Happy Tuesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for August 21, 2012 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- For the first time in history, Augusta National admits two women members.
- At the rain-delayed Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, Sergio Garcia claims his first tour victory in four years.
- The Giants beat the Dodgers 2-1 and jump back into first place.
- 50-year-old Roger Clemens will pitch for the Sugar Land Skeeters starting Saturday night, an independent minor league team near Houston.
2. There Goes the Neighborhood
Talk about a tape delay. Augusta National does the right thing... eventually. It only took 'em nine years after Martha Burk's famous protest, and nearly five months after this year's brouhaha, and 32 years after admitting black men, but Augusta now has women. Two whole women. Former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, and South Carolina businesswoman Darla Moore. Augusta chairman Billy Payne called yesterday's action "a joyous occasion." Really? Two token women out of 300 members? Does this really make everyone all warm and fuzzy about this formerly famous boys club?
3. The Hit Machine
Derek Jeter has his critics. There are those who say he's a product of the New York media, and benefits greatly from being surrounded by all-stars in the lineup. Then again at age 38 he's leading the majors in hits, and last night he tied Eddie Murray for 11th on the all-time hits list with 3,225. And by the end of this season he could surpass Willie Mays in 10th place. Perhaps this will stifle the critics?
4. The Silent Minority
I've always wondered how many sports fans are out there? That's the reason the Top 5 was formed. It's a way for the casual or non-sports fan to join the conversation. I always maintained that the non-sports fan is in the majority. He just keeps quiet because he's intimidated by all those ESPNs, all sports radio stations and tabloids, which often place sports on the front and back pages. So I found yesterday's tweet from ESPN sports/business maven Darren Rovell enlightening. He tweeted that "33.2 percent of Americans (84.4 million) call themselves avid sports fans, which is the highest percent recorded by ESPN Sports Poll." What is also says it that 2/3 of Americans are not avid sports fans. So it plays into my theory. Hey, when the Super Bowl does a 40-rating that means 60 percent of TV sets are doing something else.
5. Mid-Season Form
The preseason gets you ready for prime time. A chance to work on those end zone moves. When Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown scored on a 57-yard pass play the other night, he did a forward flip in mid-air into the end zone. He wasn't hurt. Unlike Giants rookie defensive back Jayron Hosley who returned a 77-yard interception against the Jets. As he reached the goal line he high-stepped into the end zone and that's where he may have suffered a turf toe injury. Enough already. Jacksonville coach Mike Mularkey has the right idea. For every Jaguar who scores a touchdown and simply hands the ball to the ref, he'll donate $250 to Ronald McDonald House, and the Jags will match it. This could be catching.
Happy Birthday: The fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt. 26.
Bonus Birthday: Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall. 56.
Today in Sports: Tiger Woods wins the PGA, his third major win of the year. 2000.
Bonus Event: And now there are 50. Hawaii joins the Union. 1959.
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