Tomorrow night, the first ever Boston vs Dallas major North American sports league post-season entity commences and it is in the NBA final round, with the Boston Celtics roughly 2 to 1 series favorites vs the Dallas Mavericks.
Boston teams have had many more seasons and final round appearance opportunities than their Dallas counterparts.
The Celtics are in their 23rd final (17-5, once (14-1) while the Mavericks (1-1 in previous), as is the situation with fellow Dallas teams, the current baseball champion Texas Rangers and the just semi’d in 6 (by the Edmonton Oilers), Dallas Stars while in Dallas (they made and lost in both their NHL final rounds, 10 years apart in 1981 and 1991 as the Minnesota North Stars) now have 3 final round appearances.
Boston counterparts, the Red Sox (9-4 after 5 straight World Series wins, 4 straight, largely excruciating World Series/final round losses and 4 straight wins going a so impressive (16-3) in individual games) have made 13 while the Bruins (6-13) in such have 19 final round entity appearances.
The only non 3 for Dallas is the 10 games, the Cowboys have played with the NFL crown on the line, beginning in 1966 and 1967 when the winner of what was a Green Bay Packers vs Dallas Cowboys NFL Championship game still had to win a subsequent all the way game/Super Bowl, which Green Bay did convincingly both times.
Additionally, the Cowboys are (5-3) in Super Bowls. The New England Patriots are (6-5) in such games and lost in their lone AFL title game, that to the San Diego Chargers after the 1963 season.
Both the Patriots and Cowboys began play in 1960, the Patriots as the Boston Patriots in the AFL.
I went to sleep exactly 56 years ago tonight, looking to the next day and whether Don Drysdale pitched an incredible 6th straight shutout.
He did and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, who won the California primary that night, congratulated “Big D” (Drysdale) on his accomplishment.
It was not long after, that as was the situation with Robert’s brother, President Kennedy and just 2 months earlier on April 4th, concerning Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, that Robert Kennedy was shot and eventually died, I believe the next day, as regarding President Lincoln, 105 years earlier.
Maybe, in the hope of peace or to avoid “gey schlog dir kop in vant” (hitting my head against the wall), I cite Vaughn Meader, as I thought of him, the other day.
In Mr. Meader’s classic spoof, in good humorous taste of President Kennedy, on an album called “The First Family,” there is a state luncheon.
Certainly, it is Mr. Nasser of Egypt and let’s say Mr. Ben-Gurion of Israel and after the former orders pastrami, but with mayonnaise and on white bread, the latter prefaces citing other “disagreements,” however is certain, he is helping, advising an amended order of pastrami but with mustard on rye bread.
Bobby might be “on a hill with Abraham, Martin and John.” Peace!!
Click above to hear Dion’s (DiMucci) so meaningful and great song, “Abraham, Martin and John.”
After seeing “Just Another Day,” (playing at Theater 555, appropriately 555 West 42nd Street in New York City), starring Dan Lauria, who also wrote it and Patty McCormack, each of whom performed superbly, I had occasion to tell the always classy, friendly and oh so talented, Mr. Lauria, he “hit it out of the park.”
The performance rating, evoking Jimmy Foxx’ upper deck/last deck home run clout, now so many years back, at Yankee Stadium. In other words, prodigious!
“Years back,” both in recollecting and in realizing they are in the “rear view,” is an operative phrase in this fantastic, moving and very humorous production.
The past in the form of great old movie photos, quotes and routines (Mr. Lauria’s and Ms. McCormack’s homage to the classic Mel Brooks/Carl Reiner “2,000 Year Old Man” is enough to justify seeing the play twice) are spaced throughout, what is a very poignant and mysterious relationship between Patty McCormack and Dan Lauria’ characters.
Dan Lauria, (“The Wonder Years,” “Lombardi,” and as Jimmy Hoffa in “Good Bobby,” about Robert Kennedy, in which he was brilliant), and Patty McCormack, cited as consummate “pros,” by a man sitting behind me, are the story, each with a great intensity and yet ease, in “Just Another Day”).
Patty McCormack, (“The Bad Seed, both on Broadway and in the Melvin LeRoy directed film and so good as “Adriana La Serva’s” mother on “The Sopranos”) also engaging and interacting with the audience after the show, combines with Mr. Lauria, his great writing and Eric Krebs’ excellent direction, to make “Just Another Day” a highly recommended gem.
Click below for more information, including that, regarding tickets purchase.
Theater 555
Dan Lauria and Patty McCormack, pictured above, each brilliant in “Just Another Day.”
One more: A beautiful song by Sir Graham Russell of “Air Supply” plays as the play begins.
The incredible “pattern,” (road/home wins same as ’94 semi), as the Florida Panthers advanced to their second consecutive NHL final round, winning game 6 at home, (2-1) vs the New York Rangers.
Florida is (0-2) in previous NHL final rounds, (1-9) in final round games), as Las Vegas (Golden Knights) 5’d them last season and the Colorado Avalanche swept them in ’96 when Florida made the final round in just their third season. (Las Vegas, somewhat incredibly made the final round in its first season before winning it in their 6th season last year).
The Panthers (Panthers teams are (0-4) in final rounds as the Carolina Panthers lost NFL final rounds/Supes to New England (Patriots) in ’03 and the Denver Broncos in ’15) will face the winner of the Edmonton Oilers/Dallas Stars semi, which Edmonton leads 3 games to 2.
If Edmonton breaks “the pattern-i.e. road/home/road/home/road/road/home, and wins either game 6 at their home or #7 at Dallas, the Panthers would have home advantage in the NHL final round for the first time.
Dallas victories in the next 2 games, would result in the final series opening in Dallas, with the Stars having home advantage, for the second time in 5 “non bubble” NHL final rounds. (The one time the Stars, nee Minnesota North Stars, had home advantage, they won the final in 6 games vs the Buffalo Sabres in ’99. They are (0-3) in final rounds sans home advantage and (1-4) all-time in NHL final rounds).
No matter the matchup, the final will begin on Saturday June 8th, the exact 56 year anniversary of Robert Kennedy’s funeral, Don Drysdale breaking Walter Johnson’s scoreless innings streak and my long lost friend, Dr. Jay Rubin’s Bar Mitzvah.
Vladimir Tarasenko, pictured above with the St. Louis Blues, whom he helped win their lone NHL crown in 2019, scored to put Florida up (2-0), mid 3rd period in their (2-1) win last night.
The only time the Dallas Stars won the NHL crown was 25 years ago in 1999. That year in the semi-final vs the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas prevailed vs the Colorado Avalanche, doing so with a home win in game 7.
That season, as is the situation this year, the Stars lost game 1 at home, won #2 there, won the third (road) before losing (road) 4th and home 5th games.
Edmonton (Oilers) won (3-1) in #5 and lead their semi vs Dallas 3 games to 2.
As stated here yesterday, incredibly, the current Florida Panthers (3-2) lead in their semi-final series vs the New York Rangers, has the same road/home wins configuration as the Rangers/Devils semi that preceded the team’s lone title, that 30 years ago, since 1940 in 1994.
Then, as is the case in their current “semi” vs Florida and as stated yesterday, in both the ’99 and current Stars’ “semi,” the home advantage teams, the Rangers and Stars each lost a home #1, won #2 there, won the third (road) before losing both #4 (road) and the 5th at home.
10 of 10 repeats, what are the odds?!!
Roughly those odds are 2 to the 10th power or 1,024 to 1.
While the NBA final is set, (a first ever Boston/Dallas ‘offs entity, no less a final, is still a week away), both NHL semis are still as close as possible after 5 and 4 games played. This is in sharp contrast to the NBA semis, in which a record tying low 9 games were played.
Last night the Florida Panthers won (3-2) at New York vs the Rangers to lead (3-2) while the Dallas Stars/Edmonton Oilers “semi” is tied at 2 games apiece.
Incredibly and likely only here, this note: The Rangers last won the title 30 years ago while the Stars’ only crown was 25 years back. Both teams won those crowns after winning a 7 game semi, with home advantage that had a Road, Home, Road, Home, Road, Road, Home wins configuration.
This year through 9 games, 5 in the Florida/Rangers series that same configuration has manifested. What are those odds?!
Click below to view Jamie Langenbrunner “opening” in the Stars #7/semis win vs the Colorado Avalanche in ‘1999. Dallas (Stars) went on to win the title.
It is not quite a 180 degree difference in a “competitive” measure between the NHL semis (as close as possible, theoretically not so, as the series home advantage team Dallas (Stars) leads (2-1) — compared to that round in the NBA, in which, Boston (Celtics) swept Indiana (Pacers) and Dallas (Mavericks) is now up (3-1), after Minnesota (Timberwolves) won at Dallas last night.
Meanwhile with the last 3 games overtime tilts, Florida won one such last night, to square their series with the New York Rangers at two games apiece.
Surely, you will see and hear that 155 times out of 155 (3-0) NBA series, the team up (3-0) prevailed. Only 4 teams down (3-0) forced a 7th game (it took Rochester (Royals) 7 vs the New York Knicks in 1951 (final), Utah (Jazz 7 to oust Denver (Nuggets) in the ’94 “quarters,” the Mavericks ditto vs Portland (Trail Blazers) in a 2003 first round series and Miami (Heat) needed to win as a big #7 underdog, which they did in a rout at Boston, vs the Celtics last year).
It is likely that only here, it is cited that the Rangers in 15 semis starting in ’67, the last year before NHL expansion, when playoff entry put a team in the semis, have been game 3 winners in a (1-1) series 5 times and lost game 4 each time, including last night.
In ’71 vs Chicago sans home advantage and 2012 vs the New Jersey Devils with it, they lost the semis series.
Meanwhile in both ’79 when they eventually lost the final to a 4th straight title, still great Montreal Canadiens team and ’94 when they ended a 54 year title drought, the Rangers won their semi after losing #4, up (2-1).
In ’79 they won #5 at the New York Islanders, the last time in 5 seasons, the Isles, so underpublicized compared to the Rangers, failed to make the final, (The Islanders won in the first four of those final round appearances), and won the series in 6 sans home advantage.
1994’s classic semi-final series was/is the same as this, through 4 games with the Rangers opponent, (N.J. in ’94 and Florida these 30 years later) winning at the Rangers in game 1, losing there in #2, the Rangers winning on the road, both times in overtime in #3 before losing a game 4 road tilt.
Anders Hedberg, pictured above, scored a late third period goal in #5 at Long Island, lifting the Rangers to their game 5, road victory in the 1979 semi-final round vs the New York Islanders.
Believe me I did not know that the great player, Bill Walton, who died too young at age 73 was suffering with cancer.
Look and see I put a picture of Bill in my post, a scant 2 days before, as he was a big contributor to a great 1986 Boston Celtics title team.
Yesterday, I engaged in conversation with a man named Kyle from St. Louis, advising ordering Dr. Brown’s soda at the famed Katz’s Delicatessen in New York City. Then it happened, the ubiquitous mobile phone (his) and it/he said Bill Walton had died.
Beyond the coincidence?–Walton, when healthy was as great as any NBA center and in college, only his friend Kareem Abdul Jabbar, then Lew Alcindor was better.
Bill’s incredible title game performance in 1973 vs Memphis State, continually taking lob passes, most? from Greg Lee or turning and hitting time after time, off the glass, (44 points, 21 of 22 shooting) is certainly the best in a college title game. (That game was in St. Louis, see the third paragraph, where 5 years later Jack Givens had an all-time great title game, hitting for 42 points in Kentucky’s win vs Duke).
That ought to stop me right there and reflect, however Mr. Walton his usual outgoing and friendly self when I interviewed him very close to the end of the last century in 1999 and when on a Saturday, I called him at a New York City hotel and knew he was listening to his beloved “Grateful Dead,” was so great/”grate,” at not so important basketball, I “cite” on.
’74 with its same calendar was a “downer” for Bill, in that the great David Thompson and the North Carolina State Wolfpack (see their surprising “run” to the national semis this year) overcame a 7 point second overtime deficit and ousted the two time champion U.C.L.A. Bruins with Bill, the then Keith, later Jamaal Wilkes, and coached by the great John Wooden.
Bill’s first 2 NBA seasons, marred by injuries that would continue and inhibit a still great 2 titles pro career, were tough, but oh 1977!! Oh that Sunday #6 title clinching win in frenetic Portland, for the home team, Trail Blazers, still their lone crown.
My call: Julius Erving, Lloyd (before he was World Be) Free and George McGinnis, who as cited here at least twice-we lost within the season, all missed, Bill knocked the ball out, fans stormed the court and Bill was seen sans shirt. I am still upset CBS switched to the Kemper Open (Golf) denying us the Portland team celebration.
In 1978 Portland was even better, an incredible (41-4) but Bill got hurt. The team, a great one one of the greatest from the ’77 ‘offs until Bill got hurt ended up “quarter’d” out by an upcoming SeattleSupersonics team.
Finally just 2 days and 1 post before, I pictured Bill Walton, recalling his immense importance to a great ’86 Celtics title team.
There is much to process here–St. Louis, Memorial Day juxtaposed with Bill protesting that insane war, how about no war, rather than remembering those who died in humanity’s sick, perhaps inherent need?!
One more, maybe the straight laced, truly good human being and Bill’s college coach John Wooden will be more outgoing and hanging out with Bill in heaven.
It is all happening too fast, but on we go and I am glad, Bill Walton was and perhaps is a part of it.
Click below to view Bill’s beloved “Grateful Dead” perform “Truckin'” in a live 1980 performance.
Left to right, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and his friend Bill Walton.
While both NBA “semis” stand at (3-0) (a first ever Boston vs Dallas playoffs matchup, no less in the title round, is imminent) for the second straight year, the NHL series are as close as possible after 3 games played in “el” East and two in the West.
The New York Rangers, with a second consecutive overtime win, lead the Florida Panthers 2 games to 1 in the Eastern Conference Final, while the Edmonton Oilers head home for games 3 and 4, having split the first two games in Dallas, vs the Stars. (The game 1 Stars’ loss was their 7th straight in a series opener).
After Barclay Goodrow had the overtime winner in #2 at New York, Alex Wennberg scored in O.T. , lifting the Rangers (5-4) in game 3, and into the aforementioned (2-1) semis lead.
Igor Shesterkin, pictured above, despite Florida tallying 4 times, was brilliant in the Rangers (5-4) game 3 win.
Sure it is/was an almost unprecedented “paved road” (read that easy) to the NBA final round (it would not quite be The Red Sea parting, but close, if Indy comes back) for the 23rd time, having gone (17-5) in previous such entities.
However, they were once (15-1) and (16-2), and have only one crown since their 16th was won in 1986.
That great ’86 Celtics title team and the next year’s ’87 Lakers’ such, went undefeated at home in the playoffs, but only the ’96 Bulls and ’18 Warriors have accomplished that feat since then.
Now 31 of the 32 NBA and NHL ‘offs teams have lost at home.
Only the Orlando Magic, who lost an all home team wins/7 game first round series to Cleveland (Cavaliers) did not.
A truly great player, Bill Walton, pictured above was a tremendous addition to those ’85-’86 Celtics, who went (50-1) at home that season.
They were (37-1) at Boston Garden (remember they have but one title since leaving that hallowed ground, the Canadiens have none, in fact no Canadian team has titled since ’93 when still playing at the great Montreal Forum, the Habs last won the crown. Meanwhile the Yankees won it all in ’09 their first season at the third Yankee Stadium but first up the Bronx geography, but have not even a pennant since), (3-0) at Hartford Civic Center in the “reg,” before winning all 10 home tilts, one despite 63 points by Mr. Jordan, at Boston Garden in the playoffs.
