They're Trying To Smoke Us Out

When I went outside this morning, I could smell smoke in the air. However, since it is Memorial Day, I just assumed that it was someone in the neighborhood getting a really early start on their barbecue. As it turns out, it is actually smoke from forest fires up in Canada. There is a large series of fires are burning outside Quebec and the smoke has caught enough of a jet stream to make it all the way down to Massachusetts. It's actually pretty amazing that as far as we are from the actual fires that you can really smell the smoke outside and even see it if the light catches it. But, I guess here in the Northeast we were sort of due for some kind of weather pattern to bite us: the Icelandic volcanic ash never made it here, the oil spill isn't expected to make it here even if does make it to the Atlantic and we've avoided any serious heatwaves so far. Plus, it just makes me think of camping and I suddenly have a craving for s'mores.

-Here's another example of why the Internet is so awesome: the other day I had around five minutes to kill before I was heading out the door and I was flipping around before I had to leave (don't want to get anywhere too early). During the channel surfing, I landed on the opening sequence to Raiders of the Lost Ark. So, I'm watching a very young Harrison Ford try to guess the exact weight of an idol when it cuts back to the guy he is in the cave with and while I know I know that face, I don't know from where. It's clearly an actor I've seen before, but it has to be a very early role for him. Before the Internet this would have bothered me because I didn't have time to wait for the movie to play out and check the credits. But, instead I was able to hop onto the laptop and had my answer in about two minutes - it was a very young Alfred Molina in his first credited movie role. Never would have come up with that name, especially because he is English and was playing a Spaniard. Score another one for IMDB.

-So now that his season has ended, Amare Stoudemire has said he expects to be invited to this "free agent summit" that has been convened by LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Joe Johnson. Alright, that's enough. Joe Johnson was probably already pushing the limits by being invited. Look - not all free agents are created equal and it's time that someone takes these guys aside and tells them that. Stoudemire is not good enough to warrant inclusion into this group. Ask the Miami Heat about how good Shawn Marion was when he wasn't playing alongside of Steve Nash anymore or the Bucks about Richard Jefferson without Jason Kidd. He's a product of the system he plays in. Stoudemire is easily the sixth most important free agent this offseason. [My personal rankings: James, Wade, Dirk (I don't consider his return to Dallas the sure thing everyone else does), Bosh and then Johnson.] If you're not in the top five than I think any "summit" can be conducted without your input.