The Summer Olympics are underway with opening ceremonies tomorrow.  I love the Olympics and competition of athletes from all over the world with as little politics as possible.

Dark clouds of pollution and Darfur hang over the Beijing Games.  I am glad that I visited Beijing for the Great Wall Marathon in May 2005.  It thankfully was NOT as hot or polluted as it is now.  To put it in context, Beijing is more polluted than Los Angeles.  Steve told me that Shanghai is more polluted than Beijing.  Cough, cough!

Onto to the Games themselves, Aussie Rod reported the skill and beauty of the Norwegian team beating USA 2-0.

As some of you know, I have a crush on swimmer Dara Torres as she is beautiful.  She is also inspirational as I almost drowned when I was 10 and 18.  Maybe she can teach me to swim?    Go Dara go! 

Posted by an excited Tank in an Olympic State of mind.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you've probably heard about the Brett Favre Soap Opera. 

He retired from the Packers in the winter.  But, he recently changed his mind.  He said he was pressured to retire.

Brett reached out to the Minnesota Vikings, THE Packers' fiercest rival.  But, he used a cell phone the Packers provided him.  Big mistake and the Packers leaked it when Brett tried to use the court of public opinion to force the Packers' hand.

After NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Favre, Brett and his wife traveled to Green Bay over the weekend.  You would have thought the Pope was back in town given the media coverage.  ESPN Radio was giving minute-by-minute countdown as his plane arrived in Green Bay on Sunday evening.  It was too much.  I had to switch to business news on Bloomberg Radio.

Where Do We Go From Here:
Brett returned to his home in Mississippi.  The Jets have offered a fourth rounder to the Packers which goes to a first rounder depending upon the Jets performance according to the FAN.  Ouch!  That's it for a first ballot Hall of Famer who is better than Pennington and Clemens?  The Jets need to show they are doing something but not spend too much.  Who knows where he'll end up?  Jets?  Tampa?  Kids Pee Wee Football League?  Retirement?  

Posted by an exhausted Tank in NY. 

UPDATE: The Jets signed Favre.  Watch this page for more commentary and analysis as the season approaches.

The Mets and Yankees were on a roll going into last weekend.  But, the injury bug hit local teams hard like a plague.

The Mets were first victims as John Maine went on the DL.  Billy Wagner had arm pain on Sunday and then went on the DL today.  Aaron "The Human Rain Delay" Heilman is now the closer.  OMG!

The biggest injury could be Joba Chamberlain who had shoulder soreness during last night's loss at Texas.  He will be examined by Dr. James Andrews.  The Yankees may have lost the battle AND war, God forbid.

Steve and I may have to get stress tests during our next annual physicals with Dr. George.  Ugh!

Posted by The Tank hanging on the thread of his bad shoulder in NY.

The Yankees could have laid down and play dead after the Angels took a 5-0 lead yesterday.  They didn't.  They came back twice and won 14-9.  Nady was awesome with six RBIs.

The Yankees finally had timely hitting, sacrificed runners, and did all the things they used to in the late 1990s.  Is the magic back?  I'm not sure yet but I like the chemistry.  The Yankees have a little less than a third of a season to execute with a retooled team.  Texas is not a great team but the Yankees recently lost two out of three to them.  The Yankees must win at least three out of four.

Posted by The Tank in NY.

Yesterday marked 29 years since the passing of Thurman Munson in a tragic air crash.  It went by in a 
blink of an eye.  (August 2 is also the date of the ascension of the Old Testament Prophet Elijah into 
Heaven thousands of years ago.)  

When I pass from this earth (hopefully not for many years to come), I have asked to be buried in my 
Thurman Munson jersey.

Thunder and lightning passed through the area in the lead up to the game.  Would they be able to get 
the game in?  Why was CBS 880 AM only giving news updates and not going to the ceremony?

A record number, 72, players make it for the farewell.  

Super Twin Gil joins me for the first game in over a year at the Stadium.  The Angels who have won five 
in a row including sweeping the Red Sox and winning the first two at the Stadium.  Can the Yankees 
bounce back?  It did not look good early as the Angels scored two runs in the second.  The Yankees 
fought back with a bloop and a blast to tie it at 2.

Moose get his rhythm and shuts the Angels down in the third.  Molina hit a lead off single.  I go crazy.  
Damon singles him to third.  I suggest putting him on the 4x100 meter Olympic relay team.  Jeter hits into 
a double play.  Molina scores.  Yankees 3 - Angels 2.  As Brooklyn Brant check in, Bobby "El Como Dulce" 
(Just Like Sugar) Abreu hits a solo shot to right center.  Gil asks for silence but 54,000 plus fans and 
yours truly are screaming our lungs out.  Yankees 4 - Angels 2.  A-Rod singles to center.  Giambi 
grounds out to end the third inning.

Molina hits a lead off home run in the fifth.  Yankees 5 - Angels 2.  I call Robert in Tampa but I think he 
is in shock.  Damon grounds out to second.  Jeter flies out to center.  Abreu does the same.

A-Rod hits a solo home run to the netting in left field.  Yankees 6 - Angels 2.

Molina singled to lead off the seventh.  The Jose Molina Fan Club is growing by leaps and bounds.  Damon 
walks.  Jeter singles home Molina and Damon advances to third.  Yankees 7 - Angels 2.  Abreu grounds out
to second to get Jeter but Abreu is safe at force and Damon scores.  Yankees 8 - Angels 2.  The Angels 
go to the pen.

Moose's day is done as Veras comes out for the 8th.  Nice job.

Bruney wraps up with Mariano watching as the Yankees go down in order in the bottom of 8th.  Bruney 
knocks off the rust and does a great job.

Posted by The Tank reporting live from Yankee Stadium in the Boogie Down Bronx.

"Everything Counts In Large Amounts" is a great Depeche Mode lyric.  It unfortunately applied to the Yankees and Mets last night as they lost games they should have won, especially the Yankees.  Mariano let the only run in the ninth and K-Rod came in to preserve the 1-0 victory.  It was a waste of a great performance by Ponson.  Mariano doesn't pitch the same way in non-save situations as he does in save situations.  Most relievers are that way, including the Mets' Billy Wagner.

The Mets lost 7-3 at Houston last night but they need to beat up on the Astros to keep pace with the Phillies. 

"Everything (and Every Game) Counts in Large Amounts."

Posted by a Philosophical Tank in NY.

I wrote yesterday that Manny killed the Yankees over the years.  Kai quoted ESPN that Manny’s stats against the Yankees are .321 BA, .1.029 OPS, 55 HRs, 163 RBIs in 200 games.  I am so grateful that Manny left Boston but someone created a movie poster about it.  Gotta love the Internet.   

 

Mega thanks to Kai for the stats and Editor-in-Chief and PermaGuest Outlaw Jack for the movie poster. 

 

Posted by the Still Partying Tank in NY.

 

Editor-in-Chief and PermaGuest Outlaw Jack informed me a moment ago that the Red Sox traded Manny to La-La Land.  Wait, he already resides there in the theatre of his mind.   

Manny wasn't traded to the Packers as he recently joked below. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously, I waited posting until the dust settled.  The Mets dodged a major bullet as Manny was rumored to go to the Marlins.  I am just glad he is no longer with the Red Sox as he almost always kills the Yankees.  Thank God/G-d/Buddha/Allah/Creator of your choice!

Where is Omar before the Trade Deadline?  Was he asleep at the wheel or being held hostage by other teams for F-Mart and other prospects?  If the Mets don't make the post-season this year, I will personally pay for Steve's cab ride to Citifield to swear him in as the Mets new GM.  Of course, I'll blog about it. 

Posted by a partying Tank in Tradeville. 

Editor-in-Chief and PermaGuest Outlaw Jack informed me not long ago that the Yankees acquired Pudge in return for Farnsworth who pitched for the Tigers in 2005.

I think it is a good trade.  The Tigers need a reliever and the Yankees need a hitting catcher.  No offense to Molina who is a great defensive catcher but he is not a good hitter.  This also lets Posada get the time he needs to mend and be ready for Spring Training 2009 and the rest of his contract.  Pudge and Molina can rotate. 

This trade kind of came out of left field, literally from the bullpen and figuratively as neither name was bandied about in trade talks.  Expect the unexpected until tomorrow's 4 p.m. Trade Deadline. 

Posted by The Tank in Tradeville.