The following exemplifies how DVRs can ruin friendships.

Of the five of us who edit RCS -- Robbie, Ryan, Dave, Jeff Briggs and me -- Robbie has put in by far the most hours to keep the site running smoothly. He is a sports nut, an LA resident, a Lakers fan and the NBA playoffs are his favorite time of year. I've known all these things about Robbie because we've been friends since the second grade. There are, however, some things that I didn't know about him -- some things, as I will explain, that I have only recently learned.

In all that time we've known each other, I don't have a single memory of him ever calling me "Jeff." Jeff Briggs has always been Jeff; I've always, for reasons beyond my comprehension, been called by my last name, Pyatt.

Well, that changed about an hour ago -- 12:08AM:

me: wow. how badly was brent barry fouled
Robbie: um...jeff
do you know I watch ALL games on delay?
Do you realize this?
do you?
me: no
Robbie: hmm
well, something to consider...
me: yes, it is
my deepest apologies
Robbie: bah

Hug it out???

UPDATE: Ryan piles on...

Ryan: i just texted him
"i cant believe bruce willis was a ghost the whole time"

Posted by Jeff Pyatt at 1:16 AM | Email Author | Permalink |

7pm ET - ESPN - Dodgers @ Cubs - The Cubs Kosuke Fukudome will face a familiar opponent in Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda. The two faced off while playing in Japan. You think ESPN will touch on this?

9pm - TNT - Lakers @ Spurs - The Spurs looked like the defending champions in their game three win over the Lakers, but they'll need a similar performance to even up the series before heading back to Los Angeles.

Non-sports pick - 10pm - Comedy Central - Brian Regan: Standing Up - Or just watch it on YouTube at work...

John Odom, a minor league pitcher was traded for 10 bats. I'm guessing we won't be seeing him in the majors anytime soon. (The Big Lead)

Jose Canseco found a way to make some money. He will fight Vai Sikahema. Sikahema can best be remembered as the kick returner for the Eagles in Tecmo Bowl. (AOL Fanhouse)

Kobe Bryant and Tony Parker both have rap albums. I give Parker the nod because his rap album is in French. (Gibbs 12)

Ken Griffey Jr. was being heckled by a midget and made fun of him in return. I would love to see some video of this incident. (Hotdog & Friends)

Joakim Noah was busted for pot. In equally surprising news, scientist have discovered that you need oxygen to live. (Don Chavez)

Posted by Jeff Briggs at 1:10 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

You might not know it, but David Beckham is still playing in the MLS. And despite the lack of a "Beckham Cam" this season, he's doing quite well: he's tied for 4th in the league with four goals and is tied for 2nd with five assists. And I doubt they keep stats for it, but he's probably leading the MLS in 60-yard goals, too:

Sure, they had pulled their keeper, but that's impressive.

David Beckham is King of American Soccer - Fan IQ (via SPORTSbyBROOKS)

Posted by Ryan Hudson at 1:00 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

1:00pm ET - ESPN - NCAA Lacrosse Championship: Syracuse vs. Johns Hopkins - The Orange and Blue Jays have combined to win 18 national titles since 1971, and have met each other in the final match four times before (1983-85, 1989), with each team winning twice. Hopkins, the defending champion, will be looking to win their third title in the past four years.

8:00pm ET - VS - Stanley Cup Finals Game 2: Penguins @ Red Wings - Detroit took care of business in the opening game and won, 4-0. It's not quite a must-win for Pittsburgh, but it's close, and they know it: Head Coach Therrien switched the lines at practice on Sunday in hopes of shaking things up for tonight's game.

8:30pm - ESPN - Eastern Conference Finals Game 3: Celtics @ Pistons - They say a series doesn't really begin until the road team wins a game. I guess that means Boston-Detroit has officially started (does this mean the Celtics never actually played the Hawks or the Cavs?).

Non-sports pick - Discovery Channel - Deadliest Catch - No specific time, because its a marathon tonight (I figure one of them is a new episode). This show does a great job of showing why being a crab fisherman in Alaska is often called "the most dangerous job in the world."

Posted by Ryan Hudson at 12:30 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

She's accomplished even less on the tennis court than Anna Kournikova, and yet she's accomplished so much more. In August, 23-year-old Ashley Harkleroad will find herself in a place even Kournikova never been: the pages of Playboy Magazine. The AP reports:

PARIS (AP) -- A lot of people are going to be seeing a lot more of Ashley Harkleroad this year.

The 61st-ranked American lost to Serena Williams 6-2, 6-1 Sunday in the first round of the French Open. After the match, she said she has posed for the August edition of Playboy magazine.

"I thought about it, and it was something that I did," Harkleroad said. "I'm proud of my body. I was representing a female athlete's body."

It's not surprising that almost every major sports news site picked up this story. Harkleroad is the first professional tennis player to pose for Playboy, and, like it or not, that's news.

It is surprising, however, that supposedly high reputable news outlets, CNN and USA Today, seem eager to give an August preview. Of all the choices in the AP photobank, why am I skeptical that running this picture with that story was an honest mistake?

Way to go guys. Very subtle.

Posted by Jeff Pyatt at 10:19 AM | Email Author | Permalink |

RCS welcomes back John DiDomenicis to give us a preview of the Stanley Cup Finals.

#2 Pittsburgh Penguins VS. #1 Detroit Red Wings

After three intense rounds of playoff hockey, we have finally reached the pinnacle of the hockey world, the Stanley Cup Finals. The sales department could not have picked a better match-up to appeal to the casual fan in the United States. On one side you have the upstart Penguins who have gone from last in the league to the Stanley Cup finals in just 3 years. They also have the biggest and brightest name in hockey as the face of their franchise in Sidney Crosby. On the other side, the Detroit Red Wings are trying to win their fourth Stanley Cup since 1997. They have history (Original Six Franchise), a good fan base (labeled Hockeytown), and two of the more exciting players in the league (Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk). If the NHL wants ratings, then these teams certainly can deliver for Bettman and Company.

When all is said and done, this series could look like the “New NHL” that the league had envisioned when they implemented the rule changes at the beginning of the 2005-2006 season. Two words: Speed and Scoring. This series will showcase two of the faster and more skilled teams in the league. The offensive talent that these two teams can showcase on the ice is truly astounding. There is no surprise that they went a combined 24-6 through the first 3 rounds of the playoffs. For the first time in years, the Stanley Cup Finals will feature the two best teams in the league.

The first couple of periods of Game 1 will determine how and where this series will be played. Since these two teams have not played against each other in the regular season, the first couple shifts will be a feeling out period for players and coaches. Detroit would like to control the puck at both ends with their passing and not allow the Penguins to get chances off the rush. Pittsburgh is an excellent transition team and scores a lot of goals off saves and turnovers. So if Detroit can own the puck, like they usually do, the Penguins will have trouble creating chances if they have to play the dump and chase game. This will be the best defensive unit that Crosby and Malkin have had to play against in over a month. It will be interesting to see how well Lidstrom will keep these two superstars in check.

Although my Flyers got knocked out last round, I am still very excited for this series. The product has never been the problem for the NHL as playoff hockey provides some of the best drama in all of sports. Since it is not the product, I feel as if the marketing department in other sports is just one step ahead of the NHL which has really hurt them in the past 8-10 years. I can’t believe they scheduled Red Wings’ and Pistons’ games at the same time. It is no secret who is going to win that ratings battle. So if this series turns out to be legendary, a lot of people will be missing out on the action. On paper this really looks to be a winner, let’s just hope people tune in to check it out.

Prediction: Red Wings in 7

Posted by Dave Nye at 12:46 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

3pm ET - CBS - PGA Tour: Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial - Tiger's not there, but you'll still watch. Won't you?

8pm ET - VS - Stanley Cup Finals Game 1: Penguins @ Red Wings - The wait is over. The Stanley Cup Finals begin tonight in Detroit and this one's not just for die-hard hockey fans. Its the young talent of the Penguins facing off against the most popular hockey teams.

8:30pm - ESPN - Eastern Conference Finals Game 3: Celtics @ Pistons - Coming in to this game the biggest storyline is Boston's inability to win on the road in the playoffs. But its probably not as big of a deal as some would have you believe. The Celtics can win on the road...they just haven't done it yet. What better motivation to get a win on the road than letting one get away at home? Despite the widespread panic, this series is far from over.

Non-sports pick - 8:00pm - FOX - Cops - Hey, this show's still on.

Posted by Dave Nye at 10:09 AM | Email Author | Permalink |

Call me old-fashioned (it wouldn't be the first time), but I always associate Memorial Day with BBQ and afternoon baseball. This particular holiday-weekend is no exception, but it could be quite the historic few days. Three future Hall of Famer's are on the cusp of some special numbers in baseball: Chipper Jones is two home runs away from 400, Manny Ramirez is two away from 500 and Ken Griffey Jr. is two away from 600.

The question is: who will get there first? (Warning: lots of numbers ahead.)

Chipper Jones: He was hit in the shin Wednesday night, but had two hits the next day (he's now hitting .412 this season), so, he seems to be OK. He has just two homers in his past 15 games (55 at-bats), but did hit one in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Mets. The Braves play host to Arizona this weekend in a four-game series, so that doesn't bode well for Jones. After facing Doug Davis on Friday in his first start since surgery for thyroid cancer, Jones will face Randy Johnson (4-1, 4.42), Micah Owings (5-2, 3.81) and Brandon Webb (9-1, 2.69). Jones is a combined 17-49 with seven homers against those four pitchers, with his best numbers coming against Johnson, surprisingly (12-30, 6 HR).

Manny Ramirez: Manny's perhaps the most "due" of these three sluggers. He has just two long-balls the entire month of May, and hasn't hit one since May 12. It certainly feels like it's just a matter of time before he has one of his four-home-runs-in-three-games stretches, but will it be this weekend? The Red Sox are on the road, playing three games in Oakland and then are at Seattle for a game Monday night. Manny has managed a combined 25 of his 498 homers at the two parks. Against the four starting pitcher he'll be facing this weekend (Rich Harden, Justin Duchschere, Joe Blanton and Jarrod Washburn), Manny is a combined 20-52 with four home runs, and he owns Blanton, who he'll be going against Friday night: three hits in eight at-bats, all home runs.

Ken Griffey Jr.: Junior is two home runs away from becoming just the sixth player ever to hit 600 in a career. Griffey has just five homers this season, and his round-tripper last night was only the first in his past 24 games. The Reds are at San Diego for three games this weekend, and don't play on Monday, which doesn't help Griffey's chances. Moreover, Petco Park is a 91 in batting park factors (anything under 100 favors pitchers), and Griffey is just a combined 14-42 with three home runs against the three starting pitchers he's set to face (Shawn Estes, Wilfredo Ledezma and Greg Maddux).

So, who's the pick? Griffey plays the fewest games, and is struggling the most this season, so I don't think it will be him. Plus, the apparent fact that he's getting dealt as soon as he hits No. 600 has to be weighing on his mind. Then there's Chipper, who has missed an average of 61 games each of the past four seasons. He's bound to tweak a hammie this weekend or something.

That leaves Manny, who has actually been waiting for this West coast road trip to hit No. 500:

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you about the 500 home runs," Ramirez said. "I don't want to hit 500 right now. I want to wait a little while. No one is talking about it. No one's excited about it. I want to wait until everyone's excited about it."
...
Ramirez reiterated, "No, I don't want to do it. I'm going to do it on the West coast."

Posted by Ryan Hudson at 3:30 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

9pm ET - TNT - Spurs @ Lakers - Since Kobe "can get off anytime" let's see if he decides to do it in the first half this time. You know, you can win games easily and still show us that you're the best player in the league.

Non-sports pick - 8pm - AMC - The Karate Kid -

Posted by Robbie Gillies at 1:30 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

An article today in the Wall Street Journal proclaims the death of baseball's box score at the hands of a digital video revolution:

Since 2006, Major League Baseball Advanced Media LP, baseball's swashbuckling digital arm, has quietly spent approximately $4 million installing sensor cameras in major-league stadiums that can track and record the trajectory of every pitch. The system, called Pitch f/x, made its public debut in the 2006 postseason. This season it became operational in all 30 major-league parks.

So with video data violently usurping the box score, how will this change the way we talk about baseball?

"Instead of saying, 'There's a hard smash to third base' we could say, 'That ball was hit 106 mph and the third baseman had a third of a second to react.' " says Peter Jensen, a statistician and summit attendee...

Those statisticians really know how to have fun...

And a ball hit out of the stadium would be: Reacting in 0.42 seconds, Ortiz hit a 96-mph tailing fastball 120 mph in a 56 degree angle 5.7 inches from the end of the bat into a tailing 7-mph wind. The ball carried 395 feet, clearing a seven-foot wall, hitting a windshield on a 1997 Nissan Maxima. The maxima gets 24mpg.

Yes, you could say that... but I'd still rather not.

Posted by Jeff Pyatt at 11:46 AM | Email Author | Permalink |

After the Celtics won game one of the Eastern Conference Finals, Michele Tafoya interviewed Kevin Garnett:

Posted by Robbie Gillies at 8:35 AM | Email Author | Permalink |

Of all starting pitchers whose careers have started within the past 40 years, zero have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Zero!

And of all those eligible pitchers who have flown under the radar, Bert Blyleven may have the strongest Cooperstown case. Not only did he have the best curveball of his era, but he also had a career line to match: 3.31 ERA over 4,970 innings, 60 careers shutouts, 242 complete games. (By comparison, Roger Clemens, the "otherwise" first ballot Hall of Famer, had a 3.12 ERA over 4,916 innings and only 46 career shutouts and 118 complete games.)

After eleven years of eligibility, what keeps Blyleven from being enshrined? Maybe it's because he never won a Cy Young. Maybe it's because with 287 wins, he never got to 300. Or maybe it's because he spent most of his career playing for small market teams. But it's certainly not because of a lack of personality. This man knows what he likes... in fact, loves: Bert Blylevan hearts farts.

Q: Speaking of pride, what about this T-shirt you've been photographed wearing that says, "I [heart] to fart"?

BB: I LOVE to fart.

Q: What's wrong with you?

BB: I'm honest. Have you ever farted?

Q: One or two times.

BB: And did it feel good?

Q: Always.

BB: Probably so. That's why I wore it. I love to fart. I do. When the time is right, I do it. I'm not going to hide it.

Q: You're so blunt about your love for flatulence.

BB: Yeah. Well, someone gave me the shirt because of my history of farting, so I wear it. I LOVE to fart. I think I still have it.

Q: What gets you really gassy?

BB: Anything. The air we're breathing right now.

Q: Should I be ready for something?

BB: I have no trouble. It's not one thing that I eat, it's just passed down from my father. My father was a very good farter. I have a sister who's very good at it, too. Probably better than I am.

Q: Women aren't "supposed" to do that.

BB: Oh, I think times have changed — at least in the Blyleven family.

So even if Blyleven, who in 2008 received 61.9% of the HoF vote (75% is needed to be elected), falls shorts again in 2009, perhaps in 2010 he can rest his induction hopes on courting the farting feminist sportswriter vote.

Posted by Jeff Pyatt at 6:35 AM | Email Author | Permalink |

8:30pm ET - ESPN - Pistons @ Celtics - Many think Rasheed Wallace is the key to this team. If that's the case, the Pistons could be in trouble. With Garnett, the league's defensive player of the year on Wallace, Rasheed was held to just 3 for 12 for 11 points in game one.

Non-sports pick - 8pm - TCM - Jaws - I think we're gonna need a bigger boat.

Posted by Robbie Gillies at 1:30 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

Remember when Charles Barkley was not a role model and received major flack for that statement? Well, Gary Shelton of the St. Petersburg Times, points out that now Barkley is basically untouchable.

Once, Ron Artest went into the stands after a loudmouth, and before the week was out, a thousand essays had been produced to decry the violence. Barkley once threw a loudmouth through a plate-glass window, and when he told the judge his only regret was they hadn't been on a higher floor, America laughed along.

Shelton is absolutely correct. Because of Barkley's joking nature and brutal honesty he displays on TNT's NBA coverage, no one seems concerned at all about Barkley's gambling debt. In fact, he will probably be elected to be governor of Alabama sometime in the future.

Shelton thinks it's Barkley's self-deprecating humor that gives him this get out of jail free card.

Perhaps he knows that, as a society, we need to laugh a little more at our shortcomings. The funnier a guy is today, the more likely we are to forget that he wasn't so amusing in yesterday's headlines.

It has worked for him. No matter what you think about Zoeller's statements regarding Tiger Woods long ago, he was trying (and failing) to be funny. But at the exact moment everyone become upset, Zoeller stopped being funny. At least in public.

When Barkley once said, "I hate white people,'' it didn't have the same shelf life. For one thing, Barkley said it to a white reporter he was friendly with. For another, Barkley's wife is white, and no one seems to think he was serious. A few jokes later, the controversy faded.

How can you get mad at someone who can take a joke like this in stride?

When I was recruited at Auburn, they took me to a strip joint. When I saw (that body) on Buffy, I knew that Auburn met my academic requirements.

He can continue to do whatever he wants.

Posted by Robbie Gillies at 3:33 AM | Email Author | Permalink |

Where did that much talked about Spurs “experience” go last night? The Spurs were up 65-45 midway through the 3rd quarter and completely collapsed in losing to the Lakers 89-85 in the first game of the Western Conference Finals. Many might blame the Spurs quick turnaround from their game 7 win on Monday or their plane being stuck on the tarmac overnight in San Antonio, but, the Spurs have been prone to offensive droughts. It happened towards the end of the regular season and happened again in the playoffs.
In the last 22 games of the season, the Spurs went 13-9. But, in their 9 losses, they were held under 20 points in 10 quarters and were outscored by an average of over 11 points in those quarters. The trend is even more apparent in the playoffs. In the Spurs three losses to the Hornets they were outscored by an average of over 21 points in the second half.

The Spurs are often called experienced and fundamentally sound, but they are also often called old. The average age of the Spurs is 31.6 years old and that age showed in the last 18 minutes against the Lakers. In the first half, the Spurs limited the Lakers fast break chances by hustling back on defense and preventing transition buckets. But, in the second half, the Lakers just looked quicker than the Spurs and were able to get more chances in transition than they had in the first half.

Are the Spurs done? Obviously they can’t be counted out, especially since Gregg Popovich is probably the best at making adjustments from game to game. But, Phil Jackson is very good at putting team’s away in the playoffs when he has the lead. How good? Try 40-0 when winning game one of a playoff series.

Posted by Robbie Gillies at 11:54 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

7pm ET - ESPN - Mets @ Braves - The Braves swept the Mets in a double-header yesterday in the friendly confines of Turner Field. The Braves look to improve on their NL-best home record with another win over the Mets.

9pm - TNT - Spurs @ Lakers - This rivalry had taken a four-year hiatus, but it will quickly be rekindled tonight. These two teams met in the playoffs five times from 1999-2004, with the Lakers winning three of those series; They have combined to win seven of the last nine NBA championships. The Western Conference was so competitive this year, but it's only fitting that these two teams should emerge to battle it out once again.
Non-sports pick - 10:30pm - FX - Friday Night Lights - Based on the book from our good friend Buzz Bissinger.

Posted by Robbie Gillies at 2:30 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

Since none of us know enough about soccer to write anything for today's Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester United that would offer you, the reader, actual insight (I know that Chelsea's keeper, Petr Cech, is from Czech, and that he suffered a "depressed fracture of the skull" after taking a knee to head from Reading's Stephen Hunt in 2006 (you can see an x-ray here); I also just played "Which Team Has The Most Players Who's Names I recognize," and Chelsea won, with an impressive six names, so there's that.)), we instead scoured the intertubes and compiled some of the best previews out there. Enjoy.

Champions League final viewers guide - Martin Rogers, Yahoo! Sports

All the Champions League info you need! - The Beautiful Game

Manchester United need courage to keep going forward - Matt Dickinson, London Times

Champions League final build-up - BBC

15,000 Russian Cops Ready for Crowds in Moscow - AOL Fanhouse

It's Manchester United artistry against Chelsea's muscle - Henry Winter, The Telegraph

Will Moscow be red or blue? - Rob Hughes, International Herald Tribune

Posted by Ryan Hudson at 2:00 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

I meant to get to this earlier, but the "other" job got in the way. Silly All-Conference voting. Better late than never, I suppose...

Last night, Jon Lester, just 24-years old, threw a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals. It seemingly completed his recovery from non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and came just seven months after he won the fourth game of the World Series. By all accounts, a pretty amazing story. Still though, and to take nothing away from Lester, I'd like to highlight the guy behind (literally) Lester's game last night: Jason Varitek.

As Red Sox Monster points out, Jason Varitek has now caught four no-hitters, the most ever by a Major League catcher.

There have been 214 no-no's since 1900, and The Captain has been behind the plate for four of them (that's almost 2%). Conincidence? Or is Varitek just really good?

-- The catcher when Pedro Martinez one-hit the Yankees while striking out 17 in 1999? Jason Varitek.

-- The catcher when Pedro Martinez nearly threw a perfect game in 2000 against the brawlin' Tampa Bay Devil Rays? Jason Varitek -- and Varitek got a tackle in on a charging-the-mound Gerald Williams, too.

-- The catcher last season when Curt Schilling carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning in Oakland? Jason Varitek -- and when Schilling gave up a hit, it came after he shook El Capitan off.

It’s no coincidence that he’s now caught a record 4 no-hitters, trust me. I would BET, BIG MONEY, that I’d have been the 4th if I hadn’t shaken him off…..

Man oh Man... - 38 Pitches

With a little luck for Varitek, four could have been more - Red Sox Monster

Posted by Ryan Hudson at 6:00 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

8:30pm - ESPN - Pistons @ Celtics - Billups has had a chance to rest that hamstring and should be at full strength to face the Celtics. Can the Celtics continue to be perfect at home?

Non-sports pick - 8pm - TCM - Rear Window - Before there was Disturbia, there was Hitchcock's Rear Window.

Posted by Robbie Gillies at 1:30 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

Peja Stojakovic’s game last night was eerily similar to his last performance against a defending champion in a game seven. Last night against the Spurs, he shot an abysmal 3-11 (including 1-5 from three) and scored all of 7 points. He also had a horrible airball and just looked off his game all night. I immediately thought of the last time I was cheering for Peja to make big shots in the playoffs, and that was in 2002 against the then defending champion Lakers. How’d Peja do? He went 3-12 (0-6 from three) and scored 8 points. I also remember a huge airball in the clutch that game.

"Don't Give Me The Ball In Game 7"

For good measure, throw in a game 7 against the Timberwolves in 2004 where Peja went 3-12 (although 2-4 from three) and scored 8 points.

Peja’s best game 7 performance was in 2003 against the Mavericks where he went 7-20 (2-4 from three) and scored 24.

In 4 game 7s, Peja is 16-55, or 29% from the field, averages 11.75 ppg, and his teams are 0-4.

Posted by Jeff Briggs at 1:00 PM | Email Author | Permalink |

7pm ET - ESPN - Cubs @ Astros - The Astros just went 5-1 on their most recent road trip and the Cubs have won 8 of their last 10 games. Lance Berkman has carried the offensive load for the Astros. He leads NL in RBI's (44) and the majors in homers (16). For the Cubs, it's been Alfonso Soriano who has caught fire as of late. He has 7 homers and 13 RBI's in his last 6 games.

8pm - Versus - Red Wings @ Stars - The Penguins are awaiting the winner of this series. The Red Wings took a commanding 3-0 lead, but now the Stars will look to force a game 7 by winning at home to even the series.

8:30pm - TNT - Spurs @ Hornets - Will there be a changing of the guard or will the Spurs continue their dominance over the Western Conference?

Non-sports pick - 8pm - NBC - American Gladiators - It's back with some new gladiators like Zen and The Beast. As Warren G would say, "Gladiators! Mount up."

Posted by Robbie Gillies at 1:30 PM | Email Author |