My life is crazy right now … who even has time for sports … but you gotta do what you gotta do …

-  Are you a soccer fan yet?  Didn’t think so.  Lots of folks pointing to the run by the US side in the current World Cup tourney as some kind of turning point, but I’m not convinced.  Right or wrong, the perception of the typical American sports fan is someone of low intelligence and short attention span – and perceptions tend to be based on fact.  We don’t take to hockey, which is essentially the same sport on ice with a smaller playing stage, even though it’s faster paced and has more scoring – and violence.  The likelihood that we’d embrace soccer after that seems small – and remember, we have the largest youth soccer program in the world.  Some things are just not meant to be.

-  That said,  I am a soccer fan, and have been following the Copa del Mundo pretty closely.  The Americans blew a golden opportunity when they came out flat and got beat by Ghana in the round of 16 – they had a pretty easy path for the next couple of games if they’d just bore down.  Defense looked old and forwards ineffective, and that will tend to get you a quick ticket home.  But it could be worse – we could be the English squad …

-  Am I the only one sick of the whole “where’s LeBron going next” saga?  Sure he’s a great player and all, but he’s not the second coming – although you’d never know it from the way teams have effectively gutted their rosters to make room for him and his hand-picked buddies.  If you believe the sources, Chicago has the inside track, but New York, New Jersey, Miami and even the Clippers are making a push.  Meanwhile, despite the fans pleas, I think Cleveland is resigned to losing their star and being relegated to the trash dump.  It was a good, but not great run, CavFan – but you can always watch your boy on TV … albeit in a different jersey …

-  The hammer finally fell on Marlins manager Fredi Gonzales, and while I was caught off guard by the timing, I’m not surprised by the act.  With players like Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson signed to big contracts, and the new stadium coming soon, the Fish know the future is now.  But hanging out in fourth place won’t keep you in a job, and so Fredi’s out.  The Marlins have made a habit in recent years of being the training ground for new managers (such as the Yankees’ Joe Girardi), and so look for Fredi to be in the mix as the new Braves skipper next year when Bobby Cox steps down.  Meanwhile, the search is on for a new manager in Miami, and the most intriguing name so far is current ESPN analyst Bobby Valentine.  Personally, I like the pick, and a couple of days ago he seemed like a dead lock for the job.  It doesn’t seem quite so sure now, so we’ll just wait and see … as the Fish keep on sinking deeper in the East.