Last night/early this morning, I tuned into MeTV and viewed an excellent episode of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” titled “The Doubtful Doctor,” which starred Dick York and the fabulous Gena Rowlands.
York, best known as Darrin (“Mantha’s” husband on “Bewitched”–the beautiful, classy Elizabeth Montgomery, as “Samantha”) on “Bewitched” is excellent as “Ralph Jones” who “It’s A Wonderful Life’s” back, in this case 2 years, to see his life sans wife Lucille, played by Rowlands.
The episode aired on Tuesday October 4, 1960.
As one might expect here, some sports within the episode and these notes: the next day, the eventual Pirates’ 7 game World Series triumph, vs the powerful Yankees began.
3 National League, (now with Hodges in), eventual Hall of Fame baseball figures, Ed Mathews, Edwin “Duke” Snider and Gil Hodges are cited in the episode.
In a first scene back two years, to 1958 in York’s/”Ralph’s” apartment, a calendar from 1958 is shown. I see Sunday the 28th.
Soon, (16 days hence), it will be 65 years since the famed 1958 NFL Championship Game, an overtime Baltimore Colts’ win at the New York Giants, in Yankee Stadium, that more than any game, helped pro football soar in this country, which was contested on Sunday December 28, 1958.
Left to right, Dick York and Gena Rowlands are pictured below.
Let’s be up front and nice. I once loved both the Lakers and Dodgers and their title winning glory in such seasons as 1965 (Dodgers, with Lou Johnson a Black man calling Sandy Koufax a Jewish man, the greatest, this after race riots had torn into L.A.’s Watts, not long before) and 1988 (Lakers as first repeat NBA champions since the Celtics 19 (Don Nelson’s # and his lucky shot in #7/’69 NBA final) years earlier, with me there, on the TV broadcast sitting behind Dyan Cannon and in the victorious locker room, are moments I treasure to an exponential degree.
I have perhaps sadly, outgrown rooting for teams (I prefer teachers and nurses to name two) however, surely regrettably still root “vs,” and one I root vs, with some success and mucho failure, is Leb James.
Let’s mildly state, I think the “in season tournament” (appropriately held in Las Vegas) result means nada and the fact James, in his futile attempt to climb above say Kareem and Mr. Jordan for sure (I add at least 5 others) on the list of all-time greats, might cite this contrived event to boost his “case,” makes him even more of an egomaniac than I thought.
Now the Lakers, whose best player albeit not as consistent as James, who as I have stated before is an incredibly great player, just not and not near the greatest, is Anthony Davis do loom, certainly in the NBA West and even to win and that unfortunately would elevate James, the whole shabang. (Most said “bang” on some Celts’ hoops, (ode to Jo Jo White) and another “fear” is Silver and ABC get a first Celts/Lakers since 2010.
Mind you there is a long way to go!!
There is a discernibly greater “distance” between a first Fox salivating, Yankees/Dodgers W.S. in 43 years, despite the respective annexations of Soto and Ohtani.
Baseball whose wild card presence gives me far more objective ground for criticism than what might easily be interpreted as unfair overdoing anti Leb sentiment, also taught us yet again, that as now ex manager John “Dusty” Baker “you can say that again’d” my the ‘offs are a crapshoot comment at least ten years ago–they are!!
Toward that end, a major boosted L.A. down from 8 to 5 elsewhere, to 10 (max 25 $’s) to title.
We shall see, but for subjective me, I fear the Lakers, not the Dodgers, as there are far worse potential baseball winners but not many, if any, I want less than my once beloved Lakers.
Toward that end at around 6:08 of the above video, (you probably have to run it a few times, I do) James Worthy, so brilliant and especially so in #7/’88 final vs a great Detroit Pistons’ team, that would win the next 2 crowns, (I told Isiah as he walked with Chuck Nevitt outside the L.A. locker room that the Pistons would “title” the next season) makes an offensive rebound basket.
In an orange shirt I think I still have, (do not worry as I do not wear it and do monitor it) there I am looking down, seemingly not excited, but I was nervous as h–l, as Det had significantly cut into the L.A. lead and then as in the song, “I loved L.A.”
A better way to find me and “on my late parents” it is me, soon after, looking great in a white outfit, Ms. Cannon stands and cheers in exuberant fashion.
Again start it around 6:00 or watch the whole thing, orange shirt, looking down to see if I was recording (where is that tape?!!) and Ms. Cannon cheering.
Andy Warhol/Andy B.–I have had a few.
Both the CBS special and Scott Simon’s comments this morning on NPR were great tributes to Norman Lear, a man who revolutionized television and stood for human rights all over the world. (If you missed both or either try On Demand and NPR.org Weekend Saturday for Simon’s comments including a description/audio of Sammy Davis Jr. kissing Carroll O’Connor’s “Archie Bunker” on the cheek, to call that a breakthrough would be an all-time understatement).
Personally, his great television shows, “Maude,” “The Jeffersons” and “Sanford and Son,” to name three will always resonate with me.
One show, (not so?) arguably the greatest of all shows, “All In The Family” stands out more than any.
My mother, who certainly loved me but unlike most mothers did not compliment all that freely, always cited to those many who listened, that I called “All In The Family” to be great very early, in fact just seeing the promo and certainly after the first episode aired so long early in 1971.
A toilet flushed, race, homosexuality and menopause among many hitherto never discussed topics on television, even elsewhere as the pendulum, which perhaps has swung too far, had not even come close to getting off the bench (Desi and Lucy sleeping in separate beds though married on the show and in real life) was discussed.
Lear was the “king” of it, nobody is Shakespeare, but he was/is an all-timer.
I met/interviewed the fabulous “All In The Family” star, Carroll O’Connor once and compared “All In The Family” to “The Babe” (Ruth) in 1920 or 1921, when he easily out distanced any other A.L. players in home runs.
Mr. O’Connor a great baseball fan as were his “Archie Bunker” and “Bill Gillespie,” (the latter on “In The Heat Of The Night,”), retorted you mean 1927 when Mr. Ruth clouted 60 home runs.
Respectfully, I gave my reason for the comparison as in 1927, another great Lou Gehrig came close to the Babe, swatting 47 homers.
The Ruth of ’21, All In The Family and Norman Lear have nobody even close in homers prowess and breaking new ground on television.
Bye Norman, (my father’s name) and thank you for the many incredible shows (“Good Times,” “One Day At A Time,” not cited above, others) your caring and here’s hoping it does not fall apart, without one as wonderful as you.
The great Norman Lear pictured above.
Tonight on CBS at 8 P.M. Eastern Time, a special tribute show to Norman Lear will be presented.
Mr. Lear’s contribution to television is exponentially important and caused great change, venturing into hitherto topics.
The following from reports:
Just days after the death of legendary TV producer Norman Lear at age 101, the new entertainment special “Norman Lear: A Life on Television” will air on CBS this Friday at 8 p.m., in addition to streaming on Paramount+.
The hourlong special, presented by “Entertainment Tonight,” will feature new interviews with Jimmie Walker of “Good Times” and Mackenzie Phillips of “One Day at a Time,” along with other stars of the comedies Lear created. An interview with Lear and “Entertainment Tonight” host Kevin Frazier to celebrate Lear’s 100th birthday a few years ago will also be featured. In the interview, Lear discussed his lengthy career in depth.
Amidst it all, there is music and Denny Laine, who died days back, too young at age 79, was an integral part of two groups, “The Moody Blues” and “Wings,” whose songs resonate greatly with millions of people, most certainly me.
Denny Laine was an original member of the incredible “Moody Blues,” with the hit song “Go Now,” a memorable hit during Denny’s relatively brief time with the group.
Later, on to “Wings,” with the one and only Paul McCartney, yielding so many great songs/hits “Band On The Run” and “Junior’s Farm” two of the best.
Some baseball related: Yankees broadcaster called the ’74 team, that bid for and fell just short of the O’s in the A.L. East race, The “Band on the Run.”
Next via Yahoo, in tribute to Denny Laine, he also won 30 (actually 31) for the Tigers in ’68. Another “commentator” you add Paul McCartney to get Denny McLain.
I add Ray Lane was one of the Tigers’ broadcasters that season.
Go easy, Denny Laine and thank you, thank you!!
NEW YORK — The sexy Hoops Cabaret Girls invite you to watch UFC 296 featuring Leon Edwards vs Colby Covington on Saturday, December 16th, at Hoops Cabaret and Sports Bar, or come for the After-Party!
The Ultimate Fighting Championship will close out 2023 with one of the most anticipated events of the year, UFC 296. The T-Mobile Arena will host an electrifying night of fights, headlined by a welterweight title clash between champion Leon Edwards and the formidable challenger Colby Covington.
The co-main event promises to keep fans on the edge of their seats as Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royval battle it out for the flyweight title.
The fan-favorite Hoops Cabaret (48 West 33 Street, NYC) is a great place to watch sporting events, with multiple giant screens, Hi-Def TVs, and its futuristic Mega-Tron Video Wall. Every seat has a clear view of the action.
Hoops Cabaret combines the fun of a sports bar with the excitement of a gentlemen’s club. “The UFC is very exciting,” said Hoops girl Brittany. “And so is a lap dance from a Hoops girl!”
Court-side, Mezzanine and VIP seating
Super VIP “Man Cave”
Next door to the world famous Rick’s Cabaret NYC
Here’s another “who but me,” and if there are any errors, please point them out, although I doubt there are, but I surely care.
Last week (so called week 13), there were 8 ‘offs reduxes and in 6, the team that lost the most recent one, defeated the team that had won the most recent ‘offs clash between the two teams.
The (9-3) Detroit Lions beat the (5-7) New Orleans Saints, (5-7) L.A. (Chargers) won (6-0) at (2-10) New England, the latter the first team since the 1938 Chicago Cardinals (since located in St. Louis and now in Arizona) to lose 3 straight tilts, in which they allowed 10 points or fewer, ode to supermarket express lines “10 items or FEWER.
On a Saturday night I saw the late, great Glen Campbell perform in one of his last shows, New Orleans won a 2011 season wild card game at home vs the Lions while in 2018, en route to their sixth and last Brady/Belichick crown, the Pats eased in a slot 3 div round home tilt vs the Chargers.
Two other early Sunday games were Super Bowl reduxes with reverse results of the most recent clash between the teams.
In one, a game twice delayed by inclement weather, the (3-10) Arizona Cardinals upset the (7-5) PIttsburgh Steelers. In the 2008 season Supe, “Pitts” won a close tilt vs the Cardinals, a 6th crown (tied with New England for the most, by the way each team’s half dozen crowns were won in Super Bowls as neither won an “old” NFL or now defunct league AFL title) for the former, denying the latter a first title in then 61 years, a title drought that will reach 76 this season.
While the Miami Dolphins, now (9-3) tied with the Baltimore Ravens for the top AFC mark, after ripping (4-8) Washington, completed a (17-0) season with a Supe win vs Wash after the same calendar ’72 season, ten years later and in the most recent ‘offs clash between the two teams, ’twas Wash the winner and champion for the first of two times in a strike marred NFL season.
In Sunday late afternoon games that were ‘offs reduxes, the “feature” with Burkhardt, was a (9-3) S.F. Niners rout win at the (10-2) Philly Eagles, a reverse result of the also Burkhardt presiding Philly NFC title tilt/NFL “semi” win vs the essentially Purdy/less Niners.
Last week Purdy threw 4 TD passes in the S.F. rout win.
Finally, the (6-6) L.A. Rams beat the (7-5) Browns of Cleveland. In ’50 and in the most recent ‘offs clash between the two teams, in the great Otto Graham’s last game, ’twas Cleveland that won at L.A.
In another title tilt between the two then great teams, a 73 yard Norm VanBrocklin to Tom Fears TD pass was decisive and the last points (save the extra point) in a Rams’ title clinching win.
48 years later, again a 73 yard TD pass, this time from Kurt Warner to Isaac Bruce, were the decisive last points (save the XPoint), in the St. LOuis Rams Supe win vs the Tennessee Titans nee Houston Oilers.
Last Thursday, (9-3) Dallas which had lost a 2006 season wild card game at Seattle when Tony Romo botched a field goal attempt, but had wild card rounded “Sea” in ’18, won at home vs the (6-6) Seahawks.
Sunday night, this time as an underdog, (6-6) Green Bay (Packers), a big “fave” in their (35-10) NFL/AFL Championship Game/Super Bowl 1, again beat the K.C. Chiefs.
As stated I was to be in transit (ode to the letters of transit in Casablanca, however, as often the case, I digress) when the 4 team college pig ‘off field was to be announced.
I said FSU and Mich vs FSU. I was wrong, but could see the shift from those aforementioned “know besters” and always knew it could be ‘Bama.
So first on 1/1/2024 Mich is a very slight “fave” vs Alabama to be followed at night, by Texas a mid-sized favorite(the state certainly is not mid size and will lead in population within the next 20 or so years or so it is forecast) vs Washington and its “Pittsburgh PA” supporter. (Rain here in New York, really bad weather there, causing delays, but they finished and (3-10) ‘Zona upset (7-5) Pitts in a rematch and reverse result of the ’08 season Supe).
Speaking of rain, it is left to right, the great Claude Rains and the “ditto” Humphrey Bogart, in the seminal, awesome film, “Casablanca.”
Sure there is uncertainty and even more so controversy ahead, as hours from now and with me in transit, the four college football ‘offs participants will be named.
Two certain ones are the four time Rose Bowl opponents (’77, ’80,’91 and ’92 seasons–they split the 4 games, the most noteworthy being Wash’s win in ’91-’92 to gain a share of the mythical college crown with Miami Florida, ode to Miami Ohio winning its conference yesterday), (13-0)Michigan and (13-0) Washington.
They almost certainly will rank 1-2, with Michigan now only a slight underdog to win a non shared title (they shared the ’97 season crown with Nebraska, a third win or share for Nebby in 4 seasons and no titles since) for the first time in 75 years.
There is a third (13-0) team and they are Florida State, which won the A.C.C. crown with a (16-6) win vs Louisville last night. They did so with third string, true freshman quarterback Brock Glenn at the so important “quarterback station.”
Based on projections, especially by those who know best (they are not Robert Young/”Jim Anderson” types, not by to use a related term, “a longshot,” but they are smart), FSU will make the ‘off and it appears be #4 ((12-1)Texas is also projected in, likely but far from certainly, as a #3 to clash with “Wash,” leaving out (12-1) Alabama, which fulfilled my prediction that Georgia would not win a third straight crown, however, hail each team, though neither appears to be ‘offs bound. ‘Bama, whose lone loss was to Texas, certainly still has a chance), which if it comes to fruition would manifest in “Mich” being a pretty big “semis” favorite vs the ‘Noles.
Again I will be in transit and will discuss this further in the next day or so.
I could so easily be wrong, but I see “Mich” a pretty big “fave” and likely winner vs Florida State and Texas a relatively small favorite vs Washington and its “Pittsburgh PA” supporter.
Click below to view the original opening of the seminal, heartfelt show, “Father Knows Best,” referenced above.
Sadly another Hodges of Mets renown, (nowhere near Gil and far older), Ron Hodges died too soon last week at age 72.
Gil Hodges died in 1972, three years after guiding the ’69 Mets to an exponentially, improbable crown.
pionsThoughts of Ron Hodges include many big hits as he truly helped the (82-79), 1973 Mets version win the N.L. Pennant before losing in 7 games to repeat Oakland A’s champions, as that franchise won 3 straight crowns (’72-’74).
Ron Hodges, in a video hopefully shown below with both narration and real play by play by the great broadcaster, Bob Murphy, both tagged Rich Zisk at home plate and delivered the game winning single.
The play involving Hodges tagging out Zisk occurred after David Augustine’s T12 drive hit the point of the left field founce, incredibly came to Cleon Jones, who as with Wayne Garrett after, threw perfect relays eventually to Hodges.
Andy B Sports 