Happy Tuesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for May 11, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* The Lakers and Orlando complete 4 game sweeps of their NBA playoff series.
* Montreal forces a 7th game against Pittsburgh in the NHL playoffs.
* Before beating the Yankees, the Detroit Tigers honor their late great announcer Ernie Harwell.
* Tiger Woods' swing coach, Hank Haney, resigns. A whole bunch of wiseguys respond by saying, "Tiger swings pretty well on his own."
2. The World According To Tiger
So here's some of what Tiger Woods said yesterday. He was asked if his neck injury is related to his mysterious November car accident? He answered "Zero connection." Then he was asked what he plans to change about his swing? His response, "Not hit right and not hit left. I'd also like to make more putts and shoot lower scores."
Thanks Tiger, have a nice day.
3. Goaling for Dollars
So when the World Cup soccer tournament kicks off next month in South Africa, all eyes will be on the home team. The head of the South African Football Association said, "We want our team to play with pride and passion, we want to inspire them." So what did they come up with for inspiration? Making them watch Invictus, the movie about South Africa's win in the 1995 Rugby World Cup? Hoosiers? Nah, they did it the old fashioned way. One million rand ($130-thousand) to be shared by the team for each goal. That's the patriotic $pirit.
4. Yin and Yang
Since we normally can't help but mention all the creeps in sports, I thought I'd give you a "fair and balanced report" for a change. Hats off to 3 Minnesota Twins. Their bat boy, Adam Hanson, is a college senior who plays trumpet in the school's jazz ensemble, and they all showed up for his performance. Said pitcher Kevin Slowey, "Adam does so much for us around here that we don't even ask him to do, and it was something he was excited about and we wanted to be there for him." How cool is that? Then there's Scottish snooker pro John Higgins. First he was caught on camera agreeing to a bribe. Then he placed a call to bookies, and tried to bet on himself to lose. Thanks, John. We wouldn't want to give all athletes a good name.
5. Freudian Slip
When I was a kid they used to put out long playing blooper records. I remember one entry was from a horse race. The horse's name was Harass, and the sportscaster told his audience that the horse had been scratched. So he said, "don't forget to scratch Harass." That passed as a blooper back then. Wonder if the Golf Channel moment would have made the cut? In case you missed it.
We thought Tiger's injury was a bit higher up?
Happy Birthday: Former major league outfielder who "came out" after he retired, Billy Bean. 46.
Bonus Birthday: God Bless America. Songwriter Irving Berlin was born on this date in 1888.
Today in Sports: The Say Hey Kid comes home. The Giants trade 41-year old Willie Mays to the Mets. 1972.
Bonus Event: Peter Stuyvesant arrives in New Amsterdam. If he didn't, God only knows what they would have called my high school. 1647.