The Fourth of July is our best holiday. I can say that without hesitation.
While Memorial Day is often celebrated with picnics and a day off, in truth it's a day to remember those who died fighting for our nation. The holiday part should be secondary to the real meaning. The same goes for some of our other holidays and religious observances.
I told viewers my usual pattern of watching a race on TV has changed. I used to watch the start, fall asleep during the middle, and then wake up for the end.
Now, I just stay asleep.
I realize there is some generational grumpiness involved in all this. I also realize we're not going back to the days of Earnhardt and Allison and Yarborough.
I want to thank Landon Donovan for knocking me off my treadmill. Well, almost.
Donovan scored the game winning goal in the 90+1' minute of the USA's World Cup game against Algeria. I was in the 45' of my workout and fortunately in a warm-down (slow) mode when it happened. When ball struck net, I yelled. Fortunately, I didn't break stride.
Donovan's goal will get plenty of hype. It should. It propelled the United States into the Round of 16 in the World Cup, something that rarely happens.
How do you explain watching a great game to someone who wasn't there? You do the best you can, and hope your description somehow captures what it was like.
I was a cub reporter at WKPT-TV in Kingsport and he had already been the sports information director at Tennessee for 25 years! I was just another new kid on the block. After a few years away, I moved back to East Tennessee in 1990 and renewed a professional relationship with a man I have always had the utmost respect for.
It has everything to do with Lane Kiffin and his abrupt departure as Tennessee's head football coach.
The critically acclaimed Real Sports with Bryant Gumble (Tues 10pm) will take an in-depth look at events that led to Kiffin's exit on the night of January 12, 2010. It was memorable for all the wrong reasons. Trust me, I was there.
Derek Dooley may have learned a lot of football from his father, but when it comes to commitment and giving a crowd what it wants, the new Tennessee football coach will be wise to borrow a few pages from his mother Barbara too.
Barbara Dooley arrived in East Tennessee on Saturday. She spoke at the Hiwassee College Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Last week, I managed to avoid a tornado, an earthquake, and the NFL draft.
Really, all three.
The tornado and earthquake were easy. They hit a few miles from where we live and were relatively minor. Fortunately nobody was hurt, damage was minimal and the wrath of God stuff was over quickly.
The NFL draft was tougher. It lasted three days-- about the same length as a sinus infection, wrote a Cleveland, Ohio newspaper columnist.
How do you explain watching a great game to someone who wasn't there? You do the best you can, and hope your description somehow captures what it was like. 
