“They do not make them like the great Donald Sutherland anymore, now at age 88, Sutherland, after as son actor Keifer stated, “a life well lived,” has died.
On screen for almost 60 years (since 1967’s “The Dirty Dozen”), Sutherland had the versatility to play a romantic lead, villain or a mastermind.
Oh to have been in London, England (not Ontario, Sutherland was born in Canada, loved the once Montreal Expos and might be rooting hard for “the now with a chance Edmonton Oilers,” who were down (3-0), to win Canada’s first NHL crown since Tiny Tim’s beloved Montreal Canadiens did so in 1993), when the likes (oh do/did I like them) of Sutherland, John Cassavetes, Charles Bronson and Jim Brown among others, in the great “The Dirty Dozen” production, “hung out.”
I remember and love Mr. Sutherland as “John (he was not that but a detective who fell in both the movie and real, (not just reel) life for the great actor/actress, Jane Fonda, call girl “Bree Daniels” in the superb Alan J. Pakula 1971, directed film, “Klute.” (Sutherland as John Klute).
Great admiration manifests and I will never deny being grateful for Sutherland and Fonda’s anti Vietnam war stance, no matter who it offended or offends. See though discipline likely learned or forced in via the military would have helped– I will “play these.”
First walking and then sitting on the bench with Kevin Costner, a la Jason Robards and Robert Redford in “All The President’s Men,” Mr. Sutherland as “X,” shown below is magnificent in the “Deep Throatish” role in Oliver Stone’s JFK. (See below).
His pathos inducing performance in “Ordinary People” and comedic romp as “Hawkeye” Pierce in MASH, are two more in a long list of great performances, in seminal films.
Add his intense activism and surely Keifer is correct, but I increase, “a great life with equally great deeds,” thank you Donald Sutherland.
Click below to view Mr. Sutherland’s magnificent, meaningful scene in “J.F.K.”
Mr. Sutherland, who once ran up an insane phone bill listening to his beloved Montreal Expos, might have/get a kick out of my citing namesake Gary Sutherland as having scored the Expos’ first ever run and getting credit for the first putout in a game played in Canada.
The magnificent Donald Sutherland, pictured above.
The 2024 NHL Final, which the Florida Panthers once led 3 games to none, vs the Edmonton Oilers, has gone to a “winner wins the crown,” 7th game to be contested in Florida, on a summer, Monday night. (June 24th).
Edmonton won its third straight game, joining the ’42 Toronto Maple Leafs, the only team in major North American sports league history to overcome a (3-0) final round deficit and win it all and the Detroit Red Wings, who 3 years after in ’45, forced a home 7th game vs the Leafs, only to lose (2-1) with Babe Pratt’s goal decisive, as the third NHL team to get to a 7th game of the final, after losing “el” first 3 games.
Florida, seeking their first ever NHL crown in this their 30th NHL season (’94-2024, with no NHL season in ’05), has been on the losing end of (8-1), (5-3) and (5-1) games after becoming the 29th? team to grab a (3-0) NHL Final lead. (Again only one, those ’42 Leafs ever won after being down (3-0) in an NHL, NBA or baseball final and only 5 teams have overcome (3-0) series deficits in any round, 4 of those in the NHL with only those Leafs doing it in the final).
The Oilers, seeking their 6th crown, first since ’90 and first for a Canada based team since ’93 have now done twice what only 7 teams have done in final round competition and three of those 7 times, the Oilers were in that series, which is to be down as much as (3-1) (of course this year it was (3-0) before let’s cite Connor McDavid’s 8 points, 4 each in the #4 and #5 wins and “legit” goal scorers Warren Foegele, who “opened” set up beautifully by Leon Draisaitl, Adam Henrique (see ’12 vs Fla and a #6 semis clinching goal vs the Rangers when he was with the New Jersey Devils and breakaway/16th of the ‘offs Zach Heyman in #6) and get to a 7th and deciding game.
Aforementioned 1942 Toronto the only team to be down as much as (3-1), no less (3-0), which they were and win the final, ’45 Detroit (Red Wings) already cited as having lost #7 at home to Toronto, ’54 Montreal , eventually denied in #7 when Detroit’s Tony Leswick tallied in overtime, ’87 Philadelphia Flyers vs Edmonton, ’94 Vancouver Canucks vs the New York Rangers and the ’06 and now ’24 Oilers vs Carolina (Hurricanes) and Florida Panthers respectively, accomplished that.
Only ’42 Toronto among the previous 6, won the title as no team other than them, trailing by as much as (3-1) in the NHL final, came back to win it.
Click below to read a fine article by Lance Hornby in The Toronto Sun, after #5 days back, with great details about the ’42 final and more.
1942 Maple Leafs leave plucky Oilers a hard act to follow
Tony Leswick, pictured above, scored in OT in game 7 of the final vs Montreal, to win the ’54 title for the Detroit Red Wings.
The NHL final being contested by teams from cities/states/countries, Florida and Edmonton, a record geographical distance apart for such an entity, got its third “travel time” when Edmonton (Oilers) won #5 at Florida to force #6 tomorrow night in Edmonton.
If the 7 to 5 “fave” Oilers win, the 7th game for the title would be contested Monday night back in (more travel) Florida, as the Panthers once up (3-0) still lead the series 3 games to 2.
Possibly you read that these 2024 Oilers are the 4th team to force as much as a game 6 after trailing (3-0) in an NHL final. (The ’42 Toronto Maple Leafs came “all the way back” and “titled” in game 7 vs the Detroit Red Wings, 3 years later, Detroit down (3-0) forced #7 at home as the Leafs did 3 years earlier but Babe Pratt’s goal was decisive in Toronto’s road win. In ’12 the New Jersey Devils got to #6 but were routed by the L.A. Kings, the first of 2 title seasons in 3 for L.A.)
What you likely did not read I will cite now.
This is the Oilers’ 8th NHL final (they are (5-2) in previous, the Panthers are (0-2)–I add the Carolina Panthers are (0-2) in NFL final games/Super Bowls and to get exponentially esoteric that the once Houston Oilers, denied thrice in bids for “Supe” appearances (’67 by Oakland and ’78 and ’79 by eventual champion Pittsburgh), did go (2-1), winning the first two, in the first 3 AFL title games (1960-1962). Those Oilers are now the Tennessee Titans and they lost a tough game to the Rams in their lone Supe appearance after the ’99 season)), and in 6 of the 8, there was a (3-1) series score.
Four times, the Oilers had the (3-1) lead and won the title in game 5 (at home in what were both 2-3-2 NHL final rounds, the only 2 I have found –write in if you find any –thank you—in ’84 and ’85 and then at Boston (Bruins) with Messier but no longer Gretzky in ’90).
In ’87, the Philadelphia Flyers, a team sans a crown since repeating as champions in 1975 and in that span have lost 5 NHL final rounds, down (3-1) to Edmonton won games 5 at Edmonton and #6 at home before losing a well contested game 7 on the last day of May, at the time the latest an NHL season ended. (Now in hot Florida, no less, (not that it is not hot elsewhere, in fact, stifling so) game 5 was June 18th and #7 would be Monday June 24th.).
Meanwhile down (3-1) in ’06, the Oilers won game 5 at the Carolina Panthers and #6 at home before losing by a goal in #7 on a Monday night.
A truly superb analyst, (his work with Marty Glickman was so great, it helps even on a hot day such as this), Al De Rogatis, shown above as a player, never the less, had to be “called in” by Marty, before he spoke.
Now analysts talk during the play!! I need a Beatles song, “Yesterday,” more to the point “Help!!”
Do they get paid by the word?!!
Willie Mays, one of the greatest and most iconic figures, in any sport, at any time and one who gave me and so many similar, fantastic, exciting memories with his great play, plays and incredible baseball intelligence, died yesterday at age 93.
The memories flow and I will cite one or two and refer you to a post I wrote about Willie when he Henry Aaron, Sandy Koufax and John Bench were voted baseball’s greatest living players in 2015. A link is found below.
#1, ’54 World Series a September game, (now we could get November and somewhere someone said a penguin, maybe Mario Lemieux or Burgess Meredith would throw out the first ball), Willie’s iconic catch, the throw was better, Jack Brickhouse intoning “Willie Mays has just brought this crowd to its feet with a catch that must have seemed an optical illusion to a lot of people” and how about 12 consecutive seasons scoring 100 or more runs. (Scoring runs, knocking them in but scoring them is what they pay you do!!).
He was great, not the greatest, Babe Ruth is (he went 92-44 as a pitcher, but it sure does not take long to call Willie’s name on the list of the greatest baseball players and even any sport’s greatest list.
It is included in what you can read below, but let me say it here.
Either adult, Stan Gardner, years later shot to death in front of his son named Andrew, or Gerry (spelling?) Weinberg, hit the “point of the stoop,” and the Spalding, red rubber ball sailed out over my head.
Yet I, no great athlete, far from it, channeled Willie and caught it over my shoulder. Either Gerry or Stan (in my neighborhood it was NOT Mr. Gardner or Mr. Weinberg and maybe it ought to have been, but unlike many, I learned and know respect for others) said to my dad, who saw it and also many strikeouts vs me, in pressure packed Little League, that was Willie Mays like.
A seminal moment and memory!!
Click below for more about Willie’s career with the Gardner/Weinberg memory included.
The Indomitable Willie Mays | Andy B Sports
Click below to view and hear the great broadcaster, Lon Simmons’ great play by play account of Willie’s 600th big league home run.
Write in if you know the future 50 plus home runs in a season batter that Willie pinch hit for when he smacked #600.
Finally the catch and throw in game 1 1954 World Series, an eventual Willie’s N.Y. Giants’ sweep of the (111-43) then Cleveland Indians.
The TV call (where oh where is the radio such, somewhere over the rainbow and why oh why can’t I hear it and other gems not preserved?!!) is by another great, Jack Brickhouse.
In last night’s title clincher for the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum was their top scorer with 31 points while series MVP, Jaylen Brown added 21.
I believe veteran Al Horford made all his field goal attempts.
Boston finished (81-20) and now is (83-57) all-time in final round games.
What a season! They had been close and disappointing but this season, albeit with an easy road they had a fantastic record and richly deserve this record-breaking 18th crown.
Jayson Tatum, pictured above.
The Boston Celtics 5’d the Dallas Mavericks, winning the clinching game by 18 points, to win their record- breaking 18th NBA crown.
They clinch the title at home for the 11th time, a 4th straight crown won there after 5 had been road clinchers.
Boston is (18-5) in final round entities, this just the 5th final series involving them that went 5 games or less. (’61,’64,’65 and 2024 5 game Celts wins and a 4 game sweep for them in ’59.
The Celtics and Boston Red Sox are a combined 27-9) in final rounds, winning three quarters of those series.
Both the NBA and NHL final round entities were “forced” to a 5th game with the Celtics and Panthers, now returning home, hoping to clinch respective 18th and first titles in game 5 after being routed in #4 by the Mavericks and Oilers respectively.
Boston, on another Monday night (then on 5-5-1969, despite 42 points by the great Jerry West, the Celtics prevailed (108-106) at L.A. to win an incredible 11th title in 13 seasons) 55 years later hopes to win a record 18th (Bailey Howell, Dave Cowens, John Thompson and Jim Loscutoff wore it for the Celts) title on the (John) Havlicek/17th day of June. They are a touchdown/7 point(s) favorite to do so. Likely they will, but look out, if they fail.
Same essentially for the Florida Panthers, who it being hockey, are much less of a favorite. Their 5th game vs the Edmonton Oilers is Tuesday June 18th in Florida.
The Panthers, again up (3-1) and bidding to join the ’09 Pittsburgh Penguins and ’84 Edmonton Oilers as the only teams to lose then win in the final round in consecutive years entirely during the expansion era (’68-2024 as the ’68 champion Canadiens won it, all after losing in the last pre expansion year in the ’67 final, alas the last Toronto Maple Leafs final round appearance, no less title) are (4-9) all-time in final round games, Edmonton is (24-17).
Click above to view Don Nelson’s lucky shot, a key in that Celtics’ title win, now over 55 years ago.
Both the Boston Celtics, now on the precipice of a record-breaking 18th title and the Florida Panthers the same in a bid for a first crown, in this their 30th completed season, built commanding game 3 leads and then “held on” to win said games and took (3-0) final round entity leads.
Jayson Tatum led with 31 points while Jaylen Brown had 30 including a “folla” (ode to the great Robert Shaw in the great movie, “The Sting”) and 20 foot “2” (remember those) that respectively increased Celts’ leads from 1 to 3 and 2 to 4, helping Boston avoid dissipating a 21 point, 4th quarter lead.
Derrick White added 16 points, including a big “3” (way too much of those in this NBA and have no problem with the paucity of semis and hopefully final games this year, even last year, as the “3” and other makes this NBA much “<“
However, hail these Celtics, who almost certainly will pass the Lakers’ combined L.A. and Minneapolis total of 17 crowns with their 18th. This is just the second time in 23 Celtics’ final round series, one team or the other has a (3-0) lead. (Perhaps appropriately the only other time was in ’59 a 5/0 years, 65 ago when they swept Minne and first year great, Elgin Baylor, 2 years before the great Jerry West debuted in ’61.
Meanwhile a goal and an assist each for the long reach, I suppose great Aleksander Markov and Sam Reinhart, who “opened” plus goals by Sam Bennett and Mr. Tarasenko (a likely Cup winner after being acquired during the season for a first time champion as was the case with the ’19 Blues—remember “Gloria” as that team’s inspirational song—) had Florida ahead (4-1).
Edmonton cut the lead to (4-3)
In the end, Florida as did the Celtics, held on, with Sergei Bobrovsky making a big save on Ryan McLeod, who earlier cut the Florida lead to (4-2).
It evokes (4-1) Habs in ’86 vs another Canadian team, the Flames, who would reverse the result beating the Habs and me (big time) in ’89, when Montreal needed a late Patrick Roy save to (4-3) Calgary in a game 5 clincher with Ken Wilson, the U.S. market tv lead announcer.
That was on a Saturday night. This series could end Saturday night if Florida wins. Edmonton won their first title on a Saturday night in ’84.
Sam Reinhart of the Panthers, then with the Buffalo Sabres, pictured above.
Let me do this, for once organized and in stages, the emotions and memories racing–the walls of loss apparent and seemingly non stop, as I remember the great player and personal favorite, Jerry West, who died yesterday at age 86.
Thoughts, Personal Observations and Perspective Thinking about Jerry West
So many will comment, so few as “involved as me,”. Yet this is about a great player and man with flaws (we all have them) and some melancholy, who passed on and as friend and sportscaster Jim Hill, a worthy one to pay tribute, said “those of us lucky enough to have Jerry pass our way.
Thus, let’s cite the known. My personal and what is linked above, from 9 years ago, does offer “not at the finish line,” praise and love for Jerry.
Even better for me, sadly just one, but oh what a one player title!
Now here for both Jerry and me (maybe my dad is talking with him, now re enjoying victory and not getting too low re defeat) Peggy Lee’s “Is That All There Is,” because a (69-13) “reg,” including a still major North American sports league 33 consecutive wins and a (12-3) ‘offs mark vs really good Bulls, Bucks and Knicks teams to finally win an L.A. and Jerry title IS!!
Look for a part 2, essentially unprecedented here, with memories of ’62 game 3’s steal/win, averaging 46 “per” vs the then Baltimore Bullets (the great Elgin Baylor was injured, Earl Monroe of the Bullets was superb), hitting the winning shot in the waning seconds of the ’72 All-Star Game and others.
Left to right, in case you do not recognize Jerry, Jerry West and Andy B. some years back.
There is light, at times just a little literal, such as when each of us shot hoops, well after darkness began to emerge.
If only I could have been what Jerry was!
We had our moments, more in part 2!
The Boston Celtics (42-1)? (the lone loss in the ’18 semis vs the Cleveland Cavaliers), in previous series with a (2-0) lead (does that include best of 5’s?) are up by that margin in the NBA final round for the ninth time.
In 7 of the 8 previous such situations and 9 of 10 when you count the two times the Celts trailed (2-0), the team trailing (2-0) won #3.
Only in 1959, when they swept the Minneapolis Lakers did the team up (2-0) in an NBA final round involving Boston, did the team, in that situation, the Celtics win game 3.
However, only the Celtics, down (2-0), among those 9 game 3 winners, went on to win the crown.
Bailey Howell (#18) as did Dave Cowens (also #18) played on 2 title teams with the Boston Celtics.
In their one final round in which they went up (3-0), the Celtics twice scored one hundred EIGHTEEN points in that final round vs the Minneapolis Lakers in 1959.
Andy B Sports 