Have a safe and happy 4th of July.

All of us at fryingpansports.com and News, Notes & Rumors wish you a happy and safe 4^th.

July 4^th is a very special holiday. It celebrates the declaration of our independence from Britain. It also is a celebration of the freedoms we enjoy. Let us not forget that those freedoms were won and maintained only by the sacrifices of the men and women of our military.

Our nation is unique in many ways. One thing that has always made us different is that we are willing to go to war and put our best and bravest at risk not only to protect our freedom but also that of other nations as well.

One of my favorite stories involves a French diplomat complaining about a US foreign policy stance to the US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

“Do you speak German?”

“I most certainly do not, sir” was the reply from the French diplomat.

Rumsfeld replied “You’re welcome” and walked away.

That is what I think. Tell us what you think by commenting here or tweeting me @NNRonDSN.

NOTE: Check out the live News, Notes and Rumors show on Monday, Thursday and Friday at 6 PM Eastern on orhttps://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/. On Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports, former NFL scout Kelron Sykes and I talk football with just a little Indians and Cavs thrown in. The archive is available onhttps://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/. Please join us.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He editshttps://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on and a non-fiction work athttp://www.merriam-press.com/. Follow him on twitter @NNRonDSN to get the schedule of Special News, Notes and Rumors broadcasts. You can hear the previous shows onhttps://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/ and the live show Mondays at 6 PM Eastern time on.

He also edits .

To keep up with the News, Notes & Rumors podcasts, follow me on twitter @NNRonDSN.