I don’t care what anyone says, it’s a great day. Yes, the economy is still in pitiful shape with some economists now predicting even worse times ahead; Obama is getting us sucked deeper into the Afghan quicksand; and Sen. Droopy Dog (I-CN) is threatening to torpedo health care reform. Today, at least, none of that matters as much as the fact that my beloved New York Yankees are back in the World Series.

When the Series starts tonight in New York, it will be the 40^th times the Yankees have played for the baseball championship (second place goes to the St. Louis Cardinals with 17). The bad things about being a lifelong Yankees fan are 1. When the Yanks don’t make the World Series, it’s a big letdown, no matter how good the regular season was, which, when you think about it, is kinda stupid; and 2. You take crap from other teams’ fans all the time. Believe me, though, the latter is a small price to pay when your team is about to vie for its 27^th title. Plus, face it, anti-Yankees criticism usually stems from jealousy. Say what you will, and this may P.O. other teams’ fans, but . . . you know that “other” team you root for? They wish they were the Yankees. I’m not saying New York will win the Series – both teams (oh yeah, the other one’s the Philadelphia Phillies) are great, and anything can happen. But millions of us, members of YankeesNation all, are breathing a big sigh of relief today because, after 9 years wandering in the desert, the Yankees are back where they’re meant to be. As the New York Times headline put it, Order is Restored.

Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter

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This just in:

“The Epicentre Theaters are offering a one-of-a-kind sports experience each Monday night, with football on the big screen! Located adjacent to Mez, the theaters will offer the most exciting seats in town for all the Monday night action. Where else can you get access to great food like pizza, burgers and the cheese-stuffed signature Illegal Bread and a full service bar while cheering on your team? Seating will start at 8 p.m. each Monday, with kickoff at 8:30. Entrance is free and parking is validated.

Trivia questions will liven up the commercial breaks, and a grand prize raffle to win Bud Light products will take place after the game. Mez is offering $2 beer specials and half-price sliders to keep sports fans fueled and ready to cheer on their team. During half time, enjoy the newest movie trailers and half-price shots from the bar! Cocktail waitresses will be on hand in the theater during the game to take orders so guests won’t miss a moment of the action.

The restaurant and theaters are located at 210 East Trade Street in Charlotte and serves lunch and dinner daily. For more information, go here.”

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Michael Vick is back in the NFL — after spending 18 months in prison — it is time to stop punishing him for dog fighting.

Yes, it was wrong. But he didn’t kill a person and people need let it go.

I knew the Carolina Panthers weren’t going to sign Vick because Charlotte is a punk ass city. Yeah, I said it.

Charlotte is the only place where people love dogs more than they love people. Hit a woman, you may go to jail, abuse a dog and you WILL go to jail.

But the NFL needs to realize, PETA doesn’t football tickets. Real football fans want to see their team win. Philly is a good fit for Vick. I’m sure those rowdy fans in the city of brotherly love just want to see the Eagles win a Super Bowl, something the Panthers will never do as long as Jake Delhomme is the quarterback.

CNN reports that Vick once again apologized for his involvement in dog fight:

“I think everybody deserves a second chance,” Vick said at a news conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Friday. “Now I want to be part of the solution and not the problem.”

The league suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007 after he pleaded guilty to a federal charge of bankrolling a dogfighting operation at a home he owned in Virginia.

Vick, 29, was freed from federal prison at Leavenworth, Kansas, on May 20 and returned to his Virginia home to serve the last two months of his 23-month sentence in home confinement.

“Everything that happened at that point in my life was wrong,” Vick said of his involvement with the dogfighting ring.

“I had to reach a turning point. Prison definitely did it for me,” he said.

He’s sorry, so let the man play football and let the dog jokes rest.

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The Panthers are shedding … and it’s nothing to sneeze at. Panthers’ trainer, Ryan Vermillion, felt that the coaching staff was getting a little hefty so he gave them a challenge: “The Biggest Loser” — NFL style.

“Coach Fox is walking around talking that he’s under 200 (pounds) and all that,” defensive tackle Damione Lewis said, smiling. “We’ll see once the season starts.”

Sounds like another challenge is brewing. We’ll see.

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Congratulations to the Charlotte swimmers who placed in this weekend’s Ultra Swim competition at the Aquatic Center.

The Charlotte UltraSwim showcased Michael Phelps’ vulnerability one more time Sunday night.

France’s Fred Bousquet beat Phelps in the 100-meter freestyle final in the last event of the highest-profile UltraSwim ever. Charlotte’s Ricky Berens finished third. Tyler McGill was fourth and Cullen Jones – who swims for Mecklenburg Aquatic Club and went to N.C. State – was fifth.

Phelps ended up winning two of the five events he entered at the UltraSwim in his first real competition since the 2008 Beijing Olympics last August, when he won a staggering eight gold medals in eight attempts.

Read more at Charlote.com.

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The world-famous swimmer is in the Q.C. testing out some new strokes and trying to have a little fun.

Swimnetwork.com is set to provide a live stream — going on NOW — but the site seems to be having some trouble this morning.

Michael Phelps could have just kept breaking world records in the same ol’ events. But that’s so 2008. Time to try something new.

Phelps will begin laying the groundwork for a different program at this weekend’s Charlotte Ultraswim, his first meet since winning eight gold medals at the Beijing Games.

He’ll swim five events starting Friday, but only two are holdovers from the program that produced a total of 14 golds medals at the last two Olympics

Read more at WCNC.com.

See UltraSwim’s ad here:

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… and Obama credits them with sharing their luck during his presidential campaign.

President Barack Obama loved the gifts the North Carolina Tar Heels gave him Monday, but he had one more request for the 2009 national basketball champs.

“If somebody could please present me a jump shot, I need one of those!” Obama quipped in a celebration ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House.

Obama, a fervent basketball fan who grew up playing hoops in Hawaii, told his visitors they’d all done pretty well since he famously scrimmaged with them during a North Carolina campaign stop in April 2008.

“I’m not sure whose luck rubbed off on who – there was some good vibe there – because they’re now the national champions and I’m now the president,” Obama said to laughter outside the White House.

Read the rest of this Charlotte Observer article here.

Watch the news from ESPN:

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It will be his first swim meet since the Beijing Olympics. Find out more about next week’s event on UltraSwim’s Website.

If you happen to run into him while he’s here, remember: He’s not interested in discussing his alleged girlfriend and don’t offer him a toke.

Michael Phelps’ three-month suspension from competition is over and he marked the occasion like any other day: He woke up late and headed to the pool.

Speaking exclusively with The Associated Press, Phelps said he didn’t even realize his suspension ended Tuesday. Coach Bob Bowman couldn’t resist making a joke, saying he planned to enter his star swimmer in a meet that night.

“I had no idea,” Phelps said of his ban, which was doled out by USA Swimming after a picture surfaced in a London tabloid showing him inhaling from a marijuana pipe at the University of South Carolina.

Actually, he’ll return to competition next week at the UltraSwim in Charlotte. It will be his first time swimming competitively since winning eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.

Read the rest of this Charlotte Observer article here.

Watch the best swimmer in the world discuss winning this 8th gold metal in Beijing:

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Our very own Editor-in-Chief Carlton Hargro, has decided to offset his beer consumption with sweaty exercise thanks to the help of Operation Bootcamp.

Going into his second week of Operation Bootcamp, Carlton Hargro has learned something about himself.

He can hold his own doing pushups and calisthenics, but he said “Once we start running, it’s over.”

Follow Carlton’s progress on the Beer Makes You Fat blog.

Will Carlton survive?

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Expect the golf pro to arrive in the Queen City tomorrow. He plays Wednesday.

Tiger Woods, winner of the 2007 Wachovia Championship and the No.1 ranked player in the world, committed today to play in next week’s Quail Hollow Championship.

Woods will be making his fourth appearance at Quail Hollow. He missed the 2007 event because of knee surgery. Besides his victory two years ago, Woods finished T3 in 2004 and T11 in 2005.

This will be Woods’ first appearance on the PGA tour since he finished tied for sixth at the Masters two weeks ago.

Read the rest of this QCityMetro.com article here.

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