Please indulge as I start my remembrance and tribute to the great, so classy, so appealing Dame Maggie Smith with a scene from “Plaza Suite.”
Next as so often, sadly is needed–so many greats have and will die, with precious little hope of anything near their caliber coming forth–NPR’s Scott Simon offers a wonderful tribute to Dame Maggie Smith.
Each of them better expresses the kind of tribute I, at best a singles hitter sans Cadillac, but with Quixotic causes, might manifest.
Into the world, she brought humor, pathos, beauty and sheer unadulterated class! Go have fun Maggie dear, you made my heart move and also induced laughter. Not easy, but you did so!
Click below to view Dame Maggie Smith and Michael Caine, another great in a scene from Neil Simon’s (a third such), “Plaza Suite.”
In listening to Scott Simon’s remembrance, some of the many other notable roles Maggie Smith “Damed” to us, are cited. Bless her and let’s hope!
Opinion: Remembering the marvel, Maggie Smith
Tomorrow, the Mets and Braves will have to play the 161st and 162nd games of their season, in a doubleheader, commencing at 1 P.M. or so, (at) Atlanta time.
Each team needs one win to qualify and only if one or the other, wins both games, would Arizona, last season’s baseball runner up, make the 12 team tournament, that begins Tuesday.
Rather than rip into the preposterous, almost, “The Postman Always Rings Twice” situation, involving Manfred, I go the route of “Who but me notes!!”
The Mets have had success in these situations before, each on a Monday (maybe they can, unlike in the great “Mamas And Papas” song, “trust that day.” I did have the beautiful, talented, classy Michelle Phillips’ L.A. home # but ….) as needing one of two, as will be the situation tomorrow, they won game 161, in a high noon start at Wrigley Field vs the Cubs. Game #162 was not played.
That Mets’ team, I believe (“Ya or you gotta believe,” was the team slogan) has the worst record, for any pennant winner, going (82-79).
25 years ago in 1999, Al Leiter was brilliant, pitching the Mets to a win in a one game, Monday playoff at Cincinnati vs the Reds.
Alas, history and it repeating, doing so, as 62 years after it also occurred in the Mets’ (40-120) first season in 1962, the team again plays only 160 games through the last scheduled day of the “reg.”
Then of course there was no need to play those 2 games but now there is.
Also the White Sox deserve some credit, winning 5 of 6 after passing the Mets with their 121st loss and in doing so, their final record of (41-121), is actually better than that of the ’62 Mets.
A wish: Manfred after this scheduling fiasco, not all his fault sees the light and declares Pete Rose, involved in a Mets’ Monday ’73 NLCS game 3 altercation with Bud Harrelson, who sadly we lost this year, is now in the not so hot Baseball Hall of Fame.
I know–you have swamp land you think I ought to buy.
Now, playing off Gertrude Stein’s “there is no there, there” regarding Oakland, California THERE are no professional sports teams there anymore.
This is sad and despite Thursday past’s, nowhere near enough, but still brightness, as the A’s won, in their last “at Oakland Coliseum” game before a packed house, it does not go away.
Yet away the Athletics franchise, previously moved from Philadelphia where two eras of great Connie Mack managed teams won 5 titles and Kansas City, will go to Sacramento and then in “par for the course,” fashion, eventually Las Vegas, Nevada (as I type, I practice that state’s punctuation).
Today, some memories of the A’s, football Raiders and the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum: My best one and I do have my “calls,” as in the (finally) a title year of 1976, Ken “The Snake” Stabler drove the Raiders from their own 32, seriously aided and abetted by a roughing the passer call (25 years later, in the New England snow, the “sitch” was reversed) and on his gimpy knees dove into the scoring part and Oakland survived the New England Patriots, in a second classic, slot 2, Stabler led drive from his 32, for the decisive TD, in 3 seasons. (In ’74, Madden carried off the field after what was only a “qtrs” win and “Oak” were”semi’d” out by the great Steelers and nearly 19 year old, baby me, wanted to run away from home.)
I will cite two great A’s post-season “Coliseum” wins in the first of their 3 straight title seasons (1972)–(only the Yankees, who did it thrice, 5 straight (’49-’53), 4 straight (’36-’39) and 3 straight under still disrespected by Steinbrenner, Joe Torre (’98-2000), have won as many as 3 straight baseball season crowns.
Game 1 of the 1972 ALCS and T11, the great player Al Kaline, who had led Detroit (Tigers) to the “one fourth/had to finish first,” A.L. East crown (see this year’s Detroit, which having come from the proverbial “dead,” aided by an epic Twins collapse, have stormed into the 12 team baseball tournament) homered and “Det,” with the great (not only is he not in the baseball Hall, his #29 is on the back of certain A.L. Cy Young winner, Skubal’s back and NOT on the bricks along with Ty (rhymes) with Cy) Cobb and other “Tigs” (ode to Ernie Harwell) greats), Mickey Lolich on the mound.
Captain Sal Bando, who advised all, regarding Italian food in the Bay Area, singled and Mike Epstein, who perhaps could have done same, regarding where if anywhere to get good “strami” (Stone’s sick barring me, “turn” hurts though I know he is a truly sick individual), did same. (John “Blue Monn’d/ran for Sal and Mike Hegan the same for Epstein).
Fury “Gene” Tenace (Tenacie, I called his sister Sandi, who had, hopefully alive and well maybe still has an 838 N.Y. exchange, but never dated her) tried to “sac” (not Sacramento), but it resulted in a force out at 3rd and a near D.P.
However, Gonzalo Marquez, almost as prolific in helping the A’s “title,” with two key pinch hits as still unsung, Del Unser (except by Mr. Schmidt who knew the “consequences, as perhaps as unfair as they might have been if Del had not “bailed” Mike out/T8 of #5 ’80 NLCS, still not so arguably the greatest LCS ever, probably the best LCS game, one of baseball’s greatest games period and on a rare Dad talking on what was then tape, he born in 1914, said “Andy this is one of the greatest games I have ever seen”) singled to right, Hegan scored while Fury not exactly Jesse Owens, tried for third and Kaline’s throw short hopped Aurelio Rodriguez (by the way a great fielding 3rd sacker) and went awry, allowing Tenace to score and the A’s to “open” (3-2) in a classic LCS they would win 3 games to 2, holding on (2-1) in the decisive 5th with Monte Moore (think of the great A’s broadcasters in addition to Moore, Bill King, Lon Simmons, Harry Caray, Jon Miller and others including one of the few analysts worth listening to, Ray Fosse) intoning “Vida (Blue in relief of Odom) kicks high” and that Tony Taylor flew out to center, “The Rider,” George Hendrick there to catch it as the great Reggie Jackson was injured, scoring the go ahead run and would miss the World Series (I think Mr. Jackson or is it Mister “some month” had other chances to excel in W.S. play and did he ever!!).
I go on, but with difficulty, get brief.
#4 W.S. down, A’s (2-1) B9, up (2-1) in what had been an all road W.S. vs favored Cincinnati, Eventual W.S. MVP, “Fury” Gene Tenace and 3 “M’ players delivered hits, Gonzalo again, plus Don Mincher and the game winner by Angel Mangual manifested. “Oak” won (3-2), led (3-1), needed 7, but won (3-2) at Cincy (3-1 “THERE”, that word again, in the Series.
I stop with a heavy heart, but great memories of what happened THERE!
Click below to view and hear with Tigers’ broadcasters George Kell (most of it and Kell is one of the few ex players, who became an outstanding broadcaster) and the also very good Larry Osterman (I think it is he for the fateful 11th inning), the Athletics’ great win in #1/1972 ALCS.
Round #’s, multiples of 5, Mr. Santayana regarding history repeating and 100 as more significant than 40, “bridge jumping”/a reference from the seminal, prescient film, “Network” await you readers from tangential, but informative, few similar, (one stating it was the fictional John “Boy” Walton in Richard Thomas’ last regular “The Waltons” “app” and perhaps the real life, great writer, Earl Hamner Jr. as The Waltons are autobiographical for him) me.
100 years ago, the Twins franchise, then known as the Washington Senators won it all, 7 ing the N.Y. Giants in the World Series, winning (4-3) in #7, with Walter Johnson pitching great and I can still hear my dad lamenting the fact balls hit by player manager, Bucky Harris and then Earl Mc Neely took bad hops, the former hitting a pebble, a fact well etched into his excellent memory, (mine I hate or love to say is ridiculous, great and oh just watch “Kane” and what Mr. Cotten’s character says regard) and going over the great player, Fred Lindstrom’s head in the 8th and then the 12th and final inning.
So 100 and not 40, and who even gave any thought to the Detroit Tigers, who 40 years ago won 35 of their first FORTY games and eventually the ’84 crown, under George Anderson (no “Sparky” for me as I asked the hotel operator for George Anderson that year, which amused the excellent researcher, Bob Yanofsky).
Yet, barring what would be among the most epic of collapses, the collapse will be Minnesota’s and not either of the ’84 ALCS opponents, Detroit (Tigers) or Kansas City (Royals), the latter “flirting” with such, but K.C. , the team that lost 106 last year, won all 3 at Wash, and now as with “Det,” only need 1 of 6 decisions involving them and the Twins to go their way, to qualify for the 12 team tournament, that starts Tuesday, (Hurricane Helene or not).
Excessive gambling, which due to the bombardment of “come bet” ads (James, another example of you being a disgrace, you really need the money to in any way, “justify” doing these come ons), will skyrocket, so perhaps I, who does cite it here, (however, please know, do what I do, which is take significant money out of the equation or better yet do not bet– and certainly if you have not, do NOT start!!) can help even one of you, with this example.
There is a bettor who did what is called “bridge-jumping,” i.e. putting up “mucho dinero to win un poco,” in this case, 50 thousand dollars to win 500, (that is beyond sick and stupid, but again gambling is a disease, sadly a progressive one at that,!!) on the Tigers to miss the ‘offs, (what I call the 12 team tournament.)
Hopefully, and likely he can afford the financial loss, but he or she (women bet also!!) can financially afford the loss, but the person in ? clearly needs help, which I suppose all of us do.
Now this great scene, “Bridge Jumping” a part, from the seminal, prescient film “Network.” Enjoy it!! William Holden tells the story to Peter Finch, who won a posthumous Academy Award for his performance in the Sidney Lumet directed, (screenplay by Paddy Chayefsky) treasure.
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Certainly it has, but maybe had been a good publicity year for the WNBA as the presence of Caitlin Clark led a surge of interest.
Now Clark and her Indiana Fever team are out as all 4 best of 3 WNBA “quarters” resulted in 2 game sweeps for the higher ranked, pretty heavy favorites.
Those teams the top ranked New York Liberty, two time champion Las Vegas Aces, who clash next in the semis in a redux of last year’s final round taken by L.V. 3 games to 1, Minnesota Lynx and Connecticut Sun now comprise a formidable quartet of “semis” entrants.
It is too bad that due to the Olympics (was it really necessary for the women of the WNBA to aid another crown/gold medal, one by the way, not all that impressively won in the final game?) these semis begin on Sunday September 29th, in what turns out to likely be regular season baseball’s penultimate day (Hurricane Helene has forced a very likely meaningful 1 or 2 games Mets at Braves on Monday, more on this for sure in next few days posts) and the 4th week of NFL play.
Of course ESPN, sans football on Sunday will air WNBA, not so Monday night when it has pro, for a second straight week with partner ABC, there are 2 tilts.
Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick one “Butch Cassidy,” the other “The Sundance Kid” were an incredible running backs duo for the great Miami Dolphins but it was when they added Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who died days back at age 76, that the trio became not so arguably the greatest among NFL running backs trios.
Oh to watch “Merc” run, with move, speed and so important as it is a team game after all, behind one of the greatest offensive lines in NFL history!
I think Dallas, after all their near misses would have still won but the great coach Don Shula admitted his mistake in not playing Morris in the 6th Supe after the ’71 season.
The next 2 seasons with the great trio of runners and much else Miami went unbeaten and then I still say and the late Jim Kiick essentially agreed when I asked him at a place called Rascal’s in 1992, that the ‘Phins weere even better, despite 2 losses, one in a meaningless tilt, i believe.
Those crowns were with Morris, who Giants’ fans recall becoming one of their biggest rooters as they were to play the undefeated Patriots in the Supe.
So one less ’72 Dolphin to celebrate when the last undefeated team loses this season and he Mercury Morris will be sorely missed.
Eugene “Mercury” Morris, pictured above.
One way to quantify and perhaps put in perspective (I know as Mr. Barnum did long before and famously “Bartletted,” that one such is born every minute) the incredible plethora of outright upsets is to cite the number of contestants (at 1,000 an entry with Barnum clearly having no need to say I told you so) already out of the so called Circa (Resort and Hotel Casino, non compensated “plug”) Survivor Contest. It is, no surprise located in L.Vegas, Nevada).
There were 14,000 plus entries and only just over 600 contest entries remain “alive.” That means roughly 95 percent of the entries have gone “bye-bye.”
Now the more conventional look with some notes after 3 weeks of NFL play.
There are five (3-0) teams, the Steelers under Mike Tomlin, who deserves credit as does his wife, for all the work he did in the mostly Jewish community, after the shooting there took lives some years back, 2 time champion Chiefs, and Bills in the A.F.C. while the Seahawks and Vikings are NFC (3-0) teams. (The baseball counterparts of the Seattle Seahawks (Mariners), Minnesota Vikings (Twins), and K.C. Chiefs (Royals) are three of the four teams (Detroit Tigers the other), battling, in this the last week of the “reg,” for 2 remaining wild card spots.
The flip side shows three (0-3) teams, all AFC’ers, the Tennessee Titans, Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Two this post. Playing off the title, click above greats Glen Campbell and Jimmy Webb, respectively sang/sing and wrote it to view Mr. Campbell perform “By The Time I Get To Phoenix.”
The applicable “kept on/keep on” Jimmy Webb lyric, shown below.
“But She’ll just hear that phone keep on ringing.”
Some notes and updates, as baseball 2024 winds into its 12 team tournament which commences on Tuesday October 1st.
Essentially all but the N.L. West one eighth “div” winners are known as they will be the Phillies, Brewers, Yankees, Guardians and Astros.
In that N.L. West, the Dodgers sans the tiebreaker that would decide things if the teams end with identical records after 162 games, lead “S.D.” by three games (read it 2 plus in the “loss”) with 3 upcoming, at now 62 years old (started in ’62 where the great pennant race ended in heartbreaking fashion for L.A. as the Giants rallied incredibly, both in the season and the last game to win the pennant) still beautiful Dodger Stadium.
The wild card race with 4 of the 6 such teams unknown (Baltimore and “S.D.” (at least) will qualify and likely, very likely be “4” seeds and thus host all of the maximum 3 games of the best of three (12 to 8) series) is very much up in the air.
In the less complicated N.L. the Mets and Arizona (Diamondbacks) are tied for spots 5 and 6 (the Mets have the two team tiebreaker vs “Az,” as I looked up after one site had both Arizona and the Mets (4-3) vs the other), 2 games ahead of the Braves, who do have the 2 team tiebreaker vs Az and would have it with at least 2 wins in the upcoming at Atlanta 3 game set vs the Mets.
Detroit under A.J. Hinch (maybe Hinch and Det vs his ex team, Houston, also since they are in opposite A.L. brackets, a battle of brothers in law managers (Balti under Brandon Hyde and Houston under Joe Espada) in the ALCS, is possible between the ‘Stros and O’s, however, would require wins by each team as the higher seed/”Fave” followed by lower seeded, but likely slight “fave,” Houston vs Cleve and the toughest, but far from a big longshot, entailing the O’s, overtaken in “el div,” by the Yankees, but then “best of 5 ing” them in the “div” series/”Qtrs”) and sans the tiebreaker vs either Minne or K.C. has 74 losses, Minne has 75 but the tiebreaker vs either Det or K.C. while Sea, which dissipated a (4-0) lead at Texas in the 2024 champion Rangers’ last 2024 home tilt, has 76 losses.
Finally way out on the esoteric spectrum, again as in ’67, the Twins had a terrible late season Sunday at Fenway Park. Then it doomed their 1 of 2 pennant chances while yesterday’s 2 losses in a split admission “double dip” after Saturday’s rain caused game postponement, leaves the Twins “on the outside looking in,” but still with a good chance (details above) to make the 12 team tournament.
In yesterday’s second game loss as in ’67’s season final the Twins tallied 3 runs, while (“holy esoteric Batman and others) the last out was made by a Twins’ player with an alliterative name, Byron Buxton yesterday and Rich Rollins (they also had a Rich Reese, who played in that final tilt) in ’67.
Current Detroit “Mgr,” (they have won 11 of 14, to actually lead in the w/cd race) A.J. Hinch, pictured above as a Houston manager, guided the Astros to the 2017 title.
Another time I will detail about all-time value teams, both the S.F. Giants (2010,2012 and 2014) and New York Giants under Tom Coughlin, (he who sets his watch i believe it is 15 minutes ahead, a practice also in the Al Brown repertoire of great organization), in 2007 and 2011 and also from ’64 on, when going (5-0) in NFC title tilts/NFL “semis” and (4-1) in the subsequent Super Bowls, they have managed to win a so impressive 4 Super Bowl crowns, without in any of the 55, likely to be 56 other seasons, win as much as a “slots”/div round game.
The Bruce Bochy “value” is unreal and frankly disconcerting, as for example his so many bad seasons especially in and around his so impressive 4 titles, certainly leave him short of two other 4 titles winners, Walter Alston and Joe Torre, not to mention 5 time winner, Mr. Mack and a pair of 7 time title winners, all with the Yankees, and they had notable failures and in Marse Joe’s case near misses, “Marse” Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel.
Texas (Rangers) officially eliminated this week and managed by Bochy, won the title last season going (90-72), were a wild card entrant, that to their credit, noted and praised by me–you can check my archives, went (13-4) in the ‘offs, 3 of the losses vs Houston and all 4 at home, to win the crown.
This year, however, marks a 7th losing season in the last 8.
Finally back to “Hack,” (the football Giants, still an all-time important and in many ways great franchise now in their 100th season), in ’73 they went (6-0) in “exhibition” play (sorry Alvin “Pete” Rozelle, who was a good commissioner, certainly relative, to the exponentially “owners friendly,” Goodell of Bronxville, N.Y.) and were (1-1-1) when they sojourned to Cleveland, as they do today to face what are to me, the “phony” Browns, as the Graham, Jim Brown, and still alive 99 years old, “Dub” Jones Browns moved to Baltimore (Jones’ son, Bert was a fine Baltimore Colts quarterback).
In that ’73 tilt, as I watched at home, awaiting my ride back to S.U.N.Y. Albany, Don Cockroft booted 4 field goals as Cleveland won (12-10). The Giants finished that season with a (2-11-1) record.
Maybe today, (I say the Giants plus 6 plus, at least “cover,” I said Cincy last week and they nearly outrighted K.C. , who sooner or later will fall), the Giants, at least in another game 3 at Cleveland, reverse ’73.
Cockroft was very good, however there is only one Lou “The Toe,” Groza, pictured above.
He was a great kicker and also played the line and he of course with many other great past, “real” Browns ought to have been cited along with “Automatic” Otto Graham, Jim Brown and Dub Jones.
My great memory is that on the sad Monday on which “The Toe” began kicking elsewhere, (maybe and hopefully a better place), I called Jim Brown and he expressed to me his great respect and warm feelings for as he called Mr. Groza, “The Toe.”
Andy B Sports 