SportSpectator Blog

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)

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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

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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

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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.

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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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November 10, Week in Sports

 

:: BARACK OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT (Pro. Sports)

:: ALLEN IVERSON TRADED TO PISTONS (College Football)

:: TENNESSEE TITANS IMPROVE TO 9-0 RECORD (Pro. Football)

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NOW STARTING, FROM CHICAGO, NUMBER 44…

As President-elect Barack Obama sets up his transitional office, the sports world is abuzz with questions about what his presidency will mean for American athletics.

Obama’s passion for sports is well-documented. He is a huge fan of the Chicago White Sox, well-informed on the nuances of fantasy football, and a proponent for playoffs in NCAA football. He also plays basketball regularly, and earlier stated that if he were elected President, he would have a basketball court installed at the White House. While all of these issues relate to Obama as a sports fan, his presidency is also expected to have practical consequences in professional sports. For instance, many experts have noted that his tax policies would effect team owners and players, which ultimately might be a determining factor in free agency signings and player contracts. It is hard to tell whether or not that will actually be an issue, but sports analysts are closely monitoring the player market in Major League Baseball to see whether or not Obama’s election has an impact.

Of course, Obama is by no means the first President with connections to professional sports. George W. Bush was a former owner of the Texas Rangers, who pressured lawmakers and sports commissioners to clean up the world of professional sports, which played a big part in the steroid investigations in baseball and other sports.

Quote of the Week: ”I think it is about time that we had playoffs in college football. I’m fed up with these computer rankings and this and that and the other. Get eight teams–the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a National Champion.” — Barack Obama, on college football

Further Reading: ”Change is coming to sports, too, under Obama” – Lester Munson, ESPN

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DETROIT FINDS ‘THE ANSWER’

 

In a dramatic move that is shaking up the league, the Detroit Pistons traded star guard Chauncey Billups and two other players for Denver Nuggets superstar Allen Iverson. Iverson is one of the biggest stars in the league, and Billups was the NBA Finals MVP when the Pistons won the title in 2004.

The Pistons, who have made the playoffs every year since 2001, are one of the strongest teams in the league. During their current streak of making the playoffs, Billups has been one of the faces of the franchise, which made this trade a hard decision for Detroit. However, during their years of success, the Pistons have only managed to bring home the championship once, in 2004. By adding Allen “The Answer” Iverson, the Pistons are hoping to reclaim the NBA title. That being said, picking up Iverson is a risky move that could potentially flop, as it did with the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets, who also thought that Iverson was “the Answer.”

The Nuggets, on the other hand, are thrilled to have Billups on board. They have made the playoffs every year since 2003, but every single year they have been knocked out of the postseason in the first round. The Nuggets are hoping that they addition of the veteran Billups, known for his poise and passing game, will help the team advance in the playoffs this year.

Quote of the Week: “Whoa, now this came out of leftfield.” — Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press

Further Reading: “Pistons get Iverson for Billups, McDyess, Samb” — Vince Ellis, Detroit Free Press

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TITAN-IC SEASON

 

The Tennessee Titans improved to a league-best record of 9-0 with a 21-14 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. The Titans have all but guaranteed a spot in the playoffs this year, and they have a chance to finish the regular season with a perfect record–one of the most difficult team achievements in sports.

 

The Titans are not a flashy team, and their biggest players are not household names. As a result, they have earned their 9-0 record very quietly, and week in and week out their doubters predict that they will lose their first game. However, the Titans have gone on winning, primarily because of the production of their explosive running backs, Chris Johnson and Lendale White. Despite a terrible performance by both Johnson and White on Sunday, the Titans still managed to beat the Bears, preserving their flawless record.

 

Part of the reason that the Titans’ success has received so little attention thus far is because of the fact that last year, the New England Patriots went undefeated in the regular season for the first time in decades. The Patriots–who had glam-quarterback Tom Brady and stud receiver Randy Moss–were a team that fans around the country loved or hated with equal passion. The Titans, for the time being, have yet to inspire those kinds of emotions in casual fans. If they continue to win these next few weeks, though, they will be the center of attention for the most popular sport in the country.

Quote of the Week: “Maybe they have some kind of angel around them or something. I don’t know” — Rashied Davis, Bears Wide Receiver

Further Reading:  “Perfect Form” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: COLLEGE BASKETBALL: The College basketball season begins this week. While there are no major match-ups in the first few days of the season, many of the top teams in the country will get their first taste of the national spotlight. If you’re looking for an edge in your office pool next March, now is the time to start scouting teams.

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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 begins on November 10th and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The Tennessee Titans are currently the best team in the league, with an undefeated record. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now in full swing. The BCS Standings currently place Alabama as the best team in the country. [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]