The Seattle Storm won their third WNBA crown, defeating the Washington Mystics in three straight games in the league final.
League MVP Breanna Stewart led Seattle, scoring 30 points in the clincher last night at Wash’s third different home venue in the offs, this one on the George Mason University campus.
Natasha Howard hit for 29 points while Sue Bird, playing on her third title team, all with Seattle (another great player named Bird, Larry, played on 3 title winning teams with the Boston Celtics) had 10 points and 10 rebounds in the title clincher.
All 5 times a team has led a best of 5 WNBA final, said team has won it in 3 straight games.
Seattle also won the WNBA crown in 2004 and 2010.
Breanna Stewart, pictured above.
Last week Burt Reynolds, a very popular (I believe he was the leader at the box office for 3 straight years) and very good actor, passed on at the age of 82.
There is much evidence of Mr. Reynold’s excellent work, great personality and looks.
This week (Monday-Saturday) MeTV is airing special episodes of “Gunsmoke,” featuring Mr. Reynolds. They air at 1 P.M. Eastern Time.
Thus far, I have enjoyed his introduction to the show and becoming friends with James Arness’ “Matt Dillon” and his work with the fine actress, Audrey Dalton.
Burt Reynolds, pictured above.
Today for the third time since the events of Tuesday September 11, 2001, the anniversary is on a Tuesday.
It happened in 2007 and 2012 as well.
This makes the past impact more intense.
Many today are remembering and reflecting and here is hoping for much good in the 11 years, until September 11th next falls on a Tuesday.
No photo today, a new year in the Jewish calendar and all it entails.
Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka won their final round matches in straight sets to capture U.S. Open Tennis titles.
Mr. Djokovic won his second straight Grand Slam event, having won at Wimbledon and the 14th of his career, dispatching Juan Martin del Potro in 3 sets yesterday.
On Saturday, Naomi Osaka won her first career Grand Slam crown, ousting Serena Williams, the latter over a 2 to 1 favorite, in the minimum two sets.
My only comments here regarding the protests during the national anthem were and are that the negative regarding the loss of a human life is exponentially worse, than any caused by people not standing for the song.
The video below showing Maurice “Mo” Cheeks help singer Natalie Gilbert with the song is a good example of what the anthem can mean and a great example of “the milk of human kindness.”
Please enjoy and reflect, as helping others is a great gift to them and an even greater one to ourselves.
The final round is set for both the women and men at the U.S. Open.
Tonight it will be Serena Williams vs Naomi Osaka for the women’s title.
Tomorrow afternoon, Novak Djokovic bids for his second straight Grand Slam title, as he takes on Juan Martin del Potro.
Upcoming women’s and men’s final round matches.
The top seed Seattle Storm are over two to one favorites in the WNBA Final series vs the Washington Mystics.
Both teams covered as favorites in decisive semi-final games this past Tuesday, the Storm led by Sue Bird at home vs the Phoenix Mercury and the Mystics at Atlanta (Dream).
This WNBA Final evokes memories of the back to back NBA Final series between Seattle and Washington in 1978 and 1979.
Tonight in game 1, Seattle is a 5 point home favorite.
In 1976 the Boston Celtics won their 13th crown, all in a 20 season span from (1957-1976).
Their ’08 Celtics’ title was their 17th one more than the Lakers even if you count the 5 Minneapolis Lakers’ titles, but their only one in the last 31 (31 worn by Cedric Maxwell, who was an integral part of the first two Larry Bird title teams in ’81 and ’84) completed seasons (1987-2017).
Before that, the Celts won a third crown with the great Bird, (I told a not surprised Frank Robinson the news at Yankee Stadium that day) in 1986. At that point they had won an incredible 40 percent of all the NBA titles, 16 in 40 seasons (1947-1986).
The Celts won all 16 of those titles in a 30 season span (1957-1986) but just one in the last 32 completed seasons.
Ernie Bonham at 6 feet 2inches tall was known as “Tiny” and pitched the clinching win for the Yankees in game 5 of the 1941 World Series.
The next season Bonham won 21 and lost but 5 in the regular season.
He got the call from the great Yankees’ manager Joe McCarthy, to start game 2 in both the 1942 and 1943 World Series vs the St. Louis Cardinals.
Each time the Cards won (4-3). In 1942 they also won the next three and took the series in 5 games.
However, in 1943 after “St. Loo” won the aforementioned game 2, the Yankees did to the Cards, essentially what they had done to them the year before, namely winning games (3-5) to take the crown. The Cards had won games (2-5) the year before.
Ernie Bonham, pictured above.
For the first time in 22 possibilities, both the WNBA and NBA semi-final rounds have a pair of decisive games in the same year.
Tonight in the first game, the Atlanta Dream host the Washington Mystics in the fifth and deciding game of their “semi.”
Next it is the top seed Seattle Storm (quick 3 times fast) hosting the Phoenix Mercury, also in a deciding game.
Speaking of deciding games, The Mercury’s great player, Diana Taurasi, has a (13-0) record in such tilts.
One more note: When last before this season, both NBA semi-final series went to a deciding game, (1979) one of those semis series was Seattle vs Phoenix.
Andy B Sports 