My NFL predictions for the tenth week of play will follow.
I predict the Miami Dolphins, nearly a touchdown underdog, will play well at Philadelphia vs the Eagles.
Eagles 20 Dolphins 17
The Carolina Panthers will struggle as 5 point favorites at Tennessee vs the Titans.
This is a shaky nod to the Titans with the points.
Panthers 24 Titans 20.
On Monday night, the somewhat powerful Mike Tirico will “broadcast,” a ho hum Cincinnati Bengals victory vs the Houston Texans. My advice is to take the Texans in a “teaser” bet. My better advice is not to bet and recall what Beano Cook said regarding teaser bettors–“only idiots bet teasers.”
Bengals (an 11 point favorite and it is increasing in margin), 31, Texans 21.
In conclusion a strong feeling for Miami and shaky nods to Tennessee and Houston, oddly the two cities that housed the Houston Oilers’ franchise. The game involving the expansion Houston franchise takes place just shy of 37 years after a great Houston Oilers/Miami Dolphins game on “Monday Night Football.”
Twenty years ago I saw the great Oilers’ running back Earl Campbell and noticed he had real trouble walking. Here is remembering Earl’s great Monday night performance vs Miami and for a bit, forgetting football is a violent spectacle in a truly unruly world.
Maybe I was too hard on current ESPN reporter, Hannah Storm, (really Storen as in former ABA head Mike Storen’s daughter), when she got the year wrong as to when the U.S. hockey team won the gold medal.
Yet when I put together the hypocrisy involving Notre Dame football and its tie in with NBC Sports with Storm’s husband Dan Hicks, a golf broadcaster at best, attempting football play by play, it is too much to take.
A few weeks back Hicks hinted that Notre Dame could get back in the playoff race. That should not be the case but after big school and television attraction, Ohio State got a bid they did not deserve last year, I am “worried” about the same thing happening involving ratings darling, Notre Dame this year, or any year.
As stated in the post regarding Storm’s glaring factual error (giving her the benefit of the doubt, call it a slip of the tongue error and hence where were her producers or researchers—when I worked at ABC we would have corrected the error!!!) Ms. Storen campaigned for her alma mater Notre Dame to be declared national champions after Florida State’s win vs Nebraska in the January first, 1994 Orange Bowl.
Dick Ebersol and NBC made a deal with “worse than the devil” in giving Notre Dame its own network. I wish I could recall the late Beano Cook’s outrage regarding this matter. These people Storm, Hicks, NBC, Ebersol when he was there, have no shame.
My little voice says and urges the committee which messed up last year to not make the same mistake and even consider Notre Dame this year.
ESPN televised Notre Dame at Temple, they of course the ultimate hypocrites and prostitutes. The emotional toll of this is staggering. There are financial consequences as well.
Only Beano would have understood but even he said that would not have been the case, if he could not afford it
Click below to view this iconic scene.
It is perhaps healthy to have rage and there is much wrong in the country and world. Peaceful protest and some respect for those with opposing views is vital, especially in light of violent attacks that often take place.
Last week, WFAN radio Mike Francesa’s predictions were posted on this site.
His record going into the week was a stellar (16-6-2).
Now it is (16-9-2).
It appeared the record would go to (18-6-2) late in his two earlier games. I looked up and noticed I was nearing the intersection of 18th Street and 7th Avenue.
This was a “sign” Francesa would be wrong on his late game prediction and be (18-7).
Avoiding the games for the most part, I checked a good hour later to see his late game prediction would likely be wrong. It ended up being so.
Then lo and behold I saw both his leads, one more than a touchdown vs the spread, disappeared in the early games. Francesa went (0-3).
At this time I will indulge in my penchant for looking back and seeing “things” that likely will interest some and be decried far too trivial by others. For better or borderline boring, as President John F. Kennedy once said regarding the infinitely more important goal of peace or at least understanding, “let us begin.”
Ninety years ago in the 1925 World Series, the Pittsburgh Pirates won their second World Series title, beating a team (the Washington Senators and that 1924 title is the only one in Washington baseball history and that includes Seattle, Washington), that had won the previous year’s World Series in seven games.
That World Series ended on a called third strike, “Red” Oldham striking out future Hall of Fame player, Goose Goslin, who by chance was born on October 16, 1900, exactly 69 years before the New York Mets won the 1969 World Series.
Ninety years later, the Kansas City Royals won their second title, dispatching the New York Mets in 5 games, having lost the World Series in seven games the year before. The 2015 World Series also ended on a called third strike.
The Big 12 Conference has four teams worth considering for a spot in the 4 team college football playoff, which will be in place for the second year.
Quite possibly, the conference could be denied a team in that playoff for the second straight year.
Last year, I do not believe Ohio State deserved the fourth playoff spot over either TCU or Baylor, from the Big 12 Conference.
However, the glamour, better known Ohio State, was chosen over both teams, made the playoff and then to their credit, won the title.
Now a fear is that an even more glamorous team, Notre Dame, one with its own network and incredibly, to me most annoying, a series on the Showtime Network, will be chosen is a real possibilty, especially given the first two weeks of the playoff standings.
Nobody knows what will happen in the next few weeks, but I clearly believe an unbeaten or even a certain one loss Big 12 team should be in the four team playoff.
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.
There will be no comments.
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”
