It is my “fault” for not posting two “winners” in time. Additionally two more were not posted at all.
The so called “system” games (“What is this “system” “Little Emanuel,” played brilliantly by Rafael Campos, asked on the great show, “All in the Family”) where one “takes” a previous week’s “loser” in the game and vs the point spread, as an underdog vs an opponent that won the previous week both in the game and vs the spread and is the favorite, clicked in all 4 cases, none specifically cited by me, on time.
Yes, in trying to avoid the “slings and arrows” of pain this type of thing can cause, I did not do my homework and opportunity, in this case being right in cyberspace, passed by, yet again.
I put up the fact that SF (at Miami) and “Jax” (at Buffalo) were system games, with the underdog team already ahead by a touchdown. Each team would be outscored by two touchdowns the rest of the game, thus lose by 7 points, but cover the spread.
I did predict Tampa Bay to cover vs Seattle and KC in a field goal game either way to do the same at Denver.
In the latter, while ‘suffering” the “slings/arrows” of a Denver late touchdown that had them ahead by 8 (by the way did non stop talking Collinsworth ever cite that maybe Denver receiver and touchdown maker Em Sanders should have fallen down at say the KC 5, to make victory more probable. I did not listen but did see he and Tirico “yukking” it up” as overtime approached. They knew the General Electric? coffers would fill), I more or less hit the game on the head. (Big deal, though somewhat impressive.)
Two I did not cite, one a “system” game as Jets bettors, though their hearts were in their throats as NE back, LeGarrette Blount raced free, before going out of bounds, assuring a Jets’ cover in a game, in which they played well in straight up defeat, vs the Patriots.
The other I realized too late, sets up a “Pooh and the Gang” “CELEBRATION,” a brilliant quip on the “Kool & The Gang” hit song, “Celebration.” ( the quip works if you know I call Jim Nantz, “Pooh.”)
CBS and Nantz/”Pooh” get a revitalized “GB” Packers team hosting Houston, a Nantz favorite city. Thus G.B. plus 4 and “a slice” should have been a selection.
Click below to view “Kool & The Gang” perform “Celebration.”
The two teams tied with the top records in the AFC are the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders.
Each team sports a (9-2) record, after victories yesterday.
The Pats have been incredible starting with the Super Bowl winning season of 2001.
Meanwhile Oakland has struggled mightily, since making the Super Bowl in 2002.
Perhaps these teams will meet in either the AFC title game or in a significant anniversary year redux of a famed controversial divisional playoff game.
I will talk about both famed divisional playoff games between the two teams, in a post or two tomorrow.
Harvard graduate and CBS football studio person, James Brown, whose incompetence over the years has stirred emotions invoking Pandora’s Box, “bothered” me and should have had the same effect on you, as he erred concerning the eventual Oakland Raiders’ “on the number,” 3 point win vs the Carolina Panthers.
After the Patriots near, but no cover, win vs the New York Jets, Brown “sent” the television audience that had viewed that tilt, with the ever improving Greg Gumbel, to Oakland dispensing inaccurate information.
Brown stated the Panthers had scored 25 consecutive points to tie the game when in fact, their 25 consecutive points gave them a (32-24) lead, (a 4 to 3 ratio to throw in something irrelevant), only to have Oakland tie the tilt, with a touchdown and 2 point conversion.
During the 1987 NBA Finals, Brown made a mistake that indicated he had no knowledge nor appreciation of NBA history. It was about the most inaccurate sports related statement I have heard and there have been innumerable ones, causing me agony in the many years I have watched, listened and suffered following sports.
Interviewing actor Jack Nicholson, Brown said you were a fan of the (L.A.) Lakers back in 1972 when they were losing.
The 1972 Lakers set a record that still stands with 33 consecutive victories, a then record (69-13) record and their first L.A. title.
Yes they happen but you are paid a ton of money to do what other poor souls (really another “s” word fits and it is schmucks) do for “nada” and Brown could not keep track of one of three late games, just two on CBS, which somehow has made him rich all these years. Pandora’s Box indeed!
A fourth post, perhaps in honor of true greats who wore #4, Lou Gehrig, Jean Beliveau and Bobby Orr.
Two predictions on later games, as the one P.M. tilts have commenced.
In those SF leading (7-0) as a touchdown “dog,” and “Jax” also leading (7-0), as a 9 point underdog, fit the loser/loser/underdog “system.”
I predict Tampa Bay, though an upset winner last week, to at least and in my opinion, only cover vs 5 plus point favorite Seattle.
Kenny Albert “covers” his childhood team for a second straight week, Sea 19 TB 16, in a battle of 1976 expansion teams.
At night, sadly with Mike Tirico, not Al Michaels presiding, KC plus three and a half is my choice in what I predict to be a field goal game either way.
Dogs will look good today.
Maybe I feel a bit guilty about my rage. Maybe there is little I can do in any case. Maybe it is the old saying if you can’t beat them, join them. Finally maybe a rarity occurred and I will cite two good notes/comments emerging from someone/something ESPN/ABC.
I give Chris Fowler, still nowhere near a skilled play by play person but rarely one that offensive, credit for a really good comment/line. He “quipped” well in the dramatic second overtime of Ohio State’s eventual victory against Michigan.
When the officials after review, did not overturn a call giving Ohio State a “crucial” (for the game’s result) (when I walked into the hospital in the middle of the night March 8, 1994 into March 9th and was told my father’s condition, I learned what “crucial” really means) first down based on the “spot,” Fowler intoned, correctly and with good wit, “there was not enough evidence to change the call based on the “spot” not in this SPOT (more or less it decided the game!).
Also below a good note on ESPN.com
“Every team that played tonight was on a back-to-back”
Trust me, teams playing back to back games in the NBA (i.e. on consecutive nights) are at a disadvantage.
While Ohio State coach Urban Meyer played to win, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh played not to lose.
Based on that alone, predictably Ohio State bet against from a 6 plus point favorite to say 5, won (30-27) in 2 overtimes.
Twice Meyer and Ohio State went for and converted fourth down plays, as late as the fourth quarter, the second preceding Curtis Samuels’ game winning, 15 yard scamper for a touchdown in the second overtime.
Conversely, more than twice, Harbaugh’s team ran on second down and reasonably long on fourth quarter Michigan possessions, that resulted in “three and out,” with a precarious three point lead.
Though Michigan lost, in my opinion largely due to Meyer clearly out coaching Harbaugh (Harbaugh like Meyer a bit of a jerk, only more so, as are most highly successful football coaches and authoritarian figures, blamed the officials. “Good” sportsmanship there.), they are very good. Additionally Harbaugh is a very good coach, though not in his strategy yesterday.
Additionally, “Hail to the spread winners/over the total winners” could play (the great Michigan song is “Hail to the Victors,” in this case not quite the Wolverines themselves, but their bettors and over bettors) as a still clutch, despite the team’s loss, Wilton Speight to Amora Darboh, 4th down, 5 yard touchdown pass in the first overtime and subsequent extra point tied the game.
The 6 point touchdown made the score (24-23) Ohio State pulling a “dead in the water” over 44 total (the score stood (3-0) mid second quarter) “OVER” 44 points and making Michigan plus 5 or 6, a likely and eventual winner.
Failure to convert that play amidst the roaring crowd in “Red State” Ohio, in this battle of two states that shamefully voted for Trump, (maybe if the students and younger people had their priorities correct concerning football juxtaposed with this nation’s future, the impending wave of minimum, conservatism, and maybe/likely eroding civil rights and increased racism could have been avoided) would have meant Ohio State “covering” in an “under.” Instead, they no covered in an” over.”
Maybe I go too far in my criticism. One thing, however, is assured. I do so with the biggest criticism reserved for me.
I wasted my life, more as an exponentially intense fan, than as one who wagered currency on football outcomes. Money can be recovered, (I “hold my own” and for the record, profited a small bit on that Michigan first overtime touchdown and was rooting for Ohio State to win the game. I “lost” a “free bet” on Michigan to win outright. Most important, each and every day I battle to not bet any significant emotional or financial amount), TIME CAN NOT.
Finally, as long posts often with political rants (perhaps not appropriate here for a reason or two. At least, I watch my language. While Mr. Trump’s actions/statements regarding what he did or thinks ok to do regarding women, are deplorable (that word again, to the loser writing this goes the thesaurus as well) Keith Olberman’s rage, clearly rage I support, included some questionable and yes offensive language in referring to “face it,” the next United States president) have replaced 3 a day (the latter the case for over 300 days, in horrible 2016), a veritable “offensive to some, questionable quality” over quantity, I lament so much in my life.
If one person can be saved “the slings and arrows” of rooting destruction, I will have contributed something positive. If that manifests, at long last some good will have been derived from my abject failure!
The reason I do not consider the current, 1999 NFL expansion team, the “real” Cleveland Browns is not that they are (0-11), a far cry from the old/real? Browns’ sustained minimum good, and at times great play from (1950-1973) in the NFL, (before that, they won All American Football Conference titles in all 4 years of that league’s existence), but the fact that the original team moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens, subsequently winning two Super Bowls, an overblown game for NFL supremacy the old/real? Browns never even qualified to play in.
Yet, I cite the fact that today when the New York Giants face the Cleveland Browns, it is one week shy of exactly 50 years since a memorable game between teams from the same city, if not the same teams, that was also played in Cleveland.
This year’s calendar is the same as the one in 1966. On Sunday December 4, 1966 (why did not the NFL, which if nothing else, is good for creative scheduling, slate this tilt for next week?) the Browns, in their first year sans the great Jim Brown, since #32 arrived on the Cleveland scene for the 1957 season, overcame a (34-14) third quarter deficit, and won (49-40).
Cleveland destined to fail to win the NFL Eastern Conference crown, raised their record to (8-4) but at the day’s end trailed the (9-2-1) Dallas Cowboys by a game and a half with just two games remaining in the then 14 game “reg” season.
The Giants’ record fell to a horrendous (1-10-1), but surely deserved credit for their effort that day in (I looked this up) 18 degree (Fahrenheit temperature scale) Cleveland.
Huh?? I just know it was truly cold in Cleveland that day, one week shy of 50 years ago today. PS as I typed the headline which includes “50 years ago,” a program “promo” on WNYC included “50 years ago” or was it “over 50 years ago,” that concerning the tragic death of Kitty Genovese, 52 years ago.
Yesterday, a Friday, “we” continued to stray from those Friday nights with “It’s the story of a lovely lady” as Florence Henderson, a truly talented, beautiful, personable performer, best known as “Carol Brady,” on the television show, “The Brady Bunch,” died at age 82.
Later, news came that Fidel Castro, as with Donald Trump and Harry Truman, an upset “winner,” to head a country, had died at age 90.
Linked in history to John F. Kennedy, Mr. Castro adored by some, reviled by others, also died on a Friday.
Unlike the united States President, the Cuban leader died of natural causes, outliving Mr. Kennedy by 44 years.
“Double 4’s” seem operative, as this country, with its relative good, has endured the violent death of 4 Presidents and now for a fourth time a MAN (still never a woman, nor a Jewish person as President) has ascended to the presidency, despite getting LESS votes, than the major opposition candidate.
“We” may not be coming out of the hills in violent revolution vs a standing, albeit corrupt government as Mr. Castro and his supporters did as 1959 dawned, but those double “fours” of negative, do not hold this society as any great beacon of light either.
Cuba is beautiful. no need to call “over the rainbow” to reach Judy Garland, as I know why other things, specifically the way many human beings treat each other, are NOT.
Today, for the first time since 2006, the Ohio State/Michigan game has national title implications for both teams.
Surely if Michigan wins, and likely if Ohio State prevails, they would still be in control of their “destiny,” as far as making the 4 team playoff.
For so many years, (1968-1970) and (1972-1975), the Michigan/Ohio State game had either huge or some “mythical” national title implications, and meant so much to me.
Today, I probably will watch the second half then likely, lonely and empty, watch the extra playoff games on New Year’s Eve.
However, having been “taken in” by better “Kool-Aid” (Rex Kern and Jim Mandich, to name respective Ohio State and Michigan players), I warn those still immune, it has a very bitter aftertaste.
Rex Kern, pictured above, was a brilliant college quarterback, guiding the Buckeyes to the national title in 1968. One loss, each in the final Ohio State game in both 1969 and 1970, cost them a “mythical” national title.
Three time All-Star pitcher, Ralph Branca, who died this week at the age of 90, may not have pitched well in myriad post-season games, but as a direct, strong human being, performed to “rave notices” on and in, some rather important “stages” in life.
Surely the man’s faith famously revitalized by his cousin, a Jesuit Priest, Father Pat Cowley, after Ralph had yielded the 1951 pennant winning home run to the rival New York Giants’ player, Bobby Thomson, an eventual long time friend, and inner strength served him well.
The horrible wild card presence as well as extra tiers of playoffs baseball, makes the most famous moment in Branca’s life, one so rich in drama and emotional diversity, impossible to happen again. His bravery regarding his being on the quite sour part of that diversity, is another reason it going the way of the dinosaurs, is such a great loss.
In 1951 National League baseball, The New York Giants had come from 13 and a half games behind as late as August, in a true, “one of two,” pennant race with their great rivals, the Brooklyn Dodgers, and were in a best of three playoff with them for a spot in the World Series opposite the vaunted, 2 time defending champion, New York Yankees.
The teams split the first two games, Thomson homering off Branca, in a (3-1) Giants’ win in game 1, Brooklyn behind Clem Labine, easing (10-0) in #2.
Brooklyn led (4-2) in the bottom of the ninth inning of the 157th game/deciding third game of the playoff, when with runners at second and third and one out, Branca was summoned from the bullpen to relieve Don Newcombe, whose “iron man” excellent pitching deserves much historical acclaim.
On the second pitch from Branca, Bobby Thomson who died in 2010, hit the ball into “the lower deck of the left field stands” as intoned by the great broadcaster Russ Hodges on WMCA in New York.
It is not so arguably the greatest sports broadcasting “call” in history and it pains me exponentially, that Howie Rose’s behind the play (the Devils’ broadcaster Mike Miller was ahead of Rose) call of the New York Rangers’ winning goal in the second overtime of game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup semis, is even mentioned in the same stratosphere.
After the deciding game, Branca lay on his stomach across the steps of the visiting club house at the Polo Grounds, asking why me?!!
Later that day, Father Cowley replied to that very good question saying ” Ralph, God chose you because He knew you’d be strong enough to bear this cross.” Did he ever!
In future posts, I will recall moments of my meetings with Mr. Branca over the years.
I could not quite hear the conversation Ralph Branca, pictured and now ABOVE, was having that day. However, from my “vantage point” I could see Ralph’s mobile phone. The “contacts list” brightly displayed GOD or since Ralph, a devout and great Catholic, probably had a mother born Jewish, “G-d”
The conversation may have gone as below (the last word previous, not one you want to hear regarding God/G-d and the “last word.” (Ralph need not, nor did worry.)
God/G-d: You know I do not know how to use those mobile phones and do not care to learn.”
Ralph: Respectfully, that is what you say, not “how did you get my number.”
God/G-d Surely, you know that you have always “had my number.”
God/G-d continues Ralph, the connection is fading, additionally, these type calls are rare and costly in a “heaven type way” (no money up here as many with it on earth, will one day learn) but did I ever tell you, I “lost” “some heavenly currency” on the ’51 season.
Somehow the connection got stronger and I “thought” I heard God (I made my point writing G-d, as Rabbi Harry Goder, a Dodgers’ fan devastated by their decisive game loss, that first day after Rosh Hashanah in 1951, taught us to write) tell a great story.
God: You know of Goliath. Not surprisingly, he was a Giants’ fan and also knew something about a “lost battle.” As was the case with you and Bobby, (Thomson) he and “rival” David are long time friends, even residing most of the year on the same cloud. (David is above Florida in the winter).
Goliath had been hoping to get a better location on his cloud. (you know as a pitcher and those realtors have something with that “location/location” stuff).
God continues: Anyway with the Dodgers’ lead 8 games or so, Goliath said the Giants would win the pennant. He got me to agree to his gaining a better location on his cloud if they did. I figured the odds were in my favor (what some of you thought I control this stuff. No, as Gary Carter, a truly good man, who thought differently while on earth, found out up here, I do not.)
God: You know the rest and some time in the future, I will introduce you to both David and Goliath and invite Bobby Thomson as well. You are headed here, but as always, be kind and do as much as possible to help others.
From my “vantage point,” and admittedly I could not see all that clearly, Ralph never looked surprised, he was having such a conversation and with whom.
Andy B Sports 