Happy Monday everyone, here's my Top 5 for March 7, 2011 from Len Berman at ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* The deadline for an NFL labor agreement is now Friday at 5pm, unless it goes into triple overtime.
* Former Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress has a June get out of jail card. His agent, of course, says Burress' football future is bright.
* Just call them the "Miami Meltdowns." Yet again LeBron James misses a last second shot, and the Miami Heat lose their 4th straight game, 87-86 to Chicago.
* Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is in discussions with Charlie Sheen for a TV show on HDNet, which Cuban owns.
* If you're scoring at home, Ivo Karlovic of Croatia registered the world's fastest tennis serve over the weekend, 156mph. Andy Roddick held the record at 155mph. Roddick and the U.S. team knocked off Chile in Davis Cup play.
* CBS golf producer/director Frank Chirkinian, "The father of televised golf," has died at the age of 84. He was the executive producer and director for 38 Masters tournaments.
2. Innovation
Having worked most of my life in television, I always marvel at the things we take for granted. Instant replay, blimp shots, graphics. Somebody had to be the first, and someone else had to improve it. When Mickey Mantle hit his 500th homer in 1967, as he crossed home plate, they superimposed "Mickey Mantle" on the screen. Ah. Forgot for a moment who hit it. How things have changed. I was struck by the Frank Chirkinian obit. I just assumed golf leaderboards always listed the golfers in relation to par. Nope. He was the first in 1960. Before then, it was just aggregate score. Pretty cool that Frank's legacy will last as long as golf is played, and televised.
3. Record Setting
Congratulations to Argentine soccer ref Damien Rubino. He issued the most red cards in one game, in the history of soccer. Two Argentinian teams were fighting. Staff and fans got involved.
So he issued 36 red cards. Since there are only 22 players, that means substitutes, coaches, technical staff, just about everyone but the mascot got the boot. The losing team manager claimed Rubino "overreacted." His "record" might be short-lived. Soccer officials are thinking about overturning the verdicts because it "sets a dangerous precedent for the future." Oh.
4. Stock Quotes
Interesting that Jets linebacker Bart Scott says he has trademarked the phrase "Can't Wait!" That's what he yelled into an ESPN microphone after the Jets knocked off the Patriots and he couldn't wait to face Pittsburgh. Surprising that others haven't gone that route. Some possibles:
*Allan Iverson. "Practice?"
*Jim Mora. "Playoffs?"
*Plaxico Burress. "Aw, Shoot."
* Dick Cheney. "Duck!"
Pat Riley did trademark "Threepeat," which the Lakers weren't able to accomplish. But if they did win 4 straight, I might have tried to trademark "Fourplay."
5. Fore!
Sports Illustrated polled golfers on the PGA tour. 20% picked Barack Obama in 2012. 49% said Sarah Palin. Since the Top 5 is sorta politically correct I have no comment. But I have a sneaking suspicion you do.
Happy Birthday: A couple of Steelers Hall of Famers. Franco Harris. 61. Lynn Swann. 59
Bonus Birthday: Good guy weatherman Willard Scott ain't 100 yet, but he's gaining on it. 77.
Today in Sports: Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick says he's in favor of legalizing the spitball. (He was also the genius who came up with the asterisk for Roger Maris.) 1955.
Bonus Event: Now we're talking. The mayor of Cincinnati, Mark Breith, tells the city council that, "Women are not physically fit to operate automobiles." 1908.
Thanks to all those who duly noted my fading math skills. Boxer "Boom Boom" Mancini turned 50 last Friday.
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