Quick bits

The Grand Canyon! (Said in that Oprah-style-this-is-really-a-big-thing voice)



Things that have been on my mind Larry King-style!

The Grand Canyon was a lot of fun. It was quite an impressive sight and definitely worth the trip. Anyone who has not gone must go or face possible loss of citizenship, or at least mild rebuke.

I'm really digging the jacket Roger Federer has been wearing before his matches. It sort of reminds me of Joe Namath wearing a fur coat on the sideline during games, but without the same level of pomposity and penchant for hitting on sideline reporters while sloshed. I think Federer is primed to blitz Nadal if the Spaniard can get to the final. The way Nadal played today against Agassi, I think he can. I think Federer would love the chance to dominate him on grass, but he knows what is important will be beating him next year in Paris.

I don't know how I feel about the Celtics going after Iverson. I kind of want them to give Telfair a chance to run the point and play with the guys they have. Bringing in a bunch of young guys and building around Pierce doesn't make much sense if you're just going to use them as trade bait a year or two later to bring in a guy who wants the ball and shoots all the time. Boston already has one of those, and I think they should stick with him. Plus, look at how well Iverson meshed with Webber. Maybe Webber's production has more to do with him than AI, but the bottom line is they couldn't make the playoffs.

I do like what the Suns did, even if it was basically selling their picks to the highest bidder. I'm trusting D'Antoni, and his visoin is to go into next season with the guys they can count on, hope they have a healthy Amare Stoudemire and try to win it all. I think it's possible - the problem I see is that most athletes come back stronger from microfracture surgery in year two. The trick will be for the Suns to keep everything together - Barbosa and Diaw are in the last year of their contracts and Nash will be a year older - until the Stoudemire version 2005 returns, if he ever does.

Happy retirement to my Dad, who is finally out of school after many decades in education.

I've been enjoying the World Cup soccer - I need to watch more of it during the regular club seasons - but after watching Portugal and England today, I don't know how I would feel as a player if I worked for 120 minutes and it had to come down to simply kicking the ball at one guy from 12 yards away. I know there's been plenty of soccer bashing here in the States, but my point is simply that it might be tough to swallow. However, England didn't really bring it during the game or the penalty kicks, so I don't think they can feel shortchanged. I was impressed by France and especially Zidane. That was some first-class football.
The Germany-Italy semifinal should be exciting - and it's on the 4th of July so I can watch it - and I'm sure the France-Portugal match will be good, too. It should be exciting.
Oh, and one more thing, for the best (and by that I mean worst) in soccer bashing from the U.S., you have to go to the Weekly Standard here.

That's about all for now. Ciao.