FILE - In this Monday, June 1, 2015, file photo, Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez replaces his cap after the singing of the national anthem before the start of a baseball game between the Miami Marlins and the Chicago Cubs, in Miami. The Marlins announced Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, that ace right-hander Fernandez has died. The U.S. Coast Guard says Fernandez was one of three people killed in a boat crash off Miami Beach early Sunday. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File) Death comes calling
This weekend was overflowing with emotion. The good, the bad. The amazing, the numbing. The I-can't-believe-what-I-just-saw to the I-can't-believe-that-just-happened.
It was a weekend when we remembered what makes sports great and lost precious friends who embodied that greatness, not only in sports but in life.
It was an avalanche of everything that carried three overlapping yet completely different good-byes. There was the shocking grief of Jose Fernandez's death in a boating accident, a lost life with such exuberance and promise at the all-too-young age of 24.
There was the extended sadness coupled with the perpetual thanks for the life and legacy of Arnold Palmer, who died Sunday at 87. He was the King, and if there's a Rushmore of athletes that transcended their sport, we'll go Babe, Ali, MJ and Arnold Palmer. He had battled health issues for a while now, but the end is always sudden. And final. That's the real emotion here - the finality. Yes, it sports we embrace the fun and silliness. It ain't over until it's over and all that stuff.
Fernandez was a hero to his people. His energy and enthusiasm represented part of Miami like few connections ever. A Cuban defector with a zest for life and an simply filthy array of pitches, Fernandez was to the Miami people what Rocky was to Philadelphia. He was more than a hero to them. He was one of them.
Eduardo Perez, the ESPN baseball commentator and son of Hall of Famer Tony Perez, detailed a story about the Hispanic community in Miami. When school was in, the parents in and around Miami naturally wanted their young children in bed at a decent hour. Some were around 7, some as late as 8 or 9, but the kids needed rest for the busy school day to come, Perez said, making plenty of sense, especially to those of us who have school-aged kids.
In Miami, there was an exception, however. Perez said there was a 'Jose Day' for the kids, meaning if Fernandez was pitching that night for the Marlins, the kids got to stay up and watch him pitch.
As for Palmer, his reach was much bigger. Beyond a certain group or even sport, Palmer set trends and paved paths that sports stars today are still enjoying and following.
Yes, Babe Ruth was the first American sports rock star, and there was some boxers and Olympians that became national heroes.
Palmer became a global icon, and he was the first true sports marketing ace. Think Jordan and Tiger and LeBron and all these guys who make more money pitching products than baseballs and golf shots. Palmer was not the best golfer ever; he was simply the most important.
Alas.
It continues an awful 2016 when it comes to our sporting legends. We have said good-bye to Pat Summitt and Ali and Gordie Howe and now Palmer. Man, 2016 sucks.
Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) escapes the grasp of Florida's Caleb Brantley (57). The Florida Gators visited the Tennessee Volunteers in a important SEC football contest at Neyland Stadium on September 24, 2016.Weekend winner nominations
The 11-year-old, 4,000-pound monkey that the Tennessee football program set free Saturday afternoon. Wow, how about the Dickensian nature of the two halves the Vols trotted out there? A 21-3 halftime that caused the fans to boo their team and coaching staff into the locker room. And then a 35-7 second-half avalanche that punctuated the preseason dreams we shaped and the killed the Florida domination in a series that has become the very real, very living nature of the angst spilled by normally rational adults on a bunch 18-to-23 year-old kids.
The streak is dead, Johnny Vols Fans. Long live the streak. (Side note: Do you know that there are newborns all across the country, kids who are a day or so old, who know nothing but UT wins over the Gators.)
Vin Scully. We were all winners for getting the chance to listen to Scully, an amazing talent who shared his gift with Dodgers fans - and baseball fans, and sports fans in general - for almost 70 years. Scully did his finally Dodgers home game Sunday, and because some times the sports gods take care of the details of greatness, former Calhoun High star Charlie Culberson hit a walk-off homer to clinch the NL West pennant for the Dodgers. Amazing right? Well, also know that each Dodgers player looked to Scully in the press box that shares his name and tipped his helmet in respect. His response was perfect as delivery and his story-telling: "I'm terribly embarrassed," he said, standing up from his chair with his wife, Sandra, seated behind him. "I was hoping the team would win the game 10 to nothing, and there would be no tension, and it would be a nice, easy day because I have a very, very small, modest contribution on my last day. I have always felt you folks in the stands have been far, far more important to me. You have given me enthusiasm. You have given me young at heart. Believe me when I tell you I've needed you far more than you've needed me. Anyway, I wanted to try and express my appreciation to all the players. God bless them, and to all you folks at the ballpark. It's a very, very modest thing, but I sang this for my wife -- it was a loving gesture. You know the song, the 'Wind Beneath My Wings,' and that's what you are. You are the wind beneath the team's wings, and you are the wind beneath my wings. I know it's modest, I know it's an amateur, but do you mind listening?" And then the place - fans, players, media everyone - went nuts when a video of Scully, 88 years young, singing 'Wind Beneath My Wings' played on the Jumbotron. Dear Lord, please let Scully see a final deep Dodgers' run into October. (And 2016, keep your dang deadly hands to yourself.)
Wisconsin. Man, that was impressive. The Badgers hammered Michigan State - yes, a pick we missed because we ignored Rule 2 in entertainment hunting that says, "Lines that look too good to be true almost always are" - and looked like they belong in the conversation with Michigan and THE Ohio State in a Big Ten battle royal. (Side note: The picks went 3-2 this weekend and stand at 13-7 against the spread this year. That's 65 percent, which is very entertaining to us, but not as entertaining to our entertainment broker.)
Lamar Jackson. He actually may have won the month of September. Know this: Jackson had seven touchdowns Saturday. He has 25 touchdowns in September. OK, simple math tells us that Jackson, the Louisville star quarterback and Heisman frontrunner, has 150 points so far this year. That would rank fifth in the SEC. As a team, right behind all the points Ole Miss (160) has scored and ahead of the points for the Vols (131).
David Ross. The Cubs back-up catcher and fan favorite - dude got seven standing ovations Sunday - helped Chicago win its regular-season finale. Man, some times sports are so cool.
Bonus pick: The Denver Broncos. In a football era in which every gasbag with a microphone (present company included) demands the importance of quarterback play, the Broncos win a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning looking very pedestrian. They let hot shot Brock Osweiler walk to big money in Houston and plug in Trevor Siemian, who threw for four TDs Sunday as the Broncos remianed unbeaten.
Bonus pick, II: You go Derrick Craine. The UTC bulldozer rumbled and barreled his way to 222 yards on 23 carries and two TDs. Want a definition of consistent power? Craine averaged right at 10 yards a carry and his longest run was 35 yards.
LSU head coach Les Miles reacts to a call during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Auburn, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) Weekend losers
Les Miles. And in some ways college football. As we all know by now the LSU Tigers fired Miles after the wild and crazy ending in Auburn's 18-13 win over LSU that included a crazy final second that looked like LSU had won on a walk-off TD pass before it was overturned on replay. (Man, being in the stadium was surreal. And know this: There was a strange, eerie calmness from each fan base before the game as if each group knew a loss would mean breaking up with a controversial coach and would that mean a win? It was weird. And hard to describe.) Miles barely made it back to the sideline for this season, a year that his Tigers started with national championship expectations. The offense was a mess, so now he and OC Cam Cameron are out of work. So it goes and we're sure this will dominate some of our Press Row show today from 3-6 on ESPN 105.1 the Zone. But know this: Les Miles won eight or more games in 11 consecutive seasons; the other coaches in SEC history to do are named Bear, Fulmer & Spurrier.
Almost everyone involved in a meaningful way in the Auburn-LSU game. Man, even this girl who tried to catch one of Daniel Carlson's kickoffs paid the price. Auburn did not score a TD and won the game with six field goals and a failed fourth-down try inside the 2. In fact, someone tweeted that the only three people that could truly excel and run the Malzahn offense are Cam Newton, Nick Marshall and Daniel Carlson. Good times. And then after the game some knuckle head set the new Auburn trees on fire. Man, there's nothing like being an Auburn fan. Seriously.
Georgia. Wowser. What was that? It was 45-0 at Ole Miss before two cosmetic Bulldogs touchdowns. Now comes a date with the higher-than-ever Vols.
Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Jets QB, who is on a one-year deal as league GMs are wondering whether he can be the guy to lead a franchise, had an awful Sunday. He's the first QB to have six picks and no TDs in a game since 1989. (Some dude named Tom Tupa did it for the Cardinals.) Fitzpatrick had three red-zone picks in the span of five throws Sunday; he had three picks in his previous 192 attempts. Ugh. It was the worst day of a really bad day for QBs, including Carson Palmer, who needed 50 pass attempts to get to 287 yards with no TDs and four picks. Gross. Where's Trevor Siemian again?
Taylor Lewan. Dude, get control of yourself. The Tennessee Titans offensive tackle got a stupid and painful personal foul penalty after a monster completion put the Titans inside the Raiders' 5 with less than a minute to play. It derailed a comeback attempt in a 17-10 loss.
Bonus: Dustin Johnson melted down Sunday and his 3-over round - coupled with a great comeback by Rory McIlroy - cost Johnson the Fed Ex Cup. it also likely cost him golfer of the year and a $10 million bonus. Hey, at least Paulina Gretzky is a smokeshow.
Bonus II: The Notre Dame coaching staff after Duke dropped 38 on the Irish in South Bend. Defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder was fired Sunday.
This and that
- Monster win for the UTC. Russ Huesman will join us at 3:10 today on Press Row.
- Major ups to McIlroy for winning the Fed Ex Cup. It looked like the McIlroy of a few years ago.
- For what it's worth, my fantasy team sucks socks.
- Lost in the craziness of the college football weekend was the fact that Ed Orgeron was promoted to lead LSU for the rest of the season. Yep, that Ed Orgeron, who now has head coaching (interim) stints with USC and LSU. Tell 'em 'bout it JoJo.
- For those wondering all the divisions in the NL have been clinched with the Nationals, Cubs and Dodgers locking up postseason spots. The Rangers have clinched the AL West. Here are the standings.
Today's question
Sad day. Don't really want to discuss somebody's birthday or history all that much. We can kick around your nominations for weekend winners and losers.
As for a Rushmore, let's go with the Rushmore of potential Hall of Famers who died far too young. Len Bias is far left, and Jose Fernandez makes a case for inclusion. As does Sean Taylor, the former Redskins safety.
Who else you got. (And tell someone you appreciate them today. Life is too short.)