While the Las Vegas Aces won at Seattle (Storm) in game 4 to wrap their semi 3 games to 1, the Connecticut Sun forced a decisive 5th game with a home rout win vs the defending champion Chicago Sky.
That game will be played tomorrow night in Chicago. Remember each of those teams had to win decisive 3rd games on the road despite having the better record in the best of 3 WNBA first round. As it ought to be and essentially has always been, the better record, Sky play at home in the decisive 5th game.
Meanwhile The Aces won by 5 to eliminate Seattle also ending the great career of the Storm’s Sue Bird.
Las Vegas coach, Becky Hammon, pictured above.
Coincidences abounded all day yesterday starting with those cited in the Saturday post(no evening and actually completed in the morning) and a Michigan sticker on a vehicle before the phone yielded a Michigan rout of 31 point underdog, Colorado State.
In watching “Our Miss Brooks,” the movie, the notes indicated Eve Arden and Gale Gordon as cast members.
Gordon’s character is running for office. His opponent, surprised Gordon’s character would challenge him, is none other than Joseph Kearns.
Gordon and Kearns each played “Mr. Wilson” on “Dennis The Menace.”
Also, the young student in need of tutoring in “Brooks” (there is a baseball name, the great Brooks Robinson), played by Nick Adams, is “Gary Nolan”
Nolan was a fine pitcher on some great Cincinnati Reds teams. One such team, the 1970 version made the World Series, but lost in 5 games, as Brooks Robinson put on one of the great performances in W.S. history.
That incredible performance (Bobby Clemente, dead now nearly 50 years, put on another in the next World Series vs Brooks and the Orioles) included a home run vs Gary Nolan scoring the final run of the Orioles (4-3) game 1 win at Cincinnati, on a Yom Kippur Saturday.
Joseph Kearns, pictured above, played Mr. Wilson on Dennis The Menace. After his death, Gale Gordon played another Mr. Wilson, the character’s brother.
Last night, Ajla Tamljanovic advanced to the round of 16, in the women’s U.S. Open Tournament.
She will face Gill Alexander backed (somehow this guy and others similar get great lines, in this case 8:1 just to make the semis. Samsonova is only 8 to 5 to make the semis and is an over 2 to 1 “fave” vs Tamljanovic) Ludmilla Samsanova in that round.
Hopefully, unlike Brady, Ser Williams will keep her word and retire, falling short (so help me as I typed, “fell short” was said on NPR and soon after “stocks fell”) of the record for women’s so called “Grand Slam” tournament wins.
Again I paid, Beano would have truly chastised me, as Williams, to her credit won as an underdog, before losing as a fave. Beano told me over and over again, “you have to be willing to lose.”
So many times I paid and Williams lost as a fave, (she did not win another such tournament once I started anti-ing).
Sure, I wonder why I would do this, however when she/Williams referred to herself as third person Serena, at least a reason to dislike her manifests (what an ego she has, alas many sports great have such).
I firmly stand vs the hype, which led by S.A. Smith and the monolith, ESPN, was by any standard, beyond excessive, triggering such emotions in those of us who dislike Williams and really can not stand the hype.
Ludmilla Samsonova, pictured above.
You have to trust me and this can almost be verified. As I continued, essentially “venting,” the NPR Weekend Edition in its local phase was to look back at Williams career. Of course, as is my right, I will shut it off.
However, before I do the next piece involves a reporter named Steven (Spelling?) Smith, evoking the dreaded, aforementioned S.A. Smith.
G-d is trying to tell me something and I will try to move forward and away from this.
Yesterday, among other things, marked the 91 year anniversary of college football expert, Beano Cook’s birth.
Some comments germane to Beano, as the tenth full college football season without him on earth, moves into full swing tomorrow.
On the anniversary of Beano’s birth, two teams he was so emotionally involved with (Pro Pittsburgh, anti Penn State) scored victories more or less “on the number.” I can hear Beano saying he grades his picks, based on the U.S.A. Today line.
Surely Beano would be taking another team he did not like, Notre Dame, as they are getting a generous 17 plus points in tomorrow night’s tilt at Ohio State. I will predict the way Beano would have–Ohio State 28 Notre Dame 18.
Beano also would have talked about one of college football’s greatest games in which 18 points was enough for a Notre Dame victory at Ohio State (18-13) in 1935.
Notre Dame won again the next year, however Ohio State has won the other 4 tilts vs Notre Dame all since 1995, two in the Fiesta Bowl. I believe they also “covered” in all 4 of those wins.
Hopefully, tomorrow night will be what Beano likened to a woman “liking” him and also paying for dinner, as would be the case if Ohio State wins by 17 points or less.
The program from Notre Dame at Ohio State in 1935.
First off, and this is aimed at you Tom Brady, are we sure that Williams is retiring?
Next like her or not, one must on one side, acknowledge her great career and on the other, her repeated failures in the last few years.
I add her behavior after two major tournament losses, the way she was “machined” to greatness, certainly of the monetary kind and thus as is my right, root against her.
She has already made a “run,” is a 3 to 2 “fave” in her next match (win it and I will “shout” your name, that to her opponent).
Some day God/G-d will ask me why I always seem to go vs the prevailing sentiment?
I will answer he/she or it, thusly (a fitting word), what is right is not always popular and what is popular is not only not always right, but often not right.
How else dear G-d, would you explain Stephen A. Smith’s (he who has a front row seat on the Williams bandwagon) rise from eating tuna? sandwiches for dinner (alas there are people with far less than that) to virtual royalty?!
Ms. Williams first name, perhaps rudely not noted above, is Serena.
While again, my opinion, her behavior after at least two major tournament losses, was/is not as bad as that of the “Serena” character on Bewitched pictured above, it constituted very poor sportsmanship.
Below a paragraph regarding the quote “what is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular.”
If what is popular isn’t always right and what is right isn’t always popular, then we shouldn’t, Einstein is saying, derive our ethics from following what everyone else is doing. We have to look into our own hearts and minds and evaluate for ourselves if a course of action is morally right. We can’t rely on the crowd.
The lower seeded Connecticut Sun and Seattle Storm seek second straight road wins vs the Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces respectively, as second round WNBA action continues tonight after two off days with no venue change.
Both the Sun and Storm won road openers in the best of 5 WNBA semis, which have a 2-2-1 format.
In first round play both the Sun and Sky had to win decisive road game 3’s to advance. Each did so in decisive fashion, the defending champion Sky at the Liberty and the Sun doing so at Dallas vs the Wings.
The Storm and Aces each won their opening round series by winning two straight home games. The Storm, afforded home advantage, beat the same record, Washington Mystics while Las Vegas, 11 ahead in the 40 game “reg,” beat the Phoenix Mercury.
Last night the Baltimore Ravens (-5) won (17-15) vs Wash to extend their exhibition game win skein to 23, 4 more than the previous record set by Green Bay (Packers) from )1959-1962).
Why win these games and why does Ravens’ coach John Harbaugh “cliche it” in regard to the positive in winning such tilts.
Last year in the record setting game, Dobbins a fine Ravens running back was injured, last night another player, not to mention mascot Poe, who left the field.
The Pack won 2 NFL crowns and played in 3 NFL title games in the span of their streak, Baltimore has yet to play in one during this streak.
Looking ahead, I almost pick the Ravens in their “div,” by a process of elimination (I do not see good things ahead for the others, especially Cincy which was “held” back from a title last season.
“Wash” on the other hand, will surprise and improve, perhaps a great deal.
Certainly the 5/10 year title anniversary “thing”/karma is there as the franchise won titles 85 and 80 years ago led by the great Sammy Baugh and also were crowned NFL champions in strike marred 1982 and 1987 seasons under Joe Gibbs. You do the math.
I posted the post below last year at this approximate time.
Some Thoughts On The Ravens Winning 20 Straight Exhibition Tilts
Poe Park, named for poet Edgar Allen Poe, located in Bronx, New York and pictured above.
A tremendous titles (the “all the way” ’62 AFL and ’69 season Super Bowl) winning quarterback and truly good man, Len Dawson, died days back at age 87.
The memories, so many good ones flow.
Nothing would shock, even surprise me about corruption in football, however it was another Dawson and not Leonard as Coach Stram addressed him in congratulatory fashion after KC (plus 11) (23-7) vs Minnesota (Vikings) in the 4th one.
Len Dawson had endured the cloud all week, the hype then as now.
Anyway, that was his greatest moment he combining with the great, (still inexplicably not in the football “Hall,”) Otis Taylor, for the wrap up touchdown play as the Chiefs made it two straight for the the 10 year old AFL (Jets plus 18–(16-7) vs the Baltimore Colts the year before), justifying? the merger, which though certainly Dawson and K.C. and the no title until ’76 Raiders did-I do not know about the rest, injuries to Joe Namath, the Jets quarterback a factor).
The franchise was still in Dallas as the Texans when they won in the second overtime vs the two time AFL champion Houston Oilers in 1962. Then in the AFL’s 4th season, fateful 1963, they became the Kansas City Chiefs.
They lost (35-10) to Green Bay in the first Supe, as cited bounced back to win the 4th and their last real glory with Len, Otis and that great defense was in defeat in a great Christmas Day/Slot 2, double overtime game vs Miami (Dolphins).
There was Len’s consecutive pass completion streak, his great statistical ranking, his days as a commentator and other.
I choose an iconic photo of Len at the half of that first Supe, before it was called the Super Bowl and with K.C. only down (14-10).
More important, Len Dawson, a true gentleman, came over and talked about Marty Glickman as I had journeyed to Chiefs at Jets, for the purpose of a tribute to Marty show, in 1992.
The hole or as ’69 season/Chiefs title winning coach, Henry “Hank” Stram called it “the soup,” we are in, needs a Len Dawson pass play or two and maybe from above, where he always stood, Len “The Cool” Dawson can provide. (Alas do not hold your breath.)
Yes, do mot hold your breath, but recall Len to Glouster Richardson to get out of the hole in route to (13-6) vs the defending champion Jets and to Otis Taylor (likely Otis was out of bounds) in the last AFL title game win at the Oakland Raiders. Then the Supe win, NFL Films and the “mic’d” Mr. Stram.
Another alas: “Where’s Bobby Stein?” and where did it all go?! Have a cigarette and a Fresca Len, they can not hurt you now.
Maybe at that 1970 point in time the AFL had not yet “caught up,” but oh did they ever in 2 straight AFL/NFL title clashes.
Joe Namath and Len Dawson combined for only 1 touchdown pass, (that to the great, still not in the football “Hall,” Otis Taylor and 3 offensive TD’s (Jim Turner and Jan Stenerud in consecutive years each booted 3 field goals and the Jets and Chiefs defense held the Colts and Vikings to just one touchdown), but oh the cool and efficiency of each in those great victories.
Click below Len to Otis with some John Facenda narration and Chiefs’ network words.
Hoops Cabaret in New York City (48 West 33rd Street), featuring dozens of sexy Hoops exotic dancers, and hailed as “the world’s sexiest sports bar,” will show the Premier Boxing Champions Heavyweight Showdown event on Sunday, Sept 4.
Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr and Luis “King Kong” Ortiz will headline the card from the Los Angeles Crypto.com Arena.
Ruiz (34-2, 22 KO) last fought in May 2021, beating Chris Arreola in a 12-round battle.
Ortiz (33-2, 28 KO) kicked off this year with a win over Charles Martin, stopping him in the sixth round.
At Hoops Cabaret, fans can view the exciting bouts on the club’s giant Mega-Tron Video Wall and numerous HD TVs and flat screens, giving every seat a clear view of all the action.
Hoops Cabaret combines the fun of a sports bar with the excitement of a gentlemen’s club. Be sure to check out the beautiful Hoops Girls on stage and visit the club’s VIP Man Cave. There are also food and drink specials.
HOOPS CABARET ***Beautiful Entertainers ***Court-side, Mezzanine and VIP seating ***VIP “Man Cave” ***Next door to the world famous Rick’s Cabaret NYC
In the most recent series, there were two World Series rematches and four in which the teams playing had met in an LCS.
Most notable the only two franchises to lose World Series in 3 straight seasons, the Giants and Tigers met in a redux of the 2012 World Series won by the Giants in 4 straight games, just before a major hurricane struck this area.
The Tigers lost in World Series play in 1907, 1908 and 1909. Only two years passed and the Giants lost World Series from (1911-1913). The Cubs (1907 and 1908) and Philadelphia A’s (1911 and 1913) won two each from the Tigers and Giants respectively. The other crowns went to the Pirates and Honus Wagner vs Ty Cobb and the Tigers in 1909 and to the Red Sox in an incredible 1912 entity vs the Giants.
It was a redux of the 2000 World Series won by the Yankees vs the Mets while in LCS rematches, ’twas Baltimore (Orioles) vs the White Sox, the Braves vs the Pirates, the Dodgers/Brewers and Reds/Phillies.
The Orioles in ’83 and Reds in ’76 won best of 5 LCS in 4 and 3 straight games respectively in route to the title.
In both ’91 and ’92 after beating the Pirates in a full 7 game LCS, the latter on Francisco Cabrera’s 2 run hit, the Braves lost World Series to the Twins and Blue Jays.
Meanwhile, after winning at Milwaukee in a game 7 of the 2018 NLCS that the Fox Network did not deem worthy of an over the air telecast, the Red Sox 5’d the Dodgers in the World Series.
The great Honus Wagner, pictured above.
Andy B Sports 