-The Celts got it done last night, advancing to their second NBA Finals in three years. They can thank Nate Robinson. Buried in Doc Rivers’ doghouse, Nasty Nate dusted off the cobwebs and scored 13 big second quarter points to spark Boston past Orlando 96-84 in Game Six- finally putting away a series they led 3-zip. Say what you want about the two-time slam dunk champ but he’s instant offense creating mismatches. Good on the Celtic coach to finally play him, seeing big results in a must win scenario. No way did they want to chance it after seeing what happened to the Bruins. Now, Paul Pierce, KG, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo and Co. will wait to see who their opponent is. Will it be another Boston-LA clash or can the Suns recover from that Ron Artest crusher to force a deciding game? We’re hoping so.

-Tough night for the Mets, who finally saw their scoreless streak end at 35 courtesy of a Corey Hart two-run walkoff blast, making the Brewers winners. With a runner on and two out in the home ninth, he went yard off Ryota Igarashi, who relieved Pedro Feliciano after he got Prince Fielder for the first out. The Japanese import gave up an infield hit to Ryan Braun, who just got his foot on the bag to beat Jose Reyes’ one-hopper. The Met reliever got big RBI man Casey McGee to pop out for out No.2. But he couldn’t put away Hart, who clocked a hanging splitter over the left field wall as Jason Bay could only watch- snapping the Amazin’s four-game win streak.

Despite another great outing from ace Johan Santana, who went eight scoreless (8 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K’s) tossing 105 pitches, the Mets couldn’t get to Milwaukee ace Yovani Gallardo, who went the distance for the rare shutout, throwing 121 pitches. The 24 year-old from Michoacan is one of the most unheralded starters in the game, pitching in obscurity for a poor ballclub. Last night, he went pitch for pitch with Santana, who tried to help his own cause with a double in the eighth. But just as he had all game, Gallardo snuck a heater which moved from the inside part of the plate to the middle at Reyes’ knees, freezing him. That kinda pitching was on display at Miller Park where the two hurlers were brilliant. Gallardo scattered eight hits while walking one and fanning seven. Early on, he escaped a bases loaded no out jam by getting Reyes to ground out 3-2 and inducing Alex Cora into an inning ending 4-6-3 twin killing. In the Met ninth with the guys from Queens threatening, he stranded two by getting Angel Pagan looking.

-Of course, the hot topic on the radio airwaves is why Manuel didn’t let Santana start the ninth. He probably could’ve. Instead, the much maligned Met skipper left it to a strong pen, opting to match-up. Unfortunately, it didn’t go as planned leading to the Mets’ first loss in five. Worse, they fell to 6-15 on the road- falling to a putrid team to start a six-game road trip which concludes at Petco Park against NL West-leading San Diego. Whether you want to second guess Manuel or not, his team needs to get some wins away from Citi Field. Especially if they want to be taken seriously. Good teams win on the road. We’ll find out how they respond later tonight when Fernando Nieve opposes Manny Parra.

-Meanwhile in the Boogie Down, the Yankees got a big night from Robby Cano, whose third career grand slam catapulted the Bronx Bombers past the Indians 8-2. Hitting in the cleanup spot with A-Rod sitting out, the All-Star second baseman went yard against Cleveland reliever Tony Sipp in the seventh to break open a tight game. It was his club-leading 10th home run and first since May 2. All part of a big Friday that saw him go 3-for-4 with the grand salami and three runs scored. With Mark Teixeira still struggling and Alex Rodriguez given a rare night off, Cano carried the load. Exactly what you want to see from the 27 year-old.

The Yanks got a nice bounce back outing from Phil Hughes, who went seven permitting two earned on five hits, walking a batter and K-ing eight for his sixth win. No doubt the soon to be 24 year-old former first round pick is starting to fulfill expectations. Possessing a fastball that can hit mid-90′s along with a sharp curve, Hughes is nasty. It’s got to be exciting for Brian Cashman who wouldn’t part with the tall righty for Santana.

-At least that helps the Yankee GM, who designated free agent bust Randy Winn for assignment while keeping up Kevin Russo. Russo is from West Babylon and has been a solid bat thus far going 5-for-20 with a pair of doubles and four knocked in since being recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Maybe the former Baylor standout can provide some versatility off the bench.

-Combined with the Rays falling a third straight time this time to the lowly White Sox, the Yanks cut the lead to 3.5 games. C.C. Sabathia will try to make it two in a row and four of five when he takes on David Huff at 1 PM. We’ll see how the former Indian Cy Young winner fares along with his teammates.

Jose Reyes has finally returned to lead the Mets.

-Can the Mets keep it up? Their 5-1 homestand taking two of three from the Yanks and sweeping the Phils without allowing a run was a statement. Incredibly inspiring baseball from Jerry Manuel’s club led finally by the resurgent Jose Reyes, who is back to being himself in the leadoff spot. He tormented the Mets’ biggest rival by going 8-for-13 with three extra base hits including his first home run, five RBI’s, two stolen bases and five runs scored. That’s the Reyes that’s the team’s MVP. Jason Bay continued to produce following the two-homer game off C.C. Sabathia with three more RBI’s. Angel Pagan is the club’s most improved player, getting five hits and swiping three bases in the series.

As for the staff, what a job by every Met pitcher blanking arguably the best offense for all 27 innings. Miraculous stuff from Hisanori Takahashi, vet knuckler R.A. Dickey and potential All-Star Mike Pelfrey, who bested Cole Hamels yesterday by going seven strong for win No.7. The pen continues to get the job done. At 25-23 following a dreadful road trip, the Amazin’s are in third a half game behind Atlanta and two out. The NL East should be tight all year. Especially with the improved Nats hanging around along with the Marlins. If Carlos Beltran returns healthy, they could give the Mets a leg up on the wild card competition. The Phils couldn’t play any worse but are still the team to beat.

-Meanwhile, across town the Yanks get Curtis Granderson back in center batting second against the Indians in the Bronx tonight. An early two-run Nick Swisher homer has given Phil Hughes a lead. He’s already struckout five in looking to rebound from back-to-back disappointing efforts. The guys in Pinstripes haven’t played well lately. Even if they took two of three from favorite whipping boy Minnesota, Javier Vazquez again got lit up in a blowout loss yesterday. Joe Girardi’s guys really haven’t been the same since a hot start, leaving too many runners on and not getting consistent relief. Even Sabathia has struggled. With Boston finally red hot having swept a two-game set in Tampa, the defending champs need to get revved up. A Memorial Weekend series against lowly Cleveland could be just what the doctor ordered.

-Randy Winn has been so bad that he might want to consider changing his name to Randy Loss. At least it would better explain how Brian Cashman signed him. Not much better on Nick “DL” Johnson. Kevin Russo stays.

-Best move of the offseason is Rod Barajas, whose 10 homers pace the Amazin’s with his 27 RBI’s second to David Wright. Vet backup Henry Blanco has also been instrumental helping improve the pitching staff. Though we’re not sure anyone can aid Olli Perez and John Maine.

-Like most, I thought Big Papi was done. Good news if you own his rookie cards.

-Considering the continued trips to the DL for Jorge Posada, what if the Bronx Bombers didn’t have Francisco Cervelli as insurance? From the time I covered him out here on the ’06 Penn-League champion Staten Island Baby Bombers, Cervelli’s been a winner. The guy always worked hard and did it with a smile. Nice to see him getting rewarded.

-All things considered, the Yanks actually miss Phil Coke. Wasn’t Ian Kennedy in that trade too? He’s not faring too badly out in The Desert.

-I voted for him because I thought he’d make a good President. Not because I wanted to know what Mr. Obama thought about LeBron going to Chicago. How about focusing on your job which just got a lot harder due to this BP oil spill in Louisiana.

-Didn’t catch it but kudos to Ron Artest on saving Kobe Bryant’s Lakers on what sounded like a very unpredictable conclusion breaking Sun hearts. The kid I saw when he starred for LaSalle Academy could always ball. It’s just a matter of staying focused on the court.

-Love to see the Suns force a seventh in Hollywood and somehow get it done just for my close buddy P. He deserves it.

-I don’t feel sorry for Coach Calhoun or UConn. Unfortunately, they probably won’t get severely punished or miss any postseason play. Nice job NCAA!

-When I wrote that column begging for change at St. John’s, they must’ve heard me. But you know, the way those guys played down the stretch for Norm Roberts, you could tell how much they enjoyed playing for him. Such a heartbreaking ending for a nice guy who at least brought back respect to the program. Now, we’ll see if Steve Lavin can take that next giant step forward with a senior core featuring D.J. Kennedy, Malik Boothe, Sean Evans, Paris Horne, Justin Burrell and Dwight Hardy.

-As an avid hockey fan who did a preview on our Battle Of New York blog, has the Stanley Cup begun yet? More proof that Gary Bettman’s still working for David Stern.

-Should be interesting to see what the Celtics come up with in what amounts to a must win versus the Magic. If they lose, just imagine how Boston will feel after witnessing the wrong kind of history made by their Bruins in that same building. They should’ve put it away already.

-And finally, a salute to The Richburg family who buried their son Thursday. Lyndzay was a wonderful human being who touched everyone he was around making us smile and laugh. We’ll forever miss him but his spirit shines down brightly in our hearts.

-On a steamy late May afternoon in NYC, we at least got one good hoop series going on thanks to the Suns’ second straight ‘W’ over Kobe’s Lakers last night in The Desert. Thanks to a strong fourth quarter in which they outscored LA 30-22, they took Game Four 115-106 to level the best-of-seven Western Conference Final.

This time, Alvin Gentry’s squad got nice balance with six different players netting double digits with plenty coming from a productive bench that outscored the Lakers’ bench 54-20. Channing Frye finally found the range (four 3′s) and Leandro Barbosa added 14 with Jared Dudley and Goran Dragic (8 Pts, 8 A) delivering money performances. Louis Amundson also was effective going for seven points and seven boards as the Suns hammered LA on the glass 51-36.

In a game where Nash, Amare and J-Rich didn’t dominate while Kobe did what he could registering a game high 38 along with 10 assists and seven rebounds, it didn’t matter because Phoenix’ bench was the difference. Only Lamar Odom contributed for LA with a double double (15/10) and three dimes. Bryant didn’t get enough from Pau Gasol or Ron Artest. So, the series goes back to Hollywood all even with the pressure squarely on the defending champs. How will they respond to Bryant’s criticism regarding the lack of defense? See ya Thursday night at Staples.

-Meanwhile, in an hour-plus, D-Howard and the Magic go for two in a row when they host the Celts. Can they get a repeat performance from Jameer Nelson? Will the ghost of Vince Carter reappear? Boston can’t play much worse than the other night. Figure KG, Pierce and Rondo to be determined to get it done.

-The Mets look to carry momentum forward from an 8-0 drubbing of the suddenly slumping Phils, who’ve dropped three straight. The Amazin’s have reeled off three in a row and at .500 (23-23), are just four off the pace. This team is resilient and seems to enjoy playing for Jerry Manuel. If Jason Bay and Jose Reyes remain hot, they should be fine. Do the Phils have a response at Citi Field?

-As for the Yanks, they completed the postponed game with a 1-0 shutout over the Twins. Runs have come at a premium lately. They’ve been leaving too many runners on and paying dearly. Even a lineup as potent as the Bronx Bombers can’t survive a power outage. We’ll see if the domination of their favorite opponent continues.

Giant Meets Jet: Justin Tuck shakes Darrelle Revis' hand in Times Square after the first ever Super Bowl was delivered to New York/New Jersey in 2014.

-The chance of a Giants/Jets Super Bowl just got a lot more exciting. With today’s fourth vote giving the nod to New York/New Jersey for 2014 at the new Meadowlands Stadium which opens this summer, it energizes two passionate fanbases who can now dream the unthinkable. Imagine the first ever Super Bowl in classic cold weather as it should be played featuring both the locals who play their games there fighting for bragging rights. This is huge.

For years, not a word was uttered because it was about as possible as our chances with Jessica Alba. Now with a brand new spanking stadium, it’s reality. Imagine if the Giants and Jets really make this once in a lifetime marquee event. Picture all the press/superhype. It would be electric. Big Blue and Gang Green fans going at it over the airwaves and in the stands (hopefully not literally).

I never really cared one way or another if this actually happened but now that it’s official, how can one not be genuinely pumped? Even if neither team makes it which would royally suck, the Lombardi Trophy will be back where it belongs with its proud father looking on from upstairs smiling. Football was meant to be played in tough conditions. Not sunshine. The games I enjoy the most are the ones where heavy wind, rain or snow are involved because it truly tests our warriors. Football players are like gladiators battling for every inch, laying it all on the line. Now, we get the kind of rock ‘em sock ‘em pigskin Lombardi would appreciate. It’s about time!

-Do you think Brandon Jacobs cares to retract that statement if the two teams actually make the big game?

-A final thought on the whole New York SB Extravaganza. Let’s be real. The stadium is located in East Rutherford, New Jersey. So, it’s really the Garden State’s game. As a fellow New Yorker, even though the two clubs honor New York due to tradition which always leaves a bitter taste in Jersey friends’ mouths, they do play in New Jersey. Maybe it’s time to actually recognize that along with how nice the state is. Some of my best friends represent it quite well.

-Look. Superman finally arrived and ripped the Celtics for 32 points, 16 boards and four swats in the Magic’s well earned 96-92 overtime Game Four win at TD Garden avoiding the sweep. That’s great and all for the freak known as Dwight Howard, who could be confused for a superhero. He’s bigger and stronger than everybody. So, he should dominate. Especially in a league where the center is almost extinct. Somehow, when the big man who shares a birthday with me finally delivers, it’s overcelebrated. What ever happened to consistency? Somehow in this new Hyped Era Error, expectations dropped. Why???

-If ever there was a player whose name needed to be changed to Dog, we present the sad case of former NBA star Vince Carter. If he had any sorta drive, he could’ve been one of the greats. Instead, there’s a tireless worker like Reggie Miller calling him out on ESPN and justifiably so.

-Do you think Hedo Turkoglu would’ve bricked those two free throws in Game Two?!?!?!?!?!

-Who knew that KG still had this kind of fire in him? He looked done a couple of months ago. Maybe he was just playing possum the whole time.

-Is there a better pure shooter than Ray Allen? Even now, the former Uconn star is money in crunch time. You can’t give him any space.

-I’ll always say it until proven otherwise. With the game on the line, nobody is better than Kobe. LeBron, take notes. And that goes for the club that gets him.

-Really pleased to see the Suns rise up and send a message to LA that it won’t come easy. Can’t say enough about the kind of dominant performance Amare Stoudemire had. Those 42 and 11 were monstrous. Some great power moves and strong finishes too, resulting in three-point plays. Everyone of them emphatic. When his team needed a score, Amare delivered. Hopefully, he and the rest of the Suns can duplicate it as they look to even the series tonight.

-Figure Kobe to get more help from sidekicks Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest and Derek Fisher. They weren’t good in crunch time.

-In the NHL playoffs which have been totally unpredictable, we get the Blackhawks and Flyers for Lord Stanley. Two Cup starved traditional markets that haven’t won in a while. For Chicago, it’s been almost five decades since Bobby Hull and the Blackhawks won it all in ’61. Now, leading Conn Smythe candidate Jonathan Toews along with sidekick Patrick Kane plus money performer Dustin Byfuglien (Big Buff) take aim at bringing the best sports trophy back to the Windy City. When the puck drops for Game One at the United Center Saturday, that place will be on fire.

For the Flyers, it’s been a miraculous run starting with a shootout win over the Rangers on the last day of the season just to sneak into the playoffs. Since, all they’ve done is takeout the hated Devils, stun the Bruins in historic fashion from 3-0 down joining the Leafs, Islanders and most recently, the Red Sox. Then they took care of another destined team in Montreal, getting two Jeff Carter tallies to advance to their first Cup Final since 1997 when they were unceremoniously dumped out in four straight by the Red Wings. Can Mike Richards, playoff hero Simon Gagne, Chris Pronger and amazing story Michael Leighton bring the Cup back to Broad Street for the first time since they repeated in 1975?

Two great storylines for a league that’s heating up. NBC can’t possibly screw this up. Or can they?

-No matter what you think of it, the Subway Series matters. No. I’m not one of those who puts much stock in the six games the Mets and Yankees play. However, it’s impossible to ignore the turnout for it at Citi Field. With attendance way down in Year Two, they soldout the place. Plenty of walk ups who wanted to be part of the first three-game set between our two New York clubs.

Baseball is still No.1 here and probably always will be. With all the history dating back to the glory days of the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants along with the Yankees (formerly New York Highlanders), NYC is rich in tradition and could support a third team if that ever happened. Just experiencing the turnout the local Staten Island Yankees get anytime the Cyclones pay a visit to the Ferry Terminal for Class A ball is enough to fully grasp what baseball means in this town.

So, even if the cool half dozen might not mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things for the Yanks and Mets, it means plenty to the fans. No wonder I got so much flak from J Beck, Johnny Rockets and all the other Met supporters the other night.

The big bat of Ike Davis has changed the Mets season.

-The Met season didn’t truly begin until Ike Davis was recalled. Since, the Amazin’s have turned it around going 5-1 on a huge homestand, including an impressive sweep of the Braves which only featured the big first base slugger’s first home run. A moon shot that went 450 feet. Still amazing to think they played the first dozen without him, opting for Mike Jacobs and Fernando Tatis. Makes you question what the thinking was. Well, that and Jerry Manuel’s decision to bat Frank Catalanotto cleanup. But hey. At least they didn’t wait till May.

-Is Mike Pelfrey really this good or will he hit a rough patch? In Year 3, the true test won’t come till July-August. Still have to love what they’re getting from a guy who was a huge question mark entering the season.

-Jose Reyes third at least gives them a solid middle even with David Wright scuffling.

-Jonathon Niese has pitched well meaning maybe 1-2-3 are good but Oli Perez and John Maine remain sore spots.

-Amazing what happens when Robby Cano takes advice from Alex Rodriguez on hitting in key situations. He’s finally starting to look like the player we always envisioned. MVP year??? Ironic too because A-Rod’s struggles were well documented till last October. Well, at least the Yankee second baseman hasn’t followed Alex’s other oddities. Some things are better off not being explained.

-I was in favor of bringing Javier Vazquez back. Especially for Da Melk Man. But here he is in phase II emulating the nightmarish 2004 that ended with one swing of the bat from Johnny Damon. He’s pitched well everywhere else including the White Sox. So, the AL argument is weak. Yes, Javy serves ‘em up but maybe it’s a New York thing. Uh oh.

-Joba’s better in the pen while Phil Hughes is better in the rotation. Just what we thought all along.

-How come I think of the Curtis Granderson trade as not just for Austin Jackson and Phil Coke but also Damon? Nice to see Jackson off to a good start in Motown.

-If only the rest of Melo’s Nugget teammates had the same kind of determination he does. He did all he could before they woke up which turned out a little too late to get it even against the harder working Jazz coached by Jerry Sloan. Coincidence? We think not. Especially with Denver minus George Karl. Charles Barkley’s right. They need a good kick in the ass. Adrian Dantley was a great player but he’s way too passive. Just look at his press conferences. Still, what a disappointing series for the Nuggets. Can they save it? It says here they win Game Five big and won’t lose Game Seven. All comes down to Salt Lake. We’ll see what they’re made of.

-Anyone else surprised that the Mavs are down to the super experienced Spurs 3-1?!?!?!?!?! Quoting 2Pac, “Some things will never change.”

-Watching Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook’s Thunder is refreshing. It’s also what young legs are capable of against older ones. Especially the banged up Lakers. Figure Kobe to will them through.

-Gotta love D-Wade, whose team trailed 3-0 to the Celts. With it tight and it essentially over, all he did was set a franchise playoff mark with 46 points, including five from downtown and a couple of monster jams including a poster on KG, who looked like he was biting his lip after getting victimized. Considering what a cheap shot artist he is, it was perfect.

-Everyone talks about the Magic who derailed LeBron and the Cavs last year. But the Hawks also could make some noise. First, they have to get Game Four at Milwaukee and ice this series. We’ll see if they’re up to the challenge.

-The Garden is quiet with little going on in May. Great job Jazzy Jim! When the Knicks don’t get LeBron, Wade or Chris Bosh, what will they think?

-I’ve always been a big fan of Jameer Nelson and now he’s showing why. How do you think all those teams that passed on him feel these days?

-Gotta love Joakim Noah. The dude is a great interview. That stuff he said about Cleveland following Game Two was classic:

But also, the kid from the Bronx can also ball. He’s developed into the Bulls’ leader. Yep. They got that one right.

-I still say the Celts are too old and can be picked off in the second round.

-One chance to win or lose. Who do you want with the ball? Kobe, LeBron, Wade or the Spurs big three: Duncan-Parker-Ginobili?

Happy Monday

With one big shot, Derek Fisher changed Game 4 and possibly the NBA Finals giving LA a 3-1 series lead over Orlando.

It was all there for them. A chance to get even with a pivotal Game 5 on their home floor and the crowd too. But the Magic gave away a second game in this NBA Finals falling in overtime 99-91 in Game 4 to trail 3-1 in the series.

Where did Stan Van Gundy’s team lose it? We’ll just say the third quarter where for some strange reason, they came out flat as a pancake turning a 12-point halftime lead into a four-point deficit. The Lakers outscored them 30-14 beating them to every loose ball and getting much easier looks than at any point in the first half. While LA heated up offensively, Orlando’s offense stagnated settling for contested perimeter shots. When a perimeter oriented team stops making, it makes it very easy for the opponent to get back in fueling quick counter attacks. Before you knew it, Lamar Odom was draining an open trey to put the Lakers up five.

Sure. The fourth quarter was great back and forth action featuring some of the best of the series. You had Kobe Bryant and Hedo Turkoglu trading big shots along with Trevor Ariza, whose three trifectas must’ve made every Knick fan see red. Thanks Larry Brown. But when Turk made a tough stepback three and followed it with a driving lay-in to put the Magic up two possessions with a minute left, it should have been enough to take their second straight leveling things.

Instead, like Game 2 when one stop would’ve changed the whole dynamic of the Finals, Orlando couldn’t keep the Lakers off the board. Still up three though, a desperate Kobe hacked an open Dwight Howard underneath the basket before Superman could finish. The quick foul forced him to earn it at the line. One made free throw probably would’ve sealed it. Instead, like his teammate Turkoglu, he clanged a pair giving the purple and gold new life. On the night, the Magic missed 15 from the charity stripe.

Following Phil Jackson’s timeout, he had his team inbound the ball in the backcourt. The Magic quickly doubled Kobe forcing him to give up the ball but the transition allowed Derek Fisher to get an open look. Inexplicably, Jameer Nelson played a couple of feet underneath the three-point line giving a dangerous money shooter enough room and space to line it up. Just like that, the game was all tied with 4.6 seconds left.

Sadly, even following two timeouts, the Magic failed to get a good look with Turkoglu inbounding to Mickael Pietrus, who was nowhere close missing a desperation heave. Poor execution proved costly as Van Gundy’s guys never recovered getting outscored 12-4 with Fisher putting the final nail in the coffin with another one from way downtown. This on a night he missed his first five three’s but half of his 12 points came in crunch time. Should anyone have been surprised that the NBA Finals third leading three-point maker of all-time came through? With 40 makes, he trails only Michael Jordan (42) and former teammate Robert “Big Shot Bob” Horry (56). Not bad company.

And so, on a night Kobe shot 11 of 31 (32 Pts), he still managed to hand out eight assists and get seven rebounds while sinking all eight from the line. LA btw shot 15 of 20 compared to 22 of 37 from the hosts. There’s your biggest difference.

It was also a game which saw D-Howard make Finals history setting a new game record with nine blocked shots missing out by one on a triple double (16 Pts, 21 Rebs, 9 Blks). Unfortunately, he also missed eight of 14 free throws which didn’t help the cause.

So, what happened in overtime? Howard’s teammates showed inexperience forcing tough shots like a pair Turkoglu took. They just weren’t nearly as poised as an opponent who was here last year and wants badly to erase those sour memories in their league record 30th Finals appearance.

After Thursday, it looks like they’re well on their way to earning Jackson an NBA record 10th ring which would surpass legendary Celtic coach Red Auerbach. He’s had a lot of talent to work with in MJ, Scottie Pippen, Kobe and Shaq but the man can also coach doing a solid job using his bench. That simply can’t be overlooked.

So, is it over? Well, we’re not gonna write off the Magic just yet as they easily could be tied or even up 3-1 had they not fallen apart. Sunday, they’ll get a chance to send the series back to Tinseltown. We’ll see if they show the same kind of mental fortitude displayed during this nice run.

The ball’s in their court.

Here are a couple from my main man P’s watching Game 4 NBA Finals:

1.The Magic are blowing it here. They had the Lakers on the ropes playing a picture perfect first half with great ball movement and fantastic D from Dwight Howard. Orlando must relax here and get back to smarter ball and do a better job closing out if they want to make it a series.

2.Following the latest implosion with the pen unable to get it done for C.C. Sabathia, the Yankees really can’t deal with the Red Sox. It’s like the clubs traded places following the 2004 ALCS. Maybe the Yanks really are hexed now. Does even the most biased Pinstripe fan still believe when the chips are down, their team is gonna win? The Red Sox are confident they will which is how it once was forever unil the biggest collapse of all-time. The Yankees never do anymore.

3.You have to conclude similarly with what occurred tonight in extras between the defending champion Phils and the Mets in Queens. How many times can you see essentially the same game with these two teams where the Amazin’s have Philly on the ropes even when they don’t have the pitching match-up? And how many times do the pesky defending champs stand up to the challenge finding the late runs against the Met pen before their own pen silences NY bats- allowing one of their big boppers (Chase Utley last night and MVP frontrunner Raul Ibanez tonight)? Full marks to Charlie Manuel’s club. But boy did Jerry Manuel’s guys blow a golden opportunity to close the gap.

4.Really, given how predictable Yanks/Sahhhx has become and great Mets/Phils is, we have to say we’ll take the NL East rivalry now. It’s just better baseball. Even if the Mets continue the baserunning blunders this time coming from David Wright tonight. Can’t wait for the next series between these clubs and the fun commentary from Howie Rose, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling, who are the best in this area.

5.There aren’t many stupid comedies I like but this Hangover movie looks like a can’t miss. Yeah. I’ll find my way to the movie theater one of these days.

6.Here’s hoping tomorrow night’s do-or-die Game 7 for Lord Stanley is a classic. We want sudden death just to see who really is the best between the Pens and Red Wings. There’s no better theater than Game 7 in any sport. Especially puck. Even if you’re not a hockey fan, we advise you to tune into NBC at 8 ET/5 PT and tune in. You won’t be disappointed. And with Doc Emrick calling the action, it don’t get much better.

The Daily News illustrates what the Red Sox have become to the Yankees in a now familiar role reversal of the most storied rivalry.

It’s Thursday and another crummy day here in Shaolin. If the calendar didn’t say June, we’d swear it was late March/early April. Be that as it may, we’re less than 10 days away from the start of the NY-Penn League season over at the nice ballpark by the Ferry terminal.

Hopefully, that will be a breath of fresh air compared to the state of panic on today’s airwaves with Yankee and Met fans carrying on with Mike Francesa following a pair of frustrating losses last night to the Red Sox and Phillies respectively.

Let’s first get to the latest Yankee failure in Beantown when Joe Girardi foolishly had Chien-Ming Wang go in the middle game versus Tim Wakefield. Not long ago, that match-up would’ve favored the Yanks but not no more with the predicted run-o-meter reaching four with a struggling Wang not even getting through three frames before Phil Hughes replaced him. Hughes’ only mistake was a two-run homer to Kevin Youkilis in his first full inning putting the Yanks in a 6-2 hole. Afterwards, he was solid fanning five in 3.2 IP giving his team a chance to comeback. They nearly did thanks to back-to-back solo shots off the bats of Johnny Damon and AL home run leader Mark Teixeira (No.19). But Terry Francona went to ace setup man Hideki Okajima, who tossed one and a third scoreless fanning three including Hideki Matsui stranding a runner in the eighth. Then Jonathan Papelpon closed it out popping out Jorge Posada to left in front of the Green Monster leaving the tying run on second for his 15th save in 16 tries.

And so, once again the Bronx Bombers fell to their bitter nemesis making it 0-for-7 in 2009. Can heavily hired ace Ca$h Cow Sabathia end the drought tonight versus Boston fifth starter (soon to be gone) Brad Penny? If he doesn’t, they might need to fit a team psychiatrist into that payroll. Ahhh. Money can’t buy everything.

The Yanks trail Boston by a game for the division. If they get swept, it will be 0-8. But hey, at least it’s June 11. Could always be worse.

At least Girardi started rookie Francisco Cervelli behind the plate giving Posada a night off. We’ll see how that pans out in a big game preceding the overhyped three-game set at the New Palace against the guys from Queens.

Speaking of Queens, the Mets try to bounce back from a tough 11 inning 5-4 defeat to their own bitter rival the Phillies. They’ll send fifth starter Tim Redding to the hill versus crafty veteran southpaw Jamie Moyer at Citi Field. If it’s anything like the first pair of games, then we’re in for quite a treat tonight. Both were decided by a run going down to the wire.

The good news for the Amazin’s is the NL’s best lineup hasn’t figured out closer Francisco Rodriguez yet with the former Angel holding two one-run leads and tossing two scoreless yesterday including the 10th thanks to a great unassisted Fernando Tatis double play off a line drive to first. You have to wonder though if K-Rod will be available for the rubber match. If not, does Jerry Manuel use Bobby Parnell to close after he allowed the winning home run to Chase Utley? Or perhaps Brian Stokes gets the call. For some reason, we see Rodriguez being around late if the Mets have the lead. He’s a gamer.

Had the Mets not left a ridiculous 27 on base last night including several from the eighth to 10th when one big hit would’ve meant a ‘W,’ they’d be 5-1 versus the Phils this year. Instead, they’ll settle for four of the first six trailing first by three. Even minus stars Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado, the Amazin’s can take another series tonight and get within two. It’s more important for them than the defending champs to stay within striking distance. We’ll see what they come up with.

Much of the talk today on WFAN in NYC has centered around how the Mets only scored three runs in the fourth when they nearly batted around versus an ineffective Cole Hamels, who went just five permitting four earned on 11 hits while walking a pair and fanning only one. Mike Pelfrey was the big hitting star delivering a couple of hits including an RBI single that got them going in the frame. The trouble was they kept getting station to station base hits with unaggressive third base coach Razor Shines holding runners including on leadoff man Luis Castillo’s dunk to right that should’ve plated two flustering the second baseman. On the play, Ryan Church, who scored was waving teammate Omir Santos home. Instead, he stayed at third coming in on Alex Cora’s base knock. Following a Carlos Beltran 5-4-3 twin killing which first base umpire Dan Iassogna’s latest botched call, Pelfrey was left at third with what would’ve been a huge insurance run against an opportunistic lineup. That would comeback to bite them when Pelfrey got lousy D from a pair of Gold Glovers in Beltran (missed catch somehow ruled a hit) and David Wright (ground ball for eighth error) allowed the Phils to score three with Jimmy Rollins’ RBI fielder’s choice tying it in the seventh.

That’s all a championship ballclub would need to comeback and take the second game making Met fans scratch their heads because these are the kind of games their team’s lost forever. It must change eventually.

And so, you have two NY teams that are good but don’t win games against division rivals instead finding ways to lose. It doesn’t matter that they have the two highest payrolls in baseball. Until proven otherwise, neither is as good as Boston or Philadelphia. That doesn’t change even if they both win tonight. Talk to us in September.

-Tonight is Game 4 of the NBA Finals with Dwight Howard and the Magic looking to draw even against Kobe and the Lakers. If they want to have any realistic chance, they must win setting up a pivotal Game 5 in their building this weekend. The 2-3-2 format puts a ton of pressure on the team hosting the middle three. Especially when they lose the first two. The Magic can’t go back to LA down 3-2. They must find a way to get it done.

So far, despite no LeBron, the series has fared well garnering good ratings including their highest in over a decade. Yahoo’s Dan Wetzel has a good piece on these Magic, who have earned respect this Spring.

They’ll try to continue it tonight looking for big games again from D-Howard, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu and key role player Mickael Pietrus.

-And finally, this absurd comment from an incensed Yankee fan to Francesa earlier on the great Mariano Rivera:

“He shouldn’t close anymore.“

Welcome indeed to the Twilight Zone.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Zach Morris on Jimmy Fallon was indeed epic stuff. More so than meaningless June baseball in NYC.

It’s a cool June New York Wednesday with overcast skies that are threatening. Ah. Kinda sounds like a classic Jimi Hendrix tune.

So, what’s cooking? Oh. Plenty. Well, if you’re as baseball-sessed as the folks here. While there’s a Stanley Cup going to a Game 7 and an NBA Finals where the home team has won all three games thus far, they may as well not exist based on all the sports radio talk about the Yankees suffering their latest defeat to the Red Sox and the Mets actually giving a subpar Johan Santana enough run support to edge the Phillies.

So, here we are in the second week of June with still plenty of baseball left before we go crowning anyone. But that’s not the way it works around these parts. Where one week, the NY baseball teams stink and the next, they are virtual locks for the first Subway Series in nearly a decade. No. Not the fake half a dozen games we get in each new stadium with the Mets invading the real short porch later this weekend with the Bronx Bombers later doing the same at the much longer ballpark in Queens.

So, here are some random thoughts on the area locals and other big sporting events going on:

-If you ignored all the fun pie in the face stuff from A.J. Burnett, he’s been almost Carl Pavano-esque so far in his first Yankee season. Maybe it’s a 2003 Marlins thing. Speaking of DL Pavano, hasn’t he won like six games now with Cleveland or as many as he won in his Bronx stint? Amazing.

-If Santana really did show up Jerry Manuel when he pulled him last night in the eighth for Bobby Parnell which was the right thing to do, then maybe it’s time for someone to get in the ace’s face. This other thing about changing the bunt to a hit which worked out as an RBI double ain’t exactly too encouraging either. Sure. He’s a great pitcher but play by the same rules the rest of your teammates do.

-With him the majors’ first 10-game winner and finishing most of his games in a tougher hitting league, maybe we’d take Doc Halladay over Johan. The Jays ain’t exactly bad either these days. What with Adam Lind looking like an All-Star at second. Imagine if Alex Rios and Vernon Wells get going.

-Heard a fan call into Mike Francesa and compare Jose Reyes and Robinson Cano. Well, one’s a shortstop who bats leadoff and steals at least 60 bases and scores over 100 runs while the other’s a second baseman who hits for a higher average and drives in more. Still, we’d take Reyes over Cano because he can impact the game more. Both are outstanding at times defensively while there are other plays that make you scratch your head. Ditto for Reyes on the basepaths and Cano mailing it in last year. Just imagine if both played up to their full potential.

-When Big Papi goes yard and former castoff Nick Green drives in a pair while Josh Beckett silences the Yankee bats, you know the Red Sox are in their heads. Speaking of which, what will the run-o-meter look like when Chien-Ming Wang starts tonight versus Tim Wakefield?

-I’m more interested to see how Cole Hamels does against his favorite opponent.

-Raul Ibanez now has 20 homers and already speculation has begun about whether he’s on the juice. The Phillie slugging outfielder was far too pleased and even said he’d return every penny earned if found with a positive test. Damn. Maybe he should just take it to prove innocence and sue for libel. Not that it will ever happen.

-I don’t mind how emotional he gets after a save but what happens when K-Rod blows one? Does he still point up to the Heavens?

-Have you ever seen so much fuss made over Mo Rivera’s implosion against the Rays in a tie game? Not like we’ve never seen it before.

-Who has a better built-in excuse? J.J. Putz or Brad Lidge. I’m going with the guy who was a perfect 48 for 48 and won a world championship last year after coming over from Houston.

-I still say Francisco Cervelli should be the Yankee catcher and Jorge Posada the DH. Say bye to Godzilla already.

-David Wright, who hit his fourth homer and first in forever last night is right about Citi Field. But hey. He’s also much younger than Chipper Jones, who he joked to and is having a better year. Suck it up!

-Remember when Derek Jeter was done? Remember when the Yankee centerfield was a weakness? Next.

-I’ll take Carlos Beltran on my team but if he’s going to rip teammates for getting swept by the Pirates and then not bother hustling out of the box, what kind of leadership is that?

-The Stanley Cup rematch has been pretty good but badly needs a last second finish or sudden death. Cause aside from Game 7, what better drama is there than that?

-I like Kobe and he’s the best player on the planet but when he turns to the refs begging and getting a call in crunch time following a clean block by Dwight Howard, something’s very wrong.

-Still can’t believe the Magic rolled out Finals failure Nick Anderson to get the place jumping. What? Dennis Scott wasn’t available.

-There’s absolutely no way Sidney Crosby should be considered for the Conn Smythe given how mediocre he’s looked versus Henrik Zetterberg and Detroit. Our playoff MVP leading candidates:

1.Evgeni Malkin, Pit

2.Chris Osgood, Det

3.Henrik Zetterberg, Det

4.Johan Franzen, Det

If Malkin has a good game Friday and the Pens fall short, it should be enough for the league’s leading scorer to win the award. Only five times in NHL history has the Conn Smythe recipient come from a losing club (Roger Crozier 1966 Red Wings, Glenn Hall 1968 Blues, Reggie Leach 1976 Flyers, Ron Hextall 1987 Flyers, Jean-Sebastien Giguere 2003 Mighty Ducks).

-If Pavel Datsyuk had been totally healthy for this series, it would’ve already ended.

-Has anyone seen Marian Hossa? Please send whatever info you have to the Detroit Red Wings before 8 ET/5 PT Friday night.

-Still can’t believe the Magic shot 63 percent from the field and still had to hang on for dear life to get their first Finals win in seven tries. That isn’t too promising for the rest of the series.

-I really could do without the nauseating second and fourth quarter interviews with the coaches. Though we loved Phil Jackson’s response during the Game One blowout when asked about Kobe and he was like, ‘How about that game.’

-Kudos to Svetlana Kuznetsova on winning the French Open for her second grand slam title easily dispatchng Russian countrywoman Dinara Safina. The elder former U.S. Open winner played steady tennis from the baseline while young Safina melted down for a second consecutive slam final. Last time out down under, it was against Serena Williams, who Kuznetsova bested in three hard fought sets in the quarters at Roland Garros. Too bad she was a sore loser about it. Kuznetsova also went three sets coming back to beat Samantha Stosur in the semis. Congrats on the win and we think she should be ranked a little higher than five. Speaking of which, no player should ever be No.1 and still haven’t won a major. Sorry.

-It’s still great a few days later that Roger Federer finally conquered his Paris demons completing the career slam. Just wish it could’ve come against archrival Rafael Nadal, who we hope will be healthy enough to defend his title at Wimbledon in less than two weeks.

-I don’t care because it’s the story that won’t go away. But someone needs to tell Brett Favre just that.

-And finally, for your entertainment, the absolutely classic appearance by one Mark-Paul Gosselaar as none other than Saved By The Bell’s Zach Morris on Jimmy Fallon a couple of nights ago on Late Night:

Dude hasn’t aged and stayed totally in character which made it work. Full credit to Fallon for letting him do his thing for this anticipated reunion.

“750 Math. 752 Verbal. 1,502 combined score. Stansbury material.“

Well, yeah. I am back. Of course, I have plenty of thoughts on what’s been going on the past month. Been real preoccupied with Battle covering the NHL playoffs which thankfully are almost over. The first rematch in 24 years will get started later tonight when Sidney Crosby and the Pens visit Nick Lidstrom and the defending champion Red Wings.

Maybe it’s just me but I’m a little sick of it already. Who wants to watch the same two teams do battle? Sure. It will be a ratings bonanza for NBC yet they are so fearful of hockey that they forced the first two games to be back-to-back this weekend which is the first time in 54 years (seriously Ranger fans) that will happen. What kind of network does that? They just can’t allow any Cup game to interrupt Conan O’Brien’s much anticipated week debut on The Tonight Show. I’m a huge Conan fan. So, I get why. Still, you’d think the sport’s marquee event featuring the game’s biggest stars wouldn’t make NBC flinch out of the way like it was a Rocky Balboa left hook. It just goes to show how lowly hockey is thought of in this country when their own network basically dictates what the schedule is. Had either the Pens or Wings been extended, the Cup Final wouldn’t have started till June 5. Can you say just a tad ridiculous?

Most puck observers loved the NHL’s move to NBC feeling it would be excellent but based on how they’ve covered it which is hardly at all with their precious horse races and golf and God knows what else they’d prefer to air over hockey. It really is sad. As for Versus, I had a pretty good rant about how dreadful they have been on Battle. There’s nothing else to be said.

Hopefully, they’ll get an exciting Final that goes seven and features 2-3 OT games. I’m leaning towards the Pens because Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have been absolutely awesome this Spring and their supporting cast is better than last year. Plus the D is tougher and Detroit is banged up. Toss in the experience of losing to them and facing Marian Hossa and I figure they’ve got more than enough incentive to win the club’s first championship since 1992 when a No.66 and No.68 helped them repeat.

As for the Wings, they’re aiming to become the first repeat winner since you guessed it, their franchise led by Stevie Y and Sergei Fedorov turned the trick in 1998 sweeping the Caps a year after sweeping the Flyers. Not a bad legacy to chase. If they repeat though in this Cap Era, that will be a remarkable accomplishment which speaks to just how special the Detroit organization is. It’s much harder to remain successful in today’s game yet Ken Holland and his legion of scouts along with Mike Babcock continue to churn out talented players who fit right into their winning system. If they pull this off without probably Pavel Datsyuk to start and Kris Draper, it will demonstrate just how much depth they possess.

If you’re not a puck fan, do yourself a favor and watch this series. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

… Of course, if you live in this town, hockey basically doesn’t exist. It died less than a month ago when the Rangers and Devils fizzled out both making the wrong kind of history. Why does it feel like they haven’t played in a year? Because if you watch TV, listen to sportsradio or read the papers, it’s been baseball front and center since mid-February. Isn’t that a little sad? I like baseball too but come on. The way fans carry on here when their beloved Yankees or Mets get out of the gate slowly, pushing the panic button when Game 20 of 162 hasn’t been played is scary.

Fast forward a few weeks later and both high priced big market ballclubs are sitting atop their respective divisions. Of course, the same beat writers are now singing the praises of Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia, K-Rod and <gulp> Gary Sheffield. Yep. That same guy who was painted evil but now has become an Amazin hero. Crazy. Johan Santana has been brilliant and Alex Rodriguez has let his bat do the talking. David Wright has erased the boos and Johnny Damon has become a dangerous No.2 hitter in a contract year. Omir Santos has become a cult fixture in Queens and Francisco Cervelli has proven he should be the starting Yankee backstop even if Jorge Posada’s finally healthy. The Captain has quietly produced while Luis Castillo now gets cheered. This is NYC. Where your fate can change over the course of 24 hours. Carlos Beltran has raked and now nobody calls to discuss trading Robby Cano or The Melk Man. John Maine and Mike Pelfrey have silenced critics (Oliver who?) and Andy Pettite has outpitched A.J. Burnett. Nick is Swish-a-licious and Livan Hernandez has turned back the clock. Seriously. Phil Hughes belongs in the Yankee rotation and Joba back in the setup role. The Mets hardly miss Jose Reyes and Daniel Murphy’s future is now at first. The Yankee pen is quite scary while the Amazin’s is almost automatic. And the two NY teams are a combined 15 over .500 both half a game up on their chief rivals. Life is so good that even Mike Lupica’s looking forward to June. Until the next crisis.

… It’s safe to say Evan Longoria is the best young hitter in the game. He just might already be the best player. Too bad his team isn’t coming close to performing like defending AL champs. Do you think any Philly fan misses Pat Burrell with the way Raul Ibanez is scorching the ball? The run production for a 37 year-old NY native is a bit scary. I bet the Rays wish they had a doover on trading away Edwin Jackson to the first place Tigers. It’s refreshing to see Texas in first with Nolan Ryan taking games in and holding pitchers accountable. He wants to do away with pitch counts. Are you going to doubt a legend who struckout over 5,000 and tossed seven no-hitters? We didn’t think so! The Brewers have proved there’s life after Ca$h Cow and Ben Sheets. And Tony LaRussa’s at it again with his Cards. Heck. Even the Reds have shown improvement. Is there any doubt what the best division in the Senior Circuit is? I bet Sweet Lou must’ve had an ear to ear grin after Carlos Zambrano’s blowup with another senile ump. The Dodgers sure miss Manny. Juan Pierre has never played better. Somehow, both the Giants and Padres are .500 which speaks to the kinda managing each is getting. Given how deep their staff is, imagine if San Fran had an actual offense. No. Bengie Molina doesn’t count when he bats cleanup. It’s not the manager in Colorado. Is there a more dysfunctional team than the one that plays in the nation’s cap? Jim Bowden sure couldn’t wait to abandon ship. That franchise is so bad, they should be disbanded. Can anyone hit Zach Greinke? Is this really the end for Big Papi? With Carl Crawford tearing up the basepaths and Jacoby Ellsbury doing the same in Beantown, it sure is nice to see the stolen base back. Who is Aaron Hill? The best kept secret in the AL. Joey Votto’s a monster in the state of Ohio. Ain’t it funny how DL Pavano has won five of his last six starts headed into Sunday’s match-up versus his ex-team? It’s also laughable how bad the Xavier Nady/Damaso Marte deal now looks. Especially with Ross Ohlendorf budding into a top three starter. And finally, did Ryan Church piss in Jerry Manuel’s cornflakes? Someone should contact the guys at CSI.

… I’ll just say that I’m disappointed that the Nuggets didn’t take the Lakers seven. To get beat that badly on your own home court when you were basically even most of the series is humiliating. Maybe my brother’s right. Perhaps Denver really is jinxed. Sure. They got the two Stanley Cups with the Avs but those may as well be half a century ago given how God awful they now are. Even former hero Patrick Roy rejected them. How do you think Tony Granato feels? Same thing with the Rockies who we think just two years ago made the World Series. And the Broncos have their two Lomardi Trophies but no Jay Cutler thanks to a dumb egocentric young coach trying to make his mark. Okay. LeBron’s performance scoring or assisting on 32 straight points spanning the end of the third and fourth quarters in an elimination game was amazing. But he’s not better than Kobe. Sorry buddy. You might not have as good a supporting cast but I’ll take Mr. Bryant in crunchtime anyday. Dwight Howard’s a monster but he should be given how freakish he is compared to other NBA bigs. We still think he needs more work in the lowpost. Bet Patrick Ewing still has a better postgame. I’ve said it for a while that Hedo Turkoglu is the most overlooked superstar. He does so many things well. He can shoot, drive and get his points but the versatile small forward also rebound and distributes. Bet the Kings wish they’d kept him. Speaking of brutal franchises. Rashard Lewis has been money from the outside all playoffs too.  Can someone tell me why Mike Brown didn’t start playing Booby Gibson more until his team got behind 3-1? And shouldn’t the LI kid Wally Szczerbiak be getting more PT? When Stan Van Gundy suddenly morphs into a coaching genius, you know you’re in trouble. I’ve always liked his game but some of the decisions Chauncey Billups made in the pivotal Game 5 late were flat out awful. Speaking of coaching, is it any coincidence Phil Jackson got the better of George Karl, who refused to play Renaldo Balkman? If I’m the Nuggets, I have to consider moving J.R. Smith. For as good a scorer as he is, he’s just a little too selfish and has a poor attitude. Unless that suddenly changes, it might make sense to see what they can get. He’d be a perfect Knick. Whatever happened to the Yi Net Era? Just saying. Give me the Lakers over either the Magic or Cavs in 6.

… You only have to watch a few points on clay to fully comprehend Rafael Nadal’s dominance. Poor Lleyton Hewitt. It’s nice to see most of the seeds still around including lone American men’s hopeful Andy Roddick. I’m hoping he’ll at least get to face the exciting Frenchman Gael Monfils in the Round of 16. Roger Federer struggling in the second round either is a very bad sign or a good one depending on how he responds to the challenge. No surprise to see Venus go bye bye in the first week at the French Open. The red surface just ain’t cutout for her or younger sis Serena. And yes. I’d be shocked if she reached the semis. I like one of the Russians to win. Either Dinara Safina, Elena Dementieva or Svetlana Kuznetsova. Dementieva was fortunate to win her last match with comeback story Jelena Dokic bowing out due to a back injury. She led by a set and was on serve when it happened. Her life’s already been Hell thanks to eccentric Dad Damir. It would be nice if she got a break. Hopefully, she’ll at least be alright for the grass at Wimbledon in a few weeks. Tell ya what. Her power game is taylor made for it. Novak Djokovic is more than just the other contender in Roland Garros. I’m not sure about Andy Murray but he has a shot to do something as well. There’s at least one real good fourth round match with former top 5 Nikolay Davydenko taking on Australian Open semifinalist Fernando Verdasco. That could be a lot of long, grinding points. Possibly five sets and four hours. If you like good tennis, check it out. I won’t take  defending champ Ana Ivanovic seriously until she beats a real opponent. She gets the winner of Carla Suarez Navarro-Victoria Azarenka, who are a set apiece entering the weekend. Even though clay is not her fortet and it’s her second tournament back, never underestimate Maria Sharapova. She’s already pulled out three three-setters. Will she wear down against Na Li? Jelena Jankovic also shouldn’t be counted out. She has a lot to prove and would love to win her first major in Paris. But can she deliver when the pressure’s on? On the men’s side, other younger seeds to keep an eye on are talented Croat Marin Cilic and Muhammad Ali French clone Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. A possible Tsonga-Juan Martin Del Potro Round of 16 match-up could happen. That would be a lot of fun. Still like Rafa to win a record fifth consecutive French but the road should be tougher. Win and the fiery kid from Mallorca will really take his place among tennis greats.

… I’ll miss Jay Leno but am glad he’ll be back this September. Best of luck. Conan will do great but his replacement ain’t doing too badly. Say what you will but Jimmy Falloon sure is wacky. That ending with Justin Long. Classic stuff. And who don’t love The Roots?

Well, I think I’ve covered pretty much everything. It’s too early to talk pigskin. Mark Sanchez needs to do more than score off the field with hottie Hillary Rhoda.

Until next time. Peace and One Love!