Wide World of Sports

This is usually the most fun time of the year for sports viewing, but with the NHL still in their pathetic lockout situation, my fun is greatly diminished.

Fortunately, there is some hockey to watch, as the World Junior Tournament is going on right now. The US team has won their first two games, and plays Belarus tonight. ESPN2 will air the game at 9:30pm (EST), and I'll be in front of the set. Unfortunately, there aren't any other games scheduled yet. Maybe ESPN is taking a wait-and-see approach to scheduling more games. Hopefully, the ratings for this game will be high enough to bump a re-run of the World Series of Poker.

I like the World Series of Poker, by the way. Texas Hold-Em is a great game, and it's fascinating to watch the pros play. It's just that they've aired the 2003 & 2004 tournament to death.

The death of Reggie White was startling. He was only 43, and unlike jocks who die young due to substance abuse problems, such as Ken Kaminiti recently, this just makes you shake your head. He was playing in the NFL just four years ago. ESPN Classic will air a day of tribute on Friday. It's just another reminder that you don't know when your time will come, and to take advantage of every minute.