A night after Stanford, under same coach Tara VanDerveer, again survived a potential last shot loss, in a clear no cover win, to claim its first crown since 1992 (on ViSN, the 92 of Pat Boone’s “1492” phone #, then the female voice said phone–each as I typed SAME), Baylor (5-1) vs the spread (they no covered Hartford, as a huge favorite in their first tournie tilt) ripped over rated, previously unbeaten (told you about Jalens, Adam Morrison on Gonzaga network taunted UCLA after Suggs’ lucky shot) Gonzaga, to win their first crown.
As I wrote after the Gonzaga win vs UCLA, it cost me, however, I am proud to say I watched none.
You people may continue to endure the useless, every play rants (this is one also, but I stand by my fervent belief, it is ridiculous, illustrated by Bill Raftery and Grant Hill doing a Steven Bishop going “on and on”), of so called game analysts, however, I will not.
Baylor, which got a game high 22 points from Jared Butler never trailed and under Scott Drew, who dropped rhyming Mark Few to rhyming (0 and TWO) in title tilts, won its first ever crown, a scant 2 weeks after the great Elgin (Baylor) sans a title, but having lived a good life–a lesson to still titles conscious me— died.
Stanford’s Haley Jones, pictured above, was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.
Baylor’s Jared Butler, pictured above, was named Most Outstanding Player in the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.
In the “had to be,” LeBron (does Chase really need a James item, even if the undeserving, sadist to my masochist, and this is far later and severe than a cookie near OTB, Bellman gets his on line price?) in the 2020 NBA Final, however similar name Jimmy Butler was outstanding in defeat.
Yesterday, 7 plus to 1 underdog, Arizona advanced to its first Women’s NCAA Basketball final, toppling Connecticut, a 4th straight “semis” loss for the latter. They won their 11th title in 2016 and have been “semi’d” out since that point.
It is an all Pacific 12 final (couple that with the great success of that conference in the men’s tournament) as Stanford, a 9 point favorite, will be U of A’s opponent. Stanford minus 6 won (66-65) vs South Carolina.
The lone Pac 12 team to make the men’s semis is the once glory program, U.C.L.A. which has the most titles (11) and will be in their 19th semi-final game.
They are (11-2) in title tilts, (10-0) under the great coach John Wooden. Wooden was (10-2) in semis, losing to eventual champions, Cincinnati in 1962 and North Carolina State in 1974. Each was a very close game. Paul Hogue led Cincy to the ’62 crown and the great player, David Thompson led the ’74 Wolfpack crown.
U.C.L.A. is (13-5) in previous semis and only in ’08 when Kansas and Mario Chalmers/poor free toss shooting (ode to Joe Tait) and terrible down the stretch play and Calipari coaching took the title from Memphis, (this year’s NIT winner, in an NIT, not in New York. First time?) did the team that “semi’d” UCLA NOT win the crown.
Top heavy 14 plus point(s) favorite Gonzaga is over a 2 to 1 favorite to make it 5 of 6 times that the team to “semi” U.C.L.A. wins the crown. We shall see. That and of course money is why they play the games.
Yesterday was opening day in baseball and I now realize they have again worsened the once great game, by putting the first batter on second base in extra innings.
Once, on May 14, 1972, “my” Lakers and Bruins had “titled” and Willie Mays, yesterday 5 weeks from his 90th birthday, was playing his first game as a member of the Mets.
I believe “King Kong” Kiner had him in center, the great Lindsey Nelson detailed correctly regarding first baseman, Willie Mays.
The Mets’ team trainer at the time, Tom McKenna had been in the same position, with Willie at Minneapolis of Triple A baseball, 21 years earlier in fateful 1951.
Mays hitting .477, the Giants slumping and McKenna went to the Sioux City, Iowa (I think) movie place, to tell Willie, he was headed to the big leagues.
In the first frame that May Mother’s Day, leadoff man, first sacker, (big ovation), bottom 1, Willie walked vs Sam McDowell.
That bottom 1, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts and in between a grand slam homer by Daniel “Rusty” Staub.
All four “quarters” tilts to be played on Monday and Tuesday nights have favorites of at least 7 plus points (3 of the favorites, favoUrites is the spelling beyond the U.S.) with tomorrow(Tuesday’s) Michigan/UCLA “quarter” a redux of the same calendar/1965 NCAA Final.
In that ’65 final, the great player, Gail Goodrich hit for 42 points while Kenny Washington added 17 as UCLA won its second straight crown in what became the great dynasty run of 10 titles in 12 seasons, under legendary coach, John Wooden.
Michigan a 7 plus point(s) “fave” tomorrow has lost in the NCAA final in 2 other same calendar years, 1976 to an undefeated Indiana team and in ’93 to North Carolina (I certainly do do not like to criticize players for any mistakes, especially those of a physical nature. A mental error such as the extra timeout gaffe by the vastly over rated player, Chris Weber, a key if not the key play in Dean Smith’s second and final title–both his titles in same calendar as 2021 in ’82 and aforementioned ’93, does warrant more criticism. However, what tilts it to an unbearable point and I blame the copy cat producers who run television and ergo a good part of our minds, for allowing the likes of Weber to play G-d/God/the force, in his criticism of players).
There are 3 teams from the Pacific 12 in the “quarters.” Oregon State, on an incredible 6 game win skein, all as “nice” underdogs, again are big “dogs,) (plus 8) vs region second seed, Houston. In addition to UCLA, the other Pac 12 team that is “quartering,” also is L.A. based, namely USC, a 9 point underdog, vs tournie favorite Gonzaga, in the first game tomorrow night.
The now defunct Southwest Conference has three of its “once” teams in the quarters, two in tonight’s second tilt. It matches region top seed, Baylor and that region’s “3,” Arkansas. The other once SWC team is Houston. I liked them until I realized Nantz loves them. (By the way, though I truly dislike Nantz for his exclusivity/right wing politics, he is infinitely more talented than Romo. Each makes an obscene amount of money, thus the ridiculous fact Romo makes so much more than Nantz, is nowhere near as bad as the fact each makes so much. Again this society that rewards Nantz, Romo and S.A. Smith to name three, while denying teachers, nurses and others doing far more important and better work, is already down the drain. It is not likely to escape that position, especially if those 3 and myriad others are rewarded the way they are.)
Other same calendar notes include Baylor making and losing the final (I think that will happen this year, but that is a “chalk” plurality pick as the plurality leader is Gonzaga over Baylor in next week’s title tilt) in 1948, USC making and losing in the national semis in 1954 and that if both favorites, Gonzaga and Michigan prevail tomorrow night, Saturday’s semi (I get my second vaccine just before) will match Michigan with an undefeated team as was the above referenced case in (same calendar) 1976.
Do not kid yourselves, we all do have plenty to b–ch about, even if we have the basics. My having the basics is no sure thing going forward. What makes it worse is that 20 years ago today, a woman who 2 nights back did not even have the decency to return a hello, was in a God forsaken home urging my mother to sign me out of her life.
Their (there were so many other conspirators involved and somehow, some day I must tell the story. Also I must “let it go, alas not an even remotely easy task) initial effort did not but eventually my mother was taken from me.
I will deal with that and perhaps detail it in the future. Also there is a very good chance the incredibly bad events that followed, involving so many people, some you may have heard of, will continue to eat at me. Not good, in fact awful!!
Yet I have and will continue to help others. Here is something to do, sponsored by the fine organization, “Pencils of Promise,” as there is need for education and progress as so many young woman face great loss of myriad opportunities because they begin to menstruate.
Please click the link below and find out more. There is great joy in helping others and so many of these young woman need our help.
So much for Sister Schmidt and Loyola Chi, I guess a nice story, but the “losing team “58,” worked vs them as upstart, “Southside With Me” but never me, “smalls” it, with Oregon State.
The Loyola team was in ’63, 8 months before much of the good ended with shots in Dallas (hey you gun toters who say guns do not kill, people do–the great, late Pete Hamill said it best as a retort to that phallic stupidity, “that’s like saying Willie Mays could hit home runs without a bat”), when they OT’d, 2 time defending champion Cincinnati (60-58) to win the crown.
Last Sunday, they wired to wired” 7 point fave, region top seed Illinois, the losing team scoring 58, as “Bell” had it “toll vs him,” but a la Boris, it fell on me.
Earlier today Oregon State (65-58) vs 7point fave Loyola. I nervously await a Zoom Seder and though areligious, please do not use certain phrases in my presence. However, forgive even forget.
I have to write a book and be succinct, with full edited sentences.
Easier said than done.
Losing the exponentially versatile, classy and beyond talented performer, George Segal, who died days back at age 87, leaves a bigger void in all those categories and as it grows bigger and less affordable, praise and memories of Mr. Segal, perhaps, can soothe.
Working back to front, Segal always blessed with the comedic “chops,” exhibited them for newer audiences on television in shows called “Just Shoot Me” and “The Goldbergs.”
“Out of the past” me (maybe Jane Greer and Mr. Mitchum are greeting Mr. Segal now) me, watched neither, however, it is testimony to Mr. Segal and perhaps inspiration for me, that he worked until the end.
Oh the work and and performances he gave! He was part of many great full casts and I cite two. Then please consider his work as one of two, in so many great instances, some to be cited below.
My friend “The “Cheese” fell again today, a source of such frustration that she does so and is often “out of it,” battling depression. Yet when I mentioned George Segal, she came alive, citing her “love” for him, which started with his extraordinary turn in “A Ship of Fools.”
Going chalk or with the consensus is not usually me, however, the foursome of Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Sandy Dennis and Mr. Segal in the film adaptation of Edward Albee’s seminal book “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolff?” is at or near the top of any list.
I loved George with Jane Fonda in “Fun With Dick and Jane” and with Elliott Gould, who wrote “keep broadcasting clearly” at the same ’80 Lakers’ victory party at which I met Elgin Baylor, (I put a picture of Elgin, “Silk” Wilkes and me in the “Remembering Elgin” post, but it is not there) in “California Split.”
In each, the duos tried to “beat the system” and Segal along with Jane and Elliott, made you root for them.
George could be a romantic lead of any kind and with the fabulous Glenda Jackson in “A Touch of Class,” he proved to be one of the best.
Many more, what a career, what a mensch–no higher complement! Go easy, George Segal and I will watch more of your work and try to keep going.
George Segal, pictured above.
Instead of a Sunday to Thursday wait from the second real round (the first games are 68 to 64 in my “book”), it is Monday until Saturday, with “quarters” on “school nights” Monday and Tuesday, with 10 or so P.M. Eastern Time starts, as a wild (4 double digit seeds still playing) NCAA Basketball Tournament progresses. (No it regresses, Nantz, his network which includes the never shuts up Raftery, rakes in the $, while the athletes get a box lunch and some deodorant. PUN INTENDED The Whole situation STINKS!! —
Yet since it once was great, some notes with death and some of the many recent deaths of sports greats noted.
Bob Gibson went to Creighton, Tom Seaver attended USC. Al Kaline can be linked to Michigan and Baylor which like the great Elgin has never won a title is favored to at least make the national semis.
Syracuse is in a third final 16 as a double digit seed, all in recent years. This year Buddy Boeheim’s hot shooting has helped his father, the team’s coach, Jim Boeheim.
Also “Syr” is doing in a period of time within a year of the great football player, Floyd Little’s death as well as that of the great actor who played him, in “The Express” about Ernie Davis, namely Chadwick Boseman.
Tournament overall seed, Gonzaga is a double digit favorite for a third straight tournament game vs Creighton, the winner to meet the USC/Oregon winner.
The lightly regarded Pac 12 has 4 teams in the final 16, (UCLA and Oregon State are the other two. I watched as posted before, “Southside and Me” regarding Barack and Michelle–how about a “vibe” (where “first brother in law” Craig Robinson once coached) on Oregon State, which made their bettors a fortune, winning 3 straight since I saw the movie and 5 straight as nice dogs, overall).
Now Oregon State, again is a big underdog, this time vs Loyola Chicago, which still has Sister Schmidt praying for them and the fact that since Mr. Robinson is no longer the Or St coach, that Barack and the former Ms. Robinson, each Chicago linked, probably are rooting for Loyola “Chi.”
Speaking of the Ramblers, they won the ’63 title when they beat defending two time champion, Cincinnati (60-58). Illinois scored 58 points in a no show, first game of the long day, Sunday vs Loyola.
Once together in the no longer Southwest Conference, Baylor (vs 2 time recent champion, Villanova, under current coach, Jay Wright) and Arkansas (a double digit one vs 15 seed Oral Roberts) are decent sized “faves” to meet in the “quarters.”
Houston, almost as near and dear to the mercenary, hard a-s (too bad the mic was on when you expressed your opinion about the players kneeling)Nantz, as his hedge funds, is a seemingly too high 6 plus point(s) fave vs Syracuse, the winner to meet the Or.St/Loyola Chi winner.
In ’99, each won titles, first Michigan in hoops when another Mr. Robinson “Rummealed” two all-time clutch free throws and then Florida State in “pig.” Now they meet in the round of 16, the winner to face the battle between the teams with the most hoops and pig titles.
Of course they are UCLA in hoops and Alabama in football.
Andy B Sports 