|
 |
|
Quinton Ross:
Clips insert him into the starting lineup, he shadows Nash everywhere and scores 18 points, making 9 of 14 shots.
|
|
The Lead Item
Two Words For You:
FRAUD. PATROL.
"So Dark The Con Of Man"
That's the tagline to "The Da Vinci Code" (a movie that opens this weekend in case you haven't heard or read about it).
While this con is about the alleged cover-up of Jesus fathering children with Mary Magdalene (it's a work of fiction everyone, let's all relax), the ones we're talking about are all very real.
Not conspiracy theories of rigged lotteries and league-imposed exiles: We're simply asking the question, "How do you call yourself a professional athlete anymore?"
• Scott Erickson: Forget about Thursday's 2 IP, 3 R, 4 BB, 1 HR for the Yankees. He hasn't pitched over 100 innings in four years and hasn't had an ERA under 5.00 since 1999. Jose Lima is a better option. (When was the last time you read that sentence?)
• Penny Hardaway: Hasn't averaged more than 10 points since 2003 and hasn't played in more than 60 games since 2002. Oh, and he made $15.7 million this season.
• Frank Thomas: A lifetime .305 hitter (but he hasn't done that since 2000) is now chipping in with a .188 average. And thanks for your riveting Capitol Hill testimony.
• Brett Favre: That's right, we said it. So 20 TDs vs. 29 INTs and a QB rating of 70.9 (good for 31st place in the league last season) wasn't his fault? Whatever you say, cheeseheads.
Why are we picking on these guys? The same reason people keep paying them -- because we can.
Terry Out
You can't help but wonder if this is the NBA's way of getting back at Mavs owner Mark Cuban for his years of complaining about the refs.
You can't help but wonder if the 2006 NBA champ will be determined by this decision.
You can't help but wonder if the NBA is nuts -- do Stern and Co. really want a Spurs-Pistons final, which would bring this exciting, unbelievable postseason to a sad, grinding halt (replaced by 82-77 games)?
You can't help but wonder if Jason Terry's "punch" in the vicinity of Michael Finley's jewels will cost the Mavericks their best shot at an NBA title.
You can't help but predict that the Spurs got their gift, will beat the Mavs in Dallas tonight (ESPN, 9:30 p.m. ET) and then win Game 7 in San Antonio.
And a postseason that was arguably headed to become one of the best ever will now need an asterisk.
* Mavs screwed.
LeBron vs. Pistons
Mike & Mike were doing the LeBron vs. Jordan thing this morning, and Greenberg made the argument that LeBron isn't in the same class as MJ at this point in their careers.
|
|
|
 |
CHECK OUT THE QUICKIE EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING! |
|
| WHO'S GOT THE MOMENTUM ... |
Joey Chestnut: Sets U.S. mark, eats 50 hot dogs in 12 min.
Casey Blake: Has 14-game hit streak, leads AL with .370 avg
Ilya Bryzgalov: Ducks goalie has playoff save pct. of .967
|
| ... AND WHO'S GOT NO MO' |
Albert Belle: Arrested again for harassing phone calls
Brian Bannister: Mets P reinjures hamstring in rehab start
J.T. Snow: Wants to be traded, Red Sox say they'll oblige |
|
|
|
|
Two points regarding this:
• Jordan lost the first three playoff series he appeared in (he was 24 before winning a playoff series).
• Jordan never pulled off an upset the magnitude of Cleveland's potential upset of the Pistons.
Cleveland finished 50-32, Detroit 64-18, a 14-game difference. The biggest playoff upset of Jordan's career came in 1989, when Chicago (47-35) beat Cleveland (57-25) in the first round. Jordan had just three other "upsets" in his playoff career, the largest being a 5-win differential.
If the Cavs win tonight (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET), LeBron will have pulled off a bigger upset than any MJ ever accomplished. In his first trip to the postseason. At 21 years old.
MLB Roundup
Tigers mania! The entire Page 2 staff went out and bought Tigers hats yesterday. Two of us purchased Justin Verlander jerseys. Someone else purchased a Chris Shelton jersey. We have the fever.
Detroit beat Minnesota 5-3, for its seventh straight win (longest for the Tigers since '93). Kenny Rogers became the majors' first 7-game winner. He has a 2.92 ERA and is up to 197 career wins.
And the staff ERA is now 3.13. The last AL team to finish with a lower ERA was the '89 A's, with a 3.09 ERA. That A's team won the World Series. The lowest AL team ERA of the Steroid Era was the 2001 Mariners, at 3.54.
Wood's return: Kerry Wood threw 71 pitches in his first start, walked none and fanned 6 ... and gave up three home runs to the Nats. Cubs lose again.
The Natural: Jeff Francoeur was ripped in this space the other day; you might think we were off our rocker since he now has a 16-game hitting streak after hitting two bombs Thursday. He has 10 homers and 36 RBI ... and one walk and 30 strikeouts.
Let's put it this way: There has never been a hitter in major league history who has been able to remain effective with that kind of awful plate discipline. So either Francoeur is an absolute freak or pitchers will learn to not to throw him a strike.
|
|
|
|
But there's another issue: The best thing a hitter can do is not make an out. Of the 94 regular NL players who qualify for the OBP rankings, only five currently have a worse on-base percentage than Francoeur's .279. He might be driving in a lot of runs, but he's also making a ton of outs.
Clips Force Game 7
The key to the Clips' 118-106 victory was a 31-18 second-quarter run. That and Tim Thomas' awful 3-point effort for the Suns.
Bottom line: Nash is gassed right now, the Suns played only seven guys last night (and reserve James Jones played just 11 minutes). Fatigue might be the deciding factor. Perhaps aware of this, Clips coach Mike Dunleavy inserted Quinton Ross into the starting lineup and the fresh legs paid off -- Ross played 40 minutes and scored 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting.
Preakness Prediction
Hey, just because Shanoff isn't here doesn't mean we can't make crazy predictions. Brother Derek gets a clean run this time, Barbaro doesn't react well to the short layoff and we have another year with no Triple Crown winner.
Bank it.
Quickie Baby Update
Dan has been off on parental leave since Tuesday, but he e-mailed in a report for those playing along at home:
"Gabe Shanoff born Tuesday. Mrs. Quickie was phenomenal in delivery. Everyone is healthy and happy. More next week!"
 |
|
Danny Almonte:
Now 19 and not yet out of high school, he confirms he's married to a 30-year-old woman -- who has known him since his Little League days. Almonte is expected to be drafted this June.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Today on ESPN.com
|
| Daily Dime |
| NHL Playoffs coverage |
| Page 2 Index |
|
 |
| Tom Hanks' Biggest Grossing Movies |  Forrest Gump
| $677 million
|  Toy Story 2
| $485 million
|  Saving Private Ryan
| $481 million
|  Cast Away
| $429 million
|  Toy Story
| | $361 million |
| 
|  |
The Oilers and Ducks begin what should be an exciting, fast-paced Western Conference finals tonight (OLN, 9 p.m. ET).
Dunleavy on Nash (via Arizona Republic), before Game 6: "He's really worn out. Very tired. Old legs. I don't know if he can make a shot." Nash was 6-of-16 from the field.
Football coach Jim Tressel and Ohio State agree in principle to 7-year extension through the 2012 season. At $2.4M to $2.7M per season, that's a little more than Maurice Clarett likely will make in his NFL career.
Melvin Mora agrees to 3-year, $25 million extension with Orioles.
Chamique Holdsclaw left the L.A. Sparks for undisclosed reasons with no timetable for her return (the Sparks open their season Sunday).
Carl Pavano, the Yankees' $40 million man, said he couldn't straighten his arm a day after being yanked one inning into a rehab start. "I'll definitely be back out there this year," he tells NY Daily News, however.
Pirates center fielder Chris Duffy, sent to the minors after hitting .194, refused to report and has been placed on the restricted list.
The Dolphins apparently will let Ricky Williams play for Toronto in the CFL (for a reported $300K) if he's released once the CFL season ends in November.
|
|
|
