Article:Armchair Weekend in Review (May 23-26, 2008)

= MLB Highlights =


 * Making a comeback from cancer is difficult, despite whatever walk of life you come from. Doug Davis is no different than anybody; the Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher made his first start since surgery to remove a thyroid cancer tumor, and did pretty well, thank you very much, giving up only one earned run and scattering five hits in an 11-1 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.


 * Another pitcher who came back from cancer was the Boston Red Sox' Jon Lester; one start removed from his no-hitter on May 19, Lester's bid for consecuitve no-nos ended with the very first Oakland Athletics batter of the game on Sunday. Lester only lasted five innings as the Sox were swept by the A's, 6-3.


 * However, the New York Yankees were the ones wielding the broom at home against the Seattle Mariners, doing so with two routs and a come-from-behind win on Sunday capped by a J.J. Putz throwing error in the eighth inning. Thus, the Yanks' win streak was extended to five games, which ended the following day despite a brilliant performance by Darrell Rasner, 6-1, against the Baltimore Orioles.


 * Willie Randolph entered the holiday weekend wondering whether or not he would make it out as manager of the New York Mets. Well, not even a solid debut from Nick Evans on Saturday could help the Mutts as they dropped two of three to the Colorado Rockies. Despite that, Randolph remains the skipper in Flushing...for now.


 * For the second time this year, the San Diego Padres went longer than 14 innings, winning thei game against the Cincinnati Reds, 12-9, thanks to an Adrian Gonzalez walk-off homer in the bottom of the 18th inning. The Reds exhausted their bullpen, so starters Aaron Harang and Edinson Volquez were pressed into service.


 * Off the field, Luis Gonzalez was suspended for violating his league's anti-steroid's policy. To clear things up, this is the Luis Gonzalez who was playing in Japan up until this happened. Gonzalez faces a one-year suspension by the Japan Central League, as well as being put on waivers by the Yomiuri Giants.


 * Also, condolences to the family, friends, and others associated with Geremi Gonzalez (no relation), who was killed after being struck by lightning during an electrical storm in Venezuela on Sunday at age 33.

= NBA Conference Finals from the Armchair =


 * The Boston Celtics did something on Saturday night that they hadn't done during this entire playoffs: win on the road. Kevin Garnett led the way with 22 points and 13 rebounds in a 94-80 win and a 2-1 series lead on the Detroit Pistons. However, two days later, the C's reverted to form in a 94-75 loss to send the series back to the Hub all square at two games apiece.


 * The Celtics' former onus has now fallen on the Los Angeles Lakers. After a 101-71 rout of the San Antonio Spurs at home on Friday (wherein Kobe Bryant scored 22 points and Lamar Odom bagged himself a 20-12 double dip), the series shifted to the Alamo City and the Lake Show was dumptrucked by a resurgent Manu Ginobili (30 points) and Tim Duncan (22-21 double shot) in a 103-84 near rout in Game 3.

= NHL Stanley Cup Finals from the Armchair =


 * While the Pistons did battle at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the Detroit Red Wings shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins not once but twice in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena. The Wings took the first game, 4-0, while Chris Osgood saved 22 shots in the 3-0 shutout on Monday.

= UFC 84 from the Ar – ah, you know! =

B.J. Penn successfully retained his UFC heavyweight title via TKO at the end of the first round of his match with Sean Sherk. Meanwhile, Tito Ortiz may have ended his career on a down note with a unanimous decision loss to Brazilian Ryoto Machida, while fellow countryman Wanderlei Silva made short work of Keith Jardine – the fight ended 36 seconds into the first round.

= Gearhead Madness (alias Fast Track) =


 * With rapper Diddy (alias P.Diddy, alias Puff Daddy) in attendance, Lewis Hamilton scored his first win of the 2008 Formula One season at the Grand Prix de Monaco.


 * Hours later, New Zealand driver Scott Dixon did something only 66 of his brethren have been able to do since 1911: win the Indianapolis 500. Dixon, the current IRL points leader, bested Vitor Meira and Marco Andretti. Also of note from the Brickyard was Danica Patrick getting clipped by Ryan Briscoe (with his car); afterwards, Patrick tried to get in Briscoe's face, but was quickly held back and no other exchange of pleasantries occured.


 * NASCAR's long race day's journey into night saw Kasey Kahne take the checkered flag in the Coca-Cola 600, a perfect compliment to his All-Star Race win last week.

= Memorial Day Picnic Leftovers =


 * Despite battling with Manchester United for the top spot in the Premiership after succeeding Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant was unable to get revenge in the UEFA Champions League Final and was sacked as Chelsea manager.


 * It may not have amounted to much, but Triple Crown contender Big Brown suffered a quarter-crack on his left hoof. Despite that, the horse is still good to go for the Belmont Stakes a week from this Saturday.


 * Last year, America's best of the tennis court went 0-for-the-French Open. After two days, the Herns won three of the four opening-round matches. The lone esception was Sam Querry's defeat to Roger Federer. Meanwhile, 1997 champion Gustavo Kuerten took his final leave of Roland Garros after the Ecuadorian conceded his first-round match against Frenchmen Paul-Henri Mathieu.


 * Kudos:
 * ...to the Syracuse men's lacrosse team, who clinched their tenth NCAA men's lax title with a 13-9 win over defending champions Johns Hopkins.
 * ...to Basketball Hall-of-Famer and NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley, who payed off his $40,000 debts to the Wynn in Las Vegas.

= Handing out the big honors =

All of the men and women in service to the United States Armed Forces: Not to be outwardly patriotic, but this past weekend was really about those who gave their lives for this country. It is because of them that yours truly is able to do what he does, and all of us are able to live our lives the way we want to live them.

Chicago Bulls forward/center Joakim Noah: The rookie was arrested Sunday in a familiar haunt – Gainesville, Florida – and was found by the local police to have not only an open container of an unkown alcoholic libation, but also in possession of some marijuana. Joakim's father, tennis legend Yannick Noah, said that he once smoked the Mary-J in a past life. Guess in terms of hoochie, the apple didn't fall far from the cannabis tree. BTW, Noah the younger is scheduled to appear in court sometime in the near future.

= Finally, we made it to the end =

Until next week, let's all be good sports...