- The second autobiography of Terrell Eldorado Owens "accidentally" wound up on Wal-Mart store shelves yesterday afternoon. Far be it from me to assume that it was done intentionally to generate even more buzz for the self-titled tome. And although I'm a die-hard Eagles fan, I'm interested in reading the book just to see exactly how many Donovan McNabb digs T.O. can cram into 242 pages.

- Speaking of books - and piggybacking on CarolynT's recent post - here are some other quality sports reads marked with the crazydelicious Stamp of Approval:

Jeff Pearlman - The Bad Guys Won

Bruce Feldman - 'Cane Mutiny

Ian O'Connor - The Jump

Phil Jackson - The Last Season

- With all this good soccer going on in Germany, I completely forgot that the MLS is still in season. Now if I were the commissioner of said league, I'd... I don't know... take a break while the World Cup was going on. And then, while the few US futbol fans are just about to go into withdrawal after the Cup final, start up the season again. But that's just me.

- Names of randomness: Casey Jacobsen, David Nied, Carney Lansford, Leslie Shepherd, Steve Larmer, Alfred Pupunu

- "Some people call me a space cowboy.... some people call me the gangster of love": Maurice Clarett is slated to sign a contract to play for the Mahoning Valley Hitmen in the Eastern Indoor Football League. Karma is something, isn't it?

- The Broncos began a mandatory minicamp today sans WR Ashley Lelie. I'm not sure how a player can expect to move up the depth chart when he holds OUT of practice.

- EA Sports' NCAA 07 is coming out in less than two weeks. It is my lifelong mission to enlighten people to the simple fact that EA's college football game is FAR better than the yearly Madden offering. There's nothing like recruiting players and watching them grow in your program.

- Until two days ago, USC basketball had completely fallen off of the national radar. Then the word came out that the #1-rated HS player in the nation - all-everything point guard O.J. Mayo - would soon be verbally committing to Southern Cal. And if Mayo can convince his high school teammate Bill Walker (who just happens to the #2-rated player in the nation) to follow him to USC, the Trojans could be a legitimate Final Four contender. Ohio State's incoming "Thad Five" class is impressive, but grabbing the top two players in the 2007 class would be an incredible coup for Tim Floyd.

- I think people are making too much of this "Lebron hasn't said whether or not he'll accept the max offer from the Cavs" thing. Yeah, I know all of the other stars of that class have stated that they'll take the deal, but James can't even sign the thing until next week. Now if he hasn't signed it two months from now, then we have a problem. Or, at least, Cleveland has a problem.

- People will soon have to "respect the gangsta" of the Chicago Bulls. Not only do they have a nice young nucleus to build on, they have the option to swap 1st round picks with the New York Knicks next year as well. And we all know THAT will be a lottery pick.

- In the NBA's off-season, we get rumors of the Sixers possibly trading AI and the Wolves finally having thoughts of beginning the post-KG era. In the NHL, we get the Calgary Flames signing Alex Tanguay. It doesn't quite have the same effect.

- Francisco Liriano not making the AL All-Star team is a flat-out disgrace.

- Part of me is glad that the Phillies are pretty much out of the race before the All-Star break hits. Now I can take all of the energy that I was going to devote to them, and direct it towards something more productive. Writing, perhaps...