NBC Sports is happy this day as the Dallas Cowboys’ victory at Chicago vs the (5-8) Bears last night assures that at most their deficit in the NFC East will be one game going into next Sunday night’s tilt at Philadelphia, vs the Eagles.
Philadelphia with a (9-3) record hosts the defending champion Seattle Seahawks this week. Dallas with its win last night sports a (9-4) record.
Meanwhile it is lucky NBC, as its tilt the following Sunday is Seattle, currently with an (8-4) record, going to Arizona which with a (9-3) record, still leads the NFC West.
Going into this week in which the (5-7) New Orleans Saints are 10 point home favorites vs the Carolina Panthers, while the also (5-7) NFC South co-leading Atlanta Falcons must travel to 13 point favorite Green Bay (Packers), it seems the best Atlanta can hope for is that their December 21st game at New Orleans will decide the division (NFC South) title.
The Falcons did win the first week game vs the Saints which means they would win the tiebreaker with New Orleans, if they win that game.
However, as evidenced by this week’s lines and the remaining schedule, Atlanta, which would be over a touchdown underdog at New Orleans were the game this week, will settle for the game in New Orleans deciding the division.
Last night I had the great pleasure of seeing the legendary Dick Cavett interviewed about his new book, “Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Hijinks. The interview was conducted by Eric Metaxas, who is the author of “Socrates in the City.”
Mr. Metaxas provided a great introduction for Mr. Cavett that included a song delineating some of the incredible guests that graced Dick Cavett’s talk shows over the years.
That set the stage for Mr. Cavett, who is utterly brilliant, “Old West quick” (as in That FAST), sharp, and witty.
His stories, comments and inside reflections were tremendous, humorous and often times deeply moving. He could have and wanted to go on for hours, but alas there were and always are time constraints.
Trying to circumvent time, which despite HG Wells is impossible, the names and memories conjured up do help.
Among them: William F. Buckley, Judy Garland and a story or two about “fat” Jack Leonard, described as a so called “insult comic,” who bestowed gifts on the production/writing staff.
Mr. Leonard, for whom Mr. Cavett wrote, had a line “put your glasses on backwards and walk into yourself.”
Mr. Cavett suggested to Mr. Leonard that he embellish it this way, “walk backwards into a parking meter and violate yourself.” People laughed, including me, others did not and it was cited that meters and violations have changed their association with time.
Mr. Cavett’s memories are treasures. Toward that end, I know his latest book “Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks” is a must read.
I will read “Socrates in the City” as well, and based on Mr. Metaxas’ wit in collaborating and “holding his own” with the great Dick Cavett, surely will like, perhaps love it.
Any or all of Mr. Cavett is a sure good thing. He talked of others, telling stories about Muhammad Ali’s visit to his home and his getting into Ms. Garland’s dressing room.
The last word and story goes to the indomitable Groucho Marx, who attended a seance in Minnesota as Mr. Cavett recalled.
The scene and situation were recalled brilliantly by Mr. Cavett (I remember long black curtains as part of the description) and the seance began.
The trans-medium made “contact” with the other world. That “world” asked if anyone had questions for the presumed “voice from beyond.”
A familiar voice was heard asking the following question. What is the capital of North Dakota? Indeed!
“Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks”
I never met Joe DiMaggio and only briefly encountered Bill Russell, but it is safe to say that while their greatness as players, the best player on all time great teams, is beyond doubt, that neither was/is that as a person.
That is where another greatest player, on all time great teams, Jean Beliveau, who died Tuesday at age 83, shines brightest.
See there is no athlete in history, who combined class, greatness and every day affability with being part of his team’s (The Montreal Canadiens, who won 5 straight Stanley Cups from 1956-1960 and 5 others in Mr. Beliveau’s career) historic, all time great era.
Never the less, and by way of Mr. Beliveau, whom I met once, at a “card show,” in 1996, it was my comparing him with Russell and “Joe D,” that moved Beliveau, beyond words.
Thus in hailing Beliveau today, I hold both Russell and Di Maggio in the highest esteem. All three were centers or at least in center in the game and were indisputable, great playing leaders.
Beliveau was big, could carry the puck and scored over 500 goals, when few had accomplished that feat.
His real greatness was when he scored some of those goals, especially in hockey’s real season, the playoffs.
In 1965 Mr. Beliveau won the first Conn Smythe Trophy as outstanding player in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He cemented that honor with the all important first goal, in the first minute of play, of a shutout win vs the Chicago Blackhawks in game seven of the finals.
In 1969 in the virtual final series, as the winner would face an expansion team, it was Beliveau who scored in the second overtime of game six at Boston vs the Bruins, to win the series.
When I spoke with Mr. Beliveau, an amazing presence in an Armani jacket but affable beyond words, I told him that the reason the Detroit Red Wings were without Stanley Cup for 41 years and counting is that they denied Beliveau and the Canadiens in game seven of the finals in Jean’s first two seasons.
He smiled and perhaps weaved Detroit a “reprieve” as they won the next two Stanley Cups.
I was heartbroken beyond proportion when in Beliveau’s last game the Canadiens again defeated “my” Chicago Blackhawks to win the Stanley Cup in 1971.
The memories of it, the devastation it caused an unpopular 10th grader who sadly did not succeed, are no longer bad and have not been for a long time.
The reason is that Jean Beliveau went out a winner as Joe Di Maggio and Bill Russell did before him.
If I could change 1951 vs DiMaggio and the Yankees perhaps I would. If I could change 1969 vs Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics, I know I would to ease the “pain.”
However, with Beliveau and the Canadiens, I would not consider it. In fact, I can now laugh that my friend Dr. Howard T. Eichenstein, the only one who took the elective class “health” seriously and it paid off for him, recreated Canadiens’ goalie Ken Dryden’s all time great save to secure that win with his briefcase upon seeing me in “Health’ class the next day. (By the way who had a briefcase for school in those days? these? Dr. Ike did).
The reason my sadness shifted to appreciation is that Beliveau was a good person and one should relish good things happening to good people. In his case great is easily substituted for good as a player and as a person.
Today is one of the few times God will call his “cleaning crew” to make things just that much better for Mr. Beliveau’s ascent into heaven.
It was such an honor for me to have met him and his appreciation for my words will resonate with me throughout my life.
The (9-3) Green Bay Packers are pretty big favorites to win their first NFC crown since 2010. Last week “G.B.” prevailed (26-21) vs the New England Patriots as 3 point home favorites.
In the NFC North the Packers are one game ahead of the (8-4) Detroit Lions, who overcame an early deficit to win (34-17) vs (5-7) Chicago (Bears) in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit.
Since the Lions own a home victory over the Packers in week 3, they get to play for the NFC North crown in Green Bay, likely in an NBC telecast night game with freezing conditions on December 28th, if they stay within a game of the Packers.
Detroit, which lost games down the stretch last year as big favorites, are 10 point favorites vs (4-8) Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week and will be nice favorites at home the following week vs the (5-7) Minnesota Vikings at home.
After that the Lions go to Chicago where they would be about a field goal favorite if the game were played this week.
My prediction at this point is that somehow, likely with each team going (2-1), the Packers/Lions game on December 28th will decide the NFC North. NBC hopes I am right since that would likely be their so called “flex” telecast in the season’s final week.
Recently I had a chance to meet the extraordinary Billy Hayes, and see his one man show, “Riding the Midnight Express” at the Barrow Street Theater.
Hayes’ real life ordeal in a Turkish prison was made into a popular and critically acclaimed movie called “Midnight Express,” which starred Brad Davis as Billy.
The movie and Hayes’ amazing story were told so well by this personable, confident protagonist.
Billy looks back at the “sheer idiocy” of smuggling drugs and tells his story, which included a bold escape from prison leading to a happy life that includes a beautiful supportive wife, Wendy West and advocacy work for prisoners.
His passion and zest for life shine through. He talked of the movie being great and credited the screenwriter, perhaps you heard of him, Oliver Stone.
However, unlike in the movie when “Hayes’ is shown cursing at Turkey in the courtroom, in reality Billy talked of forgiveness, despite the incredibly harsh prison sentence handed down.
Hayes said Turkey is a great place to visit and did so in the past 10 years. “You would not want to be in prison there but you would not want to be in prison in this country either.”
Amen to that, and thankfully Billy came back here and makes every “yoga enriched,” day count. Hail that as well.
Billy Hayes on stage
The Calgary Stampeders held off the Hamilton Tiger Cats by a (20-16) score to win the Grey Cup and become champions of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
A potential Grey Cup winning punt return touchdown by the Tiger Cats’ Brandon Banks was nullified by a “block in the back” penalty with approximately 1 minute to play.
Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, who threw for 334 yards, was named the outstanding player of the Grey Cup.
The city of Calgary last won a major North American sports league championship in 1989 when the Calgary Flames won the Stanley Cup in May.
Bo Levi Mitchell
Three of the top four teams won yesterday, but one lost, leaving the fourth and final playoff spot open to speculation, with one week of games remaining.
Top ranked Alabama led by receiver Amari Cooper, a Heisman Trophy contender, overcame a 12 point deficit and defeated Auburn (55-44) as a ten point favorite in a home night game.
If the “Tide” (Alabama) defeats Missouri University next week in the Southeastern Conference title game, Nick Saban’s team will be in the four team playoff as the top seed.
Also at night, Oregon covered the nearly three touchdown spread at Oregon State and will stay second in the playoff ratings.
Once again Florida State won but did not cover the spread. The “Noles” (Florida State) have now won 28 straight games and love them or despise them, in my opinion, they deserve to be in the playoff even if they lose to Georgia Tech in next Saturday night’s Atlantic Coast Conference title tilt.
However, I do not think the committee that will select the four playoff teams after next week’s games will agree so the Noles need to win.
Finally Mississippi defeated the fourth ranked team, Mississippi State, likely knocking “Miss St” out of the playoff race.
I believe TCU (Texas Christian University), so impressive in its Thursday night win at the University of Texas, will be ranked fourth this week.
All three of my predictions are in games involving AFC North teams. Going into this week, the Cincinnati Bengals lead the division with a (7-3-1) record. The Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns all have (7-4) records.
I predict the underdogs will cover the spread in games involving the Browns, Steelers and Ravens.
The San Diego Chargers as a 6 point underdog visiting Baltimore will play very well and maybe even upset the Ravens.
The Browns, a three point underdog will go right to the wire and pull a slight upset at Buffalo vs the Bills.
The New Orleans Saints, somewhat shocking losers in their last three games, all as a home favorite, will play very well at Pittsburgh vs the Steelers. The home team (Steelers) are 5 point favorites.
I will offer predictions on three big college football games, all having playoff implications.
Alabama, the top rated team, and seeking a fourth title since 2009 all under coach Nick Saban, will win (30-14) vs Auburn. The “Tide” (Alabama) is a ten point favorite.
Mississippi University will complicate the playoff picture by pulling a slight upset in their game at home vs Mississippi State. They are a two point underdog.
Florida State, for at least the ninth, maybe tenth time in their twelve regular season games, will win but not cover the spread.
Seven point plus favorite Florida State 29 Florida 24 is my prediction.
Here are two memorable games among the many played on this holiday in the host cities of Detroit and Dallas.
In 1962, the Detroit Lions handed the reigning and eventual repeat champion Green Bay Packers their only defeat of the season, winning (26-10) on Turkey Day.
Detroit lineman Roger Brown played a game for the ages that day. It must be noted, however, that Green Bay guard Fred “Fuzzy” Thurston’s mother died a day or two before.
Both Brown and Thurston were greats and that day perhaps due to Thurston’s mother’s death, Brown was dominant vs Thurston.
40 years ago in Dallas, the Cowboys trailed the Washington Redskins and things looked gloomy for Cowboys fans when QB Roger Staubach was knocked out of the game. But obscure backup quarterback Clint Longley hurled a long game winning touchdown pass to the great receiver Drew Pearson.
Longley did not do much before or after that game, one reason being he played behind the great Dallas quarterback, Roger Staubach.
Click here for a Thanksgiving memory
Andy B Sports 