The debut of Lance Rants, so successful...I already have another edition ready to go.  So hopefully like New Coke, Pepsi Clear and Cabbage Patch Kids, I won't abuse and overhype the trademark and make everyone lose interest in a year!

No Untuckem:  Apparently, the Cardinals think that the Brewers untucking their shirts after a July sweep was a sign of disrespect and showing up St. Louis.  Fans chime in by saying win something, then celebrate.  I don't want to sound like a homer here, but these players and fans need to get a life and worry about their own team just trying to make the postseason.  Mike Cameron started it as a tribute to his blue-collar Dad and Uncle who would come home and untuck their shirts.  And it comes AFTER a game.  If Ryan Braun hit a homer, then started crotch chopping toward the Cards dugout, they'd have a point.  This is just useless, misdirected anger.

Brewers Fans Have A New Enemy:  Frequent reader/viewer Mike from Kenosha says it should be Billy Beane of the A's.  After all, he's the GM who traded Rich Harden to the Cubs.  Harden wins every time he pitches...while the A's have gone from 5 over 500 to 11 down.  Thanks a lot Mr. Moneyball!

Where Did This Mota Come From?:  Was that really Guillermo Mota on the mound of a tie game with the Pirates, with the bases loaded and no outs?  And then, he gets out of it with no damage done...and the Brewers go on to win 4-3 in 12.  Granted, I didn't expect much of Mota...but there's a certain know-it-all writer who wanted to run him out of town not so long ago.  This is the same guy that without checking facts, ran with an anonymous blog about Yost getting fired in May.  Lesson number one:  you need veteran relievers in September and the postseason, even if they're mainly used to soak up innings.  And number two:  don't run with stuff you can't prove.  Two cardinal rules that I learned in baseball and journalism that this guy apparently didn't.  Give me a guy like JSOnline's Dave Kallmann anyday, who admitted that he was harsh on the first Matt Kenseth all-star race, and made a mistake.  None of us are perfect...and I'll read someone who admits that well before some pious knob who belittles fans for questions surrounding Ned Yost's decisions, then makes the same opinions himself.  See Rickie Weeks batting leadoff, pitch counts, etc.

Bud Says Yeah To Replay: On Thursday, Commissioner Bud Selig will allow umps to check video on home run calls.  And while it kills me that the only reason this is going into affect is because the biased East Coast media fanned the flames with 2 controversial homers involving the Yankees, I say amen.  Hey, I consider myself a sports traditionalist...but I don't want the "human" element involved in ump's or ref's calls.  And let's face facts...some of these umps can't waddle out into the outfield to make the proper call!

Badgers Ready To Kick Off:  The Badgers have won 10 straight season openers.  Make it 11 against the no zip Zips of Akron.  And Wisconsin should trample the Thunderin' Herd of Marshall.  The danger date I have circled on my Badgers schedule is the we'll play anyone, anywhere, anytime Fresno State Bulldogs.  It's in Cali, and if Allan Evridge doesn't play any better than what he did in training camp, I think the Badgers start the season 2-1.

KGB Goes MIA:  Kabeer practices Monday on his surgically repaired right knee, then has to take Tuesday off.  I'm afraid he might be headed for the PUP list (physically unable to perform list), missing the first 6 weeks of the season...and I hope it doesn't linger the whole season.

ESPN Phonies At It Again:  Wow, this wasn't slightly biased.  Anyone catch Stuart Scott grandstanding and high fiving with Presidential candidate Barack Obama in a game of basketball?  Again, ESPN proves they have no standards.  No matter what your political affiliation, this was Scott using his platform as a free ad for "his man."  Still waiting for that game of horse with John McCain, Stu.  Oh, I forgot.  You and a number of your comrades at the "self proclaimed, so called worldwide leader" haven't practiced journalism since about 1994, with a few exceptions.

NASCAR Shootout:  The Bud Shootout will empasize all 4 manufacturers.  The field will be 24 cars representing the top 6 teams from Chevy, Dodge, Ford and Toyota based on the final 2008 car owner points.  Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman won't be in the lineup because they're changing teams...but I think this is great.  Fans love bragging rights...and it spices up the dislike of Toyota in the series.

LPGA Says Hasta La Vista To Anything But English:  And let's give a big round of applause to the most racist pro sports series on the planet.  The LPGA says its golfers must learn English, or face suspension.  First of all, just imagine coming to this country, and trying to learn the different between I read a book and I like to read.  Same word, two different pronunciations.  Or the first sound of fish and phantom....both the same, totally different spelling.  I applaud foreign born players who try the language...because believe me, I mangle it enough and have to think twice about things sometimes.

What's your rant?  Did I cause it?  Email me at lallan@todaystmj4.com