Happy Bastille Day everyone, here's my Top 5 for July 14, 2009 from www.LenBermanSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
President Obama throws out the first ball at tonight's All Star Game in St. Louis.
Former Red Sox and Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez is expected to sign with the Phillies for the second half of the season.
The Cubs may file for a quick bankruptcy as part of the deal to sell the team. Why not? Just like GM they haven't had a winner in ages.
Word has it that Dallas Quarterback Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson are splitsville. A-Rod and Kate Hudson are now on the clock.
2. Non Issue
Tonight's All Star game will determine which team gets the home field advantage for the World Series. They've been doing it that way since 2003 to increase interest in the game. How has it worked out? The American League has won every All Star game, but only half of the World Series since 2003. As for the TV ratings? They keep sinking lower. I'd say the linkage idea has basically struck out at every level.
3. Chicks Dig......
Prince Fielder of Milwaukee won last night's Home Run Derby. They belt homers in baseball, and do slam dunks in basketball during all star festivities. But fans decry the lack of fundamentals from the modern athlete. So let's change it. In basketball let's have a "moving without the ball" competition. And in baseball lets change it to "moving the runner over." We could change that sexy phrase to "chicks dig the sacrifice bunt!"
4. Nailed
It didn't come as a surprise when former Met and Phillie Lenny Dykstra filed for bankruptcy last week. He was supposedly some kind of business whiz, yet he always seemed more talk that substance. The first time I met him we discussed that we lived near each other. When I asked him if he'd like to play tennis some time, he said "I'll whip your ass." That was Lenny. But wouldn't Mets fans take his attitude at Citi Field in a heartbeat?
5. Whatever it Takes
A New Zealand taekwondo athlete needs to raise about $300-thousand in his bid to compete in the 2012 Olympics, so he did the natural thing. He opened a brothel. A New Zealand official said it may affect his selection to the team. After all, it's not just performance that counts, it's the "athlete's ability to serve as an example to the youth of the country." Yeah, ya gotta maintain the integrity of the Olympics which has never had any drug, cheating or bribery issues over the years.