Tilam posting about hockey?!

ESPN's decision to not pick up the contract with the NHL FURTHER illustrates the simple fact that hockey, and I hate to admit this, is pretty much a dying, if not dead, sport in the US. As if they were a HUGE draw on TV before the strike, they are on life support at this time. Of course, this decline in revenue will also bolster the owner's contention that they cannot support hockey as it is currently given the revenue stream, but I find it hard to support that because aren't they the idiots who allowed the salary structure to escalate? Let's fact it, if I were to double Tilam's salary to approximately $25K a year next year, of COURSE he'd take it. And he'd be more than happy to accept another increase the next year - minimum wage cementheads like Tilam are all about the benjamins. But then, 3 years from now, piss and moan at him and say "well, I bolstered your salary too high, now you have to take a cut or limit" why would he say no? He'd cackle at me in that old guy voice of his. Of course, this is a two pronged issue - the owners let things get out of hand, but the normal environment between the owners and players is so acrimonious even when at rest that the players weren't willing to pitch in and correct the owner's mistakes. The very people who just paid the players too frikkin much are being screwed by the very people who benefited from their stupidity. This time, well, I have to side with the owners. Yes, they were wrong to let salaries get out of hand and screw up the economies of the "business of hockey", but how much is too much? How much more than $1 million can you POSSIBLY need to earn? F**Knuts...

I can go WAY off about Danica Patrick and being the hot guy in the winners circle. About playing "gear shift". Lewd comments about "getting into the cockpit" of the car. Playing "engine and dipstick" with a bottle of champagne and mazola corn oil on the nightstand. But I won't. Wait, I just did. Ooops. Anyway, like I said, the girl can race. And who cares if she's a girl, if you discount the minor spinout she had on her first qualifying lap, she WINS THE POLE AT INDY! Fearless, and with a great team (Rahal-Letterman) behind her, she's got a bright future in store. I'll let you know if she's in the swimsuit issue next year, but I bet you a six-pack of beer it won't happen - because she's a driver, and won't want to cheapen herself by posing for the cheese shot in the bikini issue (MUCH to my disappointment, btw).

MLS soccer...French Open...*WHA?*...oh, sorry, I was asleep too. But I WILL comment that I am cautiously encouraged by the talent that is being home grown in MLS soccer these days. In a few years I think we will be among the world powers in soccer. That is, until the owners let salaries spiral out of control and the sport gets shut down.

Speaking of shut down, there are HUGE rumors that the NBA is going to experience a lockout. Billy Hunter, the Al Sharpton/Jesse Jackson wanna be, played the assinine race card, intimating that people disrespect him and don't believe in his leadership because he's black. Nope, Billy, we think you're an ASSWIPE! You are being controlled by the high powered agents and the greedy players, and you're nothing more than a puppet. OMGz, the NBA just annoys me to no end - buncha no-moral, greedy, immature thugs, very few of whom have actually basketball skills, just are athletic and can run and dribble and dunk. What is MORE annoying is the fact that the union and owners HAD AN AGREEMENT, but when Hunter met with the agents, they all changed their tune! Man I hope this league goes away and hockey returns to the fold.

LAX. Exciting game. Johns Hopkins deserves kudos as a major and ongoing collect lacross power.

So the runaway bride was fined and forced to repay some of the cost of the frantic search for her when she was "missing". Fair enough. I sure hope she has saved more money, because she's going to make some therapist VERY rich.

My opinion on the most stress moment in sports - the Spelling Bee. Tilam couldn't spell "cat" if you spotted him the "c" and the "a", but the words that those kids are spelling these days are mind boggling!