Happy Friday the 13th everyone, here's my Top 5 for May 13, 2011 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* Tiger Woods withdraws after just nine holes at the Players Championship.
* Nick Watney shot an eight-under 64 to take a one-shot lead at the Players.
* In the NBA playoffs, Chicago eliminated Atlanta 93-73 in game six. Next up for the Bulls, Miami.
* In the NHL playoffs, San Jose won game seven against Detroit, 3-2. The Red Wings failed to come back from a three games to zero deficit.
* Star of the day, Carlos Beltran of the Mets. He hit three two-run homers in a 9-5 win at Colorado.
2. More Tiger Pause
Tiger Woods limped off the golf course yesterday after shooting an ugly six-over-par 42 through nine holes. He reinjured his surgically repaired knee on his opening drive. So the future of the PGA Tour is more of the same. No Tiger. And that's not a bad thing. He was too much of the focus, and now it's as if he doesn't exist. One man does not a sport make. Life goes on.
3. Nice Do
I'm guessing this is a first. Nathan Van Someren, who plays Australian rules football, was kicked off the field because of his do. The umpire thought his gelled mohawk was dangerous. It turns out the official was wrong. The rule is aimed at jewelry which could poke somebody in the eye, not spiky hair. But next time someone says "sharp haircut," you might pause a moment.
4. Friday eMailbag
Subscriber R.D. mourns the passing of golfing great Seve Ballesteros. "He was a great winner. At the 1980 U.S. Open in Springfield N.J. I got to meet him. What a gentleman. RIP. Tiger could learn from him on being a class act."
D.A. has the reason for the poor showing of Americans in tennis and golf. "The answer is simple: overscheduled kids who are getting getting fat and playing video games."
As for those "illegal" golf balls that go straight, C.P. writes, "Do major-leaguers use aluminum bats? No. But do the kids use them until they grow up and start using the wooden ones? It's the same thing. It can only help to draw interest in the sport."
When his eighth Major League team, the Mariners, dumped the troubled Milton Bradley, I asked, Which team will now hire him and proclaim "he's a changed man?" J.D. answered, "The Jets."
And when I mentioned Yogi Berra's 86th birthday yesterday and asked, "How many people can you name, where the mere mention of his first name makes you smile? R.B. answered, "Santa."
5. Spanning The World
This week's Spanning the World highlight involves Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria. The video shows him saving a reporter.
So is it real? Discuss among yourselves.
Happy Birthday: Hall of Famer Dennis "The Worm" Rodman. 50.
Bonus Birthday: Twilight actor Robert Pattinson. 25.
Today in Sports: My hero, the Mick, hits his 500th homer at Yankee Stadium. 1967.
Bonus Event: Bobby Riggs defeated Margaret Court 6-2, 6-1, which set the stage for the "Battle of the Sexes" with Billie Jean King. 1973.
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