Debating Possible Cause of Empty Seats

Midweek musings: While many millions of Americans tuned in Tuesday (Oct. 16) to view the second presidential debate between Republican challenger Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, some of us journeyed to the United Center to watch the Chicago Bulls play the Milwaukee Bucks in an exhibition game. Bulls fans must really be politically conscious. Or maybe not all that basketball-conscious just right now — judging by all the empty seats for the contest.

For those of us who lost focus at the Chicago Bulls game: Here's 2010 Playboy Playmate of the Year Hope Dworaczyk. Probably in someone's binder.

* Even at the game, thanks to the wonder of Twitter and Facebook, it was possible to keep up with the debate. Apparently Romney talked about searching for females to put in governmental jobs when he was Massachusetts governor. Something to do with “binders full of women.” If that’s a qualification for pubic office, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner should be president. Talk about a guy with binders full of women or a guy responsible for having others create binders full of women.

* Thanks to the wonder of modern communications technology, it was possible to keep up with the American League Championship Series. Game 3 featured Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander taking on the visiting New York Yankees in his quest to give Detroit a 3-0 series lead. Which he did with a little ninth-inning relief help in a 2-1 victory. The thought that any of this is some consolation to Chicago White Sox fans … uh, yeah, that’s probably not happening.

* We interrupt today’s effort to bring you this twee from St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports scribe Joe Strauss: Might be a good time to remind ratings for ’06 Series led to jumpers from network executive offices.

* OK, back to our regularly schedule nonsense: Now that the Tigers do lead their series 3-0. you have to wonder whether commissioner Bud “Infinite Wisdom” Selig will consider making the ALCS a best-of-9 (or more) series.

* OK, so with the Yankees on the verge of exiting the postseason (and taking with them the New York market), you have to wonder whether MLB is close to reconsidering whether the winning or losing team in the ALCS gets to play in the World Series.

* Speaking of the World Series, the Chicago Cubs have not played in one since 1945 and have not won one since 1908. But you might have known that. And they might not for several years — and that could be if they’re lucky (and presumably at least slightly good). The good news for Cubs fans? Well, some season ticket prices will be 2 percent lower than in 2012. The Cubs, who lost 101 games in 2012, already have lowered expecatations by way more than 2 percent.

* You have to wonder what was a more compelling reason for the ticket price drop: a season with 101 defeats or a season with fewer than 3 million fans attending the games at Wrigley. Something says it was the latter.

* A gallon of barbecue sauce to be used on McDonald’s McJordan sandwich in 1992 reportedly sold for $9,995 on eBay. The buyer reportedly is from Chicago. He also apparently has more money than he knows what to do with (although therapy might be one way he could spend some of that).

Video from the Bulls game:

When not fact-checking (OK, that seldom — if ever — happens around here), the video-research department at elliottharris.com came up with these videos (one even includes April Rose, always a favorite of this site):

The guess here is that if Hugh Hefner has binders of women, one of them likely includes this lovely lass, Roxann Celeste:

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