The new era of the Boston Celtics took a big step forward last season, when they took advantage of a watered-down Eastern Conference, came together at the end of the regular season and made the playoffs with a 40-42 record. Now, the question for third-year coach Brad Stevens is whether the progress can continue. Boston […]
I’ve never been a fan of Jay Gruden. As a Redskins fan I was apoplectic when the word he had even interviewed for the head coaching job after the 2013 season and when Gruden got hired, one knowing friend texted me with a heckling “Redskins got their man!”. Another, with more compassion, said simply “I […]
I missed the most important part of the New York Mets’ Game 4 clinching of the National League pennant. The Wednesday Night men’s league I play basketball in had opening night and by the time we went out afterward to watch the end the Mets had it well in hand with a 6-1 lead. But […]
We’ve been here before at this point in League Championship Series history before. Well, sort of anyway. We’ve seen a Theo Epstein team fall into a 3-0 series hole against New York and climb all the way back. We’ve seen a Toronto-Kansas City series look all but over and have someone rally back. Is there […]
I love Johnny Cueto. In 2014, when he was with Cincinnati, I used the MLB Extra innings TV package to watch almost every one of his started, even though my rooting interest is with Boston. I’ve argued that he gets unfair short shrift when compared to other top starters, notably Clayton Kershaw. I think Johnny […]
Game 2 of the National League Championship Series seemed like a repeat of the opener. A New York Mets starter was great, with Noah Syndergaard replacing Matt Harvey. An excellent Chicago Cubs starter didn’t seem to pitch badly, but left with a mediocre line. This time it was Jake Arrieta, rather than Jon Lester, who […]
It was early this morning that I sat down to watch my recording of Michigan State-Michigan, having spent the late afternoon/evening of Saturday with playoff baseball. When it comes to the shocking ending, there’s not anything I can add to what’s already out there other than to report that I sat in an empty house […]
The Legend Of Daniel Murphy continues to be told in the neighborhoods of Queens, as the New York Mets’ second baseman came up with yet another clutch performance in helping the Mets open the National League Championship Series with a 4-2 win over the Chicago Cubs. Murphy, swinging a hot bat in October and a […]
Edinson Volquez had the high point of his career last night, coming through with six shutout innings against the game’s most potent lineup. Volquez’s work kept Kansas City in command throughout and they finished off a 5-0 win over Toronto to open the American League Championship Series. The only time the Blue Jays threatened was […]
The last time the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs faced off in a series this big, we’d have to go back to 1984 when they were in a race for the NL East title under the old divisional alignment. The Cubs won that race, with Rick Sutcliffe winning the Cy Young Award and using […]
“This drive is for a playoff berth”. That was the thought going through my mind as Michael Vick led the Pittsburgh Steelers on their last ditch-effort to beat the San Diego Chargers on the road Monday Night. Were the stakes really that high? Did Le’Veon Bell’s last-play touchdown—where the ball crossed the plane of the […]
The Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals each took home Game 5 wins in the Division Series yesterday. The Blue Jays used a wild seventh inning to survive the Texas Rangers 6-3, while the Royals overcame an early 2-0 deficit to beat the Houston Astros 7-2. Thus, the two favorites, Toronto and Kansas City, […]
