Sports are 4th of July Weekend

Do you know how nice it is to live 2 miles from the beach? I just need some wingment o go with me now. Lots of beautiful girls at the beach today for the 4th of July weekend. I love Ft. Lauderdale beach. It's sooo much better then South Beach.

Anyway, lots of topics today starting with the World Cup. BRAZIL IS OUT. The one thing the French do right is play soccer. Brazil's last 2 World Cup losses (which spans 12 years) are both to France. And now if you ask me, France is the favorite to win. I love Portugal, but England practically gave them the game this morning and they do not belong in the semis. I see Italy and France going at it and Italy winning it all. What a story it will be if Italy, picked to finish third in their Group, and with the scnadals going on in that country, win the "Ugly" trophy as World Cup Champs.

Hockey free agency started 6 hours ago and already the movement is amazing. Zdeno Chara who is literally 10-feet tall and a defensement signed with Boston, the team who I so based just a few days ago. And right about Chara signed, the Bruins signed Marc Savard, a centerman to lead their offense. So basically the Bruins picked up their #1 Center and #1 Defensemen on Day 1 of free agency. I wonder who the big winners are? Amazing for a team that was in such dissary as of 48 hours ago.

Meanwhile, I can't believe the second best Free Agent player available, Ed Jovanovski signed already with Phoenix. Jovo was supposed to come play for my team, the Panthers because he is great friends with Todd Bertuzzi. On top of that, the Coyotes werent even on the radar. Wayne Gretzky just scored one of the biggest goals he even has scored by singing Jovo and with Chara already taken, the Panthers better be in trade talks to get Chris Pronger from Edmonton or else the Panthers might just end up the big losers this free agency period. On top of that, who people were saying the #3 defensemen out there was, Pavel Kubina signed with Toronto, leaving the Panthers in an even bigger hole. There is lots of time left before training camp begins in the NHL but the big winners in the beginning of free agency definately are Boston and Phoenix.

As for baseball, how about those Florida Marlins, in second place in the NL East. This team just shut down the hottest team in the AL last night, the Boston Red Sox. However, lets talk about trade rumors. I hear Miguel Tejada is really on the trade market. If the O's think the only way they can compete is to trade Tejada, let me ask them this............if trading your best players so MAYBE, and I emphasize MAYBE in 3 years the prosepects you get will pan out, then you have issues. In 3 years the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays will be stronger. You can not compete in the AL East with prospects. What the O's should be doing now is holding tight. Dont trade anyone and this offseason actually sign a damn pitcher, and not a Kris Benson type pitcher; a Tom Glavine, Mike Mussina, Dontrelle Willis type pitcher. Rebuilding will get the O's nowhere and keep butts out of seats, as if that isnt already happening. If Tejada is traded, the O's can kiss the next 5 years goodbye.

For those of you interested, I posted my preseason MLB Picks on a sports betting website. Here is who I predicted just for the record. I have correctly picked at least one of the two postseason participants in 5 of the last 6 years with the exception being 2003 when I picked Cubs/Red Sox and both those teams finished one game away from the series. I got Houston right last year, Boston the year before. 2003 was a bust. 2002 I got San Fran. 2001 I predicted the entire series correct and # of games Yanks vs. Arizona. I'm serious, I picked that one in April, just ask my buddy MILO. And 2000, I got the Yankees in the series. This year Im happy to report Im very wrong with lots of picks. This makes me happy because I think parody is coming back to baseball. The Yanks will not make the playoffs this year which is good for baseball.

My picks from April 1, 2006----
AL
East: Red Sox
Central: Cleveland (wow that looks bad now)
West: Anaheim (looks bad now but I think they can make a run)
W.C. : Oakland (if they win the west can I at least take credit for calling them a playoff team?)
NL
East: Mets
Central: Cards
West: San Fran.
W.C. : Philly (horrible pick, I apologize)

Worls Series:
Anaheim vs. Mets
Anaheim in 6 as Champs (still holding my breathe for this one, but I think I can definately get the Mets in the Series this year.)

Last thing before I go. Andre Agassi will be missed at Wimbledon, and I pick him to make it to the semi-finals if not win the US Open and he will go out on top. The truest form of rivalry is Agassi/Sampress. No one will ever take that away. That was a friendly I wanna kick your ass rivalry. No fights, no curses, just the best tennis ever.