:: Lakers Win NBA Finals (Pro. Basketball)

:: Pittsburgh Penguins Win Stanley Cup (Pro. Hockey)

:: Tiger Prepares for U.S. Open (Golf)

———-

VALIDATION: KOBE, LAKERS WIN TITLE

On Sunday night, the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA championship over the Orlando Magic after winning Game 5 of the Finals by a score of 99-86. This is the Lakers’ first championship title in seven years.

The Lakers are a powerhouse franchise, so their championship can hardly be considered surprising–especially since, at the beginning of the year, analysts across the board picked them as one of the favorites to win the Finals. And yet, this championship is just as much about Lakers guard Kobe Bryant as it is about the Lakers organization. Bryant has been criticized by many for never winning a championship without Shaq. Now, Bryant has silenced those critics by winning a championship ring “on his own,” and being named Finals MVP in the process.

This Finals series could have gone very differently, had the Orlando Magic executed better. The Magic will have a long off-season as they reflect on all the missed opportunities they during the championship. Missed shots, missed free throws, sloppy defense, and turnovers doomed this Orlando team, and made for a relatively easy victory for the Lakers.

Quote of the Week: “Kobe Bryant has the NBA title he needed most–the one without Shaq.” — Associated Press

Further Reading: “Seven Year Itch” — Associated Press, via ESPN

———-

PANIC IN DETROIT: PENGUINS TOPPLE RED WINGS IN GAME SEVEN

On Friday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins stunned the league by beating the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Pens came back from an 0-2 series deficit, and ultimately finished off the Red Wings in Detroit.

The Red Wings were favored in Game 7, mainly because they have been virtually unstoppable at home during the 2009 post-season. However, after a tightly played first period, Max Talbot of the Penguins scored two goals in the second period, and Detroit was in desperation mode for the rest of the game. Jonathan Ericsson of the Red Wings cut the Penguins’ lead to 2-1 with just 6 minutes left in the game, and as the final seconds ticked away, Detroit had an opportunity to tie the game. But Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made a diving save as time expired, and the Penguins became the Stanley Cup champions for the first time since 1992.

Since Friday’s victory, the main storyline has been the behavior of Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby after the game. Red Wing Kris Draper accused Crosby of “snubbing” Detroit captain Nick Lidstrom. Crosby, who shook hands with many of the Red Wings after he finished an on-ice celebration following the game, denied the insinuation that he had been a sore winner. The story is sure to fade quickly, though it certainly adds fuel to the fire for those within the league who already dislike Crosby.

Quote of the Week: ”The torch has been passed. From Mario Lemieux, the heart and soul of this franchise, to a new generation of wondrous talent. Let the dynasty talk begin. And, yes, a dynasty is in the offing.” — Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Further Reading: “Well-dressed, clean-shaven no way to end it” — Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press

TIGER, TIGER BURNING BRIGHT

This week marks the start of the U.S. Open, the second of the four major championships in professional golf. As with every year, the final round of the U.S. Open will be played on Father’s Day Sunday.

Of course, going into any major championship, the focus is on Tiger Woods. Tiger’s performance this year is especially anticipated since last year, his victory over Rocco Mediate at the U.S. Open was one of the greatest golf performances of all time. Now Woods is after his 15th major championship at Bethpage in New York. The last time they held the U.S. Open at Bethpage in 2002, Woods was the winner.

The media will also be focused on Phil Mickelson, the closest thing that Woods has to a rival. Mickelson recently announced that his wife Amy is suffering from breast cancer. His family’s plight has been highly publicized, so he is expected to be a fan favorite this weekend.

Quote of the Week: ”Woods is preparing to defend his title this week at Bethpage Black on Long Island…but he’ll forever be asked about the week in Southern California when he hobbled to victory on two stress fractures in his tibia and a knee that just more than a week later would be surgically reconstructed.” — Bob Hariq, ESPN.com

Further Reading: ”The Torrey Story ” — Bob Hariq, ESPN.com

——-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: GOLF: The U.S. Open begins on Thursday of this week. The final round of the tournament will be played on Father’s Day Sunday.

———-

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 Finals are now over, with the Lakers defeating the Orlando Magic in win the title.  [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 U.S. Open will be played this week. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings to win the 20090 Stanley Cup.  [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 Grand Slam tournament is Wimbledon. [USTA Website]

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

———-

:: Lakers Take 2-0 Lead over Orlando Magic (Pro. Basketball)

:: Federer Wins French Open (Tennis)

:: Red Wings Poised to Win Stanley Cup (Pro. Hockey)

———-

HALFWAY HOME: LAKERS TAKE 2-0 LEAD IN L.A.

The Los Angeles Lakers won the first two games of the 2009 NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic over the course of the past week. Winning the first two games of an NBA Finals series virtually guarantees a series win, which means that the Lakers are poised to bring home a championship to Los Angeles.

While the Lakers blew out the Magic in Game 1, the second game of the series was much closer. The Lakers ultimately won the game by a score of 101-96 in overtime. However, were it not for a missed layup by Orlando rookie Courtney Lee at the end of regulation, Los Angeles would never have had that chance. The Lakers went on to dominate in overtime, and now they head to Orlando for Game 3 with a very solid series lead.

As this series moves forward, there will be an even bigger focus on Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. Though Bryant has a reputation as perhaps the best player of his generation, he has drawn criticism because he has never won a championship without Shaquille O’Neal as a teammate. Now Bryant is in prime position to silence his critics by bringing home another championship for the Lakers.

Quote of the Week: “If Orlando doesn’t come back and win a game in the series, Lee’s miss may go down as one of the biggest gaffes in finals history.” — Associated Press

Further Reading: “Point Taken” — Associated Press, via ESPN

———-

AT LAST! FEDERER WINS FRENCH OPEN
Roger Federer, arguably the greatest tennis player of all time, won the French Open on Sunday, handily defeating Robin Soderling. This is Federer’s first victory at the French Open–the second of the four Grand Slam tournaments in professional tennis.Though the 27-year old Federer had already firmly established his reputation as one of the all-time greats before Sunday, his victory at Roland Garros further padded his tremendous resume. With a victory at the French Open, Federer has now won each of the Grand Slam tournaments at least once. Only five other men have ever accomplished that feat. Sunday’s victory also marked the 14th Grand Slam title of Federer’s career, tying Pete Sampras for the most titles ever by a male tennis player. The past few years, the only barrier between Federer and a win at the French Open has been Rafael Nadal, who, fortunately for Federer, was upset earlier in the tournament.

In the women’s singles final, Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Dinara Safina, the No. 1 female player in the world. Though Safina continues to be the top ranked woman in the sport, she has yet to win a Grand Slam tournament.

Quote of the Week: ”It’s maybe my greatest victory, or certainly the one that removes the most pressure off my shoulders. I think that now and until the end of my career, I can really play with my mind at peace and no longer hear that I’ve never won Roland Garros.” — Roger Federer

Further Reading: ”Slam Complete ” — Associated Press, via USA Today

RED WINGS WIN AGAIN AT HOME SWEET HOME

The Detroit Red Wings won Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday night to take a a 3-2 lead in the series over the Pittsburgh Penguins. With one more win, Detroit can win the Stanley Cup.

The Red Wings jumped out to a quick lead in this finals series, winning the first two games in Detroit. However, the Penguins responded with two wins of their own in Pittsburgh, evening up the series. The trend of the home team winning every game continued in Game 5, as the Red Wings completely dominated the Penguins by a score of 5-0. That is bad news for the Penguins, who would need at least one victory on the road to win the championship.

If the Red Wings win either Game 6 on Wednesday or Game 7 on Friday, they will have won the Stanley Cup two years in a row. The last time that happened was in 1997-1998, when the Red Wings raised the Cup in back-to-back years. But this series is not over just yet, and Detroit still has to win one more game over Sidney Crosby and the Pens to make it happen.

Quote of the Week: ”The situation is pretty clear for us. We have to go home and be desperate now.” — Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Further Reading: ”Datsyuk, Wings now on Cup cusp” — Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press

——-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The 2009 Finals continues this week in Orlando on Tuesday night, as the Magic hope to start a comeback against the Lakers, who lead the series 2-0.

:: HOCKEY: The Stanley Cup Finals continue this week, as Detroit hopes to close out the Penguins on Wednesday night.

———-

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 Finals 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 Grand Slame tournament is Wimbledon. [USTA Website]

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

———-

:: Magic, Lakers Advance to Finals (Pro. Basketball)

:: Red Wings Take 2-0 Stanley Cup Lead (Pro. Hockey)

:: Rafael Nadal Eliminated from French Open (Tennis)

———-

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?

On Sunday night, the Orlando Magic defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the Eastern Conference Finals and advance to the NBA Finals, where they will face the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic’s victory over the Cavs was especially significant because it was such a major upset.

The Cavaliers, led by league MVP LeBron James, sported the best record in the NBA in 2009, and they were largely favored to make it to the Finals, even before the playoffs began. After steamrolling over their first two playoffs opponents, they were expected to do much the same to the Magic. However, Dwight Howard and the Magic stunned the league by controlling the series from the beginning, and they ultimately sent James and company packing back to Cleveland–a city that has gone nearly half a century without winning a pro sports championship. In a widely criticized move, James sulked off the court after the game, then dressed and left the arena without speaking to reporters–a classless move by a typically classy player.

The Magic will now face the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. The Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant, defeated the Denver Nuggets in 6 games to win the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers’ performance in the playoffs this year has been regarded as shaky, and yet when they have been playing well, they have looked nearly unstoppable. The Finals are scheduled to begin this Thursday in Los Angeles.

Quote of the Week: “They’re back from the basketball dead.” — Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel, on the Magic

Further Reading: “Orlando Magic beat LeBron James and Cleveland Cavaliers to reach NBA Finals” — Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel

———-

PENS ICE COLD IN MOTOWN
The Detroit Red Wings won the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals over the weekend, dominating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the process. The Stanley Cup Finals are the pinnacle of the NHL season, and the Red Wings are just two wins away from capturing the cup.

This year’s matchup between the Red Wings and Penguins is actually a re-match of last year’s Stanley Cup Finals. Though Detroit won the championship last year, many people believed that Pittsburgh would be much stronger this time around. However, that has certainly not been the case thus far. Just like last year, the Red Wings have exploded to a 2-0 lead, and if that keeps up, the result will be the same as it was in 2008.

As bad as things have been for the Penguins, at least their only losses in this series so far have been on the road. The series moves to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, where the Pens hope that home ice advantage will help them start their comeback. It would also help if their star player, Sidney Crosby, started playing as well as he is capable of playing. Up until now, Crosby has been a non-factor in the series.

Quote of the Week: ”Sidney Crosby, the face of the NHL (if you ask the NHL), the biggest star in this series (if you ask the NHL), the man who is supposed to lead the revenge call for his Penguins teammates, has been as noticeable as a chorus line member.” — Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press

Further Reading: “Smashing Success” — Associated Press, via ESPN

NADA FOR NADAL: ‘RAFA’ KNOCKED OUT OF FRENCH OPEN

Rafael Nadal, the top-ranked tennis player in the world, was knocked out of the French Open by Robin Soderling on Sunday. The French Open is one of the four Grand Slam events–the most important tennis tournaments of the year.

Throughout the course of his career, Nadal has earned a reputation as one of the greatest clay-court tennis player in the history of the game. For that reason, it was especially unexpected to see him lose on the clay courts of the French Open to Soderling, a 23 seed in the tournament. Nadal has won the French Open the past four years in a row. This is the first time that Nadal has competed in the French Open without winning it. With Nadal out, former No. 1 player Roger Federer becomes the favorite to win the tournament.

In the women’s bracket, No. 1 seed Dinara Safina has already advanced to the tournament’s quarterfinals. No. 2 seed Serena Williams plays her next match on Monday.

Quote of the Week: ”When one player plays bad, he must lose…. I didn’t play my best tennis and for that reason I lose.” — Rafael Nadal

Further Reading: ”Streak Stalled ” — Associated Press, via USA Today

——-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The 2009 Finals begin this week between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic. Game 1 is scheduled for Thursday night, and Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday night.

:: HOCKEY: The Stanley Cup Finals continue this week, as the series moves to Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

:: TENNIS: The French Open, the second of the four Grand Slam tournaments, continues this week. The finals will be played next Saturday and Sunday.

———-

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 French Open is currently underway. [USTA Website]

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

———-

:: Magic Jump to 2-1 Lead against Cavs (Pro. Basketball)

:: Castroneves Wins Indy 500 (Auto Racing)

:: Red Wings, Penguins Eye Stanley Cup Rematch (Hockey)

———-

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

———-

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

——-

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.

———-

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

———-

:: 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)

———-

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

———-

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

———-

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

——-

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.

———-

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

———-

:: 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

———-

:: 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)

———-

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

———-

‘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

———-

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

——-

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.

———-

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 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

———-

:: 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)

———-

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

———-

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

———-

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

——

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

———-

:: NBA Playoffs Begin  (Pro. Basketball)

:: John Madden Retires (Pro. Football)

:: NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin (Pro. Hockey)

———-

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

———-

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

———-

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

——-

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

———-

:: Angel Cabrera Wins the Masters  (Golf)

:: North Carolina Wins National Championship (College Basketball)

:: Angels Pitcher Murdered by Drunk Driver (Pro. Baseball)

———-

TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL

On Sunday afternoon, Angel Cabrera won the 2009 Masters at Augusta National. Cabrera is the first person from Argentina to ever win the Masters.

At the end of the final round, three players were tied for the lead–Cabrera, Chad Campbell, and Kenny Perry. Those three players then proceeded to compete in a sudden death playoff. Campbell was eliminated after the first hole, and Cabrera defeated Perry in the second hole to win the tournament. It was especially emotional for Perry, who played an exceptional tournament and led for almost the entire day on Sunday.

As always, on Sunday afternoon everyone was watching closely to see if Tiger Woods could make a comeback. Woods was paired with Phil Mickelson, and the two rivals both had an outstanding round–at one point pulling within one shot of the leader. However, both Woods and Mickelson made key mistakes down the stretch, knocking them out of contention.

Quote of the Week: “I felt that when Tiger and Phil were making a move, I had to make a move myself.” — Angel Cabrera

Further Reading: “Cabrera wins his first green jacket ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

———-

WELL-HEELED: UNC WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

The North Carolina Tar Heels won the national championship last Monday, defeating Michigan State by a score of 89-72. Winning the NCAA tournament is the greatest achievement in men’s college basketball.

It was hardly surprising to see the Tar Heels as the victors this year, since going into the season, they were ranked the best team in the country. Moreover, two of their best players, stars Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough, returned to the team instead of going to the NBA. While nobody expects Hansbrough to be anything more than a mediocre player in the NBA, Lawson truly matured as a player during this season, and he is now regarded as one of the best college players in the country. This was evident on Monday night, when Lawson set a first-half record for steals and scored a game-high 21 points. Michigan State seemed overmatched very early on in the game, and they never recovered.

North Carolina has now won the national championship five times, which puts them in a tie for third place with Indiana University. UCLA has had more success than any other program, with 11 national championship titles.

Quote of the Week: ”I think we lost the game in the first 10 minutes. We turned the ball over, and they hit every shot.” — Goran Suton, Michigan State player

Further Reading: “Carolina reign: Heels dominate Mich. State, claim national title ” — Marlen Garcia, USA Today

———-

TRAGEDY IN LOS ANGELES

Promising young pitcher Nick Adenhart and two of his friends died when their car was struck by a drunk driver on Wednesday night. The alleged drunk driver, Anthony Thomas Gallo, was charged with murder.

Adenhart was just 22 years old and this was going to be his first full year in the major leagues as a pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In fact, the rookie had been the starting pitcher for the Angels earlier on the night of the tragedy. It was his first start of the season and the best outing of his young career. Also killed in the crash were two of Adenhart’s friends, Courtney Frances Stewart and Henry Pearson. On Friday, Orange County prosecutors filed three murder charges against Gallo.

Adenhart’s death is the latest in a long string of tragedies for the Angels franchise, going back to the 1970s, when three Angels players were killed in car accidents. In 1978, outfielder Lyman Bostock was shot and killed, and a decade later, reliever Donnie Moore shot his wife (who survived), and then killed himself.

Quote of the Week: ”He felt like a major leaguer. His life’s goal was to be a major league baseball player, and he certainly achieved that standard.” Scott Boras, Adenhart’s agent

Further Reading: “Nick Adenhart, Angels pitcher, killed in Fullerton crash ” — Christopher Goffard and Christine Hanley

——-

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The NBA playoffs begin on Saturday. Entering the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers have the best record in the East, and the Los Angeles Lakers have the best record in the West.

:: HOCKEY: The Stanley Cup playoffs begin on Wednesday. The San Jose Sharks have the best record in the Western Conference, and the Boston Bruins have the best record in the Eastern Conference.

———-

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 season is currently underway. The playoffs are scheduled to begin next Saturday.  [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]

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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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OFFSEASON