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04/24/2023

All About the Playoffs

Add-on posted early Wed. a.m.

NBA Playoffs

--Shockingly, LeBron James had his first 20-20 game, ever, in Monday’s Game 4 against the Grizzlies, LeBron’s Lakers going up 3-1 with a 117-111 overtime win.

James had 22 points and 20 rebounds, the first 20-20 line in his career through 1,693 regular-season, play-in and postseason games – making him the oldest player to achieve the statistical mark since Wilt Chamberlain did it at the age of 36 in 1973.

Ja Morant was only 8 of 24 from the field for Memphis, with Anthony Davis blocking Morant’s potential game-winner at the end of regulation to ensure overtime.

The Lakers deserve a lot of credit thus far.  For much of the season, it didn’t look like they’d make the playoffs, LeBron and A.D. out for long stretches.

--Also deserving a ton of credit is Miami, startlingly up 3-1 over the NBA’s top overall seed, Milwaukee, after the Jimmy Butler Show, Monday night in Miami, Butler with a Miami playoff record 56 points*.

The Heat roared back from down 14 in the final quarter to stun the Bucks 119-114, thanks to Butler’s heroics, as he had 21 of his points in the fourth.

Miami has been playing without Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo, both out with season-ending injuries.

For Milwaukee, Giannis returned from a two-game absence due to his bruised back and had a triple-double – 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists, while 35-year-old Brook Lopez scored 36 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

*The record for points in a playoff is Michael Jordan’s 63 in 1986.

Game 5 for both the Heat and Lakers is Wednesday.  And the Knicks’ big Game 5 at Cleveland.

And…Game 5, Kings-Warriors back in Sacramento, all tied at 2-2.  But De’Aaron Fox fractured his left index finger, and if he was able to somehow play, the lefty would have to wear a protective covering.  As of this morning, Fox said he’s playing.

--Last night Trae Young and the Hawks shocked the Celtics in Boston, 119-117, Young with 38, the last 14 of the game, and the game-winning dagger from 30 feet to cut the Celts’ series lead to 3-2.  And the Hawks were without Dejounte Murray, who was suspended a game for bumping an official in Game 4.

Game 6 back in Atlanta.

--The Nuggets wrapped up their series with the T’Wolves, 112-109, to take it 4-1.

--Ditto Phoenix, the Suns defeating the Clippers 136-130, Devin Booker with 47 points on 19 of 27 from the field, and 10 assists.  L.A. was playing without Paul George and Kawhi again, too much to overcome but they put up a game effort.

--John Calipari is a proud coach watching the playoffs, seeing so many of his former Wildcats compete…and many at a high level. 

Like the 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, Devin Booker (Suns), Anthony Davis (Lakers), De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Trey Lyles (Kings).

In all, 15 former Kentucky players – defined as those who made their last collegiate stop at the school – have seen playing time in this year’s playoffs; the highest number of any school this postseason, and in NBA history, according to Stats Perform.  Nine of those 15 have scored at least 20 points in a playoff outing, also a record.

Sure makes recruiting easier for Coach Cal.

--Houston hired former Celtics coach Ime Udoka.  Udoka resigned in late September, shortly after the team suspended him for the entire season for “violations of team policies.”

As in a ‘wandering eye’…an inappropriate workplace relationship that the team initially believed was consensual.  The woman, though, then alleged Udoka sent her unwanted messages, and he used crude language, per a team investigation.

In his lone season as coach of the Celtics, Udoka made the Finals, ultimately falling to the Warriors.

NHL

--What a depressing game at Madison Square Garden Monday night as the Rangers lost Game 4 to the Devils, 3-1, to even the series at 2-2.

So much for the back-to-back 5-1 thrashings to open the series in New Jersey.  The Rangers came home, their fans thinking sweep, and they proceeded to play dreadful, lethargic hockey, their once awesome power-play now on a 0-for-11 skid, going back to Game 2.

Meanwhile, the switch for New Jersey to rookie goaltender Akira Schmid has paid off royally as he’s stopped 57 of 59 shots.

Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said after the game, “We didn’t show up.”  The Garden was like a morgue.

Momentum gone.  The only good thing is that Game 5 isn’t until Thursday.

--Congrats to Toronto for taking a 3-1 lead Monday down in Tampa Bay.  After two periods, the Maple Leafs, who as well-chronicled haven’t won a playoff series since 2004, were down 4-1. 

But Toronto roared back and won it 5-4 in overtime on an Alexander Kerfoot power-play goal.  So the Maple Leafs can win the series back home on Thursday.

It helped that Toronto star Auston Matthews has played well, seven points in four games including two goals on Monday.

--The Islanders were clutch last night, defeating Carolina in Raleigh 3-2 to stay alive. 

Game 6 Friday on the island.

MLB

--After a 6-1 loss at Minnesota Monday night, the Yankees had scored six runs in their last four games.

Monday, they were dominated by Twins starter Sonny Gray, the former Yank who lowered his ERA to 0.62 with seven scoreless.  Gray struggled in Gotham, 1 ½ seasons, 15-16, 4.51 ERA (2017-18).

Another who struggled mightily in pinstripes, Joey Gallo, clubbed his sixth home run for Minnesota.  In 421 at-bats from 2021-22 with New York, Gallo hit .159, with a .660 OPS, though he did hit 25 home runs.

Meanwhile, Aaron Judge is 6-for-41 in his last 12 games.

And the Yanks lost again Tuesday, 6-2, to fall to 13-11, Minnesota 14-10.  Just eight singles for New York, Judge 1-for-4.

--Tampa Bay set a modern-era MLB record with their 14th consecutive home win to begin a season, beating the Astros 8-3 on Monday.

Tampa Bay had shared the mark dating to 1901 with the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers.

Four teams in the 1880s had streaks of at least 14.  According to Elias Sports Bureau, the 1880 Chicago White Stockings won their first 21 at home to begin the season.

The Rays moved to 20-3 overall. Only the 1911 Detroit Tigers and 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers had better starts at 21-2 since 1901.

But Tuesday, the Astros shut out the Rays 5-0, home streak over.

--The Braves improved to 15-8 Monday with an 11-0 blowout of the Marlins, as Spencer Strider threw eight innings of 2-hit ball, striking out 13, Strider off to a 3-0, 1.80 start.

And they beat Miami (12-12) on Tuesday, 7-4, the Braves 16-8.

--The Mets were back home Tuesday night, after a successful 7-3 West Coast swing, and Mets broadcaster Keith Hernandez warned beforehand that the first game back from such a road trip is the hardest for teams heading east, and he was so right, a putrid 5-0 loss to the Nationals, the Mets 14-10, Washington 8-14.

For Washington, Josiah Gray was terrific with six scoreless, 9 strikeouts.  But the Mets were listless, limp, you name it.

--The Dodgers (13-11) snapped the Pirates 7-game winning streak last night in Pittsburgh, 8-7, L.A.’s Chris Taylor with a late 3-run homer.  Taylor, 3 hits overall, came into the game hitting .111.

Pittsburgh is 16-8.  Prior to the game, the Pirates and outfielder Bryan Reynolds reached agreement on an eight-year, $106.75 million contract extension, according to multiple reports, marking the largest deal in franchise history.  Good for Reynolds and Bucs fans.

--Baseball America’s Top 25 (4/24)

1. LSU
2. South Carolina
3. Wake Forest
4. Florida
5. Vanderbilt
6. Arkansas
7. Coastal Carolina
8. Campbell
9. Stanford
10. Texas Tech

11. Virginia
13. Miami
14. East Carolina
16. Duke
18. Boston College

Wake then took on Coastal Carolina Tuesday in Winston-Salem, a huge one in terms of seeding down the road.

And the Deacs won it 11-1.  Phew.

NFL

--It looked like it might come down to the day of the NFL Draft before the Jets formally acquired Aaron Rodgers, but the two teams wrapped up the trade Monday.  The Jets receive Rodgers, the Packers 2023 No. 15 pick, and a 2023 fifth-round pick.

In return, Green Bay gets the Jets’ 2023 13th overall pick, a 2023 second-round pick (No. 42), a sixth-round pick (No. 207) and a conditional second-round pick that will become a first-round pick if Rodgers plays 65% of the Jets snaps next season.

I wanted Derek Carr but here we are, and to owner Woody Johnson’s credit, the team is going all in…a one-year shot (many of us assume).  The Jets have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, including four of their starting linemen returning (they’ll pick up the fifth with their first-round pick in the draft), good skill players for Rodgers, and a solid defense.

What the hell.  I’m not going to mope anymore.  Rodgers is a smart guy.  He knows he can have Gotham by the balls.  He’ll come off as a total team player, initially, and then we’ll see what happens if the Jets get off to something like a 2-3 start. [Not that I’m predicting that.]

So Go Jets!  [Rodgers with his first press conference this afternoon.]

As for Green Bay, they are obviously all in on Jordan Love.  He’s got his shot.

--In College Football, Deion Sanders has made his mark in Colorado.  After a spring game last weekend that drew a staggering 47,000 in awful weather, this week has seen a huge turnover in the roster, which is what Sanders wanted as he brings in a big class of transfers, players he wants, while others he inherited have been encouraged to “hop in that portal,” as he said in his first team meeting.

But 18 entered the portal on Monday, and as of Tuesday, it was 31 overall, which could be a bit more than he wanted.

Stuff

--Kyle Busch won Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, and he stole the win after a double overtime restart, staying clear of a last lap crash to win the race under caution.

It was win No. 62 in his career, but first at Talladega since 2008 and second of the season.

Ryan Blaney was second.  He was involved in the late crash that led to Busch’s win, as then-race leader Bubba Wallace blocked him before spinning and taking out numerous other drivers.  Blaney was looking to break a 55-race winless streak.

Blaney didn’t blame Wallace, while Busch saw the action between those two and afterwards, he said it was like the parting of the seas as he surged between them.

--We note the passing of Harry Belafonte, 96. I’m going to write a little about his legend in that other column I do later in the week, but he was the first Black Emmy winner and recorded the first-ever million-selling full-length album by any artist.  He was a Grammy lifetime achievement award winner and the recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award Oscar in 2014.

Belafonte was one of the driving forces behind “We Are the World,” the star-studded charity single that raised more than $60 million for Ethiopian famine relief after its 1985 release.  He appeared in the video with an assortment of music legends, including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles and Bob Dylan.

In 1956, he made music history.  His “The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)” became a massive hit off Belafonte’s album “Calypso,” which sold the unheard-of 1 million copies.

Next Bar Chat, Sunday p.m.

-----

[Posted prior to Sunday’s late sports action]

Add-on up top by noon, Wed.

MLB Quiz: There have been 23 perfect games in MLB history, but just 21 in the modern era.  However, 11 of them have been since 1990.  Name the pitchers.  Answer below.

NBA Playoffs

--After Tuesday’s blowout in Cleveland, I mused which Knicks team would show up at the Garden Friday night in Game 3 of this series, and one thing was for sure, the Knicks fans showed up and the place was rockin’ like in days of yore.  The Knicks responded and blew out the Cavs 99-79 to take a 2-1 series lead heading into Sunday’s Game 4 at the world’s most famous arena.

Shockingly, the 79 points was the first time all season a team failed to reach 80 in an NBA game.

Cleveland was 2 of 19 from 3 in the first half, 7 of 33 for the game, 31 for 80 (38.8%) from the field overall, with 20 turnovers.

“It was shaking in there,” Obi Toppin said.

Jalen Brunson said: “We matched the fans’ energy.”

So Sunday, with a 1:00 p.m. start, what would the energy level be like for both players and fans, and could Cleveland right the ship as they did in Game 2?

Well the Knicks came out strong and had a 15-point lead in the second quarter, though Cleveland cut it to nine at the half, 54-45.

The Cavs, thanks to a resurgent Darius Garland (after his dismal Game 3), took a lead in the third, only to have the Knicks come back, 73-71 New York after the end of the quarter.

Julius Randle was having a terrible game, just 7 points, and Coach Tom Thibodeau benched him the entire fourth quarter for Obi Toppin and it paid off, while RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson led the way to a super win, 102-93; Brunson with 29, the much-maligned Barrett (for good reason) with 26 (though 0 for 6 from 3).

Thibodeau had guts to do what he did with Randle and we’ll see what the latter’s reaction is.

But Knicks up 3-1 heading to Game 5 in Cleveland on Wednesday.

For the Cavs, Donovan Mitchell was held to 11 points and both he and Garland need to have a combined 60 points, I’m guessing, for Cleveland to win the next one.

Cleveland’s ‘Bigs’ also need to outplay New York’s…which was far from the case today.

--The Warriors had never trailed a playoff series 2-0 since 2007, but the team has always showed resiliency and Golden State crushed Sacramento, 114-97, at home on Thursday to cut it to 2-1.  Steph Curry had 36 points, including six 3-pointers.  Kevin Looney had only four points, but 20 rebounds and nine assists.

And then just now, the Warriors evened it at 2-2, 126-125, as Steph Curry almost singlehandedly blew it, calling a timeout when one wasn’t available, and then missing a midrange shot, but Golden State, and Steph, tightened up on a last-second shot by Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes…miss…win for the Dubs.

The great De’Aaron Fox had 38 for the Kings, Game 5 in Sacramento on Wednesday.

--The 76ers swept the Nets, 4-0, with a 96-88 win on Saturday in Brooklyn, Philly without Joel Embiid, after he suffered a right knee sprain in Game 3 Thursday night, in what was a most chippy affair, with groin shots galore.

So now the question is will he be ready for the next series, and Game 1?  There is some hope as of today he will be.

For now, Tobias Harris had an outstanding series, averaging 20.3 points and 8.8 rebounds, far above his regular season averages, including 25 points and 12 rebounds in Saturday’s clincher.

As for Brooklyn, with all the changes to the roster the last few months of the season, what’s emerged is that they have some very nice pieces, but more than anything, they need a real point guard.

--Phoenix took a 3-1 series lead over the Clippers, Saturday, 112-100, L.A. playing without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

For the Suns, Chris Paul was outstanding…19 points, 9 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks and zero turnovers.  Devin Booker had 30 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists; Kevin Durant with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists.

Game 4 Tuesday in Phoenix.

--Dillon Brooks is a solid, but far from spectacular player for the Grizzlies, but he stupidly dissed LeBron James after Game 2 of their series, calling him “old,” and then Brooks compounded things in Game 3 last night, hitting LeBron in the groin and getting himself ejected as the Lakers won it 111-101 in L.A. to take a 2-1 series lead.  This one was 35-9 after the first quarter!

James had 25 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, getting the last laugh, and saying afterwards, “I’ve been doing this too long. I’m not making any statements… No statement was made.  We just wanted to play well, and we got a win.”

Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds, while Ja Morant had 45 points and 13 assists for Memphis.  No one else for the Grizzlies showed up.

Game 4 Monday in L.A.

--Miami has a rather shocking 2-1 lead over Milwaukee after Saturday’s 121-99 victory in Miami.  The Bucks, though, were without Giannis for a second straight game with a bruised lower back.

But Miami, which got 30 points from Jimmy Butler, lost key reserve Victor Oladipo to a serious knee injury late in the game, the Heat already without guard Tyler Herro, who broke his hand in Game 1.

Game 4 Monday in Miami.

--The Celtics are at Atlanta tonight, the Hawks rather shockingly taking Game 3 Friday night, 130-122, to cut Boston’s series lead to 2-1.  Trae Young finally came up big with 32 points, Dejounte Murray with 25. 

--In College Basketball, Gonzaga landed a commitment from Wyoming transfer Graham Ike, which I only mention because, err, I mentioned Ike before.  The guy was a beast in the 2021-22 season, averaging 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds, but sat out last season with a lower right leg injury.  I’m guessing he’s a big star next year for the Zags, who are retooling after the departure of program Hall of Famer Drew Timme and three other starters.

NHL

--The Rangers won the first two games of their series against their rival the Devils, 5-1, 5-1, in New Jersey, and Rangers fans were stoked for Game 3 at the Garden Saturday night.

Only the Rangers came up short, 2-1, as New Jersey’s Dougie Hamilton scored 11:36 into overtime.  I disgustedly turned the TV off, wishing I had gone to bed earlier.

The thing is, Devils coach Lindy Ruff went with rookie goalie Akira Schmid, while the Rangers’ power-play came up short on five opportunities after being all-world the first two contests.

Schmid, 22, replaced Vitek Vanecek, who had yielded nine goals in the first two, and the rookie came up big with 35 saves.

Game 4 Monday at MSG.  This is huge.

--Toronto has gone 19 years without winning a playoff series and they lost their opener to the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-3.

But the Maple Leafs won Game 2, 7-2, so onto Game 3 down in Tampa Bay, Saturday.

And with one minute remaining in regulation last night, Toronto’s Ryan O’Reilly tied it up at 3-3, sending the game into overtime, where Morgan Rielly (sic) won it for the Maple Leafs at 19:15, giving Toronto a 2-1 lead, Game 4 Monday night.

--The Boston Bruins are on a mission to beat the Presidents’ Trophy jinx.  The last nine teams to win it have failed to win the Stanley Cup*.  And it’s actually worse than that.  Just one of those nine (the Rangers in 2014-15) advanced beyond the second round.

*In the 36 seasons the trophy has been awarded before now, only eight recipients have won the Cup.

The thing is, not only did the Bruins win the Presidents’ Trophy for most points in the regular season, but they set an NHL record in doing so.

Well, Boston took a 2-1 series lead to Florida this afternoon, and as I go to post, they are up 5-2 with 3:00 to play…call it 3-1.

--Edmonton is playing Los Angeles in L.A. later Sunday night, the Oilers down 2-1 in the series, the Kings’ two victories in overtime, including 3-2 on Friday, Trevor Moore with the game-winner, 3:24 into OT.  Connor McDavid had Edmonton’s two goals.  C’mon, Oilers.

--The Islanders are toast, down 3-1 to Carolina after a 5-2 home loss this afternoon.

MLB

--Last week I wrote the start to the season was kind of bleh, outside of Tampa Bay’s record-tying 13-0 opening.

But one week has changed a lot and while the Rays remain hot (18-3 coming into today), you have the Pirates (15-7 after going 62-100 in 2022), the Cubs (an exciting 12-8 after 74-88), Miami (12-9 after 69-93), and Texas (13-7 after 68-94).

But then you have the Cardinals, 8-13 after 93-69.

And Oakland (4-17) and the Royals (5-16). 

Bottom line, no shortage of story lines.

--Friday, Shohei Ohtani struck out 11 in another masterful performance, seven scoreless, two hits, as the Angels beat the Royals 2-0 in Anaheim.

Ohtani, 3-0, has given up two runs and eight hits over 28 innings with 38 strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 0.64 – the lowest in franchise history through a pitcher’s first five starts.  Ohtani also extended his franchise record with his 12th consecutive start allowing two runs or fewer. Since 2022, he also has the most games with 10 or more strikeouts.

--The Mets’ starting staff has been decimated by injury, and now suspensions, as Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Carlos Carasco and Jose Quintana have all missed time.

But Friday, lefty Joey Lucchesi was called up, starting for the first time since 2021 after Tommy John Surgery shelved him for all of 2022, and Lucchesi delivered in a big way…seven scoreless, 9 strikeouts, as the Mets beat the Giants in San Francisco 7-0.

This came after the Mets beat the Giants 9-4 on Thursday, Pete Alonso homering in both games, 8 RBIs, giving him 10 and 23 to lead the majors in both categories at the end of the evening (tied with Yordan Alvarez in RBIs*).

*Until “Garcia Happened”…see below.

The Mets (14-8) then had a dismal 7-4 loss, Saturday, as starter David Peterson got shelled again.

But earlier in the week, Wednesday in Los Angeles, Max Scherzer was ejected for having a sticky substance after tossing three shutout innings and then he was suspended the next day by Major League Baseball for ten games for “violating the prohibitions on foreign substances.”  Scherzer initially said he would appeal, but then he dropped it, the suspension starting Thursday night, so he’d miss just one start.

“I thought I was gonna get in front of a neutral arbitrator but I wasn’t,” Scherzer said in explaining why he dropped the case.  “It was going to be through MLB. So given that process, I really wasn’t gonna come out on top. I’m gonna follow what the Mets wanted me to do, and that was accept the suspension.”

This makes Scherzer eligible for the important early-season series with the Braves that starts on April 28 and ends on May 1.

Scherzer claimed the stickiness was caused by rosin and sweat and not by a foreign substance.

Umpire Phil Cuzzi, however, determined after the second inning that Scherzer’s hand was stickier and darker than normal and ordered Scherzer to wash his hand, which Scherzer said he did with alcohol while an MLB official watched.

After the third inning, Cuzzi determined the pocket of Scherzer’s glove was “sticky,” likely with too much rosin, and he ordered Scherzer to change gloves.  The umpires then checked him out again before the fourth, and believed his hands were even worse than before.

Home plate umpire Dan Bellino said, “When he came out to start the bottom of the fourth inning, that’s when we realized the level of stickiness on his hand was much worse than it was even in the initial inspection that had taken place two innings prior.”  Bellino added: “As far as the level of stickiness, this was the stickiest it has been since I’ve been inspecting hands, which goes back three seasons.”

Scherzer said: “I knew I was going to get checked in the fourth. So I have to be an absolute idiot to try to do anything when I am coming back out for the fourth. I am in front of the MLB official that is underneath [near the dugout]. I wash my hand with alcohol in front of the official.  I then apply rosin and I then grabbed sweat. I then go back out there and Phil Cuzzi says my hand is too sticky.”

Bellino said it seemed like there was something other than rosin on Scherzer’s hand.

But there is no standard for “stickiness.”  No doubt, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts instigated the whole thing.

Scherzer accepting the suspension won’t hurt him, in terms of his reputation and getting into the Hall of Fame.  As Mets broadcaster Ron Darling said the day of the transgression, every pitcher does what he can to gain an edge.  And it doesn’t mean Scherzer was guilty…you just move on.

--The aforementioned Cubs almost got a perfect game from Drew Smyly on Friday, but he collided with his catcher while trying to field an eighth-inning dribbler that went for an infield single, the only hit for the Dodgers as the Cubs drubbed them 13-0.  [The runner would have beaten it out regardless.]  Former Dodger Cody Bellinger went deep for the second straight day and third time against his former team.  Nico Hoener had four hits and four RBIs.

The Cubs also scored double-digits for the sixth time in their first 19 games, matching, get this, the 1885 Chicago White Stockings.

Smyly ended up going 7 2/3, 0 walks, 10 Ks.

--Pittsburgh increased its win streak to six, its longest since 2018, with a 2-1 win Saturday over the Reds.  The Pirates at 15-7 are off to their best start since 1992!  [And largely without budding superstar shortstop Oneil Cruz.]

No wonder then that manager Derek Shelton was awarded a contract extension Saturday prior to the game.  Shelton’s contract was due to expire after this season.  No length was specified.

Anytime the Pirates are good is great for the game.

Make it 16-7, seven straight, after today’s 2-0 win over the Reds.

--Giancarlo Stanton, currently sidelined because of a hamstring strain, said his frequent stints on the injured list are “unacceptable” because they put the Yankees “in a really tough spot.”

Indeed they do.  He’s expected to miss six weeks with his latest issue.  It’s the fifth consecutive season that Stanton, 33, will spend time on the IL.

Saturday, the Yanks and Blue Jays were tied at 0-0 going to the bottom of the eighth when Anthony Volpe hit his second home run, a 2-run shot to make it 2-0.  But Toronto got a pinch-hit 2-run homer to tie it, only to have DJ LeMahieu win it for the Yanks (13-8) with a pinch single in the bottom of the ninth.

Gerrit Cole went 5 2/3 for New York, lowering his ERA to 0.79.

--Texas beat the A’s in Arlington, Saturday, 18-3, Oakland falling to 4-17.

But in the game, the Rangers’ Adolis Garcia had himself a night…5-for-5, five runs scored, 3 home runs, 2 doubles and 8 RBIs; his first 3-homer game and a career high in ribbies.

So Garcia now has seven home runs and a MLB-leading 28 RBIs.

As for Oakland, their starters are 0-10 while allowing 95 runs – all earned – in 95 1/3 innings. Thru Sat., the team’s ERA was 8.08.

--The Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. made his debut Thursday night at Arizona, after serving an 80-game PED suspension that shocked and angered his teammates and the fan base – and tempered his status as one of the sport’s most prominent and likable stars.

Tatis’ maturity has been under a microscope since the then-22-year-old signed a $330 million, 14-year contract prior to the 2021 season.  He then broke his left wrist the next offseason – reportedly in a motorcycle accident in his native Dominican Republic.  Tatis was finally ready to return last August when his PED suspension was announced.

Well, he’s off to a 2-for-13 start in his first three games, hitting a solo home run in Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Diamondbacks.

Tatis is playing right field, Xander Bogaerts ensconced at short.

--Madison Bumgarner was designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks, who will eat more than $34 million remaining on his contract.

Bumgarner signed a five-year, $85 million deal with Arizona before the 2020 season, but he has been awful, posting a 5.23 ERA over 69 starts, just 15-32.

Bumgarner can sign with a team for the major league minimum of $720,000.

But his fastball averaged just 89.5 mph this season and he’s been pummeled, yielding 19 earned runs in 16 2/3 over four starts in 2023.

--The Reds made a rather surprising move, handing 23-year-old starting pitcher Hunter Greene a six-year contract extension, $53 million, with a $21 million club option for 2029. Oh, they sure hope they are more than happy to give him the $21 million then.  That would be a great sign.

Greene has amazing talent, a former Sports Illustrated Cover Boy as a high school athlete.

He has made just 28 starts in the major leagues, 24 of them last season when he went 5-13, 4.44 ERA, but with 164 strikeouts in 125 2/3.  [And 24 home runs.]

In four starts this season prior to today, Sunday*, Greene is 0-0, 4.24, 17 innings, 24 Ks.

*Greene then took the loss against the Pirates in the above-mentioned 2-0 Reds defeat, but he pitched six innings of one-run ball.

This is a terrific commitment by the Reds, who obviously like the kid and his character.

“The commitment we made to Hunter reflects his commitment to this organization and to our community,” Reds CEO Bob Castellini said in a statement.  “He is part of the foundation of young players who will continue to help us build a successful Major League team.”

It’s great for Greene.  At 23, he has long-term financial comfort.  He wouldn’t have hit arbitration until after the 2024 season and then wouldn’t hit free agency until after 2027.  The deal starts this season and then buys out the first two years of Greene’s free agency.

--The Oakland A’s will not be in the Bay Area much longer, perhaps through 2025, most likely 2026.  [But it’s very complicated.  They could be in Vegas as early as next year, playing in the AAA stadium there.]  They signed a binding agreement to purchase a 49-acre site in Las Vegas where they plan to build a retractable roof ballpark after being unable to secure a new venue in Oakland or San Jose.

The A’s will work with Nevada and Clark County on a public-private partnership to fund the stadium.  If they break ground in 2024, they would hope to be able to move by 2027.  Anyway, this is a shame, and deeply embarrassing for MLB, the A’s, and the city of Oakland.

--In College Baseball, No. 3 Wake Forest (Baseball America) lost its opener against Pitt this weekend, 3-0, and I was a bit concerned (ditto Gregg R., who like moi has a vested interest in the Deacs’ success).  But we won the two games Saturday and Sunday in Pittsburgh, 23-4 and 17-1!  In yesterday’s contest, Wake had two players with 9 and 8 RBIs apiece.  I can’t imagine that’s happened much at the Division I level.

NFL

--All about the NFL Draft, this Thurs.-Sat.  Four quarterbacks are going early, some mock drafts having them all going in the first 5-7 picks…Bryce Young (Alabama), Will Levis (Kentucky), C.J. Stroud (Ohio State), and Anthony Richardson (Florida).  They’re certainly all going top twelve at worst.  Another QB, Hendon Hooker (Tennessee) is a consensus top-25.

Will Anderson Jr. of ‘Bama, the all-world edge rusher, is going in the top five somewhere.

But where will Jalen Carter (DL, Georgia) go after his off-campus incident?

Wake Forest fans are waiting to see where wide receiver A.T. Perry goes, Perry seemingly a consensus late-third round selection.

Lastly, what of two-time national champion quarterback Stetson Bennett?  One mock draft I looked at had him late seventh round.  He has major character issues, exposed after the last national title celebration.

--Four Detroit Lions, including last year’s first-round pick Jameson Williams, were among five players suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy, the NFL announced Friday.

Williams and Stanley Berryhill received six-game suspensions for their actions.  Both players are available to take part in the team’s offseason program and preseason activities, including games.

The NFL issued indefinite suspensions for Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore. Both players were suspended for the entire 2023 NFL season at the very least.  They can apply for reinstatement following 2023.  The Lions released Cephus and Moore after learning they were suspended.

Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney also received an indefinite suspension from the NFL.

The league did not provide many details on what led to the suspensions.  In the cases of Cephus, Moore and Toney, the league explicitly said those players bet on NFL games during the 2022 season.  It did not reveal what led to Berryhill and Williams getting suspended, but they reportedly bet on college football games, and did so at an NFL facility, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

NFL policy states players and personnel cannot engage in any form of gambling “in any club or league facility, or venue, including the practice facility.”  The league said it found no evidence that “any inside information was used or that any game was compromised in any way.”

--Former NFL quarterback Bob Berry died.  He was 81.

Berry was a Minnesota Vikings backup behind Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton, reaching the Super Bowl twice with the Vikes, 1973-74.  He actually had two stints with Minnesota, 1965-67, and 1973-75, with five seasons with the Falcons sandwiched in between where he often started, 1968-72.  He made the Pro Bowl in 1969.

With the Falcons, Berry had 57 of his 64 overall touchdown passes, and threw for 8,489 yards.

I had many a Bob Berry football card.  He played his college ball at Oregon.  RIP.

--And Hall of Fame San Francisco linebacker Dave Wilcox died.  He was 80.

Wilcox made seven Pro Bowls, and was a two-time AP All-Pro, playing from 1964-74.  He too played his college ball at Oregon.  The guy was just solid.

Golf Balls

--The Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana is an annual team event and after two rounds the team of Wyndham Clark and Beau Hossler led at -16.  Defending champs Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele were two back.

But I can’t help but note the performance of the duo, John Daly and David Duval. 

First off, if you’re wondering how these two got in the field, the Zurich has an unlimited number of sponsor’s exemptions to round out its competition.  The team format isn’t liked by a lot of regular PGA Tour members and the tournament does not award Official World Golf Ranking points (but it does award FedEx Cup points).  Plus the Zurich suffered this year after The Masters and the ‘designated’ RBC Heritage, with scores of stars taking a pass.

Anyway, with Daly’s popularity and Duval’s name recognition, they got in…and boy did they suck.

After shooting a three-over 75 in Thursday’s best-ball format, Friday’s alternate shot proved to be too much of an obstacle for these two and they shot an 11-over 83, the highest alternate shot score since the event turned to the team format six years ago.

At +14 for the two rounds, they were 12 behind the next nearest team at +2, and 24 shots from the cut at -10.

After three rounds…

Clark/Hossler -26
Keith Mitchell/Sungjae Im (cool team) -25

Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick -21…Alex a Wake guy.

But then out of nowhere, Davis Riley and Nick Hardy, with a closing 65 in alternate shot, both pick up their first PGA Tour wins, defeating Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin.

Schauffele and Cantlay finished T4 and picked up valuable FedEx Cup points.

The Fitzpatricks flamed out, T19.

Clark and Hossler were solo third.  Mitchell and Im finished solo sixth, but they too picked up points.

--We learned on Wednesday that Tiger Woods underwent a “successful” subtalar fusion surgery on his ankle.  The procedure deals with the bones that form the ankle and was performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley in New York City.

Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg said Tiger “looks forward to beginning his rehabilitation.  The first goal is to recover and lead a much more enjoyable day-to-day life,” he told the AP.

This is not a simple surgery and it hurts to think about your bones being reassembled.   It results in tremendous pain for which Tiger will be taking heavy medication for a bit.  He is likely to be in a boot or cast for up to three months.  The final three majors are out for 2023.  Such a shame, as Royal Liverpool seemed like a natural for Tiger after months of rehab from his Masters struggles.  But then this.

--The LIV Golf tour played in Adelaide, Australia this week and Talor Gooch fired back-to-back 62s to take a 10-stroke lead after the first two rounds.

But Gooch almost blew it, with a 1-over 73, while Anirban Lahiri was firing a 65 to finish 3 shots back in second.

More than 90,000 attended the three-day event, making it the most successful edition of the LIV Golf tournaments thus far, but with native Cam Smith in the field (who finished 4 shots back in third), and a nation starved to see a golf tournament with some known players, I’m not surprised.

The 14-event season moves on to Singapore next weekend, at a place I once had more than a few adult beverages.

--In College Golf, Wake Forest’s Michael Brennan won the individual ACC Golf Championship title, the Deacs advancing to the match-play portion, one of four teams to do so, the others being Georgia Tech, Duke and Virginia.

Premier League

--In shocking fashion, Arsenal has potentially blown its shot at the Premier League title, earning just another draw, the third in a row, against last place Southampton, at home no less, 3-3 on Friday.

Yet Arsenal was lucky to get this result as they struck two late goals to rescue the point.

So while Arsenal still leads Manchester City by five points, City has two games in hand and the two square off at the Etihad (City) on Wednesday.

Suddenly for Arsenal there is zero room for error.  They must defeat City.

In games Saturday, it was largely about the relegation battle, the battle to avoid same.

Crystal Palace and Everton played to a 0-0 draw; Leicester City had a huge 2-1 win over the Wolves; Liverpool beat Nottingham Forest 3-2, and Fulham defeated Leeds 2-1.  What a jumble we continue to have at the bottom.

Today, Tottenham had a must-win contest at fourth-place Newcastle…

But beforehand there has been renewed talk that Harry Kane is gone at the end of the season.  This campaign has really been a disaster for the Spurs, who prior to today had come up woefully short in their previous four against Nottingham, Southampton, Everton and Bournemouth, gaining just five points out of what should have been 12.

Antonio Conte departed as manager, and Friday, the club’s “managing director of football” resigned.

So where will Kane go?  He is the all-time leading scorer for the club, a legend.  The Spurs will try to keep him, but Kane has been trophyless.  It’s the big question for the PL this offseason.

And so then they played the game today.  I was working on this column, watching Sunday news shows and checked the scoreboard early in the contest.  5-0, Newcastle, after 21 minutes! 

Unfreakin’ real. The final score was 6-1, Harry Kane with the lone Tottenham goal. 

Stick a fork in them.  Their fans have a right to be super pissed.  This was beyond humiliating.

In fact, the Magpies’ five goals in 21 minutes was the fastest since Man City had five in 18 minutes against Watford in 2019.

Standings (30/32 of 38 played…Played – Points)

[Ties broken by goal differential]

1. Arsenal…32 – 75
2. Man City…30 – 70
3. Newcastle…31 – 59
4. Man U…30 – 59 …Champions League line
5. Tottenham…32 – 53
6. Aston Villa…32 – 51

16. Leeds…32 – 29
17. Leicester City…32 – 28 …relegation line
18. Everton…32 – 28
19. Nottingham Forest…32 – 27
20. Southampton…32 – 24

Stuff

--We note the passing of Craig Breedlove, who set land-speed records by topping 400, 500 and 600 mph in jet-powered cars nicknamed Spirit of America.  He was 86.

Breedlove battled Tom Green and Art Arfons on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah to set and then break each other’s speed records during the freewheeling 1960s, a golden era of American motorsports, and motorsports worldwide, such as in Formula One.  Granted, there was many a death on the F1, stock car, and Indy Car circuits as well with inferior safety equipment, both for the driver and car, but I digress….

Breedlove’s final speed record was 600.6 mph in 1965.

The mark has been topped since, with the current record sitting at 760.3 mph – faster than the speed of sound – but Breedlove helped make the land-speed mark a cultural phenomenon beginning in 1963.

For you younger folks, it truly was special, covered on Wide World of Sports, for example, and followed intently.  I had a diecast, very cool model of the Spirit of America and now I’m pissed off I don’t know what happened to it.

Anyway, Breedlove was an American hero to some and was even immortalized in the Beach Boys’ song “Spirit of America,” which refers to him as a “daring young man” playing a “dangerous game.”

Born on March 23, 1937, Breedlove was a firefighter whose childhood love of cars inspired him to race. He also worked at Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica as a technician in structural engineering, a background that helped fuel his work with jet-powered cars.

His early designs were more like a fighter plane than a passenger car, with a jet engine and a rear fin.

In Spirit of America, Breedlove clocked 407 mph at Bonneville to set a new land-speed record on Aug. 5, 1963.  The record changed hands eight times in the next two-plus years, culminating with Breedlove’s final mark set on Nov. 15, 1965.

During one of Breedlove’s record-breaking runs, he lost his brakes and his parachutes.  Unable to stop for more than a mile (some reports say five miles), his car slammed into telephone poles before landing in a salt pond. Breedlove escaped unscathed.  I remember the LIFE magazine photo of this.

As Road and Track magazine put it, “America’s last speed king now rests.”

Top 3 songs for the week 4/20/68:  #1 “Honey” (Bobby Goldsboro)  #2 “Young Girl” (The Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett)  #3 “Cry Like A Baby” (The Box Tops)…and…#4 “Lady Madonna” (The Beatles)  #5 “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone” (Aretha Franklin)  #6 “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” (Otis Redding)  #7 “The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde” (Georgie Fame) #8 “Dance To The Music” (Sly & The Family Stone)  #9 “I Got The Feelin’” (James Brown)  #10 “Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)” (Manfred Mann…B+ week…)

MLB Quiz Answer: Eleven to throw a perfect game since 1990.

Dennis Martinez (MON)…7/28/91
Kenny Rogers (TEX)…7/28/94
David Wells (NYY)…5/17/98
David Cone (NYY)…7/18/99
Randy Johnson (ARI)…5/18/04
Mark Buehrle (CHW)…7/23/09
Dallas Braden (OAK)…5/9/10
Roy Halladay (PHI)…5/29/10
Philip Humber (CHW)…4/21/12
Matt Cain (SF)…6/13/12
Felix Hernandez (SEA)…8/15/12

Add-on up top by noon, Wed.

 



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Bar Chat

04/24/2023

All About the Playoffs

Add-on posted early Wed. a.m.

NBA Playoffs

--Shockingly, LeBron James had his first 20-20 game, ever, in Monday’s Game 4 against the Grizzlies, LeBron’s Lakers going up 3-1 with a 117-111 overtime win.

James had 22 points and 20 rebounds, the first 20-20 line in his career through 1,693 regular-season, play-in and postseason games – making him the oldest player to achieve the statistical mark since Wilt Chamberlain did it at the age of 36 in 1973.

Ja Morant was only 8 of 24 from the field for Memphis, with Anthony Davis blocking Morant’s potential game-winner at the end of regulation to ensure overtime.

The Lakers deserve a lot of credit thus far.  For much of the season, it didn’t look like they’d make the playoffs, LeBron and A.D. out for long stretches.

--Also deserving a ton of credit is Miami, startlingly up 3-1 over the NBA’s top overall seed, Milwaukee, after the Jimmy Butler Show, Monday night in Miami, Butler with a Miami playoff record 56 points*.

The Heat roared back from down 14 in the final quarter to stun the Bucks 119-114, thanks to Butler’s heroics, as he had 21 of his points in the fourth.

Miami has been playing without Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo, both out with season-ending injuries.

For Milwaukee, Giannis returned from a two-game absence due to his bruised back and had a triple-double – 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists, while 35-year-old Brook Lopez scored 36 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

*The record for points in a playoff is Michael Jordan’s 63 in 1986.

Game 5 for both the Heat and Lakers is Wednesday.  And the Knicks’ big Game 5 at Cleveland.

And…Game 5, Kings-Warriors back in Sacramento, all tied at 2-2.  But De’Aaron Fox fractured his left index finger, and if he was able to somehow play, the lefty would have to wear a protective covering.  As of this morning, Fox said he’s playing.

--Last night Trae Young and the Hawks shocked the Celtics in Boston, 119-117, Young with 38, the last 14 of the game, and the game-winning dagger from 30 feet to cut the Celts’ series lead to 3-2.  And the Hawks were without Dejounte Murray, who was suspended a game for bumping an official in Game 4.

Game 6 back in Atlanta.

--The Nuggets wrapped up their series with the T’Wolves, 112-109, to take it 4-1.

--Ditto Phoenix, the Suns defeating the Clippers 136-130, Devin Booker with 47 points on 19 of 27 from the field, and 10 assists.  L.A. was playing without Paul George and Kawhi again, too much to overcome but they put up a game effort.

--John Calipari is a proud coach watching the playoffs, seeing so many of his former Wildcats compete…and many at a high level. 

Like the 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, Devin Booker (Suns), Anthony Davis (Lakers), De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Trey Lyles (Kings).

In all, 15 former Kentucky players – defined as those who made their last collegiate stop at the school – have seen playing time in this year’s playoffs; the highest number of any school this postseason, and in NBA history, according to Stats Perform.  Nine of those 15 have scored at least 20 points in a playoff outing, also a record.

Sure makes recruiting easier for Coach Cal.

--Houston hired former Celtics coach Ime Udoka.  Udoka resigned in late September, shortly after the team suspended him for the entire season for “violations of team policies.”

As in a ‘wandering eye’…an inappropriate workplace relationship that the team initially believed was consensual.  The woman, though, then alleged Udoka sent her unwanted messages, and he used crude language, per a team investigation.

In his lone season as coach of the Celtics, Udoka made the Finals, ultimately falling to the Warriors.

NHL

--What a depressing game at Madison Square Garden Monday night as the Rangers lost Game 4 to the Devils, 3-1, to even the series at 2-2.

So much for the back-to-back 5-1 thrashings to open the series in New Jersey.  The Rangers came home, their fans thinking sweep, and they proceeded to play dreadful, lethargic hockey, their once awesome power-play now on a 0-for-11 skid, going back to Game 2.

Meanwhile, the switch for New Jersey to rookie goaltender Akira Schmid has paid off royally as he’s stopped 57 of 59 shots.

Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said after the game, “We didn’t show up.”  The Garden was like a morgue.

Momentum gone.  The only good thing is that Game 5 isn’t until Thursday.

--Congrats to Toronto for taking a 3-1 lead Monday down in Tampa Bay.  After two periods, the Maple Leafs, who as well-chronicled haven’t won a playoff series since 2004, were down 4-1. 

But Toronto roared back and won it 5-4 in overtime on an Alexander Kerfoot power-play goal.  So the Maple Leafs can win the series back home on Thursday.

It helped that Toronto star Auston Matthews has played well, seven points in four games including two goals on Monday.

--The Islanders were clutch last night, defeating Carolina in Raleigh 3-2 to stay alive. 

Game 6 Friday on the island.

MLB

--After a 6-1 loss at Minnesota Monday night, the Yankees had scored six runs in their last four games.

Monday, they were dominated by Twins starter Sonny Gray, the former Yank who lowered his ERA to 0.62 with seven scoreless.  Gray struggled in Gotham, 1 ½ seasons, 15-16, 4.51 ERA (2017-18).

Another who struggled mightily in pinstripes, Joey Gallo, clubbed his sixth home run for Minnesota.  In 421 at-bats from 2021-22 with New York, Gallo hit .159, with a .660 OPS, though he did hit 25 home runs.

Meanwhile, Aaron Judge is 6-for-41 in his last 12 games.

And the Yanks lost again Tuesday, 6-2, to fall to 13-11, Minnesota 14-10.  Just eight singles for New York, Judge 1-for-4.

--Tampa Bay set a modern-era MLB record with their 14th consecutive home win to begin a season, beating the Astros 8-3 on Monday.

Tampa Bay had shared the mark dating to 1901 with the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers.

Four teams in the 1880s had streaks of at least 14.  According to Elias Sports Bureau, the 1880 Chicago White Stockings won their first 21 at home to begin the season.

The Rays moved to 20-3 overall. Only the 1911 Detroit Tigers and 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers had better starts at 21-2 since 1901.

But Tuesday, the Astros shut out the Rays 5-0, home streak over.

--The Braves improved to 15-8 Monday with an 11-0 blowout of the Marlins, as Spencer Strider threw eight innings of 2-hit ball, striking out 13, Strider off to a 3-0, 1.80 start.

And they beat Miami (12-12) on Tuesday, 7-4, the Braves 16-8.

--The Mets were back home Tuesday night, after a successful 7-3 West Coast swing, and Mets broadcaster Keith Hernandez warned beforehand that the first game back from such a road trip is the hardest for teams heading east, and he was so right, a putrid 5-0 loss to the Nationals, the Mets 14-10, Washington 8-14.

For Washington, Josiah Gray was terrific with six scoreless, 9 strikeouts.  But the Mets were listless, limp, you name it.

--The Dodgers (13-11) snapped the Pirates 7-game winning streak last night in Pittsburgh, 8-7, L.A.’s Chris Taylor with a late 3-run homer.  Taylor, 3 hits overall, came into the game hitting .111.

Pittsburgh is 16-8.  Prior to the game, the Pirates and outfielder Bryan Reynolds reached agreement on an eight-year, $106.75 million contract extension, according to multiple reports, marking the largest deal in franchise history.  Good for Reynolds and Bucs fans.

--Baseball America’s Top 25 (4/24)

1. LSU
2. South Carolina
3. Wake Forest
4. Florida
5. Vanderbilt
6. Arkansas
7. Coastal Carolina
8. Campbell
9. Stanford
10. Texas Tech

11. Virginia
13. Miami
14. East Carolina
16. Duke
18. Boston College

Wake then took on Coastal Carolina Tuesday in Winston-Salem, a huge one in terms of seeding down the road.

And the Deacs won it 11-1.  Phew.

NFL

--It looked like it might come down to the day of the NFL Draft before the Jets formally acquired Aaron Rodgers, but the two teams wrapped up the trade Monday.  The Jets receive Rodgers, the Packers 2023 No. 15 pick, and a 2023 fifth-round pick.

In return, Green Bay gets the Jets’ 2023 13th overall pick, a 2023 second-round pick (No. 42), a sixth-round pick (No. 207) and a conditional second-round pick that will become a first-round pick if Rodgers plays 65% of the Jets snaps next season.

I wanted Derek Carr but here we are, and to owner Woody Johnson’s credit, the team is going all in…a one-year shot (many of us assume).  The Jets have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, including four of their starting linemen returning (they’ll pick up the fifth with their first-round pick in the draft), good skill players for Rodgers, and a solid defense.

What the hell.  I’m not going to mope anymore.  Rodgers is a smart guy.  He knows he can have Gotham by the balls.  He’ll come off as a total team player, initially, and then we’ll see what happens if the Jets get off to something like a 2-3 start. [Not that I’m predicting that.]

So Go Jets!  [Rodgers with his first press conference this afternoon.]

As for Green Bay, they are obviously all in on Jordan Love.  He’s got his shot.

--In College Football, Deion Sanders has made his mark in Colorado.  After a spring game last weekend that drew a staggering 47,000 in awful weather, this week has seen a huge turnover in the roster, which is what Sanders wanted as he brings in a big class of transfers, players he wants, while others he inherited have been encouraged to “hop in that portal,” as he said in his first team meeting.

But 18 entered the portal on Monday, and as of Tuesday, it was 31 overall, which could be a bit more than he wanted.

Stuff

--Kyle Busch won Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, and he stole the win after a double overtime restart, staying clear of a last lap crash to win the race under caution.

It was win No. 62 in his career, but first at Talladega since 2008 and second of the season.

Ryan Blaney was second.  He was involved in the late crash that led to Busch’s win, as then-race leader Bubba Wallace blocked him before spinning and taking out numerous other drivers.  Blaney was looking to break a 55-race winless streak.

Blaney didn’t blame Wallace, while Busch saw the action between those two and afterwards, he said it was like the parting of the seas as he surged between them.

--We note the passing of Harry Belafonte, 96. I’m going to write a little about his legend in that other column I do later in the week, but he was the first Black Emmy winner and recorded the first-ever million-selling full-length album by any artist.  He was a Grammy lifetime achievement award winner and the recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award Oscar in 2014.

Belafonte was one of the driving forces behind “We Are the World,” the star-studded charity single that raised more than $60 million for Ethiopian famine relief after its 1985 release.  He appeared in the video with an assortment of music legends, including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles and Bob Dylan.

In 1956, he made music history.  His “The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)” became a massive hit off Belafonte’s album “Calypso,” which sold the unheard-of 1 million copies.

Next Bar Chat, Sunday p.m.

-----

[Posted prior to Sunday’s late sports action]

Add-on up top by noon, Wed.

MLB Quiz: There have been 23 perfect games in MLB history, but just 21 in the modern era.  However, 11 of them have been since 1990.  Name the pitchers.  Answer below.

NBA Playoffs

--After Tuesday’s blowout in Cleveland, I mused which Knicks team would show up at the Garden Friday night in Game 3 of this series, and one thing was for sure, the Knicks fans showed up and the place was rockin’ like in days of yore.  The Knicks responded and blew out the Cavs 99-79 to take a 2-1 series lead heading into Sunday’s Game 4 at the world’s most famous arena.

Shockingly, the 79 points was the first time all season a team failed to reach 80 in an NBA game.

Cleveland was 2 of 19 from 3 in the first half, 7 of 33 for the game, 31 for 80 (38.8%) from the field overall, with 20 turnovers.

“It was shaking in there,” Obi Toppin said.

Jalen Brunson said: “We matched the fans’ energy.”

So Sunday, with a 1:00 p.m. start, what would the energy level be like for both players and fans, and could Cleveland right the ship as they did in Game 2?

Well the Knicks came out strong and had a 15-point lead in the second quarter, though Cleveland cut it to nine at the half, 54-45.

The Cavs, thanks to a resurgent Darius Garland (after his dismal Game 3), took a lead in the third, only to have the Knicks come back, 73-71 New York after the end of the quarter.

Julius Randle was having a terrible game, just 7 points, and Coach Tom Thibodeau benched him the entire fourth quarter for Obi Toppin and it paid off, while RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson led the way to a super win, 102-93; Brunson with 29, the much-maligned Barrett (for good reason) with 26 (though 0 for 6 from 3).

Thibodeau had guts to do what he did with Randle and we’ll see what the latter’s reaction is.

But Knicks up 3-1 heading to Game 5 in Cleveland on Wednesday.

For the Cavs, Donovan Mitchell was held to 11 points and both he and Garland need to have a combined 60 points, I’m guessing, for Cleveland to win the next one.

Cleveland’s ‘Bigs’ also need to outplay New York’s…which was far from the case today.

--The Warriors had never trailed a playoff series 2-0 since 2007, but the team has always showed resiliency and Golden State crushed Sacramento, 114-97, at home on Thursday to cut it to 2-1.  Steph Curry had 36 points, including six 3-pointers.  Kevin Looney had only four points, but 20 rebounds and nine assists.

And then just now, the Warriors evened it at 2-2, 126-125, as Steph Curry almost singlehandedly blew it, calling a timeout when one wasn’t available, and then missing a midrange shot, but Golden State, and Steph, tightened up on a last-second shot by Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes…miss…win for the Dubs.

The great De’Aaron Fox had 38 for the Kings, Game 5 in Sacramento on Wednesday.

--The 76ers swept the Nets, 4-0, with a 96-88 win on Saturday in Brooklyn, Philly without Joel Embiid, after he suffered a right knee sprain in Game 3 Thursday night, in what was a most chippy affair, with groin shots galore.

So now the question is will he be ready for the next series, and Game 1?  There is some hope as of today he will be.

For now, Tobias Harris had an outstanding series, averaging 20.3 points and 8.8 rebounds, far above his regular season averages, including 25 points and 12 rebounds in Saturday’s clincher.

As for Brooklyn, with all the changes to the roster the last few months of the season, what’s emerged is that they have some very nice pieces, but more than anything, they need a real point guard.

--Phoenix took a 3-1 series lead over the Clippers, Saturday, 112-100, L.A. playing without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

For the Suns, Chris Paul was outstanding…19 points, 9 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks and zero turnovers.  Devin Booker had 30 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists; Kevin Durant with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists.

Game 4 Tuesday in Phoenix.

--Dillon Brooks is a solid, but far from spectacular player for the Grizzlies, but he stupidly dissed LeBron James after Game 2 of their series, calling him “old,” and then Brooks compounded things in Game 3 last night, hitting LeBron in the groin and getting himself ejected as the Lakers won it 111-101 in L.A. to take a 2-1 series lead.  This one was 35-9 after the first quarter!

James had 25 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, getting the last laugh, and saying afterwards, “I’ve been doing this too long. I’m not making any statements… No statement was made.  We just wanted to play well, and we got a win.”

Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds, while Ja Morant had 45 points and 13 assists for Memphis.  No one else for the Grizzlies showed up.

Game 4 Monday in L.A.

--Miami has a rather shocking 2-1 lead over Milwaukee after Saturday’s 121-99 victory in Miami.  The Bucks, though, were without Giannis for a second straight game with a bruised lower back.

But Miami, which got 30 points from Jimmy Butler, lost key reserve Victor Oladipo to a serious knee injury late in the game, the Heat already without guard Tyler Herro, who broke his hand in Game 1.

Game 4 Monday in Miami.

--The Celtics are at Atlanta tonight, the Hawks rather shockingly taking Game 3 Friday night, 130-122, to cut Boston’s series lead to 2-1.  Trae Young finally came up big with 32 points, Dejounte Murray with 25. 

--In College Basketball, Gonzaga landed a commitment from Wyoming transfer Graham Ike, which I only mention because, err, I mentioned Ike before.  The guy was a beast in the 2021-22 season, averaging 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds, but sat out last season with a lower right leg injury.  I’m guessing he’s a big star next year for the Zags, who are retooling after the departure of program Hall of Famer Drew Timme and three other starters.

NHL

--The Rangers won the first two games of their series against their rival the Devils, 5-1, 5-1, in New Jersey, and Rangers fans were stoked for Game 3 at the Garden Saturday night.

Only the Rangers came up short, 2-1, as New Jersey’s Dougie Hamilton scored 11:36 into overtime.  I disgustedly turned the TV off, wishing I had gone to bed earlier.

The thing is, Devils coach Lindy Ruff went with rookie goalie Akira Schmid, while the Rangers’ power-play came up short on five opportunities after being all-world the first two contests.

Schmid, 22, replaced Vitek Vanecek, who had yielded nine goals in the first two, and the rookie came up big with 35 saves.

Game 4 Monday at MSG.  This is huge.

--Toronto has gone 19 years without winning a playoff series and they lost their opener to the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-3.

But the Maple Leafs won Game 2, 7-2, so onto Game 3 down in Tampa Bay, Saturday.

And with one minute remaining in regulation last night, Toronto’s Ryan O’Reilly tied it up at 3-3, sending the game into overtime, where Morgan Rielly (sic) won it for the Maple Leafs at 19:15, giving Toronto a 2-1 lead, Game 4 Monday night.

--The Boston Bruins are on a mission to beat the Presidents’ Trophy jinx.  The last nine teams to win it have failed to win the Stanley Cup*.  And it’s actually worse than that.  Just one of those nine (the Rangers in 2014-15) advanced beyond the second round.

*In the 36 seasons the trophy has been awarded before now, only eight recipients have won the Cup.

The thing is, not only did the Bruins win the Presidents’ Trophy for most points in the regular season, but they set an NHL record in doing so.

Well, Boston took a 2-1 series lead to Florida this afternoon, and as I go to post, they are up 5-2 with 3:00 to play…call it 3-1.

--Edmonton is playing Los Angeles in L.A. later Sunday night, the Oilers down 2-1 in the series, the Kings’ two victories in overtime, including 3-2 on Friday, Trevor Moore with the game-winner, 3:24 into OT.  Connor McDavid had Edmonton’s two goals.  C’mon, Oilers.

--The Islanders are toast, down 3-1 to Carolina after a 5-2 home loss this afternoon.

MLB

--Last week I wrote the start to the season was kind of bleh, outside of Tampa Bay’s record-tying 13-0 opening.

But one week has changed a lot and while the Rays remain hot (18-3 coming into today), you have the Pirates (15-7 after going 62-100 in 2022), the Cubs (an exciting 12-8 after 74-88), Miami (12-9 after 69-93), and Texas (13-7 after 68-94).

But then you have the Cardinals, 8-13 after 93-69.

And Oakland (4-17) and the Royals (5-16). 

Bottom line, no shortage of story lines.

--Friday, Shohei Ohtani struck out 11 in another masterful performance, seven scoreless, two hits, as the Angels beat the Royals 2-0 in Anaheim.

Ohtani, 3-0, has given up two runs and eight hits over 28 innings with 38 strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 0.64 – the lowest in franchise history through a pitcher’s first five starts.  Ohtani also extended his franchise record with his 12th consecutive start allowing two runs or fewer. Since 2022, he also has the most games with 10 or more strikeouts.

--The Mets’ starting staff has been decimated by injury, and now suspensions, as Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Carlos Carasco and Jose Quintana have all missed time.

But Friday, lefty Joey Lucchesi was called up, starting for the first time since 2021 after Tommy John Surgery shelved him for all of 2022, and Lucchesi delivered in a big way…seven scoreless, 9 strikeouts, as the Mets beat the Giants in San Francisco 7-0.

This came after the Mets beat the Giants 9-4 on Thursday, Pete Alonso homering in both games, 8 RBIs, giving him 10 and 23 to lead the majors in both categories at the end of the evening (tied with Yordan Alvarez in RBIs*).

*Until “Garcia Happened”…see below.

The Mets (14-8) then had a dismal 7-4 loss, Saturday, as starter David Peterson got shelled again.

But earlier in the week, Wednesday in Los Angeles, Max Scherzer was ejected for having a sticky substance after tossing three shutout innings and then he was suspended the next day by Major League Baseball for ten games for “violating the prohibitions on foreign substances.”  Scherzer initially said he would appeal, but then he dropped it, the suspension starting Thursday night, so he’d miss just one start.

“I thought I was gonna get in front of a neutral arbitrator but I wasn’t,” Scherzer said in explaining why he dropped the case.  “It was going to be through MLB. So given that process, I really wasn’t gonna come out on top. I’m gonna follow what the Mets wanted me to do, and that was accept the suspension.”

This makes Scherzer eligible for the important early-season series with the Braves that starts on April 28 and ends on May 1.

Scherzer claimed the stickiness was caused by rosin and sweat and not by a foreign substance.

Umpire Phil Cuzzi, however, determined after the second inning that Scherzer’s hand was stickier and darker than normal and ordered Scherzer to wash his hand, which Scherzer said he did with alcohol while an MLB official watched.

After the third inning, Cuzzi determined the pocket of Scherzer’s glove was “sticky,” likely with too much rosin, and he ordered Scherzer to change gloves.  The umpires then checked him out again before the fourth, and believed his hands were even worse than before.

Home plate umpire Dan Bellino said, “When he came out to start the bottom of the fourth inning, that’s when we realized the level of stickiness on his hand was much worse than it was even in the initial inspection that had taken place two innings prior.”  Bellino added: “As far as the level of stickiness, this was the stickiest it has been since I’ve been inspecting hands, which goes back three seasons.”

Scherzer said: “I knew I was going to get checked in the fourth. So I have to be an absolute idiot to try to do anything when I am coming back out for the fourth. I am in front of the MLB official that is underneath [near the dugout]. I wash my hand with alcohol in front of the official.  I then apply rosin and I then grabbed sweat. I then go back out there and Phil Cuzzi says my hand is too sticky.”

Bellino said it seemed like there was something other than rosin on Scherzer’s hand.

But there is no standard for “stickiness.”  No doubt, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts instigated the whole thing.

Scherzer accepting the suspension won’t hurt him, in terms of his reputation and getting into the Hall of Fame.  As Mets broadcaster Ron Darling said the day of the transgression, every pitcher does what he can to gain an edge.  And it doesn’t mean Scherzer was guilty…you just move on.

--The aforementioned Cubs almost got a perfect game from Drew Smyly on Friday, but he collided with his catcher while trying to field an eighth-inning dribbler that went for an infield single, the only hit for the Dodgers as the Cubs drubbed them 13-0.  [The runner would have beaten it out regardless.]  Former Dodger Cody Bellinger went deep for the second straight day and third time against his former team.  Nico Hoener had four hits and four RBIs.

The Cubs also scored double-digits for the sixth time in their first 19 games, matching, get this, the 1885 Chicago White Stockings.

Smyly ended up going 7 2/3, 0 walks, 10 Ks.

--Pittsburgh increased its win streak to six, its longest since 2018, with a 2-1 win Saturday over the Reds.  The Pirates at 15-7 are off to their best start since 1992!  [And largely without budding superstar shortstop Oneil Cruz.]

No wonder then that manager Derek Shelton was awarded a contract extension Saturday prior to the game.  Shelton’s contract was due to expire after this season.  No length was specified.

Anytime the Pirates are good is great for the game.

Make it 16-7, seven straight, after today’s 2-0 win over the Reds.

--Giancarlo Stanton, currently sidelined because of a hamstring strain, said his frequent stints on the injured list are “unacceptable” because they put the Yankees “in a really tough spot.”

Indeed they do.  He’s expected to miss six weeks with his latest issue.  It’s the fifth consecutive season that Stanton, 33, will spend time on the IL.

Saturday, the Yanks and Blue Jays were tied at 0-0 going to the bottom of the eighth when Anthony Volpe hit his second home run, a 2-run shot to make it 2-0.  But Toronto got a pinch-hit 2-run homer to tie it, only to have DJ LeMahieu win it for the Yanks (13-8) with a pinch single in the bottom of the ninth.

Gerrit Cole went 5 2/3 for New York, lowering his ERA to 0.79.

--Texas beat the A’s in Arlington, Saturday, 18-3, Oakland falling to 4-17.

But in the game, the Rangers’ Adolis Garcia had himself a night…5-for-5, five runs scored, 3 home runs, 2 doubles and 8 RBIs; his first 3-homer game and a career high in ribbies.

So Garcia now has seven home runs and a MLB-leading 28 RBIs.

As for Oakland, their starters are 0-10 while allowing 95 runs – all earned – in 95 1/3 innings. Thru Sat., the team’s ERA was 8.08.

--The Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. made his debut Thursday night at Arizona, after serving an 80-game PED suspension that shocked and angered his teammates and the fan base – and tempered his status as one of the sport’s most prominent and likable stars.

Tatis’ maturity has been under a microscope since the then-22-year-old signed a $330 million, 14-year contract prior to the 2021 season.  He then broke his left wrist the next offseason – reportedly in a motorcycle accident in his native Dominican Republic.  Tatis was finally ready to return last August when his PED suspension was announced.

Well, he’s off to a 2-for-13 start in his first three games, hitting a solo home run in Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Diamondbacks.

Tatis is playing right field, Xander Bogaerts ensconced at short.

--Madison Bumgarner was designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks, who will eat more than $34 million remaining on his contract.

Bumgarner signed a five-year, $85 million deal with Arizona before the 2020 season, but he has been awful, posting a 5.23 ERA over 69 starts, just 15-32.

Bumgarner can sign with a team for the major league minimum of $720,000.

But his fastball averaged just 89.5 mph this season and he’s been pummeled, yielding 19 earned runs in 16 2/3 over four starts in 2023.

--The Reds made a rather surprising move, handing 23-year-old starting pitcher Hunter Greene a six-year contract extension, $53 million, with a $21 million club option for 2029. Oh, they sure hope they are more than happy to give him the $21 million then.  That would be a great sign.

Greene has amazing talent, a former Sports Illustrated Cover Boy as a high school athlete.

He has made just 28 starts in the major leagues, 24 of them last season when he went 5-13, 4.44 ERA, but with 164 strikeouts in 125 2/3.  [And 24 home runs.]

In four starts this season prior to today, Sunday*, Greene is 0-0, 4.24, 17 innings, 24 Ks.

*Greene then took the loss against the Pirates in the above-mentioned 2-0 Reds defeat, but he pitched six innings of one-run ball.

This is a terrific commitment by the Reds, who obviously like the kid and his character.

“The commitment we made to Hunter reflects his commitment to this organization and to our community,” Reds CEO Bob Castellini said in a statement.  “He is part of the foundation of young players who will continue to help us build a successful Major League team.”

It’s great for Greene.  At 23, he has long-term financial comfort.  He wouldn’t have hit arbitration until after the 2024 season and then wouldn’t hit free agency until after 2027.  The deal starts this season and then buys out the first two years of Greene’s free agency.

--The Oakland A’s will not be in the Bay Area much longer, perhaps through 2025, most likely 2026.  [But it’s very complicated.  They could be in Vegas as early as next year, playing in the AAA stadium there.]  They signed a binding agreement to purchase a 49-acre site in Las Vegas where they plan to build a retractable roof ballpark after being unable to secure a new venue in Oakland or San Jose.

The A’s will work with Nevada and Clark County on a public-private partnership to fund the stadium.  If they break ground in 2024, they would hope to be able to move by 2027.  Anyway, this is a shame, and deeply embarrassing for MLB, the A’s, and the city of Oakland.

--In College Baseball, No. 3 Wake Forest (Baseball America) lost its opener against Pitt this weekend, 3-0, and I was a bit concerned (ditto Gregg R., who like moi has a vested interest in the Deacs’ success).  But we won the two games Saturday and Sunday in Pittsburgh, 23-4 and 17-1!  In yesterday’s contest, Wake had two players with 9 and 8 RBIs apiece.  I can’t imagine that’s happened much at the Division I level.

NFL

--All about the NFL Draft, this Thurs.-Sat.  Four quarterbacks are going early, some mock drafts having them all going in the first 5-7 picks…Bryce Young (Alabama), Will Levis (Kentucky), C.J. Stroud (Ohio State), and Anthony Richardson (Florida).  They’re certainly all going top twelve at worst.  Another QB, Hendon Hooker (Tennessee) is a consensus top-25.

Will Anderson Jr. of ‘Bama, the all-world edge rusher, is going in the top five somewhere.

But where will Jalen Carter (DL, Georgia) go after his off-campus incident?

Wake Forest fans are waiting to see where wide receiver A.T. Perry goes, Perry seemingly a consensus late-third round selection.

Lastly, what of two-time national champion quarterback Stetson Bennett?  One mock draft I looked at had him late seventh round.  He has major character issues, exposed after the last national title celebration.

--Four Detroit Lions, including last year’s first-round pick Jameson Williams, were among five players suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy, the NFL announced Friday.

Williams and Stanley Berryhill received six-game suspensions for their actions.  Both players are available to take part in the team’s offseason program and preseason activities, including games.

The NFL issued indefinite suspensions for Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore. Both players were suspended for the entire 2023 NFL season at the very least.  They can apply for reinstatement following 2023.  The Lions released Cephus and Moore after learning they were suspended.

Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney also received an indefinite suspension from the NFL.

The league did not provide many details on what led to the suspensions.  In the cases of Cephus, Moore and Toney, the league explicitly said those players bet on NFL games during the 2022 season.  It did not reveal what led to Berryhill and Williams getting suspended, but they reportedly bet on college football games, and did so at an NFL facility, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

NFL policy states players and personnel cannot engage in any form of gambling “in any club or league facility, or venue, including the practice facility.”  The league said it found no evidence that “any inside information was used or that any game was compromised in any way.”

--Former NFL quarterback Bob Berry died.  He was 81.

Berry was a Minnesota Vikings backup behind Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton, reaching the Super Bowl twice with the Vikes, 1973-74.  He actually had two stints with Minnesota, 1965-67, and 1973-75, with five seasons with the Falcons sandwiched in between where he often started, 1968-72.  He made the Pro Bowl in 1969.

With the Falcons, Berry had 57 of his 64 overall touchdown passes, and threw for 8,489 yards.

I had many a Bob Berry football card.  He played his college ball at Oregon.  RIP.

--And Hall of Fame San Francisco linebacker Dave Wilcox died.  He was 80.

Wilcox made seven Pro Bowls, and was a two-time AP All-Pro, playing from 1964-74.  He too played his college ball at Oregon.  The guy was just solid.

Golf Balls

--The Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana is an annual team event and after two rounds the team of Wyndham Clark and Beau Hossler led at -16.  Defending champs Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele were two back.

But I can’t help but note the performance of the duo, John Daly and David Duval. 

First off, if you’re wondering how these two got in the field, the Zurich has an unlimited number of sponsor’s exemptions to round out its competition.  The team format isn’t liked by a lot of regular PGA Tour members and the tournament does not award Official World Golf Ranking points (but it does award FedEx Cup points).  Plus the Zurich suffered this year after The Masters and the ‘designated’ RBC Heritage, with scores of stars taking a pass.

Anyway, with Daly’s popularity and Duval’s name recognition, they got in…and boy did they suck.

After shooting a three-over 75 in Thursday’s best-ball format, Friday’s alternate shot proved to be too much of an obstacle for these two and they shot an 11-over 83, the highest alternate shot score since the event turned to the team format six years ago.

At +14 for the two rounds, they were 12 behind the next nearest team at +2, and 24 shots from the cut at -10.

After three rounds…

Clark/Hossler -26
Keith Mitchell/Sungjae Im (cool team) -25

Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick -21…Alex a Wake guy.

But then out of nowhere, Davis Riley and Nick Hardy, with a closing 65 in alternate shot, both pick up their first PGA Tour wins, defeating Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin.

Schauffele and Cantlay finished T4 and picked up valuable FedEx Cup points.

The Fitzpatricks flamed out, T19.

Clark and Hossler were solo third.  Mitchell and Im finished solo sixth, but they too picked up points.

--We learned on Wednesday that Tiger Woods underwent a “successful” subtalar fusion surgery on his ankle.  The procedure deals with the bones that form the ankle and was performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley in New York City.

Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg said Tiger “looks forward to beginning his rehabilitation.  The first goal is to recover and lead a much more enjoyable day-to-day life,” he told the AP.

This is not a simple surgery and it hurts to think about your bones being reassembled.   It results in tremendous pain for which Tiger will be taking heavy medication for a bit.  He is likely to be in a boot or cast for up to three months.  The final three majors are out for 2023.  Such a shame, as Royal Liverpool seemed like a natural for Tiger after months of rehab from his Masters struggles.  But then this.

--The LIV Golf tour played in Adelaide, Australia this week and Talor Gooch fired back-to-back 62s to take a 10-stroke lead after the first two rounds.

But Gooch almost blew it, with a 1-over 73, while Anirban Lahiri was firing a 65 to finish 3 shots back in second.

More than 90,000 attended the three-day event, making it the most successful edition of the LIV Golf tournaments thus far, but with native Cam Smith in the field (who finished 4 shots back in third), and a nation starved to see a golf tournament with some known players, I’m not surprised.

The 14-event season moves on to Singapore next weekend, at a place I once had more than a few adult beverages.

--In College Golf, Wake Forest’s Michael Brennan won the individual ACC Golf Championship title, the Deacs advancing to the match-play portion, one of four teams to do so, the others being Georgia Tech, Duke and Virginia.

Premier League

--In shocking fashion, Arsenal has potentially blown its shot at the Premier League title, earning just another draw, the third in a row, against last place Southampton, at home no less, 3-3 on Friday.

Yet Arsenal was lucky to get this result as they struck two late goals to rescue the point.

So while Arsenal still leads Manchester City by five points, City has two games in hand and the two square off at the Etihad (City) on Wednesday.

Suddenly for Arsenal there is zero room for error.  They must defeat City.

In games Saturday, it was largely about the relegation battle, the battle to avoid same.

Crystal Palace and Everton played to a 0-0 draw; Leicester City had a huge 2-1 win over the Wolves; Liverpool beat Nottingham Forest 3-2, and Fulham defeated Leeds 2-1.  What a jumble we continue to have at the bottom.

Today, Tottenham had a must-win contest at fourth-place Newcastle…

But beforehand there has been renewed talk that Harry Kane is gone at the end of the season.  This campaign has really been a disaster for the Spurs, who prior to today had come up woefully short in their previous four against Nottingham, Southampton, Everton and Bournemouth, gaining just five points out of what should have been 12.

Antonio Conte departed as manager, and Friday, the club’s “managing director of football” resigned.

So where will Kane go?  He is the all-time leading scorer for the club, a legend.  The Spurs will try to keep him, but Kane has been trophyless.  It’s the big question for the PL this offseason.

And so then they played the game today.  I was working on this column, watching Sunday news shows and checked the scoreboard early in the contest.  5-0, Newcastle, after 21 minutes! 

Unfreakin’ real. The final score was 6-1, Harry Kane with the lone Tottenham goal. 

Stick a fork in them.  Their fans have a right to be super pissed.  This was beyond humiliating.

In fact, the Magpies’ five goals in 21 minutes was the fastest since Man City had five in 18 minutes against Watford in 2019.

Standings (30/32 of 38 played…Played – Points)

[Ties broken by goal differential]

1. Arsenal…32 – 75
2. Man City…30 – 70
3. Newcastle…31 – 59
4. Man U…30 – 59 …Champions League line
5. Tottenham…32 – 53
6. Aston Villa…32 – 51

16. Leeds…32 – 29
17. Leicester City…32 – 28 …relegation line
18. Everton…32 – 28
19. Nottingham Forest…32 – 27
20. Southampton…32 – 24

Stuff

--We note the passing of Craig Breedlove, who set land-speed records by topping 400, 500 and 600 mph in jet-powered cars nicknamed Spirit of America.  He was 86.

Breedlove battled Tom Green and Art Arfons on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah to set and then break each other’s speed records during the freewheeling 1960s, a golden era of American motorsports, and motorsports worldwide, such as in Formula One.  Granted, there was many a death on the F1, stock car, and Indy Car circuits as well with inferior safety equipment, both for the driver and car, but I digress….

Breedlove’s final speed record was 600.6 mph in 1965.

The mark has been topped since, with the current record sitting at 760.3 mph – faster than the speed of sound – but Breedlove helped make the land-speed mark a cultural phenomenon beginning in 1963.

For you younger folks, it truly was special, covered on Wide World of Sports, for example, and followed intently.  I had a diecast, very cool model of the Spirit of America and now I’m pissed off I don’t know what happened to it.

Anyway, Breedlove was an American hero to some and was even immortalized in the Beach Boys’ song “Spirit of America,” which refers to him as a “daring young man” playing a “dangerous game.”

Born on March 23, 1937, Breedlove was a firefighter whose childhood love of cars inspired him to race. He also worked at Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica as a technician in structural engineering, a background that helped fuel his work with jet-powered cars.

His early designs were more like a fighter plane than a passenger car, with a jet engine and a rear fin.

In Spirit of America, Breedlove clocked 407 mph at Bonneville to set a new land-speed record on Aug. 5, 1963.  The record changed hands eight times in the next two-plus years, culminating with Breedlove’s final mark set on Nov. 15, 1965.

During one of Breedlove’s record-breaking runs, he lost his brakes and his parachutes.  Unable to stop for more than a mile (some reports say five miles), his car slammed into telephone poles before landing in a salt pond. Breedlove escaped unscathed.  I remember the LIFE magazine photo of this.

As Road and Track magazine put it, “America’s last speed king now rests.”

Top 3 songs for the week 4/20/68:  #1 “Honey” (Bobby Goldsboro)  #2 “Young Girl” (The Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett)  #3 “Cry Like A Baby” (The Box Tops)…and…#4 “Lady Madonna” (The Beatles)  #5 “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone” (Aretha Franklin)  #6 “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” (Otis Redding)  #7 “The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde” (Georgie Fame) #8 “Dance To The Music” (Sly & The Family Stone)  #9 “I Got The Feelin’” (James Brown)  #10 “Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)” (Manfred Mann…B+ week…)

MLB Quiz Answer: Eleven to throw a perfect game since 1990.

Dennis Martinez (MON)…7/28/91
Kenny Rogers (TEX)…7/28/94
David Wells (NYY)…5/17/98
David Cone (NYY)…7/18/99
Randy Johnson (ARI)…5/18/04
Mark Buehrle (CHW)…7/23/09
Dallas Braden (OAK)…5/9/10
Roy Halladay (PHI)…5/29/10
Philip Humber (CHW)…4/21/12
Matt Cain (SF)…6/13/12
Felix Hernandez (SEA)…8/15/12

Add-on up top by noon, Wed.