Jake LaMotta, a terrific fighter/boxer, and flawed, complicated, humorous, friendly and ultimately good man, died at age 95.
I was fortunate to meet Mr. LaMotta on more than one occasion, including after his performance in “The Lady and the Champ.”
He was friendly and funny, one time joking about “striking out” with women, the next each of us lauding his “home run,” with his seventh wife, Denise Baker.
My late friend Joe Green and I spent many “diner” nights eating corn muffins and talking of sports’ greats.
Mr. La Motta was not the greatest, but because of his considerable talent, toughness and good, often great fights vs the greatest, Ray Robinson, Jake as Joe called him, was his hero.
Also Jake and Joe spent time together and Jake had class. I loved hearing the stories and told “Jake” so in our first meeting.
Left to right, Jake and Andy B after Jake’s performance in “The Lady and the Champ” in 2012.
The great actor, Robert DeNiro, who brilliantly portrayed LaMotta in director Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” wrote “Rest in peace champ.”
I add to that nice sentiment, by saying let the “friendly” checkers games with Ray commence.
You made each other greater, perhaps Ali and Joe Frazier, who did the same, will be seated next to you.
Eight cities have NFL teams that are (2-0), but only Denver has a likely baseball tournament participant, to go along with a (2-0) NFL team.
Additionally the Denver based Colorado Rockies at best will be the N.L. “5” seed and their lead for ‘offs qualification is but a game and a half over the Milwaukee Brewers.
While Carolina has no baseball team, the other (2-0) NFL cities, Atlanta, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Kansas City and Oakland all have baseball teams that will not qualify for the ’17 baseball tournament.
Also the two (1-0) team’s cities, Tampa and Miami also house baseball teams that will not be in the ’17 ‘offs.
The Brewers managed by Craig Counsell, pictured above scoring the W.S. winning run nearly twenty years ago, are still in contention for an ‘offs spot.
In citing the fact tonight’s tilt between the Detroit Lions and New York Giants is a redux of the 1935 NFL title, the league’s third such game, the incredible, I believe and am virtually sure, unprecedented title success of Detroit teams in 1935 manifests.
During the still Depression times that hit the “Motor City” especially hard, Detroit’s three major league professional teams “titled” in and/or around 1935, each title clincher having a “G” named player either opening or closing the Detroit scoring.
The most important hit by a “G” man/player was Goose Goslin’s (a double “G”) World Series winning rbi in game 6 of the ’35 W.S. in game 6 vs the Chicago Cubs.
In the aforementioned ’35 NFL title game, a (26-7) Lions’ win vs the Giants, Ace “G”utowsky opened the game’s scoring, giving “Det” a lead they never relinquished.
The Red Wings gave Detroit a third simultaneous title, surely unprecedented, when they took Toronto (Maple Leafs) three games to one, in a best of five (1935-1936) Stanley Cup final.
In the decisive game, a (3-2) Wings’ win, Ebbie “G”oodfellow of Detroit scored a goal to tie the game an eventual (3-2) “Vogues” (a “G” name coined the term “Vogues” for the Wings) Cup clinching win.
1935 was the first time Detroit won the W.S. —Al Kaline, pictured above, led the Tigers to their third crown in the late/not so great (Detroit winning was) 1968.
Among the five NFL (in one case AFL/NFL) “semis” rematches on today’s slate, are the two from 1968. Additionally, three NFL/’all the way” (cue Eric Carmen and “The Raspberries”) and three other ‘offs past games make/made eleven of sixteen in the second week.
In 1968, the New York Jets won (27-23) at home vs the Oakland Raiders in the AFL title game. Later that day, although Jim Simpson “famously” said “it is already (10-0) Baltimore” on the NBC radio broadcast as there was overlap, the Baltimore Colts ripped the Cleveland Browns (34-0) on the shores of Lake Erie (Cleveland) to win the NFL title game.
Two weeks later, the Jets shocked most, not 13 year old me, who rooted for the Supe loser a third time in as many such tilts, beating the Colts.
Today it would be a big upset if the Jets prevailed at Oakland. The 1999 expansion team, Cleveland Browns are also big underdogs in their second week tilt at the Baltimore Ravens, the franchise that moved from Cleveland after the 1995 season.
Tonight a redux of last year’s NFC title tilt/NFL semi with Atlanta looking to win at home vs Green Bay as they did in that tilt. Same venue as well for a 2013 NFC title game rematch, with “Sea” a 2 touchdown “fave” to repeat its win vs SF, whose quarterback that day was Colin Kaepernick, a player that has been both vastly over rated as “the second coming” and now “flagged” as not among the best 64 QB’s out there. Each assessment a gross error in talent, if not overall judgment.
Finally, same venue, at least city, Jacksonville, where the home Jaguars hope to reverse the result of their 1999 AFC title tilt loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Supe repeats: (you get the past results) Dallas at Denver, Minnesota at Pittsburgh, both of those games were in New Orleans, where today the current Supe champions, the NE Patriots visit the Saints.
Tomorrow 82 years later, this time at least closer to New York and not in Detroit, where the home team, Lions prevailed so many years ago, it is Det at “Hack” in a 1935 NFL title game redux.
L.A. now has two NFL teams, for better and I think worse, both teams are home today in slots/divisional round rematches held at the other venue, (3 games, one each from ’81-’83) the Rams host the Redskins while the now L.A. Chargers host the Dolphins.
Rounding out this esoteric post, the other NFL round a fourth, the wild card round was the status of Houston/Cincinnati.
In looking through my television listings for tomorrow, it became evident, incredibly, though CBS has assigned top team (Jim)Nantz/(Tony)Romo to the game, the New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints game will NOT be shown on over the air television in the New York metropolitan area market.
Ah, a solution came to mind as I recently visited Hoops, a fabulous place, and one which will not only show New England/New Orleans, but any NFL game you want to see. What was written below, certainly applies to football, even more so, as it is a true happening at Hoops!
Hoops Cabaret and Sports Bar in New York: Good Times!
Just one block from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station, Hoops Cabaret (48 West 33rd Street NYC) combines the fun of a sports bar with the excitement of a gentlemen’s club.
It’s a great place to watch the baseball or ANY FOOTBALL game, or any sporting event. There are so many Hi-Def TVs and giant screens—there is not a bad seat in the house.
Food and drink served by good looking waitresses in referee outfits, while beautiful entertainers in sports themed clothing perform on multiple stages.
Highly recommended.
HOOPS Cabaret and Sports Bar
48 West 33rd Street, New York City
***Court-side, Mezzanine and VIP seating
***Multiple Hi-Def TVs on all Three Floors
***Super VIP “Man Cave”
***Full Menu, served late
***Full Service Premium Bar
***Next door to the world famous Rick’s Cabaret NYC
The defending champion Chicago Cubs have both left the door open and won when they had to in the subsequent nearly two months since I posted what is below.
They lead by three and a half, but did not run away with the NL Central but appear safe. I wrote the following on July 27th, fifty days ago. It seems safe to say the Cubs “measured” the rather weak NL Central field. There are still games left so let’s see, but I “see” the Cubs winning the Central and losing in the “quarters” vs Washington. Again below, from July 27th.
Do the Chicago Cubs have the N.L. Central lead to stay?
Despite so often wrong (a person on the phone said “wrong,” literally as I typed the word) and sure, WFAN’s Mike Francesa saying the Cubs would ease to the division title, I also believe they will win it, perhaps easily.
After that if it happens, they will be a viable contender in the baseball tournament.
Until further notice, it is almost certain to be a redux of last year’s WNBA final, in which the second seed L.A. Sparks upset the top ranked, defending champion Minnesota Lynx.
This year the Lynx are again top ranked and favored to get back the title.
Both Minnesota and Los Angeles won easily in semi openers, vs the Phoenix Mercury and Washington Mystics respectively.
Game 2 in each series is tonight. The Lynx and Sparks are a combined (6-0) (6-0), the latter figure vs the spread, the past two seasons in the semis.
The Dick Cavett Show of days past is airing each night at 8 P.M. on Decades with two half hour episodes.
Many times one guest has occupied both slots.
Recent examples have been Richard Burton and Jerry Lewis.
Each day, I look forward to watching Mr. Cavett and his guests.
We can see great guests such as Debbie Reynolds, called indomitable not “unsinkable” by Cavett on tonight’s show. They were great together, Carrie Fisher cited as the show ended, a portent but let’s remember the magnificent talent and efforts as well.
True, the Indians are playing for something, at least the A.L. one seed , which they now lead by one and a fraction games over Houston (Astros) and in this the first year ever, in which W.S. home advantage will be determined by record, a “race” with N.L. teams L.A. (Dodgers) and Wash (Nationals), but why with 19 straight wins, are the Indians, perhaps and likely peaking now?
Of course, a lesser pace can get them the long sought title. Last year, “Cleve” went (10-2) in their first twelve ‘offs games, before losing the last 3 W.S. games to the Cubs, which ended the Cubs’ 108 year title drought while prolonging Cleveland’s to at least 69 years.
The Indians will be over 4 to 1 faves with ace pitcher Kluber at home tonight, vs Detroit, in a bid to tie the A.L. record win skein of the 2002 Oakland A’s, set around this time of year.
Those A’s and the A’s of that “Money Ball” era never even won a playoffs series, while the 1916 New York Giants, who won 26 straight games with a tie among 27 played, did not make the World Series.
The ’35 Cubs, who won 21 straight games, lost in 6 to the Tigers of Detroit, in that season’s World Series.
Goose Goslin pictured above, “tuned in” Mickey Cochrane, for whom Mickey Mantle was named, with the W.S. winning run in 1935.
Trust me, I am not anti-New England Patriots. In fact, I generally “pay money” to root for their victories.
They deserve credit, as one of the great teams in any sport, at any point in time.
However, the thought they were invincible and the ceremony before their opening tilt, a loss vs K.C. left me with a sour taste.
Showcasing Robert Kraft with his well known views and worse Mark Wahlberg, does not help the N.E. intangibles, already poor, having not only won the 51st Supe, but having done so with an amazing comeback.
They also went (16-3) vs the spread, but are (0-5) this season, of course counting EXHIBITION games, which the “rip off” NFL charges its suckers, I mean fans.
This is a great team, with both an all-time QB and coach. The fact, the ridiculous media will tone down their praise, will also help New England.
So NE is plus 4 and a half to 1 to win the Supe.
I will “book” a good chunk, saying they do not!
Since I am not in that “field,” nor want to be, I hope they do win it, but emphatically, with visions of Kraft, Wahlberg and even Tom running on the field last week, in my head, if not my heart, say they will NOT repeat as title winners!
The Pats are better than the Penguins but they will not repeat as champions, something the Pens did.
I wonder if Wahlberg would take 4 and a half to one that they do! I may not like him, but he is seemingly too smart to do that. Then again, what does money mean to him as he has so much!
