I really look forward to both sleep and watching the fabulous Bob Newhart Show as this week’s Decades binge.
No Tom Brady in a most unfair manner, no football for me.
Substitute with anything but The Bob Newhart Show with Bob’s classic low key humor and a cast that includes the classy Suzanne Pleshette as Bob’s wife, Emily Hartley, (Newhart is Bob Hartley, a Chicago psychologist) is a great choice.
Then as though Chinese cuisine, also a good choice on this day, so many good choices in the rest of the cast.
From “Column A” aka Bob’s home life, the fabulous Bill Daily as pilot “Howard Borden,” always dropping in on the Hartleys, long before the “Kramer” character based on real life Kenny Kramer, did the same on “Seinfeld.”
There are so many good choices from call it “Column B” aka Bob’s work life but I choose Marcia Wallace, who played Bob’s receptionist named Carol.
Bob Newhart and another fabulous talent, Jack Riley (he brilliantly played Elliott Carlin, a member of Bob Hartley’ therapy group) pictured left to right above.
Carlin is a great comedic name as George Carlin ranks among the greats in the field.
After losing (would you BUY the fact I had 28 plus with Western Kentucky as Bama won by 28?) in two games going against the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide, by taking the points, here is an opening day NFL prediction.
I really think the Miami Dolphins will be improved.
The time of the Seattle Seahawks’ excellence (they were tremendous especially in 2013, winning it all and then losing a tough Supe, the next year) is about over.
Each will show a bit in the opener in which “Sea” is favored by 10 points, likely more at game time.
Seattle Seahawks 20 Miami Dolphins 13.
Last night on the broadcast of the game between the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays, just after Suzyn Waldman complained that the rain delay, which lasted a big 16 minutes, could have been avoided illustrated either an unbelievable arrogance or complete lack of knowledge. Dare I say both!
After updating the two games which involved the teams ahead of the Yankees in the playoffs race, Waldman with resignation said “I guess Houston (Astros) is mathematically alive and I think updated the score in their game.
MATHEMATICALLY ALIVE, they started the night a half game behind the Yankees!
Of course this Waldman has succeeded despite and maybe because many dislike her so much because she is a woman on the sports air.
That is not why I dislike hearing her. She acts like it is a big deal that she grace us with her presence and the “mathematically alive” comment was too much.
Please Suzyn, know the standings and grasp that with three plus weeks to go, if “your” Yankees are in the race, which they certainly are, the Astros, a scant half game behind (when Waldman made the comment) are in the race as well.
This year I am not listening to get WFAN radio’s Mike Francesa’s pro football predictions. I truly believe he will have a bad record, but it is not worth the aggravation of having to listen to him.
If someone wants to listen to his predictions, I would be happy to chart his record via the comments section, or in future posts if verified.
My predictions, one in college football and one in the pros.
Alabama, of course to win, (why only 27 and a half, so one never knows, but the Tide will win, which is not exactly going out on a ledge) but not to cover.
Alabama 37 Western Kentucky 9.
Tomorrow a pro football prediction.
Two of the four teams from the AFC North have their corresponding baseball teams at least in contention to make the upcoming baseball tournament.
The cities that made the NFL playoffs last season, Cincinnati (Bengals) and Pittsburgh (Steelers) will not have baseball tournament teams this season.
Certainly the Cincinnati Reds are out and so likely are the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The “Steel City” Pirates had played in the “5 seed vs 4 seed” game, for 3 straight seasons, losing twice.
Before then, the Pirates failed to make the baseball playoffs for 19 consecutive completed seasons from (1993-2012) with no completed season in 1994.
Those who have read these posts over the years, have seen occasional hypothetical, “after life” conversations.
Here is one that would be pretty accurate, no matter the circumstances of their meeting.
It involves my late friend and everything Pitt (Pittsburgh University) Beano Cook and a man to be honored in an “on earth” event (Saturday September 17th) of some controversy, on the exact 50th anniversary of his first game as Penn State head football coach, Joe Paterno.
I never met Paterno, but based on a televised, I guess, “surprise to Paterno, meeting” with Beano and recollections regarding Beano, some of the below might take place, “above.”
Beano: I can not believe Pitt is a 5 point favorite in tomorrow’s game vs Penn State. That would not be the case, if you were still coaching. If I were alive, I would be bugging that Andy B.
Paterno: First of all, you always over rated our team and especially me. One of my famous linebackers, Dennis Onkotz saw through that and told Andy B (whomever? that is).
However, I always liked you and I am so glad you were grateful, it was me, who greeted you upon your death.
Beano: I would have preferred my mother, for two reasons. One is I love her so much, the second is when I saw you, I was not sure, but still confident, I made it to the better place.
Paterno: I could say which place is that, or did you? Better yet, I told you that your obituary was in the New York Times, a lifetime goal for you.
Beano: I know there is no need for money in this place, but I wish I could take the points with your Penn State. I would hope Pitt wins but does not cover the spread.
Paterno: We are running “long,” even for this place. You still have to “clean it up,” but close this, with your line about your root and bet both winning.
Beano: I always said it is like going on a date with a great woman ( I can talk this stuff, “they” say you can not, but to me, what bugged me about you and you truly were a great coach, was that you were at times, sanctimonious, but in reality each of us was with flaws, a part of and great, positive illustration of a “time of craft”) having her “really like you and show it” and then ALSO pick up the dinner check.
As stated in yesterday’s post, the Minnesota Vikings gained a small piece of revenge by winning their Supe 4 redux vs the Kansas City Chiefs at “Minne,” in the 1970 season opener.
Last night, the defending Supe champions and 3 point underdog Denver Broncos, denied the Carolina Panthers even that bit of solace, winning (21-20) in a “bah-bah bah” game, in which the over/under total winner is questionable.
After losing to the Vikings in their 1970 season opener, the Chiefs annihilated the Baltimore Colts, in just the second game of the ABC Monday Night Football package, which enters its 47th season, with a rarity, a fine network announcer, Sean McDonough, in 3 days.
The Colts under “Easy Rider,” low key coach, (not an uptight, power hungry one, as are so many), Don McCafferty went on to win the 5th Supe.
Neither of the Supe 4 participants has even led in a Super Bowl game since that fourth one.
The Chiefs victorious in that one have not made one since that January, 1970 game, while the Vikings lost three subsequent Supes and have never led in any of their 4 Super Bowl appearances.
The Rams are back in Los Angeles and the two cities from the NFC West with corresponding baseball tournament contenders are the Dodgers and Giants.
It is a return, save the fact that another Dodgers/Giants race (there have been many including classic ones, on each United States coast as once both teams played in Brooklyn and Manhattan, New York respectively) is marred by the fact that the presence of the bogus wild card could save the team that does not win the N.L. West.
The Rams’ counterpart Dodgers have a decent N.L. West lead and probably will win the division.
San Francisco’s 49ers’ corresponding Giants are in an all out battle with the St. Louis Cardinals, whom they host for 4 likely big games next week, and the New York Mets for the two wild card berths.
Arizona (Cardinals) will have no local baseball tournament action as the Diamondbacks, whose 2001 World Series win denied a Joe (Torre) a chance to match another (McCarthy), with a 4th straight managed W.S. win, are out of contention.
The NFC West Seahawks’ corresponding Mariners are still alive for tournament qualification but are considerable long shots.
Among the “Bay Area sports questions,” will the Giants cross the bridge into the baseball playoffs?
The NFL with I believe “Alfalfa” (Al Michaels) and the “gang” presiding opens another season with a Supe redux between the champion Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers.
This game is of no interest to me, betting or otherwise.
The NFL had a Super Bowl redux in its first possible week of scheduling in 1970. The losing team in the previous year’s Supe, the Minnesota Vikings eased vs the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Tomorrow more notes on that game, and I guess the result of this year’s “Alfalfa” opener.
Carl Switzer, there is a football name as in Barry Switzer, pictured above as “Alfalfa” from “Our Gang.”
The other AFC East teams/cities with their corresponding baseball teams.
The New York Jets’ corresponding team, the New York Mets surely are now favored to make the baseball tournament after a (14-4) stretch that has them virtually ahead, in a race with two other teams for two tournament spots.
Meanwhile the Miami Dolphins’ season almost always a bigger deal than the baseball Marlins will be again this year.
A sad refrain, as I was about to cite the Don Mattingly always finding the losing dugout” quote from a man who knew, last week after three Marlins’ losses at New York vs the Mets.
Since then, a “salvage” win there, but 5 consecutive losses and a likely, meaningless win yesterday. It is not to be, for the Mattingly managed Marlins.
Baseball in Buffalo, the home of the Bills, is most famous for the fact the movie, “The Natural” based on but not truly faithful to Bernard Malamud’s book, was filmed at the old War Memorial Stadium there.
Throughout the weekend posts on 1966 shows beginning. The same calendar as 50 years later, and the first day of 1967 at War Memorial Stadium, the first Super Bowl entrant manifested.
Andy B Sports 