In the time it took for Belgium to undo a week's worth of talk about red cards, Flo Balogun, and unfounded journalism about US soccer being in the midst of world recognition, area sports came back in focus Monday with the reality that high school football (Versailles' Scot Broerman, above) and volleyball were just four weeks away.

There are no more beautiful examples of the men (and women) who've sacrificed everything than that which you can find in our American Civil War battlefield parks.  All you have to do is take the time to stop, look, and consider their story.

Does it have to be patriotic? Does it need to be a Sousa March?  Or does your list of American favorites simply qualify for them being a song that exemplifies the American standard for music?  Something for you to keep in your head...even hum...on this 4th of July. Read, listen, and enjoy......

As always, we appreciate hearing from the readers over the past month, and those who wrote to us over coverage of spring baseball and softball...the recent Stammen youth tournament in Versailles, Ohio...and comments on our former colleague Dale Meggas and his days of writing about the tough times of being a sports fan in Cleveland.