MONDO EXTRAS

Paige's dress isn't an inherently bad dress, but it's sort of a prom dress, and given the atmosphere...well, in the words of Bull Durham, it's a little much for the Carolina League. She's a very pretty girl. I think the fact that she is dressed differently from everybody else there makes her a little uncomfortable. She comes across a bit shy to begin with, and this bunch of crazy people seems to overwhelm her a little. She's very, very sweet. I tap her on the arm at one point and shake her hand -- congratulate her on a great race. She smiles, but we don't really talk. I feel a little sad.

Seven

Mitchell-from-Survivor 2 (his new legal name) has come to both TARcons. No one completely understands it. I didn't watch his season, so I wouldn't know him, except that he's that guy who comes to the TARcons who's really, really tall. On Friday afternoon, I watch Ricki Lake from my temporary New York digs, and at the very end, Ricki goes up into the audience to say hello to "her friends." Who are her friends? Kevin and Drew. And Mitchell. She has Mitchell stand up and join her in the aisle (on the apparent theory that he is more entertaining than Kevin and Drew). She asks him whether he has anything to say. He looks at the stage, and addresses three people caught in one of those "I'm Cheating On You With Her" love triangles that's probably completely made-up. "I was just gonna ask that guy," Mitchell says, "since it looks like he's not going home with either of the two blondes, do you think maybe the two of them will get together?" The amount of hatred that emanates from the three of them in Mitchell's direction after this remark is made leads me to believe that perhaps the triangle is not completely made-up.