Tired of the increasingly dominant Roger Federer, the increasingly annoying Williams sisters, and the feeding frenzy to grab a spot to the US Open in Flushing? Better haul ass up to Grand Central for the last few days of championship squash. The Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions, now in its 10th year at Grand Central Terminal, features world-class squash players whacking a pea-sized hunk of rubber around a four-walled glass tank in the middle of Vanderbilt Hall in front of a crowd of literally dozens, not to be confused with the Puma Table Tennis Tournament (PT3), featuring creative-class players whacking a ping pong ball around a table in Chinatown. We’re rooting for 19-year-old phenom Ramy Ashour of Egypt, who goes up against defending champion Amr Shabana in tonight’s semifinal.

Tickets for both the men’s and women’s final are priced at $80 and up, but you can always do as we did, and stand gawking from the Grand Central entranceway.

Photo by Steve Line, Squash’s top photographer.

Idiotarod, the annual running of the shopping carts went down yesterday. Although there was a strong police presence, including a helicopter, the race went on with nary an arrest or ticket. Amidst the flying eggs, flour, fish oil and other unknown substances, Mike Green and Chris Ryan were able to shoot and edit some great video (from a tandem no less). Final results are forthcoming from the Carts of Brooklyn Racing Association (C.O.B.R.A.).

Update: Gothamist is providing comprehensive coverage of the whole event.