5 at 10: LeBron James, Kentucky Derby and the No-Hitter with no respect

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

photo Miami Heat's LeBron James celebrates after scoring against the Boston Celtics during the second half of Game 2 of a second-round NBA playoff basketball series, Tuesday, May 3, 2011 in Miami. The Heat won 102-91. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

NBA playoffs

Sometimes, for great athletes, it appears simple, and that often causes the rest of us to say, "Why doesn't he play like that everyday."

That's the question for LeBron James this morning. Dude dominated the second half of the Heat's Game 2 win over Boston on Tuesday. He was a monster -- hitting 3s, blocking shots, getting to the rim -- and, yes, it's a long series, but Boston is cooked if it can't slow down Miami's Big 3 (James, D-Wade and Chris "Longneck" Bosh combined for 80 points and 26 boards in the 102-91 win). Sorry, C-Vol and BIspy, but things look bleak this morning.

In last night's other series, the Thunder responded to the pressure and evened their series with Memphis with a 111-102 win. Oklahoma City's "Young 3" of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and super sub James Harden combined for 81 points.

Each of these two series could go the distance, which means they may be finished sometime in mid-June. Seriously, the next games between the Celtics-Heat and the Grizzlies-Thunder are Saturday. Yes, Saturday. Hey, the 5-at-10 knows these teams are traveling, but are they walking to Boston and/or Memphis? Saturday? Four days off between games 2 and 3? Are they taking finals?

The NBA, where momentum stopping in its tracks happens.

photo Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Francisco Liriano delivers his last pitch to Chicago White Sox designated hitter Adam Dunn during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the White Sox, Tuesday, May 3, 2011 in Chicago. Liriano did not allow a hit in the Twins won 1-0. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

No-no not for nobody

Wow, sports fans are a tough crowd nowadays. Francicso Linaro threw a no-hitter Tuesday, keeping the White Sox hitless in a 1-0 win.

But the question on ESPN.com this morning asks whether Linaro's 9-plus ERA entering Tuesday and his six walks in the game lessened the achievement.

Uhhh, want to know what they call a a six-walk, zero-hit complete game from a pitcher with any ERA? That's right, it's a no-hitter, you moron.

In other baseball news and current lingo that offends the 5-at-10, the Braves-Brewers game was rained out and was rescheduled as a "traditional" doubleheader for today. A traditional doubleheader means you can watch both games on one ticket. Uhhh, folks, that's just a doubleheader. That new-fangled, day-night doubleheader stuff is a fancy way of selling two sets of tickets. It's not a doubleheader, it's two games in one day. The modern day-night "doubleheader" is no more doubleheader than calling a Saturday night-Sunday-day combo a night-day "doubleheader."

After all great Cubs shortstop Ernie Banks said "Let's play two," about doubleheaders, not "Let's sell two sets of tickets."

photo John Velazquez rides Uncle Mo to victory during the Juvenile race at the Breeder's Cup horse races at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

Derby drama update

Starting posts should be announced today for the field for Saturday's Kentucky Derby. Here were the entries from Day 1 entries for the first annual 5-at-10 Derby

Drama First-In, Last-In Challenge:

KBurg - Uncle Mo and Shackleford

ATruefan - Twice the Appeal and Brilliant Speed

EC - Shackelford and Dialed In

Mcpell - Nehro and Decisive Moment

wc777 - Pants On Fire and Watch Me Go

5-at-10 - Uncle Mo and Derby Kitten

Mrs. 5-at-10 - Midnight Interlude and Archarcharch

Come on in, the Mint Juleps are warm, and remember the 5-at-10 is still looking for a robust top 10 list of "worst fictional racehorse names." Here are the early frontrunners:

Winordie

PETAHATA

Ratchet Strap

Speedo (Well played EC, and frankly, Speedo is a pretty universal answer for any question that features "worst" anything)

Pure Ina One Kates Cold Feet

GlueStick

Sloppy Joe's

And several of the possible tots that come from Seabiscuit's famous bloodline: Dogbiscuit and his brother Sausage-n-Biscuit and their sister SeaBrisket

photo Rocky Marciano holds up one of his fists used to score the technical knockout over Joe Louis in 8th round of their non-title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Oct. 26, 1951. (AP Photo)

Replay those records

Yesterday the 5-at-10 listed five untouchable sports records -- Cy Young's 511 wins, Rocky Marciano going 49-0, UCLA's seven consecutive NCAA men's hoops titles, Ty Cobb's .366 lifetime average and Richard Petty's 200 NASCAR wins. The 5-at-10 believes each of those will stand from now until the day Jim Tressel regains his integrity.

But the 5-at-10 family rightly called us out for omitting Cal Ripken's consecutive game streak.

Great point.

So here are five more all-but-unbreakable records in 10 words or less (yes, a 5-in-10 by 5-at-10, Part II):

-- Everyday Cal: Staying healthy (and motivated) that long makes 2,632 seem monsterous

-- Pistol Pete's NCAA scoring marks: Total (3,667) and average (44.2) are forever safe

-- Forget homers, Barry Bonds' on-base stats in 2004: Walks (232), intentional walks (120!), OBP (.609) are mind-boggling

-- Nolan Ryan's 7 no-hitters: If it is broken, we're punching Robin Ventura

-- Terrelle Pryor's 14 month, consecutive trinket-trade-for-tattoo run: This is unofficial of course.

photo Boise State's Ian Johnson (41) walking off the field after running for a touchdown against Fresno State during the second half of an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Matt Cilley, File)

This and that

-- Boise State has already self-imposed some violations on the football program. BSU will have three fewer preseason practices before the season opener against Georgia on Sept. 3 and three fewer preseason practices before next year's opener against Michigan State. BSU also will cut three scholarships over the next two years, according to documents obtained by the Idaho Statesman. The NCAA will review those self-imposed penalties and could add to them, but unless the Broncos consulted with the NCAA compliance firm of Tressel, Pearl and Sampson, here's saying that this will be it.

__ Our UTC ace John Frierson had some breaking news ths morning that UTC running back Keon Williams was arrested on drug charges. Read about it HERE.

-- Derrick Rose is your NBA MVP and it appears Blake Griffin will be named the rookie of the year. Griffin deserves to be honored, but something feels strange

about a guy that was drafted two years ago being the rookie of the year, you know?

-- Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier is at 29 consecutive games with a hit. Over/under 40, whatcha got?

Don't forget your Derby Drama Challenge picks. Until tomorrow.