From Game 6 To '86

The SEVEN
28 October 2011


I.  Father's Day

No, last night's totally instant classic World Series thriller was not played on Father's Day, but just as Joe Buck paid homage to his dad with his "see...you...tomorrow" call of the David Freese walk-off home run, I was thinking about my dad in a series stretched by a rainout in which the NL team was down 3-2, such as the 1986 series.

Actually, in '86, the rainout came after game 6, not before it as it has this year, but the rainout is central to my association of the series with my father.  After the Mets' unbelievable comeback to win Game 6, I hoped that Game 7, scheduled for the next day, would be rained out - and told several people that that was what was going to happen.  The reason why I wanted it postponed was that I was scheduled to play keyboards for a group in a concert that afternoon, and by the time the concert ended I would not have time to get back home to watch it with my father...so like the Temptations, I wished it would rain...and it did.  On Monday night we watched the Mets' Game 7 victory - on the couch together.

II.  Don't Blame Bill

On Facebook and Twitter last night...or this morning...there were many calling last night's game the greatest ever, although some refused to place it above the aforementioned '86 game.  Even as a long-time die-hard Met fan, I'm willing to give the Cards and this game their props; the Cards came back three times prior to winning in the 11th inning, twice being down to their last strike.  Of course, from a sentimental Met fan standpoint, nothing can top the joy of seeing Mookie Wilson's grounder get by Bill Buckner...but with that said, there are a couple of things about that play that have been forgotten by many through the years.  One is that at the point that Buckner failed to come up with that ball, the game was already tied as a result of the wild pitch that Wilson had to jump to avoid...which means that had Buckner fielded it cleanly and made the play, the game goes on.  Bill Buckner was not the goat.

The other thing is that Bill was slow with bad knees, and Mookie was fast as the wind; I am not at all sure that Buckner would have beaten Wilson to the bag anyway. Bottom line, Sox fans...don't blame Bill.

III.  Take Me Out To The Ball Game

We already know NJ governor Chris Christie is a baseball fan, given that he took a state helicopter to see his son's game.  But I didn't know he was a Met fan...until I saw that he is in favor, along with New York mayor Mike Bloomberg, of extending the #7 subway line, which goes to Citi Field, out to Secaucus, New Jersey.  He must be a Met fan...or perhaps he realized that he messed up big time when he pulled the plug on the previously proposed new train tunnel between NY and NJ, costing the state money and losing the state jobs.

IV.  Root, Root, Root for the Home Team

As humans, we are in part products of our environments...and for that reason, I'm rooting for the Cards to pull it out tonight.  In my case, I grew up in a house with parents who - like many African-Americans of their era - were fond of the Dodgers for having signed Jackie Robinson, and a little more fond of the National League in general for having integrated faster.  So when the Series rolled around, my father rooted for the National League team - and so did I.  Now, years later, I usually still do...so go Cardinals!

V.  If They Don't Play It's A Shame

Why did it seem to take Barack Obama weighing in on the NBA lockout situation to generate some movement between the two sides?  Well, if that's what it takes...

VI.  I Don't Care If He Never Comes Back

So Presidential candidate Gov. Rick Perry indicated uncertainty this week about whether Obama was born in the United States...and I'm not certain what country he wants to lead, since he kind of advocated Texas' secession from the U.S.  Governor, after you clear that up, perhaps you can return to your losing birther question.

VII.  We Are The 99%

If Peyton Manning isn't in that "other 1%" in a major way, he certainly ought be in light of the Indianapolis Colts being winless in his absence.

No Joy In Mudville

The SEVEN
October 10th, 2011

I. Brotherly vs. Apple?

If you had taken my prediction of an all-green Super Bowl - Jets vs. Eagles - to Las Vegas, things wouldn't be looking too good for you right now. It's not too late for a turnaround on the part of either team…but it's time to get it together.

In the case of the Eagles, maybe my dude Greg is right in insisting for any number of years that the problem includes coach Andy Reid. I certainly would like to see better pass protection for Mike Vick…that is, if you want him to be the proverbial pocket quarterback…which, to me, is crazy considering his unique skill set.

II. No Brotherly vs. Apple Here

Seems like I'm not doing too well with these two cities' teams...I didn't formally predict both of the World Series participants, but I certainly had forecast the Phillies to be one of them…and I certainly wouldn't have been surprised if, flaws and all, the Yankees had met them there. Now that - to borrow from "Casey At The Bat" - there is no joy in Yankeeville; mighty A-Rod has struck out (to end the season for the second consecutive year), and mighty Ryan Howard injured himself on the last play and may be out for part of 2012, the only place where they might meet is in front of the television to watch the Tigers vs. the Rangers or the Brewers vs. the Cardinals.

Since I like putting myself out there, I'm predicting that Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, Nyjer "Tony Plush" Morgan, and the Brew Crew will emerge as NL champs and defeat either team that comes from the American League.

III. Curtain Call

Meanwhile, the airwaves/newspapers/internet in the areas of the Apple and the Liberty Bell are naturally filled with the "what went wrong…what can/should we do…who should stay/go" discussions. Should they hire me as a consultant to the Phils, I'd start by saying that you don't blow up a team that won 102 games; that doesn't happen by accident. Sign Rollins, lock up Hamels, give the closer role to Madson, and tweak around the edges. Bottom line is that this team was nine wins from the trophy; how many can say that?

As for the Bronx Bombers, pitching was where I thought their problems were at the beginning and where I feel they are weakest now. Sooner rather than later they will have to address that…but my first advice would be to offer Jorge Posada a one-year pact. As one of the great catchers in franchise history, he deserves a "curtain call" season even at the age of 41, which he will be this time next year. If any team can afford to carry a little-used guy for such a purpose, it's the Yankees. That said, Posada's play in the latter part of the regular season and the playoffs seemed to indicate that his tank is not yet empty.

IV. Try, Try Again

One key thing professional sports franchises - especially in markets like New York, Philadelphia, and Boston - need to do is place themselves in a position to compete for a title, which translates into making the playoffs. Once in the playoffs, you may meet with disappointment - as did the Yanks and Phils, along with their star-studded brethren of the Miami Heat - but as the ad says, you gotta be in it to win it. This is why you don't take a solid playoff team such as these and go into total rebuilding mode.

V. Playoffs?

Speaking of the Heat, hopefully there will be some playoffs this spring in the NBA. As I write this the owners and players just ought to be in negotiation, what with David Stern setting today as a deadline date for agreement prior to his cancellation of the first two weeks of the regular season.

Now let's rewind back to 1999, the year of the last NBA work-stoppage, where they played a 50-game schedule in a time span in which they generally play 30 games. With that as a backdrop, we can see that cancellation of two weeks would not necessarily mean the loss of two weeks worth of games…but come on guys, let's get this together.

VI. Collateral Damage

One of my cousins worked a second job for years at a concession stand at the Philadelphia 76ers games. He and his fellow workers must have felt that they needed that money, and may not have been in a position to draw on some cash sitting around if those checks dried up, as in the case of many of the players on the court.

In discussing the lockout and the ramifications of a shortened season - or no season at all, for that matter…think NHL a few years back - we forget about all of the other people that are affected by this. The fifteen ballplayers on each team's roster are by no means the only folks whose income is at stake here, and many of the other regular people need this money badly for things like tuition payments, rent or mortgage, or their car note.

I can't emphasize this enough…with the economy where it is, it is not too good a look for millionaires, multi-millionaires, and some billionaires to be arguing about the distribution of their monies.

VII. Take Care Of The Needy, Part I

Speaking of millionaires…and those totally looking out for their interests…isn't it funny that the Republican Party leaders are so quick to diss the Occupy Wall Street Protesters, but when Tea Party folks called for the be-heading of Barack Obama, and spit on African-American congressmen and called them the N-word, those Republicans were as quiet as church mice?

Race To The Top

The SEVEN
October 2nd, 2011


I. Race To The Top

Before we anoint New Jersey Governor Chris Christie our president-in-waiting, Republican nominee-in-waiting, or even candidate-in-waiting, I would submit that before he gives a presidential run any more consideration, he ought try to master leading New Jersey first. If in his Palin-like time in office he has lost out on up to $400 million for New Jersey in "Race To The Top" federal education money, and pulled the plug on all of the jobs to be created by a much-needed Hudson River rail tunnel - for which he is now returning $95 million in already-allocated cash to New York, to boot - what would make you think he is ready to at the very least, be the Republican standard-bearer?

II. Jeopardy


The correct response, were this Jeopardy, would be "Who Is Rick Perry?" Perry thinks Social Security is a "Ponzi scheme" - but the really illicit and, quite frankly, almost un-American scheme is to cut the legs out from under the poor while propping up the rich.

And, by the way, what's this about his family leasing a place known as "N-word Head?"

III. Wheel Of Fortune


Somewhere Dick Allen, Rick Wise and Cookie Rojas…and even crazy Senator Jim Bunning must be either smiling or breathing easier; the epic stretch run collapse of the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies has been just about simultaneously matched by the Boston Red Sox in the American League and the Atlanta Braves in the National League. What is most unfortunate, regarding the Red Sox, is that manager Terry Francona - he of their two recent World Series wins - has been let go as a result. Let's be real…they weren't going to win it all this year even had they made the playoffs, so why fire him?

IV. Be Careful What You Ask For


While the Red Sox were imploding, Yankee fans were more than gleeful, with many hoping that the Tampa Bay Rays would, indeed, catch the Sox and knock them out of the playoffs. Were it me, I would have been hoping - given how badly the Sox were playing - that they made it in. (In fact, I was kind of hoping they would make it...I'll miss seeing Big Papi in the playoffs.)

As things turned out, you now have a red-hot Tampa Bay team that has essentially been playing playoff baseball - out of necessity - for a month. My prediction is that they will continue on a roll and run through the Texas Rangers. In the other American League Division Series, the Yankees have a better lineup than the Detroit Tigers but their pitching continues to be questionable behind C.C. Sabathia. Bottom line is if they can get the ball to Mariano Rivera, they win; if not, they lose.

V. The X Factor


You can almost say the same thing - potentially dangerous playoff team - about the St. Louis Cardinals, who came from way back to catch the Braves. The only difference is that their first round opponent is the 2011 Phillies, whose great starting pitching may enable them to do what their '64 brethren could not. (But perhaps the better Philly analogy might be with the '83 Sixers, they of the "four-five-four" Moses Malone prediction.) In the other Division Series, I look to see the Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks and go on to face the Phils in the NL Championship Series.

VI. Speed Racer


Well, it has happened as I thought. After 50 seasons the Mets finally have a batting champion - and it is free agent Jose Reyes. Reyes played so well - even taking into account the varied injuries which continue to give Mets' management pause - that it places the Mets into a situation in which they cannot afford to let him go. They can't afford to lose his production and they can't afford the public relations fallout if he walks. From a fan's standpoint, Reyes has made his way into the Strawberry/Gooden realm of Mets…you hardly want to watch if he is out. Congratulations…job well done!

VII. Scraping The Bottom


I could not close The SEVEN at this time without making mention of the late Troy Davis. I still cannot understand why we - they, to be exact - were in such a rush to send this man to his grave. He wasn't going anywhere…he was in jail, where he'd been for years.

If I step on your foot, I can tell you that I'm sorry. My bad. I'll try not to do it again.

There is no "my bad" once someone's dead.

Should we subsequently find out that Davis was not the killer of officer MacPhail, I would suggest that the governor, the district attorney, and the members of the Georgia Parole Board be jailed. Since they are so much in favor of punitive punishment, perhaps it should be applied - to some extent - to them.