FIELD DAY AT SCHOOL AND THE WORLD CUP

Good Day my friends.
I'm hoping this post finds everyone doing well and starting to enjoy the summer. The rain looks like it's starting to ebb and we may get some decent weather up in the great Northeast. At least for the next few days.

FIELD DAY AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Today my son Jackson's school held their annual Field Day. This consists of all the classes broken into 4 teams each, and competing in 12 different events. Parents were enlisted to man the different stations and set-up food, water slide, and a host of other fun activities. I was stationed at the Tug-Of-War. We all had a great time cheering everyone on and making sure everyone had fun. I tried to make sure that all the kids were into it, but were not so competitive that they had hard feelings after losing. It turned out really well, though I was a tad hoarse afterward. I DID almost suffer a broken finger when one lovely 3rd grade girl, angry over her team's loss, tried to twist my fingers off when I went around giving everyone high-fives. Is this how soccer hooligans get their start? Or maybe youth sports parents who want to beat up coaches? "Honey, honey, you're breaking my finger!!! This is just for fun, no need to injure the nice volunteer."

THE WORLD CUP
I just got done watching a thrilling match between Poland and Germany. Germany won in Overtime, 1-0, on a late goal, with Poland a man down because of a red-card penalty. This game was played in Dortmund, Germany, in the largest soccer venue in that country. There were 67,000 screaming fans, most pulling for the home team, though Poland was well-represented in the stands.

As most of us know, the U.S. team was embarassed by the Czechs, 3-0 in the flattest, most uninspired performance I think our national team has ever put out. It's like we have all these hopes that this World Cup will finally be the one where we gain some respect in the world soccer community. As usual, we showed why our national sport is baseball. I, personally, have never been a big fan of soccer, though I will give it a try every once in a while. Today's Poland/Germany game was fast-paced and actually interesting to watch.

The one thing I dearly love about watching soccer or rugby in frome Europe, or Australian rules football from down-under is listening to the fans sing fight songs throughout the game. I mean, you may think that college football or basketball fans are rabid. You may think the Cheese-heads up in Green Bay or the redneck Nascar fans are the most ardent followers of their respective teams. But you haven't seen anything till you've seen and heard a European soccer or rugby crowd sing for, scream for, cheer for and harrass the teams playing on the field of those games. You never see national pride like you do during the World Cup. And though the "hooligans" get out of hand at times, Americans can only hope to show the outright passion of these maniacs who genuinely live and die with the outcome of their city's or country's games. It is a refreshing departure from some American sports crowds (like the Florida Marlins and their 6.700 fans that showed up at Dolphins Stadium the other night). Even if a European team sucks and is in last place, the stands are still full and their fans are still as boisterous as if they were leading the Division. Cheers to all of them. If the Americans ever field a team that gets to a Final or wins the World Cup, we had all better just prepare for the coming of Armageddon, because the world will surely come to an end when that happens. Visit all the goings on at:
http://www.fifaworldcup.com

THE U.S. OPEN
Yeah, baby!! I am off to the U.S, Open on Friday!!! Our national golf championship is taking place in Westchester County at the Famed Winged Foot Golf Club. I'm going with my friends Roy (the G.B. King), Chuck (the Edge of Darkness), and Jeff (the Big Palooka). We will be leaving at 5:00 a.m. and making the 2 hour drive to Mamaronek. The four of us went to the Masters in 2005 and the chance to actually be present for the U.S. Open is a chance we can't pass up. The 3 of them attended U.S. Opens at Shinnecock and at Bethpage Black on Long Island when they were played there over the last few years. This will be my first Open and I'm stoked. If I remember, I'll try to pick you all up a ball marker. You can check out all the goings on at the U.S.Open at: http://www.usopen.com

LEN IS RIGHT.....but....
as stated in a previous post, I SUCK at handicapping horse races. The horses I picked for the Belmont Stakes didn't finish in the money. But see, what DOES make Len Right is that I'm smart enough to know that I suck at handicapping, thus I DON"T BET.
The moral...A man's got to know his limitations.

HOW ABOUT A NEW CROCK POT OR SOME GREAT WINE?
Okay, it's shameless shill time here at Len Is Right. I'd like to point your attention to the right to the link section and ask you to check out the links to Crock Pot.com and Wines Direct.com

I don't know how many of you own or have used a crock pot for slow cooking, but they work really well and are really versatile. If you haven't checked them out before, or in a while, take a look at all the different kinds and sizes there are now. They even come in different themes (Nascar and other decorations) and there is even a table-top BBQ model, which looks really interesting.

Also, i know you wine lovers out there usually just go to the local liquor store for your favorite vino. But if you get the chance, take a look at the link for WinesDirect.com. You may find something that you haven't tried before.

Okay, that's all for now. Thanks for reading and I hope everyone has a great weekend. Look for me on TV on Friday afternoon. I'll be wearing my white Universal Studios hat, cheering Tiger Woods and the rest of the competitors (except Vijay Singh) at the U.S.Open. GOING TO THE OPEN, BABY!!!

Of course, Len Is Right.
I am,
Len Tollerton