Sometimes, just being not as bad as everyone else is enough

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Seldom has mediocrity been celebrated with such gusto.

The San Diego Padres let loose on Wednesday night, mobbing Trevor Hoffman and spraying champagne on each other and even on some fans, until there was none left to spray.


They tossed aside their .500 record like an empty bottle. All they cared about was that they were NL West champions.

The Padres clinched the fourth division crown in their 37-year history with a 9-1 win over the San Francisco Giants and return to the postseason for the first time since being swept in the 1998 World Series by the New York Yankees.

This title was quite unlike the others, in 1984, 1996 and 1998, because the Padres were 79-79 going into Thursday night's game.
from Sports Illustrated

My prediction? They'll end up wining the World Series. Stay tuned.

And, finally, Wordsmith's color word of the day is indeed one I've heard of and use in casual conversation.
taupe (toap, rhymes with rope) noun

A brownish gray, similar to the color of moleskin.

[From French taupe (mole), from Latin talpa.]

Today's word in Visual Thesaurus: http://visualthesaurus.com/?w1=taupe

"Like those of us doomed to repeat history, women seem to buy the same
item over and over again. The Buffer's small point of information 'You've
already got a top just like that' is rebuffed with: 'No, the old one
(relative term, here) is taupe. The new one is ecru*.'"
Tom Shields; Men's Place is Secondary in Any Battle of the Wardrobe;
Sunday Herald (Glasgow, UK); Sep 4, 2005.

*ecru: pale brown, like raw silk or unbleached linen; beige.
[From French écru (raw, unbleached).]

Game last night was canceled and today's practice is too. It's finally raining, I'm so excited - I'm wearing sweaters. Although, I shouldn't be too happy, my utility's Natural Gas Rate Increase was approved (14% - ouch)