Happy New Year everyone, here's my Top 5 for January 3, 2012 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- The Rangers beat Philadelphia outdoors in Philly 3-2 in the 5th Winter Classic.
- The firing line: The St. Louis Rams fired coach Steve Spagnuolo, Tampa Bay fired coach Raheem Morris.
- The Indianapolis Colts have fired the Polians: Vice chairman Bill and his son Chris the general manager.
- Oregon wins its first Rose Bowl in 95 years beating Wisconsin 45-38.
- Oklahoma State beat Andrew Luck and Stanford 41-38 in overtime in the Fiesta Bowl.
2. O Captain! My Captain!
So if you're a captain on an NFL team making huge bucks, what do you do when the going gets tough? Right, you quit on your team. That's what Santonio Holmes did on the Jets. He didn't catch any passes in Miami so he bitched about it in the huddle and was shown the bench. So he just sat there mute when the Jets scored a touchdown. Even in 2012 it's supposed to be about team isn't it? The Jets have only one choice. The bench wasn't enough, they need to show him the door. But they owe him a ton of money so surprise, he'll be back next season. However in the future, the Jets won't have captains acting like spoiled kids. Coach Rex Ryan says next season there will be no captains. Problem solved.
3. Resolved
I really didn't make any New Year's resolutions concerning the Top 5. Actually here's one, "Try not to mention A-Rod as much." So here goes, I'm not going to point out that he went to Germany for some highly suspect treatment on his knee. On top of that, we still don't know what he was doing with that Canadian doctor Anthony Galea, not to mention the Yankees are on the hook for six more years of A-Rod aging before our eyes. Boy that 2017 season should be a barrel of fun.
And I'm also not going to mention that A-Rod went to Cabo before Christmas with a former Playboy Playmate. Then I'd have to write that Derek Jeter was back with his old girlfriend Minka Kelly in Paris, LeBron James got engaged to his high school sweetheart and the mother of his two kids, and Michael Jordan also got engaged to a model. And I was going to point out that Dennis Rodman is launching a topless basketball team for a New York strip club but what do you think this is, Page Six?
4. The Sky is Falling
I've seen sports events delayed for all sorts of reasons from blackouts to lightning, but this is a first. A falling camera. ESPN's overhead camera, which is held by a wire, came crashing to the field just missing the Iowa huddle during the Insight Bowl. There was a three-minute "fallen camera" delay. I don't even want to think about the litigation if somebody had gotten hurt.
5. The Evil Empire
So who should show up for the funeral for our "Dear Leader" in North Korea? Right, a kid wearing a Yankees hat. (You have to go to the 5:04 mark in the video.) Remember, one of the rebels who captured and killed Muammar Gaddafi in Libya was also wearing a Yankees cap. I'm thinking if the two historic sports events listed below had never happened the world would be festooned in Red Sox stuff.
Happy Birthday: Giants quarterback Eli Manning. 31.
Bonus Birthday: The Golden Jet. Chicago Blackhawks great Bobby Hull. 73.
Today in Sports: One of the greatest deals in sports history. A group headed by George Steinbrenner buys the New York Yankees from CBS for $10 million. 1973.
Bonus Event: One of the greatest deals in sports history. The Yankees purchase Babe Ruth from the Red Sox for $125,000. 1920.