Knucklehead of the Week
Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas was busted last week in Los Angeles when the highway patrol found several boxes of illegal fireworks in his Ford F-150. Arenas was pulled over for going 80 mph. There were so many fireworks in his pickup that a bomb squad disposal team had to be called in to take possession of the goods. Arenas will have to settle for sparklers at his Fourth of July party.
I’m back from the family baseball vacation, which included stops in Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Everyone who checks out PNC Park in Pittsburgh says it’s the best park in the majors. I would agree. As a bonus for the locals, the Pirates have the best record in baseball.
The NBA draft was fun; it had to be because no sure-fire stars were available. Three highlights: the booing of soon-to-be-retired commissioner David Stern, who played along with the crowd; the giant hair of Brazilian Lucas Nogueira, who balanced a Celtics hat high above his scalp; and the surprise visit by Hakeem Olajuwon, the first player Stern announced in the 1984 draft.
Three lowlights: Shane Battier’s painful player interviews; the flurry of trades (Andy Katz got the scoop by using NSA tactics to bug phones); and Ohio State’s Deshaun Thomas getting selected at about midnight. Stay in school, kids.
The Cavaliers made Canadian native Anthony Bennett the first pick in the draft. He joins countryman Tristan Thompson on the Cleveland roster. Wonder if they'll grow playoff beards if the Cavs make the playoffs next year.
Speaking of hockey, I'm always impressed by the traditions that make the Stanley Cup Finals special. The postgame hand shake line is awesome; you don't see anything that respectful in other sports.
It might be time to pull in the fences at the College World Series. Deadening the bats has made drives to the warning track few and far between. There should be a happy medium between this kind of game and the 17-12 slugfests that were common five years ago.
After watching the NCAA slap Oregon on the wrist for what looked like a major recruiting violation, you have to ask: Why wouldn't a major college football program cheat? The Ducks lose one scholarship and get the Dikembe Mutombo finger waved at them? I'm sure the folks at Penn State were impressed.
One of our vacation stops was the National Air and Space Museum in Washington. I asked a friendly worker for directions to the space shuttle but was told it wasn't in D.C. Too big, so they have it housed in the sticks in Virginia. I pointed out that there is plenty of room for the aircraft at Wright-Patt. My cover blown, I scrapped my plan to bring the original Wright Flyer back to Dayton.
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