Author: Dave Ettinger

Dave is a Trending News Sports Writer for Athlon Sports, covering breaking and trending news across major sports, including NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, college football and basketball. With over 10 years of experience in sports media, Dave’s versatility extends to television, radio, and journalism. In addition to his role at Athlon Sports, Dave works in TV Production at ESPN, where he manages the production, editing, and processing of shows and events that re-air across ESPN's network of channels. Prior to joining ESPN, Dave served as an Executive Producer at WFAN and CBS Sports Radio, further solidifying his expertise in sports media. Dave earned his bachelor’s degree in Media Communications from SUNY College at Old Westbury, bringing both his education and extensive industry experience to his roles across various platforms.

So Many Sports, So Little Time

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

gausman

Wednesday was a busy day in the sports world. Too much for one person to handle some might say. But I’m here, so I may as well give it a shot….

NBA

Wednesday night showcased two NBA playoff matchups. Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers steamrolled the Toronto Raptors (125-103), taking a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Lebron did what he does, scoring 39 points while adding 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Just another day at the office huh?? Lebron’s 39 points were special because he passed Kareem-Abdul Jabbar for 2nd all-time on the playoff scoring list. Bad became worse for the Raptors as Kyle Lowry went down in the 3rd quarter with a left ankle injury. Lowry would return to the game, but with a noticeable limp, so I’d call Lowry questionable at best for Game 3.

The late game Wednesday night was Game 2 of the Houston Rockets vs. the San Antonio Spurs. The storyline here was simple: after a lopsided Game 1 win by the Rockets, how would the Spurs respond? And they responded exactly as I expected, with a 121-96 victory. Kawhi Leonard showed the world why he is an MVP candidate. Leonard dominated the offensive side of things with 34 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. Tony Parker also had a good game, however, he had to be carried off the court during the 4th quarter when his left knee buckled. The real story of Game 2 was Leonard’s defense, as he showed why he is the 2-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year. He locked up James Harden for the majority of the game, holding Harden to 13 points on 3 of 17 shooting. I guess Leonard doesn’t fear the beard.

NHL

The NHL also put forth two playoff games on Wednesday night. The Anaheim Ducks won an overtime thriller over the Edmonton Oilers (5-4). After an awful giveaway in his own zone by Adam Larsson of the Oilers, Ryan Getzlaf fed a wide-open Jakob Silfverberg right in front of the net.  Silfverberg drove home the one-time winner just 45 seconds into overtime, and this series is now tied at two games a piece.

Earlier in the evening, the Sydney Crosbyless Pittsburgh Penguins took on the Washington Capitals in Game 4. Crosby is still out after leaving Game 3 with a concussion. I guess the Capitals felt bad for the Penguins, so they decided to score for them. Oh yeah, you heard that right. In the 2nd period, Pittsburghs’ Jake Guentzel sent the puck in front of Washington’s net and defenseman Dmitry Orlov thought it would be a good idea to kick that puck into his own net. Nice work! The Penguins went on to win 3-2, and now hold a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.

MLB

There was a full slate of MLB games on Wednesday night, but there was one game that dominated the headlines. The Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles have an on going feud that began on April 11th. It all started with a hard slide from Manny Machado into 2nd base that took out Dustin Pedroia’s legs. Since then, the Red Sox threw at Machado’s head, the Orioles plunked Mookie Betts, and Machado was thrown at again (this time going behind him). These actions resulted in a conference call between the Red Sox and Orioles organizations, the MLB Commisioner, and the MLB Players Association calling for the feud to be put to rest. Well you guessed it, the feud was not put to rest. Wednesday night, Kevin Gausman hit Xander Bogaerts, albeit with a curveball, as some form of sneaky retribution. Gausman was immediately ejected. I view Gausman and the Orioles as the immature person who must get the last word in no matter how wrong they know they are. But at the same time, can we not throw baseballs at people’s heads at 100 miles per hour? Okay cool, thanks. Good Talk.

In New York baseball news, the New York Mets continued their roller coaster season, beating the Atlanta Braves 16-5. As for the Yankees, they continued their winning ways, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 8-6. Aaron Judge smashed his MLB leading 13th home run of the season, and I’m quite certain he grew a foot taller last night as well.

BOXING

I’m assuming you haven’t watched a boxing match since Evander Holyfield was in the ring, but let’s talk about it anyway. This Saturday, May 6th, Canelo Alzarez (48-1-1, 34 KO’s) will take on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KO’s) in an All-Mexican Showdown in Las Vegas. Coincidentally, this match will take place just one day after Cinco de Mayo. Canelo, the Junior Middleweight Title Holder, will move up a weight class to fight Chavez Jr. at a catch weight of 164.5 pounds. Canelo’s only loss to date remains a unanimous decision to Floyd Mayweather in 2013. Canelo is the odds on favorite to win this match and for good reason. I see Canelo winning fairly easily in a unanimous decision.

SOCCER

Juventus is very good.

 

What did you watch on Wednesday night? Let me know all about it in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

Isaiah Thomas Wills Celtics To Victory On Sister’s Birthday

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

isaiah thomas

Just 18 days ago, Isaiah Thomas’ world was flipped upside down. On April 15th, Thomas lost his younger sister, Chyna, to a fatal car accident. Stricken with heartache and grief, Thomas has continued to do the thing his sister would have implored him to do; play basketball. While basketball is a game, it has never been just a game for Thomas. He has always referred to basketball as his ‘sanctuary’. And Tuesday night, on what would have been his sister’s 23rd birthday, that was never more evident.

Thomas honored his sister by putting his team on his back and willing them to victory in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Thomas scored a career-high 53 points in a 129-119 overtime win over the Washington Wizards. Thomas and the Celtics now hold a 2-0 lead over the Wizards. John Wall did all he could to keep the Wizards in the game, scoring 40 points and adding 13 assists, however Thomas’ barrage of big shots was too much to handle.

To put Thomas’ performance into NBA perspective, his 53 points were the most in a postseason game since Allen Iverson scored 55 in 2003. Thomas also came up just 1-point shy of the Celtics’ postseason scoring record (held by John Havlicek – 54 points). Thomas, however, did become the only player in Celtics’ history to score at least 50 points in the regular season and postseason in the same year. After the game, Thomas spoke of what it means to join great players such as Havlicek in Celtics’ history: “It’s nice to be in Celtics history with all the great players, but until you win a championship, you can’t consider yourself a great player. That’s what it’s all about.”

While Thomas is clearly dealing with emotional pain, he has also had his fair share of physical pain thrown into the mix. Thomas took an elbow from Otto Porter Jr. during Game 1 that caused the loss of a tooth. This resulted in a combined 11 hours of work by an oral surgeon and dentist to repair and replace the tooth. And despite barely being able to talk, Thomas once again showed his resolve: “There was no way I was sitting out. My sister wouldn’t want me to stop. When I’m in this arena, I know I can lock in and everything I do is for her.”

Isaiah Thomas and the Celtics will take on the Wizards in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Friday. You can catch all the action on ESPN @ 8:00 P.M. EST. Will Thomas and the Celtics continue their run toward the Eastern Conference Finals? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

 

 

Rockets Lay Texas-Size Beat Down On Spurs

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

harden-leonard

There’s domination….and then there’s whatever the Houston Rockets did to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals saw the Houston Rockets travel 197 miles across Texas to San Antonio to take on the Spurs. And apparently the Spurs weren’t listening when Rudy’s coach was talking. Not only did the Rockets push the Spurs around, they stole the Spurs’ lunch money and then made them apologize.

The Spurs set a handful of team records Monday night, just not the kind you’d want to attach your name. The Rockets carried a 30-point lead into halftime (69-39), marking the largest halftime deficit in Spurs postseason history. This was also the largest halftime deficit in any game under coach Gregg Popovich. The largest lead of the game ballooned to 39 points with 6:18 left in the 4th quarter (Final Score: 126-99). The Spurs also allowed the most 3-point attempts and makes in their storied postseason history. The Rockets made 22 of their 50 3-point attempts.

Side Note: That is ridiculous!! Who attempts 50 3’s in 1 game?! Especially against the defensive minded Spurs. Apparently Beard and Co. do.

Launching 3-pointers is actually nothing new for the Rockets, as they attempted 3,306 of them during the regular season. That’s just over 40 3-point attempts per game!! While James Harden hit 3 of them, he played the role of facilitator on Monday night, dropping 14 assists. Trevor Ariza, yes of all people Trevor Ariza, had a game-high 23 points, making 5 3-pointers.

And after an unforeseen whoopin’ like Game 1, not even the prognosticator of prognosticators could possibly predict the outcome of Game 2. I’ll give it a shot though. The Spurs bounce back in a big way, winning 110-99. Please don’t put your money where my mouth is though. Thank you. And if you caught that Groundhog Day reference, bravo!

Tune into TNT on Wednesday night @ 9:30 p.m. EST to see what happens. What do you think will happen? Will the Spurs bounce back in Game 2 or will they continue to fear the beard? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

New York Mets Lose More Than Just a Game

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

thor hurt

Perspective is a funny thing. Depending on your vantage point, Sunday afternoon either provided a ridiculously impressive performance or sheer embarrassment. I’m betting Mets’ fans experienced the latter. Sunday’s New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals game was the 3rd and final game of their weekend series. The Mets, desperately in need of victories, won the first two games of the series. Sunday’s game, however, took a hard left turn.

Noah Syndergaard, aka ‘Thor’, took the mound to start the afternoon. Syndergaard hadn’t started a game since April 20th, as he was scratched from his start on Thursday due to right-bicep discomfort (his throwing arm). Syndergaard’s afternoon didn’t last long. After his first pitch to Bryce Harper in the 2nd inning, Syndergaard immediately reached underneath his right arm. He was pulled from the game through just 1 and 1/3 innings. Syndergaard has an MRI scheduled to diagnose a possible lat strain. Although it isn’t official, he will likely join fellow Mets’ starter Steven Matz on the disabled list.

If only Syndergaard and the Mets had seen this coming and performed this MRI last week. Wait a second! They tried that already and Syndergaard refused to take the MRI?! Oh, okay, this all makes sense now. No, it doesn’t? Here’s the bottom line: Terry Collins is not a good manager. And clearly, the training staff ain’t cuttin’ it either. If I were running things in Flushing, I’d send them all packing. No, this isn’t an overreaction to a less than desirable start to the season (10-14), it is a long-running opinion of Terry Collins’ mismanagement style. He reminds me more of a senile grandfather who’s upset someone changed his TV program than a Major League Manager. From the sheer embarrassment to the impressive performance we go….

The Nationals know how to hit a baseball. I’m certain Bryce Harper is a Demi-God. Ryan Zimmerman is off to an incredible start to the season (he has 11 home runs already), and Daniel Murphy (yes, former Met Daniel Murphy), is seemingly hitting .875 on the young season. But, one Anthony Rendon stole the show on Sunday. Rendon dove head first into the record books becoming the first player since 1913 to go 6 for 6 with 3 home runs and 10 r.b.i.’s in a single game. Please reread that sentence to allow it to sink in. Thank you. This helped the Nationals post an astonishing 23 runs on 23 hits, demolishing the Mets 23-5. The Nationals now stand at 17-8 on the season, and hold a 5-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins. I know it’s only May, but barring a disaster of epic proportions, Id’ say the Nationals have the NL East Division all but wrapped up.

The only question is can the Mets turn this ship around before Terry Collins injures the entire starting rotation??

Can the Mets still make the playoffs? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!    

 

2017 NFL Draft 1st-Round Review

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

adams

Well that didn’t go as planned. Despite months of draft analysis from experts, and countless mock drafts, the 1st-round of the 2017 NFL Draft was as unpredictable as the weather (Mel Kiper and Todd McShay do look a lot like meteorologists today). In between the plethora of boos hurled at Roger Goodell, the 1st-round provided more twists and turns than the Taconic Parkway (New Yorkers know what I’m talking about). There were multiple trades and many players rose or fell from their projected draft spots.

No surprise at the top, as the Cleveland Browns selected Myles Garrett from Texas A&M with the 1st overall pick. The Browns evening didn’t end there. They traded the 12th pick to the Houston Texans for the 25th pick and the Texans 1st-round pick in 2018. The Texans drafted Deshaun Watson from Clemson at 12 while the Browns drafted Jabrill Peppers from Michigan at 25. I don’t love either pick, as I think Watson, despite his outstanding career at Clemson, is an undersized quarterback who lacks the arm strength to succeed in the NFL . Peppers is a ‘tweener’ (safety/linebacker) who comes with baggage after failing a drug test at the NFL combine. The Browns then traded back into the 1st-round by shipping the 33rd pick and a 4th-round pick to the Green Bay Packers for the 29th pick. The Browns selected David Njoku from Miami. Njoku was the 3rd tight end selected in the 1st-round, and while I like the player, I wonder who will be throwing him the football this year….

Of the many trades from Thursday night, my favorite was the 1st one (for the 49ers that is). New 49ers General Manager, John Lynch, swindled the Chicago Bears. There is no other way to put it. The Bears traded up 1 SPOT, from the 3rd to 2nd pick, giving up 3rd and 4th-round picks from this year as well as a 3rd-round pick in 2018. Only problem is, the Bears LITERALLY didn’t have to do that. How did that conversation go?

Lynch: Listen Chicago, we’re getting multiple offers for the #2 pick here. If you can’t give us 3 valuable draft picks to move up only 1 spot, I’m afraid you’re going to miss out on your guy.

Ryan Pace (Bears GM): That sounds extremely fair. Now we can get Mitch Trubisky! You want me to throw in my 1st-born child too?

Yes, you heard that right. The Bears gave away the farm, to move up 1 spot, to draft a guy that was going to fall to them anyway. Even if Trubisky ends up being good, he simply is not worth such a high draft pick. He has only started 13 games at the collegiate level! The 49ers then drafted Solomon Thomas from Stanford, who yup you guessed it, is the guy they wanted anyway! Nice work Chicago. The 49ers, like the Browns, weren’t done for the evening. They moved back into the 1st-round by sending Seattle their 2nd and 4th-round picks in exchange for the 31st pick. John Lynch continued to impress in his 1st draft as the 49ers selected Reuben Foster of Alabama, who despite off-field issues, is regarded as one of the most talented players in the draft. The other major trade from last night saw the Kansas City Chiefs trade the 27th pick, a 3rd-round pick, and their 1st-round pick in 2018 to the Buffalo Bills to move up to the 10th pick. They selected Alex Smith’s potential successor in Patrick Mahomes II from Texas Tech. Mahomes has an absolute cannon for an arm, which often leads to risky throws. Only time will tell if Andy Reid can mold Mahomes into a successful NFL quarterback.

And last but not least, let’s talk about New York. We’ll quickly brush over that New York team that wears blue or purple or whatever color that is, so we can get to my New York Jets. The Giants gave Eli Manning another safety valve and drafted Evan Engram out of Ole Miss. Engram is an undersized tight end who will bring playmaking ability to an already talented receiving core for the Giants.

And then there were the New York Jets. As I like to call them, My New York Jets. With tank mode in full-effect, it was imperative that the Jets did not draft a quarterback on Thursday night. And thanks to the Chicago Bears, they didn’t even get that chance. The top 5 picks saw 3 offensive players fall off the board, leaving the Jets with the pick of the defensive litter. And even though the suspense was cut short when ESPN camera’s accidentally showed LSU safety Jamal Adams receiving his call of a lifetime, Jets fans have to be ecstatic that he fell into their laps. With the Jets’ secondary in shambles, they just picked up, according to some experts, the best player in the draft. Personally, I love the pick, and I love Adams already. First of all, CHECK OUT THE SUIT!! And talk about passion. His interview immediately following the selection was filled with raw emotion and the promise to “work his butt off”. Jets General Manager Mike Mccagnan has stuck to the motto ‘draft the best player available’ in the 1st-round. As for the 2nd-round, eh………not so much. So, let us collectively hold our breath until we reach the Jets next pick (39).

How do you feel about the Jets 1st-round draft pick? How do you feel about your teams draft pick? Tell me in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!    

 

 

Happy Birthday Aaron Judge!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

aaron judge

Did you see that?!?! This has become a common reaction to the early season accomplishments of New York Yankees’ outfielder, Aaron Judge. A mountain of a man, standing 6’7″ tall, Judge has taken the league by storm, one moonshot home run at a time. Wednesday night, Judge celebrated his 25th birthday by playing against the Boston Red Sox for the first time. Judge didn’t wait long to give himself a gift and introduce himself to this historic rivalry.

The first pitch Judge saw Wednesday night, an 89-m.p.h. fastball from Rick Porcello, landed exactly where you’d expect; the cheap seats. The 2nd inning, 2-run home run was the 7th of the season for Judge. He now has 7 home runs and 15 r.b.i.’s while batting .281 in his first 18 games. And to think just 4 short weeks ago, Judge nearly lost the right-field competition to Aaron Hicks. Good work Joe Girardi! This is Judge’s second audition in the big leagues (playing in 27 games in 2016), and I’d say he’s got the part. And who said you never get a 2nd chance at a 1st impression?!

The birthday boy’s evening didn’t end there. In the 3rd inning, Judge figured it was time to flash the leather. Xander Bogaerts popped-up a ball down the right-field line. As it appeared it would hang up just enough for Judge to make a play on it, he took off full-speed toward the foul line. The ball met his glove simultaneously with his knees meeting the half-wall, making an incredible catch and tumbling into the first row of the stands (pictured above) in a very Jeter-Esque manner. Dare I say that Judge’s home run in the 2nd inning was an inside-out swing reminiscent of one Derek Jeter as well? I’m just sayin’. 

Thanks to Judge’s hot start (and some surprisingly OUTSTANDING starting pitching), the Yankees have opened the season 12-7, just 1.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East. Only time will tell if the Yankees and Judge will continue their strong play. For now, I will enjoy watching him hit 448-foot home runs into the stratosphere.

Do you think Aaron Judge is the real deal? Are the Yankees really contenders or is the other shoe about to drop? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

The Captain Is Back!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

jeter

Derek Jeter is returning to baseball. No, he’s not coming out of retirement to play for the Yankees, rather he is looking to fulfill one of his long-term goals to own a Major League Baseball team. Jeter is part of a group, which includes former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, that could purchase the Miami Marlins. As of Tuesday, April 25th, the Jeter-Bush group had reached a tentative agreement to purchase the Marlins from current owner Jeffrey Loria.

Loria purchased the Marlins in 2002 for $158.5 million. The current sale, first reported by the Miami Herald, is set at $1.3 billion. Not a bad return on investment for Loria, a former New York art dealer. Loria previously owned the Montreal Expos, purchasing the team in 1999 for $18 million. Loria essentially ‘flipped’ the Expos, selling to the MLB’s Commissioner’s Office in 2002 for $120 million. Well apparently I’m in the wrong business. I should be buying and selling MLB teams. Marlins fans will likely have a parade once the sale is official. Loria has been called “baseball’s most hated man” and “the worst owner in sports history”. These lighthearted nicknames most likely stem from the controversial construction of the Marlins’ new stadium, in 2012. Wait, so I can’t use taxpayers’ hard earned money to build my new stadium and then cut payroll by $70 million? No Jeff, that’s not how that works. Anyway, back to Jeter….

The sale isn’t official yet, but the Jeter-Bush group has attained exclusive negotiating rights with the Marlins. Reportedly, they outbid a group including Mitt Romney’s son, Tagg Romney, and Hall-Of-Fame pitcher Tom Glavine. No offense Romney family, but Mitt and Tagg? Too many Matts and Thomas’ in the world? Okay seriously, back to Jeter….

Jeter has always been outspoken about his aspiration to own a MLB team. That dream may be becoming a reality. Since entering the league in 1995, Jeter has been a great ambassador for baseball. He always represented the Yankees with class and dignity. Above all else, Jeter made one thing a priority throughout his career, WINNING. I’m certain he will carry that same mentality to his ownership role.

The Jeter-Bush group has a few more steps to climb before the sale is official. Their financial structure must be approved by MLB (I’m sure that won’t be a problem). And, any sale requires 75% approval from MLB owners. I will never doubt The Captain, so expect winning ways to return to Miami (somewhere, right now, Pat Riley’s on the phone trying to get in on that action – anything for a W right?). The only part baseball fans will have to get used to is seeing Jeter don something other than pinstripes.

Are you excited to see Derek Jeter own a Major League Baseball team? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

Serena Williams Redefines Dominance

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

serena

We may never see dominance like this ever again. Over the last 22 years, we have seen Serena Williams transition from a 14-year old Phenom to the Greatest Female Tennis Player of All-Time. Serena won her first Grand Slam Title at the 1999 U.S. Open, at the ripe old age of 17!! Believe it or not, she is not the youngest woman to win a Grand Slam (making it about the only record she doesn’t hold). That distinction belongs to Martina Hingis, who won the 1997 Australian Open at the age of 16. Serena beat Hingis (then Number 1 in the world) in the finals of the 1999 U.S. Open. The list of Serena’s accomplishments would take days (possibly weeks) to write, so if you’d like to learn more about Serena’s career, please click here. Today, I am going to highlight why Serena Williams is the Greatest Female Tennis Player of All-Time and the 2nd most dominant athlete in the history of sports. Who’s the most dominant athlete of all-time?? Oh, you’ll have to keep reading to find out….

Serena Williams has landed in news headlines this past week. Mostly for amazing reasons, however, she unfortunately had to defend herself from the blatantly racist comments made by Ilie Nastase (a former tennis professional from Romania). Serena, as always, remained Serena: “This or anything else will not stop me from pouring love, light and positivity into everything that I do. I will continue to take a lead and stand up for what’s right.”

On the lighter side of things, this past week Serena shared her utmost joy with the world. Serena is pregnant!! This is a beautiful moment, and I want to wish her and her family health and happiness in the next chapter of their lives. This isn’t just an ordinary pregnancy (not that any pregnancy is ever ordinary), but Serena accomplished something I don’t think any other pregnant woman ever has before. Serena won the 2017 Australian Open while she was approximately 8 weeks pregnant. Let us all take a second to let that sink in………………………………………………………okay, still not wrapping your brain around that one? Yeah me neither. Allow me to put into perspective just how impressive her 2017 Australian Grand Slam Title was:

  1. She won her 7th Australian Open (An Open-Era Record)
  2. She became the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam Singles Title, breaking her own record (Age 35)
  3. She passed Steffi Graf for most Grand Slam Singles Titles in the Open-Era (23)
  4. She beat her own sister in the Australian Open Final (marking the 28th time they’ve played against each other – Serena holds a 17-11 advantage)
  5. She regained the World Number 1 Ranking
  6. And oh yeah she was anywhere from 6 to 10 weeks pregnant throughout the tournament

Serena Williams is beyond a shadow of a doubt the Greatest Female Tennis Player of All-Time. She is also the 2nd most dominant athlete of all-time. The most dominant athlete of all-time is Wayne Gretzky. Yes, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, and Babe Ruth were/are amazing athletes. But the separation from these athletes and the 2nd best athletes in their respective sports doesn’t compare to that of The Great One.

Don’t worry sports fans, Serena will be back. In a letter she penned to her unborn child she wrote, “I can’t wait for you to join the players box next year”. Serena, congratulations, best of luck, and we look forward to seeing you on the court again soon.

Who do you think is the Greatest Female Tennis Player of All-Time? Who do you think is the most dominant athlete of all-time? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

The New York Islanders Want To Call Long Island Home Once Again

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

islanders

Saturday, April 11th, 2015 was a sad day. This marked the last regular season home-game the New York Islanders played at Nassau Coliseum (a 5-4 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets). The Islanders made the playoffs that season, so the last official game at Nassau Coliseum was on Saturday, April 25th, 2015 (a 3-1 win in Game 6 against the Washington Capitals). The Islanders called the Coliseum home since 1972, their first game being played on October 7th, 1972 (a 3-2 loss to the Atlanta Flames). The Islanders put themselves on the map in the 1980’s winning 4 consecutive Stanley Cup Championships (1980-1983). They represented Long Island for 43 seasons, being the only major sports team to call Long Island home. Following the 2015 season, the Islanders packed their bags, sat in 3 and a half hours of traffic (to go 28 miles), and relocated to Brooklyn (where they now call Barclays Center home). Well Islanders fans, they might be returning home!

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman revealed on Friday that the Islanders are preparing a bid for a new arena at Belmont Park’s racetrack site. This makes me very happy. Since the Islanders moved to Brooklyn I haven’t attended a game. It wasn’t out of protest, rather it is highly inconvenient to travel to Brooklyn from Long Island. If you’ve ever travelled in or around Long Island or New York City during rush hour traffic you know what I’m talking about. And I live smack dab in the middle of Nassau County. I can only imagine the anger and amount of broken TV remotes there were from Islanders fans who reside in Suffolk County. The Islanders returning to Long Island would be great for the community, the economy, but most of all the mental state of Islanders fans. On the logistical side of things, Barclays Center and the Islanders are staring down a January 2018 deadline to renegotiate the terms of their 25-year lease. It’ll be a step in the right direction if the Islanders are able to opt-out of their commitment at Barclays Center. For now, we wait optimistically.

In other New York hockey news, the New York Rangers advanced to the 2nd round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs after defeating the Montreal Canadiens in 6 games. I’d say congratulations, but naaaaa.

Are you excited about the possibility of the Islanders returning to Long Island? Tell me how you feel in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

Lebron James Is Decent At Basketball

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

lebron

There is a short list of things better than sleep. Watching Lebron James play basketball is one of those things. So, if Thursday was your go to bed early day, I feel bad for you. In case anyone had forgotten, Lebron James is still the best player in the world. He reminded us by leading his Cleveland Cavaliers to the greatest comeback win in NBA playoff history. Thanks to his 41 point, 13 rebound, and 12 assist triple double, the Cavaliers became the first team to ever comeback from a 25-point halftime deficit. I knew the Indiana Pacers were in trouble when their 20-point lead shrank to 10 points in a 1:55 span of the 3rd quarter. The Cavaliers now hold a commanding 3-0 lead over the Pacers. And in case you hadn’t noticed, first round loss and Lebron James don’t often collide in the same sentence. Thursday night’s victory extended Lebron James’ winning streak in first round games to 20. That’s insane!

Side note: Can anyone guess the last team to win a first round game against Lebron James? If you said my 2012 New York Knickerbockers you’d be correct. Thanks Melo’.

This streak is tied for the longest since the 1983-1984 postseason, where the playoffs expanded to 16 teams. Last night’s performance also put Lebron in rarefied air. He passed Kobe Bryant for 3rd on the all-time postseason scoring list.

One of the most impressive things about last night’s comeback was Lebron did it by himself. Occasionally in the past, Kevin Love would grab a crucial rebound or JR Smith would decide it’s time to snap out of an 0 for 17 shooting slump. And of course there was the NBA Finals clinching 3-pointer hit by Kyrie Irving last year. However, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue decided to sit Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving for THE ENTIRE 4th quarter. So much for the Big Three. Of course, Lebron can’t win a championship by himself. We don’t have to look far to find proof of that. Insert cough here, 2015 Finals, cough again, 2007 Finals, cough cough.

As for the task at hand, I believe the Cavaliers are 1 of only 3 teams that can realistically win the Championship this year. The other 2 would be the New England Patr….oops I’m sorry, I’m just so used to them winning I figured they may win the NBA Championship too. The Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs are the only other teams who have a chance this year. Personally I don’t envision the Warriors losing more than 2 games to anyone en route to another Championship. But as long as Lebron James is still lacing up his Nike sneakers, I won’t be counting him out.

Who do you think will win the NBA Championship? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!