Sports notes

• The San Francisco Giants had a 7-game losing streak from June 26 to July 2 (including a sweep by rival Los Angeles Dodgers) then beat the Colorado Rockies on July 3. Then swept the Milwaukee Brewers on the road yesterday but lost to the Washington Nationals today (although the Nationals=currently last in NL East, their new pitcher Stephen Strasburg was just too powerful). Just 2 days ago, the Giants beat Milwaukee 15-2. Rookie Buster Posey hit a grand slam and home run to contribute to the Giants' 15 runs.
  
• Yesterday on an ESPN special, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers announced that as a free agent he will sign to the Miami Heat. That's already angered plenty ranging from the Cavaliers' owner to the Cavs fans, but down in Florida people are excited. It seems that LeBron was just so full of himself to announce on national TV that he's jumping ship to pursue a ring in another team. James last appeared in the NBA Finals with Cleveland in 2007, when the Cavs lost to the San Antonio Spurs. This year, the Boston Celtics beat Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals.
  
• Early in June, the NCAA banned USC football from bowl games in 2010 and 2011 seasons, revoked 20 scholarships, and vacated earlier victories. These were over allegations that former USC football player Reggie Bush's "mother, brother and stepfather had lived in a San Diego-area home that was owned by a would-be marketer who planned to be part of a group that represented Bush when he turned pro." The troubles just keep stacking up: USC has been banned from the AP coach poll and lost the commitment of would-be player Seantrel Henderson. More at the blog Reignoftroy.com, in which one of the authors is my old friend from high school Alejandro Madrid.