BASEBALL: 2006 Trading Deadline

There are a few games to be played on this last day of July. However, the most significant "one to watch" is the passing of baseball's trading deadline at 4:00pm. Sure, GM's can still land a decent middle reliever or utility guy in an August waivers-style trade. But today is the last opportunity for this year's playoff contenders to make their move by acquiring real talent.

Texas got things started last week by landing slugger Carlos Lee of the Brewers. The Yankees, naturally, have been busy players in the market by scoring OF Bobby Abreu and SP Cory Lidle from the Phillies yesterday. Other stars rumored to be available for the right price include: 2B/OF Alfonso Soriano, SP Jason Schmidt , SP Barry Zito , SS Julio Lugo , RP Tom Gordon , SP Greg Maddux , and OF Shawn Green .

My pick: Alfonso Soriano goes to an AL Central contender. He'd be a great fit in the "Homerdome" for Minnesota, but Detroit and Chicago probably have more to offer Washinton in return. Also the Yankees and Mets will both make more key moves because they play in the fishbowl that is New York and must. And my Braves are done....dealing, that is!

Our athlete of the day is softball hurler Jenny Finch. Since she got good feedback last time (and she's got good other "stuff" as well), I figured we'd give her a 2nd day.



N.B. Are you my 1,000th visitor? The early bird is going to get it. Check the site meter below and let me know!

THE BIG SPORTS WEEKEND

It should be a good baseball weekend. With the trading deadline on Monday, hopefully there will be a few consummated deals to discuss. But in case there are not, my readers will be fine because here's your combined TOTW post for the weekend.

Saturday, July 29 - POKER: 2006 World Series of Poker

Even though a winner won't be crowned until mid-August, and we won't see coverage on ESPN until later in the summer, I'll be interested to see the reports of this annual tournament of craziness in its second day. I first heard of the WSOP about 10 years ago listening to late-night tales from contestant and Miami sports radio host Ed Kaplan on WQAM radio. It sounded wild back then and my impression has been confirmed by watching ESPN coverage of the event the past few years. 8580 players ponied up the $10,000 entrance fee with dreams of winning the estimated $11.7 million payout to the winner. My pick: Another amateur who plays online power (not called Francase).

Sunday, July 30 - AUTO RACING: Michigan Indy 400

The IRL has been in the news lately with Danica Patrick's fliration with the lucrative world of NASCAR. Thankfully, she turned down the offers of her Southern compatriots and will be returning to the IRL next year. Maybe one day, but for now Danica needs to stay in open wheel racing and win races, perhaps even the Indy 500. She's too good and can make history with a top ride. Hopefully she'll get one next year from Andretti-Green racing. That team won its first race of the year last week at Milwaukee with Tony Kanaan's strong run. I expect both Penske and Ganassi Racing to make better showings this week on the fast 2 mile oval, Michigan Speedway. My pick: Scott Dixon.

Here's the IRL's original female fan-favorite, Sarah Fisher. I saw Sarah at an appearance for a Kroger grocery store a few years ago and she was pretty cute in person. I later saw her car go up in flames in one of the most kick-ass wrecks ever at Atlanta Motor Speedway. She's also pretty tough.



N.B. - I'm nearing my 1,000 visitor. Ignoring that 250 of those are probably me, I'm going to rip off my friend TSL and attempt to track the 1,000th visitor to celebrate (or if you notice that you happen to be the 1,000th visitor, send me an email and let me know). I shall reward the lucky person with a pick of his own choice for the "One to Watch" for a day next week. So keep hitting "refresh" and you too can pick the official TOTW.

BASEBALL: Mets at Braves

Call me a homer, but I'm going back-to-back Braves today. Yes, the game should be that good. And it's on TBS so I get to watch too! The mighty New York Mets come down to Turner Field for a big series against the Bravos. While the Mets appear to have an insurmountable lead in the division, this series is still huge for both teams.

For the Braves, their playoff hopes continue to be on the line. They've made a nice July push and have gotten right back into the wildcard race in the wide open NL. However, they just lost 2 of 3 at home to the upstart Marlins. The Braves can't afford to lose another series to a division rival and slowly inch away from a .500 record. Led by hotstreaks from guys like Brian McCann and a resurgent Chipper Jones, the Braves have been using the longball to bury opponents. They have 50 HR's in the month of July and are only 5 away from the team's all-time record for dingers in a month.

For the Mets, tonight's game marks the return of ace Pedro Martinez from the DL. The only knack on this future hall-of-famer has always been that he's brittle. With many miles on his 35 year-old arm, I'll be curious to see how he responds to injury. Beyond Pedro's return, however, the Mets want to send a clear message to their longtime nemisis that this is their year. Records don't matter come October. And if the Braves do sneak into the playoffs, they may be the last team the Mets want to face for a trip to the World Series.

My pick: New York. I'm hoping for a TOTW jinx on this one! But Pedro is a big gamer and I expect him to be sharp. Horacio Ramirez will have to bring his best stuff too and hope the Braves bats can get Martinez and the Mets bullpen as the game goes on.

Today's female athlete hails from nearby Bradenton, Florida and is pretty and rich too. She's 19 year-old Paula Creamer and a rising star on the LPGA Tour.

BASEBALL AND OLD-TIME RELIGION: Florida at Atlanta

Today is an example of why I find it so easy to root for the Braves. Despite taking on the Marlins, another one of my favorite teams, I'll be rooting for Atlanta to inch closer to the wildcard. But events following the game are what really catches my attention.

From Monday's Atlanta Journal-Constituion:

The Braves host the first of three "Faith Day" promotions on Thursday. After the game, pitcher John Smoltz will talk about his faith and tell how his life was changed by believing in Christ. Christian bands will also perform for those with a $10 ticket for the event, separate from game admission. The blend of big-tent evangelism and the national pastime is expected to draw thousands of new eyes.

Church groups have snapped up hundreds of tickets — Perimeter Church in Duluth bought 500 as a starter pack so members could invite their friends to hear the Christian gospel from one of Atlanta's most famous athletes. "It's a great outreach for folks to bring guests to something nonthreatening, especially people who are leery of church," said children's pastor Mike Gaskins, who last Sunday wove parables from youth baseball into his sermon while wearing a Braves jersey.

In the Braves locker room, "pass it on" Christianity has spread to about half the players, coaches, and support staff. Some have chosen Christian songs to blast as their at-bat music. As the only big league team in the Bible Belt, the Braves were a natural fit for major league's first evangelical Christian promotion. Braves team chaplain Tim Cash helped recruit players to appear at the events. Cash, 43, a former minor league pitcher from Newnan, leads a weekly Bible study at Turner Field and holds chapel before every home game.

Cash said he believes the Braves' long run of success is due in part to loyal players with Christian values. "They've done a great job building momentum with a good nucleus of guys who have stayed with them a long time, and now they have a lot of young kids — Adam LaRoche, Macay McBride, Frenchy [Jeff Francoeur] and Ryan Langerhans — who grew up with some faith in their background," Cash said. "They're pretty clean cut, not your bad boys."

Anyway, notice the Jones boys were excluded from that list? They've always added spice to the locker room, from Chipper's daliances at Hooters to Andruw's at the Gold Club. But I think it's great to see players willing to share their faith with the fans who look up to them. And there's no better man in baseball to do it than John Smoltz. I've heard him talk about his faith before and I'm sure those in attendance are in for a treat.

My pick: Jesus and the Atlanta Braves! Seeing an event like this occur at the pro level is a great sign. Kudos to Braves management having the balls to let it happen. This kind of thing already occurs at minor-league games throughout America. Let's be proud of this shared faith that has guided us since the first boat sighted land for a change.

Related query for Mets fans: Does Julio Franco still use the entrance music "Our God is an Awesome God" at Shea? I'm curious to know if he brought small town music to the big city. It's a very popular Christian song and Julio used it as his at-bat music at Turner Field. The funniest part was hearing it wedged between Chipper's "Crazy Train" and Andruw's "Move Bitch."

By request, more beach volleyball. Today we look at the skills of 2004 Olympic Bronze medalist, Holly McPeak.

BASEBALL: Cubs at Mets

I'm throwing a bone to my friends who love the blue and orange of their NY Mets. Big things are expected from the Mets this year and indeed they have a very good team. On the other hand, the Cubs suck. It's hard to believe that just 3 years ago many expected Dusty Baker to take the Cubs to the promised land. But today's day game is interesting for a couple of reasons, so I'm making it the one to watch.

Mark Prior will pitch for the Cubs. Remember when this guy was untouchable? I sure do. He mowed down the Braves big bats in the 2003 playoffs. The Twins now look brilliant for surprisingly selecting a kid named Joe Mauer ahead of Prior at the top of the 2002 baseball amatuer draft. Prior has (again) been on-and-off the DL all year and has compiled an 0-4 record with a woeful 8.14 ERA! He's a symbol of the Cubs collpase ever since Bartman caught that fly ball.

For the Mets, rookie John Maine will take the mound. Maine is 1-3 with a decent 3.12 ERA in limited work this year. He's a 25 year-old prospect who they picked up in the Kris Benson deal. In his last start Maine pitched 9 scoreless innings. With the Mets starters looking a little old and shaky, it's rumored that Maine is being showcased to be traded for someone more established. But another strong performance today might just earn him a shot at keeping the 5th starter spot himself.

My pick: Chicago. Did you really expect anything else? Prior turns back the clock and pitches 8 scoreless with 12 K's. Well, maybe not. But I think the Cubs win a shootout with pitcher Carlos Zambrano hitting another game-winning HR while pinch hitting in the 9th!

Now let's turn once again to that wonderful source of T&A exciting sports competition, beach volleyball, and take a look at 2004 Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh.

DARTS: The World Series of Darts

ESPN airs an hour of the "World Series of Darts" at 7:00pm EST tonight right before the more popular "World Series of Poker." This is the type of programming I miss seeing more often on the Entertainment and Sports Network. Sure, I love MLB games, Baseball Tonight, and the monster that is SportsCenter. And I enjoy the many gimmicky talk shows like PTI and Outside the Lines as well. But every now and again, I often feel like watching a semi-sport where I have no rooting interest and can just enjoy the sincere competition (or humor) of the event.

Darts is a pefect example. I would never pay money to watch darts. But if I'm having a beer in an Irish pub, it's a fun thing to play. And if I'm channel-surfing on a slow night, I just might watch for a few minutes to see if an American can challenge the legendary British dart throwers.

My pick: I HAVE NO IDEA. I guess it's a slow day and I needed a break from baseball. I enjoyed the show last week and I'm still amazed to see how good these guys are. I put all kinds of holes in my bedroom walls myself when I had a dart board as a kid. Sorry about that, dad!

Moving right along, she may not be a world-class beauty, but she looks better than most and will always be my favorite female basketball player, Jackie Stiles.

BASEBALL: Boston at Oakland

Sorry for the late post. I'm suddenly having competition for the computer from my wife. Her use goes in spurts and unfortunately she's back in a spurt. I tried to wait her out last night but got too tired so I went to sleep.

Anyway, today's one to watch is the Red Sox at the A's. It's a west coast night game so you might not learn the results tonight. But this could be a playoff preview between two teams currently leading their divisions. Lefty Barry Zito faces Boston's 12 game-winner Josh Beckett. Zito has been involved in all sorts of trade rumors for the past few years. And he's even rumored to be gone by the forthcoming trade deadline. But why would Billy Beans trade his ace when the A's are sitting in first place? I don't get that but, then again, I'm not a big moneyball guy!

My pick: Oakland. I think Zito will look sharp tonight. Even if he's not dealt, this is his free agent year. I expect him to make a run at the Cy Young to get that extra cash!

Today female athlete of the day is Olympic gold medalist swimmer Amanda Beard. Reader Francase questioned my selection of pictures the other day so I'm turning it up a notch!

THE BIG SPORTS WEEKEND

Since things seem to slow down around here on the weekends, I'm doing another combined post for your ones to watch.

Saturday, July 22 CYCLING: Tour de France, Stage 19

I promised I wouldn't mention the Tour de France again. But I'm going back on my work for today's one to watch. American Floyd Landis made a historic comeback by winning stage 17 in dominating fashion just one day after being all-but-eliminated from contention. Landis showed incredible heart by making up over 8 minutes of time on the lead. He now rides in 3rd place and is only 30 seconds behind Oscar Periero. Today's exciting final time trial will determine the race winner. My Pick: Floyd Landis. USA! USA! USA!

Sunday, July 23 BASEBALL: Atlanta at Philadelphia

I recognize that this is hardly a compelling game. And the final round of golf in the British Open might prove to be the real one to watch. However, since writing this 36 hours in advance and Tiger Woods has looked awesome so far, I fear Sunday might prove a mere formality for another Tiger win. So I'm resorting to my surging Atlanta Braves who face the Phillies in the ESPN Sunday Night Game of the Week. The Braves have been hot since the All-Star break and have finally acquired a closer in Bob Wickman. Can they make a 2nd half run at the NL wildcard and keep their playoff streak alive? The next 10 days will tell. My Pick: Atlanta. Horacio Ramirez has looked good since returning from the DL so I'll go with him over some dude named Hamels.

Continuing our photo tribute to female athletes, here's the USA National Softball Team, recent winners of the 2006 World Cup of Softball. The beautiful Jenny Finch stands in the top center.

SPORTS CENTER: My Wish

Today I'm departing from the traditional forms of sport to advise my readers to watch the late-night edition of SportsCenter. Most of ya'll probably do so anyway. But tonight's episode will be special because it will show the final edition of the 2 week-long My Wish series. And that's a great choice for today's one to watch.

I've been fortunate to have seen the majority of the My Wish stories. Each segment has featured a child fighting serious illness spend the day with his/her favorite sports hero courtesy of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Even the most cynical viewer would concede how moving these stories have been. Some of the athletes who have demonstrated big hearts on and off the field are Derek Jeter, Wayne Gretzky, and Donovan McNabb.

My favorite moments from the series include: Roger Clemens giving a pitching lesson to a youngster where he actually asked the cameras to turn away so as not to reveal some of the tricks of his hall-of-fame career that he was sharing with the boy and Tracy McGrady playing a basketball video game against a child who competed in the game as the computer character Tracy McGrady.

But nobody granted a better wish than Kobe Bryant. After having some fun at a Dave and Busters, the Laker star took his young guest to the basketball court for some 1-on-1. Watching the sincere joy Kobe himself derived from playing a game of horse with that special child who wishes to meet him, he's instantly gone from heel to hero for me too.

There are plenty of problems with sports. And there are plenty of problems playing sports. But hopefully there's also stuff like this going on behind the scenes when the cameras aren't rolling. Our sports heroes have such power. It's good to know they can still use it for more than homeruns and slam dunks.

So that's what I'll be watching. And for our photo today, as if Kobe needed another reason to smile, here's the beautiful Vanessa Bryant.

GOLF: The British Open

Finally, there's a sporting event to compete with baseball for my attention. I have high hopes for a very exicting Open Championship. This year's tournament is hosted by the Royal Liverpool Golf Club on their famed Hoylake course. Can't you just picture an overcast day with a pleasant light wind and a fine mist in the air? Only a frosty Guinness truly completes the image. Good stuff. So today's 1st round coverage of the British Open on TNT from 7:00am-7:00pm is TOTW.

Tiger Woods is always the favorite to win any major. And he'll be defending his title won last year at legendary St. Andrews. But Tiger's play has been shakey this year, including falling below the cut at the US Open. This course is said to be short with narrow fairways. That will keep his driver in the bag (or maybe in the clubhouse) and also deprive Tiger of a major edge he enjoys as a long hitter. Phil Mickelson looks to put memories of the US Open behind him. His first win at the British Open would certainly help. And Lefty is usually solid with his iron play, so he should fair well at Hoylake if he can make putts. But it might be too soon for Phil to forget about that amazing double-bogey collapse at the 72nd hole at Winged Foot.

Beyond the top guns, the tourney is wide open. I'm expecting Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk to make runs at the top of the leaderborad. Both have enjoyed solid 2006 seasons. And the local favorite will surely be Colin Montgomery. After many years as a heel, Monty has achieved the status of a lovable loser. For all his success in Europe, he's never won a major. But Monty finished 2nd at St. Andrews in 2005 and looked great in finishing 2nd last month at Winged Foot. I wouldn't be surprised to see the guy who looks like Mrs Doubtfire finally win his first Open at age 46.

My pick: Vijay Singh. I picked Vijay to win the US Open and he was in contention all weekend. So I'll try the pick one more time. Maybe Vij isn't at the top of his game anymore, but he's still in great shape and plays beautiful golf when healthy.

And here's a strong contender for the major championship of being the sexiest female athlete in the world, LPGA golfer Natalie Gulbis.

CYCLING: Tour de France, Stage 16

This year the Tour de France has lost much of the luster it gained over the past decade. Hardcore cycling fans like my uncle Bob still tune to OLN every morning to watch the peloton. But I've barely followed the slim nightly highlights on SportsCenter myself. However, all that now changes as I make the 16th stage of the Tour de France today's one to watch.

Naturally, the loss of interest is primarily due to the retirement of 7 time champ Lance Armstrong. Following the Tour de France has meant following Armstrong. He's simply the quintessential American success story and we can't get enough. But I think there's another reason for the fallout. Most average fans see cycling as a "doped-up" sport. And the Tour de France didn't help itself when 9 riders, including all Lance's big also-rans, were kicked out of this year's event following evidence of widespread doping mere days before the 2006 Tour began. Gone are the guys like Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso who couldn't keep up with Lance even while using Ivan Drago style drugs. Hopefully, this is a positive step. But there's still a perception these guys will do anything to win.

The best news is that another American is poised to win the race. Take that, you Frenchies! Floyd Landis of Pennsylvania wears the leader's famed yellow jersey with only 4 days of actual racing left. As opposed to the dominance shown by Armstrong, Landis has yet to win an individual stage. But he's been very consistent and regained the overall lead in the mountains yesterday. Landis is ahead of 2nd place Oscar Periero of Spain by a slim 10 seconds.

My pick: I HAVE NO CLUE. Today's stage is called Bourg d'Oisans - La Toussuire and it's the 4th of the 5 days in the mountains. This is where Lance was always at his best. So far Landis has been strong on climbs too. Here's hoping he further separates himself from Periero and wins a stage too.



Today's sexy female athlete is an old standard who also knows something about racing, Danica Patrick, looking great at the recent 2006 ESPY Awards.

UPDATE: Floyd Landis had his worst day of the Tour so far. He struggled in the mountains and now rides in 11th place, over 8 minutes behind new race leader Oscar Periero. This may be the strongest case for a TOTW jinx yet. I guess I'll just leave the bicycles alone for the rest of the year. It shouldn't be that hard!

BASEBALL: Tampa Bay at Minnesota

I'm staying close to home and heart once again for today's one to watch. How about the big game between the Devil Rays and the Twins? It doesn't sound very sexy. The pathetic D-Rays are still building for the future, while the small-budget Twins have had an up-and-down season and sit well behind Detroit and Chicago in their division. But check out the pitching matchup: 24 year-old stud all-star Scott Kazmir faces 23 year-old stud all-star Francisco Liriano.

These might be the two best young pitchers in baseball. Left-hander Kazmir anchors a bad Devil Rays staff and somehow sports an impressive 10-6 record with a 3.27 ERA. He's a strikeout pitcher and can dominate when he's got his good stuff. Supposedly concerned about his small frame and the possibility of injury, the Mets gave up this 1st round pick for journeyman hurler Victor Zambrano. Funny they didn't consider those same factors when inking Pedro Martinez to a 4 year, $48 million contract. However, in all fairness, the moves were executed by different GM's and certainly have led to different results so far.

Amazingly, lefty Liriano has been even more impressive since earning a starting spot with the Twins early in the season. He currently holds a 10-2 record with a sick 2.12 ERA. In fact, the only hiccup this youngster has suffered all season was racking up a DUI during spring training here in Cape Coral, a city close to the Florida TOTW headquarters otherwise best known for having a lot of Publix Supermarkets and old people.

My pick: Minnesota. The Giants trade of closer Joe Nathan and Liriano for A.J. Pierczynski could be one of the worst deals ever, especially since the fiery catcher would go on to lead the White Sox to a championship right after bolting from his one year stint in SanFran via free agency.

Continuing our photo tribute to female athletes, here's some interesting hand signals and hand work from Olympic gold medalist and beach volleyball star Misty May.

BASEBALL: Atlanta at St. Louis

After a month of fairly unbiased selections, I'm finally making my Atlanta Braves today's one to watch. Give me some credit here, folks. And the truth is, they're finally deserving of the honor. The Braves are hot and try to keep it going tonight following a 3 game sweep of San Diego.

The keys to recent success include Chipper Jones hitting like Joe DiMaggio (he has tied a record with 14 consecutive games with an extra-base hit), the stabilization of the bullpen (with the solid middle relief of Ray, Paranto, Yates, and McBride, they now only lack a closer), and scoring a lot of runs. In fact, even with the all-star break, the Braves have already scored more runs in the month of July than they did in the entire month of June.

I'm glad I didn't give up on the Bravos like a certain friend of mine who wanted John Schuerholz to simply "blow it up." Sure, they're most likely not going to win a 15th consecutive division title. But .500 record is realistic. So too is contending for a wildcard and even sneaking into the playoffs in a very weak National League. The Braves have the record this year that they actually deserved last year when they overachieved. So while it's disappointing and we're not used to doing it this way, it's also not time to panic. Kudos to the Braves for doing it the right way by building a team around young, homegrown talent like Brian McCann, Jeff Francoeur, Wilson Betemit, and Chuck James. Maybe an influx of cash from new owner Liberty Media will help land a closer.

My pick: Atlanta. Horacio Ramirez faces Jeff Weaver in his Cardinals' debut and you have to give Horacio a rare edge. Weaver was 3-10 with a 6.29 ERA during his stint with Anaheim. St. Louis hopes a return to the NL will turn around his fortunes. Maybe. But hopefully not tonight. Atlanta has won 5 in a row and 9 of 11. Perhaps this is the June/July extended winning streak that Bobby Cox seemingly pulls off every year.

Moving right along, and continuing our photo tribute to female athletes, here's Russian beatuty and 2004 French Open tennis champion Anastasia Myskina.

THE BIG SPORTS WEEKEND

Saturday marks the 1 month anniversary of The One To Watch. After 30 consecutive days of recommending the best in sports, I'm taking the weekend off. We've had over 700 visits here in the past month. Close to 200 could likely be traced to certain a dial-up connection from Fort Myers, Florida. But that still leaves about a 20 hit per day average which is a great start. Thanks for coming and spread the word!

One of the coolest parts of blogging is seeing who's visiting your little site. Below are my 5 busiest days so far. My recent tribute to the world's best female fans of soccer earned 1st place. Some of the others were a bit more surprising.

1st: July 12 - World Cup Retrospective
2nd: June 28 - NBA Draft Preview
3rd: July 6 - Wimbledon: Kim Clijsters
4th: June 19 - Stanley Cup Finals Game 7
5th: June 29 - Wimbledon: Maria Sharapova

Anyway, here are this weekend's ones to watch. Warning: NASCAR alert!

Friday, July 14, 2006 BASEBALL: Chicago White Sox at New York Yankees This could be a possible playoff preview. But if Detroit is for real, then one of these two teams could also not even make the playoffs. Jose Contreras takes the hill against his former team and faces the rapidly aging Randy Johnson. My pick: New York. A slugfest earns Contreras his first loss in nearly a year.

Saturday, July 15, 2006 AUTO RACING: IRL Firestone Indy 200 This always fun night race from Nashville features the IRL circuit's only 1.33 mile concrete track. It'll be a bumpy ride for Danica. My pick: Dan Wheldon. Only the Ganassi and Penske teams have speed this year and 2005 Indy 500 Champ Wheldon is past due for a win.

Sunday, July 16, 2006 AUTO RACING: New England 300 NASCAR invades the Northeast and makes its first of two stops in Loudon, New Hampshire. This is a flat 1 mile track and you'll see lots of braking, which tends to produce the best form of racing in my opinion. My pick: Jeff Burton. The younger Burton has 4 career wins at Loudon and will be a favorite to earn his first win for Richard Childress racing this week.



Today begins our month-long photo tribute female athletes. Anna Kournikova proves you don't have to win to be the best!

BASEBALL: Astros vs. Marlins

For the first day following the All-Star Break, I'm recommending this classic that involves 2 teams with losing records. However, I think the pitching matchup warrants some attenion as Florida's Dontrelle Willis will take the mound against Houston's Roy Oswalt. These two aces are the focus of many questions about the remainder of the season. Houston has underachieved so far. If they are to defend their NL Championship, it'll be up to Oswalt's right arm to anchor a pitching staff that doesn't get much run-support from an aging Astros' lineup. Of course, some dude named Roger Clemens might also help. But it is Oswalt, a back-to-back 20 game winner and the 2005 NLCS MVP, who remains their stopper and ultimate key to success.

On the other hand, the Marlins are one of a select few teams in MLB history to overachieve with a record that is 10 games under .500. Joe Girardi has admirably managed a team of rookies with a meager $15 million payroll. The Yankees alone have 6 players who make more than Florida's entire roster. In fact, coming into the season ace Dontrelle Willis was one of only two proven big leaguers on the whole squad. I hope the Dontrelle stays in South Florida and remains a link to their fun 2003 World Series team. But the contenders are knocking at the Marlins' door hoping to land Willis for a playoff run. The Mets seem to have a pipeline to Florida's castoffs and a package of Lastings Millege and Aaron Heilman just might be enough to take the D-Train to New York City.

My pick: Houston. I picked the Astros to repeat as NL Champs and they begin their playoff push tonight. Houston had an en fuego second half in 2005 and I expect them to do it again with recent additions Clemens and slugger Aubrey Huff.



So that's what I'll be watching. Who will you be watching? Dontrelle Willis? Or maybe a movie with the former Mrs. Bruce Willis ?

SOCCER: World Cup 2006 Retrospective, Part 2

Since today is meaningless in world of sports, I thought we'd celebrate the World Cup one last time. As today's one to watch, here is my countdown of the rankings for the quality of fans by country during the 2006 World Cup.

5.) Italy - Ranking these champions 5th is only a reflection of the depth of quality fans seen throughout this great tournament. Azzuri means blue in Italian, but nothing about these Italians would ever make you blue.




4.) Germany - The host nation was impressive from front to back. Local fans didn't hesitate to dress the part and celebrate right in the streets when they couldn't get into the 12 packed venues throughout Germany.




3.) Argentina - This South American nation was the surprise of the World Cup for me. And that continent has certainly staked its claim as the true home of soccer style. I like their national colors. And I especially admire how the Argentines flaunt them proudly.



2.) Sweeden - What else can we say about fair Sweeden? The home of the world's most famous bikini team always makes a strong showing. I guess sometimes you just have to find creative ways to keep warm on those long cold Arctic nights.



1.) Brazil - Still the best. Italy may have tied the Brazilans by winning a 5th World Cup, but the Italians still have a long way to go before they can match Brazil who clearly has the best female fans in the world. Imagine the celebrations with each Ronaldo goal? Imagine the debauchery with each Brazilian win? And we're about talking Rio here, so I'm pretty sure the party was still kick-ass even after the loss to France.




It's been fun. Adios, futbol!

SOCCER: World Cup 2006 Retrospective, Part 1

Do you miss the World Cup already? It sure was a great month of sport. Three things most impressed me. Firstly, these guys are amazing athletes. Even the Big Daddy respects how players can thrive with average-joe frames and that size is not all-important. Decision making, stamina, and determination are instead determinative. I think this allows us to relate more easily to the players, even if we've never played soccer. I could practically feel the pain in my own legs while watching the Italians fight fatigue and just keep running non-stop for 120 minutes on Sunday.

Secondly, I've learned that World Cup fans are second to none. They party like Raiders fans, are dedicated like Cubs fans, celebrate like Yankees fans, and often look like Dallas Cowboy cheeleaders! They think nothing of traveling the world to see their team play. And fans actually have fun during the game, whether it's a classic or a dud. They'll get their money's worth by finding creative ways to wear national colors on their skin or by singing "Ole, Ole, Ole" to encourage a goal. Nobody in the stands ever looks bored even during those "nil-nil" games.

And I saved the best for last: chicks actually love soccer. Can you imagine the power this must have on the sex lives of players and fans alike? Just think how many Italian babies will be born 9 months to the date of their national team winning the World Cup! With that in mind, my next post will pay tribute to this fantastic aspect of the beautiful sport.

BASEBALL: The 77th Annual MLB All-Star Game

This time it counts! The outcome may decide who gets an extra home game in the World Series, but the highlight of the All-Star game often proves to be player introductions. However, baseball's version is still pro-sports most compelling. And it's otherwise a slow sports day, so I'm making tonight's game the one to watch.

The AL has dominated these games recently. They've won 8 of the past 9 and the only game they failed to win was actually declared a tie by Bud Selig in 2002. However, I think the NL has a good chance to steal this one. While the AL has all the one-name stars like Ichiro, Vlad, Pudge, and A-Rod, the NL's lineup is infused with young hitting talent. Guys like Jason Bay, David Wright, Chase Utley, and Brian McCann are new to the game and should be hungrier.

The NL's best chance to win is to score early and often against AL starter Kenny Rogers. The Gambler is having another solid season, but he was chosen to start merely for having the freshest arm. And Rogers is known to be anything but clutch. In fact, he hates the spotlight and belongs to the Cameraman Ass Kicking Club with fellow pitcher Randy Johnson and two-bit actor Alec Baldwin.

My pick: National League. A victory will put game 7 of the World Series in Turner Dolphins Shea Stadium ....come to think of it, there probably won't be a game 7. The NL hasn't won a single World Series game since 2003. And the only champs it has produced in a decade have been a couple of expansion teams. I'll stop now before I change my mind about this pick.



So that's what I'll be watching. Who will you be watching? Derek Jeter? Or American Idol country babe, Carrie Underwood, who'll be singing the National Anthem?

BASEBALL: Home Run Derby

Baseball begins its annual 3 day All Star break today. But fear not, fellow die-hards. We are still left with the Home Run Derby from Pittsburgh's beautiful PNC Ballpark. So naturally I'm making that today's TOTW.

The Home Run Derby is fun, but rarely lives up to the obnoxious hype commentator Chris Berman provides. Many of the best sluggers don't participate. This year we won't see 40+ HR guys like Albert Pujols, Jim Thome, or Andruw Jones hacking at the 65mph soft tosses. And the feared sluggers who do enter usually end up choking, allowing relatively unknown guys like Bobby Abreu and Garret Anderson to often win these competitions. In fact, the only real "stars" entered in this event are Boston's David Ortiz and Baltimore's Miguel Tejada. The other participants - Ryan Howard, Jermaine Dye, Lance Berkman, Troy Glaus, Miguel Cabrera, and David Wright - are all great sluggers, but also don't bring quite the pedigree and fan-interest that Bud Selig would surely love to showcase in the HR Derby.

My pick: Lance Berkman. The Astros HR man was runner up to Tejada in the 2004 Derby. He's a switch hitter and says he'll hit lefty since PNC has a shorter porch in right field. Hopefully a few long balls will land in the river and we'll get to see the obligatory camera shots of the idiots jumping into the water to retrieve those priceless souvenirs.



So that's what I'll be watching. What will you be watching? The Home Run Derby? Or maybe you'll check out Monday Night Raw for an appearance by Stacy Keibler?

SOCCER: Italy vs. France

The final game of the 2006 World Cup is today's one to watch. Despite the United States sub-par showing, the World Cup has been a great success for this sports fan. I might turn my back on soccer for the next 3 1/2 years, but I sure do enjoy it when the World Cup rolls around. On the field, we've consistently seen the best players for the best teams rising to the occasion when needed most. Off the field, Germany has provided a great backdrop for the dedicated soccer fans who attend World Cup games. Its central location to the European nations who ended up dominating this tournament has helped and, thankfully, there've been no major incidents of "hooliganism" to detract from the competition.

Italy vs. France should be an entertaining championship game. So far, the Azzuri haven't even allowed a real goal in the entire tournament - the only tally against them has been an own-goal off a corner kick credited to the US during pool play. Goalie Gianluigi Buffon has been sharp and the Italian squad seems content to play tight defense and then explode when it wears down the opposing team. France, on the other hand, has seen an up-and-down World Cup. They barely made it to the 2nd round and have only gradually picked up steam since. The French did shock defending champion Brazil and seem to be the only nation that can do so, having also eliminated the Brazilians in their title run in 1998. France is led by veteran stars Zinadine Zidane and Thiery Henry and will look to score early against the tough Italian defense.

I hope the game doesn't come down to peanlty kicks merely so we don't hear from the soccer haters on talk radio and ESPN. However, if it does, I know those 5 minutes will be so exciting that I'll be fine with that kind of an ending too. Gary Bettman and hockey fans, are you listening? I'm just throwing it out there. But I do realize that Italians fans won't want to watch such an event. They well remember the Azzuri and star Roberto Baggio losing on kicks in the Rose Bowl back in 1994.

My pick: Italy. I have a hard time rooting for the French anyway. But I'd also love to see the US as the only team to get a point from Italy in this World Cup. I think a tight 1-0 score is very likely.



So that's what I'll be watching. What will you be watching? Soccer? Or those fine Italian fans?

BASEBALL: Boston Red Sox at Chicago White Sox

With all due respect to the over-achieving Detroit Tigers, today's one to watch is a matchup of the two best teams in the American League (and therefore also the best teams in baseball). These well-balanced squads have split the past two World Series amongst themselves and seem poiseded to clash over this year's title as well. Today's contest features 10 game winner John Beckett for the Red Sox against 10 game winner Freddy Garcia for the White Sox.

I'd give a narrow edge to Chicago as the slightly stronger team. Both teams have tremendous power. But in all of baseball, it is only the combination of Paul Konerko - Jim Thome - Jermaine Dye that can surpass Boston's feared duo of David Ortiz - Manny Raminrez. And the White Sox everyday lineup and starting pitching also both appear to be deeper than the Red Sox. Jon Papelbon and Bobby Jenks are close enough at closer to be a wash, but the Red Sox bullpen as a whole has indeed outperformed Chicago's. And Boston's star power of Curt Schilling and Big Papi does have the potential to give them an edge in a short playoff series. In summation, these teams are both really good.

My pick: Chicago. Ozzie Guillen will have his boys fired up after losing to Boston 7-2 yesterday. Maybe he'll call the Red Sox a bunch of fags before the game. As someone who's been to Yankee Stadium a few times over the years, it wouldn't be the first time I heard that description of the Red Sox.



So that's what I'll be watching. What will you be watching? The Red Sox? Or the Red Sox Nation? How do you like them apples ?!? Let's see you top that one, Ozzie!

BULL FIGHTING: Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain

Today is the first day of the weeklong Feast of San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain. The event first made popular by Ernest Hemingway has been celebrated in the province of Navarre in Northern Spain since the mid 19th century. San Fermin is the local patron saint of bakers and wine. So naturally it's a perfect occasion to visit beautiful Spain, watch the bullfights, eat, drink, and be merry. That is, unless you being gored in the ass by the horns of a 1500 pound bull!



The famous running of the bulls takes place along a 1/2 mile path through narrow streets to the entrance of the bullring. Tourists flock to the event and the city's population of 250,000 will swell to 1.5 million during the week-long celebration. The coolest part is that one doesn't need to register or even sign a legal release. That would be the American style. Instead, you just get your drunk self over to Pamplona, find a good spot along the course, and get ready to run like hell at 8:00am when the bulls are released.



This is something I'd like to do myself oneday. It's on my short list of thrills along with skydiving, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and the Skip Barber Indy racing school. I'm a Hemingway junkie, afterall. It must be an incredible rush to know that you've outsmarted a dumb cow. And I'm sure the celebration is then second to none.



So that's what I'll be watching for during the next week. What will you be watching? The bulls? The drunks trying gloriously to get out of their way? Or the idiotic PETA protestors who will be running naked in protest wearing only a red scarf and fake horns? What an easy target! My pick: 'da bulls.

TENNIS: Justine Henin-Hardenne vs. Kim Clijsters

TOTW is the ladies semifinal matchup from Wimbledon of Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters. These two girls have dominated women's tennis in the past few years, winning a combined 6 Grand Slams since 2003. And I thought chocolate was the only thing Belgium produced that was any good! Through their power, ability to play on all surafaces, and durability, these Belgian blondes stand out from the rest of the WTA, including the Williams sisters and current wave of stars from Russia.

When comparing Justine and Kim, it's striking just how similar these two players appear to be. Justine Henin-Hardenne is Belgiam, 24 years old, 5'6, 130lbs, turned pro in 1999, currently ranked 3rd in the world, has won 27 titles, and has almost $12 million in career earnings. Kim Clijsters, on the other hand, is also from Belgium, 23 years old, 5'8, 150lbs, turned pro in 1998, currently ranked 2nd in the world, has won 31 titles, and has earned a little over $13 million on the WTA tour. In fact, the only area where you can distinguish these ladies is in the winning of Grand Slam tournaments. While Henin-Hardenne has captured 5 Grand Slams, Clijsters has only one such title from the 2005 US Open.

The winner of this match will play either Amelie Mauresmo or Maria Sharapova in the final. My fickle heart usually beats for Sharapova. But I also admire these Belgians. They always play each other tough, although when the spotlight is shining brightest, Henin-Hardenne is 3-0 against Clijsters in Grand Slam finals.

My pick: Justine Henin-Hardenne. She has an edge over her compatriot when Grand Slams are on the line. Rest assured, this edge does not hold true when beauty is on the line. Kim Clijsters is one of the tour hotties, and while Justine isn't hard on the eyes, there's got to be a reason she's always hiding under that damned hat! Henin-Hardenne only needs a Wimbledon title to complete the career Grand Slam and I think she gets it this year.



So that's what I'll be watching. What will you be watching? Kim Clijsters on the tennis court? Or Kim Clijsters off the tennis court?



PS - Sorry about the PG-13 version, folks. I do have SOME standards around here afterall. Just do a Yahoo search if you want the real thing.

SOCCER: France vs. Portugal

The hot dogs didn't disappoint. And neither did the World Cup's 1st semifinal between Italy and Germany. Hopefully the 2nd semifinal will prove to be as much fun since I'm making France vs. Portugal today's one to watch.

Yesterday Italy defeated Germany 2-0 by scoring 2 dramtic goals in the last few minutes of overtime. Both shots displayed Italy's athletism, ball control, and accuracy. The Azzurri can play D, they may have the world's best goalie in Gianluigi Buffon, and now they can apparently score too. Italy looks very formidable for the World Cup final. Today's game will determine who they play. Last time out France stunned Brazil 1-0 on a perfectly timed goal by Thierry Henry set up by Zinedine Zidane. On the other hand, Portugal, which is led by veteran striker Luis Figo and star goalie Ricardo, beat a much weaker English team on penalty shots after playing to a 0-0 tie. Never having won a World Cup, Portugal is hungry, but also not as familiar with the spotlight as they haven't been this far since 1966.

My pick: Portugal. I know France is favored to win, but I was really impressed with the Portugal's goalie Ricardo in their match against England. I wouldn't be surprised if he is the difference in this game, especially if it comes down to penalty kicks again.



So that's what I'll be watching. Who will you be watching? The French? Or do you miss those Brazilians already?

COMPETITIVE EATING: 2006 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

The World Cup is back and I am interested. But on this Independence Day, the "beautiful" sport cannot serve as America's one to watch. Instead, I recommend taking some time between festivities to watch the 2006 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest televised live today on ESPN at 12:00 noon.

I'm a big fan of Nathan's. In fact, they make my favorite hot dogs, just slightly better than the Sabrett hot dogs that I sold for 2 years in high school when I operated a hot dog cart. I recently went almost 4 years without eating a Nathan's frank until we visited New York in May. In those 5 days, I managed to eat 6 in 2 visits to the Yonkers store and wish I could've eaten more. Damned weight problem! I think if entered in the Coney Island contest I could probably eat about 8. I'm sure I'd need a lot of Rolaids, but for those 12 glorious minutes, it would be hot dog heaven.

However, such a score would put me 45 1/2 hot dogs behind the world record holder. Champion Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi will attempt to win the contest for the 6th year in a row. The Japanese eater is no sumo wrestler; he's actually surprisingly diminutive. But don't let his size fool you. Kobayaski downed 49 hot dogs and buns in a mere 12 minutes in 2005. I've also seen American star eater Joey Chesnut in action on ESPN a few times. He holds the world record for asparagus, grilled cheeses, and Waffle House waffles. What an accomplishment! Chestnut finished 3rd in 2005 by eating 32 hot dogs. I'll be rooting for him to return the Nathan's championship to America.

My pick: Joey Chesnut. I really think eating those 18 waffles in 10 minutes will give him confidence to win. 20 years ago the winner ate a mere 12 hot dogs - 37 fewer than Kobayashi last year. Of course, the Nathan's event has gotten a lot bigger. And a sport was even born in 1997 when the International Federation of Competitive Eating was formed. All this serves as a reminder that people like me occasionally take sports too seriously. But it also makes me hungry. So I'll still be watching.



What will you be watching? Parades? Fireworks? Or women's eating champion, Sonya Thomas, who downed 37 hot dogs herself last year?

GOLF: U.S. Women's Open

In case you didn't get enough women's golf yesterday, I'm making the 18 hole playoff between Annika Sorenstam and Pat Hurst today's one to watch. Recoemmending the same event for a 2nd consecutive day is a TOTW first. I feel some vindication in that this story led the late edition of SportsCenter last night. I do realize, however, that some of my readers may not hold that network's opinions in the highest of regards.

Such a one-on-one playoff would be a great moment in golf history if it had happened in the Men's Open between Tiger Woods and someone like a Fred Couples. While Sorenstam and Hurst won't have such a spotlight, they both really want the win. Annika hasn't won the Open in 10 years - imagine someone as dominant as Tiger Woods going 10 years without a Masters? On the other hand, a Pat Hurst victory would make her the first golfer to win a Girl's Junior U.S. Open, a Women's Amateur U.S. Open, and a Women's Professional U.S. Open. However, for me it boils down to a single issue: with Michelle Wie, Natalie Gulbis, and Paula Creamer out of the competition, Annika is holding the torch for decent looking women everywhere.

My pick: Annika Sorenstam. The girl is usually money in the bank. Annika has 67 career wins, including 9 majors. And she's 14-5 in playoffs, including a 2-0 mark against Pat Hurst. Even after missing a 30 foot birdie putt for the outright win on 18, Annika was confident saying, "I'm right where I want to be." I agree. And I don't think it'll be close.



So that's what I'll be watching. Who will you be watching? Annika? Or Pat Hurst? (I would show a picture of Pat for comparison, but don't want to ruin my reputation around here)

GOLF: U.S. Women's Open

Today's one to watch is the final 36 holes of the 2006 Women's U.S. Open from Newport, Rhode Island. Due to fog on Thursday, play has been condensed into 3 days. Sunday will be a test of endurance and determination. Legend Annika Sorenstam is tied with Pat Hurst at -2 for a share of the lead at the half way point.

Lately women's golf has gotten nearly as interesting as ladies tennis. And I'm not talking about the quality of competition. Instead, I'm refering to the quality of the competitors! For years women's golf had nothing sexy about it, literally. Then came Annika Sorenstam. While she dominated the sport for the past 10 years, Anika always appeared a cool-as-ice Nordic warrior goddess. She can play with the boys and look good too, even if not spectacular. Annika has a great all-around game, stays fit, and was even a regular in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for a couple of years.

However, in the past few years the LPGA has seen an influx of young and attractive talent. Nobody has been more prolific than Michelle Wie, who currently sits in 3rd place at even par. The 16 year-old Hawaiin can crush the ball as far as many male pros. If she can develop a short game, Wie will be a force for years and may make a mark in PGA tournments too. Natalie Gulbis (+5), Paula Creamer (+1), Lorena Ochoa (+2), and Morgan Pressel (+8) are all names for which I would recommend doing a Google search if you're still not sure you can watch an LPGA tournament. You might change your mind, especially if you see Natalie Gulbis' 2006 calendar!

My pick: Annika Sorenstam. I would really like to pick Wie as I'll be rooting for her. Her fitness and youth could be a big edge in the 36 hole marathon. But her inexperience and putting game will also likely be liabilities. Plus Annika has surprisingly not won this major in nearly 10 years and is overdue.



So that's what I'll be watching. Who will you be watching? Natalie or Michelle?

SOCCER: England vs. Portugal

Pleased that baseball did not disappoint my expectations, I now turn my attention back to the World Cup. England vs. Portugal is today's one to watch. Brazil-France is an equally compelling matchup. However, I think Brazil is perceived to be more of a favorite to win in their game when compared with either of the teams from the earlier match. As with almost all of the quarterfinal games so far, England-Potugal is likely to provide great drama and it could end in another shootout.

I won't try to handicap the match since I don't know very much about either team. I do know that England has rowdy fans who have largely been disappointed by their team's failure to win a World Cup in 40 years. On the other hand, I've heard Portugal described as being always good, but never great, in World Cup competition. Could this be their year to breakthrough now that rival Spain has bowed out?

My pick: England. England hasn't scored much so far. They try to strike early and then play a defensive game. And that strategy appears to work even better as the tournament progresses and more is at stake. Teams take fewer chances as nobody wants to make the critical mistake.



So that's what I'll be watching. Who will you be watching? English star David Beckham on the field? Or wife Posh Spice in the stands?