The Golden State Warriors advanced to their fifth straight NBA final series, winning (119-117), as 3 point favorites at Portland (Trail Blazers) last night, completing a 4 game sweep, in their semi-final series.
Steph Curry and Dray Green led the way as the Warriors joined the legendary Boston Celtics, who advanced to the NBA final, double the number the Warriors have achieved, from (1957-1966), winning 9 of the 10 final series.
Golden State is (3-1) in the 4 final series, all vs the Cleveland Cavaliers, going (12-3), winning titles in ’15,’17 and ’18 and dissipating a (3-1) series lead, losing in seven games, in 2016.
Steph Curry, pictured above.
This past weekend I saw the affable, talented Kenny Kramer (“The Real Kramer”) and host /proprietor of “The Kramer Reality Tour,” which is a fantastic, reasonably priced choice in New York City entertainment.
The meeting rekindled my fond memories of “The Tour,” as well as giving me a chance to speak with the “cut above,” Kenny Kramer.
If you are a fan of the seminal show “Seinfeld,” “The Kramer Reality Tour” is as the Seinfeld network (NBC) coined regarding Thursday night shows past (I believe including “Seinfeld”), “MUST SEE”/MUST DO!
There is so much information about the show, a great tour on a comfortable bus, many great sights and a chance to savor that legendary delicious soup.
The 3-hour tour starts at The Producer’s Club Theater (358 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenue).
Book online at Kenny Kramer’s Home Page (by the way, an incredible site maintained by Kenny Kramer). Reservations are a must!
Tours are also available for private parties and corporate events.
Click Here for Kramer’s Reality Tour
Information and On-Line Booking
Kenny Kramer and that famous diner outline (take the tour and find out/pass the diner’s location) are pictured above.
Tim Conway, a comedic great, died this past week, at the age of 85.
Among other tremendous achievements, he was part of the outstanding “Carol Burnett Show.”
Last night, I saw Mr. Conway seated next to another comedy legend, Richard Pryor on the Tonight Show, starring Johnny Carson. That was truly great television.
Much has poured in regarding Tim Conway’s career. What I will add from a moment in time when I met Mr. Conway, is something, I hope and know will add to that which Tim Conway was as a person.
Some years back at “The Book Expo” in New York City, Conway had signed books, taken pictures and spent a long full day promoting his excellent book, “What’s So Funny.”
I hoped for a few words from Mr. Conway, but was told by others that he was finished talking/doing and other.
In a calm, yet firm voice, that I will never forget, this brilliant man said “I think we have time for one more.”
Thank you Tim Conway for that kindness and all your wonderful work.
Tim Conway and Andy B.
There is a ways to go, however, with original NBA “semis”series, big favorites, Golden State (Warriors) and Milwaukee (Bucks) ahead (2-0), it is very likely to be a Warriors/Bucks NBA final, in 2019.
The franchises at one time together in the NBA West, (the Warriors, originally in Philadelphia, were once in the NBA East, but left to the west 7 seasons before the Bucks entered the league in 1968-1969) met in three consecutive NBA quarterfinal rounds, from (1971-1973).
The first two series were 5 game(s) Bucks’ victories (one can only hope for that money losing number of games for Disney, if and likely when, the teams clash in the ’19 final.) In 1973 the Warriors won the quarterfinal series in 6 games.
Milwaukee, an incredible (10-1) (10-1), the latter vs the spread, in these ‘offs, won their lone title going (12-2) in the ’71 playoffs. Both the Bucks and Warriors lost semis to the Lakers, after their series victories vs the other, in ’72 and ’73.
The only other post-season meeting between the Milwaukee and Oakland areas was in the second Super Bowl, that after the 1967 season and more specifically the Green Bay Packers classic “Ice Bowl” win vs the Dallas Cowboys.
In that second Super Bowl, the Milwaukee area Packers ripped the Oakland Raiders (33-14), in what was Vince Lombardi’s last game as Packers’ head coach.
Click below to view, among other video highlights, Travis Williams’ (#23) touchdown run vs the L.A. Rams, in the 1967 Western Conference title tilt, which was played in Milwaukee.
Eventually, ’twas Milwaukee/Green Bay vs Oakland in the final.
Tonight in St. Louis, the home team, Blues will attempt to even their NHL semi-final series, vs the San Jose Sharks.
Logan Couture, who has been brilliant and leads NHL ‘offs goal scorers with 14, tied game 3 with a goal in the last minute, before Erik Karlsson’s disputed goal, his second of the game, won it for the Sharks, who have home advantage and a (2-1) series lead.
San Jose 6’d the Blues in the ’16 semis, the only time in the team’s 26 completed seasons, in which they made the NHL final. Pittsburgh (Penguins) 6’d them in the subsequent final series, winning the first of back to back crowns.
The Blues have not made the NHL final series since making them in their first 3 seasons, all as a member of the expansion NHL West, whose winner was granted a final series berth automatically.
St. Louis had some gallant efforts, but lost all 12 of its final series games (’68-’70).
They have lost in their 4 semis since that time, all in a different number of games— in 4 straight to the eventual champion, Boston Bruins in ’72, in 5 to the eventual champion, Colorado Avalanche in ’01, in 6 to the Sharks who as cited above lost the ’16 final series to the Penguins and in 7 to the Calgary Flames in ’86. Montreal (Canadiens) won the ’86 final series vs Calgary.
The legendary Blue Note jazz club in New York City, pictured above.
Click below to view Elton John perform “That’s Why They Call It The Blues”
Elton John – I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues
Last night’s Athena Theatre/Athena Writes performance of “A Deafening Silence Part 1,” at Symphony Space, was highly moving, entertaining, and at times humorous, all while addressing some really disturbing realities.
Kudos to the entire production for bringing such subjects into the open. Yes I am being general, however, know I am calling for activity, if not actual activism.
On Monday, I cited many people involved in what proved to be a great night of theater, today the titles and authors of the seven, approximately ten minute plays, which were truly inspirational on many levels.
The titles include “35,” by J.D. Stewart, which I will state, deals with the reality, that in seventy percent (35) of the U.S. fifty states, conversion therapy is legal.
Other titles and authors: “Beta Testing” by Jenny Lyn Bader, “Genuinely Here” by Kate Thomas, “Mimo” by Luis Roberto Herrera, “T.V. Man” by Joey Mata, “Wishbone” by Yasmine Lever (in this one Ms. Lever wrote the phrase “vacuous shark,” which is a brilliant observation on so many/much), and “Super Blood Wolf Man” by Jared Michael Delaney.
I suggest checking on all these fine works for more information. One way is to press “read more” under “description,” after clicking the link below.
A Deafening Silence | Symphony Space
It is always great to watch the Alfred Hitchcock directed “Strangers On A Train” as I did yesterday on TCM.
In doing so, I found some “tidbits” worth pointing out.
Two members of the cast Marion Lorne, who played Robert Walker’s character, Bruno Anthony’s mother and Kasey Rogers “Miriam” in the film, later had regular roles on the fine television show, “Bewitched.”
Lorne a long time performer was awarded a posthumous Emmy Award for her supporting role as “Aunt Clara” on Bewitched. Nobody else played “Aunt Clara” after Lorne’s death.
Ms. Rogers was the second “Louise Tate” on Bewitched.
A similar character to “Aunt Clara,” “Esmeralda” was played by Alice Ghostley, with whom Ms. Lorne appeared, in the seminal film, “The Graduate” which came out in 1967, a year before Marion Lorne passed away.
While the NHL Western Conference final series, which this season is a ‘2016 redux between San Jose (Sharks) and St. Louis (Blues), is tied at a game apiece for the sixth consecutive season (’14-’19), the Boston Bruins lead the Carolina Hurricanes two games to none, in the Eastern Conference final series.
After trailing (2-1) after two periods at home in game 1, the Bruins scored 4 times in the third period to take game one and the first six goals en route to a (6-2) rout of Carolina in the Mother’s Day afternoon #2.
Thus Boston is an overwhelming favorite to reach the NHL Final for the third time in nine seasons (they won it all in ’11, their lone title in the last 45 NHL seasons and lost to Chicago (Blackhawks) in ’13).
While Carolina is returning home where they have not lost in the ’19 playoffs (5-0), I believe that also is against them, as only the Hurricanes, among the 32 playoffs teams in the NHL and NBA, has not lost at home in these 2019 playoffs.
I predict at least one win at Carolina, for the Bruins.
This Wednesday night (May15th)(7 P.M.) at Symphony Space (200 West 95th Street), the groundbreaking, highly creative and entertaining Athena Theatre Company’s “Athena Writes,” presents an evening of ten minute plays, “called” “A Deafening Silence Part 1.”
” Wednesday’s presentation of seven plays is directed by Chris Roe. The assistant director is Onyx Espri. Veronique Ory is Producing Artistic director.
I have seen previous work by the group and strongly suggest seeing this performance and others.
The names of the authors and cast follow: Authors: J.D. Stewart, Luis Roberto Herrera, Jenny Lyn Bader, Joey Masa, Yasmine Lever, Kate Thomas and Jared Michael Delaney.
Esther Chen, Kara Green, Amy Jo Jackson, EmJ Nelson, Nico Piccardo, Cyndee Rivera and John Anthony Torres comprise the cast.
Please click below for much more information, including how to purchase tickets.
A Deafening Silence | Symphony Space
The two time, NBA champion Golden State Warriors advanced to their fifth consecutive NBA semi-final, in the process, “bumping” the Houston Rockets for the fourth time in those 5, winning by 5 points in game 6.
Steph Curry scored all 33 of his points in the second half, as “G.S.” won as a 7 point underdog, playing without Kevin Durant.
Today on the same day/date 45 year anniversary of the Dave Cowens/John Havlicek led (also) Mother’s Day Boston Celtics’ #7 NBA final triumph at Milwaukee (Bucks), there are two game 7’s in the current NBA quarterfinal round.
First at 3:30 Eastern Time on ABC, the Denver Nuggets are 5 plus point(s) favorites vs the Portland Trail Blazers. Next beginning around 7:00 Eastern Time on TNT, the Toronto Raptors are six point favorites vs the Philadelphia 76ers, in the day’s second game 7.
The Milwaukee Bucks and Warriors are in the “semis,” and await today’s winning teams, the Bucks having 5’d the Celtics.
45 years ago today, the recently deceased, John Havlicek, pictured above–(where by seemingly applicable standards, he would reside), was named MVP after the Celtics won their first title sans the great Bill Russell, beating the Milwaukee Bucks, on the road in game7/1974 NBA final series.
Andy B Sports 