Mr I: Can NBC figure things out?

Idle Thoughts, while waiting for the Connecticut Sun season to resume, Robbie Cano to run out a ground ball and for someone in the media to finally give Tim Tebow the coverage he deserves:

• Mr. Idle, Mr. I to his close friends, needs the answer to the following question from his constituency:

Is basketball still an Olympic sport?

No, really.

Because NBC did its darndest to keep the U.S. men and women in witness protection through the old fortnight.

But then, who'd want to see LeBron and Lindsay when there's adorable Gabby Douglas for the 13th straight night?

• Yes, that's our pal Bob Willis who was one of 13 Olympians named in Seventeen Magazine's "Hottest Olympic Guys."

Bob is a Connecticut College grad and is the United States' lone representative in Olympic windsurfing.

It's high time, by the way, Seventeen names Mr. I one of the nation's "Hottest Columnists."

• Hope you all saw the magnificence of Justin Verlander the other night.

His 130th pitch against the Yanks came at 100 mph.

He threw more than 130 pitches in eight innings and saved the Tigers' bullpen that was exhausted from the day before.

That's Cy Young stuff.

Perhaps all the S.G.O.A. (Stat Geekery Of America) will take note before they give this year's Cy Young to another .500 pitcher.

• Federal laws (and the editors at The Day) prohibit Mr. I from concocting a fictitious marriage for Chinese gymnast Dong Dong.

You'll have to entertain yourselves with that one.

• Can someone explain to Mr. I why these Olympic swimmers have to douse themselves with water before jumping in a pool?

• Mr. I was watching Mariners-Yanks last weekend when Seattle's Mike Carp was hitting.

It got Mr. I pondering an all-fish baseball team.

We have Carp, Mike Trout, Steve Trout and Tim Salmon so far.

Perhaps the floundering Red Sox.

Leave other suggestions if you like.

Or not.

• Facebook post the other night of Waterford's Nolan Long playing in the Greater Hartford Pro-Am Basketball League:

Nolan's teammates: Kemba Walker, A.J. Price, Tyler Olander, Gavin Edwards.

Note to Nolan: Don't forget us little people.

• Published reports say the ACC is playing footsie with Notre Dame.

An invitation to the league in all sports except football in exchange for playing somewhere around six football games against ACC teams.

Remember: You don't have to be relevant.

You just have to be Notre Dame.

• Is it Mr. I, or does UConn football have all the buzz of a knitting club at the moment?

• Note to the Sun as they resume this week:

Give it to Tina.

• And here all Mr. I wanted to do was visit Matt Harvey's parents in a luxury box the other night during Matt's Citi Field debut.

The press credential, tape recorder and notebook weren't enough for the crack security staff.

Next time: digitized thumbprint, perhaps.

• Finally, welcome to the world to Rhyan Elizabeth Sousa (newborn daughter of Zack and Gina Sousa of Waterford) and Drew Michael Joyce (newborn son of Jeff and Erin Joyce of North Stonington).

May you both grow up to be as cool as your parents.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.