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If the Rays lose the World Series tonight–and they probably will–it will be because they have been playing like a team completely unworthy of being there.  I hate to say that.  But Peña just lead off the second inning by trying to bunt his way on, and the ball went right to the Phillies’ first baseman.  Meanwhile, Kazmir just gave up two runs to Philadelphia in a 15 minute first inning in which be walked and hit batters, and gave up extra base hits.  Joe Madden’s unwillingness to pull pitchers who are obviously shaken and doomed to throw the game away is probably going to cost the Rays another game.

On another note, it’s 42 degrees in Philadelphia right now.  That’s cold for baseball.

I have a few minutes this morning before my show begins, so I’m spending them at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium watching the crew put up a stage and scaffolding for video screens in preparation for the upcoming homecoming events.  This is actually a nice place to hang out because it’s generally pretty quiet, there’s ample seating, free wi-fi, and on a day like today you can enjoy the warmth of the sun.

It was a little chilly this morning, and where I would normally sit–beneath a Shumard Oak on the Reitz Union lawn–it felt uncomfortably cool.  It’s warmer here, the breeze feels nice, the grass looks pretty and I can lean back and relax.

The stadium is open to the public every day except when there’s a game.  You can’t go play on the turf, but you can hang out and watch the groundskeepers and the birds that feast on the discarded popcorn left by football fans.  Mostly it’s used by students who run up and down the steps.  I’m coming back this evening because GRR will be doing some drills here.

Later this afternoon I will write about the great weekend I had.

I can’t explain it, but the weather has been fantastic the last two days, feeling like what I imagine autumn feels like in the rest of the country.  The temperature was in the high 50s this morning, and with the cool breeze this afternoon, it felt splendid outside, even in the sunshine.  It’s generally mid-October before we get cool weather.  So, if it’s a sign of the apocalypse or not, I’ll take it.

Boston.com has some stunning photos of hurricanes taken from space.

The winds seem to have calmed quite a bit tonight, though not completely, and the rain has finally stopped, after more than 24 hours of constant downpour.  At this time last night I was lying here listening to the wind and the rain, and it was actually relaxing, in spite of the outside chance of our many trees experiencing limb-jettison.

Driving downtown this afternoon to return some books to the library (closed), I found streets everywhere covered in twigs and Spanish moss.  In front of two houses in the Duck Pond there were downed trees, one of which was substantial, though it fortunately fell in such a way that it missed striking any structures.  This was a special relief, since, had it hit any building at all it would have been a house which Miriam and I particularly like.

Our street escaped entirely unharmed, save for our one small branch on the cedar tree, which is insignificant.  Fay mostly meant rain, and I’m eager to see the totals for the storm.  I’d also bet that Paines Prairie and Devil’s Millhopper are flooded.