Happy Tuesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for June 28, 2011 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- The L.A. Dodgers file for bankruptcy.
- At Wimbledon, the women's draw got blown up. #1 seed Caroline Wozniacki, and both Williams sisters are out.
- The US women's World Cup soccer team makes its 2011 debut against Korea today in Germany.
- Lorenzo Charles, who scored the NCAA championship-winning basket for Jim Valvano's North Carolina State team in 1983, was killed in an accident while driving a bus in Raleigh.
- Kentucky coach John Calipari gets a 36.5 million dollar contract through 2019.
- South Carolina can clinch its 2nd straight College World Series title with a win tonight over Florida.
- Wide receiver Terrell Owens is said to have knee surgery for an injury reportedly suffered while taping a TV show for VH1.
2. Lack of Money-ball
Not news, the Dodgers are bankrupt in more ways than one. OK, now they made it official. They filed. So? It's still a huge mess, with divorces and lawsuits still to come. Who knew that when they referred to the Brooklyn Dodgers so lovingly as Da Bums, they were right on the money, so to speak.
And how odd, that the Dodger offense was anything but bankrupt last night. For the first time in L.A. team history, every starter had a hit, an RBI and a run scored in a 15-0 waxing of the Twins.
3. $$$$$
There's a report that the NFL is shopping a first half of the season Thursday night TV package worth $700 million a year. The second half of the season belongs to the NFL Network on Thursdays. This all makes perfect sense and could lead to a settlement of the lockout. The owners won't get all the givebacks they want from the players, but they can plunder the golden TV goose for some more loose change. As for the next player contract way down the road... Wednesday night football anyone?
4. Football Cops
If you haven't seen the trailer for the "new DirecTV drama Football Cops," starring Peyton and Eli Manning, here goes. OK, it's not really a show, and footballs don't really stick in people's bodies, but hey, if the lockout doesn't end, maybe they can do this series for real?
5. Spanning the World
This is for all of you who have asked me a simple question the past couple of years, "when is Spanning the World coming back to television?" Finally, I have a simple answer. As of now, it's scheduled for tomorrow morning on the Today Show during the 8:30am half hour. I'm most excited to be back with my old friends on the Today Show. So if you won't be near a TV, set your DVR. There will be a quiz on Wednesday! Just kidding, or not.
Happy Birthday: Former Broncos quarterback John Elway. 51.
Bonus Birthday: The 2,000 year old man, Mel Brooks, is really only 85.
Today in Sports: The parade in the parking lot. The New Jersey Devils celebrate their Stanley Cup win with a motorcade next to their arena. 1995.
Bonus Event: Chomp chomp. Mike Tyson got disqualified when he bit Evander Holyfield's ear. 1997.
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