ON THE FINAL DAY IN MAY

Thank you. That, of course, was "Sweet Caroline". I wrote that song after a big show at the Forum. Gary and I had been drinking pretty heavily, and naturally, we were driving ...

Only time for a short post this afternoon. Do I have to put something in Roger Clemens? OK, if I must.

• Damn you, Clemens. I was all ready to dance on your grave, but you keep bobbing up, like Rasputin, or Richard Nixon. Clemens -- and some conspiracy theorists think his absence might have had something to do with a hushed-up drug suspension -- is going to make $12.6 million US for half a season in Houston. Hey, it's not my money. The Astros are 6½ games out of first place, but the NL wild card is there for the taking. Once you get beyond the Cardinals and Mets, the National League barely has one team that's worth a damn.
• Jays president Paul Godfrey told the Toronto Star that home attendance is up 75,000 over the first 29 home dates, and the Star acknowledges there has been "a noticeable increase in young fans, in their 20s and younger." This makes The Geek very happy.
• It says here Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun cut Stupid Joe to ribbons: "(Williams) is no Lawrence Phillips, who racked up yards like he racked up abuse allegations from women. Funny, I don't recall hearing a peep from you then, Joe, when NFL snubs prompted the Alouettes and Stamps to employ him."
  
  However, why columnists didn't raise the issue of Theismann throwing stones from a glass house is beyond me. That's as much a story as the fact Theismann was strangely quiet about other players who have criminal convictions -- which Ricky Williams doesn't.
• Here's a transcript of a classic SNL sketch: Will Ferrell as Neil Diamond. There was a time, a time before Kicking & Screaming, when Will Ferrell was the balls.
• Wow. Something actually got done in Kingston. My hometown's getting its pleasure palace, or if you prefer, Large Venue Entertainment Centre. City council voted 8-5 last night in favour of the project and shovels will be in the ground by July. It won't be clear sailing, but this is semi-halfway amazing. Almost no civic projects ever get off the ground in Kingston. (See earlier rant.) To the terminal do-gooders: you fought hard, and fought well, but in the end, progress and vitality won out.