The following events happened yesterday concerning the naming of the 68 team NCAA tournament.
CBS, greedy beyond greedy made their “selection show” two hours, meaning it was full of talking heads’ on and on, same old opinions about the teams in the field of 68.
The information was leaked on the internet and that helps to explain lower ratings for CBS and embarrassment for the NCAA.
I am glad the unbeatable, hypocritical monoliths CBS and the NCAA “suffered” but the leaking is also wrong.
If this were a tragedy somewhere in the world rapid correction would not be evident but rest assured next year this information will not be leaked. hese powers have their priorities set and oh the board meetings!
Heaven help us but enjoy the tournament!
Stonehenge pictured above, better and good monoliths.
The film “Spotlight” happened to win the “apples and oranges,” Academy Award as the best picture of 2015. That fact impresses me little but the film produced almost the opposite reaction.
It was superb with a fine ensemble cast that included top actors and was truly effective in detailing the journalism involved in publicizing the horrible actions and subsequent cover up involving the all powerful Catholic Church in Boston.
“Spotlight” so effectively sent reminders of other Boston based film or television all the while taking us around the great and unique city, I happened to visit last summer.
Liev Schreiber looking very much like Michael Santasieri (jr?), the latter one who works helping those with autism, gives another fine performance this as managing editor Marty Baron.
The show “Ray Donovan” starring Schreiber dealt heavily with the subject of child molestation and worse. Many of the same concepts were cited in “Spotlight.”
Without giving much if any of the movie “away,” the harsh subject manner is cited but tastefully and fairly.
The process and the journalism by a brave, dedicated group is pardon the pun, “spotlighted.”
Eight of the thirty current major league baseball teams have never won the World Series. Three are housed in the American League West.
Both Texas teams, the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros, each of whom made the playoffs last season only to dissipate series leads in the quarterfinals/division series, have never won it all.
Texas began play as the Washington Senators in 1961 while Houston began as the Colt 45’s in 1962.
The Seattle Mariners began play in 1977 and not only have never won the World Series but along with the Washington Nationals nee Montreal Expos are the only teams never to have made the World Series.
The Oakland A’s last won it all in 1989 while the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim “titled” (their only one in their only W.S. appearance) in 2002.
I will have a review and some comments about the superb film “Spotlight” in an upcoming post.
Some pre movie and post movie comments/coincidences follow. As usual here, no need to say “spoiler alert” as “nada” is revealed concerning the film, other than it is tremendous.
Knowing television show, “Ray Donovan” star, Liev Schreiber is in “Spotlight,” I started with acclaim for the recently departed actor Bob Hoskins and his role in “Hollywoodland,” as “fixer” Eddie Mannix, a real life version of much depicted on and as “Ray Donovan.”
Then in the endless procession of movie previews, there is a newer one for “Hail Caesar,” showing an Eddie Mannix character, based on the real person shown.
After the movie and with just 4 people left after the credits, I got a laugh from a couple I did not know by saying “on a lighter note the (New England) Patriots won the Super Bowl that (2001-2002) year.”
A great actor, Bob Hoskins pictured above
Two teams/universities, Stony Brook and Buffalo, with links to radio station WFAN won their conference tournaments yesterday to automatically qualify for the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Buffalo team results were being reported as a weekly feature when I last listened to the station WFAN, weeks back.
Stony Brook has been promoted and talked about many times on WFAN.
Congratulations to each team.
Buffalo has been better than expected all season and yesterday rode to the NCAA’s beating Akron University as a 4 plus point underdog.
While those betting Stony Brook vs Vermont were not rewarded, the team was and now both Buffalo and Stony Brook await their seeding and opponent in the tournament.
Though the American League Central Division is the home of the current World Series champion Kansas City Royals, three other teams in the division have gone at least 25 years sans a World Series win.
This year’s division favorite, the Cleveland Indians, last won it all in 1948. A process with aspects similar to selling detergent will yield a 13th U.S. President since the 1948 title, just after this year’s World Series.
Detroit (Tigers) also won their last World Series in a presidential election year, 1984. Once 1984 the title of a classic book by George Orwell approached and scared us with its vision, now it is 32 years later. Commenting on “nada” else time does move!
The Minnesota Twins’ last World Series win was 25 years ago in 1991 while the Chicago White Sox won 8 straight LCS and World Series games, a still unprecedented feat, since a then U.S. Senator from Illinois named Barack Obama, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before game 2 of the 2005 ALCS.
The White Sox ended an 88 year World Series title drought that year, now 11 years into the “rear view mirror.”
The (8-3) World Series record of the one eighth A.L. East is the best of any of the six one eighth divisions in the 21 completed baseball seasons since the beginning of such divisions.
The Yankees, at one point (4-0) having won 4 World Series in 5 seasons under manager Joe Torre from (1996-2000), are (5-2).
They lost World Series in 2001 and 2003 before winning one in 2009.
The Red Sox, sans a World Series victory for 86 years are (3-0) in W.S. since the advent of one eighth divisions.
Boston won it all in 2004, 2007, and 2013.
The Tampa Bay Rays are (0-1) in the period, having lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2008 World Series.
I am glad things worked out for a good man like Joe Torre pictured above.
It is my opinion that even the (58-6) defending NBA champion, Golden State Warriors are not a great advertisement for the NBA, not because they win, perhaps being great, but because they, more than any team, take advantage of the ridiculous 3 point shot.
Last night for example, the Warriors 18 made three point shots, one less than the Portland Trail Blazers made despite losing the game by 16 points.
I just think the three point shot rewards the team that makes it disproportionately.
In any case, I like the Warriors and obviously they have a great record. Last night, Klay Thompson (37) and Steph Curry(34) had 71 points between them.
“G.S.” avenged a lopsided loss to Portland, in each team’s first game after the All-Star break.
The aggregate years between World Series wins in the American League East is lower than any of the six divisions in major league baseball.
Starting with the Boston Red Sox (3) and the New York Yankees (7), the total is 84.
The last Toronto Blue Jays crown was in 1993 while the last Baltimore Orioles’ title was in 1983.
The Tampa Bay Rays, who began play in 1998, have never won a World Series.
Playing as members of the one eighth A.L. East which began completed season play in 1995, teams are (8-3) in the World Series highlighted by the Red Sox being (3-0) and the Yankees (5-2).
I saw a nice Michigan fan, call her “Lady L,” and I told her that Michigan had pulled out an overtime win vs Northwestern.
She said that she did not follow the Michigan basketball as she would football.
I added the obvious reasons as football has a meaningful, much shorter regular season.
Now Michigan has upset Indiana (what did Indiana have at stake?) and likely will be in the NCAA Tournament or certainly has a shot.
I do not know “Lady L” that well but happened to see her before three or four of the Michigan wins en route to the 2013 NCAA Finals.
Who knows in the wide open NCAA, things might get interesting for “Lady L,” and other Michigan fans, less basketball intense or otherwise.
