Random Observations on the Wonderful World of Sports

In the words of the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler, here are my deep thoughts, cheap shots, and bon mots:

---The Phillies are one win away from winning the World Series. And judging by the weather forecasts, the next President might be inaugurated before we crown a champion.

---Honestly, through all that rain and wind, I expected Anderson Cooper to be at the scene.

---Still, as bad as the weather has been, it hasn't been as bad as the umpiring.

---I'm not the biggest admirer of Bud Selig, but he deserves credit for the way in which he handled the tricky situation last night. It was only fair to give the Rays a chance to tie the game before a suspension was ordered.

---There is a lot of moaning and groaning about the suspension, and many believe this is bad for baseball. If you ask me, it's just the opposite. This only adds to the excitement, which was already at a fever pitch.

---With that being said, the Rays are a lot happier than the Phillies right now. After all, the bats of Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria appear to be getting hotter, while ace Cole Hamels is unlikely to return to the mound in this series.

---The NBA season kicks off tonight with three games, as LeBron and the Cavs travel to Boston to face the defending champs, Greg Oden and the Blazers head to Tinseltown to meet Kobe and the Lakers, and Derrick Rose makes his NBA debut as the Bulls face their former coach Scott Skiles and the Milwaukee Bucks. I'll take the Celtics, Blazers, and Bulls.

---What color shades will Jack Nicholson be wearing tonight?

---GO WARRIORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

---How about those Titans. Following an impressive win over Peyton Manning and the struggling Colts, Jeff Fisher's team is the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL. And with the likes of Lendale White, Chris Johnson, Keith Bullock, Albert Haynesworth, and with an efficient Kerry Collins taking the snaps, Tennessee is here to stay.

---But I still give the slight edge to the Giants when it comes to the best team in the league.

---Alright folks, my Niner optimism has run dry. After an embarrassing butt-kicking at the hands of the Seahawks, my 49ers are looking pretty, pretty terrible. However, if there is one guy that can turn this mess around, it's Mike Singletary.

---Singletary is the one and only reason that I still hold out hope that brighter days are in the near future. He brings great passion and devotion to the sidelines, and his tossing of Vernon Davis during the game was awesome. Singletary demands respect, and he is unquestionably the coach of the future for San Francisco.

---Washington head coach Tyrone Willingham is stepping down at the end of the year. What a sad fall from grace. The former Stanford and Notre Dame coach seems to be a great guy, so here's hoping he finds success as a Division 1 head coach very soon.

---I take back what I said about Penn State. Upon further review, Joe Paterno's team is more than deserving of national championship consideration.

---What a magnificent time of year to be a sports fan. The World Series, the NBA, the NFL, college football, college basketball........................................all spectacular.