LeBron James

As a former Clevelander, I'm so psyched that the Cavs won the rights to LeBron James. It is a perfect scenario: James (from Akron) gets drafted by his hometown team, then leads the Cavs back to respectability. If I still lived in the Land of Cleves, I'd have already plunked down the money for a season ticket subscription.

For those hoops junkies out there, I've written an essay on LeBron James for the book I'm editing, Basketball in America: From the Playgrounds to Jordan's Game and Beyond, which will come out next year. The book examines the modern history of basketball from every angle, literally from the playgrounds to the professional circuits.

Annika

I'm so psyched that Annika Sorenstam played a great round at the Bank of America Colonial tournament on Thursday. It's a level playing field and she showed the world what she could do. Congratulations to the men's tour players who welcomed her into the tournament, particularly Tiger Woods, who made positive statements in a situation in which he didn't have to do so.

Why would anyone criticize Annika's entry into the tournament -- especially professional golfers. Pro golfers now earn about triple the amount of money they used to (pre-Tiger) because Woods has brought such a high level of excitement to the game. If Annika brings people out to the tournaments and gets butts in front of the tube, then it will benefit all the pro players.

Plus, why would a professional golfer ever complain. Unlike weekend duffers, they don't carry their bags, they have their yardage marked off for them, they don't pay for clubs, balls, etc., and they make a ton of money. Play your game and welcome all the publicity that you can get, particularly when Woods is not in the field. Every player in the field should shake Annika's hand and thank her for the added spotlights she's brought to the game.