The Stanley Cup Playoffs commence with two round of 16 games today, (the East overall 7th ranked Islanders at the overall conference “2,” but also Metropolitan Division “2,” behind the top ranked New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, followed by another Toronto (Maple Leafs)/Boston (Bruins) ‘offs clash.
Boston, fourth overall in the Eastern Conference and second to Florida in the Atlantic Division, has won the last 6 ‘offs meetings vs Toronto.
Three original 6 teams, all cited above (the Rangers, Bruins and Leafs) qualified for the ’24 ‘offs with Detroit (Red Wings) despite battling gallantly and essentially out, because “Wash” (Capitals) was afforded an empty net opportunity vs Philly, due to the latter’s ‘offs qualifying situation, Chicago (Black Hawks) and Montreal (Canadiens) missing out.
Numbers “nuttiness”–the last digit of the last year an “original” team skated/won the Stanley Cup has (1-5) and 7. Boston 2011, Detroit 2002, Montreal 1993, New York 1994 and Chicago 2015. Toronto has neither won the title or reached an NHL final since 1967.
Before that, the Leafs won 4 crowns in 6 seasons (’62-’64) and ’67.
Four other 2024 ‘offs qualifying teams give us #’s 0, 6, 8 and 9 for last digits in their last or in 3 of the 4 cases, only title.
Those teams are Edmonton (Oilers) in 1990, who won their 5th title in 7 seasons, putting them in rare, great air, however, have none since and Carolina (2006), Washington (Capitals) 2018 and the West top seed, Dallas Stars (1999).
The great player, Mark Messier, pictured above was a key, if not the most important member of both the ’90 champion Oilers and ’94 Cup winning Rangers.
Additionally he played on 4 other title teams with the Oilers.
NEW YORK CITY— Rick’s Cabaret New York is the famous adult club known for its beautiful topless dancers, VIP treatment, and the delicious food at its Rick’s Steakhouse. The three story club is a favorite spot for pro athletes from all the major sports, and their fans. The Rick’s girls are excited about the NHL playoffs and will be rooting for their hometown teams, the Rangers and the Islanders.
“The pursuit of the Stanley Cup is awesome, and all the girls love hockey,” purred Rick’s Girl Nadia. We love the players and the fans, and they all love us. Rick’s Cabaret New York is really Hockey Playoff headquarters!”
“Rick’s Cabaret is a great place to watch the games and then stay for the after-parties,” proclaimed Rick’s Girl Monique. “We are just one block from Madison Square Garden. Come party and play with all the sexy girls here!”
“Let’s get the celebration started and pop some bottles, and make it rain on all the hotties who are anxious to please you with their great bodies.”
The Rick’s Cabaret girls perform on multiple stages, and also up close and personal. Check out the luxury VIP suites, deluxe Skyboxes, and the Roof Top Lounge. The top-rated Rick’s Steakhouse which is under the direction of acclaimed Chef Jayson Margulies, offers daily lunch specials, dinner, and great late-night dining.
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50 West 33rd Street
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The last two of the 8 NBA first round matchups will be finalized in two games tonight, with the first round commencing, as I believe to be the case since ’99 (certainly then, when I updated the Saturday May 8th–strike affected ’99 season, Knicks/Heat opening game score for the late great Christopher Reeve, the fact he was sitting in a wheelchair lending perspective we all need), with 4 games each on both Saturday and Sunday.
Noting some history regarding the NBA Eastern Conference “2” seed New York Knicks vs the “7” seed, Philadelphia 76ers first round series, which begins with game 1 in New York at 6 P.M. tomorrow night.
New York and the Boston Celtics, the latter an actual favorite to win the NBA East, (beware stranger things have happened, who await tonight’s Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat “play in” game winner), are the only NBA teams that have played in all 78 of its seasons (’47-2024).
The current Philadelphia franchise, which played in the rival N.B.L. in its first 3 seasons, (’47-’49), has played in 75 NBA seasons, the first 14 as the Syracuse Nationals (’50-63) when they qualified for the NBA playoffs in their first 22 seasons (’50-’71), tying the San Antonio Spurs for the most such seasons.
This will be the fifth Sixers/Knicks playoffs series and the ninth between the franchises as the Knicks and Nationals had ‘offs clashes in the first three possible seasons (’50-’52) and one more in ’59. (The Nats won a best of 3 semi (2-1) in ’50 and a best of 3 “quarter” (2-0) in ’59 while the Knicks took best of 5 “semis” (3-2) in ’51 and (3-1) in ’52).
The last three series contested between these teams resulted in sweeps, the Sixers sweeping the Knicks in 4 straight games in both the ’78 and ’83 “quarters,” the latter in route to their second Philly crown in ’83 (they won one as the Nationals that with the great Dolph Schayes in 1955).
New York swept the 76ers in 3 straight games in the ’89 preliminary round.
By far, the most compelling Sixers/Knicks series, the lone non sweep, was Philadelphia’s 6 game triumph in the 1968 quarterfinals.
Game 3 in Philly where all odd numbered games were or would have been played and the series tied at one game apiece, was a two overtime 76ers win.
It was a costly win, as the 76ers’ great “6th man,” Billy Cunningham (the ’83 team’s coach) was lost for the rest of the ‘offs.
The Sixers were defending champions, having finished a (68-13), ’66-’67 season with a crown, one of 2 won by the great Wilt Chamberlain. They had an excellent ’67-’68 season “reg,” finishing with a (62-20) record.
However, the Boston Celtics overcame a (3-1) semis series deficit vs them and went on to their 10th title in 12 seasons, eventually to be 11 in 13, with the last of that incredible Bill Russell/Sam Jones and other greats era, coming vs the Lakers and their off-season acquisition, Wilt Chamberlain in ’68-’69.
A truly great player, Billy Cunningham, is pictured above.
Though, sadly, it is far too often the case–obviously it is not ONLY the good that die young, the truly good Carl Erskine living full and with nice achievements until 97, before he died days back, the latest example.
He was quite a pitcher as well, authoring 2 no-hit games and famously fanning 14 in #3 of the ’53 World Series, breaking Howard Ehmke’s 24 year old record. (10 and 5 after, as Sandy Koufax broke Erskine’s mark with 15 in ’63 before Bob Gibson struck out 17 in ’68).
’53 was a 20 win season,’54 brought an All-Star Game selection (that game meant something even, “mucho” then), and a Brooklyn street is named for Carl Erskine.
He was awarded the Buck O’Neil Award Lifetime Achievement Award for his charitable work, most notably in supporting The Special Olympics.
Mr. Erskine and his surviving wife, Betty Palmer (classy, nice and attractive, as was game show great, Betsy Palmer) had 4 children, one, Jimmy, who died in his 60’s and achieved much, as the Erskines stayed in Anderson, Indiana, a location they felt was better for Jimmy, who was born with Down’s Syndrome.
On the “express line” to heaven (no baggage check or need to go through security), Carl Erskine, is pictured above.
Simultaneously, as I start this tribute to the superb pitcher, Ken Holtzman, who happened to be Jewish and sadly died yesterday, too young at age 78, I am listening to the audio of an excellent article by Ed Sherman, that appeared in the Chicago Tribune 50 years after, recalling a legendary 1966 pitching duel between Mr. Holtzman and the great Sandy Koufax, who also happens to be Jewish. (Noting that the female computer voice is pronouncing Sandy’s name as COWfax–thus I will not link audio, but the old fashioned newspaper).
Ken Holtzman’s achievements as a baseball pitcher are worthy of “Hall” status, certainly, relative to some or many, who got there, while Ken, ostensibly has not even been considered.
Titles, while not end all (something I have often failed to recognize), nevertheless are telling and to me, by any measure, more than telling.
Holtzman was a major part of the three consecutive Oakland A’s titles (1972-1974), winning one World Series game in each of those seasons, including THE game (ode to Duane Thomas who correctly “poured water” on the assertion that the Super Bowl is the “ultimate game” as it is played every year. #7 W.S. is not, however of course has happened many times), #7 of the 1973 World Series vs the New York Mets.
Later he was on the 1977, first in 15 years after 20 such in 40, New York Yankees’ 1977 title team though he did not appear in the post-season.
Before that, Holtzman pitched 2 no-hitters for the Chicago Cubs, went (9-0) pitching on weekends while in the National Guard in 1967 and back to that game vs Sandy, the Cubs and Kenny won (2-1) vs the Dodgers, who were battling for the N.L. crown.
Holtzman, according to the article/audio, unaware of the situation, until the 8th inning, took a no-hitter and a (2-0) lead to the 9th, before holding on for a (2-1) win, that meant and hopefully means so much to Mr. Holtzman, as we look optimistically, to his being in a better place.
Click below to read Ed Sherman’s fine article.
Sandy Koufax vs. Ken Holtzman: The 1966 matchup of two Jewish …
The classy, superb $$ pitcher, Ken Holtzman, is pictured above.
As another tribute, since many, maybe most pitchers, from a day when they batted, like to hear about their rare (in most cases), at-bat successes, Ken Holtzman delivered big hits, as “they” and likely Curt Gowdy or Monte Moore intoned on the telecast, “helping his own cause,” in both #’s 1 and the winner take all, #7 of the ’73 World Series.
In the latter, his one out double– B3, was followed by Bert Campaneris’ 2RHR and later in the inning, by Reggie’s (Jackson) such and Oakland, now regrettably in its 57th but final season as Athletics’ home city, was well on their way to the second of three consecutive crowns.
3 crowns all with three excellent starting pitchers, now sadly all gone, far too soon, Jim “Catfish” Hunter, Vida Blue and now Ken Holtzman.
Perhaps appropriate, the ’68 into ’69 saga and part of it, Mickey Mantle’s last game.
The game was in Boston, the penultimate one in a fourth straight non pennant season for a team, the Yankees, that had won an incredible 14 pennants in 16 seasons.
Mantle popped out to Rico Petrocelli in his final at bat. He did not play in the season finale, the last series being at Boston’s Fenway Park vs the Red Sox.
During spring training/1969 he announced his retirement after an incredible playing career.
Heroes, flaws, change– all to be pondered, with perhaps a manifestation of better as time goes (even flies) by.
Dooley Wilson, pictured above, as “Sam” in the seminal film, “Casablanca,” so memorably and beautifully sang “As Time Goes By.”
The song was written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931, a dozen years before Mr. Wilson sang it in “Casablanca.”
There are so many memories, (most fond), opinions, feelings and “ways to go,” in remembering the great running back, Orenthal “O.J.” Simpson, who died days back at the age of 76.
We all have opinions and I rate Jim Brown the greatest of all running backs and Mr. Simpson second. Again an opinion, mine being O.J. as the best college runner with Tony Dorsett second.
I interviewed Mr. Simpson in 1991 and he was so gracious, getting a big kick in remembering a crossing pattern TD, (recalling Lou Holtz then the opposing coach making a “football mistake” –another opinion: Holtz is chock full of mistakes–) that I actually called/play by played well and later post the events of June 1994, in which two people died and a circus, Tony Randall and I were two of the very low number that followed none of it, ensued– played for my mother, a non sports fan, whose ears “perked upon” upon listening.
His 64 yard touchdown run vs UCLA that more than any play, yielded O.J.’s USC the ’67 mythical crown and his 80 yard TD run (Curt Gowdy’s “look out he runs the “100” in 9.5 or was it 9.3,” it was 9.4, I type a week later) in defeat to my then Ohio State, in the ’68 season Rose Bowl, are indelibly etched memories.
More than once I think fondly back to “look out” in reference to O.J.’s 1/1/69 80 yard run, referenced above, today with O.J. a different “gone” the feeling is more intense. Greatness is greatness and both Simpson’s run and Gowdy’s call were that.
An “O.J.” peak in ’73, one I was not thrilled with as Jim, not O.J. , was my favorite, when in the December 16th, Shea Stadium snow, Simpson not only broke Brown’s 1,863 yards season rushing record, but also went over 2,000 yards, amassing 2,003.
There is so much more, this not the place even the time. Orenthal James Simpson was ubiquitous and few sights in sports, which by the way is not really important, were/are as beautiful than watching him run.
Orenthal “O.J.” Simpson, pictured above.
It is truly an incredible feat, that which Connecticut just achieved, as they won back to back NCAA crowns, winning the required dozen games all by “enough” points–I believe by 10 or more in all those games.
Danny Hurley coaching repeat titles in what are “3” and “4” years evokes memories of brother Bob Hurley being a key player on repeat Duke title teams in “1” and “2” years (’91 and ’92).
Connecticut sans a crown until they upset Duke, which had 2 at that point, in ’99 now passes Duke into a tie with North Carolina for third place in title wins with 6.
U.C.L.A. leads with 11 crowns, Kentucky has 8.
Finally it is the third straight “4” year crown for Connecticut as they won the title in both ’04 and ’14 and it is with three different coaches, Jim Calhoun then Kevin Ollie and now Hurley.
Quite an achievement for Connecticut!!
Repeat National Titles winning coach, Danny Hurley is pictured above.
Two truly dominant teams, Connecticut in the men’s event and South Carolina in women’s play, won NCAA crowns, pulling away to victories vs Purdue and Iowa respectively, in the title tilts.
Connecticut, an incredible (12-0), (12-0) in the last two tournaments, repeated as champions, the first team to do so since Florida did so in ’06 and ’07.
Meanwhile South Carolina completed an undefeated season, handing Iowa a second straight title game loss and avenging? a semi-final round loss to them last season.
Connecticut won (75-60) as 7 or so point(s) favorites while South Carolina a similar quantitative favorite posted an (87-75) victory.
Tristen Newton, of Connecticut, pictured below, of Connecticut was named Most Outstanding Player in the men’s event while Kamilla Cardoso of South Carolina, took that honor in women’s play.
Newton, pictured above had 20 points in the title game and was voted the men’s tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Today on another Monday April 8th, there will be a total solar eclipse, the last such until 2044.
It occurs on the exact 50 year anniversary of Henry Aaron blasting his 715th lifetime home run, which yes, eclipsed the hallowed record of Babe Ruth.
I have great thoughts about both of these all-time greats, whose predominant outfield position was in right, however, each played another “out there” place.
Today when “out there” shows a phenomenon, thoughts of Henry and “The Babe” resonate with that night, the NBC telecast, calls by Curt Gowdy, Milo Hamilton and Vin Scully and especially that of my father “calling” to my mother to watch, indelibly and happily etched in my mind.
A veritable sun and moon, 2 for 1. Click below to view Henry’s 700th home run with Harry Kalas on play by play with commentary from Rich Ashburn.
Next, 50 years ago today, #715, one more than Babe Ruth, as called by Milo Hamilton.
Andy B Sports 