No matter what the outcome is of Sunday’s game seven of the quarterfinal series between the L.A. Clippers and Houston Rockets, surely the criticism of Dwight Howard and the Rockets has been far too severe.
Almost as if they were a team again, both Mike Francesa of Fox Sports One TV and WFAN radio and Chris Russo of Sirius Radio have really impugned Howard’s play.
My take is while Howard is nowhere near as great as Kareem Abdul Jabbar, an obvious point made in a rant by Russo, he is not a “losing player” as Francesa has stated.
Additionally, while Howard’s epic salary offends me greatly, it is nowhere near as offensive as the market dictated fortunes both Russo and Francesa bring home.
I know I can’t play basketball but to paraphrase the great comedian Pat Cooper–pay me a twentieth of what either Russo or Francesa make, and I will be just as bad (save the fact I will make less, if even a handful of factual errors).
Dwight Howard
An overtime goal by Derek Stepan lifted the New York Rangers to a (2-1) victory vs the Washington Capitals in game seven and into their third Eastern Conference Final series in four seasons.
In this their 40th completed season (1975-2015, with no season in 2005) the Capitals suffered another heartbreaking loss, a fifth time they have dissipated a three games to one series lead.
The Rangers now face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference final, beginning Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. at the Rangers home arena, Madison Square Garden.
The last time the Lightning made the Eastern Conference Final they lost to the Boston Bruins, a team their colorful radio game analyst Phil Esposito helped win two Stanley Cups and make three Stanley Cup Final series.
“Espo” also played on the 1979 New York Rangers, who made the Stanley Cup finals.
Also in the upcoming Lightning vs Rangers series, Martin St. Louis, now with the Rangers, will be playing against a Lightning franchise he helped win the Stanley Cup in 2004.
I enjoyed watching two very diverse TV shows yesterday: an over 50 year old “Bonanza” episode and the fine David Steinberg Showtime series ” Inside Comedy.” I must point out a double coincidence.
On “Inside Comedy,” comedian and actor Mike Myers was one of the guests interviewed.
He talked of how his “Austin Powers” movies were a spoof of the James Bond spoofs, such as “In Like Flint.”
Later on the old “Bonanza” episode, James Coburn, early in his fine acting career was the guest star. He later starred in “In Like Flint.”
However, the real coincidence was Pernell Roberts’ “Adam” character on Bonanza greeting Coburn’s character as “You Old Skin FLINT, you.”
Some say coincidences are God’s way of being anonymous and/or telling me to get out of the house, even on a very hot day.
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.
