TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for March 25, 2011 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* The defending champs are out. Duke is beaten in the Sweet 16 by Arizona 93-77.
* U-Conn, Florida and Butler also advance.
* Tonight's games. All times Eastern
7:15 - Marquette/North Carolina - CBS
7:27 - Richmond/Kansas - TBS
9:45 - Kentucky/Ohio State - CBS
9:57 - VCU/Florida St. - TBS
* Spencer Levin shot a 6-under 66 to lead the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Phil Mickelson is 4 back, Tiger Woods is 7 shots behind.
* There's a report that NFL owners want HGH testing in the new contract. Good for them.
* The World Figure Skating Championships will be held late next month in Moscow. They had been scheduled for Tokyo before the Japan disasters.
2. Buck-Aroo
Orioles manager Buck Showalter has taken shots at the Red Sox and Yankees in an upcoming Men's Journal article. On Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein, Buck quips, "I'd like to see how smart Theo Epstein is with the Tampa Bay payroll." And he ripped Derek Jeter for his acting at the plate. "He's always jumping back from balls just off the plate. I know how many calls that team gets - and yes, he (ticks) me off."
You go Buck. You have to love what he's done with the Orioles, and this will just pump them up some more (not to mention the Yankees and Red Sox.) Showalter has always been fired just before his teams have reached the promised land in New York, Arizona and Texas. Here's hoping the fourth time is the charm for the straight-shooting Buck.
3. Noisemakers
So the word is a TV commercial that Serena Williams made for a video game is "too hot to handle." Check it out. The company itself reportedly rejected it. It must have been all that grunting that women tennis players are famous for... on the court.
4. Friday eMailbag
D.L. took issue with Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig claiming baseball "has never been near this popular." On Facebook at "Len Berman's Top 5," he wrote, "If so, then he needs to explain why the TV ratings were bad for the 2010 All-Star game & there are empty seats at a lot of games."
And K.V. wrote on Facebook, "Please remember, this commissioner was a used car dealer when he owned the Milwaukee Brewers, what should THAT tell you?"
Subscriber R.B. makes a good point. "I don't understand how the NFL changes the kickoff rule when they're in the midst of this lockout. Don't they have more important stuff to talk about?"
As for the city of Richmond having two teams in the Sweet 16 (Richmond and VCU) J.L. wrote on Faceboook, "Yes, Santa Claus, there is a Virginia!"
5. Spanning The World
This week's Spanning the World highlight comes from a Euroleague basketball game in Spain. In any language it's a hoot.
I'm pretty sure Unicaja Malaga beat Real Madrid, but does it really matter?
Happy Birthday: Former Met and Yankee Lee Mazzilli. 56.
Bonus Birthday: Sir Elton John. 64.
Today in Sports: Quaker Oats pays Babe Ruth a hefty $25000 for ads. 1935.
Bonus Event: Let's create a city with no streets. And let's call it Venice. 421.
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