There will be two reasonably low odds final round matches in the 2023 U.S. Open Tennis event.
One is really considered a toss up (ode to game shows or show that had “toss up” questions, just can not quite remember which), that being today’s women’s final, with Aryna Sabalenka just (-130) vs Coco Gauff.
Tomorrow’s men’s final was expected to be about the same odds with Novak Djokovic a slight “fave” vs Carlos Alcaraz, however, it will be Daniil Medvedev, whose lone Grand Slam win was vs Djokovic, in the 23 time “Slam” winner’s last U.S. Open, in 2021.
That result denied Djokovic the “calendar” grand slam.
Djokovic, to be the world’s top ranked player, no matter tomorrow’s result, is over a 2 to 1 favorite.
Daniil Medvedev, pictured above.
1978, 1995 and this year 2023 have the same calendar.
Oh am I subjective concerning those previous baseball seasons, especially those of the Yankees.
I skip that, these 45 years later as on September 7, 1978, another Thursday, the Yankees began a 4 game series at Boston vs the first place Red Sox, trailing them by four games, in a win the one quarter division or go home situation that sadly is no longer and produced an incredible finish, one whose “pain” still resonates, but indeed a true, great baseball moment, as the Yankees held on (5-4) in a one game ‘off for the ’78 A.L. East title.
A 4 game sweep in the aforementioned 4 game series that began exactly 45 years ago tonight, catapulted the Yankees.
The Yankees went on to win a second straight and 22nd World Series crown.
Dare I write, Burleson 3rd, Remy first and Yaz up. If only he did what Edgar Martinez did 17 years and 6 days later in same calendar 1995 , namely “tune” runners Cora and Griffey Jr. to “last at bat,” the Yankees and advance to the ALCS, only to be 6’d by Cleveland.
That preceded 4 Yankees’ crowns in the next 5 seasons under their unappreciated manager Joe Torre.
2023’s Yankees story is they are but one game over .500, (going (8-1) in their last 9 games) behind 3 teams for one of 3 wild card spots (three too many!!), and six plus games from qualification.
Talk about not appreciated, Roy White, pictured above, was an integral part of the Yankees’ remarkable run to the ’78 crown.
He was a fine player and is a classy gentleman.
As the 2023 pro football season is about to commence and with still little to say about “12 teams in the ‘offs”/tournament, I will cite some baseball notes, largely concerning 3 players and their 1962 seasons.
A truly great player, Tommy Davis entered play on Saturday August 25,1962, a Saturday game at the Polo Grounds vs the Mets with an astounding 122 RBI’s.
Davis finished the 165 game season (the Giants won a playoff vs L.A. for the pennant) with 153 RBI’s, an even more astounding total.
Maury Wills started that day with 69 stolen bases. Ralph (I call him “King Kong”) Kiner imparted that Maury was 12 shy of Bob Bescher’s N.L. stolen base mark.
Wills swiped a record breaking 104 bases in 1962, breaking Ty Cobb’s record of 96.
Subsequently, both Lou Brock and then Rickey Henderson, set single season stolen base marks.
Finally, the Mets’ Frank Thomas had 29 home runs beginning that day.
He ended up swatting 34 in that inaugural Mets season.
The great player, Lou Brock, pictured above, had a memorable 1962 Polo Grounds day.
On June 17, 1962, he hit one of the longest homers in Polo Grounds history.
I am not against Deion Sanders, who in addition to great football player prowess, was a good baseball player and contributed to at least one Atlanta Braves’ pennant winning teams.
However, the unabashed Colorado hype (bad enough from Gus Johnson but also by Jenny Taft, promoting Fox being at Colorado, bet (plus 7 to -3) next Saturday vs Nebraska–(I correctly had “Neb” to cover, though in defeat vs Minnesota) even after “barking” as a 3 TD “dog,” vs last year’s second place team, Texas Christian University, is hard to take.
I had Colorado “small,” (I learned the hard way, I do win “small” seemingly never “big”) and hesitate to “take” with Nebby, however, do know the hype for Colorado is too much!!
By the way, again credit Sanders, certainly his son, Shedeur Sanders, who threw for over 500 yards and did he say or reference what (different meaning) he excelled doing as a player?
Hint: He was a defensive back, later playing both offense and defense.
1971 Final Football Polls | College Poll Archive
1971 Final AP Football Poll. Conference …
- RANKRANKTEAM (FPV)CONF11Nebraska (55)Big 823OklahomaBig 837ColoradoBig 8
In ’71 the now extinct Big 8 Conference finished 1,2, 3 in the final college “pig” poll, the 1 and 3 teams then but nowhere near now, meeting this week.
Truly sad news on this the “in between day,” 84 years later of the invasion of Poland and the actual start of a second world war, as the great performer Jimmy Buffett has died, far too young (as the great Elton John remarked), at age 76.
I am not a “blender” guy, however, a post regarding a great New Year’s Eve Show I saw, so “naturally alone” (ode to Gilbert O. Sullivan, Karen Carpenter and Eric Carmen among others) with Mr. Buffett and opening performer, Huey Lewis is posted below.
The best tribute is his music and hopefully Jimmy’s iconic “Margaritaville” will play, resonate and lift our spirits.
Here’s hoping!
Jimmy Buffett preceded by Huey Lewis and the News put on a great New Year’s Eve show on January 2, 2016
NEW YORK — The sexy Hoops Cabaret Girls invite you to watch UFC 293 featuring Israel Adesanya vs Sean Strickland, with them on Saturday night, September 9th.
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will defend his crown against challenger Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 293. After regaining his title with a satisfying knockout of Alex Pereira in April, New Zealand’s Adesanya now sets his sights on Strickland, who has won eight of his last ten bouts on the way to the biggest fight of his career.
The fan-favorite Hoops Cabaret 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. “We love the UFC,” said Hoops girl Corinna. “And we also love performing on stage and up close and personal for you. Hoops is like a sports fan’s dream come to life!”
Highly recommended.
HOOPS Cabaret and Sports Bar 48 West 33 Street New York City
- ***Court-side, Mezzanine and VIP seating
- ***Super VIP “Man Cave”
- ***Full Menu, Drink Specials
- ***Next door to the world famous Rick’s Cabaret NYC
Very rarely if ever, unlike so many with platforms, will I make a pretty extreme, far from certain statement here.
I make one here, knowing the odds in favor of it happening are less than 3 to 1 in favor.
Three is operative as I strongly predict two time national college football champion, Georgia will NOT become the first team in the modern era to win 3 straight college football crowns.
Also Minnesota, supposedly the only team to win three straight titles, all unofficial as even most from ’36 until at least ’97 were, to win 3 straight titles will not cover vs Nebraska, a team/university that won back to back titles in ’70 and ’71 and 2 in 3 seasons (’95 and ’97).
In tonight’s tilt Minne a TD “fave” will be lucky to win, no less “cover.”
Georgia is still really good, the “Pre” #1, however, somehow, some way, I will opine they will not win a third straight college football crown.
The great Johnny Lujack, pictured above, the 1947 Heisman winner and a member of 3 unofficial Notre Dame national title teams (1943, 1946 and 1947).
Today marks the exact 56th anniversary of the famed last episode of “The Fugitive,” which aired on Tuesday August 29, 1967.
I seem to remember Cosmo Santullo, soon to be/already, a standout scholar/athlete, talking about the upcoming episode on that day.
At the time, as with much that was/is popular, I did not join, but have seen the superb episode and most series episodes many times in the years since.
Years pass, with memories of good quality, even seminal shows helping.
“The Fugitive,” as a series and that great last episode, still one of the highest rated both quantitatively and qualitatively, stands as a fine example of such work.
The great William Conrad, actually as radio’s “Matt Dillon” (a fine interview with TV’s “Matt,” James Arness was thoroughly enjoyable viewing/listening in recent days) is pictured above.
He, as “The Fugitive” narrator intoned “August 29th, the day the running stopped,” airing “exactly” 56 years ago today.
In 86 days, sixty years will have transpired since “someone,somehow” killed the U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
Today is the 60th anniversary of a much happier and great event, the civil rights march in Washington D.C. that featured a stirring speech, by the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King.
Years back, maybe ten already, on the 50th anniversary of the march, I was the first caller on C-Span after that network showed ceremonies commemorating the march.
Among other things, I noted progress had been made, but there is much more needed.
It probably got worse in these ten years.
At best, cue Bob Seger’s “Still The Same.”
I cite Mr. O’Connor, not as “Archie Bunker,” but as Bill Gillespie on “In The Heat Of The Night,” saying the bigotry will not stop until they colonize the moon and only then, if it is not populated by too many, if any “good ol boys.”
Associated Press reporter, Charles Fields recalls the day.
A (23-12) score (it was the Chargers “under-ing” the Niners as TD “dogs”–I know it is exhibition, but rather it– than 12 teams in the tournament baseball. Will get to baseball soon enough), evokes the 1965 NFL Title Game win by Green Bay (Packers), at home, vs the Cleveland Browns, in the great Jim Brown’s last game that really mattered. (He played in the subsequent Pro Bowl).
20/Twenty Three college “pig” begins today with pro commencing essentially in two weeks.
It is a season after the death of Jim Brown and at a time some sit eating chicken and rice, while so many gamble on NFL and college games.
In that ’65 title tilt, Paul Hornung, a true great, who as Jim did once, scored 5 touchdowns in a game (Gale Sayers in the Wrigley Field mud scored 6, on the same day late in the ’65 “reg”—you see I once loved this) sloshed through the muck and scored a key touchdown, called by the great broadcaster, Ted Moore.
Mr. Moore said it evoked “the days of yore.”
As IT starts today, those “days of yore” still resonate, but not enough for me to “mainline,” even watch this stuff.
I have said it before, if I can do it, so can you.
P.S. Some of IT, will cost you extra $$$–the latter what the NFL, Bronxville and its resident the NFL czar, Goodell are all about.
Above the great broadcaster, Ted Moore is pictured. The coat similar to one Coach Lombardi wore, does evoke, as Moore called it, “the days of yore.”
Andy B Sports 