So glad this is the last weekend of Interleague play in baseball. I'd really like to see them drop it altogether so the teams within divisions could play more. I would hate to see a division won or lost because a team in first place played the cellar dwellers from another league. Then again at last check Kansas City was beating St. Louis and Cincinnati beat Cleveland; maybe interleague play isn't such a bad idea after all.

News from the Reds via Hal McCoy and his blog - the Reds have sent Aroldis Chapman to the bully at Triple A Louisville. GREAT MOVE! The Reds need help in the bullpen and Chapman can get used to coming from there with the Bats. By the time the trade deadline gets here, if the Reds are still within contention (and it looks like they will be) Chapman and his 100+ mph fastball will be needed in the stretch run through August and September.

Reds wore green hats tonight for Irish Heritage Night. Of course McCoy then begins asking what other heritage nights are we going to have in the coming weeks at Reds games. With my ancestors I wouldn't mind German night.

USA v. Ghana tomorrow in the Sweet 16 Knockout round of the World Cup. Should be a great match. Ghana has previously beaten the US so revenge and somewhat of an underdog role could be played by the Americans.

Brasil and Portugal played to a standoff today. Solidly played game. For all of you who just can't grasp this first round play to a tie and be happy. You take the points you can get survive and advance to the knockout round and then just like any other tournament it's - MONEY TIME when it comes to elimination. Now for all you naysayers out there it's time to see what the World Cup is all about. Hopefully the US and Brasil makes things interesting from here on out.

Doubt we will have a Brasil-US final, but would be nice to see the Basillians make it to the final and the US to the medal round.

Still pretty excited about Gordon "Too Big Yo" Hayward going No. 9 to the Utah Jazz. When I think about it I am still pinching myself about the improbable run the Butler Bulldogs made back in March to the national championship game. What a thrill it was to be an alumnus during those three glorious weeks. My oldest son, Andrew, last night asked if we were going to become Jazz fans and leave the Pacers in the cold. I told him I wasn't sure yet. As of now though we can still be Too Big Yo fans which will suffice our NBA fix, what's left of it.