It may have only been the MLB HOME RUN DERBY, but it was quite a show and with Josh Hamilton the leading man. Yes, he lost to Justin Morneau, but Hamilton’s 28 home runs in the first round(35 overall) was the headline performance. Good for him. He has made a fine comeback from drugs and is playing like the number one draft pick he was a few years ago. He is this season’s feel good story.

Please, Brett Favre, make up your mind: first, you retire, now you want to play again.This is pathetic! Make up your mind. I ‘ll help you a bit: you have had a great career. You have a Super Bowl ring, three MVP awards and hold all the major NFL passing records and are beloved by Packer fans. Don’t come back and begin to embarrass yourself. Walk away with your health intact.

An exciting weekend of tennis concluded with the end of Roger Federer’s reign as Wimbledon champ by Rafael Nadal in another classic match. Venus Williams taught little sister Serena who’s boss on the court with a straight set win for fifth  ladie’s title. Congratulations to both.

Yesterday, we celebrated America’s 232nd birthday. No matter what our elelcted officials try to do to it, it keeps chugging along like ‘ol man river. Yes, we are in the throes of economic strife and likely will be for some time to come. The Liberals are trying to turn our great nation into a socialist society where the governement tells you what to do every waking minute of the day. In the long run, it will not work. Why? We are a nation of individuals who can and will think for themselves. We are not descendent from fearful men and women. We are a proud, independent and at times, defiant nation. We will not be intimidated or threatened. The memory of 9/11 is still fresh in our minds. We will protect what we have built. In 232 years, America has been the beacon of hope for all freedom loving people and those who are our adversaries will suffer the consequences if they attempt to wrest that from us. We have sent men to the moon, fought many wars, created an industrial complex that showed the world what free men and women can do. The cost of freedom is high but we have always paid it. American soldiers are in cemeteries around the globe. They are heroes. We live today because of them. Political correctness has to end. It is time to return to blunt, honest debate about our future. Sure, we have our problems and always will, but WHAT A COUNTRY! 

Well, after our great nation celebrated its 232nd birthday, it is back to Wimbledon. The Williams’ sisters, Serena and Venus, will battle it out for the ladies’ singles title, while Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal meet again for the men’s title. Whoever wins really doesn’t matter to me but it will be quite a weekend.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.