This is Priceless!! Lou Piniella sets out for Cincinnati, ends up near Pittsburgh

[RPatrino]

Things just aren't going too well for Lou Piniella these days.

The Cubs manager started the week with five straight home losses, had to deal with ominous news concerning their top two starting pitchers and they just lost to Cincinnati — their sixth straight — 10-2.


Thing is, Piniella almost didn't make it to Cincinnati for the ugly start to this series. Electing to drive from Chicago on Friday morning instead of fly, Piniella and Cubs coach/chaffeur Matt Sinatro missed a turn south and ended up near the Pennsylvania border before realizing their big boo-boo.

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall when Piniella woke up from his nap and realized that Sinatro was pointing the car toward the Pirates instead of the Reds. (But given the Cubs' 14-4 record against Pittsburgh this year, could you blame him?)

From the Chicago Tribune:


"We stopped at one of the (gas) stations along the way, and I bought a map to see exactly where we were," Piniella said. "And we realized we were in the opposite end of the state ...


They worked their way back toward Columbus in the middle of the state, navigating across rain-slicked, two-lane roads ...

"Let me tell you: I wanted to get my mind off baseball for a little bit, I sure as heck did," Piniella said.


For what it's worth, the article says the duo was relying on printed-out directions from — ahem — Google Maps. Next time, they might want to give Yahoo! Maps a try.

Or maybe just join the rest of the world and spring for a GPS. (Piniella muttering and swearing at the GPS lady? Now that would be a sight.)

[canadaump6]

I have never had a problem with google maps.

[johnnyg08]

google maps has been awesome for me as well.

[SethPDX]

Oddly enough, I took that comment as tongue-in-cheek, guys. No need to take everything literally. And this was a funny story.

[kylejt]

I do a little executive protection work from time to time, and got lost in Compton one time. (Effing Mapquest). Luckily, my passenger was in a position to remedy the situation with phone call, and also had the pull get me an Escalade with nav (and air conditioned seats) for next time.

I wonder if Lou pulled out one the of the seats and tossed them.

[bossman72]

side note- if you find a GPS on sale for around 125 or 150, take it! It's a great investment!

[MCJB Ump]

Got one on Ebay for $135. Worth every penny.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by kylejt

I do a little executive protection work from time to time, and got lost in Compton one time. (Effing Mapquest).

Mapquest, Google, and Yahoo all have the same very incorrect map of where I live. (Streets drawn wrong - wrong street names - things in the wrong place).

[Rich]

The best value GPS on the market, IMO, is the Garmin Nuvi 350. I bought one 2 years ago for $500+ and you can get it now for under $200 with the current maps.

I handed it down to my wife and bought a Nuvi 750 a month ago. Widescreen, new software, still not full of the extraneous bells and whistles.

[RPatrino]

My old uncle Henry lived in Compton (he called it Long Beach). I also saw my first dead body in Compton.

[SanDiegoSteve]

East Side, 21st in The Beach! The LBC.

[bobbybanaduck]

for those of you that may be lurking and know the story...perhaps vinnie was navigating. he has trouble with that neck of the woods.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

The best value GPS on the market, IMO, is the Garmin Nuvi 350. I bought one 2 years ago for $500+ and you can get it now for under $200 with the current maps.

I agree. Any unit in the 300 series is an excellent value.

[johnnyg08]

how do those units update? is there software w/ a USB cable or what?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

how do those units update? is there software w/ a USB cable or what?

Yes for some -- some of them don't have the ability to update the map. Most (all?) manufacturers have a web-site on which you can see how (if) this feature works.