In the lead-up to the much-anticipated contest between content creators and message makers, the smack-talk continues. And new "rules" are proposed every day. Yesterday's exchange:

HACK: "Team Flack must have a 60-40 split between Democrats and Republicans. That doesn't bode well for the playing time of [their] new shortstop". DING!

FLACK: "Shouldn't the same apply for [The Hacks] as well or is it a numerical impossibility to reach the 40% or even 20% [Republican] level?" POW!

HACK: "We don't need ringers. We're fielding pound-the-pavement, hard-nosed, ink-stained reporters who will pound the softball, play hard and ink a victory." SNAP!

FLACK: "60% of the hacks team has to work at an organization/paper that is not in bankruptcy, not for sale, not hemorrhaging money...and not selling out their reporters with "salons". OUCH!

10th Annual Hacks vs Flacks Softball Game. Monday, July 27. 6:30 PM. National Mall, near the Smithsonian Merry-Go-Round. This ... could ... get ... interesting.