Blog

Briefly.

Trivia #1: The Yankees have won the most AL pennants, 40. What team is second?

Trivia #2: “Vote while you float” is the motto for who?

Tom Brady lost last night on national television. Poor Tom.

Tom Brady has won more playoff games than anyone else has played in. (all with the Patriots, I might add)

When life shuts a door, open it back up. That’s how doors work.

Joe Flacco is starting for the Jets this Sunday. Joe Flacco?? I could have sworn I recently saw him on a milk carton.

Speaking of baseball… check out the MLB upcoming schedule. Tonight is the deciding game 5 of the ALDS, Yankees/Rays. (go Rays!) The other three series have already been decided. There are no games scheduled on Saturday but then… The ALCS begins on Sunday and the NLCS on Monday. Both series play EVERY night until each ends. No breaks! Are you listening NHL and NBA!

Speaking of basketball, the Lakers lead the Heat three games to one. Go Heat!

Don’t say/think “that’s what they get for living there” regarding people who live on the gulf coast who are about to be battered yet again by another storm. People live down there for countless reasons with no other options. Just pray for them.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Tracie’s Place Karaoke Bar and Restaurant in Ontario, Canada is allowing customers to sing within a makeshift shower stall (on stage) to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In the first spoken words in the original “Rambo” movie, John J actually smiles. He introduces himself to Delmar Berry’s mother who informs Rambo that Delmar died. It is the only time in the movie that Rambo smiles. (useless information, I know…)

The Indianapolis Colts’ kicker, Rodrigo Blankenship, has single-handedly outscored the opponent in each of the Colts’ three victories.

Training, you’re doing it wrong. A 66-year old Illinois motorcyclist was killed in a crash during her second day of a motorcycle safety training course.

Have you ever reached for your drink thinking you had one sip left and then finding out there was really more than one sip? Isn’t that awesome!

Another NFL game moved from Sunday to later in the week. I really can’t see the season ending as a full season. It’s falling apart.

Do you know that Bruce Springsteen song “Glory Days?” “I had a friend was a big baseball player back in high school. He could throw that speedball by you, make you look like a fool…” – What in hell is a “speedball?” I’m thinking Springsteen was one of those kids who stepped up to the plate back in the day and yelled to the pitcher “Don’t whip it!”

Quote for the week: “To hell with the rules. If it sounds right, then it is” – Eddie Van Halen

Headline of the week: “Winner of ‘Fat Bear Week’ competition crowned by Alaska national park”

R.I.P. – Eddie Van Halen (65) – Considered by many as the best and most influential guitarists of all-time. Eddie first made a name for himself with his solo “Eruption” which was on Van Halen’s first album. Eddie became a pop culture icon with the 1983 release of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It”  – which featured Eddie’s iconic guitar solo. Eddie was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

Trivia #1 answer: The Yankees have won the most AL pennants, 40. What team is second? – The Oakland A’s (15) – the Red Sox are third with 14.

Trivia #2 answer: “Vote while you float” is the motto for who? – Astronauts

“Happy trails to you,
Until we meet again,
Happy trails to you,
Keep smiling on til then
Who cares about the clouds when we’re together
Just sing a song an’ think about sunny weather
Happy trails to you,
Til we meet again”

– Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (Van Halen ended each concert with this song back in the day)

Briefly.

Trivia #1: Which world leader has NOT contracted Covid-19? Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, United States President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Honduras President Juan Orlando Heranadez, Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattel, Bolivian interim president Jeanine Anez, Indian President M. Venkalaiah, Venezuelan interim president Nicolas Maduro

Trivia #2: What did the UN designate the first Monday in October as? World Wildlife Day, Worldwide Holiday, World Children’s Day, World Habitat Day, World Dumpster Day

Trivia #3: Before Clayton Kershaw (last night), who was the last left-hander to strike out 13 or more batters in a postseason game?

COVID-19 has finally found the NFL as Sunday’s game between Tennessee and Pittsburgh has been postponed until “later in the season.” Week #18???

Did you get your flu shot yet? Seriously, get one!

I actually got two flu shots. I went with bourbon and tequila.

The Jets lost again.

Reveal party gone wrong. 33-year old Hayley Sexton had painted the nursery pink, chosen the name Isabella and bought two Moses baskets, blankets and onesies in girl hue. She then gave birth to a baby boy. DOH!

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: The love child of former Belgian King Albert II on Thursday won a seven-year-long battle over her loyal rights and can now officially call herself a princess. She is now entitled to the same royal titles and privileges as her father’s three other children.

Doc Rivers was fired by the LA Clippers and then hired as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. Sounds like a promotion to me.

Quote for the week: “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” – George Orwell

Headline of the week: “Vietnam police confiscate 345,000 used condoms that were washed and sold as new”

Nothing new in the NBA. I’m rooting against the Lakers, much like rooting against the Yankees. Hater… me.

To the person who stole my glasses. I will find you, I have contacts.

In case you missed it, the Houston Astros became the first MLB team ever to win a playoff after making the playoffs with a losing record – 29-31.  They beat the Minnesota Twins and went on to sweep them two games to none. The Twinkies have now lost an MLB record  18 playoff games in a row.

Speaking of the Oakland A’s, they won their first playoff series in 14 years. (14 years?! That’s a lot???)

During his September 24, 1960 campaign stop in Sullivan, Illinois, then vice-president Richard Nixon stopped to eat a barbeque buffalo sandwich at a related cookout. He barely finished the sandwich before getting up to make a speech. Then 14-year old Steve Jenne pounced, took the half-eaten sandwich and still has it today, 60 years later. (No one, and I mean no one, can make that shit up.)

Trivia #1 answer: Which world leader has NOT contracted Covid-19? Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, United States President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Honduras President Juan Orlando Heranadez, Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattel, Bolivian interim president Jeanine Anez, Indian President M. Venkalaiah, Venezuelan interim president Nicolas Maduro – the last one here, Venezuelan interim president Nicolas Maduro

Trivia #2 answer: What did the UN designate the first Monday in October as? World Wildlife Day, Worldwide Holiday, World Children’s Day, World Habitat Day, World Dumpster Day – World Habitat Day

Trivia #3 answer: Before Clayton Kershaw (last night), who was the last left-hander to strike out 13 or more batters in a postseason game? – Cliff Lee (13 K’s for the Rangers against the Yankees in 2010)

“Jump up, look around, find yourself some fun
No sense in sitting there hating everyone
No man’s an island and his castle isn’t home
The nest is full of nothing when the bird has flown”

– Jethro Tull

Briefly.

WordPress tracks hits to my blog and where they originate. I routinely have 2-3 hits from Baidu, an internet company in China. Hmmm.

Trivia #1: Who was the only player named at two positions to the NFL’s 75^th Anniversary Team in 1994?

Trivia #2: How many different venues have hosted an NFL game? – 79, 127, 160, 188, 209, 246

Trivia #3: B.B. King. What does “B.B.” stand for?

Trivia #4: Since 1970, which team is the only one to make the Stanley Cup Final in five consecutive years? – Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Charlestown Chiefs

LeBron, 2^nd in MVP voting, again, is bitching about it. ‘Nuf said.

Not to sound insensitive but the worst part about all of these NFL injuries is that we can kiss ‘good-bye’ to any thought of future, shortened preseasons.

The Red Sox lost their final “home” game last night to the Orioles. Thankfully, their season ends this weekend.

I have found myself on a steady diet of alcohol, vitamin D and an occasional steak tip.

Quote for the week: “Do I think I’m the best quarterback in the NFL? I believe so, without a doubt.” – Seattle’s Russell Wilson on the “Dan Patrick Show” – Sounds a little like “Hey, don’t you know about me!?”

Quote for the week, part deux: “You flatter me by giving me this award, but I can tell you here and now that I accept it for Brian Piccolo. … I love Brian Piccolo and I’d like all of you to love him, too. Tonight, when you hit your knees, please ask God to love him.” – Gail Sayers during his acceptance speech for the George S. Halas Award for courage in 1969. I have to admit I got a little misty-eyed reading/writing this.

The hypocrisy continues, now in the NFL. The NFL has hit Denver’s Vic Fangio, Seattle’s Pete Carroll and San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan with $100,000 fines and their teams with $250,000 fines for not wearing masks last Sunday. In all, the league issued $1.05 million in fines. Now maybe I don’t know the definition of “wearing a mask” but I saw FAR more violations in various other games on Sunday.

Did you see Danny Lee’s 6-putt on the 18th at the US Open? After missing a 4-footer for par, he missed the return putt and frustration set in. He then withdrew from the tournament, citing a wrist injury. Wrist injury?! I’m sorry but that’s hysterical!

NFL quarterbacks are running wild! Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, Dak Prescott, Josh Allen, to name a few. If this season’s pace continues, quarterbacks will score 48 more rushing touchdowns than they ever have in a season and they’ll finish with over 1,400 more rushing yards. I tell you, wild!

“Stop the pain”, you’re doing it wrong. A Los Angeles Chargers team doctor punctured quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s lung just before kickoff last Sunday while trying to administer a pain-killing injection to the quarterback’s cracked robs.

DYK, Tyrod Taylor is one of six NFL QB’s to register 3,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards in consecutive seasons? I didn’t.

Don’t think “end of summer”, think “beginning of fall.”

Everything that has a beginning, has an end.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Philadelphia Eagles’ starting quarterback Carson Wentz was booed last Sunday due to his continuing poor play. As there were no fans allowed at Philly’s home field, Lincoln Financial Field, Wentz was digitally booed. (that’s gotta hurt!)

This week’s sign of the apocalypse, part deux: (I do try to keep politics out of this but…) FOX Super Bet 6, a free-to-play app that typically focuses on sporting events, will allow users to win prizes by making accurate predictions about the first presidential debate on Tuesday, September 29^th in Cleveland. A $25,000 prize pool is guaranteed with 6 questions, including – Will Trump use the term “Sleeping Joe” during the debate? and will Biden say the word “malarkey” more than he mentions former President Barack Obama?

On Monday Night Countdown this past week the panelists, as they always do, make their game predictions. All of the men confidently predicted the Saints would beat the Raiders. Suzy Kolber however, commented on the karma of opening a new stadium (Allegiant Stadium) and chose the Raiders, much to the others dismay. Karma.

Say what you will, the NHL Bubble works!

In feel-good news, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ “Day On Fund”, established in 2018, is supporting Bezos’ first tuition-free preschool for underserved children. On Oct. 19 the doors open for Bezos Academy in Des Moines, WA and is the first of many free preschools that Bezos plans to open.

People often ask me, not in this lifetime, what ever happened to NFL quarterback Blake Bortles? With the injury to Denver Broncos’ quarterback Drew Lock, Bortles was signed to a one-year deal as backup to new starter Jeff “don’t call me ‘Whitey’” Driskel.

People also routinely ask me about Deion Sanders. Last week, Prime Time was named head football coach at Jackson State. During his first week on the job, Mississippi State freshman cornerback Javorrius Selmon announced he was transferring to Jackson State to play for “Coach Prime.”

Florida prosecutors said Monday that they won’t appeal a court’s decision blocking video that allegedly shows New England Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft paying for massage parlor sex. The charges have since been dropped. Let me tell you there are some days I miss my father more than others. He’d be shaking his head over this duck-n-dodge by Krafty Bob.

R.I.P. Gail Sayers (77) – Considered one of the greatest running backs in the history of the NFL, Sayers played primarily only five seasons, all with the Chicago Bears (he played sparingly in 70’ and ’71) and finished with 4,956 yards, 39 touchdowns, 30 yards per kick return and six touchdowns, 14.5 yards per punt return and two touchdowns. He averaged more than 5 yards per carry for his career and led the NFL in rushing twice, including 1969 one season after tearing his ACL and MCL in his right knee. He was a member of the 1964 All-America team at Kansas and, at age 34, was the youngest player ever inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. (OK, who’s not making time to watch Brian’s Song in the near future?)

Trivia #1 answer: Who was the only player named at two positions to the NFL’s 75^th Anniversary Team in 1994? – Gail Sayers (halfback and kick returner)

Trivia #2 answer: How many different venues have hosted an NFL game? – 79, 127, 160, 188, 209, 246 – this past Monday, Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium became the 188^th different venue to host an NFL game.

Trivia #3 answer: B.B. King. What does “B.B.” stand for? – Blues Boy – As a singer and disc jockey in Memphis, he was given the nickname “Beale Street Blues Buy”, later shortened to “Blues Boy” and finally to B.B.

Trivia #4: Since 1970, which team is the only one to make the Stanley Cup Final in five consecutive years? – Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Charlestown Chiefs – The New York Islanders (won the Cup in ’80, ’81, ’82, ’83 then lost in ’84) – BTW, the Charlestown Chiefs is the minor league hockey team from the movie “Slapshot”

The NHL season could end this weekend. I’ll leave you with this:

“Hit somebody! was what the crowd roared
When Buddy the goon came over the boards
“Coach”, he’d say, “I wanna score goals”
The coach said, “Buddy, remember your role
The fast guys get paid, they shoot, they score
Protect them, Buddy, that’s what you’re here for”

– Warren Zevon

Briefly.

Stop trying to make everyone happy, you’re not tequila.

Trivia #1: Which two active NFL quarterbacks are not in the top 5, highest percentage of 400 and 300-yard passing games over his career? – Daniel Jones, Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, Patrick Mahomes

Trivia #2: Phil Mickelson has never won the US Open but has been runner-up a record 6 times. How many of those tournaments were played in the state of New York?

Trivia #3: How does Moe Howard like his eggs cooked?

The answer is “launch angle.” The question is; “What is killing baseball?”

“Love that chicken from Popeye’s!” (honestly, I’ve never had it but do like the jingle)

I cannot watch tennis. I tried to watch some of the US Open, men and women. The groaning is too much, really.

In completely useless news, the NBA draft will be held on Nov. 18.

Quote for the week: “Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.” – Bob Marley

Back in July, Haverhill’s own Tom Bergeron (and Erin Andrews) was fired as co-host of Dancing with the Stars. Tyra Banks was named his replacement. Reactions on social media have been mixed.

Tough loss for the Celtics last night dropping to 0-2 vs the Heat.

Trivia #1 hint: Percentage

If praying is your thing, pray for many but especially now those being battered by rain in the south and those running from the fires out west. Sad to see.

Speaking of hockey, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars begin the NHL Finals tomorrow.

I love bacon, sometimes I eat it twice a day. It helps take my mind off the terrible chest pains I keep getting.

Are you shitting me? Tom Brady has convinced the Buccaneers that his longtime trainer and business partner, Alex Guerrero, get an office at their facility.

The Sax-a-telephone. What an invention!

The Big Ten Conference has decided to go ahead with football this season. Each team will play 8 games beginning the weekend of October 24. It will take a vote by the powers that be but the conference champ could be eligible for a semi-final FBS playoff spot.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Qantas Airline announced a seven-hour, nonstop scenic “flight to nowhere”, which will take-off and land at the same airport in Sydney on October 10. The flight promised passengers low-level scenic views over Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef, among other spots. The 134 seats, priced between $575 and $2,765, sold out in 10 minutes.

MLB teams are already qualifying for the playoffs. Man, that was quick!

Antarctica is the only continent without COVID-19. Now, as nearly 1,000 scientists and others who wintered over on the ice are seeing the sun for the first time in weeks or months, a global effort wants to make sure incoming colleagues don’t bring the virus with them.

R.I.P. (belated – Sept. 6)) Lou Brock (81) – The Hall of Famer spent the majority of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals while stealing 118 bases in 1974 and 938 in his career, the MLB record at the time.

Trivia #1 answer: Which two active NFL quarterbacks are not in the top 5, highest percentage of 400 and 300-yard passing games over his career? – Daniel Jones, Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, Patrick Mahomes – Tom Brady (8^th), Aaron Rodgers (7^th)

Trivia #2 answer: Phil Mickelson has never won the US Open but has been runner-up a record 6 times. How many of those tournaments were played in the state of New York? – 4 (this year’s tournament is in NY)

Trivia #3 answer: How does Moe Howard like his eggs cooked? – “Sunny side down… and DON’T turn ‘em over!”

“Who draws the crowd and plays so loud, baby, it’s the guitar man
Who’s gonna steal the show, you know, baby, it’s the guitar man
He can make you love, he can make you cry
He will bring you down and he’ll get you high
Somethin’ keeps him goin’ miles and miles a day
To find another place to play”

– Bread

Briefly.

Never forget.

What makes your soul happy, do that today.

Trivia #1: What rock n roll band is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as being the world’s loudest band, registering 117 decibels at London’s Rainbow Theatre?

Trivia #2: What NHL goalie has recorded the most shutouts in a single postseason?

Trivia #3: Which player is not in the top five in MLB career outfield assists for active players? – Hunter Pence, Nick Markakis, Jackie Bradley Jr., Alex Gordon, Jay Bruce, Matt Kemp

So here we go, the NFL. Hoping all teams get in a full season. Let’s get right to it. Who is going to have a better season, Bill Belichick or Tom Brady? I think Brady has more of a chip on his shoulder in that he chose to leave the Pats. Belichick has already proven once, 2007, that he can win without Brady. Arguably, the Bucs have a better offense, the Pats a better defense. Given that last comment my money is on  Belichick.

Article I’ll skip: Here’s what happened during the anthems at the NFL season opener

Dustin Johnson has zero bogies on the 18^th hole in his last 27 rounds!

Last night Kansas City’s rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire became the first running back to run for more than 100 yards on Opening Day for a NFL champion team.

The Red Sox Rafael Devers has 10 errors and leads the majors, all positions.

Speaking of leading the majors, Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo leads all of baseball with 7 outfield assists.

Trivia #1 hint: The answer is one of AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Motorhead, KISS, Led Zeppelin, Rush, The Who, Pink Floyd

Trivia #1 hint part deux: The concert was in 1972

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: About 10% of the population of the state of Oregon have been evacuated due to the wildfires there and in surrounding areas. So far more than 100 wildfires have burned more than 4.3 million acres in 12 western states.

Last week I mentioned the Red Sox’ Bobby Dalbec homering in his first at-bat. I then mentioned his excessive number of strikeouts. Last night Dalbec homered again, his 5^th in the last 5 games, a Red Sox record for a rookie. He now has 6 in his first 10 games. But again, entering last night he has three other hits, all singles, and has struck out in a whopping 45.7 percent of his plate appearances.

My Dad was a union guy. He started all my bedtime stories with: “Once upon a time and a half…”

The Celtics vs. Toronto, game 7 tonight. That’s all you need to know, game 7!

Headline of the week: Florida man charged with impersonating an officer after allegedly pulling over off-duty Orlando cop

People often ask me (not that I recall); “Ed, what ever happened to Daniel Bard?” Daniel Bard last pitched in 2013 with the Red Sox after 5 seasons. Bard left baseball due to a severe case of the yips – the sudden inability to throw a strike. Segway to 2020, Bard is back in baseball with the Colorado Rockies. He is 2-2, with 23 K’s in 18 innings against 5 walks. A great comeback story.

Me: “What can I do to help with dinner?” My wife: “Make me a martini.” Me (after pouring the martini): “Glad I could help.”

Trivia #1 answer: What rock n roll band is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as being the world’s loudest band, registering 117 decibels at London’s Rainbow Theatre? – Deep Purple

Trivia #2 answer: What NHL goalie has recorded the most shutouts in a single postseason? – Martin Brodeur (7) in 2003 with the Devils

Trivia #3 answer: Which player is not in the top five in MLB career outfield assists for active players? – Hunter Pence, Nick Markakis, Jackie Bradley Jr., Alex Gordon, Jay Bruce, Matt Kemp – Jackie Bradley Jr. (actually, not even close)

“Nobody on the road
Nobody on the beach
I can feel it in the air
The summer’s out of reach
Empty lake, empty streets
The sun goes down alone
I’m driving by your house
Though I know you’re not home”

– Don Henley

Briefly.

Trivia #1: Top 5 snowiest cities based on 30-year average monthly totals, population greater than 50,000, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association – Buffalo NY), Syracuse (NY), Rochester (NY), Flagstaff (AZ), Duluth (MN)

Trivia #2: in 2006, the Cleveland Indians’ Kevin Kouzmanoff hit a grand slam on the first pitch he ever saw as a major leaguer. Who is the only other player to do so?

Trivia #3: On Wednesday night, the Atlanta Braves’ Adam Duvall became just the second National Leaguer to homer three times in one game at Fenway Park. Who is the other?  

Trivia #4: Roberto Clemente is the career MLB leader in what category?

Trivia #5: (why not?) Who is Scott McGuiness?

In a truly disasterous season, some good news from Sox’ camp. Rookie Bobby Dalbec homered last weekend in his first major league at bat. He is the 128^th player to make such a splash. DYK: An astonishing 25 players who hit a homerun in their first big league at bat never hit another homerun?!

Be the reason someone smiles today.

BTW, Bobby Dalbec has since had one hit, a single, walked once and struck out 10 times in 15 at bats. DOH!

As mentioned in last week’s post, some NFL teams are not allowing fans in their stadiums while others are. The Miami Dolphins announced they will allow a limited number of fans at their Opener. Fans will be required to wear a mask in their socially distant cluster; there will be more points of entry with mobile touchless entry, timed stadium entry, cashless payments at food kiosks, parking and retail and no tailgating. Gee whiz, sounds like fun… not!

Stop the madness!!! Boston bars/restaurants that have closed as a result of the pandemic – Fours, Legal Seafood, Lir, The Pour House, McGreevy’s and countless others. What a shame.

What an ending last Sunday in the second leg, of three, of the PGA Championship. First, Dustin Johnson hits a bending, 40-foot putt on 18 to force extra holes with John Rahm. On the second playoff hole, Rahm hits a ridiculous, 60-foot bending putt to win it. Tune in this afternoon and this weekend for the finale tournament at East Lake in Hotlanta.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: In Argentina, a college professor died on Wednesday after she struggled to breathe and collapsed during a virtual zoom lecture following a weeks-long battle with the coronavirus.

Rory McIlroy, who said he would leave the PGA Championship this weekend if his wife went into labor with their first child, announced that the baby was delivered on Monday, daughter Poppy Kennedy McIlroy. Poppy

Jason (Halloween) social distancing and wearing a mask since 1978.

While beating the PGA to death here… this weekend’s Championship features the games’ top 30 players based on a point system. Talk about pressure, two players were out of the mix before last weekend’s tournament and managed to play their way in – Joaquin Niemann (before ranked 31/ after ranked 18) and Mackenzie Hughes (36,28) while two others played their way out –  Adam Long (27/31), Kevin Streelman (28/32). $15M up for grabs, that’s gotta hurt!

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination – The Farmer’s Almanac released its extended forecast for the 2020-2021 season, which shows this upcoming winter could be brutally cold and snowy for much of the country. Ha! “Could be” – nice disclaimer

The Bruins lost.

Stop complaining. At least you’re not living in an NHL bubble.

Hmmm. Look at that last comment. Is it ‘an’ or ‘a’? If you say National Hockey League, it’s ‘a’. But saying NHL makes it ‘an’, or does it?… Sounds like something to stew on tonight over a scotch.

I watched Top Gun the other night… again. Dammit, Goose died again!

Quote for the week: “There’s two O’s in ‘Goose’”

The Celtics lost and lead the Raptors 2-1. Tough loss, so I hear.

She better not burn my toast! A Texas man allegedly shot and killed his wife and their two teenage sons because, says he, he was tired of their “yelling.”

Thankfully, now that the Bruins lost, football is right around the corner. I’m looking forward to it!

DYK: There are more airplanes under water than there are submarines in the sky?

R.I.P. John Thompson (78) – Former men’s basketball coach at Georgetown University, he won a championship in 1984 and was a catalyst in creating the greatest conference (my opinion) in college basketball at the time, the Big East.

R.I.P. Tom ‘Tom Terrific’ Seaver (75) – The HOF pitcher won 311 games with four different teams, most with the Mets. He is forever Tom Terrific with Mets’ fans for helping take the last place Mets to a World Series title after his third season.

DYK: Seaver died from complications of Lewy Body Dementia, the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. Recently, it was determined that Robin Williams suffered from the same disease. There is a new documentary on Williams’ that is now out on Netflix that I plan to watch very soon.

Trivia #1 answer: Top 5 snowiest cities based on 30-year average monthly totals, population greater than 50,000, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association – Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, Flagstaff (AZ), Duluth (MN) – Buffalo (114.7 inches)

Trivia #2 answer: in 2006, Cleveland’s Kevin Kouzmanoff hit a grand slam on the first pitch he ever saw as a major leaguer. Who is the only other player to do so? – The Red Sox’ Daniel Nava in 2010 (I really hope the three guys sitting next to me at that game got this answer!)

Trivia #3 answer: On Wednesday night, the Atlanta Braves’ Adam Duvall became just the second National Leaguer to homer three times in one game at Fenway Park. Who is the other?  – The Braves’ Marcell Ozuna who did it the night before…

Trivia #4 answer: Roberto Clemente is the career MLB leader in what category? – Assists by a right fielder

Trivia #5: (why not?) Who is Scott McGuiness? – Scott was Scottie Scheffler’s caddie who collapsed with an ankle injury during the TPC Boston tournament a couple of weeks ago. Classic scene showing Scheffler putting out on the 9^th hole with his caddie down on the ground in the background being tended to.

“I’ve got so much honey the bees envy me
I’ve got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees

Well, I guess you’d say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin’ ‘bout my girl (my girl)”

– The Temptations

Briefly.

After my multiple faux pas last week I was tempted to hang it up. I let down you, my fans. I promise, it will never happen again, until it happens again. I mean, Ed’s head, some Friday mornings? Whoa!

Trivia #1: Which player is NOT in the top 5 of career playoff games in the NHL? – Chris Chelios, Nicklas Lidstrom, Patrick Roy, Mark Messier, Claude Lemieux, Larry Robinson
Trivia #2: What does “pixel” stand for?
Trivia #3: What rock band pair was once referred to as the “Toxic Twins?” – Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth, Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page

On Wednesday night the Bruins lost to the Lightning 7-1. Not to be outdone, the Red Sox lost to the Buffalo Blue Jays 9-1. Take that!

You talk about great smells (don’t you?). Coffee, an orange, good scotch. I think you have to have basil on that list. 

The Boston Red Sox have played 32 games, more than half of this shortened season. Three pitchers, Nathan Eovaldi, Heath Embree and Martin Perez lead the team with three (3!) wins apiece. 

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Headline: Tesla on autopilot hits police car as driver watches movie on cellphone 

Camera shots nowadays at professional sporting events are really fascinating nowadays, though I think golf takes the cake. I especially like the shot of a putt from behind the hole, low to the ground, and the red line showing a drive off the tee.

I see where NBA coaches are not wearing suits but instead dressing down. Why the suits in the past? Were they dressing for the fans??? 

Dustin Johnson won last week’s PGA tournament (The Northern Trust) finishing a whopping 30 strokes under par. DYK: He did not have a single birdie on holes 13-16!

On August 10, a rare inland storm known as a derecho tore through the state of Iowa demolishing many parts of the city of Cedar Rapids. But its that state’s farmland where the long-term impact is expected to be felt most. The 140 mile per hour winds destroyed 35%  of the state’s corn and farmers are still assessing the overall damage.

The NFL, not to interfere with individual state laws, are letting teams do what they may in regards to fans at games. As such, some teams will have a clear(?) home field advantage as other teams are not allowing fans at their stadiums. I have the question mark (?) there as there is no proof that fans actually give a team an advantage. My opinion. 

Quote for the week: “It’s a true friendship when you can bash somebody over the head and not be told, ‘You’re not my friend anymore.’ That’s a true friendship. You put up with each other’s bitching… He’s my wife. And he’ll say the same thing about me.” – Keith Richards on Mick Jagger. 

Bye-bye Tuukka.

Hats off to local kid, Nick Maccario, golf extraordinaire. Runner-up in MA Amateur (last hole), runner-up in New England Amateur (playoff), winner of another amateur tournament… shot a 56(!) at local Bradford Country Club last weekend. A 56!!! (18 holes… not 9 like me)

For you golfers; have you ever been in one of those golf carts where it is often difficult to engage the brake on the pedal? It is usually after the third or fourth failed attempt when I start to violently kick the shit out of the pedal. 

For the first time I saw a television commercial for the treatment of schizophrenia.

R.I.P. Anthony Martignetti (63) – Anthony, at the time a 12-year old Italian immigrant, found television immortality when he sprinted through Boston’s North End in an enduring (nearly 14 years!) television commercial for Prince spaghetti. “Anthony! Anthony!” DYK: In 1969, Anthony and several fellow preadolescents were approached by three men looking for Commercial Street. His friends replied rudely while Anthony, angelic and ingenuous, offered directions. The men turned out to be scouts for an advertising agency, got Anthony’s parents’ consent, and signed him up. 

Get well, Dave Hart!

Trivia #1 answer: Which player is NOT in the top 5 of career playoff games in the NHL? – Chris Chelios, Nicklas Lidstrom, Patrick Roy, Mark Messier, Claude Lemieux, Larry Robinson – Larry Robinson is #8 in career playoff games
Trivia #2 answer: What does “pixel” stand for? – Picture Element
Trivia #3 answer: What rock band pair was once referred to as the “Toxic Twins?” – Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth, Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page – Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry 

“Well, you wiggle to the left,
You wiggle to the right;
You do the Ooby Dooby with all your might;

Ooby Dooby, Ooby Dooby, Oody Dooby, Oody Dooby,
Oody Dooby, Oody Dooby, Oody Dooby,
Oody Doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah”

– Creedence Clearwater Revival 

Good night everybody!

Briefly. (beach day yesterday)

Trivia #1: What team won the 2015 NBA Championship?
Trivia #2: What team won the 2015 Stanley Cup?
Trivia #3: What team won 2015 World Series?
Trivia #4: What team won the Super Bowl in 2015 (Super Bowl XLIX)?

The Red Sox have 5 players batting over .250.

Speaking of the Red Sox (who was???) Cal Ripken Jr. was interviewed during the game the other night. Cal was diagnosed with prostate cancer in February and is now cancer free. Good for him! He was a very good interviewee but I think Dennis Eckersley took it a little too far when he compared him to Willie Mays.

Speaking of the Red Sox, part duex, the headline reads “The Philadelphia Phillies solidified their bullpen by acquiring Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman and cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox.” What??? Those guys suck!

Wellness checks. Do you even know what they are??? Medical physicals, colonoscopies, mammograms. Go get yours now, if not for you for the people around you.

I’m planning on having my favorite drink this weekend. It’s call “a lot!”

Not only did the Twins’ Kenta Maeda fall 3 outs short of the MLB season’s first no-hitter, his team let up 3 runs and Minnesota finally won in 12 innings giving him a painful “no decision.”

Useless information, supposed to fire my imagination: “‘Hottest Mom in the World, Joleen Diaz, shares her beauty, fitness tips”

I’d be willing to bet that not a single school (elementary, middle, high school, college) has at least one student test positive for the virus this school year. It’s gonna be a shit-show.

Even a blind man knows when the sun is shining.

How is it that it seems the same guys/players get hurt each season? Guys currently out of the lineup for extended periods of time – Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gordon Wayward, Steven Strasburg.

Lori Loughlin et al, I can’t be bothered.

In case you’re not paying attention, and possibly live on another planet, the Boston Celtics are now up 3-0 on the Toronto Raptors in Round 1 action and the Boston Bruins eliminated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 in their first round series. For you non-Boston fans out there, bear with us!

I was watching kids ride their bikes through the campground the other day. Remember, every bump, as little as it may have been, was an opportunity to jump! Similarly, was it just me who tried to jump and reach every beam I walked under as a kid??

There are no introduction songs for batters in MLB. Why? Can’t we try to keep some sort of normalcy?

Larry King, love him or hate him, the poor guy (now 86) lost a 65-year old son and a 51-year old daughter just a few weeks apart recently.

If you dump a bunch of potato chips onto a plate, am I the only one who eats the small chips first and saves the big ones for last?

The temperature in Death Valley, NV last Sunday was 130 degrees. The National Weather Service is still verifying the reading and, if it is correct, it will be the highest temperature in over a century. In 1913, the temperature in Death Valley was 134.

Trivia #1 answer: What team won the 2015 NBA Championship? – The Golden State Warriors
Trivia #2 answer: What team won the 2015 Stanley Cup? – The Chicago Black Hawks
Trivia #3 answer: What team won 2015 World Series? – The Kansas City Royals
Trivia #4 answer: What team won the Super Bowl in 2015 (Super Bowl XLIX)? – The New England Patriots

Be careful out there everyone!

“There are men high up there fishing,
Haven’t seen quite enough of the world,
I ain’t seen a sign of my heroes,
And I’m still diving down for pearls.

Let me flow into the ocean,
Let me get back to the sea.
Let me be stormy and let me be calm,
Let the tide in, and set me free.”

– The Who

Briefly,

Trivia #1: Who is the only person to be inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame three times?

Trivia #2: Who is Joonas Korpisalo?

Playoff hockey! ‘Nuf said.

I’m giving up drinking whiskey for a month. Sorry, bad punctuation. I’m giving up. Drinking whiskey for a month.

People often ask me (never), “Ed, where is Deion Sanders? Deion recently signed on with Barstool Sports and will host his own podcast. Sanders had been one of the longest tenured members of the NFL Network but refused to take a pay cut when his contract renewed.

What’s up with box scores of professional sporting events? They no longer post attendance numbers…

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Dr. Anthony Fauci is receiving death threats.

I keep receiving emails stating that whoever will GUARANTEE that I lose 90 pounds in 5 weeks. If I lost 90 pounds period I’d be dead!

The lowly Boston Red Sox are batting.249 as a team with a team ERA of 5.24.

Does anybody remember laughter?

The Yankee’s Giancarlo Stanton is on the DL yet again and will miss 3-4 weeks with a bum hamstring. What a bum!

I’m sipping my quarantine coffee right now. It’s just like normal coffee but it has margarita in it and also no coffee.

Trivia #1: Who is the only person to be inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame three times? – Eric Clapton

Trivia #2: Who is Joonas Korpisalo? – Joonas is the goalie for the Columbus Blue Jackets who faced an NHL playoff record 88 shots the other night in a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five overtimes. (DYK: 62 Tampa shots were blocked in that game!)

”Red solo cup I fill you up
Let’s have a party let’s have a party 
I love you red solo cup I lift you up
Proceed to party proceed to party”

– Toby Keith (my deepest apologies to those offended by my going country on you. This tune just cracks me up)

Briefly. (albeit, Saturday)

Trivia #1: The other day Detriot’s Tyler Anderson set a major league record for a reliever by striking out 9 consecutive batters. Who holds the MLB record with 10 AND bonus, which one of the following did not strike out 9 consecutive: Tyler Anderson, David Cone, Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, Aaron Harang, Ricky Nolasco, Jake Peavy, Mickey Welch

Trivia #2: Lord & Taylor,  which has filed for bankruptcy, was founded in what year? – 1800, 1826, 1851, 1894, 1902, 1949?

So it is written, so it shall be done.

The University of Connecticut became the first, not the last I’m sure, FBS school to cancel its 2020 football season.

With the plethora of home deliveries since this whole Covid bullshit began, “Prime Time” has taken on a whole new meaning with Amazon Prime.

So what happens nowadays with the MLB’s foul balls? I imagine they first need to be disinfected? Then what? Are they donated?

Speaking of MLB, why aren’t announcers at the game ballparks? I should first say that I am talking about the Red Sox because I haven’t bothered watching other games. I mean, they are announcing while watching the games just like we are, on TV! What kind of analysis is that?

For you (us) Red Sox fans, our leadoff hitter, Andrew Benintendi, is batting .061 and has struck out 15 times in 33 at bats.

We have all had that moment in our youths when we found out that the Who’s song “Baba O’Riley” was not entitled “Teenage Wasteland”

So Mike Tyson says that he thinks he can beat Conor McGregor in a boxing match. Hmmm. Tell me, which one do we root for???

Don’t blame a clown for acting like a clown. Ask yourself why you keep going to the circus.

How in God’s name are kids allowed to graduate high school without taking, and passing, a course in dishwasher loading?

Trivia #1 answer: The other day Detriot’s Tyler Anderson set a major league record for a reliever by striking out 9 consecutive batters. Who holds the MLB record with 10 AND bonus, which one of the following did not strike out 9 consecutive: Tyler Anderson, David Cone, Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, Aaron Harang, Ricky Nolasco, Jake Peavy, Mickey Welch – Tom Seaver struck out 10 batters in a row and David Cone never struck out 9 consecutive batters

Trivia #2 answer: Lord & Taylor,  which has filed for bankruptcy, was founded in what year? – 1800, 1826, 1851, 1894, 1902, 1949?

“There are places I’ll remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain

All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends I still recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I’ve loved them all”

– The Beatles