Don't boo Pedro

Bob Ryan and Jeff Jacobs both say Red Sox fans shouldn't boo Pedro Martinez when he starts tonight at Fenway.

Bill Livingston looks at the outrage around Ozzie compared to the lack of it around Brett Myers

A conspiracy theory

Grahame Jones said Monday's brutal call was unavoidable for the Aussies.

The New York Times on David Beckham.

The Times looks at Pedro Martinez too.

Mariotti and more

I like Bill Conlin’s sentiment here, but he really rambles

It’s Rick Telander’s turn to write about Guillen-Mariotti in the Sun Times

The Post Gazette’s Ron Cook thinks it’s a disgrace that Guillen can manage tonight in Pittsburgh. Hey Ron he’ll be back in two weeks for a much bigger game in your city.

Steve Politi thinks expanding the NCAA is a bad idea. I wrote a column with a similar sentiment in Tuesday's Gazette.

Grahame Jones was disgusted by Portugal-Holland.

More Mariotti

Jay Mariotti fires another volley. So does his dad.

Greg Couch says none of this is affecting the White Sox play.

Ortiz again, soccer and Rocker

Ortiz is ridiculous. The popular Sox slugger hit yet another walk-off homer run.

Dan Shaughnessy rips the Phillies and Brett Myers after the pitcher was arrested for hitting his wife. I agree.

John Rocker, who should have learned to shut up a long time ago proves he hasn't learned much as he defends Ozzie Guillen.

The Miami Herald has a fun feature on the 100th anniversary of the midnight baseball game in Fairbanks Alaska.

The Boston Globe's Kevin Cullen says when it comes to soccer the Irish are liking the English a little better these days. The Germans aren't liking them yet though.

Gwen Knapp likes the fake dramatic injuries in soccer and appreciates the sports lack of homophobia.

Rick Morrissey writes a tired critique of soccer.

Ousted

US is out.

Grahame Jones looks at the past, present and future of US Soccer in the Los Angeles Times.

I figured somebody was going to write this column. Turned out it was Greg Couch

Ryan on Roger Clemens' return, Justice too

Rick Morrissey fires across town at Jay Mariotti.

Mariotti

More later I hope, but here's Mariotti's response to Ozzie Guillen's attack on him.

A title in Miami

I'm not a big NBA guy, but I've always loved the way Alonzo Mourning plays basketball, even before he was an inspiration for kidney transplant survivors everywhere. I'm a Dwyane Wade fan too. Loved him at Marquette and I've admired the way he's carried himself as a pro. So to see those guys win a title together was nice to see.

The Miami Herald looks Mourning and Wade.

Dan Wetzel calls Dwyane Wade the only air apparent .

Still in Washington, Tom Knott thinks Gilbert Arenas is better than Wade. Ninety-percent of the people that read that will think he's either an idiot or a homer or both. Count me included.

LeBetard rips all the Heat players. Just kidding. LeBetard is as happy as the players.

Couple of World Cup links:
Michael Owen is out.

Maradona shadow looms in Argentina.

Camille Powell looks at Ghana.


I feel like somebody is going to look back and think this was a bad trade. Not sure who yet though.

Red-carded, but still alive

Robert Millward said all the cards are ruining the World Cup

US still alive after a card-filled match.

J.A. Adande thinks the Americans have regained some of their respect.

I just like this photo:

Germany loves Hasselhoff and Mexicans

I have Ghana in the pick-a-team-out-of-a-hat World Cup pool. All of a sudden that looks better as the Black Stars (a nickname from their flag, not a racial one if you were wondering) stunned the Czechs.

The excellent John Lopez, who is overshadowed in Houston by Richard Justice (also excellent) is one of the few big name columnists at the World Cup. He has a good column today on the Mexican fans in Germany.

Apparently Italy's Francesco Totti is soccer's Manny Ramirez.

The Onion looks at US Soccer from an opposite universe.

I'm wondering how much prepation NBC did for stuff about Tiger and Earl Woods has now gone to waste with Tiger out.

Press box to front office

Dan Shaughnessy handles the Globe's story on Chris Snow leaving the Globe to work in the Minnesota Wild's front office.

If the Red Sox had been playing the Tigers would Snow now be employed by the Red Wings?

Right to Play

ESPN's eTicket story on Right to Play's work on sports in Africa was excellent.

Fear then relief

It was a scary day in Pittsburgh after Roethlisberger's crash.

Bummer

This morning's post got wiped out and I don't have time to recreate it so this is all you get for now from an ugly effort by the US.

Crossbar

Sunday papers

I just realized I don't know who won the Belmont...

The Sun Sentinel looks at Alonzo Mourning’s cousin who gave him a kidney

The NCAA is finally starting to crack down on diploma mill high schools.

Jay Mariotti rips Ozzie Guillen’s steroid stance.

The NYT on Lastings Milledge

The Boston Globe has a Claudio Reyna profile

Sports Illustrated extra has a good story on soccer in San Quentin

England fans have been on good behaviour so far.

I may replace that photo later. There weren't many good choices from the early game...

World cup etc.

The Irish Examiner has a World Cup blog. So does the International Herald Tribune

Is soccer really a peacemaker? The Washington Post takes a look.

Jim Litke as a nice overview look heading into the World Cup.

This is funny

Deadspin HGH

Deadspin has sources on who some of the players are that were blacked out of the Jason Grimsley report.

Beasley, Bobby and Brazil

The Washington Post has a story on DaMarcus Beasley.

Newsday has a good story on the US' chances. Thanks to Andrew Merritt for the link.

The LA Times has a look at Germany as the host.

LA Times on the Bruce Arena era

LA Times on Brazil.

Jere Longman on Bobby Convey

World Cup reads

Good L.A. Times article on Landon Donovan's return to Germany.

I keep reading about concerns over racism at the World Cup in Germany. I hope it turns out to be much ado over nothing.

The New York Times on Brazil's expectations.

The Gray Lady has a story on the Angolan national team too.

IF you can't tell I read the New York Times today. George Vescey has a story on new respect for US Soccer. PLAY Magazine has the Americans potentially contending too as well as a feature on Ronaldinho.