Hey Gang,

With the 4th of July falling on a Friday, we won’t have any Random Friday Thoughts this weekend. However, that’s not to say that we can’t bump up my senseless digressions to Thursday just this once…

1. I made my ESPN.com debut this week – but it’s not for the reason you might think! Check out DJ Gallo’s column. I’m actually pretty honored that he even gave me the mention, as I’ve been reading Page 2 for quite some time now.

2. I am headed to Maine (my old stomping grounds) with Tony Gentilcore and our girlfriends for the 4th of July. Geek that I am, I am taking about 15 journal articles on shoulder dysfunction with me to read on the beach. I’ll be at Cressey Performance on Sunday night, and then it’s off to Delaware for four days for some more continuing education with respect to the overhead throwing athlete. Dr. Craig Morgan and his colleagues at the Morgan-Kalman Clinic have been gracious enough to extend an invitation to see them in action. To say that I am excited would be an understatement, as these guys have worked with a lot of messed-up arms – many of them worth millions of dollars. I’ll also spend some time in the clinic with Shon Grosse, a great PT in Philadelphia. So, it’ll be seven days of shoulders.

3. Congratulations to Dave Robertson on his Major League Debut. Dave spent some time with us at Cressey Performance this past-offseason, and he made an appearance at Shea Stadium on Sunday for the Yankees. Dave is a great guy and a really hard worker; he deserves all the success that comes his way.

4. Worst. Sign. Ever.

5. Here is a simple, yet effective stretch for those of you who are locked in hip external rotation. This is really common in soccer, hockey, and powerlifting athletes. When performed correctly, you should feel it in your glutes. It’s also a common problem spot for people who over-pronate, as subtalar pronation leads to more tibial and femoral internal rotation – which causes the lateral rotators to work overtime with respect to deceleration. Soft tissue work on these areas works best, but some basic stretching can help as well.

5. DId a 545×3 deadlift and hit a 32.5-inch vertical jump today. Not a bad day at the office…

Have a great holiday!