Tossing batting practice….while wondering how Angola keeps getting invited back to the Olympics in basketball.

A number of African countries have sent natives to the NBA, Hakeem Olajuwon, Manute Bol, and the late great Yinka Dare all come to mind. Yet I don’t think Angola has ever sent one, but somehow they keep qualifying for these games.

I’m sick of the fervor surrounding American players suiting up for other countries in the Olympic basketball tournament. It’s not like these guys turned down the chance to play for the US. Becky Hammon was MVP of the WNBA and didn’t make the US team, since it was basically already picked.

If I had the chance to join Iran or North Korea’s Olympic team, for the opportunity to go through the one in a lifetime experience of being an Olympic athlete I’d do it.
And for the record, anyone with the nickname “Snapper” should spare the American people the soliloquy of what “traders” these people are.
Nobody accused Del Harris of being a Communist when he coached the Chinese basketball team in Athens.

Screw NBATV I want Comcast to keep this international basketball channel full time. Then I can stop watching classic games where I know the outcome.

Universal HD, is making every effort to bring boxing back to mainstream, with nonstop coverage the last few days. By the time the Sopranos comes on A&E at 3pm, I can't get Teddy Atlas out of my head, mumbling like Phil Leotardo on speed.

One glaring difference between communism and capitalism can be seen at the Boxing arena. In America we have the “Corporate Sponsor who gave us the most money Stadium/Arena/Garden."
In China you have the Worker’s Gymnasium. Once again, in theory Communism works.

The worst part about not having taken a social studies class in about 10 years, is not knowing what the flags of these fledging countries, who probably just declared independence, look like.
NBC puts a little too much faith in the average American’s knowledge of world cultures, to not just tell us where they’re from.

I just watched featherweight boxing between two circus midgets from countries, with flags, and abbreviations I could not determine. Sorry former high school social studies teachers of mine.

And I am a certified social studies teacher in the state of Massachusetts.

One Kilometer Kayaking looks like a sport I wish I had discovered earlier in life, or the flume ride at Canobie Lake Park, with a medal involved. Either way I’m sold.

The eventual Bronze medal in Kayaking went to a guy from Togo who just won the first ever Olympic medal for Togo, and then pulled a Bo Jackson and snapped his paddle in half in celebration, I wonder if he won the gold would he have put a hole in the kayak and sunk it?

I feel as though the fervor over Mark Spitz not being invited is the fault of some poor USOC PR intern, who probably got the email to call Spitz sent to their spam box, never to be heard from again.

A quick perusal of wikipedia tells me that, Mark Spitz had a failed attempt to capitalize on his fame in Hollywood, and attempted a comeback in the early 90s that also came up short. He is now a self-employed corporate spokesperson and motivational speaker.
Well, now I know what the future holds for Michael Phelps, once track and field starts next week and we’ve all forgotten about swimming.

Back later on tonight with a few more thoughts, and a pitch by pitch gamecast of the much anticipated (in my house) US/Australia preliminary round softball game.