North: Will this Olympics be remembered for who doesn't go?
The U.S. Olympic Committee has to be concerned that some athletes aren't focusing on the dream of winning a gold medal in Rio, but more about coming back home safe and disease-free.
The NBA list of players not participating in the 2016 Olympics is led by Stephen Curry, the injured MVP. His decision not to play is legitimate because of knee and ankle issues, and Anthony Davis, Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge also can make injury claims too.
Yet the most recent defectors, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Harden, who both won a gold in 2012, did not offer any reasons for not attending.
Let's remember, it's Brazil and Rio is plagued by questionable water problems and the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which can possibly cause neurological problems in adults and has been linked to birth defects.
I would also imagine that safety issues also would be a concern for many visiting athletes and their families.
There are still a lot of other great NBA players to consider, but how many more will take a pass on attending? Coach Mike Krzyzewski and USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo will still have guys like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, but other sports are being affected too.
Golf, which is trying to maintain its position as an Olympic sport, will be missing some big names such as South African pro Louis Oosthvizen and Australian Adam Scott.
As eighteen-time major winner Jack Nicklaus commented, "If the guys don't want to participate, then we might not be in the Olympics after this. They vote next year. And if they vote to keep golf in, then that's great, but if not then we lose that momentum with growing the game."
This might be the year the Olympics are remembered more for who didn't go than for those who did.
What should White Sox do?
I'd like to see the Chicago White Sox tear it up and go young with a team that can put wood on the ball, play with speed and a solid defense.
The Sox have two of the best pitchers in the business with Chris Sale and Jose "the hard-luck kid" Quintana, but their every-day players need to get better.
The bullpen and the offense remain a major concern.
Would tearing up this team to get prospects be the right thing to do?
I'm not one to surrender easily, but by the end of June, the White Sox will know if they can compete in this division.
So far we have really seen two different teams; let's wait and see where the next two weeks takes us.
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