Both teams have (6-6) records, however the Dallas Cowboys, 3 point favorites tonight in Chicago vs the Bears, are nice sized favorites to make the NFL playoffs while the Bears are decided underdogs to do so.
In tonight’s clash in Chicago, Dallas after a loss at home on Thanksgiving to the (9-3) Buffalo Bills, I say will win vs the Bears , a team that won in Detroit also last Thursday.
Dallas 20 Chicago 17.
My Bears/Cowboys “link” is Mac Percival, pictured above.
He once booted game winning field goals in consecutive weeks for the Bears (1968) while also kicking for Dallas.
There are some big NFL games on the slate for week 14, once the last week of a 14 game NFL “reg” conducted sans bye weeks.
A pair of (10-2) teams, the S.F. 49ers and New Orleans Saints meet in “The Crescent City”/New Orleans.
The Saints are slight 2 plus point(s) favorites. For the second straight week, Kevin Burkhardt will be the lead broadcaster on the Fox Network’s biggest Sunday tilt as Joe Buck again will work Thursday and not Sunday.
Other “huge” games are (10-2) Baltimore (Ravens) visiting (9-3) Buffalo (Bills) and a redux of last season’s great AFC title tilt as (8-4) K.C. (Chiefs) sojourn to face the (10-2) Patriots at their New England home, where they have emerged victorious in 21 straight games (four being playoff contests).
Baltimore, with 4 NFL crowns (two each for the Colts, who are now in Indianapolis and the Ravens) has great NFL history.
Gino Marchetti, pictured above, is a big part of that history.
“The Irishman” with its roster of film greats, is well worth the 3 plus hours running time, as they are filled with excellent dialog, acting and scenes.
Robert DeNiro plays Frank Sheeran, whose story unfolds in the Martin Scorsese directed film, that is so relevant regarding this country’s makeup.
Al Pacino also is great, portraying Teamsters leader, James Riddel Hoffa while Joe Pesci as Pennsylvania crime boss Russell Bufalino, delivers (as always), when given crackling scenes to play.
Harvey Keitel and Anna Paquin, are two among many, in a tremendous supporting cast.
“The Irishman” is based on Charles Brandt’s 2004 book, “I Heard You Paint Houses.” The screenplay was written by Steven Zaillian. Music by: Robbie Robertson.
One more: Among the myriad producers of the film is Irwin Winkler. I will have more on his great career as such, in a future post.
I will check again, but I believe this past weekend/two days marks just the second time that the Bill Belichick coached New England Patriots and the Nick Saban coached Alabama Crimson Tide lost in/on the same weekend.
The two men are friends and Saban was on Belichick’s coaching staff with the Browns.
Maybe the upcoming HBO Documentary about them, did not/does not augur well for their team’s fortunes.
Alabama under Saban is out of title contention with two losses.
Meanwhile, Belichick and New England, though struggling a bit and currently behind the also (10-2) Baltimore Ravens in the AFC “standings,” are still viable title contenders.
Again, I will check and I will also have notes on each man’s great coaching record, now I say only on November 6th and 7th, 2010 did both coaches/Alabama and New England teams lose on the same weekend before doing so the last two days.
Hoops Cabaret in New York City (48 West 33rd Street) is the place to watch all the UFC 245 action. At Hoops Cabaret and Sports Bar, fans can view the matches on Saturday, December 14 while also enjoying the beautiful Hoops Cabaret girls who perform on stages and up close and personal.
UFC 245, featuring Kamaru Usman vs Colby Covington, will be shown on the Hoops Mega-Tron Video Wall and numerous HD TVs and flat screens throughout the three-story club giving every seat a clear view of all the action. At Hoops, be sure to check out menu items like fried Lobster Tails, Short-rib Sliders, Lemon Pepper Wings, and Kobe Beef Hot Dogs.
Hoops Cabaret combines the excitement of a gentlemen’s club with the fun of a sports bar. Hoops Cabaret girl Bianca proclaimed, “Hoops is the number one club for sports fans!”
Highly recommended.
You can book table and VIP reservations at hoopscabaret.com
HOOPS Cabaret and Sports Bar
48 West 33rd Street, New York City
Next door to the world famous Rick’s Cabaret NYC
In a game nowhere near as important as one with similar circumstances, fifty years earlier, Ohio State again routed Michigan and is almost certain to be in the 4 team playoff, that will determine the college football champion for 2019.
In 1969, defending champion Ohio State was a huge favorite to win at Michigan on November 22, 1969 and claim a second straight crown.
However, Michigan beaten (50-14) the year before at Ohio State, won (24-12), ending the Buckeyes’ title hopes.
This time, Ohio State probably could have “afforded” the loss, but instead eased to an 8th straight win vs Michigan and fifth in 5 attempts, vs Jim Harbaugh as Michigan coach.
Next, Ohio State faces Wisconsin in the Big Ten title tilt and I say win or lose, Ohio State will be in the playoff and certainly loom as a title threat.
Rex Kern, pictured above with the Baltimore Colts, led Ohio State as their quarterback to the title.
Michigan denied a repeat crown with the aforementioned (24-12) win in 1969.
Today an excellent “What’s My Line?” episode with Bill Cullen as the mystery guest.
Mr. Cullen was a game show host and frequent panelist.
This is most interesting as panelists, Dorothy Kilgallen, Jayne Meadows, Bennett Cerf and Steve Allen attempt to identify Mr. Cullen as the mystery guest. Meadows and Allen were married to each other.
John Charles Daly is the host. The episode aired on July 9, 1961.
The game was not in the same stratosphere, as far as importance, when compared to two AFC Network (then NBC, now CBS with Jim Nantz, who set a modern record for “Happy Thanksgivings” yesterday) Dallas easy SUPER BOWL wins vs the Bills, however Buffalo is now (9-3), after winning (26-15) as a one touchdown underdog, at (6-6) Dallas yesterday.
Despite a 3 game better record than Dallas, the Bills, who trail (10-1) New England, have far less chance to win its division than the Cowboys, who still lead the Philly Eagles by a half game.
However, Buffalo is almost certain to make the NFL playoffs, likely as a “5” seed, where and when, they will bid for a first playoffs victory since 1995, when they “wild card rounded” Miami, in Don Shula’s last game as head coach.
Meanwhile, Dallas sans a Super Bowl title since that same year (1995), grows as a longer and longer odds choice to end that drought.
Of course, the (final) bottom line Dallas/Buffalo comparison is 5 titles for Dallas, two secured in aforementioned easy wins vs the Bills, who have an (0-4) Super Bowl record.
“Mirror, mirror on the wall,” who is the greatest Bills’ player of all?
It is Orenthal James “O.J. ” Simpson, pictured above.
No “Uber” ads for Simpson, but “Mr. Hertz ads,” rightfully, was named one of the twelve greatest NFL running backs in this year’s “100 NFL Years” voting.
It is truly a disgrace, that the great linebacker Chuck Howley, is not in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.
He is the only player to be named Super Bowl MVP for a losing team (his Cowboys were denied, by the then Baltimore Colts in the 5th Super Bowl).
The next season Howley was brilliant in the decisive Cowboys’ Super Bowl victory, vs the Miami Dolphins.
He seemingly was always near the ball and was part of great Dallas defensive units, as the Cowboys rose to become a great NFL franchise.
Let’s hope Chuck gets into the Hall, it is not on the level of world peace, however, it is long overdue “football justice.”
The great player, Chuck Howley, pictured above.
Click below for a nice article by Chris Picaro, more than echoing my sentiments regarding Chuck Howley, being denied “Hall” status.
Chuck Howley: The Biggest Snub in Hall-of-Fame History
Just (some of) the facts regarding Mr. Howley. From Wikipedia.
- Super Bowl champion (VI)
- Super Bowl MVP (V)
- 6× Pro Bowl (1965–1969, 1971)
- 5× First-team All-Pro (1966–1970)
- Second-team All-Pro (1971)
There were some fine players on the Yankees’ teams that at the very least, did not measure up to Yankees’ standards and in some cases, were bottom rung, major league teams.
One of those players, the only one to stick around and achieve later World Series title glory, is Roy White.
Though I certainly was not a Yankees’ fan, I always “dug” Roy White.
I “managed” him in Strat-O-Matic baseball and once told him how much I liked him and how great his baseball contributions were, but how my heart was broken, rooting vs his title Yankees teams of 1977 and 1978.
One other thing, White was not only not treated right by the club after his playing days, but often does not get enough credit for his immense contribution to the 1978 title team and 1976 A.L. Pennant winning team.
Even in 1977, when Roy did not play all that much, there was that home run off Bill Campbell, the Red Sox closer in a big game and the vintage Roy White walk, as the Yankees rallied in THE game, the 1977 ALCS decisive game 5, that fateful Sunday night in Kansas City.
Additionally, Roy White is a classy individual and in my case specifically, also a lesson for all, we root or root vs “laundry,” especially these days.
Bob Wolff, the Hall of Fame broadcaster, whose class had just ended that Friday night, when I heard White’s home run crackle through the static of WTIC (of course I was listening to the Red Sox broadcast. Incidentially, the fine pair of Ned Martin and Jim Woods. Alas, I grew to love Phil Rizzuto and yearn for the other two in the Yankees trio, Frank Messer and Bill White), talked of some guys you will like, some not on a given team, as he tried to teach objectivity to me.
Even before I learned the lesson, at least to a degree, I knew Roy White as a great example of a player and person I liked so much, even if I did not feel that way about the team.
Roy White, pictured above.
