Happy Thursday everyone, here's my Top 5 for January 31, 2013 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- Golfer Vijay Singh admits to using deer antler spray but he says he wasn't aware that it included a banned substance.
- The man behind the Manti Te'o hoax, Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, told Dr. Phil he was in love with Te'o. I just thought you'd like to know.
- 37-year-old soccer star David Beckham will join a French team, Paris Saint-Germain.
- Will there be a dry eye in the house? A group of students from Sandy Hook Elementary School will sing America the Beautiful before the Super Bowl.
2. Super Bowl Holiday
Are you in favor of the Monday after the Super Bowl being declared a national holiday? If so, you can petition the White House. The petition reads in part, "Keep the streets safer for our children on Sunday night and Monday morning, promote a productive workplace when work resumes on Tuesday, and honor the most popular event in modern American culture." I'm just curious about the keeping our streets safer for children part. Is that because of drunk drivers? Is it because some winners or losers might tend to pillage? And if so, why just protect kids? Anyway, I've got a better idea. Start the game two hours earlier and then everyone can get home at a decent hour.
3. OMG
I've always been one of those skeptics who doesn't believe God really cares who wins sports events. But it turns out others do believe. A recent poll said that 27 percent believe that God plays a role in who wins. It varied by region with a whopping 36 percent in the south. Does that explain why all the college football champs come from the South? God only knows.
4. Thursday eMailbag
With the Dodgers new mega-bucks TV deal, T.H. says it's never enough money for sports owners, "I only wonder how long it will take the Dodgers to raise ticket prices -- and the lame excuse behind it."
With this week's high-profile doping stories, J.F. writes: "This whole thing with A-Rod and Ray Lewis it's who cares? Come back to me when you find somebody who's not doping."
S.F. has this take on sports today: "Sports has turned into TMZ and/or National Enquirer. As a kid growing up in Brooklyn, I used to memorize jersey numbers, where athletes attended college, their batting average, etc. Today it's more like we know their love interest, what club they were in last night what kind of drugs they take and their police record."
And a parting shot from K.F. "Not claiming credit for this great line re: Ray Lewis and the deer antler velvet spray, SI's Steve Rushin tweeted that he always preferred the deer antler velvet roll-on."
5. Spanning the World
This week's Spanning the World highlight comes from a Russian basketball game. Give that coach an assist!
Spanning the World airs monthly on NBC's Today Show. Next up, Friday February 22nd in the 8:30am half hour.
Happy Birthday: Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan. 66.
Bonus Birthdays: Let's Play Two! Hall of Fame shortstop Ernie Banks. 82. And Jackie Robinson was born on this date in 1919.
Today in Sports: Braves reliever John Rocker was suspended for saying a bunch of dumb stuff in Sports Illustrated. 2000.
Bonus Event: Coca-Cola got a patent. 1893.
Contest Time! Whoever is closest to picking the correct final score of Sunday's game will win a That's Sports baseball/golf cap. Just email your score in the subject line, for example: Baltimore 27 San Francisco 16.
One entry per person. The Deadline is kickoff. And good luck! (BTW, it's been running 60-40 in favor of San Francisco.)
Here's yesterday's Super Bowl trivia segment on the Today Show with Hoda and Kathie Lee. Click on the left side of the video player where it asks "How much did the first Super Bowl ticket cost?"
The Top 5 is going on break, enjoy the Super Bowl everyone. The Top 5 will resume Tuesday February 12.
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