Short and sweet .. That's what she said

It's good to know someone is proofreading the diplomas given to high school graduates in Prince George's County, MD. Using the spellcheck crutch doesn't always catch misspellings (I'm a witness .. can I get an Amen??) but then again I'm not printing out 8000 diplomas in dire need of correctness. So to the recent high school graduates in Prince George's County, congratulations and the paper is in the mail!!

Gotta try to keep it short and sweet today. I'm headed down to GASP with my sons to take in this evenings titanic struggle between my beloved Redlegs and the Buccos. Last night the Reds got out to an early lead and withstood a Pittsburgh rally by riding the left arm of the Cuban Missile. The Missile's line for the night: 1 IP, O H, O R, O BB, 2 K, 9 TP (8 strikes/1 ball). Not sure there was anything but flame firing out of the Missile's left hand last night, which is an ongoing concern for me. He's going to have to use his slider eventually to get an out in the 9th inning, and if the Reds are going to start him eventually he's going to need the slider and another off-speed pitch. Walt Jock and His Dustiness may continue to chant, "The Missile will start one day!", however his dominance and reliance on one pitch indicate his long-term future may lie as the Reds closer. It may take an All-Star game appearance for the Missile to take the hill at the beginning of a game. Not sure that's ever happened before, a closer starting the All-Star game, so it would be a sight to behold. The Missile versus the Natural (former Red Josh Hamilton) in the first inning: straight smoke versus the best former dead red fastball hitter in baseball. Last night's win restored the Reds three game cushion atop the NL Central and blunted the Pirates recent momentum. Mike Leake takes the mound tonight opposed by Kevin Correira, both pitchers coming into the game with identical 2-5 records and similar mid-four ERAs. Vottomatic will try to extend his hitting streak to 13 games so at there will be some drama regardless of the score. Sneaky stat alert: The Pirates have the Major's third lowest team ERA at 3.30. The Old Lefthander used to say, "Good pitching beats good hitting everyday" and nothing has changed since his passing (RESPECT!). It will take more than a couple runs crossing the dish for the Reds to win tonight! Eyewitness account tomorrow!!

The OKC Thunder dispatched the Spurs last night to reach the NBA Finals. The game followed the same Vince McMahon script as every other game in the conference finals (chronicled yesterday), but this time I wasn't biting! The Thunder rolled the Spurs out of the playoffs by being more athletic and explosive than the veteran Spurs. If last night was the end of the Spurs decade-plus of excellence (how many years does Tim Duncan have left in his legs?), then they bowed out the same way they've played every season under Gregg Popovich - playing hard to the end with class and conviction. Tonight the GeriatricsCeltics try to closeout the Heat on the famed parquet floor. I'm calling a Heat win right here, right now!! Who's betting with me???

Mad Men barrels toward Sunday's season finale with a couple interesting plot twists, and I'm not talking about Lane twisting on his hangman's rope. Barefooted Bert Cooper started Lane's suicide in motion by discovering his forged check, even if he did blame Don in the first place. Don did what any partner would do after discovering the embezzlement of company funds and confronted Lane before giving him the option to resign respectfully. Lane begged and pleaded, but to no avail. Matty Weiner never fails to offer up subtle laughs, and the brand new Jaguar failing to fire in Lane's initial asphyxiation attempt was a funny pause before Lane's inevitable end. Don's also at his end, but it's only his wits end troubling the creative genius. Not content with bedding Jaguar (Mad Men was much better when Don was bedding ladies instead of accounts!), he longs for a bigger fish on his pole. Dow Chemical is in his sights, but it's a goose chase. Roger played the good friend by arranging the meeting, but even courtesy interviews last longer than Don's pitch to the Dow execs. Glen Bishops appearance at the Don's penthouse had me quickly glancing at the Urban Dictionary to see if his face - adolescent pornstache included - had become the default picture for "Creeper". Apparently even the best laid creeper plans can be derailed by a girls first period .... Lucky Sally! That Sally ran back to her maternal instinct lacking mother for comfort was as surprising at Megan Draper allowing Creeper Glen to hang around the apartment for hours. I'm sure Glen's pubescent fantasies (first Betty Draper, then Sally Draper, now hours alone with Megan Draper???) will keep his hand busy for months at his boarding school (assuming he can avoid the Senior lacrosse players who piss all over his lockered equipment ... obviously bullying wasn't a concern in the mid-1960's). I'm going to be in a technological blackout from 9 to 11 on Sunday night fully expecting my mind to be blown first by the wrap up of the Killing (Gwen killed Rosie .. I've said it since I found out about the Orpheus screen name!) and nightcap finale of Mad Men. Good TV will abandon me temporarily ... when does Downton Abbey start again???

Okay ... I'm out!! Euro2012 starts tomorrow and I'll be watching the lid lifter at Hap's with my soccer fanatic friends. But have no fear ... a blog will appear!!! C-Ya!!