On another occasion, (guess this one), I will tell you how much I oppose the pro players being on the U.S. Olympic basketball team (I know other countries do so but when the U.S. does so it essentially eliminates competition, which along with the occasional comradery among Olympians from different bordered (there is that word!) entities, is one of the few good things about the Olympics in my not so humble and perhaps not so informed opinion).
For now in two tune up games vs China, which face it wins a more meaningful contest regarding education and disciplined motivation still though without our freedoms, the big winners were the sports books.
Of course the U.S. team can name the score and instead of Jane, Joe or Kardashian (think other countries waste time on the latter and countless other similar mind numbing stuff) it named 49 and 50 points in the two “wins” vs China.
Odd(s) that the line was 49 and a half and 50 and a half in the two games. For the record and now that “record” is not hard to find, the U.S. team is minus 46 vs Venezuela tonight.
In my opinion the whole “sham” which in an exponentially less harmful way, smacks of Reagan’s “war” vs Granada, is minus much more than that.
Joe Louis fought at times opponents called the “bum of the month”—I believe the basketball is less competitive, after all there could always be a “lucky punch.”
Recently another basketball great from another era, Nate Thurmond passed away.
Though never on a title team, Mr. Thurmond was an all-time great that I believe both Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain cited as their toughest defensive opponent.
As the hot summer continues and reflections continue regarding the Cavaliers, and not the Warriors winning it all in the recent NBA playoffs, I do recall Nate being a part of the 1976 Cavaliers, until this season the most beloved Cavs team in Cleveland, (for me “still the one”–cue Orleans).
Oh imagine those games above, Wilt and Nate once teammates perhaps playing a few games together. Two greats and even God would pay to see that except hopefully there is no money in heaven as surely it causes enough “hell” on earth.
Nate Thurmond with the basketball and the great “The City” uniform, vs Wilt Chamberlain already with the Lakers but before donning (a San Francisco basketball flavor as the S.F. University Dons won 2 titles with the great Bill Russell, another who cited Thurmond’s greatness) a headband.
I would never have read Mark Saxon’s story on last night’s St. Louis Cardinals win at New York vs the Mets, were it not for a misleading headline. It follows next as a link to Saxon’s game story on ESPN.com
St. Louis Cardinals lose season’s best showdown, but gain in .
The Cardinals won the game. That matters most, not a 7th inning “showdown” that temporarily gave the eventual losing team the lead. The headline puts the confrontation first.
Worse, Mr. Saxon so intent on his idea of a “showdown,” made a horrible factual error saying the Cardinals were down to their last out. That was never the case. He wrote what is next. It is incorrect as Gyorko batted with one out.
“With the Cardinals down to their last out, Jedd Gyorko worked a walk.”
From the Cardinals website the correct information follows:
“Long a thorn in the Mets’ side, catcher Yadier Molina erased a one-run lead in the ninth inning with a one-out RBI double off Familia, who had converted 52 consecutive regular-season save opportunities — the third-longest streak in Major League history.”
If Molina drove home the tying run with one out, obviously the Cards were never down to their final out.
As for ESPN.com, a truly misleading headline and a factual error in Mark Saxon’s report on the game. Editors anyone?
As promised yesterday what follows is another anecdote from a book I am currently reading, “The Eternal Party Understanding My Dad, Larry Hagman, The T.V. Star America Loved To Hate,” by daughter Kristina Hagman with Elizabeth Kaye, which involves the 34th U.S. President, Dwight David Eisenhower.
Being Larry Hagman’s daughter, Kristina is also the granddaughter of the iconic star, Mary Martin, known for many roles but probably most famously for that of “Peter Pan.”
Kristina Hagman was in Washington D.C. for her first birthday in the late 1950’s and while her dad Larry Hagman was rehearsing, Kristina’s mom, Mai and she were on line for a tour of the White House.
Kristina’s words follow: “As the story goes, word got out, all the way to President Eisenhower, that Mary Martin’s granddaughter was in the building.”
They were brought into Ike’s office and Mai was nervous and could not say a word. finally Mai “blurted out that we were in the White House to celebrate my first birthday.
Mr. Eisenhower said “he was amazed to see us because he did not believe that Peter Pan could be a grandma.”
After a horrible loss the night before in which they blew a two run ninth inning lead, it is nice to have a Stephen Strasburg pitching the next day.
That was the case for the Washington Nationals, as they bounced back from the devastating loss the night before in Cleveland, and won (4-1) behind Strasburg, who is now (14-1).
“Wash” got out of Cleveland with a split in 2 games and like the Indians have a four and a half game division lead, which in both cases is certainly less than it was in recent weeks.
I am reading a number of books slowly, but concurrently (thank you great Library people, Linda, Rivkah and Jarrid for the encouraging words and education about the great things libraries offer) and will share an anecdote in each, involving Dwight David Eisenhower.
Each book is superb and reviews will follow. One is “The Steamer” “Bud Furillo And The Golden Age Of L.A. Sports,” by Bud’s son, Andy Furillo.
The other with an “Ike” story is “The Eternal Party” “understanding My Dad, Larry Hagman, The T.V. Star America Loved To Hate” by Larry’s daughter, Kristina Hagman with Elizabeth Kaye.
Before the two stories, read the same day, a third great book “We’re All in this Together” by Abe J. Sass is so good and inspiring, it need not cite (nor even like) Ike.
Andy Furillo using Bud’s notes, cites a 1961 intra-squad game involving the first year, Los Angeles Angels and Mr. Eisenhower, in just the second month after his presidency, is sitting in the Angels’ dugout, the game in Palm Springs, California.
Bud Furillo is munching a snow cone and surprised to see “Ike,” drops the snow cone, which splatters at Eisenhower’s feet.
Tomorrow another anecdote, involving Eisenhower, from Kristina Hagman.
Why a picture regarding the show “Happy Days?” In one episode son Richie (Ron Howard) will work for Adlai Stevenson and vs Dad (Tom Bosley) and Ike because the girls working for Adlai are more attractive.
Game 5 of the 1985 NLCS on a Monday afternoon, is about to begin and Vin Scully, working the game for NBC, with Joe Garagiola, is about to err.
He states the home team has been perfect in the LCS games to date (they were (9-1) which is excellent but NOT perfect, and minutes later after someone in Scully’s ear, (not his notes, written or mental), tells him, corrects himself, noting the Toronto Blue Jays’ road win at Kansas City, in game four, a day and a half earlier.
So much is written in this Vin Scully’s last year about his greatness, that while I agree (in essence and certainly relative to today’s team radio announcers) that he is/was great, I am reminded of Al “Grampa” Lewis or “Grampa Munster” Lewis’ statement, that in his many years on earth, he had yet to find anyone “who walks on water.”
Despite the media’s efforts, especially those of Tom Verducci, whose Sports Illustrated piece on Scully, made one think they were in St. Peter’s Square anointing, certainly praising a Pope, Scully does not walk on water either.
Furthermore, in my not so humble opinion, unlike the fictional “Chauncey Gardner,” in “Being There,” Scully as is the case with the rest of us, especially me, does not come close to doing so.
From “Being There,” the brilliant Peter Sellers, as “Chauncey Gardner.”
Please do not get too mad if you feel this unfair to Mr. Scully. First of all, his place in broadcasting history is secure, as for better or worse, he is considered baseball’s best, by consensus.
I grew up loving him and defending him almost as irrationally, as I feel his “walk on water” status purported by the likes of Mr.Verducci, is to me.
As his last season winds down, I will share memories and comments, so positive regarding Mr. Scully that you might say he does walk on water. Again nobody does!
Last night, the Cleveland Indians rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to record a (7-6) win over the Washington Nationals.
It certainly was not the first blown save by Washington closer, Jon Papelbon.
Though the Indians are a good team, the loss comes after a sub par “Wash” homestand, vs less than stellar teams.
I still think the Nationals will win the N.L. East but they are driving their fans and perhaps manager Dusty Baker, a bit bonkers with their play.
No politics, just a note on the two convention cities.
Last week, Cleveland the home of this year’s NBA champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers, hosted the Republican Party national convention.
Currently, Philadelphia, the home of this year’s college basketball champions, the Villanova University Wildcats, is hosting the Democratic Party national convention.
Are basketball and politics strange bedfellows?!
Looking through some pictures, I found one of Norman “Hurricane” Smith.
He did work with The Beatles and had a monster hit with “Oh Babe What Would You Say?”
I had the great fortune of seeing him perform the song for the first time since he sang it on The Tonight Show.
Somewhere I have a tape of the Tonight Sow performance. In fact, it is on You Tube below.
Mr. Smith and the performances were great.
Norman “Hurricane” Smith pictured above.
Click below to view Mr. Smith “Goes to” (singing) “Oh Babe What Would You Say?”
Hurricane Smith – “Oh Babe, What Would You Say?”
