This morning I watched a TV news story about a family with such a love for Wiffle Ball that the dad and son built a wiffle ball park in their front yard. It has a left field wall, a Green Monster of sorts, a scoreboard, flood lights. Just about everything it needs. And it sits in the middle of a a well-to-do neighborhood. Bob Costas flew in with his son to pitch a few innings.

That is Independence.

If you look below, you'll see the fall out from my version of independence. Most guests will tell you it's just me trying to find another excuse to party all night long. And they're right, to a degree. But it is also me being me...for better or worse. It is Independent Brad.

There is so much more to this holiday than me finding myself. It is love of country, love of freedom, respect for those who gave it to us and for those who maintain it for us.

But it is something special to me. I appreciate all those things. I appreciate the people those things have given me.

That's about all I can do.