

- Request must be from someone I've spent more than ten minutes with.

It was harder to sleep than usual that night, haunting images of her wailing and gnashing her teeth in the (Turkish) streets while clutching her remaining bags under the Manager's whip. But not much harder.

Joe Maddon Leaves Rays, Joins Cubs (At Least I Think He Should)

By Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports:

Joe Maddon, who guided the Tampa Bay Rays to their first six winning seasons and the 2008 World Series, on Friday opted out of his contract with the club and presumably will seek to manage elsewhere.

In spite of speculation Maddon might follow Friedman to the Dodgers, that does not appear to be the case. Friedman insisted last week Don Mattingly, who is under contract through 2016, would be his manager in 2015.He is the second significant figure to leave the Rays this month. Andrew Friedman, their longtime general manager, became president of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 14.

Instead, as the Rays regrouped following Friedman’s departure and entered into contract extension talks with their manager, Maddon abruptly resigned. He was under contract through 2015, but could have opted out under certain circumstances, Friedman’s exit among them.

Maddon told the Tampa Bay Times that it was “gut-wrenching” to leave the Rays, but that contract negotiations were not satisfactory.

“We were still too far apart,” he said.

Maddon’s bench coach, Dave Martinez, is an option to succeed Maddon on the top step.

In nine seasons, Maddon helped change the culture of the downtrodden Rays. Operating on a low budget in the competitive AL East, the Rays adopted Maddon’s underdog spirit and optimism.

Maddon, 60, was 754-705 in Tampa. In the eight years before Maddon arrived, which accounts for the short history of major league baseball in Tampa, the Devil Rays and then the Rays had finished out of last place once. Maddon replaced Lou Piniella in 2006 and by 2008 the club, newly recast as the Rays, won 97 games, an AL East title and the AL pennant. The Rays advanced to the playoffs three times in the next five years, as well.

Much of the success is attributable to Maddon, bright and folksy, familiar with the game’s advanced metrics and yet able to relate to today’s player. In free agency, he’d likely have his pick of jobs, should that come now or next season, as teams re-evaluate their managers and directions.

“We tried diligently and aggressively to sign Joe to a third contract extension prior to this decision,” Rays owner Stu Sternberg said in a statement. “As of yesterday afternoon, Joe enabled himself to explore other opportunities throughout Major League Baseball. He will not be managing the Rays in 2015.”

Sternberg added, “The foundation of success laid during [Maddon’s] tenure endures.”

By Joe McDonald, biased Cubs fan:

"I will be joining the Chicago Cubs, at whatever price they think is fair," Maddon announced in my daydreams at a quickly-assembled press conference at Wrigley Field.

"We will draft a contract this afternoon and pay him the highest salary in Cubs history," Theo Epstein countered immediately after a hasty step toward the microphone, amidst cheers from the usually reserved Chicago press.

"This is a great day for the Cubs," added current manager Rick Renteria. "Rick Renteria has done the best job possible with his talent and the talent on this team. He has set them up to get to the next level, and Joe will take care of the rest. Rick will be paid a full year's salary in thanks for his service."

"No, he will not," Epstein noted after a short wrestling match with the ex-skipper.

Small Yet Brilliant Change By MLB For World Series

Major League Baseball made a small tweak to the World Series schedule this year and it is going to pay off big time as long as the teams cooperate.

This year's World Series began on Tuesday night after starting on a Wednesday night last year.

That may seem like a small change. But it will end up being a huge boost to the television ratings and it is something that should be done every year.

The problem with starting the World Series on a Wednesday is that if the series goes seven games, four of those games would go head-to-head with NFL games, including game 7, and a fifth would go up against a big prime time college football game.

By starting the World Series just one day earlier, all of a sudden only one game is going head-to-head with the NFL and one game would be fighting college football for viewers. That potentially leaves five games as the main viewing option for casual sports fans.

.

When the World Series started on a Wednesday last year, a spokesperson for Major League Baseball explained that a lot of research went into the scheduling and one of the biggest factors was that they wanted to avoid scheduling a game on a Friday, typically a terrible night for television ratings.

In the end, last year's ratings were good, but they were still a bit of a disappointment considering the series went six games and it involved the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals two of baseball's most popular teams.

This year's Fall Classic should get a boost just because there will be less options for sports fans just looking for something to watch.

A Fawlty Scam

I received an e-mail from Yahoo! informing me of an urgent update required. There were some suspicious clues though:

The title of "Yahoo Mail Update Required!!!" was more enthusiastic than any professional communication I've seen.

The sender was not Yahoo! but "Account Summary."

The Yahoo! logo embedded in the email lacked an exclamation point, which was amusingly ironic.

Capital letters were splashed throughout the note, as well as the threat of my "loosing" e-mail access, when the note was clearly about my risk of "losing" e-mail access and not unleashing e-mail access upon the world.

A sharp eye saved me lots of time and hassle of whatever consequences would've happened had I clicked on the e-mail's link. I used the time to answer another e-mail and make a $10,000 to help an African prince get a new kidney for his horse.

Volleyball Vs. Basketball

I was at a college volleyball game this weekend and as a lifelong basketball fan, noticed some differences. Some made more sense than others.


1. The players on the bench were not actually on the bench, only the coaching staff. The players were standing off to the side. I would think that sitting would be more restful and thus more helpful to the game. On the other hand, sitting can also make it easier to lose focus (and so cheering spirit) if it's too restful. It might have nothing to do with energy, maybe the coaches just don't want to smell the sweaty players, or need them to be closer to the water cooler to fetch them refreshment.


2. When time out is called, the bench players left the bench area, jogged across the court, and then jogged back. This also seemed to be contrary to rest, but also contrary to the kind of stiffness that could arise from standing idly near the cheerleaders instead of comfortably on the bench so it could be an antidote. It could also be yet another strategy to keep players from falling asleep, as they might if they sat on the bench.


3. After almost every point the entire team screams with delight and runs toward each other to huddle up in a celebratory circle. There is evidence that physical affirmation (back or butt slaps, etc.) among teammates has a winning effect, so it would be intriguing and socially funny for a bunch of boys to pump their arms and scream with delight after, say, a made free throw instead of the more common low-key fist bump from a couple teammates. It would also be potentially exhausting and more than a little counterproductive after a fast break layup for the entire team to chase down the scorer and swat him while the other team easily scored at the now unguarded hoop at the other end.


4. Players change benches after every game, which makes sense in the more stationary game but still means that an annoying amount of equipment needs to be toted back and forth over the course of five games.


5. It's a best-three-of-five game scoring system. What if basketball did the same, best-three-of-five six minute games? It would change the whole dynamic, probably resulting in lower scoring games given how coaches tend to hold for "the last shot" in the final minute of a quarter today.


6. Rally scoring. What if you got a point for a defensive stop, as well as for an offensive point? That would offset the scoring decrease in the previous point.

Funny Excuses For Missing School

A typical day at the office - I've had three students cancel their tutoring appointments, which got me hunting for a list of excuses.

My son is under a doctor's care and should not take P.E. today. Please execute him.

Please exkuce Pam for being absent from skool.  She was sick and I had her shot.

Dear School: Please exscuse Cecil being absent on June 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and also 33.

Please excuse Gloria from Jim today. She is administrating.

Please excuse Marvin from Physical Education lessons for a few days.  Yesterday he fell out of a tree and misplaced his hip.

John has been absent because he had two teeth taken out of his face.

Ray was absent yesterday because he was playing football. He was hurt in the growing part.

Bethan could not come to school today because she has been bothered by very close veins.

Chris will not be in school cus he has an acre in his side.

Please excuse Ray from school. He has very loose vowels.

Please excuse Pedro from being absent yesterday. He had (diahre) (dyrea) (direathe) the runs.

Please excuse Burma, she has been sick and under the doctor.

Irving was absent yesterday because he missed his bust.

Please excuse Eddie for being.  It was his father's fault.

I kept Billie home because she had to go Christmas shopping because I don't know what size she wears.

Please excuse Jennifer for missing school yesterday.  We forgot to get the Sunday paper off the porch, and when we found it Monday, we thought it was Sunday.

Sally won't be in school a week from Friday. We have to attend her funeral.

My daughter was absent yesterday because she was tired. She spent a weekend with the Marines.

Please excuse Jason for being absent yesterday.  He had a cold and could not breed well.

Please excuse Mary for being absent yesterday. She was in bed with gramps.

Please excuse little Jimmy for not being in school yesterday. His father is gone and I could not get him ready because I was in bed with the doctor.

Winning Streaks And Healthy Weeks: The Week In Thanks

After the usual amount of hubbub and angle-checking, the latest condo project was completed - we now have an attractive new entrance sign indicating our street address, a fivefold improvement over what was there before.

Once again Epiphany's pastor made a good impression on me by the way he continues to welcome guests/visitors and particularly college students. They've started up a group for singles and he elegantly begins Mass with a warm greeting toward any students while at the same time respecting the entire congregation.

I'm thankful for iron-fortified bran flakes. Besides the fiber, it's been an excellent substitute for Honey Nut Cheerios, especially when it comes to warding off mild anemia.

The Kansas City Royals sure know how to pick their spots. Ended 1985 with a three-game win streak to overcome a 3-1 deficit. Started off this postseason with eight straight wins, including several in extra innings. I'm in their corner against the Giants in the World Series.

We continue to have stories of positive feedback about the Life Teen Band at church. Random strangers come up to the drummer (he must have a memorable face) and express their appreciation for the ministry.

I was reminded today of China's "one-child" policy, where extra children must either be aborted or compensated by million-dollar tax to the government. Say what you will about American democracy, but this is just a small dose of intrusion that is completely absent from our nation.

We went to ISU's women's volleyball team to see the 1st-place Redbirds pull out a 3-2 match win after being down 2-0. Better yet we got to hang with two of Dena's bridesmaids, Zina and Rosann, as well as my kindred math soul Trish.

I was honored by the invitation to coach the Math team at Metcalf Middle School. I can't do so due to the blessing of having 24 students at the moment, but it was quite a tempting idea.

I'm glad that people have the gift of humor. It's imaginable that we would not have those genes, any more than ants do. That seems like a much more soulless existence, which might help explain the shorter lifespan. Recently we've been watching Rules of Engagement and enjoying some of Hollywood's many talented comic actors.

I'm thankful that the Ebola virus at this point has a bark that's much larger than its bite, and regardless of its ultimate reach, that we live in a country with resources to ably combat it.

3 Retirement-Sinking Mistakes To Avoid

[Hidden Blog note: I assumed 7% return before taxes, $0 earnings after retirement, and maximum deferral on Social Security in my retirement-planning spreadsheet.]

Big mistakes are easy to catch, but even a small miscalculation may jeopardize your retirement portfolio. Here are three common missteps to avoid.

1. Relying on an unrealistic rate of return. Clearly, the higher the return you earn on the money in 401(k)s, IRAs and other retirement accounts, the less you’ll have to stash away in savings each month to build a sizable nest egg. For example, if you start saving $600 a month at age 30 and earn a 7% annual rate of return, you’ll have $1 million by age 65. Bump up that rate of return to 8% a year, however, and you have to put away only $480 a month to hit the $1 million mark by 65, leaving you an extra $120 month to spend. Earn 9% annually, and the monthly savings required to get to $1 million shrinks to just $385 a month, freeing up even more for spending.

Problem is, just because a retirement calculator lets you plug in a higher rate of return or a more aggressive stocks-bonds mix, doesn’t mean that loftier gains will actually materialize. Shooting for higher returns always involves taking on more risk, which raises the possibility that your aggressive investing strategy could backfire and leave you with a smaller nest egg than you expected. That can be especially dangerous when you’re on the verge of retirement.

For example, just prior to the financial crisis, nearly one in four pre-retirees had more than 90% of their 401(k)s in stocks. A pre-retiree with a $1 million retirement account invested 90% in stocks and 10% in bonds would have suffered a loss in 2008 of roughly 33%, reducing its value to $670,000—enough of a drop to require seriously scaling back retirement plans if not postponing them altogether. No one knows whether recent market turbulence will be a prelude to a similar meltdown. But anyone who has his retirement savings invested in a high-octane stocks-bonds mix, clearly runs the risk of a experiencing a significant setback.

A better strategy when creating your retirement plan is to keep your return assumptions modest and focus instead on saving as much as you can. That way, you’re not as dependent on investment returns to build an adequate nest egg. To see how different savings rates and stocks-bonds mixes can affect your chances of achieving a secure retirement, check out the Retirement Income Calculator in RDR’s Retirement Toolbox.

2. Factoring pay from a retirement job into your planning. It’s almost become a cliche. Virtually every survey asking pre-retirees what they plan to do in retirement shows that the overwhelming majority plan to work. Indeed, a recent Merrill Lynch survey found that nearly three out of four people over 50 said their ideal retirement would include working. Which is fine. Staying connected to the work world in some way can not only offer financial benefits, it can also keep retirees more active and socially engaged.

It would be a mistake, however, to factor the earnings you expect to receive while working in retirement into your estimate of how much you have to save. Or, to put it more bluntly, you’re taking a big risk if you assume that you can skimp on saving because you’ll be make up for a stunted nest egg with money from a retirement job.

Why? Well for one thing, what people say they plan to do in 10 or 20 years and what they end up doing can be very different things. You may find that the eagerness you feel in your 50s to continue to working may fade as you hit your 60s and 70s. Or even if you wish to work—and actively seek it through sites like RetiredBrains.com and Retirementjobs.com, it may not be as easy as you think to land a job you like. Maybe that’s why the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s Retirement Confidence Survey finds year after year that the percentage of workers who say they plan to work after retiring (65% in the 2014 RCS) is much higher than the percentage of retirees who say they have actually worked for pay since retiring (27%).

So when you’re making projections about income sources in retirement, keep work earnings on the modest side, if you factor them in at all. And don’t fall into the trap of believing you can get by with saving less today because you’ll stay in the workforce longer or rejoin it whenever you need some extra cash in retirement. Or you may find yourself working some type of job in retirement whether you like it or not.

3. Taking Social Security sooner rather than later. Although a recent GAO report found that the percentage of people claiming Social Security at age 62 has declined in recent years, 62 remains the single most popular age to begin taking benefits, and a large majority still claim benefits before their full retirement age. But unless you have no choice but to grab benefits early on, doing so can be a costly mistake.

One reason is that for each year you delay between 62 and 70, you boost the size of your benefit roughly 7% to 8%. You’re not going to find a low-risk-high-return option like that anywhere else in today’s financial markets. More important, waiting for a higher monthly check can often dramatically increase the amount of money you receive over your lifetime. That’s especially true for married couples, who can take advantage of a variety of claiming strategies to maximize their expected benefit.

For example, if a 65-year-old husband earning $90,00 a year and his 62-year-old wife who earns $60,00 claim Social Security at 65 and 62 respectively, they might receive just over $1.1 million in today’s dollars in joint benefits over their expected lifetimes, according 401(k) advice firm Financial Engines.

But they can boost their estimated joint lifetime benefit by roughly $177,000, according to the Social Security calculator on Financial Engines’ site, if the wife files for her own benefit based on her work record at age 63, the husband files a restricted application for spousal benefits at 66 and then switches to his own benefit based on his work record at age 70.

Although you may not think of it this way, Social Security is, if not your biggest, certainly one of your biggest and most valuable retirement assets. And chances are you’ll get more out of it by taking it later rather than sooner and, if you’re married, coordinating the timing with your spouse.