SportSpectator Blog

June 1, Week in Sports

:: Magic, Lakers Advance to Finals (Pro. Basketball)

:: Red Wings Take 2-0 Stanley Cup Lead (Pro. Hockey)

:: Rafael Nadal Eliminated from French Open (Tennis)

———-

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?

On Sunday night, the Orlando Magic defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the Eastern Conference Finals and advance to the NBA Finals, where they will face the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic’s victory over the Cavs was especially significant because it was such a major upset.

The Cavaliers, led by league MVP LeBron James, sported the best record in the NBA in 2009, and they were largely favored to make it to the Finals, even before the playoffs began. After steamrolling over their first two playoffs opponents, they were expected to do much the same to the Magic. However, Dwight Howard and the Magic stunned the league by controlling the series from the beginning, and they ultimately sent James and company packing back to Cleveland–a city that has gone nearly half a century without winning a pro sports championship. In a widely criticized move, James sulked off the court after the game, then dressed and left the arena without speaking to reporters–a classless move by a typically classy player.

The Magic will now face the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. The Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant, defeated the Denver Nuggets in 6 games to win the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers’ performance in the playoffs this year has been regarded as shaky, and yet when they have been playing well, they have looked nearly unstoppable. The Finals are scheduled to begin this Thursday in Los Angeles.

Quote of the Week: “They’re back from the basketball dead.” — Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel, on the Magic

Further Reading: “Orlando Magic beat LeBron James and Cleveland Cavaliers to reach NBA Finals” — Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel

———-

PENS ICE COLD IN MOTOWN
The Detroit Red Wings won the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals over the weekend, dominating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the process. The Stanley Cup Finals are the pinnacle of the NHL season, and the Red Wings are just two wins away from capturing the cup.

This year’s matchup between the Red Wings and Penguins is actually a re-match of last year’s Stanley Cup Finals. Though Detroit won the championship last year, many people believed that Pittsburgh would be much stronger this time around. However, that has certainly not been the case thus far. Just like last year, the Red Wings have exploded to a 2-0 lead, and if that keeps up, the result will be the same as it was in 2008.

As bad as things have been for the Penguins, at least their only losses in this series so far have been on the road. The series moves to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, where the Pens hope that home ice advantage will help them start their comeback. It would also help if their star player, Sidney Crosby, started playing as well as he is capable of playing. Up until now, Crosby has been a non-factor in the series.

Quote of the Week: ”Sidney Crosby, the face of the NHL (if you ask the NHL), the biggest star in this series (if you ask the NHL), the man who is supposed to lead the revenge call for his Penguins teammates, has been as noticeable as a chorus line member.” — Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press

Further Reading: “Smashing Success” — Associated Press, via ESPN

NADA FOR NADAL: ‘RAFA’ KNOCKED OUT OF FRENCH OPEN

Rafael Nadal, the top-ranked tennis player in the world, was knocked out of the French Open by Robin Soderling on Sunday. The French Open is one of the four Grand Slam events–the most important tennis tournaments of the year.

Throughout the course of his career, Nadal has earned a reputation as one of the greatest clay-court tennis player in the history of the game. For that reason, it was especially unexpected to see him lose on the clay courts of the French Open to Soderling, a 23 seed in the tournament. Nadal has won the French Open the past four years in a row. This is the first time that Nadal has competed in the French Open without winning it. With Nadal out, former No. 1 player Roger Federer becomes the favorite to win the tournament.

In the women’s bracket, No. 1 seed Dinara Safina has already advanced to the tournament’s quarterfinals. No. 2 seed Serena Williams plays her next match on Monday.

Quote of the Week: ”When one player plays bad, he must lose…. I didn’t play my best tennis and for that reason I lose.” — Rafael Nadal

Further Reading: ”Streak Stalled ” — Associated Press, via USA Today

——-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The 2009 Finals begin this week between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic. Game 1 is scheduled for Thursday night, and Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday night.

:: HOCKEY: The Stanley Cup Finals continue this week, as the series moves to Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

:: TENNIS: The French Open, the second of the four Grand Slam tournaments, continues this week. The finals will be played next Saturday and Sunday.

———-

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]

———-

:: 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]

———-

:: 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 French Open is currently underway. [USTA Website]

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

———-

May 25, Week in Sports

:: Magic Jump to 2-1 Lead against Cavs (Pro. Basketball)

:: Castroneves Wins Indy 500 (Auto Racing)

:: Red Wings, Penguins Eye Stanley Cup Rematch (Hockey)

———-

LEBRON, CAVS DAZZLED BY MAGIC

At the beginning of the post-season, almost everyone in the country expected the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers to coast to the NBA Finals. However, both teams are now embroiled in extremely competitive series, and those spots in the Finals, once all but guaranteed for the favorites, are now totally up for grabs.

LeBron James and the Cavaliers were expected to crush the Orlando Magic, but that perception completely changed after the Magic pulled off a huge Game 1 upset in Cleveland, where the Cavs only lost 2 games the whole year. The Magic also won Game 3, to take the 2-1 series lead. Had it not been for a buzzer-beating prayer hurled up by James to win Game 2, the Cavs would be losing this series 3-0.

Out on the West Coast, the Lakers also split their first two games with the Denver Nuggets, which was seen as a huge disappointment for a Lakers team that is virtually unstoppable at home. However, after the Lakers beat the Nuggets in Game 3 of the series in Denver on Saturday night, the Lakers have regained the upper hand.

Quote of the Week: “This time LeBron James couldn’t save them.” — Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel, on Game 3
Further Reading: “Magic pull out Game 3 win over Cavs” — Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel

———-

HELIO WALTZES TO THIRD VICTORY AT INDY

Helio Castroneves, the Brazilian driver and former winner of Dancing With the Stars, won the Indy 500 on Sunday. The Indy 500 is one of the most important and historical races of the year.

Castroneves has now won the Indy 500 a grand total of three times in his career–a feat that has only been accomplished by eight other men. This Indy 500 victory caps off what has been a tremendous month for Castroneves, not least of all because he was recently acquitted of tax charges that could have landed him in prison for 6 years. Castroneves was acquitted of almost all of those charges earlier in the month, and the final count against him was dropped earlier on Sunday.

Danica Patrick made history today, as well, with her third place finish setting a record for the best finish by a woman at the Indy 500. It topped her previous record of fourth place, which she set in 2005.

Quote of the Week: ”This is the best month of May ever.” — Helio Castroneves

Further Reading: ”Winning verdict: Castroneves rolls to third Indy 500 crown ” — Associated Press, via USA Today

CHICAGO CRUSHED

The Detroit Red Wings annihilated the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, winning by a score of 6-1 and taking a 3-1 lead in the series, which puts them one win away from a Stanley Cup Finals berth. The matchup between the Red Wings and Blackhawks is one of the biggest rivalries in hockey and the most anticipated series of the Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Hockey analysts often say that a playoff series doesn’t truly begin until one of the teams loses a game at home. Up until Sunday, both Detroit and Chicago had won all their home games, but that all changed in Game 4, when Detroit embarrassed the Blackhawks in Chicago. Now the series returns to Detroit on Wednesday, and it would take a miracle for the Blackhawks to reverse the momentum and capture the series.

In the other Conference Finals matchup, the Pittsburgh Penguins are currently dominating the Carolina Hurricanes 3 games to none. It now appears that the Pens, led by superstar Sidney Crosby, will easily glide to the Stanley Cup Finals. That will mark a back-to-back appearance in the Finals for the Penguins, who lost last year to the Detroit Red Wings.

Quote of the Week: ”The Wings somehow whipped Chicago, 6-1, dominated this game without Lidstrom and Datsyuk — and without Kris Draper and Andreas Lilja and Tomas Kopecky. On the other hand, the Blackhawks were forced to play the Red Wings without Bobby Hull and Tony Esposito. So it was tough for them, too.” — Michael Rosenberg, Detroit Free Press

Further Reading: ”Blackhawks lose 6-1 to Red Wings in Game 4 ” — Shannon Ryan, Chicago Tribune

——-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The Conference Finals of the NBA playoffs continue this week. Check out the schedule at www.nba.com.

:: HOCKEY: The Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs continue this week. Check out the the schedule at www.nhl.com.

:: TENNIS: The French Open, the second of the four Grand Slam tournaments, continues this week. It runs from May 24 to June 7.

———-

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]

———-

:: 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]

———-

:: 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

———-

May 18, Week in Sports

:: Lakers Top Rockets in Seven; Celtics Fall to Magic (Pro. Basketball)

:: Detroit Red Wings Beat Anaheim Ducks to Face Blackhawks (Hockey)

:: Rachel Alexandra Wins Preakness (Horse Racing)

———-

L.A. CONFIDENT: LAKERS ADVANCE TO CONFERENCE FINALS

On Sunday afternoon, the Los Angeles Lakers pummeled the Houston Rockets 89-70 in Game 7 of their playoff series. The Lakers now advance to the Conference Finals, where they will play the red hot Denver Nuggets.

Going into the 2009 post-season, the Lakers were expected to cruise to the Finals, especially after the Rockets lost their star center, Yao Ming, to injury. However, that perception changed significantly as the Rockets fought back, forcing the series to seven games and raising questions about the strength and heart of the Lakers team–especially after Lakers star guard Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson appeared to be indifferent after an ugly Game 6 loss in Houston. Now the Lakers face an extremely tough opponent in the Denver Nuggets, who are appearing in the Conference Finals for the first time in over two decades.

Meanwhile, on the East Coast, the Boston Celtics fell to the Orlando Magic in Game 7. The Celtics won the NBA Finals last year, and while nobody expected them to repeat that achievement given the injury to Kevin Garnett, it was still a bit of a surprise to see them defeated at home. The Orlando Magic are now slated to play the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Conference Finals. The Cavs are the best team in the playoffs this year, and NBA analysts have all but penciled them in as this year’s champions. If the Magic were to knock them off, it would be a huge upset.

Quote of the Week: “We just had to come home, put the last game behind us, and play well…. We’ve got our hands full with [the Denver Nuggets]–we know they’re rested, we know they’re ready…but we will be too.” — Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

Further Reading: “Gasol, Lakers overwhelm Rockets in Game 7 ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

———-

HAWKS AND RED WINGS DROP THE GLOVES

The Detroit Red Wings pulled off a Game 7 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, advancing to play their arch-rivals, the Chicago Blackhawks, in the next round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Red Wings beat the Blackhawks in Game 1 of that series by a score of 5-2.

The Red Wings, who won the Stanley Cup last year, have been one of the most dominant teams in professional sports over the last decade, and they are just as good as ever. Led by veteran stars Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, and Nicklas Lidstrom, the Red Wings are a well-oiled machine, one of the deepest teams in the league, and a perennial favorite to win the Cup. The Blackhawks, on the other hand, have had a very different path to this series. After fading into irrelevance in Chicago during the past 15 years, the Blackhawks, led by young stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, have resurrected the franchise this year. Since the arrival of Toews and Kane a year ago, the Hawks have gone from being one of the worst teams in the league to being one of the fastest, most explosive teams in the country. The last time the Blackhawks made it this deep in the playoffs was in 1995, when they lost to the Red Wings.

The Blackhawks and Red Wings are two of the “Original Six” teams in the NHL. The other four teams from the “Original Six” are the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Montreal Canadiens.

Quote of the Week: ”Hockeytown USA? Some would argue that’s on the West Side of Chicago now, even if the Red Wings have hilariously trademarked the phrase.” — Jon Greenberg, ESPN Chicago

Further Reading: ”Chi-town and Motown, facing off again ” — Jon Greenberg, ESPN Chicago

———-

BOYS CLUB? NOT AT PREAKNESS

On Saturday afternoon, Rachel Alexandra won the Preakness, edging out Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. The Preakness is the second leg of the Triple Crown of horse racing.

Rachel Alexandra was the favorite to win the Preakness, so in that sense, her victory was the expected result. However, it was still an unusual day in Baltimore for a few reasons. First of all, though Rachel Alexandra was not the first filly to win the Preakness, the last time it happened was 85 years ago. Rachel Alexandra was also the first horse in 134 years to start in the 13th position and win the race.

However, the strangest part of the race had to do with the jockey. The jockey that guided Rachel Alexandra to victory today was none other than Calvin Borel, who won the Kentucky Derby with Mine That Bird. Never before has a Derby-winning jockey switched horses for the Preakness. In this case, the decision paid off handsomely for Borel. Meanwhile, Mine That Bird finished in second place.

Quote of the Week: ”Like I told everybody up front, she’s the best horse in the country right now, bar none. I can’t go back on my word. I won’t go back on my word.” — Calvin Borel

Further Reading: ”Rachel Alexandra holds off Mine That Bird, wins Preakness ” — Bob Velin, USA Today

——-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The Conference Finals of the NBA playoffs begin this week. Check out the schedule at www.nba.com.

:: HOCKEY: The Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs continue this week. The most anticipated matchup of this round is between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. Check out the rest of the schedule at www.nhl.com.

:: TENNIS: The French Open, the second of the four Grand Slam tournaments, begins this week. It runs from May 24 to June 7.

———-

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]

———-

:: 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]

———-

:: 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

———-

May 11, Week in Sports

:: Manny Ramirez Suspended for Using Banned Substance  (Pro. Baseball)

:: Broken Foot Knocks Yao Ming Out of the Playoffs (Pro. Basketball)

:: Brett Favre Considering Return to NFL (Pro. Football)

———-

SAY IT AIN’T SO, MANNY

Manny Ramirez, the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger and one of the greatest hitters in the history of the game, was suspended by the league after failing a drug test. Ramirez has already started serving his 50-game suspension–nearly one third of the 2009 season.

Ramirez did not test positive for steroids, but he did test positive for human chorionic gonadotropin, a female fertility drug that is often used to rebalance the amount of testosterone in the body after steroid use. After news of the suspension broke, Ramirez released a statement saying that a doctor had prescribed HCG to him and that it was all just a big misunderstanding. Of course, the sports world has long since grown weary of such implausible excuses, and nobody in the media even pretended to believe Manny’s statement. Losing Ramirez is a painful blow to a Dodgers team that has gotten off to a tremendously hot start, currently holding the best record in all of baseball.

In March of 2009, Ramirez signed a two-year, $45 million contract with the Dodgers, after a long and drawn out contract negotiation process. During his suspension, Ramirez will not be paid, which means that he will lose out on approximately $8 million.

Quote of the Week: “The best and brightest neighborhood in the Los Angeles sports landscape is a very different place today. Mannywood has officially gone to hell.” — Bill Plaschke, L.A. Times

Further Reading: “Dodgers’ Manny Ramirez suspended 50 games after failing drug test ” — Dylan Hernandez, L.A. Times

———-

YAO-UCH! ROCKETS LOSE THEIR STAR CENTER

After struggling throughout Game 3 of the series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets, Rockets center Yao Ming discovered that he had a fracture in his left foot. The injury means that Yao’s season is over, and the Rockets will face an up-hill battle without their center.

Through Game 3, when the Rockets lost Yao, the Lakers had fought their way to a 2-1 series lead, but it hadn’t been easy. The series has not only featured Yao’s injury, but it has also been marked by flagrant fouls, ejections, suspensions, and very physical play on both sides. The dirtiest play of the nasty series took place during Game 2, when Derek Fisher of the Lakers was ejected for crashing into Luis Scola with his head and shoulders. Fisher received a one-game suspension for the play. NBA bad boy Ron Artest, who plays for the Rockets, has also been involved in the action as well. Artest was in line for a suspension for a late-game flagrant foul, but the league has since reduced that penalty and Artest will not be further disciplined.

With Yao out for the series, everyone has pretty much counted out the Rockets. Yet the Rockets responded strongly on Sunday, blowing out the Lakers to even the series at 2-2. With the series tied up and the bad blood boiling, this series promises to be the most exciting of the second round of the playoffs.

Quote of the Week: ”I think everyone but us got the memo that we weren’t supposed to show up today without Yao.” — Shane Battier, Rockets player

Further Reading: “Yao injury raises Rockets doubts anew ” — J.A. Adande, ESPN.com

———-

SURPRISE, SURPRISE: THE COMEBACK KID HINTS AT A RETURN

This week, rumors began swirling that future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre was considering a return to the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. If Favre were to return, it would be the second year in a row that he retired only to immediately come out of retirement to suit up for the start of the season.

After Favre originally retired from the Green Bay Packers at a tear-filled press conference, he changed his mind and returned to the league, only to wind up playing for the New York Jets in 2008. That entire event was such a media circus that Favre became a laughingstock in the sports world, especially after his poor performances in the final games of the regular season kept the Jets out of the playoffs. All in all, his return to the league was regarded as an amusing, if not successful, experiment. After his relationship with the Jets ended, Favre once again announced his retirement. However, Favre has always expressed an interest in playing for Minnesota, a team with a great defense, strong running game, and no strong quarterback. It appears as though the Vikings brass will offer Favre the position, but whether or not Favre will take it is unclear.

Though Favre has recently denied any interest in playing in the NFL this year, everyone is confident that we would at least strongly consider it, especially given his penchant for flip-flopping about his career. Over the weekend, sources claimed that Favre’s medical records had been sent to the Vikings for review. If that is true, and if the 39-year old Favre is healthy enough, it is likely that the Vikings will at least make him an offer sometime soon.

Quote of the Week: ”The Boy Who Cried Retirement” — Dashiell Bennett’s nickname for Favre (Deadspin)

Further Reading: “Source: Tests a factor in Favre’s future ” — ESPN.com News Service, via ESPN

——-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The NBA playoffs continue this week. Check out the schedule at www.nba.com.

:: HOCKEY: The Stanley Cup playoffs continue this week. The Pittsburgh Penguins currently lead the Washington Capitals 3 games to 2 in the most anticipated matchup of the second round. Game 6 of that series will be played on Monday. The rest of the schedule is available at www.nhl.com.

———-

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]

———-

:: 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]

———-

:: 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

———-

May 4, Week in Sports

:: Boston Celtics Top Bulls in Game Seven  (Pro. Basketball)

:: ‘Mine That Bird’ Surprise Winner at Kentucky Derby (Horse Racing)

:: Manny Pacquiao Destroys Ricky Hatton in Two Rounds (Boxing)

———-

BULL FIGHTERS: CELTICS ADVANCE TO ROUND TWO

The Boston Celtics defeated the Chicago Bulls by a score of 109-99 in Game 7 of the first-round playoff series. Sports writers and fans alike are calling it the greatest first-round playoff series of all-time.

The series was incredibly close, with seven overtime periods played in the first six games. Game 7 was not nearly as tight, though it was by no means a blowout. The Celtics took control in the second quarter of the game, at one point going on a 20-2 run against the Bulls. Ray Allen, who dropped 51 points on the Bulls in Game 6 of the series, followed up that deadly performance with 23 points for the Celtics in Game 7. Ben Gordon led all scorers with 33 points, but it wasn’t enough for the young Chicago Bulls.

The Celtics will now advance to play the Orlando Magic in the second round of the playoffs. Though they stand a chance of beating the Magic, even the most die-hard Celtics fans suspect that this team’s days in the post-season are numbered–especially given the looming Conference Finals matchup with the powerhouse Cleveland Cavaliers.

Quote of the Week: “Call it Game 7, call it Round 15, call it whatever you want. Just remember to call it the greatest first-round series ever played.” — Bill Simmons, ESPN.com

Further Reading: “Close not good enough for Chicago Bulls” — Rick Morrissey, Chicago Tribune

———-

‘MINE THAT BIRD’ OVERCOMES THE ODDS
On Saturday afternoon, Mine That Bird shocked the world by winning the Kentucky Derby. Mine That Bird’s victory was the second-biggest upset in the 135-year history of the Derby, which is the first leg of the Triple Crown of horse racing.

Mine That Bird entered the race as a long-shot, to say the least, with odds at 50-1. The only bigger upset was in 1913, when Donerail won the race. Mine That Bird’s jockey, Calvin Borel, turned in a brilliant performance on Saturday, guiding his underdog gelding to an easy victory over the rest of the field. This is Borel’s second Derby win, having won the race with Street Sense in 2007. While Mine That Bird’s victory inspired the crowds at Churchill Downs, nobody was more excited than the horse’s trainer, Bennie Woolley Jr. This was Woolley Jr.’s first time running a horse in the Kentucky Derby.

While it turned out to be a great day for horse racing, the event got off to a bad start. Earlier in the day, the Derby favorite, I Want Revenge, was scratched from the race after his trainer discovered that the horse had a swollen left ankle. Several other horses had pulled out of the race earlier in the week, as well. In the end, though, no horses were killed in this year’s main race–bringing sighs of relief from horse racing enthusiasts, after last year’s tragic death of filly Eight Belles.

Quote of the Week: ”Really and truly, you’ve got me surprised. But the horse is in the Derby for a reason.” — Calvin Borel, Jockey

Further Reading: “Mine That Bird Uses Shortest Route to Win Derby ” — Joe Drape, New York Times

———-

PACMAN REMAINS POUND-FOR-POUND KING

Manny Pacquiao annihilated Ricky Hatton on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, in one of the biggest fights so far in 2009. Though Pacquiao was the favorite, it was a highly anticipated fight, and many expected it to be much closer than it was.

With this victory, Pacquiao solidified his reputation as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. He dismantled Hatton very early in the fight, knocking “the Hitman” down twice in the first round. In the second round, PacMan delivered a huge, vicious left that knocked Hatton out cold. Hatton, who went to the hospital for brainscans after the fight, later claimed that he never even saw the punch coming. This comes as a devastating loss to Hatton, who is certainly no slouch in the ring and was once considered one of the most feared boxers in the world, before his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in December of 2007. Meanwhile, with Pacquiao’s victory against junior welterweight Hatton, he has now won titles in six weight classes–tying a record set by Oscar de la Hoya.

Earlier on Saturday night, former undisputed pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. announced that he was returning to the ring, after retiring almost a year ago. Mayweather will fight Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18, and should he win, he would face Pacquiao in the fall. If that matchup were to actually take place, it would be, by far, the most anticipated boxing match in recent history.

Quote of the Week: ”I guess I just missed boxing. Somebody’s got to keep the sport up and running. Why not me?” — Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Further Reading: “Dominant Pacquiao drops Hatton in 2nd ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

——-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The NBA playoffs continue this week. Check out the schedule at www.nba.com.

:: HOCKEY: The Stanley Cup playoffs continue this week. The most anticipated series of round 2 is between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals. The schedule is available at www.nhl.com.

———-

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]

———-

:: 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]

———-

:: 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

———-