“Stone” said it best as I walked after the excellent show “Paradise Square,” when I informed him that I thought Saint Peter’s had shocked Kentucky, which they had–as intermission ended it looked like (85-79) Saint Peter’s in OT and it was–asking had Elnardo Webster, a St. Peter’s star 50 plus years ago, been given more playing eligibility.
As good a win as it was for 15 seed, Saint Peter’s, it was a higher level bad loss for “Ken,” and its over rated, under achieving coach, John Calipari.
Elsewhere 2021 finalists and 2022 one seeds, defending champion, Baylor and runner up Gonzaga won, the former covering, the latter not doing so.
I watched none save a second around Twilight Zone (“Leather Jackets,” another commentary on the sad fact humans so often hate and wage war time, 12:35 A.M. Eastern Time) seeing the eventual Murray State (menos 2 plus) 5 point overtime win vs the Dons of San Francisco (ode to Bill Russell, K.C. Jones and Phil Woolpert as the Dons titled in both ’55 and ’56) was still going.
| 1954–55 | San Francisco | 28–1 | 12–0 | 1st | NCAA Champion |
| 1955–56 | San Francisco | 29–0 | 14–0 | 1st | NCAA Champion |
It was going well, until the call. He found “something” and 900 dollars later, it hurts, is unfair but alas, that is life with a car as a necessity. It could be worse, but even idealistic me, gets little comfort from that for now.
On April 17, 1966, the great broadcaster Bob Murphy notes Ed Mathews and Wes Westrum are meeting, along with the umpires, at home plate.
Ed, Westrum and umpire Augie Donatelli graced the first Sports Illustrated cover in 1954.
Later or was it before, on'”Hitch” Presents,’ Martin Landau, another superb actor, is a lawyer named Ned.
William Hurt, who deserves far more uninterrupted tribute than given here yesterday, was great as a lawyer named “Ned,” in Body Heat.
Another attorney called back, he knew about Bradley, who clearly preferred Brad.
What a day, today is another.
The great Ed Mathews, who started April 17, 1964 with 464 home runs a record for third sackers, is batting.
Wes Westrum of the eventual title winning New York Giants, is the catcher, while Augie Donatelli is calling balls and strikes, among other umpiring duties.
They are above on the first Sports Illustrated cover (August 1954) and hopefully in a better place.
Surely it “hurts” (pun intended) that while others flourish and the greedy, albeit great Brady “Toms” back to pig, (a link to William Hurt is that in “The Big Chill,” their college was Michigan, also Brady’s) that William Hurt, an excellent actor, died days back, too soon at age 71.
His performances in “Chill,” and the apples/oranges winning one opposite another great, Raul Julia (he really died too soon) in “Kiss of the Spiderwoman,” were clearly great and consensus noted, however, it is in “Body Heat,” opposite Kathleen Turner and I cite Richard Crenna and an “exploded on the scene,” Mickey Rourke, that Hurt truly moved me.
I still face it, but you, Mr. Hurt, in many performances provided that “hat” for when the “you know what”/b.s./the (dis) likes of some ascending, and other “you know what” comes down too heavy.
Hopefully above, you can view, rant and maybe help. Surely the great work you left us does help, if only there was more of it, help I mean.
William Hurt, an excellent actor, pictured above.
Six all time baseball greats were starters in the outfield in the ’57 All Star tilt played in St. Louis.
Moving left to right, for the visiting American League–Ted Williams in left, Mickey Mantle in center and Al Kaline in right.
Frank Robinson, Willie Mays and Henry Aaron were the outfielders (left to right) for the National League.
The top of the first inning and beginning of its bottom were plays on which first Willie (Mays) and then Mickey (Mantle) ran down relatively routine, but well hit drives.
The great Mickey Mantle, pictured above.
So many, who the week before spoke out, rightfully so, how the players do not care anywhere near as much as the fans, will “sheep march” back to the parks, television sets and the other devices that run things these dark days and embrace an entity, big league baseball, which once great, has disappointed me in exponential fashion.
They knew to “out of nowhere” (breaking news is almost never good) settle now, as their horrible changes, which eliminated its best feature, namely a true pennant race and other more ridiculous, but not as harmful changes, did not help its image.
Those kids today, (that has been said for years), not given the gift of radio talents and technique or daytime World Series games, do not “flock” (ode to the Brooklyn Dodgers, a team, before my time, but oh the passion they and other past baseball teams elicited) to baseball.
I despise the hypocrisy of gambling promotion, denying Pete (Rose) a place in the Hall and most of all, the wild card presence.
In the process, they have cheapened the “true test,” long regular season and now apparently have added more playoff teams and games.
Maybe, likely, they do not care, but the fact I, who once loved baseball so much, is so unhappy they will play, is something that ought to make them stop and ponder.
They will not. The machinery grinds on and with it, real baseball and its glory is “rear view mirrored,” at an alarming rate.
Two days back, ‘exactly’ (it seems say ‘The Sting,’ (finally airing again on TCM, March 18th–do not have the time), is written such, not with quotes, as I have done so many times here) 28 years after the March 8-9, 1994, when in the early hours of the later day, my father died, I sat in my car in “monster” traffic, roughly 11 P.M. on the F.D.R. Drive.
Some reflections follow:
It was about that time I got home that night 28 years earlier and saw the note indicating my mother, who did not drive, had taken my father to the hospital. He did not come home, dying there, hours later.
“I am not chasing you” were his last words to me, not terrible, but certainly not I love you. It was a complicated relationship, (are not most, if not all such?!!) however, surely, he would be proud that I am more like him (i.e. charitable and truly giving, even idealistic, for example when he winced in emotional pain regarding the horrors that permeate local news I scoffed, but now I can not even bear to listen) than he noticed while on earth.
Next and in sum up, as I told a homeless man, perhaps in lieu of “forking over” legal tender, go to your family, especially your parents and both sew and reap the good that can and will come of having one. Adjust, perhaps compromise, without “selling out,” your thinking.
I am not “chasing you,” but on to a good deed, although not necessarily good for me. Oh how I wish I had Dad’s thoughts on that and other matters. He was a good man.
This is not 1963 or 1946 when it was far less (how about exponentially less?!!) hypocritical of the NFL to take action (pun maybe intended) against one of its players regarding the ever hanging subject of gambling on league tilts.
Both Frank Filchock and Merle Hapes were suspended in 1946, the latter not allowed to play, as he, unlike Filchock did not report the alleged bribe regarding the ’46 title tilt won and I think covered (maybe on the #), by a great Chicago Bears’ team, vs the New York Giants.
In ’63 both Paul Hornung and Alex Karras, each an outstanding player, were suspended for one year as is the case with Calvin Ridley now, for betting on NFL games, none involving their own team, in Paul’s case the Green Bay Packers and in Alex’s case “Webster,” no the Detroit Lions. (Did not realize the Alex Webster result. See I once loved football.)
Now at a time the NFL shamelessly promotes gambling during its broadcasts, Ridley, while inactive with no conspiracy and frankly in “sucker” fashion, made some multi team parlay wagers.
This can not or at least per the advice of a few good people in my life ought not to be my catharsis, however the sight of NFL czar Roger Goodell sitting at ‘offs games, the last 7, a lucky for him, (6 decided by 3 points, the other an over rated, but great 6 point overtime game), is another example of good happening in favor of bad, which mathematics and life teach is NEGATIVE/BAD!!
So is the hypocrisy of suspending Ridley, certainly for that length of time!!
I certainly am not a knives person. They rank low, but unlike guns, have some non violent use.
Thus I am “Ok,” citing two references.
As cited by the great actor Peter O’Toole in a TCM segment, talking about the seminal David Lean directed film “Lawrence of Arabia,” his character, Mr. Lawrence, newly attired in a white robe and sans mirror in the desert, looks at himself “via” the blade of his knife. Lean asked for improvisation and O’Toole delivered it.
Recently we lost a great performer,”Meatloaf,” born Marvin Lee Aday.
In a so meaningful “Paradise By The Dashboard Lights” hit by “Meatloaf,” the lucky, eventually unlucky couple, are “glowing like the metal on the edge of a KNIFE.”
It is only to contrast the hype that accompanies two publicized, virtually meaningless games played last night that I briefly enter regular season basketball.
Who did not know the 6 point underdog Lakers would at least play well at home vs the Warriors?! I guess in the standings, which this year, thus far I really have not looked, L.A. needs to win just to make the ‘offs (maybe not).
As far as North Carolina a 12 point u/dog easing outright vs Duke, let’s just say Duke gets good intangibles from the loss.
Andy B Sports 