HOPEFULL JUSTICE by ST

So it appears dirtbag Mike Vick has not seen the light. Still a lying scumbag who thinks the rules don't apply to him. He was told in no uncertain terms to keep clean and avoid known felons at all costs, especially guys like Quanis Phillips, a co-conspiritor in his dog fighting case. Look, this is a psychopath with no soul or heart. You don't drown, electrocute, hang, suffocate or shoot innocent animals on a regular basis, period! His reinstatement to the NFL was a gift that he's now spit on. The shooting that occurred after 2AM during his 30th birthday bash did NOT take place a half hour after he left, but 3 minutes. There is video evidence showing he was hanging out with his fellow scumbag. To me it looks like a clear violation of his probation and the guidelines set by NFL commish, Roger Goodell. At the least, here's hoping his football career is over. At best, he goes back to jail and gets to live again like the sub human he is.
How about Roger Federer getting bounced this early from Wimbledon? It's the 1st time since 2002 he will not reach at least the final. The 12 seed, Tomas Berdych denied him a shot at his record tying 7th singles title at the legendary venue. He remains one behind modern era record holder Pete Sampras and Britain's William Renshaw who captured his 7 during the 1880's.
Gotta run. Enjoy your Wednesday. Remember, NBA Free Agency begins at 9:01 our time tonight. Let the games begin.

A GENTLE GIANT by ST

This morning in our nation's capital, they held the funeral of Manute Bol. When he burst on the NBA scene in 1985 you had to look. He was the tallest player ever at 7'7", rail thin and carved out a mostly unspectacular 10 year career. Blocked a ton of shots and retired. All he did was become one of the great humanitarians of our time working to make conditions better in his native Sudan. He became ill on a trip to offer his assistance to construct a new school. I can't help but think about the punks like Bonds, Zambrano, Sheed or Clemens who are so self wrapped they probably look at Bol as a freak. Wrong! What an amazing man he was.
Have you ever seen an entire team just cave in under the blanket of expectations? When the National's Steve Strassburg took the mound for the 1st time on June 8th, his team was 4 games under .500, snapped to attention, won 3 in a row, then when A.W.O.L.
They've dropped 13 of the next 16 and scored a total of 1 run over S.S's last 3 starts. Remember, this is the same franchise who lost a total of 205 games the past 2 years. Yuck!
On yesterday's show I said to expect an All Williams final Saturday at Wimbledon. In my usual impeccable prognosticating brilliance, Venus got bounced today by a player ranked in the 80's, Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria. No kidding, I did not know that was even still a country. Sister Serena advanced. I still think she'll make it! Poor kid.

SUCCESSFUL DISAPPOINTMENT by ST

With the Americans seeing their World Cup roll end by Ghana on Saturday, lot of talk regarding the evaluation of their performance. Certainly the players, coaches and real fans are a tad sad, but time will heal that. In 2002 Team USA advanced this far then beat Mexico to move onto the quarterfinals. With the exception of 1930 when circumstances were much different, it's the best run in team history. Considering the earth is passionate about soccer, making the Sweet 16 is a nice accomplishment.
It's nice to see the rest of the world frustrated with idiotic officiating. You wonder if there will be some kind of replay offered in 2014. England fell to Germany 4-1 but down 2-1, appeared to score the equalizer but the idiot refs failed to recognize the ball was clearly over the goal line. Obviously the Germans netted two more tallies, but you always wonder about the shift in momentum.
I've watched my share of action and remain astounded about flopping in soccer! It's actually embarrassing! These guys are world class athletes and when you run full tilt, contact will send you to the turf, but is each tumble a near death experience?
The clown on Ghana late in the win over the Americans actually was so dramatic they brought out a stretcher. We see our athletes play with limbs that need surgery(see Andrew Bynam in the NBA Finals)and football players with ligament damage gutting it out. This always going down as if the victim of a sniper is pathetic.

CARDINAL RULE BUSTED UP by ST

British statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke said "Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it". Later it became commonly known as "Those who ignore...blah blah blah". I give you Paul Allen, Blazer owner and knucklehead. He sat in silence as the franchise was ruined by then GM Bob Whitsitt who brought in a collection of low class losers. You know the JailBlazer saga. Following the 1993 season the Dallas Cowboys won their 2nd straight Super Bowl. A team brilliantly designed and put together by Jimmy Johnson. The trouble was egomaniacal owner Jerry Jones felt he deserved credit. He did, for hiring Johnson. The issue led to the dismissal of JJ and the hiring of Barry Switzer. They would win another title, with the cast Johnson assembled but soon fell into mediocrity then worse. From January of 1997 until this past January without winning a playoff game. I think Kevin Pritchard is a terrific General Manager. The name Sam Presti has been kicked around as a possible replacement. He's done nice work with the Thunder drafting Kevin Durant & Russell Westbrook as well as acquiring Jeff Green in a trade. They are a good young team, but they or he have never won anything and it's no lock he's an upgrade from Pritchard. KP took a mess and made something of it.
Let's give away one of those super sweet Cumulus Golf Cards. They're available on our website www.953thescore.com as part of Half Price Eugene. Send the correct answer to the following to my e-mail at stevetannen@live.com
This year's British Open is set for St. Andrews in less than 3 weeks. Tiger has won the last 2 times it's been held at the legendary track. In 2005 he bested Colin Montgomerie by 5 shots, who were the co-runners up when Woods stroked his way to victory in 2000?

PASSING THOUGHTS by ST

I actually took the time to catch the final 15-20 minutes of the USA/Algeria soccer match today. Was on the exercise bike when Landon Donovan found the back of the net and the Americans advanced to the round of 16. Saw the highlights and this easily could have been a 3 or 4 goal explosion, but they'll take it. Looking forward to the TV ratings. I think they will be through the roof.
Redskin's defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth says he WILL report for the start of camp in late July. We should all be honored. Guy just accepted a 21 million dollar check then boycotted a mini camp because he wasn't happy with the style of defense they were using. What a selfish d-bag!
Lawrence Taylor, the best player I ever saw in person on a regular basis, any sport, indicted today. 3rd degree rape, patronizing a prostitute, endangering the welfare of a child. All involving a 16 year old girl. He faces 4 years in the clink if convicted. Already his people are hinting he had no idea she was only 16. And? If she's 21, your 51 and married. What a pig!
The NBA draft is tomorrow(Thur) and I still think perhaps Ohio State's Evan Turner is the best player in the draft who will go 2nd to Philly after the Wiz pluck Kentucky's John Wall. It will be interesting to see who Portland lands. Word has them eyeing Kevin Seraphin, a 20 year old raw talent of a big guy from France. He's a good athlete, shot blocker and remember, Portland rolled the dice in Nick Batum and it's been a great move. Both are from France. This team can no longer count on Greg Oden, Marcus Camby just turned 36 and Joel Pryz is coming off a serious injury along with the fact his rehab has suffered a setback. Seems like a good fit at #22 in the 1st round.
Okay, let's give away some Eugene Ems tickets. Name 2 current pitchers in the major leagues who pitched here in Eugene. E-mail the answer to stevetannen@live.com

UNWATCHABLE? NOT EVERYWHERE! by ST

Lot of talk about the watchability of World Cup soccer. We here in the colonies might not be overly passionate about futbol on the tube, but we're taking more than a casual peek. On the international scene, viewership is going off the charts. Univision is offering all the games live on their website for free. The site experienced such a huge surge during USA's tie with Slovenia, it actually crashed. In Spain's victory over Honduras, ITV, a British public service network, reported 7 million folks tuning in! 29% percent of sets turned on were tuned in to Portugal's 7-nill pounding of North Korea on the BBC. If you had no interest in futbol but were in the U.K, the Agatha Christie mystery "Marple" was the most watched program. I bet tomorrow morning's match between the American's and Algeria goes off the charts. It gets rolling at 7pm.
I read that Lance Armstrong is planning to enter the Tour De France. With 7 wins in a row from 1999 through 2005, it was sarcastically called the Tour De Lance. Why is he doing this? It appears he is not the elite rider he once was. I guess it's difficult to walk away if you think those you left behind are not in your league. History says these kind of comebacks usually fail. See Michael Jordan in a Washington Wizards jersey or the many boxers who end up on the backside because they lack the understanding it's over. Here's hoping he does well and continues to inspire, but I have a bad feeling.

SOMEONE HAD TO WIN by ST

I have a lot of memories of scintillating finishes to win major golf titles. The 2010 US Open will not make that list. Doff your cap to Graeme McDowell because the object is to navigate through the 72 holes and post the lowest score. Done! But do you ever remember a big time golf event where more guys have to be kicking themselves over blowing an opportunity? Dustin Johnson completely comes unglued with an 82 and only loses by 5. He shoots even a 76 yesterday and the title is his. To put that in perspective, no one who finished among the top 27 shot worse than a 75 yesterday. Ernie Els was right there gunning for a shot at his 3rd Open but bogeyed 2 of the last 5 holes to come up 2 shots short. Phil Mickelson birdied the 1st hole and that was that. Played his last 9 in 3 over par to come up 3 shots light. He was tied with Tiger who I think now becomes a prohibitive favorite to end this mini major slump next month at St. Andrews. Despite all his very public trials and tribulations he's been in the top 5 of both our Open and the Masters and now seems healthy. Had the round of the tournament on Saturday to give himself a shot but 3 bogeys on Sunday's 1st six holes dug him too deep a hole to climb out of. The defending champ, Lucas Glover, shot 77 and 76 on the weekend to finish in a tie for 58th. Since 1991...just 2 players, Tigers & Reteif Goosen have finished in the top 40 defending their Open title.

LEAVE SECRETARIAT ALONE by ST

Can't believe people have the room in their car or backpacks to tote around those shovels to continually dig up dead horses. Oregon fans need to get over themselves. The NCAA dropping the hammer on USC and taking away wins from the 2005 season doesn't involve you. Sure, Reggie Bush should not have been playing. But he's not a ringer. He wasn't Danny Almonte. What? He was the kid who claimed to be 12 years old when participating in the Little League World Series but was actually 14. Bush was college age. They broke the rules and got caught. It's about USC and has zero to do with the Ducks. can't believe we're still talking about this.
Have we ever seen a game that falls into the best & worst category. Game 7 between the Lakers & Celtics was a car wreck from an aesthetic standpoint. For entertainment and nail biting value it was tremendous. It's rare enough to get a Game 7 for a title, but add in the best rivalry in pro sports and a down to the wire finish, it's a beautiful thing.The 18.2 overnight ratings was the NBA's biggest number since Jordan and the Bulls dusted the Jazz in 1998. It was the highest rated show of the night and in the LA market, the 39.7 number was the highest for hoops in the history of the nation's 2nd biggest market.
We're setting up shop at Tokatee golf course today. Gonna be a lot of fun. This is one of the true gems for golf fans. Hope to see you there.

WHERE WERE YOU & WHY AM I LIKE THIS by ST

It's the 16th anniversary of the Great Bronco Chase with OJ fleeing after hacking his ex-wife and her buddy to death. I recall doing Friday Night SportsTalk on public radio and getting a call to turn on the TV. What channel? Just turn on the TV. I also remember seeing no way around Orenthal's guilt. The Knicks and Rockets were getting ready to play Game 5 of the NBA Finals all tied at 2 apiece. New York would win it 91-84 to move within a game of the title they would fail to capture. ESPN has a show about this day and tries to put the Rangers Stanley Cup parade and Arnold Palmer's finale in the US Open on a parallel but that's nuts. The parade was over as was Arnie's round. It was all about the split screen showing hoops and a Southern California highway, period!
Still waiting for someone to direct me to the place where I can get my vuvenzala.
I awoke this morning in the middle of the night and realize I hadn't place any US Open bets. I saw that Tiger was a co-favorite with Hefty at 7-1. As a rule you might get 4-1 with Woods so I threw down a few bucks. I also went with Ernie Els at 21-1, Rory McIlroy at 26-1 and Mike Weir at a solid 81-1. And you think you have issues?

THANKS ALBERT by ST

I think we watch sports to catch the once in a lifetime or ultra memorable moment. That doesn't always have to be positive. We remember Bill Buckner right up there with The Hail Mary. There is a tendency among athletes to rally around each other in a time of crisis. It could be a contract situation. We even saw some dunderheads offer their support for a useless piece of garbage like Michael Vick. No one is taking the side of Albert Haynesworth. He's the defensive lineman for the Washington Redskins. Before the 2009 season he signed a 100 million dollar free agent deal. After last year the Skins dumped head coach Jim Zorn and hired former Bronco boss Mike Shanahan. His new defensive coordinator Jim Haslett favors a 3-4 style defense. Haynesworth prefers the 4-3 with a quartet of lineman rather than 4 linebackers. He was so bothered he asked for a trade. The team gave him until this past April 1st to try to work out a deal with another team. That date was significant as Albert the pig was due a 21-million dollar roster bonus, ironically on April Fools day. He stayed, took the bucks and incredibly no-showed at their current mini camp over the defensive theory. No one is in his corner. He's found a way to break that jock solidarity. Save ballplayers who rape, assault or worse, he's re-setting the bar for the selfish, clueless athlete. Well done!
I remain on a mission to get one of those vuvuzelas that are annoying the planet from the World Cup in South Africa. I'm not kidding. I won't rest until I'm pestering the crowd at Autzen when football season opens on September 4th. It's my favorite aspect of soccer.
I'm really pleased we get a game 7 in the NBA Finals. I'm really disappointed Boston's big fella, Kendrick Perkins, appears to be finished with a knee injury. In a championship setting you want both teams to be able to use their full compliment of guys who took them this far. It stinks.

THE NEW SPORTSTALK AP by ST

Not sure how this goes over in the tech world, but I'm hoping to introduce the new I-tard application. It's for people so wrapped up in their own opinions or beliefs they lose any perspective and think their opinions overrule fact or heaven forbid, your thoughts. Obviously we have the pioneers like Rush Vicodin or from the world of sports, Skip Bayless. I've noticed this whole World Cup debate has brought them out on Sportstalk. For the billionth time. I think soccer is great to get the kids out of the house, or in person or if you have the wheels to play yourself. I find it borderline torture on TV and it's never gonna be big on the tube in America. Deal with it. Every 4 years American's will flip the game on due to the international spectacle and obviously having team USA involved helps. Why are some of you I-tards so worried that I don't enjoy watching soccer on TV? Do you think I care if you don't watch baseball, golf or hockey? I don't. Get over yourselves. You like it? Watch it.
No question the funniest thing I've read from South Africa has been the upteen millionth "guarantee" since the Joe Namath prophecy in January of 1969. Andrej Komac of Slovenia has offered up his guarantee they will beat the U.S on Friday. Okay, now I'm really mad and fired up about the World Cup. Not really, but if it's your cup of tea, enjoy it and leave the rest of us alone. We're entitled to our taste, no matter how offensive just like you I-tards.

DO OR DON'T? by ST

Let's play fill in the blank. I __ care about college baseball now that Oregon has been eliminated. I've said it before. The passion for Duck baseball will take time to grow. It's not reasonable to expect folks who have spent their lives at Autzen, Hayward or Mac Court to be fully on board with their hearts. I have not watched one inning of the Super Regionals. Way more interesting in the AL East & NL West.
I __ care about the World Cup. Obviously if the U.S is involved we Yanks might give more of a rip. I think it's sad how the Brits are acting like the earth is on the brink of extinction after a one all tie with the Americans. I've said it before. There is a really low ceiling for soccer fanaticism in our nation because it sucks on TV. That's not gonna change.
I __ care about the changing face of college football. Okay, that's a no brainer. This is a football town and this is historic.
I __ care about the NBA Finals. Come on, it's Lakers/Celtics but the games have not been scintillating. We're not getting buzzer beaters or Magic's "Junior, Junior" sky hook. Every game has been decided by at least 6 points. Boston's Doc Rivers has outcoached Phil Jackson and the Lakers are not the most cerebral team you'll run into. They're not figuring things out and I think they've been a bit overwhelmed by this outstanding Celtic defensive game plan. I don't buy that we're automatically getting a game 7. Boston could close this thing out on Tuesday. Hope not!

VERY ACTIVE JUNE by ST

Usually the NBA Finals completely dominate the sports world this time of year unless there is a former NFL running back on the lamb in a Bronco. With the World Cup, NCAA's here in town, and all this mayhem surrounding USC and college football expansion, it's not the case. Makes my life easier, but surely complicates things for a few million others. Now Boise State is bolting their old league(WAC), for a new one(Mountain West). I'm really loving this. Now you have Utah, BYU, TCU and the Broncos in the same conference. Clearly the 4 top non-BCS programs in America. Apologies to Fresno State. During the middle part of the decade FSU was taking on all comers and nearly beat that powerhouse, albeit now disgraced 2005 USC team. They remain a solid non-BCS program but clearly the other 4 have surpassed them on a national level.
One interesting aspect of the penalty levied against USC football. As it's a 2 year bowl ban, juniors and seniors can transfer to another D-1 school without having to sit out the traditional one year for transfers. This could get very interesting. We're talking guys like their 2nd leading pass catcher from last year, Ron Johnson, or starting center Kris O'Dowd and stud fullback Stanley Havili. On defense, linebackers Malcolm Smith and Chris Galippo, their 2nd & 3rd leading tacklers or wrecking crew tackle Jurrell Casey. This could get messy if an exodus begins.
On today's show, recap of the Boston bench triggering a huge series tying win, all the above stuff, plus the latest on Nebraska and the Pac 10. Should be a fun Friday. Enjoy your weekend.

QUESTIONS AND CONFUSION by ST

I see the date in the paper on a daily basis, but they must be lying. It's constantly raining sideways and all anyone wants to talk about it college football. Since when does that mean it's the month of JUNE? I won't get into the specifics of the USC football sanctions until we gather for the show, but how does Trojan Athletic Director Mike Garrett still have a job? Why is Pete Carroll allowed to continue coaching with such a lucrative deal. For the record, the Seahawks are paying him 33 million buckaroos over 5 years. This is complete and total crapola.
Reports say Colorado will in fact be joining the Pac 10. Boo! Boo! Boo! The Buffs were just revealed to be the only school from a major conference to face punitive measures for not living up to academic standards in 2 big sports, football and men's hoops. From Rick the Weasel to Gary Barnett to the latest disgrace, Dan Hawkins, this is no longer a reputable institution.
Congrats to the Chicago Blackhawks. Won their 1st Stanley Cup last night since 1961. Windy City fans have now witnessed the White Sox win the World Series(2005) and that hadn't happened since 1917. Of course the Cubbies haven't captured the Series since 1908.
I have a copy of Rob Mosely's book, What It Means To Be A Duck. If you're interested in winning it, e-mail the correct answer to the following to stevetannen@live.com
What year did John McKay win his 1st National Title with USC?

DO WE EVER GROW UP? by ST

You might want to check out the story causing such a fuss during these NHL Finals. The morons in the Chicago Tribune printed a mock picture of Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger with his game uniform on in a skirt. The caption was Chrissy Pronger? It's 2010 and idiots like Trib Sports Editor Mike Kellams is still the same insecure 12 year old telling guys he doesn't like they play like girls. For the record, Philly fans need to go easy. During the 2008 East Finals against Pittsburgh they were all circulating a picture which pretty referred to Penguin star Sid Crosby as a certain part of the female anatomy. Of course the difference is Kellams is supposed to be a high level professional at a major periodical and the others are a bunch of knucklehead fans. What a disgrace! Still want the Blackhawks to polish off the Flyers to win the Cup tonight.
As for last night's incredible debut by Washington pitcher Steve Strasburg, wow! One of the great opening acts in the history of the game. The 14 K's topped only by former Houston fireballer J.R Richard's 15. Hit 100 on the gun and just baffled most of the Pirate hitters. Of course Pittsburgh is dead last in the majors in hitting in just about every category so it was a brilliant decision to throw him against that anemic lineup. From the timing is everything file, his next turn comes versus the equally inept Indians on Sunday.
Anyone who thinks they have the NBA Finals figured out is either delusional or lying to themselves. Each of these 3 games in a separate entity unto itself. How do you account for Ray Allen setting a Finals record with 8 three pointers on Sunday, then missing every shot(13) he takes the following game? And don't forget, this one was on his home court! We focused our pre-game on LA needing to get back to dominating on the glass and they did. We also chatted about figuring out the refs and neither team really did. Some truly stupid fouls, but both teams shot 24 free throws so it didn't favor either side. And today we must discuss the use of replay which is allowed to determine possession in the final 2 minutes and was actually used efficiently and successfully. Most importantly I got to see the Boston fans miserable and won my bet taking LA + 2 1/2 to bump my account substantially.

THE NATS? REALLY? by ST

Prior to the 2005 season the Montreal Expo franchise officially re-located to our nation's capital. They went 81 & 81 but since, have bottomed out and been one of the NL jokes. In 2010 they're lingering around the .500 mark but have now become the most talked about topic in the game. Yesterday they picked the next "can't miss" phenom Bryce Harper with the 1st pick in the draft and today they roll out Stephen Strasburg, the top pick in last June's draft. I think Strasburg will be all that. A really solid major league starter with a shot at superstardom. As for the 17 year old Harper, who the heck knows. The use of that can't miss term is annoying and off base. He's a kid. The talent is off the charts but his ability to adjust to grown up life as a professional is the difficult part to navigate.
With Donavan McNabb joining the Redskins and the NBA's Wizards holding the 1st overall selection in the draft later this month, D.C fans haven't buzzed like this for all 4 sports ever.
I have 3 pair of tickets for tomorrow's opening of the NCAA Outdoor championships at Hayward Field. What was the last year the MLB franchise in Washington D.C posted a winning record, above .500? E-mail me the correct response to stevetannen@live.com

MULTI-TASKING SPORTS NUT by ST

Not sure I've had a night like Sunday outside of football season. Planned the day around it and got a bonus when the Duck baseball team not only won their 1st game but had a lightning delay as well. Right around 6pm we had Game 2 of the NBA Finals on ABC, Game 5 of the NHL Finals on NBC, Cards/Brewers on ESPN and Oregon/Florida State on my computer screen. I decided to play the over in baseball, hoops and hockey while I had the volume up with Jerry Allen and Brian Prowitz keeping me posted on UO's diamond pursuit. Lost my bet as the MLB game needed another 1 1/2 runs but I got in a nice hour long workout switching between games. It really is the simple pleasures that turn an ordinary June evening into a ton of fun.
We will announce our grand prize winner for those 4 day passes to the NCAA outdoor championships that start in town on Wednesday. Save that, drop me a note to get in our drawing and let me know if you're interested in the Wednesday or Thursday session as that's what we have left. My e-mail address is stevetannen@live.com

L.A STORY AND PAC 10 EXPANSION by ST

Not much of a surprise last night as the Lakers take game one at home and open the Finals with a 1 game to nothing lead. Killed Boston on the glass. In particular, Pao Gasol had 8 offensive rebounds, many were back breakers with the Celtics desperately trying to cut into that double digit L.A lead. I don't buy the refs as crooks, just inconsistent and at times incompetent. Way too many tick tack whistles, including some on Ray Allen which limited the contribution of Boston's top sniper. I'm officially "NOT" a Kevin Garnett fan. Never game him all that much consideration, but he seems out of whack, always has. When things go well, he's all smiles but the moment things might sour, he seems to let it effect him in a negative way. I don't see The Big Ticket as a high caliber leader. Unfortunately the NBA knuckleheads take 2 full days off before game 2 on Sunday night.
I'm not big on all the talk of the Pac 10 expanding, but since it appears inevitable the plan presented online yesterday is more than okay. I just hate the fact it means you don't play all of your conference opponents every year. That said, the divisional alignment would in essence be the old Pac-8 with the Arizona schools joining Texas, Texas A & M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado in an Eastern division. This way the Ducks always play the Beavs, the Washington, Bay Area and So-Cal schools each year and those are really the true rivals. Don't want to be that crusty old guy who fears change. Love change for the better and this could be dynomite. Oregon/Texas every two years? Wow!
Short show today as we bring you Duck baseball. Have a fun weekend & GO DUCKS!

MUCH NEEDED SPORTSMANSHIP by ST

It's funny what happens when you take a deep breath, evaluate the facts and hope for the best in human nature. By now we've all seen the video and heard the reaction to the horrible call that cost a pitcher his perfect game. The outcry for replay is loud. I don't care because I'm so pleased with the aftermath. An umpire wearing his heart on his sleeve admitting the mistake. A 28 year old denied his place in history showing so much class and character. My favorite part is it leaves the door open to re-visit what complete and total dirtbags guys like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are. If they'd just admit what everyone knows, it would be a matter of time before all was forgiven and they were remembered as one of the game's elite. Here's to you Armando Galarrage and Tim Joyce for revealing the best in we human beings. Well done!
I'm rolling over yesterday's trivia question to get in the drawing for our grand prize. 2 passes to the entire NCAA outdoor championships which begin this coming Wednesday at Hayward Field. E-mail your response to stevetannen@live.com
How many MEN'S Pac 10 teams finished in the Top 20 of last year's event in Fayetteville, won by Texas A & M?

ONCE UPON A TIME ON THE COURT by ST

Quick, name the 5 best American tennis players. Not ever, now. Okay, how about naming 5 American tennis players. Hate to be that guy, but it doesn't seem all that long ago the U.S pumped out studs and studettes. With today's loss by Serena Williams at the French Open, no more Yanks are playing and they're still in the quarter finals. Venus and Serena are the only US Players ranked in the top 35. Melanie Oudin, the teen who made a run to last year's U.S Open quarters is #37. On the men's side, it's all about Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal who obviously are not American. Andy Roddick is the highest ranked guy from our country at #8, but let's face it, his biggest claim to fame is being married to that Goddess Brooklyn Decker. 2 other Yanks are in the top 25, Sam Querrey and Tommy Haas, neither exactly household names. I should point out that Roddick has won a major, the 2003 US Open. While I do miss the days of Jimmy Conners versus John McEnroe I'll settle for any rivalry that adds a bit of charisma to a sport sorely lacking it in most cases.
NBA finals begin tomorrow(Thur) night. Looks like that knee draining procedure that LA big Andrew Bynam went through didn't produce the results he'd hoped. Phil Jackson said they're "concerned" but not "troubled". He will need surgery after this series with Boston and is going to have to gut it out because in a physical series like this, he's important. I still like the Lakers to win from a hoops point of view. I just feel the Celtic age will cost them a game or two and Kobe will handle a game himself and that should be enough.
We have tickets for the Wednesday & Thursday sessions for next week's NCAA outdoor championships at Hayward Field. If you want in, drop me an e-mail and be part of the drawing. If you want a shot at our grand prize, a package for all 4 days, e-mail me the correct answer to this. My e-mail is stevetannen@live.com
The Texas A & M men won last year's event at Fayetteville. Oregon ended in a tie for 2nd with Florida and Florida State. Including the Ducks, how many Pac 10 teams landed in the top 20?

BEAT BOSTON, KEEP CELEBRATING by ST

By the time 1980 rolled around, we Knicks fans did not love the NBA as we had during the late 60's therough the mid 1970's. My lone solace was rooting against the Celtics. I've said it many times during my years on Sportstalk that I rode the Laker bandwagon just to antagonize Beantown. Oddsmakers have LA a solid favorite. Bet $50 on the Lakers and get $73 back. That same half a C-note gets you $125 on the Bostons. I've said all year I don't see a team capable of beating this Laker team, when healthy, 4 out of 7. Not backing off now. Los Angeles might be inconsistent and not look so sharp some nights, but the Celtics just look worn out at times because of their age. I think that gives LA an edge. A Laker win also brings us closer to the unthinkable. When Boston beat Houston to win the 1986 championship, it was their 16th title and their total seemed out of reach. With LA winning it all in 87, 88, 2000, 01, 02 and 09 they've bumped that total to 15. Boston of course won all the marbles 2 years ago and have 17 banners. LA can sneak within one. Red Auerbach is spinning in his grave. To offer up a comparison, in the NHL, the Canadians have won the Stanley Cup 23 times, the Toronto Maple Leafs are second with 13, the Red Wings a distant 3rd at 11. In baseball, the Yankees last year captured their 27th World Series title. The St. Louis Cardinals are second with 10.
By now we've all seen the video of the Angels Kendry Morales breaking his leg after his game winning grand slam Saturday against the Mariners. If I read another piece or hear another commentator call for a ban on celebrations, I'm losing it. Really? Don't celebrate in sports. One idiot lands funny and we throw the baby out with the bath water. Get a grip people. These things have a way of working themselves out. Then next guy to go yard in walk off fashion will be a little more careful. Let's not go overboard!