LeBron, Youkilis, Nadal, and 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:



---LeBronathon 2010 continues, and just when it was starting to appear as if LeBron was going to stay in Cleveland, things got infinitely cloudier yesterday, as James had a second meeting with the New York Knicks. Perhaps LeBron was intrigued by the possibility of playing alongside Amare Stoudamire, who is widely expected to sign with the Knicks in the coming days. Here's hoping that common sense prevails for LeBron, and that he stays in Cleveland.



---Look, I absolutely love New York City, and I believe that the NBA would benefit from having a successful team in the Big Apple. But after two consecutive seasons of underwhelming postseason performance, LeBron owes it to the city of Cleveland to stay put. He is far and away the face of that struggling city, and if he were to leave, he would destroy the spirit of Cleveland. Pardon me for getting melodramatic, but I honestly believe that LeBron James would be making an egregious decision if he bolted elsewhere. Conversely, he would be making a wonderful, classy decision if he decides to stay with the Cavs.



---And it's not as if LeBron won't have a chance at winning the title if he stays in Cleveland. With LeBron, the Cavs would be in the mix for a championship again next season. Not to mention the fact that they have an outstanding new coach in Byron Scott, a coach with far more basketball savvy and intelligence than Mike Brown can ever dream of having.



---As for Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, I think that they will both end up in Miami. If this does occur, the Heat will be a major force in the Eastern Conference.



---The one team that looks to be on the outside looking in right now as far as free agents are concerned is Chicago. Too bad, because with the likes of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, the Bulls are one premier free agent away from contending for a championship.



---On to baseball now, where the All-Star rosters were announced yesterday. The two snubs that bug me the most are Cincinnati's Joey Votto and Boston's Kevin Youkilis. Votto is the number one reason why the Reds are having such a surprisingly good year, and Youkilis has become the top offensive force for the Red Sox in the wake of David Ortiz' decline.



---I also think that Stephen Strasburg should be on the team. I don't understand the argument that Strasburg has to "earn" his way on the All-Star team. Excuse me, this game decides home-field advantage in the World Series! If you want the National League to win this game, you want Strasburg on your team. And in terms of fan excitement at an All-Star Game, who would you rather have, Strasburg or Tim Hudson?

---Allow me to pause for a little prayer: Please God, Please, May the Giants Start Playing Winning Baseball. Enough Torture Already.

---Normally, I try to veer away from the political on this blog, but I was appalled by Tony LaRussa's public declaration of support for Arizona's controversial immigration law. Now I vehemently disagree with LaRussa's stance on this issue, but that wasn't why I was appalled. Rather, I was shocked that LaRussa would say something that would risk alienating his relationship with his own players, like Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. It will be interesting to see if any tension arises in the Cardinals clubhouse as a result of LaRussa's statement.

---Congratulations to your 2010 Wimbledon Champion, Rafael Nadal. Nadal is clearly the best player in tennis right now, as I think it is relatively safe to say that the Roger Federer era is winding to a close. Federer appeared astonishingly pedestrian at Wimbledon, and it would be somewhat of a surprise if he is a top contender at next month's U.S. Open.

---If this is indeed the end of the Federer era, we should all stand up and applaud his legacy. Federer will be forever mentioned in the same breath as Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Rod Laver, John McEnroe, and Bjorn Borg.

---And finally, a quick appreciation of U.S. soccer star Landon Donovan. I haven't really watched any of the World Cup, but I am aware of the significance behind Donovan's historic goal against Algeria. Furthermore, I was impressed by his wonderfully entertaining appearance on the "Late Show with David Letterman". Nice job, Landon!