Weekly Rant - Mid-Summer

I am determined to get back into the groove of opining on all things related to sports - all the way from the kids to the pros and everything in-between. I am going to use the current events of the day - some of the national in scope and some not so much - for my column fodder. Here goes:

LeBron -
This whole saga around his free agency was a joke. He is a phenomenal player in many ways, but he has never gotten it done in crunch time and basically had to admit as much by joining his boys on the beach. The Cavs owners' recent rants were right on the mark. I like D Wade, but I am going to have a really hard time not rooting against this trio.

World Cup -
I played more than my share of youth soccer, so I probably enjoy watching a good World Cup game more than the next guy. Although I have to say that even for the US games, I was multi-tasking away during the game. I enjoy the global passion that is evident throughout - but a couple of things linger: the flopping is ridiculous - but if anyone doesn't think the NBA is a flop-fest, you aren't watching; the US team was solid but doesn't look anywhere near capable of making any serious noise. Without serious and significant integration in the world's best leagues and the subsequent tv time in US household's, we will be saying the same things 4 years from now....

Tour de Lance -
It looks like our native Austin son has finally seen his better days on the bike - what an incredible feat indeed. I for one can't bring myself to watch anything but the highlights when he isn't in there..

Pro Baseball in Texas -
Having been born in Dallas, I am a long mostly-suffering Rangers fan who is excited about their potential. Adding Cliff Lee recently and Molina to work the staff will give them as good a chance as ever.... the 'Stros, on the other hand, look like they are about to implode. Most of the better players have said they will leave if given the chance ..... back to the old days of the disAstros ;>

NFL -
Although this is definitely homer-ish, I like the Cowboys chances of making it to Jerry's World this year. Other early faves: Saints (gotta love our Westlake boy), Minnesota, NY Jets - with my quasi-dark horses Tennessee and Cincinnati. Never too early to start with the NFL....

College Football -
I think this is going to be a weird year in NCAA Football. Early money says Ohio State and Alabama will be there - but I think this is going to be a year where some BCS BS shows up and we get something whacky. I for one can't wait to watch Lane Kiffin out in the banished wasteland of USC - he will implode at some point. Write it down. I am also curious to see how the Irish fare under Kelly... I can't wait to see the Texas at Nebraska game as well - we'll see how polite the farmboys are to our fans ;o also interested to see how Miami does - you remember they started last year on fire - in the hunt for a couple of months - then lost 4 games......Shannon has recruited fairly well .... I don't like them, but I like when they are good - they are so friggin' cocky that it makes it fun to watch..

The Open Championship -
Probably an understatement, but golf has been weird post Tiger-gate. I still dial it in for the majors, but the subplot of el Tigre makes it feel more like reality tv or something...I for one hope the weather rears it's head at St. Andrews - that's when the fun starts. Crazy good round to open up by Rory McIlroy...... my money would have to find Justin Rose if you made me choose...

Back to the NCAA ...
In hidsight, what in the heck was all of that conference re-alignment about? My opinion is that it had a lot of moving parts, but at the end of the day it is about the lack of national championship playoff system. Think about it: if you had four super-conferences, the conference championships would essentially function as quarter finals - with the winners moving on to play in the semis. It would add a grand total of 2 games for 2 teams and 1 game for 2 more teams (the semi losers..) There wouldn't be any room for a dark horse out of those conferences, because the schedules would mostly be full with in-conference games - making the strength of schedule of the Outsiders impossible to overcome. They would be left with the equivalent of the NIT. I think what was started will happen, and sooner rather than later. I got a huge kick from watching Big 12 commish Beebe sweat his ass off durning all of this - he has been quite outspoken against a playoff and my thought was that he was about to get what my old friend Eric Reddehase would call 'coup de gras' - which was coon ass for getting ironically kicked in the ass and getting yours.

Should the NHL be playing already??

What is Rick Barnes' Horns team going to look like after that implosion in the latter half of last season?

Does it seem like the replays/highlights of NASCAR are just about the same every week? It always seems like a bunch of guys names Tony and Jimmy and Denny are crashing each others cars - often for the same teams - going macho on pit row after each other.... good grief, where are the good old days of AJ Foyt, Al Unser, Mario Andretti and gang?


That's all for now.

Have fun. Be safe.