Thursday, October 1:
Well, they're not there yet but they're awfully close. Magglio Ordonez was clutch again last night, clearing the bases in the fifth inning with a bases loaded double and helping the Tigers dust off the Twins 7-2 to slice Detroit's magic number to two. A win this afternoon and it's on to the playoffs!
So Judge Redfield T. Baum rules that Jim Balsillie cannot own the Phoenix Coyotes. Nor can the NHL, at least the way the current bid is structured. But make no mistake, the league will eventually gain control of it. And despite all the bold and bullroar talk about finding a way to make a go of it in Glendale, eventually Gary Bettman and his gang of goofs will find some fool willing to take the sorry franchise off their hands and into another sure-to-fail market like Kansas City or Las Vegas. And the flow of red ink will keep pumping. You can throw logic in Bettman's face forever but like any stubborn dictator, he'll never see the light. As for me, the regular season starts tonight and I could not possibly care less.
Saturday, October 3:
No, they're not there yet -- and surely they aren't going to blow this, are they? The Tigers' lead on the Twins is now just one game with two to go. Detroit managed just three hits last night as Chicago shut them out 8-0. If they keep squeezing sawdust out of the bats, the only swinging the Tigers will do next week is on a golf course.
Poop on the unnamed Toronto Blue Jays who are attacking their manager behind anonymous quotes. Say fellas, what exactly have you accomplished in the bigs? You might notice that your skipper Cito Gaston has a pair of World Series rings. Better yet, the players he directed to those championships never threw Cito under a bus -- quite the opposite. No, I haven't been in the Jays' clubhouse during Gaston's second go-round but I was sure there during his championship era. The current players seem to be moaning about a lack of communication and plan to go over the skipper's head to management. Nice. How 'bout drinking a can of shaddap! and stick to what you can control? Like playing better baseball.
And since we're in a mood to hand out darts, here's a huge one for Jays' general manager (and surely, the soon to be unemployed) J.P. Ricciardi. He's laying the attendance woes at the feet of the media, saying reporters greatly overestimated how good the 2009 team was going to be. Ah, that's it -- blame the messenger. I don't recall Ricciardi saying "we stink" when they Jays were 27-and-14. He says now that he thought all along the Jays were a 75-win team this season. If that's the case, he should be fired on the spot. You're in year eight of your five-year plan and you only forecast 75 victories? Time for someone with a better plan.
I lost my dad 31 years ago today, on his older sister's birthday. And my greatest regret in life is that he never got a chance to meet The Bride. She would have been crazy about him.
UPDATE: Ricciardi was given his walking papers along with his breakfast this morning. About time.
Sunday, October 4:
Serves me right to gloat seven days ago about what a great sports day last Saturday was. Yesterday was as terrible as possible. The Tigers lost again and now the Twins, who have pulled into a tie, have the inside track to winning the American League Central Division. The play a weaker opponent today and if it does come down to a Tuesday tie-breaker, they'll be at home. What else? Michigan and Western Ontario lost their football games. The Red Wings are 0-and-2 and guilty of some terrible goaltending in losing twice to the Blues in Sweden. Manchester United needed a gift own goal just to pull off a draw at home against woeful Sunderland. I just want to bury my head in some high sand dune.
Y'know, Jim Leyland is the kind of guy I'd love to see have success. Appears to be a decent, hard-working type. But if a manager is a mirror image of a ballclub, then you look at this emotional man and the effect he's had on the Detroit Tigers. I've thought for years -- despite what players say -- that this outfit gets too emotionally high when it wins and too low when it loses. Little wonder these guys are squeezing sawdust out of the bats and going up to the plate without a clue as to how to make a pitcher work. Then you look at the Twins and Ron Gardenhire, who always seems to keep his players on an even keel. They're exceptional at the fundamentals and are playing as if they don't have a care in the world, probably knowing the Tigers are tighter than a sailor at last call in port on the first night of R&R. There's hope today with ace Justin Velander on the mound but even Cy Sandy Gibson Mathewson couldn't win a ballgame without any runs to work with.
Monday, October 5:
I'm not one for guys preening in the end zone when they score a touchdown. I much prefer the advice given by numerous coaches -- "act like you've been there before." That said, officials had better be good and sure some unsportsmanlike conduct actually takes place before throwing a flag. Saturday, the Georgia Bulldogs scored a go-ahead touchdown at home against fourth-ranked LSU with 69 seconds left on the clock. Naturally, the place went nuts. Naturally, the 'Dogs sideline went nuts. Naturally, the players on the field -- these are teenagers, remember -- went nuts in the end zone. And naturally, up into the air went a flag. Georgia had to kick off from their 15, and the Tigers quickly marched into the end zone themselves for the winning score with 46 seconds left. Naturally, LSU, etc. Naturally, a flag, etc., but there wasn't enough time for Georgia to score again and pull off the upset. The SEC has since ruled the first penalty was uncalled for -- not that it does Georgia any good now. Hey, if a guy is ragging on an opponent after beating him in the end zone then fine, let the laundry fly. But if not, let's let the players decide a football game. Remember the best officials in any game are the ones no one remembers when all is said and done.
One month from today I leave for my November excursion. Two months from today, I return. I believe this month will seem longer than the next.
Tuesday, October 6:
I don't expect the Detroit Tigers to beat the Minnesota Twins today in their one-game playoff for the American League Central Division flag. Two reasons -- first of all, the game is at the Metrodome, a personal house of horrors for the Tigers, who have played about .333 ball in the place for the last couple of decades. And should pitching and hitting balance out, Minnesota is simply a better team at executing fundamentals. Secondly, the Tigers are also a team under a microscope after slugger Miguel Cabrera spent Friday night and Saturday morning of last weekend's critical series against Chicago allegedly getting drunk at a Birmingham, Michigan bar with his buddies from the opposition White Sox. Police claim he then arrived home at about dawn, got into an altercation with his wife and was taken to a police station where they say he took a breathalyzer test that revealed a blood-alcohol level of 0.26 -- more than three times the legal limit for driving in Michigan. The $152-million dollar star then proceeded to go 0-for-4 in Saturday night's 5-1 loss, failing to hit the ball out of the infield and grounding into a rally-killing double play late in the game by swinging at the first pitch. He wasn't much better a day later -- 0-for-3 in Sunday's 5-3 win. According to media reports, Cabrera was warned by the Tigers to stay away from the bar in question after an alleged verbal incident with a teenager in mid-summer. There is much debate about whether the club should discipline him. There should be just as much discussion about manager Jim Leyland's control of his team. No, a skipper can't babysit his players at home, but after last season's last-place finish, Leyland was -- or should have been on -- a short lease. His team quit on him a year ago and now their best hitter goes on a complete bender before the two biggest games of the season? For Cabrera, that's not showing much in the way of respect to ballclub, the fans or Leyland. I don't care if he gets red hot and carries Detroit to a World Series title, Cabrera has to be playing elsewhere next season. And if the Tigers lose today, Leyland should be shown the door.
Wednesday, October 7:
Hey if you're going to go down in baseball history for throwing away a three-game lead with four to play, then the Detroit Tigers gave the perfect performance last night at the Metrodome. They blew a 3-0 lead. They blew a 5-4 lead in the 10th. Their weak-hitting catcher failed to get a key bunt down and later flailed away at what would have been ball four with the bases loaded and two out in the 12th. He left 10, 10! runners on base in his 0-for-6 effort -- half of them in scoring position with two out. Their left fielder turned a single into a triple in the bottom of the 10th. Their first reliever gave up a run-scoring single with Detroit up 3-1 and then allowed a game-tying homer -- all the while looking as if he was going to soil his pants out there. They left runners in scoring position in the 9th, 10th and 12th. I don't like the word "choke" but these guys played nervous baseball in frittering away a seven-game lead down the stretch. If it walks like a duck, etc.
Friday, October 9:
The Tigers' gag job doesn't man I'll stop watching baseball. I'm now rooting for the Dodgers, who received a gift win from the Cardinals last night and are on the verge of winning their first round series.
Yesterday was the first half-decent fall day we've had here in at least a week. And it's back to rain again today. Next Tuesday, the Toronto Star is calling for a high of three degrees Celsius (36 F). Yikes! Ah, well. The last two autumns were warm as all get out followed by brutal winters. Maybe we'll have a crappy fall and a warm winter for a change!
Sunday, October 11:
Today's mistakes are tomorrow's lessons. And that's been the story for the youthful Michigan Wolverines the last two weeks as they dropped to 4-and-2 with road losses at Michigan State and Iowa. But they had chances to win both games. This season has been 10 times better than I expected. Should Michigan finish with a .500 record and go to bowl game, I'll be delighted.
The New York Yankees are tough enough to beat without help from the umpires. Minnesota was robbed of a ground-rule double in extra innings the other night in a game they ultimately lost. And these Yanks are different than in past years because they don't have the albatross of a slumping Alex Rodriguez around their necks. For the first time, A-Rod the playoff performer resembles A-Rod the regular season performer. And that means trouble for their opponents.
Goodbye, St. Louis Cardinals -- we hardly knew ye.
We're having a superb Thanksgiving with our sister-in-law here in attendance. She and The Bride completely rearranged our living room yesterday while I was at work and it looks great! And a shout-out to her daughter -- our niece -- who finally had the red tape finished and officially changed her last name to honour The Bride's brother. A very sweet and classy move.
Hope you're having a great Thanksgiving weekend -- and to our American friends, a fantastic Columbus Day weekend! Our friend Pat usually does this but this year it's our turn to host the annual turkey feast for our friends. It will be a wonderful treat to come home to from work.
Tuesday, October 13:
So much for drama in the baseball playoffs. The Cardinals and Dodgers? Sweep, L.A. The Red Sox and Angels? Sweep, L.A. The Twins and Yankees? Sweep, N.Y. Only Colorado provided a hint of an upset with their game-two win at Philadelphia. But the Fightin' Phils took both games in Denver to end that one in four. If I had to guess, I figure the Yankees and Phillies will advance to meet in a World Series for the first time since 1950. But I'm cheering for the Angels and Dodgers!
Shame on Sportsnet for preempting the baseball playoff games on the Ontario feed for fill-in shows. If they're televising something else live, like last night's Maple Leafs-Rangers hockey game, then fine. But to drop it in favour of taped bowling or similar programming is simply wrong. The idea is that you'll be so peeved, you'll rush out and buy an advanced cable or satellite package that features all four of their sports channels, at least one of which would be carrying the ballgame. But baseball (I'll be willing to wager) has an older base audience than the other major sports. Many are seniors on fixed income. Thankfully, the American League Championship Series and World Series will be on FOX, so people won't be left wanting.
Wednesday, October 14:
Heavens, the Toronto Maple Leafs can't be this bad, can they? I often take great delight in their failures but not this time. I thought they finally hired two excellent hockey types in GM Brian Burke and coach Ron Wilson. Despite all their blather, I bought into the game plan. Still do. And I still think they can make the playoffs if they ever get some decent goaltending. But brother, they look lost these days. I think Wilson is on to something by giving the team a day off from practice today and telling his players that they have to start having fun again. This may be a bold call, but it says here they break their losing streak Saturday in a rematch with the Rangers.
And speaking of "bad" -- Ladies and Gentlemen, the Detroit Red Wings. I expected a drop-off from last season but not to this degree. I'm very glad a previous commitment kept me from driving to Buffalo last night to see them get shellacked. And, like the Leafs, they're in dire need of some decent goaltending.
Friday, October 16:
What's better than battling rush hour traffic on my way home from work, listening to the master baseball scene-setter himself, Vin Scully? Not much, if anything, beats that for a baseball fan. Vin's what, 82? And he still calls baseball better than anyone on earth. So it was a special treat, not only getting the final three innings on the drive home (thank you, XM Radio) but also hearing Scully describe a two-run Dodgers rally in the eighth that allowed them to beat the Phillies 2-1 and even the N.L.C.S. at a game apiece. The hour-long drive seemed to take about 10 minutes.
Saturday, October 17:
They tell us flu shots -- both regular and H-1-N-1 -- will be ready within weeks. We could have used them around the newsroom this week. We have two newscasters/business reporters about to start vacation, another one a few days away from ending his, two are down sick, another fell ill this morning and both supervisors are suffering. It looks as if I could be putting in some serious overtime this week. Just one problem: I woke up today with a scratchy throat of my own.
Here I was, thinking that this was going to be another great "Saturday of Saturdays" for all of my sports teams. Manchester United won and Chelsea lost, putting my Red Devils back on top of the table in English soccer, In U.S. college football, Michigan romped (against an admitted creampuff) while Ohio State was upset at Purdue. Just when I was thinkiing these perfect thoughts, Western goes and loses at Queen's, giving up a touchdown with 13 seconds left in their big rivarly game in Canadian university football. Ah well. Still an excellent day.
Sunday, October 18:
Kind of glad that USC hung on to beat Notre Dame yesterday in South Bend. If the Irish had pulled it out, I would have missed one of the all-time great comebacks. I shut off the radio broadcast driving home from work after Southern Cal had gone up 34-14 in the fourth quarter. All I missed were two Notre Dame scoring drives and a third that went all the way to the SC four-yard line before the Irish ran out of time. This is a series that, like baseball's all-star game, is full of streaks. The Trojans have won eight straight, including a 44-22 romp we watched in person three years ago at the L.A. Coliseum. Awhile back, the Irish took 11 in a row (from 1983 to 1993). Can't say as we've been overly impressed by Notre Dame this season, but if they had won this one and had taken last month's game at Michigan, they'd be among college football's unbeatens today.
Rangers 4 Maple Leafs 1. So much for bold predictions.
Monday, October 19:
I was this close to tearing into the Buffalo Bills for some of the mistakes they committed early yesterday at the Meadowlands -- throwing short screen passes to Terrell Owens well short of first down territory, having 12 men on the field during a Jets' punt, and so on. Then, I paused for dinner, never turned the game back on, only to find out that they actually won! So, the moaning is both moot and mute -- all that matters is what's on the scoreboard when the clock reads 0:00. Speaking of which, at Lambeau Field, that scoreboard read: Packers 26, Visitors 0. Not that we should have to tell you who the visitors were, but their initials are, the Detroit Lions. Could be worse, I guess. Winless Tennessee (a 10-and-0 club at one point last season) was demolished 59-0 in the snow at New England.
You sure read some doozies in the newspaper ads sometimes. Yesterday's Homes section in the Toronto Sun included ads for new abodes here in Stouffville. It went on to describe some of the town's many charms, and then closed with this corker: Go Transit will whisk you downtown to Toronto Union Station in just 25 minutes! Mario Andretti, at the height of his career, couldn't have whipped his Lotus 79 from here to there in 25 minutes. (The best I've done with zero traffic is 35 minutes, with the help of some significant law-breaking along the way). And I must have been out of town when the high-speed Toronto-Stouffville monorail was evidently built to great fanfare.
Tuesday, October 20:
It doesn't matter how hard you pitch the ball -- if you groove the thing, a major league hitter is going to make you pay. Lance Parrish and Kirk Gibson schooled Goose Gossage 25 years ago to win a World Series for Detroit; Jonathan Braxton of the Dodgers learned the hard lesson last night in Philadelphia. Nursing a 4-3 lead, he grooved a 1-1 pitch to Jimmy Rollins with two on and two out in the ninth and Rollins drove it to the wall for a game-winning double. Now, instead of a tie series, it's 3-1 Phils, and they can wrap it at home and avoid a trip back to Chavez Ravine.
I actually saw some chowderhead park his car yesterday in a side alley so as to block people trying to leave a parking garage -- just so he could saunter across the street to Tim Horton's, where he probably stood in line for about 10 minutes. The crazy thing is, there were all kinds of empty parking spots along the side street and not a cop or parking enforcement officer in sight. Naturally, when the oaf finally returned, he starting giving some lip to the people who couldn't get out of the garage and finally took off the wrong way on a one-way street. What planet are these idiots from?
Thursday, October 22:
Well, there's one U.S. northeast team into the World Series with a second almost certain to follow -- perhaps by tonight. It's kind of neat to ponder about what would be the first Fall Classic between the Phillies and Yankees since 1950 (and only the second one ever). That year, the Bronx Bombers swept the Whiz Kids in a series far closer than you might imagine. New York's victories were by scores of 1-0, 2-1 (in 10), 3-2 and 5-2. That series and (potentially) this one are like night and day -- literally. Fifty-nine years ago, all four games were played in daylight and the whole thing was long wrapped up by now. The series started October 4 and ended October 7 -- no off days with cities this close. This year's World Series isn't scheduled to start until next Tuesday, October 28. All the games will be at night and the earliest it can finish is November 1. Since when did baseball become a Halloween sport? One of the reasons I was cheering for the two L.A. teams is that there was a reasonably good chance of decent weather this late in the year. No such guarantee in the northeast. If it goes seven, it will all end November 5. Oh, and just for historical interest, two inches of snow fell in New York City on the 6th of November in 1950.
Friday, October 23:
Well, don't count the Angels out yet, even thought they blew a 4-0 lead last night and escaped a bases-loaded threat in the ninth. They still won and forced the A.L.C.S. back to the Bronx. I don't think they'll get any closer, but it would have been easy just to fold up the tent when the Yankees scored six runs in the seventh. They didn't, and deserve high marks.
Mercy, Bobby Bowden is showing his age these days. The Florida State football coach is just a couple of weeks shy of his 80th birthday and looked all of it last night in the Seminoles' come-from-behind win at North Carolina. Problem is, FSU still has a losing record and the increasing defeats the past few years appear to have eaten away at him. Understandable, but he really looked old under the harsh glare of the floodlights in Chapel Hill.
We lost Soupy Sales yesterday and anyone who grew up in and around Detroit with early television will remember his show. After seven years of receiving multiple pies in the face, he went national but always maintained a humble and likeable air whenever and wherever he appeared. One of my prized possessions is a DVD from an old episode of "Hullabaloo" featuring Soupy singing "Daydream" with We Five. Innocent mid-60s fun.
Saturday, October 24:
No doubt about it -- Grant Fullerton sure can play the twang-box fairly tolerable. The former Stitch in Tyme, Lighthouse and Madcats picker was in town last night at Sgt. Peppers, where The Bride and I took in a couple of sets. We miss Grant. When we first moved to Stouffville in 1997, he had his own place, a roadhouse bar simply called "Fullerton's" -- and he played every Friday and Saturday night as well as a Sunday jam session, which brought in some incredible musicians. He finally sold it, the new owners razed the place, put up a building that looks like a funeral home and tried to turn it into the town's 4,297th British pub. Naturally, it died and the place sits empty to this day. As for Grant, one of Canada's premier guitarists, he still plays Fridays and Saturdays but the gigs are spread out between York and Durham regions. Still, he's in town often and still packs 'em in. A worthwhile show if you're ever in our area northeast of Toronto.
Sunday, October 25:
This is it! The Sunday Detroit Lions fans circle on their calendar every year when the NFL schedule comes out. The one time each year when hope arises that this will be the Sunday of fewer mistakes, less turnovers, a reduction in false starts and some decent tackling. Yes, this is bye week in the Motor City and darned if we aren't all excited about that. I know it will be a struggle but I'm going to go out on a limb and say the Lions WILL NOT lose today. Call me crazy, call me overly optimistic, but it's a hunch that just won't go away.
Much more of this soggy weather in the Bronx and the Yankees will be able to use C.C. Sabathia again in this series if they have to. They'd rather save him for the Phillies but if the Angels ever pull out game six whenever they get around to playing it, then the collars will start getting a bit tighter amongst the Yankee faithful.
Monday, October 26:
For the luvva Pete, is there a ballclub somewhere, anywhere, that doesn't turn to jelly when it enters Yankee Stadium? The Minnesota Twins, generally superb at the fundamentals, looked like scared kids in the American League Division Series. The Los Angeles Angels were even worse in the A.L.C.S. The Bronx Bombers are tough enough to beat without opponents beating themselves. So far in the post-season, countless visiting ballplayers in the Bronx have looked as if they're about to soil themselves in prime time. Hopefully, the defending champion Phillies can avoid the yips in the World Series.
My favourite coach anywhere in any sport is Mike Singletary of the 49ers and it's sad to see San Francisco lose like this after such a promising start to the season. Yes, they came from are behind to make it close yesterday against Houston, but moral victories don't count in the standings. But Singletary is a guy who gets it. He stresses "the team, the team, the team" (as the late Bo Schembechler did in his coaching days at the University of Michigan). I think the ex-Bears standout is doing the right thing in San Francisco and it can't help but pay off in the long run.
The Steelers win over the Vikings was the NFL game of the day. And did you see Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson demolish cornerback William Gay on his 29-yard reception in the fourth quarter? Boom! And speaking of boom, the Giants' Kevin Boss made a catch against Arizona last night that had to be seen to be believed. Not that it was overly spectacular, but as soon as his hands touched the pigskin, Cardinals' free safety Antrel Rolle arrived and put on a hat-on-hat lick that had Boss seeing Saturn and the stars -- and yet somehow he hung onto the ball. Boss didn't know the answer to 1+1 at that moment, but his play gave his team what should have been a key first down (New York fumbled it away on the next play).
Ah, poop -- Liverpool 2 Manchester United 0. And a well-deserved win by the Merseysiders too from what I gather. It all makes an upcoming visit to West London all the more crucial as Chelsea has taken over the league lead again.
Wednesday, October 28:
I am definitely getting an H-1-N-1 flu shot before I travel next week. It's pretty scary when a perfectly healthy 13-year-old hockey player suddenly becomes ill over the weekend and then collapses and dies. Yes, I'm in an age group that seems to have more immunity from this virus than others but that doesn't matter. I'll gladly take the needle for some peace of mind.
It was a bit scary to think that the Toronto Maple Leafs won a road game before the Detroit Red Wings but the Motown men finally pulled one out last night, 5-4 in Vancouver, thanks for a four-goal outburst in the final period. But their goaltending continues to be iffy. Chris Osgood was yanked after giving up two goals on four shots and Jimmy Howard held the fort the rest of the way. The Wings had a 42-26 edge in shots so it shouldn't have been this close. Maybe this win will get Detroit out of the early-season doldrums.
Thursday, October 29:
Well, that was an interesting night in sports: Cliff Lee has the Yankees eating out of his hand, the Maple Leafs blow a late 3-2 lead and lose in overtime at Dallas, and Jose Calderon misses his first two free throws of the season! Before the Raptors' season opener, he was honoured for his NBA-record 98.1 percentage from the charity stripe last season (151 out of 154). But that was about the only thing off-kilter for the Raptors, as they whipped mighty Cleveland 101-91, limiting LaBron James to 23 points and Shaq to a dozen. A pretty good statement game for the Raps. As for Lee, whoever said baseball is 75% pitching was bang on, on this night. A complete-game six-hitter, zero walks and zero earned runs in the Phillies' 6-1 win in the World Series opener. Regarding the Leafs, just as it looked as if they'd be rewarded with a second straight road win, they spit the bit down the stretch. And that one's gotta hurt.
My dad would have turned 96 today. He always joked that his 16th birthday marked one of North America's bleakest days -- the mighty stock market crash of 1929. Sadly, I lost him when he was 64 and I was in my mid-20s and we were just starting to get to know each other on a man-to-man basis. And that's my fault. It took me that long to realize that didn't know everything there was to know in the world and that I could lean on him for sage advice.
Friday, October 30:
Well, maybe I'm not getting an H-1-N-1 flu shot before I travel. I showed up at 10am today in Newmarket for a clinic that opened at noon. Obviously, some people had been there since the crack of dawn. My assigned number was 747, which meant that they'd get around to me by about 5pm. Seeing as I was starting work in downtown Toronto at that hour, I saved myself a multi-hour wait for nothing and left. (As for whether I'm in a "high-risk" group, I am still classified as a cancer patient -- and with travel starting next week, it was recommended that I get the vaccine). I'll try again Monday, but my work colleague has a pretty good idea. She suggested I have my doctor provide a prescription for Tamiflu to take with me just in case something flares up while I'm away.
Saturday, October 31:
I've said it before but it bears repeating. One of the best things about the extra week of daylight time the government implemented a few years ago on regions that use it, is the fact that the little ghosts and goblins will be starting their runs in dusk. Of course, this being a Saturday, there's no worry about them being back home early for school the next day. Still, if they do start later than usual, there will be a near-full moon to help guide them along (except, of course, here in soggy old Stouffville, where it seems to rain each and every day) If you're driving, please watch out for the little ones. They're our most precious resource. And don't forget to turn back the clocks tonight!
