Had dinner on Tuesday night with Gary's friends Bert and Ronnie. They live just outside of Philadelphia and are both physicians - the three of them were residents together in medical School. We had gone to their house a couple of weeks ago, so this time they came down into the city. We gave them a tour of the house and then walked to a local restaurant, Aden, for dinner. The food was fine, nothing really special, but our Venezuelan waiter was a riot. When Gary tried to get his attention by calling him "sir," he said that doing so is actually disrespectful, since he should be addressing Gary as "sir" instead. So we settled on "Dude." Or "Mister Dude." Anyway, a fun evening all around.

Last night we went to IKEA to begin our major condo furnishings purchases. We decided we didn't like the sleeper sofas that they had, so we still need to get that, but otherwise we acquired: two bedroom sets with mattresses, dressers and nightstands, a dining room table with chairs and a buffet, and a coffee table for the living room. We'll have it all delivered the week after we settle on the new condo in New Jersey.

Speaking of which, I am awaiting a return call from the condo manager, who sent me a letter stating that I have to come to his office prior to the sale for an interview. Now, I ask you, what is the point? Is there really a valid reason that they could turn down my purchase? I mean, without a lawsuit. I'm sure that it will have to be during the week during business hours, which will mean taking a day off to drive all the way down, spend 15 minutes and drive back.

[I am attempting to remain calm about all this.]

Today we have two sports stories. The first is an example of how professional athletes can look beyond themselves and do something nice:

Players rally around child after grandfather collapses

CINCINNATI - Cincinnati Reds players rallied around a 6-year-old boy after his grandfather collapsed in the stands.

"We just tried to make a bad situation a little better," said outfielder Ken Griffey Jr.

While paramedics were working on the grandfather, security officer Bill Summee took the boy to the Reds bullpen. The Reds did not release the name of the grandfather, who died Wednesday night of an apparent heart attack.

The boy, identified as Antonio Perez of Hamilton, sat with players for the last two innings of the game, and Griffey went and got him when the game ended. The boy participated in the Reds' high-fives celebrating their 8-5 victory over Atlanta, and he then joined the players in the clubhouse.

Clubhouse manager Rick Stowe said the Reds showered the boy with bats, wristbands, and autographed baseballs. Shortstop Felipe Lopez gave him the batting helmet, autographed, that Lopez wore in this year's All-Star game.

The players kept the boy distracted until his parents arrived.

"We play a game," Griffey said. "What he was going through doesn't compare. It was important that the little guy not be by himself."

The second story? Philadelphia Eagles' wide-receiver Terrell Owens:

The only surprise in the case of Terrell Owens vs. Andy Reid and the rest of the Philadelphia Eagles is that it came a year later than expected. In other words, T.O. took a year off for good behavior, helped the Eagles get to a Super Bowl and came back from injury to help them get within three points of New England.

Then he resumed the self-absorbed conduct that alienated his coaches and teammates in San Francisco and finally got him run out of town.

This time, Andy Reid just ran him out of the NFC champions' training camp. Getting run out of town comes later.

"Basically, the coach told him he should take a rest and get some rehab and they would get back to him in a few days," said Drew Rosenhaus, Owens' agent.

Actually, this report makes it sound like it was a calm dispute between rationale adults.

It's not.

This is just the latest in a series of antics on the part of a petulant, spoiled child, who wants to renegotiate his $49 million, seven-year contract one year into the deal. He spent the off-season bad-mouthing Donovan McNabb, our quarterback. He threatened not to come to training camp at all. When he did, he snubbed the fans, reporters and his own teammates, and then had a groin injury which meant that he not only couldn't practice, but he was too injured to sign autographs along with the rest of the team.

When he left camp, he went to his home in New Jersey and moved his weight training bench outside so that he could lift weights in full view of all of the reporters, cameras and circling helicopters.

T.O. proved to be a great addition to the team last year and he and McNabb combined to create a terrific offensive duo. But right now, he just a distraction. Eagles' fans are incredibly passionate about their sports teams, but there's a key word there that Terrell seems to be overlooking: "Teams." Individual multi-millionaire athletes who do not support the goal of the city - which is to have our TEAM win the Superbowl - will not get a huge amount of sympathy from the fans. True to form, the Philly Inquirer is suggesting that perhaps it is time for T.O. to G-O.

[Current poll is 71% in favor of getting rid of him.]

Quote du jour:

"There is no principle involved in my holdout. Only money."

O. J. Simpson (1947 - ____) US football player, actor
In "Sports Illustrated," 28 Jul 1969

previous ~ home ~ next