Last season, the New York Yankees missed the playoffs for just the second time in the 19 seasons of expanded playoffs (1995-2013). Both of those times were under current manager, Joe Girardi. They never failed to qualify under Joe Torre, who enters the “Hall of Fame” this Sunday.
The team seemed likely to not qualify again as baseball 2014 “hit” the All star break.
However, with a decided home/away games advantage, I “knew” Mr. Jeter would not go “easily into privileged retirement.”
To their credit, the Yankees won 6 of 7 home games vs the suddenly slumping Cincinnati Reds (they were hot but 3 losses to the Yankees started a current 6 game loss skein) and the “never to be,” now “broken” Texas Rangers.
The Yankees are only three games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the A.L. East and one game ahead for playoffs qualification, in the form of the bogus wild card.
I hope that I never take Woody Allen’s greatness as a filmmaker for granted.
New films by this comedic genius will someday cease, but let’s hope that day is in the far distant future. Let’s not worry about the inevitable–for now, let’s just enjoy his work.
I went to an advance screening of Woody’s new movie, “Magic in the Moonlight,” and I can’t wait to see it again!
“Magic in the Moonlight” is a film worth seeing at least twice: because it is a great film, and also because there is some mystery that might be uncovered, when seeing it again.
Woody’s usual great jokes, the musical score, his relatively new staple of European scenic beauty (that I like) and a stellar cast, are all part of the package.
Colin Firth, so good in “The King’s Speech,” sparkles as “Stanley,” who sets out to debunk a “spiritual fortune teller,” only to ride the waves of personal discovery, with cynical, but uplifting vigor.
Emma Stone is engaging as the “spiritualist.” There is a great supporting cast, which includes Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden as “Sophie’s” mother and Eileen Atkins as Stanley’s “Aunt Vanessa.”
I hope to see it again soon, a testament to the production and especially the one and only Woody Allen.
I watched an episode of Gunsmoke on “TV Land” that guest starred Morgan Woodward and Joan Van Ark as father and daughter.
My thoughts turned to their Dallas/Knots Landing history.
Both shows were monster hits on the CBS network. Mrs. Paley, the wife of CBS chairman William Paley, loved “Gunsmoke” and it ran for 20 years.
Dallas, my favorite, made world news when it was revealed “Who Shot J.R.” in 1980. I was told a pilot made an announcement as to the culprit’s identity on a flight that Friday night in November.
Ms. Van Ark, whom I recall fondly as a big basketball fan and presenter at the first Sports Emmys Award win for Bob Costas in 1988, played “Valene Ewing” on both the “Dallas” and “Knots Landing” TV Shows.
Mr. Woodward, now 88 years old and a veteran of 19 Gunsmoke episodes, played Marvin “Punk” Anderson on Dallas. He also is recalled fondly as a resounding, ominous presence behind tinted glasses, in the movie “Cool Hand Luke.”
Morgan Woodward
Joan Van Ark
A heartfelt get well to former Los Angeles Lakers’ great Michael Cooper, who has been diagnosed to be in the early stages of having tongue cancer.
“Coop,” as he is affectionately known, has taken a leave of absence as coach of the WNBA East leading Atlanta Dream.
Though we have not talked recently, I consider Michael a friend, who always listened to and encouraged me.
He not only was a great player, who should be in the Basketball Hall of Fame, but an incredibly funny and warm person.
I have great memories of him, especially a wide ranging interview he gave to me for my TV show. He was also very cooperative with a young reporter named Angela/Andrea way back in 1988, and our friendship still exists to this day.
Cooper was both funny and revealing in our interview. It is a cherished memory and I know there are more to come. Again, get well “Coop!”
Maybe my “itch” for football needs more scratching but it is fun to look at the Canadian Football League.
Memories of such stars players as Cookie Gilchrist, Joe Kapp, and Doug Flutie who all played for a time in the CFL, and Marv Levy who coached, are really nice ones.
The league plays a 20 game schedule culminating in the Grey Cup/League final.
Early on, there is an unbelievable discrepancy between the Western Division and Eastern Division. As with the NBA, the West is much stronger.
The Edmonton Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders are both unbeaten, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are (3-1).
Additionally, the British Columbia Lions have won two straight and are also a top team. All of these teams are in the Western Conference.
In the Eastern Conference, no team is better than (1-2). The Western Division teams are (10-2) in games vs Eastern Division teams.
Today is the 45th anniversary of the first time man (United States’ astronaut Neil Armstrong) walked on the moon.
I have fond memories of the event, though the importance has diminished over the years.
Having reported so much tragedy, most notably the assassination of John F. Kennedy, it is nice to recall the late CBS news anchor, Walter Cronkite saying “man on the moon” with a smile on his face.
1969 was also the year of Woodstock and the miracle New York Mets.
I recall visiting a nice uncle in the hospital and the Mets winning vs the expansion Montreal Expos that Sunday. Bobby Pfeil had a big role in the victory, in the second game of a doubleheader at Montreal’s quaint Jarry Park.
45 years later, the Mets will be playing the other National League expansion team from 1969, the San Diego Padres. The Expos are now the Washington Nationals.
All in all, nice memories of “man on the moon” on Sunday July 20, 1969.
It does not take much courage to predict that the Detroit Tigers will win the A.L. Central for a fourth consecutive season. They have played very well and I do think they will win the division.
The interesting team may be the Cleveland Indians as I feel both they and the NFL Browns will improve in the sports energized city of Cleveland. Wouldn’t it be funny if James and the Cavaliers do not?
The Kansas City Royals had one hot streak, failed to sweep the Tigers weeks back, and I feel will not be a factor in the race.
Both the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox have played well at times but neither figures to be in the playoff hunt.
In conclusion regarding the A.L. Central, the Tigers to win it and the Indians to emerge as the strongest contender from the division for the one wild card berth to be available.
At the All Star break, the Baltimore Orioles hold a nice lead in the A.L. East. What follows is a quick look at their history and a prediction regarding this season.
The O’s won 5 of the first 6 “one quarter” A.L.East titles (1969-1974) and won 7 in the first 15 years of divisional play from (1969-1983).
Baltimore won two World Series and 5 American League pennants in that span.
Since 1983, they have finished first but once and made just three playoff appearances. This is despite the fact the number of playoff participants increased from 2 to 4 in 1996 and from 4 to 5 in 2012.
With the fact they currently have the lead being the determining factor, I predict the Orioles will win the A.L. East this season.
I have a distaste for the All Star Game and never even considered watching it. The reports on the telecast indicate that things for the true baseball fan are getting worse.
Of course it was all about the retiring Derek Jeter, apparently a class guy, who knows he is not Willie Mays but the hype regarding him, as I expected, was out of whack.
Making that hype so much worse was the fact that Joe Buck, who still is the all time winner in the “lucky birth” club, did not even report the many substitutions in the 7th inning of the game.
Worst of all, there was no tribute to any of the baseball people who died since the last All Star game. That list of people includes Tony Gwynn, Ralph Kiner and Don Zimmer.
Kiner and Gwynn are in the Baseball Hall of Fame while Zimmer was so often mentioned when it behooved Fox during the ballyhooed Yankees/Red Sox ALCS.
All were telecast by Fox taking place in 1999, 2003 and 2004. With no hype needed, there was no mention of Hall of Famers, “baseball lifer,” Don Zimmer and others.
Joe Buck: “Lucky Birth Club” Member
At the All Star break, which is now 4 days long, the Oakland A’s and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, both in the A.L. West, have the two best records in baseball.
What could have turned into a stirring race manifesting in first place or “go home,” now has so much less drama.
The reason is because in all likelihood, the second place team in the very likely A’s/Angels battle for first place, will be one of two American League wild card teams.
At the moment the A’s have a one and a half game lead over the Angels.
In turn, the Angels have a nine game lead for playoff qualification. It is not very far I wander “on the limb” to predict each will be in the baseball tournament.
Andy B Sports 