The Minnesota Wild have put the St. Louis Blues in trouble in their preliminary series, as they took a (2-1) series lead with a home win last night.
A part of the first NHL expansion, in time for the 1967-1968 season, the Blues have gone longer than any other team without ever winning the Stanley Cup.
Last year, the Blues collapsed both in the regular season and in their first round playoff series vs the Chicago Blackhawks.
They blew a big, late season divisional lead and fell to second place, before dissipating a (2-0) series advantage and losing in six games, to Chicago.
Meanwhile the Wild are bidding for a second straight first round upset, having beaten the Colorado Avalanche last season.
Jane Elias gives a magnificent, heartfelt performance in her autobiographical one woman show “Do This One Thing For Me,” now playing through May 3rd at TBG Theater at 312 West 36th Street.
A magnificent talent, gifted with a flair for accents, Ms. Elias plays all the roles, by far the two biggest, those of her father Beni and herself.
His story as a Holocaust survivor, one liberated from Bergen-Belsen, is told along with his desire to dance at his daughter Jane’s wedding and all that entails, is told in a highly meaningful, insightful way.
There is humor and surely pathos as Jane goes from just wanting to watch the television show, “Fantasy Island” to an emotional visit to Auschwitz, another horrible concentration camp, where her efforts to contribute are truly rewarded.
I felt exponentially rewarded seeing this amazing performance directed by Tracy Bersley.
Afterward in addition to meeting the personable Ms. Elias, I talked with Jane’s aunt, her father’s sister and also a Holocaust survivor (her father died in 2010, his story and remembering such stories hopefully never will) Lina Russo.
What an inspiration, as she told people “see you next Sunday,” and repeated her mantra that she tells later generations and what she said “got her through” when she was imprisoned, that is “never give up.”
It was an extraordinary performance by Ms. Elias and a truly inspirational day. You will also be inspired and moved greatly by “Do This One Thing For Me.”
For ticket info click here
The beautiful, vivacious and extremely talented Lynda Carter really “wowed” the audience in her show at the Appel Room in the Time Warner Center.
What a view at the venue, as is the case with Lynda, one simply described as beautiful.
Ms. Carter’s new show showcased her considerable singing ability and opened with a song she wrote, “Long Legged Woman,” which is the name of her current tour. The show/tour features almost all new songs for Lynda (only her real favorites are holdovers).
“Long Legged Woman” got the performance off to a rousing start. After, with a slew of big hits such as “Crazy,” the Patsy Cline classic written by Willie Nelson, “A Rose in Spanish Harlem,” and “My Momma Done Told Me,” Lynda continued to dazzle the audience.
There was dancing and a heartfelt song Lynda wrote for her son Jamie, appropriately “Jamie’s Song.” Having seen him, I can confirm his great appearance and more important, his polite demeanor.
The band which included the legendary “Blue” Lou Marini was superb.
Lynda is a great performer, with her heart in the right place. Additionally she embraces, not runs away from her role, as “Wonder Woman.”
If that is not enough my level of appreciation soared when Lynda in a most personable manner, signed items and posed for pictures with her appreciative audience.
A “Wonder”ful woman indeed!
For more info on Lynda Carter and her tour, click here
The Montreal Canadiens took a two games to none series lead winning at home in overtime vs the Ottawa Senators.
Three teams evened their NHL opening round series to 1-1 records with home wins last night.
After the New York Islanders won Game One at Washington, the Capitals got even at home last night and I predict will win the series in six games.
I believe the Chicago Blackhawks, who will return home with the series tied (1-1) will win the series in seven games vs the Nashville Predators.
My prediction in the Calgary Flames vs Vancouver Canucks series, which the Canucks squared with a home win last night, will evoke memories of great 7 game opening round series between the teams in both 1994 and 2004.
In each case, the Canucks (vs the New York Rangers) and the Flames (vs the Tampa Bay Lightning), the series winner made it to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Finals, before losing.
This series will go 7 games and really is too close to call.
There have been some memorable playoff battles between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Those series were eventually won by the Celtics.
This year’s series, it says here, will have neither of those results. I predict the Cavaliers to win easily, say in 5 games.
I am predicting a fairly big upset in the Memphis Grizzlies vs Portland Trailblazers series.
Though roughly two to one underdogs, I think Portland will win the opening round series in six games.
Forty years ago the upstart Golden State Warriors shocked the then Washington Bullets in four straight games to win the NBA crown.
This year in the first round of the playoffs the Golden State Warriors will face the New Orleans Pelicans while the Washington Wizards (formerly the Bullets) face the Toronto Raptors.
This year the Warriors have come out of nowhere to grab the top record (67-15) in the league by a wide margin.
I predict the Warriors will dispatch the New Orleans Pelicans in five games.
Meanwhile the Washington Wizards will hand the Toronto Raptors another tough first round loss, winning the series in six games.
Anthony Davis scored 31 points leading the New Orleans Pelicans to a win over the San Antonio Spurs in last night’s regular season finale, earning them a spot in the playoffs as the “8” seed in the Western Conference.
The Pelicans finished their season with a record of 45-37 and will now they face the Golden State Warriors, who had a tremendous 67-15 season.
The defending champion Spurs fell to the “6” seed in the NBA West. They feature multi-time champions–including 5 time winners Tim Duncan and coach Greg Popovich–but have never repeated as NBA champions.
The Spurs will face the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. L.A. will have home advantage.
Anthony Davis
Tonight’s game in which the defending champion San Antonio Spurs play the New Orleans Pelicans is a big one on this last night of the NBA regular season.
The Pelicans control their own destiny as far as making the playoffs. If they win, they get in as the NBA West “8” seed and would go on to face the top ranked Golden State Warriors.
If San Antonio wins, the Pelicans must rely on an unlikely loss by the Oklahoma City Thunder vs the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team with the league’s worst record.
From a league perspective, the game seems even more important to the Spurs. While it is doubtful the Pelicans are a title threat, the Spurs are a truly viable one.
A Spurs win makes them the “2” seed in the Western Conference while a loss could drop them as low as a “6” seed. Quite a difference!
One hundred fifty years ago today, Abraham Lincoln, a great leader, U.S. President, and man, was killed as he attended a show in Washington D.C.
Violence, senseless violence, which still permeates the world, took this man who stood taller, (albeit with flaws, as is the case with all of us), than his considerable height, during a horrible civil war in the United States.
Growing up I read about him and idolized him before my focus shifted to sports.
The tragic assassination of John F. Kennedy, the first U.S. President I recall, also took away from my intense love and attention to Lincoln.
That horrible event nearly 100 years after the one that took Mr. Lincoln’s life still leaves me asking and wondering why, if not how and by whom?
In these tough, cynical, “too far gone” times, perhaps it will do good to remember Abraham Lincoln as a man, who came from poverty, and without formal education (“talk about being home schooled,” fellow attorney and Lincoln scholar Michael Liss pointed out) to rise to fame and do great deeds.
The fierce determination so evident in Mr. Lincoln was used for good not greed, to help the less fortunate and actively strive to improve. Yes, good advice for the world, this country and any individual.
Remember, if nothing else, part of one sentence in the last paragraph of President Lincoln’s resounding second inaugural address in March, 1864.
That speech rivaled his more famous “Gettysburg Address” in many minds, and will resonate for all time, if we heed the words.
“With malice toward none, with charity for all…”
Five current coaches or managers have won at least three championships.
The two basketball coaches, San Antonio Spurs’ coach Greg Popovich, with 5 NBA crowns, and Duke University’s Mike Krzyzewski with 5 NCAA titles top the list.
Next comes New England Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick with 4 Super Bowl championships.
Baseball’s Bruce Bochy, the San Francisco Giants’ manager, and College Football’s Urban Meyer of Ohio State, each have three crowns.
Meyer is the only one on this incredible list to have compiled his titles with two different teams. He won 2 titles as Florida University coach before snaring the current one with Ohio State.
Greg Popovich–Five Crowns
Andy B Sports 