sports

Monday Night Tragedy

/ justdrivewillyou / 3 Comments

This was something many football fans have never witnessed before.

On Monday Night Football, in a game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field in the first quarter, after tackling Cincinnati wide receiver Tee Higgins. An ambulance was summoned onto the field, and CPR was administered to Hamlin for several minutes. He was then transported to nearby University of Cincinnati Medical Center where, at the time of this writing, he remains in critical condition. Hamlin, as learned later, suffered a cardiac arrest as a result of the tackle.

The crowd at Paycor Stadium sat in stunned silence as the horrific scene played out. Hamlin’s Bills teammates were embracing and crying, some seen praying. The Bengals team came over and joined them, commiserating with their football brothers. As Hamlin was taken off the field in the ambulance, the entire Bills team knelt together on the field in prayer.

Hamlin’s mother, who was at the game to watch her son play, went with him in the ambulance, and remains by his side at the hospital. His family is optimistic about his recovery.

As for the game itself, one with serious playoff implications for both teams was suddenly rendered moot. The National Football League took the unprecedented step of postponing the remainder of it, to a time to be determined later.

It was the right decision. Nobody wanted to continue this game. All anyone cared about, and rightly so, was Damar Hamlin’s life.

We all understand that American football is a violent game. Men collide with each other, over and over again, game after game. Injuries happen, from sprains and strains to torn muscles, to broken bones and concussions.

Everyone involved knows the risks, and accepts them as part of the game, because of their love for it. To play professional football is a dream come true for them. Getting hurt just goes with the territory.

But this was literally a matter of life and death.

Usually, I don’t watch Monday Night Football, but I expected to enjoy this high-stakes contest between two excellent teams. It was gonna be unforgettable.

And it certainly was, for all the wrong reasons.

Keep a good thought, maybe even say a prayer, for Damar Hamlin and his family, today. He is fighting for his life.

Tip Your Cap

/ justdrivewillyou / 6 Comments

Baseball lost a great one Tuesday. Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, the voice of the Dodgers for an incredible 67 years, passed away at the age of 94. In his memory, I’m repeating a post from 2016, when Vin retired. So long, Mr. Scully, you were the best. Larry

 

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The end of an era is upon us, sports fans.

Vin Scully, legendary baseball announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is retiring this season, after an astonishing 67 years in broadcasting.

Sixty…seven…years. Let that sink in for awhile.

Nobody has ever done his job so well, for so long. Nobody even close.

It makes me envious of Dodger fans. He’s more than just their announcer. He’s more than just their buddy, inviting them to sit back and enjoy a ball game with him.

He’s their dad, the one with all the memories of former Dodger heroes like Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider, Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, Steve Garvey and Davey Lopes, Fernando Valenzuela and Orel Hershiser and Kirk Gibson, on and on and on.

Wow!

This man is inextricably intertwined with the history of the Dodgers; indeed, of baseball.

He is in the Baseball Hall of Fame, of course, as a recipient of the annual Ford C. Frick award, presented to a broadcaster for “major contributions to baseball.”

And boy, has this guy contributed.

 

Back in ancient times, before television, radio was the only way to broadcast a ballgame. The announcer, therefore, was an artist; it was up to him to paint a complete picture for the listener, to describe the brilliant blue sky, the gentle breeze blowing in from left field, the smell of the freshly cut grass, the jubilant roar of the crowd…every sight, sound and smell of the game brought vividly to life, transporting the fan listening at home right to the best seat in the ballpark.

Vin Scully has skillfully painted these pictures day after day, game after game, for decades.

Not only does that take a great deal of talent, which he certainly has, and a singularly mellifluous voice, which he also has. It takes a true love and passion for the game, and a warm, inviting, friendly manner that makes people want to tune in and listen to him. Vin Scully checks both those boxes, as well.

Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams once said, “If there was a guy born to play baseball, it was Willie Mays.” I say, if there was a guy born to announce baseball, it’s Vin Scully.

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My two favorite ball games, called by Vin Scully:

1986 WORLD SERIES, GAME 6: As the New York Mets mounted a crazy ninth-inning, two-out comeback to defeat the utterly gobsmacked Boston Red Sox at New York’s Shea Stadium, Vin asked rhetorically, ” Can you believe this ballgame at Shea?”

As the infamous game-ending ground ball rolled improbably through the legs of first baseman Bill Buckner, allowing Ray Knight to score the winning run for the Mets, Vin described it like this, the shock and disbelief at what was unfolding, clearly heard: “Little roller, up along first…BEHIND THE BAG!! IT GETS THROUGH BUCKNER!! HERE COMES KNIGHT, AND THE METS WIN IT!!!”

Minutes later, after letting the television audience take in the raucous celebration in the stadium, except for the stunned, silent Red Sox dugout, he declared, “If one picture is worth a thousand words, you have seen about a million words!”

(Which is another skill of his: letting the images on television tell the story. As valuable as his words are, he knows when they aren’t needed.)

 

1988 WORLD SERIES, GAME 1: Dodgers vs. Oakland A’s, Dodger Stadium. Bottom of the ninth inning. Dodgers trail by one run with two outs and one man on base. Kirk Gibson, pinch-hitting despite a badly hurt right leg, is at bat. Three-ball, two-strike count. Here comes the pitch. Mr. Scully, take it away:

“High fly ball, into right field, she is GONE!!!”

In that call, you can hear the hopeful anticipation of what could happen, followed by the amazement and joy at what just did.

And then, amid all the resultant pandemonium, he added, “In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened!”

Side note: At that moment, another legendary announcer, Jack Buck, delighted the radio audience with his own immortal line: “I DON’T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW!!”

 

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Vin Scully will announce his last Dodgers home game this Sunday, September 25, at 4:00 PM, Eastern Time. It will be broadcast live on MLB Network, as well as the Dodgers’ and Colorado Rockies’ local networks. Do yourself a favor; take a break from football this Sunday.

And enjoy a baseball game with a living legend.

Finally a Yankees Fan

/ justdrivewillyou / 4 Comments

I never could stand the New York Yankees baseball team.

Especially during the tenure of owner George Steinbrenner. I thought he was an arrogant, rich jerk who fielded a whole team of arrogant, rich jerks. I thought they felt entitled to a World Series Championship every season, like all the other teams shouldn’t even bother playing.

And the really annoying part was, they won a lot.

As a long-suffering Texas Rangers fan, this was the most annoying in the late 1990’s, when we would regularly lose to the Yanks in the playoffs.

But, that’s all history. Today, I come, not to bury the Yankees, but to praise them. (Thanks, Bill.)

And the Tampa Bay Rays, as well.

From Associated Press, May 27:

The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays used their social media accounts during Thursday night’s game between the teams to spread information about how gun violence affects American life.

The move was made in response to recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo. Several notable sports figures — including Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr — have used their platform over the past few days to plead for action to combat gun violence.

MLB’s social media accounts are usually used during games to show video highlights, relay baseball statistics or exchange witty jokes with other accounts about the action on the field. On Thursday, that was replaced by posts like “ Firearms were the leading cause of death for American children and teens in 2020.”

Both accounts then posted a link to the source of their information.

“In lieu of gave (sic) coverage and in collaboration with the Tampa Bay Rays, we will be using our channels to offer facts about the impacts of gun violence.” the Yankees said in a statement. “The devastating events that have taken place in Uvalde, Buffalo and countless other communities across our nation are tragedies that are intolerable.”

The Rays also released a statement, saying that the recent shootings “cannot become normal.”

“We all deserve to be safe — in schools, grocery stores, places of worship, our neighborhoods, houses and America. The most recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde have shaken us to the core. The Tampa Bay Rays are mourning these heartbreaking tragedies that took the lives of innocent children and adults.“

“This cannot become normal. We cannot become numb. We cannot look the other way. We all know, if nothing changes, nothing changes.”

The Uvalde school shooting was particularly personal for Rays reliever Brooks Raley, who is from Uvalde and still has family who live in the town. He attended the school where the shooting occured.

The story mentions Steve Kerr. If, by now, you haven’t seen his postgame response to the tragedy in Uvalde, it’s worth watching. He spoke for many of us.

Unfortunately, not all of us, but that’s for another post.

But what these two teams did Thursday night was absolutely remarkable. They put the uncomfortable – and, in the case of the United States Congress, untouchable – issue of gun violence right in our face, imploring us to acknowledge and deal with it. They stood up, like men.

Now it’s on us to stand with them.

Thank you, Yankees. I’ll still root for you guys to lose, don’t get me wrong, but you definitely won last night.

So did you, Rays. Thanks to both teams for having your priorities straight.

Please visit their team Twitter accounts and read the information provided there. (And just ignore all the trolls on there trashing them already; you knew they would.)

And tell your Congressmen: We can handle the thoughts and prayers. It’s time for you to ACT.

It’s MADNESS, I Tell You!

/ justdrivewillyou / 2 Comments

In the midst of all the soul-crushing, mind-pummeling news to which we’re daily subjected, allow me to offer this distraction:

NCAA championship basketball, more affectionately known as March Madness. 🏀 🏆

Now usually, I only keep up with college hoops as it relates to my alma mater, Baylor University. (2021 Men’s National Champion!) But when it comes time for March Madness, it’s hard to not get caught up in the excitement, the unpredictability, the mass hysteria that accompanies this tournament every year.

Speaking of madness, here’s a fun fact:

The tournament always starts on Thursday. On the day before, more vasectomies are performed in the U.S. than on any other day of the year.

Yeah. You heard me right.

Presumably, because it allows guys to stay home a couple of days to recover, giving them a good excuse to watch hoops all day.

Whatever, my fellow dudes. Remember, though, that works only once. (Or should, anyway 😳) You’re much bigger basketball fans than me. And I’m okay with that.

Anyway, back to the games. Yes, my Baylor Bears have already been eliminated from the competition – curse you, Tar Heels! – but that doesn’t mean I’m no longer interested. There are still some compelling storylines to follow. Such as:

Coach K’s Last Dance

Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski, more commonly known as Coach K (thank goodness), has amassed the most victories of any men’s college hoops coach, going for number 1200 Sunday against Michigan State, in his final season of a legendary career spanning 47 years, 42 of them at Duke. That career includes five national championships and twelve Final Four appearances, the latter of which ties a record.

Naturally, many people would like nothing more than to see Coach K savor the sweet taste of one last triumph as he rides off into the sunset. And yes, that would be a fitting end to a superb career.

But then, what about…

The Cinderella Story

There’s one every year. The team that comes out of nowhere, from a school most of us have never heard of, and single-handedly screws up everybody’s bracket. (If you don’t know what I mean by that, this is clearly not your sport.) But once they show up, they immediately build a nationwide following; people root for them to go as far as they can, maybe even (😱) all the way!!

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Peacocks of Saint Peter’s University, from Jersey City, New Jersey.

Seeded 15th in the East Regional tournament, they announced their presence spectacularly, shocking Number 2 seed, and perennial powerhouse, University of Kentucky, with an 85-79 overtime victory.

Anybody who saw that coming should have bought a lottery ticket.

The Peacocks then followed that up with an 70-60 win over Murray State, another Kentucky school. (The whole state of Kentucky must hate these guys by now.) Mind you, Murray State came into this game on a 21-game winning streak. No problem for the Peacocks.

The win put Saint Peter’s in the Sweet Sixteen, making them only the third 15-seed team to ever do that. They now await the winner of the Purdue-Texas match.

And if you think this team feels at all intimidated by the bigger schools in its way, I offer the following, soon-to-be-immortal quote from Saint Peter’s head coach, Shaheen Holloway:

“I’m going to say this. It’s going to come off a little crazy. I got guys from New Jersey and New York City. You think we’re scared of anything? You think we’re worried about guys trying to muscle us and tough us out?”

Yeah, attitude!!! In…your…FACE!!

How can you not get behind that, I ask you?

Anyway, I think it’s still worth watching. Maybe now, you will, too. It’s a real good distraction.

Maybe even from a healing vasectomy; I’ll never know.

Oh, and I can still root for the Baylor Women’s team. Go, Lady Bears!