A GAME WORTHY OF THE NAME: Now that was fun. A tight game decided late by a wild improbability. Say what you will about the game -- that it's irrelevant, silly, or all about money -- but I enjoyed the heck out myself last night, even though I lost two separate bets to two loud-mouthed jackasses who are bound to gloat ad infinitum.

A late homer off Eric Gagne? He's only given up three since last year's All-Star game. A blown save? He hasn't had one in eleven months. You have to take your hat off to Hank Blalock. The kid almost singlehandedly authored an ending that put an exclamation point on this sentence: The All-Star game is back!