Happy Monday everyone, here's my Top 5 for November 23, 2009 from Len
Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
Perfect NFL 10's. The Colts and Saints are now 10-0.
Unprecedented. Jimmie Johnson wins his 4th straight NASCAR driving
title.
Nate Robinson of the Knicks fired a 3 point shot into the wrong
basket against the Nets the other day, but it came after the buzzer.
Can't the Knicks get anything right?
The Mets announced that they'll take steps at Citi Field to pay
tribute to..... tada..... the Mets. There's a concept.
Northeastern University eliminates its football program to save
money. It's been around since 1933.
With Notre Dame losing yet again to U-Conn and with my alma mater
Syracuse thrashing Rutgers, it's only a matter of time before Syracuse
replaces Notre Dame as the network TV game of the week. (How much
time, exactly?)
2. Monday Morning Quarterback
The most important play in the Giants/Falcons game yesterday was the
overtime coin toss. The Giants won the toss so their defense never
played in overtime. That's a good thing for the Giants, their defense
couldn't stop anything. But there's something terribly wrong with a
system where you win the toss, kick a field goal and win the game.
Both teams must be able to touch the ball in overtime. And with
Cleveland losing to Detroit, who has more job security Charlie Weis at
Notre Dame or Eric "Mangenius" in Cleveland?
3. Not the Answer
When the Knicks passed on Allen Iverson the other day, this comment
sums up how their fans feel. Michael A. wrote on "Len Berman's Top 5"
on Facebook: "Knicks announce they will not pursue A.I.... We
considered it, but in the end, we've decided to remain boring for the
remainder of the season."
4. Graded Homework
Wow, I'm impressed. I gave you guys a homework assignment and you
delivered. A record number of emails. The premise, courtesy of Steve
B. on Facebook, (which I didn't describe as well as I should have.)
Name two all time greats, from two different sports, in the same city,
who played their entire careers with one team. Like Mariano Rivera and
Martin Brodeur. You came up with tons of possibles. Here were the
best. 5) Boston. Combination of Yaz, Bob Cousy, or John Havlicek. 4)
Chicago. Combination of Ernie Banks, Gale Sayers, Dick Butkus or Stan
Mikita. 3) St. Louis. Combination of Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, or Bob
Petit. 2) Mickey Mantle and Frank Gifford. And the # 1 answer you came
up with, Sandy Koufax combined with either Jerry West or Elgin Baylor.
Well done! Class dismissed.
5. Flavor of the Month
Ben & Jerry's has named an ice cream after Vermont snowboarder Hannah
Teter. It's Maple Blondie. It's also the first time they ever named a
flavor after an athlete. What? No Chocolate Thunder after Darryl
Dawkins? Strawberry Fields for Darryl Stawberry? Rocky Road for
boxers? Or anything with nuts for any number of characters populating
the sports landscape.
Happy Birthday: El Tiante! Former Red Sox pitcher and great guy Luis
Tiant. 69.
Bonus Birthday: Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus are both 17.
Today in Sports: 25 years ago today. Doug Flutie's miracle pass for
Boston College to beat Miami 47-45. 1984.
Bonus Event: Love is fleeting. Dennis Rodman files for the annulment
of his marriage to Carmen Electra. Their happily wedded bliss lasted
all of 9 days. 1998.
I'll be a guest with Chris "Mad Dog" Russo on his Sirius Radio show
today at 4:05pm Eastern.