Some more notes on road title clinchers will follow.
The city of Chicago, with two teams the White Sox and Cubs, has won but 5 baseball titles and only when the two teams clashed in the 1906 World Series, when it had to happen, did a “Chi” team clinch a World Series in Chicago.
Both Cubs’ World Series victories, recorded in 1907 and 1908 were clinched with road victories.
Chicago White Sox’ titles in 1917 and 2005 were clinched with road victories but I must say in the all Chicago World Series of 1906, the White Sox were the home team in their park, I believe, for the World Series clinching game.
My research and knowledge shows that no team in any of the 4 major North American sports leagues has won as many as 3 league titles without ever winning one on the road which is the case to this point in time, regarding the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Only one other team, among the 122 currently in the 4 major North American sports leagues, won its first three titles on the road and that team is the NHL, New York Rangers.
The Rangers, who face no such problem now or for at least close to 50 years, once had to abandon their home arena, one of the incarnations if you will, of Madison Square Garden, to make room for the annual circus held there.
That was the case involving their first three Stanley Cup titles won in 1928, 1933 and 1940, making it certain that if they “titled” it would be clinched on the road.
The team’s much publicized 1994 title not only ended a 54 year title drought, but is the only one of the four Rangers’ Stanley Cup victories clinched at home.
Tonight with the venue again San Jose, California, is game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Pittsburgh Penguins currently lead the San Jose Sharks 2 games to 1.
An overtime goal by Joonas Donskoi and an “all” important goal by Joel Ward plus stellar work in goal by Martin Jones (he stopped 40 shots), lifted the Sharks to a (3-2) win in game 3.
All 3 Stanley Cup victories by the Penguins were clinched on the road certainly the most in NHL history without ever winning one at home.
Joonas Donskoi, pictured above.
What a difference a year makes concerning The Belmont Stakes.
Last year, for the second straight year, a horse was bidding for the Triple Crown and unlike California Chrome the year before, American Pharoah ended what had become a 37 year span between Triple Crown winners.
In the race six days hence, not only is no horse bidding for the Triple Crown but only one of the big race winners will be in the race.
A fine horse, Exaggerator, the Preakness Stakes winner will be a big favorite especially since Nyquist, the Kentucky Derby winner, will not be in the race.
There is no other way to put in except that the Washington Nationals, to this point unable to pull away from the New York Mets in the N.L. East, are sloppy as evidenced by 2 straight losses in Cincinnati vs the sub par Reds.
The Mets, who looked pretty bad in losing the last two games to the Chicago White Sox are right back in the race, just one game behind.
Though the Nationals are big favorites again and the Mets are underdogs in a Fernandez/Harvey tilt, this is house money for the Mets. At worst they will be 2 games out, I say less.
Another good choice to speak in honoring Muhammad Ali’s life is Dick Cavett.
He is available and can tell better stories/jokes than Ali supposedly asking Crystal at Howard Cosell’s funeral if Mr. Cosell would be wearing his toupee in heaven.
Cavett hosted a show in which Ali brought out a singer he was promoting, I believe for no pay just to help but I am not sure, a man named Michelle.
As I once said on air to Mr. Cavett I believe it was that show in which Ali, as he often did went with his “I like your looks, I like your style but your pay is so cheap, I will not see you for a while” line.
Cavett told me and the audience Ali was “hip enough” to go along with the following. He knew the word said Mr. Cavett.
I said be careful it is an old English word, sounding like the worst one in the language. It meant cheap and Ali feigned being offended.
Cavett made breakfast for he and Ali and the Champ ate both breakfasts.
I am glad I reminded Cavett of the show and hope Cavett got back in touch with Ali.
Think A’s and C’s, Dick “C”avett, pictured above, Howard “C”osell, and B(oo)illy “C”rystal all linked with Muhammad Ali. Cosell and Cavett get A’s as does Ali. Crystal gets the first letter of (ok) his first name, a “B.”
Speaking of “B” as in bitterness, I have to try and get over it. Forget Crystal, it is not his fault.
Ali fought too long in the brutal sport of boxing and we were robbed of 32 years (my #) but nobody cares), of his great talking. He also died short of 4 score and I doubt the pain of it will subside any time soon.
However, this will be my last post on Ali for a while, at least. I have not watched nor am likely to watch any of the coverage surrounding his death.
I highly recommend watching “This Is Your Life” Muhammad Ali (the link is below). Mr. Ali was genuinely touched by the many people from his life that made “surprise” appearances.
This was a beautiful, humble man with faults, as we all have. He was unfairly punished by the courts of this country, eventually exonerated and said “the judges did what they felt was right and I did what I felt was right.”
Concerning the far more horrible “decree” of Parkinson’s Disease, he was not bitter. We all, ESPECIALLY ME, can learn from that example.
In honor of the one of a kind, Muhammad Ali, I must try.
Muhammad Ali -“This is your Life”
Click above to see fantastic television, honoring a great man.
I think Muhammad Ali, whom I loved and admired far beyond words, might disagree with some of this, but would laud my insight, understanding and at least respect my passion.
Billy Crystal is in my opinion, a bit phony, certainly when it comes to sports (how with all he has does he have the passion for it that he claims. His movie “61” about two beloved Yankees, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle’s pursuit of Babe Ruth’s (another Yankees player) single season home run mark, had more holes than swisscheese) and on that level does not deserve to speak at Muhammad’s funeral service next Friday at the Kentucky Fried Chicken Yum! Center, in the Champ’s hometown of Louisville. There is a joke there and Ali would play along with it.
However, he never played along with overt racism, including when in his own hometown, after winning the Olympic gold medal in Rome, Italy in 1960, he was not served in an eating establishment.
I saw in him as I did with the great football player, Jim Brown, first sports greatness but later and more important, a willingness to buck the establishment for what is right.
While Crystal built his career around doing Ali impressions before moving on to greatness, I doubt he suffered when Ali lost a fight, most notably to the great Joe Frazier on March 8, 1971.
Though I know of Bryant Gumbel’s extreme arrogance, I (a white person for the record) feel he is a good choice to speak next week, not because he is black, but I believe as was the case with me, was devastated when Mr. Frazier scored a unanimous decision vs Ali, in their first fight.
It is hard to explain the passion involved in loving someone seeking the change you aspire and the humiliating emptiness of defeat thereof.
As Bob Costas, one who likes, knows and respects Mr. Crystal, said when he was asked to speak at Mickey Mantle’s funeral, it was not as a broadcaster but as a representative of the so many who loved, thrilled and at times agonized regarding Mr. Mantle.
I would be a great choice to speak on behalf of those of us, “ahead of the curve” in liking and in my case and others like me, loving Ali.
A very meaningful call came to me today from Dr. Ike, a man whose profession and work transcends those of comedian, broadcaster or idealized dreamer.
He praised my insight in admiring Ali, while others condemned his views. Always “Ike” or “H.T.” to me, calling from a Peruvian restaurant with two of his daughters present, he talked of the problems Parkinson’s Disease caused, eventually ending Ali’s life.
I knew he would know that, but what meant the most, even more than acknowledging me, was that he talked of Muhammad as history proved, being right to oppose an unjust war.
He added that he was impressed and moved greatly in reading of Ali touching and helping a victim of leprosy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
This is a truly tough day for me, in a life of tough days, but as Ali said “God tests him and all of us each day.”
Thus it is up to me to do what Ali did and pass that test. I am a kind dreamer, who must work harder.
My mother, in days before VCR’s, somehow allowed me to put a portable television on the dinner table and watch the Dinah Shore Show because Muhammad was a guest.
A young Mr. Crystal impressed me and endeared himself to Ali with great impressions and comedy routine that day. He will do fine next week and surely cares about Ali.
The best choice to speak about Muhammad is not available. However that person, Howard Cosell, surely on a par in the arrogance department and then some with Gumbel, but also one who stuck by Ali, when few in the media did the same, will be watching with Ali.
Oh to be a fly on heaven’s wall for that.
Tonight in San Jose, the Pittsburgh Penguins hope to take a commanding (3-0) series lead in the Stanley Cup Finals vs the Sharks.
This will be the first home finals game in Sharks’ history.
They are close to 3 to 2 favorites at home and hopefully will not, but likely will get back into the series, with a win tonight.
After the Cup Finals ended in 4 game sweeps from (1995-1998), no final has ended in 4 games since that time.
Only the L.A. Kings in both their Stanley Cup wins in booth 2012 and 2014 went up (3-0) since 1998 and even then, it was a struggle to claim the crown.
In 2012 vs a New Jersey Devils’ team coached by current Sharks’ coach Peter DeBoer, “L.A.” needed 6 games to win.
Meanwhile in 2014, the Kings up (3-0), vs the New York Rangers, needed Alex Martinez’ overtime goal in game 5 to claim the (no pun), crown.
It certainly was not his ability as a boxer and though so important, and meaningful, even his brave stance against an unjust war, is not the biggest reason I love Muhammad Ali and fear so greatly, as reports on his health are not good.
It was that he never failed to entertain and on the four occasions I met him in person, the last three after we had lost that wonderful verbiage, he displayed a kindness, I truly felt and could see in his eyes.
The first time I met him was on May 25, 1977 when he was signing copies of the record album for the film about him, called “The Greatest.”
I must say I looked great in a white suit but nothing compared to Muhammad in a gray suit. He said words into my large recorder, funny and took time with me to do so.
He must have thought “Who is this nut” as I did imitations of him and proclaimed my great admiration at an airport hotel in 1988. Yet when I view the tape, there is a look on his face that indicates to me he was thinking this guy is crazy, but ok.
At a dinner later in 1988, he graciously posed with my significant other, for the record, a beautiful female, and me.
I look at the photo from time to time, lamenting much and knowing the loss that is life, lost lives (my parents) and other personal bad, including no significant other.
Whether Muhammad lives or not, the last time I saw him was when he was walking out of a club and I was walking in. He had trouble speaking, but the voice was unmistakable and assured saying he remembered me.
So many like me, (who am I to measure how intense), are struggling with the fear of losing you, Muhammad.
Yet I know you prepared in your religious beliefs of Islam for eternity. Add Christianity from early years. When you anonymously donated money to save a Hebrew home for the elderly, an older Jewish woman called you a mensch.
No higher praise for a man, as all of us not perfect, far from it, but you touched me in a way that was so beautiful both outwardly (I still see Ali on Howard Cosell’s Live show holding a beautiful young girl in or near Manila) and internally, with your great insight and courage.
No matter what is next, Muhammad will fight on and I will try to do the same.
Sadly the internet which seems an “instrument to report death” has indicated Muhammad has died. As a tribute I ——–
The Golden State Warriors used balanced scoring in their 15 point win, NBA Finals opening home win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Golden State won an NBA record 73 games in the regular season playing in the far tougher Western Conference compared to the Cavaliers winning just 57 in the weaker NBA East.
Perhaps an explanation for the Warriors’ overcoming a (3-1) semi-finals series deficit vs the Oklahoma City Thunder is the fact that by virtue of Golden State winning, a Cleveland team would open a finals series on the road for the 8th time in as many such games.
Cleveland is now (1-7) in those games and has lost 7 straight. There is a great injustice in this Cavaliers team being in the finals, or at least having traveled such an easy road to get there.
However, they are a threat and Golden State, which lost game 2 at home last year, better not try that this year!
Shaun Livingston, pictured above, led the balanced Warriors’ scoring in game 1 with 20 points.
