Upon Random Thoughts

I journeyed to the Museum of Natural History this weekend, and it was a nice trip back (in my head) to my younger days. We saw an IMAX show about the Galapagos Islands, and an exhibit on Darwin which was interesting. I made certain that we visited the ocean mammals room while we were there, because I had something I wanted to do. Suspended from the ceiling of that room is a life-size model of a whale. I distinctly and vividly remember being a child in that museum, and the intense feelings that walking under that immense form inspired within me. It was such a spatial disparity that my senses where somewhat overwhelmed, and I also worried the beast might fall on me. On Saturday I got the slightest hint of those same feelings as we walked under the whale, and I was happy to be taken back to that place in my mind.

The Knicks traded for Steve Francis last week, dealing Penny Hardaway's expiring contract and Trevor Ariza for another 2-guard in a point guard's body. When looked at in isloation, the player that the Knicks received certainly exceeds the parts that they gave up. In the real world, I do not see how this was the best move the Knicks could have made. Other teams were interested in the Hardaway contract, and the willingness to include Ariza suggests that another player could have been acquired, one who fit a more pressing need in the woeful Knicks team structure. Names like Garnett, LeBron, and AI are being floated as summer catches for NY, but I do not see how we can pull any of these moves off. If I owned the Knicks, I fire Isiah and grab the Suns Brian Colangelo before Toronto does.

The Final medal total for Torino put the USA at 25, 4 behind overall medal leader Germany. This puts the Olympics into a nice perspective, as despite all the hype/disappointments, we still had the second-most medals of all the competing nations. Not bad in my book. Rangers netminder Lundquist won a gold with his Sweedish team, and we can only hope that this momentum translates back to the NHL season.

Stay tuned, as the 2006 Yankee preview starts today.