*** UPDATE - 11:51 am *** From this morning’s arraignment…

[U.S. Distirct Judge James B. Zagel] said at the hearing Thursday that the Blagojevich trial will take six months, and likely will not begin for two years.

While this would be the normally expected schedule, I kinda wonder whether Blagojevich will try to get it moved up to coincide with the 2010 election - when he can do maximum damage. Since there are other defendants, though, that may not be feasible.

[ *** End of Update *** ]

* I always suspected that Blagojevich was sending Piniella advice. But only once?

The next day, on May 31, 2007, Blagojevich sent a handwritten note, a copy of which has been obtained by the Chicago Tribune. It began, “Dear Lou.” Blagojevich included a Jack Higgins editorial cartoon that had run that morning in the Sun-Times, comparing Piniella’s management to Blagojevich’s.

Blagojevich then made his suggested line-up changes — specifically recommending Alfonso Soriano bat third, followed by Derrek Lee and then Aramis Ramirez.

* The former governor was all smiles for the reporters before and after his arraignment earlier this week. But it was a different story as he rode an elevator up to the courtroom with ABC7’s Chuck Goudie…

But once we were behind closed elevator doors, away from the cameras, Blagojevich launched into a pitched tirade about something else: illegal gambling and allegations that he worked as a bookmaker, taking action from sports gamblers before he got into politics.

“That bookmaking story was (bleep),” said Illinois’ former leader. “I did not do that. I deny it. It’s a (bleepin’) lie,” he said in what would become an uninterrupted diatribe.

Pointing to me, he said, “This man is a (bleepin’) liar. He puts lies on TV.”

Blagojevich was referring to an I-Team report from a few months ago…

The ABC7 I-Team has learned that an attorney who went undercover for the FBI in the late 1980’s says he told federal authorities years ago about wrongdoing by Blagojevich. His name is Robert Cooley.

Cooley says that before Rod Blagojevich got into politics he was a bookmaker on the North Side who regularly paid the Chicago mob to operate.

Back to this week…

“That Cooley is a liar,” he said. “I am going to sue that (bleepin’) Cooley,” Blagojevich stated, his face red at this point with apparent anger. He repeated: “I’m going to sue him.”

Class to the end.

* And while possibly illegal, this might be fun…

You can now bet on Blago’s fate.

“With public speculation swirling out of control and people searching for answers,” the online betting service BetUs.com informs us, the folks there have been gracious enough to post odds and accept wagers “on the shamed governor’s future.” […]

The service also is taking wagers on questions that are a little snarkier. Will he get a divorce? Odds are 9-1 that he will. Will he move out of the U.S.? Oddsmakers place the likelihood at even. What will his next job be? Best odds are on used-car salesman, followed by telemarketer, pizza delivery guy, construction worker and motivational speaker.

I wonder what the odds are that he winds up as the Cub manager?

Maybe we could make that a QOTD one day.

* Related…

* Blagojevich cohorts to be arraigned today: Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s former chief of staff, campaign finance chairman and a millionaire lobbyist are scheduled to be arraigned today on charges related to the racketeering and fraud case against the ousted governor.

* Quinn: Blagojevich TV ‘hard to believe’

* ‘I’m a celebrity … and I love being here’

* Difficult times lead to stress test of Illinois’ old-style politics

* Arraignment for Blago’s ex chief-of-staff