Happy Thursday everyone, here's my Top 5 for December 3, 2009 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* Tiger Woods finally admits "transgressions."
* Congratulations New Jersey Nets! Nobody does it worse. They lost to Dallas last night 117-101 to start the season a record 0-18.
* 34-year old Allen Iverson signs back with the Philadelphia 76ers.
* Bottoms up! The NBA is looking into Ron Artest's admission that when he played for the Chicago Bulls he would drink Hennessey cognac at halftime. (The breakfast of champions, no?)
* O Canada! It's the Jets and Bills tonight in Toronto on Thursday night football.
2. Better Late than Never
Tiger Woods' people finally woke up. Maybe it was the latest woman to come forward claiming an affair. He finally admitted to "transgressions" in a statement on his web site, and "letting his family down." He went on to basically say it's a private matter and leave him alone. He is absolutely right. He doesn't have to issue statements about the most intimate details of his "failings." But if he had "pulled a Letterman" and made a similar statement on camera a few days ago, he would have spared himself a world of grief. Can we now finally say end of story? Nah. Tiger is fresh meat for the media.
3. Journalism 101
I found subscriber John G's email about the Tiger Woods affair provocative. "The real shame to me is the demise of your profession. It was a mere 37 years ago that Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein took down a powerful, two term president with diligent, truthful reporting. In 37 years we have gone from that to TMZ, the paparazzi, blogs and unsubstantiated innuendo?? Pathetic in my opinion... Enough is enough..."
John, the only question I have, is don't these "journalists" give the public exactly what they want? If there wasn't a market to peddle their wares, they wouldn't exist.
And to my Top 5 subscribers, if you want to read some truly great journalism passed along from subscriber Dan F. check out the GQ article on concussions and the NFL from earlier this fall. Here's the link.
4. The Good Old Days
Maybe that means before computers. In the last couple of days two NBA players have been fined for tweeting during games. Uh, don't they have something else they should be thinking about? And Grady Sizemore of the Cleveland Indians is lawyering up after somebody stole suggestive pictures of him from his girlfriend's email and posted them on the Internet. Other than the ability to receive Len's Top 5, the Internet is "the devil's workshop!"
5. Organization of the Month
As we start December, November was a helluva month for PETA. First they chastised an NBA player for swatting a bat that was flying around the basketball court, and now they want the University of Georgia to replace their live bulldog mascot with either a robot or a costumed character. Can't wait to hear what they have in store this month. By the way one of my favorite Spanning the World moments was when an opposition player scored a touchdown and the Georgia Bulldog ran over and bit the guy in the end zone. You never heard a peep from the People For The Ethical Treatment of Running Backs.
Happy Birthday: Miracle '69 Mets third baseman Wayne Garrett. 62. Did I mention that the Miracle Mets are featured in my new kids book The Greatest Moments in Sports?
Bonus Birthdays: A couple of talented actresses were born on the same day, same year. Daryl Hannah and Julianne Moore. 49.
Today in Sports: Baseball lowers the pitcher's mound by 5 inches to help the offense. Why didn't they just give all the hitters steroids? 1968.
Bonus Event: Plop plop fizz fizz oh what a relief it is. Alka Seltzer goes on sale. 1931.