ESPN is canning their annual Great Outdoor Games for 2006, and planning for a triumphant return in 2007. When they first began, the games incorporated several hunting and fishing events, including skeet, trap and accuracy fly casting. This year the focus switched to timber sports and dogs. Not even retriever trials, mind you, but obstacle courses and jumping. Here's the official line:

"...ESPN will evaluate everything including site selection, sports categories and the best time of year to stage the Games."

Site selection is key. I covered some of the events this year in Orlando (that's right, timber events in Florida), and it was a quagmire. Not only did the humidity press against the 100 percent mark, but we were on the edge of a fiesty hurricane. The wind and rain made watching the axe throw a little nerve-wracking.