Hump Day News & Views

Finally........the final four.....

The marathon we know as the NBA play-offs, is nearing an end........Well, sort of. Boston and Detroit will battle in the east, while Los Angeles and San Antonio will knuckle up in the west. Some time in late June a champion will be crowned. The Spurs bested the sentimental favorite, New Orleans Hornets, Monday night in game 7, played in New Orleans. A day earlier, in the new Boston Garden , the Celtics out lasted LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in yet another game 7. Don't go placing bets.......but our picks are Boston in 6......and the Lakers in 6.




It's getting a little hot in here........you think?

New York Met manager Willie Randolph is feeling the heat of being the leader of an underachieving team. Since Randolph took over, in the Nation League east, the Mets have finished 3rd (2005, 83-79), 1st (2006, 97-65, losing in the NLCS), and 2nd ( 2007, 88-74).

That 2nd place finish last year was tough on New Yorkers. The Mets blew the single biggest lead in the standings in the shortest amount of days in the history of baseball. With 17 games left in the season, the Mets had a 7 game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies..........They would go 5-12 in those final games and be stamped, "the biggest chokers....ever".

This year the Mets are languishing in 5th place with a mediocre 22-21 record. Over the weekend , Mr. Randolph lashed out at the New York media.......(Never a wise thing to do..."You're out numbered, Willie.") He said the media treated former Yankee manager, Joe Torre with more respect. Huh? Memo to Mr. Randolph, "Torre won 4 world championships.......You have..........how many?" Willie, Willie.......come on! This is New York, New York........You of all people should know what comes with managing in this town.

Be that leader.......That leader the Mets are paying you to be. You are a good man and a good baseball man. But ........you've got to win............or ........you've got to go.



Happy trails.....Mike Piazza ....

Former Met, Mike Piazza is calling it quits.......After a 16 year career, Piazza announced his retirement from baseball. And what an unlikely though highly successful career it was.

The year was 1988. Major League Baseball held its' annual amateur draft. 1,026 players were drafted ahead of Piazza. As a favor to Piazzas' father, then Los Angeles Dodger manager, Tommy Lasorda , used the teams final pick to select Mike in the 62nd round.

The rest.......as they say......is history. This future Hall of Famer amassed stats which puts him atop of the heap......of the elite. He is the greatest hitting catcher........ever. With more home runs (427 ) and more RBIs (1,335) than any catcher before him. A .308 life time batting average.......is not too bad either..... Mike, we applaud you.




Ryan..........gets rich! Quickly!

$72 million..........six years.........$34.75 million guaranteed. Now that's a contract! The Atlanta Falcons signed its' franchise savior and number 1 pick, QB Matt Ryan, to a contract Tuesday. It's only been a little more than a month since the Falcons made Ryan the 3rd overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft.

Lets' just hope Mr. Ryan is up to the challenge. That's an awful lot of money to give to person who has yet to sell a single seat in the Georgia Dome........Has yet to throw a single pass......or gain a single yard........Has yet to get an NFL completion........much less a touchdown.

$72 million..........six years........$34.75 million guaranteed..........It's not my money...... but.....



Another National Champion for UGA......

They have a pretty decent athletic program at the University of Georgia in that small southern college town of Athens. Yesterday , the Mens Tennis team won its second NCAA title in a row as the Bulldogs defeated Texas, 4-2. The gymnastics team (the gym dogs) won its championship earlier this year.

The baseball team (the diamond dogs) is currently ranked 7th in the nation with hopes of competing in this years' college world series.

Seems ....that.....football team ( which some will rank 1st or 2nd in the pre-season polls ) will have some tough acts to follow come fall......

Finally..........

I think there was a winner on American Idol...........but I don't know who.......just wasn't interested......but you can google it ........and find out.

Finally.....Finally......

The WNBA season has began ...........again.....just not interested.....but you can google the WNBA also........Come to think of it........you can google any thing......at any time..... and that's .......a good thing.