Happy Monday everyone, here's my Top 5 for July 16, 2012 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- Newest Knick Jason Kidd was arrested for driving drunk after crashing his SUV into a telephone pole in the Hamptons. And he was the one who was brought in to "mentor" Jeremy Lin.
- The Amar'e Stoudemire fire extinguisher award goes to Cleveland's rookie of the year Kyrie Irving. During practice he slammed a padded wall in frustration and broke his hand requiring surgery.
- Show of hands: Who had the Washington Nationals with the best record in the National League on July 16?
2. Linsanity
It appears Jeremy Lin is heading to the Houston Rockets. So much for all the experts who predicted that the Knicks would match Houston's ridiculous (as Carmelo Anthony called it) offer. The reasoning was that Lin would make up the money in marketing. But even the Knicks apparently think that $25 million is too much to spend on a guy who started exactly 25 games. The Garden has been known for some bad basketball decisions over the years, this isn't one of them.
3. More Fallout
And the hits just keep on coming. The New York Times reports that Joe Paterno was negotiating a new lucrative amended contract even as the investigation into Jerry Sandusky was getting underway. That leaves the impression that Paterno was trying to scoop up as much cash as possible before the "roof caved in." On another front, Penn State is going to renovate the infamous shower area where some of Sandusky's crimes took place. Top 5 subscriber P.G. suggests they should take that money instead and give it to the abused young men. As for the Paterno statue on campus, which inevitably has to come down, many have suggested they just turn the statue to "look the other way." Reports say the statue is "safe" for now. That could be yet another mistake on the part of Penn State trustees, as the statue becomes a lightning rod on campus.
4. Hall of an Argument
I stirred things up last week when I suggested if Pete Rose can't make Cooperstown, then why not throw out the bad guys from their Halls of Fame, like O.J. Simpson and Joe Paterno? Some of you agreed with me, but many did not.
G.M. Len please, get off your Pete Rose soapbox. It's tired. He lied about betting on sports, then changed his story begging for forgiveness. O.J .may have committed murder, and Paterno is despicable for looking the other way, but neither seem to have anything to do with the games they played.
*J.K. on Twitter @LenBermanSports Pete Rose violated the sanctity of the game. O.J. & JoePa violated laws unrelated to competing in their sport.
*S.F. agrees in part. Kicking Joe Paterno out of the College Football Hall of Fame would be another way of setting the tone throughout scholastic and collegiate sports that the welfare of student athletes is more important than protecting the reputations of its precious icons, no matter how revered they are."
In summary, there is heavy anti-Rose sentiment out there. My belief is simple. The all-time hits leader belongs in Cooperstown for what he did as a player, and by the way he did it "cleanly."
5. Weekend at Bernie's
It turns out a Michigan woman couldn't part with her departed house-mate who she claims wasn't her boyfriend. After he died she said she didn't want to be alone, so she kept him propped up in his chair. They would watch NASCAR races together. Hey, she took good care of him and was nice enough to cash his benefit checks for the last year and a half or so. One question. Does this mean we have to recalibrate those NASCAR Nielsen ratings? Or do viewers actually have to be breathing?
Happy Birthday: Retired Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders. 44.
Bonus Birthday: Actor/Comedian Will Ferrell. (He started out wanting to become a sportscaster). 45.
Today in Sports: A Spanning the World classic. Steve Lyons slides into first base for the Chicago White Sox and pulls down his pants to get the dirt out, forgetting he was in public and on TV. 1990.
Bonus Event: Got a nickel? The first parking meter is installed in Oklahoma City. 1935.
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