The weekend of June 12th through June 14th of 2009 was a defining moment in different sports history. For starters there were two sports championships decided within the aforementioned time span and many exciting major league baseball interleague games, including a finish that should not have been and that's where we will start.
Friday June 12th, began another season of the hallowed Subway Series between the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. This game was the first Subway Series in the new Yankee Stadium and the city of New York was primed and ready for what would be a great weekend series. After a not so stellar starting pitching match-up, David Wright put the Mets ahead 8-7 with an RBI double in the eighth inning. So it was time for closer Francisco Rodriguez to come in the game in the 9th and close it out. However, he got into some trouble in the ninth. He gave up a single to Derek Jeter, who went on to steal second, then struck out pinch hitter Johnny Damon for the second out. After falling behind 3-0 to Mark Teixeira, K-Rod intentionally walked Teixeira, which brought up A-Rod. The intentional walk was called by Jerry Manuel from the dug-out. It appeared to be a bad idea as K-Rod fell behind A-Rod 3-0 before bringing the count to 3-1. It was on his next pitch that A-Rod popped the ball up to short right field. A-Rod in disgust throw his bat and I myself shouted many names towards him through my TV screen for once again not coming through in a big spot. It was then that I noticed Louis Casillo seemed to be moving sideways and never got set to catch the ball. I never really thought it would happen, but for a brief second my mind went "oh wow he's still drifting", then the unthinkable happened. The ball pops out of Louis Castillo's glove and to the grass. The Stadium erupted with cheers as Teixeira came across the plate to score the winning run in a 9-8 stunner. Much of the credit I think has to go to Mark Teixeira who could have just gave up on the play but instead continue to motor around the bases at full speed, never giving up and doing what a player is taught to do. After the game Castillo said, "I have to catch that ball. I have to make that play. I feel so bad. I feel like, you know, I don't feel good." One of the funnier moments in that play was when K-Rod started doing his fist pump celebration before the game was even over. That even got some laughs out of the Phillies announcers during their broadcast that night.
While all of that was going on Friday in New York, there was a pretty important game being played in Detroit, Michigan. This was not baseball but Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. In all of the different sport playoffs, there are not many more exciting than the NHL Playoffs and not many more exciting than a Game 7. In this series the home team managed to win every game, and the Penguins came in as sizeable underdogs. Most people did not think the series would even go 7 games, let a long give the Penguins any shot at winning the seventh game, but that is exactly what they did. They did it without one of their young stars, Sidney Crosby, playing any minutes in the 3rd period due to an injury suffered earlier in the game. They also were able to hold off the Red Wings while having little to no shots on goal the entire 3rd period. The pivotal moment came on a Marc-Andre Fleury save on a breakaway chance by the Red Wings late in the 3rd period. After Pavel Dastyuk returned to the Red Wings and the Red Wings chased Fleury out of the game early in a 5-0 Game 5 it seemed impossible for the Penguins to come back, but they did. Winning the game by a score of 2-1, Sidney Crosby became the youngest captain to win the Stanley Cup. It was the most watched NHL game in 36 years.
Sunday June 14th saw the crowning of the 2009 NBA Champion LA Lakers. They clinched their 15th NBA Championship in Game 5 at Orlando. They started out of the gates with a mission to close out the series and they never really looked back. The Lakers cruised to a 99-86 victory on Sunday as 3-point underdogs. LA Lakers +3 was omalleyandgoldstein's Guaranteed Pick of the day and they did not disappoint. Kobe Bryant scored 30 points in the game on his way to finals MVP trophy honors and Phil Jackson notched his record 10th NBA championship, cementing him in as perhaps the greatest NBA coach of all time. Kobe Bryant also finally proved to his doubters that he does not need Shaquille O'Neal to win a NBA championship.
Saturday June 13th and Sunday June 14th were also kind to us at omalleyandgoldstein.com as we went 9-1 (90%) overall.
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Stallworth was going to face up to 15 years in prison, but according to a plea agreement he will only have to serve 24 days of his reduced 30 day sentence. 30 days, thats right its not a typo, 30 days !! After he is released from jail he will have to serve two years of house arrest and 8 years on probation, however he will be allowed to play football during those 2 years of house arrest. He also has to perform 1,000 hours of community service and will have his driver's license suspended for life. This does not count whatever disciplinary action Roger Goodell (NFL commissioner) decides to hand down on Stallworth. I just hope that it is something that will match the crime. Stallworth according to reports reached a "financial" settlement with the Reyes family. I am sure that Mario Reyes is happy to know to his family he was worth just a lump sum of money rather than justice. The family could have sued Stallworth anyway in a civil suit after he was convicted. It would have taken them a longer time to get their money but they would have gotten it and still be able to get justice for the killing of their father/husband Mario Reyes. Reports have said that the Reyes family, particularly the victim's 15-year-old daughter, wanted the case resolved to avoid any more pain.
