Germany, host country to the 2006 World Cup this summer, may have to re-think its approach to its Cup mascot, "Karl The Spinnin' Fan." The mascot seems to bear a teeny bit of a resemblance to the most hated symbol of all time, the Nazi swastika, or as kids today call it, "that thrash metal tattoo." Karl is supposed to represent Everyfan, excited to get to the soccer venues and hence "spinning" on rapidly moving arms and legs, almost cartoon-style, in an effort to get to the stadium and not miss a moment of exciting action like Cameroon versus Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, the designers got it a smidge too close to the most hated symbol of all time. German officials are too deep into the process to design a completely new mascot now, so instead they are recommending people "blur their eyes" when looking at Karl in an effort to make it appear as if he's moving forward and also to dull its resemblance to the most hated symbol of all time. The government also feels it can distance itself from the resemblance by painting the symbol in color schemes like hot pink, checkerboard and paisley. The Germans also toyed with the notion of making Karl's human features more prominent, but they then surmised that a bigger nose made Karl look "too Jewish."

The Chicago Cubs and White Sox got in a donnybrook this past weekend that was the baseball equivalent of a Chicago election. A.J. Pierzynski plowed into Cubs catcher Michael Barrett before Barrett had the ball; Pierzynski then slapped home plate like it was a cow's ass, at which point Barrett took offense, grabbed AJ, and punched him on the kisser. To A.J.'s credit, he barely blinked. Meanwhile Sox centerfielder Brian Anderson who hit the sac fly that scored Pierzynski somehow got into a fight with Cub first baseman John Mabry, apparently over the proposed immigration legislation currently in front of Congress. All four were ejected. This officially confirms the Cubs are on the last concentric circle of Hell. They played off that lovable loser thing forever - and got away with it because the other major league club in town the Sox, was just as inept and not nearly as cute and cuddly! Plus, the Sox drew worse and played in a part of town that could have been used as a set in "Saving Private Ryan." But then the Sox went and got good - good manager, smart front office, and players who despite large paychecks still had a lunchbucket attitude. The Cubs must feel like Farrah Fawcett when Cheryl Ladd came on the scene. Look for more wrasslin' moves from the Cubbies in the near future.