Baseball's back!

The Major League Baseball schedule fires back up today, thankfully. What a horrible time to hit the All-Star break the same day that the World Cup ended. That's like being at a keg party and somebody randomly shuts off the taps while you're on a malted hops frenzy.

George Steinbrenner's funeral goes Saturday in Tampa. The Yankees Old Timers Day is slated for Saturday as well with a game against Tampa Bay to follow. Scalpers must be drooling over the prospects this weekend with the second place Rays in the house. 

Somebody let Toronto Blue Jay Jose Bautista know that Hollywood Hogan called...he wants his beard back.

Speaking of the Jays, if not for their month long slumber, Toronto might well be looking at three active pro-sports teams with winning records now that the Argos moved to 2-1 early in the CFL season and Toronto FC doing the deed. Of a more ominous note for the Boatmen: their home opener drew a mere 20,242.

Dear Mr. Steinbrenner, thanks for passing. Couldn't have come at a better time. Yours, LeBron and Tiger.  The New York Times, by the way, had 43 pages on Steinbrenner's death yesterday.

For those that wonder why I don't cover Tour de France more, I give you this to appease: the 15 best wipeouts.

Funny that some of the same people loving the Jays free agent acquisitions from parts unknown are the same people who relentlessly crack on the Leafs doing same. Can't have it both ways, I'm afraid.

Buster Olney warns that newly acquired Blue Jay Yunel Escobar couldn't get along in the famously good Atlanta Braves locker room. This could get good as the Jays slide further out of contention and Escobar having a down year.

Line of the night from the second episode of Entourage: "I'd rather wax my asshole."

The soccer "silly season" is about to get underway now that the World Cup is out of the way.  First up is talk that Kaka is on his way out of Real Madrid after one season, with Chelsea a possibility.

Lou Pinella is managing through the last year of his contract with the Chicago Cubs, as is Joe Girardi with the New York Yankees.  Girardi is a born and raised Illinois boy, and his openly discussed the Cubs job as being attractive.  Leverage for a new Yankee deal?

Tweets Gary Busey - yes, that Gary Busey - "Mel Gibson may be blackballed from Hollywood, but he still has a future in ghostwriting songs for rappers."

Have a great Thursday.