Let’s handle some business first.
Rushmore of Nick. Saban, St. Nick, nick of time and Bernard King, who is my all-time favorite Knick.
Rushmore of great TV shows that became truly unwatchable – “Happy Days,” “Cosby,” “All in the Family,” and “Andy Griffith.”
Who is on the PBS Rushmore: Mister Rogers, Julia Child, Bob Ross, Big Brewer.
Rushmore of best TV best friends – Andy and Barney, Fred and Barney, Lucy and Ethel, Laverne and Shirley.
You know the rules. Here’s Paschall with an update on the success of the UT corners.
Let’s get to the bag.
From Patrick
I hope somebody in LA appreciates the job Dave Roberts did in the postseason. Watching him manage that pitching staff reminded me of Terry Francona in 2016, when he had nothing left for a staff but still managed to manage circles around the very overrated Joe Maddon. He just ran out of bullets.
Roberts was amazing in piecing together enough of his very good bullpen arms with what was left of his starting staff to get his team to the finish line.
And how good are the Dodgers going to be next year with Glasnow, Buehler, Fried, Ohtani and Yamamoto getting the ball every five days?
OK, Braves fans, lament Freddie’s departure all you want. He ain’t the reason the Braves didn’t go farther (further? Can’t ever remember which one it’s supposed to be). The putative Cy Young winner got an ow-ie. Mr. Brittle broke down at the wrong time. And the Braves had no pitching left. It showed.
So what do you have ready for the trick-or-treaters on Signal?
Patrick
Surprisingly low turnout last night. We did Reece’s and KitKats and some Skittles packages.
Roberts did a great job with this team and secured his place not only in the Dodgers dugout, but quite possibly in Cooperstown.
He has the most important stolen base in MLB history and now has two titles as a manager.
And who is going to topple the Dodgers in the foreseeable future, especially if/when they continue to spend.
(Side note: The height of irony is the fact that the Yankees fans are complaining that the Dodgers may make a run at a starting pitcher and even at Juan Soto. The big-budget Yankees crying foul when another team starts overpaying every off season is hilarious.)
Question for the group: Is this the start of a dynasty in LA?
From Spy
I stood at a urinal next to Don Sutton back in ’91 right before the All-Star break. Right before the Braves started that great second half run. Sutton really doesn’t get his due for his career.
John Smoltz is good on the broadcasts. But man, how good would Frenchy be in that World Series booth, too?
Columbus was OK. His sense of direction, though. You’d have thought he was a woman driver.
Spy
Jeff Franceour is very good in the booth, but Smoltz is next level good.
With that said, I was not a fan of Sutton as a broadcaster, but you’re right about his pitching career.
And while we’re discussing broadcasters, we have to tip the visor to Bob Costas, who has retired from doing MLB play-by-play.
He was excellent on baseball. Can be over-the-top at times and not sure anyone loves them some Costas more than Costas loves Costas, but props on a 44-year run as a guy who is one of the all-time voices of the sports.
From Steeler Fan
Hey Jay,
Just downloading a pet peeve today. Why do sports journalists insist on calling professional athletes “kids”? I hear it all the time with comments such as “this kid just needs to grow up” or “he’s not a bad kid.” Just this morning, an ESPN commentator called Colts QB Anthony Richardson a “kid” three times in three minutes. Richardson is a lot of things, but he’s not a kid. At 6-4, 245 lbs, Richardson, 22, is unarguably a “grown a– man.”
Oh, and while I have the floor, I’d like to remind everyone to STAY OFF MY LAWN!!
Signed Steeler Fan, age 66.
Steeler Fan
First, major props to your crew because they look dynamite, and their success is generating a ton of praise – and rightly so – for Coach Mike Tomlin.
What a culture he has built in Pittsburgh. Down right Steel-y, in fact.
As for the kid stuff, I 100% understand what you’re saying, and man, did we hear more than a little bit about Anthony Richardson’s tap-out this week.
He’s 22, and a full-grown fella, as you said. I wonder if they are using “kid” as a euphemism rather than saying he’s immature.
The thing that is most glaring and has gotten little traction is how inexperienced Richardson is by QB standards at the highest levels.
It may explain a lot of the young QB struggles we’ve seen in recent years for a lot of these guys.
But what do I know? I’m a 54-year-old child. Ask my wife.
(I kid. Mostly.)
From PHill
I more than likely would not watch those Tuesday-Wednesday games unless I had a few dollars on them. Thanks for all your help.
PHill
No, thank you for reading and for your time.
I feel the same – the midweek games are not what I would describe as must-see matchups – as you do.
Until Thursday – fat bagel-and-3 – we had been rolling along pretty good this week with the picks.
Fingers crossed heading into the weekend, and know this: The 5-at-10 clan needs Army to handle its business from the jump Saturday.
From Jeff
Have you had the pleasure of motoring the Tim Kelly Corridor yet? Coming from the Market Street side, I had to use WAZE to figure out the new lane undulations. This is such a knee-jerk and complete overreaction to a one-time tragic event caused by a moron in a road rage incident.
I don’t recall Frazier ever being known as a speed area, and yet this is a drastic change and goes all the way to the Veterans Bridge intersection. Heck, the nonsynchronized lights and jay walkers always kept things in check.
If a biker ever arrives, he will be welcomed to ultra-wide, 2-way lanes where once pesky autos used to roam. While the Traffic Department is down there, how about making the No Left Turn sign from Market (at the Walgreens) to Frazier more visible. It gets dangerously run all the time. I guess they figure the newly formed delays on Frazier will discourage that on its own.
Jeff
Went by there just the other day and this was my thought: Man, if Kelly had another few years, we’d be down to one “Cars only” lane winding through downtown and the North Shore.
We lived on Frazier before moving to Signal – loved that house and that location – and can’t imagine having to deal with all that congestion on a daily basis.
Have a great weekend, friends.