My lackadaisical attention to the Friday Five has yielded a very timely set of questions today:

1. Do you watch sports? If so, which ones? Indeed yes. Baseball above all, then basketball -- but only the Final Four, and the Celtics because of Paul Pierce. Next would be the classic chick choices of gymnastics and figure skating, followed by Iron Chef.

2. Who are your favorite sports teams or favorite athletes? I think my passion for Jason Varitek and the Red Sox have been clearly established, so I'll skip over to their minor league brethren, the Lowell Spinners. I always liked the Orioles, and I still loathe the A's...but my greatest fanatic moment probably occurred in 1988 with the US Olympic Men's Volleyball team -- Steve Timmons, Karch Kiraly, sigh.

3. Are there any sports you hate? I have zero interest in football, and NASCAR to me represents the final death throes of Western civilization.

4. Have you ever been to a sports event? Um, yes. Most memorable -- played the national anthem on the field before a Yankees game with HS band. Also, once in college I got into a screaming match with an entire fraternity at a basketball game...NESCAC, baby!

5. Did you play any sports in school? I took my turn at gymnastics, ice skating, swimming, softball, volleyball, horseback riding, marching band (yes, it's a sport), and ultimate frisbee.