May 2010 Archives

Highlights of the week ahead in sports, both here and afar:

MONDAY

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Blackhawks right wing Tomas Kopecky celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal against the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period of Game 1 on Saturday.

NHL: Stanley Cup Finals Game 2: Philadelphia at Chicago, 5 p.m., Channel 4:

The stat they kept showing during Game 1: Since the NHL went to a best-of-seven final in 1939, the team that won the opener of the series went on to become the Stanley Cup champion 77 percent of the time. But after watching the Blackhawks grind out that Game 1 victory, and knowing these Flyers don't quit so quickly . .

MLB: Dodgers vs. Arizona, Dodger Stadium, 6 p.m., Prime:

An hour earlier start, for the post-game holiday fireworks. Kids, remind your parents of this, especially if you're expecting to land a Manny Ramirez batting practice jersey given out to the first 15,000 youngins. Come earlier and see Andre Ethier actually taking real BP before what's supposed to be his first game back from the DL.

MLB: Angels at Kansas City, 11 a.m., FSW:

The Angels already have it rough on the road. They'll end up flying 50,509 miles this season -- the most of any team in the big leagues. Now, we're stunned that they still have to start this 14-day, 14-game road trip. You, too? U2 bailed out on their June 6-7 concert at Angels Stadium -- Bono, needed emergency spinal surgery - so that need for a week's lead time to build an elaborate stage is gone. But the Angels can't bail on their commitment for this undesirable road trip. Starting in K.C., where we've heard, the streets have no name.

TUESDAY

MLB: Dodgers vs. Arizona, Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m., Channel 9:

John Ely, who couldn't have done much better in his last outing at Chicago, got his first big-league win against the Dbacks back on May 11 when he outlasted Dan Haren. Who is today's scheduled thrower for Arizona again.

MLB: Angels at Kansas City, 5 p.m., FSW:

WEDNESDAY

NHL: Stanley Cup Finals Game 3: Chicago at Philadelphia, 5 p.m., Versus:

The series shifts to a place where bullies may still be living on Broad Street.

MLB: Dodgers vs. Arizona, Dodger Stadium, noon, Prime:

A nooner, sooner or later, helps the local economy. Besides, summer has officially started.

MLB: Angels at Kansas City, 5 p.m., FSW:

Quick, name the Royals' manager. ... Dick Howser? Whitey Herzog? Tony Pena? Yeah, we're not sure, either, but we know one guy was already canned.

THURSDAY

NBA Finals, Game 1: Lakers vs. Boston, Staples Center, 6 p.m., Channel 7:

The 12th Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals breaks a tie with the Dodgers-Yankees as the most common championship matchup in the four major sports. Tyler Conway at the BleacherReport.com (linked here) decided to rank the previous 11 in terms of which were the best of all time, starting with No. 11:

== 1959 (Celtics sweep, 4-0; the only sweep in the whole meetings);

== 1965 (Celtics win in five in a best three-out-of-five series; where their Game 4 win wasn't seen to completion, since ABC cut away to previously scheduled programming).

== 2008 (Celtics win in six, including a 39-point win in the finale);

== 1968 (Celtics win in six);

== 1963 (Celtics win in six; in Bob Cousy's last season);

== 1987 (Lakers in in six);

== 1966 (Celtics win in seven, because the Lakers fought back after being down 3-1 to push it to the limit, but Bill Russell had 32 rebounds in Game 7);

== 1969 (Celtics win in seven, after the Lakers won Games 1 and 2, and Jerry West was named series MVP);

== 1985 (Lakers win in six, and exorcize the Celtic curse);

== 1962 (Celtics win in seven, an overtime Game 7, where Russell had 30 points and 44 rebounds, Elgin Baylor had 44 and West added 30),

== The best: 1984 (Celtics win in seven, taking Games 2 and 4 in OT, Rambis is clotheslined . . . they don't make 'em like that any more).

MLB: Angels at Kansas City, 11 a.m., FSW:

Last year's AL Cy Young Award winner, Zack Grienke, who's off to a miserable 1-5 start despite a 3.57 ERA, should go on this day against the Angels' Jered Weaver. And if you take out interleague play this season, Grienke's ERA goes down to about 2.50.

MLB: Dodgers vs. Atlanta, Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m., Channel 9:

It's Matt Kemp Action Figure night giveaway. Figure this one out -- Is Kemp really the Green Hornet, or are those just grass stains?

FRIDAY

NHL: Stanley Cup Finals Game 4: Chicago at Philadelphia, 5 p.m., Versus:

The Flyers, who won only 41 of the 82 games they played in the regular season, are hoping to become only the third team with a .500-or-worse record to win the Stanley Cup. One of the previous two: The 1938 Blackhawks, at 14-25-9.

MLB: Dodgers vs. Atlanta, Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m., Prime:

The Dodgers are promoting the start of this three-game series as " '70s Night," and Greg "Barry Williams" Brady will sing the National Anthem and God Bless America. Maybe as Johnny Bravo. Because he does fit the suit.

MLB: Angels at Seattle, 7 p.m., FSW:

Three more with the Mariners, replaying last weekend's series, but this time, Cliff Lee's turn in the rotation is skipped. Shucks.

SATURDAY

WNBA: Sparks vs. Seattle, Home Depot Center, 8 p.m., FSW:

Part of a "Get Outside & Play LA" campaign, the Sparks will go outdoors at the tennis stadium facility to play the Storm. What if there's a storm? "Playing outside, beneath the stars will ensure an unforgettable evening for our players and fans," said Sparks President Kristin Bernert. "But the game also provides a terrific opportunity for our athletes to inspire kids of all ages to lead healthier and more active lifestyles." Tennis, anyone?

MLS: Galaxy vs. Houston, Home Depot Center, 5 p.m., FSW (delayed, 10 p.m.):

Not in the same facility as the Sparks' game -- but wouldn't that be cool? A day after President Obama welcomes the defending MLS champion Real Salt Lake on a White House visit, the Galaxy face the team that they had to beat to get to that title game, before losing to them Lakers. So, even if they'd have won that title game, they couldn't have made it for that D.C. trip because of this game on the schedule. See how things all work out. (Then the Galaxy gets to play Real Salt Lake at thier place next week).

MLB: Dodgers vs. Atlanta, Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m., Prime:

The last time L.A. will ever see Bobby Cox get thrown out of a game in person? Maybe tonight. We hope.

MLB: Angels at Seattle, 1 p.m., FSW:

Saunders vs. Snell, like last Sunday, Part II.

SUNDAY

NBA Finals: Game 2: Lakers vs. Boston, Staples Center, 5 p.m., Channel 7:

"We remember more than anything losing on our home court, a situation where we had some defensive lapses and they took advantage of it," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of the 2008 NBA Finals against the Celtics. "This year, we have homecourt advantage, and we look forward to the rematch with great intensity." Meaning, going to Boston after this without a 2-0 advantage would be less than advantageous.

NHL: Stanley Cup Finals Game 5: Philadelphia at Chicago, 5 p.m., Channel 4:

They'll still have the Michael Jordan statue outside the Untied Center in a Blackhawks' jersey. Because, at some point in his career, he probably thought he could be a professional hockey player.

MLB: Angels at Seattle, 1 p.m., Ch. 13:

Have you got your freakin' gnome in the mail yet? Me neither.

MLB: Dodgers vs. Atlanta, Dodger Stadium, 1 p.m., Prime:

The last time L.A. will ever see Chipper Jones play in a Braves' uniform? Maybe today.

Running: San Diego Marathon, starts in Balboa Park, finish at Sea World, 6:15 a.m.:

AKA, the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy among the performers, and a bunch of Elvi streaking around. The group that dresses up in Elvis costumes wants more participants, offering this suggestion about proper attire: No wig, no glasses, no outfit... Not a Running Elvi. There'll be about 20,000 on the course, plus 30 stages with live music and 2,000 cheerleaders. According to the website (linked here), the participant perks include: Flat, scenic marathon & 1/2 marathon course, live local music every mile, spirited cheer squads lining the course, it's a Boston qualifier, perfect running weather - 60s at the start, 70s at the finish, an exciting vacation destination, food and refreshments at the start and finish line, plentiful course support and aid stations, a fantastic finish line festival, free admission to post-race concert, a T-shirt, a medal, a certificate, age-division winners and one free beer at the finish-line festival. They sure buried the lead on that one. Keep that in mind -- the Rock n' Roll marathon is now a nationwide series, coming to L.A. on Oct. 24.

A few things to read that came across our radar in the last couple of week:

== Gregg Doyel, the CBSSports.com national columnist, wrote about Arizona doesn't deserve all the negativity directed toward it in light of this senate bill 1070 -- there's a lot of messed-up things happening there already that isn't getting publicized (linked here).

"Move the 2011 All-Star Game out of Arizona? That seems rather drastic considering our entire country is split right down the middle over that immigration law, according to polls, and that residents of Arizona are similarly split. One in three white people in Arizona oppose this law. One in five Hispanics favor it. Read those two sentences again, and then tell me this issue is simple. "

After he wrote it, he got more responses (200-plus) than any other piece he's written this month.

== Tim Rutten of the Los Angeles Times had a follow up to Lakers coach Phil Jackson's response to a question about the law (linked here).

"If the Lakers, who have given this community so much joy and excellence, close their eyes to Arizona's affront to so many of its members, then at least one disappointed fan will be withholding his support, and inviting as many others as will listen to do the same."

== Jeff Schultz, an L.A. native now writing for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, blogged about it (linked here) and seized on Jackson's follow up quote:

"This issue came up again Monday. Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson released a statement that read, "I have respect for those who oppose the new Arizona immigration law, but I am wary of putting entire sports organizations in the middle of political controversies."

"This followed his previous comments: "I don't think teams should get involved in the political stuff. ... Where we stand as basketball teams, we should let that kind of play out and let the political end of that go where it's going to go."

"He's got it right. So does the baseball commissioner. Bud Selig: visionary."

== By the way, here's the law (linked here)

We're trying to get our head around this as well, from a sports perspective, with the Lakers still involved with the Suns, and the Dodgers about to take on the D'backs early next week. We're writing more about it Sunday.

The intersection of L.A. and Arizona, and sports and politics, isn't going away.

It's already had more than 10 million YouTube hits in its first week.

(And Kobe Bryant make an appearance at about the 2 minute mark:)

According to Medialife.com, on an "intensely competitive night" in TV land, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" finale was 27 percent down from last spring's season ender and dipping from Monday night's final performance show. The 3.8 rating for adults 18-49 (9 to 11 p.m. EDT), according to Nielsen overnights, was the lowest finale rating ever for "DWTS."

"The show may have been hurt by the strong competition or the fact that there wasn't much suspense in the episode -- everyone knew Nicole Scherzinger would win," the story said.

But did they know Erin Andrews was on? We crossed over to discuss that in today's column (linked here), and aren't really proud of that. We've since taken a cold shower.

Otherwise, we have these warmed-over dishes:

== Fox Sports has swiped DirecTV executive Eric Shanks to become its new president, promoting Ed Goren to to a newly created roll of vice chairman of Fox Sports Media Group starting June 1. Both report to the big cheese, David Hill.

Shanks, 38, joined DirecTV in 2004 and had created several of the company's best interactive sports services, including the NFL Red Zone Channel.

Shanks is the third president of Fox Sports -- following Goren and Hill -- since it began in 1993 when the network obtained the NFL rights. He will oversee programming, production, field and studio operations, marketing, promotion, communications, business and legal affairs.

Shanks joined Fox in 1994 and before leaving to DirecTV, he was a producer at Fox Sports and VP of Enhanced Programming for the Fox TV networks. During his time at Fox Sports, he helped develop the FoxTrax glowing puck on NHL games and the yellow first-down line that is now part of all football coverage.

== ESPN's coverage of the NCAA women's softball playoffs continues with the UCLA-Louisiana Lafayette contests on Saturday (ESPN2, 6 p.m.) and Sunday (ESPNU, 12:30 p.m. and, if necessary, ESPN2 at 6:30 p.m. for a third game) on the UCLA home field.

== ESPN has the NCAA men's lacross championships, starting with the semifinals Saturday in Baltimore (Notre Dame-Cornell at 1 p.m.; No. 1 Virginia vs. Duke at 3:30 p.m., both on ESPN2) leading into Monday's final (12:30 p.m., ESPN). Sean McDonough, Quint Kessenich and Eamon McAnaney attempt to legitimize this.

== The L.A., Seattle and Portland markets (10 percent of the country) get the Angels' home game against Seattle on Saturday during Fox's MLB game of the week (Kenny Albert and Eric Karros, 1 p.m., Channel 11). Most (77 percent) get St. Louis at Chicago (with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver).

Meanwhile, Kevin Millar, the former Hart High player who holds out hope of playing again in the big leagues, made his Fox MLB L.A-based pre- and post-game studio show debut last Saturday with Chris Rose. Rose and Millar, who often worked together on FSN's old "Best Damn Sports Show Period," continue to work for the MLB Network during the week on their daily studio show. On Saturday, June 5, Fox plans to test-drive Millar as a game analyst on a Milwaukee-St. Louis telecast with Joe Buck.

Millar is also currently on the St. Paul Saints' roster (see story linked here), but playing only when he has a chance between TV gigs. Released by the Chicago Cubs before spring training, he's holding out a faint hope of returning to the big leagues while he also does the TV jobs. Millar actually started his pro career with the Saints after a tryout in 1993 when he went undrafted out of University High in Venice.
Millar, 38, and his wife, Jeanna, are also expecting their fourth child in June.

== FSW/Prime Ticket has its first of six WNBA Sparks games tonight (7:30 p.m. vs. Washington, Prime) with Larry Burnett and Lisa Leslie calling it.

== ESPN's Colleen Dominguez has a piece on Sunday's "Outside The Lines" (info linked here) about recently fired Palm Desert High softball coach Ashley Nieto, whose husband, Ron, is a registered sex offender and has been with the team as a scorekeeper and helping maintain the field. Twelve years ago when he was 39, Ron Nieto was put on probation after pleading guilty to having an inappropriate relationship with a 14-year-old -- that girl, it turns out, is now his wife, Ashley, whom Ron married six years later. "The fact that the AD and the principal knew about this and kept it from us is hard to fathom," says Tom O'Brien, one of many concerned parents whose daughter played for Ashley.

== HBO's "Boxing After Dark" series goes to Agua Caliente Resort in Rancho Mirage for Bob Papa and Max Kellerman calling a junior middleweight match between Timothy Bradley of Palm Springs and Luis Carlos Abregui, plus Alfredo Angulo of Coachella vs. Joachim Alcine (Saturday, 9:45 p.m., delayed).

== AND FINALLY:

== In his latest column (linked here), ESPN ombudsman Don Ohlmeyer finally addressed how the network -- as well as almost all "online media outlets" -- have contributed to "an ongoing surge" of journalists citing anonymous sources.

Says ESPN Senior VP and Director of News Vince Doria : "Sources are the lifeblood of newsgathering. But by putting trust in them, we accept the inherent danger of reporting things we have neither seen nor heard firsthand. Our credibility depends on their reliability."

ESPN.com VP, Executive Editor and Producer Patrick Stiegman adds: "As journalists, we recognize that the gathering and reporting of information has the potential to cause harm or discomfort. At all times, we should be balancing the impact of those repercussions against public interest in that information and our journalistic service to the audience."

Even if those ESPN people of note dance around the topic, it has to be addressed on many levels. Ohlmeyer notes that ESPN's policy regarding anonymous sources "requires the disclosure of sources to management, if requested, and the editor or producer is then bound by the same pledge to anonymity as the reporter."

It doesn't necessarily justify the process by which ESPN, and probably many others, follow up on rumors or unnamed reports. By throwing as much as they can out there to see what sticks, what's rebutted, what's retwisted, it just adds to the confusion and abuse of information.

Let's keep the conversation here fluid.

Randy Cross, the UCLA All-American offensive lineman out of Crespi High, and Sam "Bam" Cunningham, the bruising USC fullback who is credited with helping integrate the game in the South, were among the 14 players elected to the College Football Hall of Fame today.

Cross, now an analyst for CBS on the NFL and college football, played on the 1976 Rose Bowl championship Bruins team as a guard, starting 28 of his 34 career games, including the final 23. He started a center but was moved to right guard as a junior and went between center and guard as a senior.

A second-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1976, he played 13 years, made three Pro Bowls and played on three Super Bowl teams.

"I'm extremely proud and humbled to be selected to be a part of such a special College Football Hall of Fame class," Cross, who lives near Atlanta, said in a statement through CBS. "My teammates at UCLA share in this honor and without their help and influences this would not be possible. To them I say thank you.

"My late father, Dennis Cross, raised me to be a Bruin and my mother Rita was manager at Dykstra and Sproul residence halls on campus, so UCLA has been a part of life since I can remember. Joining some of the legendary Bruins in the College Football Hall of Fame is very much a young boy growing up in Tarzana dream come true.

"Coaches from UCLA shaped me as a young man, taught me lessons on and off the field and helped in life well after I left Westwood. I owe those men, Steve Butler, Moe Freedman, Terry Donahue, Pepper Rodgers, Dick Vermeil and Bobb McKittrick more than I can ever repay."

Cunningham, out of Santa Barbara, was an All-American in 1972 when the Trojans won the national title. He scored four touchdowns in the 1973 Rose Bowl -- a modern-day record -- and was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1992

On Sept. 12, 1970, he ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns against an all-white University of Alabama team in Birmingham as USC beat the Tide 42-21. Jerry Claiborne, a Bear Bryant assistant, said: "Sam Cunningham did more to integrate Alabama in 60 minutes than Martin Luther King did in 20 years." Wilbur Jackson, the first African-American offered a scholarship at Alabama, watched the game from the stands, ineligible to play as a freshman due to NCAA rules at the time.

Cunningham co-authored a book on the game, "Turning Of The Tide: How One Game Changed The South," that is currently in development for a movie.

Cunningham went on to play for the New England Patriots, rushing for more than 5,400 yards and 49 touchdowns. He's the older brother of former UNLV and NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham.

Cross and Cunningham will be joined in the College Hall of Fame for a July induction with the late Pat Tillman (Arizona State), Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard (Michigan), Dennis Byrd (North Carolina State), Ronnie Caveness (Arkansas), Ray Childress (Texas A&M), Mark Herrmann (Purdue), Clarkston Hines (Duke), Chet Moeller (Navy), Jerry Stovall (LSU) and Alfred Williams (Colorado). The newly elected Hall of Fame coaches are Barry Alvarez and Gene Stallings.

Or, if you're at Bodog.com and need to capitalize on this, you post odds:

Where will Phil Jackson be coaching for game 1 of the 2010/2011 NBA Regular Season?

Los Angeles Lakers: 2/5

New Jersey Nets: 5/1

Chicago Bulls: 10/1

Cleveland Cavaliers: 15/1

Will not coach: 2/1

Odds of him proposing marriage to Jeanne Buss: Off the table

The NFL's announcement today that Super Bowl XLVII in 2014 will be staged at the new New York Giants and Jets' home field in New Jersey -- and not the usual warm-weather or domed site -- drew this reaction from those in charge at L.A.-based and perfect-climate-controlled Fox, the network that's in the rotation to televise this game:

David Hill, Fox Sports Media Group Chairman and CEO: "Having the Super Bowl in the new home of the Jets and Giants is fantastic. It's the biggest sports event in the country on the country's biggest stage. It's different, and should create buzz for months leading up to it and if we're really lucky, it will begin snowing right after halftime."

Fox NFL studio analyst and former Giants star Michael Strahan: "It's going to be great. It will add a new dimension to the game that we haven't seen in many years. Many of the NFL's most memorable games have been played in inclement weather. As a player, you'll play anywhere to have an opportunity to win a Super Bowl and as a fan, you'll be part of a historic game. The way I look at it, anyone who is worried about snow or if it will be too cold doesn't deserve to go to or play in a Super Bowl."

Fox play-by-play man Joe Buck: "Staging an event as big as the Super Bowl in New York will be terrific. As far as the weather complaints, you play both conference championship games in whatever city and don't consider the temperature or conditions. Football is an elements game. I know if I had a ticket, I'd go."

The Associated Press

A 21-year-old New Jersey man pleaded guilty Tuesday to vomiting on another spectator and his 11-year-old daughter in the stands during a Philadelphia Phillies game.

Matthew Clemmens, of Cherry Hill, N.J., pleaded guilty to one count each of simple assault, disorderly conduct and harassment for his conduct during an April 14 Phillies-Nationals game at Citizens Bank Park.

Clemmens stuck his fingers down his throat and vomited on Michael Vangelo, an off-duty Easton police captain, and one of Vangelo's daughters after Clemmens' companion was ejected from the park, Assistant District Attorney Patrick Doyle said.

Clemmens and his friend were spilling beer, cursing and heckling Vangelo and his daughters from the time they arrived at their seats, according to a statement of facts read in court.

Vangelo's 15-year-old daughter asked the pair to stop the profanity, and Vangelo complained to security that Clemmens' friend was spitting, with some of it hitting his 11-year-old daughter, Doyle said.

After the friend was ejected, Clemmens was sitting alone behind the Vangelos when he answered his cell phone and said, "I need to do what I need to do. I'm going to get sick," the prosecutor said.

Clemmens then put his fingers down his throat and threw up on the father, with some vomit splashing onto Vangelo's younger daughter, Doyle said.

He then punched the father several times in the head before other fans in the stands subdued him, the prosecutor said. He screamed expletives at the crowd as he was led out of the park, Doyle said.

Clemmens' mug shot showed him with a swollen black eye, and authorities acknowledged he was hit as he was being subdued. No one else was charged in the case.

More "Dude Perfect" shot videos (linked here)

Highlights of the week ahead in sports, both here and afar:

AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Orlando Magic guard J.J. Reddick fights for the ball against Boston Celtics forward Rasheed Wallace during second half in Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals on Saturday.

MONDAY

NBA playoffs: Eastern Conference finals, Game 4: Orlando at Boston, 5:30 p.m., ESPN:

You do know Jack -- up against the series finale of "24," the Magic may disappear as well. In unreal time. The Celtics only beat Orlando by 23 in Game 3, so . . . keep an eye on the shot clock. If unnecessary, Games 5 and 7 are Wednesday and Sunday in Orlando with a Game 6 Friday in Boston.

NHL playoffs: Eastern Conference finals, Game 5: Montreal at Philadelphia, 4 p.m., Versus:

What NHL team were you thinking of during that final episode of "Lost" -- the Islanders (too obvious) or the Canadiens? "It's a familiar feeling for us," said Habs leading scorer Michael Cammalleri, the former Kings standout, on having his team down 3-1 in this series -- the same hopeless situation they were in before knocking out East top-seed Washington a couple of weeks ago. "We seem to play our best hockey in this situation." If needed, there's a Game 6 Wednesday in Montreal with a Game 7 Friday in Philly.

MLB: Angels vs. Toronto, Angel Stadium, 7 p.m., FSW:

Time to compare All-Star stats for those who are eligible to play in Anaheim this July: The Angels' Torii Hunter (.288, 7 HRs, 28 RBI) vs. the Blue Jays' Vernon Wells (.302, 11, 32). Sure, they can play together in the starting lineup. With Ichiro (.348).

TUESDAY

NBA playoffs: Western Conference finals, Game 4: Lakers at Phoenix, 6 p.m., TNT:

Amare Stoudemire was so freaking lucky in Game 3.

MLB: Angels vs. Toronto, Angel Stadium, 7 p.m., FSW:

The Angels are giving away garden gnomes. If only David Eckstein was still on the team.

MLB: Dodgers at Chicago Cubs, 5 p.m., Channel 9:

A three-game series in Chitown starts with Joe Torre skipping over Ramon Ortiz and giving the ball to Clayton Kershaw, whose 14-13 career mark now includes a 5-1 mark the month of May -- and he's never pitched at Wrigley Field. Add to that, Rafael Furcal is supposed to be activated for this week.

WEDNESDAY

MLB: Angels vs. Toronto, Angel Stadium, 4 p.m., FSW:

On the day Simon Cowell ditches "American Idol," the Angels and Blue Jays don't have to see each other any more this year.

MLB: Dodgers at Chicago Cubs, 5 p.m., Prime:

If you go to the BaseballReference.com page for 24-year-old Chad Billingsley, the Dodgers' scheduled starter here, it says that among the pitchers similar to him at his age, stat-wise, are Pedro Martinez, Ramon Martinez and Dennis Martinez. And Carlos Zambrano, who is now an $18.5 mil-a-year left-handed situational set-up guy in the Cubs' pen. Billingsley (5-2, 3.66 ERA) is 3-0 in his last three starts, limiting opponents to a .164 batting average.

THURSDAY

NBA playoffs: Western Conference finals, Game 5: Lakers vs. Phoenix, Staples Center, 6 p.m., TNT:

Not to read into it or anything, but did you happen to catch Kobe Bryant in the season-ending episode of "Modern Family" last week? Kobe scolded the character named Phil for coming to that Lakers' game at Staples Center unprepared. It was an Emmy-worthy performance. By Phil. So Kobe, what's it like being in a sit-com? You gotta come with something better than that.

MLB: Dodgers at Chicago Cubs, 11:20 a.m., Prime:

Finally, a day game in Wrigleyville. Let there be Miller Lite.

FRIDAY

MLB: Angels vs. Seattle, Angel Stadium, 7 p.m., FSW:

Mariners starter Clifton Phifer Lee somehow improved to 2-2 last week despite allowing eight runs (severn earned) over 6 1/3 innings against the Padres. Maybe the key: He's walked just one hitter all season. Granted, he missed almost all of April with a rehab problem. So this is the first time the Angels have seen the '08 Cy Young Award winner, since the Indians shipped him to Philadelphia to help the Phillies win a World Series, and they dealt him to the Mariners last offseason.

MLB: Dodgers at Colorado, 6:10 p.m., Channel 9:

The Dodgers took two out of three from the Rockies at Dodger Stadium a couple of weeks ago, including handing Ubaldo Jimenez (8-1, 0.99) his first and only loss of the season. Jimenez's turn doesn't come up in this three-game series. The Dodgers, by the way, are 13-4 against NL West foes so far.

WNBA: Sparks vs. Washington, Staples Center, 7:30 p.m., Prime:

The Sparks, 0-for-2010, finally get a home game. Maybe that'll spark something.

SATURDAY

UFC 114: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. "Suga" Rashad Evans, Las Vegas, 7 p.m.:

It's the weekend for UFC Fan Expo at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, so why not put these two former UFC light heavyweight champs in the ring together again. And when the battled it out on the UFC video game for Xbox360 ... watch the clip above.

NBA playoffs: Western Conference finals, Game 6: Lakers at Phoenix, 5:30 p.m., TNT:

Need a Game 7? It's Monday. On your Memorial Day holiday.

MLB: Angels vs. Seattle, Angel Stadium, 1 p.m., Channel 11:

An early wake-up call for Ken Griffey Jr. -- day game after a nightie. He's made his own locker room bed, and now he can sleep in it. Listen, if Junior really did nod off during the last Angels-Mariners series, wouldn't a teammate have taken a Sharpie pen to his face, drawn a mustache under his nose, written some naughty words across his forehead ... oh, that's so old school. These days, a teammate just goes for anything that can help lead to identity theft. Although the way Griffey seems to be sleepwalking through what should be his final season, you really wouldn't want to be mistaken for him.

MLB: Dodgers at Colorado, 5 p.m., Channel 9:

Watch Jim Tracy -- the Rockies' skipper will surely accuse the Dodgers of stealing signs. Like the one just outside the stadium: Caution, Falling Rocks.

SUNDAY

IRL: Indianapolis 500, 10 a.m., Channel 7:

Danica McKellar is equal to or greater than Danica Patrick -- you don't have to the do the math, Winnie will do it for you. First of all, defending champ Helio Castroneves, having already won "Dancing With the Stars" and survived a brutal IRS tax issue, has a chance to win his fourth Indy 500, which would put him with Rick Mears, Al Unser and A.J. Foyt in that exclusive club. "Indy is a magical place, and I feel blessed to be in this situation," the 35-year-old says. A victory wouldn't surprise Roger Penske, looking for his 16th 500 victory as a team owner. "Helio has always seemed to shine at Indianapolis," said Penske. "For some drivers, that (Indianapolis) is just an intimidating place. But Helio has always embraced the challenge of racing there, and it seems to bring out the best in him." Brent Musburger starts the pre-race show at 9 a.m., and Marty Reid will call it with Eddie Cheever Jr., Scott Goodyear, Dr. Jerry Punch, Rick DeBruhl, Vince Welch and ... Jamie Little, who goes a long way.

NASCAR: Coca Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway, 5:45 p.m., Channel 11:

For those who haven't seen the new "McGruber" movie, this event is the next best thing to being there. There's also talk of a $20 million bonus ready to be put up for anyone who can win the Indy 500 and this Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Maybe if they didn't start so close together, it might be doable. Some suggest moving this to Saturday night instead of Sunday night.

MLB: Dodgers at Colorado, 12:10 p.m., Prime:

The other day in Kansas City, Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler had to scale the wall to get his glove back. He lost it after slamming into the wall while chasing down a long drive by Kansas City's Jose Guillen in the seventh inning last Sunday. The umpires were ready to start the game again after Guillen's triple, but Fowler had to wave them down with his bare hand to get their attention. With no one else to get his glove, Fowler hopped the wall and disappeared. After a few seconds, his glove popped over the wall onto the field. Then a ball sailed into the stands. Finally, Fowler appeared, drawing cheers from the fans and prompting a slight grin.

MLB: Angels vs. Seattle, Angel Stadium, 12:30 p.m., Channel 13:

Milton Bradley sounds like he's finally getting the help he needs with the Mariners. He told ESPN last week, after spending two weeks on the restricted list, that he's seeing a counselor in town who has an athletic background and "dealt with anger himself. ... I know when I start thinking about not living anymore based on the fact that I'm not playing baseball well, that's when I know I need to take a step back."

WNBA: Sparks vs. Atlanta, Staples Center, 5 p.m.:

As long as the Lakers aren't using the facility ...

Reggie Miller, left, listens to Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith during Wednesday's Game 2 Western Conference Finals preview show for TNT at Staples Center.

From today's media column (linked here), more from Reggie Miller and his new(ish) career as a TV talking head, on the set during TNT's Western Conference Finals coverage from Staples Center and wherever they play in Phoenix:

== On the reception he's received on his recent documentary, "Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks," done as part of ESPN's "30 For 30" project, and produced by Miller's Boom Baby Productions company: "Everyone loved it. It was a good history lesson. When we first showed it in Utah at Sundance, standing ovation. Then a big premiere -- 8,000 in Indiana (in February), so that was a hometown crowd. The scariest thing to me was having to go to New York and show it to New Yorkers because, you know, they're gonna tell you the truth. Standing ovation there. All three markets loved it, so I knew it was a hit."

== On not being included in the new movie, "Just Wright," where Marv Albert, Kenny Smith and Mike Fratello play themselves as NBA broadcasters: "I'm too big for 'Just Wright' (laughing. It was a scheduling conflict. They did want me there, but I mean, it still worked out. Sure it was (believeable). Kenny does some game analysis sometimes. It's all right."

== On whether he'd have any thoughts of wanting to be a Lakers' broadcaster: "Obviously, they were my team growing up. And Chick Hearn, with the eggs in the cooler, all that. I was a huge Lakers, and Magic (Johnson) and Jamal Wilkes fan. But I like talking about the whole league instead of just one team. You sometimes gotta be a homer when you do one team. I never want to be expected to pat someone on the back."

Is that how he perceives someone like Lakers' radio analyst Mychal Thompson?

"He won championships. I can understand where he's coming from. He has the right to be a homer here."

More to note:

== A stat that you might not otherwise know unless it was sponsored by a men's undergarment company that pledges comfort: TNT's Craig Sager took a tape measure to Lakers coach Phil Jackson's seat on the team bench. It sits 26 inches off the floor, for starters. With nine inches of padding on the seat. "No wonder Phil looks so calm and comfortable during games," said Sager, perhaps feeling some sort of revenge for all the times Jackson has questioned his wardrobe during those mantatory TV interviews between the third and fourth quarters of every game at Staples Center.

== Showtime ramps up for its coverage of the fourth meeting between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez from Staples Center (Saturday, delayed at 9 p.m.) with a replay of their previous three matches at 4 p.m. Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein call it with Antonio Tarver as the analyst and Jim Gray as aspiring reporter.

Bernstein, in his 30th year doing TV fights, started writing for Boxing Illustrated in 1978, joined ESPN's "Top Rank Boxing" series two years later, and was on his first major PPV fight -- Marvin Hagler vs. Roberto Duran -- in 1983. He did NBC's Olympic boxing in '92 and '96 and joined Showtime in 2003.

Showtime has this list of "by the numbers" to consider:

2,703: Fights Announced on television
54: Ringside announcing partners
17: Years as analyst or host on the Top Rank Boxing Series on ESPN
8: Tuxedos owned
66: Broadcasts as analyst on the Showtime Championship Boxing series
32: Assignments covering Major League Baseball for Sportscenter
67: Championship pay per view telecasts
532: Times asked "Is Bonnie Bernstein related to you?"
3: Mixed martial arts shows hosted on Showtime
2: Musical albums/CD's released
1: Saw a fighter who forgot to put his trunks on under his robe before entering the ring:

== Tennis Channel and ESPN2 start coverage of the French Open tennis tournament on Sunday, leading up to the early June finals. ESPN2 (Sunday, 9 a.m.) has Cliff Drysdale, Darren Cahill, Mary Carillo, Mary Joe Fernandez, Brad Gilbert, Patrick McEnroe and Pam Shriver, with Chris Fowler as host and calling matches for the first week before leaving for South Africa and ESPN's coverage of the World Cup). ESPN3.com actually begins its coveage Sunday at 2 a.m.
Tennis Channel has about seven hours a day of live match play from 2 a.m. to 9 a.m. through the mens' and womens' quarterfinals. It uses John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova and Lindsay Davenport with Ted Robinson, Ian Eagle and Leif Shiras on the calls, plus Katrina Adams, Justin Gimelstob, Barry MacKay and Corina Morariu and appearances by Bud Collins and tennis journalist Jon Wertheim.

== Do we need a 90-minute show to announce which city will get the 2014 Super Bowl. Because the NFL Network can, and New York wants it, that'll be the case, with the winner (either NY/New Jersey, South Florida or Tampa Bay winning) getting to stick its tongue out at the loser (why isn't Chicago involved in this?) The show airs Tuesday at noon from the league meetings in Dallas. Rich Eisen, Michael Irvin, Moose Johnston, Jason La Canfora, Steve Wyche and Kara Henderson will give viewers "an inside look into the process of determining the Super Bowl host site," the network promises. We presume that doesn't mean a cellphone camera with Jerry Jones at a Cowboys bar explaining all the innerworkings from the inside.

== NFL Network also has Kurt Warner as an analyst on its coverage tonight of the Arena Football League's Iowa-Arizona contest (5 p.m.). The three-time NFL Super Bowl quarterback will be inducted into the Iowa Barnstormers Hall of Fame as its first member during the broadcast.

== Golf Channel's "The Haney Project" with Ray Romano resumes Monday (6 p.m.), after the comedian (Romano, not Hank Haney) had to take some time off to be with his father, who passed away in March. The last episode aired in April.

AND FINALLY:

== The first gig that Craig Kilborn got after he spanked his career as an ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor was to take this new Comedy Central series called "The Daily Show" and see what he could do with it.

Jon Stewart thanks you for giving up.

Fox is ready to test a new half-hour show with Craigermeister called "The Kilborn File," starting June 28 with a run on the Fox-owned stations in L.A. (KTTV-Channel 11), as well as those in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Phoenix, Austin and Detroit, according to Broadcast & Cable Magazine and website (linked here).

Kilborn hasn't had a show in six years, since he left a late-night CBS spot now filled by some guy with an Irish accent.

"The last few years of triathlons and charity work have been fulfilling, but fulfillment is overrated. Let's get it on," said Kilborn, at ESPN from '93-'96 and also had a role in a movie playing a creepy dude in "Old School," following that up with "The Shaggy Dog," "The Benchwarmers," "Cursed," "Full of It" and "The Great Duseldorfer."

And, it's not good when your Google search instantly pops up words behind your name like "fired" or "drunk."

You drink in a Dodgers game on the radio -- beyond the three inning simulcast -- and you're left to wonder: If only that was me on that call.

Then I wouldn't have to hear (fill in the blank stare created by a fly ball to the shortstop that sounded a few seconds earlier as if it was going halfway up the pavilion).

Time to announce your intentions to fix that.

The Dodgers have offered this up to anyone who wants to call an inning of a Dodger game -- as long as you meet the proper requirement (linked here).

And by "broadcast a game," it means ... we're not sure who's gonna hear it. Most likely, an Internet audience.

Should you be a gentleman older than 18 with no priors: (click here)

If you're a woman willing to admit to being older than 18 with no inhibitions: (click here)

If you, as Steve Lyons would say, happen to habla Spanish and are older than uno-ocho: (click here).

Or if you're just a kid 8 to 14 who needs a ride to the park with a parent, guardian or of-age older friend of your brother who you're mom doesn't really approve of but can at least drive without a suspended learner's permit: (click here):

If you're a teenager between that awkward age of 15 and 17, you'ld have better luck trying to buy O'Douls.

The signups began May 12 and end Sunday, August 22.

No purchase necessary. No cheering allowed.

The contest rules also specifically state: "Sponsor reserves the right to terminate" a semifinalists entry that, "in Sponsor's discretion, is lewd, immoral, tasteless, lascivious, grotesque, or otherwise tends to undermine the character, reputation, or goodwill of Sponsor or its standing in the community."

No McCourt mentions, obviously.

The winner who emerges from several stages of judging will do an inning of a yet-to-be-determined game, plus four field-level seats, a preferred parking pass, and a guest appearance on "Dodger Talk" with Josh Suchon and Ken Levine after his/her call. Your ability to express an opinion without the aid of Coors Lite will already put you into the top 5 percent of "Dodger Talk" callers.

(And if truth be told, Suchon and Levine, who have play-by-play experience, might as well fill out the form on this contest, win it outright, and then have a demo tape ready to go next time there's an opening).

This could also fall through, according to the rules, "due to weather, an act of God, an act of terrorism, civil disturbance or any other reason."

The phrase "any other reason" couldn't have just been used without the other stuff?

Anyone approaching the address of 6259 Hollywood Blvd. on Wednesday afternoon could have seen this: A couple of guys with cement trowels, garbage bags and what looked like material that you use to make Christmas cookies, putting Chris Berman's Walk of Fame star into shape -- without the assistance of NutriSystem.

"Can I take a picture of this?" I asked one of them as he stood off to the side waiting for some quick-dry concrete to set.

Where's Vanna White when you need her?

Point of reference: The closest leather shop to this star (linked here).

And this is why Berman will never have his paw prints put into the Grauman's Theatre concrete. Too many hand gestures.

The Upper Deck trading card company has its 2010 Soccer Set, and even if David Beckham never plays again for the Galaxy, he'll be imortalized in this cardboard collection -- with a swatch of his jersey.

There's even one card with both Donovan and Beckham -- part of the "MLS Teammates Dual Materials" cards. Never thought you'd see that, eh?

And (someday), a callup by the Dodgers, that only Vin Scully could sell:

(linked here)

The Dodgers' flagship station, KABC-AM (790), has started airing ads created by the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, that calls out the state of Arizona for its new immigration law and contrasts its preceived prejudice and racial profiling with the achievements of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color barrier in 1947.

"L.A. unions stand united against Arizona's immigration law that targets brown people as suspects," says Maria Elena Durazo, the organization's executive secretary and treasurer. "What Arizona poses as a solution is no more than ethnic and immigrant scapegoating. It is not what the United States is based on, and it is wrong.

"Our Dodgers' ad expresses the L.A. labor's united opposition as part of a rising tide against Arizona's unfair and mean-spirited immigration law. We call on our federal government to step up to the plate and enact comprehensive immigration reform that deals with the real issues of jobs and families, and fixes our current broken system that drives down wages and working conditions for all workers in our country. This is a federal issue and we must have federal reform."

The ad can be heard at this link.

It could have been in July, when the ESPY Awards were in town, and he should have shown as the brightest star.

It could have been in August, when the X Games were in town, and he could have shown us all how something this extreme can actually happen.

Instead, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has picked Monday, May 24, as the date to honor ESPN's Chris Berman with the 2,409th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Be there for the 11:30 a.m. ceremony at 6259 Hollywood Boulevard in front of Dillon's or be square.

"A star on Hollywood Boulevard is an iconic honor that has literally blown me away," said Berman. "It speaks to 30 years of hard work for thousands of ESPN employees, and I am proud to represent each and every one of them. I can assure you that this will be the only time that my name will be in a sentence with the likes of Clark Gable and John Wayne."

First, nothing could literally blow Berman away, unless it was of hurricane proportions.

Second, it speaks more to the fact that ESPN put up the $15,000 entry fee.

Third, we can assure you this won't be the first time his name is mentioned in the same sentence with Jim Gray -- another person who has somehow got a star-shaped design with his name on the walk.

Although Gray has not been in 11 movies -- The Longest Yard, Little Big League, Necessary Roughness, Eddie, The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon, Big Daddy, Second String, Even Steven, Kingpin, The Program and Celtic Pride - which Berman has been.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, however, has yet to publicize this event. On its website (linked here), it is still promoting the botched star of Julia Louis-Dreyfus (it was misspelled) and hasn't mentioned that the next ceremony is Jerry Bruckheimer.

From the Los Angeles Lightning website:

Tyus Edney showed that Lightning can strike twice.

With the score tied and 6.4 seconds left in Sunday night's International Basketball League game in Santa Barbara, the former UCLA star drove the length-of-the-court and hit a 5-foot floater to lift the Los Angeles Lightning to a dramatic 119-117 win over the Oregon Waves.

"With time running out, you have to get it down there," said Edney, who's famously known for a similar coast-to-coast drive and layup that lifted UCLA over Missouri 75-74 in the second round of the 1995 NCAA Tournament. The Bruins went on to win their 11th title.

"It was a little floater," Edney said. "I had to put it up high to get it over the big man. This is a good win. They came to play today."

Trayvon Lathan (who had 23 points and 15 rebounds) scored on a driving layup to put the Lightning up 117-115 with 11 seconds left. Oregon's Anthony Davis was fouled on a 3-pointer and he hit the first two foul shots, making him 9-9 in the fourth quarter, and tying the game.

Following an L.A. timeout, Davis missed his third free throw, Lathan grabbed the rebound and got it to Edney for his dramatic game-winner.

"That play never gets old," said Lightning coach Ron Quarterman on Edney's shot. "We didn't want to call timeout. We were just going to go with it."

The defending IBL champion Lightning (4-0) trailed by 12 at halftime (64-52) of the IBL Finals rematch. L.A. got back in the game with a 30-19 third-quarter surge. They trailed by as many as 10 in the final period before storming back to take a 109-106 lead on a 3-pointer by Fred Vinson from the right corner.

Vinson scored 27 points for the second straight day and set a Lightning record by hitting 9-of-15 from 3-point land. He's shooting 59.3 percent (16-27) from downtown in his last two games.

Edney, who played four years in the NBA, had 19 points and 11 assists.

Davis led all scorers with 39 points and 11 rebounds for the Waves (0-2).

"Whenever you beat a team like that the first night (the Lightning won 136-110 on Saturday), it's always going to be hard the next night," said Quarterman.

Bryon Russell had 14 points and grabbed nine of his 10 rebounds in the second half. Juaquin Hawkins contributed 11 points while Travis Pinick had 10 for L.A., which outshot the visitors in the second half 44.7 to 27.7 percent.

The Lightning continue a 13-game homestand Friday and Saturday at Cal Lutheran against the Phoenix Red Rock Raptors. Tip time is 7:15 p.m. both nights.

Highlights of the week ahead in sports, both here and afar:

MONDAY

NBA playoffs: Western Conference Finals, Game 1: Lakers vs. Phoenix, Staples Center, 6 p.m., TNT:

Excuse me, Mr. Buss, but we'd like to introduce you to the Lakers' Western Conference finals opponent, the Phoenix Suns. They'll be here in a moment and .... Uh, Jerry, my power fowards are up here. Stop checking out my point guards.
Meanwhile, because the networks have taken over coverage, Lakers' TV play by play man Joel Meyers has been reduced to recruited to answering fans' questions on the Fox website. Here's one from Ben H. of Valencia: What's your prediction on Lakers-Suns series? Says Joel: "Even though the Lakers took three out of four from the Suns during the regular season, I feel this is going to be a long series. Both teams are capable of winning on the other's home floor, as we saw from the Lakers at the end of March in Phoenix. The Suns are also coming into the conference finals with as much confidence as any team ..." He used 64 more words in that answer, but we had to cut him off since we missed two plays while he was talking, and Stu Lantz ran off to the restroom for a smoke.

MLB: Angels at Texas, 5 p.m., FSW:

This two-game pit stop in Arlington, Tex., introduces the Angels to an old friend, Vlad Guerrero, among the AL's top 10 in average, HRs and RBI. And here's a newbie: The Rangers send out Derek Holland, who struck out seven A's over six shutout innings in his first start since Triple-A and, according to this latest MLB.com video, likes to be called "The Dutch Oven" (linked here) -- get it, his name is Holland! -- instead of "Wonderboy." The stupid girl in this video didn't get it, did she? An Urban Dictionary definition of Dutch Oven (linked here) just for her.

MLB: Dodgers vs. Houston, Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m., Prime:

If John Ely is the only good thing to come out of trading Juan Pierre to the White Sox, than so be it. The Dodgers may have stumbled onto something with him, having allowed him enough time to get his first major-league win last week at Arizona, holding the Dbacks to just six singles. Now if they can just keep Charlie Haegar on the DL.

TUESDAY

MLB: Dodgers vs. Houston, Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m., Channel 9:

On Andre Ethier bobblehead night, we can almost guarantee a walk-off grand slam. By Manny Ramirez. Or Jamey Carroll. By this time, Ethier and his broken pinkie may be on the DL.

MLB: Angels at Texas, 5 p.m., FSW:

The Rangers' starter tonight, C.J. Wilson, the former Loyola Marymount guy out of Newport Beach, already has two complete games, is near the AL ERA lead (1.48) and is the first pitcher in Texas history to begin the season with seven straight quality starts. This, five years after Tommy John surgery and then becoming the team's top reliever. "He had eight pitches last year, but he could only use a couple out of the bullpen," manager Ron Washington said. "Now he gets a chance to use his pitches more. As a closer, it was more aggressiveness. Now he can show everything. ... As a starter, he can really really use his brains now." Wilson matches up against the Angels' Jered Weaver, still leading the AL in strike outs.

NBA: Eastern Conference Finals, Game 1: Boston at Orlando, 5:30 p.m., ESPN:

A half-hour before tipoff, the league will hold the lottery for its June 24 draft, so those sitting around at Donald Sterling's annual party will see if the Clippers have a shot at John Wall, Evan Turner, Gordon Hayward or another guy from Kentucky. At which point does Blake Griffin get thrown back into the hat? The Cleveland Cavaliers will likely be lobbying for a lottery shot considering they'll be in a huge rebuilding phase of their franchise coming up.

NHL playoffs: Eastern Conference finals, Game 2: Montreal at Philadelphia, 4 p.m., Versus:

Here's the league that does it right, reseeding the teams after each round. Congrats for fixing it so that a No. 7 can meet a No. 8 in the conference finals, and have a home-ice advantage. Games 3 and 4 are Thursday and Saturday in Montreal.

NHL playoffs: Western Conference finals, Game 2: Chicago at San Jose, 7 p.m., Versus:

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen offered his support for the Blackhawks: "We all suck, all sports in Chicago are very bad... we need something good and positive for the city ... We need the Blackhawks to eat some Sharks." Games 3 and 4 are Friday and Sunday in Chicago.

WEDNESDAY

NBA playoffs: Western Conference Finals, Game 2: Lakers vs. Phoenix, Staples Center, 6 p.m., TNT:

The sixth NBA Store has been built in China, this time in Shanghai . . . but none in L.A.? Where are supposed to get our anti-microbial Western Division champion T-shirts for $154.95? The upset here is that the league has only given the two teams one day off between Games 1 and 2. That'll mess with everyone's momentum.

MLB: Dodgers vs. San Diego, Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m., Prime:

Yup, it's come down to Russ Ramon Ortiz filling another starting spot. Against a guy who the Dodgers may wish they'd never let go, Jon Garland. They hooked up last Friday in SD, but weren't around for the end. Maybe Ned Colletti didn't hear: Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt (making $15 mil this season and $16 mil next) said he's be willing to waive his no-trade clause if the team wanted to deal him. Or then, the Dodgers' sweep in San Diego last weekend will erase the perceived need for more pitching.

MLB: Angels at Chicago White Sox, 5 p.m., FSW:

More from Ozzie Guillen, the walking nuclear quote. "I'm a good manager," the White Sox skipper said recently. "Some people like to believe it or not, but if you come here every day, I know what I'm doing. Sometimes the players perform, sometimes they don't, but I know what I'm doing. I'm a good manager. I know that. There's a lot of (lousy) managers out there, worse than me, and they keep having job after job." He can't look bad if he keeps sending Mark Buehrle (2-4, 4.69 ERA).

THURSDAY

MLB: Angels at Chicago White Sox, 5 p.m., FSW:

And here's Guillen again, on Pierre, a quote from the other day: "This guy has been a good hitter for so many years for a reason. He's a veteran guy. A slow start, it gets to everyone. You panic, you get nervous, but I expect a lot of good things from him. I expect him to do what he's doing right now, and hopefully he continues to do that and help us get to where we want to get. When he gets things going, the ballclub is better.'' Pierre, the White Sox's semi-regular leadoff guy, has pushed his average to .252 by hitting .362 through the first two weeks of May. Meanwhile, Andruw Jones (.260, 9 HRs, 18 RBI) is battling a stiff neck.

MLB: Dodgers vs. San Diego, Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m., Prime:

And, just like last Saturday, it's Kershaw vs. Corriea.

MLS: Galaxy vs. FC Dallas, 5:30 p.m., FSW (delayed, 9 p.m.):

The World Cup is a couple of weeks away. Be patient.

FRIDAY

MLB: Dodgers vs. Detroit, Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m., Channel 9:

The Dodgers and this interleague stuff: Not so fun. A 29-52 record since '04. And the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera and Austin Jackson are in the top five of AL hitters. Dontrelle Willis is kickin' it again for the Tigers in the opener of three. Justin Verlander probably misses out.

MLB: Angels at St. Louis, 5 p.m., FSW:

Former Cardinals' 15-game winner Joel Pineiro starts the first of three against St. Louis. Brad Penny -- remember him? -- throws for the Cards in this one.

SATURDAY

Boxing: Israel Vazquez vs. Rafael Marquez, Staples Center, 6 p.m. (airs on Showtime delayed at 9 p.m.):

The fourth meeting between the three-time world champion Vazquez and the two-division world champ Marquez is dubbed "Once and Four All." In previous meetings, Vazquez broke his nose and had to stop, Marquez looked worse for wear in a sixth-round TKO loss and, in their last fight, it was a split decision after Vazquez damaged his eye and Marquez appeared defeated.

NBA: Eastern Conference finals, Game 3: Orlando at Boston, 5:30 p.m., ESPN:

Did we mention that the best thing about this series: No Shaq. And no more Cavs fans.

MLB: Dodgers vs. Detroit, Dodger Stadium, 4 p.m., Channel 11:

The strange start time here is because Fox wants to carry the UEFA Champions League final between Bayern Munich and InterMilan at 11:30 a.m., but still do its weekly MLB game. So, in this case, the MLB gets kicked to the curb.

MLB: Angels at St. Louis, 11:15 a.m., FSW:

Has Brian Fuentes figured it out by now?

SUNDAY

Tennis: French Open, first round, 2 a.m., Tennis Channel:

It's live, so stay up late Saturday to capture all the red-clay madness from the start. This thing ends June 6.

NBA playoffs: Western Conference finals, Game 3: Lakers at Phoenix, 5:30 p.m., TNT:

Don't expect to see any L.A. City Councilperson stopping the Lakers at LAX and forcing them not to do their business in Arizona over the next few days.

Cycling: Amgen Tour Stage 8: Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills, 12:30 p.m. (coverage live on Versus begins at 3:30 p.m.):

After Stage 6 (Palmdale to Big Bear Lake) and Stage 7 (an individual time trial around L.A. Live near Staples Center), the race finishes in the Conejo Valley, starting and ending in Thousand Oaks. The 80-plus miles and 7,000-feet of climbing begins at The Oaks shopping center, goes east on Thousand Oaks Blvd., revs up on Agoura Road in Westlake Village, heads up to Mulholland, a climb up to Malibu Family Wines, a couple more miles atop the Santa Monica Mountains, then north on Westlake Blvd., a fast ride down the hill, and back to the start of the loop -- more than 20 miles. Now, do three more laps. Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie and David Zabriskie appear to be among the healthy designated riders in this race, based on the fact they started it off in Stage 1 on Sunday during the Nevada City-to-Sacramento leg.

MLB: Dodgers vs. Detroit, Dodger Stadium, 1 p.m., Prime:

On, yeah, among the other odd-ball interleague matchups this weekend: Florida at Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay at Houston, Toronto at Arizona and Atlanta at Pittsburgh. Oh, wait, that last one ...

MLB: Angels at St. Louis, 11:15 a.m., FSW:

Albert Pujols is a modest 7-for-24 (.292) lifetime against Angels pitchers currently on their staff, with only one homer - against Jered Weaver, who should be on the hill today.

Miss USA 2010 pageant, Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, 7 p.m., Channel 4:

Carmelo Anthony (because the Nuggets are out of the playoffs) and Johnny Weir (because he can pull it off with a feather boa) are among the judges in this annual competition. Swimsuits are nice, but it's always discovering the hidden talents of the ladies that has us most interested. We see (above) how well Miss Maine can dribble, Miss New York's skills on the yoga mat and Miss Arkansas' pogo-stick handling -- but who's the dame going crazy in the watermelon eating contest?

I remember my dad taking me to a Dodgers game, had to be in the very early '70s, putting me at about 9 years old. We're sitting in box seats behind home plate, tickets he got from his boss at work. An amazing experience for a kid to see a game.

A foul ball was hit into the stands, and there was a hush over the crowd as ushers came down to tend to the person who might have been injured. Everything seemed OK.

"Did you know that a kid was killed recently by a foul ball?" someone leaned over to tell my dad.

I heard it, but I couldn't believe that was true. It was something that I couldn't get out of my mind.

#######

Consider that in the course of a typical major-league baseball game, about 40 balls are hit into the stands -- foul balls, mostly. Fans with or without gloves try to catch them. Most bounce off something before landing in the hands of a lucky spectator.

Added up over the weeks, months and years of games, the millions of balls hit into the stands has resulted in only one fatality at big-league contest.

Yet, it was 40 years ago today -- on May 16, 1970, a Saturday night -- in the bottom of the third inning of a Dodgers-Giants game at Dodger Stadium.

Maury Wills led off with a double. Manny Mota followed. He sprayed a foul ball off into the crowd along the first-base line, near the visitor's dugout, off Giants pitcher Gaylord Perry.

Sitting in the second row was Alan Fish, a 14-year-old from L.A.

David Schur was an assistant playground director at the Poinsettia Park Rec Center, near Santa Monica and La Brea, close to West Hollywood and just a couple of blocks from the famed Formosa Cafe. He took seven boys from the neighborhood to the game, including Alan and his 10-year-old brother, Stuart.

Alan, who pitched for the Poinsettia Little Major League team, was a straight-A student at Bancroft Junior High.

But he didn't see the ball that Mota hit foul. Almost no one did. It hit Alan Fish in the left temple on the side of his head.

"The ball came out of nowhere very fast," Schur told the Los Angeles Times.

Alan said he was fine at first. His coach took him to the Dodgers' first-aid station. They gave him two asprins. The group went back to their seats.

Schur drove the boys home -- Alan and Stuart lived on Fountain Avenue in L.A., just a couple blocks south of Sunset Blvd. But Alan's step-father, Frank Scialo, noticed that Alan's condition didn't seem to get any better. Alan got disoriented and started walking in circles. It was worse than what a typical concussion looked like.

Francine Scialo took her son to the emergency room at Citizens Hospital, and then to Children's Hospital that night. He stayed overnight. And another night. And another.

Alan Fish died four days later, on a Wednesday afternoon, of a head injury that was deemed inoperable.

According to the records in the last 150 years, Alan Fish is still the only fan to ever be struck by a ball hit into the stands at a major-league park and die.

###########

The game that Saturday night went on without much incident (linked here). Mota grounded out moments later after his foul ball. He made the last out, striking out against Frank Reberger to end the Dodgers' 5-4 loss.

The day that Alan Fish died, the Dodgers played a night game in San Diego, a 10-4 loss. The team issued a statement: "The entire Dodger organziation joins in the members of the family of Alan Fish in their sorrow. Our thoughts and prayers are with them."

Mota didn't seem to really recovered from it. His batting average fell. He sat out a few games, on Walter Alston's orders.

Today, Mota may talk about it, but not very much. He still feels heavy guilt. He tried to visit Alan Fish in the hospital, but he was barred from entering the room.

Fish's parents -- including his father, Marvin Fish -- brought a lawsuit against the team and the doctor. A jury absolved the team of blame three years after the incident.

According to research by Sports Illustrated's S.L. Price last year, for a story and book he did on the 2007 death of Arkansas Travelers third base coach Mike Coolbaugh, who was hit by a foul ball during a minor-league game, 52 spectators are known to have been killed by foul balls since 1887. But only two occured in professional games.

In 1960, Dominic LaSala, 68, died after he was hit by a foul ball at a Triple-A game in Miami.

Ten years later, it was Alan Fish, at Dodger Stadium.

##########

In the 2008 book, "Death at the Ballpark: A Comprehensive Study of Game-Related Fatalities, 1862-2007" (McFarland publishing, 264 pages, official website linked here) by Robert Gorman and David Weeks, there's mention of another MLB-game-related death. On September. 30, 1943, 32-year-old Clarence Stagemyer was killed at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., sitting in the stands behind first base when a wild throw by Washington Senators third baseman Serry Robertson hit him during a night game against the Cleveland Indians.

The Mota-Fish story is included in the book. Also there: Mota's own teenage nephew, Adriano Martinez, would be killed on the field 14 years later, while playing shortstop in New York, after he was struck by lightning.

Estimates are that more than 300 people are injured every year after being hit with a foul ball enough to get medical help. This doesn't even take into account the latest peril to a fan -- a sharred maple bat flying into the stands.

Gorman said in a recent email that since the book's publishing, he and Weeks have uncovered about 350 additional game-related fatalities -- mostly players.

"Surprisingly, none if these newly-discovered incidents involved fans dying from foul balls," Gorman said.

Who's responsible?

Read the 145-word warning on the back of each ticket. Fans assume "the danger of being injured by thrown bats, fragments thereof, and thrown or batted balls."

Does that make a death 40 years ago any easier to understand?

Some more on the Lasordapalooza display at the Pomona Public Library that we visited in today's column (linked here), and included a winning art entry by Greg Jezewski of Los Angeles -- Tommy Lasorda kneeling at the gates of heaven being denied entrance and sent to a fiery resolution.

Because God is a Giants' fan.

"And I'm a Giants fan," Jezewski admits.

Jezewski explained that the piece is inspired by Rene Magritte, the Belgian surrealist artist known in the pop culture circles for his juxtaposition of ordinary objects in an unusual context.

"This means 'This is not a pitcher,'" says Jezewski. "Or it could mean 'picture.' I like the dual meaning."

There's a triptych piece in oil by Michael Guccione, inspired by Lasorda's famous tirade about Dave Kingman's three-home run afternoon against the Dodgers after he was asked his opinion by radio reporter Paul Olden.

How languid.

And yes, there were things a little more, ahem, brutal about Lasorda in this exhibit.

Things that seem to take things a bit too personal down the road of parenthood and making judgements that do not necessarily seem fair. I'll defend their right to free speech, but that comes with some caviats.

And this piece by Mary Cannon, "Tommy: The Sacred and Profane," with a tray of Catholic communion waifers that contain snippets of the words used to tell the stories of Lasorda raised money by losing weight on Slim-Fast to help Sisters of Mercy in Philadephia, and how he went off on a foul-language rant once against Kingman.

Tommy Lasorda, on any level, emits feelings. That's what this display, and this day in the library, painfully showed.

== More upcoming events by the Baseball Reliquary:

= June 2-30 at the South Pasadena Public Library (1100 Oxley St., South Pasadena, 626.791.7647) is "Son of Cardboard Fetish," a continuing celebration of baseball cards. Josh Wilker, who just wrote "Cardboard Gods: An All-American Tale Told through Baseball Cards," will be appearing Thursday, June 10 for a book signing at the South Pasadena Public Library community Room (1115 El Centro Street, So Pasadena).

= Sunday, July 18, 2 p.m.: The Shrine of the Eternals 2010 induction, for Pete Rose, Roger Angell and Casey Stengel at the Pasadena Central Library (285 E. Walnut Street, Pasadena.

= July 6-30: The Shrine of the Ternals: 33 & Counting exhibit at the Pasadena Central Library.

= Saturday, Sept. 18: A panel discussion on the 40th anniversary of the issue of Jim Bouton's book, "Ball Four," with Bouton present. Info to come.

Simi Valley native Angela Ruggiero, who has played for the women's U.S. hockey team in all four Olympics that the sport has been offered, says she's not closed any doors to playing in the next Winter Games in 2014, but it will take some work.

Ruggiero, in a Q-and-A with the Detroit Free Press (linked here), also says she played in the recent Winter Games, where the U.S. team finished with a silver medal after losing in the final to Canada, with a torn labrum and had surgery last month.

"I've actually had it for 10 years," she said. "I've never had the opportunity to take three months off, and it's a six-month full recovery. It affected me a little bit, but not enough to keep me from playing or competing. I'm doing rehab right now."

Ruggiero returned to Michigan this week for the first time since the Winter Olympics to speak to the student body at Anchor Bay High in Fair Haven, where her sister, Pam, teaches biology.

The story says that Ruggiero, who moved from Simi Valley to Michigan as a teenager,
recently took up residence in Marina Del Rey.

"I have extended family there. I wanted to take advantage of the warmth, and I trained there last summer. There's a ton of job opportunities out there, as well, in sports marketing, sports broadcasting and just the sports-business side."

By Bob Baum
The Associated Press

Not long ago, Steve Kerr would spend sleepless nights recalling how great that NBA analyst job was at TNT.

Phoenix Suns fans vilified him as a general manager without a clue, a man who had ruined the franchise.

"There were many nights where I thought, 'Man, I should have just sat there with a microphone in my hand,'" he said. "'It was a much better life.'"

Not that Kerr blamed the fans.

"I deserved the criticism," he said. "You kind of have to know what you're getting into in this business, and I didn't do a very good job last year."

Fast-forward to Kerr watching the Suns practice in preparation for the Western Conference finals against the reigning NBA champion Lakers.

"This is exactly what I envisioned," he said. "We just took a strange route to get here."

Kerr had no front office experience when Suns owner Robert Sarver named him general manager in June 2007. He had spent the previous four years as color commentator for NBA games on TNT.

But he did have 15 years in the NBA, five with championship teams, after a standout career at the University of Arizona.

The defending champion Los Angeles Lightning open their home schedule at Cal Lutheran's Gilbert Arena on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. against the Oregon Waves in a rematch of last season's International Basketball League finals.

Sunday, the teams go to Santa Barbara City College for a live 3 p.m. TV game on KKFX/Fox 11.

"This is a great opportunity to showcase our talent and expand our product," said Lightning owner Mark Harwell. "It's a rare treat for fans to get a chance to meet NBA and international players."

The Lightning games can also be heard on KKZZ-AM (1400) with Eric Evelhoch and Rob Lemons. It's also streaming on the team's web site, www.lalightning.net.

The Lighting, 18-5 a year ago, are off to a 2-0 start after winning twice over the Nevada Pride in Las Vegas. Phil Givens scored 25 points in a 143-97 season-opening rout, while the Lightning got help from Trayvon Lathan (32 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) and 6-foot-11 center Chris Ayer (29 points, 8 rebounds) to win 140-125 the next night.

A posting on CraigsList.com (linked here):

Im selling a beautifully Framed & Matted piece of Basaeball History! This is an opportunity to own & have signed personally by Lenny Dykstra himself. This glass framed picture has multiple pictures of lenny throughout his career. He is a 3 time All Star and a member of the 1986 World Champion Met's team .If you purchase this item you will also receive a personal phone call from him. This is a once of a lifetime deal for one lucky soul!

You want Lenny calling you, to verify the authenticity? Would that count against his one call from white-collar prison for the day?

Gary Canter went to a game at Dodger Stadium on a recent Friday night and ran into a small problem.

"I wanted a pastrami sandwich, but I couldn't get one," he said.

That's a mouthful, since Gary owns Canter's Deli.

They have a concession stand on the field level near third base -- a beautiful new facility added in 2008.

But come to find out, Levy Restaurants, which runs all the food-stuff at the stadium, has decided not to open that stand when attendance is down on that area of the park.

On the night Gary attended, he said the announced crowd was about 40,000, but he could tell that was a bit of an exaggeration. That tends to happen around Chavez Ravine.

What he's not exaggerating about his frustration in a) finding one of his sandwiches and b) trying to get someone to develop a backup plan.

"There was an article in the New York Times recently that said, if you go to a Dodger game, have the Canter's Fairfax sandwich (pastrami and corned beef), but not the Dodger Dog," Gary said. "We've been trimming them beautifully. They're coming out great. But where do you find them when they close the thing up?"

It's not as if Gary can't complain to those in charge. Dodgers CEO Dennis Manion called him the other day to bring lunch to his office. Gary says Dodgers GM Ned Colletti "is one of my best buddies." Dodgers manager Joe Torre was at his iconic restaurant on Fairfax on Thursday night after a trip to the Hollywood Bowl.

"I see the seats empty in front (of the Canter's stand at the stadium) so there's not that much business," Gary admits. "I know they raised the prices (on seats in that area). But we can do something about it. I can grill pastrami on any of the grills around there, put them in a long hot-dog bun, give 'em to some hot gals and sell 'em thoughout the stadium?"

As long as they're hot. The sandwiches, more than the sales women.

"Why can't we give the fans good food?" Gary asks.

We put in a call to Levy's. We're waiting to hear. Like waiting in line at one of their stands.

(Swear to whomever, I went to a game on Mother's Day and got in line to get mom a dog at about 12:45 p.m. The stand was about 20 feet behind my seat. I didn't get back to my seat until well after the first pitch, at 1:10 p.m. I gave the lady behind the counter -- she was so small and slow, she couldn't reach into the container to get any of the dogs out -- a $100 bill in hoping I could break it for change. She handed me a $50 bill as change.)

A Canter's corned beef or pastrami sandwich goes for $11 at the stadium. The Canter's Fairfax special -- corned beef and pastrami -- is $11.50. The Hebrew National dog is $6.25, less than a buck more than the grilled Dodger Dog, but probably much more digestable.

If you go to Canter's at Treasure Island in Las Vegas, you can get the Gary Canter's Special: Pastrami, corned beef, turkey, ham and swiss, with cole slaw or potato salad: $15.95.

If you go to Dodger Stadium, you risk getting a confused look from the usually gregarious Gary Canter.

"I don't know what the problem is," Gary said. "I understand Levy is doing their job, but what they don't understand is that they are depriving Dodger fans from enjoying a great pastrami or corned beef sandwich."

And Gary, it's OK to talk with your mouth full.

The former Thousand Oaks High star, now 34 years old and after giving birth to three kids -- oh, and that steroid issue -- talks to the former USC star, working for NBA TV and TNT, about this comeback as a WNBA player:

Not once in 7 minutes, 22 seconds does the word "steroid" come up.

Prior to tipping off coverage of the WNBA's 14th season, NBA TV has a WNBA Preview Show today at 6 p.m. hosted by current Charlotte Bobcats sideline reporter Stephanie Ready and former WNBA head coach and NBA great Rick Mahorn. The show will include a longer-form interview between Jones and Miller.

Also, starting with the Sparks-Mercury telecast on ESPN2 (Saturday, 11 a.m.), this is the first time all 204 WNBA games are accessable through either NBA TV, ESPN2, ESPN3.com and WNBA.com.

"You can't have a re-vote every time something doesn't go the way you want it to," protested Tom Curran of Comcast Sportsnet, on the website ProFootballTalk.com, when the subject of this second tabulation for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, which we discussed in more depth in today's media column (linked here)

"The AP didn't have to make a mockery of its awards process by giving everyone a mulligan."

But this was no mockery. Actually, it seems to mock those who still don't get it. Like Cullen.

So we move forward, taking another look at the mistakes we've made in the past, wondering if it's too late to fix them:

== In addition to information about the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism offering a sports media minor this fall, led by Dan Durbin, a professor who specializes in sports media and pop culture, here's a story about it in the Daily Trojan (linked here) and a USC link to more information (linked here).

"First, it is largely a response to student interest in the subject, from many different sources," Dean Ernest J. Wilson III said. "Also, because we are linking sports, media and social change, we will be able to look at how sports affects society, and society affects sports. We will do so in a rigorous and scholarly way. We think this will interest students in many fields."

== Jay Posner of the San Diego Union Trib has Scully on Enberg, and Enberg on Scully, as the two meet in San Diego this weekend for a Dodgers-Padres series (linked here)

== For those Seattle Mariners who are freezing out Tacoma News Tribune reporter Larry LaRue, grow up (linked here).

== NBC takes Game 1 of the NHL's Western Conference finals (Sunday, noon, Channel 4) when San Jose hosts Chicago. Doc Emrick, Eddie Olczyk and Pierre McGuire call it. Not surprisingly, this is San Jose's first appearance on NBC this season. Chicago has been on four previous times.

== Congrats to Cleveland Cavs play-by-play man Joe Tait and Boston Globe writer Jackie MacMullan for their selection to received the 2010 Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame during enshrinement ceremones Aug. 12-13 in Springfield, Mass. MacMullan, who also wastes her time on ESPN's "Around the Horn," is the first female reporter to receive the honor.

== Fox Soccer Channel has The FA Cup Final from London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday as Chelsea squares off against Portsmouth, starting at 6 a.m. with the one-hour pregame.

== Fox sends Houston-San Francisco (Roy Oswalt vs. Tim Lincecum) to the L.A. market (25 percent of the country) with Chris Rose and Eric Karros on Saturday (Channel 11, 1 p.m.), while the rest get Philadelphia-Milwaukee (57 percent, with Tom McCarthy and Mark Grace) and Seattle-Tampa Bay (17 percent, with Kenny Albert and Tim McCarver).

== MLB Network will have Matt Vasgersian, Harold Reynolds and Barry Larkin call the St. Louis-Cincinnati game on Saturday at 4 p.m. as part of the 2010 Civil Rights Game weekend.

== Terry Gannon and Carolyn Peck call Saturday's Sparks-Phoenix Mercury WNBA opener (11 a.m., ESPN2), the first of 18 regular-season broadcasts on the network. Playoffs starting in late August will be on ABC and ESPN2. Pam Ward and Dave Pasch will also do play-by-play along with Peck and Rebecca Lobo. The Sparks will make as many appearances -- six -- as the defending-champion Mercury. The schedule also includes Phoenix playing at Tulsa on May 25 and the Sparks at Tulsa on July 13 -- Tulsa is coached by Nolan Richardson and the roster includes former Thousand Oaks High star Marion Jones.

== If Phil Mickelson using the media to help him promote with a new burger franchise in Orange County? (linked here)

== Michael Phelps' participation in the Charlotte UltraSwim Grand Prix this weekend has full coverage on Universal Sports, starting today at 3 p.m. Ted Robinson and Rowdy Gaines report.

== Is it possible to cover five golf tournaments in one weekend. Yes, if you're Golf Channel.

The PGA's Texas Open continues noon to 3 p.m. today with Kelly Tilghman, Peter Oosterhuis, Mark Lye, Matt Gogel and Billy Ray Brown (and then moves to CBS for the weekend). The LPGA's Bell Micro Classic in Mobile, Ala., picks up on Friday, tape delayed at 9 p.m. as well as live on Saturday and Sunday from 1-3 p.m. with Tom Abbott and Judy Rankin; at the BMW Charity Pro-Am Nationwide Tour event with celebs and amateurs in South Carolina, live coverage continues today (9:30 a.m.) as well as Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. with Jerry Foltz and John Maginnes (plus Jerry Rice is competing as a pro this week -- he shot a miserable 92 in the first round); the Champions Tour Regions Charity Classic in Hoover, Ala., continues on tape delayed today (3:30 p.m.), Saturday (3:30 p.m.) and Sunday (4 p.m.) with Brian Hammons and Curt Byrum; and the Iberola Open Cala Millor Mallorca in Spain continues live today (6:30 a.m.) and Saturday and Sunday (5:30 to 8:30 a.m.).

== NBC's coverage of the Preakness on Saturday starts at 1:30 p.m., with the race expected to go off at about 3:15 p.m. in Baltimore. Tom Hammond and Bob Costas are joined again by Gary Stevens, race caller Tom Durkin, handicappers Mike Battaglia and Bob Neumeier; reporter Kenny Rice and on-track reporter Donna Brothers. Battaglia on whether Super Saver, the Kentucky Derby winner, can pull off the Triple Crown: "I think he can win the Preakness but the Belmont is a whole other cup of tea. If he wins the Preakness then he's got Nick Zito sitting there waiting with Ice Box (for the Belmont). If you look at that race, Ice Box may have been best at the Derby." Adds Neumeier: "I'd be surprised if Super Saver can win the Triple Crown even if he wins the Preakness."

AND FINALLY:

== On ESPN's "Outside The Lines" this weekend (Sunday, 6 a.m., ESPN), former Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Bernie Carbo admits he tried to pay someone to break the arms of former teammate Keith Hernandez. Hernandez testified Sept. 6, 1985 in Pittsburgh that Carbo had introduced him to cocaine, Carbo reacted by trying to injure Hernandez.

"I knew some people, and I had $2,000, and I asked them to break his arms," Carbo tells ESPN's Mark Schwarz. "He said, 'We'll do it in two or three years if you want it done, but we're not going to do it today, Bernie. If we went and broke his legs today, or broke his arms, you don't think they would understand that you are the one that had it done?'"

Carbo, now 62, tells Schwarz that in one respect, there was no difference between his momentous home run in the 1975 World Series Game 6 and more than 1,000 other games he played in the major leagues: He was high on drugs. He says he's been clean and sober for 16 years and would apologize to Hernandez for introducing him to cocaine.

The Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Barry Bonds bested his home run record. Now Mark McGwire is poised to lose his highway fame to Mark Twain.

Missouri lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to legislation that would rename the "Mark McGwire Highway" in St. Louis for the Missouri author known as Mark Twain. The bill needs only the signature of Gov. Jay Nixon to become law.

Missouri named a stretch of Interstate 70 in St. Louis for McGwire in 1999, one year after the Cardinals slugger hit 70 home runs. Bonds broke McGwire's single-season home run record in 2001.

McGwire currently is the hitting coach for the Cardinals. A movement to strip his name from the highway had been simmering for several years, but it gained momentum after McGwire recently admitted he used steroids as a player.

HB1643 (linked here) also names nine other Missouri highways, including a stretch of U.S. 24 in Independence for former President Harry Truman.

By Eddie Pells
The Associated Press

Softball, that friendly, fun game many Americans grow up playing, suddenly finds itself entangled in a hardball debate about sexual orientation, editorial judgment and the future of the Supreme Court.

It all stems from speculation in the media that Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan is a lesbian.

Sparking the interest was a nearly two-decades-old picture of Kagan playing softball on the front page of Tuesday's Wall Street Journal. That quickly morphed into an online debate about whether the paper used the photo to make a point -- essentially, that if she plays softball, she must be gay.

The newspaper denies the photo was used for any such purpose.

Nevertheless, the president of the International Softball Federation, Don Porter, felt the need to weigh in.

Porter insists softball is for everyone, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation.

"The media has chosen to try to put a label on athletes who play this sport," he said. "I've heard more about softball that way in one week than I did about our sport, period, in one year during" the campaign to get softball back in the Olympics.

"While it's good to hear our sport mentioned in the major media during the past few days, it has been more in a negative sense than positive. ..."

Those who play and coach the game were equally dismayed.

"We've come so far," said Jessica Mendoza, a two-time Olympian and president of the Women's Sports Foundation from Camarillo, "and to have even one person think that showing a photo would correlate with someone's orientation, I want to yell out and say, 'Where have you been? Look around.'"

Filming for the upcoming Colombia Pictures and Sony Studios flick "Moneyball" finds its way to Pierce College this weekend, with a second tryout for players at the school's baseball field from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Before just waltzing over there pretending to be Barry Zito, a few tips:

The listing that we've been forwarded says they are looking only for "REAL baseball players aged 18-35 to protray PROFESSIONAL baseball players in our film." They're also looking for what's called "special ability" extras, as well as some Screen Actors Guild speaking roles.

But, they add:

"Unless you have MAJOR LEAGUE or COLLEGE baseball experience you will not be considered. If you are currently playing college baseball (or if you plan have plans on attending college) on a baseball scholarship you will NOT be considered due college eligibility issues. We are looking for players for all positions. Come dressed and ready to play baseball (pitch, hit, catch). Bring all necessary equipment needed for you to play your position (including bat)."

Oh, and it's a closed set, according to Pierce College athletic director Bob Lofrano.

The film (linked here), based on the Michael Lewis book about Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane, is on schedule to start rehersals and shooting in July. Brad Pitt is on tap to play Beane, with Jonah Hill playing Paul DePodesta. Steven Soderbergh is directing it.

The Associated Press

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig is ignoring calls to move next year's All-Star Game from Phoenix because of Arizona's new immigration law.

Asked about such demands at a news conference today following an owners meeting, he responded with a defense of baseball's minority hiring record.

"Apparently all the people around and in minority communities think we're doing OK. That's the issue, and that's the answer," he said. "I told the clubs today: 'Be proud of what we've done.' They are. We should. And that's our answer. We control our own fate, and we've done very well."

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said he wouldn't participate in next year's All-Star Game if it remains in Arizona because of the law, which empowers police to determine a person's immigration status. The Major League Baseball Players Association condemned the law and Rep. Jose Serrano, a New York Democrat whose district includes Yankee Stadium, sent Selig a letter asking him to move the game.

Selig cited sports sociologist Richard Lapchick, whose annual report from the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports last month gave baseball an A for race and a B for gender hiring. Selig also referenced a lifetime achievement award he received in March from the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

"We're a social institution. We have done everything we should do -- should do, our responsibility," he said. "Privilege to do it. Don't want any pats on the back, and we'll continue to do it."

Leaders of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and 10 other groups today a letter in which they ask Selig to not take a position against the state by moving the game.

The letter says a relocation would cost jobs for "innocent citizens, including our Hispanic community," and it says baseball shouldn't become "a pawn in a political debate."

Presente.org, issued a statement Thursday asking Selig to move the game, saying "the commissioner is clearly out of touch with the 'minority communities' he says MLB is so in tune with."

UPDATED WITH COMPLETE SCHEDULE:

While ESPN takes control of the NBA's Eastern Conference playoffs -- including tonight's Game 6 of the Celtics-Cavs series, which has become so noteworthy that local ESPN Radio affiliate, KSPN-AM 710 is airing the game live -- TNT has some time to prep for the Western Conference finals between the Lakers and Suns.

It starts Monday and continues Wednesday at Staples Center, both with 6 p.m. tipoffs, with Marv Albert, Doug Collins and Craig Sager. The Lakers' radio team of Spero Dedes and Mychal Thompson on 710-AM will of course also do the games.

The rest of the schedule:
Game 3: Sunday, May 23 at Phoenix 5:30 p.m.
Game 4: Tuesday, May 25 at Phoenix 6 p.m.
Game 5: Thursday, May 27 at Staples Center, 6 p.m.
Game 6: Saturday, May 29 at Phoenix 5:30 p.m.
Game 7: Monday, May 31 at Staples Center, 6 p.m.

As part of the overall coverage, TNT plans an exclusive sit-down interview by David Aldridge with new New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, which will air during the Game 2 pre-game show on Wednesday.

Also, Albert will sit down with Lakers coach Phil Jackson and look back 40 years to the 1970 New York Knicks championship team that Jackson played on and how it shaped his coaching future. That feature will air during Game 4, likely on Sunday night.

TNT says that for the first time during conference finals coverage, TNT and NBA TV analysts will host live streaming video chats on NBA.com and Yahoo.com, to answer fans' questions live after halftime of select games. The chats will feature Reggie Miller (Game 2), Chris Webber (Game 3), Charles Barkley (Game 4), and Kevin McHale (Game 5, if necessary).

TNT starts Games 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 with a long-form, hour tipoff show with Ernie Johnson , Kenny Smith, Barkley and Miller, who will be on site for each game. It'll be a half-hour pregame for Games 3 and 6.

The actual Dyersville, Iowa place where "Field of Dreams" was filmed in 1989 and has been a tourist attraction ever since is for sale -- $5.4 million.

== The official website for Field of Dreams (linked here)

Here's proof (at this link, via FangsBites.com) that the SI Swimsuit model and wife of Andy Roddick has game.

Here's more proof:

(AP Photo/Fox)
This two-picture sequence provided by FSN Rocky Mountain Sports shows Philadelphia Phillies bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer using binoculars in the bullpen during Monday night's game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Colorado Rockies.

The Associated Press

Binoculars in the bullpen? Major League Baseball didn't like what it saw, and has told the Philadelphia Phillies to knock it off.

The Phillies insisted Wednesday they weren't trying to steal signs when bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer was caught on camera peering through binoculars from the bullpen bench at Coors Field earlier this week.

Manager Charlie Manuel told The Associated Press that Billmeyer simply was watching Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz set up defensively Monday night.

FSN Rocky Mountain, the flagship broadcaster of the Colorado Rockies, showed Billmeyer using the binoculars to peer in on Colorado catcher Miguel Olivo while the Phillies were at bat in the top of the second inning.

It also showed a quick image of Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino in the dugout on the bullpen phone in the top of the second.

"We were not trying to steal signs," Manuel said. "Would we try to steal somebody's signs? Yeah, if we can. But we don't do that. We're not going to let a guy stand up there in the bullpen with binoculars looking in. We're smarter than that."

Olivo said Billmeyer's actions could tarnish the two-time defending NL champions' image.

"If you're a good team and you win, I think you don't need to do that because they got good hitters, they got good players," Olivo said. "If it helps them, if they don't get caught, then whatever. If they get caught, then they're going to pay for it."

FOXSports.com first reported the reprimand from the league, which reviewed video of the matter Tuesday.

The Rockies noticed Billmeyer using the binoculars from his perch in center field in the top of the first inning Monday night and asked FSN to zoom in on the visitor's bullpen.

Armed with evidence, Rockies manager Jim Tracy brought it to the attention of crew chief Jerry Crawford, who spoke with Manuel between the first and second innings of that game.

"I didn't know about it," Manuel said Wednesday. "I told the umpire, 'No, we don't have anybody out there with binoculars.' I come to find out that we did. He used them to watch Ruiz set up and his catching and things like that. At the same time, we're not supposed to have them out there."

If Olympic athletes can be stripped of medals that were procured illegally -- in most cases, the result of admitting years later to steroid use or, in the case of Chinese gymnasts, after their birth certificates are verified -- why can't an NFL player have a post-season honor taken away?

Because, apparently, those who do the voting don't think it's that big a deal.

The Associated Press' can-o-worms decision to hold a re-vote on its NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award, after post-voting discovery that the recipient went against league policy and was found with a banned substance in his system, could have made a serious statement. But it didn't.

Instead, Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing found out today that it didn't matter what he put in his body. The former USC star was still liked enough by a panel of 50 AP voters. The 18 first-place votes he received five days after he was suspended without pay for four games because he violated the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs last year may have been fewer than the 39 he got the first time, but it was enough.

Enough to make you wonder: What was the point of that exercise?

One voter was not available to cast a ballot, and two voters abstained. So in all, 19 voters switched away from Cushing to another player. Do the math -- that means one actually voted for Cushing after originally picking runner up Jairus Byrd, the Buffalo Bills safety. Byrd, again, finished second, but this time, only five votes out of the lead instead of 33.

Cushing did lose his spot on the AP's All-Pro second team, for which he originally had five votes and now has just one. But is that as big a deal?

Some AP voters explained themselves:

Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune: "If Brian Cushing had come out with a plausible excuse as to why he failed a test for prohibited substances, he could have kept his defensive rookie of the year award as far as I was concerned. But his silence was deafening, disturbing and damning." Switched vote.

Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and president of the Pro Football Writers of America: "If I had known in January when we initially voted that Brian Cushing had tested positive for a banned substance, I might not have voted for him. However, Cushing won the award in January, and I don't feel like we should revise history. I am concerned about the precedent." Didn't switch.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle: "In good conscience, I couldn't not vote for him after voting for Julius Peppers in 2002 knowing he'd tested positive (and won the same award), and for Kevin Williams on the All-Pro team knowing he'd tested positive (in the StarCaps case). I also believe taking the award from Cushing would have opened up a Pandora's box when it came to players and awards. I think the AP should make it a rule that a player who tests positive is going to be subjected to a revote." Didn't switch.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated: "Two wrongs don't make a right. And just because Peppers' rookie victory in 2002 wasn't overturned ... doesn't mean you continue to make the wrong decision year after year. The precedent this sets, in my opinion, is a good one. I know I have changed my mind over the past couple of years, and won't vote for any player who tests positive for any performance-enhancer." Switched vote.

Hurry up and wait doesn't always work so well for Lakers fans with too much time on their purple-and-gold-stained hands.

The term "idle time," in computer science, is defined as when "a piece of hardware in good operating condition is unused." In this case, a Laker flag.

In industrial engineering, it's the period, "during a regular work cycle when a worker is not active because of waiting for materials or instruction." Here, it's waiting for a TV schedule to catch up to the process.

In basketball, there's no idle worshiping. Maybe Kobe Bryant embraces the moment to heal up injuries. Lamar Odom can reconnect with his Kardashian roots.

But for rooters of the NBA playoffs, controlled tightly by network schedules and profiteering mogels, time will tell if these six days off between the end of the Lakers-Jazz series and the start of the Lakers-Suns series is worth the wait.

Here are some suggestions on how to be productive until Monday's Game 1 of the Western Conference finals:

== Have a rooting interest in the 2010 Miss USA pageant:

Brittany Bell, the 5-foot-8, 22-year-old from Chandler going in as Miss Arizona, is a Phoenix Suns dancer. Westlake Village's Nicole Johnson holds the title of Miss California, succeeding the controversial Carrie Prejean, and admitting she loves gay people and has never starred in a sex tape. Although as recent as two years ago, she dated Michael Phelps.

== Organize an anti-Arizona immigration bill rally for outside Staples Center:

It's been all the rage at Arizona Diamondbacks road games over the last couple of weeks. The Suns, aka Los Suns according to their Cinco de Mayo uniforms, are on board with those who've protested against the nebulous language of the state law that goes into effect in 70-something days. The backlash has already cost the Phoenix area nearly $100 million revenue from canceled conventions and events. And the 2011 MLB All-Star Game is also at risk. Go ahead. Mess with the Arizona economy.

== Gear up -- and start with a new car flag:

Sure, go ahead and visit the Team L.A. Store. Knock yourself out. Amazon.com (linked here) and GotParty.com (linked here) have the traditional yellow and purple versions, some as high as $18. But we're thinking a clean, crisp white one would really bring out the logo. Like this one on Craigslist.com (linked here), posting 1726810841, where someone named Mookie has 'em for $10 or less if you're ordering in bulk. That's enough of an incentive to bulk up.

== Hug a cactus.

== Start sculpting your very own Mitch Kupchak statue outside Staples. With a block of ice.

== Hack into Ron Artest's Twitter account:

Taking into account that Phil and Ron-Ron appear to have cleared the air over their recent misunderstanding, there does seem to be plenty of wiggle room left for you to help facilitate another artistic tantrum. The former TruWarier appears to be going with RONARTESTCOM (with 7,200 followers), but the tweets have been far too tame lately. Now, how do you actually bust into someone's login? It must be pretty easy, if that's the excuse he uses everytime there's something posted that draws the raised eyebrow of someone.

== Break out your favorite pair of 'Thunder' Dan Majerle short shorts.

== Find a celebrity hottie for Adam Morrison (why should Lamar and Sasha
have all the fun?).

== Hold those cheers for the Cavaliers:

Some believe the Orlando Magic, who've already wrapped up their Eastern Conference series against Atlanta with one of the most lopsided sweeps in league history, is the team that Lakers fans should worry most coming out of the other bracket. A rematch of last year's one-sided finals maybe undeniable. So if the NBA and everyone else wants to see LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal and those goofy Ronald McDonald uniforms face the Lakers, the fix better be in quickly. This Cavs-Celtics series could be over by Thursday night if Boston gets its way. It's time to invest in a rooting interest here.
By the way, that's singer John Legend, following his girlfriend, model Chrissy Teigan, as they return to their seats to watch the Celtics-Cavs Game 4 in Boston on Sunday. What kind of legendary Laker fans can top this power couple?

== Bombard sports-talk jocks with your brilliant idea: LeBron to the Lakers!

== Spark up a conversation about the WNBA:

The Sparks launch their 2010 gal season Saturday. Against the defending-champion Mercury. In Phoenix. Let the rivalry take on a Bizarro element with an orange-and-white ball and a couple of teams playing below the rim.

== Start mashing on Steve Nash:

Go classy, like the Jazz fans, and start on your chants. "Yo, Nash, quit winkin' at Dyan Cannon" ... "You got something in your eye or are you really crying?" ... "Is this how you go to a Black-Eye Peas concert?" Consult with Vic the Brick for more witty barbs.

== Find out where the Suns are staying and crank up the French alt-rock band
Phoenix all night.

== Build your own rock lawn.

== Catch up on "Basketball Wives" on VH1, Sunday nights:

They do know gold diggin' drama. Shaunie O'Neal, soon to be ex-wife of Shaq, is an executive producer of a show that's supposed to show how complicated crazy the life of an NBA spouse can be. It really shows that the women of OC have nothing on these snakes. There's Jennifer Williams, wife of NBA forward Eric Williams; Royce Reed, the former Orlando Magic and Miami Heat dancer and mother of Dwight Howard's son (now his ex-girl friend); Evelyn Lozada, ex-fiancée of Antoine Walker; Matt Barnes' fiance Gloria Govan and Suzie Ketcham, the former girlfriend of ex-Clipper Michael Olowokondi. If only Siovaughn Wade, in the middle of a divorce from high school sweetheart and Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade, could have made the cut. The storyline for this week's episode: "Jen's upcoming Haiti benefit inspires Royce; Evelyn questions motives." Meanwhile, catch the new Common-Queen Latifa flick, "Just Wright," which comes out Friday and deals with some of these manipulative relationship issues as well. Bottom line: Once you get the player's mom involved, there's no messing around.

== Stop accepting Donald Sterling' evites for the annual Clipper lottery party on Tuesday.

== Go house hunting:

LeBron may be looking for a new place in New York, but if for some reason he's headed for Clipperville, turn him onto this one: A six bedroom, 4 1/4-bath home in Anaheim Hills on the market that's listing for $2.995 million. In addition to a private tennis court, 7-hole putting green, pool with a water fall, dog run, aviary, wine cellar, party pavilion, guest house and parking for a boat, there's a purple-and-gold indoor basketball court (that's really about the size of a racquetball court). Original listing price: $5 mil. MLS #: P694439. It's listed here on Prudental (linked here)

You've got better ideas?

== Credit Daily News staffers Brian Martin and Vincent Bonsignore with contributions/suggestions/having too much time on their hands.

Half-witted predictions of as many as 3 million buys for the May 1 Floyd Mayweather-Sugar Shane Mosley bout can cut that in half. Or more.

HBO says there were 1.4 mil buys (740,000 on cable, 660,000 on dishes), bringing in $78.3 million, which makes it the second-best grossing non-heavyweight PPV fight in boxing history. The most: Mayweather-Oscar de la Hoya, which did $137 million and a record 2.4 million sales in '07. The previous second-best was De La Hoya-Felix Trinidad in 1999 ($70.6 mil).

Some of the more ridiculous interesting choices asked to join in the "This Is My Town" marketing campaign that in some way is supposed to promote the Dodgers: Snoop Dogg, Slash, the Kardashians, Yoda ("My Town This Is" ... clever).

Add Zenyatta.

The undefeated filly is now up on a billboard on Hawthorne Blvd. and 106th Street near Hollywood Park in Inglewood. Actually, we remember when we attended a concert by The Police at Hollywood Park. And they probably sang "Zenyatta Mondatta." We can't remember. For several reasons.

But why Zenyatta and not, say, Mr. Ed? At least the later can actually say, "This is my town." And he's appeared at Dodger Stadium (ask Koufax, Durocher, Roseboro, Davis, et. al.):

The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS -- There is more than one way to catch flies at the Minnesota Twins' new ballpark.

During a game at Target Field last week, a bird of prey was spotted sitting atop the right field fowl -- er, foul -- pole. With a steady rain falling and the Twins being shut out by Baltimore, the bird drew plenty of attention as it swooped through the air, snaring insects lured by the bright stadium lights.

When its acrobatic acts were shown on the video scoreboard, the crowd went crazy. One close-up shot featured the bird eating a large moth clutched in its talons.

There's even a Twitter account with the username TargetFieldHawk and the name Kirby the Kestrel. One post says: "I know I'm technically the 'smallest' falcon, but I'm a Minneapolis moth's biggest nightmare."

Julia Ponder, the executive director of The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota, said the bird is a male American Kestrel. The kestrel is indeed the smallest falcon species in North America, and similar in size to a robin. It preys on insects, small rodents and small birds.

There's a wooded area not far to the west of the ballpark, a possible home for the bird. The ballpark insects are easy pickings at night and the bird didn't seem bothered by the activity and noise at Target Field.

"To me it's a little surprising the kestrel is hunting amid all of that," Ponder said. "Even when the crowd was cheering, it didn't seem to impact the kestrel at all. It just seemed to keep doing its thing."

The Twins, who are playing their first season at Target Field after three decades inside the Metrodome, earlier discovered some red-tailed hawks nesting in the scoreboard. The kestrel was a new addition to the in-game entertainment.

"He obviously found a good hunting ground," executive vice president for public affairs Kevin Smith said.

Cable network Fox Sports North has aired the footage often since the kestrel was caught on camera, with broadcasters Dick Bremer and Bert Blyleven analyzing the action. Several fans have e-mailed the station asking about it, said communications manager Becky Ross, and FSN is considering options for future promotion.

Ponder said the bird was spotted again at the ballpark over the weekend.

"I hope he continues to put on a show," she said.

New item at the USC Bookstore website (linked here):

For $49.95, a T-shirt that allows you to "relive the legend" of Mike Garrett.

Not of the legendary achievements of his time as director of the athletic program over the last 17 years -- has it really been that short a time? -- but more of an expensive reminder that he was USC's first Heisman Trophy winner 45 years ago.

Available in ash or sand with metallic and black and white screen print design front and back, because those are the colors that really bring out the gray in Garrett's smile.

And the last time you paid 50 bucks for a T-shirt was ...

O'Shea Jackson, aka Ice Cube, remembers the moment he heard that the Oakland Raiders, a team he embraced after the 1980 Super Bowl for its take-no-prisoners attitude, were about to swashbuckle their way into Los Angeles.

"My team was now in my city and everything was about to change," the rapper-turned-actor says in the latest ESPN "30 For 30" documentary, "Straight Outta L.A.," which debuts Tuesday on ESPN at 4 p.m.

Ice Cube, living in Compton but bussed 90 minutes to Taft High in Woodland Hills, does about as thorough a job as anyone ever has in documenting the Raiders' 12-year period in L.A. from 1982 to 1995 - especially in how it worked parallel with the emergence of gangsta rap and hip hop.

Snoop Dogg, in a retro Bo Jackson Raider jersey, and Ice Cube look back on that time while playing catch on the floor of the Coliseum during the documentary.

Insight from former Raiders such as John Madden, Marcus Allen, Howie Long and Rod Martin is interspersed with media members and social observers to move the storyline, but Ice Cube's sit-down with a sickly looking Al Davis ultimately gives it this hour-long production a very nasty edge.

Ice Cube admits: It was Davis' "scowling from the stands in his white jumpsuit and thug sunglasses" that made the Raiders "cooler than anyone else."

The team's managing general partner admits to embracing the emergence of Ice Cube's obscene-laced, anti-establishment group NWA in the 1980s to help him, and the NFL, sell the Raider image as much as it sold silver-and-black merchandize like never before.

"The black kids needed something to hold onto, and it brought people to love the Raiders; it was great," says Davis.

Even then-Kings owner Bruce McNall is included, explaining how he changed his team's colors in the late '80s to silver and black when Wayne Gretzky arrived, specifically to cash in - despite the objections of Davis. Even though he admits he did like the look of the hockey team's new duds.

You must be an L.A. native to embrace what this doc means to someone like Ice Cube. One review of this from David Barron of the Houston Chronicle: "Unfortunately, after a couple of excellent 30 for 30 shows, including a hilarious episode on fantasy sports and an inspiring look at Nelson Mandela and the 1995 South African rugby team, Straight Outta LA comes across as parochial and dated. And I had to laugh when Ice Cube rhapsodized that no matter where the Raiders play, they will always belong to Los Angeles."

Highlights of the week ahead in sports, both here and afar:

MONDAY

NBA playoffs: Western Conference semifinals: Lakers at Utah, Game 4, 7:30 p.m., TNT:

Jazz's fans suck. There, we said it. And here's their last chance to yell at Derek Fisher unless Utah somehow wins two more and drags the series back to Salt Lake City for a Friday Game 6. The Lakers guard was booed all night during Game 3 as he scored 20 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 28.6 seconds left on Saturday. Apparently some Jazz fans won't forgive him for asking for his release so he could move back to L.A. and get medical treatment for his 1-year-old daughter. Chants of "Fisher Sucks!" aren't sitting well with the Lakers players. "That's just bad people, doing stuff like that," Kobe Bryant says. "Not about that. You don't boo about that."

MLB: Dodgers at Arizona, 6:40 p.m., Prime:

Charles Barkley said it about the Phoenix Suns wearing "Los Suns" jerseys in support of the Hispanic community in Arizona: "The only people screwing this up are the politicians. I take my hat off to (Suns owner) Robert Sarver and the Suns for taking a stance. Living in Arizona for a long time, the Hispanic community, they are the fabric of the cloth. They are part of our community. Anytime you try to do any kind of racial profiling or racial discrimination, we've got to do something because these little lightweight politicians in Arizona don't know what they're doing." The Boys in Azul see first hand the backlash from this Arizona state senate bill 1070. Considering the Dodgers have their spring-training site in nearby Glendale, this visit could have a bigger impact on how they come out for or against this thing down the road.

MLB: Angels vs. Tampa Bay, Angel Stadium, 7 p.m., FSW:

The Rays, our preseason pick to represent the AL in the World Series, come off losing two of three in Oakland. Joe Maddon's mashers, who have outscored their opponents by 80 runs in 31 games, are still 13-3 on the road. Matt Garza (5-1, 2.09 ERA) starts for the first of three against the Angels.

TUESDAY

MLB: Dodgers at Arizona, 6:40 p.m., Channel 9:

John Ely (0-1, 4.26 ERA) probably gets called back up from Triple-A to make another start for the Dodgers, looking much sharper in his six-plus innings against Milwaukee than his six innings against the Mets in his first trip. He faces former Pepperdine standout Dan Haren (4-1, 50 Ks in 49 IP).

MLB: Angels vs. Tampa Bay, Angel Stadium, 7 p.m., FSW:

We do our weekly All-Star position comparisons, since the game in July is taking place at Angel Stadium: Again, we harp on third base. The Rays' Evan Longoria, when he's not chasing down someone wearing his cap: .325, 7 HRs, 23 RBI. The Angels' Brandon Wood: .172, 2 HRs, 5 RBI. So, how 'bout that Kevin Frandsen? And speaking of Brandon Wood -- "Robin Hood" comes out this week.

WEDNESDAY

MLB: Angels vs. Tampa Bay, Angel Stadium, 4 p.m., FSW:

It took Jeff Weaver 11 seasons (and 322 games) to reach his 100th career win, which happened last week for the Dodgers. Younger brother Jered Weaver already has 55 victories in a little more than four seasons (117 games). Jered, who nearly twirled a no-no for the Angels in Seattle in his last start, benefits with a start time that really brings the shadows across the field at weird angles.

MLB: Dodgers at Arizona, 6:40 p.m., Prime:

Remember back in '03, when the Dodgers brought up Edwin Jackson to make his major-league debut, on his 20th birthday, and he beat the D'backs in Arizona? Two years later, the Dodgers shipped him off to Tampa for relievers Danys Baez and Lance Carter. Jackson, a year removed from appearing in the All-Star game for Detroit, is the D'backs' No. 3 starter, going against the Dodgers tonight, struggling with his control, and apart of the list of the "10 Most Overrated Players in Major League Baseball" by the Bleacher Report (linked here).

THURSDAY

MLB: New York Yankees at Detroit, 10 a.m., MLB Network:

The league-owned channel gets a C.C Sabathia-Justin Verlander matinee to end the four-game series.

NBA playoffs: Eastern Conference semifinals: Cleveland at Boston, Game 6, TBA, ESPN:

Whomever wins Tuesday's Game 5 in Cleveland can close it out here.

FRIDAY

MLB: Angels vs. Oakland, Angel Stadium, 7 p.m., FSW:

Dallas Braden, Mr. Perfect his last outing against Tampa Bay, returns for the first time since making history to begin the A's three-game series in Anaheim. Back on April 9-11, the Angels scored four runs in three straight games against the visiting A's. They lost two of 'em.

MLB: Dodgers at San Diego, 7 p.m., Prime:

The Padres come off a long-ish road trip, sporting an 11-5 record at home so far this season. How have they stayed near the top of the NL West? Must be their huge payroll stepping up. That and they've outscored their opponents by more than 30 runs so far.

College baseball: USC at UCLA, Jackie Robinson Stadium, 6 p.m.:

In a non-league game at Dodger Stadium back in January, the Bruins knocked off the Trojans, 6-1, victory No. 6 in a season-opening 23-game win streak. These two also play Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.). The NCAA Regionals start June 4, the Super Regionals on June 11 and the College World Series on June 19. Not that the Bruins, who won 30 of their first 40 games, are looking ahead.

SATURDAY

Horse racing: The Preakness Stakes, 3:15 p.m., Channel 4:

As poet Ogden Nash wrote: "The (Kentucky) Derby is a race of aristocratic sleekness, for horses of birth to prove their worth to run in the Preakness." That's rap-song quality by today's standards. For the 135th version of this event in Baltimore, Calvin Borell has already poetically won the Kentucky Derby aboard Super Saver and then waxed lyrically about a Triple Crown for the 3-year-old. As for that age thing, Nash also once said: "You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely." Real mature, Ogdy doggy.

WNBA: Sparks at Phoenix, 11 a.m., ESPN2:

The league opener. There are 32 more through Aug. 21.

MLS: Galaxy vs. Toronto, Home Depot Center, 7:30 p.m., Prime Ticket:

The Galaxy (7-0-1) give Landon Donovan a World Cup send-off day with a poster and American flag giveaway. Wave the flag. And wave so-long to the L-Don.

MLB: Dodgers at San Diego, 5:30 p.m., Channel 9:

The Padres have Scott Hairston as one of their regular outfielders and his older brother Jerry Hairston Jr., as one of their regular infielders. Their padre: Jerry Hairston Sr., the former White Sox outfielder. And his padre: Sam Hairston, a long-time Negro League player who got in a half-season as a catcher for the White Sox.

MLB: Angels vs. Oakland, Angel Stadium, 6 p.m., FSW:

Kids aged 2-to-18 will be handed an Angels' Rally Monkey pillow case when they enter the park today. Sleep on that one.

SUNDAY

NBA playoffs: Western Conference finals: Lakers vs. Phoenix, Staples Center, TBA:

Naw, it's not today. It'll be Monday at 6 p.m. When more people can see it.

MLB: Dodgers at San Diego, 1 p.m., Channel 9:

Of course, we pick Vinny. But is there a chance to hear Dick Enberg calling the game from the Padres' booth, too?

MLB: Angels vs. Oakland, Angel Stadium, 12:35 p.m., Channel 13:

In his first 12 appearances, where he earned six saves, A's reliever Andrew Bailey has an ERA of zilch. He's had more bobblehead giveaway special days than runs allowed. In fact, he hasn't allowed an earned run since Sept. 5, 2009.

In addition to today's interview with rapper-turned-actor Common (linked here), who plays the role of New Jersey Nets guard Scott McKnight in the movie "Just Wright" with Queen Latifa that comes out Friday, we have this:

With your game, you must be playing in some of the celebrity leagues?

I've started playing in them. Once we did the movie, I got the hunger back for it. You forget how much you love playing. I will say this: As I've matured, I've developed new aspects of my game. I used to drive more to the hole and get fancy when I was younger and quicker. Now I play much smarter.

After this movie comes out, if people on the street will call you Common or Scott McKnight. You really sell it as a basketball player.

I take the character serious and do best to live that. I prepared a lot for this -- as much as I could. I was still finishing "Date Night" (with Steve Carrell and Tina Fey) and I rode around and had long talks with (the Clippers') Baron Davis, and I got to talk with Dwayne (Wade) and Raja (Rondo) and others, so I picked their brains. With Baron, I was his right hand guy following him around through the basketball training. The assistant Nets trainer was training me like an athlete, as if they were training a star. I did more cardio and only weight training and exercises based on speed and agility drills. It was a lot of prep. The sports coordinator for the film didn't know if I played, but after he say me, he told me that when Denzel (Washington) prepped four months for "The Hurricane," the boxing scenes were only two minutes, but he knew if people saw it, they'd have to believe he was a boxer or they wouldn't follow or believe his character. I took heed to that.

How did you hook up with Baron Davis? He's been more involved in the movie business lately.

I hooked up with him after I met him when I was performing at an Alonzo Mourning charity game. I played at halftime. Baron was there, Darius Miles, Quintin Richardson, Cutino Mobley ... Back in 2000. I was performing in the bleacher section, it was kind of awkward. All the players were paying attention to something else, but I noticed that Baron was the only one paying attention to the concert. That feel good. From that point, we met later and stayed in contact. He was in one of my videos, "Drivin' Me Wild."

Did doing this movie kind of fulfull any aspirations you had of once playing in the NBA? Was this as close as you could get without really doing it fulltime?

Let me tell you, it was a dream fulfilled. I grew up wanting to be in the NBA and from the first month of shooting until the end, I was in the NBA for that time. You couldn't tell me anything else.

How was it that you ended up playing for the Nets. Not the Bulls or the Knicks or even the Lakers?

Everything works the way it should. The Nets were very cool with it. They provided us with great opportunities. Potentially, it could have been the Bulls or the Knicks, but the Nets were more open to it and very supportive. And you know, when I was a ballboy for the Bulls, Rod Thorn was the general manager, and I had to write him a letter to ask for the job. Now, he's with the Nets, so this has come full circle. Now I got to 'play' for him. And you see him in the movie, too. He's in there.

When people see you in the Nets uniform, who do they tend to compare you to? To me, you're like Derek Fisher, but it's easy to see you as Jason Kidd.