Spellman's Scorecard: Fireworks, Cub-Sox, & Ditka

Here we go again:A beautiful holiday weekend and your options include:#376; Spending it outdoors with family and friends.#376; Watching the underachieving White Sox and the way underachieving Cubs battle it out again.#376; Catching up on reruns of #8220;Charles in Charge.#8221;It's your call.But seriously:This should be fun.And it's how it should be done #8212; at both parks. Playing in the daytime and most important ... on the weekend.The three straight weekday night games at U.S. Cellular Field just felt wrong. It wasn't very #8220;crosstowny.#8221;Those are nights tailor-made for the Mariners.This too shall cast:HBO announced this week that Mike Ditka will be making a cameo appearance on Entourage when it returns for its final season.Man, this guy is everywhere.Not Eddie and JoBo everywhere, just regular everywhere.My guys!Loyalty is alive and well in professional sports and its name is Dale Tallon.But $3 million per for Tomas Kopecky?Key matchup:No doubt this weekend it's Tarzan Joe Wallis vs. Wayne Nordhagen.Wait ... what?Circle of (winter sports) life:Just about the same time the NHL free agency signing period begins, the NBA lockout takes effect.Meanwhile:NFL owners and players met again ... blah, blah, blah.Just get it done.Blasphemy!Item: Chicago Wolves announce they have become the Vancouver Canucks' AHL affiliate #8230; and some howling begins.Question: How many people went to a Wolves game over the past few years and actually gave a hoot that the they were the affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers?The answer is six.The rest went to see quality hockey and to be entertained #8212; all at a decent price.Two words:Nikola Mirotic.And boom go the fireworks:Arlington Park's already impressive fireworks show promises to be even better with an extended version on tap for Saturday night.Just a reminder, though: If you don't have a ticket for the races (4 p.m. 1st post), you won't get in the facility.And another helpful hint: if you're on Route 53 and see the fireworks going off, do not pull over to watch.And yes:People have been known to do that.Question:If the Cubs and Sox end up tying the series, will both teams bring the BP Cup to the United Center and pose with it at center ice of a Blackhawks game?BTW:One more win and the White Sox will be dormie in the city series.Mmm:Rooftop food.No Small feat:Illinois head coach Mike Small, courtesy of his sixth-place finish at the Professional National Championship in Hershey, Pa., qualified for the PGA Championship in August. It will be his 10th appearance at a major championship.Not too shabby.Tick, tock:Stan Bowman is now on the clock.Ugh:Even though the chances of seeing Derby winner Animal Kingdom run at Arlington on Million Day were slim to begin with, they're now officially nil. It was announced this week that an injury he suffered during the Belmont will keep him out of racing the rest of the year.It's July Fourth weekend, so:Let's be careful out there.#376; Mike Spellman's Scorecard column appears Fridays in the Daily Herald.