Random sporting thoughts:

* I'm in agreement with Cooch that it's time to stick a fork in the '06 edition of the Red Sox. Funny that with all the ailiment that plagued the Y@nkees, it's the Sox who've had more trouble dealing with injuries. It'll be interesting to see how things go on the pitching front, given that Schilling, Wells, and Wakefield aren't getting any younger (though as a knuckler, Wake could likely pitch for another 5 years), and the pitchers who've been brought up don't seem to be quite ready yet.

I never thought I would long for a weekly appearance by Derek Lowe, but here we are. I'm looking forward to seeing him, Nomar, and Grady in the playoffs.

* It's Little League World Series time again, and I'm a little less into it given the lack of local representation (the New England entry is from Portsmouth, and if thier first game is any indication, their stay in Williamsport will be short). Thought I was interested to see that a kid dropping the f-bomb - and a coach's reaction of smacking the kid - is leading ESPN to put a 5 second delay on the broadcast. Which is kind of sad, because I have to think foul-mouthed 12 year olds would be a ratings draw. It worked for The Bad News Bears (the original, at least).

* I will admit to watching almost three quarters of the Pats exhibition game against the Cardinals, and I'm trying not to get overly positive. Even with their improvements, it was still the Cardinals. Or, for a large portion of the game, the Cardinals back-ups. I'm still sanguine about the Pats' fortunes at linebacker, though Junior Seau should help. I'm also wondering when the amity between Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney will break down. I'm guessing around week six.

* If I'm setting weeks when things will happen, I'm also putting in week eight as the week where Matt Leinart replaces Kurt Warner as the starter in Arizona. I'm still undecided as to if the change will be due to performance or injury.

* Moving in an entirely different direction, I was buoyed somewhat by Phil Kessel's decision to leave Minnesota and sign with the Bruins, more for what it might do for the latter. There's two thirds of a very interesting, young line with Kessel and Patrice Bergeron.

That being said, college hockey has lost a lot of players to the NHL this off-season, which hopefully isn't presaging a trend.

* Going overseas, the Phonak cycling team is shutting its doors. They were going to be sold at the end of the season, but the new buyers pulled out, proving that any publicity is not good publicity. Put this with the trouble the Liberty Seguros team had finding new sponsorship (who were then repaid with the entire team getting dropped from the Tour de France), and you have to think that there's not going to be a lot of new money going into pro cycling until things get cleaned up. If ever.