MLB
NATIONALS TREASURE MEMORABLE OPENING DAY
It doesn't get much better than this if you are a member of the Washington Nationals. By all accounts, it won't get much better for a team picked by many to battle the Florida Marlins for last placed in the NL East-but on Sunday night, it was magical.
First, the Nats opened their brand-new stadium in the nation's capital, a ballpark that by all accounts is presidential in every way. Second, the First Fan himself was there to throw out the first pitch of the new season. The Prez, by the way, acquitted himself quite nicely from the hill (the mound, not the one in the distance view from the park) by throwing a pitch that was just a little high ("High heat" it was described by President Bush's friend Joe Morgan). Third, the Nationals got on the board with two runs in the first inning off Atlanta starter Tim Hudson.
But the best was saved for last. Between that first inning rally and the last batter of the ninth, the Nationals went silent. While Chipper Jones was hitting the first home run in Nationals Park and President Bush was talking baseball in the ESPN TV booth, the Nats' bats went dormant.
But then, the treasure. In the bottom of the ninth inning, in front of 41,000 fans, the First Couple (if they were still there), and a national TV audience, Ryan Zimmerman unloaded a one-out home run to give the Nationals a 3-2 walk-off win in their first game in years in their own ballpark. The nomadic former Montreal Expos were home. And they were in first place.
It was truly a special night on the banks of the Anacostia River in Washington D. C.
NCAA
NUMBER ONES ALL HEAD FOR SAN ANTONIO
For the first time ever, the winner of each of the four regionals in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament are all the No. 1 seed. When Stephen Curry's teammate Jason Richard's three-point try failed to hit net, the last hope of a non-No. 1 team died, and the script put together by the selection committee played itself out just as they surmised it might. So, here's what awaits in San Antonio.
Place: Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
Semifinals: Saturday, April 5
Game 1: UCLA vs. Memphis, 6:07 pm
Game 2: North Carolina vs. Kansas, 8:47 p.m.
Finals: Monday, April 7
Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 9:21 p.m.
NBA
WARRIORS BEAT DALLAS, CREATE THREE-WAY TIE
The Dallas Mavericks, who had the best team in basketball last season, are staring at the possibility of not making the playoffs. On Sunday, they dropped a 114-104 decision to the Golden State Warriors. That left Denver, Dallas, and Golden State with identical 45-28 records as the season is down to its final 17 days-and all tied for seventh in an eight-team-stays division.
As the teams look down the road until April 16, each team plays five road games and four home games. Denver and Dallas plays only one game against either of the other two: April 10 at Golden State for Denver and April 2 at home against the Warriors for Denver-which means Golden State has two games against its rivals for the eight spot.
The Warriors were led in scoring by Monta Ellis, who hit 50 percent of his shots on the way to a 30-point performance. Six Golden State players were in double figures. Andris Biedrins led the Warriors with 14 rebounds.
For Dallas, Josh Howard had 36 points. He took 25 shots, one fewer than Ellis, and he made 16, one better than the Golden State guard. Howard was a perfect 9 for 9 from the free-throw line. Brandon Bass chipped in with 21 points.
OTHER NBA SCORES
LA Lakers 126, Washington 120 (OT)
Sacramento 120, Seattle 107
New Orleans 118, Toronto 111
Atlanta 114, New York 109
Minnesota 110, Utah 103
San Antonio 109, Houston 88
Cleveland 91, Philadelphia 88
Boston 88, Miami 62
PLAYOFF WATCH
* New Orleans and San Antonio are in a virtual deadlock for the top seed in the West. LA is just one game back.
* Atlanta but a little distance at No. 8 between themselves and the No. 9 New Jersey Nets, who are 2.5 games behind the Hawks.
* Cleveland has clinched a playoff spot. Four Eastern teams are assured a postseason berth.
NHL
PENS MOVE INTO FIRST WITH WIN OVER RANGERS
The Pittsburgh Penguins moved into first place in the Eastern Conference with three games remaining-thanks to a hard-fought 3-1 win over the New York Rangers on Sunday.
The Rangers outplayed the Penguins for much of the game but simply could not solve Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in the end. The Pens' goalie stopped 26 of 27 shots to turn away New York's attempt to move into fifth place in the conference standings.
Evgeni Malkin scored his 46th goal of the season for Pittsburgh, and Sidney Crosby assisted on a pair of goals. Malkin now trails Washington's Alex Ovechkin 109-104 for the NHL's points lead.
Pittsburgh needs just one win in its final three games to secure its first Atlantic Division crown in 10 years.
OTHER NHL SCORES
Vancouver 6, Calgary 2
San Jose 3, Phoenix 1
Detroit 1, Nashville 0 - OT
Buffalo 2, Boston 1 - OT
Minnesota 3, Colorado 2 - OT
Chicago 5, Columbus 4 - OT Shootout
Anaheim 3, Dallas 2 - OT Shootout
FACT OF THE DAY
Here's a look at the schedules the rest of the way for Denver, Dallas, and Golden State as they wrestle for that coveted No. 8 spot in the West.
Denver
At Phoenix, Monday, March 31
Phoenix, Tuesday, April 1
Sacramento, Saturday, April 5
At Seattle, Sunday, April 6
At LA Clippers, Tuesday, April 8
At Golden State, Thursday, April 10
At Utah, Saturday, April 12
Houston, Sunday, April 13
Memphis, Wednesday, April 16
Dallas
At LA Clippers, Monday, March 31
Golden State, Wednesday, April 2
At LA Lakers, Friday, April 4
At Phoenix, Sunday, April 6
Seattle, Tuesday, April 8
Utah, Thursday, April 10
At Portland, Saturday, April 12
At Seattle, Sunday, April 13
New Orleans, Wednesday, April 16
Golden State
At San Antonio, Tuesday, April 1
At Dallas, Wednesday, April 2
At Memphis, Friday, April 4
At New Orleans, Sunday, April 6
Sacramento, Tuesday, April 8
Denver, Thursday, April 10
LA Clippers, Saturday, April 12
At Phoenix, Monday, April 14
Seattle, Wednesday, April 16
SPORTS SPECTRUM INSIDER
Getting to the heart of what matters in life
TODAY'S FEATURE: MIKE SWEENEY, Oakland A's
BIO NOTE: Sweeney has 197 career home runs.
RECENT NEWS: On Sunday, Sweeney hit a three-run home run in the final exhibition game for Oakland before they restart their regular season.
FAITH QUOTE: "When I gave my life to Christ, I thought I gave him everything. But it was apparent that I was trying to do baseball on my own. My prayer became, 'Lord, I don't know where I'm going to go [it was thought he was not going to make the team in the spring of 1999], but it's time for me to get on the back seat. I realize that with you on the front seat of the tandem bicycle, you're going to steer me wherever you want to steer me, I'm going to get on the backseat and pedal my heart out. I'm not going to get sidetracked."
--Sports Spectrum magazine
MINI MEMOS
Putting the SS spin on today's sports news
SOMETHING FOR NOTHING
Here's the beauty of signing a big major league contract-if you're a player. Jay Gibbons, who the Baltimore Orioles had signed up in 2006 to play ball for them for four years, agreed to take $21.1 million off the O's hands in exchange for his ability to hit baseballs very far. Problem is, he doesn't hit baseballs very much at all. In fact, in spring training he hit just .189 and hit exactly zero pitches for home runs. So, the Baltimore Orioles need hits and runs not highly paid .189 hitters, so they have released Gibbons. Here's where that beauty thing comes in. Although Gibbons won't be playing baseball this summer-or next summer-in Baltimore, he will get checks from the team totally more than $11 million (well, the checks will be less because Uncle Sam will take some off the top). Mr. Gibbons, thank your agent.
HIS HEART IS STILL IN SPOKANE
Tony Bennett looked east and decided to say no. The folks looking for a dependable coach for the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team apparently had a conversation with the Washington State coach over the weekend, but the former Charlotte Hornet told them he wasn't interested. For now, it seems, Tony Bennett's heart is still in Spokane, where he has compiled a remarkable 52-17 record in two seasons since taking over for his dad. Bennett, a committed Christian, has put a buzz in the Cougars program, and it appears that he is committed to staying. He is working with a seven-year contract that he signed in 2007.
TO THE VICTOR: A BOOK CONTRACT
Victor Conte, that is. The guy who has been at the center of much of baseball's steroids problems is planning to write a book in which he names names. There could be a lot of very nervous sports figures come September when Conte plans to have his book released. But Conte doesn't plan just to tell who did take performance-enhancing drugs but he also plans to lay out his vision for how to save sports. It would be ironic indeed if the man who had so much to do with causing these problems actually had a solution for solving it. That would not be just ironic, it would be incredible. It's like asking the mafia to solve the crime problem.
SPRINT CUP STANDINGS
With six races in the books, here's a look at the leaders in the Sprint Cup standings. Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag at Martinsville. Jeff Gordon was second, Jeff Burton third, and Jimmie Johnson was fourth. Now the teams are hauling their rigs to the Dallas area for Sunday's Samsung 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway. It's the first 500-mile race for the drives since March 9 at Atlanta.
| Driver |
Points
|
Birth date |
| 1. Jeff Burton |
915
|
June 29, 1967 |
| 2. Kevin Harvick |
876
|
Dec. 8, 1975 |
| 3. Greg Biffle |
855
|
Dec. 23, 1969 |
| 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
846
|
Oct. 10, 1974 |
| 5. Kyle Busch |
831
|
May 2, 1985 |
| 6. Tony Stewart |
811
|
May 10, 1971 |
| 7. Kasey Kahne |
786
|
April 10, 1980 |
| 8. Denny Hamlin |
758
|
Nov. 18, 1981 |
| 9. Jeff Gordon |
749
|
August 4, 1971 |
| 10. Jimmie Johnson |
746
|
Sept. 17, 1975 |
SPORTS SPECTRUM RADIO
SS DAILY INTERVIEW
To hear today's interview, go to the Sports Spectrum radio home page. It can be found at www.sport.org.
THE MONDAY GUEST
JOHN GORDON, radio voice, Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins never throw money around like some of the rich team in baseball, but they somehow always find ways to be competitive. The big question for this season is whether they can overcome the departure of ace lefty Johan Santana. Can they compete in the tough AL Central with the likes of Detroit and Cleveland? John Gordon has some opinions about that.
