Summer's a sneeze-- before you know it Labor Day will be on the horizon. Time to regroup, refresh and repair for a full fall of football. Book recommendations by friends for this summer range from Chuck Klosterman's Eating the Dinosaur to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (more on tattoos later)... and I'm still trying to work my way through Joseph Heller's God Knows.
First Serve-- don't be fooled by the fine trim, mandatory white outfits and strict diet of strawberries and cream at Wimbledon... this is one wild major. Past is present, tradition is everywhere... the annual drama (will a Brit win) now features Andy Murray instead of Tim Henman (much like a Bond actor recast this happens every ten years or so)... the wondering if Andy Roddick will get it done (he's tennis' version of Phil Mickelson)... and the apparent collision course between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Wide US Open-- did Graeme McDowell win the US Open as much as Tiger, Phil and Ernie failed to take it? Credit his calm and cool demeanor while others failed to make charges and third round leader Dustin Johnson imploded Sunday. I also heard somewhere that Phil Mickelson is a father-- could we get more on that please?
Hold the Line-- the Redskins trade for a former pro bowler and he's not a running back? Jammal Brown comes to Ashburn with a Super Bowl ring he had little to do with... missing all of last season with the Saints due to sports hernia and hip injury. Previously he started 58 of 64 career games, earning Pro Bowl berths in 2006 and 2008. Best case he provides another bookend to go with Trent Williams and Donovan McNabb stays upright this fall; worst case he stays hobbled all season and contributes to a decaying locker room.
NBA Finals-- legend has it my mother gave me three key pieces of advice when I turned 18: never drink milk out of the carton, just because your date has a cross tattooed on her back doesn't mean she goes to church, and defense doesn't end until you get the rebound. As is usually the case my mother was proven right in the Lakers seventh game win over Boston... LA beat the Celtics on the glass by 13 and took the title. Credit the Lakers for playing more persistent and physical than they did two years ago (shades of '85)... and the winner of each game was the one who had the most rebounds. Although Kobe took the MVP trophy, I thought Pau Gasol had the better series (19 points and 18 rebounds in Game Seven.
Personal aside, or this one's gonna leave a mark. Growing up in New Hampshire... I convinced myself not to fall for this current Celtic team. A 27-27 finish with losses to New Jersey and Washington? Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce aging exponentially? I'm so glad I guarded my heart against the Green. And then they blew past Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. Still not sold, I told myself-- they may be able to take a game from Cleveland, but look at Game 3's 29 point debacle (at home no less). But I should have known better that to count them out. And I should have known better than to think I wouldn't leapfrog completely into their postseason run. I'll be much smarter at guarding myself against the Red Sox as they heat up, following the results every day. Did you say Clay Buchholtz won his tenth last night? Oh no. Something always happens and I'm head over heels.
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