SportSpectator Blog

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)

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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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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)

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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

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‘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

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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

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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.

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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 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 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.

———-

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

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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 .

———-

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 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

———-

December 29, Week in Sports

:: NFL POST-SEASON SET (Pro. Football)

:: YANKEES ACQUIRE MARK TEIXEIRA (Pro. Baseball)

:: LAKERS SNAP CELTICS’ WIN STREAK (Pro Basketball)

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PIGSKIN PLAYOFFS

The NFL regular season ended this weekend and the playoff teams were finalized. The playoffs begin next weekend and culminate weeks later with the Super Bowl, the biggest event in American sports.

Twelve teams make it to the playoffs in the NFL. This year, the following teams made the cut: Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, and Minnesota Vikings. If there is a favorite at this point, it is probably the New York Giants, who won the Super Bowl last year and had a very strong season. However, maybe even bigger news was the list of teams that did not make the playoffs, and the Dallas Cowboys are at the top of that list. Before the season, many NFL experts predicted that the Cowboys would make it to the Super Bowl. However, after a mediocre season and a devastating loss on Sunday, the ‘Boys are out of the running yet again.

The Detroit Lions finished the season 0-16 after their loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. After completing the worst season in the history of the NFL, the Lions fired their head coach.

Quote of the Week: “Week 17 had it all. And for so much of it, there was really no way to see it coming. It happens every year that way, and still we’re surprised by the surprise of it all.” — Don Banks, Sports Illustrated

Further Reading: ”NFC Preview” — Jeffri Chadiha, ESPN ; “AFC Preview” — John Clayton, ESPN

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BRONX BOMBERS DROP ANOTHER BUNDLE

Star first baseman Mark Teixeira signed with the New York Yankees last Tuesday for $180 million over 8 years. Teixeira was one of the most coveted free agents this off-season.

Teixeira is one of the best hitters in the game, as well as a Gold Glove-winning fielder, but his tremendous abilities were overshadowed this week by the amount of money that the Yankees spent in order to sign him. So far, the Yankees have spent more than $400 million dollars this off-season–by far the most in the league. The Yankees, of course, have a well-deserved reputation for big spending. During the 2008 season, they had a payroll over $200 million, ten times the payroll of the Florida Marlins and $70 million more than the next highest team, the New York Mets.

Major League Baseball has no salary cap, which allows for that kind of disparity in spending, but the Yankees’ outrageous spending has been highly criticized this year. Expect the criticism to heat up in the coming weeks, when the Yankees are expected to sign even more free agents, including star pitcher Andy Pettitte.

Quote of the Week: “As of 4 p.m. today, the Yankees have spent $423 million on free agents this offseason…. Six months ago, the Yankees asked the city of New York for an additional $480 million to fund [their new] stadium. They bulldozed parks that used to be playgrounds for the children of the South Bronx…. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, NYC taxpayers.” — Rick Chandler, Deadspin

Further Reading: “Buying an umbrella in New York” — Joe Posnanski

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Stocking Full of Kobe

On Christmas Day, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics by a score of 92-83. Before the loss, the Celtics had won 19 games in a row–the longest streak in franchise history.

The victory over the Celtics served as a small measure of revenge for the Lakers, who were badly beaten by Boston in last season’s NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant, the superstar Lakers guard, led all scorers with 27 points. Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who made a name for himself with Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, reached a truly impressive milestone on Thursday, as well, notching his 1,000th career victory.

The Lakers and the Celtics were the two best teams in the NBA last year, and this year, the two teams look poised to meet again in the Finals. As of Sunday, the Lakers had a record of 24-5 and the Celtics had a record of 27-4. Other than those two teams, only the Cleveland Cavaliers (25-4) and the Orlando Magic (24-6) had winning percentages over .800.

Quote of the Week: “Last year, they won the championship. This year, it’s our year, we want to take it all the way.” — Sasha Vujacic, Lakers guard

Further Reading:  ”Lakers put end to Celtics’ 19-game win streak” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: COLLEGE FOOTBALL: The Bowl Games, already underway, continue this week. New Year’s Day is a huge day for college football, since the Rose Bowl is almost always played on January 1st. The Rose Bowl is the oldest bowl game in the nation, and always features two of the best teams in the country. This year, the game will be played between the USC Trojans and the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Rose Bowl is played in Pasadena, California.

:: HOCKEY: The “Winter Classic,” an annual NHL game played outdoors, is scheduled to take place on New Year’s Day. This year, the Classic will be played at Wrigley Field in Chicago, between the Chicago Blackhawks and arch-rival Detroit Red Wings.

:: PRO. FOOTBALL: The NFL playoffs begin next week, when the AFC and NFC wildcard playoffs are played on Saturday and Sunday. Click here to see the game schedule.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: 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 college basketball season is currently underway and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The playoffs begin this week and culminate in the Super Bowl, which takes place later in January. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The regular season is over and the bowl games have already started. Florida and Oklahoma will play each other 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. Now that the PGA Championship is over, mainstream golf news will most likely revolve around Tiger Woods’ return from injury and preparation for next year’s Majors. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season runs through April of 2009. By the new year, the league power rankings should be pretty well set. [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. [USTA Website]

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

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OFFSEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]