Football picks

Editor's note: This will most likely become a Friday morning tradition during football season. However, I'm working Thursday night this week, so I'll go ahead and pop my predictions up today.

NFL

Miami at Pittsburgh -- I really like both of these teams, although I'm starting to think Roethlisberger is cursed this year. Nick Saban has the Dolphins poised for a deep playoff run, and Daunte Culpepper looks healthy and fit. I like the Dolphins in this one. Final: 26-14

Atlanta at Carolina -- I like the Panthers, but not as much as everyone else does. And it's an up year for the Falcons, who alternate winning and losing seasons like Paris Hilton alternates favorite pets. The absence of Steve Smith is a major blow for Jake Delhomme and the Panthers' offense. Is Mike Vick finally poised for a breakout year? We'll see, but he'll get off to a good start. Final: 23-16

Baltimore at Tampa Bay -- Are there any teams I don't like? Yes, but these two don't fit that bill. The addition of Steve McNair gives the Ravens a stable, poised leader at QB to take pressure off Jamal Lewis and the defense. Tampa can only get better, as Chris Simms and Cadillac Williams get more experience and become more comfortable. I also like Michael Clayton to have a huge year, going back to the Pro Bowl. Both teams have great defenses, but on this day, Baltimore's will be slightly better. Final: 17-13

Cincinnati at Kansas City -- Man, did the NFL do a good job with the Week 1 matchups or what? The league's two young stars -- Bengals QB Carson Palmer and Chiefs RB Larry Johnson -- squaring off in Week 1. The Chiefs have some major question marks -- the retirement of Willie Roaf, as well as the departure of Johnson's lead blocker at fullback. Plus, the addition of Herm Edwards as head coach, who I like as a person, but question as a head coach in this league. Palmer to Chad Johnson is the premier pass-and-catch duo in the league. Rudi Johnson is a workhorse back. And the Bengals' defense is much improved. I like Cincy to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Final: 38-20

Denver at St. Louis -- Finally, a home team is victorious! Scott Linehan starts off his career with a win. Can the Rams once again become The Greatest Show on Turf? There are plenty of weapons at QB Marc Bulger's disposal, particularly with the coming of age of RB Stephen Jackson, coupled with Linehan's penchant for the run (unlike previous head coach Mike Martz' disdain for it). There are a lot of uncertainties in Denver. Once again, an unsettled backfield. Can the Broncos again piecemeal a 1,000-yard rusher. Will Jake Plummer have a career year again -- or implode like normal? Who are his weapons at WR? Mike Shanahan is a great coach, but I'm not sold on the Broncos as a playoff team yet. Final: 27-18

New Orleans at Cleveland -- Call it a homer pick. I like this New Orleans offense. Drew Brees is not a star, but he's a solid upgrade over Aaron Brooks. Deuce and Reggie Bush provide a nice 1-2 punch in the backfield, and Bush is going to make some major plays. Joe Horn is back and healthy as the No. 1 receiver, while Devery Henderson is set for a Donte' Stallworth-like year this year. But the defense scares me. A lot. There's no way the Saints are a playoff team with this defense. But Cleveland is horrible. Horrible. Rueben Droughns might be the worst starting RB in the league. Charlie Frye would be a third-stringer at some places. I do think Winslow, if he's healthy, upgrades the offense -- as will the improvement of Braylon Edwards at WR. I like Romeo Crennel, and the move to bring in the veteran leadership of Willie McGinest on defense. The Browns are making strides. But they're still a ways off. Final: 28-24

NY Jets at Tennessee -- Bad news for both of these teams. They're bad. The Jets, outside of the Texans, are the worst team in the league. And the Titans might not be much better. I have a feeling Jeff Fisher is done in Nashville, while it's not the way Eric Mangini wanted to start his career. There's not much to like about either of these teams -- no star power whatsoever. Major questions at QB -- can Pennington be healthy? Who starts for the Titans? More questions at RB -- like who gets the carries for both of these teams? This game could get real ugly. Final: 15-9

Philadelphia at Houston -- I like the makeup of this Eagles team. The chemistry issues are gone, and the talent is still there that went to the NFC title game year after year. I really think they will end up back in the championship game, and maybe even the Super Bowl. As for the Texans, well it just gets worse and worse for David Carr. The front office passed up a chance to get a supserstar in Reggie Bush, and instead will start fellow rookie Wali Lundy at running back. That's all I need to know about the direction of this team. Final: 38-10

Seattle at Detroit -- My upset special of the week. Seattle is the defending Super Bowl runner-up, and no runner-up has won more than 7 games the next year in the 21st century. Throw in the Madden curse for Shaun Alexander, and it could be a long year for the Seahawks. And I like the Lions. They aren't a playoff team yet, but I like the addition of Jon Kitna at QB. He's not flashy, but he's solid. He's not going to make the mistakes Joey Harrington did. I think this Lions team can win 7 or 8 games this year, which is a major step towards getting back to the playoffs. Final: 20-14

Chicago at Green Bay -- It's time for Brett Favre to just shut up and play -- or go away. His comment about this team having the most talent he's played with was just ridiculous. This is going to be a bad Packers team. And while the Bears' offense will still not be flashy, due to not having a major playmaker outside, if Grossman or Griese or Orton or whoever else can be consistent and not make mistakes, this defense will win at least 10 games. Thomas Jones will be a 1,500-yard rusher, and the Bears might give up less than 10 points a game. Final: 20-6

Dallas at Jacksonville -- I actually like this Dallas team early on, but we all know a TO blow up is inevitable at some point. The Cowboys, even without him, do have a ton of talent. It's just a matter of how much he screws up the locker room. With that said, Jacksonville is one of my favorite teams this year. I love Leftwich if he can stay healthy. And he's got plenty of talent around him. They have a legitimate chance to compete with the AFC powers this year. Final: 27-24

San Francisco at Arizona -- I think we'll see a little bit of improvement in San Fran this year -- maybe 5 wins. But they still are one of the worst teams in the NFL. Arizona, on the other hand, has one of the best teams on paper -- 2 1,000-yard receivers, a major weapon at running back, and 2 QBs that can run an offense. I like this Cardinals team as a sleeper pick for the NFC championship game. Final: 39-17

Indianapolis at NY Giants -- Little brother gets the best of older brother. Peyton outshines Eli stat-wise, but this game will be won on the ground. Tiki has a big game with more than 100 yards and a couple of TDs, while the combo of Dominic Rhodes and Joe Addai will struggle against the Giants' defensive front. This is going to be a great game for NBC's primetime coverage. Final: 27-23

Minnesota at Washington -- I don't like either of these teams. Washington will be a major disappointment this year. I don't see more than 6 wins, while some are expecting them to win that tough East division. I see the 'Skins as the worst team in that division. Minnesota, meanwhile, is changing the culture under new head coach Brad Childress. Some have picked them as the division favorite in the North, but I don't see them beating the Bears. They could get to 8 or maybe 9 wins and make a push for the playoffs. Final: 19-12

San Diego at Oakland -- Is Phil Rivers ready? I really don't know. I do know Antonio Gates and LT will take a lot of pressure off him early. When you have a versatile RB who can catch balls out of the backfield and a huge target at TE, it makes it easy for a QB to get in a rhythm early. Oakland is going to be very interesting. Aaron Brooks might be the worst QB in the league. He's got a big arm, and he'll hook up with Randy Moss for some points. But he'll also make some huge mistakes that end up burying the Raiders. Final: 28-17

College Football

1. Ohio State at Texas -- Does it get any better than this? 1 vs 2. Doesn't happen very often in the regular season. Last year, UT's comeback win over OSU propelled the Horns to the national title. Will the tables turn this year? It's likely. While I'm hesitant to label Troy Smith this year's Vince Young, he could use his performance in last year's bowl game to propel him to a huge year -- just like VY did the Rose Bowl 2 years ago. I think Teddy Ginn Jr. is the best player in the game, and I'm not sold on Colt McCoy being able to play in this big of a game this early in his career. Final: 28-21

2. Texas vs. Ohio State -- See above.

3. USC (Open) -- Next week vs. Nebraska.

4. Notre Dame vs. Penn State -- It's funny how one game can change everything. Notre Dame's near-loss to Georgia Tech dropped the Irish in the eyes of some of the national media. And it refocused the Irish that they really aren't as good as the media made them out to be. I liked Penn State in this game until the scare last week. Now the Irish will come up with a close, close win. Final: 24-23

5. Auburn at Mississippi State -- Poor Sly Croom. Wasn't this year supposed to get better in Starkville. Open the year with a 15-0 loss to South Carolina. And it only gets worse against Auburn. Kenny Irons is poised for a big, big game. Final: 27-0

6. West Virginia vs. Eastern Washington -- Rich Rodriguez: Can you please upgrade your non-conference schedule? The Big East already is weak. You need to bulk up the schedule. That's all I ask. Final: 56-10

7. Florida vs. UCF -- The Gators started off slow last week before turning it on. Is that a sign they are starting to click, or a sign the offense still isn't that good? I believe Chris Leak will get more and more comfortable in this offense, and as the season goes along, the Gators will emerge as a legit national title contender. Final: 42-17

8. LSU vs. Arizona -- I like this game a lot. Could be the game of the week -- even with Texas/OSU and ND/PSU. The Tigers have as much talent as anyone in the country, and the Wildcats are one of the up-and-coming teams under Mike Stoops. I really believe this is the year they put everything together. LSU gets a major scare but comes out with the win. Final: 28-27

9. Florida State vs. Troy -- The Seminoles are coming off a close, tough victory over rival Miami in the season opener on Monday. It's a short week, the guys relax a little bit due to a Sun Belt school coming in town. It's your classic trap game. While I don't think the Noles can win the national title, they're not as bad as they'll look this weekend. Final: 24-20

10. Michigan vs. Central Michigan -- Not fair. I understand why UM does it, but it shouldn't play the directional state schools. Just not fair at all. Final: 55-12

11. Tennessee vs. Air Force -- Everybody jumped on the bandwagon last week as Rocky Top destroyed Cal. They are legit if Erik Ainge stays healthy. That's a big question. But for now, the Vols continue to roll. Final: 38-10

12. Georgia at South Carolina -- The Ole Ballcoach showed a little defense last week -- and only a little offense. This is a big matchup in the SEC early on. The Gamecocks are ready for the challenge. Final: 24-19

13. Louisville at Temple -- Temple is coming off a win. Louisville lost RB Mike Bush for the year. Doesn't matter. Brian Brohm is a superstar, while the Cardinals have more-than-capable backs to fill in for Bush against Temple. UL in a big win. Final: 49-14

14. Iowa at Syracuse -- I like Iowa a lot this year. But this is a potential trap game. On the road against a team that has been weak for a while but is starting to come back. I like the Orange to put up a fight. Final: 26-21

15. Oklahoma vs. Washington -- Another game that will expose OU. Last week it was UAB. This week it's a Washington team that is among the bottom in the Pac 10. Adrian Peterson will again carry the Sooners to a tough victory. Final: 21-17

16. Virginia Tech at UNC -- The Hokies get an early test in the ACC. Every year, the Tar Heels come up and scare, or defeat, one of the big boys in the conference. This is one of those trap games. The Hokies barely hang on. Final: 24-21

17. Miami vs. Florida A&M -- Just what Kyle Wright, Larry Coker and the Canes need after last week's loss to FSU -- a visit from FAMU. Miami's offense will put up some points and get some much-needed confidence. Final: 55-7

18. Clemson at Boston College -- A tough ACC game early. I like Clemson a lot, but they've been a perennial underachiever under Tommy Bowden. This is a game that will test these Tigers very early. BC, though never a factor in the national title race, always competes for a bowl game. I think Clemson shows it's for real this year. Final: 31-17

19. Penn State at Notre Dame -- See above.

20. Oregon at Fresno State -- These are the games Pat Hill lives for. One of the big boys comes to his home field. The Bulldogs always play better in September than they do in November, and this game will be no different. FSU thrusts itself into the national spotlight. Final: 27-20

21. Nebraska vs. Nicholls State -- The Cornhuskers are tough. Nicholls State brings in a spread option attack that could give the Huskers defense some problems on the edge. Nebraska just has too much offense though. Final: 48-13

22. Cal vs. Minnesota -- The Bears still don't have a QB. They were exposed last week by Tennessee, and will be so again this week against the Gophers. Final: 28-20

23. TCU vs. UC-Davis -- UC-Davis has a great offense, on their level. They aren't on TCU's level. Final: 40-18

24. Texas Tech at UTEP -- The Miners get a nationally-ranked team to step onto their turf. Senior QB Jordan Palmer (Carson's little brother) gets his chance for a coming-out party. He's destroyed all of UTEP's records and aims for 4,000 yards this year. This is the biggest game on UTEP's schedule, and I see Palmer pushing 400 yards threw the air, leading the Miners to a win. Final: 44-37

25. Arizona State vs. Nevada -- Both teams are trying to come off disappointing starts. Luckily for ASU, it won. Nevada, however, lost to Fresno and doesn't want to go 0-2. ASU will be too much, though. Final: 31-21

It's fantasy time!!!

Had our fantasy football draft tonight for the league I'm participating in at work. Like after every draft or college signing day, I think I have a great team. Good enough to win the league? That I'm not so sure about. But I didn't think so after my baseball draft, and I've led most of the year and am currently second with one left to play in the regular season.

Here's a look at my roster with my analysis (* denotes will be a starter):

*QB Tom Brady (New England) -- With all due respect to the Manning brothers and Carson Palmer, there's no better quarterback in the NFL than Tom Brady. Will that translate into fantasy success? Now that's the question. If the Pats can get Deion Branch into camp, and I believe they will, Brady is going to have a huge year. He's my QB.

QB Jon Kitna (Detroit) -- A solid backup QB. A starter in the league in Cincy before Carson Palmer, he'll thrive in Detroit. The Lions are perennial losers, but they've had a loser at QB. Kitna, combined with those offensive weapons, is poised to have a big year. Great pickup late in my draft.

*RB Willis McGahee (Buffalo) -- Believe it or not, with all the great backs out there, this is the guy I wanted to build my team around. I had him rated 3rd overall on my board, behind LaDanian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson, and I was able to get him 10th overall (last pick in the 1st round). Kyle Roberts will back me up on this claim -- I touted McGahee before the draft and really did want him. Despite the inconsistency of J.P. Losman as Buffalo's QB, I really think McGahee is going to run for 1,800 and score 20 TDs this year. He proved he could handle the load the last 2 years (back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons), and I think he's only going to get better.

*RB Jamal Lewis (Baltimore) -- He's struggled the past 2 years after rushing for 2,000 yards, and the 906 and 3 TDs he put up last year just won't cut it this year. But the addition of Steve McNair, giving Lewis his first legitimate QB during his entire career, is going to make Lewis much, much better. I don't know if he's an elite back anymore, but I think he can easily rush for 1,250 yards and score 10 TDs. That production would be great for me.

RB Laurence Maroney (New England) -- The rookie out of Minnesota has made his presence felt immediately for the Pats. He starts the season as Corey Dillon's backup, but as the year progresses he will become more and more a viable option for head coach Bill Belichek. I'm not saying he will unseat Dillon as the starter (though it's possible), but he will be a productive back.

RB Jerious Norwood (Atlanta) -- How good has Norwood been in camp? Good enough for the Falcons to get rid of T.J. Duckett and name Norwood, a rookie out of Mississippi State, the primary backup to Warrick Dunn. Dunn has never been the primary back during his career. In Tampa, he split time with Mike Alstott, while he's shared carries with Duckett in Atlanta. Norwood will get carries, and he will be a productive option.

*WR Chris Chambers (Miami) -- Chambers have improved every during his five-year career, and he's coming off a career-high 82 catches for 1,118 yards (his first 1,000-yard season) and 11 TDs. Now he has a legit QB in Daunte Culpepper. Chambers is on the verge of catching 100 passes, which is why I picked him 11th overall.

*WR Matt Jones (Jacksonville) -- This was one of my favorite picks. I chose Jones in the 3rd round, which many may think is a reach. However, Jones has emerged as the No. 1 target in Jacksonville, just a year after catching 36 balls as a rookie. It's natural that he'd improve this year, but something to remember is that Jones was the 3rd option last year while he made the transition from college QB to pro receiver. Now that he's got some seasoning, with his combination of size (6-6, 230) and speed (4.48), Jones has the potential to be an unstoppable receiver.

*WR Michael Clayton (Tampa Bay) -- Clayton had a sophomore slump last year, a year after making the Pro Bowl as a rookie. He didn't have a single TD and caught just 32 balls, as he and Chris Simms went through some growing pains. Now that the 2 are on the same page, I predict Clayton will return to his Pro Bowl form, when he caught 80 balls and scored 7 TDs. I'd be happy with that production from my 3rd receiver this year.

*WR Derrick Mason (Baltimore) -- I have Mason slated to start as my SLASH player, and what a steal! This stud receiver has caught an average of 86 balls over the past 5 years, and now he's reunited with his former Tennessee QB Steve McNair -- where he caught 95 and 96 balls from during his last 2 seasons in Nashville. Can you say going to have a HUGE year? I can!

WR Reggie Brown (Philadelphia) -- The second-year Eagle caught more than 40 balls as a rookie and is poised for an even bigger year in 2006. Was slated as the No. 1 receiver until the recent acquisition of Donte' Stallworth from the Saints. May still be Donovan McNabb's top choice -- and should catch 65-70 balls this year. Not bad for my 5th receiver.

*TE Jeremy Shockey (NY Giants) -- When healthy, he's the second-best tight end in the NFL. So I made him the 2nd TE taken off the board. Gives Eli Manning a major target and big-time playmaker. Is good for 8-10 TDs and 60-70 catches.

TE Kellen Winslow (Cleveland) -- Admittedly, this is a wild card, which is why I picked him as my backup TE. Has yet to get on the field after getting hurt just 2 games into his career 2 seasons ago. But he has the talent to be a top-5 tight end. I really think he'll have a major season, even if he's wasting away on my bench. If anything, he might make good trade bait later in the season.

*DL Osi Umenyiora (NY Giants) -- The sackmaster is a threat to lead the NFL in sacks every year. Combined with Michael Strahan, the Giants have two of the premier defensive ends in the league. Can he get me 10 sacks? I'll be happy if he can.

DL Kyle Vanden Bosch (Tennessee) -- Most likely won't get off my bench, but he's another solid player. Had a breakout year in his first year with the Titans with 12.5 sacks. Don't know if he can repeat that, but he's good for at least 6 sacks.

*LB Shawne Merriman (San Diego) -- The defensive rookie of the year had 10 sacks and 57 tackles last year. His tackles should go up even more this year, as he becomes one of the elite playmakers in the entire league.

LB A.J. Hawk (Green Bay) -- He's a project, and one that will probably stay on the bench for most of the year. He could come out and immediately produce, or it might take him some time to become a playmaker. By the end of the year, however, I believe he'll be the leader on Green Bay's defense.

*DB Troy Polamalu (Pittsburgh) -- The leader of the World Champs' defense had 91 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 picks last year. I honestly think all of those numbers will go up this year. I'm looking for 110 tackles, 5 sacks and 5 picks from the leader of my defense.

*DB Sean Taylor (Washington) -- Taylor will start the season as my SLASH defender. He's been one of my favorite players for several years. If he can stay out of trouble off the field, I look for his production to rival that of Polamalu's. He really is one of the elite safeties in the NFL.

*K Josh Scobee (Jacksonville) -- The last pick in my draft is a Louisiana Tech guy. Made 23 FGs and 38 XPs last year. Admittedly, he's not one of the elite kickers in the league. However, Scobee is a solid guy, and in my opinion, was the best kicker still available in the 20th round. Plus, Scobee and I go way back, so I had to pick him.

***Addendum: I feel really great about my team, except for one thing -- I didn't get my boy Ryan Moats. In the 19th round, Raymond A. Partsch III (rpartsch@thetowntalk.com -- e-mal him to complain), the commish of our league, stole him off the board just a few picks before I was ready to select him! Ray has Westbrook and wants Moats as insurance. Yet, he also knows Moats is my boy, and he laughed in my face (not really) after the selection. While I'm disappointed not to have my boy, I have a feeling I might can find a way to make a trade to land him on my roster.

Getting published

So I got tired of just doing this editing thing and decided to write. Got published 3 times on Friday:

Jamboree Preview: Actually got my first page 1 centerpiece with this story -- even though there was a mistake! I left out one of the schools (Buckeye) participating in the Pineville jamboree. Oh well, Buckeye lost 36-0 to the Rebels.

Bolton Season Preview and Pineville Season Preview -- Both of these I actually worked on for a while, and they ran in our High School Tab, which coincidentally was published on Friday with my other story.

Who do I want to be?

And I ask myself
Who do I wanna be?
Do I wanna throw away the key?
And invent a whole new me
And I tell myself
No One, No One
Don't wanna be
No One
But me

It's interesting -- and I've talked about this before some -- how my move from Ruston has given me a chance to become a new person. But you know what? I haven't changed a bit. Yeah, I'm growing up. I'm maturing. But I'm still the same. I could be any person I want to be. Why? Only my wife and her family knew who I was here in Cenla. But I'm still the same.

I'm still a husband, son, brother, writer, reader, bad singer, goofy dancer, dude with bad hair, sports fanatic, teacher, student, leader, follower, frustrater, soother, bad basketball player with a broke jumper, role model, hard worker, lazy bum and countless other things. As I think about the opportunity that was in front of me, just like those lyrics above, I don't want to be anyone but me.

With all due respect to my Ruston boys (I love y'all!), I've never felt more admired, appreciated and respected since I left Ruston. My supervisors at work think I'm talented and have a great future ahead of me. In Ruston, I always felt stifled at work. I've finally found a church home -- one where I'm an active part in a growing ministry. In Ruston, I never found a place to call home. Instead, I was a church-hopper. There's pretty much not a major church in Ruston that I didn't attend at one time.

What I am missing is a group of great friends. Kyle, Binni, Alan, Brent ... the list could go on and on ... you guys can't be replaced. All of y'all remain in my thoughts every day. What I have with you guys is special. But I am starting to find a place. Jeremy, one of the youth ministers at church (and the husband of Elizabeth's best friend, Michelle), has become my boy. We play ball together. We're the same age. He's brought me into his ministry and allowed me to take on a vital role. He's great. There are a couple of college kids who I've befriended, although we haven't done anything outside of church. And then there are the high school kids from the youth group -- particularly the group I play ball with. I have friends. I love them. They're great. What I don't have is that unique bond I have with my boys from Ruston. Maybe it can develop. Maybe it's not meant to ever be replaced. But I love Cenla. It was the right move at the right time. Who knows if it will become my permanent home? Right now, I have no clue. But it could be -- at least for a long time. I like knowing that. It's something I never had in Ruston once I graduated from Tech.

Trip update

I won't bore everyone with all the details (since I don't have them all) or try to make you jealous, but I am very much looking forward to my two trips next month. Elizabeth and I will hook up with Alan, Misty, Charlie and Binni when we travel to College Station to see Tech vs. Texas A&M. The following weekend is my big trip with Jason (Elizabeth's oldest brother) to New York City. I can hardly contain myself when I think about these two trips.

High School Football

Pineville High got the season started off right with a big-time win over Buckeye in jamboree action. With Zac Aldecoa and my boy Lance "Scooter" Laborde toting the rock, it could be a big year for the Rebs. Another district title could be in the works, and perhaps a run past the second round of the playoffs.

Haven't heard anything yet about my Bearcats, who opened tonight with West Monroe in jamboree action. The game was delayed by weather. If the 'Cats can develop a big-time threat on offense at receiver to complement Ben Alsup at QB, and hopefully that's my boy O.J. "The Juice" Simmons, and replace a lot of talent on defense, Ruston might have a pretty good season. Beat West Monroe? Hasn't happened since 1990, so I'll hold out judgment on that one for right now.

Big Apple Bound

It's been awhile since I've just concentrated on sports, so let's do so tonight.

You'll hear me say this several times a year, but this is my favorite time of year! It's Aug. 19, two weeks away from the kickoff of both high school and college football, and three weeks from the kickoff to the NFL.

I didn't grow up a huge football fan. Didn't play the sport as a kid, outside of a few pickup games on the elementary school playground, before I got to junior high. Baseball was my first love, followed by basketball and then football a distant third. Now football and basketball are neck and neck, with baseball running a distant third.

Because of my new job schedule, I won't get to make many high school or college games this year (I work both Friday and Saturday nights), but I am excited about the few opportunities I might get. One of those opportunities is when my college alma mater, Louisiana Tech, travels to face Texas A&M on Sept. 23. It was the first vacation I set up when I got to The Town Talk. Elizabeth and I will go to College Station for the game Saturday night before driving down to Houston and catching an Astros game Sunday afternoon.

Well, now I've got another vacation set up. My brother-in-law, Elizabeth's oldest brother Jason, and I have talked for quite some time about taking a weekend road trip to catch a baseball and football game. We talked about maybe driving to Houston, Dallas or Atlanta. Jason called me the other night and pitched a trip to me at the end of September (the weekend following A&M). We decided to go to Atlanta, catch a Braves v. 'Stros game and then watch the Falcons play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Or so I thought. A couple nights later, Jason called with a new plan. One that, even to me, Mr. Up-for-a-trip-anytime-anyplace, was shocking. I'm a road tripper. I usually go places in a car. But Jason had bigger plans. Let's go to Yankee Stadium! Wha??? Yes, New York City. The Big Apple. The Yankees recently broke ground on a new Yankee Stadium earlier this week, set to open for the 2009 season, and I honestly don't know what the plans are concerning the historic one. Will it stay open for tours? Will they tear it down? I'm not sure. I do know that the days are limited for me to make it to The House That Ruth Built.




Last summer, I had the chance to visit Fenway Park, though the Sox were out of town, and that was a huge deal for me. Actually seeing a game in Yankee Stadium -- even for this self-professed Yankee Hater -- is almost too much for me to put in words. So we made plans to go see the Yankees on Saturday (Sept. 30) afternoon.

But, wait. There's more. Jason -- somehow, someway -- was able to finagle his way off on Monday, as well. The New York Jets -- the new home of Ruston High alum Patrick Ramsey -- are at home on Sunday facing Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts at the Meadowlands. Why the heck not? Let's do it!

I must admit that I am somewhat -- OK, a lot -- intimidated by the Big Apple. I'm a small-town kid who thinks Dallas is HUGE. The Big Apple is so much more huger!!! But I also know chances like this don't come around every day. My blood is boiling from excitement -- at seeing a baseball game is the most historic (sorry Fenway lovers) park in the world, at seeing an NFL game at the Meadowlands, at being able to do what little sightseeing we can squeeze in our schedule!

While I'd love to be off every Friday night and every Saturday afternoon for high school and college football, the chances I'll get to see games this year are going to be that much more special. It's only a little over a month away -- and I sure can't wait!!!

NFL Thoughts

My fantasy league draft is a week from Tuesday, and I'm gearing up for a strong showing (yes, I'm still in first in my baseball league, although I should slip down to second at the end of this week). I've been invited to join The Town Talk's league, and we will have our live draft on Aug. 29. I've already started putting together my position rankings and big board. Can't wait for the draft!!!

My boy Ryan Moats returned from a knee injury Thursday night to play in the Eagles second preseason game. The stats weren't great (7 carries, 7 yards), but apparently his burst is back. He's still lining up second on the depth chart behind Brian Westbrook. Moats must continue to work hard and limit his fumbles, but I'm predicting a big, big year for my boy!

Saints fans got just a glimpse of what Reggie Bush will do when he ran for nearly 60 yards in New Orleans' first preseason game. The highlight was a 44-yard scamper that was reminiscent of his USC glory days where he took a handoff and headed off-tackle left before reversing field and racing down the sideline. Beautiful!

College Football

Who do I care about most in college football? Louisiana Tech, of course! My Bulldogs held their only scrimmage of fall practice this morning, and it appears we have us a starting quarterback. Although I wasn't in attendance, everything I'm hearing is junior Zac Champion clearly separated himself as the No. 1 guy with his performance. Zac has been around for 4 years now and has yet to live up to the billing he had when he arrived on campus for spring practice and lit the world on fire. He redshirted that year, during Luke McCown's senior season, before losing out a three-way battle for the starting job and sitting two years behind Matt Kubik and Donald Allen.

So Zac has the experience, but his competitors -- redshirt freshman Mike Mosley and juco transfer Joe Danna -- bring something that Zac doesn't. Mosley has a huge, huge arm and also is a very mobile QB. Danna, on the other hand, is a big fellas. While Mosley and Champion are both listed around 200 pounds, Danna is about 6-4, 230 pounds. He's come a long way since he arrived in the spring, but appears to still be third on the depth chart.

Most likely, as the Bulldogs run through their opening four-game gauntlet (which includes road trips at Nebraska to start the season and also treks to A&M and Clemson) head coach Jack Bicknell will use all 3 QB's to see if one can separate himself. I've received conflicting reports that Champion has been outplayed during practice (the same reports I received from last year that said Champion outplayed both Kubik and Allen), but there's no doubt who firmly grabbed the job at today's scrimmage. I hope that heading into the fifth game, a dangerous trip to Boise State, one of the guys will have established himself as the only QB. My guess is Champion will be that guy.

Elsewhere, offensively, if the QB play isn't erratic, it could be a strong year for the Bulldogs. There are 4 high quality receivers in seniors Eric Newman and Jonathan Holland, sophomore Josh Wheeler and junior Freddie Franklin, a converted running back who has the best hands on the team. Each of the 4 guys has the potential to be a playmaker, especially Holland, who is one of the fastest players in the country but has yet to realize his full potential. At running back, Tech will be very young and very talented. So talented that Bicknell moved last year's two leading rushers, junior Mark Dillard who moved to safety, and Franklin. The majority of the carries will go to sophomore Patrick Jackson, who showed great signs as a true freshman last year when he was the No. 3 back and rushed for nearly 400 yards. However, pushing him are a trio of ultra-talented true freshmen -- Will Griffin, Myke Compton and Daniel Porter. If Griffin is healthy, he's the guy. He was Tech's No. 1 recruit and has the potential to be a serious playmaker down the road. On the O-line, Tech returns 3 starters and also has 3 new guys that have pushed their way into playing time. Should be a solid unit. And at tight end, there are 4 big targets -- senior Anthony James, sophomore Anthony Harrison and true freshmen Dustin Mitchell and Dennis Morris. This should be Tech's most talented and prolific offense of this decade.

Defense is another question. Tech lost a ton -- and I mean a ton. Six of the front 7 are gone. But replacing them are young and talented players, led by junior Brannon Jackson and middle linebacker and junior Josh Muse at nose tackle. There are major questions as to who will line up at DE and DT, and how will the depth chart shake up at linebacker -- Tech's strongest position, with an absolute ton of talent. Quin Harris, Chad Beverage and Marquis McBeath are my best guesses to be starting with Jackson. But there are 8 other linebackers that will compete for snaps. In the secondary, senior Dez Abrams returns at free safety as the team's captain. He's steady, though not particularly flashy. A smart guy and good leader. At strong safety are Dillard, the converted running back and a big hitter at 220 pounds, and sophomore Weldon Brown, who began his career at running back before switching to receiver during the middle of last season. Ideally, Brown will switch out to corner (at 180 pounds, he's not the biggest safety) and move into a starting spot. Dillard must continue to improve at safety for that to happen.

This is a very young and talented team, with enough talent to make a run at the WAC title, and even greater things over the next couple of seasons. However, with a killer schedule, Bicknell will have to do a great job to keep this team focused and prevent it from folding if for some reason (as I suspect) the team starts 1-4. It could be a long year for the Bulldogs, or it could be a conference title season. I honestly don't know, and that's what makes it so exciting!!!

The AP released its preseason poll recently, and Ohio St. is the consensus top pick. Troy Smith is this year's Vince Young while Teddy Ginn Jr. is the new Reggie Bush -- at least the Buckeyes hope so, because they must revamp a defense that lost 8 starters and open the season against defending national champion Texas. The winner of that game gets the early upper hand in the national title race. The loser gets a setback, but because it's so early, they won't be out of the hunt. No. 2 is Notre Dame, led by Heisman favorite Brady Quinn at QB. Charlie Weis is the uber-coach, so the Fighting Irish are the chic choice for national champ. At least 3 losses is my prediction. Texas is 3rd, with a freshman QB, which tells you how wide open this year's race for the title is, followed by Auburn and West Virginia -- who, if it can knock off Louisville, has the best chance of going undefeated, and still might be left out of the title game because of the weak Big East. USC is No. 6, and much like Tech, if it can find consistent QB play, could win the national title despite losing the last two Heisman Trophy winners to the NFL Draft. There are other talented teams as well. For the first time in my memory, this is a season with no clear-cut favorite. Each team has question marks that must be answered. It's so wide open that nearly any team could run the table and win the title!

Spankin' new (to me) music

One of the things I enjoy when I'm reading other blogs on Xanga is the feature where you can put what you are listening to or reading. That feature is not available here on Blogger.

Recently, my buddy Kyle (or Krob or Crack Rob or a myriad of other names that I randomly use to refer to him) came down to Alex for a visit. With him he brought 3 CDs for me -- considered a late birthday present.

The one I was looking forward to the most was by Dashboard Confessional. Kyle was the first one to turn me on to the emo croonings of Chris Carrabba back when we were in college. He burned Dashboard's first 2 CDs for me, and I bought the 3rd one. Kyle bought me the fourth one. Carrabba's lyrics have some innate way of connecting with his audience on a deeper level. Literally, you can hear Carrabba pouring his heart and soul into every song. The newest CD is no different than the previous 3. While I wouldn't consider it my favorite of his CDs, it is definitely worth listening to. It has stayed on a constant rotation in my car ever since I opened it.

While Dashboard was the one I was most eagerly anticipating, it actually might end up being my least favorite of the three. I'm really digging Hawthorne Heights' CD, If Only You Were Lonely. I had heard the first single, Saying Sorry, on the radio and really enjoyed it. So I had high expectations. And I wasn't disappointed. The album's opening track, This Is Who We Are, is a dark, yet catchy, song about suicide. And that theme runs throughout the album -- not suicide, but a darkness that is combined with a catchiness. The more I listen to this CD, the more I like it.

But the best CD, and the one that is quickly climbing up my list of favorite CDs, is the much-anticipated debut from Angels & Airwaves, a spinoff band from former blink-182 lead singer Tom Delonge. While I listened to some of blink's hits on the radio, I was never a huge fan of the band. It seemed to be too crude for my taste at the time, although blink's lyrics were very humorous. So I wasn't buying into all the hype about AVA -- and there has been plenty. But that hype was much deserved. Simply put, the album is amazing. Delonge touted the album as the best music he'd ever made, saying he wanted to revolutionize pop music. He claimed to have had some sort of epiphany and wanted to recreate that feeling for his fans. Therefore, the album comes off feeling very "spiritual" -- particularly tracks No. 6 and 7, "The War" and "The Gift". Again, I wasn't a blink fan, particularly Tom, but he's done a tremendous job with this new album. I'd recommend it to anyone.

If only I had his shot

I've got a new nickname -- JJ.

For those of you who know me (which, umm, is probably all 20 of you), my first name doesn't start with a 'J'. Neither does my middle name. So how'd I end up with the new moniker? My skillz on the basketball court.

Don't laugh. No, seriously. Stop it! By now, I'm sure you've read of my late-night/early-morning experience with the church youth group's lock-in. Well, I came to the lock-in decked out in my Duke 'No. 4' jersey of former Blue Devil J.J. Redick (now with the Orlando Magic). Due to my threads and my ability to knock down 3-pointers from NBA range (like my boy JJ), the kids from the youth group labeled me 'JJ'. And the nickname's stuck. I heard it this morning from one of the kids -- Ted, a great athlete who will be a junior at Pineville High, who wishes he could ball like me!

Moving away from your home for the past 12 years is very interesting because it gives you a chance to start over. Nobody here knew who I was. As Binni, Kyle and others can attest, I've never exactly been the most popular person on the block. Wasn't in high school. Wasn't in college. Yet I am here. It's just weird.

The kids seem to love me. Even the guys in the sports department at work think that I'm funny and knowledgeable. It's so strange to be popular. Yet I love it. I've really opened up (which has been an ongoing process, but just think back to how introverted I used to be!), especially around the kids.

The Bret of old is growing up. Responsibility. Marriage. Home ownership. All that jazz. But JJ is still young at heart -- even if his body isn't listening!

update (yes, a boring title)

It's been awhile, folks, so let's just jump right in with a few things that I remember about what's happened to me since we last visited.

Since Kyle told me not to say anything, I just have to tell you guys this (sorry, Krob, but those are the rules, right?). My best friend (that would be Kyle) came down to visit me on Monday. He had a day off. I had a day off. Judith had to work. Elizabeth had to work. He hadn't seen my place down here in Alexandria. All good reasons to visit. Well, here's the real reason -- NCAA '07 for the PS2. It came out the week before, and since Kyle and I (along with Binni -- when are you coming to visit?) have made it a yearly tradition to play in a dynasty together, a tradition torn apart by my move down "south", we had to play. And I kicked his butt! Plastered him five out of six games, baby! Yeah, that was a lot of fun! Oh, yeah, it was great seeing you, too, buddy. But it was even more fun wiping the floor with you in PS2!

The boss is out of the office on vacation this week. So I'm in charge of the day-to-day operations in the Metro department this week. Fun times. Not that I'm not capable, I just prefer the assistant position right now. There's no doubt I eventually want to run a department (preferably sports), and times like this week show me that a) I'm capable, but b) I'm not ready yet. Anyway, just like last time Sean was out on vacation, his boss (our managing editor) also took a couple of days off. So we're even more short-handed. And Jules, the other assistant, is off on Fridays. So that leaves me ... and ... umm ... me ... tomorrow. Just what I like! So my night shift has turned into a day shift -- and hopefully not a day and night shift.

Been playing some ball lately up at church. Played Monday night, and my team (4-on-4, halfcourt) won every single game. We played the first one and won. Then we won again. And again and again and again. Literally about 15 straight games. And my team wasn't stacked, either. But we were good. Myself, Jeremy (the youth minister, who, like me, is 24) and two rising freshmen in high school -- Landon and Sisko, both of whom play ball at school. I've really bonded with about 10 or so of the kids through ball (and more outside of ball). For some strange reason, they think I'm cool. Who woulda thought that? That's one of the great things about moving -- you get a chance for a fresh start. These kids look up to me (could be the fact I'm 24 and they're in high school), and I find that both thrilling and scary. My actions mean something to someone other than myself and my wife. Interesting.

Speaking of church, sometime in the near future, Elizabeth and I will begin teaching a co-ed middle school L.I.F.E. group (otherwise known as a Sunday School class). I've had a chance to sit in on a couple of classes in the past few weeks, and I'm very excited to get in and start teaching and making a difference. I'm very happy I've been embraced by my church and the youth group, and I'm glad that I have a chance to make a difference in someone's life.

Bonding with family -- the Grangers had two visitors this week. Caleb, their eldest grandbaby, who turned 2 last month. And Nicole, an 11-year-old niece from Tennessee, who is more than a handful. I had a blast playing with her, but her energy level never ceases. It really is amazing. Elizabeth and I spent a few nights over at the Grangers hanging out with Caleb and Nicole. Now they've gone home, but coming tomorrow is Thomas, the Grangers' other grandbaby, who also turned 2 last month. Fun times. But also sad times. Makes me lament the time I don't get to spend with Connor, my other nephew, the son of my brother, Heath. Connor is in Dallas, where my family (mom, stepdad, brother) lives. I haven't been able to make it to Dallas since I moved to Alex, but hopefully that will change soon!

So much has happened on the sports scene that I don't know where to begin. All I will say is I'm looking forward to football season -- both college and prep. I've got a couple of stories I'm working on for our prep tab that will come out in August. That makes me happy, although I don't really have time for the extra workload right now. Like I said, busy week.

Anyway, it's time for me to end this thing. Hopefully, it won't be quite as long next time between entries.

random musings

don't really have a whole lot on my mind tonight. it's 11 p.m. and i should be in bed. but i'm not. if i were, i wouldn't be writing this here blog, don't ya know. (where the minnesota accent come from?)

my mind feels as if it has fully recovered from my sleep deprivation (no wonder charlie struggles functioning). however, my body surely has not. maybe it's not the sleep deprivation that's wearing on all my bones. maybe it's just the fact that i'm getting older. yes, 24 is young. i keep telling myself that. my brain hears me. my heart longs to trust me. my body sits and stares. i don't get around as well as i did when i was in college or high school. something about that diploma, i guess.

it's about 25 hours until ncaa '07. i'm planning to head to game stop at midnight to pick up the game. very excited. just wish i were headed to monroe with binni and kyle like last year. ahh, the memories.

furniture arrived yesterday. furniture situated today. elizabeth and i redesigned our living room, and it's nothing like i originally imagined. for those of you who have visited, the entertainment center has moved from the big wall to the right of the fireplace, in a diagonal. our new couch is in the same place as the old coach. next to the door is an end table adjoining with the love seat. directly in front of the love seat is the coffee table, on top of the rug and lined up with the fireplace. we've also created a "reading nook" on the big wall. when you enter the front door, immediately to the right is the book shelf. behind the book shelf is our chaise lounge, and behind it is another end table. the next additions to the living room will be a couple of table lamps and a floor lamp. for those of you who haven't seen the house before, sorry for the confusion. now you'll just have to come visit.

also, elizabeth's favorite part of the house, while not yet complete, is the dining room. we've eaten at our new 8-person table, while she is very much looking forward to filling up our new china cabinet. the china is at her parents' house. is supposed to be here now. interesting story ...

don't you just hate flat tires? especially when you have something you really wanted to do instead of going to wal-mart to buy a new tire. so after church, we're headed to the grangers for lunch. afterwards, we have a list of projects to complete, including grocery shopping and filling up the china cabinet. changing a flat tire and buying a new one was not on the list. but on highway 28 east, a couple of miles out from the grangers, that chore went right to the top of the list.

what i'm learning more and more every day, though, is that life is an adventure. it has ups. it has downs. enjoy the ride. you only get one of them.

Runnin' on empty

Man, am I tired. Haven't slept in 33 hours and counting (unless you count about a 15-minute nap just a minute ago). The one conclusion I can immediately draw is I am no longer a young puppy. My body just doesn't work like it did when I was in high school and college. I'm still a night owl, but I'm paying for it right now.

Here's the story. Got off work Friday night about 11:30. Headed home to change clothes and arrived at the church about midnight -- just in time for the youth to have returned for their scavenger hunt across Alexandria and Pineville, and just in time for some hoops. We play basketball (and my legs are letting me know they are happy), as well as other games, for about 6 hours. More importantly, I got to spend some quality time with many of the youth, and start developing relationships with them. While my body isn't happy with me right now, it was a very rewarding experience.

Believe it or not, I was up the whole time. Didn't even get a catnap. And I had a blast. I am, however, definitely looking forward to my bed tonight.

Elizabeth and I got our furniture today. Gorgeous. We did a nice job, if I may say so myself. And my wife is very happy with her new china cabinet. Very happy. Our backyard is also looking much nicer thanks to some help from the in-laws today. Yes, I came home from my lock-in at 7:30 this morning only to have to work around the house and in the yard until I had to leave for work at 2:30.

In the end, it will all be worth it. Small price to pay.

bummer

hope is essential, yet be mindful not to become too hopeful. had recently convinced myself something was going to happen, but it fell through. disappointing. instead of just being cautiously optimistic, i convinced myself it would happen. had started to dream, fantasize. big mistake. oh well, i know i'm making the right decision. that's all that matters. there will be other times to travel.

looking forward to tomorrow night. high school lock-in. granted, i'm not in high school anymore. nor in college, for that matter. far, far removed. but friday night, from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., is the high school lock-in at the church. although i won't arrive on time due to work obligations, i will get to the church just in time for a praise and worship session, followed by an all-night basketball session. i'm looking forward to showing these kids my moves on the court. haha. actually, i'm looking forward to reaching out to some of the youth and starting to develop relationships. i've started doing this somewhat on wednesday nights, but this will give me a better chance to bond with some of the youth on their level. it's going to be a blast!

was looking forward to testing my ps2 skills in an ncaa tourney on saturday at babbage's here in alexandria. winner gets a free copy of the new game that comes out on tuesday. only problem -- tourney starts at 2 p.m. i have to be at work at 3. bummer.

nothing major, but it's a byline. will have one in tomorrow's paper. doing a story on the weather. it's getting hot. highs next week expected to be 98. it's 100 in shreveport today! meteorologist tells me august will be "above normal" ... aka, it's getting hot in here!

Entering rehab

Yesterday, I started my first day of rehab. No, not the kind of rehab that Hollywood starlets and sports superstars enter because they can't stay clean of their drug and alcohol habits. My rehab is because I can't keep my body shape clean. I'm not fit -- not in the least bit. As I've touched on before, the scale (if it isn't lying to me) doesn't say I've gained weight. It's just shifted a good bit. My arms are flabby, my gut is protuding a good bit more than it used to, and my legs are thicker (and not because I've gained muscle). So I've recomitted to working out, for about the 50th time in my life. But I'm serious this time. I just don't feel good. Sluggish. Lethargic. I don't want to feel like that. I'm only 24 years old. If I'm a pro athlete (which I'm certainly not), I haven't even hit my prime yet. It's not supposed to start going downhill till after I cross the big 3-0. Right now, a gym membership is out of the question. So I'll be walking and jogging to start off with, as well as doing crunches and pushups. Hopefully, that will slowly help me redefine my body shape.

Elizabeth and I went to see Cars last night. Very funny stuff. Love Owen Wilson. He's stupid, but he makes me laugh. And Larry the Cable Guy is a classic. The movie was a great parody of Nascar. But what's best about Pixar movies is they are funny, very well-written, but they also touch on family values, and do it in a way that children and adults are both interested. Over the Hedge was good. Cars was even better. As Elizabeth said as we left the theater, "That one is a buy."

I enjoy the summer for many reasons, one of which is the fact that many of the year's blockbusters are coming out in theaters. After not going to see a movie in months, Elizabeth and I have seen three very good movies in the past couple of weeks. First Over the Hedge, followed by Superman Returns, and now Cars. And we haven't even checked out Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest yet. We'll probably wait to rent The Devil Wears Prada, The Lake House and The Break-up. Upcoming movies that I'm looking forward to are You, Me and Dupree, Clerks II (though I'll probably wait until video and try to rent both the original and the new one), Miami Vice, and Talladega Nights: The Leged of Ricky Bobby.

Lunch Time

Sitting at my desk, eating a little lunch, deciding to give my blog a little love.

Got a call from my lovely wife this morning. She said I had two choices tonight -- a) stay at home, help her paint and do other choices around the house; or b) go to the movies. I took that as a hint that she wanted to go to the movies.

My options -- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest or The Lake House. We also want to see Cars and The Devil Wears Prada; however, both of those will most likely be rentals. Pirates in the sequel to the blockbuster hit with the same name, and it did an astonishing $135 million in its opening weekend. Can you say runaway hit? The Lake House is an intriguing possiblity that stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock as a couple who falls in love via letters from two years apart. The concept is unique, which means it could either be fascinating or a flop. Haven't decided which one we want to watch yet tonight, but we're going on a date!

I know this means my afternoon will drag by slowly since I will be looking forward to the movies!

Crying out

Oh praise Him
Oh praise Him
He is holy
He is holy

It was good to get back to church this morning. Very good. Sometimes I am just starving for corporate worship. Today was one of those days. And I certainly got refreshed. Elizabeth and I spent 6 hours at church today. And now we're officially members of Donahue Family Church.

For those of you who don't know the story, which is most likely almost all of you, one of Elizabeth's best friends from high school, Michelle Neal, is the youth minister at Donahue along with her husband, Jeremy. So, naturally, when we moved down to Alexandria, we plugged into the Pineville church immediately. We've been helping out with the youth on Wednesday nights and attending nearly every Sunday. We're trying to find a LIFE group (aka Sunday School class) that works for us. I've found one I like, but we're still trying to find out where we're going to be serving on Sunday mornings starting next month.

We got to church this morning at 9:30 to go to worship (Donahue has 4 services). After the service, we both sat in on a youth LIFE group. I'm not quite sure what Elizabeth will be doing starting next month, but I'm pretty certain that I'll be teaching a LIFE group, most likely middle schoolers. I've never taught before, but I'm very excited. Please be in prayer that I can lead these young men in the right direction.

After LIFE groups, we went to the Next Step class, which basically is a rundown of what the church believes and the direction it is going for all incoming members. For those of you interested in where Donahue is heading in the near future, click here.

Random Musings

I've gotten several reviews from friends and what I've read online, and I just can't bring myself to drop $40 on the new NFL Head Coach game for the PS2. The reviews say the game is very, very complex, almost tedious at times. While I think it would be fun to run the day-to-day operations of an NFL team (this game is supposedly built for us fantasy sports people), it's just not worth the $40 for me. Maybe when the game goes down to $20, I'll spring for it.

What will be worth the $40 (or $50, or however much) will be NCAA '07, which comes out in just 9 days. Man, I'm pumped!!! This really is about the only game I play, and boy do I play it. Can't wait to pick it up at midnight!

Moving away from gaming, congrats to Italia for winning World Cup '06. The Azurri defeated France 5-3 in penalty kicks after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes. It was fitting Italy won the tourney, because they were the best team throughout the 32-team event. France played some great football, but the Azurri played the game beautifully. On a sad note, Zinedine Zidane, France's captain and perhaps the greatest player in the country's history, was sent off with a red card in overtime after a headbutt. The game was the final one of his international career.

Is Roger Federer the best tennis player ever? Not yet. The best on grass? Quite possibly. Federer won his fourth straight Wimbledon crown Sunday, defeating heated rival Rafael Nadal in four sets. He became just the third player to win 4 in a row, joining an elite group with Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras. At age 24, Federer has won 8 grand slam titles. If he keeps up his current pace (which will be very tough to do), he'll go down as the greatest ever.

a little deviation from the subject

Strictly Sports ... Schmictly Sports. There will be no sports talk tonight. But, you say, there's so much to talk about. World Cup Finals. MLB All-Star Game. NBA free agency. Don't care. Not gonna do it. No sports tonight.

Can't wait for church in the morning. I need a little recharging. Don't know why, but I've been in a bit of a funk lately. I feel like I didn't do anything today. Just laid in bed. Sure, I got up and mowed the lawn. It looks nice. Still need to get a weedeater to help with the edges. And I moved some of the excess stuff in the dining room. But I didn't do much. Felt lazy. Feel lazy a little too much. Perhaps it's the excess gut I've picked up. Haven't gained any weight. Stepped on the scale today. 178. Heck, I've lost a little weight. But my body shape has certainly changed. The weight has shifted, as they say. I've got to make a commitment to do something, anything, to get in better shape. I'm convinced that if I'm in better shape, I'll feel better and have more energy.

I'm up for an upgrade with my cell phone. I'm taking suggestions for a new phone. Right now, my current favorites are the Nokia 6030 (which I can get for $19.99), the Motorola L2 (a $130 phone I can get for free), and hte LG C2000 (a $100 phone I can get for free also), among others. If any of you have these phones, or maybe others, give me some suggestions as to what's good and what's not.

Things are still progressing with the house. Elizabeth is still painting some trim, which is turning out nicely. And I'm planning, hoping, to finish by Reflex Blue (or as close to it as I can find) Room, which is the computer room/den, on Monday. We're also anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new furniture -- which will completely transform our living room and dining room. Needless to say, Elizabeth and I are very excited about that. It should be here in about a week.

There are plenty of things going on right now. I'm trying to finagle my way into a couple of days off to take a trip. We'll see if that comes through for me. Also, The Town Talk is now looking for a new prep sports writer. If any of you out there know of someone who might be interested, give me a shout. And for those of you thinking, no, I'm not applying. While I like covering prep sports, I'm enjoying my new job. Plus, they're paying me way too much to do what I'm doing for me to go back to being a sports writer. It would be a "step back" for me when I'm on pace to being a sports editor or assistant sports editor in the near (but how near, that is the question) future.

Anyway, my e-mail address is b_hoss_mac@hotmail.com. Put it to good use sometime.

The legend returns

Dave Anderson is back!!!

One year after leaving Ruston High School for "greener pastures" the best track coach in all the land is coming back home. Dave spent 15 years at RHS, building the cross country and track programs into the premier powerhouse in the state of Louisiana. His teams won 4 state titles in boys cross country (1992, 1995, 1997, 2000), 2 boys outdoor track titles (1992, 2004), and he culminated his stay in Ruston with the school's first-ever girls' state title in 2005 as the Lady 'Cats won the outdoor track title.

Along the way, Anderson helped develop many All-Americans such as Patrick Ramsey, Mike Green and most recently my boy Larry Jones.

After winning the girls' title, Anderson said he had accomplished all he came to Ruston to do and more. With a heavy heart, he decided to take on a new challenge at West Monroe High School -- the hated enemy of RHS. For many in Ruston, it was either a stab in the back or a stab in the heart, or both.

All Anderson did was take West Monroe's sprinting depth and lead the Rebels to their first-ever state track title. However, apparently, not everything went well in Ouachita Parish. While details haven't surfaced as to why he's leaving after just one year, rumors say Anderson didn't receive any of the promises made to him by WM athletic director Don Shows.

No matter the reason for Anderson's return home to Ruston, all that matters for the Bearcats is he's back! Anderson is one of the premier prep track coaches in the country. And he's a glue from Ruston's past to its future. The track and cross country programs at Ruston are a sense of pride for the school. And that success will no doubt continue during Anderson's second tenure in Ruston.

D.C. Adieu for Adu?

Rumor surfacing online today has Freddy Adu leaving MLS at the end of the season. Not sure how I feel about the news. Clubcall.com quotes Adu as saying he "will be going overseas", possibly in January.

After struggling with impatience during his first two years as a pro, the 17-year-old wunderkind has come out of his shell as a regular starter for D.C. United this year. He's played in all 15 on the United's games, starting 13, in helping the team race out to a 9-1-5 record, tops in the league. He's beginning to look more comfortable, as he has adjusted his game to the more physical pro level. It hasn't hurt that he's actually grown from a 14-year-old kid to a 17-year-old budding man.

Adu entered the league with nearly impossible expectations. He was immediately thrust into the spotlight as the face of MLS and the future of American soccer. Fans flocked to see him, but he was held back by the United and coach Peter Nowak, who wanted to bring Adu along slowly and allow him to adjust to the additional competition. Yet he was an All-Star and a steady performer.

While his stats haven't been overwhelming this year (0 goals and 4 assists), Adu has settled into D.C.'s attacking midfield role and is a vital part of the best team in the league. His game has improved greatly. But is he ready for Europe? That's a great question. A legitimate question. Not only is it just Europe. It's England. It's the Premiership. The premier league in the world. And the teams rumored to be interested just happen to be the cream of the crop -- Manchester United and Chelsea, two of the top club football teams in the world.

Two main questions stand out in Adu's possible transfer -- can he get an English work permit and why the move now since he isn't 18 yet? In England, anyone under 18 has to play on a junior team, not the big club. Also the work permit calls for Adu having played in 2/3 of the USA's national team matches -- and since he didn't make the World Cup roster, he certainly doesn't fulfill that obligation. So why the rush to get out now? Admittedly I don't know all the details, but perhaps Adu can get around the work permit issue if he heads to England while still a minor. He'll turn 18 on June 2, 2007.

Is he ready? Probably not. He's a solid player on the best team in MLS. But hardly a dominating one. He still needs more seasoning. Perhaps a year on a junior team in England get him ready for the day-to-day grind of competing for a job in the world's premier soccer league. In the end, heading ot Europe is in Adu's best interest -- financially and in his hopes to make the 2010 World Cup roster at the age of 21. One thing's for sure, MLS will miss his marketability.

Cup Crash

Utterly disappointing. Three games. No wins. One tie.

Two mistakes is all it takes. Knowing it had to win -- a feat never before accomplished by the U.S. in a World Cup on European soil -- the Americans made two big mistakes. The first was a turnover by Claudio Reyna, one in which he injuried his knee on the play, that quickly turned into a Ghana goal and a 1-0 lead for the African side. The second was on a quick whistle by the head ref. Oguchi Onweyu, who proved in this Cup that is a world-class defender, was called for a foul in the box late during stoppage time in the first half. The PK turned into the decisive goal in the 2-1 loss.

First let me talk about the foul. Onweyu's big. That's not his fault. He's 6-foot-4, 215 pounds. Raw muscle and power. Just because a tiny forward is leaning into Onweyu does not mean there is a foul. Eventually, as the 24-year-old develops into a star overseas, Onweyu will start getting more calls. For now, refs love to blow the whistle whenever he touches someone. Again, like Shaq, not his fault he's big (in soccer terms). Now that PK never should have happened, if only Carlos Bocanegra would have cleared the ball instead of kicking it to the middle of the field. It was a bad call. You don't make that touch foul call in the box in stoppage time in the World Cup. In the words of Binni Keleta, "Sir! Let them play!"

Reyna's injury hurt. He's the captain, the leader. But Ben Olsen played tremendous in his only action of the tournament. He defended well and pushed up well. The difference in the game, in the Americans' inability to make the next step on the international level, simply is a lack of firepower around the net. They lack pure goal scorers. For the tournament, they scored 2 goals, 1 of which was an own goal by Italy.

The goal against Ghana was a thing of beauty. DaMarcus Beasley made a great cross from the left side, a beautiful ball that was emphatically put into the back of the net by Clint Dempsey -- a U.S. star of the future and one whose name will begin surfacing for a transfer overseas. In the second half, the U.S. played some tremendous football. They had plenty of chances -- chances that went wide, or over the post, or in the case of Brian McBride's header, off the post. They just couldn't get the ball into the back of the net. Therefore, they will go home after three of the most disappointing games I've personally seen.

It's obvious to me the U.S. can play with anyone on the international level. Anyone. They just don't always come to play. And they can't always finish. So now we start all over in preparation for the 2010 Cup, which will be held in South Africa. It will help the U.S. that the games will not be in Europe. Playing in South Africa will level the playing field, although look for several of the African nations, including Ghana, to make a strong run.

I hope this poor result doesn't hurt the growth of soccer in America. It's frustrating. We are on the brink of something special. We just need to continue developing. Many of our best players will be back and stronger than ever in 2010 -- Landon Donovan, Beasley, Bobby Convey, Dempsey, Eddie Johnson, Onweyu -- as well as a mixture of some of the up and coming superstars of American soccer like Freddy Adu, Eddie Gaven, Danny Szetela, etc. The best is yet to come, if we are willing to be patient.

I still firmly believe we can make a run at the World Cup title in 2010 -- I'm just not sure if Bruce Arena is the man to get us to that point. He was the right coach at the right time for U.S. soccer. But is he the right man to get us over the hump? I'm not convinced. It might take a foreigner -- like Germany's Jurgen Klinnsman -- to come in and help us achieve that goal.

Flash forward to the future

Pay attention NBA. The future is now. Just call him Flash. Or D-Wade. His wife and mother call him Dwyane, and his little boy calls him Daddy. He had a little help from the real daddy -- Shaq Daddy, with 13 points and 10 boards -- but it was Flash who willed the Miami Heat to 4 straight wins and the NBA title. 35 points. 7 boards. 4 assists. Best all-around player in the NBA.

LeBron has the most potential. Kobe still is the best pure scorer. Carmelo is a lethal assasin. Flash is the total package.

If I'm King James, I take tapes of every one of the Heat's playoff games and study D-Wade and his will to win. LeBron is developing the killer instinct, but Wade was born with it. I believe LBJ will be scary sick next year and into the future. Flash is scary sick right now.

Even as he showed he was human, missing 2 late free throws that could have iced the game when Miami was up 3, Dwyane Wade remained a man among boys. He can get any shot he wants. Any time he wants. Sound familiar? Remember a guy named Jordan. His Airness. D-Wade was 9 when MJ led the Bulls to their first title. The 9-year-old kid from Chicago has morphed into the second coming of MJ.

Who knows if or when the Heat will be back for another title. Could it be next year? Sure. As much heat as Pat Riley took for pushing Stan Van Gundy out the door, it worked didn't it? Maybe because Riles new the Heat's window of opportunity was now. After all, Shaq finished with 13/10 in the series. Pedestrian for the Diesel, one of the best scorers in NBA Finals history. Gary Payton. Antoine Walker. Alonzo Mourning. Not exactly going to have a lot of years left in the tank. But there's always D-Wade, and he's someone to build a team around. He'll be back. It might not be next year or the next, but he'll win another one. Maybe a couple more.

As for the Mavs, I actually feel sorry for Avery Johnson. After the game, the ABC broadcast crew was praising Johnson and his young team. "They'll be back." Are you sure? After all, Dallas plays in the super loaded West. The Spurs. The Suns. The Clips. All teams arguably as good or better than Dallas. It's not like winning the West is ever a lock. So they might not be back. Odds are, yes. But it's never a lock.

Thanks to Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki, along with their teammates. Thanks to the Pistons, LeBron, Gilbert Arenas, Steve Nash, Elton Brand and the many other NBA players who made this year's playoffs ... THE ... BEST ... EVER! I'm actually not a huge NBA fan (college is more my game), but I enjoy quality basketball. And this year's NBA playoffs offered just that. From the first round to the nailbiting drama that was the NBA Finals, the games were close and played at a high level. That's all the fans can ask for. Stern, you and your league set the bar high this year. I hope you can improve upon it next year. For some reason, I think the Suns, Clips, Mavs, Spurs, Pistons, Heat, Wizards and Cavs will see to it that we are not disappointed in 2006-07.

U.S. still alive

OK. Haven't had a chance to talk about the World Cup and the U.S. team's 1-1 tie with Italy on Saturday.

Unfortunately, didn't get to actually see the game. Was at Alan's wedding. Taking pictures. With a TV. Without cable or a remote or ABC. So no U.S.-Italy game. But I've seen highlights, listened to analysts and read recaps.

From the best I can gather, the Americans played inspired football. They went toe-to-toe with one of the world's best, a European superpower on European soil, where the Yanks never perform well. Remember, this is the same Italy team that many predicted as one of the top 2-3 favorites along with Brazil to win the whole dang thing.

Here's what ESPN.com's Michael Davies wrote in his Page 2 blog after the game:

"An incomparable performance by the U.S. national team in the modern era. And listen to those fans. Football just arrived in America, I think. The players and fans played and cheered with the true passion of a footballing superpower. The U.S. may not win this World Cup, they may not even qualify for the next round, but this performance continues to lay the groundwork for the future."

As bad as things were in the opening loss to the Czechs -- and they were downright awful -- they were much better against Italy. For nearly the entire second half, the U.S. played a man down (thanks to some questionable officiating), and yet the Yanks still outplayed Italy. They had their chances, plenty of them and didn't convert. In fact, they only converted thanks to an own goal by the Italians.

But keeper Kasey Keller was magnificent. He did what world-class goalkeepers do -- he took away a goal or two and kept his team in the game. Bruce Arena's decision-making was brilliant, and all of his changes worked. It would have been huge to come away with the 3 points from the win, but the 1 point from the tie -- couple with Ghana's win over the Czechs -- means the U.S. is still alive. All they need is a win over Ghana and an Italian win over the Czechs.

Now Bruce must face some tough decisions. Defensive midfielder Pablo Mastroeni is out, thanks to a questionable red card. So, too, is central defender Eddie Pope, who was sent off with two yellow cards, the second of which was a harmless tackle that might not have even been a foul, much less deserving of a card. However, the cards came. And now the U.S. must face Ghana's attack without 2 of its 3 best central defenders.

So what does Arena do? Most likely, he'll shift Carlos Bocanegra from left back into the central defense to replace Pope, then reinsert Eddie Lewis at left back. Oguchi Onweyu, who made up for his inauspicious debut with a brilliant performance against Italy, will anchor the backline, while Steve Cherundolo will once again get the call at right back.

Will the U.S. go back with a 4-4-2 or stick with the 4-5-1. In my eyes, you have to award Eddie Johnson with a start up top after not doing so against Italy. Pair him with Brian McBride up top. Then in the center you are faced with some major dilemmas. Bobby Convey and Clint Dempsey both showed they were deserving of starting on the left and right sides of the midfield, while DaMarcus Beasley looked like a different player coming off the bench. I think you go with that same lineup. Then you have 3 attacking midfielders in Landon Donovan, Claudio Reyna and John O'Brien who all have a claim to start. You could go with 2 of the 3 and push either Reyna or O'Brien to defensive mid in place of Mastroeini, leaving you with a weakness on defense. Or you could insert Ben Olsen at defensive mid and choose one of the 3 -- Landon, Claudio or O'Brien. It's hard to envision 2 of those 3 not being on the field. Which means Eddie Johnson might be left out again in favor of a 4-5-1.

It will be interesting to see what direction Arena takes. But no matter what, the U.S. faces a must-win situation. A tie does no good. And Ghana will bring it. They are sky-high after the win over the Czechs and a win advances them to the Round of 16. Thursday morning at 8 a.m. It's must-see TV.

Happy Father's Day

Today is Father's Day, and I'd like to send a congratulations to the three men in my life.

To my Dad -- Every day I admire you more and more. As I grow older, I see some of your great qualities coming out in me. In fact, I feel like I am becoming more and more like you every day. Although for the majority of my life I didn't live with you, there is something strange about genetics because I have seemed to pick up many of your traits. As I've started my career and my family, I understand and appreciate many of the sacrifices you made at a young age for the sake of your family. You have constantly shown me love and support, and I am forever grateful for that. I hope you have a wonderful Father's Day.

To Mr. Kyle -- I owe you a great deal because you brought stability into my mother's life. After bouncing around more than a pinball as a youngster, you showed up and brought a peace and comfort to my life. Best of all, you treated my mother like she needed to be treated. You have shown me what it means to be patient and content. You are slow to anger and quick to listen. The best part of all, you treated me like the son you never had, meaning I had two Godly men in my life to look up to and strive to impress. Thank you.

To Mr. Raymond -- The newest father figure in my life. A patient, kind man. Also one who works very hard and is very family-oriented. Those are qualities I want to have. You have shown me how to do projects around the house, and even when I'm not provided much help at all, you have let me believe I'm valuable, while also taking time to teach. I've learned many things from you in a short time, and I hope to learn many more through the years. Most importantly, though, you are my wife's father -- someone she looks up to and expects me to emulate. Therefore, you provide me with the perfect blueprint of how to be a husband. I can only hope I live up to your high standard. Happy Father's Day.

To all the fathers out there, and eventual fathers, enjoy this day. It is one where you are celebrated. Despite what our culture shows up, not all men are dead-beats. Fathers still play a vital role in their child's lives. And a special happy father's day to my brother, Heath, who is celebrating his second father's day. I love you brother. And I see how much you love your son. If I am blessed one day to have a child, I can only hope I will have that same pure, unconditional love that you show Connor. Always remember to put him first. Love you.

And they both said ...

DERIDDER, La. -- I do.

Two words. A pair that is used together in many sentences every single day.

Yet when put into a certain context, the two words carry a powerful message.

In the case of Misti Harrington and Alan Walker, those two words supplanted their firm commitments to each other's lives. On Saturday, June 17, 2006, the two became one at First Baptist Church here in DeRidder.

What a joyful ride it was. Yes, there were tears. From Alan. From Misti. From the bridesmaids. Yes, even from me (and Michael Eddy, despite what he'll say). But they were tears of joy. The tears marked a crossroads -- from the tw0-year journey that brought Alan and Misti to the this point joining with the commitment they made at the altar until death do them part.

There were some great times over the weekend -- many of which I'm sad to say I didn't chronicle due to the fact of technical difficulties with a camera -- but the memories will last.

It was such a beautiful wedding. Misti looked wonderful, while my boy Alan was extra suave.

I'd like to congratulate both Mr. and Mrs. Alan Reynolds Walker. Continue to work hard, put God first and each other's interests ahead of your own. I'm sure there are many years of happiness yet to come for both of you.

Getting out and about

Had a hot date last night. No, seriously, I did. Elizabeth and I went to eat at a quaint, albeit slightly overpriced, Italian restaurant about a 1/2 mile from our house called Suburban Garden. Then we went to the movie, followed by dessert.

It was nice to get out of the house and do something fun. We've both been so busy with work and doing stuff around the house that we hadn't done anything fun. So we went on a date.

Elizabeth and I both like Italian, and the atmosphere at Suburban Garden was great, even if the service wasn't. When we walked in around 6:15, we literally were the only customers. Suburban Garden, I'm told, has been around for 100 years. Not literally. But it's an older place. Very dimly lit. I'm sure at night, with a few candles, it can make for a very romantic scene. In the middle of June, however, there's a bit too much natural light shining in. But it was still nice.

My chicken fetuccine was good, even if the portion was about half the size I could get at Monjuni's in Ruston. I was pleased. Elizabeth's spaghetti, to both of us, was a little disappointing. It was actually quite Italian, and even though we like Italian food, we like American Italian food, if you know what I mean. But the bread, oh the bread -- now that was some good stuff. Very fresh. Just out of the oven. Elizabeth absolutely loves, and I mean loves, bread. And I've grown quite a taste for it as well. So the bread was a highlight.

Onto the movies. Over the Hedge, a movie we've wanted to see for awhile. Some very, very funny scenes. Laughed out loud funny. Overall, not the greatest animated movie I've seen. But good. Enjoyable. Cute. Steve Carell is a genius, and his squirrel character, while reminding me a bit too much of Scrat of Ice Age fame, was the highlight of the film. Also had a good plot to it. Family is both what you make of it and important. Good life lessons.

Onto dessert. Dippin' Dots. You know, the ice cream of the future. Before coming to Alexandria had never seen an actually brick and mortar. They have one here. And more than your standard 3-4 flavors. It's no 32 like Baskin-Robbins, but they had 12-20 or so flavors to choose from -- including 2 NSA flavors, otherwise known as diabetic friendly. Fun times. Don't think it will be my last time savoring the ice cream of the future.

All in all, it was a good night. Very enjoyable time with my wife. It was good for us to forget about all the stuff we have to do around the houseand have a little fun. Tomorrow night, however, is back to the grind. We have a list of things to do, including but not limited to, cleaning up the computer room and the living room. There are still plenty of boxes that need to be unpacked, as well. But we are making progress. That's all I can ask for right now.

Wedding bells will be ringing

My trip this past weekend has me very much excited about this coming weekend. Alan's Wedding. Let's get the selfish stuff out of the way. I'm excited to see the guys again. This growing up and moving away stuff is different. I'm not used to not being around my friends. I'm adjusting. I'm fine. It's just different. So I'm very excited to see everyone again. I know it's going to be a blast.

Also my mother and aunt are coming down for the wedding. I know mom is excited about that. Alan is like another son to her, as are many of my friends. After the wedding, mom and Aunt Pat will come up to Alexandria to get their first look at the new house. Oh, it's still a mess. Call it a work in progress. But I'm excited for my mom to see my house. I'm awfully proud, and I know she will be too.

And then the wedding. First it was me. Then Kyle. Now Alan. Binni's next? Lord, I hope so. Alan Walker is getting married. The pimp is settling down. Honestly, of all the guys, I figured Alan would have the least problems getting married. Never seemed to have a problem finding a girl. The problem was finding the perfect girl. Well, he could have done much worse than Misty Harrington.

I'm very proud of Alan, who of all my friends is the most like a brother to me. When I first moved to Ruston in 7th grade, for one reason or another, I just took to Alan. I looked up to him, always setting my sights to better Alan. It wasn't competition. I didn't want to actually be better than him. I just knew Alan was going to do everything well. If I could do better than him, then I was doing something right.

It's funny how my friendships work. Alan was like my brother, even though we both have older brothers. Kyle was my confidante. We could talk about anything and everything. Our relationship was, and still is, very mental. Binni, he was my boy. We just clicked on a sports level. Although he's misguided in some areas (ha!), we saw eye-to-eye in just about everything when it came to sports. He was the guy who would listen to all my off-the-wall comments about sports. He also was the guy who I felt knew as much as I do -- and there aren't many of those people around.

But Alan was just different. He was my friend when I didn't have friends. Kyle and I really became close towards the end of my junior year in high school. Binni and I clicked in college. But Alan was always there. He didn't have to be there every hour or every day. But he was there when I needed him to be, and I hope he can say the same thing about me. Our relationship wasn't one where we had to communicate daily, but it was one where I knew if I needed to talk or wanted to do something or just hang out, I could count on Alan Walker.

Now the kid is all grown up -- a successful engineer in Houston and soon-to-be a successful husband, and maybe one day an even more successful father. A-Dawg, thank you for your friendship. You've meant so much to me over the years, more than you'll ever know or I'll ever be able to put into words. Congrats, buddy. I'm always thinking about you and praying for you. I wish you and Misty nothing but the best.

Downright Awful

Wow. Not only did the U.S. national team not look great in its opener today, the Yanks looked downright awful. Czech Republic came out, took it to the U.S. and dominated them in all phases of the game in the 3-0 win.

The U.S. backline was exposed by the attacking Czech team, while the offense looked disorganized. No attacking. Bad ball movement. Just a pathetic performance, honestly.

I'll break down the individual performances and see how the U.S. can regroup going into Game 2 against group favorite Italy.

Kasey Keller -- Keller was average. All three Czech goals were because of defensive breakdowns. The first one, in the 5th minute, came off a defensive breakdown on the left side, after Eddie Lewis had pushed up offensively. Jan Koller headed in a cross from point-blank range. Two of the goals were on shots where Keller simply had no chance. The second goal was a magnificent strike from 30 yards out into the upper-right corner of the goal. Beautiful shot. However, Keller didn't do anything spectacular either. He was simply average. He didn't show a great deal of leadership either in reorganizing his backline.

Eddie Lewis -- Lewis played all 90 minutes and was actively involved in both the offense and the defense. Had the early defensive breakdown, but responded to have one of the team's better performances. One of the few players who hustled and was active the whole game.

Steve Cherundolo -- Average game from right back. Played only the first half before being subbed out to get more offense on the field. Did not do anything to stand out -- either good or bad.

Eddie Pope -- Pope was solid. No glaring mistakes, which is usually the senior centerback's MO.

Oguchi Onweyu -- A World Cup debut worth forgetting. Has a reputation for fouling and lived up to it. Also picked up an early yellow card. Was beaten by Koller on the first goal. Also didn't clear the ball out of the zone to set up the Czechs' second goal. He's young and immensely talented. Improved somewhat during the second half. But he looked outclassed on this day. Nerves? Or sign of what's to come? That is yet to be seen.

Bobby Convey -- Another World Cup debut worth forgetting. Very passive. Did a lot of passing backward instead of attacking. When he did attack, he normally turned it over. Did have a couple of good moves, only to lead to bad crosses into the box. Rather disappointing performance. Must improve his game.

DaMarcus Beasley -- See Convey above. Whether he's not in great shape (most likely not the case) or he's uncomfortable playing on the right side (he's left-footed and normally plays left mid, like Convey), he looked out of it the whole game. Beasley's game is attacking, yet he did none of it against the Czechs. The move for him was to get him and Convey on the field at the same time. But the fact of the matter is they play the same position, and one of them will likely be sitting on the bench.

Pablo Mastroeni -- Played the first half and did his job. No glaring mistakes. He was forgettable, which at his position, unlike Beasley and Convey, is what you want.

Claudio Reyna -- Gave the U.S. its best scoring chance, hitting the left post on a strike that would have tied the game at 1 in the first half. Not his best game, particularly in the second half, when he dropped back to holding midfielder. He can play that position, and most likely will more during the Cup, but he's better suited for the attacking midfield position.

Landon Donovan -- Frustrating day for Landon. Started up top at forward and dropped back to attacking midfielder during the second half. Didn't get the ball on his feet much, which is when he's the most dangerous. And also didn't make many attacking runs. Donovan is the star on this team, and he has to have the ball on his feet for the U.S. to be successful.

Brian McBride -- Played about 70 minutes and didn't get too many chances. He provides a big target around the goal, but the U.S. never really got the chance to get the big fella involved in the game.

Eddie Johnson -- The youngest player on the team at 22. Entered the game at halftime and immediately provided a spark. Had 3 shots that all had a chance to go in. Really was the best player on the team against the Czechs.

John O'Brien -- The team's best ballhandler entered at the half due to fitness concerns. Injuries have limited his time on the international level since 2002. Looked good. Serves a great ball. The U.S. offense runs much better with him on the field.

Josh Wolff -- Entered for McBride late. Had one scoring chance. That will be Wolff's role on the team, a late sub to give the team some extra speed and spark up top.

Where to go from here against Italy? On the positives, Eddie Johnson earned a start up top. He simply came to play. Pair him with McBride up top against Italy.

In the midfield, you have to choose between Convey and Beasley. They are 2 of probably the 5 best all-around players on the team, but they play the same position. So who do you choose? While not an easy decision, it's Beasley. One, he's got more experience. Two, Convey had his chance to play on the left side against the Czechs. He didn't do much. So give Beaz a chance to play his natural position for at least the entire first half against Italy. In the middle, you put Donovan and Reyna. They are your young star and your captain -- your 2 best players. Mastroeni didn't do anything wrong, he's just left out due to the numbers game. O'Brien showed flash of his old abilities as a sub. Put him on the right side to start the game and see if he's fit enough to play 90 minutes.

In the back, Eddie Lewis was stellar. Another option here is Convey. He and Beaz attacking on the same side could be interesting. But Lewis played an outstanding first game. Cherundolo also didn't do anything to lose his starting position. In the middle, Pope is a given. And I understand Onweyu had first-game jitters. Do you give him a chance for redemption? Maybe Bruce Arena does, but I don't. I'm putting Carlos Bocanegra in, giving up a little size and power, but maybe getting a bit more polish.

With the 3-0 loss in Game 1, the U.S. has set itself up for a must-win game against Italy. A tie really does you no good because of the goal differential tie-breaker coupled with a three-goal deficit already. The Yanks must beat Italy -- and that's no easy task.

Pitch Fever

Rolled out of bed at 5:45 a.m. Sunday morning. Almost 20 hours later, crawled into bed at 1 a.m. this morning. Why? Soccer.

I've got the fever. Despite the fact the month-long soccer celebration known as the World Cup has kicked off, and the Americans start their Cup today (more on that shortly), I just needed to see soccer firsthand. So Elizabeth and I took a day-trip to Dallas, much like many we took while we were in college. In the process we saw FC Dallas defeat Chivas USA 2-1.

It was good to get back to an MLS game, as I hadn't been to one in two summers. After the World Cup 4 years ago, my friend Binni and I made several trips to the Cotton Bowl to see the Dallas Burn play. We had great trips, getting onto the field with the players and actually meeting a number of them -- including former national team players Clint Mathis and Cobi Jones. However, this was my first trip to see FC Dallas (the team changed from the Burn two years ago) and the team's new facility, Pizza Hut Park in Frisco.

Elizabeth and I met Binni in Shreveport early Sunday morning before driving over to Dallas, where we had lunch with my mom and stepfather. Afterwards, we drove up to Frisco to check out the new park and the game. And it was a blast. I love watching soccer on TV, but the sport is so much better live. They say the same thing about hockey. It's true because you get to see the whole field. You get to see the plays develop. You see the beautiful runs being made. It's just fantastic. I still can't figure out why this game hasn't taken off more in the States.

It was a great trip. I had forgotten how much fun it was to be around Binni when we are both in our element (that would be just about anything sports-related). Although we haven't spent a ton of time together recently, there were moments (and Elizabeth can attest to it) where it was like we've been around each other every day for the past year. Binni, thanks for the trip. Hopefully, we can put another one in this summer.

Yanks make their Cup debut

In a couple of hours, the U.S. national team starts its World Cup with the first of 3 matches in group play against the Czech Republic. Here's my prediction for the Starting XI and how the game will turn out:

Goalkeeper: Kasey Keller. No shocker here. Unless Keller gets hurt, he will play every minute of the Cup, like Brad Friedel did in 2002.

Defenders: Steve Cherundolo, Eddie Lewis, Eddie Pope and Oguchi Onweyu. Pope and Onweyu, the central defenders, are the anchor of the defense. Pope has the experience, while Onweyu is a pup. However, the 23-year-old is emerging as the future of the U.S. backline. He's set to have a coming out party this Cup. Cherundolo and Lewis both play important roles because of their versatility. They anchor the outside of the U.S. defense, yet they are both vitally important in making runs up the sideline to jumpstart the Americans' counter-strike offense.

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley, Claudio Reyna, Pablo Mastroeni, and Bobby Convey. Beasley is one of the fastest players in the world and perhaps the most creative player on the U.S. roster. However, he's moving from the left side to the right. How will he respond on the international level to playing out of position? Convey is the most fit athlete on the U.S. team, and the 23-year-old's emergence has moved Beasley across the field. Convey will do something special in his first World Cup. Reyna is the seasoned veteran, captain, leader and best all-around player on the U.S. team. In a comparison to basketball, he is the team's point guard. Or in football, the quarterback. In 2002, he was chosen as one of the best 11 in the tournament. Now in his fourth Cup, his ability to stay healthy and be the anchor could propel the U.S. to new heights. Mastroeni, much like 2002, will not get much notice. He plays a defensive midfield spot that if he's playing well is meant not to be noticed. Pablo does the dirty work and has no problem doing so.

Forwards: Brian McBride and Landon Donovan. McBride is a world-class striker, perhaps the only true goal scorer on the entire U.S. roster. How many opportunities he can get and whether or not he is able to capatilize will determine just how good this U.S. offense is this year. Donovan's versatility is his strength. While not a true forward, he does possess the ability to put the ball in the net. And his speed up top gives the U.S. a good 1-2 punch with McBride.

Subs: Tim Howard (GK), Marcus Hahnemann (GK), Chris Albright (D), Carlos Bocanegra (D), Gregg Berhalter (D), Jimmy Conrad (D), John O'Brien (MF), Clint Dempsey (MF), Ben Olsen (MF) Eddie Johnson (F), Brian Ching (F), Josh Wolff (F).

The subs are so important for head coach Bruce Arena because he likes to play so many people over the three games. Last Cup, all but one of the 20 position players got into at least one game. This year, I believe around 17 will play. Part of the strength of the U.S. is the fact its players (such as Donovan, Convey and Lewis) can play multiple positions on the field. This provides depth even when depth is limited.

For this first game against the Czechs, I see the Yanks making an early statement with a 2-0 victory against the world's No. 2 team. If the U.S. doesn't win or tie, it will not advance out of this group. Following the Czechs with the favored Italians, coupled with the fact that 80 percent of teams who don't score at least 1 point in their first game don't advance out of group play, adds to the importance of this game. But the U.S. has waited 4 years for this moment -- to prove 2002 was no fluke, to prove the Americans can play on European soil and to prove the U.S. has become a world power in soccer.

Brian McBride scores on a header off a corner kick, while Donovan puts in the second goal off a beautiful feed from Convey.