Simply Sports:From the NBA to Cricket

The NBA's very long season is winding its way to a conclusion as the San Antonio Spurs lead the Miami Heat 1 game-0 in the championship series.The second game is Sunday night at 8pm Eastern on ABC.
The media focus is on Heat superstar LeBron James,who disappointed many in the first game with a performance that was rather poor by his very high standards.He only scored 18 points-his lowest total in the 2013 NBA Playoffs.He did log 18 rebounds and 10 assists,however.Is he worn out?
In cricket,West Indies defeated Pakistan by a score of 172/8(40.04 ov) to 170/10(48 ov).On Saturday,Australia takes on England.
The College World Series is slogging through the Super Regional round of sixteen on the Road to Omaha.Two games were postponed for inclement weather Friday.The results that did come in:UCLA 5,Cal State Fullerton 3;Louisiana State 2,Oklahoma 0.A full slate of eight games will played Saturday.
At the FedEx St.Jude Classic in Memphis,Tennessee,American Harris English,who will be 24 in July,seized the leader board with his excellent 10 under par 64.English is a University of Georgia alumnus in his second year on the PGA Tour.He has three top ten finishes so far in 2013,including sixth at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans,and is 69th on the money list.
The only well-known figure in the top positions on the leader board of the St.Jude Classic is Ian Poulter of England ,who is sharing tenth place with a number of others.Most of the golf stars are elsewhere getting ready for next weekend's national championship,the US Open,being held this year on a course with a reputation for being short,Merion Golf Club in Ardmore,Pennsylvania.
Update:In cricket,it was England defeating Australia by a score of 269/6(50 ov) to 221/9(50 ov).Sri Lanka will meet New Zealand on Sunday.
At the FedEx St.Jude Classic,Phil Mickelson surged up the leader board to sixth place with his strong third round seven under par 65.

Bulls Hamper Heat;Aggies Blast Sooners

The Chicago Bulls cuffed the Miami Heat 96-89 Friday night at American Airlines Arena in Miami.Carlos Boozer led the victors with 27 points,12 rebounds and  a late game steal.It was the Heat's lowest point total in a home game this season.
Miami's LeBron James notched his 31st straight game with 20+ points,leading all players with 30 points ,but was also unable to capitalise on a rare Clear Path to the Basket foul against him when he missed a free throw.Joakim Noah added 12 points for the Bulls,and Miami's Dwayne Wade scored 22.
Chicago raised its record to 18-13 with the win,while Miami dropped to 22-9.
At the AT and T Cotton Bowl in Dallas,the Texas A and M Aggies blasted the Oklahoma State Sooners 41-13.The Sooners were no match for freshman Johnny Football Manziel,the Aggies quarterback and 2012 Heisman Trophy winner,who rushed for a record-breaking 227 yards and 2 touchdowns,and receiver Ryan Swope,who became an Aggies all-time leader with his 103 yardage on the night.Manziel threw for 287 yards,while Sooners quarterback Landry Jones passed for 278 yards.
A zonal flow locked the jet stream north of the border this week,holding back colder temperatures,and it will be several more days before a likely pattern change makes early winter more seasonal for much of the US with frigid Canadian air.

A Terrific Sandy Telethon;Knicks Win

It was a big Friday night for New York/New Jersey as a terrific telethon was held for Hurricane Sandy relief and the New York Knicks won their NBA season opener.The telethon,"Hurricane Sandy:Coming Together" was broadcast on the networks of NBC Universal.The phones will be open all night at 1-800-HELP-NOW,1-800-435-7669.Proceeds go the American Red Cross for hurricane relief.
We will do all we can to help,because every one of you matters,promised Christina Aguilera.The singer opened the live performance before a studio audience at Rockefeller Center with her strong and amazing voice in "You Are Beautiful.".She is a native of the devastated Staten Island.
Host Matt Lauer noted that,ironically,the people we're trying to help can't watch the telethon because they have no power.Text 90999 to donate 10 dollars to the Red Cross.
Steve Tyler,Jimmy Fallon,Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen joined in a rendition of the classic "Under The Boardwalk,"so appropriate given that much of the Jersey Shore boardwalk was lost to the superstorm.Donate to the Red Cross on Twitter at #SandyHelp.
Jon Bon Jovi performed a mournful medley of "Who Says You Can't Go Home" and "Living On Prayer."He is a New Jersey native and resident.
The music was interspersed with film clips of the destruction and survivors pleading for assistance.
Aerosmith performed  the haunting "Dream On."Sting rendered an acoustic version of "Message In A Bottle"with its apt refrain "Sending out an SOS."
Corporate sponsors of the program included Allstate;Bank of America;State Farm;Google;and JP Morgan Chase.
One affecting still photo shown on the telethon depicted National Guard troops rescuing an English sheepdog from the flood.The show was concluded by Bruce Springsteen singing a committed "Land Of Hope And Dreams."
In  NBA basketball,the New York Knicks reopened the sporting life of their damaged but not defeated city with a 100-84 victory over the Miami Heat.Carmelo Anthony starred with 30 points for the Knicks,while LeBron James led with 23 points for the Heat.
The phones are open all night at 1-800-HELP-NOW,1-800-435-7669 to donate to the American Red Cross hurricane relief.Twitter #SandyHelp.Thank you from another New Jersey native.

Correction Ends On Optimism

A wave of optimism lifted the market out of correction territory this week,fueled by bullish reports from Australia and Canada,as well as progress reported by retailers JC Penney,Macy's and others.Employment surged in Australia and Canada,while hot weather in the U.S. sent people into shopping malls,where they couldn't resist the bargains.This created hope that earnings season,which begins next week with Alcoa's report,would show stronger growth than had been feared.For the week,the Dow was up 5.3%,while the NASDAQ gained 5% and the S&P logged a 5.4% increase.
Golf fans are looking ahead to the British Open at St.Andrews' Old Course in Scotland,which begins next week.It is the third of the year's four Majors.St.Andrews is considered the home of modern golf and is a great favorite with the players.In baseball,the young Stephen Strasburg was pitching masterfully for the Washington Nationals tonight as they dominated San Francisco 8-1.He is showing he is no flash in the pan,justifying the high level of fan interest being generated by his talent.There's a real presence about him.Miami Heat basketball fans held a pep rally for the newly signed LeBron James and friends,broadcast live on ESPN.
The S&P futures were ascending 5.50 this evening,and bond futures rose as well.
JC Penney(JCP),Macy's(M)