Gil Thorp by Henry Barajas and Rachel Merrill for March 22, 2011

I can’t find one kid I like in this whole story.

Cortez Bynum…I mean.. Beecher.. takes care of business. Are these practices not supervised or are violent acts condoned by Coach Thorp?

The artist sure likes to put hands in every frame, it’s getting quite distracting.

Hm. Maybe Gil’s too busy going over the camphotos Steve Luhm took.

The Mudlarks practice gear looks like Angel Beach High’s from “Porky’s.”

So the coaches would have no problem with someone throwing elbows in practice every day? Oh wait, I forgot, the coaches don’t attend practice.

Too bad about both of them having such a bad acne outbreak in P1 though.

So, googles goes by that time honored Christian tradition of “Might Makes Right”, which was a concept not taught in my religious instruction at all

Lini knows about Parker’s spelling issue, he’s been framed!

Does Lini have to carry his books like a girl!

Whats up with the dashed lines in P1 is that whispering?

What would yelling be?

The artists do have a hand fettish, you would think by now if the artists would read these comments that the strip would have improved.

This is a very cool story about cyber-bulling. Who cares how the artist draws hands?

Every practice until they graduate? That could be like 3 years!

In P3, did Lini swipe those gloves from Mutt or Jeff? (Yeah, I’ve been reading the comics a long time).

And since when is Kaycee nearly as tall as Lini?

The mind boggles.

I think the story moves along too slowly, but I do like how Lini always looks at the bright side with a smile. I don’t know if a real kid in his situation could do that.

Hopefully this stoopid story line is finally over.

Hopefully this stoopid story line is finally over.

With girls always around him when does Lini have any time for his guy friends?

I thought this was one of the best story lines the strip has ever had. Thanks to all! And great about “Goggles” (like the way he’s drawn, too) taking care of business. Shows the new tolerance of today’s generation. But, ok, can get back to some more sports now (and especially since Gil and Mimi’s children went down with the Titanic). Hey, writers and artists, seriously, we remember the kids. Could you somehow bring them back or definitely disappear them? Maybe, uh, they were always foster kids and Gil and Mimi had only temporary custody and now they’ve been taken away by social workers and moved to another foster home?

Parker is being framed. Lini will need some serious counseling when he is outed as the culprit. Love the gloves!

The Thorp kids are in the Witness Protection program, and are scheduled to testify in the Barry Bonds trial. You never see Gil at practice because he is at the Milford offices of Balco. Cortez is showing the effects of ‘roid rage the last couple of days, so Gil is mixing up a new batch for him.

I also liked the storyline, and I like Lini. He handled the situation pretty well. I do feel a bit sorry for Parker. It must be tough going through life today with a computer that doesn’t have a spell checker.

Hopefully this drama is over and we can get back to sports for a while. Wish the writers would look at old strips and get a clue. Hard to believe Kareem can get away with assaults at practice.