Some thoughts about the weekend that was in sports:

• Someone should tell Brad Radke that guys with torn labrums aren’t supposed to be pitching, let alone shutting out the best offensive team in the AL. Radke’s probably going to retire after this season and we all should salute him. He’s one of those good but not great players who fall between the cracks when they leave the game. His performance this is year is awe-inspiring.
• The White Sox are back in the AL Central race. You’ve read it everywhere haven’t you? I hate to break it to everyone, but the Tigers still have a 5.5 game edge over the Pale Hose. The White Sox still could take the division, but its going to take a serious tank job by the Tigers to make it happen.
• I hate to agree with Jeremy Shockey, but when the guy says the NFL preseason is too long, he’s right. And if you think I’m just saying this because I’m bitter my team lost its best player yesterday, well your damn right I am.
• The National League wildcard race is setting up to be the most embarrassing thing for baseball since, well last year when the NL West winner was barely over .500. I know the point of the Wild Card was to get more cities involved in the playoff chase, but when a team like Atlanta is still alive with a record of 54-62, that’s a joke.
• Two of the best hitters in baseball are Canadian (Justin Morneau and Jason Bay). After years of guys like Larry Walker and Matt Stairs leading our Canadian baseball train, its nice to have guys who don’t look like they were signed off the local beer league to cheer on.
• Jared Weaver is the 2nd coming of his brother Jeff. He’ll be great the 1st couple times through the league, but after team’s catch up to his funky windup, he’s going to have troubles.
• Junior Seau is going to retire tomorrow. I’m torn on the guy, was he really that great a player or just an overrated media favorite? Either way, he had a nice career and will probably get some Hall of Fame consideration, so good on him.
• Annika Sorenstam and family, please stay out of the water. Usually, wet female athletes = hot, but not in this case.

• The week that was saw Kyle Busch finally taking a checkered flag. Winning his first race of the season at the New Hampshire speedway on Sunday by 0.406 seconds over Carl Edwards. Busch has started to come on of late, with top 3 finishes in the last 3 races. Fortunately for Busch, Jeff Gordon was nowhere in site for the cheap shot take out.
• Aussie John Sendon won his first PGA event by 1 stroke over J.P. Hayes by saving par on the 18th hole after a birdie on 17 to take the John Deere Classic. Seddon finished first on the leaderboard that listed a bunch of no names with a 4 day total of 265 and qualified for the British Open.
• The Tigers and Mets continue to stay atop there respective leagues after the All-star break as Detroit takes 3 of 4 from the power house Royals, and the Mets take 2 of 3 from the Cubs including an embarrassing 13-7 win Sunday that saw the Mets hit 2 grand slams in the same inning. Oh those Cubs are terrible.
• Mariano Rivera became only the 4th closer in history to register 400 saves. Has there been anyone better than this guy?
• The guy who put Ghana soccer on the map has resigned for health reasons. Ratomir Dujkovic who is 60, stepped down this week with 6 months remaining on his contract. You done good Ratomir, you done good.
• Dallas Cowboy’s safety Keith Davis is in stable condition after being shot twice while on the highway in Dallas. He had successful surgery that removed the bullet fragments. In case your scratching your head and wondering who this guy is, he’s among the top special team players on the Dallas Cowboys.
• Fernando Vargas fell, and fell hard to the canvas as Shane Mosley knocked him out in the 6th round with the left hand shot. This one-sided affair was the rematch from 5 months previous that saw Mosley take out Vargas in 10 rounds. Please, we don’t need to see a third.
• My favourite NBA player has announced his return for a 14th season next year. Yes that’s right, that whiner Alonzo Mourning will be back in uniform for the Heat next season.
• The Dallas Stars apparently have money to waste next season. They are willing to take a chance on Eric Lindros as they signed the Centerman to a one year contract which could end up paying Eric 2 million if he stays healthy. Good luck on this one Dallas. Eric only managed to play in 33 games last year in Toronto.
• A 17 year old High School football player tragically died in a paintball accident in Oklahoma. Leaving a paintball competition, Garrett Bennett and 3 others were driving in a SUV, when a following vehicle shot paintball’s at the SUV causing the driver to loose control of the vehicle. The SUV crossed the median, struck a speed limit sign, and overturned several times. An unfortunate incident for sure, and one that has left a cloud over Jenks High School.

So its the 4th of July, here’s some random thoughts popping through my sweet little melon:

• I’ll be honest, I’m sick of the World Cup, its been on too damn long.  But since I’ve made picks up until now, here’s your picks for the semis: France and Germany.  Dun dun dun!
• You best believe MLB is going to rig the ‘last chance’ vote in the AL.  Francisco Liriano is the kid who everyone wants to see.  Some of those other guys are having nice years, but Liriano is the draw right now.
• The Tour de France should just be cancelled this year.  All the top riders are suspended, its like having March Madness without any teams from the ACC.
• Steve Yzerman retired today.  The guy was a great leader and an even better player.  The NHL lost one of its best today.
• Ben Wallace signed in Chicago today.  Prepare for every publication to name the Bulls the Eastern Conference favourite next year.
• There are no Americans left at Wimbledon.  Why is this a story?  None of the men had a chance, and all the women are either old or injured.  Besides Agassi, the current American tennis scene is boring and not worth reporting on.
• Is there anything stupider than deciding World Cup games on penalty kicks.  I know the games would probably end up last 5 hours, but honestly play until someone scores.  Or else go with paper, rock, scissors, has about as much to do with soccer as the penalty kicks do.  PS I could freaking do a better job than those England guys at this.
• That Women’s US Open golf playoff sure was a nailbiter.  Lets see, will it be the best women’s golfer in the world or some chubby girl I’ve never heard of.  Tough to call.
• Chris Pronger was dealt from Edmonton.  Lets just say I’m glad he’s gone and don’t blame him for getting out of there.
• Read Frangos’ stuff from the past few days…. its a hell of lot better than this nonsense.
• Enjoy the 4th Americans.

While we all patiently wait for Frangos to post yesterday’s soccer goals, here’s what else was going on:

• Day one of Wimbledon was pretty much rained out.  Who knew it ever rained in England?  Roger Federer was winning against the guy who’s been referred to as feisty more times than necessary.
• Your winners in the World Cup: Italy and Ukraine.  Guess which team won on a controversial penalty kick?  Yeah, those guys.
• Papi Ortiz had the game winning RBI for the Red Sox over the Phillies.  The Sometimes Big Unit was good as the Yanks beat the Braves (shocker).  Derrick Lee came back and the Cubs lost again.  The Tigers never lose.
• The crazy minor league manager got a seven game suspension.  Well worth it, I say.
• They need a mercy rule in golf.  The Booz Allen tourney was again postponed on Monday.  Ben Curtis leads by 7 shots with 2 holes to play.  Just end it already.  Fun Fact: Ben Curtis hates the Steelers.
• Isiah Thomas has one year to turn around the Knicks.  I think Barbaro has a better chance of winning next year’s Kentucky Derby.
• PING!  Oregon State won the college world series over North Carolina.  The very un-college baseball like score of 3-2 gave the Beavers the title.  SI says they are the first ‘truly’ northern team to win since 1966, what the hell does that mean?  Have some southern squads been falsifying their location to get some publicity?  Well phooey on those teams, can’t pull one past SI.
• More proof that Boston fans can be pretty stupid.  They actually believed a rumor that they were going to get Allen Iverson while only giving up Wally Szczerbiak.  But don’t worry, the Jazz were going to add blind guy backstabber Carlos Boozer to make it all work out.  Hey Boston, I’m hearing that the Marlins are about to deal Miguel Cabrera to da SOX for David Wells, spread the word.

• The Tigers continue to prove that they are for real, having now won 13 of 15 as they swept the Cardinals 3 straight over the weekend.
• Ken Grumpy Jr. passed Mike Schmidt and moved into 11th place all time on the home run list with his 549th dinger.
• Saturday, Germany defeated Sweden 2-0, while Argentina doubled Mexico 2-1. Sunday saw Portugal & England advanced to the next round of the World Cup with 1-0 victories over The Netherlands & Ecuador respectively. All I have to say is the biggest whiner in the tournament gets to go home. Bye bye Kuyt!
• Melo wants to stay a Nugget, hopes for a long-term deal. Nuggets, yours still kicking yourselves for not taking Wade aren’t you.
• Ben Curtis is your leader going into the final round Monday at the Booz Allen Classic. A tourney like this needs John Daly amongst the leaders, you think.
• Jeff Gordon won the Dodge/Safe Mart 350, his 1st victory of the season, about time you showed up for a race this year Jeff.
• Randy Moss opens for business his new Inta Juice store in his native West Virginia.
• Roger Federer set to continue his grass dominance as Wimbledon kicks off Monday.

Lefty what were you thinking?  Phil had a 2 stroke lead and the US Open championship in his grasp and then chose the Driver on 18.  Along with Colin Montgomerie’s decision to switch clubs and choke it out and of course, lets not forget Jim Furyk and his flaming putt that took him out of the race.  All of this poor play allowed 29 year old Aussie, Geoff Ogilvy to capture the 2006 U.S. Open Championship with a +5 for the tournament.  Considering how tough this course was, that’s a pretty finish for any Golfer.  Even Steve Elkington was impressed.  Congrats mate!

Hey yo!  Its the Saturday round-up.

• Kenneth Ferrie and Phil Mickelson sit tied upon the leaderboard at the US Open going into the final day.  I think I speak for everyone when I say “who the hell is Kenneth Ferrie?”
• The ref/bouncer in the US/Italy soccer match was handing out red cards like Ron Mexico hands out STDs after a night out in Atlanta.
• Those freaking Oilers will not die and they forced a game 7 in the Stanley Cup with a 4-0 win.  Carolina, if you blow this, there is going to be trouble between you and me, just so you know.
• GHANA!! pulls off the big upset and defeated those pasty lads from the Czech Republic.  Soccer pundits around the world are up in arms after Ghana does go to the traditional ‘every player behind the centre line’ defense after taking a 1-0 lead.  Best game of the World Cup to date.
• David Segui says he was one of the names on the Jason Grimsley affidavet.  If you don’t know remember what David Segui looked like, well he was huge.  Of course he hit about 2 home runs a year, but he could have won a flex-off with Manny Ramirez anyday.
• Juman Taylor and Winky Wright battled to a draw in their fight last night.  A draw in a boxing match is about as gay as two guys riding on one motorcycle.
• Roger Federer tied Bjorn Borg’s record for consecutive wins on grass courts with 41.  Rafael Nadal continues to fake an injury until the clay court schedule returns.
• The A’s and Dodgers battled for 17 innings to determine a winner, then it ends on a bases-loaded walk.  I’m sure all the fans that stayed up for that were really pumped over that uber-exciting ending.

Tiger Woods just completed another pitiful round at the US Open and is in danger of missing the cut of a major for the 1st time in forever.  Already I’m hearing media types forgiving Tiger’s awful performance on the fact he took 9 weeks off to mourn his dad.  Are you kidding me?

Don’t get me wrong, Tiger was right to take some time off to mourn his father.  Everyone with a job deserves the same ability at the passing of a loved one.  I feel for Tiger, the same way I feel for anyone when someone close to them dies.  But did he really need nine weeks off?

Most people would get a week or two and then be forced to get on with life.   They couldn’t take 2 months over and then upon returning, work at about 10% of their usual level.  If Eldrick needed to take more time off, he should have skipped the US Open instead of playing and embarassing himself.

The old Tiger would have dominated this tournament and dedicated the victory to his pops.  This is just another sign that the old Tiger isn’t coming around anymore.

Give it up for the great start by Mrs. Doubtfire Thursday scoring a -1. With 4 birds, it was Monty’s best start since 1997. I don’t expect Monty to be around on Sunday however, but hey, good for Monty.