Happy Monday everyone, here's my Top 5 for October 15, 2012 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- Detroit leads the Yankees two games to none in the ALCS after winning 3-0 yesterday. Yes the umps blew a big call, if they hadn't the Yankees might have lost 1-0 instead.
- The Cardinals win game one of the NLCS 6-4 in San Francisco.
- In the NFL, Atlanta is now the only undefeated team after Houston lost to Green Bay last night 42-24, the Cleveland Browns won their first game and all four teams in the AFC East are tied for first place, and last for that matter. They are all 3-3.
2. O Captain! My Captain!
It was stunning to see Derek Jeter knocked out of action with a fractured ankle. His steady presence who was always there is now gone. Maybe Pete Rose was right last week. He claimed that Jeter won't break his hits record. He actually made a good point, which now seems prescient. Rose said that Jeter is 38 and still needs over 900 hits to catch him. And since Jeter is likely to play out his career as a shortstop, the returns will be diminishing. Jeter would be too old to make a serious run at his record. After Jeter "broke down" the other night Rose's record may now be secure.
3. Cinderella Is Dead
It was fun while it lasted. The Orioles came out of nowhere, the perennial baseball doormat Washington had the best record and Billy Beane and Moneyball fans thought this might finally be the year for the A's. But the baseball gods were cruel and midnight struck on all the upstarts. What we have left are four more traditional potential champions. They all have good stories. It's just that the O's, Nats and A's stories were better.
4. Four More Years
Here's a thought. Alex Rodriguez's contract runs pass the presidential election, not this one, the next one. The president you vote for gets four more years. A-Rod has five years remaining on his gargantuan deal. So even if he gets benched from here on out, the "A-Rod effect" will be felt on the Yankees for years to come.
5. Spare the Rod
When I tweeted something about A-Rod the other day, somebody tweeted me back referring to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers as A-Rod. So I asked him if they called dancer Ginger Rogers G-Rod back in the day? But why stop there? How about Dale Evans and R-Rod. You like Broadway? Then you probably love R-Rod and Hammerstein. The Gambler: K-Rod. And what kid didn't love reading the adventures of Buck Rogers (B-Rod) or love watching Fred Rogers on PBS, Mr. F-Rod's Neighborhood. OK, I'm done now.
Happy Birthday: Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer. 67.
Bonus Birthday: Actress/director, Penny A League of Their Own Marshall. 69.
Today in Sports: The Baltimore Orioles, after losing the previous year to the upstart Mets, beat the Reds to Win the World Series. 1970.
Bonus Event: Hey Lucy! I Love Lucy makes its debut on CBS. 1951.
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