Contributed photo by Kathleen Greeson / A shot of the rare meteorological phenomena known as the green flash that occasional happens around sunsets or sunrises.CAPE SAN BLAS, Fla. - OK, we're still in the Gulf (again) for Fall break. So it goes.
Above is a picture from the Mrs. 5-at-10 at sunset. I had heard of the optical phenomena that is a green flash of light at sunset but never seen it before Sunday night, when she caught it on film. Side question: Can we say "caught it on film" in a day and age when everything is digital? Discuss. And side note that's tangent to the side question: If the answer is no to the film reference, every football coach everywhere who says we need to look at the film will need to be reprogrammed.
Any well, the green flash is cool huh?
We also will try to move more quickly today. But you know how that goes.
So with the breeze whistling and the waves crashing, from the satellite offices off of 30E in Florida, let's do this.
Braves big bats and a legit No. 1
Anyone else have any questions about whether Max Fried fits the bill as an ace?
We'll wait. In fact, we'll counter with the famous "Bueller? Buehler?" line that has multiple applications this morning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zyjLyBp64
Couple of important details from Atlanta's 5-1 Game 1 win over the Dodgers in the NLCS:
> Fried was simply dominant. Six strong innings with nine Ks and a solo homer as the lone blemish. Dude makes 95-plus look simply effortless and he has multiple pitches. And maybe most importantly in a possible seven-games-in-seven-days series, getting through six and getting to the bullpen in a fashion to maximize their order and their roles was critical. KEY-ritical.
> Speaking of the bullpen, how about nine-up, nine down for the close out firm of Martin, Smith and Melancon, esq.? (Side question: That's a pretty strange way to spell a name pronounced Mel-Lance-Son, no?) More impressive from the Braves relievers, nine batters, nine outs or 36 pitches and 28 strikes? Discuss.
> Speaking of relievers, for a team spending close to $300 million on its roster (in normal years with 162 games) the back end of the Dodgers bullpen is garbage.
> While we are here, we likely will be proven wrong again by Alex Anthopoulous, who is again looking like a wizard for not pulling off a trading-deadline deal, but know this AA: Braves fans everywhere have fallen hard for Marcel Ozuna. Hard.
Game 2 is tonight at 6 p.m., and the Braves have quickly grabbed the upper hand and most importantly put all of the pressure of the boys in blue.
Tuesday night football
OK, again, we are going to move quickly, and it's rare that a team takes control of the top spot simply by doing nothing. But that happened with the Packers, who moved to the top as the Chiefs got Grudened by the Raiders. Vegas, baby. Vegas.
Plus, the power poll will be swayed with tonight's match-up of unbeaten Titans and unbeaten Bills on Tuesday night.
Wait. What did I just type? And which of these phrases is the most surreal: "unbeaten Titans" or "unbeaten Bills" or "on Tuesday night" from the above paragraph?
Sure, we're only on Week 5, so anyone being unbeaten at this point is not an extreme surprise. But a Tuesday night game? It's happened in the NFL exactly twice since 1946.
But if it was a regular thing, would we watch? Or would the league threaten to overload the football appetite - especially for a game that is outside of the regular football calendar, which is something to which the creature off habit that is the football fan has become accustomed to and upon which we rely?
And while the league has told reporters that a regular Tuesday night football portal is not being discussed, but with the knowledge that an extra regular-season game will be scheduled in 2021 and it will come with an extra bye week, the added portal could mean more than $1 billion to the league.
Wowsers.
To the actual power poll
We're beyond the quarter poll of the NFL season, and what do we know?
We know that Aaron Rodgers is really good at tackle football. We know that Corona will continue to keep the schedule-makers busy, confused and downright frustrated.
We know that Arthur Blank finally did the right thing and pulled the plug on the Quinn quagmire.
And we know that Dak Prescott lost tens of millions of dollars Sunday. Get well soon Dak.
And we know it's Tuesday, which means True or false year round and the NFL power poll in the Fall. So like the firemen in the movies when the bell rings, to the poles gang.
Powerful
1 Green Bay. The Packers are unbeaten and they are about to get their best WR back. Again, wowsers. Now comes a Sunday showdown between Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. Yes please.
2 Seattle. Wow, DK Metcalf is a dude gang.
3 Pittsburgh. If the Steelers find an offense that can win the occasional shootout, they are going to be a tough out.
4 Kansas City. Yes, getting carved up David Carr is troubling. Being unable to protect Patrick Mahomes against a mediocre Raiders pass rush is downright nightmarish.
5 Buffalo. Yes the Titans can really make a statement tonight amid all the distractions and hubbub. But we're on the Bills for a slew of reasons. Tonight will be a national platform for Josh Allen to either fly or croak.
Powerless with a slew of question marks, understandably.
28 Cincinnati. Did Joe Burrow have a better supporting cast last year at LSU than this year in Cincy?
29 Washington. Is there anyone anywhere not ready to vote for Alex Smith as comeback player of the year? If so, you are a rotten human being.
30 Atlanta. Falcons officially entered the head coaching race, but will they enter the Tank for Trevor sweepstakes and cut bait with Matt Ryan?
31 New York Giants. Talk about competitive, even to the bottom, the Giants see the stinkiness of the Jets and had to ask, "Yeah but can you lose to Andy Dalton?" Checkmate?
32 New York Jets. If you are Eric Bieniemy, do you turn this job down?
This and that
- Speaking of Tuesday night football, we do have a couple of Intimidator Pool swimmers on the Bills tonight. So it goes, and man, a few of you cats were sweating the outcome of Sunday night and Monday night. We'll post those still taking laps Wednesday. Deal? Deal.
- Speaking of a little gambling, did you see the bettor who put a $1 on a 20-leg golfing parlay over the weekend and cashed almost $700 grand? Yeah, that's winning the weekend.
- You know the rules. Here's Paschall with a story on Chas' Wildcats and the real possibility that this bunch could be 3-0 rather than 1-2. And here is Paschall on UGA's quarterback at law, everyone's favorite Stetson, that is not a hat, a Florida university or a relatively inexpensive cologne option. And here is his stats on Alabama's offensive run of high octane outputs.
- Been a tough year for baseball all-timers, no? Tom Seaver. Bob Gibson. Whitey Ford. Now Joe Morgan, who died on Monday. I asked this on Twitter, but for those of us from a certain generation, Morgan was on the short list of MLBers who we frequently emulated their batting style. Morgan, and his hyperactive bouncing of his back elbow, was there with Pete Rose's squat and Pops Stargell's big looping pre-pitch loops.
- Rays lead Astros 2-0. A) Rays are legit good. Kudos for the way a team with a payroll $30 million below league average for being two wins from the Series. (League average prorated over the shortened season is $59.44 million. Of the final four teams left, the Dodgers are second in the MLB at $107.9 million, the Astros are fourth at $82.53 million, the Braves are 14th at $63.1 million and the Rays are 28th at $28.3 million.) And B) is anyone cheering Astros, other than the folks related to the Astros or employed by the Astros?
Today's questions
True or false, it's Tuesday.
True or false, in this day and age of every one throwing 95-plus, Greg Maddux would not be as good in today's game.
True or false, we will see Tuesday night NFL games scheduled in the near future.
True or false, Avery Bradley should get a championship ring from the Lakers.
As for this day, well, Jerry Rice is 58 today.
Rose McGowan accused Harvey Weinstein of rape on this day three years ago, which in a lot of ways started the #MeToo movement.
Paul Simon is 79 today. Rushmore of musical duos. Does the combo of Paul and Art make it?
Go and enjoy the day.