Usain ‘the lightning’ Bolt was just fantastic.

Jacques Rogge, the IOC President, is an idiot.

A moment to celebrate, if only because we can move beyond our usual snark and the disappointing performances by the Indian contingent thus far.

Sam has a loyal following of deeply knowledgeable basketball fans in all corners of the world; to read his NBA mailbag (which truly was about NBA and not merely Bulls) every week is to get a geography lesson. I, like all his readers, admired him for his simple perspective: the game is bigger than the players, who have an obligation to realize what a privilege it is to play basketball for a living, play the game the right way and not disrespect the game. So when he writes about knuckleheads like Tyrus Thomas, he brings in his knowledge and love of the game as well as the wisdom gathered from watching the greats compete.

Read the following excerpt from his last NBA mailbag. The questioner wants to know how Sam feels about having to watch this Bulls team play:

One of the great advantages of having a job like I have is knowing what goes on behind the scenes and not just the stories or where players go and what they do. I know when there might be issues between players and I will watch to see how they react to one another or what they do. Or don’t, like refuse to pass because they might be mad at someone. Basketball is like life, except with more cars. The players have a great talent none of us have. But otherwise they are the same with bad moods, bad days, spouses and kids driving them nuts and petty disputes at the office. Though that’s a small part of my enjoyment of the games.

I stay up late every night watching the last NBA games on satellite and will watch Clippers-Timberwolves to the conclusion. What, that’s worse than Dancing with the Stars or American Idol? They all make fools of themselves on some level. I know just about all the players, at least by reputation and ability. So I watch to see what they will do at important times, which is the measure of anyone at their job. Will they make a big shot or play or shy away and not want the ball or pressure? I like to watch what teams are doing, the matchups and which coach is taking advantage. There’s a story in every NBA game and every game is a chapter in a season-long book.

I never much root for a team and don’t usually care who wins. The only time I really did was the 1991 Bulls, whom I traveled with for several years in the era before charter travel and I knew them well. I felt a part of that team like a family and rooted for them when they had that chance and was truly happy for them. I think I even hugged Jerry Krause in the postgame locker room in L.A. And I didn’t regret it.

So it doesn’t much matter to me that the Bulls’ record is so bad this season. I enjoy watching the response and the story within that. There’s always dozens of things that happen in every NBA game I look for and enjoy, and it’s no different with these Bulls.

As many of you know by now, I am leaving the Tribune. I need to set the record straight. I am not retiring, just moving on to work elsewhere, though that’s not certain where as yet. I’ve had a great run at the Tribune and while it looks like maybe the best job ever, it has been. I’m grateful for the Tribune to have given me the opportunity to have the job I always wanted. I was among a rare few who can look forward every day to work. When kids ask about professions, I always say to find something you love doing and look forward to and have passion for, and if you can find that, you’ll be a success. That’s the secret. Of course, I was hoping for Major League baseball player first, but this has been second. But a close second.

I’ve gotten a wonderful response from readers, and that’s one of the things I’ll miss most. And what I’ve discovered over the years is how in tune so many readers are. Sure, there’s the occasional suggestion of a Kobe for Chris Duhon trade, but the majority of emails I get are reasoned, knowledgeable and especially passionate. Some are angry and some are accusatory and some say I’m an idiot. So like I haven’t heard that at home or in the locker room. I actually enjoy the debate, which is why I try to come up with different ideas and ways of looking at things. What’s the fun in sports if everyone agrees?

The fun is when you don’t. Sports is never having to say your sorry when you’re wrong. Or ever believing you are wrong. So I will miss the debate and conversation with the readers.

These words aren’t hollow and the highlighted quotes in particular capture and represent Sam’s spirit than anything I could write.

Today, Sam Smith leaves The Chicago Tribune after 28 years of service. Along with many of his colleagues, Sam accepted a voluntary buyout.

Since buying The Tribune, Sam Zell has had a controversial tenure, be it with his various newspapers or the Chicago Cubs. Downsize LATimes. Warn employees over their behavior. Sell the naming rights to Wrigleyville. I get the logic of downsizing sometimes. But for all his business success, if Zell doesn’t realize losing Sam Smith (and his colleagues too) simply means he is really downsizing the value of his asset, The Chicago Tribune, then he is a fool.

Dhyanchand capturing the imagination of Hitler was a particularly favorite moment. The romantic in me likes to believe that for all the horrors of Nazi Germany, when Hitler asked Dhyanchand to play for Germany and not for British India, he entertained a possibility of personal redemption. If hockey could convince a bigoted Hitler to overcome his racial prejudice, then Dhyanchand must have been a magician.

Anyway, I liked Hockey. It was always an aesthetic spectacle, especially when played by Indians and Pakistanis. It was fantastic to watch the flowing game that Zafar Iqbal, Mervyn Fernandez, Mohammad Shahid and a young Pargat Singh played. The two Pakistani stars of that era, Hasan Sardar and Shahbaz Ahmad were simply sensational.

By the 1980s, hockey had already become a sport of power and strategy and the finesse of the South Asian sides often got them nowhere. Still, sensational dribbling by Shahid and Shahbaz as well as Pargat’s audacious defending along with regular forays, more in the fashion of a Left-in, remain etched in mind. One game in particular, against Germany in the 1987 Champions Trophy at Perth, with India trailing by 1-5, Indians played inspired hockey to come back and draw the game at 5-5, with Pargat, starting from his own half, dribbled past six or seven Germans before scoring a spectacular goal.

Mukesh Kumar, Ashish Ballal and especially, Dhanraj Pillai were worthy successors, both aesthetically and in terms of their commitment to the sport.

It simply saddens me that India cannot even qualify for the Olympics today.

It has been a long decline for Indian hockey and now that it is on its deathbed, no postmortem report will help.

On another day, we will find causes but today is for mourning.

Not only was I a big Brett Favre fan, I began following football mainly because of his play from 1996 onwards. In the last ten years, I have probably watched more Packers’ games than Bears.

Brett Favre finally retires. Sundays next fall will be little less fun.

UPDATE: On the other hand, nobody would be upset at any adoration thrown in the direction of Adam Gilchrist, who offered many, many thrilling moments. Gilchrist was simply the most exciting cricketer I have watched.

Actually, trading the previously ‘untradeable’ Big Ben is in fact very good news. While losing Joe Smith hurts, Drew Gooden isn’t bad, as far as replacements go. Anyway, let the kids, Noah and Thomas, play.

Now one or two more deals, we could have a decent, competitive team again.

Way to go, Pax!

So what made this a good game? Watch (or read an account of it by Sambit Bal) rookie-quickie Ishanth Sharma probe and give a hard time to Ricky Ponting, the best batsmen in the world. No stares or bullying. Just bowling on and around the off stump at good pace; sharp inswingers, and an occasional delivery to straighten up, just enough to create doubts in the batsman. The kid is good and I am not referring to merely his bowling. Roebuck and others praised his attitude during the Sydney test match for congratulating Aussie batsmen at the end of each session. Just glad to see a player who is good and civil.

Speaking of decency and civility, I still wonder why Anil Kumble didn’t become the captain of India ten years ago.

The highlights are pretty neat and gave a sense of the drama on the field quite effectively for someone like me, who hadn’t watched any highlights (or lowlights) of the entire series until this morning.

Also, see this Peter Roebuck interview, where he talks to Ravi Shastri and Wasim Akram on the Sydney controversy. He makes an especially good point on the lack of Indian presence in the Aussie media (newspaper, TV or Radio), except for Harsha Bhogle. Contrast that with ghost written columns in all Indian newspapers by Aussie players, former and present, who have nothing insightful to say.

At the end of the day, much of what is happening between the teams springs from an inability to understand each other’s culture. For an Indian, calling someone a monkey is not a terrible insult, and certainly not a racist one.

Others aren’t so charitable. Peter English asks Ricky to ‘open his eyes‘:

Somebody, probably a preschool teacher, needs to explain simply to Ricky Ponting about the damage that has been caused by his team during the Sydney Test. While India burns and fumes over issues ranging from race to umpiring and sportsmanship, Ponting continues to believe his team has done nothing wrong.

In the meanwhile, ICC appeases Indians by replacing the hapless Steve Bucknor for the third test. Is this concession to avoid a bigger battle with the BCCI?