Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for July 13, 2011 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- The National League won the All Star Game 5-1 for its second straight win, thus securing home field for the National League pennant winner in the World Series.
- Next year's All Star Game will be held in Kansas City. The Mets are expected to host the 2013 game.
- The Mets trade their closer Francisco Rodriguez to Milwaukee for cash and two players to be named later.
- The U.S. women take on France today (noon Eastern time) in the World Cup semi-finals.
- Six-year old Reagan Kennedy made an 85-yard hole in one last week in Bloomington, Illinois.
2. All Star Game
With all the bellyaching over Derek Jeter's absence from the All Star Game, I think it's no biggie. His presence wouldn't have won the game for the American League, but yes it would have been nice for him to receive all the accolades after his big accomplishment. But it was his choice. By the way, Commissioner Bud Selig came to Jeter's defense. The Commish said, "I think I would have made the same decision that Derek Jeter had." Then again, Selig has 3004 less hits than Jeter.
3. Fire Sale
Well, that didn't take long. Minutes after the All Star Game was over, the Mets shipped their closer to Milwaukee. That was inevitable. K-Rod was due $17.5 million if he finished 19 more games, and that wasn't going to happen. So is Carlos Beltran next? Jose Reyes? Will the last Met leaving town turn off the lights? And if it is a fire sale, that goes for the last fan at Citi Field as well.
4. Yeah, That'll Happen
Now that South Korea has won the 2018 Winter Olympics, a North Korean official said he hopes his country gets to co-host the Olympics. Maybe that official was hit by the same "lightning bolt" which affected the North Korean women in their World Cup loss to the U.S.? I'm thinking the two Koreas are next in line to co-host a major sports event, right after they finish those Israeli-Palestinian "Friendship Games."
5. U-S-A U-S-A
Everyone loves to wave the flag, so here goes. A neat video based on the improbable U.S. women's soccer win over Brazil on Sunday. Enjoy!
Happy Birthday: The 1986 Slam Dunk champion 5'7" Spud Webb. 48.
Bonus Birthday: Han Solo, Indiana Jones and actor Harrison Ford are all 69 today.
Today in Sports: The King, Arnold Palmer, won his second straight British Open. 1962.
Bonus Event: A sign reading "Hollywoodland" is dedicated in the hills above L.A. to advertise a housing development. The last 4 letters were dropped 26 years later. 1923.
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