TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for February 26, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* Canada beat the U.S. for the gold in women's hockey 2-0. After the game, the Canadian women returned to the ice drinking champagne and beer and smoking cigars. Some Olympic poobahs went "tsk tsk."
* The men's hockey semis are today. We could be heading for a U.S. - Canada showdown on Sunday.
* The country of South Korea can now exhale. Kim Yu-na won the gold in women's figs. The U.S. got shutout of a medal for the first time since 1952.
2.The Rites of Spring
Alex Rodriguez held a boring news conference yesterday in Tampa. What a difference a year makes. Last year he took the walk of shame with steroids. In fact, Yankee spring trainings have been replete with controversy. A-Rod stating that he and Derek Jeter weren't the best of friends. Jason Giambi somehow claiming he wasn't juicing. Andy Pettitte fessing up to HGH. This year? Boring as hell. That's what winning does. Kind of takes away all the fun for reporters, doesn't it?
3. The Value of Teamwork
When the Knicks gathered the other night to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their first NBA championship, it again made you wonder why the older players seemed much more fundamentally sound. Top 5 subscriber Stuart L. sent along what Willis Reed once told him. Willis said in his day there were no entourages, and no private rooms in hotels. Players didn't hang around with their posses, and didn't hide in their rooms. Older players roomed with younger ones. Players hung with each other. You had to develop a sense of "team."
Good stuff. And it probably explains a lot...once you get past all the money
4. Friday eMailbag
Subscriber L.N. is a conspiracy theorist. He writes, "Maybe Tiger is not playing golf because he is 'suspended.' Many think Michael Jordan was suspended for gambling when he retired and played baseball."
Editor's Note. Sounds like a long shot.
As for new Olympic sports, R.F. thinks Snow Angel making might be good. "It'll be as popular as synchronized swimming."
And R. B. believes ice fishing might be a good Winter Olympics sport. "I can hear the announcers now. It was no 'fluke' that he won the Gold Medal."
As for pole dancing being suggested as an Olympic sport, one reader commented at ThatsSports.com, "Costumes for Olympic Pole Dancing could come from whoever is designing the men's ice skating outfits!"
Editor's Note: This is a sports site, not Project Runway.
And E.G. wonders, "would the price of tickets include a two-drink minimum?"
And when I joked that a bar mitzvah scheduled for Yankee Stadium had been moved to accommodate a boxing match, but the bris remained intact, R.K. wrote "gives to meaning in boxing to cut man." And A.T. emailed, "that boxing bris comment hit below the belt."
Editor's Note: You just can't beat good crotch humor.
5. Heads Up
And we close out the week with the best line. It comes from Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times. The Milwaukee Brewers announced that they'll unveil a statue of Bud Selig at their ballpark August 24th. Perry wrote, "Pigeons and catchers report Aug. 23."
Have a great weekend everyone!
Happy Birthday: Former NFL running back and Super Bowl champ Marshall Faulk. 37.
Bonus Birthday: "To the moon Alice!" The Great One, Jackie Gleason was born on this date 1916.
Today in Sports: Say it ain't so. The Yankees release the Babe. 1935.
Bonus Event: Let the beeping begin. New York City installs traffic lights. 1930.