Three of the four NBA quarterfinal series are tied at two games apiece.
In the one that is not, the slight series underdog Los Angeles Clippers have a three games to one lead vs the Houston Rockets, in a bid to make the NBA semi-finals for the first time in their history.
The Clippers, once the Buffalo Braves, have lost in all 6 of their previous quarterfinal series, three each in Buffalo and Los Angeles.
The winner of the Clippers/Rockets series will face the winner of the quarterfinal series between the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies, which is tied at two games apiece.
The Atlanta Hawks hoping to end a streak of 15 consecutive quarterfinal series losses are tied at two games apiece with the Washington Wizards.
The winner of the Hawks/Wizards series will face the winner of the Cleveland Cavaliers vs Chicago Bulls series. That quarterfinal series is also tied at two games apiece.
One NHL semi-final series is set: the Anaheim Ducks vs the Chicago Blackhawks.
Corey Perry of the Ducks scored in overtime to clinch the Ducks’ 5 game quarterfinal series win vs the Calgary Flames. Perry has 7 goals in this year’s playoffs.
The Chicago Blackhawks will be their semi-final round opponent, as Patrick Kane had 5 goals, at least 1 in each of the 4 games as “Chi” swept the Minnesota Wild in the quarterfinals.
In the Eastern Conference, Chris Kreider’s heroics, (the all important tying goal with the Rangers less than two minutes away from a series loss in game 5 and two goals in game 6 at Washington), have led the New York Rangers to a home seventh game Wednesday night vs the Washington Capitals. They were trailing 3 games to 1 in their quarterfinal series.
In the other quarterfinal/Eastern Conference “semi,” the Tampa Bay Lightning have a (3-2) series lead vs the Montreal Canadiens with a home game six tomorrow, however, the series lead was once 3 games to none.
The latest incarnation of “Cool Hand Luke,” is a great and powerful theatrical one, now playing at the “59E59” Theater in New York City.
A classic novel by Donn Pearce and later a superb movie starring Paul Newman with great performances by George Kennedy and Jo Van Fleet, “Cool Hand Luke” hits hard regarding conformity, horrible conditions and those elements of society that keep so many people down.
This stage version adapted by Emma Reeves and directed by Joe Tantolo was equally powerful.
Lawrence Jansen, whose performance reminded me of the superb actor, Matthew McConaughey, stars as “Luke Jackson.”
He grasps and performs the physical and emotional components of “Luke,” railing for God/”The Big Guy” to come forth and help. That portion of Mr. Jansen’s work was truly mesmerizing and meaningful.
The rest of the ensemble, Mike Jansen, Nick Paglino, Lars Drew, Brett Warnke, Jason Bragg Stanley, Jarrod Zayas, Ken King, Kirstina Doelling and Julia Torres all deserve high praise for making the great novel, then movie, fall into that category in this stage production.
For ticket info, click here.
Lawrence Jansen as Luke
It was exactly 45 years ago today, on a Mother’s Day, that Bobby Orr, the great hockey player and even greater person, scored in overtime to give the Boston Bruins their first Stanley Cup win in 29 years.
Their victory came in 4 straight games against the third year expansion team St. Louis Blues, after series wins vs the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks.
Though there was little mystery as to the series outcome with the Bruins leading (3-0), the drama was there, as the Bruins really wanted to win the Stanley Cup at home.
In the overtime, Orr took a pass from Derek Sanderson, a truly fine two way player, and scored against the great veteran goaltender Glenn Hall.
Orr dove or some say “flew” across the ice as he scored. It was an iconic moment, one chosen for the cover of Mr. Orr’s book, “Orr My Story.”
Last night Alex Rodriguez hit the 661st home run of his career passing Willie Mays for fourth place on the all time “chart,” as Mr. Rodriguez called it.
Oh, I have so many problems with today’s baseball and broadcasting and yes, the perspective on home runs, steroids, the Hall of Fame and more than anything. the wild card presence in baseball.
Yet surprisingly, I am happy for Alex Rodriguez and truly appreciated his comment that though he had passed Mr. Mays on the “chart,” that there would never be another Willie Mays. By the way, Mays’ 84th birthday was the day before Rodriguez passed him on the “chart.”
Yes an emphasis on “chart” and the chart/ graph for Mr. Rodriguez is ascending, as he showed class and deference toward the great baseball player, Willie Mays. Congratulations to him for the home run and his comments.
All four NBA quarterfinal series are tied at one game apiece. In three of the series, the underdog road team won game one.
In the other, after losing game one, the heavy underdog Memphis Grizzlies won game two at the home of the top ranked Golden State Warriors.
That result made ABC/Disney happy as the nationally televised third game to be televised from Memphis in prime time on Saturday night is with the series tied at a game apiece.
Elsewhere and with an updated prediction: LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers got even vs the Chicago Bulls after losing game one at home. The Cavs will win at least one of the next two games in Chicago and regain the home court advantage.
Both the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets rebounded from game one home losses to even their series vs the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers respectively.
The Chicago Blackhawks, who are being led by Patrick Kane’s goal scoring blitz, are almost certain to be in the NHL semi-finals for the 5th time in the last 7 seasons.
“Chi’ took a commanding 3 games to none lead vs the Minnesota Wild in their quarterfinal series, with a (1-0) win at Minnesota in game three.
Kane, who has 4 goals in the series, scored the game’s only goal.
This will almost certainly be the third straight year that the Blackhawks eliminate the Wild in the playoffs.
In the 4 semi-final appearances (’09.’10, ’13, and ’14) Chicago went (2-2). They won it all, in both finals appearances, in 2010 and 2013.
Last year the Los Angeles Kings won game seven of the “semis” in Chicago en route to winning the Stanley Cup.
Recently I thoroughly enjoyed “A Touch of Sinatra;” a humorous, beautiful tribute to Frank Sinatra and others’ incredible music. It was presented by “Friends of the Grinton I. Will Library” in Yonkers, New York.
Donnie Fararro sang as “Sinatra” and told numerous great jokes/stories. Joe Gilligan narrated as “Sinatra” and later sang as “Dean Martin” and “Johnnie Ray.” Mike Dellutri worked the sound and introduced the show.
The great selections “New York New York” and “My Way” by “Sinatra”/Fararro, “Cry,” the record breaking Johnnie Ray hit, and “Everybody Loves Somebody” by “Dean Martin”/Gilligan were sung in a beautiful fashion.
Some excellent pacing and humor abounded in the show. Both Gilligan and Fararro have great stage presence.
I found myself trying to remember punchlines/jokes along with the great hits and how Fararro and Gilligan worked them into a most enjoyable show.
For more info click here.
Once in a better time, ABC TV’s great sports anthology show, “Wide World of Sports” “scanned the globe” for unique sports events. Here is a scan, if you will, of factual errors by sports broadcasters in recent days.
One never has to look far, nor listen long, to get one from WFAN Radio and CBS Sports TV host Mike Francesa.
At the Washington Nationals low point, before their game on April 28th, Francesa said they had lost 5 straight games. In fact they had lost 6 straight games.
During a break, while giving an update during the Yankees/Red Sox game last Sunday, WFAN Radio update person Erica Herskowitz said the Warriors and Wizards had won their semi-final series openers. The games they won were CONFERENCE semi-final opening games, a big difference.
Concerning a pretty fair basketball player named Michael Jordan–maybe you have heard of him–the abrasive ESPN radio commentator Colin Cowherd stated Jordan went 8 years sans a title from his college title until his first one in the professional game. The correct number of years is nine, from 1982 until 1991.
None of these were “slip of the tongue” mistakes and show typical lack of homework, which is so evident in today’s broadcasting.
Surprisingly, alas, maybe not that surprisingly, the Tampa Bay Lightning have a (2-0) quarterfinal series lead vs the Montreal Canadiens.
Certainly a surprise, but not a shock, is the fact the Lightning won both games in Montreal.
Last year the Canadiens won the first two games in Tampa en route to a 4 game, first round sweep of the Lightning.
This year the Lightning, (7-0) vs Montreal counting 5 regular season games, are trying to return the “favor.”
The gloried Canadiens have not won a Stanley Cup since 1993, which was also the last time a team from Canada won one.
Other than the Canadiens, only one of the five Canada based teams that qualified for this year’s playoffs–the Calgary Flames, remain in the playoffs.
In the Flames’ quarterfinal series, as expected, the favored Anaheim Ducks have a (2-0) series lead.
