Happy Tuesday, here's my Top 5 for January 5, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* This just in, the Giants finally register a sack... defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan is fired.
* The Washington Redskins fired coach Jim Zorn. Former Denver coach Mike Shanahan immediately arrived in town for an interview.
* Casey Johnson, the 30 year old daughter of Jets owner Woody Johnson, was found dead in L.A.
* In a battle of undefeated teams, Boise State beat TCU 17-10 in the Fiesta Bowl.
* It's the Orange Bowl tonight. Iowa (10-2) vs. Georgia Tech (11-2).
* The Red Sox have their third baseman, former Seattle Mariner Adrian Beltre.
* The Mets will introduce their new left fielder, Jason Bay, today at Citi Field.
* Troubled former NBA player Jayson Williams suffered minor injuries when his SUV struck a tree on the FDR Drive in Manhattan. Drinking is suspected. He will be retried this year for the killing of his limo driver in 2002.
2. Words to Live By
Former Jets coach Herm Edwards gave great news conferences. One of his classic lines was "Hello!... you play to win the game." Sounds easy. Now the NFL will look into whether teams should rest players before the playoffs. Indianapolis Colts fans were livid because their team didn't try to beat the Jets, thus suffering their first loss of the season. Some fans wanted their money back. That's not a bad idea. If teams aren't going to try to win, why should fans pay good money to watch their team tank? So it really all comes down to money. "Hello!"
3. Eating Crow
Admit it Jet fans, you just expected your team to lose Sunday night and then you'd say "same old Jets!" That wonderful feeling of impending doom even made it to the Op-ed pages of the New York Times. Bob Herbert wrote on Saturday:
the insidious aspect is that time and again the Jets rise from the ashes of their awfulness, just enough to offer the hope that something wonderful is about to happen. And then fans get all pumped and crazy, and then the roof caves in.
Sorry Bob, not yet. And the truth is they are not expected to win in the post season, so this is all gravy. Imagine that, Jet fans!
4. Social Media
So how do you think Babe Ruth would have fared in this modern media world? Would he have a twitter account? Would TMZ "out him" for all his indulgences? Check out my post on Mashable, The Social Media Guide. There are some great reasons why athletes today can take advantage of social media. And there are some serious risks. See what you think. Here's the link.
5. Flip Flop
It's early in the year, but we've found our winner for the 2010 Brett "I'm changing my mind" Favre award. She is Australian track star Jana Rawlinson. First she had breast implants, but then had them removed because they got in the way of her running. She says she can always put them back in when her track career is over. But what really clinched the award is that she's planning to marry her husband... just as soon as her divorce from him is final. Honest.
Happy Birthday: Old #00. Former Oakland Raiders center Jim Otto, who played in 308 consecutive games. 72.
Bonus Birthday: Annie Hall. Actress Diane Keaton. 64.
Today in Sports: Let the curse begin. The Red Sox sell Babe Ruth to the Yankees. 1920.
Bonus Event: Construction begins on the Golden Gate Bridge. It would open 4 years later. 1933.