SportSpectator Blog

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

———-

:: “MARCH MADNESS” TEAMS SELECTED (College Basketball)
:: HOUSTON ROCKETS BUILD 22-GAME WIN STREAK (Pro. Basketball)
:: TIGER WOODS WINS 5 STRAIGHT PGA EVENTS (Golf)

SHARPEN YOUR PENCIL: IT’S TOURNEY TIME!

On Sunday, March 16th, the NCAA Selection Committee announced the competitors in this year’s NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship. This tournament, which marks the climax of the college basketball season, is one of the most popular and exciting sporting events of the year.

The tournament includes 65 teams, although that will be immediately narrowed to 64 on Tuesday when the two lowest-ranked teams (Mount Saint Mary’s and Coppin State) battle it out for the 64th spot. The remaining 64 teams are then divided into four regional mini-tournaments with 16 teams in each region. These teams are ranked, or “seeded,” #1-#16. In the first round of the tournament, the highest-ranked teams in each regional tournament (#1) play the lowest-ranked teams (#16), the second-highest team (#2) plays the second-lowest team (#15), and so on. This arrangement continues through the next rounds of the tournament, which means that the higher-ranked teams theoretically have an easier path to the championship; conversely, it is much harder for the lower-seeded teams to advance. For a more detailed explanation of the way the tournament works, or for help with your office pool, check out SportSpectator’s guide to March Madness.

Since there are four regional brackets, there are four sets of teams ranked #1-#16. This year, North Carolina, Memphis, Kansas, and UCLA are the four #1 seeds, which makes them the “favorites” to win the tournament. However, there has never been a year when all four teams ranked #1 have made the Final Four, so expect to see a couple of those teams get knocked out sooner or later. In short, even for the best teams in the country, it is incredibly difficult to go deep in the tournament. That being said, no #1 team has ever lost to a #16 team in the first round of the tournament.

The first and second rounds of the tournament will be played Thursday through Sunday. From the second weekend of the tournament until the championship, the games will get even more intense.

Quote of the Week: “Once you get to the second weekend, then it’s a fist fight the rest of the way” — Jay Bilas, ESPN analyst
Further Reading: “UNC, Memphis, UCLA and Kansas earn top seeds in NCAA tournament” — CBS Sports

———-

BLAST OFF! ROCKETS WIN 22 STRAIGHT GAMES

The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday afternoon, extending their winning streak to an unbelievable 22 games. This streak is amazing, not just because it is the second-longest winning streak in NBA history, but also because during that streak, the Rockets have catapulted themselves from fifth to first place.

The Rockets’ winning streak is improbable for many reasons–perhaps most of all because they are playing without Yao Ming, one of the league’s superstars, who fractured his foot in late February. Critics have said that the Rockets’ streak has, in part, been aided substantially by an easier schedule during the past several weeks. However, as time goes by and the Rockets keep winning, that criticism is becoming increasingly untenable. After today’s win over the Lakers, one of the league’s best teams, nobody can deny that the Rockets are playing at an extraordinarily high level.

The first priority for the Rockets is to stay in first place. But with 22 wins and no sign that the team is vulnerable, the Rockets have a chance to match the longest winning streak in NBA history, set during the 1971-72 season, when the Lakers won 33 straight games.

Quote of the Week: “Let’s keep it going. This was a good test for us. We came out and took care of business.” — Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets superstar guard
Further Reading: “Twenty-Two for One!” — Associated Press, via ESPN
———-

TIGER…OH, MY!

On Sunday afternoon, Tiger Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational by sinking a dramatic 25-foot putt on the 18th green–the final hole of the four day tournament–to win by one shot. With Sunday’s win, Woods has accumulated 64 career PGA wins.

Woods has won five straight PGA Tour events, maintaining a perfect season so far this year. Since he is the undisputed number one golfer in the world, nobody is surprised when Woods gets this hot. But with 64 career wins, Woods has tied golf-great Ben Hogan at third-place for all-time PGA wins. Jack Nicklaus stands in second place with 72 wins, and Sam Snead holds the record with 82 wins.

Woods will have a chance to add to his wins total when he plays in the CA Championship at Doral next week.

Quote of the Week: “That’s why he’s Tiger Woods. He has an incredible way of pulling off the shot or the putt when he needs to.” — Bart Bryant, who lost to Woods by one shot on Sunday
Further Reading: “Woods Takes Arnold Palmer Invitational on Birdie Putt” — Associated Press, via USA Today
———-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: COLLEGE BASKETBALL — With the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship beginning this week, this is the greatest time of the year for college basketball fans. Whether you’re at work, at school, out to dinner, or channel surfing at home, you will surely hear plenty about the games in the tournament. The action starts on March 18th, when Mount Saint Mary’s and Coppin State have a playoff game to determine who gets the 64th spot in the tournament. The first and second rounds of the tournament will be played Thursday through Sunday, all day every day. Keep an eye on the four #1 teams, tease your co-worker when his #5-ranked school gets knocked out in the first round by a #12-ranked team, and cheer for this year’s Cinderella team–the underdog who makes a run at the championship. Good luck with your bracket! For help navigating your office pool, be sure to read the SportSpectator guide to March Madness.

———-
ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): With little more than a month remaining in the regular season (the post-season begins on April 19th), the 2008 playoff picture is beginning to take shape. Sixteen teams will qualify for the playoffs—eight from the Western Conference and eight from the Eastern Conference. [Official NBA Website]
NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship—often called simply “the tournament” or “the Big Dance”–begins this week, with non-stop action Thursday through Sunday. The 65 competitors in the tournament were announced on March 16th–Selection Sunday. More detailed information about the tournament schedule will become available as the week progresses. As that information is updated, you can find it easily at either www.espn.com or www.cbssports.com, among other places. [CBS Sports]

———-

:: 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 first of these is the Masters, which takes place in April. The Masters is played on the same course every year at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): With less than a month remaining in the regular season (the Stanley Cup playoffs begin on April 9th), the 2008 playoff picture is beginning to take shape. Sixteen teams will qualify for the playoffs—eight from the Western Conference and eight from the Eastern Conference. [Official NHL Website]
———-

:: TENNIS

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

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Justine Henin

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): Baseball’s pre-season—Spring Training—is in full swing, with exhibition games being played daily in Arizona and Florida. The regular season begins on March 25th, when the Boston Red Sox play the Oakland Athletics in Tokyo, Japan. [Official MLB Website]

———-

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): Until the NFL Draft takes place—on April 25th and 26th—NFL news will be limited to trades and free agent signings. The NFL pre-season begins in August, and the regular season begins in September. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): Now that signing day has come and gone, there won’t be much news in college football until the summer, when practice sessions begin. [NCAA Football, ESPN]