Let’s sort the 12 team ‘off both next week and two weeks hence when the field is made official.
At this point, 3 Big Ten’ers (Oregon, Ohio State and Penn State) and now SEC, Texas are the top 4.
Due to the history involved, the fact that after 3 “antis,” they loom, as at this point, a likely 5 seed, which if they are (5-8) would yield a ratings bonanza, Notre Dame at home in a college ‘offs tilt, I cite them.
Never one to deny great history, yesterday’s rout win vs now (9-1) Army at Yankee Stadium (the Army vs Tulane December 5th tilt is for the AAC crown), occurred 100 plus years after the famed Notre Dame win vs Army at the Polo Grounds, which yielded writer Grantland Rice’s generally regarded, sports’ greatest “lead.”
Also in the New York metropolitan area yesterday, a team mucho closer to my heart, Columbia won and ended the 2024 season in a 3 way tie with Dartmouth, which won yesterday and Harvard which these “exact” 56 years after tying/beating Yale (29-29), lost to them.
It is the first time Columbia has won or shared the “Ivy” crown since 1961, 63 years ago, it manifesting a day after the 61st anniversary of an event in Dallas, Texas and at a time the juxtaposition of “fate’s choice” surely is ?’d by me.
If only I could approach Mr. Rice’s prose, the great, great “lead” written over 100 years ago, shown below.
Outlined against a blue-gray October sky the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are only aliases. Their real names are: Stuhldreher, Miller, Crowley and Layden. They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Army team was swept over the precipice at the Polo Grounds this afternoon as 55,000 spectators peered down upon the bewildering panorama spread out upon the green plain below.[3]
— Grantland Rice, October 18, 1924[3]
Days back, I thoroughly enjoyed a 92Y presentation in which Josh Brolin was interviewed by Griffin Dunne.
Mr. Brolin was more than forthright and candid, talking about his life and read more than once, from what seems a fascinating book, ” From Under The Truck” which details the fine actor’s life to this point.
Clearly it has been an interesting one and without giving too much, if any away–Brolin talked of dad James’ cryptic texts as evidence he is reading the book, the more than one use for a pillow and insight regarding some of Brolin’s roles.
He and Mr. Dunne combined to present a most entertaining and informative interview/presentation.
Josh Brolin is pictured below.
From Under the Truck: A Memoir: Brolin, Josh
Click above for more information on the book including some ways to purchase it.
2024 is the tenth year ending in four/”4″ in which a game for the NFL crown will be contested.
In the previous 9, three franchises won two titles in consecutive years ending in four/”4.”
The first of games with that result were in ’54 and ’64 with the Browns winning the title first with a team led by “Automatic” Otto Graham and ten years by one with Jim Brown.
In both ’84 and ’94 the San Francisco 49ers took the NFL crown while in both 2004 and 2014 it was the New England Patriots winning it all.
Three teams, all high on the list of most NFL crowns and certainly Super Bowl titles have one, four year crown each.
Those teams are the New York Giants who “Sneaker Gamed” an unbeaten defending champion Chicago Bears team in 1934, the Green Bay Packers the ’44 champions and fifty years ago in ’74, the Pittsburgh Steelers won the first of their 6 Super Bowl titles, which is tied for the most such wins with the New England Patriots.
Each team has six.
After Giants assistant on the sidelines, Abe Cohen, (a la Mike Jones in the ’70’s via Pace University), got the team sneakers, at the half, Ken Strong pictured above, had 2 second half touchdown gallops (I like the terminology) as the New York Giants, trailing (13-3) entering “el” fourth quarter, stormed to a (30-13) win over the undefeated, defending champion Bears.
73 years passed and in 2007, the Giants again defeated an NFL unbeaten, this time an (18-0) New England Patriots’ team, in a game for the NFL crown.
Maybe this is not quite a “who but me?!–however, in watching the excellent documentary “Wise Guy David Chase and The Sopranos” (thanks to Al Brown for recording it), I “discovered” what manifests into a “Rossi/Lorraine Bracco” note.
Ms. Bracco played “Karen Hill” in “Goodfellas” and in it, her character flips out a bit, memorably ringing every bell in the apartment building of a woman named “Rossi,” who is having an affair with Karen’s husband, the somewhat, infamous real life, Henry Hill, played by the relatively recently departed, Ray Liotta.
A far more dire, violent enemy truly hurts a Bracco played character, Dr. Jennifer Melfi in the largely Chase, brilliant series, “The Sopranos.”
In an episode titled “Employee of the Month,” said “employee” is Jesus ROSSI, who rapes the Dr. Melfi character. I noticed that all these years later, again watching the excellent documentary about Mr. Chase.
Citing Mario Polit, pictured above, is a real life, New York City firefighter and actor.
Mr. Polit in a role 180 degrees from polite, played “Jesus Rossi” on the seminal TV series, “The Sopranos.”
Six NFL “semis”/Conference title tilts, encompassing 8 previous such games are to be played today, which is the exact 56 year anniversary of the so called “Heidi” game, when the Raiders, after NBC switched to “Heidi,” not only rallied to win, but also I believe the second of their “post switch to “Heidi” TD’s covered “el” spread, vs the Jets.
However, the Jets, who as cited here yesterday face the Colts in one of three Supe rematches today, avenged the “Heidi” loss to the Raiders in the penultimate AFL title game, before (plus 18 ing) the Colts to win the crown.
Once in a scheduled semi/NFC title game and one time in the unscheduled Western Conference playoff of 1941, the Bears and Packers, who meet today in “Chi,” played NFL “semi” games.
A scant one week after events in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the Bears won at home in an unscheduled ‘offs tilt vs the “Pack” before beating the Giants to repeat as NFL champions.
In 2010 “G.B.” “semi’d” Chi, also at “Chi,” en route to the Supe crown.
Elsewhere today, think cold as this time, “at the Chargers” and now that means L.A. not San Diego, it is an ’81 AFC title tilt redux, the Cincy Bengals having scored a win in that game.
In ’08, at Pittsburgh where today’s tilt will play out, the home team Steelers beat the Ravens in that year’s AFC title game.
In ’66 with a bid to the first Supe, then called the NFL/AFL Championship Game on the line and at Buffalo 54 years later, amidst a pandemic, with the game at K.C.–the Chiefs of K.C. won both times.
The Chiefs have 4 Super Bowl crowns, the Bills are (0-4) in Supes.
A great, great Miami Dolphins team, better than the previous year’s lone undefeated NFL championship team, I opine, defeated the then Oakland Raiders in the ’73 AFC title game.
The “six pack” of games (9 of the 12 tilts today are either “semis” or Supe rematches) list ends with a redux of the 2013 season NFC title game rematch with the Seattle Seahawks, home victors then and near TD “dogs” today, visiting the S.F. 49ers. That ’13 season tilt was also in “Sea” (oh do I recall either Jan or Marcia’s friend’s different pronunciation of Seattle on a “Brady Bunch” episode).
The great and so under rated, a la Bart Starr, who was even greater, Bob Griese is pictured above.
Griese in methodical fashion guided the ’73 ‘Phins down the field for opening drive TD’s in all 3 playoffs tilts.
This is a good week to cite both Super Bowl and Conference title tilts/NFL “semis” rematches as there are 3 Supe reduxes and 6 conference title tilts/NFL semis rematches.
One of football’s most famous games was the third Supe, the 18 point underdog New York Jets upsetting the then Baltimore Colts. In an almost meaningless tilt the (4-6) Indianapolis Colts visit the (3-7) Jets tomorrow.
Twice the Patriots and Rams met in Super Bowl competition with the New England Patriots, who have won the most Supes,(7) winning both their first as a big underdog in 2001 (a team called the Patriots winning the crown in a year whose September 11th events certainly made and make major news) and their 6th and most recent in a “toss up” perception game in 2018.
Another “not so hottie,” the (4-5) Rams visit (3-7) New England tomorrow.
Finally, among Supe rematches, the ’98 season game, (Denver won a second straight crown, pretty much easing vs the Falcons), is recalled with the Atlanta Falcons visiting the Denver Broncos. This is a pretty good one, going in as (6-4) Atlanta, the likely NFC South winner and (5-5) “in ‘offs contention,” Denver certainly is one between ‘offs contenders.
Tomorrow I will cite the six “semis” rematches on tomorrow’s NFL schedule.
Watch on YouTube and I note at 36 seconds of the short video, Curt Gowdy calls the lone Jets’ TD in the win, a 4 yard run by Matt Snell.
After a Chiefs team, unlike this one, I truly regard fondly, won the ’69 season Supe, they were known as the “Super Chiefs” and were to be the team of the ’70’s.
It is a vast understatement to say that did not manifest, with it all turning vs them, when they lost in a slot 2 classic, to the Miami Dolphins on Christmas Day 1971. (They had 2 NFL ‘offs games then, correctly decided no more Christmas Day tilts but their greed prevailed– and such games have and will be played–a new low this year as 2 Wednesday Christmas Day tilts will be watched, by those who stream a certain entity).
These Chiefs of K.C. (one good thing about them is they can count Melissa Etheridge as a long time, “legit” fan ) had “banked” 2 crowns under Andy Reid and with the brilliant Patrick Mahomes, “at the station”/QB position, when they lost last Christmas Day and looked so bad, at home, vs the Las Vegas Raiders.
However, a superb Chris Jones led defense and breaks, some so fortunate, eventually put them in Las Vegas and there– to a victory in the Supe, a second such vs the 49ers (the other in ’19) and third, all under Reid in 5 seasons. Quite a feat!
This season, (9-0) only (4-4-1) ATS thus 15 straight wins.
The Kansas City Chiefs have certainly prospered in this “window” with the aforementioned 3 titles and a (9-0) start this season.
Certainly no spoilers here, instead a bit of a running “Dr. Ike” praise, as they appeared, for some of the great actors, in what is a superb film, “Conclave,” which I saw on my 11/10 b/day (same, albeit with a different calendar then, as Martin Luther).
“Conclave” is mysterious and surely digs into some evil politics (most is), hypocrisy and great character studies, all boosted exponentially, by some, not all cited here, performances.
“So” we get there a bit “into,” Ike’s wife and eldest daughter maneuver the “dark” (theater and backdrop for most of the movie) and sit rows ahead.
He/Ike cites, as they come on, no preview what face recognition he has, and first it is Isabella Rossellini. Next Stanley Tucci and after one memorable scene, his past and present collate into praise from each of us.
In between Ike is interrogative, regarding John Lithgow– and I am not sure, but it is he and as always, Lithgow is superb.
Guiding, anchoring and brilliant is Ralph Fiennes. All are tremendous in “Conclave” and in their distinguished careers. Add among others not cited, Lucian Msamati, Sergio Castellitto and Carlos Diehz.
I was truly overwhelmed positively by this Edward Berger directed great piece, which is fiction but …….
Go see “Conclave,” it might just help (bit of a spoiler) regarding certainty and other matters as the earth, I say randomly, revolves around the sun (Carly’s (Simon) total eclipse of the sun plays “as”– I swear!!!).
A superb actor, Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence, is pictured above.
Replace “Hey Jude” with “Hey Book,” and this follows out of tune but cathartic as I do not cross, in a bad way–the line, no matter which form.
Hey book you are so fine, you took 3 of 4 bad weeks plus player wins on Trump and made it better.
“Dogs” barked ATS in 11 of 14, as I include, yet did not bet, tonight after the suckers, I mean fave betting players won 3 of 4 weeks and they won big on Trump also.
I knew but did not do! So what, I spent mi b/day with a long time friend and his family, among other things, seeing the superbly acted film, “Conclave.”
Another good option: Read a book.
This year marked the first time in 4 such instances that a Yankees’ Presidential election year World Series loss, was followed by a Republican presidential election win.
Thrice before in 1960, 1964, and 1976, the Yankees lost the World Series and a Democrat ascended to or was elected for the first time (L.B. Johnson in ’64), to what was to be their lone presidential election victory.
In chronological order— an assassination, an “I shall not seek” and decisive election defeat were the reasons.
Call it a “best of 7/Mickey Mantle,” and the Republicans win (they are doing mucho winning this week, people speaking words such as “mucho” switching over, which is their right, operative word) (4-3) the 7 times, the Yankees prevailed in presidential election year World Series, winning such in ’28,’52 and ’56 with “Ike” and again in 2000.
Democrats or a Democrat, twice F.D. Roosevelt (I actually read Conrad Black’s excellent 1100 pages or so biography of Mr. Roosevelt taking here is that word, “mucho” time) won in ’32 and ’36 and then again in ’96.
Overall, The Democrats/ “shoot themselves in the foot Democrats, (hey Mr. Biden “PPPP” –yes “Papa Pardon” your son, who would want their son in jail, however, do so, while simultaneously pardoning Peltier, as in Leonard Peltier, who has tragically rotted there, often mistreated for 50 years) are (6-5) in Yankees Presidential election year W.S.
Ted Williams “El Thumper,” is pictured above.
Andy B Sports 