Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for May 19, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* The Washington Wizards win the #1 pick in the NBA draft lottery. Despite having the worst record in the league, the Nets will draft 3rd.
* NBA and NHL playoffs. Big two nothing leads now for the Celtics, Flyers and Blackhawks.
* Canadian doctor Anthony Galea has been charged in Buffalo with supplying unapproved drugs, including HGH, to NFL players. No names. The same doctor treated Tiger Woods and Alex Rodriguez.
2. The Lottery
The NBA draft lottery is aptly named. It's pot luck, both before and after. When the Knicks won the Patrick Ewing sweepstakes in 1985, Knick fans thought "championships, here we come." Never happened. Five years later, the Nets "won" Derrick Coleman. His best contribution to the Nets? His quote, "whoop-de-damn-do" when asked about a team crisis. Occasionally a champion surfaces with the top pick. That would be Shaq or Tim Duncan. But most of the time? It's a crap shoot. Lust like a lottery.
3. Just Another Night at the Ballpark
Is every Yankees/Red Sox game a Greek tragedy? Where to begin. Lets make the fans sit through a rain delay and slop and play a 4-hour game that ends early Wednesday morning. Along the way the Yankees protest the game over a Red Sox pitching change, former darling Joba Chamberlain gets booed at home, and Mariano Rivera gives up the big hit and gets tagged with the loss. In addition the Yankees play shoddy defense, blow a 5-1 lead, and with their humongous payroll and the game on the line, all they have to send up to hit are Juan Miranda and Randy Winn. Yup. Just another Yankees/Red Sox game. Rest up people. The two teams don't meet again until August 6th.
4. Have a Seat
Here's a concept. Florida's star shortstop Hanley Ramirez was benched for not hustling after a ball in the field. Here's the play. Shades of Reggie Jackson and Billy Martin at Fenway Park in 1977. Kudos to Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez. As for Ramirez, he ripped his manager. What a guy. By the way, if all managers benched the slackers, such as the home run admirers, there would be plenty of room on a major league roster for you and me.
5. Scoring
We're a month away from the start of the World Cup soccer tournament in South Africa. They polled English fans and asked what they would be willing to give to see England win the World Cup for the first time since 1966. A third said they would do the housework for a year. I'm assuming they asked men. 12% said they would give up sex for a year. Again, the assumption is men were asked. And a majority, 51% would turn down sex with Cheryl Cole. According to Wikipedia, Cheryl Cole is an English singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, model, and television personality. Here's what she looks like. Again, I'm assuming they asked men...but hey....
Happy Birthday: Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett. 34.
Bonus Birthday: Pete Townshend of The Who. 65.
Today in Sports: Somebody call Mark Twain. The first frog jumping contest is held in Calaveras County, California. 1928.
Bonus Event: A proud moment for all of us who live on Long Island. Amy Fisher shoots Mary Jo Buttafuoco. 1992.