After all that, (surely I do come on strong/likely offensive, to some of you with long held deep beliefs in military glory. I would be happy to offer perspective on this complex issue, however my point of view which is shared by many, gets almost no, as they say now, “traction” especially in the sport’s world), I “better” give you guys, (now a term that includes gals), some winners.
After all, the “cha ching” (spelling?) is the one thing that takes priority over the “war mongering.”
First a look at the loser/loser/underdog system and then some advice which often, but not always, helps.
In the New York market, “they” would not give us 4 games, one a mandatory, meaningless Jets at “S.F’ tilt, so really it is two games.
A “system” game is (6-6) Buffalo plus 3 vs (7-5) Pittsburgh, with Nantz presiding. Oh, to have access to the envelope he possesses, with the game result (exaggerated?. of course, but trust me there are grains of truth in that statement, the everlasting question, how many?!!). “Buff” needs the game much more, but Pitts is still in a battle to win the AFC North to qualify, and is a dangerous, very good team. I will predict Pitts 19 Buff 17.
I do not think they want Arizona in, nor do they have much of a chance of being in. Additionally “AZ” threw long for a touchdown, that both covered and “over’d” Wash last week.
It was not a “gross” violation ( incidentally where is “Shtunk,” and dare I say intelligent, caring people such as him, who never overcame their inner base feelings and thus “roto-rooted” one as brilliant, talented, but lazy as me, are one reason we got one such as Trump, and all that entails) by “Az,” however, Miami, routed last week by Pitts’ rival, Balt, will win this week.
Do not “go crazy” on this or any other tilt though often I kick myself for not doing so, which is why gambling is so masochistic, among other unhealthy things, I say to myself, but this looks good, not as good as the latkas at Vikki and Jeff’s Chanukkah party yesterday, but good. Mia 23 Az 16. If I am wrong there is small consolation in the fact “traitor” cousin Adam’s non title streak with “his” Dolphins, Mets, Islanders and Trailblazers will grow to 143 (43 Mia, 29 completed seasons sans a title for the Mets, 39 for Portland’s Trailblazers and 32 completed NHL seasons for the Isles).
Two more system games in my next post on a ranting, angry, Sunday morning despite being at a great Chanukkah party invited to so graciously by Vikki, Jeff, Emily, Norman and by extension Ann and Nick. I should have taken the latkes home but even that will not prevent this rage if I do not find love and achievement!
Remember there are no locks in these games!
Maybe if my hard working parents (they were very different than me in that regard, working a combined 90 years, for a “lousy” 100 days in a skilled facility, granted to my mother) had seen that I knew there was evil, without citing the evils in the system, they would have met me somewhere “in between” and today I could at least live with some dignity, if not afford that delicacy, lox.
In the old days of baseball, players from opposing teams rarely fraternized. It was a much different time, one before pensions and player unions, yielding rivalries, often at least somewhat bitter, in abundance.
Thus I recall breakthroughs that also went further than opposing players talking, as one expands a bit on the three great players involved, hopefully bringing it forward in a very important sociological and more important, humanitarian sense.
The great player, Detroit’s (Tigers) Hank Greenberg, who once hit 58 home runs in a season which threatened the one and only George “Babe” Ruth’s single season record, once talked of being in the league over a year, without saying anything to another baseball immortal, Lou Gehrig of the vaunted New York Yankees.
Then in 1934, one of three times in a 7 year span, Greenberg and “Det” derailed the Yankees’ incredible “pennant express,” Hank got to first base and Lou asked “are not you going to say hello?”
I “tear up” thinking about such comradery, respect and yes greatness! Perhaps that is why I am so critical of the announcers, the country and most of all myself.
Moreover, I thought about what Lou Gehrig, a United States citizen went through as a youth because he was of German descent, during a war in the nineteen teens (I will not “number” the war, it was beyond brutal and even worse was supposed to be the last one. That was, and even more ominous, is not even close to being the case, making the usually just a “garden variety,” never shutting up, often wrong, “boning” Gary Danielson’s war monger type comment during yesterday’s almost fixed, Army win vs Navy (I predicted it, as if that matters, but alas Danielson and the military compete in “killing” while my competitive juices are satisfied, in trying to forecast outcomes in a violent, military game.)
Greenberg, another United States citizen, one who was of the Jewish faith, went through horrible insults on the baseball diamond.
Hank made it a top priority to be friends with Jackie Robinson, a black man, whose first season in 1947 was Greenberg’s last.
Speaking of “last,” Gehrig, Greenberg, and Robinson, their greatness and courage will last and resonate if we remember, that the people today be them from Mexico or of the Islamic faith, are human beings and need I remind you (sadly I do!) in 2016, be treated as such.
Maybe, in fact definitely in my opinion, another “last” as in a “last war” will never be as long as a Gary Danielson, who took the “commercial” for this country’s armed forces that is the Navy/Army game (by the way the overt rooting for Army and I predicted them to win and made a few bob on that fix, thus it is not “sour grapes,” was disgusting and both Danielson and “born again” Verne Lundquist, in his last tilt should be ashamed!) to a disgusting, nihilistic level.
In case you did not hear it, a gushing Danielson talked of an Army player (that is another thing and I almost never impugn a player’s ability, as for one thing, he or she is almost always better than an out of shape, “never was” such as me, but whomever he was, this was a game between at best, two slightly above average, college football teams) longing to lead his team into BATTLE and he did NOT mean football.
Way to go Gary, (by the way, again “light years” better than me, but at best a journeyman pro quarterback,0 it is not enough to promote football and its inherent violence but now salivate at the prospect of killing other HUMAN BEINGS.
One more thing, I may as well go “all in here,” I read that the man, who rode a process, originated to give states that made legal a “peculiar institution,” that put other human beings into slavery, namely the electoral college, to ascend to the United States presidency and so called “commander and chief” (purposely not capitalized as a statement not only against the very dangerous man, who will be in that position but as an intense opposition to war) of this country, so “moved” by war, (no wonder, so many of us can not sleep at night, ah but they can— the Trumps, the Danielsons and the Sean McManuses, more on him another time) was at the game!
Paraphrasing a local sportscaster of some renown, Warner Wolf, who would joke regarding who was at the game, you could have “turned off” all hope right there!
Only one game on the major college football schedule and it is (9-3) Navy as only a 5 plus point favorite vs (6-5) Army, a team they have beaten 14 straight times.
Is this game the last for Verne Lundquist or will he broadcast The Sun Bowl, I believe the one bowl game CBS still televises. Of course it ESPN’s world, we just unfortunately have to live with that.
Though Navy lost last week vs Temple, I think Army, minimum will make this a close game.
Let’s pick an upset.
Army 26 Navy 24.
When the AFL climbed two huge “hills,” in winning the last two pre AFC/NFC format “Supes,” offensive linemen named Hill, the Jets’ Winston (his wife famously said my husband blocked Bubba (Smith) and the Chiefs’ Dave, played vital roles in their teams’ victories.
Now with so much still left to settle, the (10-3) Chiefs, as is the case with the Jets, sans even a Supe appearance since winning it all, but very much unlike the (3-9) Jets, are nice favorites to be at least the AFC “two seed” and minimum host a slots/division round game for just the fifth time in team history. They are (0-4) in previous such games.
In trying to climb that big “hill,” toward at least a Supe appearance, a Hill has led them in two big NBC wins, first in overtime con Tirico at Denver and (21-13) with Michaels at home last night, vs now (10-3) Oakland.
That Hill is Tyreek Hill.
Keep in mind, “KC” won both “reg” tilts vs Oakland and thus owns the tiebreaker vs “Oak.”
However, NBC has at least one more “KC” tilt, that one again in “KC” ( a string of 3 straight home games for “KC” began last night, next week a “be careful” game vs AFC South contender, Tennessee (Titans) on Christmas night vs (8-4) defending Supe champion Denver (Broncos).
Also with all the talk of the old KC vs Oak rivalry, which surprisingly I did not mind all that much (surprise!), keep the following in mind.
In six consecutive seasons (1966-1971), either and in most of those years, both Oakland and “K.C.” were true AFL/AFC powers.
In only one of those seasons did either team win the Super Bowl, (the Chiefs in 1969), doing so after losing both regular season tilts vs the Raiders.
Kansas City won in their third tilt at Oakland, in the last AFL title game . Subsequently, the Chiefs beat the Vikings (23-7) in the fourth Supe, the last contested between the NFL and AFL.
Another Hill that played for the Chiefs, Mack Lee Hill, pictured above died far too young at age 25.
Please, I am only venting as to how much, “the only great on local Reds’ broadcasts,” Al Michaels has slipped.
He, with his stretched out calls, so far from the concise, “on the play,” greatness of a Ray Scott, or even a Curt Gowdy, makes me blue.
However, stay well Al and please spare me the utter despair, that would go with a Mike Tirico broadcasting NBC package games.
So far tonight, Michaels has called the opening quarter, a measure of the game’s length, the opening “frame.” Subsequently, a runner “ran into a wall and “exploited” it,” for what 3 yards. Exploitation, for sure!
You know what Al, (Bench’s homer call aside, Roberto went back to the wall and was never seen again. Your greatness was never heard again!
Yet in the NBA, Mike Breen replaced you. NFL would be Tirico, so I have to hope your less than stellar work remains, to avoid something much worse as is the case with Breen and would be con Tirico.
Partial picture but you can see the great Johnny Bench.
In fairness to Michaels, most of us (certainly me), never achieve any greatness. Click below to hear a great broadcasting moment and performance thereof by Al Michaels.
“Yesterday, December 7th,” Larry Bird born 15 years after the “infamy” of Pearl Harbor, on another “yesterday December 7th,” turned 60 years old.
If one really thinks about it, and extrapolates a bit, more so as I feel and was brought up, with little or no racial prejudice, but with a tad less “political correctness,” we can go a long way measuring attitudes of many, through the prism of Larry Bird’s greatness.
Basketball was his vehicle, an all-time great, a consensus and my pick as the greatest forward in basketball history, the leading man on 3 Boston Celtics’ title teams, fitting and “weaving” well into the “fabric,” of that most glorious NBA franchise.
Oh the mixed feelings I had over the years, as the Celtics were not my team, but my father’s team. As with any great team, I appreciate their greatness and in doing so, let go of the “anti-feelings,” still unfortunately, reserved for lesser teams, associated with disproportionate intensity.
There were never mixed feelings regarding Larry Bird. I truly loved his greatness and am glad my father and I watched him play together, on a number of occasions.
Perhaps it is bragging, but few know me and I deserve this, as again I was ahead of the curve as a Lakers/”Earvin “Magic” Johnson fan, who longed for Earvin and Larry, rivals in college and as members of the two most glorious and successful NBA franchises, the Celtics and Lakers, to become friends.
It took a while, but these two men, who took their great skills and made them better, more than anything by being team players, did become the friends they are today.
I love the great pass. I had hope, we as members of the so called human race, would make that “pass” to make the unit and as much surrounding us as possible, better.
However, as the ’80’s progressed, that was not the case for those on the bottom, not even close.
Yet in watching Larry and Earvin play, their great respect and eventual “love’ for each other, I knew in that aspect, I was living in a wonderful time.
Nobody “messed” time the way I did. Most get screwed by circumstance eventually, in fact all of us die, often with great regret.
However, from that first Friday night in 1979, when Johnny Most’s broadcast of Larry’s first NBA game came crackling through the radio, including the one time I talked with him, the great memories of having seen Larry play, helps ease that regret.
Franklin Roosevelt pictured above. My number, my country, most of all my life—“what happened?!!”
I have not seen any updated odds regarding winning the AFC South Division of the National “Fixed,” whoops, Football League.
However with three teams tied for the lead with “stellar” (6-6) records surely the Houston Texans called more or less certain division winners by WFAN personalities Joe Boningo and Evan Roberts 15 days ago, are no longer 2 to 1 favorites as was the case when the two “on air” “say what they want, without regard to perspective,” personalities made another extreme statement that already makes them look like the fools, albeit well paid ones they are.
Alas as is always the case, (I must have looked at a burning bush somewhere in time to yield this “suffering”) they and others far worse (see or hear, actually do not unless you listen to get his arrogant forecast and then go against it), Mike Francesa will continue to make extreme statements and face no consequences when they are wrong.
I have a put a link to my post regarding Roberts and Boningo matter-of-factly saying “the Texans will win the division,” below.
Now of course they still can win the division. My point was they were not certain to win the division, at the time Roberts and Boningo said that they were.
When reading me or when I did a cable show, each in a veritable desert, especially compared to all powerful WFAN, another windmill I fought but of course could not stop, I put things in perspective. The same can not be said for almost all those currently polluting the airwaves!
Truly, the opinionated without perspective or restraint, have “run” the veritable “asuylum” that is sports media for a long time, and soon will again head the government, of this most powerful, but truly underachieving country.
Click below to view my comments after Roberts and Boningo declared the Houston Texans certain division winners on November 22, 2016.
More Ridiculous Sweeping Predictions On WFAN
The only “locks” are on doors or similar items, NOT in forecasting sports or as it turns out, electoral college results.
Below you will find a link to Vin Scully’s recollections of the 1965 World series.
There is much good information there, as one would expect from a fine broadcaster such as Scully.
However, there is a factual error, one that easily could have been avoided, with some more homework or fact checking.
In this year the retiring Scully, in my opinion, got a bit too much praise and far too many declarations of being the best ever, I point out the following mistake.
Commenting on character “Chauncey Gardner” nearly walking on water in “Being There,” author Jerzy Kosinski said if anyone might be able to do so, it would be one as pure, as the of course fictional, “Gardner.”
Scully, as is the case with the rest of us, does not “walk on water.”
It was John Kennedy and NOT Ken McMullen, (the latter was traded by the Dodgers before the 1965 season), who came in as a defensive replacement, in the 9th inning of game 7 of the 1965 World Series.
Click below to hear Mr. Scully say it was McMullen at about the 3 minute, 47 second mark, of an otherwise accurate account of the ’65 W.S. and Dodgers’ season.
Vin Scully recounts the 1965 World Series
Click below to view the evidence.
1965 World Series Game 7 Box Score – Baseball Almanac
Vin Scully, a great, but not perfect, and in my opinion, not the greatest broadcaster, pictured above.
It is not on a par with with the New York Yankees winning 14 American League Pennants in 16 seasons from (1949-1964), in fact it is not close, however, the New England Patriots’ almost certain 14th AFC East crown in 16 seasons (2001-2016), is quite a feat!
“N.E.” raised their record to (10-2) with a (26-10) win vs the L.A. Rams, covering the 13 plus point spread.
One recalls the Pats’ first division title season of these 14, ending with a big upset win in the Super Bowl vs a powerhouse St. Louis Rams team, that was nearly as big a favorite as the Pats were two days ago.
New England has a 3 game lead over Miami (Dolphins) with 4 games remaining for each team. It is almost certain the Pats will have a division title in 14 of the 15 seasons in which Tom Brady played more than one game.
Brady, coach Bill Belichick and Company almost certainly will host a slots/divisional round game for an incredible 11th time in 16 seasons and 14 playoff appearances.
You can see on Bill Belichick’s typical game day outfit, the Patriots, then the Boston Patriots were established in 1960. They have come a long way and have won 4 Super Bowl titles.
They were an original AFL team, one of eight. As late as 1997, before the Denver Broncos another original AFL team (in fact they met the Pats in the first regular season AFL game ever played), won the first of what is now 3 Super Bowl wins, only the Oakland Raiders among the 8 original AFL teams had won a post AFC/NFC format (begun in 1970) Supe crown.
For the record, the Pats (4) and Broncos and Raiders (3 each) are still the only original 8 AFL teams with a post common schedule AFC/NFC set up Supe win.
Both the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, neither with as much as a Supe appearance since, won Supes in big upsets in the last two AFL seasons, that helped “justify” the NFL/AFL merger.
The Buffalo Bills (0-4), Houston Oilers as their current incarnation, Tennessee Titans (0-1) and San Diego Chargers, the L.A. Chargers in that first AFL season in 1960, also (0-1) have never won a Supe crown.
AFL expansion teams, Miami (Dolphins) and Cincinnati (Bengals) have respectively won 2 Supes and lost 2 such games. The ‘Phins, sans a title since 1973 have also lost 3 Super Bowl games, all 5 appearances under coach Don Shula.
Very few things can help alleviate the “pain” of WFAN radio’s Mike Francesa being as my father would have said so “cock Sure” of his assertions.
We will deal with the so often wrong, Francesa, at a later date.
Right now, the realization Decades is showing, I believe the first twelve episodes of the Abbott and Costello television show today, has helped change my mood, say 130 degrees for the better.
Additionally the usual “Through the Decades,” one “Rowan and Martin Laugh In” and Lena Horne interviewed by Dick Cavett, will air today and early tomorrow morning.
“Hey Abbotttttt” and “slowly I turn” regarding “Niagra Falls” will be heard. It starts at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Can’t wait!!!
This is a good “over and over” There will be classic routines, edited sure, but certainly worth seeing ‘over and over.”
Andy B Sports 