*Update: I”ll honor the life of Herb Brooks and 1980 on Thursday.
NFL Quiz: [Time to take care of a few basic questions before
the season gets started.] Name the top ten rushers all time
(career yardage). [Hints: Two are still active. Only two
averaged 5 yards per carry.] Answer below.
Following is just a lot of stuff, but we start out with a serious
item.
Admiral Richard E. Bennis, RIP
I was very fortunate that I didn’t lose any close friends on 9/11,
especially considering how many I have that were working in the
Wall Street area, including the Twin Towers. And I know that
some of them still have a nightmare or two from that day. But I
noticed an obituary the other day, a man whose story needs to be
remembered.
On September 11, 2001, Admiral Richard Bennis, then a captain
in the Coast Guard, was headed to Florida to recover from recent
surgery when he heard the news of the attacks. He rushed back
to his post as Captain of the Port of New York and New Jersey,
where he oversaw the evacuation of the lower part of Manhattan.
As told by Wolfgang Saxon of the New York Times:
“Finding normal access to the city blocked, (Bennis) managed to
board a boat in Sandy Hook, N.J., took charge of his command
and organized an operation reminiscent of the cross-Channel
evacuation of 300,000 Allied troops from Dunkirk in 1940.
“Captain Bennis organized a flotilla comprising more than 100
boats, many of them crewed by volunteers. Running day and
night, they evacuated nearly 500,000 people from Lower
Manhattan, ferrying in emergency supplies and crews on their
way back.”
It was an amazing accomplishment, and for those of you not
from the New York area who may not have seen much about this
particular part of the story that day, just picture being on those
boats, as some of my friends were, watching the Towers collapse
behind them.
So we acknowledge the life of Richard E. Bennis, an American
hero who died at an all too early age of 52.
—
–More College Football Polls
Street & Smith
1. Oklahoma
2. Miami
3. Texas
4. Michigan
5. Ohio State
6. Kansas State
7. Auburn
8. Washington
9. Pittsburgh…. Yeah, Pitt, sock it to ‘em! [Circa 1950]
10. Virginia Tech
*Personally, I hope Ohio State-Michigan on Nov. 22 is a
meaningful game by then. And I hope it’s 30 degrees and
snowing. This and Oklahoma – Nebraska were always fun
games to watch as a kid, particularly when the weather was bad.
Sports Illustrated
1. Ohio State
2. Oklahoma
3. Miami
4. Texas
5. Georgia
6. Virginia Tech
7. Kansas State
8. N.C. State
9. Auburn
10. USC……again, love them cheerleaders!
*Note to Nebraska fans, I’ve yet to see the team make any Top
25. Ughh. How’s Creighton in football?
–Some of you may have figured out that in order to put last
Thursday’s Bar Chat together, I would have had to do most of it
before I went to Wednesday night”s Detroit-Oakland game.
You also probably figured out that if I was drinking beer at the
park, that I would have been a tired puppy when I returned to
my hotel. Of course I didn’t tell you I also stopped by the hotel
bar for a nightcap to catch the end of the Yankees-Texas game.
But I woke up at 5:00 AM and threw some more paragraphs on
the Barbie, so to speak. I only bring this up because earlier I had
trashed Bobby Higginson of the Tigers, then failed to mention
that he homered in Wednesday’s contest. I also forgot to note
that often the crowd is so silent, the only noise is the generator.
Kind of sounds like the beginning of “2001.” ZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ .…. BA…BAA!….BAAA!
BA-DAAAA!!!!!!
[Forgive me. I was just jogging in 90 percent humidity.]
–I also needed to wait until I got home and had a chance to
verify a few things, but on the concourse at Comerica Park there
are various exhibits honoring Tiger greats from the past. One
talked of the 13 Tigers who served in World War II and there
was the story of pitcher Virgil Trucks. Now get this. “Fire”
Trucks hadn’t pitched at all during the 1945 season due to his
being in the army, but he won Game Two of the World Series that
year. I’ve also noted before that Trucks once threw two no-
hitters in the same season, 1952, and finished with a career mark
of 177-135.
But one of the other guys mentioned was pitcher Tommy Bridges
and I’m embarrassed I didn’t know how good he was. Despite
missing all of the ’44-’45 seasons because of the war, except for
4 games late in ’45, Bridges finished his career 194-138 for
Detroit. He also only weighed 155 pounds. Yes, more Tigers
trivia than you ever thought you’d get in Bar Chat.
–But as for the 2003 edition, the Tigers are now 30-85 (the exact
pace of the ’62 Mets club that finished 40-120) and through
Saturday Detroit had a 234 run differential between those it
scored and runs it gave up. 234! Folks, to put this in
perspective, check this out.
Tampa Bay, 45-70 (thru Sat.)…117 run differential
Milwaukee, 45-71…132
San Diego, 45-73…139
Detroit…234!
–Geezuz, Anaheim also blows. Way to defend a World Series
title, guys. The Angels are 54-63.
–The following is for Mets fans only, but I think you’d all agree
that despite Roger Cedeno’s sudden surge at the plate, he’s still
one of the biggest bums of all time.
–I gotta tell ya, I can’t get too upset over Giants tight end Jeremy
Shockey’s remark calling Bill Parcells a “homo.” I mean after
all, we live in an era where “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” is a
wildly popular television show and blacks in urban America call
each other ‘n—–.’ Up in heaven, nothing must tick off Martin
Luther King Jr. more than this last bit. Despicable.
That said, Shockey is an idiot…………but one helluva football
player, right sports fans?!
–Speaking of jerks, the New Jersey Nets’ Kenyon Martin wants
to be traded because Nets management is only offering him a
contract extension of $60 million for 6 years rather than the $87
million he requested. Martin is going to earn $5.1 million for the
coming season, after which he becomes a free agent. But there is
no reason why the two can’t compromise somewhere in between,
a still generous sum I think you all would agree.
Nonetheless, Martin may soon get his request, as the Nets are
shopping him for Portland’s Rasheed Wallace, with an eye
towards possibly getting Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett when he
becomes a free agent next June.
–When I returned home from Detroit last Thursday, I had a flyer
in my bag from the Transportation Security Administration,
“Notification of Baggage Inspection,” which I’m sure you’ve all
received by now. What must have scared the heck out of the
inspectors, though, was the fact it was loaded with Detroit Tigers
souvenirs.
–Ace reporter Harry Trumbore, who not only is a talented
cartoonist, but also works for a local newspaper here in New
Jersey, notes that someone has been stealing garbage cans in the
affluent town of Short Hills. This is just a reminder to all of you,
regardless of where you live, to shred your bank and brokerage
statements, etc., in order to avoid identity theft, which is clearly
the motive of this culprit.
[Paid for by the Cheap Shredder Industry….You can find one at
your local Staples or Home Depot, for starters.]
–A follow-up to my mention of Jack London the other day.
When he wrote “The Call of the Wild” 100 years ago, it was his
third novel and the first edition sold out in a day.
–150 years ago, George Crum, a chef in Saratoga Springs,
invented the potato chip. According to Alison McLean in the
July issue of Smithsonian, “Some say (Crum) was taking revenge
on a diner who complained about underdone spuds. Others say
his sister Kate accidentally dropped a tater slice in oil.” Today
the potato chip industry generates sales of $6 billion.
–I saw the following in the Detroit Free Press the other day. The
song “Hail to the Chief” originated from a poem by Sir Walter
Scott titled “The Lady of the Lake.” James Sanderson of
London’s Surrey Theatre then put it to music and it was first
performed for President John Quincy Adams on July 4, 1828.
But it didn’t become the official song to announce American
presidents until the days of John Tyler.
–Our own Dr. Bortrum passed along some valuable safety
information. Always rinse off your food and soda cans (I’m
assuming you’ve always done so with your beer), as well as wipe
off the tops of your cereal boxes. Otherwise, you could ingest rat
droppings. Think about it, everything you buy of this kind has
been sitting in rat-infested warehouses that are also constantly
being sprayed. As some experts say, you automatically wash off
your veggies and fruit, but how many do so with their cans?
Why you can die of Hanta virus-type diseases, as supposedly was
the case of one young man in Hawaii recently.
[Paid for by Paranoid Scientists of America. Personally, I’m not
a scientist, but I am officially joining the organization.]
–Speaking of rats, the population is exploding in New York
City. And then you have the case of the Harris Hawks that have
been trained to kill pigeons in Manhattan’s Bryant Park. Well
the other day, a hawk accidentally mistook a Chihuahua for a rat
and attacked the spokesdog for Taco Bell. Alas, the injuries
were minor, but the hawks have now been grounded, which
really sucks. The program had cut the population in half.
But as Johnny Mac told me, this also seems to be part of a new
problem, animals attacking each other. Which tells me they are
leaderless. I mean consider the bear situation in New Jersey I
was bringing up so frequently a while back. Nothing of
consequence has happened recently, much to my chagrin. And
in the local paper, my friend the police chief is quoted as saying,
“There have been no new bear sightings this past week.” Why?
Well, I hope to ask him this coming week.
Then again, Venezuela has a problem of a different kind. 40 some
animals were stolen from the zoo in Caracas. [BBC News]
Authorities say that they are convinced the 37 turtles, a parrot, a
duck and a sheep are going to be sold, not eaten. I say the police
are way off track, and that the parrot talked a guard into handing
over the keys, then drugged the poor sap. But then President
Chavez didn’t ask for my input.
–Out of nowhere, the Wall Street Journal had a piece on the
Henry Ford Museum last Thursday that I had written of too last
week. Yes, they mentioned Lincoln’s chair and JFK’s
presidential limo as I had. They truly are the real items, in case
you were having doubts.
–So the Pirates’ Jose Hernandez seems a lock to strike out a
record 190 times this year and the team said it won’t hold him
back, as was the case last season, to prevent him from doing so.
Bobby Bonds whiffed 189 times in 1970 and 187 in 1969, while
Hernandez fanned 188 times last year and 185 in 2001.
Of course as our own Johnny Mac has noted on countless
occasions, Bonds was a superior player. For example, he hit 32
homers and drove in 90 in ’69 with 45 steals for the Giants, then
in 1970 hit .302 with 26 HR 78 RBI 200 hits and 48 steals.
Plus, he scored 120 and 134 runs those two campaigns and also
drew 77 and 81 walks. In other words, who gave a damn about
the strikeouts?
[Hernandez had fanned 143 times through Saturday and
Pittsburgh has 45+ games left.]
–Lawrence Rocca, writing for the Star-Ledger, had the following
observation concerning the Astros’ Craig Biggio, who recently
drew his 1,000th career walk to go along with 2,400 hits, 200
home runs, 500 doubles, and 300 stolen bases. Only four others
have this resume. Barry Bonds, Paul Molitor, Rickey Henderson
and Willie Mays. So is Biggio Cooperstown bound? I have to
tell you, I have trouble with this, but I’ll come around.
–Did you see what Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench shot in
the first round of a Champions (Senior) Tour event? 97! Yup,
97! Bench always fancied himself a super golfer, but guess it
isn’t as easy as he thought it was. He did fire an 82-84 in the
second and third rounds, meaning he finished 58 strokes back of
winner Wayne Levi”s 68-68-69 (205).
All together now… “I could fire a freakin’ 97!”
–Come to think of it, looks like Johnny Bench could use a lesson
or two. The current Golf Digest has some options, as it ranked
the top 50 teachers in the game. Here is what the top six charge,
by the way.
1. Butch Harmon…no private lessons, 2-day school – $3500
2. David Leadbetter… $5,000 for a private morning session
3. Jim McLean… $2,250 per session
4. Rick Smith… $2,000 for two hours
5. Hank Haney… $360 per hour. Such a deal!!
6. Jim Flick… $300 per hour. Ditto!
–From Golf World… Paul Azinger belongs to an all-male club,
Gator Creek, near Sarasota, FL. “I would think most married
women in the country would love that their husbands are at a
men’s club where there are no women,” he said. Ya gotta admit,
Zinger’s got a point there.
–The same issue of Golf World has a piece by John Hawkins
that rips 13-year-old Michelle Wie and I have to tell you, I’m
now looking at her in a totally different light. Remember her
problems at the U.S. Women’s Open with playing partner
Danielle Ammaccapane? Danielle threw a fit for Wie’s constant
breeches of etiquette and it turns out Wie really was clueless as
she played, consistently walking in Ammaccapane’s line of putt.
As Hawkins says, “There’s something rather comical about the
notion that a girl can learn how to hit a golf ball 300 yards before
she perfects the nuances of walking outside a competitor’s line.
If parents are going to send their kids straight from diapers to the
David Leadbetter Academy, a class on class should be held
immediately after potty training.”
It’s also a joke that fourteen teenagers made the field at the
Open, with 7 making the cut. At first glance, that’s good, isn’t
it? Well what does it really say about the caliber of play on the
tour?
Back to Wie, Hawkins concludes, “Wie is a good kid, charming
on television but not exactly 13 going on 33.” And the father,
totally out of his element in this fishbowl he has placed his
daughter in, is no help whatsoever.
–Comedian ‘Gallagher’ is on the ballot for the California recall.
Oh brother. This could truly be the worst of them all.
–I noticed an item in USA Today the other day that the “Capital
Gang’s” Mark Shields found to be an outrage as I did. The
Daniel Boone highway in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, a
popular road for tourists, is being renamed after Congressman
Hal Rogers because Rogers obtained $13 million that allowed the
state to eliminate tolls on it.
This is a total disgrace and the locals are very upset, as they
should be. You can also imagine what’s going to happen to the
new Hal Rogers signs. I may have to spray paint an epithet or
two myself. [Just another reason why I don’t sign ‘Bar Chat.’]
–Wow, nice going Baylor basketball coach Dave Bliss, or make
that ‘former’ coach Dave Bliss. The university president
launched an investigation immediately following the discovery
of player Patrick Dennehy’s body and the school soon realized
that the hoops program was rife with improprieties, including
payoffs and fixed, or unreported drug tests. In fact it sounds like
the Baylor ballplayers were nothing but a bunch of druggies.
Amazing they could even find the court, when you think about it.
Bliss had a 526-328 record in 28 seasons at the college level for
various schools. All down the drain now. Way to go.
[We now wait for Dick Vitale to defend him, as he is wont to do
in such situations. “How can the coach know what all his players
are doing…blah blah blah.”]
–Holy cow…did you see that Britain registered its first
temperature ever over 100 degrees F.? According to the BBC,
this also means “bookmakers William Hill will have to pay out
over 250,000 pounds.”
One official from the bookies told the BBC that “they had
offered even odds on the record being broken but ‘there are
plenty of people who’ve got 25-1 that the temperature of 100F
would be beaten.’”
And check this out… “The hot weather means an extra three
million pints of beer are expected to be downed across Britain
over the weekend.”
Kind of makes you thirsty, doesn’t it? Go ahead, tell your boss
you’re heading out for a smoke, then hit the neighborhood
tavern. Tell ‘em “The Editor sent me.”
–So I’m drinking a Lord Chesterfield Ale on Saturday and I
noticed on the label, “America’s Oldest Brewery.” Frankly, I
was embarrassed that I had forgotten Yuengling & Sons out of
Pottsville, PA is able to make such a claim. Rather tasty, I might
add.
Top 3 songs for the week of 8/15/64: #1 “Everybody Loves
Somebody” (Dean Martin) #2 “Where Did Our Love Go” (The
Supremes) #3 “A Hard Day’s Night” (The Beatles)… I just
always thought it was so cool that Dean Martin was able to beat
out the likes of the Beatles and the Supremes. That’s part of why
this was the best era for music, period.
NFL Quiz Answer: Top ten rushers all time.
Emmitt Smith…17162 (13 seasons)
Walter Payton…16726 (13)
Barry Sanders…15269 (10… 5.0 avg.)
Eric Dickerson…13259 (11)
Tony Dorsett…12739 (12)
Jim Brown…12312 (9… 5.2 avg.)
Marcus Allen…12243 (16)
Franco Harris…12120 (13)
Thurman Thomas…12074 (13)
Jerome Bettis…11542 (10)
*Bettis and Smith still being active, of course.
**Sanders and Brown are the only two in the entire top twenty
with averages of 5 per carry. Brown also didn’t have any 16
game schedules. He’ll always be the best in my mind.
Next Bar Chat, Thursday……..STEVIE WONDER!!!!!
