Happy Tuesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for November 17, 2009 from
Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
Are the Knicks interested in 34-year old free agent Allen Iverson?
His best days are behind him, so the answer is probably yes.
The Titans owner, 86-year old Bud Adams, was fined $250,000 for
his double flip in Buffalo, as Tennessee was mauling the Bills 41-17.
That comes to $125,000 for each middle finger.
Forever Redskins. The Supreme Court has swatted away the Hail Mary
pass from Native Americans to stop Washington from using the nickname
Redskins. Maybe now St. John's will go back to being the Redmen rather
than the Red Storm.
The first baseball awards. Oakland closer Andrew Bailey is the
American League Rookie of the Year. Florida outfielder Chris Coghlan
is the NL winner.
2. Historical Perspective
You gotta love it. Subscriber Bob B. tipped me to a Boston radio
station conducting a poll to determine if Patriots coach Bill
Belichick's ill-advised decision to go on 4th down the other night
constituted the biggest gaffe in New England sports history. Other
candidates included Red Sox manager Grady Little letting Pedro
Martinez stay in game 7 against the Yankees in 2003, and Red Sox
manager John McNamara leaving Bill Buckner at first base before his
fateful error in game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Historical
perspective, or hysterical perspective? Call me crazy, but when the
history of the world is written, none of these moments will be noted.
But maybe that minor sale of Babe Ruth to the Yankees will be.
3. Taking a Knee
So Belichick went for it and Jacksonville running back Maurice
Jones-Drew didn't. He intentionally took a knee against the Jets, and
didn't score a touchdown to help kill the clock even though
Jacksonville was losing at the time. As a result, they wound up
winning. But Jones-Drew immediately apologized to those who own him in
fantasy leagues. Have we found the major flaw in those leagues? They
reward points, but not heady plays and sacrifices that lead up to the
scores. We need a new category where brains are saluted as well as
brawn.
4. You're Kidding Right?
Laker fans are pissed. They booed their team off the court Sunday
night after losing to Houston. Who can blame the fans? The defending
champions had the temerity to lose a second game in a row, and their
record fell all the way down to 7-3. Hel-l-o-o-o? If booing is the
appropriate response in Tinseltown, what are Knicks and Nets fans to
do?
5. 20/20 Hindsight
A French woman just got married to her boyfriend a year after he
died. There's something in the law that allowed her to do it. I wonder
if that same French law will let me bet on last year's Super Bowl?
Happy Birthday: Yesterday Doc Gooden, today Tom Terrific, Tom Seaver.
65.
Bonus Birthday: Live from New York! SNL creator Lorne Michaels. 65.
Today in Sports: The Heidi Game! NBC cuts away from a Jets/Raiders
game with 65 seconds left to show the movie Heidi. The Jets were
leading by 3. Fans missed the Raiders scoring two touchdowns to win
43-32. 1968.
Bonus Event: The wedding of the year! Luke marries Laura on General
Hospital. Millions watch. 1981.