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05/25/2017

Cleveland Restores Order

[Posted Wed. a.m.]

Indy 500 Quiz: Easy one, but stuff every “sports fan” should know.  1) Who are the only three four-time winners?  2) From 1927-2000, only one rookie won the race and it was the 1960s.  Who was it?  3) This is the 45-year anniversary of a driver from my home town of Summit, N.J. winning the race. Who was it?  Answers below.

NBA Playoffs

--Golden State wrapped up its series with San Antonio in four, 129-115 on Monday, with Kawhi Leonard sitting out a third straight game as the Spurs didn’t want to risk a more serious injury for their superstar, knowing they had zero shot against the Warriors without Kawhi at 100%.  It didn’t help that fake star LaMarcus Aldridge disappeared with his second eight-point effort against the Warriors when the team needed him most.

For Golden State, Kevin Durant had 29 on 10 of 13 shooting and Stephen Curry had 36, the Warriors becoming the first team in NBA history to start off the postseason 12-0.

As for the status of coach Steve Kerr, dealing with excruciating back pain, it seems doubtful he will return for the Finals as assistant Mike Brown continues to guide the team in his absence.

--But in Cleveland, last Sunday night, after I had posted Bar Chat, the Celtics pulled off a big upset, 111-108, with LeBron James having his worst playoff game in memory, just 11 points (including a scoreless fourth) on 4 of 13 shooting from the field. I mean after Friday night’s 130-86 demolition of Boston, who would have predicted this?

It was the fourth-lowest scoring playoff game of LeBron’s career, spanning 210 postseason games, and it ended a run of eight straight with at least 30 points.

“Me personally, I didn’t have it.  My teammates did a great job of keeping us in the game, building that lead.”  [Kyrie Irving had 29 of 10 of 15 shooting, Kevin Love 28 and 10 boards.]

Marcus Smart lit it up for 27 for the Isaiah Thomas-less Celtics, largely on the strength of 7 of 10 from three.

Star guard Thomas is missing the rest of the postseason after re-injuring his right hip.

Meanwhile, Boston won this game down the stretch thanks to the coaching of Brad Stevens.  In the final minute, the Celtics called three timeouts and they scored after each one on plays drawn up by their brilliant young leader.

So on to Tuesday and Game 4.  With Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue inexplicably leaving in LeBron James with three fouls, about 8 minutes left in the second quarter, James picked up his fourth at the 6:46 mark, the first time in his career he had four fouls in the first half.

But thanks to Kyrie Irving, who had 18 points in the half, the Cavs stayed close, down ‘just’ 57-47 after two.

James then came back, played great, Irving was spectacular in the third, hitting 9 of 10 from the field for 21 points, and Cleveland outscored Boston 40-23 to lead 87-80 after three quarters. Game over.

LeBron and Kevin Love took over in the fourth, the Cavs won 112-99, and order was restored.  Irving finished with a playoff career-best 42, LeBron had 34 after his poor effort on Sunday, and Love had 17 and 17 rebounds.

Cleveland was on the ropes, but aside from the Boston ‘D’ not showing up in the third, it was about Irving and James.  But I still can’t believe the decision to leave LeBron in in the second.  Lue is one lucky guy.

--Jerry Brewer of the Washington Post...on the bellyaching over Golden State’s and Cleveland’s dominance this postseason.

“Every eight to 12 years, one or two transcendent figures will emerge and make parity difficult. There’s always a Mikan, a Russell or an Abdul-Jabbar.  There’s always a Bird, or a Magic or a Jordan.  There’s always a Shaq, or a Duncan or a LeBron.  And they always find a way to partner with another legend or two, and that’s when the mass championship-collecting begins....

“In NBA history, the Boston Celtics (17) and the Los Angeles Lakers (16) have won 33 of the 70 titles, nearly 50 percent.  Twelve current franchises haven’t won a title.  Seven of them haven’t even made a Finals appearance.

“Let’s compare it to baseball, another 30-team league, which has heard louder complaints in the past about competitive balance.  The top two title-hogging franchises, the New York Yankees (27) and St. Louis Cardinals (11), have combined to win 38 of 112 World Series crowns, a little more than one-third of them.  Six current franchises haven’t won a title.  Two of them haven’t made a World Series appearance: the Seattle Mariners and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals.”

--The NBA mock drafts are arriving fast and furious, and it’s clear the Celtics are taking Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 pick, unless they trade it, while the Lakers will be going with Lonzo Ball.  Malik Monk seems to be rising, and a draft by Chad Ford of ESPN has him going to the 76ers at 3.

Ford’s draft has the Knicks taking point guard Dennis Smith with the 8th selection.  [De’Aaron Fox at No. 5 by Sacramento.]

I’ve now seen a few drafts that have Wake Forest’s John Collins going No. 15, which would be Portland.

--Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter spoke to the press in New York on Monday after his “scary” experience overseas.  Kanter said he has been getting death threats for his opposition to Turkish President Erdogan and he told reporters he wants American citizenship, saying, “I feel like this is my home now.”

What I didn’t realize is that Kanter was in Indonesia for his charitable foundation when his manager told him Turkey wanted to know his whereabouts.  So they hopped on the first flight to Singapore, and then Romania, where officials detained him because Turkey had revoked his passport.  Eventually he was allowed to leave and ended up back in New York.

I only knew he had been detained in Romania.  That would be scary as hell to hear while you’re traveling that your government is looking for you, when you know it’s for the wrong reasons.

Kanter was born in Switzerland but is a Turk through his parents.  He has been playing in the United States on a green card, but is hoping authorities speed up his request to become an American citizen.

Stanley Cup Playoffs

--Monday, the great fans in Nashville saw their Predators advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for a first time with a 6-3 win at home over Anaheim to take their series 4-2.  The city is pumped, and duly so.

--Tuesday, after being mauled 7-0 by the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Sunday, the Ottawa Senators went home and came away winners, 2-1, to force a Game 7 in Pittsburgh on Thursday.  Doesn’t get any better than that.

Granted, Ottawa-Nashville would be a ratings nightmare for NBC, with Pittsburgh-Nashville not much better, but I prefer the former.

MLB

--The Yankees defeated the Royals 4-2 on Monday as Michael Pineda improved to 5-2, 3.35 ERA, in allowing 2 runs in 6 1/3.

Pineda has been one of the pleasant, and necessary, surprises if the Yankees were to be a playoff threat in 2017.  They needed consistency from him, something he is hardly known for, but in his last 8 starts since getting rocked Opening Day, Pineda has yielded no more than 3 earned in any of them, though he hasn’t made it to seventh in his last 6.

But the Royals (19-26) won Tuesday 6-2 as the Yankees fell to 26-17.

--The Mets whipped the Padres 9-3 in Citi Field Tuesday as Matt Harvey was far from impressive in his five-inning stint, but it was enough to pick up the win, thanks to Michael Conforto, who it is safe to say has now officially “arrived,” the outfielder with three more hits, two homers, and four RBIs out of the leadoff spot.

So, New York baseball fans, who is better these days?

Conforto, 24, in 129 at bats, is batting .333 with 13 HRs and 31 RBIs, plus a 1.138 OPS, 5th in the league.

The Yankees’ Aaron Judge, 25, in 146 ABs, is 15-30, .315, 1.104, 2nd in the A.L.

The next five years, at least, could be pretty special in these parts following these two.

--Tuesday, the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw hooked up with the Cardinals’ Lance Lynn and Kershaw went 9 innings, 1 run, 0 walks, 10 strikeouts, but Lynn matched with 8 innings of 1-run ball and we had to wait until the 13th inning for L.A. to pull it out 2-1.  Kershaw is 7-2, 2.01. 

--Back to Monday, the surprising Twins moved to 23-18 with a 14-7 road win at Baltimore, which gives me an excuse to trash Joe Mauer and his contract, an annual exercise.

Recall, 2009, Mr. Twin was All-World, AL MVP, as he hit .365 with 28 home runs and 96 RBIs as a catcher.

But this was in the hitter friendly Metrodome.  In 2010, the Twins moved to outdoor Target Field and while Mauer hit .327, he had just 9 homers with 75 RBI.  That offseason, the Twins, afraid they’d lose their hometown boy (born in St. Paul), signed him to an outrageous 8-year, $184 million contract, $23 million per.

Beset by injuries, and moving to first base full time in 2014, Mauer hasn’t hit more than 11 home runs since that stellar 2009 campaign.  The last four seasons he has averaged between .261 and .277, hitting .266 this year thru Tuesday with 2 homers and 16 RBIs.

Mauer will make another $23 million in 2018 and then it’s over.  I mean the guy will be 35, he’s made a fortune, he can probably get any front office or broadcast job he wants with the Twins, and live happily ever after.

As for the Orioles, they have a decision to make.  I’ve noticed in the local papers that the scribes there are urging Baltimore to flat-out release pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez.

Jimenez had a solid 2013 season for Cleveland and the Orioles signed him as a free agent to a 4-year, $50 million contract.  He has basically sucked since day one, especially 2016 and now this season, where he’s 1-2, 7.17 ERA in 8 starts, including giving up 6 earned on 9 hits in 4 innings in the 14-7 loss to the Twinkies.

Seeing as this is his last season on the contract, making $13.5 million, many are rightfully saying, look, we have a great shot at making the playoffs this season, but why suffer with the guy?  Anyone in the farm system could do better.

I do have to add that Tuesday, the Twins (now 24-18) beat the Orioles (25-19) again, 2-0, as Ervin Santana improved to 7-2, 1.80, with a complete game 2-hitter.  Earlier in the season he threw a 1-hit shutout.  Just a reminder, Minnesota was 59-103 last season.

And that’s your Twins/Orioles update for 2017.  Back next year with another look at Joe Mauer.

--Ken P. wondered if I had heard ESPN’s Dan Shulman butcher Detroit Tigers Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer’s name on Sunday night and I hadn’t, watching just a few innings of Tigers-Rangers, let alone the Cavs’ game.  [For a few weeks I’m watching Anthony Bourdain and “Silicon Valley” on HBO instead.]

But it reminded me I forgot about Johnny Mac’s note to me about a week ago that I didn’t pass on at the time.  He was watching the “worldwide leader in sports” and this cute anchor in a short skirt mispronounced Hall of Famer Willie McCovey’s name.  It became “Mac-oh-vay...accent on the Mac...” as Johnny relayed.  He also observed that the babe’s boy toy host didn’t correct her as he no doubt didn’t have a clue himself.  Had I seen this I would have been reaching for my sword, only said J. Mac continues to keep it from me down in Asheville, N.C. for my own protection.

Golf Balls

--Jennifer Kupcho of Wake Forest had a 4-shot lead thru 13 holes in the final round of the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship, and still had a 2-shot lead heading to 17, when she triple-bogeyed the hole and ended up losing by one to Arizona State’s Monica Vaughn.  Duke’s Leona Maguire tied Kupcho for second.  Typical Wake Forest, as fellow Deac Dr. Whit observed (on which I concur) but congrats to Kupcho for having the best finish ever for a Wake woman in the event.

In women’s team play, the final eight (match play) were Northwestern, Kent State, Stanford, Baylor, ASU, Florida, Ohio State and USC.  It’s all decided today.

Indy Tidbits....

--The last six years, a driver from the front row did not win the race, 2011-16...in reverse order...16, 12, 19, 15, 11.

But that wasn’t the case from 2006-10, when a driver from the front row did take it.

Sunday....

Row 1: Scott Dixon, Ed Carpenter, Alexander Rossi
Row 2: Takuma Sato, Fernando Alonso, JR Hildebrand

--I want Marco Andretti, but I’m going with Fernando Alonso.  To me the sleeper is fellow rookie Ed Jones.

--But the evening after winning the pole on Sunday, Scott Dixon and former IndyCar Series and three-time 500 winner Dario Franchitti were robbed at gunpoint at a Taco Bell drive-thru in Indianapolis. Dixon, his wife, and Franchitti were robbed at around 9:40 p.m., less than a mile from the Speedway. Two males, ages 14 and 15, were arrested, according to the police report. Both were charged with robbery, per ESPN.

The youths took credit cards as well as Dixon’s wife’s wallet and ID.

Dixon’s teammate Tony Kanaan told reporters Monday that he was supposed to be with them when Dixon went out to buy food for a number of drivers.  “Obviously, I’m glad they’re OK,” Kanaan said.  “Now obviously I can make fun of them big time.”

Team owner Chip Ganassi said, there goes the Taco Bell endorsement.

Dixon was told to stay quiet about the incident, but he felt compelled to talk Tuesday and we learned the assailants put a gun to his head, the car windows being rolled down.  Dixon also mentioned that both he and Franchitti were wearing very expensive watches, but the idiots (this is me, not Dixon) didn’t take them.

NFL Bits

--NFL owners approved a rule change that will shorten the regular-season overtime period from 15 minutes to 10 minutes, a move made to cut down on further injuries.  Last season, there were six overtime games in which the extra period lasted more than 10 minutes – the second-highest total in NFL history.

--We note the passing of Hall of Fame defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, just 48. Authorities said “there is nothing suspicious to report” at this time.

Kennedy played tackle for the Seahawks for 11 seasons, 1990-2000, and was a major force inside, making 8 Pro Bowls, while being selected Defensive Player of the Year in 1992.  He had 58 sacks in his career, a high number for a DT.

Kennedy played his college ball at Miami.  He was inducted into Canton in 2012.

--The New York Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr. reportedly inked the biggest shoe deal for an NFL player in history after re-signing with Nike...five years between $25 and $30 million.  Nike matched an offer by Adidas in order to retain the receiver, which shows you how aggressive Adidas has become as its comeback continues.

--Talk about embarrassing, the Los Angeles Rams had to announce their Inglewood stadium project would be finished in 2020, a year later than the original plan, so NFL owners unanimously voted to push the Los Angeles Super Bowl back a year until February 2022.

Tampa will now host the 2021 game originally promised L.A. – providing both cities can prove by Aug. 25 they can live up to all the terms and commitments of their bids.

This will be the fifth Super Bowl hosted by Tampa, which last had one in 2009.

There hasn’t been a Super Bowl in L.A. since Jan. 1993. 

Prior to Tampa, you have Minneapolis, Atlanta and South Florida.

Stuff

--American motorcycle racer Nicky Hayden died Monday, less than a week after being hit by a car while bicycling in Italy.  The 35-year-old died as a result of severe brain damage and trauma.

Details pertaining to the crash remain unknown, except that Hayden, a former MotoGP champion, collided with the car’s windshield.  Hayden had just competed at a Superbike circuit race in Imola, Italy.

But Hayden’s accident is just the latest in a series of accidents cyclists have had on Europe’s roads.

Last month, Italian pro cyclist Michele Scarponi was killed while training in Italy when a van driver failed to spot the 37-year-old near his home in Filottrano, Italy.

Days later, French pro cyclist Yoann Ofredo was assaulted by a driver and her passenger while training outside of Paris.  The cyclist wasn’t seriously injured.

Two weeks ago, three-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome claimed he was “rammed on purpose” by a vehicle while riding in Beausoleil, France.  Froome emerged unharmed, though his bike was totaled.

--Lots of Animal Chat....Theunis Botha has been a guide on hunting safaris in Africa for decades, some 28 years, but last Friday he embarked on his last one.

Botha was leading a group of hunters in western Zimbabwe when they stumbled upon a breeding herd of elephants in Hwange National Park, as reported by the Daily Telegraph.

Startled, three elephant cows charged the group. Botha opened fire, according to News24, but a fourth elephant rammed him from the side, lifting him with her trunk. One of his fellow hunters then fired a shot. The elephant collapsed on top of Botha, killing him.

Some left loving messages on Facebook to express their condolences; others were unsympathetic, leaving hateful, obscenity-laden comments on photos of Botha and his wife because of the work he did.

Just weeks earlier, one of Botha’s friends had been killed by crocodiles during a hunting expedition in Zimbabwe. Scott Van Zyl, 44, was with a local tracker and a pack of hunting dogs when he disappeared in mid-April.  A week later, his remains were found in the carcass of a crocodile shot and killed by local authorities, the BBC reported.

Botha was known in his field for employing a European-style method of using dogs to chase game toward hunters, who then lie in wait.  He specialized in leopard and lion hunting safaris.

You know where I stand, but in this case, all one should say is ‘RIP.’

--I saw a piece in BloombergBusinessweek on how scientists are doing extensive research on the blood of Komodo dragons, which while it’s known for its toxicity, it seems the world’s largest lizard appears impervious to disease and infection. Ergo, they are reaching the conclusion that Komodo blood is loaded with compounds that could be used as antibiotics.

So while I’ve told you, and you’ve seen yourself on nature shows, just how nasty the Komodo is because it is loaded with bacteria, it seems they carry proteins called antimicrobial peptides, an all-purpose infection defense.

But get this.  Komodos can “smell” tasty corpses with their tongues from 5 miles!!  Goodness gracious!  Kind of makes you want to treat the Komodo with even more respect, doesn’t it?

Komodo continues to knock on the door of the All-Species List Top Ten.

--Speaking of the ASL, which if you didn’t see the new ranking on the ASL site, you should know ‘Killer Whale’ has vaulted into the top ten at No. 4, ‘Man’ falls another notch now from 367 to 368, after some Chinese parents allowed their little girl to sit on a wharf next to a massive sea lion, they saw the animal in the water right there, and as you’ve no doubt seen, in an incredible video, the 700-pound sea lion snatched the child in an instant, threw her into the water, and if it hadn’t been for a fast-acting witness who jumped in the water immediately, bringing the girl to the surface, the kid is dead, being within mere seconds of drowning.

The whole deal went down in British Columbia.  Michael Fujiwara was sitting on a dock at the Steveston Fisherman’s Wharf in Richmond, BC, on Saturday, when the California sea lion popped its head out of the water.

Fujiwara grabbed his phone and started shooting video.  The animal attracted a lot of attention and the girl and her family came to the edge.

As reported by CNN, Fujiwara said, “Her family started feeding the animal and the sea lion started to become comfortable.”  In the video, you can hear people laughing and whistling at the animal and holding their hands over the water, as if they were holding a treat.

At one point, the sea lion lunges within inches of the little girl’s face and it seems like a friendly move. The girl giggles.

Then, seconds later, the sea lion lunges again and grabs the child, yanking her backwards.  A man who appeared to Fujiwara to be a relative jumped in after her.

But then the family quickly walked away and authorities are pissed off because sea lions can carry a lot of nasty bacteria and disease in their saliva and a bite could have infected the kid.

The reason why this whole incident leads to ‘Man’ being demoted another notch is because there were freakin’ signs all over the dock not to feed the sea lions and to not get near them!  What idiots the parents were.

--Shark!  Last Sunday in San Clemente, California, lifeguards suddenly ordered swimmers out of the water when a big shark was spotted by a fisherman, and then two more arrived. 

The closure lasted about 4 ½ hours after lifeguards posted warning signs: “SHARK SIGHTED ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.”

So at 3:00 p.m., lifeguards gave the all clear.

But an hour later, a sheriff’s helicopter did a flyover and the crew observed 25 sharks, many of the 10-foot variety and presumed to be great whites and juvenile great whiteys.  RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! went the call on the beach. 

Less than a month ago, a shark tore into the thigh of a woman swimming at a spot near San Clemente.

--And Brad K. passed along this terrifying tale from Cecile Borkhataria of the Daily Mail.

“Researchers have discovered that Cuban boas coordinate their hunts to increase their chances of snapping up a meal.

“They hang down from the ceiling of caves and, if there’s more than one boa, coordinate to form a wall across the entrance, grabbing bats as they fly in and out.

“The findings are significant because snakes have long been thought to be solitary hunters and eaters.”

I didn’t even know Cuba had boas.  Like they say...you freakin’ learn something new every day, sports fans!

Anyway, Dr. Vladimir Dinets, a zoologist at the University of Tennessee, conducted a study for eight days at a cave where nine boas lived, all easily identifiable by markings, and after sunset and before dawn, “some of the boas entered the passage that connected the bat roosting chamber with the entrance chamber, and hunted by suspending themselves from the ceiling and grabbing passing bats....

“He found that such group hunts were always successful, and the more snakes were present, the less time it took each to capture a bat.”

I know one thing, I’m going to be more observant when I go to my car in the underground parking garage here.  Boas could be hanging from the beams and I’d be toast.

--Long-time friend and former next-door neighbor growing up in Summit, Steve G., he of the rainbow jump shot, informed me the other day that a childhood buddy of his (Steve being a few years older than me) has been the long-time men’s soccer coach at the University of South Carolina.  In fact, Mark Berson, a Summit High School grad, is the only soccer coach the school has ever had, now 39 seasons, and he’s the winningest active Division I coach with 33 winning seasons, as well as 21 NCAA tournament appearances.  As Ronald Reagan would have said, ‘Not bad, not bad at all.’

It’s funny. I remember the guy’s name, but had no clue. 

Thanks for passing this on, Steve G.  Home version of “Bar Chat: The Game” heading your way, once we get around to making it.

--We note the passing of actor Roger Moore, 89, who starred in seven James Bond movies from 1973 to 1985:  “Live and Let Die,” “The Man with the Golden Gun,” “The Spy Who Loved Me,” “Moonraker,” “For Your Eyes Only,” “Octopussy” and “A View to a Kill.”

“I’m often asked, ‘Who is the best Bond?,” Moore wrote in his 2012 book.  “Apart from myself?” I modestly enquire.  “It has to be Sean.”

“Sean was Bond.  He created Bond,” Moore wrote.  “He was a bloody good 007.”

But Moore was generally rated behind Connery, Daniel Craig, and Pierce Brosnan.

Moore played up Bond’s humorous side, which generated mixed reactions.  Connery, on the other hand, once told an interviewer that he had tried to imbue the character with “credibility” and some of the wilder scenarios with “indigenous humor.”  Moore, he maintained, went “for the laugh or the humor at whatever the cost of the credibility or the reality....He acquired an entirely different audience.”

Moore’s Bond did achieve box office success, and made him a fortune, but Moore himself told an interviewer in 2013, “Sean Connery played him as a killer and I’m a lover.  I tried to be different – but it involved acting, unfortunately.”

Moore, in defense of his characterization, said in his 2008 memoir, “My Word Is My Bond,” that he took issue with the rap he portrayed Bond too lightly.

He wrote of Bond: “How can he be a spy, yet walk into any bar in the world and have the bartender recognize him and serve him his favorite drink?  Come on, it’s all a big joke.”

Personally, I preferred the “killer.”

Moore, by the way, said Craig became his favorite Bond with “Skyfall” (2012).

Roger Moore was born in London, the only child of a police officer. Before being cast as Bond, Moore starred in the 1960s TV series “The Saint” as Simon Templar, which, looking back, was an underrated show. I know I watched it a fair amount as a little tyke.

Top 3 songs for the week 5/25/63: #1 “If You Wanna Be Happy” (Jimmy Soul)  #2 “I Will Follow Him” (Little Peggy March...first came out in March, was #1 for three weeks late April-early May...so it was easy for her to become Little Peggy April, May...you know....)  #3 “Surfin’ U.S.A.” (Beach Boys...had a jump on British Invasion, ditto Four Seasons...)...and...#4 “Foolish Little Girl” (The Shirelles...terrific tune...)  #5 “I Love You Because” (Al Martino...because why...)  #6 “Losing You” (Brenda Lee)  #7 “Two Faces Have I” (Lou Christie)  #8 “Take These Chains From My Heart” (Ray Charles)  #9 “It’s My Party” (Lesley Gore...one of the more underrated artists of all time, ditto Rachmaninoff*...)  #10 “Another Saturday Night” (Sam Cooke...another Sat. night for moi in the summer involves watching the Mets...in the fall it’s all about College Football...)

*I was musing, if you were at a party and just casually asked, “Who are the five most famous classical composers?” I think most would give the following: Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Brahms and Bach. So I asked Ken P. and his learned wife, Lenore, and they said the same five.  OK, Lenore had Handel instead of Bach and Ken questioned her on that, as do I.

Indy 500 Quiz Answers: 1) Four-time winners: A.J. Foyt (1961, 64, 67, 77); Al Unser Sr. (1970, 71, 78, 87); Rick Mears (1979, 84, 88, 91).  2) Britain’s Graham Hill, Formula One great and one of the coolest racing figures of all time, won Indy as a rookie in 1966, the only one between 1927 and 2000.  3)  Summit’s own Mark Donohue won in 1972, and I pay my respects at his grave,* which is literally less than a mile from where I live, every Memorial Day weekend. Donohue died in 1975 in a practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix.  For new readers, I attended his funeral at my church, St. Teresa’s, and there was racing royalty there; a deserving sendoff for an incredibly talented man.  [Hey, Bob P., did you go?  I forgot.]

*I thought it was just a myth until one year I witnessed it.  Every Memorial Day, a strange man, seemingly foreign and dressed almost like an undertaker, was said to appear at Donohue’s grave to leave a little car (which is tradition).  He doesn’t drive up and no one knows where he’s from.

I thought it was bunk until about ten years ago, when I suddenly see this guy walking up.  I hopped in my car and didn’t stick around.  More than a bit creepy.

Next Bar Chat, Monday.



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Bar Chat

05/25/2017

Cleveland Restores Order

[Posted Wed. a.m.]

Indy 500 Quiz: Easy one, but stuff every “sports fan” should know.  1) Who are the only three four-time winners?  2) From 1927-2000, only one rookie won the race and it was the 1960s.  Who was it?  3) This is the 45-year anniversary of a driver from my home town of Summit, N.J. winning the race. Who was it?  Answers below.

NBA Playoffs

--Golden State wrapped up its series with San Antonio in four, 129-115 on Monday, with Kawhi Leonard sitting out a third straight game as the Spurs didn’t want to risk a more serious injury for their superstar, knowing they had zero shot against the Warriors without Kawhi at 100%.  It didn’t help that fake star LaMarcus Aldridge disappeared with his second eight-point effort against the Warriors when the team needed him most.

For Golden State, Kevin Durant had 29 on 10 of 13 shooting and Stephen Curry had 36, the Warriors becoming the first team in NBA history to start off the postseason 12-0.

As for the status of coach Steve Kerr, dealing with excruciating back pain, it seems doubtful he will return for the Finals as assistant Mike Brown continues to guide the team in his absence.

--But in Cleveland, last Sunday night, after I had posted Bar Chat, the Celtics pulled off a big upset, 111-108, with LeBron James having his worst playoff game in memory, just 11 points (including a scoreless fourth) on 4 of 13 shooting from the field. I mean after Friday night’s 130-86 demolition of Boston, who would have predicted this?

It was the fourth-lowest scoring playoff game of LeBron’s career, spanning 210 postseason games, and it ended a run of eight straight with at least 30 points.

“Me personally, I didn’t have it.  My teammates did a great job of keeping us in the game, building that lead.”  [Kyrie Irving had 29 of 10 of 15 shooting, Kevin Love 28 and 10 boards.]

Marcus Smart lit it up for 27 for the Isaiah Thomas-less Celtics, largely on the strength of 7 of 10 from three.

Star guard Thomas is missing the rest of the postseason after re-injuring his right hip.

Meanwhile, Boston won this game down the stretch thanks to the coaching of Brad Stevens.  In the final minute, the Celtics called three timeouts and they scored after each one on plays drawn up by their brilliant young leader.

So on to Tuesday and Game 4.  With Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue inexplicably leaving in LeBron James with three fouls, about 8 minutes left in the second quarter, James picked up his fourth at the 6:46 mark, the first time in his career he had four fouls in the first half.

But thanks to Kyrie Irving, who had 18 points in the half, the Cavs stayed close, down ‘just’ 57-47 after two.

James then came back, played great, Irving was spectacular in the third, hitting 9 of 10 from the field for 21 points, and Cleveland outscored Boston 40-23 to lead 87-80 after three quarters. Game over.

LeBron and Kevin Love took over in the fourth, the Cavs won 112-99, and order was restored.  Irving finished with a playoff career-best 42, LeBron had 34 after his poor effort on Sunday, and Love had 17 and 17 rebounds.

Cleveland was on the ropes, but aside from the Boston ‘D’ not showing up in the third, it was about Irving and James.  But I still can’t believe the decision to leave LeBron in in the second.  Lue is one lucky guy.

--Jerry Brewer of the Washington Post...on the bellyaching over Golden State’s and Cleveland’s dominance this postseason.

“Every eight to 12 years, one or two transcendent figures will emerge and make parity difficult. There’s always a Mikan, a Russell or an Abdul-Jabbar.  There’s always a Bird, or a Magic or a Jordan.  There’s always a Shaq, or a Duncan or a LeBron.  And they always find a way to partner with another legend or two, and that’s when the mass championship-collecting begins....

“In NBA history, the Boston Celtics (17) and the Los Angeles Lakers (16) have won 33 of the 70 titles, nearly 50 percent.  Twelve current franchises haven’t won a title.  Seven of them haven’t even made a Finals appearance.

“Let’s compare it to baseball, another 30-team league, which has heard louder complaints in the past about competitive balance.  The top two title-hogging franchises, the New York Yankees (27) and St. Louis Cardinals (11), have combined to win 38 of 112 World Series crowns, a little more than one-third of them.  Six current franchises haven’t won a title.  Two of them haven’t made a World Series appearance: the Seattle Mariners and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals.”

--The NBA mock drafts are arriving fast and furious, and it’s clear the Celtics are taking Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 pick, unless they trade it, while the Lakers will be going with Lonzo Ball.  Malik Monk seems to be rising, and a draft by Chad Ford of ESPN has him going to the 76ers at 3.

Ford’s draft has the Knicks taking point guard Dennis Smith with the 8th selection.  [De’Aaron Fox at No. 5 by Sacramento.]

I’ve now seen a few drafts that have Wake Forest’s John Collins going No. 15, which would be Portland.

--Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter spoke to the press in New York on Monday after his “scary” experience overseas.  Kanter said he has been getting death threats for his opposition to Turkish President Erdogan and he told reporters he wants American citizenship, saying, “I feel like this is my home now.”

What I didn’t realize is that Kanter was in Indonesia for his charitable foundation when his manager told him Turkey wanted to know his whereabouts.  So they hopped on the first flight to Singapore, and then Romania, where officials detained him because Turkey had revoked his passport.  Eventually he was allowed to leave and ended up back in New York.

I only knew he had been detained in Romania.  That would be scary as hell to hear while you’re traveling that your government is looking for you, when you know it’s for the wrong reasons.

Kanter was born in Switzerland but is a Turk through his parents.  He has been playing in the United States on a green card, but is hoping authorities speed up his request to become an American citizen.

Stanley Cup Playoffs

--Monday, the great fans in Nashville saw their Predators advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for a first time with a 6-3 win at home over Anaheim to take their series 4-2.  The city is pumped, and duly so.

--Tuesday, after being mauled 7-0 by the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Sunday, the Ottawa Senators went home and came away winners, 2-1, to force a Game 7 in Pittsburgh on Thursday.  Doesn’t get any better than that.

Granted, Ottawa-Nashville would be a ratings nightmare for NBC, with Pittsburgh-Nashville not much better, but I prefer the former.

MLB

--The Yankees defeated the Royals 4-2 on Monday as Michael Pineda improved to 5-2, 3.35 ERA, in allowing 2 runs in 6 1/3.

Pineda has been one of the pleasant, and necessary, surprises if the Yankees were to be a playoff threat in 2017.  They needed consistency from him, something he is hardly known for, but in his last 8 starts since getting rocked Opening Day, Pineda has yielded no more than 3 earned in any of them, though he hasn’t made it to seventh in his last 6.

But the Royals (19-26) won Tuesday 6-2 as the Yankees fell to 26-17.

--The Mets whipped the Padres 9-3 in Citi Field Tuesday as Matt Harvey was far from impressive in his five-inning stint, but it was enough to pick up the win, thanks to Michael Conforto, who it is safe to say has now officially “arrived,” the outfielder with three more hits, two homers, and four RBIs out of the leadoff spot.

So, New York baseball fans, who is better these days?

Conforto, 24, in 129 at bats, is batting .333 with 13 HRs and 31 RBIs, plus a 1.138 OPS, 5th in the league.

The Yankees’ Aaron Judge, 25, in 146 ABs, is 15-30, .315, 1.104, 2nd in the A.L.

The next five years, at least, could be pretty special in these parts following these two.

--Tuesday, the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw hooked up with the Cardinals’ Lance Lynn and Kershaw went 9 innings, 1 run, 0 walks, 10 strikeouts, but Lynn matched with 8 innings of 1-run ball and we had to wait until the 13th inning for L.A. to pull it out 2-1.  Kershaw is 7-2, 2.01. 

--Back to Monday, the surprising Twins moved to 23-18 with a 14-7 road win at Baltimore, which gives me an excuse to trash Joe Mauer and his contract, an annual exercise.

Recall, 2009, Mr. Twin was All-World, AL MVP, as he hit .365 with 28 home runs and 96 RBIs as a catcher.

But this was in the hitter friendly Metrodome.  In 2010, the Twins moved to outdoor Target Field and while Mauer hit .327, he had just 9 homers with 75 RBI.  That offseason, the Twins, afraid they’d lose their hometown boy (born in St. Paul), signed him to an outrageous 8-year, $184 million contract, $23 million per.

Beset by injuries, and moving to first base full time in 2014, Mauer hasn’t hit more than 11 home runs since that stellar 2009 campaign.  The last four seasons he has averaged between .261 and .277, hitting .266 this year thru Tuesday with 2 homers and 16 RBIs.

Mauer will make another $23 million in 2018 and then it’s over.  I mean the guy will be 35, he’s made a fortune, he can probably get any front office or broadcast job he wants with the Twins, and live happily ever after.

As for the Orioles, they have a decision to make.  I’ve noticed in the local papers that the scribes there are urging Baltimore to flat-out release pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez.

Jimenez had a solid 2013 season for Cleveland and the Orioles signed him as a free agent to a 4-year, $50 million contract.  He has basically sucked since day one, especially 2016 and now this season, where he’s 1-2, 7.17 ERA in 8 starts, including giving up 6 earned on 9 hits in 4 innings in the 14-7 loss to the Twinkies.

Seeing as this is his last season on the contract, making $13.5 million, many are rightfully saying, look, we have a great shot at making the playoffs this season, but why suffer with the guy?  Anyone in the farm system could do better.

I do have to add that Tuesday, the Twins (now 24-18) beat the Orioles (25-19) again, 2-0, as Ervin Santana improved to 7-2, 1.80, with a complete game 2-hitter.  Earlier in the season he threw a 1-hit shutout.  Just a reminder, Minnesota was 59-103 last season.

And that’s your Twins/Orioles update for 2017.  Back next year with another look at Joe Mauer.

--Ken P. wondered if I had heard ESPN’s Dan Shulman butcher Detroit Tigers Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer’s name on Sunday night and I hadn’t, watching just a few innings of Tigers-Rangers, let alone the Cavs’ game.  [For a few weeks I’m watching Anthony Bourdain and “Silicon Valley” on HBO instead.]

But it reminded me I forgot about Johnny Mac’s note to me about a week ago that I didn’t pass on at the time.  He was watching the “worldwide leader in sports” and this cute anchor in a short skirt mispronounced Hall of Famer Willie McCovey’s name.  It became “Mac-oh-vay...accent on the Mac...” as Johnny relayed.  He also observed that the babe’s boy toy host didn’t correct her as he no doubt didn’t have a clue himself.  Had I seen this I would have been reaching for my sword, only said J. Mac continues to keep it from me down in Asheville, N.C. for my own protection.

Golf Balls

--Jennifer Kupcho of Wake Forest had a 4-shot lead thru 13 holes in the final round of the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship, and still had a 2-shot lead heading to 17, when she triple-bogeyed the hole and ended up losing by one to Arizona State’s Monica Vaughn.  Duke’s Leona Maguire tied Kupcho for second.  Typical Wake Forest, as fellow Deac Dr. Whit observed (on which I concur) but congrats to Kupcho for having the best finish ever for a Wake woman in the event.

In women’s team play, the final eight (match play) were Northwestern, Kent State, Stanford, Baylor, ASU, Florida, Ohio State and USC.  It’s all decided today.

Indy Tidbits....

--The last six years, a driver from the front row did not win the race, 2011-16...in reverse order...16, 12, 19, 15, 11.

But that wasn’t the case from 2006-10, when a driver from the front row did take it.

Sunday....

Row 1: Scott Dixon, Ed Carpenter, Alexander Rossi
Row 2: Takuma Sato, Fernando Alonso, JR Hildebrand

--I want Marco Andretti, but I’m going with Fernando Alonso.  To me the sleeper is fellow rookie Ed Jones.

--But the evening after winning the pole on Sunday, Scott Dixon and former IndyCar Series and three-time 500 winner Dario Franchitti were robbed at gunpoint at a Taco Bell drive-thru in Indianapolis. Dixon, his wife, and Franchitti were robbed at around 9:40 p.m., less than a mile from the Speedway. Two males, ages 14 and 15, were arrested, according to the police report. Both were charged with robbery, per ESPN.

The youths took credit cards as well as Dixon’s wife’s wallet and ID.

Dixon’s teammate Tony Kanaan told reporters Monday that he was supposed to be with them when Dixon went out to buy food for a number of drivers.  “Obviously, I’m glad they’re OK,” Kanaan said.  “Now obviously I can make fun of them big time.”

Team owner Chip Ganassi said, there goes the Taco Bell endorsement.

Dixon was told to stay quiet about the incident, but he felt compelled to talk Tuesday and we learned the assailants put a gun to his head, the car windows being rolled down.  Dixon also mentioned that both he and Franchitti were wearing very expensive watches, but the idiots (this is me, not Dixon) didn’t take them.

NFL Bits

--NFL owners approved a rule change that will shorten the regular-season overtime period from 15 minutes to 10 minutes, a move made to cut down on further injuries.  Last season, there were six overtime games in which the extra period lasted more than 10 minutes – the second-highest total in NFL history.

--We note the passing of Hall of Fame defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, just 48. Authorities said “there is nothing suspicious to report” at this time.

Kennedy played tackle for the Seahawks for 11 seasons, 1990-2000, and was a major force inside, making 8 Pro Bowls, while being selected Defensive Player of the Year in 1992.  He had 58 sacks in his career, a high number for a DT.

Kennedy played his college ball at Miami.  He was inducted into Canton in 2012.

--The New York Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr. reportedly inked the biggest shoe deal for an NFL player in history after re-signing with Nike...five years between $25 and $30 million.  Nike matched an offer by Adidas in order to retain the receiver, which shows you how aggressive Adidas has become as its comeback continues.

--Talk about embarrassing, the Los Angeles Rams had to announce their Inglewood stadium project would be finished in 2020, a year later than the original plan, so NFL owners unanimously voted to push the Los Angeles Super Bowl back a year until February 2022.

Tampa will now host the 2021 game originally promised L.A. – providing both cities can prove by Aug. 25 they can live up to all the terms and commitments of their bids.

This will be the fifth Super Bowl hosted by Tampa, which last had one in 2009.

There hasn’t been a Super Bowl in L.A. since Jan. 1993. 

Prior to Tampa, you have Minneapolis, Atlanta and South Florida.

Stuff

--American motorcycle racer Nicky Hayden died Monday, less than a week after being hit by a car while bicycling in Italy.  The 35-year-old died as a result of severe brain damage and trauma.

Details pertaining to the crash remain unknown, except that Hayden, a former MotoGP champion, collided with the car’s windshield.  Hayden had just competed at a Superbike circuit race in Imola, Italy.

But Hayden’s accident is just the latest in a series of accidents cyclists have had on Europe’s roads.

Last month, Italian pro cyclist Michele Scarponi was killed while training in Italy when a van driver failed to spot the 37-year-old near his home in Filottrano, Italy.

Days later, French pro cyclist Yoann Ofredo was assaulted by a driver and her passenger while training outside of Paris.  The cyclist wasn’t seriously injured.

Two weeks ago, three-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome claimed he was “rammed on purpose” by a vehicle while riding in Beausoleil, France.  Froome emerged unharmed, though his bike was totaled.

--Lots of Animal Chat....Theunis Botha has been a guide on hunting safaris in Africa for decades, some 28 years, but last Friday he embarked on his last one.

Botha was leading a group of hunters in western Zimbabwe when they stumbled upon a breeding herd of elephants in Hwange National Park, as reported by the Daily Telegraph.

Startled, three elephant cows charged the group. Botha opened fire, according to News24, but a fourth elephant rammed him from the side, lifting him with her trunk. One of his fellow hunters then fired a shot. The elephant collapsed on top of Botha, killing him.

Some left loving messages on Facebook to express their condolences; others were unsympathetic, leaving hateful, obscenity-laden comments on photos of Botha and his wife because of the work he did.

Just weeks earlier, one of Botha’s friends had been killed by crocodiles during a hunting expedition in Zimbabwe. Scott Van Zyl, 44, was with a local tracker and a pack of hunting dogs when he disappeared in mid-April.  A week later, his remains were found in the carcass of a crocodile shot and killed by local authorities, the BBC reported.

Botha was known in his field for employing a European-style method of using dogs to chase game toward hunters, who then lie in wait.  He specialized in leopard and lion hunting safaris.

You know where I stand, but in this case, all one should say is ‘RIP.’

--I saw a piece in BloombergBusinessweek on how scientists are doing extensive research on the blood of Komodo dragons, which while it’s known for its toxicity, it seems the world’s largest lizard appears impervious to disease and infection. Ergo, they are reaching the conclusion that Komodo blood is loaded with compounds that could be used as antibiotics.

So while I’ve told you, and you’ve seen yourself on nature shows, just how nasty the Komodo is because it is loaded with bacteria, it seems they carry proteins called antimicrobial peptides, an all-purpose infection defense.

But get this.  Komodos can “smell” tasty corpses with their tongues from 5 miles!!  Goodness gracious!  Kind of makes you want to treat the Komodo with even more respect, doesn’t it?

Komodo continues to knock on the door of the All-Species List Top Ten.

--Speaking of the ASL, which if you didn’t see the new ranking on the ASL site, you should know ‘Killer Whale’ has vaulted into the top ten at No. 4, ‘Man’ falls another notch now from 367 to 368, after some Chinese parents allowed their little girl to sit on a wharf next to a massive sea lion, they saw the animal in the water right there, and as you’ve no doubt seen, in an incredible video, the 700-pound sea lion snatched the child in an instant, threw her into the water, and if it hadn’t been for a fast-acting witness who jumped in the water immediately, bringing the girl to the surface, the kid is dead, being within mere seconds of drowning.

The whole deal went down in British Columbia.  Michael Fujiwara was sitting on a dock at the Steveston Fisherman’s Wharf in Richmond, BC, on Saturday, when the California sea lion popped its head out of the water.

Fujiwara grabbed his phone and started shooting video.  The animal attracted a lot of attention and the girl and her family came to the edge.

As reported by CNN, Fujiwara said, “Her family started feeding the animal and the sea lion started to become comfortable.”  In the video, you can hear people laughing and whistling at the animal and holding their hands over the water, as if they were holding a treat.

At one point, the sea lion lunges within inches of the little girl’s face and it seems like a friendly move. The girl giggles.

Then, seconds later, the sea lion lunges again and grabs the child, yanking her backwards.  A man who appeared to Fujiwara to be a relative jumped in after her.

But then the family quickly walked away and authorities are pissed off because sea lions can carry a lot of nasty bacteria and disease in their saliva and a bite could have infected the kid.

The reason why this whole incident leads to ‘Man’ being demoted another notch is because there were freakin’ signs all over the dock not to feed the sea lions and to not get near them!  What idiots the parents were.

--Shark!  Last Sunday in San Clemente, California, lifeguards suddenly ordered swimmers out of the water when a big shark was spotted by a fisherman, and then two more arrived. 

The closure lasted about 4 ½ hours after lifeguards posted warning signs: “SHARK SIGHTED ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.”

So at 3:00 p.m., lifeguards gave the all clear.

But an hour later, a sheriff’s helicopter did a flyover and the crew observed 25 sharks, many of the 10-foot variety and presumed to be great whites and juvenile great whiteys.  RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! went the call on the beach. 

Less than a month ago, a shark tore into the thigh of a woman swimming at a spot near San Clemente.

--And Brad K. passed along this terrifying tale from Cecile Borkhataria of the Daily Mail.

“Researchers have discovered that Cuban boas coordinate their hunts to increase their chances of snapping up a meal.

“They hang down from the ceiling of caves and, if there’s more than one boa, coordinate to form a wall across the entrance, grabbing bats as they fly in and out.

“The findings are significant because snakes have long been thought to be solitary hunters and eaters.”

I didn’t even know Cuba had boas.  Like they say...you freakin’ learn something new every day, sports fans!

Anyway, Dr. Vladimir Dinets, a zoologist at the University of Tennessee, conducted a study for eight days at a cave where nine boas lived, all easily identifiable by markings, and after sunset and before dawn, “some of the boas entered the passage that connected the bat roosting chamber with the entrance chamber, and hunted by suspending themselves from the ceiling and grabbing passing bats....

“He found that such group hunts were always successful, and the more snakes were present, the less time it took each to capture a bat.”

I know one thing, I’m going to be more observant when I go to my car in the underground parking garage here.  Boas could be hanging from the beams and I’d be toast.

--Long-time friend and former next-door neighbor growing up in Summit, Steve G., he of the rainbow jump shot, informed me the other day that a childhood buddy of his (Steve being a few years older than me) has been the long-time men’s soccer coach at the University of South Carolina.  In fact, Mark Berson, a Summit High School grad, is the only soccer coach the school has ever had, now 39 seasons, and he’s the winningest active Division I coach with 33 winning seasons, as well as 21 NCAA tournament appearances.  As Ronald Reagan would have said, ‘Not bad, not bad at all.’

It’s funny. I remember the guy’s name, but had no clue. 

Thanks for passing this on, Steve G.  Home version of “Bar Chat: The Game” heading your way, once we get around to making it.

--We note the passing of actor Roger Moore, 89, who starred in seven James Bond movies from 1973 to 1985:  “Live and Let Die,” “The Man with the Golden Gun,” “The Spy Who Loved Me,” “Moonraker,” “For Your Eyes Only,” “Octopussy” and “A View to a Kill.”

“I’m often asked, ‘Who is the best Bond?,” Moore wrote in his 2012 book.  “Apart from myself?” I modestly enquire.  “It has to be Sean.”

“Sean was Bond.  He created Bond,” Moore wrote.  “He was a bloody good 007.”

But Moore was generally rated behind Connery, Daniel Craig, and Pierce Brosnan.

Moore played up Bond’s humorous side, which generated mixed reactions.  Connery, on the other hand, once told an interviewer that he had tried to imbue the character with “credibility” and some of the wilder scenarios with “indigenous humor.”  Moore, he maintained, went “for the laugh or the humor at whatever the cost of the credibility or the reality....He acquired an entirely different audience.”

Moore’s Bond did achieve box office success, and made him a fortune, but Moore himself told an interviewer in 2013, “Sean Connery played him as a killer and I’m a lover.  I tried to be different – but it involved acting, unfortunately.”

Moore, in defense of his characterization, said in his 2008 memoir, “My Word Is My Bond,” that he took issue with the rap he portrayed Bond too lightly.

He wrote of Bond: “How can he be a spy, yet walk into any bar in the world and have the bartender recognize him and serve him his favorite drink?  Come on, it’s all a big joke.”

Personally, I preferred the “killer.”

Moore, by the way, said Craig became his favorite Bond with “Skyfall” (2012).

Roger Moore was born in London, the only child of a police officer. Before being cast as Bond, Moore starred in the 1960s TV series “The Saint” as Simon Templar, which, looking back, was an underrated show. I know I watched it a fair amount as a little tyke.

Top 3 songs for the week 5/25/63: #1 “If You Wanna Be Happy” (Jimmy Soul)  #2 “I Will Follow Him” (Little Peggy March...first came out in March, was #1 for three weeks late April-early May...so it was easy for her to become Little Peggy April, May...you know....)  #3 “Surfin’ U.S.A.” (Beach Boys...had a jump on British Invasion, ditto Four Seasons...)...and...#4 “Foolish Little Girl” (The Shirelles...terrific tune...)  #5 “I Love You Because” (Al Martino...because why...)  #6 “Losing You” (Brenda Lee)  #7 “Two Faces Have I” (Lou Christie)  #8 “Take These Chains From My Heart” (Ray Charles)  #9 “It’s My Party” (Lesley Gore...one of the more underrated artists of all time, ditto Rachmaninoff*...)  #10 “Another Saturday Night” (Sam Cooke...another Sat. night for moi in the summer involves watching the Mets...in the fall it’s all about College Football...)

*I was musing, if you were at a party and just casually asked, “Who are the five most famous classical composers?” I think most would give the following: Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Brahms and Bach. So I asked Ken P. and his learned wife, Lenore, and they said the same five.  OK, Lenore had Handel instead of Bach and Ken questioned her on that, as do I.

Indy 500 Quiz Answers: 1) Four-time winners: A.J. Foyt (1961, 64, 67, 77); Al Unser Sr. (1970, 71, 78, 87); Rick Mears (1979, 84, 88, 91).  2) Britain’s Graham Hill, Formula One great and one of the coolest racing figures of all time, won Indy as a rookie in 1966, the only one between 1927 and 2000.  3)  Summit’s own Mark Donohue won in 1972, and I pay my respects at his grave,* which is literally less than a mile from where I live, every Memorial Day weekend. Donohue died in 1975 in a practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix.  For new readers, I attended his funeral at my church, St. Teresa’s, and there was racing royalty there; a deserving sendoff for an incredibly talented man.  [Hey, Bob P., did you go?  I forgot.]

*I thought it was just a myth until one year I witnessed it.  Every Memorial Day, a strange man, seemingly foreign and dressed almost like an undertaker, was said to appear at Donohue’s grave to leave a little car (which is tradition).  He doesn’t drive up and no one knows where he’s from.

I thought it was bunk until about ten years ago, when I suddenly see this guy walking up.  I hopped in my car and didn’t stick around.  More than a bit creepy.

Next Bar Chat, Monday.