Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for September 2, 2009 from
www.LenBermanSports.com
1. Quick Hits
The troubled Pacman Jones, who has run out of NFL teams and chances,
is going to play for Winnipeg in the Canadian Football League. He's
using this as an audition to return to the NFL.
Day 2 at the U.S. Open lacked drama. Perhaps Rafael Nadal playing
today will kick start some excitement.
Mets star David Wright returned in Colorado 17 days after getting
beaned. He wore a bigger bulkier helmet. The Mets lost anyway.
2. High Hard One
The Mets are firing back. Team Vice President Dave Howard went on Fox
to proclaim "there is no financial stress in the Mets organization."
He said the rookie instructional league team was moved from Florida to
the Dominican not to save money, but to improve competition. And he
categorically denied that the team is for sale or that they are
seeking investors. He said Citi Field played to 94% capacity this
season. Of course those were tickets sold, not people in the seats.
My only thought on all this is "wait til next year."
3. ESPN2
This is the first year that the U.S. Open is being televised by ESPN2
instead of USA Network. I have a nitpick. ESPN2 is a great go-to place
when you need a score. 24/7 they have headlines and such flashing
across the bottom of the screen. But this is a major tennis
tournament. The other night during the Venus match, the tennis was
fascinating. Did I really need to know every minute or so that
Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez was denying allegations that
his team violated NCAA rules? Did I really need the starting lineup
for the Angels? There is a certain "purity" to tennis. It would be
nice if it looked that way on television.
4. Boob Tube
Few fans remember when no NFL games were televised in the home
market. That included championship games. The Giants were playing in
championship games at Yankee Stadium, but we had to listen on the
radio or drive somewhere that could pick up Connecticut TV stations.
Maybe its back to the future. Word is that 10 to 12 NFL teams won't
sell out all their home games this season, so no local TV of those
games. Jacksonville is not expected to sell out a single home game.
Clearly it's the economy. Not good news for the local TV stations in
those markets. But the radio stations ain't complainin'.
5. Bag Ladies
A British company called Eye Candy Caddies provides pretty young
female models to provide caddy services at golf courses. They have all
completed caddy training. And according to their website, they even
know what "fore" means. Sounds good to me. But not to golfing purists
across the pond. The Eye Candy Caddies have been banned from many golf
courses for being "culturally insensitive." Ok, so the girls are
scantilyly clad on the web site. They're just trying to help the
British keep a stiff... upper lip.
Happy Birthday: The great Jimmy Connors. 57.
Bonus Birthday: Joan Bennett Kennedy (Teddy's first wife.) 73.
Today in Sports: Billy Martin gets fired as Tigers manager after
ordering his pitchers to throw spitballs at the Indians. 1973.
Bonus Event: A California amateur golfer by the name of Norman Manley
scores hole-in-ones on two consecutive holes. He had a record 59 in
his golfing career!