Top 5 Sports Stories

Happy Thursday everyone, here's my Top 5 for October 29, 2009 from www.LenBermanSports.com.

1. Quick Hits

The Phillies win game 1 of the World Series beating the Yankees 6 to 1.

Game 2 of the World Series is tonight, Phillies @ Yankees 7:57pm ET FOX Pedro Martinez vs A.J. Burnett.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell refused to acknowledge to Congress that there's a link between playing in the NFL and developing brain diseases later in life.

Goodbye waiting lists. Step right up and buy your Jets tickets. Anyone can buy them for the new stadium. And the most expensive priced tickets are being slashed. I guess demand didn't quite meet supply. (I was an economics major in college.)

New season, same Knicks. They drop their opener in Miami 115-93.

2. Game 1

Was that Cliff Lee or Sandy Koufax on the mound for the Phillies last night? He was dominant as big names CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, and A-Rod all came up empty in their World Series debuts. (Of course Derek Jeter had three hits.) And now the franchise pins its hopes on AJ Burnett in game 2. He has never appeared in a World Series either.

By the way, I guess the umps got the message. They finally huddled to sort out a Phillies doubleplay. This came after an awful strike call against Robinson Cano. But hey, it wouldn't be postseason baseball without the umps getting noticed.

And another note, thanks to subscriber K.V. An amazing streak came to an end last night. The last World Series game without Bob Sheppard at the PA microphone in Yankee Stadium was in 1950. Also Yankees/Phillies.

3. Legalese

A Pennsylvania woman put an ad on Craigslist looking for World Series tickets. "Diehard Phillies fan--gorgeous tall buxom blond--in desperate need of two World Series Tickets. Price negotiable--- I'm the creative type! Maybe we can help each other!" Her lawyer claims her offer to do "anything for tickets" is a colloquial phrase and doesn't represent criminal activity. The lawyer didn't address the fact she offered sex to an undercover cop in return for tickets. It turns out a Philly car dealer with the help of a radio station is giving her tickets to game 3..... without any quid pro quo.

4. High Expectorations

Some high level soccer players in England have come down with the swine flu and now doctors are urging the soccer guys to stop spitting during games. It could spread the disease. A spokesman for the Health Protection Agency said "Footballers, like the rest of us, wouldn't spit indoors, so they shouldn't do it on the football pitch." They also warn, if kids see the soccer players spit, they'll do it too. Gives new meaning to "spitting image."

5. Commercial Tie-ins

Nice job by Hebrew National Hot Dogs. After Mark Sanchez of the Jets scarfed down a dog during the Raiders game, Hebrew National is offering a free pack of hot dogs to anyone with a ticket stub from that game. Fans attending this weeks Jets game in the Meadowlands are hoping Sanchez drives a Mercedes on the sideline during the game.

Happy Birthday: "Potvin Sucks." The New York Islander who gave birth to the infamous Madison Square Garden chant which still lives today, Denis Potvin. 56.

Bonus Birthday: Charlie's Angel Kate Jackson. 61.

Today in Sports: Cassius Clay's 1st pro fight. He beats Tunney Hunsaker in a 6 round decision. 1960.

Bonus Event: Black Tuesday. The New York stock market crashes, triggering the Great Depression. 1929.

 

 

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