SportSpectator Blog

October 20, Week in Sports

 

::  RAYS BEAT RED SOX IN SEVEN FOR WORLD SERIES BERTH (Pro. Baseball)

::  PHILLIES BEAT DODGERS TO REACH WORLD SERIES (Pro. Baseball)

::  BCS RANKINGS ANNOUNCED (College Football)

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BYE BYE, BOSTON: RAYS ADVANCE TO WORLD SERIES

The Tampa Bay Rays won the decisive game seven of their series against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night, propelling them into the World Series. This is the first time in franchise history that the Rays are playing in the World Series.

Unless you are from Boston, the Rays are the feel-good story of the year. They have long been a laughingstock in the league, and last year they had the worst record in all of baseball. Now, in their first post-season appearance, the Rays have won the American League pennant. They did it in dramatic fashion, beating their arch-rivals, the Boston Red Sox, in a hard fought series. After trailing the series 3-1, the Red Sox, last year’s World Series champions, clawed their way back, forcing a Game 7. The Rays, a very young team built around speed on the bases, solid pitching, and superb defense, came through when it mattered. The face of the Rays is their manager, Joe Maddon, who stands perched at the top of dugout every game, watching the action through his hipster glasses. The players often credit him with changing the team’s mentality and leading them to their success this year.

Since the American League won the All-Star Game this year, the Rays will have homefield advantage during the World Series. Game 1 will be played on Wednesday night.

Quote of the Week: ”We were so happy out here, I think everybody shed a couple tears. I was in the bottom of the dogpile, I couldn’t breathe, and I wouldn’t trade that moment right there for anything.” — David Price, Rays pitcher

Further Reading: “Rays the Roof” — Associated Press, via SI.com

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FIGHTING PHILS MAKE FALL CLASSIC

The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4 games to 1 in the National League Championship Series, earning a spot in the World Series. The last time the Phillies won the pennant was in 1993.

The Phillies had an emotional end of the season, fighting their way into the playoffs the last week of the regular season. The emotional ride continued in the post-season when Phillies manager Charlie Manuel’s mother passed away during the NLCS. However, Manuel’s personal grief and the franchise’s struggles notwithstanding, the Phillies are playing extremely good baseball right now. Led by stars Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, and Brad Lidge, the Phillies have the kind of power hitting and dominant pitching that will make them a formidable opponent for the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series.

The city of Philadelphia has four sports teams, the Phillies, Eagles, 76ers, and Flyers, but they have not won a championship in the city of Brotherly Love since the 1980s. The Phillies, for their part, last won the World Series in 1980, and as a franchise they have the most losses in the history of the league.

Quote of the Week: “After hearing about the ‘93 team over and over and over again, we finally have a chance to make our mark.” — Jimmy Rollins

Further Reading: “Rollins’ homer sparks Phillies to first World Series berth in 15 years” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS

On Sunday afternoon, the first edition of college football’s BCS standings was released. The BCS standings are a critical part of the college football season, since they ultimately determine which teams play in the all-important bowl games at the end of the year.

The first edition of the standings ranked the following teams as the best five in the country: 1. Texas, 2. Alabama, 3. Penn State, 4. Oklahoma, 5. USC. Texas claimed the number one ranking after their huge victory over Oklahoma a week ago. Moreover, Texas defeated Mizzou this weekend. As a result, virtually all of the college football experts believe that Texas is the most dominant team in the country right now.

However, it should be noted once again that college football rankings tend to change very quickly. If Texas were to lose next weekend, for example, they would plummet in the rankings. Since a number of teams currently in the top 10 in the BCS standings still have to play each other in the coming weeks, these standings are guaranteed to change. At the end of the year, the top two teams in the BCS standings play each other for the national championship.

Quote of the Week: “Texas will be undefeated. We’ll have a BCS Championship game with an undefeated team, I believe: Texas.” — Barry Switzer, former coach and football analyst

Further Reading: BCS Standings Week One

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASEBALL: The World Series begins this week in Tampa Bay. The World Series is the culmination of the baseball season, and this year the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies will face off for the championship. Game 1 will take place on Wednesday night. The full schedule is available at www.mlb.com.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

 

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The World Series begins this week. The best-of-seven series is the culmination of the baseball season, and this year it will be played by the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies. [Official MLB Website]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The standings will begin to take shape in just a few weeks, once teams begin to play their division rivals. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now in full swing. The BCS Standings currently place Texas 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

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The Celtics defeated the Lakers to win the NBA Finals, ending the 2008 season. The pre-season is currently underway, and the 2008 season begins later in October.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

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October 13, Week in Sports

 

::  RAYS AND RED SOX TIED IN ALCS (Pro. Baseball)

::  DODGERS FIGHT BACK AGAINST PHILLIES (Pro. Baseball)

::  TEXAS UPSETS NO. 1 OKLAHOMA (College Football)

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UNLIKELY FOES: RAYS AND RED SOX TIED IN ALCS

The Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox are currently playing each other in the American League Championship Series–the second round of the baseball post-season. The winner of the best-of-seven series, currently tied 1-1, will represent the American League in the World Series.

This series has drawn the most attention from baseball fans for a few reasons. First of all, the Tampa Bay Rays have been the feel-good story of the year. Before this season, the Rays had never before finished a season with a winning record, let alone made the playoffs. However, this year they have been one of the best teams in baseball, knocking off every team in their division, including the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, to win the AL East. Despite the Rays’ dominance during the year, the rival Red Sox still made the playoffs as the Wild Card team. Ever since their World Series victory in 2004, the Red Sox have been a powerhouse in the league, and one of the most popular teams in the country.

Furthermore, there is a lot of bad blood between the Rays and the Red Sox. The two teams have engaged in massive brawls six times over the past eight years. It is safe to say that many of the players on the Rays truly hate players on the Red Sox and vice versa, which adds another layer of intensity to the series.

Boston won the first game of the series, and Tampa Bay won the second in extra innings. Both games have been extremely close so far, and the series as a whole promises to be very competitive. The next three games (on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday) will be played in Boston. If the series hasn’t been decided by then, they will return to Tampa Bay.

Quote of the Week: ”The Rays pulled off an impressive feat Saturday by finishing a marathon with a sprint. And make no mistake about it: They’re still alive and kicking.” — Jerry Crasnick, ESPN, on the Rays’ extra-inning win on Saturday

Further Reading: “Beckett struggles; Sox lose 9-8 in 11 innings“ — John Tomase, Boston Herald

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DODGING BULLETS: L.A. COMES OUT FIGHTING IN GAME THREE

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-2 on Sunday night in game three of the National League Championship Series, a best-of-seven series which the Phillies are currently leading 2 games to 1. The winner of this series will represent the National League in the World Series.

After the Phillies won the first two games in the series, many baseball writers seemed ready to write off the Dodgers. But back home in Los Angeles, the Dodgers looked to be back in top form, with a solid offensive and defensive effort. However, the biggest story to come out of Sunday’s game will undoubtedly be the proceedings of the top of the third inning, when Dodger pitcher Hiroki Kuroda threw a pitch directly above the head of Phillies player Shane Victorino. Earlier in the series, the Phillies had taken the same sort of action toward Dodgers players, including Manny Ramirez and Russell Martin. In that context, Kuroda’s message was clear: if you hit my guys, I’ll hit yours. After the inning, both benches cleared and there was a tense moment on the field. No punches were thrown, but it was clear that the incident got everyone’s blood boiling.

While some may have pronounced this series dead, after the Dodgers’ win and the near-brawl, expect it to be back in the national spotlight this week. The remaining games will be played on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

Quote of the Week: “It could be chilly, it could be windy, but somebody needs to make a Phillies hitter sweat. This is not about headhunting, it’s about win hunting.” — Bill Plaschke, L.A. Times

Further Reading: “Los Angeles gets one back in the NLCS” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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BULLED OVER: LONGHORNS TOP SOONERS IN “INSTANT CLASSIC”

 

No. 5-ranked Texas came up with a comeback win on Saturday afternoon, defeating the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners. As a result, the Sooners lost their first game of the season and their No. 1 rank in the national college football rankings.

 

The game between Texas and Oklahoma was the most highly anticipated game of the weekend, not just because both of them were ranked as two of the top five best teams in the country, but also because the two schools have a major rivalry. Every year, the teams play each other in a game called the “Red River Shootout.” The game is always significant, not just for bragging rights, but because both teams play in the Big 12 Conference. This year, the game was especially significant, since both teams walked into it with undefeated records. The Longhorns’ victory immediately launches them into the national spotlight, and it gives them a chance to make the National Championship game.

 

To the casual fan, it might seem like the top-ranked teams in the country lose more often than they should. It is certainly true that the rankings system is very fluid at this point in the year, but that is one of the reasons why college football is so popular. The country is full of extremely good, extremely competitive football teams, and on any given Sunday, even a mediocre team can knock off the top dogs.

 

Quote of the Week: “Everybody has questioned this team, including me. I didn’t know how good we are.”– Mack Brown, Texas Coach

Further Reading: “Horns Have Plenty” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASEBALL: The Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox play on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and Saturday and Sunday if necessary. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadephia Phillies play on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and Saturday if necessary.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The baseball post-season continues this week. The remaining teams include the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays. [Official MLB Website]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The standings will begin to take shape in just a few weeks, once teams begin to play their division rivals. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now in full swing. The national rankings have changed dramatically every week, and that kind of drama is certain to continue in the coming weeks and months. [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

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The Celtics defeated the Lakers to win the NBA Finals, ending the 2008 season. The 2008 season begins later in October.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

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October 6, Week in Sports

 

::  CHICAGO CUBS UPSET BY L.A. DODGERS (Pro. Baseball)

::  ANGELS, WHITE SOX AVOID SWEEP (Pro. Baseball)

::   OHIO STATE EDGES WISCONSIN (College Football)

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A HUNDRED YEARS OF LOSSES

The Chicago Cubs, who were universally recognized as the best team in the National League, were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Chicago Cubs, in addition to being an excellent team this year, are also one of the most popular teams in the country, and their losing habits are well-documented by the national sports media.

Last year, the Chicago Cubs were favored in the first round of the playoffs when they played the Arizona Diamondbacks, who also swept the Cubbies. That means that in the past two years, the Cubs are 0-6 in post-season baseball. What stings even more is that this year was the 100-year anniversary of the Cubs’ last World Series victory. Every year, analysts talk about the “symmetry of baseball,” which had many Cubs fans believing that this would be the year that they would finally win the World Series. With the best record in the National League this year, they had reason to think that they had a decent chance. However, the Cubs were completely outplayed by the upstart Dodgers. It is safe to say that the Dodgers, led by mid-season acquisition Manny Ramirez, are red-hot and a legitimate post-season threat.

Elsewhere in the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies knocked off the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday afternoon. The Phillies and Dodgers will play in the NLCS, which begins on Thursday.

Quote of the Week: ”It wasn’t a collapse. ‘Collapse’ is too nice a word. A collapse would mean the Chicago Cubs actually showed up for the National League Division Series.” — Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN

Further Reading: ”Cubs swept away in L.A.” — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune

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Guardian Angels Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim came up with a bloop single in the top of the 12th inning to win Game 3 of their series against the Boston Red Sox. The Angels trail the series 2-1, which means that they are one game away from elimination.

The Boston Red Sox are one of the powerhouses of Major League Baseball, so they can never be considered true underdogs. That being said, the Angels had the best record in all of baseball this year, so it was surprising to see them lose their first to games to the Red Sox. However, their late inning heroics on Sunday kept their playoff hopes alive. The Red Sox and Angels will play Game 4 of their series on Monday night. That game is a must-win for the Angels, who are trying to force a fifth game in the series, and who are also fighting to change their reputation for choking in the post-season.

Elsewhere in the American League, the Chicago White Sox managed to win on Sunday to extend their series with the Tampa Bay Rays, who now lead the series 2-1. The two teams will play the fourth game of their series on Monday night.

Quote of the Week: “This was not a victory. This was an exorcism. The streaks are dead. The Angels are alive.” — Bill Shaikin, L.A. Times

Further Reading: “Halo Heroics” — Jerry Crasnick, ESPN

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WISCONSIN GETS BADGERED BY BUCKEYES

No. 18-ranked Wisconsin lost a heartbreaker at home to No. 14 Ohio State on Saturday night. The game was a marquee matchup in the Big Ten Conference, and a huge win for an Ohio State team trying to climb their way back up the ladder.

Entering Saturday night’s game, Wisconsin had won 16 straight games at home, so snapping that streak was a major disappointment. The loss was even more devastating because the Badgers had the lead late in the fourth quarter, until Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor led his team to a dramatic comeback win. Pryor and Buckeyes running back Chris “Beanie” Wells are two of the premiere players in the league. Their clutch success on Saturday night on the national stage will only boost their reputations around the country.

Saturday’s loss marked the second consecutive loss for Wisconsin this year, which essentially means that they will have no chance to make the national championship game at the conclusion of the season. Ohio State, which was considered all but dead after a huge loss to USC, still only has one loss this year, so their BCS  hopes are still alive.

Quote of the Week: “We had ‘em, and we let ‘em go.” — Jaevery McFadden, Wisconsin linebacker

Further Reading: “Buckeye Pr(y)orities” — Adam Rittenberg, ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASEBALL: The playoffs continue this week, as the first round is completed and the remaining teams advance to the second round of post-season play. On Monday night, the White Sox/Rays and Angels/Red Sox will play Game 4, and both of those games will be excellent. The Dodgers and Phillies begin their second-round series on Thursday in what promises to be a fun, high-scoring NLCS.

:: HOCKEY: The regular season truly kicks off this week, so if you’ve been waiting for a chance to get into hockey, this is it. Most newspapers will be providing season previews for the local team, which is a great place to start. An even better place to start–actually watching the games.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

 

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): This week marks the second week of the post-season. The remaining teams include. [Official MLB Website]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The standings will begin to take shape in just a few weeks, once teams begin to play their division rivals. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football is now in full swing. The Oklahoma Sooners are currently ranked the No. 1 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 begins this week. The 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

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The Celtics defeated the Lakers to win the NBA Finals, ending the 2008 season. The 2008 season begins later in October.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

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August 4, Week in Sports

::   MANNY RAMIREZ TRADED TO DODGERS (Pro. Baseball)

::   FAVRE REINSTATED IN NFL (Pro. Football)

::   U.S. BASKETBALL TEAM PREPS FOR OLYMPICS  (Pro. Basketball)

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MAN, OH MANNY! RED SOX SHIP RAMIREZ TO THE DODGERS

Manny Ramirez, the twelve-time All-Star who won two World Series championships with the Boston Red Sox, was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers just minutes before the MLB trading deadline on July 31st. Ramirez is one of the biggest names in the league, so his surprise move to Los Angeles is significant.

In the weeks leading up to the trading deadline, the relationship between Manny and the Red Sox got significantly worse. Manny publicly stated that the Red Sox didn’t deserve a player of his caliber, then half-heartedly played a week’s worth of games, then stated that he would like to be traded. In the end, he got his wish. The Red Sox, desperate to get rid of Ramirez, gave up the former World Series MVP for very little, though they landed Pirates outfielder Jason Bay as part of the deal sending Manny to L.A.

Future Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. was traded the same morning, moving from the Cincinnati Reds to the Chicago White Sox.

Quote of the Week: “I like this city, the environment, the energy in the fans. I think that I’ll play here for the remainder of my career.” — Manny Ramirez, on the city of Los Angeles

Further Reading: ”Manny, Junior relocate” — Derrick Goold, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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HE’S BACK…FAVRE’S RETURN TO NFL OFFICIAL

In the latest development in the Brett Favre soap opera, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell officially reinstated the Green Bay Packers quarterback on Sunday.

Over the past few weeks, Favre has made it clear that he wants to come out of his brief retirement to play again this year. Now that Goodell has reinstated him, Favre is officially back in the league. However, Goodell’s decision in no way answers the question on everyone’s mind: where is Brett Favre going to play this year? The Packers have made it clear that they are reluctant to bring Favre back–even reportedly going so far as to offer him $25 million to stay retired. But it looks like Favre will reject that deal, in which case the Packers are going to have to make up their minds by either welcoming him back on the team or trading him. Goodell’s decision to reinstate Favre is expected to force Packers management to make a decision this week.

Quote of the Week: “The Brett Favre saga has gone on for so long now, that it actually causes physical pain to hear mention of his name. If NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has his way, though, the beginning of the end to the nauseating Favre-Packers standoff will mercifully start early next week.” — Marcel Mutoni, Deadspin

Further Reading: ”Goodell Reinstates Favre” — ESPN

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THE RETURN OF THE ‘DREAM TEAM’?

On Sunday, the U.S. Olympic team beat the Russian squad in an exhibition game meant as a warm-up for the upcoming Olympics in Beijing. The U.S. team, exclusively composed of players from the NBA, has its sights set on the gold medal.

In 1992, the U.S. basketball team, nicknamed the “Dream Team,” completely dominated the competition. That domination continued until 2004, when the American team was knocked off its pedestal–an embarrassment, considering the team was stacked with the best players in the world. Since then, the U.S. team has played like they have something to prove. This year’s squad is the team to beat in Beijing. The players include the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmello Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Paul, among others.

That’s not as good as the 1992 Dream Team (which included Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Charles Barkley), but if this year’s team plays with a chip on their shoulder, look for them to put up some fireworks later this month.

Quote of the Week: “Yes, they’re the favorites. No, they don’t expect to be crowned Dream Team 2.0 without having earned it.” — Chris Sheridan, ESPN

Further Reading: ”Kobe scores 19 as US thwarts Russia” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: GOLF: The PGA Championship, the last Golf Major of the year, takes place this week.

:: OLYMPICS: The Opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing is Friday, August 8th. From then until August 24th, the Olympics will be the focus of the sporting world’s attention.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

 

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): As the second half of the season moves forward, teams will be jockeying for spots in the post-season–either by winning their division, or by taking the Wild Card spot. [Official MLB Website]

———-

:: 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 PGA Championship takes place this week. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

———-

:: 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

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

———-

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The pre-season runs through August, and the regular season begins in September. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): Practice sessions for college football begin in summer, and the regular season begins in August. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals, completing the 2007-08 season. [Official NHL Website]

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:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The Celtics defeated the Lakers to win the NBA Finals, ending the 2008 season.  [Official NBA Website]