Category Archives: Postseason

Yanks off today.

The Yankees are off today and are on the west coast (ugh, late games) for the next few days.

Odds and ends: 76ers and Celtics go to a Game 7 in Boston on Saturday night. Like old times. I’m a Celtics fan, but worry about old legs. Truth is, you shut down Rondo, more than likely you are shutting down the Celtics.

I’ve never been a fan of the Philly media. Let’s face it. I can’t stand them. They play the 1982 Game 7 victory over Boston (played in Boston) to death. (Maybe that’s because, after blowing a 3-1 lead in that series, they actually WON Game 7. They blew 3-1 series leads to Boston in 1968 and 1981). The thing is, yes, that 1982 team won Game 7 and advanced to the NBA Finals, but wouldn’t it mean more if they had won it all?  They seem to forget that the Lakers beat the 76ers for the title that year. It’s like Carlton Fisk’s HR in Game 6 of the 1975 WS. You forget that the Red Sox LOST Game 7.

Revisionist history, anyone?

Not only that, but they put up the years that there was a Game 7 between the Celtics and 76ers. Some games were memorable. For Boston, the 1965 “Havlicek Stole the Ball!” game. 1968 when Wilt hardly shot in the second half. 1981, and that was a one-point game. For Philadelphia, 1977 when Lloyd (World B.) Free had a big game. It was basically Havlicek’s last hurrah, and the same goes for Dave Cowens, Jo Jo White, etc. The Celtics went south, only to be revived by Bird, McHale, Parish and company a few years later. 1982, when Andrew Toney was the “Boston Strangler.”

But they listed 1959. In 1959 they weren’t the Philadelphia 76ers. They were the Syracuse Nationals. The Philadelphia team that year was the Philadelphia WARRIORS, later the San Francisco and now the Golden State Warriors. The first year Philadelphia had the 76ers was 1963-1964, after Syracuse moved. In 1959, the Celtics beat the Nationals in Game 7.

The thing is, if they wanted to talk franchise history, fine. But nowhere on the screen was there an asterisk or note stating that in 1959, they weren’t the 76ers and weren’t in Philadelphia. They were in Syracuse and the Nationals.

It’s like plagiarizing, in a way. Franchise history, but seemingly taking credit for something not truly yours. Sigh.

Interesting in the NHL. I don’t follow hockey much, but the Los Angeles Kings await the Eastern Conference winner (NJ leads the NY Rangers 3 games to two) to play for the Stanley Cup. The Kings? #8 seed in the Western Conference. On their way to the finals, they beat the top two seeds from the West. Talk about Cinderella, and who’d have thought right now that the Kings would still be playing while the Lakers & Clippers wouldn’t be? Then again, who’d have thought Donnie Baseball’s Dodgers would be better than Pujols and Wilson’s Angels?

Baseball expands playoffs

So now it’s official. Baseball adds a second wild-card game, and as with the NCAA’s “march madness” play-in game, there will now be a play-in game between the wild cards.

I won’t get into the logistics here of who plays when, the off-days or lack of them, the home-field (instead of 2-2-1, there’ll be a 2-3 setup in the LDS this year), etc. I’ll just say that I don’t like it.

Small market teams will say it gives them a better chance. Heck, Toronto (battling the Yanks, Rays and Red Sox) may say that. To each their own.

I hate it. I think it rewards mediocrity, but that is the way a lot of things in society are today, isn’t it? And to our detriment, too.

So now if the Yanks finish 3rd in the East, but have the 2nd best record for the wild card, they get in the play-in game and who knows, they could get hot at the right time and win it all. Won’t the Yankee-haters just love that? And you thought it was bad enough when an 83 win team won the 2006 World Series (the Cardinals)?

Then there is the logistics thing. The extra game. What if a division ends in a tie? There won’t be a coin-flip, or tiebreaker. Games will be played, so if there is a tie for the division, a playoff, then the wild-card play-in, then… and if there is rain… What are they going to do, have LDS and LCS doubleheaders? Fat chance. So when is the first year that Game 7 of the World Series is AFTER November 7th…and in the Northeast?

Let’s remember that unlike hockey or basketball, two sports with (overly) expanded playoffs, that baseball for the most part is played outdoors. A lot of the domed stadiums are no more (for the better, I think). And unlike football, you don’t play it in the rain. Also unlike football, baseball is a daily, not weekly sport.

I don’t like it.

One suggestion. If they are going to do this, in order to buy more time, go back to the 154 game season.

Giants win SB 46, 21-17.

The Giants beat the Patriots 21-17 to win their fourth Super Bowl, and thus became the first team to win a Super Bowl in four different decades (the seasons of 1986, 1990, 2007 and 2011). Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning took the Giants some 88 yards for the game-winning TD (scored with only 57 seconds left). Eli now has two SB rings, his brother Peyton, who got more of the accolades, one. (That’s taking nothing away from Peyton, but it just goes to show that Eli isn’t just “Peyton’s little brother” anymore).

I thought Nicks had a good shot at the MVP. The Patriots pretty much shut down Cruz except for one two-yard TD pass, but Nicks caught some ten passes or so.

As in SB XLII (42, screw the roman numerals) four years ago, a great catch by a Giant on a bomb was the Patriots undoing. Four years ago it was Tyree, this time Manningham.

Once again, the Hoodie shows his lack of class postgame. I was rooting for the Giants. Mostly because I have more Giants fans as friends than Patriots fans. Really, the only reason I could root for the Patriots was new PSU (my alma mater coach) Bill O’Brien–New England’s offensive coordinator.

Still, it all comes down to a Hail Mary pass on the last play of the game, and you never know how those plays may work out. One lucky ricochet, and maybe a Patriot catches the ball and New England wins.

Both QBs were superb. Eli Manning was 30 for 40, and Tom Brady 27 for 41. Eli started the game with a record nine completions in a row to start a Super Bowl, and Brady set a record by completing sixteen in a row at one point.

A great game, and congratulations to Giant fans.

Update: I almost forgot.

On Twitter, Jon Heyman (CBS) had this:

coughlin has as many rings as shula or  lombardi. And eli has doubled his brother. #crazy

Personally, I found it a bit not too nice that Heyman casually dismissed (with that statement) the three NFL titles (1961, 1962, and 1965) that Lombardi won BEFORE there were Super Bowls.

 

Waiting for SB XLVI (46)

I really wish the NFL would do away with the roman numerals. Not that I don’t understand them (I do), but after so many, it gets to be silly. I hope I’m around 42 years from now (I’d be 92 for SB 88). SB LXXXVIII.

Just getting LXXXVIII in paint on the field might take up 60 of the 100 yards…

Anyway, here’s hoping for a good game. One NOT decided by a bad call or by some idiot getting an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at the worst possible time.

Ironies.

…and so we have the Super Bowl in Indianapolis. In a place dominated by one Peyton Manning (at least before THIS year…)

…and what do we have here? His chief rival, Tom Brady, against whom Manning lost the AFC title game to in 2003, only to best him in 2006.

…and who is Brady facing? None other than Peyton’s brother Eli.

…and in what could be the most ironic thing of all, Eli, if he and the Giants win, would then have one more SB ring than Peyton (two to one). Given Peyton’s injury, and the Colts’ 2-14 season this year, you have to think that should Eli get #2 in a few weeks, that Peyton may never catch him.

And who would have thought that?

The early line is New England by 3. I’ll be rooting for the Giants.

BCS title game, Baseball HOF announcement today.

The BCS title game between LSU and Alabama is tonight… which is great, as long as you aren’t footballed out already after all the bowl games and this weekend’s NFL playoffs (IMHO: too many bowl games).

Today we find out if the writers put anyone into the Baseball HOF. It looks like Barry Larkin. There are few I’d consider (Larkin, Trammell, Raines, McGriff…). Bernie Williams is the only “rookie” on the ballot, but it appears as if he will be one of those “not quite good enough for the HOF” players. Of course some players won’t get votes because of the steroids issue, and next year (Bonds, Clemens…) it gets worse.

Steelers stunned.

Ok, as a Steelers fan, I’ll admit that I fully expected them to lose…

NEXT  WEEK.

I thought they’d beat Denver, then as banged-up as they are, lose to New England.

Had you told me that Tebow (6 for 22, 60 yards or so vs. KC last week) would throw for 316 yards against Pittsburgh, I’d have replied, ”in two games? Three?”

But that’s what he (10 for 21) did.

I don’t know if the loss of Clark (sickle cell trait, gallbladder and spleen removed after a 2007 game in Denver) made a difference. It looked like it did. After all, 316 yards on 10 completions?

I don’t know if losing Hampton and Keisel made a difference. It looked like it did. I did not see a good rush.

For a long time in this game, I was wondering if it might suit the Steelers better had they played Batch. After all, when is 100% of your backup QB better than 40% of your starter who is playing on only one good leg?

Whatever. Congrats Denver.

I expect them to lose (who doesn’t?) to New England next week, but if that fairy dust or whatever still continues to be sprinkled over Tebow…

I expect Baltimore to beat Houston (who beat Cincy this weekend.) I don’t expect a rookie 3rd-string QB to be able to beat the Ravens’ D (but then, I didn’t expect Tebow to beat the Steelers’ D…)

As for the NFC, Giants at GB. I expect GB, but wouldn’t be shocked to see the Giants pull off the upset (nice pass rush). I expect NO to beat SF, even though the game is at SF.

Lastly, should all this occur, I expect the REAL Super Bowl to be New Orleans at Green Bay. The NFC title game. Shootout. Brees vs. Rodgers.

We can only hope.

NFL axes

Tampa Bay and the Rams fired head coaches, while the Rams and Colts got rid of front office personnel after disappointing seasons.

Some good college football yesterday. A Rose Bowl that went to the end of regulation with Oregon winning, and a Fiesta Bowl that went into OT with OK St. winning.

Jason Frasor back to Toronto for two prospects…

…and it’s said that Edwin Jackson is seeking a five-year deal. Count the Yanks out. They are looking for just one or two-year deals as they try to whittle a $200-$205 million payroll to $189 million by 2014.

Mendenhall done for the season for the Steelers. ACL. Clark may not play because of a blood disorder. The last time Clark played in Denver, he had to be taken to the hospital and have his gallbladder and spleen removed. Ugh. Still, I expect my banged-up Steelers to beat the Broncos (I can’t see Tebow doing much against the Steeler D) but then lose the next week.

Missing out…

The worst thing about having to work today?

Missing out on the bowl games.

The best part of the NFL Playoffs?

No Ryan (Rob or Rex).

Trouble brewing? Championship games?

Before even being named Boston manager, there could be trouble brewing in Beantown regarding Bobby Valentine.

Championship Games? Have you seen the lines on some of the conference championship games this weekend?

LSU by 13 1/2 over Georgia  Ok, LSU is #1
Wisconsin by 9 1/2 over Mich. St. (that’s reasonable)
Va. Tech 7 over Clemson
Houston 13 over So. Miss.

Ok… but here is the one that tops all.

Oregon 31 1/2 over UCLA.

You read that right. What UCLA at 5-7 is doing in a conference title game (probably due to USC’s suspension?) is beyond me.

31 1/2?  For a Conference Championship?

David DeJesus signed a deal with the Cubs. 2 yr., 3rd yr. option. He hit .240- 10-46, OPS+ 93 this year for the A’s. From MLB.com: DeJesus, who turns 32 next month, will earn $4.25 million each of the next two years, and the 2014 option year is for $6.5 million with a $1.5 million buyout. DeJesus, 31, is a .284 career hitter, OPS+ 106.