1. The Orioles can’t stop winning! It’s absolutely astonishing to see them win these games night after night in the fashion that they win them. I haven’t seen anything like it since 1989, and I don’t even remember it being this dramatic on a nightly basis. My son and my wife have talked me into going to the game tonight. I hope I can have some fun.
(Special note: If anyone has any extra tickets for tonight, I need four. And I could care less about the bobblehead but I would like a “Hagy 34” shirt. I figure if the team keeps announcing the crowds at 5-7,000 more than are actually there (like last night), SOMEONE must be stuck with a LOT of unused tickets. I’d actually like to USE four “freebies” tonight and not give Mr. Angelos eight of my hard-earned dollars per ducat. I’d rather give the money to you or a charity than him. Or I’ll buy you beer at the Wharf Rat before the game. Email me: nasty@wnst.net)
2. Sam Cassell won yet another championship, this time with the Celtics. Watching him sass Pete Pompey in the Dunbar gym 20 years ago in a game against Lake Clifton, I never would’ve thought it. He was a magical player as a high school kid, but he’s really had a helluva career. Pat Kennedy is probably enjoying watching Sam win, too.
3. The Euro Cup has brightened my sports life over the past two weeks. This weekend’s games (Netherlands-Russia & Spain-Italy) will have me glued to the set. And soccer in HD rules!
4. I went to the AST Dew Tour last year. I have some tickets for this weekend and I’m not sure I’m headed over. It’s fascinating as a marketing endeavor but I’m really old and I don’t get the skateboarding thing but chances are that your kids do. If they do, take them! It’s kinda neat if it’s your thing.
5. The Lakers were an embarrassment in Game 6. I’ve never seen a team just quit like that in a championship game. I’m a big Phil Jackson fan and I have to think that he’s going to be thinking about watching all of those backdoor, showboating plays from the fourth quarter a lot over the next few months. The Lakers played and acted like losers. Shame on Kobe Bryant.
6. I even watched a LOT of golf on Sunday and Monday, mainly because I love rooting against Tiger Woods. How could anyone be rooting FOR him on Monday? I don’t get it. It’s like rooting for the Yankees to me. Now that he’s out for the year, maybe someone else can win a tournament or two.
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7. It’s Andy McPhail and Dave Trembley’s one-year anniversary. If it were a vote amongst the fans, they could use the old Presidential slogan: “Are you better off now than you were 365 days ago?” The answer would clearly be a resounding “YES!” My favorite quote and one that backs up every true word I’ve ever written about the franchise: “The inmates are no longer running the asylum!” (FOR THE RECORD: When I said the inmates WERE running the asylum, they took away my press pass and banned me from the ballpark.)
8. I never thought I’d live to see the day when the Tampa Bay Rays were the ESPN featured HD game on a Tuesday night in June. If the Rays actually had any fans, I’d feel good for them. But it’s a good year to be Joe Maddon, one of the really good guys in baseball.
9. So, Sidney Ponson is a New York Yankee. Clearly, the times have changed. I can’t imagine Joe Torre endorsing such an act. Talk about “lowering the bar” for what the Yankees will accept.
10. So incredibly popular are the Orioles these days that I’ve had to add a second bus for next Sunday’s “Baltimore Pride” Day in Washington, D.C. The first bus sold out in four days!
(Did I just give 10 random thoughts without even a mention of the purple birds? WOW…I didn’t think that was even possible?)
