Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for March 13, 2013 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- Hack-a-Howard doesn't quite work. Dwight Howard returned to Orlando with the Lakers and the Magic fouled him repeatedly. No problem. He hit 16 of 20 in the second half and scored a season-high 39 points as the Lakers won 106-97.
- It's now 19 straight wins for the Miami Heat.
- Pittsburgh wide receiver Mike Wallace jumps to Miami. Veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez will return for another season in Atlanta.
- The Buffalo Bills dumped quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. He signed a six-year $59 million deal in 2011. Another example of why you should ignore eye-popping contract announcements. Only $24 million was guaranteed. His job wasn't.
- Notre Dame will leave the Big East earlier than expected, this summer, and join the ACC.
2. In the Blink of an Eye
Remember two years ago when the Philadelphia Eagles signed cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha? Big splashy headlines, five years, $60 million (Less than half guaranteed). The Philadelphia Eagles boasted of assembling a "Dream Team." That "Dream Team" went 12-20 during Asomugha's tenure. Reports surfaced that he sat in his car and ate lunch alone rather than dine with his teammates at practice. Yesterday the Eagles released him. Bottom line: don't wish too hard for off-season free agents. They can turn teams into nightmares.
3. Candid Camera
Here's a fun video for your viewing pleasure. What happens when a top NASCAR driver, like Jeff Gordon, takes an unsuspecting car dealer for a test drive? Exactly what you'd think. Enjoy.
4. Pecking Order
I asked on Facebook at "Len Berman's Top 5" "On your list of all-time great Yankees is this how it goes? 1) Ruth 2) Gehrig 3) DiMaggio 4) Mantle 5) Rivera. But if so, where do Yogi and Jeter fit in?
*J.C. Yogi must be there before Rivera and Jeter. The man has 10 rings for goodness sake.
*N.H. Jeter not in top 5? Only history will tell. I'd like to see this list 50 years from now.
W.C. 10 rings as a player and two more as a coach... its Yogi! How many quotes do you remember from Derek Jeter?
5. Morning Line Favorite
The upcoming NCAA basketball tournament may be as wide open as ever, but we've identified the early favorite among Top 5 subscribers. That would be Indiana. Of the first batch of contest entries (see below), the Hoosiers stand out. Multiple subscribers like them facing Duke or Georgetown in the final. Of course Duke isn't surprising. Fans love to pick them in the tournament. Keep 'em coming.
Happy Birthday: Mets pitcher Johan Santana. 34.
Bonus Birthday: They Say That Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: Neil Sedaka (and as I continue my week of name-dropping, I've met him too.) 74.
Today in Sports: Bobby Thomson of the Milwaukee Braves breaks his ankle in a spring training game. It opens a slot for a kid named Hank Aaron. 1954.
Bonus Event: The school was initially known as "New College," but it got renamed Harvard in honor of an English clergyman named John Harvard who donated a bunch of books. 1639.
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