Happy Thursday everyone, here's my Top 5 for July 29, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* Houston pitcher Roy Oswalt is reportedly close to being dealt to Philadelphia.
* A-Rod is stuck on 599 homers. Of the players who have hit 600, he has set the record for the longest trying to get from 599 to 600. So far it's 26 at bats.
* The body of missing former NBA player Lorenzen Wright has been found in Memphis.
* Former Knick Stephon Marbury agrees to re-up with a Chinese basketball team for 3 years.
* 17-year old Bobby Wyatt shot a 57 at the Alabama Boys State Junior Championship. That was his 18 hole score, as opposed to the 9 hole total for many of my Top 5 subscribers.
2. The Blame Game
Here's what a collegiate sports leader, Louisville coach Rick Pitino, testified in court yesterday. The woman he had sex with on a table of a restaurant is accused of trying to extort money from him. Pitino testified that he was trying to leave the restaurant when the woman whispered something to him and then unzipped his pants. And then they had sex. See, I knew it was her fault all along.
3. Excuses, Excuses
80-year old Billy Loes passed away the other day. He pitched for Da Bums in three losing World Series efforts against the Yankees in the 50's. As subscriber Mort F. wrote to me, "Another part of my childhood is gone." Loes may be best known for mishandling a ground ball comebacker to the mound in the 1952 World Series at Ebbets Field. His excuse? "I lost it in the sun."
Another example why the Brooklyn Dodgers were the Boys of Summer. Autumn, not so much.
4. Teeing it Up
When a Virginia subscriber wrote that he didn't see many kids playing golf and suggested that's why there are so few Americans at the top of the leaderboards, many of you chimed in. Jim S. wrote, "It's so expensive to play, and kids just have other stuff to do now, primarily the Internet and texting."
Michael M. writes it's a matter of time. "Younger adults with children simply don't have the time to take 4 hours to play 18 holes."
Chuck A. writes it's a matter of security. "Moms don't let their kids wander off to play outside."
And maybe it's a matter of impatience. From @AXP112 on Twitter. "It's a LONG game that takes a TON of practice. And in today's world we (Americans) want instant results."
Hey, if you want instant gratification, a golf course is the last place you'll want to go.
5. Who Knew?
Talk about playing to the crowd. Turns out the newest Knick Amar'e Stoudemire has a Jewish mom. Stoudemire is currently visiting Jerusalem, and he told the Jerusalem Post, "I am so excited to be here, to see the historical sites, learn Hebrew, and to get a better understanding of my heritage."
New York fans haven't done this much plotzing since Hillary Clinton claimed to have a Yiddish grandmother during her Senatorial campaign.
What's the next headline, "A-Rod's secret bar mitzvah?"
By the way, here's your first Hebrew lesson, Amar'e:
מחזור
(Turnover) As opposed to a nice piece of cake.
Happy Birthday: Hockey Hall of Famer for Detroit and Chicago. "Terrible" Ted Lindsay. 85.
Bonus Birthday: The newest Top 5 subscriber, Eli Julian Berman. And since you asked, yes my grandson is both gorgeous and brilliant. 1 day old.
Today in Sports: Carl Lewis wins a gold medal in the long jump at the Atlanta Olympics, his 9th gold medal tying Mark Spitz's American record. (Since smashed by Michael Phelps' 14.) 1996.
Bonus Event: A world wide television event. Prince Charles marries Lady Diana. 1981.