I don't have an iPhone ...

... but this makes me want one: EWB Baseball.

In other words, a "new" iPhone version of what still might be the greatest baseball computer simulation ever made: Earl Weaver Baseball.

Long before Jason Lee hit NBC, "Earl" represented silly graphics but awesome stats, all part of a game that wasted happily filled countless hours of my 8th grade and high school years -- you know, a time period during which I could have been ... um ... leaving the house at some point.

Actually, one or two many friends of mine and my bro's were addicted to this. We held drafts long before roto was a quasi-household word, creating leagues with franchises full of fake players. The greatest closer in the history of the league? Sorry Mo, it's New Jersey's Tyrone Jackson. Best pitcher in the league? Might be Chris Stuart of Sacramento.

Yes, our league had a team in Sacto. Not to mention the New Mexico Flying Rhinos (incidentally, during freshman year of college I asked a kid from NM if there were rhinos there. Clearly not getting the joke -- and why would he? -- he got annoyed and said no. I laughed and wondered, "did he ever look up?").

The vid contains a screenshot and, more importantly, the beautifully composed EWB theme song:


Really, the tune deserves a place right behind Brass Bonanza in sports theme lore. As for the game, the High Heat series might have perfected the PC baseball sim, but that series faded out years ago and really has never been replaced. There are solid console options, but it ain't the same.

Earl Weaver Baseball is (well, was) dead. Long live Earl Weaver (EWB) Baseball!

Oh, and if you really are a fake fantasy sports geek enthusiast, Court Rivals also is a good time suck. As for the EWB/Whalers fans -- you know, more like me who live in the past -- my latest toy, World Series the Season arcade game, is a nice flashback...

"Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much."

Meanwhile, there was a parrot festival on Wilshire Blvd. on Saturday (seriously). I think it even was intentional. Also worth noting: tonight my mother asked a soap opera star whether someone stole from us an item we thought we won at an auction.

There's really no other way to explain it.