I can now state with virtual certainty that after today’s wild card round clash, the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants will be the only pair of teams to meet in all four rounds of either major league baseball (there it is almost impossible, though the Cardinals and Brewers, now both in the same entity, for that matter division, have met in half of the requisite 4 required rounds, including the 1982 finals/World Series when of course “Milw” was an American League team) or NFL post-season play.
I doubt there are any such instances in the NBA and know of at least one in the NHL (Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins).
Green Bay “enters” (remember the brilliant bit in the “Sunshine Boys,” regarding the word “enter”) today’s tilt with a (32-21) post-season record while the Giants once (3-11) in NFL “finals”/the old title games that crowned the NFL champion from (1933-1965), (4-13) before the AFC/NFC configuration, having lost two of three unscheduled playoff games for title game entry and just (7-16) after three straight (1-1) post-seasons, all con wild card round wins followed by road, “slots” losses to the eventual Super Bowl winner, are (24-24).
The Giants secured 16 of those 17 wins that raised their horrible post-season record to “break even” en route to 4 Supe titles (incredibly this all-time “value team” has as many as the Packers and Patriots, each of whom the Giants beat on their way to mediocre record Supe crowns in 7 and 11–alas when you are starving Seven Eleven food is great and when despite a mediocre record and needing close, even lucky wins (Roger Craig fumbled, Williams also of “S.F.” did so twice, Walls just did manage to tackle Thurman Thomas, “Toe” Norwood, unfairly castigated just missed and others) and you do “title” (they never did with the great Y.A. Tittle, their best quarterback, certainly it is not Phil Simms or even 2 titles Eli Manning, though the latter is a tremendous clutch performer, while the former (Simms) while a beyond annoying, conservative play calling, analyst, had a great game in the 25th Supe which manifested in the Giants’ first title in 30 years) you win it all and that also is great.
Green Bay once (13-0) in home ‘offs tilts is just (4-5) since that time.
The Giants went (6-0) in winning Supes in ’86 and ’90 as respectively the NFC one and two seeds. They were an astounding (8-0) in winning the above referenced mediocre record titles in ’07 and ’11, a mind blowing (5-0) on the road.
The great talent Lou Rawls (once I heard him tell the audience to please be quiet and pay attention and I was so grateful he did so) sang “You’ll Never Find” as the first words of the title of a great song.
In last night’s wild card round game, Thomas Rawls led the way, (161 rushing yards, one touchdown), me “NEVER learning,” re woeful post-season teams such as the Detroit Lions, (1-12 in the ‘offs since scoring 59 to “title” FIFTY NINE years ago) manifesting again, as “Sea” made it 10 straight home ‘offs wins KO-ing all “Det” teasers (including mine, as Beano Cook admonished “only idiots bet teasers” (point(s) taken).
Seattle was but (2-2), (2-1) while in the AFC, when the home win skein (third longest in NFL history, Green Bay 13 to be (13-0), they are only (4-5) since, (0-2) vs the New York Giants whom they host today and New England with 11) began with their (2-0) home record en route to a Supe loss vs Pittsburgh, after the 2005 season.
Subsequently, “Sea” (there is a “Sea” in a new shirt hanging yet I went vs “Sea” and will do so in the earlier Saturday slots game, likely with Burkhardt at Atlanta next week.) went (2-0) at home en route to successive Supe appearances in 2013 and 2014, which they split.
Add three wild card round home wins that preceded “slots” losses before what has been a great run (2012-2016, that the case even if they lose at Atlanta, which they did though covering in a 2012 season “slots” game, to this point Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan’s only playoffs win.) Those above referenced games were in 2006, 2007 and 2010. Add last night, to make it 10.
Seattle’s Thomas Rawls, pictured above.
Click below to see the great Lou Rawls sing “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine”
LOU RAWLS LIVE – YOU’LL NEVER FIND ANOTHER LOVE LIKE MINE
“What We Wanted,” currently in a limited run, ending January 15th, at Clurman Theatre on Theater Row (410 West 42nd Street) is a compelling play that explores such issues as having too much, abandonment and certainly relationships, always a fertile field.
The drama does so with a talented, appealing cast, all of whom go deep with the characters created in David Harms’ work. Drew Foster is the director.
The cast features Steven Hauck as “Julian,” perhaps homage to Richard Gere’s character in “American Gigolo” who also “loves women.”
Alas this Julian is different but I believe both works tell us much about love, its depth and breadth, 36 years later, thousands of years later, a mystery. Mr. Hauck was truly captivating in his fine performance.
Elizabeth Rich as “Agnes,” the wife among the three lovers, Amy Bodnar as Sally, the third lover “joining” “Agnes” and “Jullian,” Kerry Warren as “Reggie” the daughter of “Sally,” and Brandon Espinoza, adorning a Cleveland Browns’ hat, all turn in compelling, fine performances.
It was great to get out and see “What We Wanted.” I strongly suggest you do the same.
Amy Bodnar and Steven Hauck pictured above, in the compelling drama, “What We Wanted,” by David Harms.
Click below for tickets information.
On Monday night, after the four wild card round NFL tilts today and tomorrow and before the remaining seven (four slots, two conference title and one Super Bowl) other NFL games, defending national champion, top ranked, six plus point “fave” and this year, the undefeated team, (also a remarkable (11-2) vs the spread in “board” games), Alabama, hopes to complete what would be their coach Nick Saban’s second perfect season, by repeating last year’s college football title game triumph vs Clemson.
“Schtunk” as with the rest, the sadistic, three inheritances, “Bellman,” “Gar,” and the “Henpecked man,” who often, not always needed his wife’s permission to go to the bathroom, likely never to appear again, would mimic Lefty Dreisell’s pronunciation of “Clemmmson,” and call Saban (he did it, not me, yet I repeat it), “Sabano.”
The “by any other name” (is not it truly amazing how much in all the 500 years, is Shakespeare. “To be” of the heartbreak caused my parents and me by associating with those referenced above, “not to be” reading and learning Shakespeare.) applies as Saban, seeking a 6th national title, which with explanation would exceed Paul “Bear” Bryant and a 5th with Alabama, which again with explanation, would tie the legendary Mr. Bryant, is a fantastic college football coach.
Last year, favored, but lower ranked, (13-1) Alabama prevailed, “no covering” Clemson, which entered the tilt (14-0).
This season, Alabama is higher ranked, favored, and (14-0), while Clemson, sans a title since 1981, which is to date, their only one, enters the game with a (13-1) record.
I believe the certainly flawed (all of us are) Paul “Bear” Bryant pictured above, whose acquaintance I briefly gained, (repeating his “First thing I do in the morning is read the newspaper’s obituary section and if I am not in them, I go on with my day) at the 1977 National Invitational (Basketball) Tournament, was essentially a very good man, in addition to being a great football coach.
Of course not in the same stratosphere as Abraham Lincoln, Mr. Bryant and Mr. Lincoln were similar in that neither, at least initially had evolved to the point of being completely devoid of racial prejudice, to help in their own, largely practical way, help a move toward racial equality.
Certainly a fertile topic and while well done as most such ESPN specials (I think they are called 30 for 30), are, I did not need it to know Sam “Bam” Cunningham and USC routing Bryant and “Bama,” did, as some say, more to integrate the South than the great M.L. King.
Alas, there has never been a truly intelligent, real discussion of race in this country and one reason is that I who know it, feel it, assess it and most of all mourn its lack of real progress– has never been asked to any “panel.”
So go on elect (twice) a black president, oddly with “Bama” in his name, only to have so much of his effort distorted by what occurred, when next this country “voted”
Go ahead ‘commercial” an inter racial couple, after all the bean counters say it sells.
However, consider that if you are a black male, you must endure both the fact it is unlikely you can hail a cab and far worse, although and I have witnessed such, the preceding is pretty shameful, must be in utter fear of uniformed people,supposedly there to “serve and protect.”
When they fail to do so, it is horrible.
What also is shameful, is the utter hypocrisy, “head in the sand” denial regarding race and what people truly think and feel, denied true scrutiny, that has rocked this country downward and as you might expect when you enslave, “three fifths,” segregate, cast as and in undignified “Hollywood roles” and SURPRISE also bad, though not nearly as reprehensible, choose a few so undeserving, to be regaled with ridiculous wealth and fame.
This truly sad recurrence is epitomized in recent times (once it was someone named Simpson) by Michael Strahan, the gaping hole in his teeth (I should talk, as I better get to a dentist, but who can afford one, other than those such as Strahan) a symbol of how far “off” we are in honoring this “what sick, superficial form of idolatry made this person a god,” who was first given a meaningless sack record in football via a Brett Favre (as Pat Cooper would say sardonically “another bargain”) bogus act and now, because he apparently “skews” so well, been given the keys to the kingdom.
Of course some day, I hope soon, Strahan will fall from his commercial appeal, as Favre did in his bogus fashion.
However, while that might help what I admit to be some level of “demon” in me, it will not and never (a long time) will alleviate this country’s “original sin,” bringing human beings in chains to work as slaves to get out the cash crop.
Imagine what some truly advanced society and/or God thinks of that!!
WFAN’s Mike Francesa, heard for the first time in a long time yesterday claims a (28-18) record on his predictions. He claims a (28-15) before going (0-3) in the penultimate week and not deeming it necessary at over a million dollars/year, to show up or at least call in last week predictions.
In normal circumstances and believe me, I was glad to hear Francesa’s record was good when I thought he could not do so two years in a row, I would say go AGAINST his predictions, which will follow below.
Remember “chalkheels” i.e. favorite bettors such as Francesa, normally do well in the NFL ‘offs.
Francesa “chalks” it Giving three plus with Houston vs Oakland and Seattle minus 8 (this one I say go against and certainly feel Seattle will not go very far this season) vs Detroit. Francesa really knocked the Lions, that is why (the Baba said “that’s why” as I wrote and also leans toward Det) vs Detroit.
Tomorrow favorite Pitts minus 10 now minus 11, vs Miami and one underdog, the Giants plus 5 at Green Bay.
First of all go see “What We Wanted,” a truly good play currently in a limited run at Clurman Theater at Theater Row (410 West 42nd Street).
I know I go too far at times, certainly I did so in disproportionately “targeting” Strahan, but alas Michael, let me have your forum (you can have the money) and you take this one.
Next, snow is in the forecast and that means at least two things, one a quick “pop” for the excellent play “What We Wanted,” and despite a need to get food, a desire to give you the facts only I would cite. Facts regarding the wild card round games, with more to follow.
Truly interesting to me, I easily could be wrong in that there could be others, (would you do the requisite research required sans computer expertise for no real gain?!!) is the fact the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers are meeting in what may well be an unprecedented in any of the four major sports leagues, fourth DIFFERENT playoffs level, when one or the other team kicks off Sunday, at historic Lambeau Field in Green Bay, commencing a wild card round game, the first such clash between the long time NFL teams.
Five times they met in finals/pre Super Bowl NFL championship games, the team from Wisconsin winning in 1939,1944 and with me just old enough then, to recall now, 1961 and 1962 while the Giants with future major league umpire, Hank Soar “gathering in” the decisive Ed Danowski touchdown pass, prevailing in 1938.
Recently the Giants with Eli Manning, the over rated, but quite good, Giants’ signal caller, at the quarterback “station,” he will again inhabit in “Ice Station? Green Bay, Sunday– the Giants prevailed in the 2007 NFC title tilt/semi-final and the 2011 “slots”/quarterfinal both at Green Bay and en route to Giants’ Super Bowl victories.
Assess please: the teams will have met at the maximum four playoffs levels after Sunday (more on this perhaps with the dreaded, requisite, added research).
Additionally, the seven previous seasons in which the Pack and Giants met in the ‘offs, all manifested in one or the other (five by definition as they met for the pre Super Bowl, NFL crown in the cited years above and two not so, in ’07 when they met in the “semis” and 2011 when they met in the “quarters”) winning it all.
Twelve teams make the NFL playoffs, while ten teams make what has been tampered with and is now a baseball tournament. (Though Ned Beatty’s brilliant turn/scene “You have tampered with the forces of nature, Mr. Beel” to Peter Finch’s (of course) greatness as “Beel” in the movie, “Network” was a defense of corporate, money making, greed–I use it to “warn” Mr. Selig and the others, even if Bob Costas, who once did, has “relaxed,” if not abandoned, what was a great, brave stance vs the bogus wild card presence in baseball. I use it to state, indeed they “tampered” with a great sport/game/ had to finish first in your entity, be it a league or one quarter division, and I believe all but ruined it.)
Considering 2016 in both the NFL (it saddens me to say that not only is violent, gambling ridden, perhaps “controlled” football more popular among the mostly ignorant (as Rabbi Joseph H. Wise, implored during out loud, group reading, “do not confuse ignorance and stupidity.” One manifestation of this, was you were excused if you “lost your place” in the reading and raised your hand, asking where that place was as that was ignorance. However, not asking, after doing so, was not excused, as it was stupidity. Alas so many, myself a prime example were so ignorant regarding football) masses, but with its pretty fair ‘offs configuration is the better overall situation compared with baseball) and big league baseball, only two cities/associated regions had each of its teams in both sports playoffs, three if you count the Mets and Giants, (I always associated Mets/Jets and Yankees/Giants), with the two or three cities/regions that did get a playoffs entrant in both sports, failing to notch even one post-season baseball win.
For the record, while the Falcons, Seahawks, Packers, Lions, Chiefs, Steelers, Texans, Raiders and Dolphins made the NFL ‘offs, the corresponding baseball Braves, Mariners, Brewers, Tigers, defending champion Royals, Pirates, Astros, A’s and Marlins, who also suffered the tragic loss of pitcher Jose Fernandez (see YOU mourned him with disproportionate “tears,” pomp and circumstance–whatever that is– I choose to remember him now, when YOU have already forgotten).
The two with playoff entrants in both referenced major sports league, each with a regionally or state named team, Dallas/Texas and Boston New England has its conference’s top seed in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. (Asterisk if you will, the baseball Mets, again associated with the Jets and Shea Stadium and not the Giants/Yankee Stadium, lost a “crock” known as a play in game oddly to the S.F. Giants, once the New York Giants, in this year the “not corresponding” New York Giants made the NFL ‘offs)
However, neither of its baseball teams, the American League top ranked Texas Rangers, earning all American League advantages via record and afforded the potential World Series one via the A.L.’s All Star win, “another Selig “masterpiece,” (did they put this massive negative into its once proud Hall?!!) nor the Boston Red Sox won even one post-season game, each getting swept in that monstrosity, which rose from the wild card presence, the extra tier, division round of the playoffs, in three straight games.
Surely footnotes or something similar that would reduce my incessant tangents, would help. Please come back as I will clarify my points.
Baseball was in my opinion, ruined by the wild card presence created under Mr. Selig.
“Network” a fantastic movie, so relevant and scary 40 years later,had a scene in which “corporate” Mr. Arthur Jensen played so well by Ned Beatty lectures Peter Finch’s “Howard Beel” and while “Jensen” and Selig’s motivation is greedy money, I use Jensen’s “tampering” as a say “gentle reminder” that tampering with say, what the 1967 A.L. pennant race brought (right Bob Costas), is tantamount to messing with nature, I believe a beautiful side of it, and somewhere beyond the bottom lines, which include having more wealth than needed, there will be an assessment and I do not mean on their real estate property.
The subject of which figures from a given sports franchise should be honored somewhere in said franchise’s playing venue, as with Hall of Fame voting, though not quite as intense, does stir emotions and debate.
Right to the point, Frank Boucher clearly deserves to be honored by the New York Rangers. I could point to the plethora of Rangers honored that played after 1940, and were not part of any title teams.
Certainly I am not disputing those choices, albeit quite a few honor a period of but one title in 75 completed NHL seasons, by the team.
Boucher was a member of two New York Rangers’ Stanley Cup winning teams as a player and coached the 1940 team that won the last title for the team until 1994 and again sorry Rangers’ fans, the lone title in 75 seasons.
There is so much more in a case for Boucher, who not so arguably along with team founder Lester Patrick (Yes I saw that in reading Wikipedia, but something else there, I did not know put Boucher, clearly worthy of “rafter” honors, it is a joke that he is not honored there, “over the top” with all due respect to some other Rangers players.)
Mr. Boucher selected Lester Patrick’s son, Lynn as coach and Mr. Patrick guided one of the best non title efforts, in any major sport.
The 1950 Rangers lost in the seventh and deciding game of the Stanley Cup Finals at Detroit (Pete Babando had the decisive goal). Please consider 5 of the seven games, including the last four were played in Detroit, with two at the Rangers’ “home” in Toronto.
That decided disadvantage against the Rangers, which would never happen now, was due to the circus being considered more important than any Rangers’ playoffs success.
A major reason, the Rangers, clearly for the most part, a continued good team, are a far bigger deal now is what was built in the past, and Frank Boucher, a part of 4 of the 5 best/(at least) most productive Rangers’ teams, deserves many honors from the team and certainly his own banner, in the Madison Square Garden rafters.
Mr. Boucher is an NHL Hall of Fame player, a true great. Also this is worth a direct quote/mention from Wikipedia, which did give me some great information.
From Wikipedia below.
“Frank was not only a brilliant forward, but was also one of the game’s classiest. Lady Byng, wife of Viscount Byng, the Governor-General of Canada, donated a trophy to be awarded to the NHL’s “most gentlemanly player.” While playing for the New York Rangers, Boucher won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy 7 times in 8 years. He was then given the trophy outright, and Lady Byng donated another trophy to the NHL.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers are sizable ten point favorites, as they meet the Miami Dolphins, in the early Sunday game (1 P.M. Eastern, with “Poo” Jim Nantz and “the everything is good, aw shucks” Phil Simms), the maximum third different, “within conference, playoff level,” at which the teams will have played, as of say, 4:15 P.M. on Sunday.
Pittsburgh and Miami combined for six Super Bowl titles in the 1970’s, four in six seasons by the Steelers from (1974-1979), after the Dolphins had won successive “Supes” in 1972, with an undefeated team and if you can believe it, a better team the next season.
I am pretty certain both the NHL and NBA have always honored, in some cases not all that much, (of course “Boris Badenov,” aka Andy B. was on the wrong rooting, trust me it was rooting and NOT betting, side each time) the team with the better record, giving it some home advantage in playoffs competition.
Of course this is not so in baseball finals, never has been, and was not always the case in earlier post-season rounds, in that once great sport.
While football does unilaterally honor the better record, or at least the one just as good “con” tiebreaker advantage, this was not always the case. A prime example below— concerning the ‘Phins and Steelers.
That undefeated 1972 Dolphins’ team referenced above, perhaps was not as great as the next year’s team, which dominated in its three playoffs wins, because incredibly, they had to sojourn to Pittsburgh for the 1972 AFC Title game.
During that game, Miami went back to Bob Griese at quarterback, replacing Earl Morrall, who had done remarkable work, quarterbacking at least 10, likely more, of the previous ‘Phins wins, and their punter Larry Seiple had a memorable and truly key fake punt, first down gallop, as Mia turned back Pittsburgh in that ’72 AFC title tilt, again incredibly with the (15-0) Dolphins on the road, and then (14-7)’d the Washington Redskins, to win it all.
A great Steelers’ team completed the aforementioned great run of 4 titles in six seasons, by winning it all in 1979. En route, in the lone slots/divisional round game between the teams, Terry Bradshaw, who recently and I believe correctly stated current “Pitts” coach Mike Tomlin is not great, (Alas I disagree with Terry’s assertion that Bill “lose so often in home playoffs” Cowher was a great coach and truly was upset, Terry did not cite his coach, Chuck Noll as a great one), “found” the truly, truly great John Stallworth, for a touchdown, in a rout of the Dolphins.
The third meeting and most recent until Sunday was in the 1984 AFC Championship Game in which the Dolphins easily prevailed, before the S.F. 49ers beat them in the lone Supe I attended, a tilt in cold Palo Alto California– (my backside just getting over the wooden rail of a not good, first row seat, still forever grateful for the youngsters selling hot apple cider and “awakened” by the sheer “coldness” of a former Joe Montana wife, toward me, after the tilt.)
The great John Stallworth pictured above.
Once I loved football and the grace of John Stallworth and the voice of John Facenda on NFL Films/ other NFL ventures, were two big reasons.
Mr. Facenda, whose narrative of a well written description of “Stall’s” greatness, is a “light in all this dark,” died during the 1984 NFL season.
You can imagine my shock, sitting in Stanford Stadium, having arrived early–too early, maybe that contributed to the “no seat cushion long afternoon for my posterior”—when I heard Facenda’s voice in a review, at least of the early part of the ’84 season.
If God ever does choose to speak to us via voice, one of his masterpieces in that category, Mr. Facenda would be a good choice as the vehicle. Maybe he was that day in Palo Alto?
I am pretty certain concerning the accuracy of the facts below. Why I remember this stuff is baffling, amazing, meaningless, all of the preceding.
In their 7 wild card round losses, which constitute the 7 seasons in which the Lions made the ‘offs sans a win, Detroit has played in and lost the later Saturday wild card round game, I believe with Al Michaels presiding, three times.
Few teams can match the post-season success of the Lions through 1957, winning four of 5 title tilts and victories in both unscheduled playoff games which gained the Lions entry to both the ’52 and ’57 title games, en route to titles.
Conversely few teams match Detroit’s ineptitude in post-season play starting with a famed (5-0) loss at Dallas in the late Saturday “slots” game in 1970, with Frank Glieber (why did he have to drop dead jogging leading to the rise at CBS of Verne Lundquist?!) and Frank Gifford on the CBS broadcast.
The great Dallas linebacker, Chuck Howley, pictured above, and the Dallas defense shutout the Lions in that “divisional playoff game without a touchdown (other such games? certainly not many if any) in 1970.
