One NFL division in which it is easy to ascertain corresponding baseball teams’ tournament hopes is the NFC South.
There will be no corresponding baseball teams in the tournament.
Two teams/cities, the defending NFC champion Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints do not have baseball teams.
The Atlanta Falcons’ counterparts, the Atlanta Braves and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ counterparts the Tampa Bay Rays are both mired in last place in their divisions and will not be in the baseball tournament.
Each of those areas/cities hopes for better (can’t be too much worse), in the upcoming NFL season.
In a continuation of where the “corresponding” baseball teams to the NFC East football teams stand, the football division has a second almost certain divisional winner in the Washington Redskins’ counterparts, the Washington Nationals.
One team/city that will certainly not have a counterpart baseball team in the baseball tournament is Philadelphia. The Eagles start Sunday, with full knowledge the baseball Phillies, although improved to this point, will not be in the baseball tournament.
The final NFC East football/baseball tandem involves two glory teams, the most glorious of all the baseball New York Yankees and the football Giants.
You cancall them New York or New Jersey, but call them an all-time “value team,” with 3 close Super Bowl wins, achieved with an aggregate 7 excruciating playoff game wins, including those 3 Supe wins.
A fourth Supe crown was won by a dominant 1986 team. As stated here before, their coach, the revered, especially by the likes of Mike Lupica, who seems to always go with the NY sizzle, Bill “Willie Boy” Parcells looked the other way, regarding football great Lawrence Taylor’s problem with drugs and alcohol. It seems Taylor was in the news the other day, “oh boy!”
In a variation of the above referenced, classic Beatles’ song, “having read the book,” I refuse to look!”
Off my soapbox—this year’s Yankees are still in tournament contention, but unlike the other NY baseball team, the Mets, are facing tougher competition toward that goal.
“Crazed dogs” indeed.
Click below to view a video of “A Day In The Life” by The Beatles.
The Beatles – A Day In The Life
Dena Blizzard and her one woman show, “One Funny Mother,” which she wrote, is sensational. Performances are at New World Stages located at 340 West 50th Street in New York City.
Ms. Blizzard is a phenomenal presence on stage.
She displays impeccable comedic timing, as she delivers funny line after funny line, regarding being a mother and wife, all while folding laundry and perhaps evoking a similarly named great, Dean, as in Martin, with some brilliant use of alcohol? within the performance.
Both before and after the show, the audience is treated to Dena’s very creative videos.
Additionally and most important to me, Dena greeted the members of the audience in a kind, humorous way making each feel comfortable.
This includes me and she liked my “Bullwinkle and Rocky” shirt. She had me long before then. “One Funny Mother” is a superb show.
Dena Blizzard pictured above.
Click below for ticket information.
One Funny Mother – New World Stages New York NY Tickets.
The upcoming week brings the NFL back into action.
Today a look at the NFC East first week schedule and how the 4 teams/cities’ baseball counterparts are faring with about a month left to play in the season.
The NFC East, with Dallas,Texas and Washington D.C. teams, houses the areas in which the 1961 baseball expansion team, the Washington Senators played.
Those areas also have almost sure baseball division winners in 2016.
When the 1960 expansion franchise, the Dallas Cowboys open their 2016 season in a likely “Joe Buck” tilt vs the New York Giants, it will be with their baseball counterparts, the Texas Rangers nee the 1961 expansion team, Washington Senators well ahead in the A.L. West.
In future post(s), a look at the baseball counterparts of the rest of the NFC East.
Here is a “tie in” likely nobody but me is getting.
Yesterday one day after actor and former UCLA quarterback Mark Harmon turned 65 (we all should look like him at that age or younger), for the first time in 35 years as many as two of the top 5 teams in the opening Associated Press college football poll fell in the first week.
First Houston upset third ranked Oklahoma and then Wisconsin did the same to fifth ranked LSU.
That event (2 of the top 5 losing in the first week) also happened 44 years earlier, then 4th ranked Arkansas lost to USC which was eighth in the opening poll. The Trojans proved more than “99 and three quarters percent effective,” as that team was arguably the best in college football history and won the title that season.
In a night game that opening week, Mark Harmon was the quarterback as UCLA shocked two time defending champion and opening poll, top ranked Nebraska, certainly one of the great 3 year teams in college annals.
Tomorrow a post on a superb show, “One Funny Mother.”
Mark Harmon pictured above.
What follows was written by ESPN senior writer Mark Schlabach, concerning which team was the favorite in the CBS telecast of a Texas AM vs UCLA college football game yesterday.
It was Texas A&M, not UCLA, that was a three plus point favorite in the game. The favored Aggies dissipated a 15 point lead, but won and covered, in overtime, by a (31-24) count.
The error regarding which team was the favorite, by Schlabach is below.
“It wasn’t all bad for the SEC, though. Texas A&M upset No. 16 UCLA 31-24 in overtime, after the Aggies blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter. No. 18 Georgia came from behind to beat No. 22 North Carolina 33-24 in Atlanta”
The truth is often stranger than fiction. The only horse to ever win a race in which the great horse Man o War participated was named Upset, as pictured above.
The Cleveland Indians have won all 5 games since returning home, after losing three of four games to the top ranked Texas Rangers, last weekend in Arlington, Texas.
Meanwhile, the second place Detroit Tigers lost at Kansas City last night, which snapped their winning streak at 4 games. The Indians’ division lead is five and a half games.
When one thinks of streaks and Cleveland, the great 56 game hitting streak of Joe DiMaggio comes to mind.
It was in Cleveland that Indians’ third baseman, Ken Keltner made two excellent plays in the game, that ended the streak.
“The Great DiMaggio” as he was referenced in Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea,” went on to hit in 16 consecutive games after the 56 game hitting streak ended.
Ken Keltner and Joe DiMaggio pictured, left to right, above.
In 1978, much of what happened regarding USC and Alabama the year before was reversed.
First of all, USC played at Alabama, was the underdog and led by running back Charles White’s brilliance (so many great backs played at USC, Orenthal James “O.J.” Simpson and Anthony Davis to name two) won the game.
USC lost a game at Arizona State while Alabama also had just one loss (of course it was vs USC) but they had the shot vs unbeaten, top ranked Penn State, a team coached by Joe Paterno.
While both Alabama (vs Penn State in the Sugar Bowl) and USC (vs Michigan in the Rose Bowl) won on January 1st (it was January 1st in 1979), the more recognized Associated Press poll voted Alabama its winner while the United Press International poll chose USC.
Tonight I “choose” Alabama, but not to cover: Alabama 29 USC 21.
Charles White was on the Sports Illustrated Cover after leading USC to victory at Alabama in 1978, The teams shared the mythical national title that season.
Oh they just keep winning and against one wild card contender after the other!
“They” are the (87-47), Chicago Cubs and as they keep mowing down these wild card contenders in games not all that important to the Cubs, just how ridiculous it will be that the Cubs will have to beat one of these teams, in a must win best of five division series.
You think Manfred or any of the league brass cares?! Of course not! They sold it out, when they allowed wild card teams.
More in the days and weeks ahead, for now the facts: The Cubs just swept the Pirates of Pittsburgh and now have won the first two vs the S.F. Giants.
By the way, I am not saying the Giants will beat the Cubs if they clash in the division series or NLCS. However, if you think they are one bit scared of the Cubs, no matter how many games they win, think again!
The Giants have three recent crowns, the Cubs—, well you know!
Do you think the pressure would be on the Giants, think again. It is a horrible joke!
To their credit and also as evidence of the mediocre play of the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates, the Cubs have an incredible 16 and one half game lead in the N.L. Central two days before Labor Day.
Oh this is so ominous for the Cubs, a team that once won 116 games but not the World Series! That was a truly great team and they won titles the next two seasons in 1907 and 1908.
You know about 1908 don’t you? If not not only here but just about everywhere the upcoming baseball tournament is discussed, you will be immersed in 1908, of course that being the last season in which the Cubs won the World Series.
Tonight defending college football national champion, Alabama is a 12 point favorite in its opening game vs the University of Southern California (USC).
I recall games between the schools/teams in 1977 and 1978, that definitely had or should have had title implications.
In fact, in my opinion and more telling, in that of the late great college football expert, Beano Cook the one that had title implications should not have.
In 1977, Alabama having been dealt an early season loss at Nebraska (no slouch team), was an underdog, but won at USC.
However, though Alabama’s loss was to Nebraska and the fact they entered bowl day (then, in a far better situation the bigger bowl games were all played on one day, most years January 1st, that year January 2nd) ranked third and rolled over a good Ohio State team, they were denied the title.
It went to a Notre Dame team that vaulted from fifth to first, despite its loss being to a Mississippi team, certainly inferior to Nebraska.
Beano went to his grave unhappy about that result and sadly, I am destined to do the same. It really is not important, but unjust just the same.
In one of four posts today, a look at the 1978 game and season. A prediction on tonight’s tilt as well.
Beano Cook, pictured above, praised my “note,” when I pointed out to him that the (unjust in both Beano’s and my opinion) trophy or game ball, displayed at Notre Dame, signifying that 1977 season title had the wrong date (January 1st) and not January 2, 1978 inscribed upon it.
In fairness, I must indicate that Notre Dame did rip top ranked Texas that day (January 2nd) however, Alabama was ranked third and rolled Ohio State. Why should they have been penalized? Also it was not the first time (see 1966), that Notre Dame and not Alabama “claimed” the “unofficial” crown.
Andy B Sports 