Happy Independence Day!
While I would really like to talk about Independence and what it means to me... I HAVE to talk sports (I know, collective sigh from audience).
Let's talk basketball: The Los Angeles Lakers are courting Mike Krzyzewski. A good move on the Lakers' part... as Krzyzewski is a fabulous coach. I don't think it would be a good move on Coach K's part... as college coaches don't necessarily have the best track record coaching in the pros. But, there are definitely reasons why I think Coach K might make the leap: 1.) Kobe. If the NBA's biggest star (arguably) wants you as his coach... and is willing to be coached by you for years to come, that's worth looking into. 2.) Deng and Livingston. Until a few years ago, Coach K never lost a player early to the draft. This draft, he not only lost (arguably) the best Freshman in the country in Luol Deng, but he also lost his top high school prospect Shaun Livingston, who skipped college altogether to go into the draft. I'm sure that Coach K is frustrated at the current state of college basketball. As a college coach, you can't rely on your players to stay... and the better they are, the more likely they are to leave early. If I were a college coach, I would be frustrated as well. You can't build a dynasty in college basketball anymore, because your team will leave as soon as their agents and fathers think they're good enough. 3.) Money. He would be the highest paid coach in the league if he went to the Lakers. And, let's face it, the money matters. They're talking 5 years at $8 million per year... even I would coach the Lakers for that price, and I don't like the Lakers. 4.) It's the Lakers. Yes... it's the Lakers, the Yankees of basketball. No NBA job will ever be more enticing than the Lakers. Coach K's got a big decision ahead of him... and I think he just might make the leap.
The US Olympic team very recently (maybe even today or yesterday) asked Carmelo Anthony to join the team. Anthony was thrilled to be invited and is going to Greece with Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, Starbury, and LeBron James (among others). It's my hope that Anthony and James will continue to amaze and perhaps even make all those players who passed up this opportunity jealous that they didn't go when they had the chance. Go USA (hooray for patriotism!)!
ESPY voting has started online. Go to http://espn.go.com/espy2004/index.html to cast your vote. Brett Favre is up for two awards. Both of them are for his spectacular Monday Night game against the Raiders the day after his father passed away. One of the awards is for Best Moment and the other is the Under Armor Undeniable Performance award. I strongly urge you all to take the time to vote for Brett... what a spectacular performance it was. I think I said at the time, I can't imagine doing anything the day after my father dies... much less control a professional football game the way he controlled that game. It was incredible, and I'm sure his father was proud to see his son succeed...

Enough of sports... last night, after a day of 'meetings', I took Andrea to see "There's No I in Improv" at The Second City. I knew half the cast (WOW... I know!) and it was opening night, so I wanted to go. Andrea said she had a good time... but I'm not sure about that. I think I have problems reading her because she's not a very expressive person. Even her eyes don't tell you what she's thinking about. Sometimes it doesn't even look like she's really even thinking when she is or vice versa. Very odd... I'm not used to not being able to tell what people are thinking or feeling. At any rate, she said that she had a good time. I was disappointed in the scripts, but all my friends did well. And then, on the way back from the show, someone on top of Bistro Margot (I think that was the building) started setting off fireworks. They shot straight into the night sky and exploded right above us. It was spectacular. Happy July Fourth everyone.