The die is cast

Whatever is going to happen today won't be affected by any amateur punditry I offer in this space, so I'd like to take a break from politics and talk sports. Three things caught my eye yesterday:

• Sad news from the basketball world as Maurice Lucas, who was one of the best players in the Al McGuire era at Marquette and who also had a distinguished professional career in both the ABA and NBA, died on Sunday after a long battle with cancer. Lucas had the reputation of being a tough guy and an enforcer, but he was a very generous and decent man and was well-respected by his peers. This column by Steve Kelley in the Seattle Times does a nice job of explaining why Maurice Lucas is someone to be missed.
• What more can you say about the Vikings? Suffice it to say I am amused. Brad Childress has perhaps the most boring persona of any coach in the National Football League, yet his team is pure Peyton Place these days. I understand that Randy Moss really needed to go after his bizarre media appearance on Sunday, but you really have to wonder -- what did the Vikings expect? My guess is this -- Moss, for all his pecadilloes, is the sort who doesn't suffer fools gladly. It would appear he sized up the situation and saw a lot of them in Winter Park and decided to force Chilly's hand.
• It's odd, but the World Series has almost been an afterthought for a lot of people this year. It's too bad, because the new champions, the San Francisco Giants, are a pretty nice story. They have a team full of crusty old veterans who were able to get it together for a playoff run. They also have some amazingly good pitching -- Tim Lincecum looks like a member of Mott the Hoople, but he's a fantastic pitcher. The Giants had never won a championship in all their years in San Francisco. It's hard to believe that the last time this franchise had won a championship was when Willie Mays was patrolling the Polo Grounds. So good for the Giants.