An eclectic day of TV viewing. I have only one word to say about women’s Olympic beach volleyball in high definition on the big screen and that word is: “sigh”.

I watched the entire USA vs. the Netherlands match. Say what you will about President George W. Bush (and I know you will say many things). I know a lot of folks don’t think he should’ve been in Beijing at all, but as long as he was there I’ll give him credit for a fair bit of restraint. Some might chalk that restraint up to stupidity.

I caught (on TV) the San Franciso Giants salute to their great outfielders as a part of the ongoing 50th anniversay celebration prior to a game vs. their arch rival Los Angeles Dodgers. I wish I’d gone to the game but I sold off almost all of my tickets this year, including tonights. Barry Bonds was back in the yard along with many other Giants greats, including Bonds Godfather, the “say hey kid”, Willie Mays. Bonds was in great spirits, was well received by the crowd and said some nice things to get the crowd fired up.

Bonds spent an inning with the local broadcast team (Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper) and was in great spirits and definitely the best physical condition he’s beein in since 2003 or so. He still is working out five days a week and still wants to coach play. Still hates the Dodgers, and said while beating the Dodgers was always fun, beating them at home in SF was the most fun. They didn’t bring up the looming Federal court date where the Feds are trying to nail him on perjury.

Bonds was asked if he ever saw himself as a hitting coach or managing and he said that he could see it, but not at the professional level. He said he’d rather work with college age kids trying to make the majors than work with major leaguers. He got to show off how smart he is about the game of baseball in terms of how the pitcher (Kevin Correa) dealt with Dodger slugger Manny Ramirez (still odd to refer to him as a Dodger on so many levels).

He also expressed delight at tonight’s game being sold out. Normally a given with the Dodgers, especially for the 50th anniversary festivities but the Giants are 18 games under .500 and sellouts are a thing of the past. I can’t say I feel sorry for Barry, but I believe he’s gotten an unfair rap as far as the steroid stuff goes, but that’s to be expected because he often wasn’t as jovial as he was tonight and plus he zoomed past perhaps the most hallowed record in all of baseball.

I’m not surprised he was in good spirits, he was in the one place where he was always very welcomed. He said he missed playing left field most of all. Hitting was the thing he said, but left field and the fans cheering him were his stage and where he felt most at home. The funniest thing he said was when they zoomed in on his family in the front row Kuiper remarked that he always got the best seats and Bonds said that wasn’t true — that his seasons tickets were six rows back and that he should’ve negotiated for better seasons tickets!

I’m recording the entire season one Damages marathon on FX. Just watched the first episode and really watched it, and I imagine I will marathon my way through the rest soon.