The WNBA playoffs with a fresh, fair format in which the teams are seeded by record with no regard to conference, begin tonight with two single elimination games.
In the first tilt, the defending Eastern Conference champion, (there will be no conference champions this season with the new format which seeds teams from (1-8) regardless of conference), and 5 seed, Indiana Fever host the eight seed, Phoenix Mercury.
The other game pits the Seattle Storm, the 7 seed, led by Sue Bird against the six seed, home team, Atlanta Dream, coached by Michael Cooper.
Bird, not Larry and the same “Coop” battling again, evokes memories of the classic L.A. Lakers vs Boston Celtics games (three NBA Finals) in which the great, great Larry Bird was guarded by Michael Cooper. “Coop” as he is still known, was a superb player and Mr. Bird said nobody was a tougher defender vs him, than Michael Cooper.
These WNBA playoffs, of course can not match vintage Celts/Lakers, but no current NBA battle could either. I think the WNBA playoffs, again kicking off tonight, will be great!
Today marks the 46th anniversary of the first N.F.L. Monday night game in the still existent A.B.C./Disney package.
In that tilt on September 21, 1970, the Cleveland Browns, now the Baltimore Ravens, though NFL records say otherwise, defeated the New York Jets (31-21).
Keith Jackson was the original play by play announcer, replaced by “Fearless” Frank Gifford the next season.
Howard Cosell and Don Meredith joined Jackson on that telecast.
Homer Jones, who did little else for the Browns, after a fine career with the truly New York Giants, who played at Yankee Stadium, returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown.
Browns’ linebacker Billy Andrews, number 52 above wrapped up the victory in that first ABC Monday night game with an interception return for a touchdown.
I believe it is another Browns’ linebacker, John Garlington, number 50 above, celebrating, in a dignified way by the way, another play with Andrews. Also I believe it is Tom Beer, a tremendous college football receiver, at Houston University, to the right.
Three a day keeps the broken goals away so now in the interest of just how ridiculous or even predicting outcomes can be, what follows below is the beginning of what was to be my prediction on the Indianapolis Colts to at least cover the spread in their game at Denver vs the defending Super Bowl champion, Broncos.
Pressing my “luck” one of my predictions involves and favors another Andrew, with far different “Luck” (much of it is and not everyone is born with the ability to make megabucks), I offer three NFL predictions.
Actually I suggested five, but only one was a prediction and it “won” (there is no winning in this money and time wasting horrible endeavor–I am available Arnie Wexler, but how to really make it work?!!) by a scant half point.
Colts bettors and forecasters were denied in cruel fashion. You need “luck” or as another Andrew’s ancestors would have said “mazel.”
Life is tough, not “tov” without mazel.
Possible antidote: See Branch Rickey’s quote, “luck is the residue of design.”
It was very frustrating while watching a Dick Cavett Show on Decades from 1972, to see not only that the show had been edited, but at certain points, the telecast was cut.
Trust me, I am a free thinking person and among other things, deplore prejudice, especially the kind exhibited for racial or ethnic reasons. One can point to this horrible attribute of so many in the human race as a true base cause, for much of the vast suffering humankind has endured throughout the great expanse of history.
However, if these cuts are based on so called “political correctness” or even in cutting (better not type the word, but I will) DEPLORABLE remarks, that is in my opinion, unwarranted censorship.
There also was a “cut” during the opening of the fine 1969 film, “Bob & Carol& Ted & Alice,” on another channel. A version of “Glory Hallelujah” was playing at the time of the “cut” and as in all of these cases, I am left wondering what was cut.
An example of how this could be made better might be when possible, preface a movie on say TCM by acknowledging the obviously less than fair depiction of certain ethnic or racial groups. One could have a declaration condemning that policy, but allowing what is in the movie, to be shown.
That one is tough and I shudder each time I hear or see certain things. We all have different points of view concerning what goes too far.
However, while for better or worse, (I say worse with the plethora of not humorous, curse filled, “needing certain topics to induce laughter” comedians that abound today. As an example, if I could resurrect the show “Make Me Laugh,” become a contestant and face the likes of late night hosts, “the Jimmys” Kimmel or Fallon, trying to make me laugh, I would win so much money, NOT laughing that my (bad joke coming, but, at least I know I am not a talented comedian, neither Kimmel nor Fallon and especially their bank accounts do not “know” it) only financial problem would be the threat of my money filled safe (think Pieman) being “jimmied”) comedy has changed, I ask why not Don Rickles or Gabe Kaplan, to name two, whose act would not take off today.
Political correctness can be discussed, surely “verbal hurt” is bad, but what was, should not be censored, no matter how bad and again comments of condemnation or at least notation, as a preface, I believe would fit in.
Click below for what I believe to be entertaining moments from the show.
Make Me Laugh, best contestant ever
One of the greatest writers to ever put forth words and ideas, the brilliant Edward Albee died last week at the age of 88.
He always made us think and challenged our thoughts and emotions, with works such as “Three Tall Women,” “The Zoo Story” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolff.”
Those incredible works and others often made us often feel emotionally exhausted, and always not only entertained, but also moved planes higher, in our thought processes.
I could cite a deeper meaning to Albee’s use of “George and Martha” as the character’s names in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolff,” perhaps an allegory about this country as the failed, even non existent offspring of the Washingtons, (George and Martha).
There is such a loss here, with knowledge that the likes of Edward Albee will not come this way again.
I can not expect such greatness and the “ship has sailed,” with the multitudes ignoring the downfall, by continually so called “texting” while walking on their seemingly always present mobile phones.
When one as good as Michael McKean, so good I consider him “good enough” for his wife and one of my favorites, actress Annette O’Toole, uses the below “language”/shortcut/obscenity in lieu of a description of Mr. Albee’s work —then “abandon all hope yee who (have) entered here.”
Michael McKean wrote: “There was only one Edward Albee. #Irreplaceable.”
McKean, again someone I like so much, will do better next time. Will we/I?!!
Here is one more note, a day late and many dollars short, regarding yesterday’s football results with some relevance regarding tonight’s Eagles at Bears tilt.
By the way, though the Eagles are (1-0) and covered and the Bears are (0-1) failing to cover, a Bears “suggestion” is not in order because they are three point favorites.
However, the Bears are scheduled for “Sunday night with Alfalfa,” at Dallas vs the Cowboys.
Thus far, the five teams scheduled to play in one of the now ridiculous allotment of three night games each week in the monolith, NFL, have all at least covered the spread, four winning and covering (Dallas, Atlanta which faces New Orleans next Monday. The Saints covered in defeat and both New England and Houston, who clash Thursday night).
Tomorrow no more of this and comments regarding cut comments from past shows.
Don’t bet should be written on most people’s (not) to do list/notes!
Having this information, even imparting it, plus two dollars and seventy five cents (the current fare) will get me on a New York City subway but only I do impart this “info” and it is worth noting.
Yesterday six cities/areas had home games, in both big league baseball and the monolith, N.F.L.
In all six instances the home baseball and football teams had the same win/loss result.
Five manifested in double victories, only Cleveland suffered a pair of losses.
New York, Arizona, Los Angeles (the Rams won in their return to L.A. regular season opener, while the Angels from L.A. area Anaheim, also won. A note on that is as I followed the Rams/Seattle game while eating somewhat healthy fast food, a potato at Wendy’s, I heard a person ask which state Anaheim was in) Boston and Colorado scored victories in each sports league.
As stated before, far better to deal with musical notes but my brain leads me to the type of notes imparted above.
Only a late defensive touchdown by the defending Supe champion Denver Broncos prevented my “suggestions,” which included one prediction, from going (6-0).
Four of the five (0-1) teams that failed to cover in their first game, were at least “good” regarding the spread, vs (1-0) teams that had covered in victory, in their first game.
Two of the four, 6 point underdog Tennessee (Titans) and 4 point underdog Atlanta (Falcons) at Detroit (Lions) and Oakland (Raiders) respectively, were outright winners.
Both Cleveland (Browns) and New Orleans (Saints) covered in defeat at home vs Baltimore (Ravens) and at the New York Giants respectively.
A suggested pick, the L.A. Rams in their regular season return to the city of the angels, “barked” as a two to one outright underdog, vs the offensively plagued, Seattle Seahawks.
The Rams have not scored a touchdown in two games but are (1-1), while “Sea” is also (1-1), despite scoring but one touchdown in their first two games.
It looked like (6-0) but the great Von Miller had a late defensive touchdown, as Denver covered the Colts. They were the lone (1-0) team to win and make both their record and spread record (2-0) vs a team, now (0-2) (0-2) in that regard.
Von Miller, pictured above.
Five NFL games in the soon to be upon us, second Sunday of NFL games, match (1-0) teams that covered the spread in their first game and are favored vs (0-1) teams, that did not cover the spread.
In four of them, “Hack” Giants, who in some circles did not cover in their (20-19) win at Dallas last week (the Giants won their second of what is incredibly, 4 Supe titles, I recall the Yale Bowl days and a 1-12-1 season, by that score in the 1990 season), vs the New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos/Indy Colts, Oakland Raiders/Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions/Tennessee Titans, the team listed first is (1-0) and playing at home.
That leaves just the (1-0) Baltimore Ravens, to me the old and still somewhat glorious Cleveland Browns, visiting the woeful expansion Cleveland Browns, who to this point have disgraced the Otto Graham, Jim Brown, Marion Motley forged legacy of Cleveland pro football, as a game where the (0-1) underdog is at home, vs a (1-0) team that covered in their first tilt.
I suggest small “investments” on the above underdogs, as well as the Rams plus 7 vs Seattle, in their return to L.A. regular season, return.
However, my one official prediction (watch most of the others win and this one not) is 5 plus point underdog Cleveland Browns 11 Baltimore Ravens 8, a high baseball score as though Indians/Orioles, which may happen in the upcoming baseball tournament, but an indication of a dull football game.
This is not the first and will not be the last time that the great coach Paul Brown, somehow omitted from ESPN’s list of sports’ TWENTY FIVE greatest coaches, will be pictured above.
This is veteran CBS sportscaster Verne Lundquist’s last football season, as he is retiring, I believe after the Southeastern Conference title tilt in December.
Yesterday in Oxford, Mississippi, during top ranked and defending champion Alabama’s “shady,” to say the least, “no cover,” (48-43) win vs the home team “Ole Miss” Rebels, the public address announcer and CBS offered praise for Lundquist, whose horrible factual mistake saying “we all know where we were when Bobby Thomson hit his pennant winning run in NINETEEN FIFTY TWO” (of course it was 1951) never hurt his successful career.
As part of the CBS praise of Lundquist, a presentation to Lundquist by Archie Manning was shown and in giving thanks, Lundquist bumbled calling Manning, Archie Griffin. He was kidded, but that mistake, a slip of the tongue, can be forgiven, but some of his other work/mistakes, must endure criticism.
Before citing some of those mistakes by both Lundquist and analyst, Gary Danielson, who is still talking, I must say as bad as Lundquist and even Danielson are, they are better, more accurately, in my opinion, not as bad as any other college “pig” broadcasting team. I will wish for Lundquist’s return, next year, when an even more inept broadcaster is hired.
My comments on the broadcast, the game, big time college ‘pig” and despite it, praise for Nick Saban, the title winning, Alabama coach, will be present in future posts.
Andy B Sports 