After last weekend’s astounding upsets, 5 of the top 8 teams in the Associated Press poll lost for just the second time in history. Two Mississippi teams and Notre Dame are all in the top six this week. Predictions on their games this week follows.
Mississippi State tied for the third spot with intrastate rival, the University of Mississippi, hosts second rated Auburn this week. Just under a field goal favorite, Auburn will win by a touchdown.
The University of Mississippi, after its win vs Alabama last week, is also an underdog this week, playing in College Station, Texas against Texas AM.
Normally I would pick Texas AM, but since New York Radio Station WFAN’s Mike “so often wrong” Francesa was pretty adamant they would win, I will pick Mississippi in a close game. Texas AM is also just under a field goal favorite.
Notre Dame is a 17 point favorite vs North Carolina. They will win, but not by more than 17, let’s say 10 as they look ahead to their visit to Tallahasse next week, where current number one and defending champion, Florida State will be waiting for them.
The predictions are Auburn, Mississippi and North Carolina to beat the spread.
Tomorrow night the American League Championship Series begins with the unlikely match-up of the Baltimore Orioles vs the Kansas City Royals.
As was the case in both National League Division Series, the series underdogs won in the American League Division Series.
The Orioles, who had home advantage, beat the underachieving Detroit Tigers, while “KC” with or without “The Sunshine Band,” took the top ranked Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Each team won in three straight games.
This will be the first post season clash between the Royals and Orioles, whose most telling association until now, was the difficulty in reading scores in games involving the two teams. For example “Royals 4, Orioles 3” is a bit of a “tongue twister.”
The Royals, in their 6th ALCS and first since 1985, once appeared in 4 in 5 seasons, all vs the New York Yankees from (1976-1980).
They are (2-3) in ALCS play having won their last two, in 1980 and 1985. They followed their 1985 ALCS win with a World Series triumph vs the St. Louis Cardinals, who of course, are a possible World Series opponent this year.
The Orioles, who were in the first 3 ALCS (1969-1971) and 5 of the first 6, are in one for the first time since 1997. Baltimore is (5-4) in previous ALCS.
If both the Orioles and Cardinals win their LCS, there would be a World Series battle between the two franchise that met in the all St. Louis World Series of 1944. The Orioles were once the St. Louis Browns, having moved to Baltimore in 1954. The Cardinals won that 1944 World Series in six games.
For the second time in three seasons, it will be the St. Louis Cardinals vs the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS.
Each team, the Cards vs the L.A. Dodgers and the Giants vs the N.L. one seed, Washington Nationals, won as significant series underdogs.
Additionally, both the Cards and Giants posted (3-2) wins in the 4th game clinchers as fairly significant, game underdogs.
The Cards and Giants are meeting for the fourth time in the NLCS with “SF” holding a 2-1 edge. St. Louis won in 1987, winning the last two games at home to win in seven games.
Two years ago, vs the Cardinals in the NLCS, the Giants also won the last two games at home and overcame a (3-1) series deficit to win in seven games.
Unlike the 1987 Cardinals, the Giants went on to win the World Series in that 2012 season.
Click here for some 1987 Cards vs Giants memories
This is a note that “nobody but me,” will convey. I do it largely from memory and please enjoy or cringe in the spirit of “did you know?”
Sunday’s Baltimore Orioles win to clinch their division series and move on to face the Kansas City Royals, who also completed a sweep in their division series, was the 16th time in 16 different post season series, that the Orioles played a Sunday post season game. All 16 times, the Sunday game winner was the series winner.
This includes two World Series clinchers for the Orioles in both 1966 and 1983 and the Pittsburgh Pirates 7th game win at Baltimore in 1971.
The Royals lone World Series triumph was secured with a Sunday game seven win in 1985. Unless there is a postponement on one of the scheduled game days in the upcoming Royals/Orioles ALCS, there will not be a Sunday game in the series.
Our update begins in the AFC West where both the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos scored decisive victories. (4-1) “S.D.” shutout the (1-4) New York Jets. Meanwhile the (3-1) Denver Broncos knocked the now (3-1) Arizona Cardinals from the unbeaten ranks.
The (3-2) New England Patriots ripped the now (3-1) Cincinnati Bengals last night, leaving the NFL with no unbeaten teams just 5 weeks into the season.
Cincy still leads the tight AFC North with (3-2) teams Pittsburgh (Steelers) and Baltimore (Ravens) just behind. The (2-2) Cleveland Browns are one game back.
In their first game, the Browns were down by 24 points at Pittsburgh and tied the game, only to lose on a field on the game’s last play. Yesterday Cleveland was down (28-3) at one point, (28-10) at the half, but rallied for a (29-28) win at now (1-4) Tennessee (Titans).
The Thursday night game this coming week will be a battle of the two (3-2) teams that lead the AFC South. The Houston Texans, who lost by 3 points as 6 point underdogs at the now (4-1) Dallas Cowboys, will host the Indianapolis Colts, who have won and covered three straight games, the latest vs the Ravens.
There also will be a game between the two (3-2) teams that lead the AFC East this week. On Sunday, the (3-2) Buffalo Bills, who yesterday rode a 58 yard field from Dan Carpenter to a win at the now (3-2) Detroit Lions, will host the (3-2) New England Patriots, who as cited ripped Cincinnati last night. The Pats have won 20 of their 21 games vs the Bills.
The Miami Dolphins are (2-2), right there in the AFC East and I predict the (1-4) Jets with Michael Vick playing some at quarterback, will at least keep it close at home next week, vs the mighty Broncos.
Both the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles, though each were series underdogs, have taken two games to none leads in their best of five series vs the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Detroit Tigers respectively.
The Royals are writing an incredible story, playing in post season for the first time since winning it all in 1985. They staged a great comeback in winning the “play in” game vs the Oakland Athletics (9-8) in 12 innings. Twice in that game, they faced a potential final at bat and overcame the deficit, tying the game in the bottom of the ninth and winning it in the twelfth inning.
The Royals have won the first two games at the top ranked Angels, each in extra innings. Mike Moustakas in game one, and Eric Hosmer in game two, struck home runs in an extra frame.
Meanwhile, the Orioles have had two huge eighth innings to take the first two games from the favored Tigers.
Playing at home, in this the first ever Baltimore/Detroit post season battle in any major league team sport, Baltimore scored eight runs in the eighth to wrap up game one and four in game two to overcome a (6-3) deficit and win (7-6).
Click here for Royals 1985 clip
Incredibly, the St. Louis Cardinals down (6-2) vs certain NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw in the 7th inning on the road, won (10-9) at Los Angeles vs the Dodgers in game one of their NLDS.
That result coupled with the San Francisco Giants’ win at Washington vs the NL top ranked Nationals earlier in the day, meant once again, the Giants won and the Dodgers lost in very important October 3rd games.
This was “only” game one of a best of five “quarterfinal series” also known as the NLDS, so the impact is nowhere as great as the Giants dramatic wins head to head vs the Dodgers on October 3rd in both 1951 and 1962.
Those Giants victories by the New York Giants on October 3rd, 1951 (Bobby Thomson’s one out three run home run was decisive) and the by then, relocated San Francisco Giants on October 3rd, 1962 (SF rallied for four runs in the top of the 9th inning to win 6-4) won the National League Pennant in decisive 3rd games of unscheduled playoffs.
However, the startling Dodgers loss and/or surprising Giants win (not to me) may lead to one advancing and the other not doing so.
Giants Win, Dodgers Lose, October 3, 1962
I truly do not watch much of the sports talk and preview shows that both proliferate and pollute the airwaves.
Tuning in for just a few minutes yesterday, I heard three factual mistakes.
First Israel Gutierrez on yesterday’s ESPN “Around the Horn” Show said in a 5 game series Giants top starter (Madison) Bumgarner would start twice. The trouble is he pitched Wednesday night and hence will not pitch until game three on Monday.
He will not make two starts but why should Gutierrez, who like the others on the panel is paid to give strong, often ridiculous opinions (you know what they say about opinions) get his facts correct?
Next, Pedro Gomez covering the Baseball divisional playoffs in California for ESPN’s “Olbermann” Show said game three of the St. Louis Cardinals/Los Angeles Dodgers series will be Sunday. Wrong. It is scheduled for Monday.
Later on the same show, Keith Olbermann himself said Rusty Kuntz is the Detroit Tigers’ first base coach. The problem is that he is the Kansas City Royals’ first base coach.
Israel Gutierrez–two starts?
Rusty Kuntz–Royal not Tiger
Pedro Gomez–Sunday? Monday?
Writer and broadcaster Ed Lucas exceeded my high expectations when he delivered an inspiring, informative, and at times humorous, talk about his remarkable life at the fabulous Bergino Clubhouse in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, Wednesday night.
It was another great program organized by Gary Mintz, the President of the New York Giants Preservation Society.
Ed lost his eyesight when he was hit by a line drive while pitching in a game when he was only twelve years old. That occurred on October 3, 1951, the day the New York Giants, Ed and his family’s favorite team, dramatically won the National League Pennant on Bobby Thomson’s “shot heard round the world.”
I sat mesmerized by Ed’s baseball knowledge, stories about players he has interviewed over the years, and the fact Ed, who does not have sight to see such beautiful things as rainbows, does see how beautiful it is to give to others.
In that vein, there is The Ed Lucas Foundation, which gives invaluable assistance to those without eyesight and those closest to them.
He will write a “must read’ book that likely will come under the auspices of someone named Derek Jeter, who will soon be in the publishing business.
There should have been a movie about this incredible individual, who does not so much shame me as to my complaining regarding certain things, but inspires me to perhaps do better. The movie may yet happen.
Both Ed’s wife Allison and his son Chris contributed to Ed’s talk. Each of them exude charm and were most friendly. Ed and Allison were married at home plate in Yankee Stadium, the only couple to do so.
The uplifting story of Ed’s life (with more to come both in Ed’s life and in posts here) is best summed up by Ed’s interaction with baseball.
Ed talked of how a game of baseball deprived him of his eyesight, but enriched his life.
He sat next to Joe Di Maggio whose great exploits were broadcast by some greats, Mel Allen to name one. At the first game in the new Yankee Stadium in April 1976, Mr. Di Maggio called the game, just for Ed Lucas in the press box.
I have reverence for Di Maggio’s greatness and his grace, and even more for the fact he felt he had a duty to try his best in any game, for someone might be “seeing him for the first time.” Ed “saw” that 1976 game, complete with the Twins’ Dan Ford’s home run in defeat, through Di Maggio’s eyes.
Ed Lucas hears more than most about baseball and far more important things. He truly “sees” when it comes to life. Thus that interaction with Joe “D,” and other good things to come to Ed are well deserved. That is a vast understatement.
This is so not just because of his effort or even his incredible bravery, though each is transcendent. Even greater to me, Ed Lucas has an incredible appreciation for all those good things.
Click here for the Ed Lucas Foundation
Tommy Lasorda with Ed Lucas
Is it possible that it has been 36 years since Russell “Bucky” Dent hit a two out, top of the seventh inning home run that put the New York Yankees ahead to stay in a one game playoff win at Boston vs the Red Sox?!
That win gave the Yankees their third straight AL East title and they would go on to win a second straight World Series and third straight American League Pennant.
The Red Sox who had such great or near great players as Carl Yastrzemski, Dwight Evans and Jim Rice suffered another horrible defeat in that game.
Even now, it is hard for me to express the disappointment of that loss nor how low I felt when Jim Woods’ call of Dent’s home run came crackling through on the radio.
Two things bring solace, one is my admiration for such Yankees organization members as Roy White, who was in the middle of so many big Yankees moments in 1978 and was on base when Dent homered, and broadcaster Phil Rizzuto who exhorted about his fellow shortstop, while interviewing Dent after the game.
The other good thing is that there was no “safety net” of being a wild card team for the losing team. As was the case in 1951, 1962 and other great pennant or divisional races before 1994 (the horror wild card was instituted but there were no playoffs due to a labor dispute that year) or 1995 (first playoffs with a wild card team), it was a true race with the drama of the winner moving ahead and the non winner sent home.
