Leaders of Men ... and Nothing

So in the mid-to-late 80s Fleer was putting out these League Leaders sets. I really hated them. They were so stupid.

I can't really pinpoint what exactly went wrong aesthetically ... oh wait, yes I can -- they were total ugz. I remember as a kid flipping through cards from these sets and just feeling depressed. Absolutely nothing about these cards inspired me. Their existence was pointless and inconsequential. Owning them was a burden. ("Other than that" joke in 3 ... 2 ... 1... ) Other than that they were awesome.

But what really irked me was that many of the players featured in these League Leaders sets DID NOT LEAD THE LEAGUE IN ANYTHING. I mean, surely some of them led the league in something at some point in their career, but that defies the purpose of putting out an annual League Leaders set.

To wit:

Keith Moreland led the league in ... upper thigh circumference.

Pete Rose led the league in ... most games as a player-manager, and most games wagered on, and ridonk bowl cuts, and also doubles (8).

Juan Samuel led the league in ... strikeouts. For real.

Willie Hernandez led the league in ... name changes.

Ozzie Smith led the league in ... slugging (.361). jk, lol.

Baseball Card Game: Casting Agent

One of my favorite games is called Casting Agent. You choose, based on the photograph on the front of their baseball card, the perfect candidate for each role. This morning the show I’m casting is an ensemble dramedy I’ve titled “Man Cave.” It's along the lines of The Wonder Years, only replace the family unit in the 1960s with six middle-age men living under one roof.

The back story is that six friends made a pact in college that if they're single when they're 40, they'll find a way to live together. Needless to say, hilarity sometimes ensues and lessons are learned on every show.

And while it sounds an awful lot like the premise of the film Old School, this show does not take place on a college campus. It's simply a device to get all the main characters to live in one place. 

'A' Plot: After his wife kicks him out of their house, Gorff decides to round up his five best friends—each down on his luck and still trying to figure it all out—to live together in the ultimate man's house: big-screen TVs, cigars and brandy, a billiards room, Lay-z-boys, the whole nine yards.

'B' Plot: Gorff's dad wants to move into the Man Cave.

Main Characters

George Brett as Walter "Gorff" Gorffalberger,
a lovable oaf who can't seem to get it right

 Steve Garvey as Dick, a model-train enthusiast
who keeps adding HO-scale train track around the Man Cave

Chuck Muncie as Books, a French teacher at the local high school. Known to his students as Monsieur Etienne.

Vincente Romo as Simon Jaffacake, a dance instructor

 Danny Frisella as Jerry - Most of his dialogue is unintelligible: he talks very fast and ends each bit of dialogue in uncontrollable laughter

Keith Moreland as Ronnie Limberger - just known as Limberger - job unknown

with Gaylord Perry as Dad

Other recurring characters

Amy Madigan as Alice Gorffalberger, Gorff's soon-to-be-ex-wife

Pete Rose as Pete, Alice's new live-in boyfriend and Gorff's old Army buddy

John Henry Johnson as Mario - a rival dance studio instructor and Simon's secret crush 

Pascual Perez as Stephon, their wacky neighbor

Jim Fregosi as Mr. Sneed, Gorff's boss 

Ken MacKenzie as Johnnie Limberger, Limberger's older, less successful brother

Mike Schmidt as Fran, Gorff's rival at his job

Rick Waits as Looks - Books' best friend and colleague at the high school