Four games have been played in all eight NHL preliminary series and only one, “the all road team wins,” Washington (Capitals) vs Columbus (Blue Jackets) series stands at two games apiece.
In short, with six of the seven “tilted” series (either over or (3-1) going toward the higher seeded team and with a paucity of overtime games, (only four juxtaposed with a record 18 in last year’s “prelims”), this has not been a compelling first round in the NHL ‘offs.
However, there are still games to be played and one series is (2-2). Moreover, the “quarters” are shaping up nicely, a by product of first round favorites winning.
Already there is a Las Vegas/San Jose quarter that is set (each swept its prelim, the San Jose Sharks doing so, sans home advantage).
Likely, but not definite, the two top points teams, Nashville (Predators) and Winnipeg (Jets) will clash, as is the likely, but not definite, case which would match the two top points teams in the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins.
Now with the Washington Capitals showing some indication of shedding their historic ‘offs woes by winning both in Columbus, there may well be a third straight, compelling Pittsburgh (Penguins), the two time champions, led by the great Sidney Crosby, vs “Wash” quarterfinal series.
The great Sidney Crosby, pictured above. He has been brilliant thus far in the ‘offs and while I think it will be so tough for he and his classy, great team to title a third straight time, the fact that one in my opinion, so lacking in talent and more important tact, Michael Wilbon is so against them, maybe just maybe, Crosby and the Pens will prevail.
I do not really care either way, but Crosby has proven his greatness, playing a sport, not nearly Jonas Salk work, but certainly providing a better society rung than barking out opinions, often ridiculous and certainly not scrutinized, regarding sports, which is Wilbon’s role.
Hal Greer, a truly great basketball player, and one of my favorites, died last Saturday April 14th, at age 81.
Mr. Greer was a starter and starred on one of, if not, the greatest NBA teams, the (1966-1967) Philadelphia 76ers, who ended the great Boston Celtics’ 8 consecutive seasons grip on the NBA crown, winning decisively vs them in the semis, before winning it all, in 6 games vs the then San Francisco Warriors, in the final.
Of course, Hal’s death evokes thoughts of the late, great Wilt Chamberlain and more specifically, the two great title teams on which Wilt played, the other being the 1971-1972 Lakers.
Three fifths of the starting players on each of those great teams have passed on, making the dead players the majority.
How I “loved” each team, the Sixers with Hal, the late Luke Jackson and Wilt. Wali Jones and the great player, Chet Walker still walk the earth.
They won the title in the middle of the week, in the middle of the night and not on national television! “Where is the love,” Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack asked in song? I ask and lament where is the tape of the Sixers’ 1967 crown, and for that matter the Lakers of 1972.
Greer hit a shot that I believe clinched the best record in ’67 and was great in the subsequent playoffs. Fairness and perspective cites the genius of Red Auerbach, the Celts’ general manager and former coach, in getting Em Bryant who helped stymie Hal in the ’68 playoffs.
Oh ’68, oh 50 years and on April 14, 1968, Hal and “my” Sixers went up 3 to 1 vs the seemingly “past it,” Celtics on ABC television.
However, the Celtics were so great and in three games not televised, took out Philly and eventually won another crown. As I have posted before, it still hurts.
Now Hal has died 50 years later and ’68 basketball matters less (the tragedies of that year and my incredible naivete regarding such resonate exponentially) and what he did in a great career, matters more.
Somewhere, perhaps and hopefully in something akin to heaven, legendary Philadephia public address announcer Dave Zinkoff is introducing Hal Greer to a new, better place.
As his famed “Greeear” resounds across distance, time, sound and of course imaginary implications–the long and the great of Hal Greer, are easily recalled.
Go easy, Mr. Greer and take a jump shot free throw, as you do so.
The great Hal Greer, pictured above.
Recently, there have been some truly memorable Dick Cavett Shows, that have aired on the television channel, Decades.
One show featured the immortal playwright, Tennessee Williams and Mr. Cavett in the former’s home city of New Orleans.
In addition to great insight from Mr.Williams, some of the sights and sounds of New Orleans were evident and discussed.
Another show taped, but not shown in London, England, featured Robert Morley and the great actress Gladys Cooper (among many great career jewels, she was in a “Twilight Zone” episode, that really helped launch Robert Redford’s career), who happened to be Mr. Morley’s mother in law.
The shows cited above and almost every Dick Cavett Show, which airs at 9 P.M. and 1 A.M. Eastern Time, weekdays on Decades, are fascinating looks back, perhaps giving us perspective, going ahead.
Dame Gladys Cooper, pictured above, in the famed “Nothing in the Dark” Twilight Zone episode, that really helped launch the great career of actor, Robert Redford.
Only two of the eight NHL preliminary/first round series stand (3-0), (Columbus did win the first two games at perennial ‘offs disappointment, Washington, with game 3 tonight in Columbus).
Both regular season division winning, amazing first year team, Las Vegas (Golden Knights) vs the L.A. Kings and San Jose (Sharks) vs the Anaheim Ducks, are in the Pacific Division, and almost certainly will clash in the NHL quarterfinal round. Each can wrap up their
Las Vegas, the first expansion team in any of the four major North American sports leagues, to win a non expansion regular season entity and I believe just the second expansion team to make the playoffs without being in an expansion division (the NHL had an expansion division, the NHL West for 3 seasons (’68-’70) while the ’67 Chicago Bulls made the NBA ‘offs as 8 of the 10 teams in the loop that year qualified “Chi” doing so with a poor (33-48) record), now very likely will be the first such team to win a playoffs series. They are a truly amazing team and story, alas a great “danger” to the Las Vegas sports books, already having rewarded bettors and may cause even more “damage,” if they win the conference and/or the big prize, the Stanley Cup.
Meanwhile San Jose, just two years removed from an NHL final appearance, a 6 game loss to Pittsburgh (Penguins), but out of the ‘offs last season, will be at most a slight underdog vs Las Vegas, in what likely would/will be a most interesting series.
Toronto heads the list of remaining cities, with teams in both the NBA and NHL playoffs.
The NBA Raptors are the East top seed, while the Maple Leafs, though third in their “div,” hence sans home advantage vs Boston (the lone city with first round home advantage teams in both leagues’ ‘offs), were tied for third in points in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia, so successful in sports of late (the Eagles and Villanova won it all, unprecedented success a Supe title followed by an NCAA basketball crown), has the NBA East “3,” which is seemingly a good position, in the 76ers while the Flyers third in their “div,” are sans home advantage vs the defending two time NHL champion, Penguins.
Washington’s NHL Capitals lost in “too early to clash,” NHL “quarters,” to the eventual champion, Penguins the last two seasons, have home advantage vs the Columbus Blue Jackets while the “8” seed Wizards, of course do not vs the top seed Raptors in the first round.
Minnesota’s NHL Wild were 5th in overall points in the NHL but in the ridiculous “make divisions” important NHL system, are in the wrong one, finishing third and are sans “home ice” vs the Winnipeg Jets.
Meanwhile, the NBA, Timberwolves, who covered the Denver Nuggets in overtime in the season’s final game to make the ‘offs (almighty ESPN did not see fit to TV that one, making in my opinion, Doris Burke’s non stop “analysis” even worse, during a rout, Phil vs Milwaukee game they deemed the one to televise) are the West “8” seed and roughly 15 to 1 underdogs in their preliminary/first round series vs the (65-17) Houston Rockets, the latter hoping to, but facing a tough road in a bid to join the city’s baseball Astros as their league’s big prize winner.
If only the great announcer, Harry Kalas, a Philadelphia based gem, was still around to enjoy the current Philadelphia sports success.
Five cities have teams in both the NBA and NHL playoffs.
Those cities are Boston, Toronto, Washington, Philadelphia and the Minnesota/St.Paul/Minneapolis area.
Boston has the East two seed in both leagues, however the Celtics are an NBA East long shot sans Kyrie Irving, while the Bruins are second in their division and would not have home advantage in their likely “quarter,” vs the Tampa Bay Lightning.
As the first round proceeds, I will have more details and notes on the cities with teams in both the NBA and NHL playoffs.
The NBA playoffs begin today with once again the Western Conference having the better teams making the great, but beyond over rated and hyped, LeBron James and his 50 wins, East “4” seed, Cleveland Cavaliers, actual slight favorites, to make the NBA Final Round.
If James, whose fine season was hailed by his “from the beginning, benefactors,” ESPN as truly great, (they won 50 games, finishing 4th in the pretty weak NBA East) and the Cavs make the NBA title round, it will be his eighth in as many seasons, since he in my opinion, in unforgivable fashion, jumped teams, which he did again and may well do yet again.
Sadly, news came that the great, talented Chuck McCann has passed away at the age of 83.
His children’s show on local New York television station, WPIX (Ch.11) was legendary.
Mr.McCann was “cuckoo for cocoa puffs,” as he voiced the famous line and also stood out in the film, “The Projectionist.”
My greatest memory of Mr. McCann was his superb performance, as one who was intellectually challenged, opposite the also superb, Alan Arkin’s lead role, in the film based on Carson McCullers’ book, “The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter.”
That was my greatest Chuck McCann memory, until I had the great fortune to interview him briefly, roughly 7 years ago.
His gracious manner and humor, as he thanked me for remembering his great role in an all-time movie and book, “The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter.”
Thanks back to you Mr. McCann for the memories heard and seen and most of all, for making me feel so good about thinking so highly of you before we met, by being so gracious when we did meet.
Stuff much better than cocoa puffs (which, I guess a plug, was/is pretty good) awaits you, go easy Mr. McCann, and thank you again.
Recently, I saw a superb, new film “Finding Your Feet.”
This one had most (think about it, there is no such thing as all) almost all if you will, the good things in a film, comedy, pathos and truly good writing and characters.
Richard Loncraine directed this truly moving film, with its “take a leap” message.
The entire cast turned in fine performances with Imelda Staunton (“Sandra”), Celia Imrie as her quite different? sister, “Bif” and Timothy Spall as “Charlie” leading the way. Do not miss this film!
The N.H.L. playoffs begin tonight with 3 games.
Tomorrow night, top seed, Nashville (Predators) hosts Colorado (Avalanche). Last season, the Predators made the Stanley Cup final (they lost to the repeat title winning, Pittsburgh Penguins, who clinched the crown with a Sunday night road win for the second straight season).
Though only two original 6 teams, Boston (Bruins) and Toronto (Maple Leafs) made the ‘offs, NBC and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, can’t be too upset, as only two teams from Canada made the fray (the other, the Winnipeg Jets, who finished second to Nashville in its “div” and the entire league in points.
Pittsburgh, second in its “div” faces Philadelphia (Flyers) in another first round series. Later in the series, I will post notes on simultaneous Pittsburgh and Philadelphia champions, which is the case right now as the Penguins, Philadelphia Eagles and Villanova University (Philly) all are their entity’s champion.
Andy B Sports 