I guess as a Midwesterner, I shouldn't really care about Yankee Stadium closing. It's just another stadium right? Well, that's b.s. If anything, it makes you think about how greatly unique Fenway and Wrigley are. In a land of cookie cutters and 'retro' parks, this is effing Yankee Stadium. If you want to make an imprint in the Majors, that's the place to do it. Big media, big buildings, vocal fans, crazy press. It's New York. With all due respect, this isn't the (third time renamed) AT&T Park with a huge Coke bottle in left field. No, this is the beautiful park in the Bronx with a short porch in right field, a power alley with the black seats, and a monument park in center left field. No corporate name on this baby, just pure pride of a franchise. Let's hope the next one is the same way. It's gonna be hard for those in the apartments behind, not noticing a stadium on East 161st and River in the Bronx. Sure they're be one right next door, but when the Red Sox thought of "New Fenway Park" down from Yawkey in the late 1990's, how'd that go over? To the new owners of my beloved Chicago Cubs, don't get any damn ideas. I'll miss Yankee Stadium, the one I know, the one you know, the one Babe Ruth knew. I felt like I was watching the All-Star Game again with the ceremony to start. Now, call it bias, but I love hearing Yogi Berra tell stories. Maybe it's a St. Louis thing. He's no doubt, the Godfather of that franchise. And after the game, the lap around the field at the end of the game, pure class on the team's part. Gave me chills, as I remember the Cleveland Browns in 1995, doing the same thing; yet although for a different reason. And the fans, the fans! None of them left their seats! They didn't want to leave, oh God bless the fans!

As for my favorite memory, it's pretty easy. It was on a late October night in 2001. Like everyone else, I was still numb from 9/11, and seeing the President of the United States come out by himself, to the rubber of the mound, throw a strike, just made me want to pound my chest so hard and scream, "I'm an American!" I've heard some of the stories, including ESPN's Buster Olney talk about how in the Bronx you could still smell the burning metal that was the Twin Towers at that time. Just crazy. I'll admit, I rooted hard for the Yankees in 2001, I wanted them to win, and they did; all of their games in New York. I'm a firm believer in destiny.

For all the Mets fans reading this, I hear you, I'll be posting one next week. Interesting enough, and ironically, if the season were to end today, the Cubs would play the New York Mets in the NLDS. Now, as a Ron Santo fan, I know exactly what he would be thinking. Nothing better than to kick the Mets out of Shea in the playoffs, as a revenge for 1969.

I'll describe myself as a moderate, I'm leaning towards Obama this November, but please people, this protesting during John McCain's speech was terrible. The Iraq vet had a lot of balls, frankly, because McCain was in a cell for 5 years. This has got to stop, for both parties. I'm all for the mass protests, marching through streets, because I think it takes a group of people to make knowledge of a situation. Yet all it takes is one moron to make a fool of himself, especially when you know you'll get grabbed, pulled, and arrested out of the convention hall; not to mention being drowned out with the chants of "USA! USA! USA!". If you want to make a point, do what the guy did at WGN in the 1980's, hijack a TV signal. Make a huge march on Washington. Protesting at a speech didn't work when George Bush ran for re-election in 2004, he'll more likely than not finish out his second term before facing any possible impeachment hearings. Why would it work now? On the flip side, I watched the great reporting ABC's Brian Ross did about the lobbyists, and their parties. Completely pitiful. The producer getting arrested for trespassing on a public sidewalk in Denver. Emphasize the word "public". The Republicans partying on the same day when Louisiana is getting slammed by Gustav. Terrible. Barack Obama is promising reform yet he has a slew of lobbyists for his campaign. John McCain's campaign is no different. How can Joe Biden bring reform when he's essentially been in Washington since Ford? How can Sarah Palin take on Big Oil when her husband works for BP? Some things never change. Mudslinging is nothing new, but this guerrilla type of protesting is total bs. Take a hint from the 1999 WTO meetings, the so called "Battle in Seattle". Get a life people. Exercise free speech in a productive way. This is politics, if you like the person, vote for them. If you don't, vote for the other person, or vote for a cause. Just don't show up and whine without thinking that you can't change America in better ways.

The United States' women's basketball team whipped up on Australia 92-65 Saturday night in Beijing to capture their fourth straight gold medal. The team's Olympic winning streak now sits at 33 games.

As we hear the John Williams Olympic overture another time, I'm not sure if ESPN is being a sore loser, but if you go to their website, they offer very little up-to-date information about the Olympics. In 2004, back when NBC would be a d*ck about showing highlights during the Olympics, Sportscenter was forced to show nothing more than photos. Well, I seem to remember when ESPN got Monday Night Football and NBC got Al Michaels, something else was added into the equation with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. That something was increased Olympic coverage. NBC has allowed more coverage for ESPN, as part of that 2006 agreement. But ESPN has balked at the chance to be open with NBC. Personally, I think they have a countdown clock to the 2012 Games (when NBC's rights are up), probably like that Sportscenter morning countdown clock the guy wore on the 'live commercials'. On the other hand, ESPN has been open to lending personalities, see Teddy Atlas (I love that accent) and Mike Breen (although I'd rather have Marv Albert or even Bob Costas). All ESPN plans to focus on is Michael Phelps and the USA Men's Basketball Team (aka Redeem Team). ESPN even went to the extreme, covering pre-Olympic warm-ups and doing a series with the team. Hello? What about the Women's team? They have a great story too. They're trying to avenge their loss to Russia in the 2006 World Championships in Brazil. Any coverage? Eh, not really. This is China's shot to show itself to the world, and do we have any talk about that? Do we have any talk about how this country has gone from the black eye that was June 4, 1989, to the current day? Do we have any talk about how this was the highest rated non-American Opening Ceremony? Nearly 35 million people watched Friday night, and 70 million watched online, do we have any talk of that? Maybe it's a cardinal sin to acknowledge success from one network to another. But yet it's perfectly normal to bash another network when things suck? Come on ESPN.

The Seattle SuperSonics Wikipedia article has already changed from "is" to "were" a franchise located in Seattle, Washington. This video is the Seattle SuperSonics memory I remember best. The 1996 Western Conference Finals, Game 7. Look at the decibel meter in the left hand corner, that's how loud it gets on a regular basis at KeyArena. I feel bad for Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, and the teams of the 90's. It just goes to show that, no matter how much a die-hard fan you are, the NBA is still a 'what have you done for me lately' league. The SuperSonics were in the playoffs just a few years ago, and now they are no more.

I'm trying to keep myself from losing it. I'm in the Seattle type of mood, a beer and Nirvana's 'Nevermind'. It started pouring here after the announcement, very fitting. Today is a bad day for Seattle, a bad day for the Northwest, and the NBA. But luckily, the WNBA's Storm is under different ownership. I can only hope that this development wont kill off the Storm as a franchise. Seattle is a great basketball city, and although I want to drive Clay Bennett into a ditch, I should mention I still support the W. Sue Bird is still my favorite player, for many reasons. The Storm is still my team (as its been since 2001), even though I live in Illinois, and we now have the Sky. Now THAT'S a true fan! For the hell of it, I'd challenge the Storm organization to sell out Key, even if the tickets were free, you could show the NBA that you CAN sell out the Key.

I'll think of something else to write in another column, but for now I'll leave it at that. Go Storm!

Sincerely,

Ryan K.

Dear Commissioner Stern,

I have been an NBA fan since birth, rooting the majority for my home state team, the Chicago Bulls through thick and thin times.

But the news coming from Seattle is disheartening. I am through with these games, in which owners of professional sports franchises hang cities like Seattle by the balls until they scream 'uncle' on a new arena. That's not how it was growing up watching Jordan and Pippen play. Jordan himself said the old Chicago Stadium was a better venue than the United Center, to which he compared it to a shopping mall.

And so in situations like this, where Clay Bennett and Co., single handedly ripped the SuperSonics from Seattle, a 41-year old franchise; that I submit my fan resignation letter to the once proud National Basketball Association.

I no longer want to be involved with anything from or with this league.

I truly believe the NBA is making a grave, and arrogant, mistake shunning the Seattle market. The over/under for the Oklahoma City team is 3 years for me. Then they'll turn into a Memphis organization, or a Charlotte Bobcats organization (sorry Mike).

You, Commissioner Stern turned a blind eye to the economics of Seattle, not even trying to cut a deal with the lawmakers. You just showed up to the capital, whining about a new stadium. You are a hazard to this league. I feel for the good of the game, you should leave the NBA with someone that knows how to run it.

This league hasn't been the same since June 1998, when MJ made the shot over Bryon Russell in Utah.

I'm done.

Sincerely,

Ryan K.

As the possibility of my love for this game might be coming to an end, what a way to put an exclamation point on it. I told myself I would only watch a minute or two of Game 6, I did. At one point it was a 14 point lead for Boston, the second minute I flipped to ABC about an hour later, it was a 37 point lead.

If you're gonna go out, go out with tradition. These two franchises, the Lakers and Celtics, have combined for half of the titles this league has had in its history. Think about it, one out of every two titles was won by those teams. Let's face it, I'm not jumping head-over-heels for Boston. I'm not in bed with Boston. I hate Boston, but at least the Spurs didn't win it again, nor was it a sweep, and an Eastern Conference team won a title so I can stop hearing the 'experts' say that the best team is in the West.

The best player is in the West, but wasn't at one time a certain Michael Jordan was quoted saying "One man can't beat the Boston Celtics". That was before his 63 point playoff game that the Bulls didn't win. I'm drifting off, anyway, congrats to the Celtics, and this isn't over, because this team still has a few years left ahead.

-----------

I feel like Sam Smith, the great former NBA writer for the Chicago Tribune, who took a buyout recently. Well I didn't take a buyout, but my fanhood might be out pending the case in a Seattle, Washington federal courtroom. If Clay Bennett and his ownership group (Professional Basketball Club, LLC) wins that case, and the appeal, I'm done with the NBA. Seriously. It's just total (you insert the expletive), that a rich guy can just buy a team out and say, "I don't like this!" or "I want a new arena now!", essentially holding a city like Seattle hostage.

Nothing against Oklahoma City, but there would be no cry for OKC without Katrina wiping out New Orleans and its team in 2005 and 2006. If the Sonics were to move to Oklahoma, it would almost have a Green Bay feel to it, but with no history. Gary Payton, a future Hall-of-Famer to me, wont be in the Ford Center seeing his (never played) OKC Sonics jersey sent up to the rafters. Shawn Kemp was called the 'Reign Man' because of his ferocious dunks, making it a play on raining in Seattle. Oklahoma? No. I bet I can't find 20 people in Oklahoma that can name 3 players on the 1979 Championship team.

Bennett is already being called the likes of Jim Irsay, Art Modell, Al Davis, and Bud Adams; each of those men moved an NFL team either in the middle of the night (Irsay), against his own promise to the city (Modell), against the league's wishes (Davis twice), and against a city's wishes (Adams). The NBA is with Bennett on the Sonics, claiming he's the victim. I disagree, it's the fans who are the victims. If they stay in Seattle, Oklahoma fans lose. If they move, the Seattle fans lose. I hope this case is decided correctly in my opinion, keeping the team in Seattle.

Au revoir.

I recently read an article about these "Expect Great" commercials for the WNBA. The commercials have a star player talk about why a typical male fan won't watch a game. It's the usual, the kind of stuff you would hear if you got beaten up in the schoolyard by a girl when you were in grade school. (You got beat by a GIRL!) I find these commercials amusing, because it's all sarcasm. The problem I have with this marketing campaign is not the message per se, but who they (the WNBA) are directing the message to. The attention of young men is not the problem, (a lot of guys watch, myself included) the real problem is getting an average everyday woman to watch a women's basketball game on Tuesday night, or Saturday afternoon (or during the week, for the locals). The campaign the league did a few years ago (This is Who I Am) was a total bust. They tried to dress Sue Bird up like a model. Sex appeal shouldn't be the only thing this league promotes and markets to the masses. Do you think the average woman wants to see a basketball player dressed up as a model? (not bringing up the lesbian crowd on this one, sorry) Speaking of Sue Bird, her upcoming commercial for the W should be "Expect Great in the courtroom, especially for the city of Seattle, and if they lose, you can watch us play". (If you don't know about the Supersonics, just Google it.) ABC doesn't know how to promote either, NBA or WNBA. (I could go on and on about this year's Finals, but that's another topic.) Please, put the games in high-definition. This is a professional sport. If you can air women's college basketball games in high-def on ESPN, ESPN2, or CBS, show the games in high-def on ESPN2 HD or ABC HD. Honestly, I didn't know Disney was that cheap. I will give a little credit to whoever got Alicia Keys to do the "Superwoman" promotions targeting men. But if you're going to use Alicia Keys to bring men to watch the WNBA, you should show her in the commercial.

Come on people, think. I know there's some bright minds in the NBA/WNBA offices in NYC. (being sarcastic, of course)

It feels like 1997 right now. The Stephen Decatur Runnin' Reds had just lost to Springfield in the Stephen Decatur Sectional championship. The Runnin' Reds were 27-0, they lost at home. Its 2008. The Eisenhower Panthers were 28-0, playing against Champaign Central, in the Mt. Zion Sectional. They lost. Jackson had a 3 to tie and it went in. After that, the curse ensued, a lucky shot went in, knocking out my alma mater. I'm not a traditional sports fan. I hate it when my team loses. So to all the Central fans, I hope you're feeling the same thing when your tail gets whipped by Chicago Simeon, who I will be rooting for. Eisenhower beat them. I should be a fair player, but that's why I'm not in sports anymore. I'd hate losing, but I'd want a fair game. This was not a fair game. Central got a day off, while Eisenhower had to play back to back. It can't be taken away, but in the great movie 'Hoop Dreams', not all of the kids made it to state. I just have to face the fact, I'll never see a state title in Decatur Public Schools. The Eisenhower football program has made 2 playoff appearances since 1994. Macarthur, won a playoff game in 2002, that's it. Stephen Decatur closed as a high school in 2000. After that 1997 season, the school was more notorious about a fight in 1999 than the basketball program. After this season, its back to mediocrity. I would say, 'it was fun while it lasted.' But it wasn't, you don't go 28-0, then lose at home. This isn't like the Patriots, who made it to the Super Bowl, then lost. If you make it to state, you get a banner. Eisenhower can't even get a sectional banner. Same shit, different season. That's Decatur and that's the Curse, for ya. I'm a Cubs fan, and yes we were cursed tonight. Lewis Jackson, go torture Illinois next year, I know you will. Jeremy Robinson will have a great career at Illinois State, who is currently going to the NCAA Tourney, is Illinois? Coach Jeremy Moore, well, I think he's done. I think he'll leave the school in a year or two. He just had a 28-1 season. He's going to Chicago. This team, is like the Bulls ten years ago after Jordan made that last shot. Its breaking up. Look for a Macarthur like year next year, because its over baby.

HERE'S SOME THOUGHTS:

Are the Patriots officially a bust? After watching this team roll out 18 victories all season long, they didn't finish it off. All of the winning even prompted ESPN into its "greatest team of all time?" segment. Better than that, they started the "is Brady the greatest QB of all time?", "is Belichick the greatest coach of all time?" That's all hogwash now. It reminds me of when USC lost to Texas in the BCS title game. ESPN had built up all the hype over USC. ESPN had egg all over their face. ESPN has egg all over their face again. Maybe this can smack all of the people in Boston that no, you are not the best team of all time; no, you do not have the best sports teams of all time; and no, the next big thing on the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics or Bruins will not be the greatest of all time.

Hype, baby!

Everyone I know became a Giants fan overnight. I'm sitting here in the middle of Bears country. I'm glad the NFC finally won a Super Bowl, so I can stop hearing "the AFC is so much more dominant". I am so happy Michael Strahan won a Super Bowl. He is one of the good guys of the NFL. How is Burress' talk on Friday not a guarantee? Anyone notice the large guarantees all came from New York? (For the record, Joe Namath picked the Giants to win.)

No one outside New England liked the Patriots. They seemed like an arrogant, chest-pumping, in your face high school bully. And that arrogance ultimately led to their demise. Cheaters never win, in anything. It doesn't matter if it's the Hall of Fame game to start off the preseason, or if it's the greatest stage, the Super Bowl.

The ending was imminent and Junior Seau showed lots of class when he went back out with 0:01 left on the clock. Belichick showed no class leaving the game early with one play to go. I was a little intrigued when I saw Sean Salisbury, who pretty much sucked Brady's dick all season long, was giving the Giants props. I think ESPN was more shocked at the Patriots loss than the Giants victory. The Giants won that game, it wasn't a fluke. Congratulations to the New York Giants, champions of Super Bowl XLII!

Fox was terrible, I can't wait for NBC to finally show a Super Bowl next year. Bob Costas can chalk up another event. But I'd rather have NBC do an NFL game than anyone else. Hey Joe Buck, show a little bit of emotion! The pre game was pretty much a 3 hour commercial for American Idol. How can you have the Fox telecast of the Super Bowl be sponsored by a show that is on Fox (Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles)? Isn't that called "being cheap?"

The generation that I lived and grew up in, I believe is too arrogant and stupid to recognize history for what its worth. I bet 5 people know who Bobby Fischer was. Some people knew him as a chess master. Some people knew him as a great chess player. Some people knew him as an American hero. Some people knew him as a Cold War icon. Others might have known him in his later years as an American defect, a lunatic, and an anti-Semite. But for a brief time, he became that icon when he scored an American victory in the Cold War by beating the defending champion Boris Spassky in the World Chess Championship in 1972.

Apparently someone likes us in the Midwest. A rivalry, that has ripped my own family apart, has been called the class of all baseball rivalries. One time my ex's father would not let me in the house because I was a Cub fan, true story. Anyway, Ed Hardiman of FOXSports.com, praises the sportsmanship between the two teams.

The Seattle Storm of the WNBA have been sold to local ownership, hallelujah! Now we need to focus on that other team. Just to refresh some people's memory, I got a video off YouTube, big ups to BrickowskiBOOM:

USC at 1. Here comes more hate mail. That's why Clarence Thomas is on the Supreme Court. That's why we have Fox News Channel. If the AP writers have any sense in them, they should vote USC at 1. When you have a mythical champion set up, like the BCS, you've got to choose the team that has fulfilled its duty in the season. The BCS has chosen LSU, I disagree. I think they should have played USC. People will say the loss to Stanford hurt them, yes, but since then, you tell me if there isn't a hotter team in America in any division than USC. Don't give me that bs about Georgia, sorry kids, if your squad can't even win its own division, no way in hell they get a shot at a title. (And can you have two teams from the same conference go at it? What kind of weed are you smokin'?) USC won its conference and it got to the Rose Bowl. It isn't a bad spot to be in, you got a cupcake in Illinois, in your own backyard. But they should've been playing LSU. It's a crock, they got burned in 2003, they got burned this year. They should be national champions.