Happily...

Ladies and gentlemen,

You know how the summer gets. It's not only the time for barbeques and baseball, but it also wedding season.

Two of the greatest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and witnessing blossom into a lovely couple are officially tying the knot this weekend. Since there are many fellow alums from the alma mater and friends from both families to see, you may not see much activity on Scribe this weekend.

The operative word is 'may'. Just as any other trip, there may be a time where some quick thoughts on current happenings are published or one of several drafts is finally completed for your amusement.

Keep checking in and hopefully, neither bride nor groom pull a Richard Jefferson... well, actually, if one of them has a Black Card, then PLEASE DO!

Seriously, to all of you that are fortunate to be united with the love of your life, regardless of orientation, cherish it. My parents were married for 43 years and despite the hell they endured together, they came up with five wonderful gems... and me.

To those of you still finding that person, the challenging search can still be rewarding as making the discovery (so I hear).

And for those who find themselves ever in a unfortunate (and pricey) situation as the San Antonio Spurs forward and former bride-to-be, I can only wish the best, despite such drastic circumstances.

Say What?!?!: A favor to ask; Convince ME to go on Twitter with sound reasonsing and maybe a minimum bribe of $250.

Conjecture

The questions are always asked this time of year.

Who are the Giants going to take in the draft?

What do you think the (insert team here) should do with the nth pick?

Should the (insert team here) trade down?

You think the (insert team here) will keep the top pick?

The problem with these questions is that no matter what rumors may come about or how much football fans have studied the picks since the end of the college bowl season, we already know the answers. If you have watched enough games and highlight shows during the season, checked out a few press conferences and heard a few interviews, you’re well aware of the positions of need.

Most of this conjecturing that you hear leading up to the NFL Draft is a result of misinformation from team officials, leaks from ‘insiders’ and some fan’s pipe dream that made the rounds in message boards. It’s almost like looking to the National Enquirer for the latest on unemployment

I’d liken it to reading fantasy sports guides before making your picks; what will those books and websites tell you that you haven’t already discovered through watching games day in and day out?

Anyhow, a few other thoughts and plugs:

• First of all, if you have yet to check out the videos and pictures from Citi Field and Nationals Park from last week, please do so. Not only will you make the numbers look all pretty, but you might start putting some cash aside to visit these beautiful ballparks this season.
  
  
• Next, I know and respect (some of) the opinions from the purists in regards to sports such as baseball and hockey; two sports in which no matter how much the new school tries to assert itself, the old continues to dominate the psyche and dreams of its fans. Yet, can you please respect Alexander Ovechkin’s gangsta here?:
  
  
  
  
  and here:
  
  
  
  Take it from someone who knows how to elevate.
  
  
  
  A couple of months ago at the end of a Penguins/Capitals game on NBC, I remember catching Ovi and Nickolas Backstrom hip bumping almost out of the view of the camera. In complete shock and awe that two guys just did it on the ice, I must have called and texted a bunch of friends in amazement.
  
  Sure, they’ve done it all season and apparently; some New York Rangers fans were quite upset about it (among other things). Yet, in that aspect, I recall something Mike Ditka said on Sunday NFL Countdown about two years ago about player celebrations after a touchdown. To paraphrase Da Coach; if you have a problem with it, stop him from scoring.
  
  
• Finally, a reminder about the latest idea from Scribe: if you’re headed to a game, any game in any sport and any town, feel free to submit some pictures and videos here for future posts.