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
It is now 10 wins in a row for the Cleveland Indians, 7 after the Cavs won the NBA title which I felt would make an already fine Indians’ team better.
Of course no team is as good as they are when red hot, nor as bad when they slump.
However, I did feel the Indians would be at least a playoffs, even division winner, the rest is a crap shoot (I think not one of the seven words, the great Mr. Carlin once referenced).
There is a long way to go, standings often change dramatically in a week but I believed in the Indians before the current 10 game win skein and surely do now.
It was great to watch the incredible late actor, Jack Lemmon being interviewed by Dick Cavett yesterday as Decades aired the one hour interview from 1992 on the 15 year anniversary of Mr. Lemmon’s death.
He was candid, not abrasive in talking (perhaps I can take a lesson in my comments about sports broadcasting), about changes in the movie industry and I felt that I knew him a bit better after watching the show.
His work lives on and his stories about the fine work and comradery he shared with greats older than he such as Sir Laurence Olivier, whom Jack called Larry, Henry Fonda and James Cagney were priceless.
Words of praise for two with whom he worked often, Walter Matthau and the brilliant director, Billy Wilder plus Mr. Cavett’s insightful questions made this a great viewing experience.
The great actor, Jack Lemmon pictured above in the film, “The Apartment” directed by Billy Wilder.
Yesterday the Washington Mystics upset the Minnesota Lynx in a WNBA home game.
Also yesterday, the highly disappointing Washington Nationals, ended a 7 game loss skein.
While the Mystics should be lauded for their efforts, the Nationals, who foolishly are letting the New York Mets and even the (Miami is it?) Marlins stay in the N.L.East race, are a huge disapointment.
They may yet salvage, by winning the N.L. East, but the annoying, sloppy play to this point, after last year’s flop, is most palpable.
Reading ESPN.com, (I should know better), you would think the dinosaurs came back and not just in Steve Spielberg’s imagination, such was the reaction to the Pittsburgh Pirates winning a regular season game vs regular season, surely not post-season (which, if anything is what counts) great, L.A. Dodgers’ pitcher Clayton Kershaw.
A little info here, sorry it involves gambling terms. (once and for all I deplore what gambling has done but it is fueled yes by those who directly profit from it, but far worse by the media, leagues, and as Al Pacino’s “Michael Corleone” told the great character actor, G.D. Spradlin’s Senator character in “Two” “we are both part of the same hypocrisy”).
It is a vast understatement to say I am prone to “tangents,” but just one here. Yesterday Pete Rose’s number was retired. You know how I feel, it is a disgrace Pete is not in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Mr. Rose did gamble, and as is the case with almost all who do, did so poorly. He would try to get his losses back in the last game, most volume on Monday Night football.
Though baseball is not bet in the same stratosphere as “pig”/football/concussion causing,/sanctioned violence, some people down big said let’s “lay” 3 to 1 on the road with Kershaw and you saw the results. Not a big shock, even surprise to me.
Oh no, “The Bellman” probably made it to Las Vegas in time to go vs Kershaw, knowing the fools on the queue in front and behind him, were betting on Kershaw/aka, the significant “chalk” pictured above.
A week later, it still bothers me and likely will for a long time, that the 57 win, “played nobody until the finals,” Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the 73 win, “had to beat a very good “OKC” team in the semis,” Golden State Warriors.
One more opinion, then a fact and soon I will let this go, (actually NO because as with the 2007 Giants beating the undefeated Patriots and others that did not bother me subjectively, the Cavs’ title, more to the point, the denial of such to the Warriors’ is historic.)
The opinion is that Steph Curry’s play was horrible in the biggest game of all. Klay Thompson was not much better and though Draymond Green could not deliver down the stretch, his fine game 7 illustrated just how big a “game changer” his suspension for game 5 proved to be.
I credit the Cavaliers for taking advantage and said all along, they were a viable threat and having to beat just one good team were clearly capable of doing so.
Consider the fact the Warriors’ 9 playoffs losses matched their total for the entire season! Enough said but there will be more, after all, no matter whom one supported, this was sports history!
Yesterday, albeit in defeat, the Chicago White Sox slugged 7 home runs in their home game vs the Toronto Blue Jays.
The last time the White Sox hit 7 home runs in a game they beat the Kansas city athletics (29-6) in April of 1955.
This part is unbelievable or a ridiculous error by the incredible Baseball Reference researchers.
29
6-2
⇐ Won 3 ⇒
1st
Marty Marion
at Athletics
6
2-7
⇐ Lost 2 ⇒
7th, 4½ GB
Lou Boudreau
W: Jack Harshman (2-0)
L: Bobby Shantz (0-2)
S: Fritz Dorish (1)
Imagine what Phil Mushnick, who correctly rails vs the cheap saves of today would have said about this one. Reports are that from his crib, Phil was rattled, threw his rattle, but in this case, his folks understood.
(29-6) game and according to the information, Fritz Dorish notched a save, evoking another Fritz, maybe more, who gained far more than they deserve.
