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09/25/2023
Bubble Burst
Add-on posted 4:00 PM ET, Tuesday.
MLB
Wild Card Standings thru Monday….
Down the stretch they come….baseball fans hope for a terrific final weekend. It should be.
AL
Tampa Bay 95-62…+9
Toronto 87-69…+1.5
Houston 86-71…--
Seattle 84-72…1.5
Houston’s Justin Verlander may have dealt a death blow to Seattle on Monday night, when he did what was he was brought on to do…go 8 innings, one run, in a 5-1 win over the Mariners, Verlander now 12-8, 3.32 for the season with the Mets and Astros.
Houston is at Seattle tonight and tomorrow as well.
NL
Philadelphia 87-69…+5
Arizona 82-74…--
Chicago 82-74…--
Miami 81-75…1
Cincinnati 80-77…2.5
--At the end of a season, especially a non-successful one, most teams talk about their offseason needs in terms of adding a lefty or righty power hitter, finding a corner outfielder, upgrading the bullpen, adding a starter or two.
But for three teams it’s about single individuals.
Like with the Angels and not just whether they can retain Shohei Ohtani, if they want to, but also what to do with Mike Trout.
Trout said Monday in a scrum with reporters: “I go through this every year. There’s private conversations I have [after every season] with Arte [Moreno] and [team president John Carpino],” Trout said. “And like I said, I’m doing the same thing I did last year, what, 13 years? Going into the offseason, clearing my mind and getting ready for spring and wearing an Angels uniform in spring.”
Trout added: “I know there’s a lot of speculation out there. …Nothing has changed.”
Well, it has changed. He’s clearly on the market, though with his no-trade clause, he’ll call the shots. I hope the Mets would at least listen. Trout would come to New York, I’m sure, as for starters it would bring him closer to his home in southern New Jersey, across the river from Philadelphia.
So speaking of the Mets, it’s all about Pete Alonso and what to do with him, a fascinating situation for Mets fans this offseason. Ditto the plight of manager Buck Showalter, who will no doubt be jettisoned by new president of baseball operations David Stearns. [I won’t cry if Buck is gone.]
And for Yankees fans, it’s about manager Aaron Boone, who said Monday he has not been told if he is coming back next season (he isn’t), the team heading into the offseason without a postseason appearance for the first time since 2016.
Boone is under contract through next season and the Yankees haven’t fired a manager in the middle of a deal since Stump Merrill was fired following the 1991 season during George Steinbrenner’s suspension and replaced by Buck Showalter.
NFL
--Pretty amazing that after just three weeks, we have only three undefeated teams….
Miami 3-0
Philadelphia 3-0
San Francisco 3-0
And four are winless….
Denver 0-3
Minnesota 0-3*
Chicago 0-3
Carolina 0-3…David Tepper is just thrilled with his investment, wrote the editor with dripping sarcasm. Oh sure, in the end he’ll sell the team for more than he bought it for, but they suck, and if there is one guy who abhors underperformance, it’s him.
*Kirk Cousins is the first in NFL history to lead the league in passing yardage, 1,075, (9 TDs, 2 INTs), yet with his team 0-3.
--The Eagles are getting a little better with each game it seems, 25-11 over Tampa Bay (2-1) on Monday night, as it’s been the D’Andre Swift show the last two games for the Eagles…44 carries for 305 yards, 6.93 average.
--Also on Monday, Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow gutted it out despite his right calf strain, keeping it short, 26/49, 259, 0-1, only 59.8, but the Bengals got the ‘W’ to avoid falling to 0-3 in beating the Rams (1-2) 19-16 in Cincy. The Rams are just not good.
--The Chargers (1-2), who avoided the dreaded 0-3 start in Minnesota Sunday, 28-24, the Vikings, as you see, falling to 0-3 instead, lost receiver Mike Williams, a key figure in the team’s offense, to a torn ACL in his left knee and is out for the season.
The 28-year-old caught seven passes for 121 yards and a touchdown on a 49-yard trick play pass from veteran receiver Keenan Allen.
Williams has had a solid seven-year career with the Chargers, 309 receptions, 15.6 avg, 31 touchdowns.
--The Raiders’ Jimmy Garoppolo entered concussion protocol after the team’s 23-18 loss Sunday night to the Steelers.
But Garoppolo was never evaluated for a concussion as he played through the entire game, throwing for 324 yards and two touchdowns, but with three interceptions. So this should be investigated by the NFL.
If Garoppolo, in his first year with Las Vegas, isn’t available for Week 4, the Raiders will probably turn to veteran backup Brian Hoyer. Or they could go with fourth-round draft pick Aiden O’Connell, who impressed in preseason.
--Jets fans treasure Joe Namath, the man responsible for our only great moment in franchise history, and my pathetic sports fan lifetime. When he talks, even at age 80, New York listens.
And so Namath was on “The Michael Kay Show” on ESPN New York Monday and was asked if he took any positives out of Zach Wilson’s performance in the Jets’ 15-10 loss to the Patriots on Sunday.
“No, I didn’t take anything positive out of it yesterday. It was awful,” said Namath, who also voiced his displeasure with Wilson and the coaches on ‘X’ during the game.
Asked why, Namath responded: “Why? Were you watching? I mean, puh-lease. You sit down? You sit down on the play, you go right down? What happened? I thought you were trying to make plays and win. You quit on a play. What is going on? It’s disgusting.” [Namath referring to Wilson taking a late safety.]
Jets head coach Robert Salah, now 12-25 in his third season, is in serious trouble and could be fired soon, though probably after Week Six, after which they have a bye week before facing the Giants. He continued to back Wilson, who was thrust into action when Aaron Rodgers went down after four plays in the opener.
“He’s our unquestioned quarterback guys,” Saleh told reporters on Monday. “As long as he continues to show in his preparation, the way he’s been practicing and even in these games, guys. He’s not the reason we lost yesterday. It’s always a team effort.”
Not to folks who follow the Jets, Coach. Zach Wilson is the reason why they lost. He is lost, now in his third season as a Jet. He just doesn’t have a clue. Wilson has started 24 games, is 8-16, and you can count on one hand, like three fingers, the number of games where he looked like a middle of the pack quarterback, which is all this Jets team needs…that and a rejiggered offensive line.
Back to Joe Willie, he said the situation with Wilson is unsalvageable.
“Send him to Kansas City to backup against somebody like [Patrick] Mahomes and maybe learn something. I wouldn’t keep him,” Namath. “I’ve seen enough of Zach Wilson, alright? I’ve seen enough. He has quick feet, can throw a little bit, but I don’t believe what’s going on up there.”
Namath continued to say “if you have an eye about football at all” then it’s easy to see that things are “haywire” with the Jets.
Namath wasn’t buying the excuse that the offense was installed for Rodgers, not Wilson.
“How many months ago was that to learn the offense? How many months ago was that? Come on. Now, Aaron, he got hurt, OK. Well, what do you think you have backups for?” Namath asked.
“They’re ready to go, they’re supposed to be ready to go. We’re looking at an offense that just doesn’t play well. You’ve got an offensive coordinator that doesn’t seem to be calling the right plays. I just think for this fan, they’ve got to make major changes from top to bottom.
“Yes [that includes Saleh]. When he’s telling me that the locker room is together, when he’s telling me these guys love one another, yeah, well thanks a lot. You can go back to whatever place you learned that stuff. They’re losing. Guys don’t like to lose. They’re not holding hands when they’re losing.”
So now the Jets face the Chiefs at MetLife next Sunday night. [And the Giants host Seattle Monday night…the networks are thrilled they put this schedule together.]
Meanwhile, GM Joe Douglas is also under the microscope for not signing an experienced backup QB after Rodgers went down. I said immediately the Jets should sign Colt McCoy, a guy with experience who knows the role, and could come into a game and provide relief, a guy the offense would have confidence in, but instead, according to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer, both Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan approached the Jets, but the team declined.
Now there are some on sports radio saying the Jets should sign Wentz, which is nuts. Unlike McCoy, who went through a full training camp this preseason, a surprise cut at the end by Arizona, and is ready to play now, Wentz and Ryan didn’t.
There was talk this morning of bringing in McCoy, or veteran Joe Flacco, who was with the Jets last season and is respected in the locker room.
But I wrote the above around noon, today, and the headline just crossed the Jets are signing journeyman Trevor Siemian. It should be Colt McCoy!!!
This blows.
[There was also talk of giving up a first-round draft pick for Kirk Cousins, which is an act of desperation but not irrational.]
--Going back to Miami’s stupendous 70-20 win over Denver, the Bears had 73 points in the 1940 NFL Championship, and Washington had 72 in 1966. Miami could have tied or set the record but ran out the clock (their last touchdown coming with 8:00 left in the game).
The Dolphins’ 726 yards were second-most in NFL history. The Rams had 735 in 1951.
Incredibly, Denver missed 25 tackles Sunday, most by any team since Pro Football Focus started tracking the stat in 2017. The Broncos have 48 missed tackles this year, 10 more than the next-closest team.
So I looked back at the Washington game, 1966, Nov. 27, against the Giants, 72-41 final.
Incredibly, the Redskins only had 341 yards of total offense! But the Giants turned it over six times, and Washington had a pick-six and a punt return for a touchdown.
Conversely, the game where the Rams had 735 yards in 1951 was a famous one, Sept. 28, the Los Angeles Rams vs. the New York Yanks (last year for this franchise), 54-14.
This was the game where Norm Van Brocklin threw for a still NFL-record 554 yards, 27-of-41, five touchdowns…Elroy Hirsch catching 9 for 173 and 4 TDs, Tom Fears 7 for 162.
--As for the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce matchup, remember, boys and girls, Taylor has a movie coming out soon…just more pub for her. Travis has to know he’ll just become the lyrics to another song…which is why I’ve told my people that when the Swift team calls Bar Chat, tell them I’m not available…watching the Mets’ final week of play.
But I can’t help but mention that as a result of the hookup, even if for just a week or two, jersey sales for Kelce seemingly skyrocketed. According to Fanatics, Kelce was one of the top 5 selling NFL players Sunday. He “saw a nearly 400% spike in sales throughout the Fanatics network of sites, including NFLShop.com,” a spokesman told the Associated Press.
College Football
--Three games that I consider biggies this week…Friday, 10 Utah at 19 Oregon State; then Saturday, 24 Kansas at 3 Texas; and, the most intriguing affair, 11 Notre Dame at 17 Duke.
Another big one for ACC fans, Louisville at North Carolina State, Friday night.
-- ‘Shu’ said I should mention that the blue bloods of college basketball, Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina, are 16-0 in football.
Stuff
--A week ago, Madison Square Garden Sports chairman James Dolan gave an interview to the New York Times, where he was quoted as saying “I really don’t like owning teams,” which caused a bit of a kerfuffle in these parts among Knicks and Rangers fans, who hate Dolan and have wanted him to sell both teams for decades.
Alas, in a subsequent interview with Barron’s, Dolan said: “People misunderstood my comments to the Times. I love the teams and enjoy being the owner/manager of them.” He noted that given revenue sharing and other constraints, team ownership is a relatively sleepy business with limited annual gains in net revenue and profit. He said it is hard to generate more than single-digit annual sales gains. [Barron’s]
Madison Square Garden Sports, whose shares trade around $177 as I write early Tuesday afternoon, is valued at about $4.24 billion, or roughly half the combined value of the two teams of more than $8 billion. The Knicks are worth $6.1 billion, based on an estimate from Forbes, which comes up with a valuation annually, and the Rangers are worth $2.2 billion.
Barron’s notes that one reason for the spread between actual and supposed valuation is what has always been known as the “Dolan discount” for his unwillingness to sell the company or either team.
And sure enough, Dolan said to Barron’s, “There is absolutely no thought of a full sale of the teams.”
As Charlie Brown would say, “Drat!”
Dolan did say he expected an announcement before the start of the Knicks regular season of a sponsorship deal for patches on the team’s uniforms, which could be viewed favorably by investors.
Uniform patches have become a lucrative revenue source. The New York Yankees, for example, reached a multiyear deal for uniform patches earlier this year for a reported $25 million annually with Starr Insurance, a private company headed by Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, the former CEO of American International Group (AIG).
Meanwhile, Dolan is most proud of his new baby, “The Sphere,” a new entertainment venue opening in Las Vegas, with U2 as the opening act. It cost $2.3 billion.
Sphere is a separate stock that owns MSG Networks, which broadcasts Knicks and Rangers games, and that’s being hurt by cord cutting.
MSG Entertainment is another company, whose prime asset is Madison Square Garden, and that is being caught up in all kinds of legal issues over the potential redevelopment of Penn Station, which if you aren’t familiar with the area, sits beneath the Garden. Some local politicians want the Garden moved so that Penn Station, a critical transit hub, can be rebuilt and restored to its past splendor, pre-1960s.
And now you know…the rest of the story….
--When I was kid, one of my favorite TV shows was “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” a rip-off of James Bond for the small screen but entertaining with stars Robert Vaughn, aka Napoleon Solo, and David McCallum, aka Ilya Kuryakin; McCallum with his boyish good looks and Beatles haircut becoming a sex symbol, much to his chagrin. He used to get mobbed by female fans when he made an appearance to promote the show.
McCallum died Monday. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and after he moved to the United States in 1961, quickly got his big break.
McCallum would then go on to fame playing chief medical examiner Donald “Ducky” Mallard on NCIS for 20 years.
In a statement announcing his passing, CBS announced: “He led an incredible life, and his legacy will forever live on through his family and the countless hours on film and television that will never go away. We will miss his warmth and endearing sense of humor that lit up any room or soundstage he stepped onto, as well as the brilliant stories he often shared from a life well-lived.”
McCallum was 90.
--And we note the passing of Terry Kirkman, a founding member of the one of the most underrated folk-rock bands in history, The Association. He was 83.
Just look at the group’s five Billboard Top Ten singles from 1966-68.
#7 Along Comes Mary
#1 Cherish…for which they received three of their six Grammy nominations
#1 Windy
#2 Never My Love
#10 Everything That Touches You…my fave…
Kirkman played 23 wind, reed and percussion instruments, the group formed in Los Angeles in 1965, the other founding members being Gary “Jules” Alexander, Brian Cole, Jim Yester, Ted Bluechel, Jr., and Russ Giguere. Larry Ramos Jr. joined in early 1968.
Kirkman, in a piece he wrote for The Huffington Post, once said of ‘Cherish’: “Another strange aspect of the ‘Cherish’ story – one that has particularly baffled me – was that it became such a huge favorite for weddings. Couples by the thousands called it ‘their song,’ in spite of the fact it is so very much about love lost, not victorious love. But who knows? Maybe it was that stirring youth march tempo that did them in.”
Kirkman played with Frank Zappa in California in the early 1960s before Zappa formed the Mothers of Invention.
The Association opened the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and were on Ed Sullivan and the Smothers Brothers shows a number of times.
Until the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rectified the mistake of not admitting Todd Rundgren a few years ago, I’ve always felt the two biggest omissions were The Association and Tommy James and the Shondels.
I just realized Herman’s Hermits is also not in the R&R HOF. What a travesty…well, you know what I thought of the recently disgraced Jann Wenner, who controlled the process….what a [cue Jeff Spicoli]
Next Bar Chat, Sunday p.m.
Enjoy the Ryder Cup! I’ll say Europe 15 ½-12 ½.
-----
[Posted early Sunday p.m., prior to late NFL games]
Brief Add-on up top Tuesday evening…
USC Football Quiz: Name the nine to rush for 3,000 yards in a Trojans uniform. All nine played in the NFL. Answer below.
College Football Review…comments written prior to release of the new AP Poll…
Last week the schedule was devoid of top 25 matchups, but this week we had six of them, with one titanic ending but no real upsets.
To wit….
No. 1 Georgia (4-0) didn’t cover against UAB (1-3), 49-21, Blazers fans who bet their dinner money on their team being rewarded as UAB was a 40-point underdog.
2 Michigan (4-0) ‘pushed’ against Rutgers, 31-7, this one a 24-point spread. Rutgers (3-1) has nothing to be too embarrassed about, trailing just 14-7 at the half, but the Wolverines defense clamped down on the Scarlet Knights offense after the intermission, RU quarterback Gavin Whimsatt with a 69-yard scoring strike to Christian Dremel early, but a pick-six after and just 6-for-15, 81 yards in the second half.
But Rutgers ‘D’ is solid and they might have a chance of ‘covering’ against Ohio State and Penn State in November.
3 Texas (4-0) beat Baylor 38-6, the Bears not good this season, 1-3.
Then there was 4 Florida State at Clemson and this was a good one, Clemson up at the half 17-14, Cade Klubnick throwing for 190 yards and a touchdown.
But in the second half, a Klubnick fumble resulted in a 56-yard touchdown for FSU, while with 2:00 remaining, kicker Jonathan Weitz missed a 30-yard field goal attempt that might have won it for the Tigers (2-2), only to see the Seminoles pull it out in overtime, 31-24. Wudda cudda shudda, FSU 4-0 after their second straight nail-biter (having edged Boston College 31-29 last week on the road).
The Tigers outgained the Seminoles 429-311, but that one big turnover was huge, tying it up at 24-24 in the third.
One more…Clemson’s play-calling late in the game and overtime was godawful and I imagine Dabo Swinney chewed out the offensive coordinator after, as he did during the game.
5 USC (4-0) was a 34.5-point favorite at Arizona State (1-3) and won only 42-28, as once again the Trojans ‘D’ was not national title worthy. Heisman winner Caleb Williams bailed his team out for the umpteenth time, 20/31, 322, 3-0, while MarShawn Lloyd rushed for 154 on just 14 carries.
Which brings us to 6 Ohio State at 9 Notre Dame, an ending that was an instant classic. The game recalled days of yore and grind ‘em out football, both teams moving the ball, defenses stiffening up when they needed to.
But after Sam Hartman (17/25, 175, 1-0) drove the Fighting Irish 96 yards in 11 plays in the fourth quarter to give ND the lead, 14-10, there was still 8:22 remaining. The two exchanged drives but then OSU (4-0) got the ball back on their 35 with 1:30 to play, and Kyle McCord methodically moved the Buckeyes down the field, 15 plays, Ohio State using its timeouts judiciously, and on a fourth-and-1, the Notre Dame defense stacked one way, OSU’s Chip Trayanum barely ran it in for the deciding score, 17-14, going the other direction. It was a terrific play call.
McCord had survived a third and 10, a fourth and seven, and a third and 19 in the drive.
But it was only after we realized that Notre Dame (4-1) was playing with ten defenders the final two plays, coach Marcus Freeman realizing it after the first play but not wanting to take a penalty to get the eleventh man on the field, which would have moved the ball to the ½-yard line. [The 11th defender no doubt probably being where Trayanum went through.]
A massive disappointment for Notre Dame fans, and for Sam Hartman, whose story book season perhaps ended, the Irish with road games at Duke and Louisville next, before hosting USC. Both the Blue Devils and Cardinals are undefeated.
As for Ohio State coach Ryan Day’s post-game comments slamming former coach Lou Holtz’s critique of the Buckeyes being soft, it’s pathetic he made so much of a comment no one outside of Columbus heard. Who gives a s---.
“I’d like to know where Lou Holtz is right now,” Day said during a postgame interview with NBC. “What he said about our team, I cannot believe. This is a tough team right here. We’re proud to be from Ohio.
“It’s always been Ohio against the world, and it’ll continue to be Ohio against the world.”
Oh, cut the fake ‘us against the world’ crap. I’m so tired of that, in all sports.
Moving along….
7 Penn State (4-0) showed its national title prospects are more than real with a 31-0 pasting of 24 Iowa (3-1), outgaining the Hawkeyes 397-76, 28-4 in first downs! PSU is for real, that’s for sure.
8 Washington beat California (2-2) 59-32 to move to 4-0, Michael Penix Jr. throwing for 304 yards and four touchdowns.
11 Utah (4-0) got a pick-six and seven sacks to beat 22 UCLA (3-1) 14-7, as the Utes continue to say, ‘Don’t forget about us!’ Utah faces USC and Oregon, back-to-back, Oct. 21 and 28.
12 LSU (3-1) defeated Arkansas (2-2) 34-31, needing a field goal with 0:05 left to stay relevant in the SEC race.
Jalen Milroe was back at QB for 13 Alabama (3-1) and he played well, 17/21, 225, 1-1, as Bama beat 15 Ole Miss (3-1) 24-10. It’s clear now. If Alabama is to still be a force at season’s end, they have their best chance of doing so with the athletic Milroe at the helm.
21 Washington State (4-0) defeated 14 Oregon State (3-1) 38-35 for the Pac-2 title. The Cougars bolted out to a 35-14 lead after three, but the Beavers, who were passive until then, gnawed their way to make it interesting.
For Washington State, Cameron Ward was rather spectacular, 28/34, 404, 4-0, while receivers Josh Kelly (8-159-3) and Kyle Williams (7-174-1) had their way with the Beaver secondary.
16 Oklahoma (4-0) beat Cincinnati (2-2) in Cincy, 20-6.
17 UNC (4-0) beat Pitt (1-3) 41-24.
18 Duke (4-0) whipped UConn (0-4) 41-7, while 20 Miami (4-0) did the same to Temple (2-2), 41-7.
Boston College (1-3) fell to Louisville (4-0) 56-28, as the surprising Cardinals, like upstart Duke, loom for former ACC star Sam Hartman.
In a game that totally disgusted me as I watched the entire affair on the new CW Network (their play-by-play man was beyond atrocious, but a good sideline reporter, Treavor Scales), my Wake Forest Demon Deacons couldn’t have sucked more at home against Georgia Tech (2-2), falling 30-16, the Deacs first loss, 3-1.
Last week Wake had a school-record ten sacks in a stirring comeback at Old Dominion. Yesterday, they had zero sacks, and quarterback Mitch Griffis was sacked himself eight times, committing four of the Deacs’ five turnovers. It was horrid. I’m back to thinking I’ll be happy with 6-6.
Griffis is not only not that good, he is too short! One deflection at the line after another.
So you might be thinking, hey, Editor, you’re missing one biggie!
Nope, just saved it for last.
Yes, Deion Sanders got his comeuppance in Eugene, Oregon, as the No. 10 Ducks raced and rolled to a 35-0 halftime lead against Coach Prime’s 19 Colorado, outgaining the Buffaloes an incredible 378-21 by the intermission (22-4 in first downs), on the way to a 42-6 annihilation.
With No. 5 USC next in Boulder, it’s safe to say Colorado’s dream season is already over, though 6-6 would still be terrific after going 1-11 last season, and CU fans just have to adjust their expectations.
I don’t blame Sanders one bit for the hype. This is what he is there for, to change the culture, and it’s happening, but it doesn’t happen in one season without the talent and as every college football fan knows by now, Deion needs to recruit some offensive linemen, and he’ll be active in the portal in that regard this coming offseason. They’re awful. Unfortunately, as a result, Shedeur Sanders’ Heisman hopes went up in flames.
Coach Prime said after: “One thing I can say honestly and candidly: You better get me right now. This is the worst we’re gonna be. You better get me right now.”
He called it a “good old-fashioned butt-kicking” and said, “We are all accountable for this. Let’s start with me.” But he also said he was looking at the bigger picture.
“I know I have on shades, but I can see the future and it looks good,” he said.
Sanders brushed off comments made before the game by Oregon coach Dan Lanning, who made a start contrast between his team of “substance” and the Hollywood “flash” of Sanders and Colorado.
“The Cinderella story is over, man,” Lanning told his players before the game, as shown on ABC. “They’re fighting for clicks. We’re fighting for wins. There’s a difference, right? There’s a difference. This game ain’t gonna be played in Hollywood. It’s gonna be played on the grass.”
Deion acknowledged hearing about it.
“Yeah, I got messengers,” he said. “God bless him, though, man. He’s a great coach. He did a great job. God bless him. Take their shots. They won. I don’t shoot. They won.”
Deion said his team is seven or eight good players away from where they need to be.
Hopefully, the talent that he has today performs a lot better next week against Caleb Williams and Co., but we do know USC’s defense is not Oregon’s.
Oregon, by the way, which got a terrific game from Heisman contender Bo Nix, 28/33, 276, 3-1, plus a touchdown on the ground, faces Washington, Washington State and Utah in succession, 10/14-10/28, and then USC, 11/11. Great action coming up.
And now your new AP Poll….
1. Georgia (55) 4-0
2. Michigan (1) 4-0
3. Texas (2) 4-0
4. Ohio State (1) 4-0
5. Florida State (3) 4-0
6. Penn State 4-0
7. Washington (1) 4-0
8. USC 4-0…down 3…wow…but defense blows…cheerleaders, though, continue to do their job, I can’t help but add…
9. Oregon 4-0…speaking of cheerleaders…goodness gracious…
10. Utah 4-0
11. Notre Dame 4-1
12. Alabama 3-1
13. LSU 3-1
14. Oklahoma 4-0
15. North Carolina 4-0
16. Washington State 4-0
17. Duke 4-0
18. Miami 4-0
19. Oregon State 3-1…Beaver Nation distraught…but hang in there…
20. Ole Miss 3-1
21. Tennessee 3-1
22. Florida 3-1
23. Missouri 4-0
24. Kansas 4-0
25. Fresno State 4-0…huh…forgot they’ve won 13 straight games, second-longest streak behind Georgia. “Fresno State” just sounds cool…[And it’s where Tom Seaver was born!]
In case you were wondering, this is the most teams receiving a first-place vote, six, since the 2016 preseason poll. I don’t understand FSU’s three first-place votes.
Notre Dame vs. Duke is the coming week’s featured contest. And ESPN is doing “College Game Day” there for the first time! [Ken P. just told me he will be in attendance.]
MLB
Wild Card Standings…thru Sat.
AL
Tampa Bay 95-61…+9.5
Toronto 86-69…+1
Houston 85-70…--
Seattle 84-70…0.5
NL
Philadelphia 86-69…+5
Arizona 81-73…+0.5
Chicago 81-74…--
Miami 80-75…1
Cincinnati 79-77…2.5
AL East
Baltimore 96-59
Tampa Bay 95-61…1.5
AL West
Texas 86-68
Houston 85-70…1.5
Seattle 84-70…2
--Cincinnati suffered a staggering blow Saturday, blowing a 9-run lead against the Pirates at home, Pittsburgh’s biggest comeback since the franchise started in 1882, the Pirates handing the Reds their fourth straight loss at the worst possible time, 13-12. The Reds had a 9-0 lead after three, then allowed 13 unanswered runs before a rally attempt fell short with the potential tying run at third in the ninth.
Imagine being a Reds fan in the stands of this one. Crushing.
--The Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara suffered a rehab setback and his season is over. The 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner was rehabbing from a forearm flexor strain that sent him to the injured list Sept. 6.
Alcantara struggled this season and finishes 7-12, 4.14 ERA.
--The Mets-Phillies game Friday night was on Apple TV (the bastards), so as I was following box scores tuned into the Yankees game late to see Aaron Judge’s third home run of the game as New York beat Arizona 7-1.
Judge thus became the first Yankee in history to hit three homers in a game, twice, in the same season, a rather remarkable feat. The three gave him 35 in 100 games (due to his extensive time on the IL with his torn ligament in his right big toe), or 57 homers for a full season. Despite playing just two games in June and three in July, he finished Friday tied for third in home runs in the AL.
Amidst a hideous season that GM Brian Cashman called a “disaster,” and for which Cashman has been hearing calls for his firing among the Yankee faithful each night, the team still has a draw in Aaron Judge (39,143 fans showed up Friday), and they have probable AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole.
On Thursday, Cole threw eight innings, allowing one run, no walks, 9 strikeouts in a 5-3 win over Toronto, improving his record to 14-4, 2.75 ERA. A nice crowd of 37,646 showed up for this one at the Stadium.
[I just looked at two other potential candidates for the AL Cy Young, Luis Castillo and Kevin Gausman, and Cole will win it in a landslide.]
--In Washington Friday night, Ronald Acuna Jr. became baseball’s fifth member of the 40-homer, 40-steal club in wham-bang fashion that’s defined almost his entire career; a laser off his bat over the left field fence at Nationals Park, 116 mph.
But Acuna is unlike any other 40-40 man, having a staggering 68 stolen bases, the first-ever 40-60 man (and probably 40-70).
As a team, the Braves are the first to have four with 35 home runs, and they could make it five.
Thru Saturday….
Acuna 40-101 RBI
Matt Olson 53-132
Austin Riley 37-96
Marcell Ozuna 36-90
Ozzie Albies 32-104
Add in….
Eddie Rosario 21-72
Sean Murphy 20-67
Michael Harris II 18-54
Orlando Arcia 17-61
The Braves could also be the first in history with nine players reaching 20 home runs.
The Twins hold the record for team home runs at 307 in 2019, and Atlanta had 296 thru Saturday. Minnesota, which clinched its third division title in five years on Friday, had five players with 30 home runs in ’19, and a total of eight with 20+.
--In the Dodgers’ 5-1 loss to the Giants on Friday night, L.A.’s Freddie Freeman picked up his 200th hit, thus becoming the 21st player in MLB history to have 200 hits, 25 home runs and 20 steals in a single season. He was also the first Dodgers player to reach the 200-hit mark since Adrian Beltre in 2004.
Saturday, the Dodgers beat the Giants 7-0, as Clayton Kershaw, with five scoreless, won his 210th game, moving him ahead of Don Drysdale and into second place behind Don Sutton (233) on the franchise’s win list.
Kershaw is a lifetime 210-91, .698, 2.48 ERA. Love it. Hope he has a successful postseason.
Also in Saturday’s game, Mookie Betts had a two-run double, giving him 105 RBIs out of the leadoff position, most ever in the history of the game.
So in the NL MVP race…thru Saturday…
Betts: .309 BA, 125 runs, 39 HR, 105 RBI, .411 OBP, 1.003 OPS
Acuna: .337 BA, 143 runs, 40 HR, 101 RBI, 68 steals, .415 OBP, 1.013 OPS
And don’t forget Freddie Freeman, though it will be about the above two.
Freeman: .334 BA, 125 runs, 57 doubles, 26 HR, 96 RBI, 21 steals, .411 OBP, .974 OPS
And one other…
Matt Olson: .278 BA, 122 runs, 53 HR, 132 RBI, .386 OBP, .991 OPS
--Arizona outfielder Corbin Carroll, having a superb season, became the first rookie to have 25 home runs and 50 steals in MLB history. [25 home runs, 73 RBI, 109 runs, 50 steals, .284 BA, .868 OPS thru Friday]
--Kyle Schwarber is having one of the more bizarre seasons in MLB history. Through Saturday, he had 45 home runs, 100 RBIs, 105 runs, and 123 walks out of the leadoff position. But with all the walks his on-base percentage is just .344, because his batting average is .198!
So he’s headed to the lowest batting average ever in a 40-home run season.
One of my all-time favorites, Adam Dunn, has the lowest BA, .204, for a 40-homer season (41) in 2012.
--Mets fans have come to appreciate Francisco Lindor after a very shaky introduction to New York in 2021, where his performance on the field was awful given his mammoth contract, and he acted up with fans and his teammates.
But he settled down in 2022, had an outstanding season (26 home runs, 107 RBIs, .270 BA, .788 OPS), and this year has followed it up with 101 runs, 27 homers, 90 RBIs, and .783 OPS.
Just as importantly, he’s on the field every day, and his fielding is terrific.
So to back the above up, I saw where he has played the most games at shortstop of any player since 2016…1,098 thru Friday. Xander Bogaerts is next at 1,068.
--Boy, so much for Shohei Ohtani. Will this season be like a shooting star, a comet the likes of which we see every hundred years or so? I mean out of sight, out of mind.
We all hoped the Angels would finally get it together, and Ohtani and Mike Trout would be in the postseason. But Ohtani’s late-season injuries derailed his spectacular campaign, 44 home runs in 135 games, a 1.066 OPS; 10-5, 3.14 ERA on the mound.
The thing is we last saw him at the plate Sept. 3, last time on the mound Aug. 23.
The other day, his agent, Nez Balelo, said surgeon Neal ElAttrache had performed a procedure on Ohtani, who tore his UCL, and that he “will be able to hit without any restrictions come opening day of 2024 and do both (Hit & Pitch) come 2025,” per ElAttrache, Aaron Rodgers’ surgeon as well.
But the exact nature of the procedure wasn’t specified, though we all assume it was Tommy John surgery.
As in you can be sure any team looking to sign the free agent will demand a lot more detail before coughing up $350 million+. I say $350m and not the assumed $500 million, because no one in their right mind will now give the guy the latter if his pitching future is so uncertain, and for starters, you aren’t getting him on the mound next season.
So this is going to be fascinating, one of the biggest offseason stories in recent memory, and it all starts the day after the World Series is over.
As for Mike Trout, who hasn’t played 140 games in a season since 2018, he’s told the Angels he would waive his no-trade clause for the right situation and I’m kind of warming up to the idea of him becoming a Met. [There is zero talk of this, but he could divide his time between a corner outfield position and DH, and who wouldn’t want the guy in their clubhouse?]
--Speaking of the Mets, GM Billy Eppler released a statement Wednesday saying not to believe what you hear.
“While we understand the media and public interest in player contract situations, we strongly believe in keeping those conversations private. Any circulating reports do not accurately reflect our conversations with Pete.”
Pete being Pete Alonso, he of the 45 home runs but .218 batting average who is seeking a mammoth 8- or 10-year deal, and I’m sure the Mets won’t offer him more than five.
--Giancarlo Stanton, still owed another $92 million by the Yankees over the coming years, including $32 million per for 2024-25, (plus the Marlins owe a boatload), is 3 for his last 43 and batting .189.
--Detroit future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera has been having a season-long farewell tour, so all the teams are giving him gifts, traditional ones like a rocking chair, or all kinds of framed photos.
But the Oakland A’s were criticized for giving Cabrera a bottle of wine, which some might consider to be a nice way to honor a member of the 3,000-hit and 500-home run clubs, a two-time AL MVP, four-time AL batting champion and the only triple crown winner in MLB since 1967.
But Cabrera spent three months in an alcohol abuse treatment center in 2010 and faced legal issues involving alcohol in 2009 and 2011. And as the L.A. Times’ Chuck Schilken wrote, “Still, none of that stopped the Athletics – or the Houston Astros or the Chicago White Sox or the Miami Marlins, the team with which Cabrera spent his first five seasons – from presenting him with alcohol to commemorate his career.”
But the A’s were also accused of being cheap, as the bottle of wine they gave Cabrera was said to retail for less than $100. The other teams had other gifts aside from wine. Schilken noted that while no one is surprised the A’s are cheap, “the whole thing just sounds like Last Minute Gift Ideas 101.”
NFL
--Week 3 and all about those teams 0-2. Only 2.5% of teams going 0-3 ever made the playoffs…zero since the NFL went to a 17-game schedule in 2021.
--And New England avoided going 0-3, 15-10 winners over the Jets (1-2) in the glom at the Meadowlands.
For starters, the much-maligned Tony Romo was outstanding working with Jim Nantz, as he kept saying, let Zach Wilson throw on first down but Robert Salah and OC Nathaniel Hackett didn’t do this until the fourth quarter, when Wilson had his only good drive of the game.
Picture, the Jets were outgained 216-39 in the first half, 10-3 in first downs, 10-3 Pats the score.
For the game, New York ended up with 38 yards rushing on 22 carries, Wilson 18/36, 157, 0-0, 61.9.
But while the Jets defense only gave up 15 points, they weren’t great, zero sacks, for starters.
Some of you just don’t know how hard it is to be a Jets fan (Mets, Knicks and Rangers, as well). Life sucks…Johnny Mac (also a fan of all four), send the sword, FedEx.
--The Dolphins sent Sean Payton and his big mouth to one of the worst defeats in NFL history, Miami beating Denver 70-20…the second-most points and yards in regular-season history!
The Dolphins had 726 yards…Tua Tagovailoa going 23/26, 309, 4-0, 155.8; Tyreek Hill 9 receptions, 157 yards and a score; De’Von Achane, 18 carries for 203 yards and two touchdowns (plus two TDs receiving), Raheem Mostert, 13 carries, 82 yards and three scores (plus 60 yards on seven catches and a score).
Yup, Denver is 0-3, Miami 3-0…good for the game, the latter that is.
--The Chargers traveled to Minnesota, both 0-2, and L.A. emerged with the victory, 28-24, as Justin Herbert was rather outstanding, 40/47, 405, 3-0, 123.8, Keenan Allen the recipient on 18 of Herbert’s completions for 215 yards.
For the Viking, Kirk Cousins had another monster game, 367 yards and three touchdowns, but the Vikes come up short again.
--Trader George’s Browns go to 2-1 (your editor having an annual Dinty Moore and beer bet with the lad), 27-3 over the Titans (1-2).
Going back to last Monday night and the Browns gut-wrenching loss to the Steelers, 26-22, which included the gruesome knee injury suffered by star running back Nick Chubb, it was the 20th straight regular-season win for Pittsburgh over the Browns.
Chubb has been as good as anyone in the backfield his six years in the league, averaging an outstanding 5.3 per carry, 1238 carries for 6511, never under 5.0 for a season.
So Cleveland signed Kareem Hunt on a one-year deal, Hunt having played with the Browns from 2019 to 2022, averaging 4.2 per carry.
But Hunt was just five carries for 13 today, Deshaun Watson (Booo boooo) going 27/33, 289, 2-0, 123.4.
--The Packers (2-1) beat the Saints (2-1) 18-17, New Orleans’ QB Derek Carr suffering an apparently serious shoulder injury.
--The Colts (2-1), without Anthony Richardson and with Gardner Minshew at quarterback instead, upset the Ravens (2-1) 22-19 in overtime in Baltimore.
This was all about Indy kicker Matt Gay, who not only booted five field goals, but four were from 50+, including the 53-yard game-winner, an NFL record. As Ronald Reagan would have said Monday morning, reading the sports pages, Nancy fixing him blueberry pancakes, ‘Not bad, not bad at all.’
--Houston avoided being 0-3, 37-17 over Jacksonville (1-2) on the road, as rookie C.J. Stroud looked great, 20/30, 280, 2-0, 118.8, in outplaying Trevor Lawrence.
--Buffalo (2-1) popped Sam Howell and Washington’s (2-1) bubble, 37-3, Howell throwing four interceptions.
--Detroit (2-1) rebounded from their tough loss last week to the Seahawks, beating Atlanta (2-1) 20-6.
--The Dallas Cowboys gave up a total of ten points in their first two games of the season (while scoring 70), and two-time Pro-Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs has been a big reason. But Diggs tore his ACL in practice Thursday, a huge blow for the Cowboys.
Diggs, who turned 25 on Wednesday, has been terrific. Opposing quarterbacks went just 2 of 8 passing for 26 yards and an interception when he was the primary defender.
Diggs’ 15 interceptions since the start of the 2021 season are the most in the NFL. He signed a five-year, $97-million extension just ahead of training camp.
The Cowboys are at Arizona as I post.
--Thursday, the 49ers pounded the Giants 30-12 to move to 3-0, all in agreement San Francisco is one of the top three teams in the NFL at this point.
Brock Purdy threw for 310 yards and a pair of scores, winning his eighth consecutive regular-season start to begin his career, the third-longest streak in NFL history. Overall, the 49ers have won 13 straight regular-season contests.
Yes, San Fran should be in the Super Bowl, NFL Championship game at worst, but it’s all about keeping Purdy, Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey healthy, just as you can say the same for every other team in the NFL when it comes to the main weapons.
For New York (1-2), playing without Saquon Barkley (high-ankle sprain), Daniel Jones was 22/32, 137, 0-1, 64.2. Thirty-two pass attempts for 137 yards…yuck.
I totally misread the Giants this season. Because they made the playoffs last season, just sneaking in, they were rewarded with a tougher schedule (much tougher as it turned out to be) and they’ll now be lucky to win six games.
--The NFL and CBS announced that Usher will do the halftime show at the Super Bowl. A solid pick, though you know I would have preferred Anita Bryant and Up with People. But I get it. Anita is 83 and is a bit raw with some of her politics.
Johnny Mathis they say still has it, so I’m told by a friend who recently saw him in concert…the NFL could have gone with him.
Zamfir and his pan flute…
Premier League
In games involving the Big Six this weekend….
Man City beat Nottingham, 2-0; Man U defeated Burnley 1-0.
Chelsea lost to Aston Villa 1-0, Blues fans suffering from the, err, blues at the start of this campaign; Liverpool (aka my brother’s club as he’s always wearing a Liverpool jersey) beat West Ham 3-1.
And my club, Tottenham, continues to surprise, picking up a great point in a 2-2 draw at Arsenal today, Son Heung-min with both goals, as the Spurs are 4-2-0 (W-D-L) to start the season sans departed legend Harry Kane.
Stuff
--All about the Ryder Cup next weekend in Rome.
I didn’t get around to it last time, but for the record, Sahith Theegala picked up his first tour victory in Napa, CA, at the Fortinet Championship, winning by two over S.H. Kim, with Justin Thomas T5 and Max Homa T7…so good vibes for Ryder Cuppers Thomas and Homa.
The Euro Ryder Cup team all played in the DP World Tour’s big one last weekend, the BMW PGA Championship, and all 12 made the cut, with seven in the top 12, so they head to Rome in good form.
--Lionel Messi returned to the pitch after nearly two weeks off on Wednesday night and Inter Miami whipped Toronto FC 4-0, Messi starting and playing only 37 minutes.
Messi – who missed two Inter Miami games and played in just one of two World Cup qualifying matches for Argentina this month – has been dealing with either a right leg injury or fatigue after a grueling stretch since late July.
I mean the guy’s schedule once he signed for the club was absolutely nuts, and not just physically but emotionally draining.
--We note the passing of Rutgers great Phil “The Thrill” Sellers, 69.
Every old-time college basketball fan in New Jersey still has vivid memories of Rutgers’ dream season, 1975-76 (my senior year in high school), when under Coach Tom Young, Rutgers went undefeated and made it to the Final Four, losing to Michigan in the semis and then losing the consolation game to UCLA to finish 31-2.
Every fan also knows by heart the core six players…Sellers, Mike Dabney, Eddie Jordan, Hollis Copeland, James Bailey, and Abdel Anderson, all but Dabney (shockingly) and Anderson playing in the NBA.
Sellers was the leader, a 6-5 senior forward averaging 19.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He still holds the school record for career points (2,399) and rebounds (1,115) during his four years at Rutgers. He was also a consensus All-American pick in 1976.
But he was just a third-round draft pick by Detroit and played in only 44 games, 1976-77, averaging 4.5 points, his size being a factor.
RIP, Mr. Sellers.
--Finally, we had a big event in Trenton, N.J., yesterday at the Trenton Thunder’s ballpark that I used to go to for a game each year. As part of a local festival, we had the World Pork Roll Eating Championship (specifically, the Case Pork Roll Eating Championship), and Geoffrey Esper, an also-ran each year in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Championship on Coney Island, defeated Joey Chestnut, 43.5 pork roll sandwiches in 10 minutes, Chestnut just a half behind at 43, tied with James Webb for second.
Esper ate 44 for the win over Chestnut last year, but Chestnut holds the world record in the discipline for eating 61.5 at the Case championship in 2019.
Top 3 songs for the week 9/26/70: #1 “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (Diana Ross) #2 “War” (Edwin Starr) #3 “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” (Creedence Clearwater Revival)…and…#4 “Patches” (Clarence Carter) #5 “Julie, Do Ya Love Me” (Bobby Sherman) #6 “Cracklin’ Rosie” (Neil Diamond) #7 “Candida” (Dawn) #8 “Snowbird” (Anne Murray) #9 “(I Know) I’m Losing You” (Rare Earth) #10 “25 Or 6 To 4” (Chicago…C week…)
USC Football Quiz Answer: Nine to rush for 3,000 yards….
1. Charles White, 1976-79…5598
2. Marcus Allen, 1978-81…4682
3. Ronald Jones, 2015-17…3619
4. Ricky Bell, 1974-76…3553
5. Anthony Davis, 1972-74…3426
6. Mike Garrett, 1963-65…3221
7. Reggie Bush, 2003-05…3169
8. Lendale White, 2003-05…3159
9. O.J. Simpson, 1967-68…3124
Yes, White and Bush were in the same backfield…pretty, pretty good. Bush, White and Jones’ totals include bowl games. [Even without they would still be top nine.] The numbers discrepancies are being worked out by footballreference.com over the coming months.
Brief Bar Chat up top Tues. p.m.