Weekend Watchdog: No Lakers, No Celtics?
The Lakers didn’t make the NBA Western Conference Finals – is that allowed?
The two-time champions exited the playoffs Sunday after being swept by Dallas.
The Celtics’ season ended Wednesday. The Heat scored the last 16 points of the game to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.
The teams with the most NBA championships are on the sideline the rest of the way.
Who will join the Mavericks and Heat in the conference finals? Thursday, the Bulls try to close out their series in Atlanta. The tip is 8 p.m. on ESPN.
Friday, Memphis hosts Game 6 of its series with Oklahoma City. Results from those contests will determine rest of the weekend schedule.
The top two seeds in the NHL’s Eastern Conference have been ousted, leaving Boston and Tampa Bay to battle for a Stanley Cup Final berth. They start their series Saturday at 8 p.m. on Versus.
Out west, Vancouver hosts Game 1 Sunday at 8 p.m. on Versus. Either San Jose or Detroit – who play their Game 7 Thursday at 9 p.m. – will be the opponent.
The Red Sox visit the Yankees this weekend – guess what’s ESPN’s Sunday game of the week? FOX has Saturday baseball in prime time. Games include Giants at Cubs, Dodgers-Diamondbacks and ….Red Sox-Yankees.
Sunday afternoon, TBS has the Phillies visiting Atlanta.
The Nationals are in Atlanta Thursday on MASN, then host Florida this weekend – Friday and Sunday on MASN2, and Saturday at 1 p.m. on MASN.
The Orioles face Seattle Thursday on MASN2, before heading to Tampa Bay for a series with the Rays on MASN (MASN2 Saturday at 4 p.m.).
NASCAR visits the Monster Mile this weekend, with the Sprint Car racers on FOX Sunday at 1 p.m. The Nationwide race takes the track Saturday at 2 p.m. on ESPN.
The PGA tour hits TPC Sawgrass and its famous 17th hole for the Players Championship this weekend. NBC has coverage Saturday and Sunday starting at 2 p.m.
The D.C. United face Colorado Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on Comcast, while ESPN2 shows Seattle-Portland Saturday at 11 p.m.
Comcast has SEC baseball Friday at 7 p.m., with Vanderbilt going against Florida. Saturday, it’s ACC action at 1 p.m. with Miami at Virginia followed by Tennessee-LSU at 4 p.m.
It’s a big weekend for conference softball tournaments. The ACC crowns its champion Sunday at 1 p.m. on Comcast, while ESPN2 has the Big East final Saturday at 5 p.m.. The SEC title game is on ESPN Saturday at 8 p.m., after a first-round game between Alabama and Mississippi State Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
The NCAA lacrosse tournament starts this weekend. ESPN2 has Johns Hopkins vs. Hofstra Saturday at noon, and ESPN offers North Carolina against Maryland Sunday at 1 p.m.
Weekend Watchdog: No Lakers, No Celtics?
The Lakers didn’t make the NBA Western Conference Finals – is that allowed?
The two-time champions exited the playoffs Sunday after being swept by Dallas.
The Celtics’ season ended Wednesday. The Heat scored the last 16 points of the game to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.
The teams with the most NBA championships are on the sideline the rest of the way. Read more
Weekend Watchdog: Drafting for the picket line
We have a 2011 NFL schedule. Thursday, we have the 2011 NFL draft. Will we have a 2011 NFL season on time.
Ask the lawyers about the coming season. Until then, the NFL draft opens Thursday on ESPN and NFL Network. There’s plenty of questions due to the lockout, but nobody locks out Mel Kiper Jr.
It’s one round of picks Thursday night at 8, two more on Friday starting at 6 p.m. and the final four rounds Saturday beginning at noon.
Then it’s back to the negotiating table. And more waiting for fans.
The Capitals advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs, and begin play Friday at 7 p.m. on Comcast and Versus. Game 2 against the Lightning is set for Sunday at 7 p.m.
The second round begins Thursday on Versus, with the Predators visiting Vancouver at 9 p.m. The second West semifinal begins Friday at 10:30 p.m. with Detroit heading to San Jose.
NBC shows the opener of the Bruins-Flyers series Saturday at 3 p.m., and Game 2 from San Jose Sunday at 3 p.m. Versus has the second game from Vancouver Saturday at 9 p.m.
In the NBA playoffs, there’s a pair of Game 6 contests on TNT Thursday – Lakers at Hornets at 8 p.m., followed by Dallas at Portland. ESPN has Game 6 between San Antonio and Memphis Friday at 9 p.m.
Saturday’s schedule? Depends on who wins Thursday. The first East semifinal kicks off Sunday at 3:30 p.m. when the Heat take on the Celtics.
NASCAR heads to Richmond for the weekend, with the Sprint Cup race Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on FOX. The Nationwide racers take the track Friday for the Bubba Burger 250 on ESPN2.
For a more exotic locale, the IndyCar drivers are in Sao Paulo Sunday at noon on Versus.
FOX Saturday baseball goes early this week, with the Mets visiting the Phillies at 1 p.m. Other games in the time slot are Angels at Rays and the Cardinals taking on the Braves. The Mets and Phillies meet again Sunday at 8 p.m. on ESPN, while the Yankees host the Blue Jays in the afternoon on TBS.
The Orioles play the Red Sox Thursday on MASN, then go to Chicago this weekend on MASN2. The Nationals are home this week, with the Mets on MASN2 Friday and Giants in town Friday through Sunday on MASN.
Comcast has ACC baseball this weekend, with Florida State at Miami Saturday at 7 p.m. Saturday afternoon at 1, Georgia Tech visits Clemson.
Comcast goes to the Sun Belt Saturday at 4 p.m. for Arkansas-Little Rock taking on Louisiana-Lafayette.
ESPN2 has SEC baseball between Arkansas and Georgia Saturday at 1 p.m. and Auburn-South Carolina Sunday at 3 p.m.
ESPN showcases college softball Saturday at 8 p.m., with Oklahoma facing Texas.
The PGA tour visits New Orleans this weekend, with CBS providing coverage Saturday and Sunday starting at 3 p.m.
Weekend Watchdog: Drafting for the picket line
We have a 2011 NFL schedule. Thursday, we have the 2011 NFL draft. Will we have a 2011 NFL season on time.
Ask the lawyers about the coming season. Until then, the NFL draft opens Thursday on ESPN and NFL Network. There’s plenty of questions due to the lockout, but nobody locks out Mel Kiper Jr.
It’s one round of picks Thursday night at 8, two more on Friday starting at 6 p.m. and the final four rounds Saturday beginning at noon.
Then it’s back to the negotiating table. And more waiting for fans. Read more
Weekend Watchdog: Triple Crown or not
Column by Mike Judge
WeekendWatchdog.blogspot.com
Going into the Kentucky Derby, all the horses have a chance of winning the Triple Crown. Saturday in Baltimore, only one still has that chance. Read more
Weekend Watchdog | Time for baseball postseason
I got out of the newspaper business before baseball added the third round to the postseason. Boy, was I glad.
From 1988 to 1993, every October meant waiting for the baseball game to end. Our press deadline was supposed to be 11:30 p.m., but deadlines meant nothing to baseball. Rarely was the 8 p.m. game done with time to spare. Read more
