[Posted Sunday prior to late NFL action.]
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College Football Quiz: Name the members of the following conferences in 1970. ACC, Big 8, Big Ten, Pac-8, SEC, SWC. Answer below.
MLB…Final Weekend….
And we still had some major races heading into Friday’s action….
AL Central
Guardians 83-76
White Sox 82-77…1
AL West
Astros 79-80
Rangers 79-80
NL Wild Card
Padres 89-70…+2
Cubs 88-71…+1
Phillies 87-72…–
Diamondbacks 85-74…2
D’Backs still alive after winning five straight when I, and everyone else, had buried them.
And then Friday night, Arizona pulled to within one game, two to play, as they beat the Padres 11-4, while the Rays shutout the Phillies 2-0, and the Cubs were swept by the Red Sox in a doubleheader, 2-0 and 4-3. Incredible.
In the AL Central, the Guardians beat the Royals 12-9, while the White Sox defeated the Rockies 6-1.
And in the AL West, both Texas and Houston lost, the Rangers falling to the Twins 10-2, the Astros beaten by the A’s 6-5.
In the Texas game, Jacob deGrom was shelled for eight runs in four innings.
So, Houston and Texas are tied at 79-81.
In other games Friday, the Yankees, like the Red Sox, were forced to play two on Friday due to the forecast for Saturday and the Nor’easter pounding the New York and Boston areas.
The Orioles and the Yanks then split their doubleheader, Baltimore taking the first, 10-2, behind Pete Alonso’s two home runs, Nos. 42 and 43. New York won the nightcap, 6-3.
The Mets lost to the Nationals, 7-6, and clinched last place for the first time since 2003. Ugh.
But part of the future, Carson Benge, hit his 20th home run, becoming the first Met rookie to have 20 homers and 20 stolen bases (22).
[Earlier in the week, the Mets announced interim manager Andy Green was being given a 3-year contract as the Mets’ permanent manager, a very popular move in the clubhouse, and with the fanbase.]
And the Dodgers beat the Giants, 2-0, which I mention because Tarik Skubal threw seven scoreless for L.A., striking out 10, walking none, as he’s primed for the playoffs.
Saturday, the Guardians clinched the AL Central, 11-5 over the Royals, while the White Sox fell to the Rockies, 9-6.
So, Chicago took the third wild-card slot in the AL.
But in the AL West, the Rangers defeated the Twins 6-2, while the Astros blasted the A’s 13-2, hitting five home runs.
Texas and Houston were thus tied at 80-81, the Astros holding the tiebreaker.
In the NL, the last wild card slot remained up for grabs. The Padres clinched the 4-spot, and the Cubs the 5th.
But the Phillies, losers of four straight, the bats going totally silent, 3 runs total in those four games, are trying to fend off the Diamondbacks.
Arizona saw its 6-game winning streak end in San Diego, falling to the Padres 10-7, while Philadelphia was getting blasted by the Rays 12-1 in Philly…the boo birds out in force.
Philadelphia started Aaron Nola on two days’ rest and that didn’t work. Shades of 1964.* And Sunday, they are turning to Zack Wheeler to try and finally clinch their fifth straight playoff berth.
The Phils were up 6 ½ games on Sept. 1 for the third wild card, but are 9-14 in September.
*In 1964, the Phillies had a 6 ½ game lead in the National League on Sept. 20 and proceeded to lose 10 straight and finish a game behind the Cardinals, tied with Cincinnati for second.
In that 10-game stretch, manager Gene Mauch pitched starters Chris Short and Jim Bunning on two days’ rest, twice each. It backfired.
In other games, the Mets beat the Nats 7-1, as Ronny Mauricio, the longtime prospect who has yet to get it done in his big-league stints, hit two home runs.
The Dodgers got a solid 4-inning postseason tuneup from Blake Snell, 4-3 over the Giants.
And in the feel-good story of the year, Justin Verlander made his final start before he heads to the Hall of Fame, and it was a tearjerker.
Verlander went 5 1/3, two runs, striking out six, in a 4-3 win over the Pirates.
It was his first start since March 30, but he wanted so hard to hit the mound one final time after suffering from hip and hamstring injuries, and in the end, he was removed from the game by his 7-year-old daughter, who ran out to greet him and the two walked off. A great idea, orchestrated by Tigers manager A.J. Hinch and Verlander’s wife, Kate Upton.
Verlander finishes his career 266-159, 3.33, with 3,560 strikeouts, 8th on the career list.
–On to Sunday, and the Phillies avoided a ’64 repeat…beating the Rays 7-3, the D’Backs falling 9-4. Philadelphia faces the Braves Tuesday in Atlanta.
And the Astros move on to host the White Sox, blowing out the A’s 9-0, Rangers falling to the Twins, 6-4.
The Mets finished the season 74-88, falling to the Nats (77-85) 6-4. Mauricio another homer, Francisco Lindor No. 300.
The Yankees (93-68) – Orioles (79-82) game was postponed so that’s where they finish, the Yanks now hosting Boston for the wild card, Tuesday, Cam Schlittler on the mound for New York.
–Some notes from Wednesday’s action.
Boston’s Sonny Gray moved to 18-5, 2.72 ERA, with six shutout innings in a 1-0 win over the Guardians.
And in the Padres’ 5-1 win over the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani made his return from his little injury stint and went 1-for-4 with a walk. Just as importantly, Andy Pages returned Tuesday after a month absence. L.A. needs both in the drive for a third straight World Series title.
–Some miscellaneous items…the White Sox’ Colson Montgomery set the major-league record for most times struck out in a season, 224, in Friday night’s game, breaking the record held by Mark Reynolds, who struck out 223 times for Arizona in 2009.
Adam Dunn held the American League record at 222 while he was with the White Sox in 2012.
Montgomery stuck out a 225th time on Saturday.
On Thursday, the Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong became the seventh member of MLB’s exclusive 40-40 club, a milestone he reached by stealing his 40th base during Chicago’s game against the Marlins.
PCA was at 45-41 through Friday, as he joined a club that includes: Jose Canseco (1988), Barry Bonds (1996), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Alfonso Soriano (2006), Ronald Acuna Jr. (2023) and Shohei Ohtani (2024).
Boy, did Vladimir Guerrero Jr. catch grief for comments he made on how he played this season (awful) after signing a $500 million contract in the offseason.
In an interview with Noticias Telemicro, he said this:
“They didn’t pay me to hit 40 [home runs] every year. The contract was based on what I did, not necessarily for what I’m going to do. [Emphasis mine] I understand why the fans believe it’s the other way around. Sometimes I think that way, too. Like, they game me this money and I’m not doing enough. But I try my best and I’m working hard.”
When asked about the comments the next day, Vlad stood by them, saying:
“That was a quote from the interview when she asked me how I felt about this year. I said that, obviously, I feel really bad about the year that I had, that I couldn’t help my team get to the postseason. I said I felt – that it’s my personal opinion – that every player gets paid for what they have done. With that said, you guys have got to remember that I signed my contract at the beginning of last year, then I did put up a good year.”
Vlad then apologized Friday.
College Football Review
[As always, comments written prior to release of new AP Poll.]
—Friday night, 5 Indiana (4-0) got far more of a game than many people expected from Northwestern (2-1), but pulled it out, 29-23.
IU starting running back Turbo Richard left in the first half with a lower-leg injury after having 68 yards on nine carries, but his substitute, Lee Bebe Jr., went wild, 203 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown.
The extent of Richard’s injury isn’t yet known, but it’s not season-ending, so we’re told.
—Saturday, No. 1 Texas (4-0) was unimpressive in its 20-17 win at 14 Tennessee (3-1), the highlight the Longhorns’ ten sacks, five by Colin Simmons. But Simmons was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for simulating urinating on the field after one of the sacks. What a jerk.
Texas could lose the No. 1 ranking when the new AP Poll is released, especially as 2 Georgia (4-0) blasted Oklahoma (2-2), the Bulldogs with a complete offensive effort while Sooner quarterback John Mateer turned it over three times.
3 Notre Dame (4-0) will get some first-place votes, 49-10 at Purdue (1-3), the Fighting Irish not receiving any last poll.
But 4 Ole Miss (3-1) suffered a big loss at 21 Florida (4-0), 52-28, as the Gators’ Jaden Baugh (29 carries, 142 yards and three touchdowns) and Duke Clark (12-126-1) led a bruising ground game.
Florida will be zooming up in the rankings.
6 Miami (4-0) blasted Central Michigan (2-2) 52-3.
7 Ohio State (3-1) looked like a national title contender again, 42-19 over Illinois (2-2), as Julian Sayin threw four touchdown passes, all to Heisman Trophy favorite Jeremiah Smith, who had 12 receptions for 217 yards and the four scores.
8 Alabama (4-0) is back, 49-18 over South Carolina (2-2), Keelon Russell a cool 21/27, 365, 4-0, for Bama.
9 BYU was idle.
And 10 LSU (3-1) rebounded nicely from the loss at Ole Miss, 35-6 over 23 Texas A&M (2-2).
In other games, 20 Oregon (3-1) got back on track, a terrific 41-27 win at 12 USC (4-1), that was heavily marred by the loss of OU quarterback Dante Moore to a vicious, late hit to the head by Trojan linebacker Desman Stephens, who compounded the matter by celebrating the dangerous play that led to his ejection for targeting. It was beyond disgraceful.
Moore was stretchered off and taken away by ambulance, where Oregon coach Dan Lanning said after that Dante, a preseason Heisman favorite and surefire first-round NFL draft pick, had the ability to move.
The Ducks rallied behind backup Dylan Raiola, who was a fantastic 19/25, 289, 2-0, the former Nebraska starting QB who knew if he transferred to Oregon was going to backup Moore. Amidst the garbage, a feel-good story.
[USC suspended Stephens today for one game.]
13 Penn State (3-1) blew a 17-0 lead and fell at home to Wisconsin (3-1) 24-20.
18 Michigan (3-1) ironically lost at home on a last-second (0:00 left on the clock) 16-yard pass play as 17 Iowa (4-0) sends the Wolverines back out of the top 25, 20-19.
And then there was little ol’ Wake Forest (3-1), who had a thrilling 30-27 win at 16 Louisville (2-2), a terrific ‘W’ for 2nd-year coach Jake Dickert and the program.
It was 24-21 Deacs at the halftime as quarterback Gio Lopez and our under-the-radar receiver Carlos Hernandez teamed up for six receptions and 170 yards at the intermission.
Defense prevailed in the second half, but the Deacs sealed the deal in blocking a 57-yard field goal attempt with 15 seconds remaining to avoid overtime.
Dickert, who guided the Deacs to a 9-win season last year, is going to be a hot commodity, assuming the Deacs don’t fall apart…and Gio Lopez, and Hernandez (who finished 9-194-1), stay healthy.
Lastly, Duke is 4-0, 62-7 over William and Mary (2-3), outgaining the Tribe 638-170.
And Rutgers picked up its first win, 58-7 over Howard on Friday night. No word on how much money the Bison got to go to Piscataway to be slaughtered.
—And now the new AP Poll!
1 Texas 4-0 (62)…I’m kind of surprised…
2 Georgia 4-0 (6)
3 Notre Dame 4-0…still no first-place votes…
4 Miami (FL) 4-0 (1)
5 Ohio State 3-1
6 Indiana 4-0 (1)
7 Alabama 4-0
8 Florida 4-0 …up 13!
9 Ole Miss 3-1
10 BYU 3-0
11 LSU 3-1
12 Texas Tech 4-0
13 Utah 4-0
14 Iowa 4-0..highest since 2021…
15 Oregon 3-1
16 Mississippi State 4-0…highest ranking in four years…
17 Tennessee 3-1
18 USC 4-1
19 Oklahoma State 3-1
20 Houston 3-1
21 SMU 3-1
22 Boise State 3-1
23 UCLA 4-0
24 Kentucky 3-1
25 Missouri 3-1
Penn State, Michigan, Louisville and Texas A&M fell out of the Top 25.
Wake Forest received some votes…No. 29, if you carry it out. [Duke is 27.]
Next week the big games are 5 Ohio State at 14 Iowa, and 7 Alabama at 16 Mississippi State.
Yes, the Coaches Poll has some different results, but I don’t care. For College Football and College Basketball, it’s about the AP Poll…full stop. Ditto All-American teams and NFL player honors.
NFL
–The Giants thought they had dodged a bullet with quarterback Jaxson Dart’s knee injury suffered in the Monday night game against the Rams, thinking it was an MCL sprain, but an MRI revealed he had damage to both the MCL and meniscus and he underwent surgery.
Recovery time is 4-6 months so there was some talk that perhaps he could be ready for the playoffs, should the team make them, but that seems very unrealistic.
So, for now it was up to backup Jameis Winston, who did not look good against L.A. when pressed into service.
And the Giants (2-1) did what they had to do today, a 12-7 win over the 0-3 Titans.
Jameis didn’t do much of anything, but he didn’t turn it over.
However, New York lost their star defender, Brian Burns, to a knee injury and it didn’t look good. Burns was second in the NFL in sacks last season, 16.5.
–My Jets (1-2) suffered another tough loss, this time at Detroit (2-1), 31-24. New York tied it at 24-24 with 4:06 to play (former Giant, and just signed, Sterling Shepard with a clutch 2-point conversion from Geno Smith), but as has been the case so many times over the years, the Jets’ defense failed to stop the ensuing drive, the Lions pulling it out, going 65 yards in four plays.
Geno was outstanding…31/37, 321, 3-0, 129.8.
But this is a team that should be no worse than 2-1, after last week’s late implosion against the Packers.
–The Bills (3-0) beat the Chargers (0-3) 24-16 at home, despite five turnovers, three by Josh Allen, who really sucked. It helped that James Cook III rushed for 154 yards and a TD on 24 carries for Buffalo.
–The Steelers (2-1) had a good win, 30-27 over their rival, the Bengals (2-1), as both Joe Burrow and Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdowns, but Pittsburgh’s Jaylen Warren rushed for 127 yards on 17 carries.
–The Texans are a shocking 0-3 after a 19-17 loss at Indianapolis, the Colts 1-2.
Presidents Cup
Thursday, Day One, the U.S. grabbed a 3-2 lead in four-ball competition at Medinah CC (No. 3) in Chicago, Ill.
But Day Two, the Internationals won all five foursome matches to take a 7-3 lead, heading into Saturday’s four-ball.
Day Three saw the U.S. cut into the Internationals’ lead and they headed to Sunday singles down 10.5-7.5.
U.S. Captain Brandt Snedeker is getting criticized for some of his matchups, but he struck gold with the pairing of Cameron Young and Chris Gotterup, who saved the day by winning both their foursomes and four-ball matches Saturday. You’ll no doubt see the two paired in next year’s Ryder Cup.
But the Americans are trying to avoid a humiliating defeat. The International squad last won in 1998 (they tied in 2003).
I did watch some of the action yesterday.
And I watched a ton today…and with the U.S. down 3, Cameron Young started things off, taking care of business against Ryo Hisatsune, 3 & 2. Go Deacs! The understated Cam’s Q Score continues to rise. Golf fans respect him bigly.
But Wyndham Clark lost to Tom Kim, 3 & 2.
Justin Thomas waxed Corey Connors, 5 & 3.
Scheffler defeated Nico Echavarria, 2 & 1.
Sungjae Im beat Sam Burns, 3 & 1.
And it was 12.5 to 10.5, the U.S. leading in 5 of the remaining seven.
Gotterup then won it on 18 over Christiaan B., U.S. down 12.5 to 11.5. It’s going to come down to the next-to-last match, Russell Henley v. Nick Taylor, Xander Schauffele up 3 on Ryan Fox in the 12-slot.
Patrick Cantlay defeats Adam Scott 2 & 1…12.5 to 12.5.
Collin Morikawa beat Hideki Matsuyama 1 up…13.5 to 12.5, Morikawa with some massive putts, Hideki a costly miss.
Schauffele is up 4 on Ryan Fox…but the U.S. will still need another point out of the remaining three matches.
Min Woo Lee misses a 2-footer and Jacob Bridgeman ties him on 16.
It’s amazing the pressure in these Cup competitions compared with a regular Tour stop.
And then 21-year-old Jackson Koivun, one of Snedeker’s captain’s choice picks, defeats Si Woo Kim, 2 up…14.5 to 12.5.
The U.S. is guaranteed a tie with three matches left…Schauffele now 3-up with three to play against Fox…but it’s 2 up, two to play.
And then another captain’s pick, Bridgeman, wins the Cup for the U.S., 1 up over Min Woo.
I feel best for Brandt Snedeker, who then credits President Trump. I have no problem with that.
The Americans have now won eleven straight. A great comeback!
Premier League
–The big story this week was that after a 3 ½-year investigation, when they were first charged in Feb. 2023 following a four-year investigation, Manchester City was found guilty on almost all of the charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations.
City was found guilty on all but one of the 115 charges, accused of failing to provide accurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches, as well as breaches of UEFA’s financial fair play (FFP) regulations and the league’s own profitability and sustainability rules (PSR). The club has always denied the allegations.
City has won eight Premier League titles, four FA Cups, seven League cups and one Champions League under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour, whose Abu Dhabi United Group acquired the club in 2008.
This whole deal makes my head hurt. In Feb. 2020, UEFA hit City with a two-year ban from its competitions and a $32 million (30 million euros) fine following a Der Spiegel report, but these were overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sports.
So, what happens now. The Premier League can do anything from issuing a reprimand and fines to points deductions – and even expulsion from the league, which on this last one you know won’t happen.
I’m guessing points deductions, but whatever the league comes up with can be appealed. And that can add another year or two to the process.
–No Premier League action this weekend, as it was all about UEFA Nations League play.
Stuff
–We note the passing of NBA Hall of Famer Bob Pettit, the first real power forward in the game, at the age of 93.
Pettit was the NBA’s first Most Valuable Player in 1956 and the first player in league history to reach the 20,000-point plateau.
“Probably as fierce a competitor as (has) ever played,” Boston Celtics great Bill Russell once said of Pettit.
Drafted No. 2 in 1954 by the then-Milwaukee Hawks, the 6-foot-9 Pettit was Rookie of the Year and a two-time MVP. He earned All-Star honors all 11 seasons he played (1955-65) and was named to the NBA’s 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th anniversary teams.
Scoring 20+ points each season, Pettit averaged 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds per game for his career, remaining third all-time in the latter category, surpassed only by Wilt Chamberlain (22.9) and Russell (22.5) rebounds-per-game.
Pettit was one of the first NBA players to incorporate weight training into his workout regimen, crediting a USA Strength and Conditioning Coaches Hall of Famer and fellow Louisianan for getting him started, a fellow by the name of Alvin Roy.
In three years at LSU (1951-54), he put up 27.4 points and 14.4 rebounds per game. His scoring average was a league record until “Pistol” Pete Maravich shattered the record with a 44.2-point per game average a decade and a half later. Pettit is now third behind Maravich and Mahmoud Abul-Rauf. Pettit led the Tigers to two conference championships and its first Final Four in 1953.
In the NBA, Pettit led the Hawks to their lone NBA championship in 1958, clinching the crown with a 50-point performance in Game 6 against the Celtics, the first 50-point game in NBA Finals history. It was the only time Boston, led by Russell, didn’t win the league championship from 1957 to 1966.
Pettit said this was the highlight of his career.
—Friday was National Lobster Day – established by U.S. Senate resolution in 2014 at the urging of Maine Senators Susan Collins and Angus King.
So did you know, that in 17th and 18th century New England, lobster was so abundant and so cheap that it was considered the food of the desperate. Lobsters were used as fish bait, as fertilizer for coastal fields, and as prison food in Massachusetts, where feeding inmates lobster was considered a mark of institutional cheapness rather than generosity. Coastal Indigenous communities had eaten lobster for millennia and valued it for its abundance rather than its prestige. European settlers who arrived in New England found lobsters so plentiful – washing up on beaches in piles two deep after storms – that they represented not opportunity but poverty, the thing you ate when you couldn’t afford anything else.
So, what changed ($40+ lobster rolls the norm this summer in New England), and what was responsible? The railroad, which brought the lobster to a population that had never seen a lobster before and therefore had no idea it was supposed to be poor people’s food.
Top 3 songs for the week 9/25/71: #1 “Go Away Little Girl” (Donny Osmond) #2 “Maggie May” (Rod Stewart) #3 “Ain’t No Sunshine” (Bill Withers)…and…#4 “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” (Joan Baez) #5 “Spanish Harlem” (Aretha Franklin) #6 “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” (Paul & Linda McCartney) #7 “Smiling Faces Sometimes” (The Undisputed Truth…underrated tune…) #8 “Superstar” (Carpenters…beautiful…) #9 “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get” (The Dramatics…great stuff…) #10 “I Just Want To Celebrate” (Rare Earth…A week…)
College Football Quiz Answer: Conference members in 1970.
ACC…Wake Forest, North Carolina, Duke, South Carolina, North Carolina State, Clemson, Maryland, Virginia.
Big 8…Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Colorado, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Iowa State.
Big Ten…Ohio State, Michigan, Northwestern, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois, Indiana.
Pac-8…Stanford, Washington, Oregon, California, UCLA, USC, Oregon State, Washington State.
SEC…LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, Ole Miss, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Kentucky.
SWC…Texas, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Rice, SMU, Texas Christian, Baylor, Texas A&M.
Back then it wasn’t just Notre Dame that was an Independent, but the likes of Boston College, Georgia Tech, West Virginia, Penn State, Pitt, Florida State, Syracuse, and Rutgers.
Arizona State, Arizona, Utah and BYU were in the WAC.
Brief Add-on up top Tues. AM….
