The Folks at Wrigley Can Chew on This

There is a better-than-average chance that the Chicago White Sox will win the World Series, but Chuck Culpepper of Newsday sees end-of-the-world scenarios in that possibility.

He wrote: “A White Sox title would mean that in the past two seasons, we’ve seen the ending of an 86-year title drought (Boston) and an 88-year title drought (South Side, Chicago), a two-year parlay almost inconceivable to the human brain, as if the law of averages wanted to wrap up some details before this whole thing blows.

“For 2006 and beyond that would leave only the C-C-C ...

“The C-C-C ...

“Jeez.

“By the time next October dawns, the drought at Wrigley Field will have reached age 98, which means that in two more Octobers we could have a 100-year anniversary.... What a pageant it could be.”

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Trivia time: When the Breeders’ Cup last was held at Belmont Park, Tiznow set a record that is still unbroken. What was it?

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Art critic: Wandering through downtown Chicago last week, Bernie Lincicome of the Rocky Mountain News was struck by the lack of adornment on city buildings, “something like, oh, the Sears Tower draped with a big white sock or some such thing,” he said.

But Lincicome did spot one touch of Series fever.

“The Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza was topped with a White Sox cap Friday, front to back, not that it is easy to tell which side is which or whether the thing is a woman or a horse. But say this about that, the cap ought to stay there, win or lose. And while they are at it, it wouldn’t hurt to put a pair of pants on the neighboring Miro.”

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Meanwhile, in Houston: Things are livelier further south, according to comedy writer Jerry Perisho.

“They are so excited in Texas,” he wrote, “they let Tom DeLay take his mug shot wearing an Astros cap.”

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Fancy footwear: Soccer players have largely avoided the bling syndrome, but Ronaldinho’s new boots could go toe to toe with anything the NBA could dream up.

The FC Barcelona and Brazil standout recently took a shipment on a new pair of boots, replete with eight ounces of 24-karat gold, the embroidered letter “R,” the numeral 10, which is his jersey number, and five gold stars, one for each of Brazil’s World Cup triumphs.

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Dream time: Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle was unimpressed by the “this is the year we’ve always wished for” comment made by Laker owner Jerry Buss.

“Yeah,” wrote Ostler, “back when Magic and Kareem were winning NBA championships, and when the Shaq-Kobe teams were three-peating, Buss and Laker fans were dreaming of the day Kwame Brown and Smush Parker would come along and lead the Lakers to the promised land.”

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Trivia answer: He became the only horse to win the Classic twice, having also won in 2000.

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And finally: Having lost the nail from his left big toe, Houston Rocket center Yao Ming figures he might as well make the best of it. “I’m thinking of putting it on EBay,” he said.