In a post before the 2018 World Series, won by a Boston team (the Red Sox) vs an L.A. team (the Dodgers), I cited the history of Boston/Los Angeles final series or games, as I included three such clashes, when three current L.A. franchises (the Rams, Dodgers and Lakers) were located elsewhere.
That included the 2001 season Patriots Super Bowl/final game victory over the heavily favored, then St. Louis Rams.
The post from October 2018 can be seen below. The Red Sox W.S. victory raised the Boston record to (9-3) in final round entities vs Los Angeles teams.
Boston’s relatively easy 5 game World Series triumph, also raised the Boston record to (12-3) vs current L.A. franchises in final round competition.
Click below to view the post.
Novak Djokovic won his third straight major tennis tournament and fifteenth of his incredible career, completely outplaying another great, Rafael Nadal to win the final match held earlier today in Australia, in straight (the minimum three) sets.
This is Djokovic’s 7th Australian Open crown, breaking a record he shared with Roy Emerson and Roger Federer. He moved by Pete Sampras into third place in major tournament wins, trailing only Federer (20) and Nadal with 17.
Meanwhile, Naomi Osaka won her second straight woman’s major crown, defeating Petra Kvitova, in a very tough maximum (3) set match.
Perhaps Ms. Osaka is on her way to greatness, while Mr. Djokovic already there moved closer to a special pantheon of that all too often used term (greatness), easing by Nadal, who had not lost even a set, before Djokovic eased (6-3, 6-2 and 6-3).
Click below to view my post after Djokovic and Osaka each won at the U.S. Open last September.
- Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka Win U.S. Open Tennis Crowns on September 10, 2018
An all time great tennis player, Novak Djokovic, pictured above.
Today some notes following what were two remarkable title tilts last Sunday.
In 1975,the Rams were denied a first Super Bowl appearance when Preston Pearson of the Dallas Cowboys, gathered in 3 touchdown passes from Roger Staubach, as Dallas routed the favored Rams, in L.A.
Dallas also defeated the Rams on the road in 1978. Both times the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Cowboys, in the subsequent Super Bowl.
Last week, the Chiefs were denied a Super Bowl appearance for the 49th time in as many NFC/AFC configuration seasons, despite a three touchdowns scored game, by their running back, Damien Williams.
Preston Pearson, pictured above, carrying the ball for the Dallas Cowboys. I believe that to be the great defensive player, L.C. Greenwood of the Pittsburgh Steelers in pursuit.
Today, another nostalgia post featuring an episode of the great television show, “What’s My Line.”
This one aired on March 8, 1959 and Fred MacMurray is the mystery guest.
The panelists are Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf, Arlene Francis and Jack Lemmon.
Soon after this show, Lemmon and MacMurray along with Shirley MacLaine starred in the great Billy Wilder directed film, “The Apartment.”
Click below to view the episode. Enjoy!
What’s My Line? – Fred MacMurray; Jack Lemmon [panel] (Mar 8 .
Pictured clockwise are Arlene Francis, Bennett Cerf, Dorothy Kilgallen, and host John Charles Daly.
Last July, I called/posted for Edgar Martinez to make the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Now he has done so. He was a tremendous hitter, delivering many clutch hits, most notably a 2 run double that transformed a 1 run Seattle deficit into a division series victory, in the decisive 5th game vs the Yankees in 1995.
After that heartbreaking loss, the Yankees switched to Joe Torre as their manager and won 4 World Series in the next 5 seasons, a truly remarkable feat.
Then they added Mike Mussina and in the 8 years he hurled for them (’01-’08), the Yankees failed to win the World Series. The first year after he left, they won another crown. “Dragnet” just the facts!
Click below for my post from July 2018 regarding Edgar Martinez
- Edgar Martinez Deserves “Hall” Status on July 24, 2018
This year two tremendous designated hitters, Harold Baines and Edgar Martinez were afforded Hall of Fame status.
In our post 1968 “Strat O Matic Baseball” season, we were ahead of our time using a designated hitter.
One day I will tell you the story of my Dad, being called on to determine where Gates Brown, who had a tremendous “card,” would bat in his team’s batting order. Memories!
The last L.A. Rams NFL title (they won one as the St. Louis Rams in ’99 to go along with the one they gained in their last year in Cleveland –1945) and first New England Patriots’ such title, occurred 50 years apart, the Rams winning theirs in 1951 and the Pats’ first, taking place in 2001.
Both of those title teams got big post-season contributions from two quarterbacks. Three of the four quarterbacks involved are Hall of Fame or sure to be, players.
In the Rams ’51 title game win vs the defending champion, Cleveland Browns, both Rams’ future “Fame QB’s,” Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin contributed, as they had all season.
Fifty years later, Pats quarterback Drew Bledsoe was famously injured and replaced by a man named Brady, Tom Brady.
Brady led the Patriots to the AFC Title Game at Pittsburgh vs the Steelers. He was injured in the game and replaced by Bledsoe.
Drew was the winning quarterback that day, among other things contributing a touchdown pass to David Patten.
Troy Brown, pictured above, had a punt return touchdown in the N.E. ’01 Title Game win at Pittsburgh.
This is a rather special episode of “What’s My Line,” that aired on a cold Sunday night, January 17, 1965.
Two famed people, one mystery guest Ann Sothern, the other as part of the regular proceedings, “Minnesota Fats” (introduced with his real name Rudolf Wonderone), appeared in addition to the panel.
Arlene Francis about to open in a play, Dorothy Kilgallen heading to the inauguration of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, which was 3 days hence, were panelists.
Additionally, so were Bennett Cerf and Alan King.
John Charles Daly is the host and listen at the end as legendary announcer Johnny Olsen tells us to “buckle up,” a relatively new driving “suggestion.”
Enjoy!
Click below to view this great episode!
What’s My Line? – Minnesota Fats; Ann Sothern; Alan King [panel] (Jan 17, 1965)
Both road teams, the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots won overtime title games and will meet in the 53rd Super Bowl in Atlanta, two weeks hence.
The Rams, to be in their first Supe since they lost as big favorites to the Pats’ first title team in ’01, rallied from a (13-0) deficit and rode two incredibly clutch, long field goals by Greg Zuerlein, to a (26-23) win at New Orleans, vs the Saints.
In the later game, the incredibly great Tom Brady engineered a 75 yard, overtime, game winning touchdown drive, on which he hit three third down passes for first downs, that culminated in Rex Burkhead’s two yard, game winning touchdown play.
Burkhead also had a short touchdown run that put N.E. ahead (31-28), with 39 seconds to play.
It was just the 6th time in the 59 years of two title games, counting the AFL (’60-69), that both road teams won.
The Rams will be seeking their second L.A. title, the other in 1951. They also won titles as the Cleveland Rams in 1945 and as the St. Louis Rams in 1999.
The home team has won well over two thirds of the non neutral, Pro Football title games, be it NFL, AFL, NFC or AFC.
Altogether, going into today’s two tilts at New Orleans and then Kansas City, two franchises coached by Hank Stram, counting the (5-5) AFL record (’60-’69), the home team is (96-46), thus in NFL games is a tremendous (91-41), that is just under 69 percent victories, for the home team.
Home teams won over two thirds of the NFL title games, not played on a neutral field, going (25-11) from (1933-1969).
The 1936 game won by Green Bay, vs Washington, was played at the Polo Grounds in New York, considered a neutral field.
Of course the last 52 Pro Football titles, (48 NFL crowns) have been decided at the so called Super Bowl, neutral site.
In the ’80’s (’80-’89) the home team won 9 of the 10 NFC title tilts, including 8 straight (’80-’87). Seven of the nine home NFC title game winners in that span, went on to win the Super Bowl.
From (’70-’79), the ’70’s, home teams won 8 of the 10 AFC title tilts, including 5 straight (’75-’79). Six of the eight home AFC title game winners in that span (’70-’79), went on to win the NFL crown, in the Super Bowl.
Finally and through the esoteric maze, that brings us to the present. The home team which went (16-4) in ’80’s title tilts, is (12-4) from (2010-2017).
In AFC title game play, the home team has won 11 of the last 12 such games. However, that AFC home title game winner is just (3-4) starting in 2010 and (5-6) after those 11 wins in the subsequent, neutral site, Super Bowl.
The great Don Hutson, pictured above, gathered in an Arnie Herber touchdown pass for Green Bay in their neutral field win vs Washington in the 1936 NFL Championship Game.
Tomorrow two original A.F.L. franchises, the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs meet in K.C. in the AFC Championship Game.
As cited here last week, this will be the first time in the 59 year history of the Chiefs nee Dallas Texans, that they will host either an AFL or AFC title tilt.
The Patriots, in an incredible eighth straight AFC title tilt, have also hosted eight (going (7-1), losing only to the Baltimore Ravens in 2012, by the way the last time a home team lost either an AFC or NFC title game).
They have not fared nearly as well in road title tilts, going (3-3) with 3 straight losses.
N.E. did not host either an AFL or AFC title tilt until their 37th season in 1996.
Andy B Sports 