Yesterday, Fire Joe Morgan announced that it is officially coming to an end. For over three years, the blog tirelessly gave the business to mainstream sports journalism as no one else could. Their sonning of guys in suits was hilarious and legendary, but just as impressive was the collection of running gags -- the tangential digressions into the office politics of the fictional Fremulon Insurance, the perpetual fascination with food metaphors and meaningless buzzwords, the detours into outrageous hyperbole. It really was one of the great treasures of the world of sports blogging. Since they're keeping the archives online, it still is, and I suggest you start with a personal favorite of mine.

This news, though, isn't universally sad. Grinders! Scrappers! Hard-nosed hardscrabblers! Rejoice! Today's Dugout is after the jump.

The Dugout

	OnlineHost Welcome the Evergreen Wood chat!
	OnlineHost Ned Colletti approaches the Great Oak Tree in the center of the Evergreen Wood.

	CollettiSoul: /points walking stick at Great Oak Tree Friends!
	OnlineHost The Evergreen Wood falls silent.
	CollettiSoul: I come with great news, my little friends! Show yourselves!
	DrEckEckstein: /eyes peep out from hollowed knot in Great Oak
	CollettiSoul: That's right! It's Ned Colletti, Old Friend of the Grinders and Scrappers!
	OnlineHost The Evergreen Wood buzzes with frenzied whisper.
	pierrepants: psstpsstPSST
	SednikTheEntertainer: it'sned! nedcolletti! psssst
	OwItByrnes: psssstpsstpsst nedCOLLETTI! FRIENDofthe GRINDERSandSCRAPPERS! psssst
	DrEckEckstein: /pokes out head, sniffs the crisp air of dusk
	CollettiSoul: /fetches loaf of hardtack from ruck-sack Ha ha! Come! I will not hurt you!
	DrEckEckstein: /bugs eyes /warily scuttles from the shelter of the Great Oak
	DrEckEckstein: /paws hardtack /hunches on hind legs, knaws on foodstuff
	CollettiSoul: Friends, you must no longer fear the spectre of Fire Joe Morgan!
	CollettiSoul: The Vicious Blog of the Coast is no more! Its Mercenaries of the Night have been banished to the Land of Fremulon!
	SednikTheEntertainer: th-th-the LAND of FREMULON??
	CollettiSoul: Indeed! No longer must you take refuge from within the hollow bosom of the Great Oak. No longer must Grinders or Scrappers bear the burden of statistical objectivity!
	CollettiSoul: This is a new day! For, do you see the Sun shine with the brilliant rays of Sentiment and Baseless Joy?
	pierrepants: /rubs eyes
	OwItByrnes: The SUN it SHINES
	CollettiSoul: And now that the storm of Objective Measure has passed over our fair wood, you are FREE!
	CollettiSoul: /outstretches arms I hereby offer ALL of you eight-year, $100 million contracts!
	CollettiSoul: Now, scrap away, little grinders! Hardscrabble to your hearts' content!
	SednikTheEntertainer: HOORAY /participates in musical number
	pierrepants: /bounces in the air from patchwork quilt held taut by Mark Ellis and Troy Tulowitski WHEEEE
	DrEckEckstein: /is dressed in human's clothing by birds of song
	SednikTheEntertainer: /rolls around in dirt
	OwItByrnes: /skips about, tossing daisies from woven basket
	CollettiSoul: wait wait a second, maybe i'm not clear on what "scrapping" and "grinding" are
	OwItByrnes: We have no use for the words of Man! We are but humble Folk of the Forest!
	pierrepants: /posts on-base percentage of .077
	CollettiSoul: god damn it
	DrEckEckstein: /doubles over, cleans groin with tongue

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