Five NFL teams are (3-0) after three weeks of play. Those teams are the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and two teams once or still (0-4) in Super Bowls, the defending champion Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings respectively.
Denver and Minnesota each scored road victories at Cincinnati and Carolina respectively, vs teams that are (0-2) in their Super Bowl history, each one (Cincy and Carolina) covering the spread, which of course moved many dollars, in one of their two Supe losses.
Both Denver and Minnesota (at Tampa Bay and home vs the New York Giants respectively) face a winner vs loser scenario, as the favorite this week, a situation that does not bode well for the two teams based on results, certainly this season and I believe in other seasons as well.
Perhaps more on this, when I take my (10-1-1) hot streak into the fourth week of NFL play.
There are so many, I will “tone down” my comments and the quantity to I believe three.
Why, Troy Aikman was a 5 yard Eli Manning completed pass without the receiver going out of bounds, “a good start” to the Giants’ final drive in what was eventually a failed drive in a loss. It was not a “good start” with little yardage gained and the clock continuing to run (where does a clock go when it runs?).
In fairness, the Giants overcame that play and a subsequent penalty to get a first down before a “Wash” interception clinched the win for the now (1-2) Redskins, with the Giants dropping to (2-1), with no game in which they clearly covered the spread.
Aikman, who was a great quarterback, but a bit of a robot and certainly one who rarely overcame adversity to win games (again as a “QB” he was a true great, and the Dallas Cowboys’ teams he played on were so great he did not need to come from behind very often), certainly has a penchant toward “robotism” (not a word, but maybe soon to be one, is there a patent needed, as I hear they are taking over soon) as he time and again says the same thing.
Saying “a good start to the drive” is one he says over and again, even when it is not the case as happened on the Giants’ final possession last week.
Again Aikman was a great quarterback, but he is a bit of a robot. Are not those Dallas Cowboys’ colors that adorn the robot pictured above?
I will save my criticism of the broadcasters for another time.
The show “Harry” starring Harry Connick Jr. on which I was in the audience just aired in New York.
The phone rang and I said to a friend “did you see me?” She had seen me.
As the show continued the friend continued to say she saw me. I said come on even with a one minute difference in signal to television time, I did not see myself.
She persisted in saying she saw me, saying what I did and citing the color of my pants.
Then I realized while I have a very small old television, she has a big one that I guess shows a much wider view.
Some light fare and again “Harry” with star Harry Connick Jr. and a great band seems to be a fine show.
“That team (the Mets), which recently lost all three home games to the lowly Atlanta Braves, twice avoided Washington ace Max Scherzer thanks to Dusty Baker’s questionable “good graces” and will not face Miami Marlins’ ace Jose Fernandez, when the teams begin a three game series in Miami next week.”
I am not hiding from the fact, nor am I ashamed that I wrote the above, in one of last week’s posts.
Perhaps as I look at the chilling part of the declarative sentence stating Jose Fernandez, one of three people to die in a boating accident during the past weekEND, would not pitch a baseball game, (apparently that had been changed and he was scheduled to pitch vs “that team”), there is perspective.
However, I am past the point of condoning the actions and sentiment of people, including me, concerned more with outcomes involving their favorite, or more telling, as I alluded to yesterday, their least or close to least, favorite teams in sporting events.
I will not be a hypocrite and say that the tragedy which took the life of a man, who among other things was on a path to “break the bank,” per the agreement this society has “bargained” to reward athletic ability, will change my perspective.
On this point, I praise myself because I know myself. Why don’t most of the rest of you admit the same?
Despite all this, as I did regarding Lyman Bostock, a star baseball player, news of whose death also came on a September Sunday 38 years ago, in even more tragic circumstances, a victim of I believe, an unintentional shooting (at least it was not the result of shots, necessary or not, fired by uniformed people)–I asked God for that reset button he/she/it steadfastly has refused throughout time and bring the three victims back alive.
Though battered from pillar to post, a victim so often of my own wharped thinking, I felt utter misery when I read that Jose Fernandez had died.
Maybe God said in reiterating his no “reset” button that has continued but not enabled human tragedy for all time, (tha)t maybe if we did not “SET” so much tragedy upon ourselves …….
It is hard to follow even a hypothetical God, but in doing so, I evoke George Burns, who not only played “God” but warned not to “fall in love with our beds.”
In other words Mr. Burns said go out and do something. Jose Fernandez, by all accounts certainly did and not just with his pitching prowess.
Alas he did so with good but ultimately tragic result(s)!
Perhaps Jose Fernandez is tuned to my frequency, think of me as a pain in the butt, (repeat without the second “t’) but well meaning emissary.
In my next post I will get out some of what our conversation might consist.
There are many reasons to feel hollow on a Monday morning, one is to have lost “dinero” on football outcomes the day before.
Another reason to feel bad is to be on a (10-1-1) streak on one’s predictions and “suggestions” and have little to show for it.
I predicted the Bills to cover as a home underdog and they “outrighted” the Arizona Cardinals.
Lines move and for years now, outcomes are falling between that movement, (someone is getting rich, not I) and that was the case as the Baltimore Ravens went to (3-0), (bet from a 1 to a two plus point favorite), in a 2 point win at Jacksonville, vs the (0-3) Jaguars.
For our purposes, I stated the Jaguars were 2 point underdogs, making the prediction a tie.
One suggestion was the underdog Washington Redskins, who won at the now (2-1) East Rutherford/Jersey Giants.
Another suggestion was to take the Indianapolis Colts minus one plus points, vs the San Diego Chargers. The Colts won by four points making my record (10-1-1), after an (0-2) start.
The situations that manifest from football outcomes especially regarding point spread implications, combined with the often, actual IGNORANT (Rabbi Joseph Wise, years ago professed “do not confuse ignorance with stupidity” some of what I hear borders on the latter, but in nice fashion I will call it the former) comments by those assigned to broadcast the games, makes one a veritable tree trunk (hollow), even when on, what amounts to a virtually meaningless “hot streak.”
The picture of the tree hollow above may be small, but I feel it to be a good choice and a much more appealing sight than some of the other such “things hollow.”
It also symbolizes that I must and will perk up, acknowledge not so much my skill at predicting sports outcomes, (with the God/force provided proviso, that if I wager, then I will not be even close to as accurate), but my great knowledge of sports.
Yes, it truly hurts to hear some or even most of the comments by almost all television announcers, especially so called “analysts,” but I take solace and should even revel in the fact, that I can shut the sound and/or not watch at all. Largely, that is what I do. If someone like me, once a 9 hour/ Sunday football watching “fool” can do it, so can you!
Two predictions and a few suggestions regarding NFL games today.
I believe the (0-2) Buffalo Bills will play well at home vs a very good (1-1) Arizona Cardinals team. Teasers are not quite the “sucker bets” they once were, minimum take the 5 point underdog Bills in a 7 point teaser bet (plus 12).
Oh what the hay, Arizona Cardinals 20 Buffalo Bills 17.
The 2 point underdog (0-2) Jacksonville Jaguars will win at home vs the (2-0) Baltimore Ravens.
Suggestions, Colts (minus one and a half) vs the S.D. Chargers and the Redskins plus three and a half vs the New York Giants.
After a rather shady “no cover” victory in their CBS tilt at Mississippi, the week before, top ranked and defending champion, Alabama, a 44 point favorite, won (48-0) vs Kent State to raise their record to (4-0) and (3-1).
There is a comparison I could make involving Kent State and one sided outcomes, but one was tragic and unnecessary, this was greedy and surely unnecessary.
Elsewhere in college football, it was a surprise but not a big shock to me, that 3 touchdown underdog, Duke, won outright at now (1-3) Notre Dame.
Once the Notre Dame team is out of contention for the national title, those such as Beano Cook, who always took the “over” in Notre Dame season wins (he had his reasons), truly have worries. This year that is especially so, as the “over 9 wins investor” regarding Notre Dame needs the team to win all 8 remaining games. That will not happen!
Meanwhile, credit to Duke, of course known for its basketball prowess, (hopefully people realize that academics is what is really important and Duke excels in that department for sure) for a telling football victory.
If Beano were alive, he would be citing the fact that as with say a Northwestern, a school that won vs Duke earlier this season, it is hard for a great academic school like Duke to get “the material,” to win in big time college football. (Somehow under 5 time NCAA championship coach Mike Krzyzewski–I actually spelled his name without looking it up–they manage to do so in basketball).
One other thing, as Beano often told me, once dead he did not have to worry about Notre Dame or for that matter Penn State winning.
As it happens, big favorite Michigan ripped Penn State yesterday.
One result yesterday would have “bugged” Beano (pun intended), as North Carolina player, Bug Howard’s touchdown catch and the team’s subsequent extra point kick with 2 seconds left defeated Beano’s team, Pittsburgh University.
However since “anti emotions” often run stronger in sports (sad) and life (often horrible) it is too bad Beano did not see yesterday’s college football or maybe he did. Surely, at this point, he realizes the games are not that important!
North Carolina receiver, Bug Howard pictured above.
My emotions run deep today as the great broadcaster, Vin Scully, will work from Dodger Stadium, for the last time.
Ceremonies were held Friday night honoring Scully at Dodger Stadium.
That same night I happened across a tape of “Salute to Baseball,” hosted by the eloquent Jonathan Schwartz, which included Scully’s broadcast, I believe authentic, (i.e. not recreated), of the ninth inning of a perfect game, pitched by Sandy Koufax. (Sandy spoke about Vin, his friend of over 60 years during the Friday ceremonies).
Schwartz, himself brilliant, and the host of a Sunday music show which includes his great tidbits on National Public Radio, marveled on “Salute to Baseball” (this one likely from the 1990’s) at Scully’s narrative.
Scully cited the time of day at least three times, in all subsequent years, saying the time was noted for Sandy and “future Sandys,” (those never manifested, either in the form of Sandy having children or any pitcher quite as great).
This was my team, my pitcher and my announcer. A few years later my excitement was so great when a package from Danny Goodman, long affiliated with the Dodgers and related merchandise, arrived by mail.
This wonderful package included a little record (45?) of the ninth inning of Koufax’s perfect game and a bigger record, with highlights of Don Drysdale’s record scoreless innings streak in 1968.
THE broadcaster was Vin Scully! Sandy Koufax struck out the last 6 Cubs’ batters to achieve the perfect game. It was a big Dodgers’ win as they battled for the N.L. title, in which they managed but one hit that was not in the same inning as the game’s lone run, vs Cubs’ pitcher, Bob Hendley.
In recapping the game just after Scully allowed the applause to subside, another Vin trademark, he stated that “Sandy Koufax, whose name will always remind you of strikeouts did so with a flourish and that when his performance/name was to be written into the record books, the K (a scoring symbol for a strikeout) would stand out more than the “oufax.”
The greatness and essence of Vin Scully is evident in that broadcast!
Vin Scully, pictured above.
Recently I was fortunate to attend a taping of a new television show, “Harry,” named such because it stars the talented Harry Connick Jr.
The show I attended featured Whoopi Goldberg as a guest. She presented Harry with a special gift.
Other guests were Jessica McClard, whose “Free Little Pantry,” as fed so many people in her home city of Fayettville, Arkansas. The sports historian in me wonders if she is related to Bill McClard, who once “toed” a 60 yard field for The University of Arkansas.
Isaiah Cooper, 16 years old and so polite and dignified that the show’s star, Connick, a father of three girls, stated he was the kind of a guy he hoped one of his daughters would “bring home” some day, was the final guest.
He recently overcame a dangerous situation, safely landing the plane he was flying solo, and continued and completed his cross country flight.
It was quite a show with the personable, smooth Connick hosting accompanied by his tremendous band.
The show airs this Monday, September 26th, 4 p.m. on channel 5 in the New York market. Elsewhere check your local listings. There are many stations as we in the audience found out, as we stayed watching Harry, in very entertaining fashion, read a host of station promos.
Right now the Boston area baseball and football teams have combined to win 12 straight games.
Respectively, the baseball Red Sox and football Patriots have all but won their one eighth division and started the season (3-0) despite but also perhaps because their great quarterback, Tom Brady was suspended for 4 games by the power hungry, Bronxville, New York resident, NFL czar, Roger Goodell.
Thrice in their history, the Red Sox, who last “titled” in 2013, have won the World Series three years apart, 1912/1915, 1915 1918 and 2004/2007, the latter with a pair of Joe Buck presided sweeps.
On a far happier and better broadcasting plane, the ’04 and ’07 sweeps provided a chance for the fine veteran Red Sox broadcaster, Joe Castiglione, who as a professional endured game 6 of the 1986 World Series when the Red Sox were denied, one out from the title, to call the clinching last outs.
Andy B Sports 