Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for March 28, 2012 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- Magic Johnson is part of a group buying the Dodgers for a record $2 billion.
- Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain says he expects to be back this season from an ankle injury he suffered in a trampoline accident.
- Jets owner Woody Johnson says "Mark Sanchez is our starting quarterback, period!" There you have it.
- The Giants opening night opponent on Wednesday, September 5 will be the Dallas Cowboys.
- U-Conn and Notre Dame advance to the NCAA Women's Final Four meaning all four #1 seeds made it through.
2. Showtime
It's nice to see Magic Johnson bring his megawatt smile to the Los Angeles Dodgers. One of sports' storied franchises has fallen on hard times. Any organization has got to be better with Magic hanging around. I could mention that if you spend all that cash, is there anything left for payroll, but why be a party pooper?
3. Opening Morning
The Major League baseball season began this morning in Japan with the Mariners beating the A's 3-1 in 11 innings. Sports leagues love to do this stuff. They want to spread their brand. Increase the value of overseas TV rights, sell more caps and shirts. Ka-ching. I'm sure they're mildly excited about the games in Japan. But what about the home teams? Sure the A's and Mariners get their "openers" if they wait their turn, but the games are starting at 3 a.m. West Coast time. Fans can join the opening day fun In America by pulling an all-nighter. Time was the baseball season opened with one game in Cincinnati and a quaint parade through town. Boy has that ship sailed.
4 The Sanchise
Now that Tim Tebow has blown into town, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez says he's not worried about losing his job. Really? What happens when the entire stadium starts chanting "Tee-Bow," when invariably Sanchez has an off game? Wouldn't that shake anyone's confidence? If Sanchez can survive that then he really does have the stones to be the leader of the Jets.
5. Honus to Goodness
A Texas man could fetch as much as $1.5 million for his 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card. Five years ago, a Wagner card sold at auction for $2.8 million. You know the "story." Wagner didn't want to associate himself with smoking, so he demanded the tobacco company stop producing his card. I'm guessing that's fiction. That Wagner wanted to be paid for the use of his picture. Much like the candy company that produced Baby Ruth candy bars claiming the name had nothing to do with Babe Ruth. That way they wouldn't have to pay the Babe. Some things never change.
Happy Birthday: Retired NHL defenseman for Edmonton (three Stanley Cups) and the Rangers (one Stanley Cup) Jeff Beukeboom. 47.
Bonus Birthday: Lady Gaga. 26.
Today in Sports: CCNY beats Bradley 71-68 becoming the only team to win the NIT and NCAA Championship in the same year. 1950.
Bonus Event: Damn, we all had such high hopes. Julia Roberts and Lyle Lovett call it quits. 1995.
"Spanning the World" airs on NBC's Today Show tomorrow morning during the 8:30 a.m. half hour.
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