Happy Tuesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for the first day of spring, March 20, 2012 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- Peyton Manning chooses the Denver Broncos
- The Mets owners settled their case with the Madoff trustee. No trial.
- In hockey, the Rangers become the first Eastern Conference team to clinch a playoff spot. St. Louis has clinched in the West.
- Even with MVP Derrick Rose sidelined, the Chicago Bulls held Orlando to just 59 points. Final score, 85-59.
- Chris Mullin's halftime jersey retirement ceremony was marred by the booing of Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob.
2. Bronco Mania
Now starting at quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Peyton Manning. That's probably a bit of an upset. Just ask the so-called experts. Since Manning has a home in Miami, the Dolphins were the favorites, until they weren't. Then there was warm weather Arizona... forget it. A return to his college state of Tennessee? Nope. How about his surprise visit to San Francisco? He could be the next Joe Montana... until he wasn't. But now, he'll just have to settle for being the next John Elway. Oh, what about the current Broncos quarterback, some guy named Tim Tebow? He was all the rage with Tebowing. That was oh so five minutes ago. He's as good as gone. Get ready for Manning-ing.
3. The Mets Win? The Mets Win?
It was a big win for Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz. The Madoff trustee wanted a billion, he got $162 million instead and that will be reduced by whatever monies Wilpon/Katz get back for their Madoff "losses." And nothing has to be paid for three years. So now the Mets are solvent right? They can go back to being a big league team in a big league city right? We can only hope.
4. True Love
Leave it to the NHL to practice what they preach. They have taken the lead with public service announcements promoting gay rights. Now this: perhaps the first marriage proposal of its kind on NHL ice.
5. March Madness
Since you're dying to know, there are still 222 Top 5 subscribers alive in my NCAA basketball contest. But chin up all you people who picked Missouri, Michigan and Duke. You can still purchase the prizes! The New York Times best seller The Greatest Moments in Sports. And just in time for golf season, the coveted That's Sports cap. Oh, you think this sounded too much like a commercial? Aren't you the astute reader.
Happy Birthday: Wanna feel old, sports fans? The great Bobby Orr. 64.
Bonus Birthday: Carl Reiner, who interviewed the 2000 Year Old Man. 90.
Today in Sports: Major League Baseball announces an investigation into the gambling habits of Pete Rose. 1989.
Bonus Event: John and Yoko tie the knot on the Rock of Gibraltar. 1969.