Monday Thoughts

Some thoughts on the weekend happenings on a late Monday:

· The Revolution lost the MLS Cup yesterday to the LA Galaxy in Overtime, 1-0. With the Patriots also in action, the Kraft family chose to watch the Revs go for their first MLS title. Typically, I don’t watch MLS, but I tried to be interested since New England was involved. However, the quality of play was very poor and that made it frustrating to watch. Somehow I managed to get through the entire game, but I wish I hadn’t. It wasn’t worth the time. I should have watched Trinidad & Tobago versus Bahrain.

· The Bruins lost again this weekend in disappointing fashion. Isn’t it somewhat ironic that the team (the Bruins) that appeared to be in the best position financially post-lockout is struggling so much?

· The ATP Masters Cup in Shanghai was dealt a major blow today when both Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal pulled out due to injuries. This has to be a huge disappointment for the tournament organizers to lose 2 of the most popular and charismatic players on the tour. Roger Federer and Ivan Ljubicic appear to be the only legitimate contenders remaining in the field. Do the WTA and ATP need to look at the rash of injuries this year and determine if any corrective action can be taken?

· Alex Rodriguez won the American League MVP award today. I guess that’s a legitimate choice although as I said in a previous post, I don’t think that he was even the Yankees MVP.

· Vanderbilt’s dream of a bowl game is dead for another year as they lost a defensive struggle against Kentucky, 48-43. The Commodores have not been to a bowl game since 1982 (the last year in which the team had a winning record) and when they started off 4-0 this year, I received a call from my college roommate who declared that we were going to whichever bowl game they qualified for, no excuses. At that moment, I started rooting for losses, as I had no desire to go to Detroit for the Motor City Bowl or some other similarly destitute place. Thank you Kentucky!

· Are Florida Gator fans being more patient with Urban Meyer than they were with Ron Zook? I haven’t researched that, but losing to Steve Spurrier’s South Carolina Gamecocks this weekend must have been a little bitter for Gator fans.

· I went bowling (candlepin) on Saturday night with my nephews and niece, and the bumper-guards they use for the kids are a revelation. I can’t tell you how many would be gutter balls that I rolled were turned into brilliant frames. My niece had the best form by far. She released the ball with 2 hands and invariably the ball would hit the bumpers one or two times, all the while she’s dancing with her hands over her head watching the ball proceed slowly down the lane to knock most of the pins down.

· I saw a shot of Ricky Williams on the sidelines with his helmet off during yesterday’s game with the Patriots. I’m guessing that he doesn’t do endorsements for any personal grooming products.