Real Life Alert: Let the Players Play

Sporting News:

—Mad props to my little sister, the little scholastic athlete. I didn't even have to punch her. Also, why did I not stick with softball? Oh yeah, cuz I wanted to be all dramatic and do the spring musical my junior and senior years of HS. And cuz my coach hated me.

—It's way fun going to a Sox game with Kelly Dexter, Paul "Spontaneous" Schmitt, and my usual go-to Sox girl Leigh. Also fun to sit Paul and Leigh next to each other for the sole purpose of the Konerko chant with slightly altered spelling: "PAUL-LEIGH! PAUL-LEIGH!" And free tix + Comiskey cash + my dad is cool = my dad is really, really cool.

—On the fourth, post-Wheaton parade and post-sunburn, pre-BBQ and pre-more-sunburn, I crashed on the couch and watched about four minutes of World Cup action—featuring the Germans vs. the Italians. A few thoughts in my semi-conscious state: a) it's the drinkers vs. the eaters (from a way-back conversation with KB and Mel, discussing my heritage) b) who do I root for? since I'm a quarter Italian and three-quarters German, is rooting for Italy like rooting for the underdog? c) is this like me battling myself? and whatever the outcome, I'm a winner and a loser at the same time? Kind of like being "employee of the month"? and d) I'm pretty sure this is the only four minutes I will ever care about soccer. This was obviously too much thinking, because a nap promptly ensued.

—In other soccer news, Jason Thorwall is currently debating whether or not his fiancee's recent coming out of the soccer (and lacrosse?!) fandom closet is a deal-breaker. He has until August 6th to decide.