Top 5 Sports Stories

A full field of 20 horses will be in Saturday's Kentucky Derby. The morning line favorite (7-2) is Orb in the 16th post. Goldencents, partially owned by champion Louisville's coach Rick Pitino is 5-1 and well positioned in the eighth post.
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Happy Thursday everyone, here's my Top 5 for May 2, 2013 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.

1. Quick Hits

  • In the NBA Playoffs, Boston and Houston stayed alive. New York, Oklahoma City and Indiana all lead their series three games to two.
  • Portland point guard Damian Lillard was the unanimous choice for NBA Rookie of the Year. Not a surprise since he won Rookie of the Month EVERY month this season.
  • In the NHL, San Jose, Boston and Pittsburgh all won their series openers.
  • A full field of 20 horses will be in Saturday's Kentucky Derby. The morning line favorite (7-2) is Orb in the 16th post. Goldencents, partially owned by champion Louisville's coach Rick Pitino is 5-1 and well positioned in the eighth post.
  • What did you shoot before you were a teenager? 12-year-old Ye Wocheng became the youngest player to compete in a European Tour event. He shot a 7-over 79 in the China Open.
  • The NCAA has banned the use of hashtags (#) on football fields. #bozos


2. Chicago Fire or Smoke?

When sports owners start making threats you have to wonder if they're bluffing. Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts says he needs the revenue from a big video board at Wrigley Field and if he doesn't get permission to install it he may move the team out of Wrigley. Really? What do the Cubs have going for them other than Wrigley Field. Without Wrigley the Cubs are the White Sox. Then again, the White Sox threatened to move to Florida 20 years ago and the state ponied up $200-million for a new stadium. They don't call it the Windy City for nothin'.

3. Double Standard

You might find this column from the New York Daily News thought-provoking. NBA journeyman Jason Collins' coming-out party created major headlines. When the top women's college player, Brittney Griner, came out... crickets. Discuss among yourselves.

4. Chewie

So we've got our winner for ugliest baseball jersey of all-time. The Toledo Mud Hens with wear Chewbacca-styled uniforms for their Star Wars themed games this weekend. Saturday, May 4 will be "May the Fourth be with You" night and Sunday afternoon May 5th will be the "Revenge of the Fifth." Chewbacca himself will be there as will Darth Vader and Princess Leia. Concessions will feature Yoda Soda. After the game there will be fireworks, a costume parade and 3,000 kazoos will be handed out for a post game concert featuring Star Wars music. The Mud Hens may be in last place in the International League West, but they've taken over the league lead when it comes to ballpark promotions.

5. The Top 5

In discussing Jim Brown this week I asked you for your Top 5 athletes of all time. Your answers were quite diverse including such notables as Muhammad Ali, Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, Dave Winfield, Deion Sanders, Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, Pele, Wilt Chamberlain, Willie Mays, Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Secretariat.

I thought the Top 5 was a no-brainer. In no particular order, Jim Brown, Jim Thorpe, Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens and Babe Didrikson.

Neil C. agreed exactly with my five. He's my honorary Top 5 subscriber of the week. As meaningful as winning the "keys to the city."

Larry K. had four of my five, substituting Bo Jackson for Jesse Owens. David L. on Facebook at "Len Berman's Top 5" also had 4 with Milt Campbell instead of Owens.

Of course this is all subjective without any correct answers. But I really do like my Top 5.

Happy Birthday: Becks. Soccer star David Beckham. 38.

Bonus Birthday: Football player turned wrestler turned actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. 41.

Today in Sports: The greatest shortstop of all-time, Honus Wagner of Pittsburgh, stole his way around the bases in the first inning against the Cubs. He became the first National League player to accomplish the feat three times. And he did it again the next day! 1909.

Bonus Event: Bye Bye bin Laden. 2011.

To sign up for Len's free daily Top 5 email click here.

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