Baseball Fever!

Didn't we have this chat about a month ago? I think so - right here.

I watched hockey tonight. Best to not get into how bad a night it was at Madison Square Garden (Chanting for Sean Avery? Really?).

Yet I kept my eye on the World Series - Game 6 between the Rangers and Cardinals. Once hockey was over, it had my complete attention.

This game has been insane. Twice the Cardinals were down to their last strike. Twice they've tied the game.

It's 9-9 in the Top of the 11th as I write.

Insane. The beauty of it is, I really don't care who wins. Oh, I'm sticking to my preference that the winner be the visiting team and, as such, that means the Rangers (plus I'm an American League guy), but I'll lose no sleep over it.

Trust me, if the Yankees were involved, I'd need an ambulance parked outside.

Once again, we see baseball at its best. Oh, don't get me wrong, this game has been ugly, but it's also been riveting. We once again see that baseball has no clock. You can't play a four corners defense. You can't take a knee. You can't skate around with the puck or play keep-away. You've got to throw the pitch. Down one or 10, there's always a chance.

Damn I love this game.

The Original Six Arenas

I was looking at NHL.com a little earlier when I came across a poll, asking for the "most iconic Original Six Arena."

OK...

The choices, of course, are Boston Garden, Chicago Stadium, Detroit Olympia, Madison Square Garden, Maple Leaf Gardens and Montreal Forum.

Well, now, I think we have to be more specific here, don't we? Any fan worth their sweater (hockey talk, people!) knows that your fancy New York Rangers played in two different versions of MSG - at 8th Ave and 49th St, and the Penn Station-destroyer that they're playing in now. Now, no offense to the current building (because I happen to like it a lot, maybe for sentimental reasons), but I just imagine the old place was more of a "hockey barn", much like the other five arenas.

So if that's what we're talking about, I'll vote for MSG, though to be honest, I also saw the Boston Garden, and liked that quite a bit also.

Anyway, who would you vote for - assuming all things are equal?

Oh, and the Rangers are playing tonight on Opening Night at World's Most Famous Refurbished Arena.

Charlie Hayes Might Have a Play...He's Got It!

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

That's how Vin Scully called it on CBS Radio 15 years ago tonight. The magic moment happened at 10:55 PM Eastern. I chose to watch it with friends in Yonkers, right at The Bronx line.

To a Yankees fan, 18 years is an eternity. I had watched the Rangers win the Cup in '94 and though I enjoyed it, I still hungered for a Yankees title.

No World Series has brought me anything like it. I literally couldn't wait for each game. I smuggled a radio into my photography class at Western Connecticut for Game 4, and raced home, hoping that the Yankees could somehow erase a 6-0 deficit (they did, of course).

Then came that Saturday night. The moment...seriously...that I had been waiting a long...long time for.


After hugging the fellow fans that I was with, I needed to step outside and have a moment to myself, exhorting "YES!" in the streets of Yonkers. I needed a moment to share with those I missed. I wondered what it would be like to talk with my dad about it, but sadly those moments aren't meant to be.

I floated home - quite sober, mind you - riding in Kevin Jaffe's Mazda Miata, with the top down, listening to all of the post-game talk on the radio. Though chilly, it was a amazing night, and all was right in my world.

The next day, I was on WREF radio in Ridgefield, CT. You better believe that, between the classic hits of Sinatra and others, there was plenty of baseball talk.

Fifteen years. Time marches on.

It's funny. That wasn't my first Yankees championship. I remember watching both 1977 and 1978, and am pretty sure I still have a scorecard I kept from the latter one. I treasure 1998, 1999 (I was at the clincher), 2000 (beating the Mets? Yes!), and 2009. I love them all equally, but there was something completely different about 1996.

Something amazing.

Something I will never forget.

From Richmond: A HoJo Flashback

I can't help but wonder if our good friend Jon from R-VA posts pictures on his blog and says to himself, "I bet Rob will use this on 'Exit 55'."

Well, yeah, this one was a near no-brainer.

It's got I-95 in its magnificent, mid-70's glory. It's also got Main Street Station, the last big landmark heading south before South of the Border. At least for a kid my age at the time.

But the picture also has a billboard for Howard Johnson's - a mere 13 miles away at Exit 6 back in the day on the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike (then a toll road). I ate many times in that HoJo's, though we never stayed at the adjacent hotel. The Richmond area was, normally, a lunchtime stop on day one of our trips to Florida.

So you put all of these things together, and you have a picture that I quite enjoy.

A Hot Wheels Track That My Son Would Love!

I'm debating whether or not I will ever show this video to Sean, because he will want this.

I'm just speechless. A huge Hot Wheels track, created for charity.

Thanks to Co-Exec Producer Mick for this hat-tip. I should have known that when I told him I had a little touch of writer's block (along with not a lot of time to write lately), he would come up with something. He didn't disappoint.

I could have seen my cousin and I trying to build something like this, but getting denied by our parents!

The link is from Yahoo! The video link is here.

The Red Sox Collapse, Animation Style!

Via Masshole Sports, with a hat tip to our "Executive Producer" Harold (and co-Exec Producer Mick has a contribution of his own coming up), we have some video from a company called Next Media Animation. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the laugh!

Wonderboy

It's cliche. It's a total desecration of the book. It's an over-the-top fantasy.

Exactly.

2011 World Series

So the World Series starts tonight. The anticipation is...

nonexistent.

Let's be honest. Outside of St. Louis and Texas, nobody seems to care. Now don't get me wrong, I've watched the World Series for as long as I can remember, so I will be in front of the TV (or next to a radio) for the games, but I can't remember a Series that nobody seems to be excited about.

For me, it's a no-win. I don't like anything from Texas (Cowboys, Hook 'em Horns, Astros, Stars, and on and on). I don't like the Cardinals...or Tony LaRussa. I get sick of hearing about everything being bigger in Texas...and that St. Louis fans are the best baseball fans in the baseball town in the best baseball world!

BARF!

So here's what I gave decided. While I think it would be novel of me to root for the Cardinals (get it? Cardinals?), I am going to root for the winning team to do so in the opposing ballpark. That's it. Let the home fans suffer, so that we don't have to watch some insufferable home team celebration (and they've all become that).

That's the best I can give you. There have been other, less-celebrated Series that have turned out really well. I can remember not being excited at all for (don't read this, Tim Parry!) 1997, between the Indians and Marlins. But that went seven games, and ended on a walkoff hit. The Braves and Twins didn't excite either, but that was one of the best I've ever seen.

There's always hope. Let the best team win.

George Harrison: Living in the Material World

I finally got to see Martin Scorsese's George Harrison: Living in the Material World, and I agree with those who gave the documentary such high ratings. It is a wonderful, vivid account of the life of a complex, interesting soul. The two living Beatles are heard from, but not overwhelmingly. For while George was a Beatle, that wasn't his life. Heck, that was the very point of his life.

Still, let's hear from Ringo (and Eric Clapton) discussing "Here Comes the Sun."


What I got out of it was that Olivia Harrison was, perhaps, the most ordinary, yet graceful of the "Beatle wives" (meaning Harrison, Linda McCartney, Yoko Ono, and Maureen Starr). Scorsese left few stones unturned, talking with Astrid Kirchherr, Klaus Voormann, Ravi Shankar, Tom Petty, Ray Cooper, Jim Keltner, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Yoko Ono, Dhani Harrison, Pattie Boyd (yes, "Layla"), Phil Spector (looking freaky as always), and even Jackie Stewart (yes, the Formula One driver).

But at the end of the day, it's Harrison himself (via archive footage) along with McCartney and Starr who steal the show. Ringo chokes up revealing the contents of the last conversation he had with George, wiping away a tear before exclaiming, "It's like Barbara (bleeping) Walters in here, isn't it?!"

George was famous, in his later years, for not enjoying touring and performing live, but here he is playing with Elton John, Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne, and Phil Collins (along with Ringo) on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". This is from the 1987 Prince's Trust Concert.


If it's possible to be a Beatle and be underrated, George Harrison was it.

Break In

So that gives you a rough idea of how Carrie and I started our day yesterday. The look on her face when she discovered the busted out window was enough for me.

Sometime Monday night, someone broke into my car. They stole my GPS and a phone charger.

I just got the window fixed (though that revealed a deeper problem with shoddy workmanship from a previous incident). So let's be honest: it wasn't that bad. Yes, one feels violated, and it's a nuisance on a few levels, but the losses are minimal (and it's just "stuff").

So that's it. I'm having dinner with Sean tonight. Then I'll watch the World Series.

Life, as always, moves on.

Done

The Tigers just won the Division Series. They earned it, with better pitching and clutch hitting. The Yankees didn't have that.

Congrats to the Tigers and Jim Leyland. Great manager, solid team. I'll root for them against Texas.

Side note: is it me, or is it perfect that the Yankees season ended tonight, and the Rangers (hockey, people) begin tomorrow? Of course I'll pay attention to the rest of the baseball playoffs, and naturally the NFL, but now the NHL is back. That's a good thing.

Personally I thought Joe Girardi horrifically over-managed this game. The CC Sabathia move didn't work. To be blunt, that was the difference in the game. Oh yeah, and third base coach Rob Thompson holding A-Rod at third wasn't exactly a great move.

But that's the way it goes. Some years, you get the big hit. The big break. The big catch, strikeout, etc. This year, it didn't happen. I didn't think it was going to happen either. I just never had that feeling this year.

Admittedly, I let a four-letter word fly - loudly - when Jeter's drive to right was caught. Hope springs eternal, I guess.

To be honest, I'm a fan with big expectations. When it comes to my teams - probably, most specifically, the Steelers and of course the Yankees - I don't "just" want to make the playoffs. It's World Series/Super Bowl, and win. Otherwise, no thank you.

I'm rambling. Best to say no more.

Go read Jeff Pearlman's book on Walter Payton.

Good night.

YouTube Wonders (Yankees Edition)

While looking for the video that I used in the previous post to honor Roger Maris, I came across some other goodies.

Oh baby, how I remember this. It was Game 2 of the 1995 ALDS. I went to Game 1, psyched to see my first playoff game, and to see Donnie Baseball play in October. One night later, he sent the old building into orbit (Gary Thorne on the call). Check out a very young Derek Jeter, invited to sit on the bench as a non-roster player, and Jorge Posada, used mostly as a pinch-runner(!) in that series. This happened just after a Ruber Sierra home run (John Sterling went for the "back-to-back and a belly-to-belly" call). The place went so bonkers that Mariners' manager Lou Piniella pulled his team off the field until things calmed down.


I was in the House for Game 1 of the 1998 World Series. It was my first Fall Classic game in person. The Yankees trailed the Padres 5-2 before Chuck Knoblauch tied it with a 7th inning three-run shot. All was well at that point. Then Tino Martinez strolled to the plate. For the first time, I felt Yankee Stadium shake (Joe Buck, Tim McCarver and Bob Brenley on the call).


Let's hear the new place sound like that.

I'm not trying to turn this into an "I was there" post, but...yeah, the building shook...again. You know the story: 2001, New York is emotionally shot, the Yankees looked old early in the World Series, then win games 3 and 4 (dramatically, Tino and Mr. November). They're down two in the ninth. We've already saluted Paul O'Neil (too emotional for me), knowing it's his last game. They can't possibly come back again...can they?

Oh yeah. Here's Scott Brosius (as called by Joe and Tim, with Brenley in the Diamondbacks' dugout).


They won it later, and lost it in Game 7.

How about a non-Yankee moment by a former and future Yankee? This is Bobby Murcer at Wrigley Field in 1979, playing for the Cubs (wearing number seven in honor of Mickey Mantle). Bobby Ray left the Yankees in a trade for Bobby Bonds after the 1974 season. He would be traded back to the Yankees later in the '79 season. On this day, he singled in the bottom of the 7th of a game that the Phillies would win 23-22 in 10 innings. Dave Kingman would hit three homers for Chcago, and Mike Schmidt hit two, including the go-ahead shot in the 10th for Philadelphia.


This is a sad, yet interesting video. It comes from CNN on the day Mickey Mantle died in 1995. Funny because it features a young Nancy Newman (now of the YES Network). Sad of course, because it pays tribute to the passing of the great, yet flawed Mantle. Sadder, because I can't embed the video here. But I can embed this video of Mantle hitting a home run off of Whitey Ford in 1973 on Old Timer's Day (Mel Allen intros the video outside of the remodeled house).


I leave you with this: color footage of the 1939 World Series (the Yankees swept the Reds). The glorious old building looks like a painting in this. Back then, as you'll see, fans were allowed to exit via the field.


Plenty more to be found on YouTube and elsewhere.

Roger Maris Hit an Historic Home Run 50 Years Ago Today

Roger Maris made baseball history on October 1st, 1961 at Yankee Stadium against the Red Sox. His 61st home run passed Babe Ruth for the most in a single season. It was a year in which the stars aligned for Maris, one that he sometimes wished had never happened. It wasn't until later that he appreciated it a lot more.

I'm not sure I've ever seen this video, taken from the broadcast on channel 11 (WPIX). Red Barber makes the professional, low-key call (joined by Mel Allen at the end, not a common thing at the time given that analysts weren't common yet). Of course we've all heard Phil Rizzuto's radio call ("Holy cow! Sixty-one for Maris!"). It's very cool to see the TV broadcast.


Maris was a classy, wonderful man, who died far-too-young, in 1985.

Congratulations, Roger, 50 years later.

And So...

Two-thousand and four happened. There's nothing I can do to ever change it. The New York Yankees blew a three-games-to-none lead in the American League Championship Series. Yankees fans have been hearing about it ever since.

From the perspective of the Boston Red Sox, that ends now.

Done.

The Red Sox blew a nine-game lead in the Wild Card race early this morning. The Tampa Bay Rays - hardly a juggernaut - found a way to come back, capping it off with a 8-7 win tonight over the Yankees in St. Petersburg, after being down 7-0.

Now, don't let the fans tell you otherwise. According to the denizens of The Hub, it's Joe Girardi's fault for not pitching Mariano Rivera tonight, even though it was said that Mo would not pitch tonight because he pitched last night. Even Terry Francona, the classy manager of the Red Sox, said that the Yankees had earned the right to do whatever they wanted.

(Side note: I like Francona, and he should not take the fall for this.  Some of the blame - a lot of it - should go to so-called "wunderkind" Theo Epstein, who made some godawful free agent deals.  I'd take Francona as my manager - happily.)

To the victor goes the spoils. Had the Red Sox wanted to be a part of the postseason, they could have won a few more ballgames, instead of losing six of seven against the Orioles.

The Orioles.

Boston's collapse (and Atlanta's also) is easily as amazing as the Mets meltdown in 2007 and 2008, and, yes, that Yankees choke-job in 2004. Or for those who know their history, the Dodgers gag in 1951, and the Phillies in 1964.

I feel badly for the Sox fans that have a clue. I know many. Sadly their bad apples tend to ruin it for everyone else. I bet the smart ones are being pragmatic right now, despite the fact that they are licking some serious wounds right now.

When steroids talk began to circle around Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, and Roger Clemens, Sox fans were gleeful. Then Manny and Ortiz were suspected (if not outed). Funny how it quieted down.

The same applies now.

The playoffs begin Friday.

Oh, across town, much is being said about Jose Reyes pulling himself out of the Mets' last game so that he could be in position to win the NL batting crown. The way I look at it is that - a) Mets fans have nothing to root for, so who cares, and b) this is hardly a first. I clearly remember Wade Boggs (in his Boston days) hiding behind an injury in 1986 so that Don Mattingly couldn't catch him.

It is what it is. Some fans are outraged. For whatever reason (irrelevancy?), I'm not. The Mets bothered me more by denying the Yankees the opportunity to put their AAA team in Newark, NJ for a year while their stadium in Moosic, PA is rebuilt. I mean...really?

Oh, and for Tampa Bay...how about showing up, fans? Get them a stadium or move them. What a joke. But the Rays will be fun to watch in these playoffs with their pitching.

Again, the playoffs begin Friday. The Yankees meet the Tigers at the Stadium (while I'm on the air calling Greenwich/New London at Cardinal Stadium).  The American League is wide open.  I hope the National League is just as crazy.

God I love baseball.

Wild Baseball...Nothing Like It

A few minutes ago I was on my way to sleep. The Yankees were clinging to a 7-6 lead in St. Petersburg in a game that they led 7-0. The Red Sox and Orioles were in a rain delay in Baltimore.

Things seemed sure that Boston was heading to the playoffs.

Then Dan Johnson hit a two-out, bottom of the ninth solo home run for the Rays to knot that game at seven. They are into extra innings as I write.

The Sox and Orioles have returned from the rain delay. Baltimore has put the first two on base in the last of the seventh, down 3-2.

Oh yeah, and the Cardinals have already won. The Braves, just outs away from forcing a playoff tomorrow, blew the save to the Phillies, and they're in extra innings.

Such is the reason that I will take baseball over anything else. The clock doesn't run out. The pitch has to be thrown, and it really isn't over until...you know.

If the Rays and Sox both win and lose, there's a playoff tomorrow. The same goes for the Cards and Braves.

And so in this most boring of regular seasons, the grand game steps up once again, dusts itself off in the face of its many critics and reminds us why there's nothing like a pennant race, and the playoffs.

A Museum Worth Checking Out

Carrie and I hit the road on Saturday for a trip to The Big E, the great fair held annually in West Springfield, MA. We had a great day, enjoying the food and fun.

Driving back towards New York on I-91, we saw a sign for the Vintage Radio Museum. Now as a broadcaster, amateur historian, and lover of all things radio, this museum seemed like a no-brainer to me. Yet I hesitated, not wanting to bore Carrie to tears.

But Carrie was the one pushing me to go. So we turned around and hurried to the museum, located in Windsor, CT. I was aware of them, having seen them at The Big E before. But we were also concerned that we were arriving at 4:15, and the museum (officially the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut) would be closing at 5:00.

That fact did not deter museum director John Ellsworth, who led us on a lengthy guided tour, never even alluding to closing time for the facility. In fact, we didn't walk back out to the car until 5:45.

Inside, visitors will find a large selection of so many things related to the history of communication. Of course there are plenty of radios to be seen (like a 1961 Mickey Mantle/Roger Maris model that was found in a dump or the vintage Crosley Shelvador refrigerator with a built-in radio!). But there are also old Edison and Victrola phonographs, TV's, a teletype, old computers, a phone booth and various telephone equipment, and more. But WAIT! There's more! How about checking out the Morse Code station, or attending one of their classes where one can learn to build a crystal radio? Learn what exactly it means to be "in the limelight." There's even an on-site production studio. There's also a ham radio room for enthusiasts of amateur broadcasting.

Hopefully, you're not short-changing this museum as purely for "techies." The $7 admission opens you up to a world of items that are available to touch and inspect up close, and if you can get John Ellsworth or one of the other passionate volunteers to take you around, you certainly won't be disappointed. Get Ellsworth to show you the Tesla Coil and see the pure power of electricity.

Plus so much of what they have isn't only authentic, but in working order. Try the old jukebox. Or listen to a radio from 1927. Don't simply turn it on and tune to 1490! As John explained to me, one had to know what coordinates to set the various dials to (that's the radio and paperwork shown at the top of this post).

The people there are extremely knowledgeable. Though Ellsworth himself thought that he was "preaching to the choir" as he told me stories (I never let on that I work in the "business"), he still filled in so many details of things I never knew. After knowing that I was aware of the tragic story of Major Edwin Armstrong, Ellsworth filled in the pieces on the inventor of FM radio.

You don't need to be a broadcaster or have an active interest in radio to enjoy this museum. Plus they have ideas to grow and make it an even better experience, such as allowing visitors to do "mock" TV broadcasts that can be recorded to DVD.

This is a place that, if I lived closer, I would be volunteering at. No question about it.

The Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut is approximately five minutes east of I-91 in Windsor, Connecticut. Go, listen, touch, and enjoy.

An Honor For Bobby Murcer

I saw this from Chad Jennings on the LoHud Yankees Blog. Oklahoma Christian University is opening the Bobby Murcer Indoor Training Facility.

A fine honor for a great man. I'm glad to see he touched the lives of so many others for more than just his on-field play.

A Flashback

I was rolling through some audio tonight for another project (a story for another time) when I came across perhaps my favorite spot - ever. This might not sound like much, but it was a fairly humorous night at the height of WGCH Sports busy days.

I was given a talk show in late 2002. Not a sports talk show, of which I was working on three or four by that point, but a general topic show. So with that in mind, after finishing another "Press Box" show (or whatever we were calling it at the time), we hit the production studio to record a promo. As I recall, I was actually given the name of the show by then-Program Director Don Russell (a fine radio man, RIP) earlier that day on the air.

The idea was to have it be a commercial about a recording of a promo. Mark Rosen served as the "engineer", Sean Kilkelly was the "producer/radio exec", and Tom Pollina was the "cheesy announcer" (listen closely to way he says "maybe even sports"). I made a video out of it, with some pictures taken during that time.


It was one of those ideas that just worked, and I loved it.

Those were some fun times. I listened to a lot of audio, including the ultra-rare collectors' edition: the only promo for the show we did called "Sports Weekly." It's rare because the show had the name changed immediately after the first show as an over-officious exec (or whatever she was) told us we couldn't use that name based on some foolish copyright thing that never existed. So we went back to "Coach's Corner." Yeah...

"The Press Box" soon became the name. I still like that one.

I laughed at so many of these great old spots. If only it was a little easy to store audio and put it on the ol' bloggo.

The Sweetness and Innocence of Sean

Perhaps he'll hate me for posting this some day. But I love this video - shot at my friend Mick and Gretchen's block party back in August. Sean saw the water slide as soon as we pulled up and he was hooked...and barely left it for the rest of the day. I had to get video proof. He even serves as a director!

Look there's a lot of sadness, confusion and such in the world. A few seconds of this child roaring down an inflatable slide brings a proud smile to my face.


If it doesn't make you at least grin, then there might be no hope for you.

Farewell, Old Buddy

I hope friends of mine don't mind that I borrowed a picture from their Facebook page. That's a dog named Scrappy. He wasn't mine, but he was my very dear friend.

He passed away yesterday at the age of 14.

It's not fair. Never is. I mean, we're basically supposed to outlive our pets. Yet sometimes, damned if they don't become closer to us than many family members. Closer than friends. They read our thoughts. They know our moods. They comfort, entertain, and amaze - all with a simple wag of a tail or a nudge of the head.

Yet it's still not fair.

Oh we probably all knew the day was coming. My friends had been suspecting it for some time. But when I saw their son write a brief line about it on Facebook, it hit hard. I hoped - foolishly - that it wasn't true. I thought of calling, but decided it might not be the right time.

Then I came home, and there it was, confirmed.

I've lost pets, of course. Putting my beloved Bandit to sleep after 17 years of companionship was as sad a moment as any. My niece just had to do the same to their Mr. Kittles, one round mound of meowing sound. And of course, Mr. Fred - who still looms large over Sean - just disappeared over a year ago and never came home.

We mourn - and many don't understand. "It was just a dog/cat/goldfish," the naysayers say, as if it was a stale loaf of bread; something that could be just thrown away. Yet there's a more tangible reality to it. Am I supposed to feel foolish because I have tears in my eyes as I type this?

I looked forward to that face at the door every time I visited their home. My friends swore - and bragged - that Scrappy and I were best buds. I loved seeing that Pembroke Welsh Corgi get excited when I strolled in. He'd yip at me, go grab his newest bone or play toy, and we'd be right at it - mock fighting in the living room. He didn't care if I needed to take my shoes off, or if I still had my jacket on, or if the purpose of the visit wasn't necessarily to see him. He wanted my rapt attention - NOW.

There was a belly to rub. A bone to try and steal. Kisses. Petting (and shedding). Lots.

I treasured those moments - this isn't some maudlin "he-was-such-a-sweet-dog" thing.

He was my friend - as loyal and loving as any.

Another dog/cat/whatever can be brought in. And still it's just not the same. Fred, for all his ways, was no Bandit. He just never could be. He was different.

Scrappy was a one of a kind.

You can't replace him.

You sure can't forget him. I know I won't.

Farewell, my friend.

Vin Scully Recalls Some Great Moments

Daniel Riley talked with Vin Scully for the latest issue of GQ. Scully discussed the details of some of his greater play-by-play calls, and other tidbits. As usual, it's a brilliant read.

Linky Dinks Needs to Play Catch Up

So much to do. So little time.

Football is being played literally everywhere else across the USA.

Except Connecticut. Finally, we begin on Friday. I say "we" because, barring anything, I'll be behind the mic again with most of my usual crew (Sean Kilkelly being relegated back to the studio, and my friend handled it with class and grace. Enough said.).

UPDATE: Ummmm...yeah...about that last part? Not so fast. Check your local listings. That is all.

Yet starting Friday is fortuitous for Greenwich High, who probably wouldn't have been able to play a home game any earlier. Cardinal Stadium has been cleared for liftoff (Greenwich Time).

The Department of Public Health held a meeting at Greenwich High School to discuss the soil problems. Neighbor Bill Effros, who pushed for the right to attend, was a no-show (Greenwich Time).

Staying in Greenwich, Charles Costello notes that the High School did a fine job of remembering the events of September 11, 2001.

Anybody hungry? How about a Cardinal Cupcake (Greenwich Patch)?

Politically, Kenn Tomasch feels like I do. Just...done.

From Richmond, VA, great friend Jon brings us two more vintage photos. The first one is of some of the flooding on Broad St from Hurricane Agnes (which would lead Jon and I to a discussion of the good old days of working at Sears in the Jefferson Valley Mall - but I digress). Of note to me...what else? The signs! My road friends will certainly be intrigued.

Jon's second pic is of Boulevard (not THE Boulevard, mind you) at Parker Field - Richmond's ballpark at the time. Funny to see this given what it looks like now.

I have one more link, but it deserves its own entry...

10 Years

Unless you've been living under a rock, this Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. We've written about that day before here.

Since everyone else is commemmorating the day in one way or another, I'm going to let them do the talking. We remember the day, the loss, the chaos, the sadness. We salute those who tried to help by doing their jobs, volunteering, etc. They are true heroes.

We think of New York, Washington, and Shanksville. But we also think of Boston, and everywhere else that was impacted.

We remember. Always.

Ladies and gentleman, here's The Boss, singing a prayer for our fallen brothers and sisters.

An Announcer Site Links to Me!

I got an email from Get Announcer Jobs not too long ago, in which they informed me that they would be linking to my blog on their "Announcer Resources" page. After we straightened out an error that made me laugh*, the link went on their site for all to see.

*They called me "Don" Adams, which my family will laugh at, given that my father was often known by his middle name. No, it had nothing to do with the "Get Smart" actor.

So please do me the favor of visiting their site. Believe me, if it helps me - or anyone else - get a job, then how bad can it be? Especially in this economy!

Of course, those who have read this blog for a long time know that this is not just a broadcasting blog. No - it's not a topic-specific one. But it's still written by a guy who loves broadcasting, loves teaching broadcasting, and still does some broadcasting (including next Friday night).

People Need to Find Better Things to Do

Greenwich Time photo

This is Cardinal Stadium, home of the Greenwich Cardinals for various sports.

Especially football, which begins in just over a week. In fact, the Cardinals are scheduled to play Ridgefield High School at Cardinal Stadium a week from Friday.

(Shameful note: you can hear that game on WGCH, wherever it may be played. We'll get around to discussing the 2011 version of the broadcast crew at a later time.)

Anyway, Greenwich High has a neighbor named Bill Effros. Mr. Effros has long been a critic of the high school, and was the primary voice being heard against installing lights at Cardinal Stadium. He, in fact, made it quite clear that he had money - lots of it - and was more than happy to spend said greenbacks on lengthy and frivolous lawsuits with the intention of stopping those lights from being installed.

I've still never gotten that. Ever. My hometown - Mahopac - has its high school in a residential neighborhood. It has lights. It hosts many night games, including the sectional championships. Other schools are in residential areas. They have lights.

Incidentally, Staples and Darien don't have lights, and probably never will, for the same reasons that Mr. Effros tried to keep them out.

Digressing.

Anyway, it's looking somewhat doubtful that the 2011 season opener will be played at GHS. Neil Vigdor has the details in the Greenwich Time. In Neil's article, Greenwich coach Rich Albonizio is quoted as saying:

"Between me and my predecessor, it's been 40 years and neither one of us has turned green yet"

A fairly innocuous quote, if you ask me. A throwaway line used to indicate that, through a lot of games played at that site, nobody has come down ill - at least not to anyone's knowledge.

This just in...I can think of a broadcaster who has called a lot of events from there. And I haven't turned green!

Well, this got Bill Effros's dollar bills in a bundle. The always solid Greenwich Roundup has his latest invective.

*sigh*

I Can't Think of Freddie Mercury as 65...But He Would Have Been

September 5th would have been Freddie Mercury's 65th birthday. Google (in the UK) chose to remember him with a doodle and a video. Queen's official site remembers him with a video of their own. Rock and Roll misses him. Few had his flair, voice, and overall talent.

The Hold Steady Cover "The Power of Love"

Before we proceed, it appears our friends at Blogger have updated the posting setup. As usual, I tread lightly. Just as I do with any changes to Facebook. Still, I'm more hopeful for Blogger. OK, back on course. I stumbled on this yesterday - a deal in which modern bands are faced with choosing a song from a pre-determined list. The Hold Steady grabbed a little ditty called "The Power of Love." You'll see in the video below that they're, ahem, not exactly fans of the original song, but think Huey Lewis and the News are good guys that can jump on stage and have a good ol' time. Indeed, anyone who has seen Huey with Umphrey's McGee (which they're now occasionally performing together as "Huey Lewis and the rUMors") knows what I'm talking about. Anywho, back to The Hold Steady. Here they are with their cover of HLN's classic tune.
The Hold Steady covers Huey Lewis & The News As one commenter wrote, "Meh." Agreed. I'll stick to the original, and here it is in it's complete six minute, seventeen second glory, though the quality is kind of sketchy. Regardless, watch, listen, and be taken back in time...

If You Haven't Heard...

There's a hurricane coming.

It's a little nere-wracking, to be honest, but all we can do is hope for the best.

From North Carolina to New England. Some 50 million people will be impacted. I wish you all the luck for safety and good health.

I leave you with a non-weather-related Hurricane. Let Uncle Bob Dylan tell the story...

So What Do You Think of This Scully Guy?

The Dodgers used to be looked at as a model organization. Even from their latter days in Brooklyn, the Bums were considered to be first-rate. Then they moved to La-La land and became the image of cool.

Now? What a mess.

TJ Simers, whom we last visited in March, wrote in the LA Times that season-ticket holders at Chavez Ravine are being asked to rate the performance of one of the employees.

One Vincent Edward Scully.

No, seriously.

And believe it or not, there are those who do have another opinion on the Great Scully. Those people should be considered unfriendly, or Communist, and shipped to a detention camp. Stat.

Awful Announcing is where I picked up on this story. They have an email from a dissenter.

I will stop there. I have a hurricane to prepare for.

Time to hear from the man himself. This is a nice interview from 2010:


And a Scully call, as Vin welcomes Brooklyn's own Joe Pignatano to the Major Leagues:

Perspective, Chapter 273,466

Mike Flanagan, Cy Young Award-winning pitcher for the Orioles in 1979, was found dead yesterday in his Maryland home. He was 59.

You know there's more to the story, of course. Flanagan became a top executive in the Orioles' organization, at a time when the O's continue to play less-than inspiring baseball.

Indeed, the Orioles, a once top-rate franchise, haven't sniffed the postseason since 1997, and haven't been in the World Series since winning it all in 1983 (with Flanagan as part of their pitching staff).

So word is beginning to break that Mike Flanagan, a well-liked pitcher and person, one with a quick wit, killed himself because the Orioles were bad during his time as an O's executive.

WBALTV.com has more.

Ugh. Terrible, sad news. Awful.

Don't blame Flanagan for it. Or anyone else. I've long said the Orioles have been a disaster due to their ownership, though today isn't the day for that.

Flanagan had a wife. Three daughters. People who loved him.

Wow. I'm still having trouble wrapping my noggin around this one.

Hug someone. Fast.

Pat Summitt

I once watched a biography of Pat Summitt, the longtime and, yes, legendary women's basketball head coach at Tennessee. Had to be 15 years ago.

I immediately liked her. Her fire, her compassion, her will, all the usual reasons that you've heard.

It's probably easy to dislike Summitt if you're a rival of the Vols. Or if you're from Connecticut.

I'm not.

So it was that yesterday, I sadly read of Summitt's announcement that she has early stages of dementia. Summitt is 59, and without sounding trite of trivial, I hope she can deal with this as best as she can.

Obviously, it's the beginning of an unpleasant fade.

Her friend Sally Jenkins, she of the Washington Post, wrote a terrific article that ran yesterday. It does everything more justice than I can do.

Sh-sh-sh-sh-shaking

The floor shook.

I was eating lunch with my sister, her kids Katie and Conor, my mother, and the legendary Sean Adams. I thought little of it when I felt a vibration - a tremor - under my feet.

I looked at Sean to see if he was being a jumpy nine-year-old. No.

I looked at my sister's feet to see if they were tapping the floor. Nope.

The rest of the family? Expressionless, just eating their lunch.

What the deuce? I put away in my mind.

Of course, the TV was on, but it was the sounds of some dreadful Nickelodeon show coming out of it.

Then about an hour later, I was chatting with Carrie via instant messenger when she said to me, "There was an earthquake in Virginia. We felt an aftershock here!"

I read it out loud...when it hit me.

"I FELT IT!"

My sister's reaction was the same. We both thought the other had been tapping our feet on the floor.

My reporter's brain turned to thinking about Virginia, especially given the epicenter was quite close to Richmond. I checked in my two close friends there: one was at work and said she turned as white as a ghost as the building, only about 20 miles from the epicenter, swayed. The other, our dear friend Jon, was sunning himself with his beautiful family, in North Carolina. I have myriad other friends and acquaintances all throughout the Washington to North Carolina corridor, and they all checked in via Facebook and/or Twitter. Everyone is fine.

The damage seems to be minimal. No lives were lost.

A few grey hairs? Maybe.

All in all, I guess we can simply chalk it up to being a heck of an experience.

OK, More Links (That Means Linky Dinks Returns!)

Our January trip to San Diego was one of best travel experiences of my life. So when I saw this picture on Shorpy of the Whales...oops, it really doesn't mean that (nor was it discovered by the Germans in 1904). Oh, so where was I? Right! This stunning picture of San Diego, taken in 1913 from the US Grant Hotel which, coincidentally, is where Carrie and I stayed.

Besides, nobody really knows what "San Diego" really means, right? Scholars maintain that the translation was was lost hundreds of years ago.

10 Great love songs from 80's movies (Stuck in the 80's)? I don't know, honeslty, but I can tell you that I'm a huge fan of number five!

I also saw this on Stuck in the 80's. Awesome.


This child's life is off to a solid start.


From Vintage Richmond comes...wait for it...BRUUUUUUUUUCE. Mr. Springsteen and his then-band played Richmond a lot, including this show from 1970 with Steel Mill.

Just saw this from Paul Silverfarb at the Greenwich Post. Nice for Ken Kolb - umpiring at some ballpark in The Bronx!

Lastly, from Greenwich comes word that football practice is open at Cardinal Stadium, but that doesn't mean that games will definitely by played there. Stay tuned...

Flashback: Chuck Wagon

I was watching Family Guy tonight, when I saw a reference to the old Chuck Wagon commercials. YouTube helped me find some classic goodness.

George Harrison Documentary Trailer

I hope to have HBO in October to see this. It looks great (directed by some guy named Scorsese).

A Quick Link From Charles Costello

I'll have more links at another time, but I saw this from my friend Chuck Costello and had to post it. I think he does a nice job of summing up the behavior of a lot of folks who think that they're privileged, entitled, or something.

There's a baseball game going on and you just walk through? Really?

Chuck adds more "hit and run" notes in the post, including a mention of Don Imus mourning the passing of his brother, Fred. Chuck isn't afraid to mince words.

Well done.

The First ESPN New York Hall of Fame Class

The voters have spoken, and well, they're not entirely wrong. The first class for ESPN New York's Hall of Fame is:

Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Joe DiMaggio
Mickey Mantle
Jackie Robinson

I got four of the five right when I made my vote. I've spoken about Robinson - wonderful person, social significance, etc. I still would have taken Taylor first, but the voters like political correctness. I like athletics.

It is what it is.

And do we need any further proof that New York is A) a baseball town and B)a Yankees town? Nope.

By the way, in case you're wondering, here are the other first classes from the ESPN cities:

Boston: Larry Bird, Ted Williams, Bill Russell, Bobby Orr, Red Auerbach (I had 4 of 5 and thought Ray Borque was a better choice than Auerbach).

Chicago: Michael Jordan, Walter Payton, Ernie Banks, Dick Butkus, Mike Ditka (I had 4, but Ditka over Hull is OK I guess - shows they don't have as much interest in hockey).

Dallas: Nolan Ryan, Emmitt Smith, Tom Landry, Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach (I voted outside of the box here, and had only 2 right here. I mean...Ryan, Aikman, and Staubach? Really?)

Los Angeles: Magic Johnson, John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wayne Gretzky, Sandy Koufax (five for five). They still should have had Scully on the ballot, and he should have gone in.

Number Five is Alive

It was five years ago yesterday that I finally stepped forward with the idea to do a blog. Spurred on by friends like Sean Kilkelly and Matt Hamilton, both of whom had started blogging, I sat down and wrote the first post as I watched the Yankees break ground on the House that Greed Built. I probably thought about it and waited to hit "publish" on that first post, because it didn't hit until the next morning - at 7:00 on August 17, 2006.

Five years ago today.

Here's that first post, if you've never read it. I hadn't learned how to post pictures, so it's just words and thoughts. Three days later, I explained why I call the blog "Exit 55."

Five years later, much has changed. Yet some things still remain the same.

I'm different than I was in 2006. My life is certainly different (for the better). Sean was four at the time. He's nine now. I have a special person in my life whom I absolutely adore. One who I dropped off at JFK this morning as she set off for LA* to begin pursuing her doctorate. I'm ridiculously proud and excited for her.

*Using an Interstate 5 shield seems appropriate, given her trip to LA, and our likely trip back there in October for a wedding.

I'm still calling Greenwich football (year number 12 begins next month!). A lot can change in five years. And yet...not so much!

I still enjoy doing this. I deal with the struggle of being my own editor, and trying to make the right decisions on what to write. I offer too much yet I don't offer as much as you might think. Just as I am in person, I'm an open book with no poker face.

And yet...not entirely.

I still do this for fun. It's helped make me friends, and occasionally angered or hurt people - never my intention, though I enjoy spirited banter. It's also opened up doors, such as the other blogs that I have written for (and will be writing for ). I'd like to believe that this has been a fun forum. That's the general idea.

People still "yell" at me when I don't post enough. I like that - it's a touch of validation that I've done something right. Something that you seem to enjoy.

As dumb luck would have it, this is post number 1600. It's hard to believe that, based on the statistics that I see, a post about a little place called Oniontown, NY continues to be the most-read piece on this site. Indeed, when one types it in on Google, that post is the fifth site to come up.

So thanks for reading. Stick around. There's still more to be said.

Of course, in five years, music has been a very large part of the blog. The Beatles have probably played the biggest role, from the Paul McCartney concert of 2009 (and arguably the deepest post in the blog's history) to the many Beatles references and videos that I've posted. Today is the blog's birthday.

The blog's Birthday.

Birthday.

That reminds me of a song...

Harry Nilsson Movie (Free to View Online for Limited Time!)

Harry Nilsson is one of those names that, chances are, you might not know. Chances are, then again, that you know his music...


The brilliant "Everybody's Talkin" (used in Midnight Cowboy, of course)



The surreal "Coconut"


The heartbreaking "Without You" (never play this when suffering from romantic heartbreak)


These are merely his most famous songs. Beyond that, he did songs that were used on movie soundtracks, such as the bombastic "Jump into the Fire", which can be found in Goodfellas. The Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie You've Got Mail features four songs performed by Nilsson: "I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City", "The Puppy Song", "Over the Rainbow", and "Remember." Three Dog Nights' famous "One" was written by Harry.

He was friendly was all four Beatles, having Ringo Starr as his best man for his second wedding, and sharing John Lennon's famous "Lost Weekend" with him.

He was also terribly destructive, living a high partying life that ultimately killed him in 1994, at the age of 52.

In short, he had a profound impact on music.

A documentary was recently done on Nilsson's life, called Who is Harry Nilsson (and Why is Everybody Talkin' About Him)? I read this piece by Michael Verity at the WNEW Blog and have watched the film. It's a must-see, if you have any interest in music, rock and roll, history, The Beatles or any of the above.

Dedicate two hours and go here to see it(and quickly, because it's only free for a limited time). They allow you to stop it, and remember where you left off (that's how I watched it).

Let me know if you watched it and if you liked it.

PS, I laughed out loud towards the end, when it was revealed that George Harrison convinced people surrounding Nilsson's grave on the day of his funeral to sing this in tribute.

Who's In Your New York Hall of Fame?

The obvious choice.

ESPN New York, perhaps if only to raise my blood pressure, has decided to put together a New York Hall of Fame.  Theoretically I'm completely into this idea.  All good, no doubt.  It's fun to debate such things.

Andrew Marchand is on the panel of "experts" and says what we all know (or should):  Babe Ruth is the king.  Anyone leaving him off their ballot shouldn't have a ballot.

The 20 nominees are certainly good, but they seem to also leave some players out.  For instance, the only Rangers nominee is Mark Messier, and as I just discussed with good friend Harold, Mess isn't even the greatest Ranger (that would be Brian Leetch).  Messier, as much as I revere him, was at his best in Edmonton.  Mike Bossy is the lone Islander (OK with that).  But it appears that teams with "New Jersey" in their name aren't eligible.  How else can it be explained that Martin Brodeur isn't there?  Yet both the Jets and Giants are represented, albeit lightly, with only Joe Namath and Lawrence Taylor getting a nod.  They play in New Jersey, right?

The Knicks are light as well, with Clyde Frazier and Willis Reed the picks (no Patrick Ewing?).  Nobody from the Nets (who once played on Long Island with a guy nicknamed Dr. J - just saying) was selected.

Boxing got one nominee with Mike Tyson.  No love for Pele, who briefly wowed with the Cosmos.  What about horse racing?  Did Secretariat amaze us at Belmont or was that a dream?

Yes, I see problems here.

Tennis (Arthur Ashe, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, etc) and other sports are ignored completely as well (how about the brilliance of then-Lew Alcindor, playing high school ball, or Chris Mullin at St. John's?).

The list is very baseball-heavy and I get that, as there is no doubt in my mind that New York is a baseball town, and it always has been.  The Mets get Tom Seaver (duh), the Giants bring Willie Mays, Mel Ott, and Christy Mathewson (perhaps the most inspired name on the list - different, for sure).  The Dodgers...Jackie Robinson.  Funny, the song was called "Willie, Mickey and the Duke", yet Mr. Snider is nowhere to be found.

The rest are Yankees: Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Casey Stengel (who also played for the Giants, and managed the Dodgers), George Steinbrenner, Joe McCarthy, and Yogi Berra represent the team that has won 27 championships.

No active players can be included, so Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, etc must wait.

I'm still amazed Ewing isn't in the top 20.  I would have taken him over either Casey Stengel or Joe McCarthy (and no disrespect to both of them, plus Tyson made it over Whitey Ford).

The "experts" by the way, are the aforementioned Andrew Marchand, Rob Parker, Johnette Howard, Wallace Matthews, and Ian O'Connor.  With all due respect, I'm not impressed.  To that end, perhaps the Worldwide Leader could explain their criteria for this, because as I see it, this panel is utterly gutless as they are afraid to be anything other than PC.  Four of the five picked Jackie Robinson for their "Hall of Fame", with only Marchand going against the grain.  In fact, Marchand picked the same five as me:

- Ruth
- Gehrig
- DiMaggio
- Mantle
- Taylor

Look, I get the social significance of Robinson, but that's not what we're talking about here.  I'm talking about greatness - athletic greatness.  To insist on picking Jackie Robinson is to say that you're afraid - period.  I'm not.  I recognize that he is one of the most important FIGURES of the 20th Century, but he is not one of the greatest ATHLETES in New York history.  That's what I thought I was voting for here.

In fact, TWO of these "experts" (Parker and Matthews) picked Robinson and Joe-freaking-Namath!  Again, I get the impact ol' Joe Willie had on professional football, but I also get he wanted to kiss Suzy Kolber.  Are the two intertwined?  Not really, but it says that Namath's impact is more about one game (Super Bowl III) than his career (which, while terrific, often gets overblown).

I tried watching the "experts" videos and they made my hair hurt.  O'Connor simply makes me want to scream, and I'm so freaking sick of him knocking Ruth because he didn't play against African Americans.  HOW is that Ruth's fault?  Besides, there's long been some thinking that Ruth was actually black!  So your mileage may vary.

And Matthews calling LT "a system player?"  Beyond crazy!

Mays was an amazing player.  Robinson was a specimen and a graceful man.  Mantle, is his prime, with better health, was as good if not better than Mays (Mays was a better fielder).  DiMaggio, if not for health issues and the war, was just as good.  Gehrig was a monster.  So was LT (albeit in football).

None of them was Ruth.

This is one of those "I miss 'The Press Box'" moments.

ESPN is doing it for other cities as well (Boston, Chicago, Dallas, LA).  For giggles, I voted on the other cities:

Boston: Ted Williams, Bill Russell, Bobby Orr, Ray Borque, Larry Bird.

Dallas: Ben Hogan, Tom Landry, Byron Nelson, Emmitt Smith, Doak Walker

Chicago: Ernie Banks, Dick Butkus, Michael Jordan, Walter Payton, Bobby Hull (and the fact that they included Harry Caray on their ballot doesn't speak well).

Los Angeles: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Sandy Koufax, John Wooden, Wayne Gretzky (by the way, Chick Hearn is on their ballot but VIN SCULLY ISN'T?  Scully would have gotten my vote over Gretzky.)

My Latest "All Things Next" Post

I've fired off my latest missive to the blog at All Things Next.  It's a quickie, as I try to keep my fellow Yankees fans calm, and remind them to glance at the calendar. 

A Little Hockey on a Summer Day

I saw this on YouTube.  Top 10 playoff soundbites.  Plenty of John Tortorella, of course.  Some others that aren't surprising.  All good for a laugh.


I also got to pondering the question of the greatest goaltender in the history of the Boston Bruins, given their recent Cup (in case you forgot).  See, in New York, that question is not debatable (at least not to me).  Richter, Mike.  Have a nice day.

Just in case a reminder is needed.


In Boston, they can consider Gerry Cheevers, Frank Brimsek, Andy Moog, and so on (and Tuuka Rask!).  But after watching his career, and seeing the clinic he put on this past year, it's hard to argue against Tim Thomas, isn't it? (We need to hear from Doc Emrick)


That's just not fair.

Iconic Album Cover: With the Beatles

The Beatles obviously created many iconic images, including their album covers. Trying to pick a favorite isn't that easy, even considering the greatness that is the cover of Sgt. Pepper. Heck, even "The White Album" is somewhat-iconic.

But really, think about it. Rubber Soul. Abbey Road. Revolver. Those are the most obvious ones.

And, of course, With the Beatles. The WNEW Blog discusses the creation of an awesome picture that has been recreated countless times.

Not bad, Kid

Courtesy of Deadspin, check out this 11-year-old kid calling a Jose Reyes home run.

He's better than a lot of the other dreck out there now!

I can assure you, some team is considering hiring him right now, since he's cheap labor!

I'm kidding, but it wouldn't surprise me!

Crazy Intersections!

Have a look at this article, via Inautonews.com It shows the 10 busiest junctions in the world.

Thanks to Jim K Georges for posting it on Facebook.

Continuing to Move Forward

Stephanie Abrams from The Weather Channel (and NBC) posted a pretty good quote on her Facebook page this morning. I hope she doesn't mind me sharing it here:

“Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, love people who treat you right, forgive the ones who don’t, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it’d be easy, they just promised it’d be worth it.”~Unknown

Holy cow but that quote is so dead on.

There really is no time to wallow in the mire.

The picture above is the result of a fender bender in The Bronx on the Major Deegan Expressway (I-87). I was passing in the left lane, and a young man pulled out of the center and hit me. I wasn't hurt, the people in the other car weren't hurt, we drove our cars away from the scene after settling up, and we really didn't even impact traffic that much. That last note is the reason the accident happened - because there's always a backup at the Cross Bronx Expwy/GW Bridge ramps and people don't know how to merge.

Different rant for another time.

The point is: stuff happens. Life goes on.

We keep moving forward.

Thurman Munson - 32 Years Later

August 2. I think of it every year. I remember it so well.

We lost Thurman Munson 32 years ago today. He was 32 when he died in the plane crash in his beloved Canton, OH (he was born in Akron - next door, and he stayed loyal).

Let's send a little karma to the Cleveland Indians tonight. There's a chance Thurman would have played for them in 1980 (though I still question that). More importantly, a really good friend of mine is a fan of Chief Wahoo and the gang. He could probably use a smile tonight.

Plus they're playing the Red Sox. Thurman would be happy to see them lose.

So would I.

Here's Thurman and his buddy, Mr. Murcer. I've never seen this picture before. I like it.

What's Wrong With Broadcasting (Edition # 1,795,833)

I love the broadcasting biz.  Love, love, love it.

I haven't been on the air (other than my weekly Friday chats with Tony Savino) in months.

I haven't called a Renegades game (my schedule among other things).  No high school action.  No news reporting.  Nothing.  I do the Friday interviews to keep my voice on the air - slightly.

And I continue to be confounded by those who make decisions.  This is not a reflection on my bosses at WGCH (they know I want to be on the air - we're long-overdue to have a sports talk show on).  But it is what it is and, Marconi-willing, the team will be back in a few weeks for Greenwich Cardinals' football.

Over at The Peak (part of the Pamal family of stations, which I've been on via Hudson Valley Talk Radio), those in charge have decided to give the ol' heave-ho to Chris Bro and his "Next" show, which highlighted new music.  In an era in which quality music appears limited (I'm still not sold on Madonna: the Next Generation), "Next" gave listeners a chance to find something new.  I was a fan long before Chris allowed me to write for the Next Blog, which he says will continue.  He also says "Next" will find a new home.  As Chris writes, it could be time to rethink the "Next" format anyway, so he's overall taking the positive, high road approach.

Still, why drop the show?  The Peak has been a solid station for several years now.  They don't do a lot of shtick.  Their morning show is low-key.  That show is shifting from Rob Arrow to Caroline Corley (who still insists on calling the Rolling Stones "the world's greatest rock and roll band").  Caroline - I get it.  It's their nickname.  They're not the Beatles, and they never will be.  So do we need to promo every...freaking...playing of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" or whatever the same way?

I'm teasing, somewhat, if only to bring my blood pressure back down.  I'm told I need to switch to decaf (I'm laughing as I type this).

The Peak hasn't often failed.  They did here.

Staying on my broadcasting rant, I read an interview with Curt Smith, the author who once appeared on "The Press Box" (hey - remember that?) with me to discuss his Vin Scully bio.  Smith, who was very generous with his time that day, has a new book out, called A Talk in the Park.  This book tells anecdotes from the world of baseball broadcasting.

In that interview with Michael Hiestand in USA Today, Smith hits the nail (and the very bane of my existence) on the head:

The problem, Smith says, starts with "obscene fixation with statistics" by the powers-that-be.

In short? BINGO!

In the Gades booth during the Sean Ford years, he and I would hang up some stat sheets - just for the intros of the players. I'd carry a media guides and a few notes. But overall, Sean and I wouldn't dazzle the listener with numbers. Sure it might be fun to reach for an occasional stat of player versus pitcher or something like that, but our bottom line was to report...and keep people listening.

We entertained. We informed. We invited you into the booth.

Once again, allow me to impart the wisdom of the Great Scully:

"Statistics are used much like a drunk uses a lamp post: for support, not illumination."

That might be (no, it is) my biggest beef with the youngins' who have jumped into the various radio booths (and of course TV as well).

And once again, we see where quality flies out the window.

Linky Dinks

I've got a few things for you tonight...and long overdue, if I do say so myself.

Top-notch, world-class friend Jason Intrieri texted me with the news that his friend Charlie Bentley has retired from coaching hoops at Harding High in Bridgeport, CT.  I covered Coach Bentley as a broadcaster against Greenwich.  He was always nice to me.  I wish him well.  Michael Fornabaio takes us from here via the Greenwich Time.

Much fuss over the 30th anniversary of the debut of MTV.  For me, I had to go my friends houses to see it at all.  We didn't get a VCR until 1983, and cable didn't hit the Adams house until spring, 1985.  But I did see my fair share of MTV.

Ken Fang at Fang's Bites has the timeline of the first hour.

The Stuck in the 80's Blog presents the first 10 videos.  Yikes.

Steve Spears via the St. Petersburg Times laments how we want our old MTV.  In an "I told you so" moment, I knew it was over with the debut of "Remote Control."  There were also "Monkees" reruns, and other things that took the channel away from the music.  I liked the music, and the VJ's.  That should have been enough.

Good friend Charles Costello highlights "helicopter parents."  You see them at all levels - even college.  It's scary.

Tom Hoffarth talks about the change from "Versus" to "NBC Sports Network."  And even though we thought the peacock was going away, that doesn't appear to be the case.  Well at least they didn't screw that up.

The very good WFMU blog posted a portion of a book (if it ever gets published) called the Oral History of Hockey Night in Canada.  As they write in a footnote:

This excerpt comes from an enormous undertaking, the Oral History of Hockey Night in Canada, which is currently stalled due to legalities. The content within was culled from interviews conducted for the project in book form for Harper Collins. The subjects were not interviewed for WFMU.

The topic of the post is Bill Hewitt, son of the legendary Foster Hewitt, who never quite seemed cut out for broadcasting, yet carried the family tradition. It is a very interesting read.

One of the things that I enjoy about Jeff Pearlman's work is his many mentions of Mahopac and the local 'hood.  He writes about King Kone, over on route 100 in Somers, NY.  It's been there forever.

Jeff frequently writes about politics.  I absolutely love this post about Barack Obama.  Most people bought into the hype of "change" in 2008.  I called BS then - as I do now..  I felt people were in love with the idea of being "forward thinking", electing an African American to the highest seat in the world.  We were so desperate for anything after the Bush 43 years.  People cried the night he was elected.  Those tears ring hollow now.

Greenwich Fields Have Some Problems

There's a messy issue heating up over at Greenwich High School, as the athletic fields are contaminated!

Maggie Caldwell writes about it at the Greenwich Post.  Apparently Paul Silverfarb was too busy.

(I kid, Paul)

It will be very interesting to see what impact this has on fall sports, which begin, shockingly, very soon!  Football practice is only a few weeks away.  Cardinal Stadium isn't impacted, but other sports will be.

The Concert For Bangladesh

George Harrison helped organize Live Aid before Live Aid.  That is, before the mega concert of 1985, The Concert for Bangladesh was the first example of a rock concert doing good for charity.

It all took place at Madison Square Garden 40 years ago this week - August 1, 1971.

The talent appearing was quite good.  Not only was George Harrison there (and pretty rare to get George to play in concert), but so was Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton (strung out on heroin), Billy Preston and others.  Ringo Starr played in the backing band, but both John Lennon and Paul McCartney declined.

That, dear friends, is a huge pity.  Macca didn't join because he stubbornly didn't want a Beatles reunion, given that they had just parted a year earlier.  Lennon originally said he would play, even though George asked that the shrieking Yoko Ono NOT appear.  John and Yoko apparently fought over this, and ultimately, John passed on the event.

Again, a pity.

Music, please!  Here's the first live performance of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."