TGIF everyone, here's my Top 5 for October 28, 2011 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- In one of the greatest games in World Series history, St. Louis stays alive 10-9 in 11 innings, forcing a seventh game tonight. 8:05 pm Eastern. FOX.
- Both sides hope a deal can be struck today to end the NBA lockout.
- The NCAA has approved giving student-athletes up to an extra $2,000 a year to more closely approximate the true cost of college. Yup, there won't be any abuses there.
2. Truly a Fall Classic
OK, "greatest" is a relative term. When Major League teams commit five errors in one game it's fair to say they didn't play great. Then again, with St. Louis down to its last strike in the 9th and 10th innings only to produce game-tying hits both times is truly remarkable. Of course past performance doesn't guarantee future results. Sure the 1986 Mets took care of business in game 7 after their game 6 heroics, but on the flip side there's the 1975 Red Sox. After Bernie Carbo and Carlton Fisk helped win that amazing game 6 (by the way the defense was phenomenal in that game), the Reds won game 7. But after watching what St. Louis did last night, how can you not quote St. Louis' own existential philosopher Lawrence Peter Berra who said something to the effect that's it's not over until it is. This World Series isn't.
3. Can You Hear Me Now?
Is yelling, cheating? Number one in the world in women's tennis, Caroline Wozniacki, is complaining that the women who grunt the loudest have an unfair advantage. She says the screeching masks how hard they hit the ball and you can't hear it come off the racket. She didn't name names, but Maria Sharpova's shrieks have been compared with a pneumatic drill, and Victoria Azarenka has been described as "Mickey Mouse in distress." And here's the damning evidence. Wozniacki says the screamers don't do it in practice, only in matches. Hmmm, women faking it?
4. Friday eMailbag
In light of Albert Pujols joining Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson as the only players hitting 3 homers in a World Series game R.B. asks, "Can we expect Albert Pujols to have a candy bar named after him?"
Editor's Note: Remember, the makers of Baby Ruth denied the candy bar was named after the Bambino so they wouldn't have to pay him.
When I mentioned Ralph Kiner's 89th birthday yesterday, T.L. Tweeted me @LenBermanSports that he remembers a broadcast circa 1991, "That final score again, Mets 2, Mets 1."
J.S. recalls this Kiner Klassic: "On Father's Day we again wish you all happy birthday."
And when I wrote: One of the rebels who got Muammar Gaddafi was wearing a Yankees cap. The rebels who were wearing Red Sox caps were drinking beer in their bunker. K.C. Tweeted, "You got your start covering the Red Sox. You sucked then. You and your attempt at humor really suck now."
Editor's Note: It's always nice to be remembered.
5. Spanning the World
This week's Spanning the World highlight comes from the World Series in Texas. Maybe this guy is the Rangers MVP.
Spanning the World airs monthly on NBC's Today Show. Next up Thursday December 1st in the 8:30am half hour.
Happy Birthday: 1976 Olympic Decathlon champion, and stepfather to... oh never mind. Bruce Jenner. 62.
Bonus Birthday: Bill Gates. 56.
Today in Sports: 50 years ago today, they broke ground for Shea Stadium. 1961.
Bonus Event: The first college in the U.S. was founded, Harvard. 1636.
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