The N. Period

What? Kanye Kanye Kanye. Big ups for the Olympics timeliness.

The US men's soccer team was far from impressive, echoing the performance of the women's team the day before, but they managed to get the three points against Japan on the strength of a goal from Stuart Holden. What I found more interesting, though, was the fact that the team was missing the official team crest on the jerseys and shorts, another way that they mirrored the women's showing.

It all happened so fast. Today in Beijing the Olympics quietly kicked off with the first round of women's soccer matches. Sorely missing their star Abby Wambach, who suffered a broken leg last month, the US team gave up two goals in the first four minutes to Norway and struggled the entire time en route to losing the match. You know what else the US team seems to have lost? The badges from their jerseys.

Success! Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki will represent his nation and carry the German flag for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. You know what else? he got a sweet new haircut to celebrate the whole affair.

Those of us in the good ole U.S. of A., especially in Dallas, have been lucky enough to see former MVP Dirk Nowitzki polish his exceptional hoops talent on our home turf. Now we all have a chance to show our gratitude for the big German. Looks like a guy named Tobias Gerhards has started a petition to get Dirk the job as the official flag bearer for Germany in this summer's Olympics in Beijing.