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Gary Smith has an interesting piece on the Chicago Cubs bleacher fanatics in this weeks Sports Illustrated. He relates how, as a response to 100 years of futility, a party culture evolved which is simply unparalleled elsewhere in North American sport. At times reckless, at times almost Zen, a diverse group of individuals have bonded around one virtual certainty, that their beloved Cubs will “screw it up”. With the most talented Cubs team in history poised for a serious run at the 2008 Championship it is interesting to survey the hopes and expectations of the long suffering die hards…Sporting News neglects to pick the Cubs to challenge for the World Series, dryly noting, “It’s the Cubs, something always goes wrong”…with Tony Mandarich back in the news it is fun to recall the late 80’s proposal of a boxing match between “the Incredible Bulk” and Iron Mike Tyson. The heavyweight champ was all for the showdown, promising to “kill him”, before admitting he had no idea who Mandarich was. The football bust was selected second overall in 1989 by the Green Bay Packers and was out of football three years layer. He’s shilling an autobiography…reading between the lines it is looking increasingly likely that Brian Burke will be joining the Toronto Maple Leaf organization next year. The Anaheim Ducks have delegated any trade talks between the two teams to vice president Bobby Murray, apparently to avoid any appearances of  a conflict of interest…Jim Haslett, new coach of the beleaguered Rams, has announced Marc Bulger will be the starter the for the remainder of the year. Amen…New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees is leading the league in passing yardage and passing completion percentage. If the Saints could only find some defence…the Cincinnati Bengal’s have signed another player with a police record, running back Cedric Benson, ex of the Bears. Benson was charged twice in recent months after alcohol related incidents. We wish him well with Team Convict, and remain nonplussed by our decision to bypass the Bengals in our preseason pools… it was very encouraging for Manchester United fans to observe Wayne Rooney and newly acquired striker Dimitar Berbatov interacting with a healthy Ronaldo. Both scored in Champions League play yesterday, Berbatov with a double, as Man U dumped Aalborg…At Woodbine tonight - CONGOR BAY is a debuting son of the rapid Speighstown. The Casse/Husbands team should have this one all set in tonight’s opening race…the aforementioned team could have a nice start to the evening as ONE FOXY MAMA looks poised to run a nice one in the third. She gets significant class relief and can impact this group with her early foot…Emma Wilson sticks with dropper TBILISI in the fifth and that young daughter of Birdstone catches an inordinately slow group…in the sixth BRIENANNA CAT slips back into an appropriate spot after challenging tough ones Sept 20^th…young fillies compete in the feature, the Victorian Queen Stakes. Scott Fairlies Cawaja Beach has been freshened and the unbeaten filly will likely take the bulk of the tote action. But STRANGER THINGS is our choice to upset the favourite, largely on the basis of that electric performance Aug 29^th. McAleney sticks…in the days last RETURN TICKET is third off the vacation, moving down the ladder for savvy Scott Fairlie. This looks like a likely spot but she must be sharp to hold off the John Ross head case Largo Lady. That in and outer looks to have serious intentions in this cheap sprint…