There was another truly inspiring event held at the “92nd Street Y” in New York City as esteemed journalist Bill Moyers and his wife, producer Judith, joined son William C. Moyers on stage. The topic was addictions and recovery. Susan Cheever did a superb job interviewing the Moyers’ about William’s addiction to alcohol and drugs and his remarkable life since stopping in October 1994.
The Moyers’ were extremely candid about their ordeal concerning William’s addictions. Seeing William in his current state of sober, caring, and articulate executive director of Hazelden’s Center for Public Advocacy really moved the audience; likely consisting of many addicts or recovering addicts.
The Moyers’ shelves are lined with Emmys, but as Bill Moyers, already regarded by me and countless others as the face and spokesperson for so many of the less fortunate, said, “a person getting sober is more meaningful.”
William C. Moyers’ book about his struggles and ultimate triumph is entitled “Now What,” which is a guide to addiction and recovery. A fantastic evening of candid insight from the Moyers’ (wife and mother Judith has produced over 300 hours of television as President of Public Affairs Television) and Ms. Cheever, the daughter of the late great writer, John Cheever, and the author of “My Name is Bill” about Alcoholics Anonymous founder, Bill Wilson.
I was sad to be informed that Marty Reisman, one of the great table tennis players ever and quite a character, had died last December at age 81.
On a long Thanksgiving day in 2007 that I am proud to say included serving the less fortunate, I spent some time with Marty Reisman at a small gathering late that night.
There was quite a bit of intellect, frustration, and story telling at the table and Marty excelled at all of this. Most of Marty’s night was spent talking about himself and his exploits and at least for this one time, I was duly impressed. He had a skill and did something with it although some of it entailed true hustling. Certainly it was interesting.
Then later in the back and forth cross conversations Marty truly impressed me when he recalled his meeting the great Jesse Owens. Marty said Owens was what a champion was all about. We discussed not so much Owens’ great feats in winning at the 1936 Olympics, helping debunk horrible ideas being put forth about a “superior race, but the fact another Marty (Glickman) and fellow Jewish runner Sam Stoller were denied a chance to run and almost certainly win a gold medal in the relay race.
Jesse Owens already had three gold medals and did not want to deny the two Jewish runners their chance, but that is what happened. Marty Reisman, who did what many do in this mercenary country, recognized the horror and the prejudice. He marveled at Owens’ strength, though Jesse (some day I will tell you about another marvelous Jesse, named Krawitz) had to do what he was told. Mr. Reisman understood the impact, the history and the slow change. He was quite impressive doing so.
Here’s hoping Marty Reisman is playing table tennis with God. It would be one of the few times to ever even consider going vs Marty in the game he loved and contributed to so mightily.
Marty Reisman
The Baltimore Ravens richly deserved their Super Bowl Title winning as an aggregate 22 point or so underdog in the Divisional round, Conference championship game and Super Bowl.
The play of Joe Flacco, Anquan Boldin, Dennis Pitta and especially Jacoby Jones was stellar. Another “who but me?!” as I note a Jacoby first name (the just referenced Jacoby Jones) and a Jacoby last name (the Washington Redskins’ Joe Jacoby) were on Super Bowl winning teams 30 years apart.
I am still “middle of the road” concerning Ray Lewis, a truly great linebacker (not as great as Lawrence Taylor) as far as “off the field” is concerned. He was never tried for the events often associated with him and deserves the rights all citizens have in that regard. However, few athletes are role models and Lewis is not one of them. In Las Vegas and face it elsewhere, one could wager (over or under) on how many times Lewis would evoke God in his post game talks. Saying he does too much of it is a vast understatement.
The Ravens are the 9th team to win the Super Bowl after losing in the previous year’s conference title game. Either the Ravens or the SF 49ers were going to be the 9th team to win the Super Bowl after a conference title game loss in the previous season.The 49ers also lost in a conference championship game last season.
The breakdown is as follows: 11 Super Bowl winners did not qualify for the playoffs in the previous season. Also 11 had lost in the divisional round in the previous year. Nine winners repeated as champions, an equal number (9) had lost in the previous year’s conference title game (the Ravens becoming the ninth to do so). A total of seven lost in the wild card round (4), the Super Bowl (2), and in an unscheduled playoff (1), the year before striking “Super Bowl gold.” The team to lose in an unscheduled playoff game the year before winning the Super Bowl was the Kansas City Chiefs (at the Oakland Raiders for the AFL West crown in 1968).
Joe Jacoby
Jacoby Jones
In an exciting 47th Super Bowl the Baltimore Ravens gave the city of Baltimore its 5th football championship “holding off” the San Francisco 49ers by a (34-31) score.
No longer the Super Bore, these overblown games have been very competitive in nine of the last eleven years to cite two powerful numbers. After a power outage at the New Orleans game facility, the 49ers nearly came back to win, despite a (28-6) deficit.
Joe Flacco, who threw 11 touchdown passes and nary an interception in the four Ravens’ post season wins was named the game’s “Most Valuable Player.” Jacoby Jones, who gathered in the miracle touchdown to force overtime in the Ravens’ divisional round game win at Denver vs the Broncos, had a touchdown catch and returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown. That built the Baltimore lead to (28-6).
Very shortly after, there was a power outage. I scoffed when the CBS “army” of announcers touted the 49ers would make a game of it. However, I should have known better as close games have been the norm of late in the Supe.
Anyway, while I have seen through football for a long time I will miss it. This is the second time that the Ravens won four playoff games to win the Super Bowl and they join the New York Giants as the only teams to do so. The Ravens now (2-0) in Super Bowls have handed the 49ers (5-1) and the Giants (4-1) their only Super Bowl losses.
The Ravens wore “Art” on their uniforms to honor former owner Art Modell, who died last year (see Andybsports, Sept 7th). Modell and the Cleveland Browns won their last title 36 years before Modell and the Ravens won in 2000. Now one third of those 36 years passed before the next Ravens’ title 12 years (one third that time) later. Alas, most people thought the 49ers would win, ending an 18 year title drought. 18 is half of 36, oh well you get the “signs” for the little they are worth.
On Sunday night October 7th last year, but during this football season, both the Baltimore and San Francisco major league baseball teams hosted divisional round playoff games. Both home teams, the Baltimore Orioles and San Francisco Giants lost those games.
Due to a rain delay in Baltimore, the game won by the New York Yankees at Baltimore was on as the later scheduled game, a Cincinnati Reds victory vs the SF Giants commenced. The Yankees went on to win that series in the maximum five games while the Giants bounced back to not only beat the Reds in five games, but win the World Series.
Later today, the city of San Francisco “hopes” to become the fifth city to win the World series followed by the Super Bowl. The city that offers the opposition, Baltimore, was the first to accomplish the feat back in 1970 when the Orioles won the World series followed by the then, Baltimore Colts winning the Super Bowl. The Orioles are still that city’s baseball team but its football team is called the Ravens, who came to Baltimore from Cleveland after the 1995 season.
The 49ers, San Francisco’s only football team, have never played against a Baltimore team in post season. There has never been a Giants vs Orioles World Series though a “stretched” link is the great New York baseball Giants manager, John Mc Graw starred as a player for the original Baltimore Orioles.
The closest to a San Francisco vs Baltimore post season clash and this is very close, was in the 1975 NBA Finals. In that finals series, Rick Barry and the Golden State Warriors, just four years earlier known as the San Francisco Warriors, swept the Washington Bullets, just two years earlier known as the Baltimore Bullets, to win the NBA crown. The Warriors played their home games in Oakland but actually played both home finals game at the legendary, Cow Palace (The Rolling Stones’ last North American concert before Brian Jones’ death was there in 1966) in San Francisco.
1970 Baltimore Colts
1970 Baltimore Orioles
1975 NBA Finals, Warriors vs Bullets
I had mixed and powerful feelings after seeing “Silver Linings Playbook.” First of all, it was an extremely entertaining movie that dealt with mental illness. However, it was done largely in an unrealistic way reminiscent of ’50’s situation comedies where problems were solved in roughly 27 minutes. In “Silver Linings Playbook” it took about two entertaining hours to solve problems.
Hopefully people will realize how severe bipolar disorder is and can be. The need to support people with such an affliction is great.
Having said that, the movie featured fine performances by the entire cast. Jennifer Lawrence, who played the symmetrically named “Tiffany Maxwell,” gave a magnificent performance and likely will win the Academy Award for best actress. Robert DeNiro as the father who bets and roots for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Bradley Cooper as his son, who battles bipolar disorder, both are outstanding.
DeNiro and sports: Of course, he won the Academy Award portraying Jake La Motta in “Raging Bull.” He also referenced green clad Michigan State in “Analyze This.” As was the case in that movie, his role wearing Philadelphia Eagles’ green in this movie is humorous.
There is a wonderful, uplifting story in “Silver Linings Playbook.” The wish is that the happy ending(s) were more prevalent in real life.
Though the New York Giants have been dethroned as NFL champions, they are the defending champions. That is the situation until either the Baltimore Ravens or San Francisco 49ers replace them after the 47th Super Bowl on Sunday.
I note that from the time that the San Francisco Giants won the World Series on October 28, 2012, both the football and baseball Giants were League Champions at the same time for the first time in history. That history goes back until at least 1933 when the first NFL Championship game was played.
Currently two all time great college programs: Alabama, in football, and Kentucky in basketball, are champions simultaneously for the first time in history. Since the advent of “mythical” college football titles with the Associated Press vote starting in 1936, Alabama University has claimed nine titles. There were five under Paul “Bear” Bryant and three under current coach, Nick Saban. The other was with Gene Stallings as coach in 1992.
The Kentucky basketball team has won eight titles, four under legendary coach “Baron” Rupp and one each with four different coaches. The four are Joe B. Hall, Tubby Smith, Rick Pitino and the current one under John Calipari.
Alabama won AP titles in 1961, 1964, 1965, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011 and 2012 while Kentucky won the NCAA Basketball Tournament in 1948, 1949, 1951, 1978, 1996, 1998 and 2012. So this is the first time these two great programs have been champions at the same time.
There is one meaningful football game left (the total on the meaningless Pro Bowl is 85 points which tells you all you need to know about that game’s intensity) and then no more football.
Of course the meaningful game is the 47th Super Bowl being telecast by the AFC network since 1998, and the NFC/NFL network from before 1966 and the first Super Bowl until 1993, namely CBS.
This will be the 18th Super Bowl telecast (one was shared with NBC, something as NBC broadcaster that day, Curt Gowdy, said you very likely will never see again) by CBS. The NFC/NFL teams went (8-5) in the CBS televised games, three of the five losses coming to powerful repeat AFC champions (the Miami Dolphins in 1973,and the Pittsburgh Steelers in both 1975 and 1979). The AFC team has won three of the four previous Supes telecast by CBS since it became the AFC network in 1998.
Returning to the shared telecast by CBS and NBC of the first Super Bowl, played after the 1966 season, and referring to the competition caused, pressure between the two networks, the late Charlie Jones got off a great line. He said “After the first verb, we’ll be fine.”
Charlie Jones
So much of not all that distant sports history was not preserved. What I would not give to be able to see and hear the actual telecasts and broadcasts of sports events just since 1960 or so. However, most if not all of the great games of the ’60’s and ’70’s was not preserved. What a sin!
I look at “You Tube” and see some of what does exist in its original form and sometimes I am pleasantly surprised. Yet there is no real play by play of the “Ice Bowl,” the classic 1967 NFL Title game nor most of the World Series games of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Some were preserved but so few that it is both sad and pathetic.
Here are some notes regarding the Monday Night Football highlights narrated by Howard Cosell on September 28, 1970. First off, one can enjoy these on “You Tube.” This was just the second regular season Monday Night Game on ABC (by the way the NFL on CBS had at least one Monday Night Game and I recall the late, great, and at a time homeless, Travis Williams returning a kickoff for a Green Bay Packers touchdown in the contest.) The once AFL, and now AFC, Kansas City Chiefs lead the NFL and also now AFC, Baltimore Colts (31-7) at halftime. The Chiefs went on to rout the Colts but KC never manifested as the team of the ’70’s. After winning the last NFL vs AFL Super Bowl after the 1969 season, the Chiefs have not made the Super Bowl in the 47 seasons since. They have made only one “semi-final” losing to the Buffalo Bills in the 1993 AFC Championship game. The Colts went on to win the first NFC/AFC format Super Bowl that same 1970 season.
31 was an operative number at that early point in Monday Night Football. The Cleveland Browns had won the first Monday night game (31-21) vs the New York Jets. As mentioned the Chiefs had 31 points at halftime and one of the highlighted games as narrated by Mr.Cosell, was the Jets’ (31-21) win vs the then, Boston Patriots in the second game of the 1970 season.
Ice Bowl
“Relevant Octogenarians, Stars of the Entertainment World,” a panel discussion at the 92nd Street Y proved to be a fascinating, funny and informative event.
Joel Grey, a quintessential performer (a Tony and Academy Award winner), and Barbara Cook, a Kennedy Center honoree and a great performer for over 50 years, were the panel’s “out front” stars.
Equally fascinating and great, “behind the scenes” giants: Sheldon Harnick, a lyricist on many Broadway hits including “Fiddler on the Roof;” and screenwriter, playwright and lyricist Sherman Yellen rounded out the panel. The moderator was Leonard Lopate of WNYC Radio.
Each octogenarian, all of whom look many years younger, talked of looking forward to each day and the mystery of what will be.
Certainly all four people are highly successful and that does help. However, each spoke of going forward and enduring as a way to deal with the vicissitudes of life. It was really inspiring.
Oh the stories, history and accomplishments of Joel Grey, Barbara Cook, Sherman Yellen and Sheldon Harnick. Grey wants to direct, Cook has a CD out called “Loverman” while Yellen working “inward” plans more work about Josephine Baker. He also talked of understanding his father as the years have passed. His insights certainly resonated with me.
Harnick,who joked he regrets smoking and will really regret it when he is 115 years old also keeps going as a lyricist and producer. Evoking a great Harnick work, if we take the four stars’ advice and live each day fully, we truly will be and not have to say “If I were a Rich Man”/Woman because we will be.
http://new.livestream.com/92Y/RelevantOctogenarians
Joel Grey
Andy B Sports 