TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for December 3, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* LeBron James drops 38 points on the Cavs in his return to Cleveland. Miami wins 118-90.
* In Thursday night football, Michael Vick leads Philadelphia to a 34-24 win over Texas.
* Former Cubs third baseman and broadcaster Ron Santo succumbs to cancer at the age of 70.
* Former Yankee Jim Leyritz was sentenced to one year probation and fined $500 for his drunken driving conviction. The traffic accident in 2007 resulted in a woman's death.
* Sources say the Yankees and Mariano Rivera are close on a 2-year, $30 million contract.
* The final score for the U.S. is 2-nil. Russia will host the 2018 World Cup, Qatar 2022. The U.S. was in the running for 2022.
* Tiger Woods shoots a 65 to take a one shot lead in the Chevron World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, California.
* Apples and Oranges. Syracuse will play in the inaugural Pinstripe Bowl against a Big 12 opponent at Yankee Stadium on December 30th.
2. Hot In Cleveland
They booed, waved lots of negative signs and chanted "a-hole" at LeBron James last night in Cleveland. So do the fans feel better now after James annihilated their Cavs? It reminded me of when Michael Jordan came back to Madison Square Garden after his "retirement," and scored a cool 55, without, of course, the signs and name-calling. Last night James pretty much quieted Cleveland fans. Now if he can only put on a performance like that in the 7th game of the NBA finals, he'll shut-up everyone else.
3. Value Added
Thanks to subscriber Gary A. for alerting us that the Mets are offering perks for those who pay their full season ticket bill early. You get to take batting practice and shag fly balls for starters. Gary also won a drawing to stand at the end of the dugout and high five the players as they take the field for a game. Here's the part of the proceedings where I usually insert some wise-ass comment, but not this time. I actually think this is pretty cool. Your turn Yankees!
4. Friday eMailbag
Subscriber G.M. doesn't care for the decision clearing Auburn quarterback Cam Newton of any wrongdoing. He writes "The NCAA has just opened Pandora's Box with its Cam Newton decision. Parents of gifted athletes were just given the green light to negotiate a pay day for themselves as long as they don't tell junior. What crap."
As to the burning question of whether or not LeBron James intentionally bumped his coach, R. L concludes, guilty as charged. "He can change direction in mid-air - (so) James purposely bumped Spoelstra."
M.W. chimed in with the "true meaning" of Derek Jeter. "My 17-year-old son said it best. He was trying to explain baseball to his English cousin, who said, "I only know about Derek Jeter, I don't know who the Yankees are."
And with TCU joining the Big East and with conference names making less and less sense, E.G. makes a good point, "Who knew the NHL had it right all those years ago with the Patrick Division and the Norris Division?"
5. Spanning The World
This week's Spanning the World highlight is an all-time classic. It's today's bonus birthday boy leading the crowd in singing (make that mumbling) Take Me Out to the Ballgame at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Enjoy!
Have a great weekend everyone.
Happy Birthday: East Germany's two-time Olympic gold medal winning figure skater Katarina Witt. 45.
Bonus Birthday: Ozzie Osbourne. 62.
Today In Sports: The Golden State Warriors terminate the contract of Latrell Sprewell for choking his coach. 1997.
Bonus Event: Plop plop fizz fizz. Alka Seltzer goes on sale. 1931.
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