Start (the first instruction word from Word Press) with Henry Louis Aaron, as is the case with Henry Louis Gehrig, clearly one of the six greatest baseball players yet to have played (Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio and Willie Mays), is forever associated with the greatest (he was a star pitcher, vaulting him to the top spot, if not before without it), George Herman “Babe” Ruth.

I need not cite the numbers, do a “Casey Stengel” and look them up, but will note Henry Aaron drove in more runs than any player in baseball history.

Memories abound, accomplishments were great and as cited before here, I met Mr. Aaron on two occasions, one with his lovely wife Billye Williams, manifesting in each laughing when I said there were 1,181 home runs between them. ( Billy Williams, another baseball treasure from the state of Alabama and all that will forever entail in this country that moved away from an all time low in having J.R. Biden replace Trump in the top office days back, but brought chained human beings to pick cotton and enslaved them, hit 426 “taters” —hear “Old Man River” in all its versions!!).

My father wanted me to get interested in sports, especially baseball. He regretted creating a bit of a monster. Our enjoyment of the games together was limited by that and other factors. Yet I ought to be grateful that we had our moments together, a truly great one involving him calling my “non sports fan,” mother who he somehow got to marry him, though he courted her at the Polo Grounds.

He “IDA’d” twice regarding baseball, calling her to watch the immediacy of television, something the two of them realized more profoundly than me, having lived many years without its good and as it manifested, mostly bad.

The last time was in his last and baseball’s last TRUE game (You know how I feel about the wild card presence!) when Joe Carter’s 3RHR transformed a one run deficit into a second straight Toronto Blue Jays crown in game 6 of the 1993 World Series, when teams from Canada were “allowed” to win such seemingly important, but really not things. (Only the 2019 Toronto Raptors have won a major North American sports title since Carter’s historic home run, leaving among other notes, the fact Alex Trebek, the narrator of the NHL Stanley Cup film the last time Toronto’s Maple Leafs won it/The Cup, in 1967, who died in fateful 2020, as having done so, without being on earth for a subsequent Maple Leafs final round appearance, no less a title.

Dad called my mother’s name so excited, though he probably wanted the Babe’s 714 home runs to still top the list, when Henry connected vs another 44, Al Downing on Monday night April 8, 1974 in a game we were fortunate to see, as NBC with the great broadcaster Curt Gowdy, TV’d it to the nation.

As stated I met Henry and Billye and mentioned the 1,181 plus my great admiration.

It extends far beyond the baseball field as Mr. Aaron was an influence of good on so many younger players, notably Ralph Garr and a player I know pretty well, Dusty Baker as told in Howard Bryant’s fine book “The Last Hero,” about Henry, which I am so glad to have read.

He (Aaron) was a beacon of light in the civil rights movement and even though it ended tragically that day in Dallas, (another piece of history/fact that will forever haunt us and will do so even more if we do not improve our “LEVELS” regarding race, ethnicity, the poor, vs greed, compassion and overall giving), I admire Aaron’s vision in helping JFK win the Wisconsin Primary in 1960.

In no obituary, (I really can not afford newspapers and their plight which often “big mouth” me contributes to, clearly saddens me, but can I help the fact they/the system took my mother?!!) and honesty compels me to admit to not being able to read most (The Washington Post’s obituary regarding Henry, was superb) was mention made of the fact, Hank, he clearly preferred Henry, but I allow myself one Hank, homered to clinch the ’57 pennant, one en route to Aaron’s only title in the subsequent World Series win vs the vaunted Yankees, who reversed the 7 game result a year later, in a game vs the St. Louis Cardinals on September 23rd.

If I can trust the facts written/typed on this thing called the internet, Aaron’s pennant clinching blow was the only such occurrence via a game ending (I also abhor the term they now use for such a play, although Gross warned that when a home team falls behind in a potential last inning, they do not have to “4 letters, 3 letters” the field) home run in regular season/non playoffs, baseball annals.

Two memories before this tangential, emotional lover of “my time baseball” and certainly the great Henry Aaron, attempts to circumvent grief and regret by producing/doing, each involving old friends.

A Sunday in 1973, talking before “Braves at Mets,” with fellow Aaron fan, Brad Weiner and assessing Henry’s pursuit of the Babe’s hallowed record. It would be a good day in that regard, two home runs by “The Hammer,” one I vividly being called in such beautiful fashion, by Mets’ broadcaster, Bob Murphy. (Where oh where is the recording?).

The last one, it is “late September (1973) and “I really ought to have made a move/told Renee (how do you type the accent over and which e?) how I felt (mistakenly I told such to Christine “too soon” hence as seemingly always no “even part of the moon”).

Instead of, I am sleeping on the couch, the great Michael Santasieri and Ms. Renee watching television and news is transported that Henry homered that Saturday night and is within, I believe 2 home runs of Mr. Ruth.

I seemed to awaken just as that news was heard. Both find it funny and typical, especially Mr. Santasieri, who long knew of my sports involvement.

Much of that love, also a failed one (no job from it) probably germinated from a shy only child’s lack of romance and a strong appreciation of the day’s great players such as Henry and equally, if not more important (I knew I was not to be as they say Mickey Mantle, but I could have approached Marv Albert–the just as great Joe Tait said so–and surely topped just about any that permeate today—) the time’s great broadcasters.

Through it all, through the tears literal (fine) but the seemingly eternal figurative ones, I am glad I loved baseball then and greats such as Henry Aaron forever.

He was an incredible man, so tested by enduring racism, so propped up from love and less but still important an incredible ability to play what is still a great game.

The fact that Don Sutton, who died too early at age 75 days back, never played on a title team (his teams lost in all 4 of his World Series “apps” and in one of his 5 LCS) and though the best of them, was a “compiler,” ought not take too much away from his baseball accomplishments.

He also was a very good man, one I encountered both on the phone when as a much younger still Dodgers fan, I told him how proud I was of his progress, and when I interviewed the so personable Sutton in Vero Beach (my camera person was Amy McQuillin and why oh why did I not “try” with her then?!!) in 1989.

On an essentially gambling show with football always the biggest topic, especially now before the title tilts, sportsbook director Chris Andrews told the tale (why is the great movie, “The Sting” not on any more?) of Sutton setting up he and two family members for a great day in the L.A. dugout, after seeing his uncle, who lost both legs, out and about, relishing life despite a horrible blow.

Do not get me wrong he was a helluva pitcher and he was in agreement when I called his game 1, 1974 NLCS performance, a brilliant/no sweat 4 hit win vs a hard hitting Pittsburgh Pirates’ team as his best game. With a lineup that included Willie Stargell, Al Oliver and Manny Sanguillen among other hard hitters (were not they “The Lumber Company?!), Don remarked to me that 3 of the hits were by Paul Popovich, who was on the field for a good chunk of Don Drysdale’s scoreless innings in ’68, but certainly was never confused with Rogers Hornsby (lifetime average of .358) as a hitter.

I think more so than the fictional character in “Kane” who had “a rare privilege” reading at the rich broker’s library, when I got to interview Sandy Koufax (I better find the tape/DVD), Don Drysdale, John Podres, Claude Osteen, and Burt Hooton (what a pitching staff and in ’66 when the Dodgers won the pennant and even/despite in a swept out losing World Series to the Orioles, had excellent pitching with Sandy, Don, John and Mr. Sutton all on the team).

Referencing football, Sutton, recognizing my great recall (alas what was said regarding a great memory in the seminal “Kane,” told of his day on the last day of the ’80 “reg” when in those great no wild card days the season was on the line.

L.A. had to win vs the Astros, who somehow had Sutton the next season (he did not pitch in the ’81 extra round in which L.A. down (2-0) won in 5 en route to a shortened season title. Two of their 3 titles since Sandy shutout the Twins in #7/’65 W.S. were in such seasons, including following the 50 game debacle last season) and Don having pitched well in a no decision must L.A. win 2 days earlier, surely was not going to pitch.

He hung out watching NFL games, chicken perhaps dripping on his warm up stuff, though he was told he might be needed to get a batter out.

It manifested and Don in the interview said sans an “athletic supporter,” (that’s ok you can call me Jock, was the old joke. Surely I was no jock, but was far from terrible), got a good hitter, Denny Walling and there was to be a 1 game ‘off for the N.L. West that Houston won behind Joe Niekro (Recently we lost his brother Phil and with Sutton’s death–8 Hall of Fame players have died in 9 months, a period of time usually associated with the opposite.)

One more really big game win for Don Sutton was in a winner in/non winner out, 1982 “reg” finale for the A.L. east crown. Selig knows. He chain smoked as the Brewers’ owner, knowing there was no bogus wild card “safety net.”

Sutton evokes both good and bad memories, more good including his “me managed” Strat-O-Matic baseball prowess, I relayed to a very receptive Don Sutton, in that aforementioned phone call in not so glorious, but far better days.

“T”ampa Bay will be playing in their 4th Conference Title Game, a third on the road. Four is operative as if they score more points than the Pack Sunday (they are 4 point underdogs) they would become the first team to play a home Super Bowl, albeit with the circumstances involving a pandemic inherent in the matter.

That pandemic caused much including NHL and NBA ‘offs in the late summer and early fall and 4 rounds of baseball ‘offs (the other leagues also had or added to make only the NFL Conference 1 seeds IMMUNE to having to win 4 rounds/games to title).

Los Angeles is in the veritable “clubhouse” ahead with 10 rounds played, 9 rounds won

and 2 titles. (The Lakers tied the Celtics with their 17th, the Dodgers as was the case with the Lakers, won a crown 32 years later, giving them 7, while the Rams won a round and lost in their second).

Tampa Bay, with the Buccaneers’ fate yet to be determined, will play in its eleventh round, having won 9 (those #’s) with one title, that the second in franchise history for the NHL Lightning. The baseball Rays lost the World Series played in neutral? Texas to L.A.

Mr. Brady is “Robert Reeding” in his 14th semi, half on the road. His teams are an incredible (12-2) in the slots/quarters/divisional round to get to those 14 title tilts, in which they are (9-4) in previous such games.

Quickly (Mike Quick did analysis for the ’17 champion Eagles) Andy Reid is the only coach to guide his team to 3 straight home conference or for that matter any semi round or title round in NFL annals (off the top of my head, clearly the great Celtics teams had “home” in 10 straight title rounds, winning 9 from (’57-’66, losing only in ’58 to the Bob Pettit led St. Louis Hawks and the also great Montreal Canadiens had “home” in the NHL final round in all 5 Cup winning years (’56-’60). They also appeared in the final round 10 straight seasons from (’51-’60, winning 6 times. In baseball where title round home advantage was certainly not based on best record from 1903 until I think 2019, no team had home advantage in the title round/World Series in 3 straight seasons and with maybe one or two exceptions even 2. The same certainly goes for football with its neutral field Supes (maybe not this season, but certainly next season will not have a Bucs home Supe) and alternating conference hosting in the old NFL and also AFL title rounds).

Reid has now done so twice. His Eagles (I did say quickly, referenced Mike Quick and rambled on) went (1-2) in such losing to Tampa Bay (the Bucs are (1-2) in title tilts going into their 4th at G.B. on Sunday) in ’02 and Carolina in ’03.His Eagles defeated Atlanta in ’04. The Reid coached Chiefs split the title tilts in ’18 and ’19, losing the latter in overtime to Brady and N.E. in the former and repeating an “AFL all the way–cue Eric Carmen and “The Raspberries”–1962 triumph when they were the Dallas Texans vs the Tennessee Titans nee Houston Oilers (the Oilers they were in ’62).

First of all, alive, the great Martin Luther King Jr. whose birthday 91 years and 3 days ago, this torn nation honors today, in my opinion (you know what they say about opinions, especially those by a frustrated well meaning, but likely drawn to the at least somewhat warped, me) he would view his dream as manifesting in nightmare.

I truly believe this great man of letters and eloquence would have expected more (some degree of competence would better what they are now) from the “GIVEN” that being the ilk of James Brown, Curt Menefee and especially be disgusted, by S.A. Smith as a god, an arrogant one at that.

Once and for all, I am not a Black man, but having endured mucho “s t,” in all, including much for being Jewish, I am and have been appalled to an exponential power, at the countless racist remarks and attitudes I have endured.

I am human and why oh why (right “Dorothy”) does it matter what color one’s skin is or what religion or ethnicity starts our path in this finite life. (Another, John F. Kennedy, killed by bullets, said “we are all mortal” but we never learn!)

I am more proud of the late HBO boxing authority, Arthur Curry telling me “you don’t see color” (Larry Brown said that regarding Vince Lombardi) than almost anything else in my well intentioned, but largely failed life, (to this point, I add in a rare show of optimism).

Martin Luther King moves and moved me on so many levels. A man with flaws, but the highest marks in caring, eloquence and figuring it out. He knew regarding Viet Nam, Muhammad Ali and the fact the rich get and the poor get shafted, always have and seemingly always will.

Of course he fought for civil rights and we have come a long way, with as they say correctly, a long way to go.

We need to get to the point where one’s skin color does not matter.

Toward that never to be reached ideal, why must we endure the skin color/white Romo, the black Smith and the woman Storen, she uses Storm, to hide that daddy Storen helped (oh throw in the arrogant Harlan “daddy’d” in as well (bad).

After the game Brady threw the ball to Brees’ sons, (if Brees had won, he would not have done so though he has 6 crowns–Brees, Rodgers and Mahomes (he is in just his third year) have one and that is the difference) maybe they can think about their attitudes about players kneeling, backing Trump and wonder about their children’s world in the years ahead.

Brees and more so his coach Payton were pretty big, playoffs failures though a la Tomlin, McCarthy and to lesser degrees, John Harbaugh and even Pete Carroll, they won one and to this point only one title, and made egregious coaching decisions either in the Supe win (Tomlin FG’ing at the goal line in his ’08 Supe win and John Harbaugh did something big time wrong, in his ’12 season Supe win) or in a subsequent playoff tilt (Payton, who had the guts to “onside” in his winning Supe, made the utterly horrible decision to “down 7, late FG inside the 10 vs a (7-9) SEA team, of course coached by Carroll- need I remind you of the Supe vs New England).

McCarthy in a category all his own, after a horrible first season as Dallas coach, went FG at the Sea 1, in an eventual loss, in the ’14 title game.

Through it all, Brady wins. He heads to his 14th title tilt, half on the road. He joins the great John Unitas in playing in title games in 3 different decades (Unitas did so in “all the way” title games in ’58, ’59, ’64, some of it in ’68 and some in ’70).

I am no big fan of Rodgers, but even without the money involved, say “enough of Brady.” What is scary is he did not do all that much in the T.B. (30-20) Slot 4 win at New Orleans (3 straight years, Saints’ ‘offs losses at home at the 3 different possible levels–semis in ’18, w/cd in ’19 and quarters yesterday which reminds me of Erving and Philly who regressed, losing in the final in ’77, semis to Bobby Dandridge and “Wash” in ’78 and the quarters in ’79 before losing in final round play twice vs L.A.(’80 and ’82) and the Celts in ’81 before because they stole the late, great Moses Malone and won it in ’83. By the way, Erving ALWAYS given a “pass” by the warped media said “mail in the stats.” If a more vocal, non butt kissing Black athlete did that, the media would have excoriated him) but they won. Rodgers and G.B. will likely have to be at their best to beat the best, Tom Brady and an excellent T.B. team.

So let’s beat Brady next week, but first realize his utter greatness. By the way Belichick got another game favorite incorrect. In a review of the Pats 2001 slot 2/”tuck rule”/other big plays win vs Oakland, his N.E. team was favored and won on the powerful 3. Belichick called his team the underdog. WRONG, not as bad as saying the Giants were favored in the ’58 title game but very bad!!

Certainly not eloquent and in tangential “run ons” I “REM” “I think I have said too much, I think I have not said enough.”

“S–ew” the title tilts, let’s be better human beings regardless of color, religion, ethnicity or financial standing.

Other than Trump, who ascended to this nation’s highest office and S.A. Smith, a blowhard of blowhards, nobody embodies the “given the kingdom, despite ineptitude and arrogance,” more than Tony Romo.

He screeched that (Chad) Henne had taken K.C. to the title tilt, he had not. Nantz was no better saying they had a clinching first down when we could see they were short.

Next Romo, who never even made a title game as a player said look at the body language, there would be no play.

Seconds later, Henne threw to Hill, now they are in the title tilt, K.C. opening a 3 point favorite, they have no covered 9 straight and I think it is a Mahomes will play #. We shall see.

Please get rid of Romo, the biggest incompetent I have heard and there have been so many!!!

Yesterday, both and first, the Green Bay Packers (once (13-0) in home ‘offs games and now (20-5) and Buffalo Bills, now the winning team in 11 of their last 12 home such games, won their “slots” tilts by 14 points to advance to their respective conference title tilts.

I think Aaron Rodgers is tremendous and also “plurality favor” the Pack to title, however the “too much emotion” and also the “in game kibbitzing” with members of the other team by the cerebral, future Jeopardy host, quarterback, is annoying.

Beating the 7 point underdog Rams by a (32-18) count (ever such a score in an NFL ‘offs game, any NFL game? certainly never in Pack or Rams’ playoff annals), is not even the bare minimum for this G.B. team.

Having lost three straight and four of their last 5 NFC title tilts, the Pack, 10 time “won a title game,” NFL champions, all with a Democrat in office as U.S. President, which will be the case this year, need to at least make the 55th Supe, which will be played in Tampa, Florida, 3 weeks hence.

Rodgers, in this the week the widow of Fred “Mr.” Rogers passed on, threw 2 TD passes and non bet by me, ran for another. It was the first run touchdown by a G.B. quarterback, since the greatest Pack and maybe any team’s quarterback, Bart Starr’s dramatic game winning one vs Dallas, in the ’67 NFL Title Game/”The Ice Bowl.”

Now to the Bills, (11-2) in NFL related home ‘offs tilts and (12-3) counting AFL related (only) such games.

They sputtered and had way too many conservative calls and were tied (3-3) at the half, with the vastly over rated Ravens’ kicker “Just” Tucker missing 2 field goals, making it a total of 3 in these ‘offs. He is not, or anywhere near the greatest kicker ever, but that does not stop the “hype machine.”

Buffalo ought not do that next week, especially if there is a redux of the first AFL or AFC game with a Supe bid on the line, some 54 years later at K.C. vs the defending champion but, “no coverers” of 8 straight (0-7-1 ATS, (7-1) straight up in those), Chiefs. 

That also applies if “Buff” gets to host “near by,” but never a big rival, Cleveland and any opponent for that matter.

Certainly out of shape, sit under the blanket, me does realize the conditions were bad last night but …..

After the Bills finally got in the end zone to lead (10-3), it was from his own end zone, that Lamon Johnson took off and ran 101 yards for an interception of a Lamar Jackson pass (talk about over rated, Jackson’s picture is among those next to the phrase in the dictionary–I know it was cold but again …..)  score, that with the extra point (GB failed on 2, one a “2,” while the Rams converted on a “2” but what does that mean?!—Alas what does nice odds on FG for first score in both tilts and 15 to 1 draw/Bills mean? As “War” sang regarding any good about war, something the military controlled U.S. often forgets, “absolutely,” or let’s just say “nothing.”)  accounted for the final points in a (17-3) Bills win, in a “blanket under,” vs the Ravens.

In the NFL quarterfinal round/divisional round/slots, opening game, the 7 point favorite Green Bay Packers and the Rams (I write Rams as the ’01 clash was in St. Louis where the Rams played at the time) meet in the ‘offs for the third time, having split the first two tilts, a Pack home win in ’67 and a victorious Rams result, in the aforementioned 2001 tilt.

Both previous clashes were also quarterfinal round games, the ’01 clash in Slot 3 and the 1967 game as the NFL Western Conference, first scheduled playoff also on a Saturday in Green Bay. Then it began earlier, say 1 P.M. local time and today the game will start roughly three and a half hours later.

G.B. is in the first “slot,” i.e. the first game of the AFC/NFC configuration division round, now in its 51st incarnation (’70-2020) and 20th with the late afternoon start first tilt and subsequent night game (2001-2020).

The Packers won in Slot 1 vs the San Francisco 49ers en route to their first crown in 29 years in 1996 and also won vs Seattle in such a game in ’07. However, the eventual champion New York Giants, who 7-11’d titles with 4 ‘offs wins each season (an incredible 5 on the road), in both 2007 and 2011, “OT’d” the Packers in the following week’s NFC title tilt.

Los Angeles (Rams) will be playing in “Slot 1,” for just the second time in 16 AFC/NFC “div” round games, encompassing their time as first L.A. the St. Louis and now L.A. (already 2020 has “seen” LA basketball and baseball abbreviated season crowns for the Lakers and Dodgers respectively) again.

In 2 of the 3 seasons the NFL, before the AFC/NFC configuration began in ’70, had “quarters,” the Rams then in L.A. which of course is far from a cold weather city, sojourned to cold weather cities (Green Bay, actually the tilt was at the Packers’ sometime home, Milwaukee in ’67 and Minneapolis/St. Paul in ’69, and lost such games.

To my knowledge, there have been 6 non Saturday or Sunday ‘offs games, all on a Monday with the Rams involved in 4 of the 6. One in which the Rams did not play, involved the Packers.

In 1955, Christmas fell on a Sunday so the title tilt, a resounding Cleveland Browns’ win in their great quarterback Otto Graham’s last game was played on a Monday at the Los Angeles Coliseum, where until this season, the Rams still played home games. They also played such games in St. Louis and Anaheim.

The other Monday NFL Title Game also resulted in a loss for one of today’s Slot 1 participants. It proved to be legendary coach Vince Lombardi’s only ‘offs loss, as after the home team, Philadelphia Eagles (17-13’d) G.B. that Monday December 26, 1960, the “Pack” under Lombardi, won 5 titles in 7 seasons, compiling a (9-0) ‘offs record.

Closing, (always be, but not me) citing the four other Monday NFL ‘offs tilts (possibly there have been others), three of which involved the Rams.

They lost a slots home game in the mud to Minnesota in ’77 and a wild card game on another Monday in the next double digit year, ’88 also vs the Vikings, this time at “Minne.”

Their lone win in 4 Monday ‘offs games was at Dallas vs the Favored Cowboys in a 1983 wild-card round game.

Dallas won the other Monday ‘offs tilts, played before but on the same day as Vikings/Rams in ’77, that vs the Chicago Bears, en route to the second of 5 Supe crowns, however, sans even a semis appearance since their last title 25 years into the “rear view mirror.”

The 51st edition of the AFC/NFC slots/division round begins at Green Bay late Saturday afternoon in a redux of what actually was this round’s first ever game in 1967, when “G.B.” with a (9-4-1) record but at home defeated the (11-1-2) L.A. Rams (28-7).

I doubt very seriously another of those spoon fed, “given all” announcers with no sense of history, or for that matter, talent, Kevin Burkhardt, who gets to announce this “Sat,” would know that.

Maybe that is harsh criticism and though I truly believe it, only an opinion. However, how did Burkhardt become the #2 team lead announcer for Fox, without having done any and certainly not many games. He stood around and chimed in nonsense as essentially a side reporter on local telecasts of baseball and then he is in 4th slots telecast Saturday. In a world of problems for me, this situation does NOT help.  

The first AFC/NFC configuration “slots”/”div” round game matched a Baltimore team, the Colts and the Paul Brown coached Cincinnati Bengals.

Saturday night, a day shy of the exact 50 year anniversary of the Baltimore Colts’ Supe 5 win, another Baltimore team visits the Buffalo Bills in slot 2.

Last week, I and only I/me, cited the Bills had played the earlier or earliest playoff game 26 times in 28 possibilities. Make it 26of 29 as the Bills/Ravens is the later Saturday game.

On Sunday the whore league pushes the Sunday slot games back and the latter with 40 plus QB’s Brady and Brees into prime time. That makes me sick. Good night.

Next morning it is Cleveland/K.C. then T.B. vs New Orleans on Sunday. Among the 4 slots tilts, only G.B. vs the Rams have any playoffs history.

The Pack won the aforementioned 1967 NFL Western Conference playoff game, as cited above, the NFL’s first “quarter,” and went on to two more ‘offs wins and “titled” for the 5th time in 7 seasons, claiming such in Supe 2, their coach Vince Lombardi’s last game as Packers’ coach.

As the St. Louis Rams, they won a Sunday slots game, I believe the later one, in Pat Summerall’s last slots game (once we had “Super” (Pat Summerall), now it is Burkhardt and last week such as Levy, Tirico, and Eagle (I think twice, once on Nickolodeon, heaven help us), in 2001.

The Alabama Crimson Tide claimed their twelfth clear college football title, putting forth an epic offensive effort, in ripping Ohio State (52-24) in a third straight lopsided title tilt.

Quarterback Mac Jones completed eighty percent of his 45 passing attempts, throwing 5 touchdown passes, three to Heisman Trophy winner, DeVonta Smith, who played less than a half, amassing 214 yards on his 12 receptions.

Najee Harris, the third member of the great offensive triumpharate (Smith and Jones, neither is an “alias,” being the others) ran for three scores, including a 1 yard run, that opened the scoring.

In winning Nick Saban’s 7th title, (6 with ‘Bama and a shared one with LSU) the Tide led (7-0), (14-7), (21-14), (21-17), (35-17) at the half, (38-17) and cruised by 28 over (the game total was 75 and a fraction, think those that make the lines are not sharp, obviously think again), over Ohio State, a 6th loss at least in a game in which victory would have meant an Ohio State crown since Rex Kern and Company beat Orenthal Simpson and USC to claim the ’68 title. (Clearly a “reg” win in the season finale vs Michigan in ’69, a Rose Bowl win vs Jim Plunkett and Stanford in ’70, the same Rose Bowl scenario vs UCLA in ’75 in what unfairly to Ohio State was a “reg” redux–still they were big faves–, and title game losses as the underdog and a pretty decisive one vs Florida in ’06, LSU in ’07 and last night vs ‘Bama).

To their credit Ohio State claimed/won the ’02 and ’14 crowns, as at least a one touchdown underdog, vs Miami Florida and Oregon respectively.