There were two NBA “regular season” games last night.
Each was decided by two points. Good games, I suppose.
Guess what they meant nothing in terms of the standings. There will be no home court advantage in the playoffs.
I strongly wish there was no baseball, even more so basketball. I like hockey but not intrinsically better than the other two.
However, hockey is about their playoffs. If it is safe which is a big question mark, I am not against this version of the NHL playoffs and I will post about them.
You know my memory. Before game 3 of the great 1975 World Series I heard The Spinners sing “Games People Play” on the radio.
Baseball needed and got a great 1975 World Series. This what they are doing, will not solve its many problems.
Some of my memories, certainly not the best known, of the prolific entertainer and television legend, Regis Philbin, who died last week at age 88, will follow.
It is Thursday May 15, 1980 and I am in Los Angeles and I see A.M. Los Angeles, with co hosts Regis Philbin and Cyndy Garvey.
Philbin is entertaining, talking about game 5 of the NBA final (Lakers vs 76ers) played the night before. He is enthralled with how the public address announcers call Henry Bibby’s name. He imitates them. Good stuff.
Regis often opened his morning shows (Sarah Purcell, Cyndy Garvey, Kathie Lee Gifford and Kelly Rippa were his major co hosts over 35 plus years), with sports, especially involving Notre Dame football.
He and I had a funny talk at a New York City event one night, as I lamented the fact Notre Dame was not going “over” its projected season wins total. I think Mr. Philbin said “and you had the over.”
Regis Philbin certainly went OVER, in a big way. He had a Guinness Book of World Records total for hours on television and truly was a very popular entertainer.
Oh another “sport,” a favorite “inside” past time, namely sex. Mr. Regis (think Woody Allen saying Mr. Milton Berle, in I think “Broadway Danny Rose”) had a role in Allen’s “Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex and Were Afraid To Ask.” He was a panelist. Again good stuff.
Regis Philbin had a remarkable career.
Regis Philbin, pictured above.
While it is just 5 games, it is one twelfth of the season, if there is a season, which I still oppose, it is not one thirty second of a season, so let’s at this point, “clap for the “G” man.
The song/saying honors the legendary disc jockey, Wolfman Jack.
We are “clapping” as “G” man over, Tampa Bay (Rays) are (4-1) and his under, Seattle Mariners (the only one of the 32 big league teams never to have made a World Series) are (1-4).
It is 5 games, but a 60 game season and I still hope they do not play.
A great scene with Wolfman Jack and Richard Dreyfuss from the 1973 film, “American Graffiti.”
On November 5, 1960, in two of the Southwest Conference football games played that day (there no longer is a Southwest Conference) incredibly only three total points were scored.
In one tilt, Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Texas AM played a scoreless tie.
Also that day, Arkansas was a (3-0) victor vs Rice.
Eventually we are all in a sense, “gone with the wind,” now that is so for the great Olivia de Havilland, who died at the age of 104 yesterday in her adopted city of Paris, France.
Alas with what she left us–“Melanie” in “Gone With The Wind” and so many other great performances, that “wind” of performance/memory whisks her back.
Additionally, Ms. de Havilland fought for actor’s rights and they all owe her so much. Hopefully she gets the appreciation, the similar fighter, Curt Flood does not get from the pampered, spoiled, vastly over paid baseball players of today.
Let me channel “Melanie’s” good nature brought to us so beautifully by Olivia de Havilland in “GWTW” and cite her two Academy Award winning performances.
The first was for “Each To His Own” in 1946 and the second for her unforgettable performance in “The Heiress” with greats Ralph Richardson and Montgomery Clift (talk about acting chops!).
She was incredible in the 1948 film, “The Snakepit,” one of the first to delve into the world of mental illness.
I will include my three previous posts (in chronological order) that (more than) mentioned her name. She was incredible and lived long, her great work which also included stage and television, longer–something for which to be extremely grateful.
Watching “Gone With the Wind” on TCM
The Great Actress Olivia de Havilland is 99 Years Old/Young
Watching “The Big Valley” Notes
Olivia de Havilland pictured above. Imagine if you will, the acting greats that will greet her there, including her sister, Joan Fontaine, now the two on a different plane.
What turned out to be the great player, Mickey Mantle’s last major league game, was played on Saturday September 28, 1968 at Boston’s Fenway Park.
Mantle popped out to the Red Sox shortstop Rico Petrocelli in the top of the first inning and was replaced at his announced position first base by Andy Kosco in the bottom of the first inning.
Mickey did not play in the season finale the next day and announced his retirement in spring training in March 1969.
Fenway Park, pictured above.
A manifestation of all going on is that for the second time in 3 days, a defending Washington D.C. title team from 2019, will play its 2020 opening game.
Surely, two title teams from the same city/area have never opened their subsequent seasons in such proximity.
The title team opening play today, as the 24th WNBA season commences amidst all, is/are? the Washington Mystics, as they meet the Indiana Fever.
The ’19 title winning, wild card Washington Nationals opened their next season 2 days ago and play their second game in front of the “cardboard fans” today.
Imagine writing this script, after the Mystics at home and the Nationals on the road claimed 2019 titles, in “winner take all”/decisive final round games!
Before last season, only one Washington D.C. baseball team had won a World Series.
That team, the Senators, won it all in 1924 and won the pennant in 1925.
They opened their season after the title, as the Nationals did last night, with a loss to the New York Yankees, scoring just one run. That time (1925), the D.C. team was on the road, losing (5-1) at Yankee Stadium.
The ’25 Senators, again as defending champions, also had their home opener vs the Yankees. This time, behind the great pitcher, Walter Johnson, the Senators won (10-1).
Walter Johnson, pictured above.
I really enjoyed watching the great (1956) film, also a great play–“Tea And Sympathy,” yesterday on TCM.
The timeless story about not “fitting it” and said repercussions, is superb.
A pair of “Kerrs,” (Deborah and John) not related are the stars.
I recall the superb film critic, Jeffrey Lyons referring to Ms. Kerr as “Car as in star,” which I believe was a studio promotion, but has served me as a pronunciation guide for the fantastic, sensitive performer.
John Kerr, (I think pronounced the same as “basketballers with many titles accrued in different capacities,” namely Steve and John “Red” Kerr,) is the male lead and gives a superb performance.
More with names; as I cite two more in what was a great cast, first Leif Erickson, whose performances and frame stood tall, although he was not the one, who discovered “The Americas.”
Darryl Hickman (brother Dwayne portrayed television’s “Dobie Gillis”), also gives a nice performance in the highly acclaimed “Tea And Sympathy.”
Andy B Sports 