Let's do the Derby people
If you did not hear horse-racing guru Barry Abrams on Press Row on Tuesday, well, go to espnchattanooga.com and listen. It's worth your time.
Abrams likes Omaha Beach, and a lot of people do.
I, of course, asked him if you are rooting against Omaha Beach does that make you anti-American? (I also asked if you pick Tax does that make you a socialist?)
And with the Derby, we of course welcome in The Doing the Derby - Not a Roller Derby - Derby (Derby optional).
The rules are easy. Pick the winner and pick the absolute loser.
That's it. Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy.
Here's the field with odds as of this morning:
Omaha Beach 7-2
Roadster 7-2
Improbable 5-1
Maximum Security 6-1
Game Winner 7-1
Tacitus 14-1
By My Standards 14-1
War of Will 16-1
Code of Honor 18-1
Vekoma 20-1
Spinoff 25-1
Win Win Win 25-1
Anothertwistafate 40-1
Haikal 50-1
Long Range Toddy 50-1
Cutting Humor 60-1
Tax 60-1
Bodeexpress 100-1
Country House 100-1
Gray Magician 100-1
Master Fencer 100-1
Plus Que Parfait 100-1
Signalman 200-1
Sueno 300-1
Who's in? And if you enter and your horse WDs, you can resubmit.
Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) warms up as the basketball team's practiced during the NBA Finals, Wednesday, June 7, 2018, in Cleveland. The Warriors lead the series 3-0 with Game 4 on Thursday. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)Warriors/Rockets
OK, this is our first true NBA segment in a while.
Yes, Stunt will accurately point that LeBron fan bois such as yours truly could easily cut out on the last two months of the NBA because the LeBrakers LeStunk.
But I was not the only one.
Through Sunday, only nine of the 43 playoff games that could be compared to last year had ratings increases. Of those nine, five have involved the Warriors, including Sunday's Game 1 of Warriors-Rockets, which was the most-watched first- or second-round series game since 2012.
Which brings us to last night's Game 2 of Golden State-Houston and the important details from that.
First, the Warriors have the feel of LeBron at the height of his powers, those old Bulls teams in the 1990s and Magic's Lakers. Right when we think they have cracks or can be toppled they flex and fight and remind us, "Oh yeah, they're the Warriors. Of course they are up 2-0."
In truth, that may be the sneaky subtle defining characteristic of dynastic greatness.
Think of the Alabama teams or the Patriots or any of those basketball teams above - and yes, LeBron's run to nine straight Finals is dynastic. (Side question: Why is the adjective dynastic so much more fun to say than just plain ol' noun dynasty? Discuss. Side question on the side question: If we had to rank the prime-time regular TV old-school soap operas, we think Dallas is Jordan, but is Dynasty or Beverly Hills 90210 LeBron? And what other night time soap is in the discussion?)
Any well, the Warriors have limped through the season, simultaneously shrugging or slouching their shoulders at free agency questions or dry shooting spells.
And like it or not, Kevin Durant is simply unstoppable right now. He's taller than every perimeter player who will try to guard him. He's quicker than every big he matches up against. And he shoots as well as anyone.
Good luck with that.
The final Tuesday night - Warriors 115, Rockets 109 - leave a few takeaways.
> Yes, Warriors lead 2-0, but this still has the feel of a seven-game series. And the NBA and its broadcast partners would love, Love, LOVE for a Sunday, May 12 Game 7 of this puppy. Game 3 is Saturday in Houston and that joint will be jumpin'. Side question: Joint is jumping' - old-guy saying, classic saying or nonsensical? Because I'm too old to say the place will be lit or whatever else. 'Dro, can we get a ruling here?
> Speaking of conspiracy theories, for all the hubbub about the officials - when was the last time a referee or umpire was trending by name BEFORE a game like Scott Foster was before Tuesday's Game 2 - last night was relatively controversy free. Well, other than actual basketball things like James Harden and Steph Curry fighting through unfortunate ailments. (Harden had terrible troubles with his eyes; Steph dislocated a finger.) It was about the basketball, and that - across all sports was especially refreshing for this viewer.
Finally, and we are committed to having more gambling tweaks and angles around these parts in the coming days, weeks and months, but this may be a contender for the bad beat Hall of Fame. OK, the line last night was Houston plus-5.5 and the total was 222. Let's review the final few seconds. With 11 seconds left, Warriors leading 113-104 and KD at the line, the under felt pretty safe and the Warriors felt pretty solid too. Well, KD misses the free throw, Houston rebound, outlet and an Austin Rivers' 30-footer with 5.2 left makes it 113-107 and nooooooooow it's getting close for bettors on all sides. Remember, it's Warriors -5.5 and over/under 222. Golden State inbounds and Steph Curry turns it over. A Harden dunk makes it 113-109 remember the numbers gang with 3,0 left. Being a two-possession game and only three seconds left, you could understand if Houston just waved the white flag, with the game hitting the over/under on the number and Houston backers winning with the +5.5 line. But..Harden fouls KD, who swishes both free throws to push the total over (with seven points in the final 5.2 seconds) and Warriors to cover.
Giddy-up.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill has been suspended from all team activities after a domestic violence investigation involving him was reopened.A terrible Hill
Because of the draft one of the worst NFL stories since Ray Rice was somewhat buried over the weekend.
If the audio that came out during the draft is accurate, then I hope Tyreek Hill - a multiple offender mind you - never gets another chance to play in the NFL.
And yes, the NFL in the morality BID-ness is a slippery slope, but if these allegations prove true after he pled guilty to beating his current wife when they were dating - including punching her in the belly when she was pregnant - dude is out of chances in my mind.
The audio accusations and conversations that more than imply his abuse of this 3-year-old - an NFL player punching anyone in the stomach, never mind a toddler - are disgusting. Put his tuckus under a jail somewhere.
That said, if the latest details of this story - found here - are accurate, then here's praying someone helps that child sooner rather than later.
The latest wrinkle is Hill's wife and that baby's momma - the woman he abused in college who stuck with him - was passed out at 5 p.m. while she was home alone with the boy.
Hill, who was at a hotel because of a restraining order to protect the child and watched it through security camera, called 9-1-1.
Dear Lord, what kind of parents are these people?
Man, I know it has been said many times before - including this great soliloquy from Keanu Reeves (OK, if you had the phrase "great soliloquy from Keanu Reeves" as a shocking 1000-to-1 bet in today's 5-at-10, please visit the pay window and remember to tip your servers) from Parenthood but it rings especially true this morning.
Reeves as Tod: "You know Mrs. Buckman, you need a license to buy a dog or drive a car, hell you can get a license to catch a fish but they will let any butt-reaming (bleep)hole be a father."
Amen.
(And for those interested, Parenthood maybe on the underrated and most rewatchable non-action, non-sports movies ever, right there with Almost Famous, Breakfast Club and The Princess Bride in the drama dies category. Thoughts?)
This and that
- And while we are here, the Parenthood cast is pretty amazing front to back when you look at it.
- Here's our man and TFP ace sports columnist Mark Wiedmer continuing his torrid streak of work done well.
- Wow, we are running wicked late. Braves played; Braves lost. So it goes long season and you have to trust it.
- If I had guns like Christian McCaffery's I would not own a shirt with sleeves. That is all.
- OK, we have mentioned this before in terms of value of on-air sports personalities, but this is more true than ever. There are only two sports TV personalities/teams that consistently draw viewers because of the people rather than the games. Tony Romo is that guy in terms of in-game play-by-play. And Chuck Barkley and the rest of the Inside the NBA team on TNT is 100 percent that. And this exchange last night when Chuck got Shaq really, Really, REALLY ticked off is classic. And so much fun.
Today's questions
Which way Wednesday.
Which race would you rather attend, the Kentucky Derby, the Indy 500, the Tour de France or the Daytona 500?
Which sports personality/commentator is more valuable, Chuck Barkley or Tony Romo? (If you think you have a third, speak up now or forever hold your peace. Side question: If you are angry, should that be speak up now or forever hold your piece, in reference to a possible side arm?)
As for today, it's May 1.
Happy May Day.
If we had a Rushmore of May, "May the Force Be with You" is a first-ballot pick right?
Citizen Kane debuts on this day in 1941. Citizen Kane overrated/underrated? I lean toward the former.
Batman debuted in his first comic book on this day in 1939.
The Empire State Building opens on this day in 1931.
And it has nothing to do with this day, but the Parenthood reference earlier made me wonder: Which way would you go on a Keanu Reeves Rushmore? Discuss, because even as a side character, Parenthood makes it.
Go and remember the Derby contest.