Happy Monday everyone, here's my Top 5 for June 18, 2012 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- Webb Simpson wins the U.S. Open, the 15th different player to win the last 15 majors.
- You were saying LeBron James disappears in the fourth quarter? Think again. Miami beat Oklahoma City 91-85 to lead the NBA Finals two games to one.
- The fifth all-time NFL rusher, LaDainian Tomlinson will hang 'em up after an 11-year career with San Diego and the Jets.
2. Parity?
So how do you explain 15 different golfers winning the last 15 majors? Are PGA golfers so talented that "any given Sunday" does not apply only to the NFL? Or is there no super golfer? Does this have something to do with Tiger Woods falling back to earth? The truth is, sports seems better when there are big stars, players or teams to root against. The way things are going in golf, every tournament becomes a crapshoot. That's probably more interesting for the players, less so for the casual fan.
3. The New York Nixed
Subscriber R.M. emailed me over the weekend saying "After watching the Heat the Thunder, you really get an idea that the Knicks are light years away from competing like these two teams." Well I don't know about light years, but you can say that about any number of teams in the NBA. More telling were the comments of Phil Jackson. He told HBO that he wasn't interested in coaching the Knicks, that they have a "clumsy roster," the pieces don't fit well together. Did you expect a coach who had Jordan, Kobe and Shaq to want to take over this group? Then again, the Knicks never contacted him. That's interesting by itself. Was it the money? Didn't Isiah Thomas approve?
4. Caught on Camera
It wasn't a good day for tennis player David Nalbandian. He was booted out of the Queen's Club Final in London during the second set. He got upset, kicked an advertising sign in front of a line judge, and the sign left a gash in the judge's shin. Hence the DQ.
Police later filed an assault claim against Nalbandian. They used to give John McEnroe a hard time in Britain, but he comes off as a choir boy by comparison. But the goofiest scene of the weekend was that yahoo who invaded the U.S. Open trophy ceremony. Maybe we've finally located the guy who always yells "in the hole!"
5. Your Attention Please
I've written in the past about the late Yankees PA announcer Bob Sheppard. I attended a bar mitzvah where Bob "announced" the relatives for the candle lighting ceremony. Now comes long time Chicago Bulls announcer Ray Clay. He did the honors at a wedding reception.
Zip forward to the 4:20 mark for the bride and groom. No word if he was invited to call the honeymoon action.
Happy Birthday: Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Brock. 73.
Bonus Birthday: Sir Paul McCartney. 70.
Today in Sports: Jack Nicklaus beat Arnold Palmer by 4 shots to win the U.S. Open at Baltusrol, N.J. He pocked $30-thousand. 1967.
Bonus Event: The nerve of her. Susan B. Anthony was fined $100 for illegally voting for president. She refused to pay the fine, and so she never did. 1873.
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