Born Under a Bad Sign

It's been hours since ex-Blue Jay Chris Carpenter won the NL Cy Young, but there's not much to say about it. The media hyped the Carpenter v Willis matchup, and the BWAA made it close, but the result was predictable.

What could have changed the outcome? Maybe if Roger Clemens (run support: 3.57/game) had the St. Louis offence behind him - or even the Astros on a good day. Carpenter's 5.31 runs of support per game would have turned the Rocket's 13 wins into at least 20, and given the kid a run for his $50,000.

The better story today comes out of France. In a burst of October enthusiasm, I prematurely forecast defeat for Les Bleus, and suggested that Raymond Domenech may find himself presiding over the demise of French football, in the manner of Villeneuve and the French fleet.

Now I'm curious whether the good Admiral believed in astrology. The Associated Press reports that:

The coach of France's national soccer team declined to name a No. 1 goalkeeper for his World Cup-bound side this week becasue, he said, the stars weren't aligned properly. Domenech was supposed to identify his top choice at a news conference on Tuesday, but after checking astrological charts, he left keepers Fabien Barthez and Gregory Coupet hanging in limbo.

"I consulted the stars: It was not the right day," Domenech said at a training camp in Martinique.

The coach of the world's fifth-ranked squad has said he does not trust players born under the sign of Scorpio - such as Arsenal's Robert Pires - and that Leos do not make good defenders because they have a tendency to show off.

In an editorial, the French sports daily L'Equipe mocked Domenech and questioned his credibility. "This way of behaving is not worthy of someone in such a responsible position," the newspaper said.