The Sound of the Suburbs

Notes On A Scorecard ...

Phillies acquire Roy Oswalt. Please pass GO and see you in the World Series. Watch out, American League. And will the final difference be Charlie Manuel managing to win the All-Star Game, and Joe Girardi leaving the best hitter alive in A-Rod on the bench in the bottom of the ninth in Anaheim?

Eddie House to the Heat. Slowly Pat Riley puts the pieces together in his Seventh Seal chess match v. Mitch Kupchak.

Georgia Frontiere, Bruce McNall, Frank and Jamie McCourt ... What is it about LA sports owners? Just makes you appreciate Jerry Buss all the more.

Long work week, hellish commute home, is there a better record to put on than The Sex Pistols Never Mind The Bollocks? Er, no. "Problem? The problem is YOU!"

Memo to bitter Cavs fans: We live in a capitalistic society. LBJ hung in there forever and the only help he got was over-da-hill Shaq, can't-deliver-in-the-post M. Williams and Antawn Jamison. The Heat are the new Great Society.

Bob Sheppard, The Boss and The Major. Death does come in threes, even for The Pinstripes.

Amazing how the Bosox still trail Tampa by only six in the loss column despite their plethora of injuries. Still, I like the Rays to edge them out for the wild card.

Back to the McCourts (what an appropriate name given their court battle): ESPN cover story essential reading. Somewhere Gay Talese is smiling. And I have the feeling Hunter S. Thompson is lighting up somewhere in the vicinity with Jim Healy.

"Sometimes I want to smack your face." Greatest debut elpee track one lyric in history. Rattus Norvegicus IV, The Stranglers. Check it out.

Ravens CB Domonique Foxworth tears ACL. I've had that injury and it hurts. So much for my dark horse Super Bowl pick with their decimated secondary. Go, Chargers!

World Cup Update: Anybody scored yet?

My fave WC moment by far: ABC's pan shot of Mick Jagger and Bill Clinton sitting next to one another during semis. Bill: "So Mick, can you explain your inspiration for 'Brown Sugar?'" Mick: "Aww, Mr. President, don't you remember 'Some Girls'?"

Rest in peace, John Wooden. The greatest American coach and teacher in history.

P.S. Whatever happened to Swen Nater?

Who will outlast the other, Manny Ramirez or David Ortiz? I'll take Big Papi.

I loathe going to live sports events anymore but there is nothing more exciting than a hockey game. Sat next to the Kings bench (don't hate me) v. Rangers midseason and I haven't seen such passion since the Van Halen reunion tour. Although they did NOT play "Top Jimmy." Dan Snierson and I swallowed that bitter pill.

Look up Red Hot in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of Maggie Q, star of The CW's new kick-ass series, "Nikita.". Take it to the bank.

Good to hear Andrew Bynum's annual knee surgery was successful. Can you say Sam Bowie?

Do yourself a favor and immediately buy "In The Flesh" by Johnny Thunders live at the Roxy and cue up "I Can Tell." You won't regret it.

Bring on Football ...