[Posted late Sunday p.m.]
NFL…CLE/LA/STL/LA Rams (1937-2016) Quiz: 1) Name the five Rams to rush for 5,000 yards. None are pre-1960. 2) Name the only Ram to throw for 40 touchdowns in a season. Answers below.
World Series…back to Cleveland
So after last chat, going back to Wednesday and Game 2, the Cubs evened the Series in Cleveland at a game apiece with a 5-1 win behind Jake Arrieta’s 5 2/3 of one-run ball while the amazing Kyle Schwarber had two run-scoring singles.
On to Wrigley and in a true Fall Classic, Game 3 Friday, the Indians beat the Cubs 1-0 behind Josh Tomlin and the spectacular Cleveland pen.
It was a showcase game for Indians manager Terry Francona, as he lifted starter Tomlin in the middle of the fifth after he had thrown 4 2/3 of shutout ball, Francona replacing him with Andrew Miller, rather than waiting until the seventh for the big lefty, and then leaving Miller in for just four outs, through the sixth, with Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen pitching the final three; the trio of relievers striking out 7 in 4 1/3 of three-hit ball.
Tomlin only threw 58 pitches as the Indians planned to bring him back on short rest for Game 6, if needed.
As for the lone run, Francona pinch-hit for Miller in the seventh with runners on first and third, Coco Crisp delivering a single to right off Carl Edwards Jr. to plate Michael Martinez, who had entered the game to run for catcher Roberto Perez, who had led off the inning with a single. It was National League baseball at its best, perfected by the A.L.’s top skipper.
Game 4 Saturday was a real downer for Cubs fans, a 7-2 pounding, with Jason Kipnis striking the big blow, a three-run seventh-inning homer off Travis Wood that turned a 4-1 lead into 7-1, ballgame over. Cleveland up 3-1.
John Harper / New York Daily News
“By the seventh inning, the quiet at Wrigley Field was telling, even eerie. Every few minutes small pockets of determined fans would get a ‘Let’s Go Cub-bies’’ chant going, but invariably they died quickly because of a lack of enthusiasm.
“Or, more likely, a lack of belief.
“Suddenly 108 years of championship-less baseball is bearing down on this city like a migraine. You could feel the sense of dread in the ballpark.
“And that was before Jason Kipnis hit a three-run bomb to turn Game 4 of this World Series into a rout, of all things, for the Indians.
“Who are these guys, anyway?
“Maybe we shouldn’t be all that surprised, considering Terry Francona’s ballclub did go on a 14-game winning streak during the summer. Nobody reels off a run like that by being lucky.
“Of course, that was before they lost their No. 2 and 3 starters, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar. Yet they still shut down two of the best offenses in baseball, the Red Sox and the Blue Jays, to get this far.
“Now, after pounding the Cubs 7-2 to take a 3-1 lead in the Series, they’re 10-2 in this postseason, so let’s face it, these Indians are a heck of a ballclub, even if they are short on household names.
“But there is plenty of time for a coronation, if it comes to that.
“For now, this is about the Cubs, a 103-win team that is being overmatched, especially at the plate, in shocking fashion, no matter how good Corey Kluber and the Tribe bullpen are pitching.”
As for Kluber, he gave up one run in six and is now 4-1 this postseason with a 0.89 ERA.
Andrew Miller gave up his first run, a solo homer to Dexter Fowler, so Miller in his postseason career has now given up one run in 25 1/3 innings, just 9 hits, 39 strikeouts and only 5 walks, a 0.36 ERA. As Ronald Reagan would have said, ‘Not bad, not bad at all.’
Thomas Boswell / Washington Post
“Before Game 3 of the World Series on Friday night, the first such game played here in Wrigley Field in 71 years, a huge American flag covered almost all of the outfield of The Friendly Confines as ‘God Bless America’ was sung, followed by the national anthem. Theology aside, baseball is doing an admirable job providing a civil, joyous and unifying example of intense but fair competition at a time when such a thing does indeed seem like a blessing.
“Baseball’s central therapeutic quality is that it has always been there when you need it. The game, at times, seems to be a friendly confine of its own. From the solitary child seeking connection with a larger world to the senior citizen in danger of feeling disconnected, baseball offers a companion. To many of us in bleak times or to the seriously ill, baseball has always been the sport of first resort for solace ever since Babe Ruth visited sick children in hospitals and promised a home run – for them. Baseball does not sell itself as a refuge and touchstone, but it is. Who knew that baseball could also be there when an entire country needs it?….
“There is no connection or comparison between this World Series and our presidential election, but there is surely contrast.
“As has been the case since 1871, baseball, even in front of a deeply partisan, often breathlessly anxious Chicago crowd, had no difficulty in respecting all participants, reaching agreement on basic facts and even abiding by the final score….
“Perhaps I am not alone in feeling that America deserves the temporary balm of this particular World Series, one which is preordained by the nature of its protagonists to have a fabulous, satisfying ending, and a loser deserving of praise, just as clearly as we don’t deserve an election that feels like a personal humiliation and a national embarrassment.
“Can this World Series between a town that has not won a World Series in 68 years and another that has not won in 108 years please go six or seven games?….
“Give us something to watch – together and happy, not divided, not angry, not irrational, rooting passionately while disagreeing civilly – as long as possible….
“We go without the game for stretches because we do not especially need the qualities it offers, like its calm pace combined with explosive action….
“Then one day the game seems like just what we need again – proud of itself, but not self-infatuated.
“Fun, but not without manners and codes. We remember its essential playfulness, the teasing and jokes that ballplayers can’t keep themselves from cracking even when they are playing for the highest stakes.”
Well, Mr. Boswell’s plea for a sixth or seventh game was met. We’re heading back to Cleveland, the Cubs taking Game 5, 3-2, behind Jon Lester’s six innings of two-run ball and then the relief pitching of Aroldis Chapman, who went the final 2 2/3, unheard of for him, to preserve the victory.
This has become delicious.
–Just a note on the death of Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez. I wrote the following in the immediate aftermath of the accident that claimed his life and that of two others on Sept. 25.
“The U.S. Coast Guard said a patrol boat spotted a 32-foot overturned vessel on a jetty at 3:30 a.m., with the bodies of three men – none wearing life vests – discovered shortly afterward. Two were underneath, one was found on the surface. The boat had a ‘severe impact’ with the jetty suggesting it was traveling at a high rate of speed. The Coast Guard said it did not appear alcohol and drugs contributed to the accident, but, frankly, they can’t possibly know for certain yet.”
Yes, it was irresponsible of authorities to say anything regarding the cause, because they didn’t know. So I was right in my caution as we learned yesterday that a toxicology report showed Fernandez had alcohol and cocaine in his system when he and his friends were killed. Fernandez’ blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit, with cocaine detected in the blood stream, according to the Miami Herald.
While Fernandez owned the boat, officials have yet to conclude who was actually piloting.
The findings in no way take away from the tragedy of this superstar’s death, but maybe it will be a lesson to someone out there…or maybe not.
–The free-agent market opens up in a few days, at which point the Mets’ Yoenis Cespedes will exercise his opt-out clause to test the waters, even as the Mets know they have to make a concerted effort to retain him. They will make him a qualifying offer so that they’ll receive a compensatory draft pick should he go elsewhere, but he likes it in New York and has proven he can perform here. This will be interesting. I wouldn’t give him more than four more years, but someone will undoubtedly give him five or six.
College Football Review
Lots of pretenders were taken down this week, providing further clarity, as in there are six teams in the BCS playoff hunt…no more than that.
No. 1 Alabama was off, with LSU next.
No. 2 Michigan (8-0) did enough in beating Michigan State (2-6) in East Lansing, 32-23, as Heisman candidate Jabrill Peppers* had a 24-yard touchdown run while making seven tackles and getting a sack.
*Peppers has been described as Coach Jim Harbaugh’s “junior safety-linebacker-cornerback-nickel-running back-wide receiver-quarterback-punt returner-kick returner.”
I don’t see how Peppers’ busts through the Heisman traffic, though, unless he has a monster game against Ohio State and certainly the nation will be watching that one.
No. 3 Clemson (8-0) rallied back from a 28-20 fourth quarter deficit to defeat No. 12 Florida State (5-3) in Tallahassee, 37-34, a huge win, as Deshaun Watson threw for 378 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 2:06 remaining. For FSU, Dalvin Cook was superb, rushing for 169 yards and four scores, including third-quarter touchdown runs of 70 and 43.
No. 4 Washington traveled to Salt Lake City to face No. 17 Utah and the Huskies held on, 31-24, to improve to 8-0, the Utes falling to 7-2 but proving they can play with anyone. For Washington, Heisman candidate Jake Browning was so-so, passing for 186 with two touchdowns and an interception, while Myles Gaskin rushed for 151 and a score. But Washington didn’t wrap it up until what may have been a season-saving 58-yard punt return for a touchdown by Dante Pettis with 3:25 left in the contest. For Utah, Joe Williams ran for 172.
I don’t know if No. 5 Louisville will deserve a BCS playoff berth, but they were on the verge of playing themselves out of one in Charlottesville as Virginia had a 25-24 lead with about a minute to go, only to have the Cardinals’ Lamar Jackson complete a clutch 4th and 3 to keep a drive going and then Jackson threw a 29-yard TD pass to Jaylen Smith for the winning score, 32-25 (the Cards getting a 2-pt. conversion). Louisville is now 7-1 (Virginia 2-6). Jackson more than kept his Heisman hopes alive with 361 yards passing and four touchdowns, while running for another 90.
But UVA was a 32 ½-point underdog and thus handily beat the spread, so as Thomas Jefferson would have said to Sally Hemmings had the lovebirds been in the stands, ‘At the end of the day, Miss Sally, this is what truly matters.’ ‘Oh, Thomas…you are so wise.’
[Founding Father at a Div. I football game…another free feature of Bar Chat.]
No. 6 Ohio State (7-1) was unimpressive at home against Northwestern (4-4), winning 24-20, but the Buckeyes are still one of the six vying for the Final Four.
One team no longer in the picture is No. 7 Nebraska (7-1) which suffered its first loss at the hands of No. 11 Wisconsin (6-2) in Madison, 23-17, in a real yawner, a staple of both teams. For the Cornhuskers, the guy who won’t just go away, Tommy Armstrong Jr., was dreadful, 12/31, 153, 0-2, though I guess we’ll credit the Badgers’ stout defense.
Another pretender, No. 8 Baylor, fell to Texas (4-4) 35-34, as the Charlie Strong death watch was put on hold for another week or two. It was a tough week for the Bears’ program with further disturbing revelations in the sexual assault scandal involving former members of the football team as well as coaches and school administrators. Bye-bye BCS playoff hopes for Baylor, though with the regents’ report, not making the playoffs is the least of the program’s problems.
No. 9 Texas A&M is 7-1 after a 52-10 pasting of New Mexico (2-6).
No. 10 West Virginia was another to fall from the ranks of the undefeated, now 6-1, as the Mountaineers lost to Oklahoma State (6-2) in Stillwater, Cowboys quarterback Mason Rudolph having a fine afternoon, 26/36, 273, 3-0. Oklahoma State, which was robbed by the officials in its shocking upset loss to Central Michigan, should be 7-1 and in the New Year’s Six bowl game conversation, but probably won’t be in the end, which would be a shame because they are solid. [They do play Oklahoma Dec. 3 for the de facto Big 12 title.]
And No. 13 Boise State is no longer undefeated as the Broncos (7-1) fell to the Wyoming Cowboys (6-2) in Laramie, 30-28. Talk about an even game, Wyoming had 489 yards of total offense to Boise’s 487. No doubt the Wyoming students partied hard after. [I’ve been to this campus…it’s what they do. Not a lot of stuff going on in Laramie otherwise, you understand.]
In other games….
My Wake Forest Demon Deacons suffered a horrendous loss on Homecoming Day, 21-13 to Army (5-3), as our defense played well, but our quarterback, John Wolford, was hideous, 23/42, 220, 1-3, with the three picks truly pathetic. Wake had a bye week and this is what they were preparing for? C’mon. Now the Deacs, 5-3, realistically might not qualify for a bowl game. I’m disgusted. A season that two weeks ago seemed a lock 8-4 could devolve to 5-7.
And with Boston College’s 21-14 win against N.C. State, both of those teams now 4-4, suddenly my Ferraro’s lunch bet with Eagles’ alum Steve D. is in serious jeopardy, our two teams tussling Nov 26.
Ordinarily I wouldn’t even mention Miami at Notre Dame, as in who gives a damn, but I watched the last quarter, Miami coming back from an early 20-0 deficit to score the next 27 and take a 27-20 lead with about 6:30 left in the game, only to have Notre Dame (3-5) score the final 10, the Fighting Irish winning 30-27.
But Miami (4-4) had a shot at getting kicker, and fellow Summit High School alum, Michael Badgley, into range at the end but quarterback Brad Kaaya got sacked as the clock ticked down to 0:00.
What was interesting was how the announcers kept saying during the game (I was doing look-ins during the Wake affair) that Badgley had one of the best legs in the country and that is indeed true, only he never got a chance to tie it up.
In fact I wrote this on 11/1/2010…when he was ‘Mike’ Badgley.
“My high school alma mater, Summit, ran its football winning streak to 20, but I have to give the kicker a little ink. Mike Badgley, a sophomore, kicked a school-record 49-yarder this weekend in a 17-13 win. Due to my travel schedule, I have been able to attend only one game this year but was bowled over by this kid’s leg and it’s cool to think he has a real shot at a Division I scholarship down the road, not to rush Mike’s career along.”
Pretty, pretty prophetic.
Thursday, No. 25 Virginia Tech (6-2) outlasted Pitt (5-3) 39-36 as Jerod Evans threw for 406 yards and two touchdowns, while Pitt’s James Connor, still rounding back into form after his battle with cancer, had 141 yards rushing with three TDs.
Friday, No. 22 Navy (5-2) suffered a tough loss at the hands of what is a solid South Florida (7-2) squad, 52-45, with Bulls QB Quinton Flowers passing for 210 and two touchdowns, while running for 176 on just 13 carries and another two scores. For Navy, Will Worth threw for 299 and rushed for 129 with a combined 5 TDs.
And out west, at San Diego State, running back Donnel Pumphrey is rapidly moving up the all-time rushing chart, Pumphrey getting 223 yards on Saturday as the 7-1 Aztecs beat Utah State (3-5) 40-13. I’ll have more on him next time as the records are a little confusing, but with four regular season games left he’s at 5,741, plus a bowl contest, so let’s just say Pumphrey will be in the record books in one form or another. [My Aztecwear is stirring in the sports drawer. “Pumphrey, Pumphrey!” it is exclaiming. “Shut up, I’m trying to sleep!” I yell back.]
In FCS (Div. I-AA) play, totally random….
Lehigh improved to 7-2 with a 58-37 win over Fordham; Colgate beat Holy Cross 26-8; James Madison (7-1) destroyed Rhode Island 84-7; and North Dakota State (7-1) had a solid road win at Northern Iowa, 24-20.
So…with the first BCS ranking coming out Tuesday night….
The new AP Poll….
1. Alabama 8-0 (60)
2. Michigan 8-0 (1)
3. Clemson 8-0
4. Washington 8-0
5. Louisville 7-1
6. Ohio State 7-1
7. Texas A&M 7-1
8. Wisconsin 6-2
9. Nebraska 7-1
10. Florida 6-1
11. Auburn 6-2
16. Utah 7-2…interesting…shows respect…
17. Western Michigan 8-0
20. Penn State 6-2
–One final tidbit…Mike McQueary, the whistleblower in the Jerry Sandusky case, was awarded $7.3 million by a Centre County (Pa.) jury Thursday following a two-week trial.
The jury of eight women and four men, including two former Penn State employees, said that the school defamed and misrepresented the former assistant football coach for the role he played in the prosecution of Sandusky and the three administrators accused of covering up the sexual abuse of minors.
McQueary’s lawyer, Elliot Strokoff, said during closing arguments, “What Penn State has done to Mike McQueary is outrageous. He should not have been a scapegoat in this matter, and certainly not for five years.”
NFL Review
Michael Salfino / Wall Street Journal
Since Tom Brady became New England’s starting quarterback in 2001, “no AFC East team has managed to sweep the Patriots, with the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and former divisional rival Indianapolis Colts going 0-for-46 in their attempts to topple New England in both regular-season matchups in a single year. During that span, no other NFL team has been swept less than four times.”
So the streak was to be put to the test in Buffalo, the Pats having dropped their Week 4 meeting with the Bills at Foxboro.
But Buffalo would be playing without star running back LeSean McCoy, plus Buffalo’s win wasn’t against Brady, but rather Jacoby Brissett, as Brady was under suspension.
No surprise then that the Pats beat the Bills handily, 41-25, as Tom Brady was 22/33, 315, 4-0, 137.0 rating. New England is 7-1, Buffalo 4-4.
My New York Jets played an absolutely atrocious first half at Cleveland against the winless Browns, down 20-7 at the intermission as quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was 3 of 14 for 30 yards.
But after clearly getting an ass-whupping at the half from coach Todd Bowles, us fans saw an entirely different Jets team in the second half, New York scoring 24 unanswered to take a 31-20 lead and eventually winning 31-28, as Cleveland’s clock management in the final two minutes was pitiful.
Fitzpatrick finished 16/34, 228, 1-0, 79.0; far from great but good enough. The Jets had 171 on the ground as they are now 3-5. Next week at Miami, which had a bye Sunday.
As for the Brownies, they fall to 0-8. No Cavs/Indians magic for them.
Oakland moved to 6-2 in defeating Tampa Bay (3-4) down in Tampa, 30-24, as Derek Carr threw for a franchise best 513 yards (40/59) and four touchdowns. Amari Cooper hauled in 12 for 173 and a score.
Kansas City is now 5-2 after a 30-14 win over the 3-5 Colts in Indy; Nick Foles subbing successfully for the concussed Alex Smith of the Chiefs. K.C. running back Spencer Ware also suffered a concussion.
The Houston Texans are now 5-3 after a 20-13 home win against the 4-4 Lions, Brock Osweiler solid enough (20/29, 186, 1-1, 83.4).
San Diego dropped to 3-5 with a 27-19 loss at Denver (6-2) as Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers had an off day, 20/47, 267, 2-3, 48.8. Denver will be going the rest of the way without running back C.J. Anderson, placed on IR with a torn meniscus.
Atlanta (5-3) pulled out a biggie at home against Green Bay (4-3) as both quarterbacks played great. For the Falcons, Matt Ryan was 28/35, 288, 3-0, 129.5, while the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers, who seems to be over his issues, was 28/38, 246, 4-0, 125.5.
Atlanta was down 32-26 after a Rodgers touchdown pass with 3:58 to play, but Ryan moved the Falcons 75 yards in 11 plays, culminating in an 11-yard TD pass to Mohamed Sanu (Rutgers…gotta give this sorry program their props) with 31 seconds to play.
Sunday morning, extending into the afternoon, the Redskins and Bengals played to a 27-27 overtime tie in London, Washington now 4-3-1, Cincinnati 3-4-1.
Kirk Cousins threw for 458 and two touchdowns for Washington, but the story was Redskins kicker Dustin Hopkins, who hooked a 34-yarder with 2:13 left in OT that would have sealed the win.
After last week’s 6-6 tie between Seattle and Arizona, this made it the first time since 1997 there were back-to-back ties in the NFL.
Meanwhile, 84,488 fans showed up in Wembley Stadium and they were left muttering, ‘Yeah, we have ties all the time in our football, but this was really stupid.’
I’m sick of the NFL and its arrogance in thinking it must expand overseas. Yoh, Roger. Tell your owners that the product just isn’t that good and if they were smart they’d sell their franchises today at the top. [Actually, I guarantee you the NFL has crested.]
Thursday night, the Titans (4-4) beat the hapless Jaguars (2-5) 36-22, as Marcus Mariota was most efficient, 18/22, 270, 2-0, 148.1, while DeMarco Murray rushed for 123 and a score.
NBA Bits
–The Knicks, after getting blasted in their opener on Cleveland’s Ring Night, won their home opener Sat. night against Memphis, 111-104, in an important second game of the season. It’s a totally new club that hasn’t played together at all, especially with the Derek Rose rape trial (where he was acquitted) limiting his preseason practice time to virtually zero. But Saturday we caught a glimpse of what he can do, as well as new center Joakim Noah, if he can stay on the court…Noah, in just 22 minutes, had 10 rebounds and 7 assists.
–Indiana is off to a 1-2 start as newcomer Jeff Teague has struggled mightily at the point. Teague was born in Indy and he has to be pressing to impress his new club and the fans because he is a pathetic 7 for 35 from the field, 0-8 from three. [For new readers, I am partial in my NBA updates to former Demon Deacons.]
Friday, Brooklyn won its home opener against the Pacers, 103-94, one of just 18 games Brooklyn will win all season, as the Nets’ new point guard, Jeremy Lin, schooled Teague; Lin having 21 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists, while holding Teague to 2 of 13 shooting and just 4 points.
Worrisomely for Brooklyn, they then played Saturday at Milwaukee and lost, 110-108, as Brook Lopez was “rested” in just the third game of the season. The Nets won’t even win 18 if they can’t keep Lopez on the floor but it would seem very seldom will he play back-to-back contests due to his recurrent foot issues.
–Also on Friday, I can’t help but note Russell Westbrook’s effort in the Thunder’s 113-110 win over the Suns. Westbrook, seemingly playing by himself, scored 51 points, had 13 rebounds and dished out 10 assists (off the backboard to himself…just kidding), while hoisting up 44 shots (making 17, 2 of 10 from three), and going to the foul line 20 times (making 15). Get used to this. Sans Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City is truly just Russell Westbrook and Co.
–The Spurs are off to a flying start, 4-0 after a 106-99 win at Miami today, as Kawhi Leonard has taken charge (35, 30, 20, 27 points). With Timmy D. gone, it’s now Kawhi’s franchise for the next ten years (much to the chagrin of the jealous LaMarcus Aldridge).
–Mark R. went to the Sixers opener the other day and said Joel Embiid looks very good, so we hope the dude stays healthy and Philadelphia can treat its fans to a 20-62 campaign. Embiid, the third pick in the 2014 NBA draft, was making his first appearance in an NBA game due to one injury after another.
Golf Balls
–OK, tour pros. Time for you all to get back to the States so us casual fans can follow you more easily; the PGA and WGC holding their last two events in Malaysia and Shanghai.
At the WGC/HSBC Champions event this weekend in the latter, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama served notice that he could be a big factor in 2017, as the 24-year-old had an impressive 7-shot victory in a loaded field that made him the first Asian to win a World Golf Championships event since the series began in 1999. This week’s in Shanghai was appropriately labeled “Asia’s major.”
Matsuyama played the final 45 holes without a bogey. Henrik Stenson and Daniel Berger tied for second.
This was Hideki’s third PGA Tour-sanctioned victory and it moved him to No. 6 in the world.
Next up for him, The Masters…a tradition unlike any other, on CBS…as Matsuyama will attempt to become just the second Asian to win a major, the other being Y.E. Yang at the 2009 PGA Championship.
–Meanwhile, the PGA Tour had another event this weekend, the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi, and Cody Gribble picked up his first Tour win in his first event at this level since 2015.
If you know who Cody Gribble is you’re lying. The Dallas, Texas native is 26. I am not about to say he is yet another up and coming star.
–The Champions Tour commenced its three-week Charles Schwab Cup playoffs, with the PowerShares QQQ Championship in Thousand Oaks, Calif., that reduced the field from 72 to 54, and Tom Pernice won, his fifth on tour (he had two PGA Tour titles as well), besting Colin Montgomerie by a stroke.
Bernhard Langer, who dominated the tour this year with four wins, sat this one out after re-aggravating a left knee injury, but he didn’t need to participate to advance.
—Rory McIlroy is a generous lad. Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press reports that Rory gave his caddie, J.P. Fitzgerald, a $million for his FedEx Cup title.
Specifically, McIlroy, who earned $9 million up front, with $1 million deferred, paid Fitzgerald 10 percent of the $9 million, then another 10 percent of the $1.53 million he earned for winning the Tour Championship, or $1.05 million.
McIlroy, on the eve of the HSBC Champions this week said, “I think (J.P.’s) words were, ‘A tsunami just hit my bank account, so thank you very much.’…I think he was quite happy.”
–REMINDER: ESPN’s John Daly “30 for 30” airs Tuesday, Nov. 1, 8:00 p.m. ET. Looks very promising.
Daly recounts a time he drank during the L.A. Open.
“It was so slow and I played the back nine first,” Daly said. “I think I’m two or three over. I went in the locker room and downed like five beers, and I think I shot four under on the front nine. That is the only time I know that I drank during a round, and I played great. I finished strong.”
NASCAR
Jimmie Johnson won today at Martinsville (Va.), his 79th career Sprint Cup victory (9th at Martinsville) as he takes aim at his seventh overall Spring Cup title, which would tie him with Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. Three races to go in the Chase….Texas, Phoenix and Homestead.
Jeff Gordon, lured out of retirement with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s concussion issues, finished sixth in what should finally be his last race, Alex Bowman taking over for the remainder of the season.
Premier League
In Saturday’s action, my Tottenham Spurs had their third successive draw, this one a 1-1 tie at home against Leicester City as Tottenham continues to miss the injured Harry Kane.
Manchester United continued to struggle, a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford against Burnley as the Clarets’ keeper, Tom Heaton, was beyond spectacular, Man U with 37 shots to Burnley’s 7, Heaton with one great save after another; even as United played a man down from the ’68-minute mark. Manager Jose Mourinho was booted from the game too as Man U is already falling perilously behind the leaders after just 10 matches.
What would appear to be this year’s Power Four all had convincing wins.
Arsenal 4-1 over Sunderland (which is still winless), Man City over West Brom 4-0, and Liverpool with a 4-2 win at Crystal Palace.
Then Sunday….
Chelsea beat Southampton 2-0 (the fourth), while Everton defeated West Ham by the same score.
So the standings after 10 of 38 [ties settled by goal differential]
1. Man City 23 points
2. Arsenal 23
3. Liverpool 23…first three all 7 (W) 2 (D) 1 (L)
4. Chelsea 22
5. Tottenham 20…only undefeated team, but 5 wins, 5 draws
6. Everton 18
7. Watford 15
8. Man U 15
11. Leicester 11…they better get hot soon
20. Sunderland 2…still winless! 0-2-8
–I was kind of shocked to see that it wasn’t just the NFL with television ratings issues, down 12% for the first seven weeks, but Premier League viewership in Britain is down nearly 20%!
There are those saying the Premier League got a jolt last season with the fairy tale story of Leicester City, but I would argue this season has more promise with the return of the traditional powerhouses, sans Man U. There should be some electric matches between the Big Four (I’m not sold on my Spurs making it five) the rest of the way.
Stuff
—Wake Forest’s No. 2 men’s soccer team had a 1-1 draw at No. 6 Syracuse to close out the regular season and clinch an ACC division title. Wake shouldn’t lose more than one spot in the next national ranking, but now it’s about the ACC Championship and gaining the best seed for the NCAAs.
–From Cathy Locke of the Sacramento Bee:
“Davis (Calif.) residents are notoriously fond of urban creatures. They built a tunnel for toads and rounded up jackrabbits to protect them from construction. But when it comes to wild turkeys, city leaders decided it was time to put a stop to a problem that many people think has gotten out of hand.
“Council members voted 4-1 this week to approve a wild turkey management plan that includes trapping and relocating many turkeys and possibly killing a few particularly aggressive birds. They also called for an ordinance prohibiting people from feeding turkeys. [Ed. Idiots.] Abundant food and close contact with humans is warping the normal pecking order between turkeys and humans, officials said.
“ ‘They’re living on Fantasy Island here,’ John McNerny, the city’s wildlife resource specialist, said of the turkeys. ‘They have everything they need.’”
I think if folks would leave their homes wearing bibs and holding carving knives, the turkeys would get the message pretty quickly.
–From London’s Daily Telegraph:
“Those who have ever struggled to get some rest on a long-haul flight should perhaps spare a thought for the common swift.
“Already known to be one of the fastest-flying birds on the planet, scientists have now discovered that they also manage to spend as much as 10 months continuously airborne, while taking ‘power naps’ on the wing.
“The new record more than beats the species previously thought to be capable of the longest continued flight, the Alpine swift, which has achieved six months without touching the ground. A frigate bird has been recorded non-stop in the air for two months.”
Are you like me and having a hard time wrapping your head around this?
“Anders Hendenstrom, the lead researcher and a professor of biology at Lund University in Sweden, said: ‘It’s mind-boggling that they can stay airborne for 10 months without needing to come down.
“ ‘Most of the time there is a trade-off between energy use and life: live hard and die young. But these birds live quite long – up to 20 years – so somehow they have beaten this rule.’
“The lifespan of the common swift means that the accumulated flight distance of a single bird is equal to seven round-trip journeys to the moon, he added.
“The bird, ubiquitous in the UK and Europe, conserves energy by riding currents of hot air and taking ‘power naps’ as it slowly glides from high altitudes. Scientists tracked 19 of the creatures as they completed two of their annual migratory cycles to Central Africa via West Africa and found that three did not once touch the ground.
“The others spent all but half a percent of their cumulative flight time in the air, only landing due to emergencies such as violent weather.”
It also seems that twice a day they climb to 10,000 feet.
“The altitude afforded the birds roughly half an hour’s slow descent when they could sleep, said Prof. Hendenstrom. ‘We don’t know for sure that they went to sleep but it’s logical to assume so because all animals need sleep.’”
I’m guessing if you were, say, a robin, it would be pretty tough to carry on a serious relationship with a swift. “Can I at least meet you in Tangiers for a day?” “Sorry, I only fly over it.”
–We note the passing of John Zacherle, age 98, and appropriately at Halloween time.
For those of us from the New York and Philadelphia areas, John Zacherle was one of the first late-night television horror-movie hosts, playing a crypt-dwelling undertaker with a booming laugh.
Billed as ‘Zacherley’ (adding a ‘y’) in New York, while he wasn’t the first horror host, he was the most famous, inspiring imitators all over. As ‘Roland’ in Philadelphia (ro-LAHND) and in New York, Zacherley added grisly theatrics and absurdist humor, becoming a cult figure.
Oh, I remember staying up late on weekends watching Zacherley, and then being scared out of my wits by schlock like “The Crawling Eye,” a 1958 horror flick with Forrest Tucker that I seem to remember being on endlessly in the mid-1960s.
Zacherle also appeared as a radio DJ from time to time, and back when WCBS-FM was the best oldies station in the nation (it has since devolved into a piece of crap, but apparently still gets good ratings), Zacherle would appear at Halloween time for a Saturday night program I never seemed to miss.
But he will forever be remembered as the host on Channel 9 and then Channel 11 of “Chiller Theater.”
Sadly he leaves no known survivors. [William Grimes / New York Times]
–Finally, Bob Dylan said he will accept the Nobel Prize in Literature next month after all; this after Dylan had not made a comment on the $900,000 prize despite repeated attempts by the award-givers at the Swedish Academy to contact him. Dylan has not said whether he will attend the prize-giving ceremony later this year.
Top 3 songs for the week 10/28/72: #1 “My Ding-A-Ling” (Chuck Berry…seriously, can’t believe this made #1…it’s stupid, not funny…very Billy Bush-like…) #2 “Burning Love” (Elvis Presley…more like it…) #3 “Nights In White Satin” (The Moody Blues…unnecessary use of string orchestra at union rates…)…and…#4 “Use Me” (Bill Withers…this guy is amazingly underrated…) #5 “I Can See Clearly Now” (Johnny Nash…this one has held up well…) #6 “Freddie’s Dead (Theme from ‘Superfly’)” (Curtis Mayfield…one bad dude…) #7 “Garden Party” (Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band…ah, yes…about the time he was booed at The Garden for not playing his hits…) #8 “Ben” (Michael Jackson…not about Dr. Ben Casey…or Ben Affleck…) #9 “Everybody Plays The Fool” (The Main Ingredient…eh….) #10 “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues” (Danny O’Keefe…had to YouTube this one…didn’t remember it at all…just OK…one-hit wonder…)
NFL / Rams Quiz: 1) 5,000 yards rushing: Steven Jackson 10,138 (2004-2012), Eric Dickerson 7,245 (1983-87), Marshall Faulk 6,959 (1999-2005), Lawrence McCutcheon 6,186 (1972-79), Dick Bass 5,417 (1960-69)*. 2) Kurt Warner is the only Rams QB to throw 40 TD passes in a season, 41 in 1999.
*Bass was a huge star in my electric football games. Bzzzzzzz. [Thank you to my parents for putting up with it. Bzzzzzzzzzzzz….] Strat-O-Matic was much quieter.
Next Bar Chat, Thursday.
