Today away from ‘offs notes and the fact on the day after those ‘offs ended, I attended an afternoon performance of Rock & Roll Man, a fantastic show that rightfully gives credit to the long departed (in 1965 at a tragically young age of 43), disc jockey and music pioneer, Alan Freed.
The show features a book by Gary Kupper and in it are performances by really talented singers as the likes of such greats as Little Richard, Chuck Berry and LaVern Baker, among others.
Currently in previews, “Rock & Roll Man” is playing at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).
In the coming weeks, more on this great show that I hope to see at least once more.
It is that good!
Remembering Homer Jones and his great speed, long touchdowns and less than big effort calisthenics, (he did not need them) brings me to good memories, regarding glorious days and people.
Mr. Jones died this week at the age of 82.
Once, he took a 98 yard touchdown pass from Earl Morrall.
Another time, at one point well into an NFL season, he was averaging over 40 yards per reception, a truly astounding feat.
It was fun to watch and on a couple of occasions via the first two Michael Santasieris, (Michael Dante is a third), I saw the Giants and Homer play at Yankee Stadium.
This was such a great treat and as cited here many times, my team was the Cleveland Browns, not the Giants.
Did Homer not quite finish the pre game exercises? Maybe, as it seems it was said.
Oh, could he play and players such as Homer made the sport grow, to its very likely too high popularity and negative, of today.
Yet, for once, I can think back sans guilt, about liking it so much. Players such as Homer Jones make that possible.
Finally, two second half, opening kickoff return touchdowns, each called by Keith Jackson on ABC will hopefully always resonate, as things of beauty in my mind.
In 1974, the great Anthony Davis did so against Notre Dame, the 7th-12th of an incredible 55 straight USC points to (55-24) Notre Dame in late November.
It was over four years earlier, with Jackson in his only year as Monday Night Football lead announcer (with Mr. Cosell there I guess lead is ?–alas Jackson doing play by play) and in the first “packaged” Monday Night tilt, Homer “first named” a touchdown, in an eventual Browns’ (31-21) win vs the New York Jets.
Keep running now Homer, you are among so many greats we have lost, just in recent times, however, know that thoughts and visions of your plays are great keepsakes in the minds of many.
Thank you Homer!
As above, you saw Homer and then he was gone, then for a long touchdown, now to a hopefully better place.
Coming up, not only out of the esoteric notes but out of sports and into a superb show, “Rock N Roll Man,” which does honor and give deserved praise to Alan Freed.
This was the 8th year ending in “3,” with both an NBA and NHL final round entity.
Both eventual 5 games/clinched at home, champions the Denver Nuggets and Las Vegas Golden Knights, by definition, had (3-1) series leads, marking the 6th time in those above referenced possibilities, that a team in such a final, had at least a (3-1) series lead.
It manifested in the first 5 possibilities:
(Canadiens/Minneapolis Lakers in ’53, Maple Leafs/Celtics in ’63, Canadiens/Knicks in ’73, Islanders/76ers in ’83 and Canadiens/Bulls in ’93), not in the next 2, as the Devils took the then Mighty Ducks (as just Ducks, they titled in ’07, another year both eventual champions led at least (3-1) in the final round) in 7 but in a (2-2) series and ditto the Heat in 7, vs the Spurs in 2013.)
Quickly, not easy for ADD me, this was also a 6th time both the NHL and NBA had first time champions.
In half of those cases, the calendar was the same (1989 when the Flames and Pistons copped crowns, 2006 when the Hurricanes and Heat won it all and now this same calendar 2023, as Las Vegas and Denver won their first title).
Two of the other 3, first time champions in both leagues years had the same calendar:
The Spurs and Dallas Stars in ’99 and the Raptors/Blues in 2019 doing the trick and “holy esoteric Batman,” as that makes 3 times out of the 6, first time NBA and NHL championships manifested in years ending in “9.”
In ’91 with super stars, Mr. Jordan and Mario Lemieux as team members, the Chicago Bulls and Pittsburgh Penguins won their first titles.
Looking him up (I refuse to give them “Frigidaire status,” the great, great player, Michael Jordan’s successful but harmful sneakers association and unsuccessful turn as Hornets’ owner are listed before his great basketball career or anything else.
Help!
I would think it is the first time in such history, that first time NHL and NBA title winners clinched said crowns on consecutive days/nights–the Las Vegas Golden Knights, doing so in a devastating (9-3) rout of the Florida Panthers in game 5.
Mark Stone had the three goal “hat trick,” opening with a shorthanded tally, L.V.’s first of these ‘offs, in which they went a stellar (16-6) to capture their first crown.
Jonathan Marchessault won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Certainly Golden Knights’ netminder, Adin Hill, Jake Eichel and Stone (he “barked” at a boosted 15 to 1 to be the first goal scorer but Mark/Pie and Ethan/Stone “stuff!!”) were worthy choices as well.
I suppose many more notes will follow, by including the fact that despite the “run out of gas” final round losses in 5, by the Florida teams, the Heat and Panthers, they were cashed at nice profits for many including a “vulture,” who as is the case with many on this planet, gets pleasure out of other’s failure and maybe even misfortune.
It is the 6th time there are first title winners in both the NHL and NBA in the same year.
The other times were ’89,’91,’99,’06 and 2019.
Cities/areas with a team in both the NBA and NHL final round entity in the same year fell to (5-15).
There has never been a year when both teams from the same city “titled” in those leagues. This is the 5th time both lost while an equal # 5 times, the two same city/area teams split in the final round.
Las Vegas captain, Mark Stone, pictured, a little over a decade back.
The Denver Nuggets won their first NBA title in their 47th and 77th NBA season by posting a (94-89) no cover/all tease win at home vs the Miami Heat in game 5.
Nikola Jokic (28 points and mucho “bulling” inside) was named final round MVP, while 40 years after a Malone, (Moses) led a so often denied Sixers’ team to the “promised land,” the Nuggets got there under a coach named Michael Malone.
A Bruce Brown “sneak in”/ follow put Denver ahead to stay (90-89), while he and before that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, each made a pair of free tosses to account for the final points of the not well played tilt. (some equal time, citing Moses and Pope but alas too much “Catholic School” Breen and certainly too much Peyton “all-time get over” Manning. It would have been far better for me, anyway and Nuggets appropriate if such as David Thompson, Alex English and Dan Issel, among others had been seen).
Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. joined Jokic, Brown and Pope as double figure Denver scorers.
Miami at one point (11-2) straight up and a big betting plus, lost 7 of their last 9 games, including the last 4 played in Miami.
While nowhere near a great team, the Nuggets are a deserving champion, the Western Conference “1” seed and having compiled a superb (16-4) ‘offs record.
I suppose many more notes to follow. A sample not to be found elsewhere is Miami coach Eric Spoelstra, who did win 2 titles now joins Fred Schaus, the L.A. Lakers first coach, who lost in all 4 of his NBA final round coaching appearances (’62,’63, ’65 and ’66) going (9-16), with the record 4 NBA final round coaching defeats. His teams (8-4) in their wins, went/are (6-16 in their losses.
Unofficially, but with research and a why do it, coaches with “s” “S”tarting surnames fell to (4-17) in NBA final round play.
I have “S”chaus, who was the General Manager for the great ’71-’72 title winning Lakers at, as cited (0-4), Spoelstra, also as cited (2-4), with George Senesky (1-0), Bill Sharman (1-2), and Paul “S”eymour (0-1).
Three coaches went (0-2) in such entities, Gene Shue, Jerry Sloan and Byron Scott (he played on 3 Lakers’ title winners, going (3-1) as a player).
Nikola Jokic, a brilliant player, pictured above.
Both Iga Swiatek (her third French Open Women’s crown and she is (4-0) in Grand Slam final matches) and the great Novak Djokovic (his record breaking 23rd Grand Slam title) won French Open Crowns.
Swiatek, who struggled, but won in 3 sets vs Carolina Muchova, and Djokovic who won in straight sets vs Casper Ruud, are almost certainly to be joined by a pair of first time title winners, perhaps completing a 4 consecutive day period of title clinchers.
Tomorrow night, the home team, Denver Nuggets are 9 point and nearly 4 to 1 “faves,” vs the Miami Heat, to win their first title in this their first NBA final round series in their 47 seasons in the league.
On Tuesday night, the 6th year Las Vegas Golden Knights are about 8 to 5 favorites to win their first crown.
Both the Nuggets and Golden Knights have (3-1) final round series leads.
The L.V. opponent, the Florida Panthers are (1-7) in NHL final round games after Chandler Stephenson scored twice and Adin Hill was again stellar in goal, as the Golden Knights won (3-2) last night at Florida to lead (3-1).
Only the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, who actually trailed (3-0), won an NHL final round series in which they trailed (3-1).
36 other teams failed to do so.
It still makes me mad, but I cite the one Adam Silver aided team, the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, that overcame such a deficit in the NBA final round.
In a better place, the incredible talent Pat Cooper, who died days back at age 93, a man I met and with whom I had some great, meaningful conversations, is telling me– whatever “copy and paste,” is– do not worry about it, and thank you remembering me.
There are such good memories and hopefully the recordings and past posts will manifest.
Yet, no matter, they are in my mind!
Pat Cooper driving, pulled next to me driving on the Bronx River Parkway in October ’96 (the Yankees led the Braves 3 games to 2 on their way to their first title in 18 years) asking how to get to a restaurant called Gregory’s, in White Plains, New York.
It was Pat Cooper, I indicated to him “folla” (Ode to Robert Shaw, another great, saying such as a villain in the great film, “The Sting”) and Pat praised me for helping and I had his then 212 675 #.
Mr. Cooper, whose book “How Dare You Say How Dare Me! An Autobiography Of A Life In Comedy,” written by/with Steve Garrin and Rich Herschlag was such a great read,(reviewed here in August 2013) was always open, candid and beyond funny!
Pat advised me, cared about me, and treated a man called “Doctor.” “Dr.” and me to one of his shows plus backstage candor, at Westbury years back.
The “of course not” real Dr. occasionally “scored” with his pretense/lie, but he expressed his night out seeing Pat perform and receiving his hospitality, was better!!
Pat Cooper’s amazing performance on “The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder was groundbreaking, shocking and so great to see.
He called the Chiefs not Kansas City, but Kansas and it was unfortunately more than the 3 years since they won their first Super Bowl title in 50 years, that I communicated with Pat.
It makes me feel good that Pat’s wife Emily Connor, perhaps Conner, (by either name as we say in Italian, having done a “Mitzvah” (Pat would have pulled that attempt at humor off, perhaps by not trying it), took such good care of the man, born Pasquale Caputo, who so often astounded people with his candor, talent, hard work and ability to induce laughter.
A one of a kind brilliant talent, Pat Cooper, pictured above.
Quite possibly, even likely, (roughly it is 8 to 5 that they do) two, I guess greats, (slow it down regarding Jokic, however do not “Mark Jackson it” and leave him off your MVP ballot or some equivalent thereof), Novak Djokovic and Nikola Jokic, he with huge help from Jamal Murray, who he will beat out for final round MVP (does Jackson vote in that?) will win major titles
Mr. Djokovic, in a very rare underdog role, eased by 20 year old Carlos Alcaraz to reach the French Open final round to be played Sunday.
He is a huge favorite, 5 to 1 vs Casper Ruud, to win a record breaking 23rd major title.
The next night, (on a Monday night in ’96, a Colorado team, the Avalanche won at Florida to complete a 4 game NHL final sweep, right now Las Vegas leads the Panthers, in their first final since ’96, 2 games to 1) Jokic and the Nuggets up (3-1) and overwhelming 35 to 1 person to person series “faves,” are 9 point “faves” vs the Miami Heat in #5, to bring Denver their first basketball title.
If they do, unofficially, but I am pretty certain, Denver will join Boston as the only cities to win an NHL and NBA crown in either order, in back to back seasons.
Colorado won last year’s NHL crown with the Avalanche while the Celtics’ 11th title in 13 seasons, secured in 1969, was followed by the Bruins’, (clinching at home in Boston), first NHL crown in 29 years, in 1970.
The Denver Nuggets took a 2 games to 1 lead in the NBA final round, posting a (109-94) win at Miami vs the Heat in game 3 last night.
Denver, the NBA Western Conference one seed had an 8 game better record than the East “*” seed Heat and are now overwhelming say 8 to 1 “faves” to title in this their first final round appearance in 47 NBA seasons. They lost in their lone ABA final.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray were brilliant in a never in doubt, not watched by me, Nuggets win.
Jokic had 32 points and 21 rebounds while Murray led all scorers with 34 points.
Once on I guess you can call it a “blind date,” “she” greeted me with you are “aces” except for your hair.
I “harken” back to that long ago, no longer the case time, not quite back to the ancient days of the word “harken” to cite the Golden Knights tremendous play, winning (5-2) and then (7-2) to lead the Florida Panthers (now (0-6) in final round play) (2-0) in the NHL Final, which resumes Thursday in South Florida, where on an unprecedented 4 straight nights (Wednesday June 7th-Saturday June 10th) an NHL or NBA final round game will be played.
Aces, I cite, as the WNBA Las Vegas Aces are the defending champions and are even $ to repeat, (the New York Liberty, given top players are 8 to 5 or so). More down the road on near 95 to 1 and conceivable 383 to 1 parlays had the Aces who were down significantly this past Sunday at the Indiana Fever, not pulled the game out.
I cite (and will not fight) that Jonathan Marchessault, one of 7 Golden Knights on the first year team that were 5’d in the final by the Washington Capitals, “opened” and had a 2 goals/1 assist night.
Adin Hill continued his fine play in goal for L.V.
Back to the parlay talk and a “plug,” I suppose for a “convenience store” follows.
This was the 35th time in 55 Stanley Cup Final rounds starting in ’68 with expansion that a team took a (2-0) series lead. That is 7/11 and Sunday past the Chi Sky (rhyme) barked at 7 to 1, “outrighting” the Liberty meaning if 11 to 1 “dog” Indiana (Fever) had held off the Aces, that 7/11 parlay (parlays are still sucker bets and the books thrive more because of them than anything else) would have paid 95 to 1.
Throw in the Heat at 3 to 1, who as I wrote here in half baked fashion, I thought would help the network and league by squaring their final round series vs Denver (Nuggets) and that parlay would have paid 383 to 1.
Alas if the queen had ,,,, ….. but Heat/Sky did pay 31 to 1. I do not take parlays but realizing the just cited, sort of rooted vs my 4/44 Indiana bet and not that I “controlled” the result, realize that was/is foolish.
Big Advice: If you do not gamble, please do not start!!
Andy B Sports 