That Time Of Year

It's that time of year when all NFL teams are going to training camp, declaring their Super Bowl chances.

Yeah, right.

It's also that time when MLB teams that started out with playoff-chance declarations are now trading overpaid, under-achieving, so-called stars.

Things didn't quite work out the way they expected, or so they tell their fans.

It's also that time when Donald Trump continues to be the total, insensitive ass that he is, a racist isolationist who refuses to recognize ethnic or racial equality in this country, or anywhere else. Just ask Megyn Kelly or Khizr Khan.

What can we say? It's that time of year.

Philadelphia Feeling

The contrast in tone and temperament between the Republican and Democratic national conventions was stark.

Trump and Republicans painted a picture of an America I don't live in or recognize. A dark place full of fear, loathing and the racism only he can bring to a table.

The Democrats delivered a message of hope, prosperity and dreams come true going forward.

I prefer that direction and a positive outlook and not the dark, scary place Donald Trump thinks America is.

And by the way, there was no Twitter post about where you can buy Chelsea's dress as opposed to Ivanka's.

Trump wants to be president to promote his brand. Hillary wants to president to preserve ours.

Oh, by the way, the White Sox need to can Robin Ventura and hire a manger who won't let them keep blowing big leads. And it's nice to see the Cubs acquire a quality-character guy.

Problem is, fans don't care, as long as he strikes out people. Politicians can't serve with records like that. But athletes can play. Sad.

Monday Manic

What a Monday.

Cory Booker had his "Barack Obama" 2004 moment, for sure. If he is the future, bring it on.

Michelle Obama had her First Lady triumphant moment. Anyone notice that she was the only speaker from Monday who about whom Trump was afraid to tweet.

Elizabeth Warren had her attack-dog moment and she is so damn good at it. It clearly gets under Trump's skin because he can't stand watching her, listening to her get the best of him.

But in NFL headquarters, this just announced: Josh Gordon reinstated and Peyton Manning suspended for life.

And gosh darn it, the White Sox kept Cubs' fans silent this morning. Where have you gone Jake Arrieta? Just FedEx the Cy Young from last year to Zack Greinke, OK? Because that's how you've been pitching the last month-and-a-half. Like a mere mortal.

And kudos to Stephanie Ruhle, who did her best Sarah Silverman on MSNBC this morning and put two Bernie-or-bust candidates in tbeir place.

I love sports. I love politics. How come they are one and the same, more and more?

RNC - Sadder and Sadder

The Republican National Convention has been a disaster from the get-go.

• The shouting down of the Dump-Trumpsters
• Melania's speech
• Still Melania's speech
• Cover-up for Melania's speech
• Finally finding someone to take the blame for Melania's speech
• The "air" kiss
• Ted Cruz
• Scott Baio (really, Scott Baio?)

Trump's kids said exactly what daddy told them to say. Trump's wife did too, unfortunately.

Did anyone expect Cruz to say anything different after the way Donald dissed his wife and father?

Mismanaged, mishandled, missed target. If this convention is an indication of how he's going to run the executive branch of government, we've got a big problem.

And Trump is it.

Off topic, kudos to ESPN First Take today for having an all-female panel. Impressive group of smart, intellectual sports writers.

Max, The Coach and The Donald

Watching Max Bretos and Jonathan Coachman sit in on ESPN2's First Take is refreshing. Newly First Take-anointed Max Kellerman and veteran Steven A will be hardpressed to be as insightful and intellectual.

Meanwhile, the RNC continues to disappoint. The entire tone has been anti-Hillary as opposed to feeling the love for Donald. Paul Ryan hardly mentioned him and is clearly rooting for Hillary so he can run against her in 2020. The vitriol is truly disgusting.

There are no arguments for Trump; only against Hillary. That's because there are no arguments for Trump. He is the argument. With the plagiarist wife and the well-heeled kids. And the three spouses to prove it.

Trump has no issue specifics. No foreign policy. No domestic policy. No economic policy. Unless you include misogyny and racism as policy planks.

Max Bretos and Jonathan Coachman for president and veep. Not necessarily in that order. Or they can take turns. Works for me. At least they're decisive and issue specific.

Watching Morning Joe. The crowd at Flannery's in Cleveland responded to the question, "Who here absolutely adores Donald Trump?" with one person in a packed room mildly applauding. To the same question on Hillary Clinton, half the room applauded. In Cleveland, where the RNC is going on. Where Chachi is speaking and Tim Tebow was announced as one but not the host-state governor. Where Mike Pence was OK to support the war in Iraq but not Hillary.

Good night, Donald. Drive home safely. Oh, btw, the room applauded raucously in support of the same question about the Indians. The baseball team, not the next ethnicity or nationality you will likely insult.

And, oh yeah, Donald spent three-quarters of his time introducing Pence as his runningmate reacting instead to a Clinton-supporter ad featuring a hardcore Republican condemning Trump as too maniacal.

Have fun, Donald.

Frumping for Trump

Just read the AARP Bulletin article on Trump v Hillary on Social Security. Donald has no specific plan whatsoever to maintain it. None. Zero. Zip. Hillary, meanwhile, will preserve and grow it.

Please do not vote for Trump if you value your future. There won't be one.

Meanwhile, played golf yesterday, with fav foursome partners Bernie and Nancy Tafoya in the Benes Open at Glendale Lakes, which is called "Lakes" for a reason. Me and Nancy, respectively, earned closest-to-the-pin honors.

Cool.

Always a fun outing. Will be back next year. Good to see Pat Cassidy and Rich King there too.