The week that was

1. Apparently today was the day of the home run. A-Rod hit No. 500 earlier today, and Barry Bonds just tied Hank Aaron with No. 755. A-Rod's milestone is impressive - sort of. The awe comes from the fact that he did it so young (32 years old), not that he hit 500. After all, an ape on The Cream can hit 500 nowadays.

Or 755. I'll write more on Bonds another day (when he gets 756), but I just want to touch on how lame this whole "chase" has been. Feels much more like a slow, funereal drudge through a cemetary than a chase, doesn't it? And here's the part that really gets me: I've been watching parts of the Giants games that have been on TV the last week or so, in case he does hit it. The kicker is that I'm not enjoying it. I'd rather not watch it, frankly, but it's like a deathwatch: You can't look away, for fear you'll miss something happen...even though what actually happens is a lot less dramatic than you thought it'd be. Hope that makes sense; it's been a long week.

2. The Colts cut former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Corey Simon. Chalk this one up as a stroke of bad luck. When we signed Simon, it seemed as if we had the big DT we needed to stuff the run, add a sack or two and put our defense on par with the offense. Simon did OK, but injuries cut his time with us short. Sad that it happened, but the Colts were right to move on.

3. I spent the last couple days bouncing from college football media day to college football media day. I pulled the Oklahoma trifecta: University of Tulsa on Thursday, University of Oklahoma on Friday and Oklahoma State today. The differences between the players was astounding. The TU guys were genuine and intelligent - much more likely to mention their major and career plans in my short Q&As. OU players were definitely the most dedicated and most focused (and least talkative). The OSU guys were the friendliest and most open with me. No point here; just sayin'...

4. Still awaiting word on whether my hometown of Columbus, Ind. will have another parade to honor Tony Stewart's victory at the Brickyard. As lame as it sounds, it's also kind of cool. Normally parades are reserved for championships or Super Bowl victories. Think Bonds will get a parade in San Francisco? Or Tiger Woods will get one in Cypress, Calif. if he wins the upcoming PGA Championship?

5. Speaking of PGA Championship, that's coming to Tulsa soon, or something. Woods was in town Monday night/Tuesday morning for a practice round, and the local media did a great job of getting completely useless (but hilarious) details. Flew in Monday on his private jet. Spent the night at the Renaissance Hotel. Didn't putt in on the last hole - just got a feel for the greens. And, most importantly, ate dinner at Fuddruckers. Apparently he wore a backwards cap and sunglasses...AND NO ONE RECOGNIZED HIM! Come now. He's one of the most recognizable people in the world, one of the five biggest celebrities in America and one of the five biggest sports icons ever...but sunglasses and a backwards cap make him a normal guy? It's just like Superman/Clark Kent - how can a pair of spectacles matter that much? As a glasses/contact wearer, I can tell you the difference isn't that big...

6. Tony Dungy's book, "Quiet Strength," is set to become No. 1 on the New York Times' Best-sellers list this week. It's sitting on my bookshelf right now, but I haven't gotten a chance to read it yet. I'll get on that ASAP and post a review...but I extend my congratulations to Dungy for this honor. it couldn't go to a nicer, more deserving guy.

7. The X-Games suffered a scary moment when skateboarder Jake Brown fell a good 30 feet in the Big Air event. He suffered a collapsed lung and was in the hospital for a couple days...but is somehow OK. I don't want to link to the video because it's...intense. YouTube if you wish. I mention this whole event only because it serves as a reminder of where sports really rank in life. They're fun and all that...but when a guy nearly dies in a tough hit, it's a wake-up call.