SportSpectator Blog

April 27, Week in Sports

:: Lions Take Stafford in NFL Draft  (Pro. Football)

:: Cavs Sweep Pistons; Rose Wins Rookie of the Year (Pro. Basketball)

:: San Jose Stays Alive in Stanley Cup Playoffs (Pro. Hockey)

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YOUNG LIONS

On Saturday afternoon, the Detroit Lions announced that they had reached an agreement with quarterback Matthew Stafford, ultimately making him the first overall pick of the NFL Draft on Sunday. Stafford and the Lions inked a 6-year, $72 million deal. Of that money, $41.7 million is guaranteed, which is an NFL record.

The Lions are an extremely troubled franchise with numerous holes on both offense and defense, and Stafford alone will not be able to save it. Detroit finished the 2008 season with an 0-16 record–the first time that an NFL team had finished a 16-game season winless. Although many Lions fans and critics argued that the team should have spent less money on the first overall pick by drafting a position other than quarterback, it is also undeniable that the Lions are desperately in need someone with even a little bit of young talent running the offense. Of course, it is no guarantee that Stafford will work out. For every first-round quarterback success story, such as Peyton Manning, there have been numerous players who completely flopped–such as Tim Couch and Alex Smith.

The other big news from the draft came when the New York Jets traded up to get quarterback Mark Sanchez. Jets fans have a reputation for vehemently opposing their team’s draft picks, but surprisingly, the vast majority were very pleased with the Sanchez pick.

Quote of the Week: “He’s 21. Let’s start with that. How finished a product were you at 21? Matthew Stafford is now the future of the Lions, he has been guaranteed more money than any NFL player ever, and he just reached the drinking age.” — Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press

Further Reading: “New QB Stafford ready to accept challenge 0-16 brings ” — Nicholas J. Cotsonika, Detroit Free Press

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ROYAL FLUSH: “KING” JAMES AND CAVS SWEEP PISTONS

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon to advance to the second round of the playoffs. The Cavs, one of the favorites to go all the way this year, swept the series.

Going into the playoffs, everyone fully expected LeBron James and company to cruise to the championship. That being said, their performance against the Pistons, a veteran postseason team, was still very impressive. James was especially impressive, scoring 36 points in Game 4 and averaging over 30 points per game in the series. The Cavs will now have time to rest up before round 2, where they will play either the Miami Heat or the Atlanta Hawks.

In other NBA news, last Wednesday, Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls was named Rookie of the Year. Rose and the Bulls are currently locked up 2-2 with the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. That series, which everyon is already calling an “instant classic,” continues on Tuesday in Boston.

Quote of the Week: ”This is where legends are born, and this is where teams make history.” — LeBron James

Further Reading: “LeBron takes control as Cavaliers sweep up Pistons ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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SHARKS FIGHT BACK, BUT STILL ON THIN ICE

The Stanley Cup playoffs heated up this week, with two of the first round series headed toward a decisive Game 7, and the top-seed San Jose Sharks clawing their way back into their series with the Anaheim Ducks.

The Sharks entered the playoffs as the one-seed in the Western Conference after proving themselves to be totally dominant in the regular season. However, they have had the misfortune to draw a first-round matchup against the Ducks, who were arguably the hottest team in the league during the last month of the regular season. After dropping the first two games against Anaheim, San Jose battled their way to two victories (and one additional loss), bringing the series to 3-2. Game 6 of the series will be played tonight in Anaheim.

Two of the first-round series already have Game 7 matchups scheduled for this week: the New York Rangers vs. the Washington Capitals, and the Carolina Hurricanes vs. the New Jersey Devils. Fans are particularly excited about the Rangers-Capitals matchup, since the Rangers have a huge, passionate fanbase, and the Caps have league superstar Alexander Ovechkin on their side. Game 7 of that series, which should be electric, will be played on Tuesday night.

Quote of the Week: ”Sharks center Joe Thornton found a heart, the Ducks lost a chance to pull off an upset and the teams’ playoff series became a lot more interesting — and at least one game longer.” — Helene Elliot, L.A. Times

Further Reading: “Sharks force Game 6 with OT after Ducks rally in third period ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: HORSE RACING: The Kentucky Derby, perhaps the biggest event in horse racing, takes place next Saturday.

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The NBA playoffs continue this week. The defending champion Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls have a huge game on Tuesday night. Check out the rest of the schedule at www.nba.com.

:: HOCKEY: The Stanley Cup playoffs continue this week. The New York Rangers and Washington Capitals play Game 7 on Tuesday night. The rest of the schedule is available at www.nhl.com.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The 2009 season is underway, and it runs through October. [Official MLB Website]

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 NBA playoffs are currently underway.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): “The Tournament” is now over. The University of North Carolina won the 2009 national championship over Michigan State. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): Now that the NFL Draft is over, things will be relatively quiet until training camp begins in the middle of July. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now over, with Florida defeating Oklahoma in the national championship game. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

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:: 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. The next Major Championship is the U.S. Open. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Stanley Cup playoffs are currently underway.  [Official NHL Website]

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:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The next event is the French Open, which takes place in May. [USTA Website]

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

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April 20, Week in Sports

:: NBA Playoffs Begin  (Pro. Basketball)

:: John Madden Retires (Pro. Football)

:: NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin (Pro. Hockey)

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THIS RUNS THROUGH JUNE? THAT IS AMAZING.

The first round of the NBA playoffs started over the weekend. The NBA post-season is a marathon, not a sprint, and all of it leads to the NBA Finals, which will be played in the middle of June.

Almost every analyst in the country has predicted that this year’s Finals matchup will be between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, those championship games are a long way off. With that in mind, perhaps the most exciting first round matchup is between the Boston Celtics (who won the championship last year) and the upstart Chicago Bulls. The Celtics, though one of the strongest teams in the league, lost superstar Kevin Garnett to a knee injury. That injury looks to be opening the door for a huge upset by the Bulls, who are led by rookie superstar Derrick Rose. Rose’s Bulls stunned the Celtics with a 105-103 victory in Boston on Saturday afternoon.

Rose led the game in scoring with 36 points. That ties the all-time record for most points by a rookie in his playoff debut, set by NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabaar in 1970.
Quote of the Week: “Monday is the 23rd anniversary of Larry Bird comparing Michael Jordan to God after Jordan’s NBA playoff record 63-point effort at the old Boston Garden. Don’t bet against Rose doing something spectacular again.” — K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune

Further Reading: “Chicago Bulls upset Boston Celtics 105-103 in overtime ” — K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune

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BOOM! MADDEN RETIRES

John Madden, the former Super Bowl-winning coach and NFL staple, announced his retirement from the broadcast booth on Thursday. Madden is considered by many to be the most famous NFL announcer ever.

Though John Madden was regarded as one of the best (and dirtiest) coaches of his time, to many people, he is probably more famous for the second half of his career. After Madden left the coaching game, he moved to the booth, where his bizarre segues, dumbstruck wonder at the beauty of the game, and wild rants charmed football fans across the country. During that time, he also scored some high-profile corporate sponsorships, including Outback Steakhouse, Miller Lite, and Tinactin.

For younger fans, John Madden is synonymous with the Madden football video game series–the most popular series of football games ever. EA Sports, of course, will continue the series with the Madden name despite his retirement.

Quote of the Week: ”I don’t think there’s been a more important figure in the history of the National Football League.” — Al Michaels, Madden’s broadcast partner

Further Reading: “Madden puts end to career in booth ” — Richard Sandomir, New York Times

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START GROWING YOUR PLAYOFF BEARDS

The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs continues this week, as sixteen teams fight for a place in the Conference Semifinals.

There have already been a few surprises in the post-season, with the second-seed Washington Capitals and their superstar Alexander Ovechkin dropping their first two games against the New York Rangers, and the one-seed San Jose Sharks showing some chinks in the armor against the Anaheim Ducks. That being said, the strongest teams have been playing outstanding hockey for the most part, with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Boston Bruins all jumping out to 2-0 leads in their first round series. Those first-round matchups continue this week.

Perhaps more than any other sport, the hockey post-season is full of all sorts of bizarre traditions. One of those traditions is that players do not shave as long as their team remains in contention. So if you happen to see some scruffy Canadians wandering around town the next few weeks, you’ll know the reason why.

Quote of the Week: ”We need to score goals. We just have to score goals. That’s a big key for us right now, we have to score goals.” — Alexander Ovechkin

Further Reading: “ESPN’s Stanley Cup Playoffs Blog ” — Pierre LeBrun

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The NBA playoffs continue this week. The defending champion Boston Celtics get another crack at the Bulls on Monday night. Check out the rest of the schedule at www.nba.com .

:: PRO. FOOTBALL: The NFL Draft takes place on April 25-26. Those two days will provide enough fodder for sports radio hosts across the country that they will be able to talk about it until the NFL season begins in the fall.

:: HOCKEY: The Stanley Cup playoffs continue this week. The schedule is available at www.nhl.com .

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The 2009 season is underway, and it runs through October. [Official MLB Website]

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 NBA playoffs are currently underway.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): “The Tournament” is now over. The University of North Carolina won the 2009 national championship over Michigan State. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): Now that the Super Bowl is over, the next major NFL event is the draft, which takes place in late April. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now over, with Florida defeating Oklahoma in the national championship game. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

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:: 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. The next Major Championship is the U.S. Open. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Stanley Cup playoffs are currently underway.  [Official NHL Website]

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:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The next event is the French Open, which takes place in May. [USTA Website]

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

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April 13, Week in Sports

:: Angel Cabrera Wins the Masters  (Golf)

:: North Carolina Wins National Championship (College Basketball)

:: Angels Pitcher Murdered by Drunk Driver (Pro. Baseball)

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TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL

On Sunday afternoon, Angel Cabrera won the 2009 Masters at Augusta National. Cabrera is the first person from Argentina to ever win the Masters.

At the end of the final round, three players were tied for the lead–Cabrera, Chad Campbell, and Kenny Perry. Those three players then proceeded to compete in a sudden death playoff. Campbell was eliminated after the first hole, and Cabrera defeated Perry in the second hole to win the tournament. It was especially emotional for Perry, who played an exceptional tournament and led for almost the entire day on Sunday.

As always, on Sunday afternoon everyone was watching closely to see if Tiger Woods could make a comeback. Woods was paired with Phil Mickelson, and the two rivals both had an outstanding round–at one point pulling within one shot of the leader. However, both Woods and Mickelson made key mistakes down the stretch, knocking them out of contention.

Quote of the Week: “I felt that when Tiger and Phil were making a move, I had to make a move myself.” — Angel Cabrera

Further Reading: “Cabrera wins his first green jacket ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WELL-HEELED: UNC WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

The North Carolina Tar Heels won the national championship last Monday, defeating Michigan State by a score of 89-72. Winning the NCAA tournament is the greatest achievement in men’s college basketball.

It was hardly surprising to see the Tar Heels as the victors this year, since going into the season, they were ranked the best team in the country. Moreover, two of their best players, stars Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough, returned to the team instead of going to the NBA. While nobody expects Hansbrough to be anything more than a mediocre player in the NBA, Lawson truly matured as a player during this season, and he is now regarded as one of the best college players in the country. This was evident on Monday night, when Lawson set a first-half record for steals and scored a game-high 21 points. Michigan State seemed overmatched very early on in the game, and they never recovered.

North Carolina has now won the national championship five times, which puts them in a tie for third place with Indiana University. UCLA has had more success than any other program, with 11 national championship titles.

Quote of the Week: ”I think we lost the game in the first 10 minutes. We turned the ball over, and they hit every shot.” — Goran Suton, Michigan State player

Further Reading: “Carolina reign: Heels dominate Mich. State, claim national title ” — Marlen Garcia, USA Today

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TRAGEDY IN LOS ANGELES

Promising young pitcher Nick Adenhart and two of his friends died when their car was struck by a drunk driver on Wednesday night. The alleged drunk driver, Anthony Thomas Gallo, was charged with murder.

Adenhart was just 22 years old and this was going to be his first full year in the major leagues as a pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In fact, the rookie had been the starting pitcher for the Angels earlier on the night of the tragedy. It was his first start of the season and the best outing of his young career. Also killed in the crash were two of Adenhart’s friends, Courtney Frances Stewart and Henry Pearson. On Friday, Orange County prosecutors filed three murder charges against Gallo.

Adenhart’s death is the latest in a long string of tragedies for the Angels franchise, going back to the 1970s, when three Angels players were killed in car accidents. In 1978, outfielder Lyman Bostock was shot and killed, and a decade later, reliever Donnie Moore shot his wife (who survived), and then killed himself.

Quote of the Week: ”He felt like a major leaguer. His life’s goal was to be a major league baseball player, and he certainly achieved that standard.” Scott Boras, Adenhart’s agent

Further Reading: “Nick Adenhart, Angels pitcher, killed in Fullerton crash ” — Christopher Goffard and Christine Hanley

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The NBA playoffs begin on Saturday. Entering the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers have the best record in the East, and the Los Angeles Lakers have the best record in the West.

:: HOCKEY: The Stanley Cup playoffs begin on Wednesday. The San Jose Sharks have the best record in the Western Conference, and the Boston Bruins have the best record in the Eastern Conference.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The 2009 season is underway, and it runs through October. [Official MLB Website]

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. The playoffs are scheduled to begin next Saturday.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): “The Tournament” is now over. The University of North Carolina won the 2009 national championship over Michigan State. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): Now that the Super Bowl is over, the next major NFL event is the draft, which takes place in late April. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now over, with Florida defeating Oklahoma in the national championship game. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: 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. The next Major Championship is the U.S. Open. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Stanley Cup playoffs are currently underway.  [Official NHL Website]

———-

:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The next event is the French Open, which takes place in May. [USTA Website]

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

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OFFSEASON

April 6, Week in Sports

:: Michigan State and North Carolina in NCAA Championship Game  (College Basketball)

:: Jay Cutler Traded to Chicago Bears (Pro. Football)

:: Opening Day, MLB Season Begins (Pro. Baseball)

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MOTOR CITY MAYHEM

The NCAA tournament is down to the championship game, the final match-up between Michigan State and the University of North Carolina. This game is the culmination of “March Madness,” and the biggest event of the men’s college basketball season.

Before this year’s season started, the North Carolina Tar Heels were widely expected to be the best team in the country, and though there have been a couple of bumps in the road, they have certainly lived up to those expectations. They have looked especially good during the tournament, so UNC, led by forward Tyler Hansbrough, will be favorites to win the game. However, Michigan State is an extremely good defensive team that will put up a fight against North Carolina’s high-powered offense. That being said, these two teams played once earlier this year, and during that December game, the Tar Heels embarrassed Michigan State, winning the game by 35 points.

However, there is one more important factor in the match-up. The championship game is being played in Detroit, which means that the stadium will essentially be loaded with Michigan State fans. The energy from a home crowd might just be the thing that will help this Michigan State team rise to the top.

Quote of the Week: “Michigan State is just playing so well, you almost wonder if they’re a team of destiny or are they destined to crash back to earth?” — Seth Davis, CBS analyst

Further Reading: “Higher stakes this time around in UNC-Michigan State final ” — Associated Press, via USA Today

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A CUT(LER) ABOVE THE REST

Last week, the Denver Broncos traded disgruntled quarterback Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears. When Cutler demanded a trade, he became one of the most coveted young quarterbacks in the league.

Even though tension had been building between the Broncos and Cutler for weeks, and even though Cutler had demanded a trade, it was still relatively surprising that the Broncos pulled the trigger on the trade. After all, it is almost unheard of for a young, Pro Bowl quarterback to be traded to another team. In the end, though, the relationship between Cutler and the Broncos was too bad to repair. Of course, since Cutler was a valuable commodity, the Broncos received a lot of talent from the Bears in exchange for him–quarterback Kyle Orton, two first-round draft picks, and a third-round draft pick. It is rare to see so much talent exchanged in an NFL trade.

Not only was it surprising to see Cutler traded, but it was also a huge surprise to see him go to the Chicago Bears, who have not made a comparable trade in decades. The Bears, who have not had a stable quarterback for years, are hoping that Cutler will be the franchise quarterback they have been waiting for.

Quote of the Week: ”The Bears on Thursday traded their first- and third-round picks this year, their first-round pick next year and Kyle Orton to the Broncos in exchange for Cutler, a 2009 fifth-round pick and a six-pack of baby formula.” — Rick Morrissey, Chicago Tribune

Further Reading: “Chicago Bears take the plunge in acquiring Jay Cutler ” — David Haugh, Chicago Tribune

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PLAY BALL!

While the MLB regular season officially began last night, when the Atlanta Braves played the Philadelphia Phillies, today is Opening Day for baseball teams across the country–a kind of holiday for baseball lovers that marks the beginning of the MLB year.

With the excitement of Opening Day comes the optimism of fans across the country that this year will be the year that their team wins the World Series. But since the baseball season is roughly six months long, there is a lot of baseball yet to be played.

While every team in the country has its own set of storylines at the beginning of the season, the biggest national stories, as always, revolve around the New York Yankees. Two Yankees stories in particular will get a lot of attention in the coming weeks. First of all, the Yankees just moved into their new stadium–a huge palace in the Bronx. While almost everyone who has visited the stadium has agreed that it is absolutely beautiful, ticket prices to Yankees games are by far the highest in baseball history. Almost every story about the new stadium mentions the fact that it is also absurdly expensive, especially during a bad economy.

The other issue with the Yankees is, of course, the team’s controversial third baseman Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez. A-Rod is currently injured, so he is not expected to join the team for several weeks. However, once he re-joins the Yankees, the former steroid user’s performance will be scrutinized by every analyst in the country.

Quote of the Week: ”Economy or not, that gets thrown the Yankees’ way every year regardless…. That’s part of the Yankees having the highest payroll in the game for a long time.” — Brian Cashmann, Yankees GM

Further Reading: “Strange Times ” — Tom Verducci, SI.com

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The NCAA Tournament comes to a close on Monday night, when Michigan State and North Carolina face off for the national championship.

:: BASEBALL: Monday marks Opening Day of the MLB season. There are only 162 games in the season, so now’s the time to get on board!

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The 2009 season begins on Monday, and runs through October. [Official MLB Website]

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): “The Tournament” will end on Monday night, when Michigan State and North Carolina face off for the national championship. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): Now that the Super Bowl is over, the next major NFL event is the draft, which takes place in late April. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now over, with Florida defeating Oklahoma in the national championship game. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: 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. The Masters is scheduled for the first week of April. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season is currently underway and runs through April of 2009.  [Official NHL Website]

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:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The next event is the French Open, which takes place in May. [USTA Website]

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

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OFFSEASON