Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for January 5, 2011 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* Today's the day for new baseball Hall of Famers, Bert Blyleven? Roberto Alomar?
* The Texas Rangers have a deal with former Red Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre: 6 years, $96 million.
* Stop the presses, the Big Ten wins a bowl game. Ohio State beat Arkansas 31-26. They got key contributions from players who will be suspended next season, but were allowed to play last night.
* Reports have the University of Michigan firing coach football coach Rich Rodriguez but the school says, not yet.
* The Oakland Raiders fire coach Tom Cable. They are now looking for the 7th coach in 10 years.
* Welcome back! Bill Buckner will manage the Brockton Rox an independent Minor League team.
2. Mail Call
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sent a letter to fans the other day basically laying the groundwork for the owners position in contract negotiations. When I was younger I had the mistaken notion that a Commissioner in sport represented everyone, the owners, players, coaches and fans. These days, all pretense is stripped away. The Commissioner is the owners' man. The owners hire him and pay his salary. So maybe the head of the NFL Players Association needs to write a letter, "The Players Response," like the opposition party does after a major Presidential address. I think Goodell is a good guy, but I'd like to see him represent the fans just a little better. Reduced prices for exhibition games and the elimination of personal seat licenses would be a good place to start.
3. Flip Side
Subscriber David S. really stirred things up yesterday with his harsh criticism of coach Rex Ryan and his "out of control Jets." Subscriber Jessica M. counters, "How about Braylon Edwards, who spent his Christmas at the Ronald McDonald house with disabled children? Or LaDainian Tomlinson, who has his own foundation and charity to get kids to exercise in the hope that they'll some day play football or some other sport?"
Both arguments help to support my theory that in general coaches get the blame, players get the credit.
4. Record Setting?
When I wrote that there "oughta be a law" against losing teams being in the playoffs, like the Seattle Seahawks with a 7-9 record, it stirred up lots of reaction. While many of you agreed, some suggested penalizing Seattle by taking away its home game. Why should they get to host a game against a team with a better record?
And college football historian Tex Noel, a Top 5 subscriber, came up with the following gems. There was a time when college football teams with losing records were ranked. For example, in 1960, Wisconsin was ranked #5 in the final UPI coaches poll with a 4-5 record. Two years later, Illinois finished #18 in the country with a 2-7 record. Were there only 18 teams playing college football that year?
5. Tweener
Hey tennis fans, this one's for you. Roger Federer hit what he called "one of the best shots of my career" yesterday in Qatar. It came in his first official match of the year against Dutch qualifier Thomas Schoorel. It's not your classic "tweener," its a more nonchalant version. Enjoy.
A helluva shot, in any language! And yes Federer won the match.
Happy Birthday: The only man to coach 4 Super Bowl winning teams, Pittsburgh's Chuck Noll. 79.
Bonus Birthday: Annie Hall herself. Actress Diane Keaton. 65.
Today in Sports: Jackie Robinson retires rather than accepting a trade to the Giants. 1957.
Bonus Event: A horse is a horse, of course, of course. Mr. Ed makes his TV debut. 1961.
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