SportSpectator Blog

June 30, Week in Sports

:: DERRICK ROSE, NO. 1 PICK IN NBA DRAFT (Pro. Basketball)

:: SPAIN WINS EURO 2008 (Int’l Soccer)

:: WILLIAMS SISTERS ADVANCE AT WIMBLEDON (Tennis)

———-

ROSE-Y FUTURE FOR CHICAGO BULLS

The Chicago Bulls selected Derrick Rose with the no. 1 pick in the NBA Draft on Thursday night. With the pick, the Bulls put to an end the weeks of speculation about whether they would take Rose or Michael Beasley with the first overall draft pick.

Rose, a native Chicagoan, will return to his home town to play for the team he grew up watching. Home probably feels a bit different for Rose, who returned to Chicago on Friday $10 million richer, throwing out the first pitch at the Cubs-Sox game.

As expected Michael Beasley went to the Miami Heat with the second pick of the draft. There were also a number of draft day trades. The most notable trade involved the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Memphis Grizzlies, who engineered a trade to swap draft picks O.J. Mayo and Kevin Love, respectively.

Quote of the Week: “It feels great to go in and compete. I’m just blessed to be in that position right now, because a lot of people aren’t. And just knowing that we are a few pieces away from really contending as a team, it just makes me happy.” — Derrick Rose

Further Reading: “Chicago Bulls pick Derrick Rose with first pick in NBA draft” — K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune

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¡VIVA ESPANA!

Spain defeated Germany 1-0 in the Euro 2008 Finals, a soccer tournament between European countries played once every four years.

While Spain attracts some of the top soccer talent in the world for the Spanish league, their national team also has a reputation for collapsing on the international stage. Before Sunday’s win, Spain had not won a major international tournament in 44 years. Spain’s one goal came from Fernando Torres, who normally plays in the English Premier League for Liverpool. Torres’ goal came in the middle of the first half, and that was all the Spanish team needed to outlast the powerful German squad.

Quote of the Week: “Torres was taken off in the 78th minute, with his job already done in waking the sleeping giants of European football.”

Further Reading: “Party On, Spain!” — ESPN

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SISTER, SISTER

Sisters Venus and Serena Williams both advanced to the second round of competition at Wimbledon. Wimbledon, the third of the four Grand Slam events, is one of the most important tournaments of the year.

The Williams sisters’ success this year has brought a great deal of attention, in part because they are two of the biggest names in tennis, but also because Americans have struggled greatly at the tournament thus far. All of the American men in singles, including Andy Roddick, have been knocked out of the competition. Other big name players who were upset early in the tournament include Novak Djokovic, Ana Ivanovic, and Maria Sharapova. The Williams sisters are both favored in their upcoming matches.

While many of the world’s top players have already been knocked out, rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal remain in the competition. Nadal recently defeated Federer at the French Open, but Wimbledon is a grass court, and defending champion Federer is the world’s best player on grass.

Quote of the Week: “The epidemic of upset fever at Wimbledon this year has yet to prove contagious to the Williams sisters.” — Christopher Clarey, New York Times

Further Reading: “Williams Sisters Find the Grass Is Greener” — Christopher Clarey, New York Times

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: TENNIS – Wimbledon, one of the biggest tournaments in professional tennis, is currently underway. It goes through July 6th.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): Baseball season is in full swing, but it is a long season, and teams tend to measure their success month by month. The All-Star break takes place the second week of July. By then, teams’ records will be a good indicator of how well they are performing this season. [Official MLB Website]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the U.S. Open is over, the next event is the Open (also known as the British Open), which is played in July. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

———-

:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments of the year are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. Wimbledon is currently underway, running through July 6th. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

———-

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The pre-season begins in August, and the regular season begins in September. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): Practice sessions for college football begin in summer, and the regular season begins in August. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals, completing the 2007-08 season. [Official NHL Website]

———-

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The Celtics defeated the Lakers to win the NBA Finals, ending the 2008 season. [Official NBA Website]

June 23, Week in Sports

:: CELTICS WIN NBA FINALS (Pro. Basketball)

:: TIGER WOODS INJURED, OUT FOR YEAR (Golf)

:: METS MANAGER WILLIE RANDOLPH FIRED (Pro. Baseball)

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WICKED AWESOME: CELTICS WIN CHAMPIONSHIP

Last week, the Boston Celtics became this year’s NBA champions, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. It was the first time in 22 years that the Celtics have won the championship.

The Celtics, who acquired superstar Kevin Garnett in the off-season, were the league’s biggest story of the 2007 season, even before winning the championship. Just a year earlier, they had posted a miserable 24-58 record during the regular season, missing the playoffs. To bounce back from that season to win the championship is truly remarkable. The Lakers had an incredible season in their own right. But now, after getting blown out during the Finals, the questions surrounding the future of league MVP Kobe Bryant are sure to start up again.

Paul Pierce of the Celtics was the series MVP. This is the Celtics’ 17th championship in franchise history.

Quote of the Week: “They don’t hang up any other banners but championship banners here.” — Paul Pierce

Further Reading: “Celtics get NBA title No. 17” — Chris Sheridan, ESPN

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WOE IS WOODS: TIGER HURT, DONE FOR SEASON

Tiger Woods, coming off his epic victory at the U.S. Open, revealed last week that he was playing with a torn ligament in his left knee and a double stress fracture to boot. As a result, Woods will undergo surgery and miss the remaining tournaments this year.

It was no surprise that Woods was injured, especially given his grimacing and limping during the U.S. Open. However, the severity of Woods’ injury was not known before his announcement.

Woods’ absence will greatly affect the remainder of this year’s golf season. First off, the absence of the world’s top-ranked and most famous player will certainly negatively influence public interest in the game this year. But also, with Tiger off the course, there will be plenty of golfers looking to take advantage of a more level playing field.

Quote of the Week: “He’s been playing way less than 100 percent for a long, long, time.” — Hank Haney, Woods’ Coach

Further Reading: “For rest of 2008, possibilities are endless for players not named Tiger” — Jason Sobel, ESPN

———-

SO LONG, IT’S BEEN GOOD TO KNOW YA…

New York Mets manager Willie Randolph was fired late Monday night by Mets general manager Omar Minaya. The Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays also fired their skippers last week.

Randolph’s firing made sports headlines across the nation, in part because the New York Mets are one of the most popular teams in the country, but also because Randolph was dismissed in what seemed to be a particularly rude way. The Mets had just flown out to Los Angeles, where they won their game, when later that night Mets GM Minaya fired him, as well as the team’s pitching coach and first base coach. News of the firing became public after midnight, which is also unusual. In the end, Minaya was widely criticized for firing a coach who just set out on West coast trip and then announcing it in the dead of night.

However impolite the firing may have been, Randolph’s departure is not terribly surprising to anyone. While he has had some major success with the Mets organization, he was also at the helm during their historic collapse last year. This year, the Mets have struggled as well, sealing Randolph’s fate.

Quote of the Week: “Not the way I would have handled it. Bottom line, it is what it is.” — Willie Randolph, in reference to the way in which he was fired

Further Reading: “Mets End the Suspense for Randolph” — Ben Shpigel, New York Times

———-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASKETBALL — The NBA Draft takes place on Wednesday. The big question is who the Chicago Bulls will take with the first overall pick–Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley.

:: TENNIS – Wimbledon, one of the biggest tournaments in professional tennis, is currently underway. It goes through July 6th.

———-

ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): Baseball season is in full swing, but it is a long season, and teams tend to measure their success month by month. The All-Star break takes place the second week of July. By then, teams’ records will be a good indicator of how well they are performing this season. [Official MLB Website]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the U.S. Open is over, the next event is the Open (also known as the British Open), which is played in July. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

———-

:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments of the year are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. Wimbledon is currently underway, running through July 6th. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

———-

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The pre-season begins in August, and the regular season begins in September. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): Practice sessions for college football begin in summer, and the regular season begins in August. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals, completing the 2007-08 season. [Official NHL Website]

———-

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The Celtics defeated the Lakers to win the NBA Finals, ending the 2008 season. [Official NBA Website]

June 16, Week in Sports

:: TIGER WOODS WINS U.S. OPEN (Golf)

:: LAKERS STAY ALIVE AGAINST CELTICS (Basketball)

:: KEN GRIFFEY JR. HITS HOME RUN NO. 600 (Pro. Baseball)

———-

TIGER, TIGER, BURNING BRIGHT

Tiger Woods won the U.S. Open on Monday afternoon, defeating underdog Rocco Mediate by one stroke in a playoff round. This is Woods’ 3rd U.S. Open title and 14th major championship.

It wasn’t easy for Woods, partly because he was hampered by a leg injury, but also because his opponent, Mediate, played five rounds of extraordinary golf. But the weekend ultimately belonged to Woods, who had half a dozen huge shots to add to the highlight reel. This included a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th and final hole on Sunday, which forced the playoff round on Monday.

Woods also birdied the 18th hole on Monday, forcing sudden death against Mediate, where Woods finally claimed the title.

Quote of the Week: “It just was an unbelievable week. I was up and down, up and down all week.” — Tiger Woods

Further Reading: “Legendary Roar” — ESPN news

———-

LAKERS HEAD BACK TO BOSTON, DOWN 3-2

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics on Sunday night by a score of 103-98. The Celtics are currently leading the Lakers 3-2 in the NBA Finals, which puts them one win away from taking the championship.

The Lakers have underperformed so far in the Finals series, surrendering big leads and missing critical shots late in the games. The Celtics have capitalized on those failures and had built up a strong 3-1 lead in the series going into Sunday. While the Lakers managed to stay alive in Game 5, they would have to win the next two games to take the series.

No team in Finals history has come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the championship.

Quote of the Week: “I know I didn’t want to see the Celtics celebrating [on] my home floor with champagne and all that crap,” Lakers forward Pau Gasol

Further Reading: “Lakers ready to make history?” — Marc Stein, ESPN

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“JUNIOR” HITS 600th DINGER

Last Monday, Ken Griffey Jr. hit the 600th home run of his career. Only five other players in major league history have hit more than 600 home runs.

Griffey’s accomplishment puts him in the company of Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Sammy Sosa–five of the most elite names in the history of the game. However, his achievement is perhaps even more significant because unlike Sosa and Bonds, Griffey has never been accused of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. In addition to his unimpeachable reputation, Griffey is one of the nicest guys in the game–a class act and fan favorite who many believe would have broken the all-time home run record were it not for the chronic injuries that plagued his career.

Quote of the Week: “I don’t think I touched any of the bases. I just sort of floated around.” — Ken Griffey Jr.

Further Reading: “Griffey’s feat demands only respect” — Paul Daugherty, USA Today

———-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASKETBALL – The Celtics-Lakers series continues on Tuesday. If the Lakers can scrape out another win over the Celtics, it would force Game 7 on Thursday night.

———-

ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): Baseball season is in full swing, but it is a long season, and teams tend to measure their success month by month. The All-Star break takes place the second week of July. By then, teams’ records will be a good indicator of how well they are performing this season. [Official MLB Website]

———-

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The NBA Finals, between the Lakers and the Celtics, continue this week. [Official NBA Website]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the U.S. Open is over, the next event is the Open (also known as the British Open), which is played in July. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

———-

:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments of the year are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The next event is Wimbledon, which runs from June 23rd to July 6th. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

———-

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The pre-season begins in August, and the regular season begins in September. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): Practice sessions for college football begin in summer, and the regular season begins in August. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals, completing the 2007-08 season. [Official NHL Website]

June 9, Week in Sports

:: DA’ TARA WINS BELMONT, SPOILS BIG BROWN’S TRIPLE CROWN RUN (Horse Racing)

:: RED WINGS WIN STANLEY CUP (Pro. Hockey)

:: RAFAEL NADAL TOPS FEDERER IN FRENCH OPEN (Tennis)

———-

NO CROWN FOR BROWN

On Saturday, Da’ Tara won the Belmont Stakes, one of the three most prestigious horse racing events of the year. Big Brown, who had a chance to win the Triple Crown with a Belmont victory, finished in last place.

Da’ Tara was a huge underdog going into Saturday’s race, listed as the longest shot to win. However, Da’ Tara will be remembered for years to come, not just for overcoming the odds, but for defeating Big Brown. Big Brown had won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, and his trainer stated that a victory at the Belmont was “a foregone conclusion.” However, Big Brown looked sluggish on Saturday and ultimately finished the race in last place. This was primarily because his jockey realized that he would be unable to finish in the top five, and thus eased up on Big Brown, whose breeding rights alone are reportedly worth more than $50 million.

Quote of the Week: “If Big Brown was himself, he would’ve been tough to beat, but he wasn’t himself. That’s why they play the game.” — Nick Zito, Da’ Tara’s trainer

Further Reading: “Da’ Tara steals spotlight, Belmont from Big Brown” — Associated Press, via ESPN

———-

RED WINGS TAKE TITLE BACK TO HOCKEYTOWN

The Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins to win the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday night. Winning the Stanley Cup is the highest honor in the National Hockey League.

The Red Wings looked dominant throughout the playoffs, and that dominance extended to the Stanley Cup Finals, as well. The Red Wings were on the verge of winning the championship at home earlier in the week, but the Penguins tied the game with thirty seconds left and went on to win it. However, the Penguins’ luck did not extend to Wednesday’s game, where the Red Wings won by a score of 3-2, clinching the title.

The Stanley Cup playoffs have a long and storied past, and the trophy itself is full of history and tradition. There is only one Stanley Cup trophy, which is passed on every year to the new champion. One of the biggest traditions associated with the trophy is for the winning team to drink champagne out of it. The individual players from the winning team also get to spend one private day with the trophy. Over the years, players have eaten out of the Cup, drank from the Cup, damaged it, and defiled it in various ways, after which it is cleaned and repaired for future years.

Quote of the Week: “I’ve had to wipe away a few tears. This is why I play in Detroit.” — Chris Osgood, Detroit Red Wings’ Goaltender

Further Reading: “Wings paint Hockeytown Red” — Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press

———-

RAFAEL NADAL, NUMERO UNO

Rafael Nadal, the Spaniard who is ranked as the second-best men’s tennis player in the world, defeated Roger Federer (the number one player in the world) to win the French Open. The French Open is the second Grand Slam event of the year.

Federer is universally recognized as the best tennis player in the world today, and perhaps the greatest player of all time. However, Nadal has beaten Federer in the French Open the past four years, and every year the match-up draws a great deal of attention. As such, the rivalry between Nadal and Federer is on par with just about any individual rivalry in professional sports.

Ana Ivanovic, the top-ranked women’s tennis player in the world, defeated Dinara Safina to win the women’s title.

Quote of the Week: “Today it was tough for Roger, I think, and I have to be respectful with one very good guy.” Rafael Nadal

Further Reading: “Nadal’s fire and emotion propel him to fourth French Open title” — Bonnie Ford, ESPN

———-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASKETBALL – The NBA Finals, between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, continue this week. Games 3 and 4 are scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday.

:: GOLF – The U.S. Open, the second Major Championship of the year, will be played June 12th through June 15th.

———-

ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): Baseball season is in full swing, but it is a long season, so teams tend to measure their success month by month. The All-Star break takes place the second week of July. By then, teams’ records will be a good indicator of how well they are performing this season. [Official MLB Website]

———-

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The NBA Finals, between the Lakers and the Celtics, continue this week. [Official NBA Website]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the Masters is over, the next event will be the U.S. Open, which is played from June 9-15. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els

———-

:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments of the year are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The next event is Wimbledon, which runs from June 23rd to July 6th. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

———-

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The pre-season begins in August, and the regular season begins in September. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): Practice sessions for college football begin in summer, and the regular season begins in August. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals, completing the 2007-08 season. [Official NHL Website]

June 2, Week in Sports

:: CELTICS, LAKERS ADVANCE TO NBA FINALS (Pro. Basketball)

:: RED WINGS ONE WIN AWAY FROM WINNING STANLEY CUP (Pro. Hockey)

:: MANNY RAMIREZ HITS 500TH HOME RUN (Pro. Baseball)

———-

I LOVE THE ’80s: CELTICS-LAKERS MATCHUP RENEWS OLD RIVALRY

Last week, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers secured spots in this year’s NBA Finals. During the 1960s and 1980s, the Celtics-Lakers rivalry was one of the most intense in professional sports. This will be the first time the two teams have faced off in the Finals since 1987.

This match-up will be one of the most hyped NBA Finals in recent history for a number of reasons. Both the Lakers and the Celtics play in huge markets and both franchises are part of long-standing traditions. Both teams feature some of the NBA’s biggest names–the Lakers have league MVP Kobe Bryant, and the Celtics have superstar Kevin Garnett. Both teams have also been part of this year’s biggest story lines in the NBA: The Lakers almost traded Kobe Bryant during the off-season (per Bryant’s request), but the star guard ended up having a career year in Los Angeles; the Celtics acquired Garnett in the off-season, instantly transforming a comatose franchise into a powerhouse. The series begins on Thursday in Boston.

There was another ’80s throwback of sorts this week as well, when it was rumored that Doug Collins would return to his position as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. Collins coached the Bulls in the ’80s, and many believe that Phil Jackson, who won six championships with Michael Jordan’s Bulls, hijacked the team that Collins built.

Quote of the Week: “I think [the Lakers-Celtics] rivalry really revolutionized the game of basketball, and now I’m a part of it.” — Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics player

Further Reading: “Lakers-Celtics: A rivalry so big it should be on Versus” — Bill Plaschke

———-

RED HOT RED WINGS POISED TO WIN STANLEY CUP

On Saturday night, the Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Detroit now leads the series 3-1, and will have an opportunity to win it all on Monday night.

Detroit won the first two games of the series, which deflated the high hopes of Pittsburgh fans and league officials who had hoped that this series would be extremely close. When the Penguins responded by winning Game 3, though, it only put them one game away from tying it up. However, Saturday’s loss at home was devastating for the Penguins. The Pens had won their past nine games in Pittsburgh.

Game 4 featured an unbelievable performance by Red Wing Henrik Zetterberg, including an extraordinary minute and a half when he completely shut down the Penguins during a 5-on-3 advantage.

Quote of the Week: “Since the best-of-seven format was introduced in 1939, only one team has come back from a 3-1 series deficit to win the Cup.” — Scott Burnside, ESPN

Further Reading: “Stanley Cusp! Gritty Wings one win away from championship” — Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press

———-

GOING, GOING, GONE…MANNY HITS NUMBER 500

Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox hit his 500th career home run on Saturday. Only 23 other players have accomplished the feat.

As is the case with many hitters approaching major milestones, Ramirez seemed to struggle in recent weeks as he neared the 500 mark. He finally ended the wait in the seventh inning of Saturday’s game against Baltimore. “I just wanted to get a good swing on the ball all day,” Ramirez said after the game. “And I did.”

Now that the Ramirez watch is over, all eyes will be on Ken Griffey Jr. Right now, Griffey is sitting on 599 home runs. While Ramirez’s feat was a big deal, Griffey’s will be much more significant: only five other players have hit 600 home runs.

Quote of the Week: “That was the swing, right there. It’s hard to hit home runs. I know — I made a career of not doing it.” — Dave Magadan, Red Sox hitting coach

Further Reading: “Manny Mashes No. 500” — Rob Bradford, Boston Herald

———-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASKETBALL – The NBA Finals begin on Thursday, when the Lakers play the Celtics in Boston.

:: HOCKEY – The Stanley Cup Finals continue this week. The Red Wings currently lead the Penguins 3-1. Game 5 will be played tonight (Monday) in Detroit.

:: TENNIS – The French Open continues this week and runs through June 8th.
———-

ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): Baseball season is in full swing, but it is a long season, so teams tend to measure their success month by month. The All-Star break takes place the second week of July. By then, teams’ records will be a good indicator of how well they are performing this season. [Official MLB Website]

———-

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The NBA Finals begin on Thursday, when the Lakers play the Celtics in Boston. [Official NBA Website]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the Masters is over, the next event will be the U.S. Open, which is played from June 9-15. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins are currently battling in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Red Wings lead the series 3-1. [Official NHL Website]

———-

:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments of the year are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The French Open is currently underway. The next event is Wimbledon, which runs from June 23rd to July 6th. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

———-

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The pre-season begins in August, and the regular season begins in September. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): Practice sessions for college football begin in summer, and the regular season begins in August. [NCAA Football, ESPN]