Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.
FRIDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
MLB: Red Sox at Tigers, 7:08 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Athletics at Orioles, 7 p.m. (MLB Network)
College baseball: NCAA tournament, Stanford at Vanderbilt, 1 p.m. (ESPN2)
College baseball: NCAA tournament, Charleston at Texas Tech, 1 p.m. (ESPNU)
College baseball: NCAA tournament, Houston at Texas, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
College baseball: NCAA tournament, Pepperdine at TCU, 4 p.m. (ESPNU)
College baseball: NCAA tournament, Kennesaw State at Louisville, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College baseball: NCAA tournament, UC Irvine at Oklahoma State, 10 p.m. (ESPNU)
WNBA: Minnesota Lynx at Seattle Storm, 10 p.m. (NBA TV)
Soccer: Exhibition, Mexico vs. Portugal, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
MLL: Boston Cannons at Ohio Machine, 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
Tennis: French Open, 7 a.m. (Tennis Channel), 11 a.m. (NBC)
AROUND THE WEB:
— LeBron James haters are out in force after the Heat star wilted in the San Antonio heat Thursday night and his team faded in the fourth quarter of a 110-95 loss to the Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
After the air conditioning inside San Antonio’s AT&T Center broke, temperatures soared into the low 90s, making it reminiscent of 1980s finals games at the old Boston Garden. James repeatedly asked out of the game in the closing minutes due to cramping, and the Spurs took advantage, ending the game on a 16-3 run.
“After I came out of the game, they kind of took off,” said James, who finished with 25 points in 33 minutes. “And it was frustrating sitting out and not be able to help our team.”
Added James: “It sucks not being out there for your team, especially at this point in the season.”
Said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra: “I think it felt like a punch in the gut when you see your leader limping like that back to the bench.”
Spurs guard Danny Green scored 11 of his 13 points in the final period, including a 3-pointer to spark the game-ending run, but he expressed empathy for James.
“You could see the heat was getting to a lot of guys,” Green said. “If I played as many minutes as he did, I’d probably be cramping up, too.”
NBA president Rod Thorn understood Miami’s frustration but insisted there were no safety issues that would give the league a reason to step in.
“LeBron had to leave the game in the fourth quarter with the game still in the balance,” Thorn told ESPN. “He’s such a great player that obviously when a player of that ilk leaves the game, it certainly affects the game.
“But again, both teams were playing under the same conditions. There was nothing wrong with the floor. We’ve played in these conditions before.”
— University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari was rewarded for making three Final Four appearances in the last five years when he received a seven-year, $52.5 million contract, the school announced Thursday.
Calipari’s base salary is $400,000 per year through the 2020-21 season, but he makes millions more in endorsements and retention bonuses.
Calipari, 152-37 in his five years at Kentucky, was rumored to be a target of the Lakers, but since the NBA job opened up he has denied any interest. Meanwhile, he’s again assembled one of the top recruiting classes in the nation.
“With the continued support from our administration and the greatest, craziest fans in college basketball, we have accomplished a lot in our five quick years, but we still have lofty goals for the future,” Calipari said in a statement Thursday night. “We want to continue to help young people and their families reach their dreams, while at the same time maintaining our success on the basketball court, in the classroom and in the community.”
— Colts owner Jim Irsay has his license suspended one year by a court due to his arrest in March for driving while intoxicated, according to court documents (via The Indianapolis Star).
Irsay refused a blood test after he was detained March 16 in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel, which automatically triggers the one-year suspension based on Indiana law. The suspension went into effect May 27.
Irsay is due back in court June 19 for an initial hearing on two misdemeanor counts of impaired driving. He has yet to be punished by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On June 6, 1977, which pitcher won his 100th game with the Red Sox?
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Watching it go by, whether it was the first pick or anything where I didn’t even expect myself to go, I was nervous from when I woke up this morning. This is a lifelong dream of mine, and I couldn’t believe I was going to be here for this.” — High school shortstop Michael Chavis, after being drafted by the Red Sox with the 26th pick in the first round of Thursday’s MLB draft
STAT OF THE DAY: 9-1 — Masahiro Tanaka‘s record, after the Japanese rookie stopped the Yankees‘ four-game losing streak with Thursday’s 2-1 victory over the Athletics
‘NET RESULTS (mobile users, check the website to see the videos): Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira shows his lighter side by hosting a talk show on the YES Network called “Foul Territory.”
Rays designated hitter David DeJesus rides a toy horse in the dugout after scoring a run in Thursday game against the Marlins.
Freestyle soccer star Sean Garnier dresses as an old man so he can surprise some young players at a pickup game.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Luis Tiant
SOOTHING SOUNDS: Gary U.S. Bonds was born on this day in 1939.
