Happy Thursday everyone, here's my Top 5 for May 19, 2011 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* In the NBA playoffs, Miami beat Chicago 85-75 to even their series at one game apiece.
* In the NHL playoffs, Vancouver crushed San Jose 7-3 to lead two games to zero.
* A full field of 14 horses will race in Saturday's Preakness. Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, the morning line favorite, will break from the #11 post.
* Tiger Woods will drop out of the top 10 rankings next week for the first time in 14 years. But according to Forbes, he's the sixth most powerful celebrity.
2. Conspiracy Theories
No matter what, people will say it's rigged. There are still millions who believe that the NBA fixed the lottery in 1985 so that Patrick Ewing would go to the Knicks. And in the NBA these days, you can't even hint of a scam. Will the NBA discipline Minnesota Timberwolves president David Kahn? His team had the best odds of getting the #1 pick the other night, but Cleveland won instead. A conspiracy? Was the NBA paying back Cleveland for losing LeBron James? Kahn said, "This league has a habit, and I am just going to say habit, of producing some pretty incredible story lines." He later said he was joking, but he expects a fine. Freedom of speech (and thought) only applies to wackos on the Internet, not to the front offices of major league sports.
3. Run For Your Lives
If you haven't heard, a California preacher says the world will end at 6 pm Saturday.
So we'll never know who wins the NBA or NHL playoffs this year. And since post time for the Preakness is around 6:15 pm, betting on the race would be a waste of time and money.
Another helpful hint from the Top 5.
4. Gift Idea
Looking for that perfect golf gift for Father's Day? How about 33 golf clubs... in one? Yup, it has a super duper adjustable head, so you only need one golf club. No need to schlep that heavy bag to the course. And no need to ask your caddy anymore, "What club should I use?" In fact you won't need your caddy to carry anything, other than your water retriever.
5. Hey Laaaaady!
Under the heading of, wait a few seconds and I'll turn this into a sports story, I'm saddened by the end of an era. Jerry Lewis will hold his 45th and final Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day Telethon this September. OK, now the sports part. I last saw Jerry at the 1998 World Series in San Diego. He's a big sports fan. And he also played Mr. Applegate, the devil, in Damn Yankees on Broadway. More important, he's a giant American star who raised millions and millions during his telethons. Well done, Jerry. Labor Day just won't be the same.
Happy Birthday: Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics. 35. (And for you old guys, Dolph Schayes. 83.)
Bonus Birthday: Who? Pete Townshend. 66.
Today in Sports: This might lead to three days of gripping television action. The NFL adopts the draft. 1935.
Bonus Event: Marilyn Monroe sings "Happy Birthday" to JFK. 1962.
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