Today we celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 by representatives of the Thirteen Colonies, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

I must say, I just love the Fourth of July.  Not only for the fireworks, barbeques and parades, but for what it represents.  Sure, I've always been the patriotic sort, but I remember those feelings coalescing later in life, during my junior year at UCLA, when I (and Nestor, I might add) spent the summer interning in DC.  In my humble opinion, you just can't see something like this and not be a little bit effected.

As coincidence would have it, a question in a recent blogpoll asked participants to list their top 10 favorite teams in all of sports.  The Bruins, of course, are tops in my book.  But, for me, the U.S. national teams come next.  I don't really follow soccer, but didn't miss a minute of our games at the World Cup.  Heck, I even watched the U.S. compete in luge and curling this past February.  Yes, curling.  I'm a sick man.

I suppose it doesn't hurt that our Bruins are so often such prominent members of our national teams.

Former Bruin Joanna Hayes captured gold in the 100m hurdles in the 2004 Olympic games in Athens.

Anyway, may you and yours have a great 4th of July.  Happy birthday America!

GO BRUINS.