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Saturday is so jam-packed with sports you’re going to need to pace yourself like you’re attending a wine festival. Don’t indulge too much early, or else you and your stained teeth are going to end up being carried back to the car (or passed out on the couch). But don’t watch too little or else you’ll have let a tremendous sports day slip through your fingers. Here’s FTW’s guide on how to enjoy Saturday, May 2, the best sports day of 2015.
Various soccer games and tennis matches from Europe — 7 a.m., Various networks
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It’s going to be a late night, so you need your rest. Sleep in. Have a nice, big breakfast. Fuel up for a long day. But if you insist on watching Roger Federer play a semifinal in Istanbul or a soccer game featuring a team from a city best known for its beer production, at least brew an extra-large pot of coffee.
NFL Draft, Rounds 4-7, — Noon, ESPN/NFLN
Where everyone is Tom Brady waiting to happen: the dumpier, then better. This is taking place outside for some reason and because the sun always shines on the NFL, the weather in Chicago appears perfect. Sadly, there are no super-compelling final day stories to tell, so if you’re watching it’s to learn the name of the backup offensive lineman or special teams player that will be in uniform come training camp or to see ESPN’s D-team.
Capitals at Rangers, Game 2 — 12:30, NBC
Game 1 between the old Patrick Division foes was a thriller, with Alex Ovechkin finding Joel Ward with two seconds left to score the second-latest game-winning goal in NHL playoff history.
That came two periods after Ovechkin’s seeing-eye blast put the Caps ahead 1-0 at The Garden.
Keep in mind, this is slo mo.
This is your best option of the early part of the day, but it’s also May and if the old saying is true, there should be May flowers from all those April showers we endured. Unless you’re a fan of the Caps, Rangers or overall NHL in general, you have permission to skip this one. It’s Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. It has as much meaning as a regular season game. You know that if the Caps win and go home 2-0, they’ll find a way to blow it. And if the Rangers win, it’s just a best-of-five. This thing is going six or seven and that’s unarguable.
Kentucky Derby — 6:25 p.m. ET, NBC
Race favorite American Pharoah. I’m kidding. I have no idea which horse this is. (USA TODAY Sports Images)
Bathe in the majesty of 1,200 pound animals running around a dirt track in front of ladies in silly hats. The Derby, I would argue, is actually the must-watch event of the day because it’s an annual tradition that should be supported by the sports community, unless you just want the NFL to wipe out all other sports and, in their place, television will show Roger Goodell giving inspirational messages on a loop. People may not like boxing or be too broke to watch boxing or be too tired to watch boxing on Saturday, but the Derby is on free TV and it brings along with it the must-see possibility of seeing Bob Costas stand next to a jockey. Plus, you’ll get to feel like a real handicapper when you make completely superficial judgments about horses in order to predict their race fate. “He looks mean, he’s going to finish last.” “Woah, look at that! He’s a feisty one! (Laughs, then turns sober.) But that may lead to trouble getting out of the gate.” “Danzig Moon? Yes, Yes I will listen to some Glenn Danzig, thank you very much.” “Oooh, pretty! I pick that one.”
Los Angels Clippers vs. San Antonio Spurs, Game 7 — 8 p.m. ET, TNT
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports
Don’t build your day around the start time. Even though this is the most meaningful event on Saturday’s sports calendar, yes even more than Mayweather-Pacquiao, everybody knows you don’t turn on an NBA game until the fourth quarter. So feel free to run out and grab dinner after the Derby, just make sure you’re back home at 10 p.m. so you can spend an hour watching the final three minutes of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin whining at the refs versus Tim Duncan and Tony Parker acting in disbelief in front of the refs. Game 7, it’s fantastic.
Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao appx. 11:30 p.m. ET, PPV
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It’s not the biggest fight ever, it’s just the most expensive fight ever. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t revel in it anyway. MMA is the worst, so a good, old-fashioned boxing match is as close as we’re getting to reliving the days of Louis, Marciano, Ali, Foreman, Frazier, Holyfield and Tyson. Get a friend to buy the fight, then offer to bring the beers, sit through the interminable undercards and then enjoy the main event: Justin Bieber standing adjacent to Floyd Mayweather before the biggest moment of his life.
