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And concludes, I believe, around Labor Day.
OK, so it will only seem like three months of hearing about how the matchup of these two storied franchises is just what the NBA needs. Yep. Just what any league needs in a championship series is to have every national media outlet talking about how great things used to be.
I thought what the NBA needed was its two best teams playing for a title, regardless of the names on their jerseys.
I happen to think Jack Nicholson might need L.A. back in the Finals more than the NBA, but I’m among the great unwashed living in the mid-market wasteland between Hollywood and Martha’s Vineyard. So what do I know?
Larry Bird tried to head off the preoccupation with the past when he said, “I really felt bad about doing this press conference because I felt that it’s really the players of today’s game — that’s what they should be focusing on. It really doesn’t matter what happened in the ’80s or the ’50s, the ’60s.”
How did the NBA ever survive 20 years without Boston and L.A. meeting for a title? Look at all the ills that befell the sport because of it.
We had to get by with that impostor Michael Jordan.
The NBA exploded globally.
A dynasty popped up in little San Antonio.
Shaq and Kobe had to beat up somebody other than Boston.
A kid from Akron grew up to play in Cleveland and become one of the game’s great talents — so good that a LeBron James-Kobe Bryant match-up might’ve captured the imagination of basketball fans as much or more than what we’ll see starting tonight.
Jake Westbrook got checked out by Dr. Lewis Yocum, a transplant specialist in Los Angeles
Indians manager Eric Wedge called it standard operating procedure.

blog.cleveland.com

LOUISVILLE, Ky. –Kent Desormeaux knew there had to be greener pastures elsewhere. So in February 2006, in the middle of Santa Anita’s winter-spring meet, the Hall of Fame and Eclipse Award-winning jockey moved east.
“I couldn’t infiltrate anybody’s barn,” he said. “I was getting like two mounts a day.”
At the time, he was the fifth-leading money winner at Santa Anita and had been dominant for most of his 16 years in Southern California.
“In my eyes, I was starving,” Desormeaux said. “Finally, it got to the point where I was broke enough — and brave enough — to leave.”
Desormeaux moved with Sonia, his wife and high school sweetheart, and two sons, Joshua and Jacob, to the New York area and began riding on the Eastern circuit.
In his case, the grass was greener back east.
In 2005 and ‘06 combined, he had fewer than 200 wins. Last year alone Desormeaux had 209 and he has more than 75 so far this year.
And Saturday, Desormeaux will ride the 3-1 favorite Big Brown in the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
The horse has raced only three times, but won all three by a total of 29 lengths and is coming off an impressive five-length victory in the Florida Derby.
However, only once has a horse with only three lifetime starts won a Kentucky Derby. That was Regret back in 1915. Something else that doesn’t bode well for Big Brown is the No. 20 post position. Only once has a horse won a Derby from that post — Clyde Van Dusen in 1929.
“But there’s never been a horse like Big Brown in the 20 hole,” said Desormeaux emphatically. “It’s a non-issue. I don’t think he could have gotten a better starting position. What, you’d want him to learn how to run with sand in his face on Derby Day?”

latimes.com

FDA adding jobs to work faster
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that it will soon hire more than 1,300 biologists, chemists, medical officers and others. The announcement comes as consumer advocates and lawmakers blast the agency for lax oversight, the drug industry pushes for swifter approval of their products and medical experts decry the lack of regulatory resources. The agency wants to fill more than 600 new positions and backfill more than 700 others. The goal is to do this by October.
– The Associated Press
Residents flee record flooding
MAINE — People fled homes and businesses on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border near Fort Kent at the northern tip of Maine on Wednesday as the area suffered its worst flooding on record. At least 3 inches of rain in 24 hours combined with melting of the heaviest winter snow accumulation in memory to raise the St. John River to 28.2 feet — more than 3 feet above flood stage — and send water rushing onto Main Street.
– The Associated Press
FDA adding jobs to work faster
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that it will soon hire more than 1,300 biologists, chemists, medical officers and others. The announcement comes as consumer advocates and lawmakers blast the agency for lax oversight, the drug industry pushes for swifter approval of their products and medical experts decry the lack of regulatory resources. The agency wants to fill more than 600 new positions and backfill more than 700 others. The goal is to do this by October.
– The Associated Press
Residents flee record flooding
MAINE — People fled homes and businesses on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border near Fort Kent at the northern tip of Maine on Wednesday as the area suffered its worst flooding on record. At least 3 inches of rain in 24 hours combined with melting of the heaviest winter snow accumulation in memory to raise the St. John River to 28.2 feet — more than 3 feet above flood stage — and send water rushing onto Main Street.

star-telegram.com

Mar 21 2008 by Terry Phillips, South Wales Echo
JASON Silverthorn will be fit to play for Cardiff Devils in the Elite League play-offs.
Canadian forward Silverthorn will return to action in Sunday’s home challenge match against Sheffield Steelers at the Cardiff Bay rink (6pm) and will face Nottingham Panthers over two legs in the play-offs.
“It’s fantastic news for the team,” said player-coach Gerad Adams.
“Jason will add that little bit extra on the ice and in terms of belief.”
The news that Silverthorn, one of the most dangerous goalscorers in Elite League, is fit gives the Devils a massive lift.
He will play a few shifts against Sheffield on Sunday and, after another week of training, will be fully ready to face Panthers.
He suffered a shoulder injury at Newcastle Vipers, but has made good progress over recent weeks.
There is, though, mixed news on Paul Sample and Mat Petricko.
Sample will not play again this season, while Petricko is still hoping to be ready.
“Samps won’t quite be ready, while we are assessing Petricko day-by-day,” said Adams.
“We will see how that goes, but he is staying upbeat and could yet help us during the play-offs.”
The Devils play their final Elite League match of the season tomorrow when they go to Newcastle Vipers.
That is followed by the clash with Sheffield Steelers on Sunday (6pm).
Tickets for the home play-off leg against Nottingham Panthers, on Sunday, March 30, will be available, while tickets for the play-off finals can be collected.
Cardiff Devils’ regular season shirts will then be auctioned off after the match against Sheffield.
Tickets for Cardiff Devils’ matches are available from the Cardiff Bay ice rink box office on Cardiff 029 2038 2001, while event information can be obtained from the Devils’ office on 0845 434 9055.

icwales.icnetwork.co.uk