A-Rod Goes Down: Alex Rodriguez's hand injury will keep him out of the lineup for 6 to 8 weeks. He's batting .276 with 15 homers and 44 RBI, so his offensive numbers, while good for a third baseman, won't be as difficult to replace in his absence. The rest of the Yankees' lineup is still fairly potent, so I don't think this significantly opens the door for the rest of the American League East to challenge the Bronx Bombers for division supremacy. The good news is that A-Rod will be back to give his usual mediocre playoff performance.
Lebron and Mello Lead the Olympians: Lebron James and Carmello Anthony led the 2012 Olympic Basketball team to an impressive victory over Spain on the opponent's home court in Barcelona. They looked very strong, even invincible at times against a team that sat one of their best players, Marc Gasol due to injury. The speed of the Americans overwhelmed Spain and probably would have even with Gasol on the court. As I watched the game, two concerns about the US team surfaced for me: They struggled at times against the zone and they also seemed to occasionally lose focus. But at the end of the day, this starting lineup that includes Lebron, Chris Paul, Kobe and Kevin Durant is just too good to lose in London, not to mention the calming presence of Coach K on the sidelines.
Mystery Golfer: If I was to tell you that this professional golfer had three wins, the 36-hole lead at the US Open, a third place finish at The Open Championship and has climbed into second place in the World Golf Rankings, you would probably think that was a terrific season. Especially coming off major knee surgery and a rather comprehensive swing change over the course of the last couple of years. But since his name is Tiger Woods, he is generally viewed as underachieving. As ESPN's Mike Golic is known to say, we just need to "Stop It!"
Finally, Football!: Is it just me, or has this offseason been longer than usual? NFL training camps finally open this week and it couldn't happen soon enough. Last year we had the day to day labor situation to captivate us. This year, outside of the Saints ordeal and the usual Tim Tebow hype, there really hasn't been a consistent story to hold our attention. As a Redskin fan, I am particularly interested in the development of RGIII. As a football fan in general, there are plenty of other great stories as the preseason unfolds. Is Peyton Manning, now second in his own family in Super Bowl wins, healthy and ready to take the Broncos to the next level? Will his successor at Indianapolis be able to step into his shoes and return the Colts to respectability? Can the Eagles live up to another preseason of high expectations? Will Cam Newton continue to develop and lead the Panthers into the playoffs? How much difference will Jeff Fisher make to the Rams and their young quarterback, Sam Bradford? Can the Saints overcome all of the off-season difficulties and become the first team to host and play in a Super Bowl in the same season, and without a true head coach? And what about the Cowboys? I don't know about you, but I can't wait to find out.
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