Happy Tuesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for March 2, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* Alex Rodriguez will be interviewed by the FBI concerning a Canadian doctor who also treated Tiger Woods. The doctor is being investigated for drug violations.
* Spring training baseball games begin today. There is one game scheduled between Major League teams. The Mets host the Braves.
* That didn't take long. The NHL season resumed last night with Detroit beating Colorado 3-2.
* No country for old running backs. 31-year old Thomas Jones of the Jets is the latest to receive his walking papers.
* LeBron James told a Cleveland paper that he has filed paperwork to change his number from 23 to 6 next season. Discuss among yourselves.
* New Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan showed up at practice yesterday and promptly lost two games of H-O-R-S-E to Gerald Henderson. Jordan did hit a free throw with his eyes closed.
2. Rave Reviews
The ratings went through the roof for the U.S. Canada hockey game. A whopping 17.6 in the U.S. Despite airing in the afternoon, it surpassed every World Series game since 2004. In Canada, it was the highest rated TV show of any kind all time! Top 5 subscriber Lucinda H. emailed, "I was driving to Cape Cod listening to the game on the radio. At one point I looked down at my speedometer and I was doing 85! This is what sports is all about! It was the best ride to the Cape I've had in years!"
Every so often an event comes along that reminds us why we love sports so much. Sunday's hockey game was one of those moments.
3. The Other Shoe Drops
Well they are not basking in Olympic afterglow in Russia. Seems their team was a flop and the big wigs aren't happy. President Dmitry Medvedev has demanded that Russian Olympic officials step down in disgrace. And if they don't resign then the decision "will be made for them." Ooh. On the bright side, the next Siberian Games should be a lot more competitive.
4. Not So Super
Okay, I'm a native New Yorker. Yes, I think New York is the capital of the universe. No, I don't think we need to host the Super Bowl in 2014. There are those who believe it's going to happen now that Arizona has bowed out. But do fans really need to spend a grand for a ticket and then freeze their buns off? Hey, we're New York. The fashion, financial, advertising, media... you name it... center of the world. We don't need a Super Bowl to validate our sports existence. At least, not until we can figure out a way to bring pro basketball back to the New York area.
5. Tusk Tusk
They hired an elephant in India for a wedding ceremony. But the elephant went on a rampage trying to reach a female elephant. At one point he crushed 20 limos and even tried to mate with a truck. The elephant is expected to check himself into a sex addiction rehab clinic, prior of course, to an appearance on Oprah.
Happy Birthday: Saints Super Bowl champion running back Reggie Bush. 25.
Bonus Birthday: Musician Jon Bon Jovi. 48.
Today in Sports: Wilt Chamberlain scores 100 points in a game against the Knicks, featured in my kids book (with audio) "The Greatest Moments in Sports." 1962.
Bonus Event: The Babe signs a 3-year contract making him the highest paid player in baseball. $70-thousand a year. 1927.