Some randon thoughts on the world of sports....
--It was nice to see "I'll have another" win the Preakness stakes, running down Bodemeister in the stretch for the second straight time.
It totally brings back memories of 1978, and those classic battles with Affirmed and Alydar--two horses that will forever be linked in history. Anyone alive who saw both this years first two legs and the 1978 races would have to agree and see the similarities.
Unfortunately, the similarities will come to an end at this point, as it is reported that, barring a last minute change of mind, Bodemeister will skip the Belmont. Here's hoping Irving Kidwell will reconsider. Bodemeister would be much more known in history if he were to run in the Belmont...and finish second again to I'll have another, than he would if he were to win.
Whether Bodemeister runs or not, I am really hoping that I'll have another will be able to pull off the triple crown, which is becoming the one of the toughest feats in sports. Back in the 70's, who would have thought that?
When I was a kid, there were three Triple Crown winners in six years, as Secretariat won it in 1974, Seattle Slew in '77 and then Affirmed in '78, days after my 12th birthday. If someone had told me that day that when I was 46, I would STILL be waiting for another horse to win it again, I would have thought they were nuts. Yet here we are, and it's true. Numerous horses in recent years, like Funny Cide, Charismatic, Smarty Jones, Big Brown and Real Quiet, have won the first two legs but failed to win the Belmont.
I think I'll have another has a real shot. First of all, there aren't the best of challengers in this years three year old crop. Secondly, I'll have another has the closing speed and stretch run capabilities to finish strong and last the mile and a half. Finally, someone is due to complete the feat.
I really am rooting for him. It's been far too long!
--The NBA playoffs really suck without a favorite team to root for. I came into this years playoffs with such high hopes, as my Chicago Bulls had the number one seed and had a very good chance to make it to the conference finals and maybe even the championship round. Those hopes ended after one game when Derrick Rose blew out his knee.
The Bulls put up a valiant effort without him, and Joaquim Noah as it turned out, losing to the Philly 76ers. Now with the Bulls out, the rest of the playoffs have left me limp.
The 76ers are not good enough to deal with the aging Boston Celtics. The Miami Heat's loss of Chris Bosh leaves them not as strong as they should be. It remains to be seen if they can get past the pesky Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers have become a solid team, but man oh man, are they boring. They just have no players that you can get excited about. When someone mentions Danny Granger or Roy Hibbert, you don't perk up and go to the edge of your seat.
I guess the Celtics having one last hurrah at a title would be about the best story line left this year in the East. In the west, there are not many storylines to get excited about either.
The Lakers are showing their age against the young, upstart Thunder. The opposite is true in the other series as the young upstart Clippers are proving they aren't ready against the aging Spurs. The imminent Spurs-Thunder series will actually be very interesting and exciting, but we seemingly have to wait forever to get to it.
I guess for me, there are two interesting series possibilities that I will get excited about. The Celtics against the Spurs would be fun in a "watching seniors battle at the local Y" kind of way. The Heat against the Thunder would be interesting in a "battle of superstars" kind of way. If those two teams meet up in the finals, it oughta just be a two on two series. Lebron and D Wade against Durant and Westbrook. Anything other than those two series in the finals, and it is going to be a very disappointing postseason for me.
--Don't fear yet Yankee fans. The Yankees are scuffling along around the .500 mark and in the middle of the AL East division. There isn't any reason to panic folks. The Yankees are hanging in there almost surprisingly, because way too many of their players are underperforming.
Only Derek Jeter is having a great year so far. New Yankee Raul Ibanez is having a very good year. Robinson Cano is hitting for average but his power numbers are down. Mark Teixeira has been dealing with a mysterious illness all year, and he has been disappointing. Martin, Swisher, A-Rod, CC and Phil Hughes have all been below average. Brett Gardiner has been hurt. These players WILL even out. It's the law of averages. Players usually perform to their career yearly averages, and the Yankees have so many who are under those averagers, that it is nearly impossible to believe they will stay where they are in the standings.
I expect as the weather warms up, so will the Yankee bats and arms and they will be back at the top of the division by the all-star break.
--I am really going to miss "House". I know it has nothing to do with sports, but House has been the best one hour drama on TV for the past seven or eight years. Apologies to all you Grey's Anatomy, CSI, and Lost fans, but House was the best.
His character was acerbic, argumentative, annoying, and sarcastic. He was manipulative, cloying, machiavellian, conniving and unscrupulous. Despite all that, you couldn't help but like him, and wonder what he was going to say or do next.
His brilliant mind and knowledge was so amazing, that everyone put up with all his foibles. In a way, I found myself jealous of Gregory House, in that he was able to say things to his bosses, friends and co-workers that I would love to say to mine sometimes. He got away with it. I highly doubt I would.
In addition to the fascinating character study's of all the characters on the show, were some edge of your seat medical mysteries that were baffling, but House always figured them out in an hour. Who doesn't wish they could do that for themselves in real life.
It was a great show, and one of the best single television characters ever. Archie Bunker, Joe Friday, Al Bundy, Bart Simpson and Hawkeye Pierce....meet House. you're all in the same catagory. House, you will be missed.
