TGIF everyone here's my Top 5 for January 11, 2013 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- The NFL playoffs resume this weekend with four games.
- One and done. Jacksonville fires coach Mike Mularkey after one season. The Jags were 2-14.
- They won't be Tebowing in Jacksonville. New general manager David Caldwell says they have no interest in Tim.
- The new Cleveland Browns coach is Carolina offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski.
- Tennis anyone? The first Major of the year, the Australian Open, gets underway Monday (Sunday in the U.S.).
2. Testing 1-2-3
This is huge. Baseball players will be randomly tested for HGH during this coming season, and the tests will be unannounced. They'll also increase their efforts to detect increased levels of testosterone. I've heard all sorts of guesstimates of how many active baseball players are using human growth hormone. This will put an end to it. Can't wait to see who's the first player to show up at spring training and credit his "brand new diet" for his slimmed-down physique. Now it's time for the NFL to get with the program.
3. 42
Mark down next April 12th. The release of 42. It's the story of Jackie Robinson. Check out the latest trailer. Two thumbs up, no?
4. Friday eMailbag
The mailbag is overflowing after Wednesday's Hall of Fame "no vote." It's the largest number of comments I've received on any single subject.
Top 5 subscriber J.S. writes, "Known cheaters SHOULD NOT be inducted... period. As a baseball fan, I don't want them in. If they're going to start letting known cheats in then the hell with the Hall of Fame! It don't mean nothing!!
But M.B. writes, "There is only one way to fix this... instruct the voters to no longer consider players' character, integrity and sportsmanship. As we know, the Hall is filled with dozens of racists and others who, in the age of social media, wouldn't pass muster today. Let's just let everyone in based on their stats. Otherwise, we're being hypocritical."
It's not a happy time to be a Washington Redskins fan, V.V. writes: "They're owned by a guy worth $1.1 billion dollars & the team is worth $1.5 billion. Yet they play on a field that's worse than a sandlot. I guess Dan Snyder spent so much money on Robert Griffin III that he didn't any money left to pay groundskeepers."
As for Alabama crushing Notre Dame in the BCS Championship game, R.N. writes, "The Irish should have put Rudy in."
And from B.V. "With the NHL lockout now over, I am left with one question: Which will be longer, the season or the playoffs?"
5. Spanning the World
This week's Spanning the World highlight is a dog named Baylee. His Maryland owner claims he's singing Hail to the Redskins. Does American Idol have a canine category?
Spanning the World airs monthly on NBC's Today Show. Next up: Friday January 25.
Happy Birthday: Golfer Ben Crenshaw. 61.
Bonus Birthday: Singer Mary J. Blige. 42.
Today in Sports: 40 years ago today the American League wanted more offense, so they adopted the designated hitter. 1973.
Bonus Event: Amelia Earhart becomes the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California. 1935.
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