I had to reach on this non sports theme, but here you go.
Read it, don’t read it, I don’t care…just needed to get some things off my chest.
In no particular order of chronology or importance…
On the clock. Evening rant. Super speed version. Let’s turn and burn.
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1) Greetings and salutations, people. Thanks for joining me. Here’s the deal. I wasn’t able to blog yesterday. I wasn’t able to blog today at lunch, because I once again had no lunch. I went to gym, worked a little, am going to “have fun” with my laptop and blog a little, and then do some more work unfortunately. Luckily, I have the UVA-Vandy Game 3 of the CWS as company. Here we go. Super speed version. Might do the one sentence thing.
2) There is nothing about the US-Portugal match Sunday afternoon that hasn’t been said. You can blame the lack of concentration, you can blame the extra minute or two of extra time, you can blame the defender from not marking his man, you can blame the hesitation of Tim Howard, you can blame the brilliance of Ronaldo, etc. Bottom line is this. That last play WILL be forgotten if we just go out with another top 5 team in the world and earn a draw or win. That last play will NOT be forgotten if we don’t advance. Maybe Germany and the US will work out a gentlemen’s draw? No? Well, let’s just do it and get out of this round. I was depressed as hell Sunday night and Monday morning, but no matter HOW you break it down, A) we earned a draw against the #4 team in the world B) we control our own destiny. Not bad for the Group of Death I say, and most wouldn’t have thought we would be in this situation right now (maybe even me off the record).
3) True Blood has started. It is still no Lost Boys as I am older and stubborn about that movie, but it is ok. I seem to look up during the sex scenes while Lindsey is watching it.
4) I can see her skills, but I need Sloane Stephens to do something big in a big tournament before declaring her the US future of women’s tennis. So far, it is like a poor man’s Andy Roddick without the Grand Slam win.
5) My World Cup bracket would not be shot to hell aside from Spain. I actually called a few lesser teams to advance that did. Mexico, Chile, Greece. Of course, I WHIFFED on many others as many of us did. I still think Germany will end up being the team to beat, although Brazil is obvious, Netherlands are playing like their heritage, Columbia is raising eyebrows, and Argentina is doing that Messi thing.
6) How you have a biting problem on the pitch is beyond me, but I loved the IMMEDIATE interview with Evander Holyfield the night of the bite.
7) Suarez is SO good of player…maybe top 5 or 10 in the world. He needs to be banned…like NOW…and then maybe we can enjoy his skills down the line. Sad that a guy has to say to the media that someone’s arm ran into his face.
8) Melo opts out and now we are excited to see which next team he ruins. My brain tells me Phil keeps him, my gut tells me Chicago, and my sarcastic part wants him and LeBron to team up and miserably fail.
9) Big week for Raymond Felton. He avoided jail on one day and then got traded to Dallas today in Phil’s first big move. I am pumped if I am Dallas. Yes, you lose two starters, but your middle was being patrolled by your new guy (again) when you won a title. Tyson Chandler.
10) Shame about Isaiah Austin, who got diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome and can’t play basketball again. Basketball is trivial in relation to being healthy, but I wish we could have seen what he would have done on the next level. Finding guys with that athleticism, height, and outside shooting touch does NOT come around often. He just underachieved at Baylor.
11) Well, maybe Venus putting it all out there in the Body Mag is a good omen. Last time I checked, she is still in Wimbledon, a tournament she ALWAYS was a danger in. We haven’t seen her make noise in a while in a Slam.
12) LeBron’s wife is so silly. Akron mapping on her Instagram. You are funny.
13) I had enough time to read exactly how the US qualifies for the next round in sequential order, and you are glad I don’t have time tonight to share that info.
14) They are top of the fourth in Game 3, and UVA is down 1-0. I think they will win this game, but HOW much easier this would have been for just taking out the third inning of Game 1. NINE runs. We wouldn’t even be here, but of course I wouldn’t have company during this blog.
15) Tim Duncan is coming back to the Spurs. Did you hear? That is crazy. Nice touch though. In case you care, all of the Big Three’s contracts will now expire after this year. Are they thinking sunset, all three of them on horses? I think maybe. Plus, the only problem about the number 5 is that 6 sounds better unless you are playing golf, which they are not.
16) Maybe it is just me, but I don’t really care who is selected the captain of the Home Run Derby teams in MLB, do you?
17) I don’t have an editor, work 65 hours a week, and write fast. Yes, I know I brainfarted on the whole Hope Solo thing. Wrote one thing while thinking another. Everything is deleted on this and Twitter, but it is what it is. That was my first inaccuracy in quite a while. You try staying accurate in 40 plus hooks a day.
18) Some love for the home town hockey team since the Flyers seem to suck. The Avs had a big week for honors. Let me see if I can name them all. Forsberg and Blake to the HOF. For awards, they snagged the Jack Adams, the Lady Byng, the Calder, and JUST missed the Vezina. That is impressive stuff, and maybe this place is coming back to its pretty strong hockey town late 90’s/ early 2000’s.
19) This whole Melo and LeBron thing has made all of these Kevin Love trades kind of quiet.
20) I am skipping things officially now on my list.
21) So, the star Turkish kid signs with his Turkish team, and the star Russian kid signs with a Russian team. They are REALLY flocking to the NBA these days.
22) If you don’t read Deadspin, you would have missed that Evan Turner ran out of gas on a highway. http://deadspin.com/evan-turners-ferrari-ran-out-of-gas-on-the-highway-1595038048
23) If you didn’t read Deadspin, you would not have known about Cuba Gooding at the NHL awards show. http://deadspin.com/cuba-gooding-jr-is-making-everyone-uncomfortable-at-th-1595657436
24) Or that Doc Emrick called bubble hockey games on the red carpet. http://deadspin.com/doc-emrick-calls-play-by-play-for-nhlers-playing-bubble-1595677570
25) Ray Allen wants to play a 19th season in the NBA, and my bet is that he signs coincidentally about 24 hours after LeBron signs…and most likely in the same town.
26) Wow. Ian Kinsler really dislikes his old team. He waved to them after a leadoff after other odd offseason comments.
27) Some years we try to predict NBA trades and then they don’t happen. Occasionally, we have something like the Celtics trade that got them the first Big Three. I think this is a crazy trade year with the free agency and trade rumors that are brewing. I think the Warriors, Celtics, Knicks, or Celtics do something CRAZY. Not together though.
28) Just no more Big Three’s, ok?
29) So, the double murder charges on Hernandez won’t be tried until 2015. That seems like a really long time to hear ANY more stories relating to this.
30) I love how the Pistons are talking about moving Josh Smith to the Kings. I love how Josh Smith may never really find a home except for the just win the first round Hawks from years ago. He is just an odd basketball player.
31) I don’t care what you say or what I have said in the past, I am SO PUMPED Tiger is coming back for the Open Championship.
32) Tim Lincecum either showed his old stuff no hitting the Padres (again), or they showed him just how much worse they have gotten.
33) Just kidding. I don’t who it is against. A no hitter is HARD.
34) But the Padres sure make it EASIER.
35) Kershaw sucked last night speaking of no hitters. He was totally slacking in allowing 6 hits, throwing 8 k’s, and pitching a shutout. What a waste.
36) That is it. I am tired of this laptop and want to go enjoy the game. I hope you enjoyed or at least are more informed. Will I blog tomorrow? That is a CLOWN question, bro. Peace.
36a) Go US. I believe that we will draw! I believe that we will draw!