Something happens Sunday that has only happened once before in the history of U.S. sports.

       All four major leagues--baseball, football, basketball and hockey--will have games.

       There's the usual NFL slate, plus a dab of NBA games, some hockey matches and...the World Series.

       That's right, folks.   The Fall Classic happens on All Saints Day, November 1st.     And, the horsehide could continue until the 5th if the Yankees and Phillies need seven games.

       That's stupid, on several levels.

       First came the long, long delay since the end of the respective league championship series--game one won't happen until Wednesday the 28th.      The Yanks clinched Sunday night and the Phils well before that.   

       There's a reason and LA Times columnist Bill Dwyre (a fellow Sheboyganite) details it brilliantly.    In a word, it's all about television, ratings and money.      The networks were able to shanghai games from daytime to nighttime years ago under the guise of bigger Nielsen numbers and thus, better payouts.     That's no longer enough.    Now Fox and company want to pick the actual nights the games happen since weekend night games don't fare as well as week night ones.    That's why the schedule is set up the way it is: maximize payouts, pacing and common sense be damned.

        Baseball is a grind and players become accustomed to doing their jobs virtually every day.     They go weeks without a day off.    Then comes the regular season and the competition becomes far more infrequent.     It also deteriorates as a result.     Players get thrown out of rhythm.     Quality suffers.

         We haven't even addressed the folly of trying to play baseball in late October/early November in northern climes like New York and PA.     Neither club has a dome.     Neither venue has palm trees, and neither has a prayer of seeing a night time temperature much above 50.     It's also been known to rain this time of year.      Or snow.      That means more delays, and an increased chance of watching game seven while eating Thanksgiving leftovers.

         About my original point: all four pro seasons are now enjoined.      There was a time when each had it's own time, with virtually no overlap.     Now, they compete against each other.     As the World Series is being played Sunday night, NBC will be bringing us NFL football.      There might be local NBA telecasts, and even a hockey game on cable.    The crowd is fragmented.     It has options, especially for those who aren't Phillies or Yankees fans.      If they're the only game around, the casual fan might dip in.     If given a choice, there's more of a reason to drop out.     

         Commissioner Bud Selig gets ripped in many circles for crimes real and imagined.     I personally respect him and don't doubt his passion for the game.     Deep inside, I think he's still the same Buddy Selig who watched Braves games with his mom as a kid, only now he has the keys to the shop.      And, I believe he should use them to put baseball's head back on straight when it comes to the postseason.     Move things along.    Keep up the pace.    Do your big dance before the floor gets too crowded with other players.    

        And, get the World Series in before we're tuning up our snowblowers.