Random Sports Thoughts

1.  Bradley out, Klinsmann in for USMNT - This has been coming for a while.  While the team performed relatively well in last year's World Cup, there has always been an underlying concern with Bradley about his development of younger players, and by that I mean his seemingly complete lack of interest in doing so.  And the team kind of stunk up the joint this year, having trouble beating Guadalupe in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.  Guadalupe doesn't even have 1 million citizens in the whole country, and we can barely muster the talent in a country of over 350 million to beat them?  Really?  Patheticness.  Juergen Klinsmann is a proven winner who has run soccer camps in California for years, so he is familiar with the US program and the development of young players.  As far as I am concerned, even if things don't pan out with on-the-field wins right away, this is an excellent move.  The timing is odd, but it probably came down to whenever Klinsmann was ready for the job, it was his.  He is now ready, so Bradley got the axe.

2.  Colby Rasmus is now a Blue Jay - A great move by Alex Anthopoulos, the Jays GM.  Once LaRussa decided that Rasmus was more trouble than he was worth, he was all but gone.  According to reports, the Blue Jays have been after him for a while, but they didn't have available what the Cardinals wanted to get in return.  So, the Jays went out and got Edwin Jackson from the White Sox so they could get Rasmus.  While it is completely possible that Rasmus is a head case who will never play to his potential, if he does figure it out and play to his potential in the future this will end up being a great move, because at the end of the day what did the Jays give up for him?  Some good but not excellent relief pitchers, a bunch of random pitchers with smallish contract,s and some random position players.  The downside on this move is not very large, and the upside is bigger, so this is a good gamble.

3.  Mike Danton is back, baby! - You mean you don't remember Mike Danton?  All he did while he was playing for the St. Louis Blues was try to hire a hit man to kill his agent.  Note to all the kids out there: when hiring a hit man, don't hire an undercover police officer who is only posing as a hit man.  That kind of thing doesn't end well for you.