Yesterday, our normally thoughtful, intelligent, witty discussion of baseball and the NCAA tournament turned into an assclown fest. I’m not sure how it happened, but it did.

OK, I do know how it happened. I called Billy Packer an assclown, and then I seeded a 16 team assclown tournament. But there are so many more than 16. So here’s the deal. If we can come up with 65 of them (and that won’t be hard–in fact, we’ll end up whittling it down to 65, maybe we can have that Assclown NIT, too?) we’ll seed them and have a full tournament.

Now, I don’t want this to turn into one of those sad Page 2 tournaments where it’s just never funny, but then, we’re not the morans who read Page 2, so why would it sink to that?

Here’s who we’ve got so far.

Jay Mariotti
Chip Caray
Steve Bartman
Joe Buck
Phil Rogers
Jim Tocco
Mike Murphy
Thom Brennaman
Jim Edmonds
Brent Musberger
Billy Packer
Kenny Williams
Bob Knight
Stu Scott
Rob Neyer
Ozzie Guillen
Steve Kline
Clettitte (Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte)
Scott Boras
Al Hrabosky
Bill Walton
Hawk Harrelson
Jack McKeon
Tim McCarver
William Ligue, Jr.

That’s 26, and last night I had one of those moments where you have to hit yourself in the head because you’ve been so daft.

Hub Arkush

How could I forget? Here’s a legit number one seed, and I forgot him. I feel nauseous now.

So feel free to use the Discussion area below and let’s get our 65 so we can start counting them down.

The only criteria for being an Assclown is that you are one and don’t know it. It’s what disqualifies me.

Right?

Right?

Bruce Miles was on Sports Central last night with awful, little Dave Kaplan and Tom Waddle and Kaplan asked Miles if the Cubs were a 100 win baseball team. Miles, one of the more reasonable beat writers, thought about it for a minute and said, “Yeah, I think they are.”

A hundred wins? Are these the 1906 Cubs?

I’m as optimistic–maybe more optimistic–than the next Cubs fan, but 100 wins?

For the Cubs to do that they’ll have to get great seasons out of The Franchise, Kerry Wood, Carlos Zambrano, Greggie Maddux, Sammy!, Corey Patterson, Derrek Lee and E-Ramis Ramirez.

A hundred wins?

They’ll have to play as well at home this year as they did on the road last year.

A hundred wins?

They’ll need Regular Joe, The Farns and LaTroy to shut the door with regularity.

A hundred wins?

They’ll need the fans to keep their hands to themselves and Wendell Kim to hide in the weeds and let the runners coach themselves.

A hundred wins?

They’ll need Dusty to throw himself in front of the media bus every time there’s a hint of trouble or controversy.

A hundred wins?

They’ll need the bench guys like Todd Hollandsworth, Todd Walker, Ramon Martinez and the great Tom Goodwin to come through in a pinch.

A hundred wins?

They’ll need to continually pants the lesser-lights in the NL like Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, the Rockies and the Mets.

A hundred wins?

They’ll need to spend another summer stuffing it up the hindquarters of mouth breathers like Matt Morris, Steve Kline and Carwash King Jeff Kent.

A hundred wins?

Oh, the hell with it. I’m in.

The Cubs are like a really hot woman. If you stand close enough and stare hard enough you can come up with enough flaws to start doubting just how hot she is. But if you take a big step back and look at her, you get the real picture.

I’m going to say this carefully so as not to completely freak out you normally pessimistic Cubs fans.

The little bunch who plays their games in that ivy covered burial ground at 1060 West Addison Street…you know, the ones with the baby bear for the mascot and the lights that only work about three times a month…you know, those guys?

They’re the best team in the National League. They just are. You can freak out about Mark Prior’s sore foot, and Mike Remlinger’s rehabbing shoulder and what size hat Sammy Sosa has, and everything else. But they’ll start proving it for good on April 5 and they just don’t seem likely to stop until they’re being introduced along the first base line in an American League ballpark in mid-October as the 2004 National League Champions.

How about we stop worrying, and start enjoying?

This stuff doesn’t happen that often around here.

Matt Clement doesn’t want the Cubs to turn him loose after the season. Heck, Matt, they might do it during the season.

Todd Wellemeyer acts like striking out three Brewers in the 17th inning of his Major League debut was no big deal.

John Tait is a Bear and Ephraim Salaam might become one. He’s not related to Rashaan is he?

Rick Morrissey tries to be funny. It’s better than when he tries to be smart.

Rosey flips a coin through his bracket, which is just a colossally stupid idea for a column, and rather boring. So guess what? No link. He can waste my time, but I’m not letting him waste yours.

Weber wonders why they even play the damn Big Ten title game. I wonder if he’d be wondering if they’d come home with the bigger trophy on Sunday? Hmm?

Mariotti puts down the doughnut to write this piece of crap about Bill Self. I have no idea what the point is? That’s not new for Jay.

The Cubs aren’t worried about Kent Mercker’s back. See, that’s the spirit.

Greggie is being stalked by Todd Wellemeyer.

Rod Beck has left Padres’ camp for “personal reasons.” I’ll bet he had to have the tires rotated on his house.

We’ve seen the last of Scottie Pippen on the court.

The Orioles and Dodgers are working on a trade for the immortal Jay Gibbons. The trade would clear room on the Ballmer roster for BJ Surhoff. Oh, for chrissakes…

Jim Palmer says Brady Anderson was on steroids. Who does Jim think he is, Andy Van Slyke?

Terrell Owens might get to go to Philly after all. Screw him. Make him play for the Ravens.

Peter Gammons goes around the league.

Headcase David Boston and Coach Wanny? What a combo.

Peter King on the D-Rays. Huh?

Maybe Luther Head can counsel the two troubled Racers? Murray State just got a lot easier to beat.

We’re spoiling our pandas with porn, now.

For no good reason, Halle Berry.

The world’s greatest newspaper says Kim Jong-Il will hand over his nukes for a preview of Star Wars Episode III. Sounds fair to me.