It is nearly 41 years since Phil Jackson, a New York Knicks’ basketball player, made two incredibly clutch free throws in the team’s double overtime win vs the Boston Celtics in game 4 of the 1973 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Knicks won the game to go up three games to one in the series. They won the series in 7 games and went on to beat the L.A. Lakers in 5 games to win their second NBA title in four seasons. They have not won a title since that time.
Now Phil Jackson, who has coached 11 NBA title teams, has been named the President of the Knicks’ team.
It will be interesting to see what happens next, but surely money brought Jackson, and sadly money will be used to try and build the Knicks’ team.
The NBA has so many, (too) many teams, plays an endless regular season, and allows players to switch teams with no regard to competitive balance. I wish it would go away but it will not, will it?
Phil Jackson, circa 1973
I truly wish I could predict a specific team that will beat out the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central but they are an obvious favorite.
With three straight divisional titles, Detroit is a three to one favorite to make it four straight titles.
If another team wins the A.L. Central, likely it will be either the Kansas City Royals or the Cleveland Indians.
Last year, Cleveland made the playoffs but lost in the play in game to the Tampa Bay Rays.
The new look Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins round out the division, but neither figures to contend.
I say there is a good chance either K.C. or Cleveland beats out Detroit but in a close decision for me, it will be another division title for the Tigers.
Below is a mistake on ESPN.com concerning an exhibition game between the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
The Red Sox won the game (3-1).
While I think the National League East will be a two team race between the defending divisional champion, Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals, I forecast improvement for the three other NL East teams.
Not so long ago, the Philadelphia Phillies were considered a “mini dynasty” in some circles with back to back pennants in 2008 and 2009 and five straight playoffs appearances from (2007-2011). They will improve this season.
The New York Mets are projected to win 74 games. I predict they will exceed that total and flirt with the .500 mark (81 wins).
The Miami Marlins are considered the second worst team in baseball (only the Houston Astros are considered worse) and I think they will be slightly improved.
I predict the Braves to win the division, Washington to finish second with the Mets and Phils battling for third place.
Baseball’s American League West Division is wide open this season.
The Oakland A’s won their second straight A.L. West crown last season.
The Texas Rangers qualified for the playoffs for a fourth straight season, but lost in the “play in” game at home for the second straight season. They also lost back to back World Series in 2010 to the Giants, and in 2011 to the Cardinals.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a threat as are the new look Seattle Mariners.
Seattle spent a great deal of money on Robinson Cano, a fine hitter, who fielded the last out of the 2009 World Series for the Yankees.
I believe the Mariners will be contenders in the AL West this season, particularly because of 2009 World Series winner Cano.
All four teams are viable contenders so it should be a great race.
It should be a very interesting race in the National League Central Division this year.
Last year, the St. Louis Cardinals won the division title in a close race. Both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds from the NL Central made the playoffs as wild card teams.
The Pirates won four straight games from the Reds including the one game “play in” and advanced to the division round before losing to the Cardinals.
The Cards beat the Pirates and then the Dodgers to win the National League Pennant. Next the Boston Red Sox beat the Cardinals in the World Series.
I feel none of those three NL Central Playoff qualifiers (Cards, Pirates and Reds) from last year will be better. I think both the Milwaukee Brewers and yes, the Chicago Cubs, will improve. As I said an interesting race in the NL Central.
The Detroit Tigers have won three straight American League Central Division titles.
The Tigers lost in the ALCS twice and in the World Series once after those three division titles.
During the regular season, the loss of manager Jim Leyland and player, Prince Fielder, will be felt. Each certainly produced.
However, Fielder especially, and face it Leyland as well, have been big time post season failures.
Please check the many times Fielder has failed to produce in clutch hitting situations in the playoffs. I am not a “stats” person but surely his “numbers” are not good either.
Sadly, I will remember Leyland’s ridiculous decision not to have a left handed pitcher face David Ortiz in the bottom of the eighth inning of game 2 of last year’s ALCS.
Ortiz hit a tying grand slam home run which was the key to the ALCS.
The Red Sox went on to capture their third title in 10 seasons “outside at a ballpark,” in this case venerable Fenway Park, where such a thing had not happened in 95 years.
The Tigers, Leyland and Fielder got a “one way trip to” that sad, unfair position of playoff also ran, another reality in sports.
It was an upset filled Sunday in the NBA, as three teams that are contending for the best NBA record all lost their games.
First the Chicago Bulls won vs the Miami Heat. Next the Los Angeles Lakers won vs the Oklahoma City Thunder. Finally the Dallas Mavericks won vs the Indiana Pacers.
Some perspective on the upsets tempers the intensity. First off, all three produced victories by the home team.
Next, only the Lakers’ win vs Oklahoma City was a big upset. The Lakers were over seven to one underdogs.
It is an endless NBA regular season with five more regular season Sundays remaining. Luckily four will also have either NCAA tournament basketball or the start of baseball to watch.
So much happened in the world in 1968 including a great comeback win in the World Series by the Detroit Tigers.
Mickey Lolich won three games in that World Series including the deciding seventh game vs Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals. Gibson had won games one and four in the 1968 World Series.
The year before Gibson won three games including the deciding seventh game against Jim Lonborg, who had won two games in the series.
Lolich, like Lonborg the year before, started the seventh game on two days rest. However, he won (4-1). Jim Northrup had the big hit, a two run triple in the top of the seventh inning.
The 2013 Worlds Series combatants, the Red Sox and the Cardinals, have an interesting history playing against each there for the title.
Their first World Series matchup was in 1946, and they played again in 1967. The Cards won both of those World Series in the maximum seven games.
Bob Gibson won three games for St.Louis including the decisive seventh game in 1967.
Twice in the past ten seasons the Red Sox have defeated the Cardinals in World Series that did not go the limit.
In 2004, Boston ended an 86 year championship drought by sweeping the Redbirds in 4 straight games. Last year, Boston won the title with a six game World Series victory.
There are serious odds against a Red Sox/Cards redux this season. The last time there was a World Series repeat clash was 1977 and 1978. In both those World Series, the New York Yankees defeated the L.A. Dodgers in six games.
