I noticed Ray Knight at third base for the 1979 Cincy Reds, in their eventual 3 straight games loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS. (The Bucs/Pirates went on to win it all in ’79, but have not been to a World Series in the 42 completed seasons since–unfair money/money baseball, yes you, trying to “buy it,” Steve Cohen, means “Pitts” has virtually no chance this season or for the foreseeable future).
The Reds manager was John McNamara, who later managed the ’86 Red Sox in a World Series vs Series MVP, Ray Knight and the Mets.
In ’79 Knight and McNamara together lost the first two games of the then best of 5 NLCS at home and were, as cited above, swept out in 3 straight games.
In ’86 though Knight and the Mets lost games 1 and 2 at home, they 7’d the Red Sox and McNamara (all that entails, all that history, my emotions and inclinations then and now et al) and won the crown.
Click above to view “Sister Sledge” perform “We Are Family,” which became an inspirational song for the ’79 Pirates, as they went on to win the World Series.
It is the overwhelming hype surrounding Tiger Woods, not Woods himself that irks me so.
However, pun intended, that is “par for today’s course.” Alas at least slightly over par.
I knew how good Woods was when he hit an incredible shot in the ’98? British Open, but did not win, vs Mr. O’Meara.
Both referenced and pictured above is Mark O’Meara
It was a tournie of missed opportunities for me. I told “Stone,” it would be Kansas gaining “revenge” vs N.C. 65 years later, however antis/antis/ yielded loss rather than gain.
I was truly screwed, as Gill Alexander also stated, regarding Ochai Agbaji being named the Most Outstanding Player, rather than David McCormack, who clearly deserved the honor. Agbaji was even money, David “Mc” a non cashed 9 to 1, before the title tilt.
Alexander, usually very competent, even very good and certainly intelligent, might have known McCormack’s first name is David and not Robert. Yet that proved too much for him!!
South Carolina, given short shrift here, won their second Women’s basketball crown, both under Kim Staley, the other being in 2017, as they KO’d all Connecticut weases, (-4) winning by 15.
Destanni Henderson led the Gamecocks with 26 points in the title game. Ms. Boston, the much heralded, Ms. Boston had 11 points and 16 rebounds.
Bill Self also won a second coaching crown, as he guided Kansas to a 4th (legendary Phog Allen and Larry Brown coached the other two) title.
He avoids big criticism and being lumped with “only one title, so often “blowing it,” as was the case this year for his Kentucky vs St. Peter’s,” which truly opened the bracket, John Calipari.
Self’s ’08 Kansas title team was down 9 points (he told his players that at “el” half the other night) with less than 3 minutes to play, but overcame Memphis, coached by Calipari and led by “never having won,” Derrick Rose, who surely missed key free throws.
Two nights back, Self’s team overcame a 15 point halftime deficit vs Hubert Davis (what a joke that coaches talk with vapid, so called sideline reporters DURING the game. Davis was so exuberant and even cocky in that “interview,” however, the combination of “mush me” and the bad karma of exacerbating the pain real fans feel seeing the (dis)likes of Tracey Wolfson do these in game interviews “GOT” Davis and the Heels. Also “Heels” are Nantz and Raftery for cheering such stuff on) and N.C.
Tommy, the great Tommy Davis, who died Sunday night past, at age 83 (look at ’62, look at his clutch play) was standing with Steve Yeager at an L.A. event late in 1992, when I interviewed him and among other things, mentioned a Sunday afternoon game in 1976.
Davis was with the Angels late in his career and in the tilt, the Angels led the eventual A.L. Pennant winning Yankees (8-0).
Howie “Schtunk” had a 40 time/200 dollar bet on the Angels and was in a swimming pool as the lead dissipated. I did not really care as the Yankees had a big A.L. East lead and none of us watched while at my grandmother’s place. Yet we knew the Angels had a big lead.
I recall my father having pulled the car around and tuned in to the game citing what happened. Somehow it was Top 10, a runner on second (earned by the way, NOT put there!) and Tommy was up. I boldly said he would deliver (as I typed this, “deliver” was said on what I was listening to) and he did!
In Vero Beach, Sandy Koufax was walking away when I told him, if Tommy had not broken his ankle in ’65, he would have made the Hall of Fame. Sandy agreed regarding his fellow Brooklyn born, Dodgers teammate.
As is, Tommy belongs there before such non clutch players as Biggio, Bagwell, Dawson and especially Dave “Cadillac” Winfield. I do not care about compiled stats, who do you “want up,” among the quintet?!
You know what they say about opinions, however I strongly opine, I want Tommy.
Luckily for the ’74 Orioles and unlucky for a likable Yankees team that season, former Yankees’ manager Ralph Houk, then “mgr’ing” Detroit did not heed that. He elected to pitch to Tommy, 2nd and third two out, O’s down a run on Kol Nidre night down the deep stretch, in a great A.L. East race.
Through the crackling, I heard, I believe, Bill O’Donnell, a great broadcaster and acquaintance of Lenny Nadel, call it and then came the calls from acquaintances, Jewish and not, /Yankees fans, who would never have pitched to Tommy.
1962 was an incredible year overall and certainly in baseball, (by the way get David Krell’s great book regarding 1962) in which Maury Wills stole a then record 104 bases and Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda also had great years, as the Giants overcame the Dodgers to win the N.L.
That season, Tommy Davis won the first of 2 straight batting titles “baking–(Dusty Baker is #12 because Tommy was his player growing up) .346 with 230 hits and an incredible 153 runs batted in, with just 27 home runs. In short, a phenomenal year!!
In ’63 Davis hit .400 in the World Series as the Dodgers swept the two time champion, Yankees.
Life goes on, this is yet another blow, as was “leaving $ on the table during a bad “tournie”–(by the way Dick Schaap on my “Tribute to Marty Glickman Show,” also in December ’92, said Tommy Davis was as good a basketball player as any, during a great era of such, in New York City), yet my recollections of Tommy (he did not remember the ’76 game) will always resonate. They better!!
Click below for a past post on the two Willie and Tommy Davises, who sadly all are gone (not forgotten) now.
andybsports.com › 2015/03/04 › tommy-davis-andTommy Davis and Willie Davis, and Tommy Davis and Willie
Tommy Davis, pictured above.
Kansas led by David McCormack who scored the game’s last four points on two field goals, won its 4th crown, 70 years after its first (the Rams like the Jayhawks fortunate to win more so the Rams also won a franchise 4th crown, 70 years after another title in the Rams’ case a second in ’51) (-4 plus) (72-69) vs a North Carolina team that made an incredible tournament run that came up just short.
More on the game but for now a glaring ESPN.COM mistake.
Here it is:
“The previous largest halftime deficit for a champ was 11, attained by the 2001 Duke Blue Devils and 1958 Temple Owls.”
Temple did NOT win the ’58 crown, LOSING to Kentucky in the national semi game.
More than 65 years have passed since, as the great Wilt Chamberlain said, “all that loser “bleep” started, when North Carolina led by Len Rosenbluth, “3 OT’d” Wilt and Kansas, to give N.C. the first of 6 titles.
Tomorrow night in New Orleans, Kansas is a 4 plus point(s) favorite to reverse that result.
After the Jayhawks (3-6) in previous title tilts, eased, KO’ing all Villanova “weases,” North Carolina led by Caleb Love and under first year coach Hubert Davis, “barked” plus 4 vs Duke, ending the superb coaching career of the Blue Devil’s Mike Krzyzewski.
North Carolina is (6-5) in previous title games and they are just the 5th “8” seed to advance as far as the national final. Only Villanova, among them won, that a shocker vs an underachieving Georgetown team with big time underachiever, yet great Patrick Ewing.
Speaking of underachieving, substitute (the puzzle is coming up and George Thomas got “state” with all 5 vowels once saying ExhAUstIOn and knowing EUphOrIA) lose (Erving owed Philly fans 6, his # (’77-’82) before a Moses (Malone), not Erving led Philly to the “promised land” in ’83) the “W” which Erving post ABA–remember “mail in the stats,” did so often, and add “ER” for Mr. Erving.
He was great, truly so in the ABA, but to even hint (this greatest stuff is ridiculous, but for the record Jordan is way better than James, it is not even close!) this NBA underachiever was even close to say a Larry Bird is insulting. (Shame on that soft drink!!)
Yet as with the hype, the other sorrowful ads and the fact I had to pay (I slept through the second half of North Carolina/Duke and really do not care) to watch this on cable, not over the air, makes me more determined to not watch. Easier said than done!!
Caleb Love of North Carolina, pictured above.
It was a truly fantastic show, deep in nostalgia, humor and great sound performed by Herman’s Hermits and its lead singer, the great Peter Noone, two nights back at Sony Hall (West 46th Street in Manhattan).
The hits were there, closing (when a fan asked for “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” relatively early in the proceedings, Noone who truly had great lines all night, quipped does Wayne Newton sing Donka Shane early on?!) with a great three of “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter,” ‘I’m Henry V111th, I Am’ and “There’s A Kind Of Hush All Over The World.”
So many great songs, information of some given to other groups/friends/former friends?– a great band led by the remarkable 75 year old Mr. Noone!
At the show’s end as “Hush” faded out, Peter said “for 2 years we were real hermits.” Thankfully, that is no longer the case. Herman’s Hermits are out and performing. I loved seeing them!
It is truly remarkable that Mr. Noone sings “A Kind of Hush” 55 years ago in 1967 (click below) and to end their great show in 2022.
They are similar to cars, these phones and computers, we have to constantly spend more. So frustrating!
Anyway, let’s get some notes regarding the 4 national semis teams, who have perhaps a record 17 crowns entering the semis, I would think a record for sure in any national semi, sans U.C.L.A.
Kansas, with 3 titles, won it all 70 years ago and in “same calendar,” 1988.
Their opponent in the first semi today, in which the so called “sharps” are on both the first half and game “under,” is Villanova, which also has 3 crowns, won it 37, 6 and 4 years ago, none (Peter Sagel said “none” as I typed it) of which has the 2022 calendar.
North Carolina has 6 crowns. They won it in same calendar 2005 and also 65, 40 and 5 years ago, the ’82 version at the New Orleans Superdome, where this the 41st tournament with some CBS coverage, ’82 was the first, will be played.
However, another “they get in, you feel in NEED of them and they pile on the cost,” entity, cable television, gets all 3 remaining tilts, NOT over the air CBS!!
Duke has 5 crowns, the second a repeat one, thirty years ago, in 1992. None were in same calendar as 2022 years. All 5 were under retiring coach Mike Krzyzewski and with Jim Nantz as the lead announcer.
Despite its presence on TBS, I must pay for both the 3 remaining tilts and the results I want, Nantz for a 32nd time (my #, but not my cause) will “call” the final game.
James Worthy of title winning North Carolina, pictured above, was the Most Outstanding Player of the ’82 NCAA Tournament.
Sorry “Clever,” but a gambling “rough one,” that first hurt, but then helped one “Bobby G.”
He/”Bobby G” gave one plus with N.C. and with N.C. up 1 with say 2 seconds left, Worthy missed both free tosses. (Ode to Joe Tait).
Mr. “G” stopped betting!!
By the way Mr. Worthy was a great player and I can attest to the fact he is a classy, intelligent, well informed individual.
WFAN, a no listen for a long time is I believe summed up by Bob Seger, a Tigers’ fan, save caller to them in 2042, Jo Jo from Mars comments on the Yankees having power and not speed. Bob Seger, a Tigers fan, “Still the same” lyrics.
More than anything it is complaints about the local teams win or lose.
There is an eery gambling presence.
An ad for a female tout was played a week late.
First of all, she was promoting tonight’s “Villanova/Michigan” game. Problem: the game was played a week ago.
Even with that, her prediction of “many points,” was still wrong. I no longer follow, but I would think (63-55) and 118 would be an under.
The above applies even more so regarding the many fraudulent “touts” involved in sports gambling.
Some related items passed through my head, yesterday, as I drove with the still active in Northeast Jewish Center activities, “Cheese Man,” on the 35th anniversary of unrecorded speeches by Rabbi Harry Goder and me at the temple.
In my speech, I evoked Mr. Goder as a math teacher (he did that as well, as teach Hebrew School, now so many years ago and sadly as are the unrecorded speeches, Goder’s death is also 35 years into the rear view mirror, that goes inexorably forward, a reason “The Eagles,” among others, warned “don’t look back?”) telling us, as we looked on, mad at his old Regents Trigonometry exams, that his parents were “indeed married,” when he was born.
Mr. Goder’s words came into my mind when I was the P.A. announcer for The College of White Plains basketball games in 1977, as I said similar or same, regarding a referee, being booed profusely. He did not like it and that was the end of my P.A. doings there.
I told Mr. Goder the next day. He laughed then and 10 years later during my speech.
His speech was even better. Why was it not recorded? 5 weeks later, Rabbi Goder was gone.
I have to remind myself that his words, his wisdom, his coaxing me to better work in both Hebrew School and 11th grade math are still within. It “Ain’t” easy, but on we go.
Andy B Sports 