Sponsored by...

"More bad times, brought to you by Van Kampen Investments."

Photo courtesy KEJ. When he sent it to me, I couldn't help but immediately appreciate the irony in a rain delay—or at least the tarp—being sponsored by an investment firm. Of all the things to sponsor, there's nothing like getting your brand in front of a bunch of cold, wet, frustrated baseball fans who probably saw their 401k or IRA value halved in the offseason and just want to forget the financial crisis for a day—opening day.

In fairness, the Van Kampen Equity Growth Fund was the best performing "diversified U.S. stock fund" last quarter, as it rose over 8%. So if any investment companies actually have enough credibility to advertise, Van Kampen is probably among them. But I wouldn't have known that unless I looked it up.

Although, I looked it up, so maybe their ad just worked...

Spring Training Meanderings

Consensus among the faithful in Arizona last weekend is that the Cubs will win the National League Central division. This is because the Cubs have gotten a little bit better, while the rest of the division got worse. Of course, like every season, this one will be 162 games long—and we all know what that means: no one knows.

But putting analysis aside, one thing I noticed is that the fans seemed to feel much less urgency about this season. Last year, among the fans I talked with, there was the sense that the Cubs had to win in 2008. But the 101st season apparently brings less pressure than the one before. To me, this is a good thing. If there's one thing the collective mindset can use, it's less pressure. (continue...)

The View From Wrigleyville


The Eye Of The Beerholder
04.21.09 Personal Season Opener
Aisle 205 Row 8 Seat 106 (continue...)

Westside Wavelength