TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for Friday, June 26, 2009 from www.LenBermanSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
The biggest news at the NBA draft last night was the New Jersey Nets trading all-star Vince Carter to Orlando. When the Knicks chose forward Jordan Hill from Arizona the fans booed. Knick fans are a happy lot.
The NHL draft is tonight. The New York Islanders own the first pick.
Alex Rodriguez tied Reggie Jackson for 11th all time with his 563rd career homer.
It'll be the underdog U.S. vs. Brazil Sunday in South Africa in the finals of the Confederations Cup soccer tournament. Cheyenne Woods, Tiger's niece, shot a 3-over par 75 in her pro debut near Rochester, New York. She's tied for 106th place.
2. The More the Merrier
The Academy Awards has announced they'll expand from 5 to 10 the number of nominees for Best Picture. The Oscars are turning into the NHL playoffs.
3. Can I Play Through?
A Wisconsin man was stopped for DUI. For one thing he admitted to driving with 10 beers. For another he was driving a golf cart down the highway. His friends forgot him at the golf course, so he hopped into the cart for the 40-mile trip home. Of course the cart would have never made it that far. Of course he'll probably plead "not guilty."
4. Friday Mailbag
When I mentioned my upcoming kids book, "The 25 Greatest Baseball Players of All-Time," I talked about my dilemma with the steroid guys. You flooded my inbox.
D.R. wrote: "I'd save them for the last chapter, in which you explain who they are, what they did, why they let down the game, and why you feel they should not have been included." From K.F. "Tell them the truth, which today's--and especially
tomorrow's--kids will figure out anyway." But from E.R. "Let them learn about the cheaters when they're old enough to make their own decisions on who should be a "hero" or not." And from M.H. "May I suggest your next book be the "25 Best Human
Beings Who Played the Game of Baseball?" It would be an interesting comparison."
This from R.B. "As for Patriots coach Bill Belichick's upcoming nuptials...will he be shaking his bride's hand after exchanging vows?" Editor's Note: No, but he will have illegal video cameras trained on the bride's family.
When I talked about the first baseball game ever played, the New York Baseball Club defeating the Knickerbocker Club, 23 to 1, D.P. wrote: "And Knickerbockers manager Isiah Thomas got ejected in the fifth inning for sexually-harassing an umpire."
Editor's Note: Bashing the Knicks is always in season.
And Ed McMahon's passing brought these comments. From NBC employee M.T. "Ed was such a lovely guy, who loved to see the crew guys and chat. Thanks for helping remember him." And from M.R. " Sat two seats over from Ed McMahon at NY Jets games at Shea Stadium. He was there until The Tonight Show moved to LA in
the early seventies. He was a regular guy and always nice to me. May he rest in Peace."
5. Genius of the Week
You think you had a bad week? A shepherd in Croatia had to be rescued after he led his flock of sheep into a live minefield. It's amazing he's alive at all. A fortune teller once told him it was time to die, so he drank sulfuric acid and stabbed himself in the stomach. (And he wasn't even a ____ fan.) (Fill in the blank: top choices, Knicks, Clippers, Warriors, or Lions.)
Have a great weekend everyone!
The Top 5 now appears daily in the Huffington Post at www.huffingtonpost.com/len-berman.