As the midseason point approaches!

The MLB All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium is on the horizon and it has been an interesting season thus far: Both the White Sox and Cubs are in first place in their respective divisions. The surprising Rays hang tough, less than two games behind the division leading Red Sox. The Los Angeles Angels quietly have the second best record in baseball behind the Cubs and watch out for my Yankees who lurk only five games behind Boston in the AL East.  Despite the turmoil in the Mets clubhouse, they are only 3 1/2 games behind the first place Phillies in the NL East. The second half should prove as interesting as the first half.

WILL FEDERER REPEAT?

It may be sacrilege to admit this, but i am not a big tennis fan, but I do like Wimbledon. After all, it holds more prestige and defines a player’s career more than any other tournament. I never thought anyone would win five consecutive singles’ titles after Bjorn Borg did, but Roger Federer has and has a chance to win a sixth. Will he do it? I think he will. Yes, he has struggled in the last few months but the great ones rise to the occasion and Federer certainly is great. Lets wait and see what unfolds.

GOLF WON’T BE THE SAME

In wise move, Tiger Woods has decided to shut down the rest of his 2008 PGA season in favor of having his damaged knee operated on. That is the proper move. He won’t be back till next year but we can wait with breathless anticipation the return of golf’s greatest player. Other top professionals can breathe a little easier as Woods recuperates and rehabilitates his knee. Maybe they can figure out how to defeat him at last. I don’t think they will. After all, Rocco Mediate had the US Open under control  but Woods responded to the challenge and defeated Mediate in sudden death on one good knee. It was golf at its finest. Until Woods returns, golf won’t be the same without him.

SCHILLING MAY BE THROUGH!

It finally became too much, even for Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. The pain in his pitching shoulder won this battle as Schilling relented to undergo likely career ending surgery. At 41 and with a six to eight month rehabilitation, Scjhilling’s major league career is likely over. What a warrior he was and is. May have won close to 220 games, but he recorded over 3,000 strikeouts and has three world series rings: one from the Diamondbacks and two with the Red Sox. Is he a hall of famer? Maybe not a first ballot one, but he does belong.

INFIGHTING ALREADY!

Training camp hasn’t even begun yet for the Super Bowl Champion NY Giants and infighting has already started. Plaxico Burress, who has three years left on a six year-$25 million contract wants to renegotiate and  tight end and perennial brat, Jeremy Shockey, got up in GM Jerry Reese’s face during a mini camp and had the proverbial shouting match on the field. Time for Burress to get into mini camp and for Shockey to be traded. Besides, it was no accident that the Giants offense took off after Shockey landed on the disabled list late last season and rookie Kevin Boss quietly replaced him and the offense seemed to jell during their post season run for the title. 

TAKE A BOW, BOSTON!

That is sacrilege to say that, since I’m a native New Yorker, but let’s give credit where its due. The Boston Celtics return to the summit of the NBA after a 22 year absence and its well deserved. Blowing out the Lakers by 39 POINTS in the sixth game last night was the biggest margin of victory in NBA Finals history, capping off a great season that saw them lead the NBA with 66 victories in a 82 game regular season. Great for Paul Pierce(NBA Finals MVP), Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. All have had fine careers but now can add the title “WORLD CHAMPION,” to their resume.  TAKE A BOW, BOSTON CELTICS- NBA WORLD CHAMPIONS.

WILLIE RANDOLPH DESERVED BETTER!

Well, why most of the world was asleep. the NY Mets fired Willie Randolph. In a strange move by the organization, they waited until the team was on the west coast before firing him. Another strange chapter in the recent Mets history. Willie, you got a raw deal and you deserved better. You’ll get another chance to manage and then you can stick it to the Mets.

WHAT NEXT?

Yankees manager Joe Girardi must have the patience of Job. He’d better, after Chien-Ming Wang hurt his right foot the other night and will be on crutches for six weeks. Already short on pitching, the Yankees are in a deep hole without Wang. What Next? Another Wang Bang?

NO ONE DOES IT BETTER, TODAY!

Lets face it folks, Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer in the world today and has been for several years. I won’t proclaim him the greatest ever-yet. But, once he supplants Jack Nicklaus as the all time leader in majors’victories, he will be and their will little, if any argument. Following Michael Jordan’s retirement, Woods has assumed the mantle of the most famous athlete in the world. We are watching him in the prime of his career. Men’s professional golf, as i have previously stated, is very, very competitive. With that being written, what Woods has accomplished is remarkable and he has earned the respect of his contemporaries and the trappings that go along with his brilliant play. In the jungle, the lion may be king, but in professional golf, the king is Tiger.

FIRE OMAR MINAYA!

As some people know, i am a Yankees fan. But Willie Randolph, a former great Yankees second baseman, is getting the shaft in Flushing. He didn’t put this pitiful Mets squad together, GM Omar Minaya did. Minaya is the one who should be raked over the coals, not Randolph. Ever since Rickey Henderson was put on the coaching staff(and since released), the Mets fell apart late in the 2007 season and haven’t been the same since. Jose Reyes, once a thrilling player, acts like he doesn’t have to do anything, Carlos Delgado has seen his better days, and Beltran needs to bring his “A” game every night. Randolph will likely be made the scapegoat for this floundering bunch of so-called “Major Leaguers,” but Omar Minaya should be replaced.