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.

Fly like an Eagle

Ryan Moats. Here's a guy who I think about a lot, follow closely and unfortunately only get to speak to on rare occasions. Saturday was one of those rare occasions.

I try to follow Ryan, a former superstar running back at Louisiana Tech who was a friend of mine from our days together in Ruston, through the Philadelphia Eagles' Web site, where he is now a running back in the NFL. As I stopped by the site today, I saw where Ryan had updated his blog (caution: you might have to sign up to see this page).

Reading about Ryan reaching out to children in Philly and also talking about buying a house in Dallas made me think about how much I missed just chilling with the cool cat in Ruston. So I decided to call him. We had a great conversation, and I got to tell him that I had moved to Alexandria and the exciting things that are going on in my life. In turn, I got to hear the exciting things that are going on in Philly, as Moats prepares for his second season in the NFL -- and a much bigger role in the offense.

Also on the Eagles' site was a column written by Dave Spadaro, who runs the site and writes a daily column about behind-the-scenes info in Philly. Here's what Dave had to say about Moats:

RYAN MOATS, RB
This is player who has made a dramatic improvement in his game. It's obvious to anyone who has seen him practice and play in the last year.

Moats always had the startling quickness and that low-to-the-ground running style. He's jitterbug-fast and he changes direction so well that I imagine he's like tackling a fish swimming downstream.

After a promising rookie year, Moats has made strides this spring. Where Moats has worked the hardest, it's clear to see, is his ability to catch the football and transition up the field. He battled the ball last year a bit. That was a weakness. He wasn't entirely comfortable coming out of the backfield and smoothly making a catch and getting into high gear.

In these post-draft camps, Moats has been outstanding catching the football. Not flawless, for sure, but truly outstanding. He is smooth. He is confident.
Maybe it's because Moats now knows where he is supposed to go that he's playing so well. He has the talent; he's also armed with knowledge now.

I have seen many instances when Moats and Brian Westbrook have been paired in the backfield, and I think that is going to give defensive coordinators fits. I would imagine that coordinators will challenge Moats when they see him in the backfield and that they will send a blitzer and force Moats to prove he can pass protect sufficiently. We will see in training camp how much Moats has improved in that phase of his game.

To date, there is no more improved player in this camp. Moats is exciting to see, and the thinking here is that the coaching staff is going to find a way to get him on the field a lot.

Chatting futbol

Had another story in today's paper. This was one of those stories that just happens. Was doing some work for the story that ran in yesterday's paper and just happened to run into this former women's national team player working a camp here in Alexandria. Had the chance to chat with her for about 15-20 minutes about the state of the game.

Very interesting. Learned a lot. I always enjoy talking with people who know soccer. For awhile, my only source of information was Binni. I sort of became Binni Jr. Now it's nice to get out and actually pick other people's brains.

The Cup starts today, for those of you who care. There are far too few of us who actually do in this country. In fact, opening kickoff is just about an hour and a half away right now.

I constantly hear people say, "Oh, you like soccer?" Like it's the plague or something. And they don't want to hear my chatter about the game's growing (it's the No. 1 youth sport in this country now). But I have firm proof. It's called TV. Did you know that EVERY game will be on TV this year? And not just like (to steal a line from Dodge Ball) ESPN 8, "The Ocho". I'm talking about ESPN, ESPN2 and even ABC. All 64 first round games will be televised. That's simply amazing and is positive proof that the game is growing here in America.

There will be plenty of good soccer on TV this weekend. Most of you, if you care at all, won't care until 11 a.m. (CST) on Monday -- when the U.S. opens its Cup against No. 2 Czech Republic. But for those of you who might want to check out some of the other top teams in the world, here's a list of some of the top games this weekend:

Friday
Germany vs. Costa Rica (11 a.m., ESPN2)

Saturday
England vs. Paraguay (8 a.m., ABC)
Argentina vs. Ivory Coast (2 p.m., ESPN2)

Sunday
Netherlands vs. Serbia and Montenegro (8 a.m., ESPN2)
Portugal vs. Angola (2 p.m., ESPN2)

Start paying attention

Well, I recently expanded upon my job title of assistant metro editor by putting together a package including this story and a column in Thursday's edition of The Town Talk. In addition, I will have another story in Friday's edition.

As the self-professed soccer guru of The Town Talk -- although assistant sports editor Jeff Matthews is also a fan -- I have taken it upon my shoulders to try and get more soccer coverage leading up to the world's biggest sporting event, which begins Friday (as an aside, the U.S. kicks off play at 11 a.m., Monday, against the Czech Republic).

For those of you who miss reading my stuff, here's a chance to get some good soccer facts backed with a dose of my opinions. I thought it came together for a pretty nice package, and tomorrow's story is a nice complimentary piece as well.

I don't know how much I will get to write, as my main responsibilities are on the editing side. However, I will keep everyone up to date whenever something like this happens.

Laval goes up in SMOKE

For the first time in more than 2 decades, LSU's baseball program appears to be in utter disarray.

Smoke Laval, LSU's head coach for the past 5 years and previously the head man at NLU/ULM, resigned Sunday morning, ending months of turmoil and speculation over his job security. Laval, who had the unenviable task of following the legendary Skip Bertman, now LSU's athletic director, had led LSU to 2 College World Series but couldn't fill Bertman's shoes and saw the Tigers finish eighth in the SEC this year and miss out on the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1984.

I feel bad for Smoke. The former LSU assistant was hand-picked by Bertman to be the coach's successor. But nobody wants to try to fill the shoes of a legend. It's always said you want to be the man who follows the man who followed the legend. Now someone gets that chance. But who will it be?

The News-Star's story lists Alabama's Jim Wells, Mike Bianco at Ole Miss and Kentucky's John Cohen. Other potential candidates are ULL's Tony Robichaux, Tulane's Rick Jones, Louisiana Tech's Wade Simoneaux and LSU assistant Turtle Thomas. With LSU's storied tradition, the list of potential candidates could be even lengthier.

But why would these guys want the LSU gig? The Tigers are far removed from the glory days of the 1990s, when Bertman won 5 national titles in 10 years. The SEC, arguably the best league in the nation along with the ACC, is very, very deep. And parity is beginning to seep into collegiate baseball. Sure, some of the big names are always there. But the talent pool is getting deeper and instead of the same 8-12 teams competing for the CWS every year, now there are a legitimate 20-25 teams vying for one of those coveted spots.

Let's take a look at each potential candidate and assess the possibility of their taking the LSU gig.

Jim Wells -- Has been at Alabama for the past 12 years, where he has built the Crimson Tide into a national powerhouse. In 1995, he took over the worst program in the SEC. Ten years later, what a turnaround. Won the SEC title this year and currently has Alabama ranked 4th in the nation. The Tide defeated Troy 14-5 Sunday night to wrap up its regional and will host a super regional next weekend. However, he does have Louisiana ties. Wells is a native of Bossier City and has previously coached for 5 years at Northwestern State. Wells also began his college career as a grad assistant for Bertman at LSU. Wells has coached in 3 College World Series in his career and has a good shot at a 4th this year. While it makes tremendous sense for LSU to take a shot at Wells given his success and Louisiana ties, I don't think he'd be too ready to leave Tuscaloosa -- unless the price is right.

Mike Bianco -- In his 6th season in Oxford, Bianco has the Rebels in the super regional for the second straight year after a 12-4 win over Tulane Sunday night. Bianco has completely turned Ole Miss around, winning a school-record 48 games in 2005 and another 43 so far this season. Like Wells, Bianco has ties to Louisiana and LSU. Bianco is an LSU grad and former LSU assistant under Bertman. He got his first head coaching gig at McNeese State, where he served for 3 years before moving to Ole Miss. Like Wells, Bianco has turned around a dormant program. Unlike Wells, Bianco has been in Oxford for a dozen years. After 6 seasons, especially if Bianco can get the Rebels to the CWS for the first time ever, it might be time for him to go back home.

John Cohen -- Considered one of the hot young coaches in the country, Cohen is in his 3rd year in Lexington and led the Wildcats to an SEC East title this year. He's also got UK in the Super Regional after a 12-9 win over Ball State Sunday night. Like the previous 2 candidates, Cohen has ties to Louisiana -- like Wells, he's a former head coach at NSU, where he coached for 4 years. Unlike the previous 2 candidates, he doesn't have any LSU or Bertman ties. Cohen played college ball at Mississippi State. He's a native of Tuscaloosa, Ala. After failing to win 30 games his first 2 years in Lexington, Cohen has had a breakthrough year. He might want to jump ship and take a higher-paying gig in Baton Rouge. Although he might want to build a program at Kentucky, his previous track record doesn't indicate that. He spent 5 years at NSU, 2 as an assistant at Florida and the past 3 at UK. His longest tenure was his first job, as an assistant at Missouri, where he spent 6 seasons. Of all the coaches, I think he'd be the most likely to jump ship to Baton Rouge.

Tony Robichaux -- Overall, Robichaux had a disappointing 2006, failing to make an NCAA Regional. However, for his tenure in Lafayette, he has put up some incredible numbers. In 12 years at ULL, he's won more than 400 games. In 19 total seasons, he's won nearly 700. Prior to ULL, he served for 7 seasons at his alma mater, McNeese State. While he's not quite the hot commodity he was in 2000, when the Ragin' Cajuns won 49 games and finished 3rd in the CWS, the man has been fairly consistent throughout his career. The question is his mind is can he get ULL back to the CWS? If he feels he's peaked in Lafayette, he may be looking for the next big thing -- a trip to Baton Rouge. However, the man has turned down jobs before, including LSU when Laval got the job. He's been loyal to ULL and is, at best, a longshot for the job this time. No question, though, the man can coach.

Rick Jones -- Jones has made Tulane a national power in baseball. In 13 years, he has 2 trips to the CWS. He's can legitimately say his team is a rival of LSU. Why would he want to leave? Good question. Tulane was knocked out of the NCAA Regional Sunday night by Bianco and Ole Miss. He's been to 13 regionals and the CWS in 2001 and again last season. In fact, his team knocked Laval and LSU out in 2005. But when is it time to move on? Tulane can still compete with anybody in the country. And Jones knows that. I doubt he'll seriously consider LSU should they offer.

Two other names that might get outside consideration are Simoneaux and Thomas. I doubt Sim has done enough at Tech to warrant serious consideration, and Thomas was passed over last time by Bertman. I don't see why this time will be any different. In the end, though, it should be fun to follow the saga. Will LSU ever be the same again? Depends on if they hire the right coach. In my eyes, Cohen or Bianco are the leaders in this chase.

America's Pastime -- college edition

The NCAA's baseball tourney kicked off this weekend as the 64 postseason teams began play in 16 regionals.

While my alma mater, Louisiana Tech, faded at the end of the year and didn't make the postseason, there are still plenty of times to Ruston.

In Tuscaloosa, Ala., two Ruston High alums are battling -- as Brandon Belcher's Alabama team has the No. 1 seed and Daniel Best's Southern Miss Golden Eagles were seeded third.

On Friday, Belcher, a leftfielder, went 1-for-5 in the Crimson Tide's 13-1 win over Jacksonville. Best, meanwhile, watched from the bench, as the nation's premier closer couldn't get into the game in Southern Miss' 10-8 loss to Conference USA rival Troy.

Today was better for Best, though, as Southern Miss stayed alive, beating Jacksonville 6-2. Best, a lanky 6-4 sidearmer, threw 1.2 innings to get his 13th save of the year -- tying him atop Southern Miss' single-season record books. The Golden Eagles will now play Troy again after Alabama won 4-3. Belcher, hitting out of the 8th spot, went 0-for-4.

On Sunday, Southern Miss and Troy face off at 1:30 p.m. The winner will face Alabama Sunday night, needing to knock off the Crimson Tide twice to advance to a super regional. Should Alabama lose Sunday night, the rematch would be at 1 p.m. Monday.

Tuscaloosa isn't the only regional with a Ruston tie. In Oxford, Miss., Best and Belcher's high school teammate, Stoney Stone, is a reliever for Ole Miss.

Ole Miss won its first game Friday over Bethune Cookman, 3-2, and then advanced to the championship with a 9-7 win over South Alabama. Stoney, a senior, has yet to pitch in the regional.

Bouncing around the rest of the regionals --

In Athens, Ga., Florida State appears ready to beat host Georgia, as they did 6-4 Saturday, and head back to the super regional. Going to the CWS seems like a rite of passage every year for the Seminoles.

In Austin, Texas, the Longhorns were stunned by Stanford, 12-8. National player of the year Drew Stubbs, another player with Ruston ties (although way down the line) has to pick his team up to get them to the super regional.

Like high scores, head to Chapel Hill, N.C. Winthrop 14, UNC-Wilmington 2. UNC 15, Maine 7. UNC-Wilmington 21, Maine 19. UNC 14, Winthrop 4.

At Clemson, Elon beat Mississippi State Friday. Maybe LSU does have a complaint. What happened to State, once the best team in country? Tech happened, that's what. Once the Bulldogs made that magical comeback, MissStake hasn't been the same. They came back to beat UNC-Asheville 5-4 on Saturday but now faces Elon again for the chance to face top-seeded Clemson.

Arkansas lost. At home. To Oral Roberts. Man, what has happened to the SEC?

It keeps getting worse. Kentucky, a No. 1 seed, lost at home to Ball State. Wow. Same regional. Notre Dame loses to College of Charleston. So much for the Irish's complaints about poor seeding. Kentucky came back to beat Notre Dame. Peace out Irish. Meanwhile, College of Charleston (who?) is rolling, 11-0 over Ball State.

In Lincoln, Neb., host and No. 6 team in the country, Nebraska, is 2-and-out -- losing 4-1 to Manhattan and 5-1 to San Francisco. Boy, those are two powerhouses there.

Out in Malibu, there was some good baseball. Two 3-2 games, No. 1 seed Pepperdine over Missouri and No. 2 UCLA over UC-Irvine. On Saturday, Missouri beat Irvine, 5-4, and Pepperdine beat UCLA 6-0.

Like many people out there, I don't follow college baseball too closely during the season, but I love the tournament!

Quick Hits
Das win the game! Dirk "the German Werewolf" Nowitzki scored 24 points to lead Dallas to a Game 6, and most importantly 4-2 series, win over former running mate and league MVP Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns. Nash had 19 and 9, while Boris Diaw, who came out of nowhere to become a star, had 30 and 11. Imagine how good this team could have been if Amare would have been healthy. One word: LETHAL!

Instead, it's Dallas getting over the hump. Can't say I'm happy. Nowitzki is good. Just doesn't excite me. Would much rather watch the uptempo Suns. They are what Dallas used to be. Guess Nash still can't get over the hump, though, despite the MVPs. Like Flash, aka Dwyane Wade. Hope the Heat win. Would much rather be watching Phoenix vs. Cleveland. Oh well. NBA playoffs. Catch the excitement!

Bonds watch: Appears 73* is safe. Pujols heads to DL with oblique strain. Meanwhile, Barry goes 2-for-3 with 2 1B, 2 BB, an RBI and a run in 6-4 win over Mets. Then, shockingly, he sits out the second game of the doubleheader, a 3-2 Giants loss.

It's over!!! I'm calling it -- my Braves are done. A doubleheader sweep to the D-backs drops Atlanta to 28-28, 6 games behind the Mets. Atlanta cannot continue to play .500 and keep its impressive streak of pennants alive. The MLB season is long, very long, but Bobby Cox has to do something to kickstart his team, especially his pitching staff.

Eric Musselman?!?! C'mon, Maloofs, you can do better than that.

Can't wait for the big b_hoss blog preview on Monday? The U.S. is rarin' to go. Follow the World Cup here.

It's not all about me

OK, for the past couple of weeks or so, I feel like all I've been talking about is me, me, me. Sometimes I get so busy that I forget to slow down and talk about other people besides myself. So that's what the majority of this post will be about -- you guys, the people who make up my life.

For the next, oh, 16 years or so this time of the year will be about one thing -- nephews. I've got three of them, and they all have birthdays in May or June. Connor, my brother's son, saw that milestone known as his first birthday last month. This past weekend was his birthday party, which because of the move and the new schedule, I was unable to attend. I did want to send out a belated shoutout to my boy, though. Caleb, my eldest brother-in-law's son, turned 2 years old yesterday, while Thomas, my other brother-in-law's son, will be 2 on June 30. Happy birthday to all!

There's also another celebration occasion in the McCormick household this weekend. In case you've forgotten -- June 4, that would be Sunday, is my anniversary. It's hard to believe it's been a year already, and at the same time that year has flown by so fast. So much has changed since we both said "I Do" in Pineville on that blazing hot summer day last year. I never would have guessed that one year later I'd be living in my own home across the river and working at The Town Talk. It's funny how life throws curveballs at you.

Another reason to celebrate: today was a big day for my boy, Grant Terry, who signed to play college baseball at Northeast Texas Community College. Terry will join two of his former Ruston High teammates, Cole Bishop and Turner Brasher, at NTCC. Just for the record, both Terry and Brasher are looking up at me in the standings of our fantasy baseball league.

For those of you who don't know my story with Grant, who I know simply as GT, here it is. I saw the kid around a lot during his first two years at Ruston High. He just, like me at his age, went to a lot of sporting events. Since I covered sports for The Leader, we talked about sports, naturally. Gradually, our conversations turned into friendship. And I'm proud today to call Grant a friend.

I'm very proud of him. Here's a kid who didn't play varsity baseball until his senior year. He could have easily quit, much like I did when I was his age. But he stuck with it. Due to his work ethic, he took an athletically limited body and improved himself to become a college athlete. Hopefully with continued work, he'll be wearing a Bulldog baseball uniform in two seasons. Congrats, kid.

My stepbrother, Wayne West, is getting married in a week. Less than a week now. Read more about it here.

Things are going well around the house. It's still a mess, just not quite as big of one as it was yesterday. I mowed my yard for the first time this morning. Not too much work. I've also edged about half the front yard, the rest I will finish Saturday morning. Now that was a lot of work. I can tell it hasn't been edged in quite some time. But when it's all said and done, the yard will look very good. And I will be able to keep up with it, so it won't require quite as much work next time.

Good news, since we're in that kind of mood tonight. Elizabeth got a job! She'll start working Monday at Sabine State Bank here in Alexandria. She will be able to build upon her experience at Community Trust Bank in Ruston.

Quick hits

Peace out Pistons. You got demolished by Miami.

Jon Papelbon is now 20-for-20 on save opportunities, extending his rookie record. The kid is simply lights-out right now with a 0.32 ERA.

Very interesting story on Adam Morrison by ESPN.com's Andy Katz. Katz, by the way, has always been one of my idols. He, along with John Feinstein and Mitch Albom, is perhaps my favorite sportswriter.

Speaking of the NBA Draft, things aren't looking very good for Louisiana Tech's Paul Millsap, who has fallen out of the first round in this latest mock draft.

Does anyone actually think Lance, or any athlete, is clean today?

Who is this Ryan Howard cat? Hit his 19th bomb Friday night.

Bonds Watch: No news due to rain. Next up: doubleheader on Saturday. Here's a bold prediction: Bonds will sit out the second game.

What's up with Frank Thomas? Guy is hitting .230 with 36 hits. 13 of them are dingers.

Can the D-League survive? It would certainly help the NBA to have a bonafide developmental league.

I'm planning a big blog on the World Cup, which starts next week. Most likely, I'll post it on Monday. Just a heads up, my first byline and column will appear next week. Both are on the World Cup.

All sports ... all the time

Let's dive right into the sports talk ...

Yeah right!

I know everyone out there wants an update on what's going on down here in Alexandria. Well, we're in the house. Tonight is our first night, and let me tell you, for all the trouble I've gone through already with this place, it's very rewarding to know the bed I sleep in tonight is in my very own home!

Boxes are everywhere. It's still a big, fat mess. But Elizabeth and I are home. We've got telephone service, cable and the Internet. So, as the Taco Bell commercial says, I'm good to go. We've the bed made up -- with our new sheets and comforter. I'm just very excited to be home -- and although Ruston has been home to me, this is MY home.

I've almost completed my first project. Without getting too nasty or descriptive, I had to take down all the air vents from the ceiling and clean them. After being soaked in Chlorox and water to kill the mold (after being soaked in water and Simple Green, then scrubbed by yours truly, I was told about the quicker, much more effective cleaning manner), the air vents were spraypainted white to make them look (almost) as good as new.

Well, I guess that was my third project. The first project was painting. The living room and dining room are (for the most part) done. The living room is done -- walls and trim on the bottom. We still have future plans to do some more around the windows, but I don't know when we'll get to that. The dining room -- the one we glazed -- actually turned out fantastic! It's a very pretty room. Elizabeth and her mom did a great job in there. We still need to paint the trim in that room, but we bought that paint tonight. Further plans are to repaint one of the bedrooms (which right now is set up as a nursery -- very pretty, but not us) and then to pain the den/computer room (TECH BLUE, BABY!) The second project was fixing the cabinet above the refrigerator -- which used to be the cabinet that was in the way of our refrigerator going where it needed to. Mr. Raymond and I took care of that project, and he also helped out a great deal over the Memorial Day holiday. Honestly, he was a life-saver. I'm trying my hand at this handyman stuff, and Mr. Raymond has showed me a great deal of tricks already.

Well, there's so much more that needs to be around here. Thankfully, we can relax and breathe a little, knowing we have plenty of time to get all of those chores done. One thing that has surprised me is just how truly big this house is -- 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, kitchen, living room, den and dining room. And besides the kitchen, which isn't small by any means, all of the rooms are BIG. Very big. I didn't realize how big until we got all our stuff in here. Our apartment was small and cozy. Our house is nice and big. I'm looking forward to filling it up ... in time.

What a week!

Wow, it's 10 a.m. Saturday morning, and I feel like my week is finally winding down. Yes, I have to go into work this afternoon -- sometime between 2 and 5 p.m., probably closer to 5. And man am I ever looking forward to my 3-day weekend (yes, it will be full of unloading and unpacking, but we'll get to that later). In addition to my normal Sunday and Monday off, I'll also be off on Tuesday for my Memorial Day holiday. It couldn't come at a better time.

I can honestly say I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders this week, and I neared the breaking point yesterday. I can't count (yes, I probably could, but I'm not going to) the number of hours I worked this week. It all boiled over yesterday, when I spent nearly 16 hours at the office and didn't get home until nearly midnight. As I've shared earlier in this blog, the week started out with my supervisor on vacation, which led to additional responsibility in just my 4th week on the job at The Town Talk. Then the managing editor (my supervisor's supervisor) was out on Thursday and Friday, as well. All of this in the middle of both graduation season (an absolutely deplorable time -- yes, I'm happy for the kids, but it's painful for us newspaper folk), as well as our major hurricane package, which starts in Sunday's paper and runs until June 1, opening day of hurricane season. Needless today, it's been one helluva week. I'm ready to relax. But I can't. Which brings to me the next part of my blog.

FRIENDLY ADVICE

Don't use U-Haul! Just listen to me on that one. It's not worth the headache. As I write this blog, my wife and her family are up in Ruston (thankfully) packing our belongings into a U-Haul truck. At 7:30 last night, we didn't know if we were getting a truck. Yeah, that just added to the stress in my life -- and Elizabeth's.

Despite doing what both of us thought was the "smart" thing -- reserving a truck online two weeks ago -- U-Haul apparently is way behind the times. You see, we live in an Internet age. Online banking. Bill payer. Information available 24 hours a day, seemingly at a moments notice. Many places, including a lot of banks Elizabeth has found out, only accept applications online nowadays. However, U-Haul just hasn't grasped that concept. Their online reservations are horrible.

We got an e-mail saying we'd get a call by 5 p.m. the day before we got the truck to let us know when and where to pick up the truck. Now, I'll admit, that should have been the first red flag. Like when I'm renting a hotel or buying a plane ticket, I want to be able to pick my date and have it set in stone. Apparently, you can do that at Budget. Even though Budget is slightly more expensive, I've learned it's certainly worth the extra cost! Oh yea, back to that phone call that I never got. I called at 4:59 literally, only to have U-Haul tell me nothing was available in Ruston and I might have to drive to pick up a truck. Not the best option, but that's cool, as long as they give me extra mileage. They'll call me by 8 p.m. Never got a call. Once again, I had to call them. Now the customer service on the phone wasn't horrible (it wasn't great either), but if you tell me you're going to do something, by golly just do it!

Anyway, there's a truck available in Shreveport. That's the closest to Ruston. Sure, it's only an hour out of the way. That's not horrible in the grand scheme of things. But oh wait, there's one available in Alexandria. Hey, we're in Alexandria. That'll be perfect! Oh, no. Too easy. Since we're dropping off the U-Haul in Alexandria, they can't give us any mileage to go to Shreveport. We'll have to pay for the mileage -- 40 cents a mile -- and it would cost us nearly $100 extra. Oh, yeah, and if we cancel that's a $50 fee. So we're stuck. And don't get me started about how Elizabeth and her parents had problems getting the truck this morning because we "weren't in the system" -- even though the customer service rep said she transferred me over and told me where to pick up the truck.

I'd like to believe it would have been better if I'd just dealt with the local company instead of going online, but I can't say that's true. A co-worker of mine also moving this weekend (which, by the way, is the busiest moving day of the year, I'm told; great timing there, Bret) recounted his problems with U-Haul to me last night at the office. He dealt locally in Alexandria and was scheduled to get his truck on Friday. Truck broke down. Couldn't get one. They'd call him this morning to let him know if he'd get one. Yeah, don't hold your breath with them actually calling. Lucky for him, he's just moving across the river (Alex to Pineville), but still, there are only so many things he can fit into his Grand Am.

It's been one big adventure! Again, will somebody please explain to me why I chose to move and buy a house???

NOW ONTO SOME GOOD NEWS

Got an e-mail from my friend, Erik Boyle, from Utah. We went to junior together in Ruston and played baseball together before his family moved to Utah. Through the years we've kept in touch via letters and e-mail, and the occasional phone call. On May 17, two days the 1st birthday of my brother's son Connor, Erik and his wife, Diana, got a precious gift they call Hannah Elizabeth. While I am in no way ready for any of my own, I love little children. I get such a joy from being around them. And I am very happy for both Erik and Diana. I know they will be wonderful, loving parents. Hopefully, Hannah is the first of many lovely little Boyles.

Personal message to Erik -- your life is about to completely change. I know this because I have a brother and two brothers-in-law that have children between the ages of 1 and 2 years old. Parenthood is one of the most difficult, yet joyful, tasks anyone can undertake. It is no longer about you and Diana. Everything is about that little girl. She will become your life. And I can honestly say, I know that's just the way you want. I'm proud of you, man. Keep striving for your goals, but remember, everything you do now affects that little girl. I'm sure she'll be Daddy's pride and joy. Good luck with many sleepless nights!

JUST A LITTLE SPORTS

For the most part, it truly has been a no-sports week. I haven't watched any on TV. The only way I've kept up with it is through our newspaper and the couple of minutes I've had online this week.

My buddy Kyle, an assistant sports information direction at Louisiana Tech University, called me from Fresno, the site of the 2006 Western Athletic Conference baseball tourney, to let me know my beloved alma mater lost to Hawaii in the first round of the WAC tourney, 8-0. The Diamond Dogs bounced back yesterday with a 14-9 win over Sacramento State and will play Hawaii in a rematch at 5 p.m. tonight. Thankfully, Hawaii's ace, junior Stephen Wright, a projected high pick in next month's MLB draft, won't be on the mound for the rematch.

No matter the outcome, and I think my Dogs will win, of course, it's been a great season for head coach Wade Simoneaux and his crew. Projected to be one of the worst, if not the worst, teams in the WAC, Tech started hot and is trying to play its way into an NCAA regional somewhere. There are currently 33-24, but probably need to win the tourney to get into a regional. Either way, the Dogs are here to stay. They had great senior leadership this year, but the majority of the team is very, very young. Freshman Jericho Jones is already a star, but he's going to be a superstar. The team's leading hitter at .365 with 16 HR and 56 RBI, Jones is also 5-3 on the mound as a starting pitcher. And, most importantly, he'll be in Ruston for at least two more seasons.

Meanwhile, LSU is out of the SEC tourney and hoping, praying for an NCAA regional bid. After beating No. 1 seed Alabama (which, unfortunately, might have clinched the NCAA bid), the Tigers were simply drummed by both Ole Miss and in a rematch with Alabama to go home with their tails between their legs. While the Tigers used to be the big dog on the block, they have simply been knocked off their perch in the ultra-competitive SEC. My boy Brandon Belcher (who's 3-10 in the tourney) and his Tide are rolling. But they must face another former Ruston boy, Stoney Stone, and his Ole Miss Rebels now. If Belcher can return on the mound next year, and the Tide get All-American and former Barbe High standout Wade Leblanc back for his senior year, they could be a dangerous duo next year.

Another Ruston High product, Daniel Best, one of the best closers in the country, now must wait and see if his career his over after his Southern Miss Eagles went 1-2 in the Conference USA tourney this week. Best gave up two hits in his only appearance of the tourney Friday, when the Golden Eagles were eliminated by Memphis 8-5. For the season, Best went 6-2 with a 2.19 ERA and a career-high 12 saves with 49 K's and just 10 walks. He was more than a closer this year, pitching nearly 50 innings in 29 appearances. While falling one save short of the single-season record, Best did set the school record for career saves with 23. He was the heart and soul of the pitching staff, which struggled all year as Southern Miss finished a disappointing 38-21 and tied for 4th in CUSA -- and now waits in hopes on a call about a regional.

That's all I have for you right now -- there might be another post tonight if I'm lucky.

Assistant handyman reporting for duty

First order of duty -- painting. Check. Well, almost check. The living room is done -- thanks to some last minute touch-ups by Elizabeth's mom this afternoon. The dining room has the base coat in preparation for the glaze -- you know, what I have no idea how to explain, but hopefully Elizabeth and her mom can do after watching The Woolie© DVD. Now they just have to add the other two coats mixed with the faux glaze that we bought at Home Depot.

Second order of duty -- becoming Mr. Raymond's assistant handyman. Not so check. I mentioned yesterday that we picked up our refrigerator from Sears. What I didn't mention is the refrigerator we bought was a couple of inches too tall to fit underneath the cabinet in the kitchen. So Mr. Raymond and I (yeah, like I'm useful) are "fixing" the cabinet -- i.e. cutting off a couple of inches to make the refrigerator fit. Well, tonight's adventure saw us take off the cabinet doors and cut off the spare inches. Now we -- err, Mr. Raymond -- have to fix the doors and make sure everything fits back into place. Anyway, I actually felt like I was useful tonight. Mr. Raymond is pretty good about that -- even when I'm not helping a bit.

Luckily, after a late late night Tuesday night, we made pretty short work of it tonight. Elizabeth and her mom finished up the painting, while Mr. Raymond and I tackled the fridge/cabinet problem after we had some -- hahaha, I left all of y'all hanging here. We had pizza for supper. We tackled the problem after eating Little Caesar's.

SOUL PATROL

Congrats to Taylor Hicks for winning American Idol. Taylor was one of mine and Elizabeth's favorites from the very beginning of the competition -- and apparently he caught the nation's eye, as well. Despite Simon's initial reluctance to send the gray-haired, soulful, dance-crazy Alabaman to Hollywood, even the black-teed tough guy warmed up to Taylor.

During the competition, it became apparent that Chris Daughtry was the best man on Idol. I still believe he should have won. However, I never stopped rooting for Taylor. His personality was just infectious, which is why he won -- despite his lack of certain characteristics you would think an American Idol would possess.

In the end, I think Taylor will be successful. He may not sell 10 million albums. American pop radio may be disappointed in Taylor. But in his eyes, in his mind and his heart, Taylor Hicks will be a success. He's living the American dream, as he says. And he will always have the faithful Soul Patrol -- his group of followers that drove him to the AI victory.

In a fitting touch, Taylor's first single is "Do I Make You Proud?" -- a song that could be viewed as somewhat cheesy. I prefer to view it as very touching. Yes, Taylor, in the eyes of all your Soul Patrolers -- you do make them, make that us, proud.