Top 5 Sports Stories

Happy Tuesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for June 1, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.

1. Quick Hits

* The NBA Finals between the Celtics and Lakers (yet again) start Thursday in L.A.
* Chicago leads Philadelphia 2 games to 0 in the Stanley Cup Finals.
* Dario Franchitti (Mr. Ashley Judd) won his 2nd Indy 500. Danica Patrick finished 6th.
* Serena Williams is the only American left standing at the French Open, man or woman.
* Duke wins its first lacrosse title scoring just 5 seconds into sudden death to beat Notre Dame.
* In case you missed it, the 20th perfect game in major league history was thrown Saturday night in Florida by Roy Halladay of the Phillies.

2. Tuesday Tidbits

* Why is it not surprising that when something unusual happens with the Yankees, A-Rod is somehow involved? Thank goodness it wasn't serious when Indians pitcher David Huff got carried off on a stretcher after taking an Alex Rodriguez line drive off his head. A-Rod later phoned Huff who called Rodriguez a "class act."

* Why is it not surprising that a Kentucky basketball player is being investigated? Coach John Calipari has left a wake of corruption wherever he's been. U-Mass and Memphis.

*Why is it not surprising that when trouble surfaces at U-Conn, a couple of assistant basketball coaches walk the plank? If somebody is taking responsibility, why isn't it the head coach?

*Why is it not surprising that the Florida Marlins are selling, at face value, unused tickets to a game that was already played? Roy Halladay's perfect game. I guess fans should count their lucky stars that they don't also have to pay for personal seat licenses, parking, and exorbitant concessions.

3. The Joy of Victory...

The agony of da feet. It happened over the weekend. Kendry Morales of the Angels hit a game winning homer, and nowadays the hero jumps on home plate and gets pounded by his teammates. When Morales landed on the plate he broke his ankle. He could be lost for the season. Angels manager Mike Scioscia called it "an accident waiting to happen." Shades of Arizona kicker Bill Gramatica in 2001. After nailing a field goal against the Giants he jumped for joy, but he came down awkwardly and tore up his knee. Here's the kicker, so to speak. His field goal didn't even win the game. It gave the Cardinals a 3-0 first quarter lead! Incidentally, the very next game after the Morales injury, the Angels hit another game winning homer. This time, no jumping.

4. June is Busting Out All Over

As we begin June, I can't help but ponder the sports calendar. They've played 2 games for the Stanley Cup, and the NBA Finals have yet to begin. Going back a short 50 years, the 1960 Boston Celtics clinched the NBA title on April 9th. Five days later the Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup. Nowadays, we have two whole extra months of basketball and hockey. But is more better? The '60 Celtics featured Bob Cousy, Bill Russell and the Jones Boys. The '60 Canadiens starred Jean Beliveau, Boom Boom Geoffrion, and Maurice "The Rocket" Richard. You be the judge.

5. June is Busting Out All Over II

Longtime readers of the Top 5 well remember Simona Halep. She's the Romanian tennis player who despite petitions from her fans (we're assuming male) underwent breast reduction surgery because her considerable assets were not an asset in tennis. She returned to the French Open last week as a new and slimmer version, but is she new and improved?
You can check out the before and after pictures at www.ThatsSports.com.
In 2008 she won the Junior Championships at the French Open. This year she entered the main draw, and got bounced in the first round. A graphic argument that less isn't necessarily more.


Happy Birthday: Winner of 7 Grand Slam tennis tournaments, Justine Henin. 28.
Bonus Birthday: Marilyn Monroe would have been 84 today.

Today in Sports: Lou Gehrig pinch hits, beginning a streak of playing in 2,130 consecutive games. 1925.
Bonus Event: It's a bird...it's a plane, it's the first superhero. Superman shows up in a comic book. 1938.