Good Reads: Sox, soccer etc.

Bob Hohler does a nice feature on new Red Sox first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz.

The U.S. Women's soccer team is now Cubs fans.

Fair is fair.

It was Bob Ryan's turn to slam USA Basketball. Wetzel plays too.

Local Greeks are excited about the Olympics.

Caulton Tudor says replay in college is bad, although he does it a little more eloquently.

Jay Mariotti writes a solid column about Greg Maddux.

Bernie Lincicome on John Elway.

T.J. Simers gets an X-makeover. I do not see the point of this story.

The Arizona Republic talks about Marcel Shipp going in to the season as a backup again. I'm taking pool entries on when he becomes the starter.

George Vecsey on the last run for women's soccer pioneers.

Mitch Albom talks to Barry Sanders.

Ray Ratto looks at Greg Maddux, maybe the final member of baseball's 300 club.

Simmons begins his top 72 sports movies of the past 33 years series. This sort of thing is his strength, but it's hard to imagine he won't fizzle out here with so many to write.