Certainly a possible divisional playoff opponent for the 2016 N.L. Central champions to be, the Chicago Cubs, are the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Last year the two teams that combined for something as pure as 5 straight National League Pennants (the first three, and four of five won by the Cubs) from (1906-1910), met in something as tainted as an extra game in a baseball tournament.
This year, if the season ended today, the Pirates would be in that extra game, for the 4th straight time in the 5 years of its utterly horrible existence.
The winner of that ridiculous game, now the survivor of a game in which it faced elimination, will be revitalized and on its way to Wrigley Field for game one of the best of 5 division series. That is based on today’s and likely the final regular season standings.
It is certain, (I will take the risk) the Chicago Cubs will win the N.L. Central so let’s look ahead as to whom may be their division round opponents.
If the season ended today, it would be the Cubs’ big rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, that would play in a ridiculous one game playoff for the right to meet the cubs in the division playoffs.
Last year the roles were reversed as the Cardinals won the division (the N.L. Central) and the Cubs gained the second of the two bogus wild card berths.
Bogus or not, the Cubs beaten by the Cardinals in the true test of a 162 game season, took the measure of St. Loo in 4 games and advanced. The Cardinals flew home and stayed there.
Cruel, ridiculous and would I love it if it happened again, only in reverse this season? Good question.
The defending NFC champion, Carolina Panthers are pretty big favorites to win the NFC south.
I am not so sure they will even do that but reluctantly say they will, with nowhere near the incredible (15-1) record they achieved last season.
The Atlanta Falcons will contend, also with a good record. Two years ago, the Panthers won at Atlanta, in the season finale, to claim the NFC South crown with an under .500 record.
Both the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem improved, but my early read is Carolina to win the “div” title, in a close race with the Atlanta Falcons.
I feel very fortunate to have seen the amazing Terri Mateer, a beautiful, talented, gracious performer in “A Kind Shot,” last night at Davenport Black Box Theatre.
The autobiographical, one woman show, written and performed by Ms. Mateer, with help from her husband Brian Mateer (stage manager and lights) was truly moving, inspirational and in the end profound.
She “had me” as they say, when she talked of learning to shoot like the great player, Oscar Robertson and held the Wilson (a mention of “Wilson” evoking Tom Hanks in “Cast Away”) basketball in the same way, the “Big O” did, before shooting.
Mateer went on to do so much more, blending her basketball and life experiences, in telling her inspirational story of surviving and now flourishing, while looking around and helping others.
She graciously greeted the audience after what was the last of four performances at Davenport. There will be other shows in the near future and I highly recommend seeing the extraordinary Terri Mateer in this truly moving work.
Click below for an interview with Terri about “A Kind Shot.” Check for updates at Terri Mateer – a kind shot home Page and stay with us as well. There will be updates on when and where this fabulous show appears in the future.
A Kind Shot by Terri Mateer on Vimeo
Here is another program reminder, more intense than most previous, to watch The Dick Cavett Show tonight at 8 Eastern Time on Decades.
Mr. Cavett’s guest from the 1980 show that airs tonight was Shelley Winters.
Need I say more as Ms. Winters in addition to being a superb actress and highly intelligent, never held back on talk shows.
She does not in this one. Enjoy!
Shelley Winters pictured above in costume for her brilliant turn in the 1965 film, “A Patch Of Blue”
Last year the Carolina Panthers were a truly dominant teams but in the end they were one of the best teams not to win an NFL crown.
There was too much talk as to how great their quarterback Cam Newton was and of course the public bet the Panthers to six point favorites in the Supe vs the Denver Broncos.
That is usually not a good sign for the favorite and proved not to be as the Denver Broncos with a great Von Miller led defense won the game which was their quarterback Peyton Manning’s last.
There will be more on the Panthers when I take an “early read” on the NFC South in an upcoming post.
Again I feel a need to thank all of those who encouraged me to go to the library and in turn I do the same for all of you.
It is a great place to be maybe especially so on the many very hot, humid afternoons many of us are experiencing.
I am actually reading Stephen King’s great novel 11/22/63 at a pretty good pace. This is unusual for me but it is a long book and it always good to return library books on time.
Excuse me now, having the library book and remember other items available there as well (cd’s, dvd’s to name two) affords me the chance to keep reading. Turn off the television and do so as well, even better do so with books from the library.
The Cleveland Indians bounced back from their tough Monday afternoon loss to the Boston Red Sox and gained a game in the A.L. Central yesterday.
Again they received help from the “last gasp,” defending World champion, Kansas City Royals, who again were victorious in Detroit vs the second place Tigers.
Starting play today, the Indians, winners at home last night vs the last place Minnesota Twins and a team that never won a legitimate one quarter division title in the 25 years such a possibility existed (1969-1993), are big favorites to grab a division title of the one eighth variety for the eighth time.
The following is an early “read” on the NFC North Division.
The Green Bay Packers are pretty big favorites to take back the crown, they lost at home, in the last regular season Sunday night game, to the Minnesota Vikings.
However, recall the next Sunday, this time Al Michaels and the NBC crew a good luck charm for the Vikings, the previous two Sundays, were not when Seattle (Seahawks) “wild carded” Minne out of the playoffs.
Meanwhile Green Bay won that same day, as a wild card team in Washington, before their season ended in front of Michaels and NBC, in a divisional round game, at Arizona (Cardinals).
It looks to me and many others that “G.B.” will finish not only ahead of Minnesota but the rest of the division which includes the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears.
In addition to Bruce Bochy and Terry Francona, four current big league managers have guided World Series winners.
One such manager is the current Boston skipper, John Farrell, the only manager other than Francona, to lead the Boston Red Sox to a title in the past 98 years.
in addition there are Joe Girardi of the New York Yankees, Ned Yost of the current world champion, Kansas City Royals and Mike Scioscia of the Angels.
Other than Francona, all the other managers are still in tenures with the teams they managed to World Series wins.
Andy B Sports 