They each lived long, good lives, having accomplished so much in their careers. Yet it is truly sad to note the passing of acting giants, Jack Klugman and Charles Durning, each roughly the same age, both of whom, died on Christmas Eve.
So few of the old greats are left. The table is both symbolically, and in the case of Klugman’s “Twelve Angry Men,” literally empty. See, if one were to go “around the (jury) table,” looking for the 12 great actors in the Sidney Lumet directed, classic, “Twelve Angry Men” you find they are all dead. Klugman, whose character shed important “light” on the case with his knowledge of knives, was the last survivor.
It is quite possible that on the afternoon I saw Charles Durning in a supporting role really “support” Burt Reynolds’ character in the 1979 film, “Starting Over,” that I watched Jack Klugman with Tony Randall in the TV series “The Odd Couple” that night in a Channel 11 rerun. Days could be spent much worse than doing that. Alas they could have been better; but that has nothing to do with Durning nor Klugman, who entertained all members of society, those active and inactive, rich or poor.
A good way to pay tribute is to let your mind flow with memories of their performances. Durning as a Depression era, crooked vice squad cop getting Robert Shaw’s “Doyle Lonnegan” out of the faux “bookie joint,” enabling the celebration at the end of “The Sting,” a personal favorite and great film. Klugman helped Jack Lemmon’s alcoholic character in “Days of Wine and Roses” and it was more than TV’s “Oscar” helping the movie version’s “Felix.” It was a genuine “accounting” portraying how tough it is to deal with an addiction and how important it is to have someone, who has been through it, to care and give that most valuable commodity, time.
Born ten months apart, dying on the same day, with rich careers in both movies and on stage, Charles Durning and Jack Klugman will long be remembered. Thankfully, many of their performances were preserved to be enjoyed as we go through time.
Charles Durning
Jack Klugman
All six AFC playoff participants are known as only the seeding is up for grabs in the final week.
The Houston Texans, despite a home loss as over a touchdown favorite vs the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday, still control whether they will be a one seed. The Texans travel to Indianapolis where they will face the Colts for the second time in three weeks. If Houston wins, they will be the one seed. However, if they lose in an early game this Sunday, both the Denver Broncos, who are 16 point favorites and the New England Patriots, who are favored by ten points would likely move past the Texans in the AFC seeding. If both do then Houston does not even get a wild card round bye.
The Colts are definitely the number five seed in the AFC. They will definitely play next week on the road, most likely at Baltimore in a game that would be Colts at Baltimore. Of course the Colts had their greatest moments in Baltimore and were revered there.
One wonders how long returning Colts’ coach Chuck Pagano will play certain key players vs Houston. One other note is that unless Houston loses and drops to a three seed, it is possible that the Texans and Colts will meet in another two weeks in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
The Denver Broncos have won ten games in a row, their season turning with their great comeback win in San Diego on Monday night October 15th, and are heavy favorites to be at least the AFC two seed. They are now the favorites to win the AFC and would have an even better chance, one would think as one never knows what will happen, if they become the one seed.
The New England Patriots likely will be the three seed and face the six seed, Cincinnati Bengals in the wild card round. These teams have never faced each other in the playoffs despite being in the same league or conference since the Bengals entered the AFL in 1968.
This Sunday all 32 NFL teams conclude their regular season. The NFC has two games where both teams control their fate concerning playoff qualification or seeding.
First in the late afternoon at Minnesota, the Vikings host the Green Bay Packers. At night, for a second straight season, the Dallas Cowboys need a road win in the regular season finale to become the NFC four seed. Again, however, a loss would eliminate the Cowboys. This time the “Pokes” are in the nation’s capital facing the Redskins.
The Packers have a half game lead over the San Francisco 49ers in the race for the NFC “two seed.” If Green Bay prevails at Minnesota, they get a wild card round bye and would host a divisional round game the following week. The Packers would fall to a “three” seed if they lose and either the Niners or suddenly high powered, playoff bound, Seattle Seahawks win. The Vikings are in the playoffs with a win but likely would be out of the playoffs if they lose to Green Bay.
At night, for the second straight year, the NFC East Title is at stake in the season’s final game. The winner of Dallas at Washington takes the crown and the four seed/home wild card game that goes with it. Dallas is out if they lose while the Redskins likely, but far from definitely, will take the field Sunday night needing a win to qualify for the playoffs. No matter the results of earlier “related” games, the Redskins will need a win or very unlikely tie vs Dallas to win the division and play at home in the wild card round.
Two other NFC teams, each playing in games starting earlier in the day, still have a chance to make the playoffs. The Chicago Bears need a win at the Detroit Lions and a Packers’ win at Minnesota to qualify for the post season. Both the Bears and Packers are field goal favorites making the odds of the Bears getting what they need less than two to one. On the other hand, the defending champion New York Giants need to win vs the Philadelphia Eagles and then get help in the form of Detroit, Green Bay and Washington wins. In what is likely to be Andy Reid’s last game as Eagles coach, the Giants are ten point favorites. The other three games possibly concerning the Giants all have three point lines, with two of the teams the Giants would need to win (the Packers and Redskins) the favorite. I conservatively estimate the odds against the Giants playoff qualification as a bit over seven to one.
Speaking of seven, a Giants win would produce another seven loss season (9-7). Last year, despite that mediocre record, the Giants won the Super Bowl. Very likely, this year as should be the case with such a record, the Giants will not make the playoffs.
The Atlanta Falcons are the NFC “one seed” for the second time in the past three seasons, clinching that spot with a (31-18) win at Detroit vs the Lions. Quarterback, Matt Ryan threw four touchdown passes in the victory.
This is the third time that the Falcons are the NFC “one seed.” Neither previous “one seed” “grew” into a Super Bowl appearance. The lone Falcons Supe appearance was in the 1998 season when the “two seed” Falcons upset the top seed Minnesota Vikings in overtime to make the Super Bowl. Then the Denver Broncos won their second straight Super Bowl beating the Falcons.
Then it was the AFC one seed Broncos vs the NFC two seed Falcons. I am staying with my Denver/Atlanta “Supe redux” prediction. 14 years later, I predict they clash in the Super Bowl, this time Atlanta as the NFC “one” and Denver as the AFC “two” seed.
Matt Ryan
What a story R.A. Dickey was for the Mets in 2012. His story is an inspirational one for any time and any team.
Oddly, I first learned of Dickey’s odyssey as a player and his personal pain of being sexually abused when I read a Sports Illustrated article. At that point, I followed Dickey’s games closer and he pitched incredible baseball in the first half or so of the 2012 season. He finished with 20 wins and won the NL Cy Young Award.
Recently, I again read about Dickey in Sports Illustrated as he was one of the inspirational figures of 2012 as chosen by the magazine. The next day he is on his way to another team and another league, the Toronto Blue Jays and the American League.
The odds are high it will be tougher for this aging knuckleball pitcher in the tougher hitting American League as he showed signs of slowing down at the end of last season. What really matters, however, is that he never gave up and achieved a great deal. “Deal did someone say deal,” maybe the Jays’ end of the deal will work out fine as well.
Three is the operative number concerning some history in two of this week’s more meaningful games. Also concerning three, the AFC North can still end in a three way tie. If that happens, the Pittsburgh Steelers would win the division. It also means that no matter the result of the earlier Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers game, the Baltimore Ravens will not have clinched the division when they play the New York Giants in a late Sunday afternoon game in Baltimore. However, the Ravens have clinched a playoff spot while the Giants, unlikely but far from impossible division winners, control their destiny for a wild card spot.
That game is one of the “three/history” games as three times a team from the city of Baltimore has beaten the New York Giants for the NFL Championship. Twice the Baltimore Colts topped the Giants in the NFL Title Game, doing so in consecutive years 1958 and 1959. The Baltimore Ravens handed the Giants their only Super Bowl loss, winning the 2000 season Super Bowl. The Giants were just (3-11) in NFL Title tilts but are (4-1) in Supes. One other note, there was a fourth time that the cities of Baltimore and New York met for the NFL title. That was when the New York Jets upset the heavily favored Colts in the third Super Bowl.
Three times the Denver Broncos beat the old Cleveland Browns to win the AFC Championship. All three times, the Broncos lost in the Super Bowl which followed. The years were 1986, 1987 and 1989.Those Browns became the Baltimore Ravens, whom the Broncos beat last week. Now this week Denver hosts the Cleveland Browns, the new Browns if you will, having joined the NFL in 1999. I think Denver will struggle a bit this week and I also predict we will see the Ravens hosting the Indianapolis, nee Baltimore Colts in a wild card round game. My “Supe” matchup prediction is still Atlanta Falcons vs the Denver Broncos. Oh and rumors of Cris Collinsworth finally ceasing talking, were greatly exaggerated.
Both leaders in the race for the conference “one seed” now have magic numbers of one to clinch the top spot. Both the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans are (12-2) and very likely “one seeds.”
The horrible coverage by NBC (they were late coming back from a replay and missed the start of a Brady TD play; and could not keep up with the no huddle offense throughout the game) not withstanding, the SF 49ers won at New England and lead the Green Bay Packers in the race for the NFC two seed.
The Denver Broncos with help from San Francisco, now are very likely to be the AFC “two seed.” The Baltimore Ravens still lead the AFC North while the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants each with an (8-6) record are in a three way tie at the top of the NFC East.
I believe the Ravens clinch the division title if in an earlier game this Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers, playing at home, beat the Cincinnati Bengals. If that is the case, the Ravens would have little to play for vs the New York Giants. Even if the Bengals lose, I predict Baltimore will play with intensity but lose to the Giants. The defending Super Bowl champion Giants, though not in control of their own destiny to win the division, I believe control it as far as making the playoffs as one of two wild card teams.
For parts of the last two days, I was able to see first hand and learn about the horrible situation involving Leonard Peltier. He is a Native American who has been in prison for 37 years for supposedly having killed two FBI agents. The prosecuting “team” admitted then and now that there was no real proof that Peltier did the fatal shootings. The horror of the conviction is far greater: Mr.Peltier has been treated horribly and I urge you to read about the situation and case.
Rather than specify about this case, I will tell you I know the pain of being falsely accused. Luckily, it was nowhere close to a legal matter but to know one did not do what others accused/”convicted” one of doing is truly horrible. I truly can not deal with an innocent person being confined and in some cases being executed by the state.
On Friday night there was a concert to help free Leonard Peltier. It was supposed to be a benefit concert but Peltier, mind you in prison and needing any help he could get, declined asking for money and asked only for awareness in his case. In short, because of the devastation of the recent storm, Peltier asked to raise consciousness and not money.
I ask President Barack Obama to grant this man clemency. It need not be, as I said at the next day’s press conference, what it could be. That is the President could evoke President Lincoln, in this year of an extraordinary film about that great man, and look to history. That would be great, meaningful, and perhaps a start to a daring, accomplishment filled, second term for Barack Obama. This should not be, however, likely will be “too much to ask,” with other issues on the President’s “plate.”
Thus simply send Leonard Peltier, a man who is no risk, in poor health, and essential to his people, home. Do this, and somewhere Mr. Lincoln might think that at least some little bit of government goodness did not “perish” in these highly disappointing times.
Yesterday was the exact 39 year anniversary of Orenthal James Simpson breaking Jim Brown’s single season rushing mark, and then going over 2000 rushing yards for the season in a game between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. The game was played in the snow at Shea Stadium in the regular season finale.
Think of all that has changed concerning Simpson and the NFL. Now there are 12 teams in the playoffs and still two weeks to play. Then only eight made post season and December 16, 1973 was the last day of the regular season. Simpson was revered by most of America (Not me–he was a great running back but I preferred Jim Brown on the field and off) and now that is not the “case,” no pun intended. I suppose Simpson “let us down” but many of you who did “revere” him, did so because you perceived him as a “harmless” black man running through airports and being ejected into a famous rent a car company’s vehicle. That exacerbated your disappointment when Simpson “let you down.”
A final comparison; yesterday, thirty nine years later, as in a great Dan Fogelberg song, “The Snow Turned Into Rain.” Figuratively, it did so long before.
Dan Fogelberg
It was quite an entertaining and informative evening at the Bergino Clubhouse yesterday as Vernona Gomez, the author of “LEFTY An American Odyssey,” about her father, Hall of Fame pitcher Vernon “Lefty” Gomez, talked about the book and her father’s life. The book is published by Ballantine Books. (Right there is a good association of a great Yankees’ pitcher and thoughts of Ballantine beer, a long time sponsor on Yankees’ broadcasts.)
Ms. Gomez, herself a concert pianist and the daughter of Broadway headliner June O’Dea, has amazing recall and used it in choosing the information and stories gathered in over 350 interviews conducted with Lefty Gomez’ friends, teammates and opposing players. Gomez played on Yankees’ teams with the three greatest Yankees and arguably the three greatest players ever in Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Joe Di Maggio. Ms. Gomez bounced on The Babe’s knee, her dad helped console Gehrig when he finally missed a game due to the illness that soon would take his life, and was a confidant to Di Maggio, at times dining out with Joe and his second wife, Marilyn Monroe.
Vernona Gomez is a personable, striking looking woman who took the audience through history, not just baseball history, in talking about her father. Lefty Gomez saw his first game when he made the big leagues. He made it there and eventually to the baseball “Hall” with determination, ability and yes luck. He once said “I would rather be lucky than good” and he was the “Yankee quipper” juxtaposed with his roomate, Joe Di Maggio, known as the “Yankee Clipper.”
Ms. Gomez’s show business background so impressed an audience member that he asked if the fact Lefty had married into a show business family and had produced Vernona, a concert pianist who performed at age seven, if that was the reason Di Maggio married actress, Marilyn Monroe. Vernona replied “You have seen what Marilyn Monroe looked like? I think that and Marilyn’s charm persuaded Joe without thinking about Lefty and his situation.” It was quite an evening and Vernona Gomez is quite a lady. I look forward to reading the book, “LEFTY An American Odyssey” by Vernona Gomez and award winning writer, Lawrence Goldstone.
Andy B Sports 