Updates from the summer boredoms

1. The LeBron James decision to take his game to the Miami Heat has dominated the sports landscape since his ESPN special, aptly dubbed "The Decision", aired last Thursday to huge ratings. Simply put? It was frustrating to find a guy who seemed to have a good head on his shoulders and exhibit the kind of personality for fans to admire take the time to air a 1 hour special in which he detailed just about everything that fans hate about professional athletes: EGOMANIACS. For God's sake, he held a special regarding a decision that affects absolutely nothing in the large scheme of things, even for his sport, much less the freeworld. It's not like announcing his choice to play in South Beach gives any guarantee that the Miami Heat are going to be an NBA force for years to come. This is a guy who couldn't get out of the eastern conference playoffs for the past 2 years (even after finishing with the best record in the league) The one time he led his Cavs to the NBA Finals, he got drubbed in a 4 game laugher by the Spurs. I would have made the same decision (living anywhere in the dying midwestern part of America is a choice I can't understand), but engaging in some class by LeBron would have been a reasonable expectation.

2. The World Cup is over, and all we can talk about is how poorly officiated the final between Spain and The Netherlands was. Soccer will NEVER become a mainstream American sport until FIFA and the game itself figure out a way to focus less on the officiating and more on the play on the field. Using 1 ref and 2 side judges is a disgrace - head referees showed in the 2010 Cup that a one man show is no way to run a competition. The ref can't see everything, misses too much, and gets agitated and frustrated with players, who are agitated and frustrated with the inability of the referee to manage the game. Put 2 refs on the field to provide appropriate coverage, institute instant replay where needed, and you might be able to avoid games like the WC final where 14 yellow cards in one game bogs down the world's most popular event.

3. ESPN Gameday has moved to the 3 hours. Is this earth shattering? Not really, but I'm intrigued to see what role new co-host Erin Andrews will have on the show. 3 hours of Corso, Herbie, and Fowler would be great. Adding Andrews, and I assume Desmond Howard is returning, may turn the show into a bloated version of SportsCenter.

4. Cliff Lee to the Rangers. This is the biggest move of the MLB season. Ever since the Ryan Express left Arlington, Texas has been looking for a legit #1 to lead the team. The offense has been plugging along all season long, and the Rangers pitching has been more than adequate, both from the starters as well as the bullpen. If they can stay healthy, here's thinking that we see New York vs. Texas for the ALCS in October. Furhtermore, heres thinking that since we'll be in the middle of football season, no one in Texas will care.

5. College Football realignment - the summer that almost was came close to changing to the face of the greatest sport in America. Instead, we have an extended Pac 10(12), a shrunk Big 12(10), and a beefed up Big 10(12). With Nebraska and Colorado leaving the Big 12, fans across the country wondered what would happen to the Big 12. What we learned was that, despite what they want to believe in Lincoln, the Cornhuskers are not as relevant as they would like everyone to believe. 10 years ago, if Nebraska leaves the Big 12, the conference falls apart. While Nebraksa and its fans like to think they were the link that kept the Big 12 relevant across the country through a dominant football tradition, the reality is tv execs, sports fans, and national audiences aren't interested in triple option offenses, or teams who shout from the mountain that they are "back" after a 9-3 season and a near Big 12 Championship. The fact is, Texas controls the fate of the conference, and has since Vince Young scampered by the USC defense on January 4, 2006. There is no way Texas of 2000 can hold the weakened Big 12 together the same way as Texas of 2010 has done. The Longhorns are the modern era version of Notre Dame, except the Horns are relevant in nearly every NCAA sport they choose to compete in. With the ridiculous amount of success experienced in Austin, TV networks are willing to follow the Horns and their ever growing fan base wherever athletic director Deloss Dodds chooses to lead them. For now, that is the Big 12(10). With this being the last season of the Big 12 with Nebraska, heres hoping the Horns and Cornhuskers hook up twice - once on Oct 16 in Lincoln, and again for the Big 12 title in JerryWorld.