Happy Thursday everyone, here's my Top 5 for August 27, 2009 from www.LenBermanSports.com
1. Quick Hits
Michael Vick will see action tonight when Philadelphia hosts Jacksonville. No surprise. The Jets name Mark Sanchez their number one quarterback. You have got to be kidding. Mets pitcher Oliver Perez is out for the year with knee surgery. Is their anyone left? They played taps at Fenway Park last night as they honored the late Senator Ted Kennedy. Rick Pitino says his sex scandal has been "pure hell" on his family and he's had enough. I'm thinking if he had kept his fly zipped, he could have spared his family a little bit of anguish.
2. Upon Further Review
Remember those 104 baseball players who flunked steroid tests in 2003? A-Rod, and David Ortiz are among the few who have been outed. Well now a court has ruled that the government illegally seized those test results. If they don't appeal, the results will be destroyed. Then we'll never know who was really on the list, but of course names will continue to leak out anyway. In other words no matter who rules what, the baseball steroid mess ain't going away.
3. Of the People
The Barclays golf tournament starts today at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City. Great views of the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline. I always like it when they bring golf to the "inner city." Nothing quite says "common folk" like millionaires competing in a tournament sponsored by a British bank, at a country club with a $500-thousand initiation fee.
4. Oh Brother
Former Denver running back Floyd Little is on the nomination list for the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. I mention this because I don't have a fraternity brother in any hall of fame. Floyd was in my house at Syracuse and his first home game at Syracuse is the stuff of legends. Syracuse was hosting Kansas and their All American running back Gale Sayers. Syracuse won 38-6 with my fraternity brother scoring five touchdowns. That was 45 years ago this fall. Syracuse football hasn't had too many great moments since, so thanks for letting me vent.
5. Miracle Worker
It seems that Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is a god-like figure in the Sunshine State. Last night the minor league Ft. Myers Miracle wanted to stage "What would Tim Tebow do?" night. For religious fans, that's a takeoff on "What would Jesus do?" As part of the night, team staff members would solve any problem that cropped up by asking "What would Tim Tebow do?" They even wanted a guy named Tim Tebow (not the real one) to try to walk on water. But at the University of Florida, one of the ten commandments is "do not take Tim Tebow's name in vain" so they bitched and the promotion got scrapped. I was kinda wondering what would Brett Favre do?
Happy Birthday: Two time Masters winner Bernhard Langer. 52. Bonus Birthday: Pee Wee Herman (Paul Reubens.) 57. Side note, I once helped him put on his tie for the Conan O'Brien show. Pee Wee didn't know how to tie a tie.
Today in Sports: Rickey Henderson steals his 118th base breaking Lou Brock's single season record. 1982. Bonus Event: Transsexual tennis player Renee Richards is barred from the U.S. Open. She sued and competed from 1977-1981. She reached the third round in 1979. 1976.