THE REALIST SPORTSTALK IN THE NORTHWEST
Jesus Montero and Justin Smoak hit back-to-back home runs, Blake Beavan tied a season-high with seven strikeouts and the Seattle Mariners held on to beat the Colorado Rockies 6-4 on Sunday to complete a 3 game sweep . Mike Carp also homered and Dustin Ackley had two hits for the Mariners. Carlos Gonzalez homered among his three hits and Dexter Fowler also homered for Colorado, which has lost four straight overall and 8 of 10 at home in May.
Friday
Celtics @ 76ers 5pm ESPN
Thunder @ Lakers 7:30 pm ESPN
Saturday
Spurs @ Clippers 12:30 ABC
Thunder @ Lakers 4:30 pm TNT
Just a day after his former team received their Super Bowl XLVI rings, New York Giants great Lawrence Taylor put his Super Bowl XXV ring up for auction.
The ring, won in 1990 when the Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills, is listed on the website of SCP Auctions and will be open for bids until late Saturday.
As of Thursday morning, the highest bid was $37,982 on what the auction house calls “arguably the most significant Super Bowl player ring ever offered publicly.”
The ring has an unspecified reserve price that has not yet been met.
The historic piece of jewelry features “two football shaped diamonds on the face surrounded by worn blue enameling framed by seventeen smaller diamonds.” Taylor’s name and number, 56, also appear on the ring The 53-year-old Hall of Famer, considered one of the greatest linebackers in football history, retired in 1994 after a 13-year career with the Giants but has since struggled with legal and financial troubles.
He was arrested in 2010 for having sex with a 16-year-old prostitute. A judge sentenced him to six years of probation in March 2011 and he was forced to register as a sex offender.
Taylor was also convicted of tax evasion in 2000 and served three months of house arrest. He won two Super Bowls with the Giants, the first in 1986.
Kevin Garnett scored 27 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and used a dominant second quarter to help the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 107-91 on Wednesday night and take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Whistled for a costly illegal pick late in a Game 2 loss, Garnett crushed the Sixers early and never let them think about a fourth-quarter rally.
Garnett scored 13 of Boston’s 32 points in the second quarter and the Celtics became the first team to win by double digits. Game 1 and Game 2 were each decided by one point.
Rajon Rondo had 23 points and 14 assists. Paul Pierce, playing with a banged-up knee, had 24 points and 12 rebounds.
Game 4 is Friday in Philadelphia.
Schedule
4pm Heat @ Pacers ESPN
6:30pm Clippers @ Spurs ESPN
The Patriots and Welker are still hoping to work out a long-term contract extension. They have until July 16 to negotiate a deal under NFL rules governing franchise players.
Welker led the league with 122 receptions last season, ranking second in receiving yards with 1,569 behind Detroit Lions star Calvin Johnson
“Wes Welker is a remarkable football player for our team and has been a vital component to our offense and special teams since we traded for him in 2007,” the Patriots said in a statement when they franchised Welker earlier this year. “Utilizing the franchise designation allows both sides more time to try to reach an agreement, which is the goal. Wes remains a contractual priority and we are hopeful that he will remain a Patriot for years to come.”
During his time with the Patriots, Welker has caught 554 passes for 6,105 yards and 31 touchdowns.
The Patriots want to lock up Welker with a long-term deal. Welker made $2.5 million last season.
Welker caught 123 passes in 2009.
Only Welker and former NFL wide receiver Cris Carter have generated two seasons with
120 receptions.
City leaders in San Francisco are courting the Golden State Warriors, trying to woo the NBA team back to the City by the Bay within five years Mayor Ed Lee sent a letter on Friday saying the city would work with Warriors executives to bring the team to San Francisco in time for the 2017-18 season.
The note, signed by all 11 city supervisors and numerous business and labor leaders, floats the possibility of building a waterfront arena. It was sent a few days after Lee met with new Warriors owner Peter Guber in Los Angeles.
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan responded Monday by sending the team her own letter. Quan says Oakland is committed to keeping the Warriors in the East Bay.
