Happy Tuesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for December 18, 2012 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- Monday Night Football: Tennessee eliminates the Jets 14-10.
- It's official. In a seven player deal, R.A. Dickey heads from the Mets to the Toronto Blue Jays.
- Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim notched his 900th win last night. Mike Krzyzewski (936) and Bob Knight (902) are the only other men's Division 1 coaches to win that many games.
- NBA Hotness. Oklahoma City has won 11 straight games, the Clippers 10.
2. J-E-S-T
Jest, jest, jest. Be kind to your favorite Jets fan today. In a pathetic display last night in Tennessee the Jets were eliminated from the post season for the second straight year. After two straight appearances in the AFC Championship Game this team is clearly regressing. Mark Sanchez not only threw four interceptions, he looked clueless at times and botched the final snap when the Titans gift-wrapped field position to the Jets. Coach Rex Ryan isn't ready to name Sanchez the starting quarterback next week. Will he ever be?
3. Linsanity
Jeremy Lin returned to the scene of the crime last night. The sports world was gripped with Linsanity last season thanks to his unlikely story. But now he's with Houston and in last night's homecoming he scored 22 points as the Rockets handed the Knicks their first home loss of the season 109-96. So to recap, the last year in New York sports was highlighted by R.A. Dickey, Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin. In other words, going, going gone.
4. Fault
It makes sense right? Moving the men's final at the U.S. Open to Monday next year. After all, it's been played on a Monday the last 5 years because of rain. In addition, the prize money has been increased to a record $29.5 million. End of story. Are you kidding? The ATP says Monday is a bad idea. The other 3 Grand Slam tournaments have the men's semis on Friday and the final on Sunday. The U.S. Open insists on a "Super Saturday" for the men's. And about the money. The ATP says it's nice, but not enough. Hockey anyone?
5. Art Imitating Life
When you think of sports statues, you conjure up the great players who are immortalized outside ballparks. Hank Aaron for one in Atlanta hitting his 715th homer which broke Babe Ruth's record. But a Paris art museum has come up with something new. The commemoration of an infamous moment in French sporting history. It was the 2006 World Cup Final, and Zinedine Zidane of France headbutted Marco Materazzi of Italy. Italy eventually won the game. So which American sports moments should be "commemorated" in an art museum? On second thought, haven't the fans of those moments suffered enough?
Happy Birthday: Former Knick Charles Oakley. 49.
Bonus Birthday: Separated at birth, Brad Pitt. 49.
Today in Sports: Holy Cow, Phil Rizzuto becomes a play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees. 1956.
Bonus Event: Slavery was abolished with the ratification of the 13th Amendment. 1865.
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