Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for August 4, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* Maybe 3 times really is a charm. Brett Favre reportedly says he's retiring.
* Reports say Shaquille O'Neal will sign with the Boston Celtics.
* Ya think it'll be a hot ticket? LeBron James and Miami will visit Cleveland December 2nd.
* Ladies and gentlemen, your 2nd place New York Yankees. And if you haven't noticed, 3 great pennant races going on in the National League.
2. Shelf Life
Our attention spans are about a nanosecond. OK, to be fair more like 140 characters. So nobody really reacts when Brett Favre supposedly retires. Been there, done that, way too many times. And nobody will react if he unretires. When I sarcastically wrote "America held hostage" by A-Rod's chase for 600 homers, many of you emailed "who cares?" I guess you'd write the same if I wrote "America held hostage by Albert Haynesworth of the Washington Redskins who doesn't take his conditioning test yet again." So other than our personal lots in life, what do we care about? But you better describe it in a nanosecond.
3. The Turning Tide
Normally, when players hold out, public sentiment is on the side of the owners. "Greedy players" is the cry you most often hear. Not so with Jets cornerback Darelle Revis. Fans seem to sympathize with him as he holds out of training camp. Here's one theory. Ownership is viewed as trying to soak the fans with personal seat licenses and ticket prices. Revis is their revenge.
4. Moneyball
If you matched up the baseball standings yesterday, with payrolls, here's what you found. Of the top 10 payrolls in Major League baseball, 4 of the teams didn't have winning records. Of the bottom 10 payrolls, 4 of the teams didn't have winning records. So exactly what does money buy you in baseball?
5. Y-Ike-s
The minor league Brooklyn Cyclones handed out upside down Ike Davis bobble head dolls the other night.
It commemorates some of the catches the rookie has made hanging over railings in foul territory.
¡ɹǝʌǝןɔ ʎɹǝʌ
Happy Birthday: Former pitcher Roger Clemens. 48.
Bonus Birthday: Actor Billy Bob Thornton. 55.
Today in Sports: A day of milestones. White Sox pitcher Tom Seaver wins his 300th game and Rod Carew of the Angels gets his 3,000th hit. 1985.
Bonus Event: Duck! Yankees outfielder Dave Winfield kills a seagull with a thrown ball. 1983.