Armchair Weekend in Review (April 28-30, 2006)

by user JB82

All right, weekend warriors, part 2 of this week's installment, as promised...

More NFL Draft Observations

• Anyone whose a fan of the NBC sitcom My Name is Earl knows a thing or two about karma. Seems as though Marcus Vick was the emobdiment of karma whereas the NFL Draft was concerned.

• Surprises: Jeremy Bloom, Olympic skier turned football player (Philadelphia Eagles); John David Washington, son of actor Denzel Washington (St. Louis Rams); Jai Lewis, George Mason hoops hero (New York Giants; besides, if this whole NFL thing doesn't work out, the New York Knicks can use his services.)

NBA Playoffs from the Armchair

• Speaking of basketball, it seems to be a drag being amongst the top teams in the playoffs so far. Over the weekend, the first three seeds in both conferences went a combined 2-7.
  • The Milwaukee Bucks managed to catch the Detroit Pistons sleepwalking ion Sunday as T.J. Ford registered a buck and a half – that's 15 dimes – as the Bucks cruised to a 124-104 win.
  • The Chicago Bulls seem to be playing like the Bulls of the 90s as of late. Kirk Hinrich poured in 21 points, as well as a trifecta with about a minute to go in the game, to give the Bulls a 93-87 win over the Miami Heat.
  • Just when you thought they were about to go quietly, the Washington Wizards evened their series with the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning Game 4 by a count of 106-96.
    
  • The Denver Nuggets reacted by – as Scott van Pelt would say – "getting dumptrucked" by the Los Angeles Clippers 100-86. The Clips won their first road playoff game since 1993 and are one win away from their first series win since 1976, when they were known as the Buffalo Bisons.
  • One of the San Antonio Spurs' big guns, Manu Ginobili, had a quiet game against the Sacramento Kings, going 1-4 and scoring only three measly points in only 24 minutes on the court. The Spurs should've used more of him as they got pasted by the Kings 102-84.

• However, it wasn't all negativity. the New Jersey Nets and Dallas Mavericks provided the lone bright spots.

• How about Kobe Bryant? Not only does he nail a layup near the end of regulation, he wins it by draining a spectacular 17-footer in overtime to win it for the Los Angeles Lakers, 99-98, over the Phoenix Suns. You an also thank Steve Nash for going 2-for-11 after the half, winding up 9-for-22 from the floor, despite 22 points and 11 assists.

NHL Playoffs from the Armchair

• Lord Stanley's Cup is now up for grabs. On Saturday, the Ottawa Senators disptached the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.

Going into the playoffs, a rather young New York Rangers team staggered into the playoffs on a five-game losing streak, while across the Hudson River, the battle-hardened New Jersey Devils had won their last 11 straight games. On Saturday in the swamps of New Jersey, the Devils had momentum – and a decree from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman about the Three Blind Mice calling penalties in the playoffs as though the regular season never ended – on their side as the Devils routed the Blueshirts 6-1. While the Devils have never beaten the Rangers in the playoffs, this will hopefully augur well for them. –Armchair Weekend in Review (April 21–23, 2006)

• Sure enough, it did turn out well for the Devils. They managed to sweep the Rangers out of the playoffs. MSG Network tagged the Rangers' regular season a "Broadway Revival." If that's the case, then consider the playoffs a box-office bomb.

• The other Empire State team in the playoffs, the Buffalo Sabres, found themselves one win away from the 2nd round. This was confirmed with a 3-0 shutout of the Philadelphia Flyers. Again, talkin' proud, talkin' proud...

• Get ready for big changes in Hockeytown if the Edmonton Oilers have their way. Steve Yzerman finds himself one game from retirement as the Detroit Red Wings stare elimination in the face after a 3-2 loss.

• Also heading off to the second round: Colorado Avalanche, San Jose Sharks.

More Yankees déjà vu

Last weekend (April 21–23), the Yankees lost the first of a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles, only to win the following two games. This time around, another bird team, the Toronto Blue Jays, came into the Bronx and the same thing happened. The Yanks dropped the first game 7-2, but buionced back to win the weekend. On Saturday, the Bronx Bombers scored in every inning – only the sixth team to do so in American League history, the 13th in MLB annals – to blow out the Jays 17-6. The next day, the Yanks got a four-out save from Mariano Rivera and a 4-1 win that saw a young umpire get his share of grief from players on both teams and, as an indirect result, the ejection of both managers. A wild weekend in the Bronx, indeed.

Sox on the rocks

As I write this column (I told you it would either Sunday or tonight that this would be published), the Yanks and their archnemeses, the Boston Red Sox, are playing at Fenway Park. The Sox got prepared for this two-game set the only way they know how ... by dropping two out of three to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Sox and Yanks are currently tied in first place in the American League Eastern Division.

Odds and Sods

• Condolences to the family of and others close to Steve Howe, who passed away in an accident on Friday at age 44.

• I understand that NASCAR hasn't gotten any coverage in this feature. But, I had to put this in there, whether or not NASCAR is a real sport. To honor the memory of his late father, Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave his #8 Budweiser Chevrolet a black paint scheme at Talladega. However, unlike his "Intimidator" father, the man they call "Little E" only finished 31st. Jimmie Johnson took the win in ar ace that was run today because it was rained out yesterday (Sunday, April 30). Consider this a "Monday Extra."

That's all for this week

Until next time, as always, let's all be good sports.

Date

Mon 05/01/06, 3:01 pm EST