Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for May 8, 2013 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- All tied up: The Knicks and Pacers and the Thunder and Grizzlies are tied 1-1.
- Phil Jackson tells the Brooklyn Nets he's not interested in their coaching vacancy.
- NHL Playoffs: What seedings? Vancouver, #3, is swept in four games by #6 San Jose. Ottawa, #7, leads #2 Montreal 3-1, while the #8 Islanders and #1 Pittsburgh are tied at two.
- Toronto pitcher J.A. Happ was carried off the field on a stretcher and hospitalized overnight after being hit in the head by a line drive off the bat of Tampa Bay's Desmond Jennings.
- What did Mets pitcher Matt Harvey get for his near perfect nine-inning performance against the White Sox? (Just an infield hit in the seventh, the only White Sox baserunner). A no decision. 1-0 Mets in 10 innings.
- Big soccer news, 71-year-old Sir Alex Ferguson will retire after 26 years as manager of Manchester United.
2. Icing
Dodgers Stadium will host an outdoor NHL game next January 25th at 7 p.m. It'll be a local squabble between the Kings and Ducks. Which of course sent me scurrying to weather.com. The average high temp in L.A. in January is 68 with the average low of 48. Then again the record January high for L.A. is 95. In the press release the Dodgers mention that the Kings played the New York Rangers outdoors at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in 1991 with the temperature in the mid-80s. Turns out the weather wasn't a factor, but a swarm of grasshoppers on the ice was. And despite the fact that it was an exhibition game a fight broke out. Hey, it was Caesars Palace.
3. The Mick
With the story that a Mickey Mantle bat that might been corked is going up for auction, we turn to Top 5 subscriber Marty Appel. Before becoming the public relations man for the New York Yankees he handled Mickey's fan mail. Marty wrote the book Pinstripe Empire. His take on the Mantle "corked bat: "In my opinion, while this may be a Mantle Louisville Slugger and may have been used by him (as opposed to a store bought Mantle bat which was available for years) it cannot be proven that this was used in a game. Mantle's 18 years of respecting the game needs to count for something here. He never did anything on the field to suggest he was capable of cheating. It is my hunch, but only a hunch, that this may have been used (by him, or someone else) in batting practice, as a goof. His reputation for honesty and fair play must count in the consideration."
4. Etiquette
So what's proper etiquette if the engagement gets called off? Does the fiancee have to give back the ring? Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams gave his beloved a 10-carat $785-thousand engagement ring. He also gave her $300-thousand of other stuff. When she dumped him he went to court asking for the ring and his money back. In court papers he claims "Defendant never intended to marry plaintiff and used the relationship as a means to get to plaintiff's money and acquire gifts." And that's illegal why?
5. Video of the Day
Today's hero is Matt Kemp of the Dodgers. After making the last out at AT&T Park Sunday night against the Giants, he met a terminally ill 19-year-old Dodgers fan named Joshua Jones. Instead of giving Joshua a quick hello on the way to the showers, he gave him a signed ball, his jersey, his cap and his shoes. The best part is that Kemp didn't know anyone was watching let alone taping it on the cell phone. Way to go Matt!
Happy Birthday: Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. 31.
Bonus Birthday: Hey you hockey puck, the great Don Rickles is 87 today.
Today in Sports: The Knicks win their first NBA title over the Lakers (The "Willis Reed" game.) 1970.
Bonus Event: Ruff ruff! The first Westminster Dog Show was held. 1877.
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