Sports Navel:The Debriefing: The Bronx Will Burn, Just as Soon as ESPN Finds Time: It was good enough to hook me into watching next week, but not quite good enough to make me confident that the entire 8-week miniseries will be worth eight hours of my time.
Americans Starting to Notice Roger Federer: NBCs' Wimbledon TV ratings were up this year, which qualifies as news for the simple reason that, as we heard over and over and over again during the NBA and NHL playoffs, sports TV ratings in general are down.
Arena Football Has the Right Idea: Arena Football is smart to schedule a big game during the all-star break because it's guaranteed to get more attention than it otherwise would. TV news shows are desperate for highlights to fill time. So why don't more minor sports leagues have events today?
UFC President Puts Foot in Mouth North of the Border: "You guys have got too much frigging hockey up there," he told a Canadian reporter at the post-fight news conference. "As soon as you cancel some hockey games, we'll be up there."That ought to happen right around the time they start canceling Friday night high school football in Texas.
Michael Vick Is Not Named in Court Documents on Dog Fighting -- So What? The ESPN report that Vick is unlikely to be indicted may prove correct. But when you read the whole PDF document and see the evidence removed from Vick's property of a "blood-stained fighting area" and the statement that "Many of the pit bulldogs recovered or observed in the search had scars and injuries consistent with injuries sustained in dog fighting," it's hard to understand why the filing has been portrayed as good news for Vick.
MLB:The 2007 Home Run Derby Live Blog: It lasts too long, Chris Berman makes my ears want to bleed, most of the best players aren't participating, and the players all look really stupid in their team hats and All-Star warm-up jerseys. But you know what? No one's expecting perfect.
MLB Should Make the DH Mandatory in the All-Star Game: I don't care if an NL park is hosting the game; I want to see hitters hit and pitchers pitch. I don't even want to see a pitcher's name in the batting order, regardless of whether or not wood and pine tar actually touches their hands. It's just a stupid practice that needs to be scrapped.
The All-Star Game Shouldn't Count: As my colleague Postman E already pointed out on Monday, having homefield advantage decided in the World Series is one of the stupidest things going on in the game of baseball today. That's saying something too, because there area a lot of stupid things going on in baseball. But since the All-Star Game will be played later tonight, I'm just going to focus on that.
Shea Stadium Viewing Experience Oddly Reminiscent of Soviet Gulag: There will be no dissent and no dissonance -- when Shea Stadium guards tell you to watch baseball peacefully or "take your beating like a man," well, you have an easy decision, don't you?
NFL:Chad Johnson's Attorney Speaks Out: Ocho Cinco's attorney, Jeff Mando, says the case has no "merit" and is using the well you didn't pay for these prizes you didn't get, so why should you sue defense.
Rickey Jackson: Louisiana's Deadbeatest Dad: Apparently he's been training hard and working on his game (that game being, coincidentally, not paying your child support), because Jackson is now officially THE Most Delinquent Child Support offender in the state.
Levi Jones, Joey Porter Meet Again in Vegas: According to the report, as a result of the presence of the rival NFL players, security was immediately beefed up, but all's well that ends well: No punches were thrown.
NBA:
Video: Yi Beats Buzzer, Earns More Rep: Yi's only looked like one of the more exciting, complete players to come out of 2007's draft. First, this string of highlights, and now, the above buzzer-beater against the Cavs. Of course he won't look like this come October, but this does remind the world how vast his skill set is, and how polished he already is. And why the Bucks are willing to take the risk.
Tennis: Venus Williams Credits Billie Jean King: King had similarly positive things to say about Williams: "I saw her walking up the stairs and she said, 'I wouldn't have a job without you,' " King said Sunday. "I really couldn't believe how nice that was, but Venus always has understood the importance of history in our sport."
NCAA Basketball:Introducing The Premature Hoops BlogPoll '07: In many ways preseason polls are only a little more accurate then being blindfolded and throwing at a dartboard with darts inscribed with team names. A college basketball poll before September, would include shots of tequila between tosses. Of course I like tequila, so...
Premature Hoops BlogPoll: No. 21 Arizona
Premature Hoops Blog Poll: No. 22, Texas
Premature Hoops BlogPoll: No. 23, Villanova
Premature Hoops BlogPoll: No. 24, Arkansas
Premature Hoops BlogPoll: No. 25, Xavier
Premature Hoops BlogPoll: No. 26, Southern Illinois
