Briefly.
I’m a perfectionist with a procrastinator complex. Someday I’m going to be awesome!
Trivia #1: I understand that those reading this are not all from Massachusetts, just many of you… Which three Massachusetts cities are listed in the top 100 Most Dangerous Cities in the U.S. – Holyoke, Boston, Leominster, Springfield, Fall River, New Bedford?
Trivia #2: Hank Aaron is the all-time RBI leader with 2,297. What two active players are in the top 25?
Trivia #3: Who is Lawrence Harvey Zeiger?
Can you see it? Years from now when we reminisce about holidays from 2020, instead of looking at photos are we going to replay saved Zoom meetings??
People often ask; “Ed, what can you tell me about the Fan Controlled Football?” – You too can now own a piece of the pie. For a minimum investment of $150 you can buy into the league. (no thanks)
Another all-around nice win for the Bruins last night.
Super Bowl – It’s the GOAT vs. The Kid – get it?
Good news: (for the most part) – 11 of the 22 Chinese miners trapped at least 2,000 feet underground since January 10 were rescued and hauled up one-by-one in baskets from the mine in Qixia. The other 10 miners are unaccounted for. China’s mines are among the world’s deadliest and, even after a series of safety improvements, there were still 573 mine-related deaths in 2020.
Quote for the week: “A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking the record of an all-time baseball idol.” – Vin Sculley, April 8, 1974 as Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’ career homerun record.
Quote for the week, part deux: “I can’t imagine what Hank Aaron went through in his lifetime. He had every right to be angry or militant… but he never was. He spread his grace on everything and every one he came in contact with. The epitome of class and integrity. RIP Henry Aaron.” – Former Atlanta Braves third baseman, Chipper Jones
I came across my July 23, 2007 Sports Illustrated on which Hank Aaron donned the cover. The article, written by Tom Verducci, was entitled “The People’s King.” Barry Bonds was on his way to breaking Aaron’s homerun record but Verducci wrote what was true, that Bonds’ career was marred with steroid use and Aaron’s record would remain intact for true baseball fans.
Also in that July, 2007 SI issue was an article on Philip Francis, the “can’t-miss kid”, then the reigning U.S. Junior Golf Champ and freshman-to-be at UCLA. He won 140 junior events. Guess what? He missed. What little I could find on him he played in a few PGA events on sponsors’ exemptions, tying for 34th at the ’08 John Deere Classic. Last I saw he missed the cut in his only PGA tournament in 2011 and was playing on the Mackenzie Tour in Canada in 2014. Can’t miss.
Speaking of the Hall of Fame, I don’t feel bad that Curt Schilling lost his chance to get in by a vote or two. I don’t feel bad because he is a blow-hard and that is why some baseball writer’s black-balled him. Having said that, that is not a reason to be left out. He deserves to be in.
Lastly, and I’ll get off the baseball HOF, how can anyone read recent stories about Hank Aaron and turn around and vote for steroid users for induction into the HOF???
People who write “u” instead of “you”, “r” instead of “are”, etc. What do you do with all the time you save?
22,000 fans will be in attendance for Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium, including 7,500 vaccinated health care workers who are invited as guests. Nice!
The University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team is 5-10.
Said the middle school teacher to the student: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Student: “Oh, I don’t know. Probably a backup MLB infielder or a bought-out SEC football coach.” – That’s right. Last season in 211 at-bats, A’s infielder Marcus Semien batted .223. This week he signed a one-year, $18 million deal to play for Toronto.
This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Target won’t sell Thai coconut milk after probe shows product made by forced monkey labor. Two PETA investigations found that the primates are forced to pick coconuts all day with chains around their necks.
Budweiser, and now many other companies, has chosen to forgo airing its iconic commercials during the Super Bowl and will instead donate money to the Ad Council and COVID Collaborative Vaccine Education Initiative, a public health communication campaign and additional efforts to support vaccine adoption efforts. Meanwhile, Anheuser-Busch will continue to run ads for other products in its beverage portfolio, including Bud Light, Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade, Michelob ULTRA, Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer and ads in select markets for Stella Artois and Cutwater spirits.
R.I.P. Gregory Sierra (83) – The native of Spanish Harlem in New York City played the role of Julio Fuentes in “Sanford and Son” and also played Sgt. Miguel “Chano” Amanguale in “Barney Miller.” His notable film credits include “The Towering Inferno”, “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” and 1988’s “Vampire.” His career was also full of guest spots on iconic shows like “Magnum P.I.”, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “The X-Files.”
R.I.P. Hank Aaron (86) – Hall of Fame right fielder primarily with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves. A 21-time all-star, league MVP in 1957 (finished 3rd 6 times), 3-time Gold Glove, 755 career homeruns considered by many to be the all-time champion. A career .305 hitter. Aaron became one of the first African-American’s to hold an executive position in MLB and was corporate Vice President of community relations for Turner Broadcasting Systems. The Hank Aaron Award was created in 1999 to honor the hitter who is deemed the most effective hitter in each league.
Trivia #1 answer: I understand that those reading this are not all from Massachusetts, just many of you… Which three Massachusetts cities are listed in the top 100 Most Dangerous Cities in the U.S. – Holyoke, Boston, Leominster, Springfield, Fall River, New Bedford? – Springfield, Holyoke, Fall River
Trivia #2 answer: Hank Aaron is the all-time RBI leader with 2,297. What two active players are in the top 25? – Albert Pujols (3rd with 2,100, 40-years old) and Miguel Cabrera (24th with 1,729, 37 years old)
Trivia #3 answer: Who is Lawrence Harvey Zeiger? – Larry King
Be careful out there.
“What you get and what you see
Things that don’t come easily
Feeling happy in my vein
Icicles are in my brain
Something blowing in my hair
Winter’s ice, it soon was dead
Death would freeze my very soul
Makes me happy, makes me cold– Black Sabbat
Ed's Head On Friday 