Happy Tuesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for October 11, 2011 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- The NBA cancels the first two weeks of the season, 100 games.
- Texas is halfway to the World Series after Nelson Cruz hit an 11th inning grand slam homer to give the Rangers a 7-3 win and a two games to none lead in their best of seven American League Championship Series. It's the first time a postseason game ended on a grand slam.
- Led by Albert Pujols' home run and three doubles, St. Louis beat Milwaukee 12-3 to even their NLCS at 1 game apiece.
- Today's schedule: Game 3, Texas at Detroit. 8:05pm Eastern. FOX.
- The Detroit Lions are now 5-0 for the first time since 1956 after beating Chicago 24-13.
- Athlete of the month, Amber Miller. Minutes after crossing the finish line of the Chicago Marathon she delivered a healthy baby girl.
2. Game Off
The NBA has canceled the first two weeks of the season, and before you know it, the entire season may blow up. The unemployment rolls just got larger. Not the players, they can afford the hit. But how about the ushers, ticket takers and all the so-called little guys? Collateral damage. And I guess those who thought this would be just like the NFL negotiations were dead wrong. No sudden solution. Fans seemed more agitated about the football. Maybe it's the fundamental difference between the NBA and the NFL. In football, it's all about the team, the jersey, the logo. In basketball, it's the one-namers, Kobe, LeBron, Dirk. Maybe that's why the players are sticking to their guns; the stars rule the roost. Whatever the reason, if you have a big upcoming wedding or bar mitzvah, there are suddenly lots of open venues available.
3. Accentuate the Positive
This past weekend was headlined as "The Worst Weekend Ever," by the Philadelphia Daily News. I guess they were kinda ticked off by the Phillies elimination and the "Dream Team" Eagles dropping to 1-4. New York wasn't so hot themselves with the Giants and Jets going down after the Yankees were ousted. Well as H.S. points out on Twitter, @LenBermanSports, "A GREAT weekend for anyone from WISCONSIN!!" He's probably referring to the Milwaukee Brewers advancing and beating the Cards in game 1, the undefeated Green Bay Packers, not to mention the 5-0 Wisconsin Badgers, but I could be wrong.
4. Hot Dog
So there's no video of the hot dog that some idiot threw at Tiger Woods on Sunday, but isn't it amazing? Everyone knows the some moron fan, but nobody can tell you who won the tournament? Deadspin posted some video. If it hasn't been removed by now, here's some of what happened.
5. It is High, it is Far...
So how should a team celebrate a home run? The old exploding scoreboard is good, except when they touch it off by mistake. I call that premature exhilaration. Bernie Brewer is cool. The Big Apple at Citi Field is fine, I guess. They did import it from Shea. But how about this whatchamacallit that the Miami Marlins will have at their new stadium? It's a mechanized sculpture that will activate when the home team hits a homer. A video was posted on the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Faceboook page. A Miami TV station is conducting a poll. So far 6% find it tasteful, 94% tacky. One question. This constitutes cultural affairs in Miami?
Happy Birthday: Golfer Michelle Wie. 22.
Bonus Birthday: Actress Joan "Is everybody gay?" (From the movie In & Out) Cusack. 49.
Today in Sports: Lou Gehrig wins the MVP award. Under the rules at the time, despite hitting 60 homers Babe Ruth is not eligible since he had already won the award. 1927.
Bonus Event: "Live from New York...." SNL made its debut with George Carlin as host. 1975.
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