U.S. Open Quiz: [Pretty easy for you fanatics out there.] 1) Who
won in 1958, initials T.B.? 2) Who was runner-up to Billy
Casper in 1959, initials B.R.? 3) Who was the last American to
win? 4) Who were the two runners-up to David Graham in 1981,
initials B.R. and G.B.? [Not the same B.R. as no. 2] 5) Who are
the four, 4-time winners? Answers below.
The Sopranos
Everyone will have a different opinion…mine is the last episode
was absolutely brilliant.
I also just read a slew of reviews, with comments like David
Chase was “flipping his audience the bird,” and the finale was
“guaranteed to leave you screaming at the television set.” Or
that it was a “betrayal.”
C’mon. Why do we always need closure on something like this?
It’s not life and death…it’s HBO!
Rags to Riches
I was watching the Mets-Tigers game on Saturday and totally
forgot the Belmont Stakes was on. Not that I cared after Street
Sense dropped out of the field, but there was mild interest when
filly Rags to Riches was entered.
So, yes, I ended up missing something special, though I did
watch the replay and what a great moment as the little filly won
in a dramatic stretch run over Preakness winner Curlin. Rags to
Riches thus became the first filly to win the Belmont since 1905,
as trainer Todd Pletcher snapped a 0-for-28 streak in Triple
Crown races.
Lewis Hamilton
There was a time when I was a huge Formula One fan, thanks to
my brother’s interest. I know I’ve mentioned this before but I
have a great photo of myself, all of ten years old, standing next to
the great Dennis Hulme at the British Grand Prix. The year was
1968, when Formula One was at its best.
But the sport may have turned a corner in terms of renewed
interest in the States as the first black driver, ever, Englishman
Lewis Hamilton, also became the first to win a race in taking this
weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. After six races this season,
Hamilton is now the points leader…and he’s all of 22. If I were
Sports Illustrated, I’d put him on the cover.
War in Jersey
Three black bears were killed by officials in New Jersey this
week in separate incidents as the bears began their late spring
offensive. In all cases, the bruins either entered or were
attempting to gain entrance to homes. In another incident, last
Sunday, an 11-year-old New Jersey Girl Scout was awakened by
a bear in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains that was trying to
yank her out of her sleeping bag.
“Celeste Tietz of Franklin Township, Warren County, managed
to grab a tent-support pole and slide out of her sleeping bag as
the bear was tugging at it. Tietz and four other girls slept in bags
on cots.
“ ‘I was sleeping and I woke up because I fell on the floor,’ Tietz
said. ‘Then something started pulling me towards the front of
my tent and tried to pull me out.’” [Star-Ledger]
The girls started screaming and the bear left, only to approach
other tents before finally wandering off.
Meanwhile, Middletown, N.J., is going to start employing
sharpshooters with night-vision goggles to go after a pack of
coyotes that has been attacking residents, while the vulture
population (both turkey and black varieties) is soaring here.
[Reminder…stay away from turkey vultures. When threatened,
they hurl vomit at you.]
Yes, it’s all out war, sports fans. Word spreads quickly in the
animal kingdom, as you well know, so I look for the black bear
and grizzly communities to send reinforcements from Canada
and the American West. Frankly, I’d watch the Greyhound bus
depots, if I were the Feds.
Stuff
–Rafael Nadal did it again, defeating Roger Federer to win his
third consecutive French Open title. Federer is not alone in
never winning on Roland Garros’ clay, however. Sampras,
Connors and Becker didn’t win a singles title there either.
–This one is bizarre and more than a bit unsettling. A 17-year-
old Staten Island girl, who ran track, died from a rare toxic dose
of BenGay. The girl was found dead at home April 3 and the
medical examiner’s office, after an extensive investigation, just
ruled that the teen accidentally used “topical medication to an
excess,” causing poisons to accumulate in her body over an
undetermined amount of time. The overdose likely led to a
seizure. Arielle Newman’s blood contained lethal amounts of
methyl salicylate, the active ingredient in muscle rubs like
BenGay and Icy Hot. Members of her track team believe she
was using BenGay just like anyone else would for sore joints.
–Boy, John Daly has had one tough, and rather interesting, life.
Daly, playing in this week’s PGA Tour event in Memphis,
showed up for the second round, Friday, with red marks all over
his cheeks, saying he was the “victim of an assault by my wife.”
Specifically, Sherrie came at him with a steak knife, John
alleges.
The Dalys have a home at the course site in Memphis and upon
being called around 6 a.m., Friday morning, sheriff’s deputies
couldn’t find wife Sherrie and the children.
Sherrie is Daly’s 4th wife and they met at the course here back in
2001. Recall that in 2004, she pleaded guilty to a charge of
conspiracy in a drug and gambling operation her parents were
involved in. The couple filed for divorce, but then Daly put it on
hold.
–I see where Larry David and wife Laurie have separated. No
word on how this will impact the next season of “Curb Your
Enthusiasm,” which I believe is slated for January. It’s funny
how this one paper I was reading said that viewers of the
program, loosely based on Larry’s life, would understand why
his wife left him. But I’m thinking, if you’ve observed Laurie
over the past year, no wonder Larry left her!
–I have to admit I’d forgotten Tim Duncan had made the All-
NBA first team 9 seasons out of ten, and was second team the
other time. He has also been named to the all-defensive first
team seven times and second team the other three. When you
match him up against the greats of all time, you have to consider
the fact there are basically two to three times more players in the
league today than there were when the old-timers played, which
to me makes Duncan’s accomplishments all the more
spectacular. [The problem for him, from a PR standpoint, is you
never hear the word ‘spectacular’ used to describe his play.]
[Game 1 of the NBA Finals drew the lowest rating ever for an
opening game in prime time, and obviously Game Two, with
competition all over the dial, must have fared even worse.]
–Assuming the Cavaliers lose to San Antonio, that would mean
that the city of Cleveland’s streak continues…it holding the mark
for combined seasons without a title in the four major sports
leagues (plus others such as the AFL, ABA, and WHA that were
then folded into a major league). Cleveland has thus far gone a
combined 123 seasons since the 1964 Cleveland Browns won.
Philadelphia is next at 96 (the ’83 edition of the 76ers being last),
while San Diego is 3rd at 90 (‘63 Chargers).
–A lot of folks have been coming forward saying Falcons
quarterback Michael Vick was involved in dogfighting, but still
no indictment. Falcons management sent a letter to season
ticketholders urging them to be patient and accept the principle
you are innocent until proven guilty……..ha!
–The 1,800 most desirable seat locations in the Washington
Nationals’ new stadium will cost at least $150 per game, with the
top ones going for $400. This is for a freakin’ baseball game you
can watch on television for less than a dollar, if you play around
with your cable charges. And we’re talking the Nationals!
Actually, I didn’t realize the Red Sox now charge $312 for an
infield dugout box these days and the freakin’ Dodgers charge up
to $450. [The Yankees top out at $400.] Remember when you
could get a field level box seat for $6-$8?
Then again, courtside seats at virtually every NBA arena go for
$800 to $2,000…face.
–Us Mets fans are really getting pissed off at our team’s play.
We are the worst 36-25 club in the history of the sport, I mean to
tell you. And as Johnny Mac so correctly said, Carlos Beltran is
no warrior. “My leg hurts…my quad hurts…I can’t go after
balls because of this…” At least that’s basically what he’s
telling you because of his lackadaisical play.
–Just an observation for baseball junkies, but can you believe the
Tigers’ Sean Casey has no home runs in 190 at bats? This is a
guy who stands 6’3” 237 lbs. and has hit 20+ homers three times.
But the last few years, just like the Mets’ Shawn Green, Casey
has lost it. Makes you think, don’t it? [Actually, you don’t even
have to think about it. You’d have to be a moron not to draw
some conclusions.]
–So is Jason Giambi going to talk to George Mitchell about his
use of steroids, as requested by Commissioner Bud Selig?
Giambi faces disciplinary action if he doesn’t, after stupidly
admitting to USA Today he was “wrong for using that stuff.”
But Selig doesn’t have the power to compel Giambi to testify.
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen thinks baseball’s steroids
investigation is unfairly targeting Latino players. Hey, Ozzie;
you get Hugo Chavez to leave office and we’ll stop pointing the
finger.
–Hank Aaron said the other day, “I don’t have any thoughts
about Barry. I don’t even know how to spell his name,” he
laughed. But when asked whether Bud Selig, a close friend,
should be on hand for Bonds’ record-setting blast, Aaron said
“That’s his decision and I’m sure he’ll make the right one.”
Aaron is on record as saying he won’t attend any of Barry’s
games. Milwaukee, where Aaron ended his career, has placed a
marker where Hank’s last homer, #755, landed; a cool touch.
My friend Ken P. said Aaron should accompany Selig to see
Bonds do it (recognizing transportation is a big issue…I keep
waiting for Barry to bust through with a 3-homer barrage, for
example), but then hold a Hank Aaron appreciation day in
September across all of baseball.
I think Selig has to be there…the record isn’t going away…even
if replaced by an asterisk one of these days, but that Aaron
should be honored in a big way either at the All-Star Game or
during the World Series.
–I was remiss in not acknowledging Stanford’s win in the
NCAA Men’s Golf Championship. Jamie Lovemark, 19 and a
USC freshman, won the individual title. My Wake Forest
Demon Deacons finished a disappointing 26th as we didn’t have
one golfer make the 54-hole cut, for crying out loud. Yup, it’s
time for Wake football, baby. Huge first two games…Sept. 1 vs.
Boston College and then Sept. 8 against Nebraska. We need a
split, at worst.
–In yet another instance of an incredibly stupid athlete, the
Denver Nuggets’ J.R. Smith was driving his SUV in New Jersey
this weekend when he ran through a stop sign (clearly because he
was on his cellphone) and collided with another vehicle at 5:30
p.m. Bad enough. But Smith and one of his two passengers
weren’t wearing their seatbelts so they were thrown from the car.
Smith incredibly suffered only minor injuries, at last report, but
passenger Andre Bell is near death with head trauma. The others
involved, Smith’s second passenger and the driver of the other
car, weren’t seriously hurt because….they were wearing their
seatbelts!
–Freddie Maguire, 47 and of Dublin, was pronounced dead by
doctors after they fought for 30 minutes to save his life on Easter.
Mr. McGuire, who has learning disabilities, suffered a heart
attack; whereupon he was moved to intensive care and didn’t
recover.
But after being placed in a mortuary refrigerator, a member of
the staff saw his hand move. Today, his aunt told the London
Times “He’s all right now and he’s back the way he was before
this terrible thing took place.”
The incident having taken place on Easter, Freddy Maguire is
being called Jesus Christ.
Another similar case, ages ago, involved a teenager named
George Hayward, who was struck by a pitchfork while working
on a farm. He was eventually pronounced dead and buried.
After the funeral, two doctors decided to inspect his body – in
case he had died of an infectious disease. Hayward then opened
his eyes, made a full recovery, and lived to the age of 84.
–The case of Michelle Wie is one of the more fascinating sports
stories of this or any other year. It’s no exaggeration to wonder
if her career, even at age 17, is in jeopardy. Golf is one of the
more fragile sports, after all, because it’s not just injuries that can
sideline you, but it’s often all in your head.
Today, Wie is legitimately struggling with her injured wrist,
witness her 83 third-round score in the LPGA Championship this
weekend, her worst in four years. But her withdrawal two weeks
ago after 16 holes still has folks buzzing.
Christine Brennan / USA Today…after Annika Sorenstam
criticized Wie for withdrawing.
“When Sorenstam is on your case, take it as a big hint that your
career is in a free fall, kind of like Icarus.’
“Wie, unfortunately, didn’t get it. Asked in a news conference if
she felt she owed Sorenstam an explanation for what happened,
Wie replied, ‘I don’t think I need to apologize for anything.’
“It’s stunning, really, how poorly things now are going for one of
the greatest female talents to play the game of golf. It seems like
ages ago that she captured the nation’s imagination when, as a
14-year-old high school freshman, she missed the cut by only
one stroke at a PGA Tour event in Hawaii.
“Shame on her parents, her agent, her psychologist – the whole
of them – for turning a delightful only child into a confused cash
cow. One would think those supposedly responsible adults
would have been paying attention to little girls sports over the
past few decades. Does the name Jennifer Capriati ring a bell?
The missed school time, the stranglehold of the entourage, the
rush for the almighty dollar? The increasingly self-centered
athlete? The massive crash-and-burn that usually follows?”
An editorial in Golf Week also notes the troubling potential
breaches of the rules at the event where Wie dropped out,
including the communication on cellphones between Wie, her
agent, and the LPGA itself; this after father B.J. Wie, who wasn’t
caddying, still offered advice to his daughter during the round.
Because Wie didn’t ask for it, it wasn’t illegal.
This story isn’t going to die, by the way. But as it turns out, the
rule about shooting an 88, “Rule 88,” in which non-tour
members are banned for a year if they fail to break 88, only
applies before a cut is made. Otherwise, Wie, with her 83 on
Saturday, was not in danger of a penalty in that regard.
–Jack Curry of the New York Times had a blurb about some
sports memorabilia…specifically, a pitching rubber signed by 56
hurlers who had thrown a no-hitter, including the likes of Johnny
Vander Meer, Sandy Koufax and Don Larsen. A man
approached former pitcher Al Leiter at a card show, Leiter
having authored a no-no of his own in 1996, asking him to sign,
which Leiter willingly agreed to do. But then Al looked at this
thing and wanted to buy it. By the time the card show was over,
however, the man had disappeared.
Here’s the rub. Leiter checked with his memorabilia guru and
they thought it was worth $2,500, max. I don’t know all of the
signatures on it, but it sounds like a $50,000 item to me.
[Understand, I’m still hoping my Lew Alcindor rookie card is
worth $5,000. Suckers are welcome to send me an e-mail.]
–Johnny Mac weighed in on the selection of ten best pitching
seasons since 1966 (see last chat), and of course he’s right that
Pedro Martinez’s 2000 campaign has to be in the mix. All Pedro
did in winning the Cy Young that year for Boston was go 18-6 in
29 starts, with a 1.74 ERA that is arguably the best ever when
looking at league and adjusted ERA that season, as well as wrack
up 284 strikeouts in only 217 innings with just 32 walks.
Personally, I’d knock out Hershiser’s season.
–I really had no idea what kind of season, from an extra-base
standpoint, Detroit’s Curtis Granderson was having until
watching the Mets-Tigers series this weekend. Granderson has
12 triples already. Recall just a few weeks ago I noted the best
for a season since 1930 is Dale Mitchell’s 23 in 1949. This bears
watching.
–Last fall, two days after Yankee pitcher Cory Lidle flew his
plane into a Manhattan building, Alex Rodriguez had an incident
with his private jet, which skidded off a California runway with
seven on board. Thankfully, no one was hurt in that one.
What has come to light, though, was that among the seven
passengers that day, Oct. 13 in Burbank, was the same stripper,
Joslyn Morse, who A-Rod was caught with in Toronto recently.
As the New York Post noted on Sunday, everyone was so
preoccupied with Lidle’s awful accident, they didn’t notice.
Now some of you might not think this is big news, but
goshdarnit, here at Bar Chat, it is a critically important piece of
information as we build our case for A-Rod being “Jerk of the
Decade.” And, no, I don’t care that he hit another two homers on
Sunday. This other stuff is far more interesting.
–There will be no “The Sopranos: The Movie.”
–“The Sopranos” finale was the funniest of them all; the bit on
Little Italy and walking into Chinatown, the excitement over the
box of barber scissors, A.J.’s “we need to reduce our dependence
on foreign oil,” and the problem with the ketchup bottle, let alone
the whole cat bit.
–Jeff B. and I are disgusted with “For Better or For Worse” (or
as Jeff calls it, “For Worse”) and the sudden turn of events that
has Liz being matched up with some dork named Mason at “The
Wedding of the Century.” And my word, Liz’s weight swings
are unbelievable.
–Swimmer Amanda Beard is on the cover of the July issue of
Playboy. Sports Illustrated asked her, “If you were Hef, what
other athletes would you want to have pose for Playboy?”
Beard: “Anna Kournikova, Maria Sharapova and Danica Patrick.
Anna is gorgeous. And Danica is a bad-ass chick. She has a lot
of male fans, so she would be perfect.”
I’m not allowed to comment on this or I’ll lose my International
Web Site Association license; but guys, you can discuss amongst
yourselves.
[Remember, kids. Always look for the IWSA label for your seal
of Web quality.]
Top 3 songs for the week of 6/10/72: #1 “Candy Man” (Sammy
David Jr. with The Mike Curb Congregation) #2 “I’ll Take You
There” (The Staple Singers…can’t stand ‘em) #3 “Oh Girl”
(Chi-Lites)…and…#4 “Song Sung Blue” (Neil Diamond) #5
“Sylvia’s Mother” (Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show…got tired
of him post-Katrina) #6 “Nice To Be With You” (Gallery) #7
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (Roberta Flack) #8
“Morning Has Broken” (Cat Stevens…bin Laden wannabe…but
fair tune) #9 “Outa-Space” (Billy Preston) #10 “(Last Night) I
Didn’t Get To Sleep At All” (The 5th Dimension…the other
night, I really didn’t….I went to war with a mosquito, and the
mosquito won…)
U.S. Open Quiz Answers: 1) Tommy Bolt won in ’58. 2) Bob
Rosburg was runner-up to Billy Casper in ’59. [Rosburg was
also 2nd in ’69.] 3) Jim Furyk is the last American to win it,
2003. 4) Bill Rogers and George Burns finished 2nd to David
Graham in 1981. 5) 4-time winners: Willie Anderson, Bobby
Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus. Hale Irwin is the only 3-time
winner.
Next Bar Chat, Thursday. 1967…and a few U.S. Open tidbits.
Approved by the IWSA. Copyright 2007.
