ESPN has released the late summer/fall schedule for "30 for 30". On paper, it's probably the best Sports Doc list you'll see.

Ron Shelton on Michael Jordan in the minors.

The unsolved murder of Tupac, the night of a Tyson championship bout in Vegas.

Evert vs. Navratilova.

Barbara Kopple on Steinbrenner!

Steve Nash on Terry Fox, who was in the spotlight again at the Vancouver Olympics (get the Kleenex out for that one).

One on the all-but-forgotten Drazen Petrovic and Vlade Divac.

The race car driver Tim Richmond, which should be an emotional roller coaster.

Alex Gibney on Bartman!

John Singleton on Marion Jones!

The rise of SMU football and the Pony Express.

And the final one on Marcus Dupree, the next Herschel Walker.

I don't think there's one you could skip in the whole bunch.

Meal of Links

First, it was the letter. Now, it's the death of the phone call.

Some ex-Brown is singing opera this week at Tanglewood. Never heard of him.

An homage to Paul Rudd. I like him, but this person really likes him.

Joe Queenan asks if this is the worst movie year ever. I say no, but it is unfair to include a picture from "Grown-Ups" right off the bat.

Kim Jong-Il is the new Steinbrenner. The World Cup coach is now working on a building crew.

Remember that remake of "The Rockford Files"? Dermot Mulroney is out.

Exercise Yard

Joe Pos visits his old home. And he doesn't like what he's hearing. The bad memory, "Fat Guy Eating Beer Cans", gets a mention!

Visitor

26 Across: Rahm Emanuel's talent agent brother (3 letters) Answer: Ari

Well, it seems everyone can get their 15 minutes these days.

As I was watching the Indians-Yankees game last night, Homer Matt mentioned a disturbance in the bleachers. It was actually loud and had everyone in the crowd distracted. At one point, the second base umpire even called time.

Homer Matt then continued with some cryptic thoughts about how it appeared there were two females fighting. Then he realized what was going on and started chuckling. Yes, some clown decided to wear a LeBron Miami Heat jersey. Now, why it took 6 innings for people to get on this guy's case, I have no idea.

Any video you see of this event makes me wonder, did anyone in the bleachers know how to film? Jeezy creezy, I saw one video where the guy could not keep the jersey popper in the frame. Another was filmed so you had to watch with your head tilted 90 degrees to the right. I mean, there was nothing I saw remotely close to Zapruder-quality. Shocking.

Anyhow, here's an update on the guy. And, of course, in true fashion, he says, "Eff the haters!"

I've read comments on cleveland.com that bring out the old refrain, "Wait until the national media gets a hold of this". So what? Even Kornheiser on PTI feared for LeBron's safety upon his return game and intimated he may have to sit it out. Huh? Really?

This sounds like a lot of huffery from people who don't attend games. If you wear an opponents jersey, especially at a football game, you will get yelled at. If you wanna be a guy who fights about it, there are willing participants lining up. So, it should come as no surprise that this incident happened. And, if you see the videos, it's clear he's enjoying the reaction until he gets the boot. As does his friend.

Two days from now, it's forgotten.

Meal of Links

The annual energy consumption of the average American. I go at least 50% beyond the average of driving 12,000 miles per year.

Could it be the greatest music video ever? The backstory of "Take On Me".

You know, Daniel Schorr, the last link to Edward R. Murrow at CBS died last week. I happened to hear an interview he did with Bob Edwards in 2008 on Monday and he is sorta like "Zelig" in his career. CBS, Watergate, Nixon's enemies list, CNN, NPR. Ane he was also friends with Frank Zappa. WTF?

Leonardo DiCaprio was going to do a movie with Mel Gibson. Even though he likes Vikings, Leo decided to tell Mel, "Nope."

If it involves The Who, you know I'm gonna lap it up. One of my favorites...

"La-La-La Lies"/The Who



"Dexter" stuff. I knew Julia Stiles was in, but did not know Peter Weller had joined for Season 5. Robocop! Masuka has a fake ad.

Ellen leaves "Idol". Looks like Randy and Kara need to look for work elsewhere and quick.

Foreclosures. Vegas still leads with 6.6% of housing units in foreclosure. The lowest rates seem to be in places no one wants to live.

Exercise Yard

Jack Tatum, "The Assassin" died the other day. Steve Grogan didn't like him all that much.

Visitor

6 Across: Northwest Passage seeker (6 letters) Answer: Cabot

Here is the LeBron story that got spiked by ESPN. It's a Vegas trip and, yes, Damon Jones makes an appearance.

And it seems everyone involved, except "Big Baby" and maybe Lamar Odom, appear to be quite douche-y.

Meal of Links

Flatten your gut. With grilling!

ESPN's "30 For 30" returns tomorrow with "Big Air". Didn't really jazz me, until I heard of Spike Jonze's involvement.

Every Cigarette Ever Smoked On "Mad Men"



Catalonia says no to the corrida. Porque?

CBS decides 40-year olds are, well, old. The new "Survivor" pits "Young Vs. Old".

Laura Linney decides to take a shot on cable with "The Big C". One of the best actresses we have.

Wyclef Jean may run to be Haiti's President. Using his lyrics to come up with his position papers.

Is it a good thing for Sarah Palin to be the 2012 GOP nominee. I'd say, "You betcha."

Exercise Yard

This is the go-to place for the Rick Pitino extortion trial. I may struggle to watch a Louisville game after reading this stuff.

Visitor

2 Down: two-time Indy champ Luyendyk (4 letters) Answer: Arie

I thought we had a pact.

On the way home today, I saw a semi pull a randy Johnson. It obliterated a pigeon right before the I-77 exit. There were so may feathers in the air, it looked like a swarm of bees. When I passed the ex-pigeon, it reminded me of when Sylvester used to be burned to a crisp. The body was shorn clean.

Then on 77, some guy in a convertible was acting like "The Maestro". He was conducting music as he was driving. Very strange.

"The Maestro".

Meal of Links

More Stieg Larsson news, one of the most popular dead guys around this year. The sequel to "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" opens up this weekend, both east and west. That movie is called, "The Girl Who Played With Fire". The American version of the original is starting to take shape. In the hands of David Fincher, I know it will be good. He will film it in Sweden and has signed Daniel Craig as the male lead. The girl has not been cast yet.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, seemingly with nothing better to do, attacks Paul the Octopus. Paul has apparently spread "western propaganda and superstition". Maybe Mahmoud bet on Germany.

The best magazine articles ever. There are some classics here. Lots of David Foster Wallace.

If you have some time. It's what's going on with James Franco.

How can you lose $9 billion? Ask the Pentagon.

Chicago Lightning Strikes



Another visit to Nashville. The running gag is "still no Townes', but this week, it's Roy Acuff.

Bob Barker disses Drew Carey. Somewhere, where there is a camera, a man from Cleveland is now burning his old TV Guides.

TNR has an Afghanistan symposium. Current life expectancy: 44 years.

Exercise Yard

"Caddyshack" turns 30? Whatever happened to Bushwood Country Club?

OK, this beats the Cavs Family Photo by a mile. Check out the guy playing the fish. And it doesn't take that long to accomplish.

Best Goal Celebration



Visitor

34 Across: Demi of "G.I. Jane" (5 letters) Answer: Moore

I'm always looking for new recipes. I had some chicken thighs I had to use up by today. So, I tried this one that was sort of a KFC knockoff. I used the "GFC" version, as I didn't have any MSG. Very nice. Easy directions on the video. Speaking of cooking chicken...

Christopher Walken Cooks Chicken and Pears



BTW, did you know Henry Ford invented the charcoal briquette? Then he gave it to a relative named Kingsford.

Meal of Links

Another Pierogi Fest has ended. I'd like to go this thing once, but it's always so damn hot this time of the year.

These are cool. 50 clever logos.

Next up in DC. The Bush tax cuts.

"Inception" is not the first movie to keep audiences guessing. "Rosebud".

The Army Corps kinda fucked up in the Nashville Flood, admitting to 27 mistakes. Senator says, "I know Boy Scout troops that are more prepared than this."

Tony Hayward leaves BP. To be replaced by an American.

Exercise Yard

The dreaded "team orders" reared its ugly head once again in Formula One. This time at the German Grand Prix. It's supposed to be illegal and Ferrari has done it again.

Visitor

None, on a cooler Sunday.

While tooling around the Internets the other day, I came upon this fall release on a bookshelf. Has there ever been a more appropriate title than "Badasses: The Legend of Snake, Foo, Dr. Death and John Madden's Oakland Raiders".

Of course, we know Snake is Ken Stabler. Dr. Death is Skip Thomas and Foo is Phil Villapiano. Villapiano got his nickname because some player couldn't pronounce "Phil" and it kept coming out as "Foo". I'm sure it'll all be in there. Jack Tatum as the "Assassin", Chuck Noll saying that George Atkinson was a "criminal element who should be kicked out of the league." I'm sure they will bring up stickum, Raiders linemen greasing their jerseys, Ray Guy and his overinflated footballs.

One of my favorite Raider stories from back then is John Madden goes into the bathroom and he sees Ted Hendricks. Hendricks is known to most NFL fans as "The Mad Stork", but his Raider nickname was "Kick'em in the Head Ted". Hah! Anyhow, Madden sees Hendricks throwing a ten-dollar bill into a toilet. Madden asks him what the hell is he doing and Hendricks says, "You don't think I'm goin' down there for only a quarter, do ya?"

If you ever get a chance to see any of those NFL Films that feature the Raiders from that era, they are the most entertaining of the lot. They are the only team that had their own theme song.

The Raiders: Autumn Wind, Theme and the Holy Roller



I cannot wait for this one.

Meal of Links

I saw "Salt" today. I didn't know that the Regal had been converted to one of those cooling centers for seniors. They could have called me "Sonny" out there. Anyhow, "Salt" was decent enough. The small semblance of a plot is easy to figure out. But we get Jolie running. A lot. Jolie handy with a gun. A lot. See, she was a CIA agent. But is she a Russian agent? It appears to be the case.

How could they not track those lips while they are chasing her? Maybe because she's blond, then dark-haired, then wearing an expensive hat and coat on the Staten Island Ferry. Huh? But the action, when we get it, is top-notch. Did I mention Jolie running? She is jumping from vehicle to vehicle during a chase. Then we get a cool attempted killing at a state funeral, which will make you think twice about delivering a eulogy. A ridiculous view of White House security, which is beyond bad, for the sake of the movie, of course. I'd like to know who voted for the President in this movie. But we get Jolie kicking people, shooting people, and then culminating with one of the best screen deaths I've seen in a while. That death shows how flexible Jolie can be. This is definitely matinee/borderline full fare material.

My Dad and I had dinner at Bucci's Brick Oven, because I had a coupon that was about to expire. Hadn't been there in a while, but the margherita pizza was outstanding and I think I have two extra meals out of it.

Bernie Sanders says no to oligarchy. "The 400 richest families in America, who saw their wealth increase by some $400 billion during the Bush years, have now accumulated $1.27 trillion in wealth."

Look out. The theme to Hawaii Five-O will be everywhere.

All about "American History X". I happened to catch some of this about a month ago and Edward Norton is still shockingly great in this role.

Mindful of I-71 through town. Take a look at freeways and the decline of Saint Louis.

Cap-and-trade is dead. For now.

Kings of Leon get crapped on in Saint Louis. Literally. Wow, two items from Saint Louis in one day.

How to be an active listener. I try, I really try, to listen to what other people say. I think I'm good at it.

Has it really come to this? Rent A Friend.

The Latest Fixed Fight



"He's not even a canine!" It's like wrestling.

Here is one mean traffic cop. Drive carefully.

This guy really likes his In-N-Out Burger. BTW, the GM of Whitey's had his burger recipe in the PD last month and it was really good. I recommend that one.

Sharron Angle RUNS AWAY From The Press



Tight schedule, my ass.

Hopefully, you were able to share in some of the rain yesterday. The Big Picture takes on stormy skies.

Exercise Yard

Break up the Tribe! Going into today's play, the Indians (in Wedge-like manner) have finally caught the Kansas City Royals in the standings. You know, those Royals. The team that leads the major leagues in hitting.

Joe Pos puts his finger on, despite the hitting, what is wrong with the Royals. And why don't the Indians try and grab Kila Ka’aihue from their minor league roster?

Visitor

1 Across: Co-star of TV's "Chuck" (11 letters) Answer: Adam Baldwin

Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band

Last night, a half dozen of us joined several others to watch a Beatle. This was a "I better see a Beatle before I, or most likely they, die" sort of concert. I'd given up on Macca live years ago, so Ringo comes to town every couple of summers and now that he's 70, I thought, yep, better see go him. It's kind of a jolt to see a sign at a rock show that reads, "Happy Birthday, 7/7/40". BTW, he looks fantastic for age 70.

The Venue: The "Sauna By the Sea", Nautica Pavilion. You know, the place where you have to sit in the bleachers, poised like a catcher, hoping you don't knee anyone in the back, hopefully avoiding the same treatment from the rear.

Stage Banter: Ringo actually got off a few good lines. About the weather: "They told me about some breeze that was supposed to come off the water". About the sales of his last album: "This is for the 9 of you who bought the CD. A couple over here, a couple over there, and the six of you over there who stole it".

The Tickets: S. used her Rock Hall Membership to grab Gale and I some General Admission tickets. We were on the left, maybe 10-12 rows up in the bleachers.

The Crowd: No chaperone hat this night. Distinctly older. Most people knew the words to most songs, including "Frankenstein". "Yellow Submarine" was a big sing-a-long, and, unfortunately, Rick Derringer sang the longest version ever of "Hang On Sloopy".

The Sound: The sound was actually really good. The only part I did not understand was when Edgar Winter spoke. I think it was in English.

There was no opening act.

The Stage: Fairly sparse setup. Left-to-right upfront were: Edgar Winter, Romantics Dude, Rick Derringer, Mr. Mister Mister and Gary Wright. In the back were Ringo and fellow drummer Gregg Bissonette.

The Music: Obviously, it was a lot of old tunes from the '70s and the '80s. The beauty of the format for the performers is they could rotate twice through the All-Starrs, so they could play their hits. One-hit wonders need not apply. Two-hit wonders, however, are welcomed with open arms. The beauty of the format for the paying customer is, if you had seen each of the performers at your local Ribfest, it would take two hours to hear each of them perform their two hits. So, this is a huge timesaver. Hey, I've seen Donnie Iris in that format. It's not pretty.

"Peace and Love...But Don't Send Me Shit...Peace and Love"






























Setlist:

"It Don’t Come Easy" (Ringo)
"Honey Don’t" (Ringo)
"Choose Love" (Ringo)
"Hang On Sloopy" (Rick Derringer)
"Free Ride" (Edgar Winter)
"Talking in Your Sleep" (Romantics Dude)
"I Wanna Be Your Man" (Ringo)
"Dream Weaver" (Gary Wright)
"Kyrie" (Mr. Mister Mister)
"The Other Side of Liverpool" (Ringo)
"Yellow Submarine" (Ringo)
"Frankenstein" (Edgar Winter)
"Peace Dream" (Ringo)
"Back Off Boogaloo" (Ringo)
"What I Like About You" (Romantics Dude)
"Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" (Rick Derringer)
"Boys" (Ringo)
"Love Is Alive" (Gary Wright)
"Broken Wings" (Mr. Mister Mister)
"Photograph" (Ringo)
"Act Naturally" (Ringo)
"With a Little Help from My Friends" (Ringo)
"Give Peace a Chance" (Ringo)

Encore:

None. That hasn't happened in a very long time.

Another view.

Meal of Links

Simon Cowell could be replaced by Chris Isaak. "Bullets ain't got no eyes."

Jenna Fischer got married a few weeks ago. The person who presided over that union? Why, it was Jeff Probst.

Speaking of Probst, Jimmy Johnson is on "Survivor: Guatemala". His hair cannot possibly survive.

Castro's niece has an interview. Cuban free speech prisoners are mercenaries paid by Washington. Huh?

There can be nice ditties about death. Here's a list.

Mitch Albom won this year's Red Smith Award. Dave Kindred addresses the elephant in the room.

Could you imagine this headline even 10 years ago? "Oakland allows industrial-scale marijuana farms".

More Palin. This time on Israel and the mosque.

Looks like a new "Seinfeld" movie. Not really, just a trailer.

"Serenity Now"



Exercise Yard

If you haven't watched the Tour de France this year, tomorrow is the day to change that. This Tour has been wild. We've seen injuries, we've seen suspensions, we've seen headbutts, we've seen tire fights, we've even seen the demise of Lance Armstrong.

The latest controversy involved the yellow jersey-wearing Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador, last year's winner. Schleck was attacking when his chain got loose. A previous unwritten Tour rule is you always wait and never take advantage of a mechanical failure of the yellow jersey. Contador said, "Fuck that!" and eventually gained 34 seconds on Schleck to get the yellow jersey and lead Schleck by 8 seconds, heading into the final 3 days.

All bets are off tomorrow in the mountains. I happen to like the Schleck Brothers (Frank went out on Day 3), so I hope Andy can pull it off. Big day tomorrow.

Visitor

22 Across: Sylvester Pussycat nemesis (14 letters) Answer: Speedy Gonzales

Speedy Gonzales Ad

Clearly, the talk of the movie world this week was not "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", but "Inception". This was a Best Friend suggestion and I'm tellin' you, it will be the most dissected movie probably since "Mulholland Drive" and Christopher Nolan's other thought-provoker, "Memento". And those two came out, I bet, 10 years ago already.

I always have a hankerin' for these types of "dream" movies. I just saw "Dreamscape" within the last couple of months, and I felt "Vanilla Sky" was vastly underrated. "Inception" borrows the part from "Dreamscape" in the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio is a master at entering other people's dreams.





















So, you get this "dream within a dream within a dream" movie that begs for you to pay attention. Trust me, it's fairly intricate as you go from one level of dreams to another and finally, there's limbo again. Not as much running, but probably as much confusion in this limbo, as there was in "The Lonely Bones".

This is the best movie I've seen this year and probably the best one aimed for adults since "The Ghost Writer". Hard to find fault with the movie. Concept is very intriguing. Casting is spot on (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, all grown up from "3rd Rock", is especially good as Leo's partner), especially when you realize this movie is part heist. It has that let's get the gang together for another caper, with references to situations they've seen before. Effects are top-notch. When Ellen Page is introduced, the Escher-like qualities from the trailer unfold. You get Matrix-like fighting in zero gravity. I am always a sucker for fighting in snow, and the scenes here are mindful of James Bond flicks and "Ice Station Zebra". I wonder about snow camo gear though, because these people always get shot. The only flaw, if there is one, is there is very little humor. I mean, maybe twice, there are things that cause a chuckle.

Many reviews say this movie begs for repeat viewings and there may be a significant percentage of those. The ending offers a spirited debate. And that's another asset of the movie. The fact that it is nebulous allows both sides of the discussion to have a legitimate say.

Meal of Links

How to survive office life. Keep your nose to the grindstone.

Another WWII war hero. Monopoly?

This is unbelievable. Roger Waters and David Gilmour are reuniting for one stop on "The Wall" tour, so Gilmour can sing "Comfortably Numb". OK, the date will remain a surprise. God, let it be here. Roxy Music gets back together, if you need it.

TBS has Steinbrenner Week on "Seinfeld". The brilliant "The Caddy" is on Wednesday at 4:30.

Exercise Yard

A guy, not my Dad, bowls for five straight days. Yes, for charity.

Visitor

None, on a Sunday that is still hot.

This is why I like Will Ferrell.

Will Ferrell as Jeff Vuvuzela



Meal of Links

The unbelievable success of the Old Spice campaign. That guy is everywhere.

Remember the argument against Shawne Merriman making the Pro Bowl in a year he admitted steroid use? How about Letterman's extortionist getting an Emmy Nomination.

Carl's Jr. comes up with the foot-long cheeseburger. BTW, I had the strawberry and banana smoothie at McDonald's today. It's pretty tasty. Although I cannot see how anyone could down the large. I had a small and it was pretty thick and filling. Free samples next week.

This is it for Dick Cheney. His latest treatment renders him without a pulse.

Lately, America has taken a shine to hating Al Gore. I thought they always disliked him.

Brooklyn Decker...those are new!

The Original "Those are new"



Budapest-Masters of Parking



Exercise Yard

The biggest house is once again The Big House. Almost up to 110,000.

Visitor

10 Down: "The Teflon Don" (5 letters) Answer: Gotti

Not much going on today, but anything recent about Mel Gibson is good for a laugh.

Here is a recut version of a trailer for "What Women Want". It's NSFW, but oh so funny.

Meal of Links

Michael Mann is doing a series for HBO called "Luck". It's about horse racing! I hope it's good.

Tomorrow, seven men who had been missing in Burma during WWII are being buried at Arlington. Good news for the families. 66 years...it's really a touching story.

I happened to see "Barton Fink" last week. Favorite line: "You're a sick fuck, Fink." But NASA confirms it. Just like the movie, it's hot.

Are the democrats close to officially throwing in the towel on the economy? Some think that happened 18 months ago, while waiting for Franken and Specter to get closer to 60 in the Senate.

The Stagliano obscenity trial has started. You can follow it here.

Exercise Yard

IndyCar actually gets new cars for the 2012 season. Also, an increase to 24 races. I don't see Cleveland mentioned. Let's face it, the only potential local sponsor with the necessary cash is Progressive.

Visitor

51 Across: '70s Robert Blake cop show (7 letters) Answer: Baretta

"Baretta" Theme

Time to address some local deaths:

Milt Morin died. Morin was the favorite of countless kids who were Browns fans in the late '60s and early '70s. he had soft hands, blocked well and ran over a whole slew of defenders. Too bad he predates YouTube, as some of his YAC (yards after catch) footage would be priceless.

Harvey Pekar died. Never read his comics, but Paul Giamatti was perfect in his role in "American Splendor". All about The Pekar Project.

Bourdain Meets Pekar



George Steinbrenner died. Clearly the biggest "What If?" in Cleveland sports. Knowing the history of the Indians would have been different, you wonder how different with The Boss as owner. All I know is when he took over the Yankees, they were shit. Today, they play in a $1 billion stadium, have revenues of $600 million and a TV network (YES) valued at over $1 billion. Without question, this is the funniest "Steinbrenner" appearance on "Seinfeld". Frank Costanza's actions before he confronts Steinbrenner kills me every time.

Meal of Links

Top 15 cringeworthy Tour de France crashes. there are some gems here.

This is your brain. This is your brain on caffeine.

Here is the original Outside article from January on The Barefoot Bandit. And Bob Friel is still tracking him.

Chubby Checker is still twisting. 50 years later.

It sounds disgusting. But it's Science!

One of the cool things about the Happy Dog is that every other week they have a guy spinning old country music. So, I give you, Waylon Jennings, Nashville Rebel. If you can listen to only one of the songs, pick "Luckenbach, Texas".

"True Blood" equals "The Wire". Huh?

More science.

Exercise Yard

I don't want to belabor LeBron's decision, but there are are a few loose ends. And I'm sure more to come. Didn't the Dan Gilbert interview with SI come as close to a mea culpa as we are gonna get. After ripping LeBron on how the organization "enabled" him, he comes up with this quote: "He really never did ask and go above and beyond for material things." Huh? Gilbert goes on to say they enabled him in terms of returning calls, texts, etc. (and lack thereof) and frames that as a lack of respect issue. Fine. But that's not what he implied in his first "open letter".

if you like Matt Taibbi, you'll like his thoughts on "The Decision". (Hat tip to Gale)















(Hat tip to S.)

Visitor

15 Across: Wild Australian dog (5 letters) Answer: Dingo

World Cup 2010 finished up today. We made it over to the Old Angle for the Final. Spain wins, 1-0, as the Dutch decided to play a physical brand of soccer which prevented the game from having any kind of a flow. However, both teams had some chances and it was tension-filled as we had to go to Extra Time before the Spanish got the game-winner.

Before the match, an anti-racism guy tried to put a red hat on the actual World Cup.

Jimmy Jump Almost Touched The World Cup



The Dutch yellow cards came fast and furious. Eventually John Heitinga got a red card late and they had to play with 10 men. This is an early foul by de Jong that should have resulted in a red card. Uh, he is not playing the ball.

They Were Kung-Fu Fighting



Spain kept trying and trying. And, thankfully, to spare us from Penalty Kicks to decide another World Cup, Andres Iniesta got the trophy-winner in the 128th minute.

Iniesta Wins It For Espana



Fun facts to know and tell:

The octopus picked every game it was asked to, correctly.

The Dutch tie Germany with three second-place finishes.

14 were the most yellow cards ever in a final.

Spain won all of its matches by a 1-0 score.

Spain is the first European team to win away from Europe.

Diego Forlan of Uruguay wins the Golden Ball as MVP.

Germany's Thomas Mueller gets the Golden Boot as leading scorer and Best Young Player, as well.

Iker Casillas of Spain wins the Golden Glove as Best Goalkeeper.

Next Stop, Brazil 2014


















Meal of Links

Today is the 50th anniversary of the publication of "To Kill A Mockingbird". On the trail of Harper Lee.

Check out how Bob Probert was transported to his final resting place. That is all kinds of cool. And the service was quite poignant. Look at all the luminaries: Yzerman, Gilmour, Ciccarelli, Domi, Stu Grimson, Chris Nilan. What a sendoff.

How to save money. On just about anything.

How laws are made in California. Wow.

Exercise Yard

Spain wins the World Cup. But what about the politics that continually divide its regions.

Visitor

None, on a warm Sunday.

As I prepare to take my talents to Pennsylvania tomorrow...

Since we are not tired of LeBron yet, here are some of the better reactions I've seen.

Leitch feels stupid.

Even from KC, Joe Pos didn't see it coming either.

Bill Rhoden hears Dan Gilbert and says it validates LeBron's decision. BTW, jersey burnings are typically held when there are cameras around.

Bill Simmons blames everyone for what we "witnessed" last night. With lots of reader input, as well. Best comment: Dexter Morgan needs to take him down in Miami.

SI reviews the ESPN show. At 7, I see Bron Bron on Channel 3 biting his nails. Then, in Greenwich, Jim Gray inexplicably asks him, "Do you still bite your nails?" WTF?

Buzz Bissinger, who wrote the LeBron book, says his free agency was handled terribly.

The first draft of Dan Gilbert's missive.

Dan Gilbert holds a grudge like Khomeini.

Now is probably a good time to talk about Dan Gilbert's communique last night. Let me preface this by saying I have never lost $200 million in a few minutes. And I basically agree with what he said. But he's an ass.

His open letter reminded me of a 12-year old who got jilted and is pouring their heart out on Facebook. Current Mood: It's Complicated.

Let me backtrack a bit. Last night, around 10:30, Time Warner blew out both my cable and Internet, so I had to listen to the radio. I kept switching back between 850 and 1100 for signs of intelligent life. Around 11:40, I hear someone on 850 reading a letter from "Dan Gilbert".

It's so poorly written and verbose. God, is it lengthy. As it keeps going on and on, I say this has to be a hoax. When they get through reading it, Bob Holtzman from ESPN was their next guest and he inquires about it and they continue to read quotes from the letter. I'm screaming at the radio for them to cease, because they are gonna look like fools when the truth comes out.

So, I switch to 1100. Shit, Andre Knott is now reading the same letter. I pull out my 1G phone and a few minutes later realize it is posted on cavs.com. Jeezy creezy. My cable returns 15 minutes later and now Galeti is reading it on STO.

Good God! I picture Gilbert, after several drinks, wearing a bathrobe in front of his computer, deciding to write a letter to the fans. Conveniently avoiding his PR staff and sending it out unedited and obviously unfiltered.

Outside of making himself feel good and elevating the mood of Cavs fans everywhere, I'm not sure what he accomplished with the letter. The former King did a lot to increase the worth of Dan's team. If the Cavs "covered up" things for LeBron, let's not forget it's Gilbert or his minions who performed those acts. So, to accuse someone of being narcissistic and self-promotional and then doing it in a completely narcissistic and self-promotional way seems a bit disingenuous to me.

And this line: "Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there." I have no idea what the hell that means. But it sounds like something you type when you're drunk. Then you grunt, self-satisfied, and move on to some other edits.

Again, I agree with most of the things he said. If you're from here or dislike LeBron, Gilbert is probably now your favorite owner. That's how unprecedented of a smack at a superstar athlete this is. The line, "Mr. May", can't even dare to compete with this. If you like LeBron, well, you'll defend his right to go anywhere he can, as he's earned the right.

But if you're a player, gee, I can't see this helping. We have a lot of strikes against us when trying to attract top talent, so to add "Batshit Crazy and Underappreciative Owner" to the list doesn't seem like good business. However, as the Oakland Raiders field a full roster each season, you can get players to show up, if you pay them enough.

It looks like Dan Gilbert is going to have to overpay for a mistake again. This one of his own commission.

Meal of Links

How Jim Gray, nail fancier, got involved in that ESPN production. A network that dumped him years ago. They must have misremembered that.

LeBron once stated how he wanted to win a title with the Cavs. Now in Miami, it seems he misremembered his ringchasing comment.

Sarah Palin once advocated the airborne shooting of "Mama Grizzlies". I guess she misremembered, as well.

Exercise Yard

Fairly accurate analysis of Dutch football. Johann Cruyff, a la Lebron, picks Spain!

Hirsh picks 10 items we should take away from World Cup 2010. Excellent point: Where are all the Hispanics on the US squad?

Visitor

20 Across: Role for Harrison (3 letters) Answer: Han

OK, I admit it. I was wrong about Bron Bron. I should have known.

Everyone has their price and they all leave.





















But then our owner went off and took some crazy pills. Then he took some more.

Can you believe Bron Bron stole my idea? I have advocated for months that LeBron should hold a one-hour pay-per-view special where he could announce where he he was going to ply his basketball trade for the next few years.

It was going to be set up much like a college recruit who holds a news conference to reveal his choice. Remember, he didn't get to do that coming out of high school. All of his suitors would be represented by their baseball caps. Over the course of the hour, several of the teams would be eliminated. The Clippers, then the Nets, then the Bulls, then the Heat. His final two choices would be the Knicks and the Cavs. Finally, at the end of the hour, he would make his choice by putting on the Cavs cap. I was convinced there was enough of an audience to do that and I guess I was sorta right.

I'll be damned if they didn't come up with something similar. The only thing I didn't see was the charitable aspect (the ad proceeds go to the Boys and Girls Clubs) to take the edge off any charges of ego or conceit. The only change I see is that after he makes his choice, I am predicting a Nike ad with the "Welcome Home" slogan (or something similar) attached.

So, tune in tomorrow at 9. I am sensing record ratings for ESPN (even with all the bitching about it) and I still maintain LeBron stays here.

Well, ESPN claims "The Decision" takes place in the first 15 minutes. We'll see.

Meal of Links

What really happens in women's restrooms. Pretty much what I expected.

Today's controversial topic. Why parents hate parenting.

Remember the woman with the burned face in London's 7/7 bombing a few years ago? She is now showing off her new face. Incredible.

Don Johnson cashes in. On a "Nash Bridges" lawsuit.

If you play in the NFL and are a vintner, you have a problem. You can't promote your wine.

The plot thickens around Henry Kissinger and assassinations in Chile. Seems his hands may have been all over it.

Exercise Yard

Today's World Cup match had:


















against the:
























The group headed over to the Old Angle this afternoon for Germany-Spain. Again, a butt in almost every chair there, a great month for them. And not so bad for me, as I love those Jameson Highballs. Not the best of games from the Germans. It's interesting that the Germans, up to this point, were one of the most entertaining offensive units in this year's World Cup. But today, they seemed to adopt a defensive stance, similar to Paraguay, against Spain.

Fan On Pitch (Note Vuvuzela)



















Sort of puzzling. Outside of David Villa, no one had really scored for the Spaniards. Oh, they are always a threat to score, but really hadn't put it all together yet. The Germans, minus the suspended Muller, were really having trouble in midfield.

So, we ended up with a match that had Spain getting a multitude of scoring chances and whiffing on them all. Germany's best chance came in the 69th minute on a cross from Lukas Podolski. Toni Kroos steered it on goal, but Iker Casillas made the save. That was it for Der Mannschaft.

Germany's Lone Chance (WARNING: ANNOYING SONG)



Several minutes later, Carlos Puyol, who missed one earlier, headed one in off a corner by Xavi and that made it 1-0, Spain. Really, the only bad defensive error Germany made all day. That is how it ended. The Germans now could potentially end up with 3 losses in the tournament.

Auf Wiedersehen, Deutschland



It's all about possession. And that damn psychic octopus.

That sets up a NATO final between Spain and Holland. See you there Sunday.

Visitor

19 Across: Revolutionary Pancho (5 letters) Answer: Villa

Lindsay Lohan goes off to jail in 2 weeks. There are consequences, young lady.






















It looks like she is wondering what kind of a lawyer would not be able to get her out of this mess.

Meal of Links

Girls give away lemonade at a stand. Columnist decides this is an example of what's wrong with America.

Most of the summer TV debuts don't really standout. But I like "Louie" on FX. This is a much better effort from Louis CK this time around. Tuesdays at 11.

All about friendship.

Exercise Yard

The Netherlands beat Uruguay, 3-2 today and effectively ended my chances of winning the pool. I still have Germany and, of course, Uruguay, in the Third Place Game, but I think I'm done. Gonna get my work done early at the mill and watch Germany-Spain tomorrow afternoon. So, it's on to a NATO final, completely debunking my theory of power shifting east and west. Plus, Europe wins in a non-European country.

Uh-oh. Paul the Octopus picked Spain. He hasn't picked incorrectly yet.

In honor of Holland's win, it was either "Pass The Dutchie" or this:

"Double Dutch Bus"/Frankie Smith



Visitor

20 Across: Five-time "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit cover model (14 letters) Answer: Elle MacPherson

Hirsh picks the best 11 of the World Cup.

Have you noticed how risky it has been for an athlete to appear in a high-profile ad? The World Cup has only Fabregas that I see remaining.

Nike World Cup Ad



Then we have this epic FAIL.

Gillette Ad



But good news. Andres Cantor appeared in a GEICO ad that made me laugh.

Andres Cantor GEICO Ad



Meal of Links

The Meadowlands is now officially torn down. No sign of Hoffa.

They have exhumed the body of Bobby Fischer to determine paternity. I'm betting he's still angry.

Here is the first picture from the new Planck telescope. Pretty awesome, it's of the universe.

One of the all-time baddies in hockey died today. Bob Probert was 45.

Exercise Yard

If you were blowing up things this weekend, you may not have realized the Tour de France started. Tomorrow promises to be a fun day. Why? Cobblestones!

Visitor

11 Down: "Shaft" star Richard (9 letters) Answer: Roundtree

Happy 4th of July
























The World Cup finished up the quarterfinals yesterday and now takes a break until Tuesday. Yesterday's matches were fairly entertaining once again.

In the first match, it was Germany and Argentina. The Germans stepped up the trash talking before this match. They have been at each other soccer-wise for a while now and last time they met, it ended with a fight.

But it was a total dismantling this time by the Germans, As many Argentine critics have pointed out, if they ever ran into an opponent where they would have to play some defense, it could get ugly. And it certainly did. Score it, 4-nil to the Germans.

Argentina Gone. Should We Cry For Her?




















But we bid adieu to Diego Maradona. Who certainly livened things up during his stay.

In the second match, it was Paraguay and one of the pre-tournament favorites, Spain. Spain finally got a late goal by who else, David Villa. In the middle of the second half, it went from a missed penalty at one end to a made then recalled penalty at the other end, followed by a miss on the rekick. Insane.

Paraguay Missed Penalty



Spain Missed Penalty



Villa Goal (with Eminem vocals)



Next up:

Holland-Uruguay on Tuesday.
Germany-Spain on Wednesday.

Our Shaun




















Yes, that's our Shaun, on the right, being a productive member of society. I must admit, "I have LeBron's pajamas" is a very funny sign.

Meal of Links

Eat broccoli. Although, is it nutritious as it once was.

The real story of the Boston Tea Party. You Morans!

Smoke 'em if you got 'em. Well, maybe not in NYC. Cigs are now $14.50 a pack.

My brother and I saw Brave Combo at the venerable Beachland Ballroom last night. They have a new CD and played a lot of the old faves, as well. Always a good time.

This guy speaks up. Vampires are annoying.

Exercise Yard

Not really much happening. So, kill some time with Hawk, the Dead Wrestler of the Week at Deadspin.

Visitor

None, on a hot Independence Day

The World Cup moved onto the quarterfinals today with two matches. And what a two matches they were.

In the first, Brazil self-implodes like no other Brazil team ever. Their opponents, the Dutch, are normally the ones to freak out and now they are in the semifinals. Their first in 12 years. Needless to say, with Brazil gone, lots of brackets got blown up.

In the first half, Robinho puts Brazil up, 1-0. Then, in the second half, major confusion gives Holland the equalizer. I'd hate to be in the meeting to explain this one.

Uh...That's A Howler



So, with the score 1-1, what a beautiful goal by the Dutch. Arjen Robben with the corner to the near post. Dirk Kuyt, with page 6 of the Spalding Guide, flicks on a header to the rear and Wesley Sneijder heads it in. World Cup Soccer is Fa-a-a-n-tastic.

Sneijder Gamewinner



With Brazil trailing now, 2-1, Felipe Melo gets himself sent off with this nonsense. Not a good day for Melo. He had an own goal, got beat by the gamewinner, and then stomped on Robben. See ya!

Melo's Stomp



So, Brazil, a major threat to win the whole thing...Gone!

Hard to explain the second match. But let's keep it in perspective. I needed Uruguay to win to keep my hopes of winning the pool alive. I was dismayed when after 90 minutes, it was Uruguay 1, Ghana 1. They were obviously moving toward Penalty Kicks, when Ghana got a free kick that would surely end extra time in a tie, if only Uruguay defended the play. Then all hell breaks loose. We have a Ghana shot on goal, then another, then I see an intentional handball by Uruguay to stop another shot and you know what that means. An automatic red card. All Ghana needs is to ram the Penalty Kick in and it's over. Did you hear me yell this?

"He Missed It!"



I am still alive in the pool and so is Uruguay in the match! Quickly, we go to Penalty Kicks. Uruguay makes its first 3 PKs and Ghana has made their first two. Then John Mensah steps up...for this...

Worst PK, Perhaps Ever



After a Uruguay miss and another Ghana miss, it all comes down to the fifth player for the win. The sub, Sebastian Abreu. Can you believe Abreu's touch on the gamewinning PK? As Jerry Caesar would say, "Reverend, you got balls as big as church bells."

You Cheeky Bastard



Today's Results:

Brazil 1, Holland 2

Uruguay 1, Ghana 1 (Uruguay through on PKs)

Meal of Links

This weekend's TV marathons. "A-Team" on a channel I don't think I get.

18 things you should know when you are 18. I'd like to think Number 9 is the most important.

Pre-existing conditions? Thing of the past.

The worst thing about the current jobs situation is it seems the government's attention is meandering elsewhere. Oddly enough, if Sen. Byrd hadn't died, the latest extension would have passed.

Hitch has cancer. But he seems to be taking it well. "I have been advised by my physician that I must undergo a course of chemotherapy on my esophagus. This advice seems persuasive to me."

The Dems should be even more worried about the mid-terms. At least, Charlie Cook thinks so.

While I have been absorbed with the World Cup (Concludes 7/11, bear with me), an old topic seems to have been making a comeback. Sarah Palin's Pregnancy with Trig.

Aw, geez. Here comes the metric system. Again.

Food courts.

Exercise Yard

Kreskin thinks he can save the Pittsburgh Pirates. Think about it, shouldn't he have made this offer in 1993?

Visitor

1 Down: Rich kid in "Nancy" comics (5 letters) Answer: Rollo

Fred vs. Rollo