Happy Monday everyone, here's my Top 5 for May 14, 2012 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com
1. Quick Hits
- The Clippers beat Memphis 82-72 in game 7 and will now face San Antonio. Miami beat Indiana 95-86 in game 1, but Chris Bosh will have an MRI today on his abdominal strain.
- NHL: The Los Angeles Kings remain perfect on the road in the playoffs, winning game 1 in Phoenix 4-2. The Rangers and Devils play game one tonight in the Eastern Finals at Madison Square Garden.
- In golf, Matt Kuchar wins the Players Championship
- MLB dropped its 100 game drug suspension of Rockies backup catcher Eliezer Alfonzo because of the same "chain of custody" issues that allowed Milwaukee's Ryan Braun to skate.
- And in soccer, Manchester City won its first Premier League title in 44 years.
2. Coast to Coast
I'm always suspect when I hear that leagues are "rooting" for specific teams. For example did the NBA breathe a sigh of relief that the Lakers survived game 7 Saturday night against Denver? Did the NHL do a dance that it was the Rangers who won game 7 and not Washington? More than the leagues, it's the TV networks which carry the games. The Lakers and Rangers certainly will boost the ratings. So, will a Rangers/Kings Stanley Cup Final be the ideal in hockey-land? You're talking the two biggest TV markets. If nothing else it will recall those Knicks/Lakers finals or Yankees/Dodgers World Series. Seems like ages ago, doesn't it?
3. MVP
LeBron James may not be the most popular player, but it's hard to argue that he's not the best. A third NBA MVP award puts him in elite company. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson each won three. Wilt won four. Bill Russell and Michael Jordan each won five and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leads the pack with six. Of course everyone else on that list has also won a ring. This may be the year for James, and then maybe fans will lighten up about his "taking his talents to South Beach." No matter what else you might call him, you may have no other choice but to call him "champ."
4. Voodoo Economics
As the Boston Globe pointed out the Red Sox may "sellout" every game, but that doesn't mean they sellout every game. The Red Sox apply the term sellout, when all tickets have been distributed. Apparently that counts tickets that are given away to charity. So yes, the Red Sox have been sold out since 2003, but that doesn't mean the park has been filled with paying customers. Then there are the Yankees who regularly display all those empty seats. I like it better they way they did it back before 1993 when the National League announced the turnstile count. That's the true indication of warm bodies in the seats.
5. 45 years ago today
Oh the things you can find on the Internet. Here's a clip of "Today in Sports," with some young handsome sportscaster. I think he makes some great points afterwards. One other note. The Mick wasn't wearing any batting gloves, so he didn't step out of the box between pitches to unfasten and then refasten the gloves.
Happy Birthday: Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay. 35.
Bonus Birthday: Mr. Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. 28.
Today in Sports: The Mick hits number 500. 1967.
Bonus Event: Robert A. Chesebrough patented a petroleum jelly called Vaseline. 1878.
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