The week ahead, or as the Turks said to Constantinople in 1453, you can still drink, you just can't do it here

TODAY

Too late for you slugabeds, the Wimbledon men's final (Berdych-Nadal) already ended, and so did the first real stage of the Tour de France, which started in Holland (next year, it starts in Belarus). The annual hot-dog-eating contest at Coney Island is still reeling from Kobayashi's colonic/economic holdout, but the announcement of the All-Star Game starting lineups will make you forget it quickly enough - unless, of course, you hoped for an A or Giant. Speaking of which, Matt Cain is at Colorado against Jason Hammel, and Vin Mazzaro faces Fausto Carmona in Cleveland. And why, you wonder now on this Independence Day, don't more parents name their kids Fausto?

MONDAY

The World Series of Poker Main Event begins, which can mean only one thing: Phil Hellmuth will develop a nagging abscess early in the day and will behave accordingly. The fourth week of San Francisco Pro-Am basketball league gets rolling at Kezar Pavilion. One game a night through Thursday - be there or watch Jonathan Sanchez in Milwaukee against David Bush. Better still, see the A's get a full ballyard for the Yankees, and get a souvenir ball on the way out.

TUESDAY

The first World Cup semifinal (Uruguay vs. Netherlands) in Cape Town, brought to you by Koman Coulibaly (see, you've already forgotten him). In Oakland, CC Sabathia faces The Juggernaut Who Is Trevor Cahill. No such worries as Madison Bumgarner is in Milwaukee against Randy Wolf. And we'd bet hard American money that some NFL team is running an illegal OTA somewhere.

WEDNESDAY

Gio Gonzalez draws the struggling Allan J. Burnett, Tim Lincecum gets Chris Narveson, and the second Cup semifinal (Germany vs. Spain) is in Durban. If there's anything else you care about, your kid better be playing in it.

THURSDAY

Barry Zito-Manny Parra in Beer Town? Meh. The U.S. Women's Open beginning at Oakmont? Meh, with a side salad of mixed greens, shallots, garlic croutons and meh. Sitting on a lawn chair with a bottle of Tractor Shed Red and yelling at passers-by? OK, Zito-Parra it is - but keep the chair and wine close just in case.

FRIDAY

You might get Matt Cain vs. Stephen Strasburg in Washington. Not a bad way to kill a late afternoon. Then throw in (probably) Mazzaro and the Angels' Joel Piñeiro, and you've got a perfectly reasonable Friday night. But as a hedge against inflation, keep the wine even closer than you did Thursday.

SATURDAY

Two title fights in San Juan, but for name freaks, it's Nathan Cleverly vs. Doudou Ngumbu for the European light heavyweight title somewhere in England. The ever-popular World Cup third-place game will be held in Port Elizabeth, with a final score of either 0-0 or 7-6 (God, do we miss the North Koreans). If you're sick of the World Cup, the Earthquakes are in Philadelphia to face the Union (God, do we miss the Italians). Finally, Sanchez faces (probably) Craig Stammen in D.C., and (probably) Ben Sheets gets Scott Kazmir here. And yes, God, we really miss the French most of all.

This article appeared on page B - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle