I finally recovered from watching the final Indians game for me this season on Friday. We stayed for fireworks. Yes, fireworks! The music was TV themes, maybe that was the draw. Anyhow, this was the game where Jhonny Peralta got his head hit after receiving a walkoff walk. It was the fourth consecutive walk given up by the Devil Rays in the 9th inning. What a way to win. No wonder they suck. They came to town, having won only won three road games since the All-Star break. They left that way, as well. So, the last two games I see are decided by a walkoff force play and a walkoff walk.

Yesterday, a bunch of us went over to the ICASI cooking school lunch. For $15, you get five courses. I had Artichoke Fritters, Bouillabaise, Roast Turkey, an Arugula Salad and something called Pear Bavarian. This was a meal that got better as it went along. The firtters were good, soup tasted good, but could have been warmer, salad had lots of herbs, turkey had an oustanding rutabaga mash, and the dessert had like pureed pears over a piece of toffee with whipped cream on top and a dried pear sticking out. Damn good lunch, I thought. Saved me from watching a bunch of soccer.

Meal of Links

Here's something I'll never be accused of. Compulsive shopping. I like my clothes. Well, maybe not that orange polo, which has been restricted to game days.

A very quick rundown on celebrity gossip. They're correct, it does sound boring.

Is cheap labor a good thing or a bad thing? Economically, it may not be that bad.

Exercise Yard

The Browns almost did it. They almost lost to the worst team in the league, the Raiders, falling behind by a first-half score of 21-3. They put together a good drive to start the second half, held on fourth down after a horrible spot did not give the Raiders a first down (which the Raiders, unbelievably, did not challenge), and got a great punt return to set up the go-ahead TD.

However, we still gave up lots of yards on the ground and survived another mind-numbing Charlie Frye endzone interception late in the game. We come out of Oakland with a win two years in a row, Cleveland 24, Oakland 21.

Visitor

None, it's Sunday.