After terrible first half, UConn achieves perfection ... again - Richard Deitsch - SI.com

After terrible first half, UConn achieves perfection ... again - Richard Deitsch - SI.com

I don't watch college basketball, but let's give our female athletes mad props where it's due...you go, girls! :)

FOXNews.com - We need more like Mauer

FOXNews.com - We need more like Mauer

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Just my own two cents: There had been talk that Joe Mauer would become a free agent and most likely be snatched up by the New York Yankees. Oddly enough, the thought of my favorite ball player and my favorite ball team joining up did not make me happy. Joe Mauer is Minnesota. He was born and raised in Minnesota. He's always been a Twin. He should probably always be a Twin. He's a hometown boy. To me, Joe Mauer is to the Twins what Derek Jeter is to the Yankees and the fact that Joe is staying with his team for the next eight or so years, even though that means he's not coming here to me, just makes me love him all the more. :)

Hi, my name is Mary and I'm addicted to curling...

...ok, that's an exaggeration, but now that the Olympics are over, I'll admit to the fact that I wasted an entire afternoon Saturday watching the men's curling bronze medal game.

I'm not quite sure how curling qualifies as a sport. And before Saturday, I was quick to make fun of the "sport" and the sweep!sweep!sweep!sweeping that goes along with it.

Now? I still make fun of it. The guys looked like they were wearing black patent leather dress shoes on the ice. They were sweep!sweep!sweeping!

But I watched the whole game. Mostly it was because the entire Swedish team was full of adorable 24 year old pretty boys. And the Swiss had their own cutie. We all know that good looking men is how I get hooked into any sport whose rules I don't understand.

But the sad and scary thing is - now I can tell you that each play period in curling is called an end. And instead of "speed," they call it "weight," the weight of the stone (or rock, depending on where you're from). The ice is called the sheet. I know that curling began in Scotland. I went onto wikipedia to find out how a game is scored so I wasn't just watching cute boys in dress shoes sweep!sweep!sweep! the ice like an idiot. I stopped short at trying to figure out the strategy. I still don't see how it's a sport. But once I started watching, I couldn't stop. I now know more about curling than I ever thought or hoped I would.

On a side note, my friend J who lives in Vancouver had passes to some of the events. Including ...everybody say it together ... curling!

I can't get away from it.

Thank god the Olympics are finally over.

Tiger Woods: Blah, blah, blah

Today Tiger Woods made a statement to the press and apologized publicly to certain people about his extramarital affairs. At least that's what I assume the announcement that he was going to speak today and all these stories about him are about, because really, why do I care?

What do any of us care? Tiger made some really stupid mistakes. All superstars do. All people do. Does it make me like him less as a person? I guess. Does it affect how I feel about him as a golfer? Not really. Am I excusing his behavior? No. Is it any of my business? Not in the least.

The only people Tiger owes any explanation or apology to are his wife and kids, and maybe the people in charge of pro golf and the companies he had endorsements with. And those are the only people who should care about getting an explanation and/or an apology.

We're turning into a privacy-free society. Between social networking sites on the internet and the reality tv crazy and the paparazzi obsession, everyone's so eager to open their lives up to everyone else that we think it's a given that we get to be a part of/watch every little facet of everyone's life.

I couldn't care less how Tiger Woods gets his jollies, just as I'm sure he couldn't care less how I get mine, and that's how it should be. People who are that invested in other people's lives need to get lives of their own.

Here endeth the rant.

FOXNews.com - American Lysacek Wins Skating Gold in Upset

FOXNews.com - American Lysacek Wins Skating Gold in Upset

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So, while sometimes it's frickin' awesome when the frontrunner actually lives up to the hype and comes out on top - I'm thinking of Michael Phelps winning every gold in every race or even Shaun White or Lindsey Vonn just this week - sometimes the excitement is in the underdog coming out on top or in the upset. In 1998, Michelle Kwan was the favorite to win gold in women's figure skating and Tara Lipinski was the spunky 15 year old who was already living the dream just by being there. But by the end of their routines, even though I had been rooting for Michelle initially, I knew Tara had won and boy, did she deserve it, if it was an obvious upset to even a skating idiot like myself.



I think I especially love when during the routine they start to get more into it because they know they're nailing it and when they show all that emotion at the end because they know what they just did. So anyway, congrats to Lysacek for being the first American to win gold in men's figure skating since Brian Boitano back in '88, and for keeping the dream alive for underdogs everywhere.

Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White lead U.S. to six medal day at Winter Olympics - Brian Cazeneuve - SI.com

Speaking of how Shaun White will represent...

Lindsey Vonn, White lead U.S. to six medal day at Winter Olympics - Brian Cazeneuve - SI.com

Congrats to all of yesterday's medal winners...

You go, girl (and other Olympic victories)

Lindsey Vonn lived up to the hype and took gold in the women's downhill skiing competition today. Read about it here:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-features/news/newsid=424774.html#american+women+good

U.S. hockey has also been doing well and some familiar names from Olympics past - Shani Davis, Apolo Ohno, Bode Miller. Still waiting to see what Shaun White can do.

Day 5 of the Olympics - interesting article at MSNBC.com about the American team

"Signs Point to Success"

http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-features/news/newsid=421257.html#early+signs+point+u+s+success

Winter Olympics 2010 Vancouver, tonight. Where females actually get to rock as athletes, not just cheer for them...

Ok, so first, my Peyton obviously didn't win the Super Bowl. As a Peyton fan, not a Colts fan, I wasn't heartbroken. And I like the Saints, especially quarterback Drew Brees. Plus, I'm a sucker for heartwarming stories, like this Super Bowl win uplifting the spirits of a city (which I also love) still dealing with the ramifications of Katrina. So, congrats to New Orleans and the Saints...

On to newer sports news...

The Winter Olympics are finally here. Yes, I know Serena and Venus kick ass in tennis. Danica Patrick gives the boys a run for their money in car racing. And we have a professional womens' basketball league. Do I watch any of them? No. But I do love watching women compete in the Olympics (yes, even the winter ones), and I know a lot of other people who don't typically watch sports in general or womens' sports in particular do, too, so that kinda rocks.

But also just for the sports in general - where else can you cheer for men wearing tights and twirling on skates? Or watch competitive snowboarding? The sports in the Olympics can be spectacular, elegant, fun, and funky.

Except for curling. How is that a sport? I really don't get it. I have Canadian friends (in Vancouver, actually...) ... I really gotta get them to explain it to me.

So anyway, next ten days, lots of fun...Shaun White, Apolo Anton Ohno, Lindsay Vonn (if her injuries don't end up sidelining her) are just some of the Americans to watch...but tonight is the opening ceremony on NBC at 7:30 p.m. EST. Be there!

Are you ready for some football???

It's Super Bowl time, bitches!

Sorry, I'm a little excited. None of my New York teams made it, but my secret NFL boyfriend, Peyton Manning, will be leading the Indianapolis Colts against the New Orleans Saints. I just found out yesterday that I will be the only one at the Super Bowl party I am going to rooting for the Colts, but that's okay. Me and my Peyton jersey will be representing!

6:25 pm on CBS. Even if you don't like football, watch it for the commercials...if ads were always as entertaining as the ones they show during this game, I would never fast forward through them!

Enjoy the game!

J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets!

Ok, so today is the final round of playoffs before the Super Bowl in 2 weeks. I keep wanting to say that against all odds, the New York Jets are still in it, but really, it's not against all odds. How often do the number 1 seeds from the NFC and AFC ever play each other in the Super Bowl? I think, all things considered, once you get past the wild card round, every team has a fair and somewhat even shot at getting to the next round. A playoff team ranked a lower seed beating another playoff team of a higher seed is never an upset in that the one does not deserve to move to the next round - they're both playoff teams. Teams may go in favored or as underdogs, but really, in any sport, once the regular season ends and the playoffs begin, every team starts over from square one. And even though last weekend the Jets were the only "upset" what with every other game the higher seed moved on, really, what would the playoffs be without a good Cinderella story? Without the little engine that could? Without the possibility of David beating Goliath?

Now, I will admit that today's Colts-Jets matchup is going to be a bittersweet game for me because I have strong New York loyalties, but I love Peyton Manning. So whatever the outcome, I win. And I lose. I'm hoping there's a way both teams can move on to the Super Bowl, but I'm not sure what the chances are of that. I'm thinking my New York loyalties win out though, and while a Saints-Colts Super Bowl would've been awesome if both teams had lived up to the early season hype of their respective 10-0 starts and, if not both gone perfect throughout the season but had ended on high notes, but since the season has played out the way it has, I think right now I'm rooting for a Vikings-Jets Super Bowl.

Watching the Colts v. Raven and just discovered...

...that David Tyree is a Raven. Personally, I'm rooting for the Colts, since Peyton Manning is my NFL boyfriend (love him, love him, LOVE HIM). But David Tyree just made a tackle on a punt reception by the Colts. That name may mean nothing to many people, but that name will forever be etched in my mind as being one half of what is arguably the most awesome NFL play/ professional sports play EVER, as seen below...



Aww, the fact that the Ravens picked him up make me fall in love with them a little more...but I'm really rooting for the Colts to take it all (don't tell the Jets that!), so I'll just have to remember to keep an eye on Joe Flacco (adorable!), Tyree, and the Ravens next season...

David, whatever happens with the rest of your career, know that you will be loved and remembered by Giants fans everywhere for the rest of their lives!!!

Mark McGwire steroids confession: Will it be enough?

What??? Mark McGwire used steroids??? That is BRAND NEW INFORMATION to everyone!!!


Mark McGwire steroids confession: Will it be enough?

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And this is only two months late, but...Yankee championship parade

As fortune would have it, my brother was in town and I was off from work the day the Yankees held their championship parade in Gotham's Canyon of Heroes. To say it was a crowded, wall-to-wall, mob scene is, quite frankly, an understatement, but the baseball gods must've been aware that, dressed head to toe in Yankee gear, I was a true fan, and my brother and I, originally on the wrong side of the barricade a block away from the parade, actually got spots close enough that not only did we have a perfect view of the big screen tv showing the parade but I actually got to see some of my heroes in person as well.

I hate crowds, more than anything, and I almost got trampled by a crushing wave of people at one point, but I love the Yankees more than I hate crowds, and the parade was frickin' awesome.

A few highlights...














City Hall amid a downpour of tickertape













World Series MVP Hideki Matsui













Jay-Z, Francisco Cervelli, and A-Rod





















Oh look, it's the back of A-Rod's head (in the hat, to the far left of the float) as he passes by!

















CC Sabathia and Mark Texeira








Nick Swisher - looking almost excited as I was - with his mohawk











Jerry Hairston Jr.















Oh yeah, that is totally Johnny Damon on the far right of this photo!












Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter's dad, and Derek Jeter (my bro was disappointed to realize that his crush, Minka Kelly, who is dating my crush Jeter, was also on the float but neither of us saw her...)











Hip, hip, Jorge!...











Mary's never been happier (or dorkier, apparently) in her life...

I think the picture says it all...

Taken at the beer distributor up the block from my house yesterday.

Jets at Chargers, Sunday night - watch it! Root for the underdog! Let's go Jets!

Let's go, Jets!

Ok, so congrats to the Jets for being the little engine that could and beating the Bengals this week...would love to see another New York team take it all after the Yankees this past fall, but secretly I'm rooting for Peyton Manning and the Colts...still, the best thing is coming into the playoffs with no expectations and no pressure like the Jets did and making it past the first round, so go Green...you've already earned all our respect, I think...

...and while we're congratulating the Jets, congrats to D'Brickashaw Ferguson for being named a starter in this year's Pro Bowl...unlike Flava Flav, you're doing Freeport proud :)