It feels good to be back in Madison after two-and-a-half months. Denver's okay, but there's not much going on in the summer.
– I guess I'll admit it right off the bat. I left town in May a Rockies fan in denial. I returned to Madison in August a proud supporter of the purple pinstripes.
– Okay, they've slipped a bit since the break, and they appear to be headed for the golf course once again in early October.
– But two things need to be said: It was a hell of a ride following the team this year, up until around Aug. 18, and I'll go out on a limb and call the five Colorado starters the best staff in the National League.
– Not that that's saying much, but it's something for Denver baseball fans to get excited about for 2007.
– Most entertaining quote of the summer: "Can't wait. Can't wait! Next Monday! Get to coach football again! Yes!" — Indiana football coach Terry Hoeppner at Big Ten Media Day, Aug. 1.
– Yes, Terry, we're all excited too. Just maybe not that excited.
– What in the world was Zinedine Zidane thinking?
– Going into the FIFA 2006 World Cup Final, with Italy and France competing, I had heard of just one player on either team. And in the 109th minute, Zidane exhibited perhaps the most distasteful act I have ever seen in sports.
– Keep in mind, this is coming from a lifelong Avalanche fan who still wants to see Todd Bertuzzi run over by a cement truck.
– I don't care what Italy's Marco Materazzi said to Zidane in the heat of the moment. Headbutting an opponent right in the middle of the chest is beyond inexcusable.
– And in the final game of his allegedly illustrious career, no less.
– Everybody kept saying "Oh, he let his team down, he let his country down." I say he let his entire sport down.
– Seeing as soccer struggles with American popularity, and the World Cup — this year's Cup, in particular — could have served as a fantastic opportunity to win over some fans, Zidane should be blamed for showing the United States — and the world — exactly what is wrong with this game.
– Shame on Zidane. As it happens, I'm glad Italy won, just to kick — or headbutt — Zidane when he's down.
– Weirdest quote of the summer: "It was helpless to sit there and watch. We scored only one run. We have to be better than this to stay in the race." — Joe Torre, after his New York Yankees lost to the Cleveland Indians 19-1, July 4.
– I am starting to respect the Yankees at this point; following a five-game sweep of the rival Red Sox, the Yanks sit atop the AL East by a healthy six-and-a-half game margin. All things considered — namely injuries, old age and the merciless treatment of Alex Rodriguez — that's pretty impressive, even to a Boston guy (since 2001) like myself.
– But I still think it's funny that Torre was concerned about his offense when his pitching staff gave up 19 runs in a game. Seems like some priorities were bent out of shape.
– I will never — repeat, never — understand paintball.
– On July 12, a high school football player died in the heat of a paintball battle in Oklahoma. Garrett Bennett, just 17 years old, was entering his senior year.
– Here's the kicker: a simple paintball war on foot wasn't enough for these guys. The tragedy occurred as two cars were pelting each other at 75 mph on an Oklahoma highway, and one car swerved off the road, killing Bennett instantly.
– Call me what you wish, because I know I sound like a cranky old man, but paintball seems like the absolute dumbest thing one can do with one's time.
– It is, put simply, a tragedy that a good kid was taken at such a young age because maturity was in short supply.
– The Tour de France … No. I will not bring myself to comment on a bike race. Ever.
– Most hilarious quote of the summer: "I think I farted twice on the couch during this series — and I was called for two fouls against Dwyane Wade." — From a reader e-mail on the NBA blog of ESPN.com's Bill Simmons, June 22.
– That's certainly one way to put it, isn't it?
– Well, put it this way: I'm not going to say that NBA commissioner David Stern was absolutely playing favorites during the Finals in June, when the Miami Heat defeated the Dallas Mavericks in six games for the title amid questionable officiating.
– However, the fact that D-Wade shot 25 free throws in Game 5 — exact change for the number of trips to the charity stripe by all of the Mavericks combined during that game — is appalling.
– I'm mad at the NBA, and only time will tell if I'll follow the league for the 2006-07 season.
– Whoops. Just for saying that, Wade's going to the line for two shots.
Aaron is a sophomore who is living in Liz Waters this year. Yes, for the 283rd time, guys do live there now. You can contact him at [email protected].
