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)

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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

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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

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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

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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 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.

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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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March 9, Week in Sports

:: MANNY RAMIREZ RE-SIGNS WITH DODGERS (Pro. Baseball)

:: TWO NFL PLAYERS LOST AT SEA (Pro. Football)

:: TERRELL OWENS CUT BY COWBOYS (Pro. Football)

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MANNY REJOINS BOYS IN BLUE

After a long and ugly process, Manny Ramirez re-signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday for $45 million over two years. Ramirez, the former Boston Red Sox star slugger, is one of the best players in Major League Baseball.

Negotiations between the Dodgers and Ramirez began nearly four months ago, and those four months have not been pretty. Though Ramirez is an extraordinary player, he is also well known for letting his mood swings and attitude problems interfere with his performance on the field and his relationship with his team. It doesn’t help that he is represented by Scott Boras, who is universally regarded as one of the most egotistical agents in baseball. That being said, Dodgers ownership has not been blameless in this process, as team owners Frank and Jamie McCourt have made strange public comments about free agency, suggesting that it might be immoral to offer fat contracts to baseball players. In any case, the turmoil between the two parties is now over, which is good news for the Dodgers, since Ramirez was a huge factor in their playoff run last season.

In other baseball news, doctors discovered that Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez had a torn labrum and he is having surgery to correct the problem. As a result, Rodriguez will miss at least the first month of the season.

Quote of the Week: “Hurray for Mannywood. Concluding a four-month run that was part slapstick, part soap opera, and completely surreal, the drama between the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez is finally over.” — Bill Plaschke, L.A. Times

Further Reading: “Manny takes physical, completes deal ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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DAY OF MOURNING FOR THE NFL

Last Tuesday, the Coast Guard called off the search for three men, including two NFL players, who were lost at sea when their fishing boat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico. One member of the fishing trip, Nick Schuyler, was found alive.

The Coast Guard found Schuyler clinging to the capsized boat, and he was in surprisingly good condition, considering the fact that he had been in the water for almost two full days. The three other members of his group, which included pro football players Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith, were also hanging onto the boat for hours after it capsized. However, according to Schuyler, two of the men eventually took off their life jackets and allowed themselves to be carried off by the waves, and the third man eventually swam off when he mistakenly thought he saw rescuers approaching.

After the Coast Guard called off the search, the families of the missing men mounted a private effort to continue looking for their loved ones. However, those efforts have reportedly come to an end, as well.

Quote of the Week: ”To stay in the water for 46 hours and be alive afterwards I think is a miracle.” — Dr. Mark Rumbak

Further Reading: ”Families hunt for closure as Gulf search for players ends ” — Sean Leahy, USA Today

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BILLS, BILLS, BILLS: T.O. BUFFALO BOUND

In a surprising move, the Dallas Stars cut star wide receiver Terrell Owens, commonly referred to as “T.O.” Two days later, the Buffalo Bills picked Owens up, in a one-year deal for $6.5 million.

T.O. has a reputation for being a stubborn, spotlight loving player with a “me first” attitude. That being said, he is one of the best wide receivers in the game, and in his three years with Dallas he played extremely well. Furthermore, in spite of the general opinion that Owens is a “clubhouse cancer,” he fit in with his teammates surprisingly well compared to his conflicts with previous teammates, despite reported conflicts with quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten. Last year, though, the Cowboys were expected to be one of the best teams in football, but they completely flopped and many critics blamed Owens for the team’s poor chemistry. Now, as Jean-Jacques Taylor of the Dallas Morning News said, “It’s time for every player who blamed T.O. for the problems on this team to put up or shut up.”

The fact that the Bills picked up Owens so quickly was almost as surprising as the fact that Owens was cut. Many expected Owens to go to a playoff-ready team looking for a missing piece of the puzzle, but the Bills are young and inexperienced. In short, without veteran players and coaches with strong personalities in Buffalo, everyone is already predicting that Owens will butt heads with his new teammates.

Quote of the Week: “I’m leaving America’s team [for] North America’s team.” — Terrell Owens

Further Reading:  “Out route: Terrell Owens had to go ” — Jean-Jacques Taylor, Dallas Morning News

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: COLLEGE BASKETBALL: As Championship Week moves forward and the tournament draws near, we are entering into “March Madness,” the peak of the college basketball season. The madness will continue this week, as the champions of conference tournaments across the country are decided. This is all leading up to next Sunday, when the NCAA Selection Committee announces the competitors in the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship.

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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. This Sunday is “Selection Sunday,” when the NCAA Selection Committee announces the competitors in this year’s tournament. [CBS Sports]

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:: 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]

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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 Masters is scheduled for the first week of April. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season is currently underway and runs through April of 2009.  [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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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]

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]

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

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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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

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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:: 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]

June 2, Week in Sports

:: CELTICS, LAKERS ADVANCE TO NBA FINALS (Pro. Basketball)

:: RED WINGS ONE WIN AWAY FROM WINNING STANLEY CUP (Pro. Hockey)

:: MANNY RAMIREZ HITS 500TH HOME RUN (Pro. Baseball)

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I LOVE THE ’80s: CELTICS-LAKERS MATCHUP RENEWS OLD RIVALRY

Last week, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers secured spots in this year’s NBA Finals. During the 1960s and 1980s, the Celtics-Lakers rivalry was one of the most intense in professional sports. This will be the first time the two teams have faced off in the Finals since 1987.

This match-up will be one of the most hyped NBA Finals in recent history for a number of reasons. Both the Lakers and the Celtics play in huge markets and both franchises are part of long-standing traditions. Both teams feature some of the NBA’s biggest names–the Lakers have league MVP Kobe Bryant, and the Celtics have superstar Kevin Garnett. Both teams have also been part of this year’s biggest story lines in the NBA: The Lakers almost traded Kobe Bryant during the off-season (per Bryant’s request), but the star guard ended up having a career year in Los Angeles; the Celtics acquired Garnett in the off-season, instantly transforming a comatose franchise into a powerhouse. The series begins on Thursday in Boston.

There was another ’80s throwback of sorts this week as well, when it was rumored that Doug Collins would return to his position as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls. Collins coached the Bulls in the ’80s, and many believe that Phil Jackson, who won six championships with Michael Jordan’s Bulls, hijacked the team that Collins built.

Quote of the Week: “I think [the Lakers-Celtics] rivalry really revolutionized the game of basketball, and now I’m a part of it.” — Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics player

Further Reading: “Lakers-Celtics: A rivalry so big it should be on Versus” — Bill Plaschke

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RED HOT RED WINGS POISED TO WIN STANLEY CUP

On Saturday night, the Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Detroit now leads the series 3-1, and will have an opportunity to win it all on Monday night.

Detroit won the first two games of the series, which deflated the high hopes of Pittsburgh fans and league officials who had hoped that this series would be extremely close. When the Penguins responded by winning Game 3, though, it only put them one game away from tying it up. However, Saturday’s loss at home was devastating for the Penguins. The Pens had won their past nine games in Pittsburgh.

Game 4 featured an unbelievable performance by Red Wing Henrik Zetterberg, including an extraordinary minute and a half when he completely shut down the Penguins during a 5-on-3 advantage.

Quote of the Week: “Since the best-of-seven format was introduced in 1939, only one team has come back from a 3-1 series deficit to win the Cup.” — Scott Burnside, ESPN

Further Reading: “Stanley Cusp! Gritty Wings one win away from championship” — Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press

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GOING, GOING, GONE…MANNY HITS NUMBER 500

Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox hit his 500th career home run on Saturday. Only 23 other players have accomplished the feat.

As is the case with many hitters approaching major milestones, Ramirez seemed to struggle in recent weeks as he neared the 500 mark. He finally ended the wait in the seventh inning of Saturday’s game against Baltimore. “I just wanted to get a good swing on the ball all day,” Ramirez said after the game. “And I did.”

Now that the Ramirez watch is over, all eyes will be on Ken Griffey Jr. Right now, Griffey is sitting on 599 home runs. While Ramirez’s feat was a big deal, Griffey’s will be much more significant: only five other players have hit 600 home runs.

Quote of the Week: “That was the swing, right there. It’s hard to hit home runs. I know — I made a career of not doing it.” — Dave Magadan, Red Sox hitting coach

Further Reading: “Manny Mashes No. 500” — Rob Bradford, Boston Herald

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASKETBALL – The NBA Finals begin on Thursday, when the Lakers play the Celtics in Boston.

:: HOCKEY – The Stanley Cup Finals continue this week. The Red Wings currently lead the Penguins 3-1. Game 5 will be played tonight (Monday) in Detroit.

:: TENNIS – The French Open continues this week and runs through June 8th.
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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): Baseball season is in full swing, but it is a long season, so teams tend to measure their success month by month. The All-Star break takes place the second week of July. By then, teams’ records will be a good indicator of how well they are performing this season. [Official MLB Website]

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:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The NBA Finals begin on Thursday, when the Lakers play the Celtics in Boston. [Official NBA Website]

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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 Masters is over, the next event will be the U.S. Open, which is played from June 9-15. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins are currently battling in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Red Wings lead the series 3-1. [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 of the year are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The French Open is currently underway. The next event is Wimbledon, which runs from June 23rd to July 6th. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova

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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]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The pre-season begins in 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]