TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for June 11, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com
1. Quick Hits
- The Celtics even their NBA Finals series with the Lakers at 2 games apiece after winning last night in Boston, 96-89.
- World Cup soccer begins today in South Africa. U.S.A. vs. England is tomorrow at 2:30 pm Eastern.
- It's parade day in Chicago for the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks.
- Mets Pitcher Jonathon Niese throws a one-hitter against San Diego. It's the 23rd one-hitter in Mets History. Still no no-nos.
- LeBron James has another suitor, the Harlem Globetrotters. They can offer him part-ownership, NBA teams can't. Hey, Wilt Chamberlain was a Globie.
- Will the last team that deserts the Big 12, turn out the lights? Colorado is heading to the Pac-10, Nebraska is supposedly heading to the Big Ten.
Hey, now that USC is being stripped of its 2004 National Championship, if you bet on Oklahoma in the 2005 Orange Bowl, no problem. Just call your bookie and ask for your money back. Tell him I said it's OK.
3. @#$%^^&*!
There's a Brazilian ref for tomorrow's World Cup game between the U.S. and England. He has warned that he brushed up on his English curse words so he knows when he's being abused. Just curious if that includes Pig Latin? Also, just to clarify things, to quote Ellen DeGeneres in the movie Edtv, "is asshole one word or two?"
4. Friday eMailbag
As for Mets pitcher Oliver Perez collecting tons of dough on the disabled list, wink wink, I.L. messaged me at Facebook, "Len Berman's Top 5, "The Mets need a rosterectomy to remove that $36 million troublesome tumor." Editor's Note: Very nice, a rosterectomy. Does that hurt?
Another Mets fan, F.C. has another pitching rhyme for us. "First Takahashi then comes Igarashi. That is when you reach for the sake." Editor's Note: I still like "Spahn and Sain then pray for rain."
When I wrote about the New York Liberty advertising Foxwoods on its jerseys, a competitor of the Connecticut Sun who play at Mohegan Sun, I suggested I was waiting for the Viagra/Cialis showdown. J.B. wrote, "that, my friend, would be some stiff competition."
Editor's Note: You've got a point, so to speak.
5. Spanning the World
Here's my Spanning the World highlight of the week. It's a recent minor league baseball game between Bakersfield and Visalia. I don't think I've ever seen a home run trot result in a brawl and suspensions.
Since everything has a name these days, I just don't know what to call this. A walk off brawl? A brawl off homer?
Have a nice weekend everyone.
Happy Birthday: Joe Cool. Quarterback Joe Montana. 54.
Bonus Birthday: Actor Gene Wilder. 77.
Today in Sports: After returning to golf following a near fatal car accident, Ben Hogan wins the U.S. Open. 1950.
Bonus Event: The movie E.T. makes its debut raking in over $100-million in the first month. 1982.