Today’s 52nd anniversary of the last Cleveland NFL title, is not quite as meaningful as years past, as this is the first one, since the NBA Cavaliers ended the city’s nearly 52 year sports title drought last June, aided and abetted by the unfair suspension of Dray Green, by the “look at him, see much of the wrong (“wrong” said twice on a recording as I type, —did not need that “sign,” to opine how wrong Silver suspending Green was, as it led to a “Cleve” title, they may have won in any case, but to me is forever “of asterisk,” if not truly tainted.) in society,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
Three days ago, the 1999 expansion team, Browns won their first game and are (1-14). If there is a local or at least an “in the region” NHL team for Cleveland, it is the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have won 12 straight games and have the best record, still early, in the long, somewhat meaningful NHL regular season. (This with some contrast to the virtually meaningless NBA regular season, which Silver sanctions as those P.T. Barnum said “are born every minute,” still pay to see. Additionally to keep that going, “King Silver” and the new “George the Third,” Trump, will push for gambling on these otherwise meaningless games, perhaps streaming from some casinos, that will further exploit, those that are not rich.)
The baseball Indians now have the “market cornered” on current baseball title droughts, suffering again, after being denied by the Chicago Cubs in extra innings, after a rain delay in the decisive game played in Cleveland, with so many there and all over this country, which 6 days later “awakened” (people here, myself included, on other matters, likely will never, which is a long time, “wake up”) to a new low, with Donald Trump “electoral colleged” as president, rooting for the Cubs.
LeBron James, whose fingers are in so many pies (so help me a too brief recording singing and ripping the intellectually challenged, but rich PIEman is playing just after I chose the pie maxim for the ubiquitous James), was shown “cheering” far too wildly and alas, prematurely when the Indians’ Raj Davis, dramatically tied the 7th game of the World Series with a 3RHR-bottom 8, that sadly will largely be lost in history, (even for this naysayer/negative/never was–#7 World Series carries significant meaning, heroes such as Babe Adams and Ben Zobrist, the latter one of the few current players I truly admire, emerging in such games 107 years apart.)
Though I rooted against the Cubs and certainly vs Trump, siding with James in defeat, the never ending presence of James, who led the Cavs’ title win with considerable help from Kyrie Irving, truly annoys me no end.
Alas James is a “chosen one,” albeit one prone to the incorrect use of double negatives in his speech, even if he never “titled.” Look at Charles Barkley, a true “hoops non title person,” but any “shot” he takes vs anyone, gets massive, disgusting publicity.
The fact so many athletes get this insane publicity and unbelievable advantages in life while those with limited if any athletic skills such as myself, are discarded is truly sad.
The star of the first World Series that went to a 7th and deciding game was Babe Adams from Bethany, Missouri.
He won 3 games for Pittsburgh which prevailed vs Detroit.
There was a time I watched the title celebrations of any major North American sports’ league team even if the result, yielded massive negative as was the case when the then intensely disliked New York Yankees made it 2 straight W.S. wins vs my then beloved L.A. Dodgers.
I recall Yankees’ stars, Reg Jackson and Thurman Munson, far from the “best of friends,” celebrating together, rightfully “chirping” that again they won vs L.A. and as underdogs.
The late Joe Green, who spent 5 years sans freedom, for “influencing” sports results, via money, NOT force or blackmail, juxtaposed with say Don King, who served less time after beating a man to death, made me feel a bit better a few weeks later when I saw him at Roosevelt Raceway.
My words of lament regarding the dual pain of a Dodgers loss and Yankees’ title were out before saying hello to a man, my father grew to like as he more than paid his so called “debt to society” and more important unlike those most notably the man “Giuseppe Verde” named the “HG” can, that rose in society, tried to help me by telling me to read, dance, learn and get out of the “environment.”
Joe, without batting an eyelash, nor commenting on any plays, managerial decisions or the relative strengths of the Yankees and Dodgers, asked “did you hear Munson and Jackson after the Series? They want to be the favorites, so they can “dump.” Of course even now, I do not believe that to be the case.
Yet a better version might be as favorites we will, somehow lose.
Sadly Munson whom I never liked, but boy did I respectfully fear, died within a year of catching the last out of the ’78 Series, which capped an incredible Yankees’ title season, which will forever haunt and impress me.
Reggie was in his last Yankees’ season, in strike marred baseball 1981. The W.S. matched the Yankees and Dodgers for the 11th and to this point last time, with the Yankees far bigger “9-11,” by the way look up those now famed #’s and see their presence throughout time) favorites than the Dodgers were in either ’77 or ’78.
The Dodgers won the title, winning the last four games.
I no longer watch title celebrations.
So much drama has been removed from the final week of the NFL season after this weekend’s results with one game Detroit (a win and they at least make the ‘offs) at Dallas which clinched the NFC one seed when Philly beat “Hack’ Thursday past.
The game in which Green Bay will sojourn to Detroit will decide the NFC North winner, the fourth consecutive season, a head to head battle involving the Pack will do just that.
If Dallas, a six plus point “fave” despite having clinched the “one seed” and thus having no ‘offs or ‘offs seeding incentive, wins vs Det tonight and Wash facing a Giants’ team that will definitely be the NFC “5” seed and has no ‘offs incentive, wins Sunday in a tilt, out of deference to “The Emperor” Joe Buck, was moved to later in the afternoon (say 4:20 Eastern Time) then the GB at Det tilt will be, “win you are in,” (likely as the “4” seed) while a loss would mean not qualifying for the NFL playoffs.
For the second straight season, the game for the NFC North crown and likely playoff qualification for “GB’ and quite possibly “Det,” has been moved to the night with “Alfalfa” (Al Michaels) on NBC.
In future posts I will cite why this has the feel of New Year’s Days past when NBC’s night presentation of the often “all important” Orange Bowl dwarfed that of the day’s other bowl games.
It probably was “unfair,” that Miami University played for and claimed 2 undisputed and one shared mythical college football national titles, in home Orange Bowl games on NBC, after the ’83, (that on Jan 2nd, 1984), ’87 and ’91 seasons.
In very sad 2016, among the celebrated who passed were Florence Henderson best known as a television mom, “Carol Brady” on the “Brady Bunch” and t.v. father, Alan Thicke, best known for his role on “Growing Pains.”
Additionally, I recall Mr. Thicke as being the host I believe, and certainly in attendance at the 1988 Sports Emmy Awards, the first such event in which Bob Costas won an award.
It was still a hopeful time for me, though still, as seemingly always, sans the “point a” needed, for any inroad toward gainful employment.
I was the first to interview Bob Costas that night and remember sitting opposite Alan Thicke after the show. There was a big magnum of champagne on a table surrounded by a number of people, as Thicke “hosted” and talked about hockey.
This past Friday, as the holiday gloom really started to wash over me, more intensely this year than most before, not because both Christmas and Chanukkah are on the same day, but for other reasons, including the inescapable fact Donald J. Trump has ascended to the U.S. presidency, I watched a convergence of “television dads” on the show, “Father Knows Best.”
Of course Robert Young was the father, “Jim Anderson,” a man who came home and as comedian Gabe Kaplan said, changed sports jackets, eventually appearing in one with patches on the sleeves.
He usually did “know better,” if not “best,” and by the way, as stated here before, check Mr. Young’s performance in the film,”Crossfire,” and you will see he had, as they say, “the chops,” in the acting profession.
Courting the show’s/Anderson family’s older, beautiful daughter “Betty” played by Elinor Donahue, (someone write/type in with the famed movie with a character named “Betty Anderson”) or attempting to do so, was future t.v. dad/”Mike Brady,” Robert Reed. (check him out as “Teddy Boylan” in “Rich Man Poor Man” and know he would have the “utensils”/chops for the meal many Jewish people ate yesterday, or does that journey for Christmas day Chinese food change because it is also Chanukkah–I would not know, as I have no family).
On “Father Knows Best,” Mr. Reed’s character is courting Betty. On the “Brady Bunch,” his character weds a second time, marrying a woman also taking the vows a second time, “Carol,” played by Florence Henderson. “It” is in many ways a “circle,” surely as outgoing U.S. president Barack Obama and this year’s election reminded us, “it”/history is NOT a straight line.
Actor Robert Reed, whose “Teddy Boylan” bought Susan Blakeley’s “Julie Prescott” (it was Rudy and Tom Jordache’s sister Gretchen, who received that daiquiri and other “firsts,” in Irwin Shaw’s epic novel) her “first daiquiri” in “Rich Man, Poor Man,” is flanked by Ann B. Davis to his right and Florence Henderson to his left, pictured and now all, likely “above.”
Yesterday, exactly 39 years after a famed divisional playoff game clash between the two clubs, the Raiders and Colts met again, with (perhaps) eerily, similar results.
Oakland in a game likely to be remembered as the one in which their fine quarterback Derek Carr was injured, (did you hear “goody/goody” Phil Simms argue for Carr and Oakland passing with a (33-14–same score GB took Oak in the second Super Bowl, when Nantz asked a good question, as to whether they should have been?), eliminated the over rated Andrew Luck and the Colts, from any post-season possibilities, winning (33-25).
On December 24, 1977, in a far better game, with even higher stakes, Oakland won (37-31) in overtime , I believe it was early in the 6th quarter, when Ken Stabler threw the winning touchdown pass to Dave Casper, that not only won the game, but covered the spread.
Thus (a Biblical word in this post which will reference it) exactly 39 years apart, in a pair of Christmas Eve games, Oak eliminated the Colts, winning by 6 and 8, scoring 37 and 33, while the Colts tallied 31 and 25.
This “lapsed” religious Jewish person (not in the identity) not “for Jesus” as in “hook, line and sinker” belief he is it, but as one who marvels at his incredible life and giving, “conversing” with him/whomever one thinks of as a/the diety, but again with great empathy for the life of Jesus, I ask as my heartbroken mother often did–why with all my knowledge/ability am I “Norm Cash” (we share(d) the same b/day), and where am I? More important, where am I going?!!
Oakland knows where they are going and that is to Denver. Only I, as cited above “denied” and not knowing “my destination,” note another similarity involving the Raiders exactly 39 years apart. They also went to Denver to play the Broncos 39 years earlier on the first day of 1978.
Then it was the AFC Title game and Denver won. Now depending on the outcome of tonight’s tilt Denver at K.C. (45 years to the date, after a famed “at K.C.” slots game, Oak will take the field in “The Mile High City” as at least the AFC “2” seed, if Denver wins tonight.
No matter what tonight’s outcome is, “Oak” will have “game incentive,” as if they win, and (13-2) “N.E.” loses at Miami, as they did in last year’s “reg” finale, which cost them the one seed to eventual Supe winner, you knew that one, Denver,—- then Oak is the AFC one seed, for the first time since 2002, in this their first ‘offs appearance, since that time.
A “K.C.” win tonight would leave “Oak” with a magic of number of one to clinch the AFC West and at least the two seed. It would eliminate the Broncos (Denver) from playoff contention. “KC” visits San Diego (Chargers) next week.
One more fairly big tangent and a “dreamer” message to go with my best wishes on this Christmas and Chanukkah, with Kwanzaa two days hence.
On the first day of 1978, as Dick Enberg brilliantly quipped, (Enberg was not the baseball announcer Vin Scully was, but the difference in publicity for Scully’s farewell was out of whack, compared to the relatively miniscule amount, afforded Enberg. In football or basketball, the latter I doubt Scully ever did, nor did he have to as he carved a great place, albeit in my opinion, vastly over rated one, in broadcasting, it is no contest. Enberg was far superior. A mentally ill “Stone” in my shoe has chosen to hurt me greatly by pulling a “Can” maneuver, (not calling), but his memories of Scully calling John Jefferson “Lofton” and James “Lofton,” who is a pathetic announcer and knows as I THINK I do, what really happened in that stairwell, “Jefferson” all throughout the Jets win vs GB in the ’81 reg finale, that “put” both NY area football teams in the ‘offs for the first time in the 12 seasons of the NFC/AFC format), as Haven MOSES gathered in 2 TD’s, Denver made the “promised land,” with Haven “having the right name” (names?) to lead the way.
The haven/promised land denied another Moses, (not his holiday, but I dig that “cat” as well, relating to his being denied and feel honored and stand in appreciation of his deeds) was not pleasant for the ’77 Broncos as Dallas (Cowboys), perhaps oddly, perhaps not–(God/Jesus/Moses all have their “reasons/plan?”) the NFC one seed this season, won (27-10) vs Denver, in that “haven/promised land” known as the Super Bowl.
You thought I forgot? Of course they were the Baltimore Colts in 1977. That was glory! Baltimore’s Unitas, who was so clutch, not like Indy’s Peyton Manning, who did somehow win a Supe there and a subsequent one in his (and) last season.
They moved secretly in the middle of the night. Also how dare Mr. Luck “spike” the football when he scored a touchdown and his team still trailing (33-20) and clearly in deep trouble in a so called “elimination” game. Worse while “more flamboyant” players with more “flamboyant” celebrations are perhaps rightfully criticized (I do not like the excessive celebrations and long for the low key, if any celebrations of Bart Starr, John Unitas and Jim Brown), Luck will not be.
WFAN’s Francesa, truly “targeted” correctly by the New York Post’s Mushnick last week, (I will not repeat it) “loves” Luck, thinking he “walks on water,” even as to this poin in time, he has been a good, even very good, but clearly underachieving player.
Some notes, but even I, try hard as I might, can not see the “puzzle/what ‘they’ want for the final week, in the admittedly “done right,” battle for NFL playoff spots and position.
I will say and this often does NOT work, if the Titans win their One PM Eastern time tilt, at Jacksonville vs the Jaguars, the Houston Texans essentially have no real “playoffs’ motivation for their Christmas Eve game at home vs the Cincinnati Bengals tonight.
If Tennessee wins, the winner of next week’s Houston at Tennessee tilt (Tennessee was once the Houston Oilers), will win the AFC South. Essentially that would leave Houston with little to play for vs Cincy as next week’s game almost certainly would determine Houston’s playoffs qualification fate.
Now if “Tenn” wins and Houston wins, then an unlikely tie in the “Hous” at “Tenn” game would still give the “div’ title to Houston. Also Houston with a win would keep alive hopes of being a three seed. I suppose Houston at (9-7) could still qualify for the ‘offs, as an AFC wild card team.
However, I believe if the Titans win, Houston has little motivation. However, even in that scenario no play on that game for me.
Two “system” games and slight nods from me, the Jets getting a huge number 17 points at New England. Last year, in the penultimate game, the Jets upset “N.E.” and it led to the Pats not getting the AFC one seed and an eventual loss to the “chosen” Peyton Manning and Denver. Today N.E. 31 Jets 17
The other loser/loser/underdog system game and also worthy of a slight nod is Arizona plus 8 points at Seattle. Sea en route to a very likely, not certain NFC two seed win but do not cover. Say Sea 15 Az 10.
This truly is shoddy reporting by Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com
He works for an entity, with the name NFL a part of it, half the name.
You would think he would have some knowledge of NFL history, apparently not!
Is it too much, Mr. Rosenthal that you know the NFL did not go to an 8 division format until 2001?!!
Thus, what I show below from Rosenthal’s column, is erroneous and I believe to be an egregious error, one illustrating his lack of knowledge, concerning NFL history.
“The Patriots have already clinched a bye for the seventh straight season, one of the most remarkable streaks in sports. (The next-longest streak of byes since the NFL went to an eight-division format: four, by the 1990s Cowboys and 49ers.)”
A link to Mr. Rosenthal’s story is below. Will it be corrected?!
AFC playoff hunt: Who’s in with a win?
Where is it?
The earth was a better place with 6 time Jeopardy champion, Cindy Stowell still on it and the show, (Jeopardy) was better, when the second and third place contestants could keep the money they won.
Here is an easy (Jeopardy with all the publicity gained from Cindy’s life, death and “Jeop” appearances can afford it) way to express that sentiment.
Ms. Stowell won a good deal of money, I think over one hundred thousand dollars, in winning on 6 Jeopardy shows.
In her 7th appearance a man with an eerily similar last name, who won the next night as well, (last night’s episode aired, but I do not know the result) Sam Scovill, outscored Cindy, but not before she answered correctly in Final Jeopardy and put the fact in a form of a question.
Stowell “scored” roughly 20 thousand dollars, but was awarded but two thousand, as the second place finisher.
As a tribute to Cindy Stowell and the many who scored big on the show, albeit not winning and were reduced by thousands, Jeopardy should donate the roughly 20 thousand dollar difference to cancer research where some of Cindy Stowell’s “Jeopardy sanctioned” winnings are already headed.
Cindy Stowell pictured and very likely, “above.”
Last year also in the penultimate week of the NFL “reg,” another “packaged” NFL night game, that one on a Saturday in Philadelphia, resulted in a Wash “division clinching win,” that eliminated both the New York Giants and the (Philly) Eagles.
I noted at the time (link below) that in a calendar year (2015), in which both the Giants and Eagles lost an elderly, great former player (Frank Gifford and Chuck Bednarik respectively), linked by a play in 1960 that in many ways, mostly for worse, symbolized the two team’s great rivalry, perhaps Mr. Gifford and Mr. Bednarik watched “from above,” as their teams were eliminated together, from any ‘offs possibilities.
Last night in a Thursday packaged NBC tilt with the unbearable duo of Mike Tirico and (oh did he just shut up now at 7 A.M. the next day) Cris Collinsworth, the now (6-9) Eagles, by the way bet from plus 3 to “pick em”/even, held off the (10-5) Giants, clinching the one seed for the (12-2) Dallas Cowboys.
As stated in a post earlier this week, last night’s tilt probably would not matter as Dallas was going to be the NFC one seed, (Dallas achieved that for just the second time in the 21 season span from (1996-2016), after notching the one seed twice in three seasons (’93 and ’95) with both “one seed seasons,” culminating in Supe wins. That was part of a great 3 Super Bowl wins in 4 seasons (’92-95) by Dallas, which has never been exceeded and matched only by the Patriots, the likely AFC 2016 top seed counterpart to Dallas from (’01-’04), while the Giants would almost surely qualify as an NFC wild card team, a “perch” from which they won it all in ’07, beating the lone other Dallas “one seed” team in this 21 season span, in the 4th “slot”/div playoff game, along the way.
I think back to 1994 when I saw the great player, Chuck Bednarik at the Heisman Trophy event, rooting so hard for the old Cleveland Browns in their win, (in another coincidence coached by Bill Belichick, need I say more), at Dallas, in a late season, Saturday AFTERNOON game.
Chuck told me that to put it mildly, “he did not like the Dallas Cowboys.” By the way for the record, I recall that Ken Safarowic, married to Chuck and wife Emma’s daughter Carol, was quite a good player and journalist, one who likely would appreciate this history but perhaps edit order and maybe content.
Last night, the Cowboys and their fans including “Michael D” and son Nicky, rooted for the “disliked” Eagles, the game result, meaning among other things, Dallas will host a slots/division game (I will say on Fox, in the Sunday Jan. 15th later game/4th slot) and be the NFC one seed at the time Michael and Nick celebrate their shared birthdays in the preceding week.
Imagine what the odds were against that (not them having shared birthdays, something I suppose, hard to calculate) happening, when we were discussing “Cowboys 2016,” informing them, quarterback Tony Romo would be out of action indefinitely.
Wilbert Montgomery burst 42 yards for a touchdown to open the scoring in the Eagles’ 1980 NFC title tilt win vs the Cowboys. A year later, the Giants led by Rob Carpenter and coached by the forgotten Ray Perkins, upset the Eagles in the one NFC wild card game. (They began 2 wild card round games in both the NFC and AFC in 1990, the Eagles losing in the first ever such game vs the Washington Redskins.)
Click below to read my post from December 2015, regarding “Giff” (Frank Gifford) and “Concrete Charlie” (Chuck Bednarik) maybe, watching a related game together.
There is then and of course now.
In 1971 on Christmas Day, Jack Whitaker was the lead announcer and many, my father included, felt Dallas had passed its toughest test, winning a “div” playoff game at Minnesota, in a bid to finally win a Super Bowl.
They did go on to win it all, carrying stoic, football intense, but unlike such as “Willie Boy” Bill Parcells, a decent man, coach Tom Landry off the field after doing so.
I have problems with megalomaniac Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones anyway, but especially so, when recalling his treatment of Mr. Landry, when the former took control of the team/brand.
Rather than rant further vs the NFL and add my mixed feeling regarding Dallas and the NFL (Rather as in Dan, is heard from Dallas on that fateful day in 1963, all it entails….. in the fine new film, “Jackie” starring Natalie Portman as Mrs. Kennedy, her pink outfit drained in the blood that still sadly whether right or wrong, haunts me as a symbol of this country’s and my macro failure. My micro failure can not quite be tied to that day or can it?!!), I will talk about “the more things change, they stay the same” aspect of Christmas Day second game of the day, tilts 45 years apart. (was #45, “Tank” Holmes still with the Chiefs in ’71?).
On Christmas Day 1971, with, as the great broadcaster, Curt Gowdy (now at best “we” endure Al Michaels and his stretched out, behind play by play or heaven help us Mike Tirico, an example that not the meek, but the incompetent shall inherit the earth) said, “a moon hanging down over Municipal Stadium,” the Miami Dolphins’ Garo Yepremian, another player, unjustly denied Hall of Fame status, booted a winning field goal in the 6th quarter of what is still the NFL’s longest game, lifting “Mia” over the host K.C. Chiefs, and into a home AFC title tilt.
Then as now, a favored Chiefs team hosted/will host a Christmas game.
Andy B Sports 