I was so glad to avoid pro football almost entirely this past Sunday.
My decision to get out and the eventual sightings did relate to the two NFL games in which teams joined the Cincinnati Bengals at (8-0), halfway through the 16 game schedule.
The Carolina Panthers went to (8-0), beating the (6-2), 3 point favorite, Green Bay Packers, surely disappointing the throng of obvious Packers’ fans lined up outside a place to watch the game. They waited at least a half hour to ENTER(think “The Sunshine Boys”) the premises while the “Pack” waited way too long to play well, the game not as close as the (37-29) score might indicate.
Meanwhile the New England Patriots also are (8-0) after a 17 point win, as 2 touchdown favorites vs the (3-5) Washington Redskins.
In walking to my car, I saw some young people including a lady clad in a Tom Brady jersey throwing the “pig” around. Having just commented to a friend that Mr. Brady may have some connection to the area, a look at some of the younger faces made that assertion, while far from certain, plausible, if not probable.
On Saturday past, after foolishly allowing myself exponential annoyance regarding the efforts by the likes of CBS analyst Aaron Taylor, Fox network’s Gus Johnson and ESPN/ABC’s Chris Fowler, I watched no college football Saturday night.
Taylor, in addition to the sadly prevalent use of “between” and NOT “among” for three or more, “topped” that by uttering “they are halfway more closer to the goal line” moments later. This from a Notre Dame University person offended less than his complete lack of understanding regarding game situations.
Johnson so often too loud and abrasive screamed so loud, sounding out a receiver named Doctson’s name on a second quarter incomplete pass that he a) awoke some of the dead and b) was clearly very late in stating the pass was incomplete.
Fowler with an aptitude for being a studio host does not have one for play by play, no less as “top banana.” Toward that opinion, check the second quarter play where Clemson quarterback Watson needs a great move to make the first down. Fowler gave a “has plenty of room” read it no worry for the first down call.
As stated, I watched no college football Saturday night.
Instead I watched the great film, “Norma Rae” some 36 years after seeing it the one other time and marveled at the performances of Sally Field, Ron Leibman and others– (Pat Hingle as Sally/”Norma’s” father to add one.)
The movie was shown as part of “The Essentials” series on Turner Classic Movies.
The fact Ms. Field is a co host along with the magnificent Robert Osborne on the series always enhances the viewing.
In this case, Ms. Field commenting on her award winning performance as “Norma Rae” made the presentation even more special.
In the movie as lighter, but really still serious matter, Norma’s encounter with Ron Leibman’s “Reuben Marshasky” is her first one with a member of the Jewish faith.
When she remarks “kvetch-kvetch-kvetch” to Reuben in this 1979 film, it moved me on many levels, not the least of which being humor.
Speaking of “kvetch” (complain continually) I do much more than that, with often intense rage regarding the announcers, this for better or worse.
That is why doing other things than watching sports, which sadly and largely as waste, I “ate, slept and breathed,” puts me in a better place, no matter the genre of non sports endeavor.
In the case of a wonderful movie and presentation on TCM such as Norma Rae, I soared almost to an Inca type place, floating above the ridiculous fray.
Ron Leibman and Sally Field in the wonderful 1979 film, “Norma Rae.”
Kansas City Royals’ manager Ned Yost became the fifth manager, with four letters in his last name (surname), to win a World Series.
Altogether, 67 different managers have won the World Series, Yost is the 45th different manager with one title to this point in time.
The current K.C. manager joins an interesting group of managers with 4 letters in their last name to win a World Series.
First is one of the most famous, if not most famous baseball managers ever, namely the great Connie Mack.
Managing in an incredible 6 different decades for the then Philadelphia Athletics (it helps one’s longevity as manager when you at least partially own the team), Mr. Mack won 5 World Series. It should be noted that Mr. Mack’s last name was actually Mc Gillicuddy (think Lucy Ricardo).
The other three “four letter” W.S. winning managers were Eddie Dyer (St. Louis Cardinals 1946), Ralph Houk (New York Yankees 1961 and 1962) and Alvin Dark (Oakland A’s 1974).
While Connie Mack won no other World Series when he was not the manager,( he managed in all the possible World Series years of his career), Yost, Dyer, Houk and Dark all won World Series in other roles in other years in addition to their managerial title(s).
Twenty years ago, Yost was a coach on the Atlanta Braves World Series winner, who were managed by Bobby Cox, the only manager with 3 letters or less, in his last name to win a World Series.
Eddie Dyer was a pitcher on the 1926 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals, though he did not appear in the World Series.
Ralph Houk played and coached on New York Yankees World Series winners before guiding them to back to back titles in 1961 and 1962. He coached on the 1958 title team and had one at bat in winning World series for the Yankees in 1947 and 1952.
Alvin Dark was the only one in the group to have been a starting player on a World Series winner (shortstop on the 1954 New York Giants, in his life he caught a touchdown pass from Y.A. Tittle at LSU University and hit a home run off Sandy Koufax) before managing the Oakland A’s to a World Series victory twenty years later.
The legendary Connie Mack pictured above.
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WFAN radio host Mike Francesa is (16-6-2) on his predictions thus far in the 2015 NFL season. His record is (5-0-1) the last two weeks.
As promised here are “H”is predictions.
The New York Jets minus 7 points at home vs the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Atlanta Falcons minus 7 points at San Francisco vs the 49ers.
The Pittsburgh Steelers minus 4 plus points at home vs the Oakland Raiders.
Mike Francesa, pictured above, goes into this week with a “Dick Donavan 1957” record of (16-6) on his NFL predictions vs the point spread. Two games were no decision.
It was a not bad, actually good two out of three correct predictions in last night’s games.
Honesty compels me to state that last week Mike Francesa went (2-0-1) on his predictions. That makes him (5-0-1) the last two weeks, and (16-6-2) for the season.
As a bit of a “public service” I will list his predictions as they become available.
I will get out of the house and watch as little, if any football, this Sunday. I am going to the Blue Note in New York City to listen to jazz, which I wish that I knew better.
Some paraphrasing of E.Y. Harburg, who wrote the lyrics to “Over The Rainbow” (Harold Arlen wrote the music) follows.
“Why oh why,” did I not spend the time I wasted watching football listening to jazz?!!! Wake up people and get outside, do something other than watch football
Somewhere Over the Rainbow – The Wizard of Oz (1/8) Movie CLIP (1939) HD
Click above to watch Judy Garland sing this classic song in “The Wizard of Oz”
Last year at just about this point in time, in a Thursday night tilt, the Cleveland Browns went into Cincinnati, won and actually stood atop the AFC North Division.
Of course the Browns faded while the Bengals made it to the playoffs, only to be ousted in the first round for the third straight season.
Tonight the undefeated Bengals are big favorites vs the visiting Browns. My prediction Bengals 22 Browns 14.
Switching to tonight’s college football, two more wins by the favorites, but also wins for underdog backers.
Powerful Baylor 30 Kansas State 20.
Appalachian State, a big favorite to win but by less than “expected.’
Prediction Appalachian State 24 Arkansas State 17.
The Browns at Bengals game is not on CBS but still on NFL Network. Unfortunately the game announcers are still Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and the “garden variety” sideline reporter.
None are offensive as “give me the money,” Fox Network reporter, Erin Andrews.
Surely “Andys,” Rooney and “B” differed on many matters, but was he ever correct regarding sideline reporters, as being useless, offensive and I add in Ms. Andrews’ case, downright greedy.
I blame the copycat, cookie cutter, producers who almost literally have revived “The Stepford Wives” cramming these reporters and their utterly useless banter down our throats. Let me stop the vitriol there, but their presence as well as many other things in sports, sure makes me sick!
Oh for a pastrami sandwich! One overstuffed one is pictured above.
It is not really relevant or perhaps not important that I am so disappointed in all that the political process has become.
Yesterday I took some time to think about the right to vote.
Truly this is a wonderful privilege and at the same time responsibility that people have.
Maybe it will help one of you, hopefully many of you, not exercising this privilege/responsibility to change and do so.
I work at the polls and noticed in the roster books of the registered voters, that much information, likely too much is given.
However, the availability of information yielded a source of pride when I went to vote at a location other than where I was working.
I checked when I first registered to vote and ascertained it was my first possible chance to do so.
At most, I have missed voting one time in all the years that have followed.
Trust me, there were times it was extremely difficult and inconvenient to do so, but if I can do it so can you. So can many of you. Please do so!!
In the recently completed World Series in which the 1969 expansion team, the Kansas City Royals defeated the 1969 World champions and fellow expansion team, New York Mets, some notes manifested.
The team opening the World Series at home is now (24-6) starting with the advent of the best of 7 LCS in each league in 1985.
The Royals won the first of those titles in 1985, the Mets followed winning in 1986. The 1969 Mets were the first expansion team to both make and win the World Series. The 1985 Royals were the next expansion team to do so.
The team opening the World Series at home with a win is now (19-1) since 1981 with the Minnesota Twins in 1987 being the first, the 1992 Atlanta Braves, who won the World Series opener but lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, being the lone exception.
The obscure, “only me” note is the team with the better record in the Saturday game(s) in the World Series is now (25-2) in World Series from (1983-2015).
The two exceptions were recent ones, the St. Louis Cardinals winning the Saturday game but losing to the Boston Red Sox in 2013, ditto the Texas Rangers, who lost the 2010 World Series to the S.F. Giants despite winning the lone Saturday game.
During that time the World Series opponents split two Saturday games five times while the eventual World Series winner also swept the two Saturday games seven times. With the Saturday night loss in the recently completed World Series, the Mets fell to (1-6) in Saturday World Series games.
Denied by one run, leaving the tying run at third in the seventh game of the World Series last year, the Kansas City Royals won it all this year.
Kansas City clinched their second world title, with a (7-2), 12 inning win over the Mets in game 5.
The Royals join the Pittsburgh Pirates, who 90 years ago in the seventh game of the World Series trailed (4-0) after one inning, as the only teams in baseball history to overcome as much as a 4 run deficit in a game in which they faced elimination, and go on to win the World Series.
On a Monday, three weeks ago (it seems like 3 months ago) K.C. trailed the Houston Astros (6-2) entering the top of the eighth inning in Houston, facing elimination.
They rallied for 5 runs in that eighth inning and won. In the just completed World Series, twice they trailed entering the ninth inning, but tied each game and eventually won in extra innings.
Eric Hosmer had a big go ahead two run single in game two and had a key double and great, daring base running to get the Royals two runs to tie last night’s clincher in the 9th inning. He, not Salvador Perez, should have been Series MVP.
My record is pretty bad, while WFAN radio host, Mike Francesa is clicking at a tremendous seventy percent, (14-6-1) through 7 weeks of NFL predictions.
HIS PICKS, (and mine), for this week follow:
The “chalk” pick that he has lost so much more often than not, is the St. Louis Rams minus 9 points vs the San Francisco 49ers.
I predict Rams 23, 49ers 20
Mr. (at 70 percent, he has earned being called Mister) Francesa picks the New Orleans Saints minus 3 vs the New York Giants. I am not crazy about going against this, as each team is coming off a cover/win, the Saints as underdogs, vs the Colts.
Primarily because I think Mr. Francesa has to start to lose (warning people have gone broke thinking like that. More important, please take this lightly and certainly do not bet any significant amounts, if you have to bet at all), Saints 28, Giants 26.
PS– If Sam Rosen is the Fox broadcaster and I hope he is, as he is actually good, (more likely it is Kenny Albert, and at best he is mediocre, even his dad the great Marv Albert, did not excel at football. However, why oh why, is Marv, still so much better than just about any network football announcer out there, no longer on football telecasts?!) the Giants will win outright.
Last the WFAN host Mike Francesa picked the Minnesota Vikings minus one at Chicago vs the Bears. I believe the Vikings are better and could, even should, be a playoff team.
Yet again mainly to go vs Mr. Francesa, but also because the Bears, though they covered the spread, essentially were robbed of victory at Detroit vs the Lions in their last game two weeks ago, and that “Minne” is on a roll–Bears 17 Vikings 16.
Andy B Sports 