Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for January 6, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* The baseball Hall of Fame will announce today if there are new members.
* Free agent slugging outfielder Matt Holliday reups with St. Louis.
* The Big Unit, Randy Johnson, retires at the age of 46. He won 5 Cy Young awards.
* The Washington Redskins waste no time and hire Mike Shanahan as their coach.
* It was the coldest Orange Bowl in history. 49 degrees at kickoff. Iowa beat Georgia tech 24-14.
2. You go Al!
If you think Rev. Al Sharpton just knee jerks a defense of blacks, think again. Sharpton is urging the NBA and black leaders to end the "culture of violence being perpetuated in professional sports." He thinks the NBA should get tough with Washington's Gilbert Arenas for having guns in his locker. He also took his "shots" at Plaxico Burress. I've often said that if I were fighting injustice, I'd want Al Sharpton, despite some of his famous missteps, as an advocate. He is right on the money on this one.
3. Head-Case
It's mind-numbing. The doctor who has long denied any link between football and dementia continues his tired song. Dr. Ira Casson told a House committee that there still isn't enough scientific evidence to prove that repeated head injuries result in long term brain damage. Is this guy kidding? Even the NFL got its head out of the sand and finally admitted that "banging your head against a wall repeatedly, ain't good." It's time for Dr. Casson to "hang 'em up."
4. Hall of Fame
Today's the day they'll announce the results of sportswriter balloting for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Some very good names are being floated. Andre Dawson, Bert Blyleven, Roberto Alomar, and Barry Larkin. As I've said repeatedly, if you want the Hall of Fame to be comprised of "very good players," then these are all worthy. If you want "all time greats" in your Hall, then it's a different story. Many consider Roberto Alomar to be Hall-worthy. And I wouldn't have a problem with Dawson making it. He was a feared hitter for a couple of decades. A rifle arm in right. He won the rookie of the year and MVP awards. And in 1987, with the Cubs, he led the league with 49 homers and 137 RBI's. The doors of Cooperstown just may fly open today for "The Hawk," Andre Dawson.
5. And Now a Word from our Sponsor
Here's what sports has come to. When they demolish the Dallas Cowboys old stadium, the dismantling will be sponsored. Kraft Foods bought the rights from the city of Irving Texas, and they're calling it a "Cheddar Explosion."
If the city of Irving had a sense of humor, they would have sold the rights to Kaopectate.
Happy Birthday: A couple of golfers. Nancy Lopez, 53. And Paul Azinger, 50.
Bonus Birthday: Joan of Arc was born on this date in 1412.
Today in Sports: Ice skater Nancy Kerrigan gets clubbed in the leg. The attack is tied to her rival Tonya Harding. 1994.
Bonus Event: George and Martha Washington tie the knot. (I'm guessing he never lied to her. Then again, he wasn't a golfer....oh stop.) 1759.