The opening game of the 2015 World Series will be played tonight in a contest matching two teams that are a combined (0-7) in World Series openers.
Neither the New York Mets (0-4) nor the Kansas City Royals (0-3) have ever won the opening game of the World Series.
New York and Kansas City will have met at all four stages of the post-season with this being the first finals series.
All of the post-season meetings have been in either baseball or football. The brief period in which Kansas City had a basketball or hockey team passed over three decades ago.
There were four previous baseball post season clashes between the two cities, all semi-finals/ALCS between the Yankees and Royals.
The Yankees won the first three (1976-1978) and went on to win the World Series in both 1977 and 1978.
The Royals won the 1980 ALCS but lost the subsequent World Series.
The Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets have met in the quarterfinal and preliminary/wild card rounds.
In the last AFL season and fourth in which the AFL and NFL champions would meet in the Super Bowl, the AFL instituted a “crossover” game matching the first place team in one division vs the second place team in the other.
In one of those games, on a blustery day at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York, the Chiefs defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Jets and eventually won the Super Bowl. They were champions along with the New York Mets from January 1970 until the Pirates won the NL East, eliminating the Mets in late September 1970.
The Jets having backed into the playoffs despite five straight losses then defeated the Chiefs in a wild card round game at the Jets’ Giants Stadium “home.” The Cleveland Browns then defeated the Jets in a quarterfinal/divisional round game in Cleveland the following week.
Yesterday in the NFL, two teams, the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers, won at home to join three other teams with (6-0) records.
The other three teams, the Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals had byes yesterday.
Next Sunday night, the (6-0) Packers visit the (6-0) Broncos in a rematch of the 1997 season Super Bowl, when Terrell Davis and not John Elway led the Broncos to the title after four Denver Super Bowl losses in as many Supe appearances, three with Elway as the quarterback.
While the Panthers covered the spread and are also (6-0) vs it, the “interesting developments” at the end of the Patriots eventual 7 point win, among other things, raised WFAN radio’s Mike Francesa’s record to (14-6-1), a stellar percentage of .700
The stars must be aligned differently but though I knock him, it may just be time to say “if you can’t beat him, join him.”
Nah! One thing I will predict and my predictions have been poor, from here on Francesa will win less than 70 percent of his predictions. For now, kudos on a fine record this season to Mr. Francesa.
Mike Francesa pictured above.
I truly must stop watching sports or at least turn the sound off.
CBS television’s Phil Simms, referring to the Seattle Seahawks as defending Super Bowl champions (they are not!) does not bother me as much as his non stop talking, cliche filled analysis.
He was trying to point out how tough it is for defending Super Bowl champions, perhaps remembering his exploits after his more or less fluke great game vs the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl when his N.Y. (really Hackensack) Giants won the Supe, but struggled the next season.
In fairness, it was a strike season and Simms was a very good, not great quarterback, but the hype for him as a player and his horrible analysis (once down 14 points in the 4th quarter he agreed with Bill Cowher’s horrible decision for the Steelers to kick a field goal inside the Patriots’ 10 yard line in the 2004 AFC title game. Of course the Steelers lost the game) really gets to me in a bad way.
One more blight, a truly “bad penny,” who has resurfaced on college football games named Mike Patrick.
His mistakes made New York Post media columnist Phil Mushnick’s job easier, as they filled up his notebook during Sunday night football telecasts decades back.
Worse than Verne Lundquist saying we all know where we were when Bobby Thomson hit his pennant winning home run in 1952 (of course it was 1951 and what still galls me is that Lundquist was so certain and arrogant in passing on the wrong information back in 1990) was Patrick advising the opposing team to intentionally walk JD Drew with a 5 run lead and the bases loaded, in the ninth inning of a College World Series game.
Yesterday with two touchdown favorite, Michigan State up by 5 points and in a third and goal situation at about the Indiana 8 yard line, Patrick said “the game is on the line” on this play. As a dear friend would say “Really?!!!”
Click below for the iconic Beatles’ song “Help”
It will be the 1985 World Series champion, Kansas City Royals vs the 1986 World champion New York Mets in the 2015 World Series. Each franchise will be seeking their first title since the one cited.
The Royals made the World Series last year, losing a heartbreaking series to Madison Bumgarner and the S.F. Giants. They won a second straight pennant beating the favored Toronto Blue Jays (4-3) in game six to win the ALCS four games to two.
While Bumgarner’s dominant pitching is not likely to be matched, the Royals have some good pitching while their opponents, the Mets, have received great pitching, thus far in the playoffs.
After losing their first three ALCS and four of their first five, the Royals have now won in their last three ALCS appearances.
The Blue Jays are now (2-4) in ALCS and (0-2) vs the Royals. The winner of the five previous Jays’ ALCS went on to win the World Series.
The Mets are now (5-3) in NLCS play, the winner of the previous 7 Mets’ NLCS going (4-3) in the World Series.
One real problem is that if the World Series goes as many as six games and stays on schedule, the sixth game will be played on Election Day. That is disgraceful, but typical of baseball hierarchy policy, which cares about money and little else.
A little mix and match after a (1-2) week in the pros. Radio station WFAN’s Mike Francesa went (2-1) and is (11-6-1) for the year.
For the second straight week, the featured game on ABC/ESPN/Disney involves defending college champion Ohio State as a three touchdown or more favorite.
Last week Ohio State (7-0) and (2-5) vs the spread, broke a “spread” losing streak, by exceeding it as a three touchdown plus favorite vs Penn State.
This week viewers will be more likely to stay tuned. Ohio State 38 Rutgers 24.
Two pro picks, thefirst against my norm, a favorite, the underachieving Buffalo Bills to get it together overseas in London, England, winning (20-6) vs the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The (4-2) Arizona Cardinals are 8 and a half point favorites vs the Baltimore Ravens. I predict the game will end in a tie, not because I think it will (there is incredibly low probability that a tie will occur) but because the Ravens are a solid pick here to play the Cardinals to a standstill, and perhaps win.
Thus far the 2015 ALCS between the Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays has followed the pattern of the 1985 ALCS between the clubs, with the 2015 Royals playing the “part” of the 1985 Jays.
In 1985, the Jays won the first two games at home, lost the third at K.C., but took a seemingly commanding three games to one series lead, with a victory in game four.
Then the Royals not only won game five at home, but games six and seven in Toronto. They went on to win their only World Series title, overcoming a three games to one deficit in the World Series vs the St. Louis Cardinals, as well.
Now the Royals, who lost by one run in the seventh game of the World Series to the San Francisco Giants last year hope they can break the “pattern” and win game six tonight.
Thus far K.C. as was the case with the Blue Jays thirty years ago, won games one and two at home. Also they won game four on the road while losing games three and five also on the road.
The New York Mets won their fifth National League Pennant sweeping the Chicago Cubs, while never trailing at any point of the four game series.
It is the third time the Mets have clinched the pennant on a Wednesday and the second time there was news concerning the United States Vice President on the day of that Wednesday clincher.
In 1973 on the day the Mets won the decisive fifth game of the NLCS at home vs the Cincinnati Reds, the United States Vice President, Spiro T. Agnew resigned the office.
Yesterday in what was no surprise to me, current U.S. V.P., Joe Biden announced he would not be running for president of the country.
It is the second time the Mets have swept an NLCS, the other a 3 game sweep vs the Atlanta Braves in 1969.
Last week it was cited here that the St. Louis Cardinals have lost at least three straight games in the series in which they were eliminated in four straight years.
The Cubs had “wild carded” the Cards out, but now the Cubs (0-4) in NLCS, sans a pennant since 1945, have lost 7 straight NLCS games since leading the Florida Marlins 3 games to 1 in the 2003 NLCS.
The Cubs have lost at least three straight games in all four of their LCS, twice doing so needing just one victory for their first pennant since 1945.
As the New York Mets march inexorably to their fifth World Series appearance, likely vs the Kansas City Royals, who would be making their fourth and second in a row, some thoughts on Maddon/Murphy.
Daniel Murphy has been incredible, hitting mostly early game and solo home runs but with the Mets’ incredible pitching, that has been enough.
One “curse” vs the Cubs is the so called “Murphy’s Curse.”
Joe Maddon, like John Madden a beyond over rated coach/manager, whose comradery with the media enhances his reputation, played up to media before the series vs the Mets.
He made a factual mistake concerning New York teams beating Baltimore teams to clinch titles, saying all three the Jets, Mets and Knicks clinched 1968-1970 season titles vs Baltimore teams.
Wrong! While the Jets won the 1968 season Super Bowl vs the Baltimore Colts and the Mets won the 1969 World Series vs the Baltimore Orioles, the New York Knicks “quarterfinal’d” the Baltimore Bullets in the 1970 playoffs en route to a title. It was NOT the finals.
Finally and concerning a Murphy, Maddon seemingly so happy to be holding court, contrasted with Mets’ manager Terry Collins, who has shown the proper great intensity, vs the man he hired with the Angels (Maddon), cited Kiner’s Korner concerning Ralph Kiner.
He added the great broadcaster Lindsey Nelson.
Maddon omitted the third member of that superb Mets’ broadcasting team, Bob MURPHY. Curse indeed!!
Daniel Murphy has hit a home run in 5 straight post season games.
Bob Murphy pictured above.
Billed as Gloria and Emilio Estefan with by Rita Moreno, the event last night at the 92nd Street Y was sensational.
The Estefans were great, telling stories about their band members, meetings with two Popes, most recently with Francisco and before that with John Paul, and their climb to success, that were both humorous and insightful.
At no time did they, nor I, lose track of the greatness of the trailblazer, stalwart interviewing them, namely Ms. Moreno.
Her achievements matter, not so much her winning “apples and oranges” awards, though in her case much fruit is in the basket (Ms. Moreno has won the Academy, Grammy, Emmy and Tony Awards at least once) and perhaps some of it was close to “forbidden.” It is the memories, the class and the breakthroughs that mean the most concerning this incredible person.
The event at the “Y” last night was part of Hispanic Heritage Month. The Estefans did not have it easy, and greatly appreciate Rita Moreno, who was there breaking ground, before them.
I noticed both Gloria and Emilio signing and taking pictures with the audience. They were so gracious and patient. Some had seen the musical, “On Your Feet The Musical Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan,” about their life. All indications are it is magnificent.
Again the event was tremendous, three great performers in a show of their respect and love for each other.
Then the best part for me, telling Rita Moreno that I thought the event was great. She graciously agreed. She is a truly beautiful person, inside and out, blessed with great talent, aided by hard work who continues to thrive.
All of her greatness has manifested in an upcoming Kennedy Center Honor and a place in so many of our hearts. She was kind and gracious talking with me, a great conclusion to the night.
Click below for tickets to “On Your Feet The Musical Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan”
The great Rita Moreno pictured above.
Five of the six NFL unbeaten teams going into this week, won to remain unbeaten.
In fact, all five unbeaten teams that played yesterday won, while this past Thursday in a “Nantz” game (it is his world, we are all just trying to get his hedge fund tips) the (2-4) New Orleans Saints handed the now (5-1) Atlanta Falcons their first loss.
In a “Sam Rosen” game, (oh how enjoyable the talented play by play man, Rosen is when he is neutral and not the unabashed “homer” he is on local New York Rangers’ telecasts—this is akin to Spencer Ross, also talented but an even worse “homer” who used to shriek MEACHAM to RANDOLPH to MATTINGLY (wonder what happened to Mattingly) on double plays) the Carolina Panthers went to (5-0) and (5-0) vs the spread, with a win, as a touchdown underdog, at the (2-4) Seattle Seahawks.
Elsewhere the Cincinnati Bengals (6-0) and (5-0-1) vs the spread won at Buffalo vs the (3-3) Bills, whose “who cares” game in London next week, vs the (1-5) Jacksonville Jaguars will be something called “streamed” by something called Yahoo, over this thing called the internet.
Three teams won to remain unbeaten, but did not exceed the point spread.The New England Patriots (5-0) (3-1-1) at the (3-3) Indy Colts, the Denver Broncos (6-0), (4-2) at the (2-4) Cleveland Browns and the Green Bay Packers (6-0) (5-1), in another “Nantz” game, at Green Bay vs the San Diego Chargers.
CBS Broadcaster, Jim Nantz Pictured Above
