On Canada Day, the Cleveland Indians made it 14 straight victories winning (2-1) at Toronto, Ontario, Canada vs the Blue Jays, in 19 innings.
They looked less than great and blew some golden opportunities in extra innings, but they won.
In 16 days of play, (June 16th-July 1st), the two Cleveland teams playing have gone (16-0), winning 2 games including the Cavs’ title clincher on June 19th and on 14 different days, winning one game.
On June 23rd, there were no games involving Cleveland teams.
Watching You Tube’s version of the 1969 NFL Title game won by the Minnesota Vikings at home vs the Cleveland Browns, I noticed some interesting announcing information.
Play by play for the 1969 NFL Title tilt was handled by the great Ray Scott.
Interestingly, in the last year of the AFL, its great, long time TV analyst, Paul Christman was the analyst for the last NFL title game. That amazed me.
Pat Summerall was involved in pre and I guess post game coverage.
Sadly the last year of the AFL, in which he worked the last NFL Title game, was the last year of Paul Christman’s life.
A great player and football analyst, Paul Christman pictured above.
Of course anybody “listening” to me regarding the Cleveland Indians has a “Brinks truck” at their residence around this time, not the case here because I seem to “never” listen.
However, be it winning bets or even the Indians’ impressive 13 game win skein, the first three the weekend leading up to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ title clinching Sunday night win, they have not pulled away in the A.L. Central
Obviously since I thought the Indians and definitely not the Kansas City Royals would win the A.L. Central, it still is Cleveland until further notice.
Yet neither the Royals nor the Detroit Tigers have gone away. There is still a race in the A.L. Central.
This is worth running again. Add that Adam Silver further enhanced Cleveland’s chances suspending one of Golden state’s top players, Draymond Green for game 5.
There is much one can say about this game, the odds, such machinations about the insidious subculture of gambling but more than anything as one who once loved sports and as with too many people in this society fell victim to the “title means all or way too much attitude,” it is the glaring difference in the road to the finals Cleveland took and the Thunder/Warriors winner will have taken when the NBA finals begin—that truly irks and consumes me.
The Warriors won 73 games and have to deal with a team as good as the Thunder, the alternative was a 67 win San Antonio Spurs team.
All this is worth repeating especially regarding a not so “noble” Cleveland title.
Once there were epic works such as Hamlet. Now LeBron James gives us horrible double negative grammar and an obscenity laced speech at a parade Cleveland did not deserve. Go Indians, this is not anti’Cleveland but anti the sickening NBA, its commissioner, its best player (James) and yes some not so “noble” people, in fact the opposite.
Last night, in a tremendous game in a league, (WNBA), which knows enough to seed its teams, thus avoiding the rather cheap title just won by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Eastern Division leading New York Liberty, won in overtime at Minnesota, vs the defending champion, Minnesota Lynx.
This was the third straight loss for the Lynx, after winning in a battle of unbeaten teams at Los Angeles vs the Sparks nine days ago.
L.A. won the return meeting in Minnesota and the Lynx lost as big favorites at Washington vs the Mystics last Sunday, and now as 10 plus point favorites vs a good Liberty team in Minnesota.
The Washington Nationals, “scolded” here after a 7 game losing streak, a win but overall sloppy play, did rally in the first game and won all 3 home games vs the New York Mets, to increase their N.L. East lead.
Now the question is will the Nationals pull away, or go back to the slow pace, that has kept the Mets and Miami Marlins in the N.L. East race.
On paper, this weekend, the Nationals should, (usually not a good word especially in sports predictions), do well vs the Cincinnati Reds. Let’s see.
Calvin Coolidge, pictured above.
The only time a Washington D.C. (for that matter Washington state team as the Seattle Pilots in their one year and Mariners in their previous 38 completed seasons never have won or even appeared in a World Series) team won the World Series was in 1924, a year Calvin Coolidge won the presidential election.
Sadly, a great coach and inspirational leader, Pat Summitt died yesterday at the age of 64.
She was a true inspiration to her players including Candace Parker of the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks who played under coach Summitt at Tennessee University.
At Tennessee, Ms. Summitt won 8 national titles and she won more woman’s college basketball games than any other coach.
She was there when college basketball for women was not the big event that it has become.
A true rarity, a great champion, pioneer, inspiration and without a massive ego that was Pat Summitt.
Though I surely knew her death was imminent, in a year of horrible loss, this is another big one.
Pat Summitt pictured above.
Tonight, is the winner take all game of the College World Series.
It will be contested between upstarts, Arizona and Coastal Carolina, the latter school looking for its first title.
Each team is a surprise finals entrant.
I predict the bigger surprise team, Coastal Carolina will prevail in tonight’s decisive game.
In a Johnny Carson Tonight how from 1982, that aired on Antenna T.V. last night, it was interesting to see and hear the views, 34 years back on women’s involvement in sports.
A female team owner, Georgia Frontiere was a guest during the football strike that season.
there was talk about the reaction of other team owners and some discussion, not all that serious about female sports reporters being in the male athlete’s locker room.
Views were seemingly a bit different but just after hearing Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing In The Dark” in a fine current film, “Maggie’s Plan,” another “Atlantic City” came to mind.
In that song, Bruce sings “everything that dies some day comes back” well not Ms. Frontiere but the Los Angeles Rams in their second incarnation in the National F. League.
Georgia Frontiere pictured above.
I do look forward to reading Lenny Dykstra’s new book “House Of Nails, A Memoir Of Life On The Edge,” as it will detail many of Mr. Dykstra’s exploits off the field. It is receiving much acclaim and will be a sensational read.
Let’s also not forget that Mr. Dykstra gave his all to become a better player, who at times approached and even achieved greatness.
Trust me or those of you that read this know, I do not throw that measure around easily, especially regarding players.
Minimum, Len was an excellent player and a vital cog on two National League Pennant winners and one title team, the 1986 New York Mets.
He approached greatness with the 1993 N.L. Pennant winning Philadelphia Phillies and was an all-time great LCS and World Series performer.
I was working in the ABC broadcast booth when Dykstra connected for a 2 run game winning, home run off pitcher Dave Smith of the Houston Astros in game 3 of the 1986 NLCS.
Two memories/opinions concerning that game.
Moments after the game ended, Mets General Manager, Frank Cashen burst into the ABC booth, ecstatic not only with the victory, but that “his kind of player” Len Dykstra delivered the big hit.
I met Mr. Dykstra once and told him how great and inspirational a player he was and that the game 3 1986 NLCS home run was a treasured memory.
I also told him Astros’ manager Hal Lanier should never have lifted pitcher Charlie Kerfeld for Smith (reasons on file). I think Len, a true baseball thinker and competitor knew I was right. To Dykstra’s credit, he delivered an epic home run, en route to a title.
As stated above, Dykstra was tremendous in NLCS play. Click below to view his tie breaking and eventual game winning home run in game 5 of the 1993 NLCS.
1993 NLCS Gm5: Lenny Dykstra homers to break tie
Click below for information about purchasing this fine book.
House of Nails: A Memoir of Life on the Edge: Lenny Dykstra: 9780062407368: Amazon.com: Books
Andy B Sports 