Today, I present a nice video, which promotes the then fledgling network, ABC’s, 1961 prime time programming.
Among other parts, I like the “Leave It To Beaver” introduction, as done the way the show started that season/year.
Would you believe a bowling program (“Make That Spare, the great bowler, Dick Weber is in the promo) on Saturday night? Enjoy this look back.
Click below to look at 37 ABC shows for the 1961 season.
One can “stretch it” both in imagination and geography and cite 5 cities/areas, with teams in both the NBA and NHL playoffs in 2019.
Clearly, Boston with the Bruins and Celtics, each having home advantage in their first round series, qualifies.
So does Toronto, whose NBA Raptors have home advantage, while the NHL Maple Leafs, facing the aforementioned Bruins, do not.
Denver,Colorado or Denver/Colorado has the NBA Nuggets with home advantage, being the Western Conference “2′ seed and the Colorado Avalanche in the ‘offs, as the lowest seed from the NHL Western Conference.
The extended metropolitan area of New York is off to a good ‘offs start, with its NHL and NBA representative.
As was the case in 1975, but reversed, there is a (3-0) series involving the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. Then the Pens led (3-0) only to lose in 7, now the Islanders with series home advantage, are ahead by that 3 games to none margin.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets walked into Philadelphia and won fairly easily vs the 76ers in game 1. They are still series underdogs, however, nowhere near to the degree they were when the series began.
Finally a “stretch” for the same area, but clearly different cities, as the two time NBA champion Golden State Warriors, playing their final season at Oracle Arena in Oakland and hoping, perhaps against hope, not their final season with potential “double dipper” Durant (Kevin), have home advantage as the NBA West top seed.
The NHL, close by, San Jose Sharks, have now lost home advantage and in fact trail, last year’s first year NHL finalist, Las Vegas (Golden Knights), two games to one.
En route to an eventual final series loss to Washington last season, (Capitals) the amazing first year Golden Knights 6’d the Sharks in the NHL quarterfinal round.
So many memories, including many great ones with Durant for the Warriors at Oracle Arena.
There will be only one “original six” team in the NHL quarterfinal round, as only the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, currently clashing and tied a game apiece, in the first/preliminary round, among the six, qualified for this season’s “‘offs.”
While the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, and New York Rangers finished well out of playoffs standing, the Montreal Canadiens were not eliminated from post-season qualification until the penultimate night of the regular season, a victory by the John Tortorella coached Columbus Blue Jackets vs one of his former teams, the aforementioned Rangers, doing the trick.
Currently, in a very surprising, however, not shocking first two games (see the playoff failures for top rated regular season NHL teams in the past. There are so many!), the Blue Jackets walked away with wins at top ranked and record tying Tampa Bay (Lightning), a franchise “Torts” (Tortorella) guided to their lone crown, 15 years ago in 2004.
Last season, the Capitals were also down (2-0) after first round home losses vs Columbus. They rallied, not only to “6” the Blue Jackets, but win their first Stanley Cup.
The Lightning could do the same, but their work is cut out for them. Also do not look now, but the Caps up (2-0) after a Saturday afternoon overtime win vs Carolina, are a viable threat to repeat as champions.
DeAndre Hunter’s tremendous final game performance evoked memories of another “Hunter,” (Les), whose 1963 Loyola of Chicago team also won the NCAA Basketball title, in an overtime final game.
The memory stirred research and below from Wikipedia is a glaring error, as the great player, Oscar Robertson not only was NOT on the 1963 second place Cincinnati team, as written, but also was NOT on the consecutive Ed Jucker coached “Cincy” title teams in 1961 and 1962.
Read below for the incorrect portion concerning Oscar Robertson, plus some good notes as Wikipedia often delivers, these concerning the 1963 NCAA Basketball title tilt.
” Hunter then scored 16 points with 11 rebounds in the 60-58 overtime NCAA Championship game against Cincinnati and Oscar Robertson.[7][8] In the championship game overtime,(I add Vic) Rouse scored “The Shot Heard ‘Round the Basketball World,” as he rebounded a Hunter missed shot from 12 feet (after a pass from Jerry Harkness) and make the game-winning putback at the buzzer.[2][9].”
The 1962-1963 NCAA Champion, Loyola of Chicago team, pictured above. Les Hunter is fifth from the left, wearing number 41.
Last season while Virginia lost in the first round in a shocking upset, an upstart Loyola of Chicago team made the national semi-finals.
A year later, after a great regular season and some heart pounding tournament wins Virginia won it all while Loyola failed to make the NCAA Tournament.
The Brooklyn Nets have made the playoffs, and nobody thought they would! They started the season at a woeful 9 wins and 18 losses and the stretch run to the playoffs was not an easy schedule. But things are looking good for the team now–and they have some great fans.
The girls at Rick’s Cabaret New York, the upscale gentlemen’s club known to be a favorite with celebrities, most notably pro athletes, love basketball, and they are rooting for the Nets.
“The Nets are great at 3 point shooting,” explained Rick’s Cabaret girl Julia, “and they could surprise a lot of people in the playoffs.”
The three-story Rick’s Cabaret is a great place to watch the NBA games. The Rick’s Cabaret girls provide the ultimate in warm hospitality, and the “Rick’s Steakhouse” on the second floor, under the direction of acclaimed Chef Jayson Margulies, features late-night dining.
Highly recommended.
Rick’s Cabaret New York, 50 West 33rd Street
*** Over 100 Showgirls Daily
*** VIP Suites, Deluxe Sky Boxes
*** Roof Deck Cigar Lounge
The careers of two NBA greats, Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat ended last night, in otherwise, virtually meaningless NBA regular season finales.
They played against each other in two memorable NBA Final Series, each capturing a playoffs MVP in their title winning season (Wade in ’06 and Dirk in 2011).
Nowitzki won his lone title in ’11 while Wade, denied that first year (’11) after the NBA sanctioned “pick your team,” which drastically affects competitive balance in a 5 player sport, paired him with LeBron James, did win titles the next two seasons, giving him 3 in his great career.
Spelling still counts, thus always remember the “y” in Mr. Wade’s first name and the “z” in Dirk’s last name.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, with twenty one more regular season points than any other team and more important, “dues paying,” playoffs losses in the ’15 final series and last year’s “semi” to the Barry Trotz coached, eventual champion, Washington Capitals, richly deserve to win the 2019 NHL crown/Stanley Cup.
That, however, does not mean they will do so and certainly they will have to earn it in the “attrition rich,” NHL ‘offs.
The franchise has one title, that fifteen years ago in ’04 when they 7’d this year’s top Western Conference, “reg” team, Calgary (Flames). The Lightning open this year’s ‘offs vs Columbus (Blue Jackets), a team coached by the ’04 title winning Lightning coach, John Tortorella.
Barry Trotz, in his first season with the New York Islanders, guided them to a fine regular season and they have home ice advantage vs a familiar Trotz playoff foe, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In each of the last 3 seasons the Pens under 2 time Cup winner, Mike Sullivan and the Trotz coached Capitals met in the playoffs, with the series winner (“Pitts” in ’16 and ’17, “Wash” in ’18), going on to win the Stanley Cup each time.
The defending champion Washington Capitals, who finished ahead of both the Islanders and Penguins to win the regular season, NHL Metropolitan Division, begin their series vs the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow night in Washington D.C.
That series winner will face the Isles/Pens winner in the NHL quarterfinal round.
A night after Chloe Jackson’s driving layup made shot was decisive, in 2 plus point(s) favorite Baylor’s (82-81) win vs defending women’s champion, Notre Dame–DeAndre Hunter scored 28 points, leading point plus favorite, Virginia (85-77) (way) over Texas Tech, in the first title game for each team.
There were a few too many really close games and Virginia truly fortunate escapes for me to give/leave my heart/head to/with Tony Bennett’s now title team, which I suppose, “redeemed” itself, after last year’s first round loss to Maryland Baltimore County.
Yet, consider Virginia’s back to back tremendous regular seasons as a “body of work,” well deserving of a title. Both Texas Tech and Notre Dame were gallant in final game losses while Auburn, and its coach, Bruce Pearl also deserve much credit, not the least of which due to enduring a “horrible” BASKETBALL loss, with great dignity.
DeAndre Hunter, pictured above.
Why not?! Click below to view the great, great performer, Tony Bennett sing “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.” Surely some teams “left their hearts” at the myriad 2019 tournament venues.
Click below to view Mr. Bennett perform and congrats to coach Tony Bennett and his very good and most fortunate, Virginia title team.
Tony Bennett – I Left My Heart in San Francisco (from MTV Unplugged)
Forty five years ago tonight, on another Monday April 8th, the magnificent Henry Aaron slammed his 715th home run, breaking the long held record of the immortal, Babe Ruth.
The game was telecast by NBC with Curt Gowdy calling the historic home run.
Hank Aaron turned 85 earlier this year, thus was forty, when he hit the historic home run.
I have added a link to what I posted six years ago, concerning the night and some of the men and back story.
Henry Aaron’s record breaking home run occurred in Atlanta with Aaron playing for the Atlanta Braves.
Click below for some interesting notes and people involved that record breaking night, now forty five years ago.
39 Years Since Hank Aaron’s Record Breaking Home Run
The NCAA title game is set, as Virginia, the great escape artists, will face Texas Tech. Each team/school will be playing in their first title game.
Last season, 16th seed, Maryland Baltimore County defeated top seed Virginia, the only time such an upset has occurred in what is now 140 possibilities (35 multiplied by 4, (1985-2019).
This season, Virginia has escaped and to their credit, advanced to the final game after incredible fortune vs both Purdue in the regional final and vs an Auburn team, that almost makes one root for them, despite Charles Barkley, one of their celebrated figures.
In the regional final game in which they covered in overtime, “UVA” got a clutch tying bucket from Mamadi Diakite at the end of a “scramble situation,” which manifested, after a Virginia missed free toss went beyond the half court line.
Yesterday, after a missed call on what should have been a turnover to Auburn and almost certain victory, Virginia still needed a miracle and got it, when it was ruled that Kyle Guy was fouled on a 3 point attempt.
The 81 percent free toss shooter, to his everlasting credit, (see Rumeal Robinson, whose feat in ’89 (2 made free throws, the first a must, after a drive to the basket was greater and in the final), made all 3 shots and Virginia will now face Texas Tech.
The Red Raiders of Texas Tech are (5-0) (5-0) in this tournament, in which the underdog is (35-27) vs the spread.
Yesterday, after dissipating all but one point, of a 13 point lead they enjoyed with less than 10 minutes left, Jarrett Culver hit for six consecutive points, as Texas Tech pulled away.
Virginia opened a 1 point plus “fave” and now is a 1 point favorite, vs Texas Tech, a team that won as an underdog vs Michigan, Gonzaga and Michigan State (The Spartans fell to (3-7) in national semis and a disappointing (2-6) under Tom Izzo).
Andy B Sports 