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Bar Chat

09/25/2017

So Much For A Relaxing Sunday

[Posted Sunday p.m.]

Golf Quiz: OK, season is over. So recall time.  Who are the only three to finish T-16 or better in all four majors?  [Only 13 made the cut in all four.]  Answer below.

College Football Review

[The following is written prior to release of the latest AP Poll.]

1 Alabama (4-0) rolled Vanderbilt (3-1) 59-0, in incredibly dominating fashion.  677-78 in total yards, 38-3 in first downs!

‘Bama rushed for 496 yards, led by Damien Harris, who had 12  carries for 153 yards and three scores.

2 Clemson (4-0)  beat Boston College (1-3) 34-7.  But it was 7-7 after three, as the Eagles were hanging tough, before the Tigers rattled off 27 unanswered.

3 Oklahoma (4-0) traveled to Waco to face Baylor (0-4) and the Sooners were lucky to escape with a 49-41 win, preserving their national title hopes, as Baker Mayfield was a cool 13/19, 283, 3-0, through the air, while Oklahoma rushed for 342 yards on 40 carries, including a 99-yard run by Abdul Adams.

For Baylor, Zack Smith was pretty darn good, 33/50, 463, 4-0.

In an instant classic, 4 Penn State (4-0) traveled to Iowa City to face the Hawkeyes (3-1) and Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley led a 65-yard, 12-play drive in the final 1:40, capped off by a 7-yard scoring strike to Juwan Johnson on the last play of the game for a 21-19 victory. It was a helluva contest., even though Penn State outgained Iowa 579-273, with Saquon Barkley gaining a school record 358 total yards (211 rushing, 94 passing, 53 kickoff returns).

5 USC (4-0) hooked up with Cal (2-1) and emerged victorious, 30-20, though quarterback Sam Darnold 26/38, 223, 2-1, hardly looked impressive at times, making some awful decisions, but he won.  It helped that Cal had six turnovers, four of them interceptions thrown by Ross Bowers.  [Cal’s cheerleaders, however, put on a strong effort, holding their own against the perennial top three squad of the Trojans.]

6 Oklahoma State (3-1) was looking like a national title contender and now one wonders if that isn’t really 16 TCU (4-0) after the Horned Frogs traveled to Stillwater and came away 44-31 victors, picking off Cowboys Heisman contender Mason Rudolph twice (22/41, 398, 2-2), while TCU’s Darius Anderson rushed for 160 yards and three scores.

Yes, TCU is officially back after a disappointing 6-7 season last year.  The two prior seasons they finished 7th and 3rd in the nation.

7 Washington is now 4-0 after an impressive 37-10 win on the road at Colorado (3-1), the Huskies overcoming a poor performance by quarterback Jake Browning, thanks to Myles Gaskin’s 202 yards on the ground and two touchdowns, while Colorado QB Steven Montez was picked off three times.

8 Michigan (4-0) lost starting quarterback Wilton Speight to injury (extent unknown as I write), but John O’Korn came in and threw for 270 yards and a touchdown as the Wolverines beat Purdue (2-2) in West Lafayette, 28-10, outgaining the Boilermakers 423-189.

9 Wisconsin (3-0) was idle.

10 Ohio State (3-1) defeated UNLV (1-2) 54-21, as J.T. Barrett was 12/17, 209, and five touchdowns in just about a half of play; five TDs to five different receivers.  But the Rebels beat the spread of 39, and at the end of the day....

11 Georgia (4-0) showed it’s for real with a convincing 31-3 victory over 17 Mississippi State (3-1) behind Nick Chubb’s two rushing touchdowns.

North Carolina State (3-1) was supposed to be a sleeper contender in the ACC this season, but then they lost a tough opener to South Carolina, 35-28, and they were immediately forgotten... until yesterday, when the Wolfpack traveled to Tallahassee and upset 12 Florida State (0-2) 27-21.

But I feel a little sorry for the Seminoles, not having played in three weeks, due to the hurricanes, and having to go with a freshman QB, James Blackman, who acquitted himself well, after losing starter Deondre Francois for the season in the opener against Alabama.

That is I feel a little sorry...but not when they travel to Winston-Salem next Saturday to face Wake Forest.

14 Miami, like Florida State, was playing its first game in three weeks and shook off the rust with a 52-30 win over Toledo (3-1) to go to 2-0.  Mark Walton had 204 yards on the ground on just 11 carries.  Summit’s Michael Badgley was good on his seven extra points and one field goal attempt.

No 24 Oregon’s days in the Top 25 are already history after a 37-35 upset loss to Arizona State (2-2) in Tempe, the Ducks falling to 3-1. They were simply outplayed.

In other games....

Duke is 4-0 after a 27-17 win over North Carolina (1-3) in Chapel Hill.

Rutgers fell to 1-3, losing to Nebraska on the road, 27-17, the Cornhuskers now 2-2.

Friday night, Virginia (3-1) had a terrific win on the road at Boise State (2-2) 42-23, validating the 2,400-mile trip.  The Cavaliers had lost 20 of their last 21 road contests.

And, finally, my Wake Forest Demon Deacons are now 4-0 after a thrilling, tension-filled 20-19 win over Appalachian State at Boone, the first time the Deacs had faced the Mountaineers since 2001 and the first time ever at App State, a terrific setting, having been there.  The stadium holds 30,000, but Saturday there was a school-record 35,126 to see the Deacs block a last-second field goal attempt by kicker Michael Rubino, the Deacs having taken the lead on a Mike Weaver field goal with 7:22 left, after which us Deacon fans were on pins and needles, praying we could just hold on.

A huge win for Wake, and a crushing loss for the Mountaineers. 

So can the Deacs, emotionally drained from the renewal of this old rivalry, put another effort together next week at home against a struggling Florida State squad?  Wouldn’t that be sweet.

--A college football player died Tuesday of neck injuries suffered while making what seemed to be a routine tackle in a game last weekend.

Robert Grays, a sophomore cornerback for Midwestern State University, was hospitalized immediately after being injured during a Division II game Saturday against Texas A&M-Kingsville in Wichita Falls, Tex.  He was flown to a hospital in Houston to be closer to family and he died there.

Nothing about Grays’ tackle seemed dangerous.  “He’s made this tackle hundreds of times, but it was just one of those situations that landed wrong,” Kyle Williams, interim athletic director, told the Wichitan.  [Cindy Boren / Washington Post]

--And now...your new AP Poll!

1. Alabama 4-0 (52)
2. Clemson 4-0 (8)
3. Oklahoma 4-0 (1)
4. Penn State 4-0
5. USC 4-0
6. Washington 4-0
7. Georgia 4-0...up 4
8. Michigan 4-0
9. TCU 4-0...up 7
10. Wisconsin 3-0
11. Ohio State 3-1
14. Miami 2-0
15. Oklahoma State 3-1...down 9
18. South Florida 4-0
19. San Diego State 4-0...wow
22. Notre Dame 3-1
26. North Carolina State 3-1...if you carry out the votes
27. Duke 4-0
29. Florida State 0-2

Wake Forest received just one vote, after getting two last week.  That is simply voters not understanding what a great win on the road it was for us.  We deserved to pick up a few more votes instead.

NFL

--I have Trump comments down below.

--I ended up watching most of the Jets (1-2) contest, as out of nowhere they won, 20-6 in convincing fashion over the Dolphins (1-1).  New York held Jay Ajayi to 16 yards rushing on 11 carries, while Josh McCown broke a personal 9-game losing streak with a super effort, 18/23, 249, 1-0, 126.3 passer rating.  Terence Brooks added two interceptions.

So what about “Tank-Tank-Tank”?  After watching some of the supposed ‘top quarterbacks’ in the 2018 NFL draft the last few weeks, let’s just say I am unimpressed thus far with some of the front-runners.  It’s a crap shoot.  More next chat.

--The NFL played the role of a-holes by scheduling both the Jets and Giants at 1:00 p.m., which they’ve been doing more often the past few years.  Regular readers know the drill.  When you live in the area, while you’re a fan of one, you want the other to do well to make it interesting since we get both games.  Obviously having them on at the same time mucks things up.

So the Giants were down 14-0 after three, I had seen like a minute of it, but then as the Jets were firmly in control in the fourth, flipped to the other game and saw Eli Manning, buried and dead, throw for three touchdowns, with New York adding a field goal with little time left for a 24-21 lead.

But Philadelphia got a tying 46-yard field goal with 0:51 seconds left from Jake Elliott, and then the Eagles got the ball back,  seconds left, but advanced it enough to give Elliott a 61-yard field goal attempt for the win and the rookie nailed it.  Eagles 27, Giants 24...New York now 0-3...thoughts of the playoffs out the window early.

--Sunday morning from London, Jacksonville is now a surprising 2-1 after whipping Baltimore 44-7, sending the Ravens to 2-1.  Baltimore’s Joe Flacco was hideous, 8/18, 28, 0-2, 12.0 rating.

Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles, on the other hand, who during the exhibition season was supposedly headed out the door, was 20/31, 244, 4-0, 128.2.

Hey, Steve G.  You must be psyched!

--In other games, Chicago (1-2) upset the Steelers (2-1) in Chicago, as Bears running back Jordan Howard (boy, I nailed this guy’s prospects when he was in college) had a 19-yard touchdown for the win in overtime; 138 yards on 23 carries and two scores overall.

Don’t worry, Jeff B., and other Pittsburgh fans, your “Pick to Click” Steelers are still winning it all.  Cough cough...cough....

--Unless it’s New England, which beat the Texans (1-2) 36-33,  to go to 2-1 as Tom Brady, the ageless wonder, was 25 of 35, 378 yards and five touchdowns, a cool 146.2 rating.

--Atlanta is 3-0 after a 30-26 win at Detroit (2-1).

--Green Bay is 2-1 with a 27-24 win in overtime over Cincinnati (0-3) as Aaron Rodgers was 28/42, 313, 3-1, while “Good Andy” Dalton’s 21/27, 212, 2-0, 124.1 effort was all for naught.

--And the Jets obviously have competition for the top spot in the draft, as the Colts (1-2) defeated the Brownies (0-3) 31-28.

--Thursday, the Rams eked out a thrilling 41-39 win over San Francisco at Levi’s Stadium, with Jared Goff passing for 292 yards and three touchdowns, while Todd Gurley scored three touchdowns and eclipsed 100 yards rushing for the first time since 2015, and Robert Woods and Sammy Watkins each amassed more than 100 yards receiving as the Rams scored more than 40 points for the second time in three games under coach Sean McVay.

The crowd in San Francisco, incidentally, appeared to be half of the announced 70,178.

--In Week Two, NFL television ratings were down 15 percent from last season.  But college football ratings have been rising, more than 50 percent in several time slots.

Adam Kilgore / Washington Post

“College football this year has been a better, more exciting version of the sport than the NFL, and viewers have made their relative preference clear.  The most basic reason is the proficiency of the players. The stylistic and strategic chasm between college football and the NFL has never been greater, and the sport’s current developmental system creates exceptional college football players and unprepared NFL players....

“ ‘It’s the same sport, but it’s two different games,’ Senior Bowl director Phil Savage said.  ‘It’s a night-and-day difference in terms of the style of play. While most everyone focuses on the quarterback, the style of play being utilized across the board in college football, it’s a significant adjustment.’”

My own interest level between the two is indeed night-and-day as well.  I think you can figure out which is which.

--Mark Maske / Washington Post

“It took more than two decades for the NFL to return to Los Angeles. The league’s explanation during much of that time was that it wanted to make certain that when it did go back, it would be done in a way that would ensure lasting success.

“It took all of two weekends into the first season with two L.A. franchises to make it fair to wonder whether the league’s decision to permit the Chargers to join the Rams in Los Angeles was misguided.

“ ‘No one is covering what a massive mistake that the league and Chargers have made by moving this team to L.A.,’ Joe Banner, a former executive for the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns, wrote this week on Twitter.

“The concerns bubbled to the surface after the Chargers drew a crowd of just 25,381 to the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., for last Sunday’s loss to the Miami Dolphins in their home opener. It’s one thing to play in a tiny, 27,000-seat temporary home.  It’s another thing to fail to fill it.

“The Rams drew 56,612 to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum last Sunday for their loss to the Washington Redskins.  That made for a combined attendance of 81,993 for the two NFL franchises in Los Angeles last weekend.  The USC-Texas game last Saturday at the Coliseum drew 84,714.”

The new stadium in Inglewood, Calif., the $2.6 billion palace the two teams will share, is scheduled to open in 2020.  In the meantime, the teams better put a product on the field that is worth buying a ticket to or it’s going to be ugly.

--We note the passing of former NFL receiver, and movie actor, Bernie Casey.

Casey was a standout athlete at Bowling Green, where he was All-American in track and field, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round in 1961.  He spent six seasons there and two with the Los Angeles Rams, making one Pro Bowl, in 1967.

Over eight seasons, Casey had 359 receptions for 5,444 yards and 40 touchdowns.  He also starred in my electric football games (when I could figure out how to use the quarterback), but this didn’t make the official obituaries.

Casey made his acting debut in 1969 in “Guns of the Magnificent Seven,” the sequel to the 1960 classic, “The Magnificent Seven.”

He also played the Chicago Bears’ team captain in the 1971 TV movie “Brian’s Song.”

And Casey had roles in “Revenge of the Nerds,” “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka,” and “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.”

--According to a $20 million lawsuit filed by Aaron Hernandez’s family, the former Patriots star’s mind was warped by degenerative brain disease – an affliction his former team should have warned him about.

Testing on Hernandez apparently revealed that he had one of the most severe cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, known as CTE, ever diagnosed in a person of his age, a lawyer said.

Hernandez was 27 when he hanged himself in April.

Dr. Ann McKee, the director of the CTE Center at Boston University, concluded Hernandez had stage 3 of 4 of the disease, Stage 4 considered the worst.

MLB

--The Yankees clinched a playoff spot Saturday with a 5-1 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto behind Sonny Gray’s six strong.

But the drama went out of the A.L. wild card race when the Angels lost six in a row, virtually handing the second WC spot to Minnesota, who will be facing the Yankees in the one-game playoff, barring a miracle finish in the A.L. East.

Last Wednesday, Aaron Judge hit his 45th home run*, driving in runs No. 99 and 100, thus becoming the eighth player in Yankees history with at least 100 runs, 100 RBIs and 100 walks in a season, but just the second rookie in major league history to do so, Ted Williams being the other.

Judge is also the fourth rookie in franchise history with 100 RBIs in a season – joining Joe DiMaggio, Tony Lazzeri and Hideki Matsui.

*Judge hit a few more after, including two today in a 9-5 loss to the Blue Jays, Judge now with 48 homers, 105 RBIs. 

The Yankees also fell five games behind the Red Sox today.

--In the National League the drama is in the race for the second wild card, with Colorado trying to hold off Milwaukee and St. Louis.

After today....

Rockies 84-72
Brewers 82-74...2
Cardinals 81-74...2.5

--In the races for home-field advantage in the playoffs, the Dodgers* should hold off Washington, while the Indians need to still win a few more to beat off Houston. L.A. clinched their fifth consecutive National League West division title on Friday with a 4-2 win over the Giants.

*Sunday, the Dodgers beat the Giants 3-1 behind Clayton Kershaw, now 18-4, 2.21, and about to get another Cy Young Award trophy.  The Dodgers are 4 ½ ahead of the Nationals.

Meanwhile, Bryce Harper is being activated off the DL Monday, a great sign for the Nationals.

Cleveland is two ahead of Houston as the Astros play the Angels tonight.

--I have to mention a game going back to Wednesday.  Boston’s Chris Sale improved to 17-7, 2.75 ERA, with eight shutout innings against the Orioles in a 9-0 Red Sox win. In the process, Sale picked up strikeout No. 300 (in 209 1/3 innings), fanning 13 in the game.

But a lot of Boston fans are questioning why Sale, as the playoffs approach and with the Red Sox firmly in control in the A.L. East, let alone this particular game, allowed Sale to go out for the eighth as he eventually threw 111 pitches. 

--Detroit fired manager Brad Ausmus, though officially he was told his four-year deal which expires at season end wouldn’t be extended.  Nothing wrong with the guy. Detroit won the AL Central his first year, 2014, but was swept in the playoffs and hasn’t been back since.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as the Mets manager next season.

--Dave Sheinin / Washington Post

“There are exactly 149 players across baseball this season with the requisite number of plate appearances to qualify for the batting title, and 110 players with 20-plus homers, which tells you all you need to know about what that last number means these days.  The 20-homer club almost certainly will grow in the coming days, with five players currently sitting at 19, another four at 18 – including Philadelphia’s Rhys Hoskins, who made his major league debut on Aug. 10 – and seven at 17.

“Once upon a time, 20 homers in a season established you as a borderline all-star, or a surefire one if you were a catcher or a second baseman such as (Ian) Kinsler.  Nowadays, you need that many just to be league-average.

“Think of someone like Dave Parker. One of the most feared hitters of the 1970s and ‘80s.  A key member of two World Series champions.  A No. 3 or 4 hitter in 75 percent of his career games.  A seven-time all-star and the 1978 National League most valuable player.

“Parker exceeded 20 homers in fewer than half of his 19 big league seasons, and averaged 22 per 162 games played.”

Yup, that kind of puts it all in perspective.

--Derek Jeter is going to be running the baseball operations of the Miami Marlins once the sale of the team to Jeter’s group is ratified by the other owners.  And one of Jeter’s first moves was he wanted four long-time “special assistants” fired; Hall of Famers Andre Dawson and Tony Perez, plus “Mr. Marlin,” Jeff Conine, and 2003 World Series-winning manager Jack McKeon.

But Jeter didn’t want to fire the four himself, so he told David Samson, who currently runs the show in Miami as president, to do it; Samson having been told by Jeter he wasn’t being retained (not a surprise).

Now every new owner group has the right to do what they want with their new toy, and existing management and staff fully understand that, ditto, the manager, coaches, etc.

But you got a small look into the character, I believe, of Jeter.

--Yankees third baseman Todd Frazier showed his humanity this week, after he hit a foul ball that struck a young girl in the face at the Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.  He teared up and has spoken to the family each day while the girl recovers in the hospital.

But while there is a cry among players to have baseball extend the protective nets at all ballparks deemed deficient in this regard, the Yankees have not said publicly whether they will do so.

Golf Balls

--23-year-old Xander Schauffele, who was on the Web.com Tour last year, and won his first PGA Tour title just 11 weeks ago to get into the FedEx Cup playoffs, won the Tour Championship by one over Justin Thomas, the latter winning the overall FedEx Cup title and the $10 million bonus after a five-win season, including the PGA Championship.

This season, there were 19 different 20-something winners. 

Schauffele picked up over $3.5 million today, behind winning the event, which carries a three-year Tour exemption, and $2 million for finishing third overall in the FedEx Cup chase.

Thomas edged out buddy Jordan Spieth for the Cup.

Golf is in great shape.  It was a terrific year.  Took a while to develop, but from The Masters on, great stuff...the Masters being a tradition unlike any other...on CBS.

I’ll watch the new wraparound season, after this week’s Presidents Cup, but I’m already looking forward to the start of the real season after New Year’s.  With Jordan Spieth having a great year, Thomas emerging as a superstar, Koepka, and all the others, including hopefully a resurgent, and healthy, Rory McIlroy, 2018 could be among the great years of all time.

And wouldn’t it be cool if out of nowhere, Tiger suddenly appeared and was competitive.

But one thing we learned this weekend.  Thank god the Tour is changing its schedule, beginning with the 2018-19 season, so that the FedEx Cup ends before football begins.  Today was a most entertaining affair, but I know I didn’t catch that much until Jets and Giants were over.  Golf’s big season-ending event deserves the spotlight all alone.

--Not for nothing but there are lots of issues with the 2017-18 wraparound PGA Tour schedule, which was released the other day.

Like a regular tour stop in Korea, Oct. 19-22 (first time for this event).  Hmmm. #RocketMan

Next March 1-4, you have the Puerto Rico Open.  Err, very doubtful.

And that is opposite the WGC event in Mexico City.  We haven’t heard if the course, which is right above the city, was impacted by the earthquake, and this is hardly a priority, but we’ll find out soon, I imagine.  [I’m guessing the complex wasn’t impacted.]

And you have the Houston Open, March 29-April 1.  I’m pretty sure I saw extensive flooding on the course where it’s held.  Yes, there is a lot of time, but still.

Tack on the fact I noted earlier that there is no sponsor, or course, as yet for Tiger’s event in the D.C. area (July) and the schedule is in a bit of a state of flux.

--Golf Week released its preseason Top Ten’s for Men’s and Women’s Golf. The other day I said it looked like Wake Forest was loaded on the men’s side, and the poll bears this out.

1. Oklahoma State
2. Baylor
3. Vanderbilt
4. Florida
5. Illinois
6. Texas
7. Oklahoma
8. Wake Forest...top 5 golfers return
9. USC
10. Oregon

But, boy, the ACC is down...the next out of the conference is 19 Georgia Tech!   Yikes.

First Team All-American:  Wake’s Will Zalatoris is among the ten.  Braden Thornberry, the defending NCAA champ out of Ole Miss, is another.

In the three All-American teams, 30 golfers, the only other ACC golfer is Clemson’s Doc Redman, second team.  Eegads!

To paraphrase David Byrne, “What happened to my conference?!”

Women

1. UCLA
2. Stanford
3. Alabama
4. Arizona State...Shu, I expect a scouting report
5. Duke
17. Wake Forest...Go Lady Deacs!

Actually, Wake’s Jennifer Kupcho, junior, is ranked No. 2 in the country behind Duke’s Leona Maguire, last season’s Player of the Year, her second in three years!

Kupcho finished last season with seven straight top three’s in tournaments.  As Ronald Reagan (God, don’t we miss him more than ever) would have said, ‘Not bad, not bad at all.’

NBA

--The Knicks finally did it, trading Carmelo Anthony.  Melo is headed to Oklahoma City, to play with Russell Westbrook and Paul George.  The 33-year-old has declining skills, but this could be the perfect fit.  He doesn’t have to be the No. 1 option, and he should be fired up to perform.

But as a Knicks fan, I love the trade, New York obtaining a very solid young center in Enes Kanter, plus Doug McDermott, who hasn’t lived up to his potential when first drafted by the Bulls, but hopefully now blossoms, plus the Knicks picked up a second-round pick in the 2018 draft.  This is as good a package as we could have hoped for.

Premier League

Saturday, Tottenham survived being a man down for the final 20 minutes plus to edge West Ham on the road, 3-2, as Harry Kane scored another two goals.

Manchester City waxed Crystal Palace 5-0, CP now without a goal in its first six games! 

Manchester United beat Southampton 1-0.

Chelsea shut out Stoke City 4-0.

And Liverpool picked up a big win on the road, defeating Leicester City 3-2.

Frida

Mexico has a national hero...Frida, the Navy rescue dog, a 7-year-old Labrador with custom-made doggy goggles and boots, who in her career has located 12 people alive beneath the rubble plus more than 40 others dead, more than any other Mexican rescue dog, the Navy said.  [Not the exaggerated claims some are making on social media.]

Frida has worked in disasters such as an earthquake in Ecuador last year, another one in southern Mexico two weeks ago, and a landslide in Guatemala in 2015.

For the most recent disaster in Mexico City, though, her credits have not been tallied, according to Navy Captain Armando Segura, because she is still busy saving lives.

But a remarkable dog, and a remarkable career that is winding down.  [I didn’t realize a dog’s olfactory senses deteriorate at age 8, so that’s when they supposedly retire them.]  I’d say “Animal of the Year” is virtually wrapped up.

Trump vs. the Sporting World

Note: I said months ago I would just report on the Colin Kaepernick situation as warranted, and if it was truly news worthy to get it down for the archives.  What President Trump initiated this weekend fits the bill...but I am reserving my personal opinions for my next “Week in Review” column, posted Friday.  I did offer a hint last WIR, however, as to my thoughts.  For now...the facts.

--Friday night, at a campaign rally for Sen. Luther Strange in Huntsville, Alabama, President Trump lashed out at pro football players who don’t stand during the national anthem – and urged team owners to remove those protesting from the field.

“We’re proud of our country, we respect our flag,” Trump said.  “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when someone disrespects our flag to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now!  Out.  He’s fired! He’s fired!”

Trump then pranced around the stage as the crowd shouted, “USA!  USA!  USA!”

“You know some owner’s going to do that,” Trump said.  “He’s going to say, ‘That guy who disrespects our flag, he’s fired!’”

Trump then mocked the NFL’s declining ratings.  And he said the league is doing too much to protect players from violent hits.

“If you hit too hard...15 yards, throw him out of the game!” said the president,  “They’re (refs and league officials) ruining the game, right?”

Saturday, Trump tweeted at 7:45 a.m., “Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!”

But Curry was the first to say he didn’t want to go on Friday, a typical Trump trick...the president never wanting to be upstaged.  Plus it’s unclear whether the Warriors had ever been formally invited.  The team on Saturday then said they had no desire to go anyway.

Friday, Curry said: “We don’t stand for basically what our president...the things that he said and the things that he hasn’t said in the right terms that we won’t stand for it.  And by acting and not going, hopefully that will inspire some change when it comes to what we tolerate in this country and what is accepted and what we turn a blind eye to.

“It’s not just the act of not going. There are things you have to do on the back end to actually push that message into motion. You can talk about all the different personalities that have said things and done things, from Kaepernick to what happened to [Michael] Bennett to all sorts of examples of what has gone on in our country that we need to kind of change.  And we all are trying to do what we can, using our platforms, using our opportunities to shed light on that.”

LeBron James tweeted: “U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain’t going! So therefore ain’t no invite.  Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!”

Chris Paul, who is also the NBA Players Association’s president, defended Curry: “With everything that’s going on in our country, why are YOU focused on who’s kneeling and visiting the White House??? #StayInYoLane”

Eagles wide receiver Torrey Smith: “Patriotism goes beyond a flag and an anthem.”

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie had earlier this month said in a statement:

“Social injustice is a big problem in America.  It’s a big problem around the globe. Anybody who wants to do proactive things to try to reverse social injustice, I’m all in favor of. It has to be respectful.  It certainly has to respect the military and the men and women who serve our country.  Emergency responders. Whoever that is.  If you do it in a respectful way.”

Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy: “It’s really sad man...our president is an asshole.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell weighed in Saturday morning:

“Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities,” Goodell said in a statement.

Earlier, NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith said, “The union...will never back down when it comes to protecting the constitutional rights of our players as citizens as well as their safety as men who compete in a game that exposes them to great risks.”

Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch: “Comments like we heard last night from the president are inappropriate, offensive and divisive. We are proud of our players, the vast majority of whom use their NFL platform to make a positive difference in our society.”

Trump tweeted Saturday: “If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect...our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem.  If not, YOU’RE FIRED.  Find something else to do!”

Steph Curry, Saturday: “I don’t know why he feels the need to target certain individuals rather than others. I have an idea of why, but it’s kind of beneath a leader of a country to go that route. That’s not what leaders do.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver: “I was in favor of the (Warriors) visiting the White House and thought it was a rare opportunity for these players to share their views directly with the President.  I am disappointed that will not happen.  More importantly, I am proud of our players for taking an active role in their communities and continuing to speak out on critically important issues.”

Saturday, Oakland Athletics rookie catcher Bruce Maxwell became the first Major League Baseball player to kneel during the national anthem.  The Athletics released a statement on Twitter shortly after, saying they “respect and support all of our players’ constitutional rights and freedom of expression” and “pride ourselves on being inclusive.”

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank: “The NFL has historically been a strong catalyst for positive change and I’m proud of the way our players, coaches and staff use that platform.”

Significantly, Sunday morning, Trump friend and supporter, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, issued the following statement:

“I am deeply disappointed by the tone of the comments made by the President on Friday.  I am proud to be associated with so many players who make such tremendous contributions in positively impacting our communities.  Their efforts, both on and off the field, help bring people together and make our community stronger.  There is no greater unifier in this country than sports, and unfortunately, nothing more divisive than politics. I think our political leaders could learn a lot from the lessons of teamwork and the importance of working together toward a common goal.  Our players are intelligent, thoughtful and care deeply about our community and I support their right to peacefully affect social change and raise awareness in a manner that they feel is most impactful.”

Earlier Sunday, Trump tweeted anew:

“If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast.  Fire or suspend!”

“NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN.  Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.”

In the NFL’s first game of the day, played in London between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens, more than two dozen players knelt during the anthem.  Many more, including Ravens coach John Harbaugh and Jaguars owner Shad Khan, locked arms with their players in a statement of support for their teams.

It is notable that Khan participated, as he donated $1 million to President Trump’s campaign, but he later criticized Trump’s attempt to ban immigrants from Muslim countries.

Denver Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe: “It’s America and you are free to speak your mind.  I just feel it’s disrespectful to the ones who sacrificed their lives and it’s maybe the wrong platform.”

Terry Bradshaw: “This is America.  If our country stands for anything, it’s freedom.  People died for that freedom, and I’m not sure if our president understands those rights.”

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis: “I can no longer ask our team to not say something while they are in a Raider uniform.  The only thing I can ask them to do is do it with class. Do it with pride.”

Green Bay Packers President Mark Murphy: “It’s unfortunate that the President decided to use his immense platform to make divisive and offensive statements about our players and the NFL.”

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross: “Our country needs unifying leadership right now, not more divisiveness.”

Finally, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced today that they would visit the White House as part of their Stanley Cup celebration.

“The Pittsburgh Penguins respect the institution of the Office of the President, and the long tradition of championship teams visiting the White House....

“Any agreement or disagreement with a president’s politics, policies or agenda can be expressed in other ways.  However, we very much respect the rights of other individuals and groups to express themselves as they see fit.”

Trump then tweeted: “Please [ed. sic] to inform that the Champion Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL will be joining me at the White House for Ceremony.  Great team!”

The tweet before: “Great solidarity for our National Anthem and for our Country. Standing with locked arms is good, kneeling is not acceptable. Bad ratings!”

And then Sunday evening, the president tweeted again: “Sports fans should never condone players that do not stand proud for their National Anthem or their Country.  NFL should change policy!”

I then popped a beer...domestic.  Because we’re talkin’ America.

Stuff

--With everything else on today, I caught like five minutes of the NASCAR race in New Hampshire, won by Kyle Busch, over Kyle Larson, Busch’s third win of the year and 21st of his career.  Next week, at Dover, we begin to whittle down the field in the chase for the Cup.

--We note the passing of former boxing great Jake LaMotta, a brawling middleweight champion who had some epic battles with Sugar Ray Robinson and helped define non-heavyweight boxing in the 1940s and early ‘50s.  LaMotta was 95.

He was known to many as the conflicted hero-antihero in “Raging Bull,” the movie based on his autobiography, and he was a busy fighter, 83-19-4 in a 14-year career.  LaMotta fought Robinson six times – twice in a three-week span in 1943 – winning only once.  In their final fight, what would be known as the St. Valentine’s Day massacre, a gruesome slugfest, LaMotta lost his title.

Mike Kupper / Los Angeles Times

“Robinson won when the referee stopped the fight in the 13th round of that Feb. 14, 1951, bout at the old Chicago Stadium, pounding a helpless LaMotta as he hung on the ropes.  But LaMotta, proud of his ability to take a punch, never hit the canvas and, as Robinson was declared the winner, said, ‘Ya didn’t put me down, Ray; ya didn’t put me down!’”

LaMotta and Robinson were friends out of the ring, with Robinson serving as best man for LaMotta’s wedding – his sixth – and LaMotta responding whenever asked, ‘The three toughest opponents I’ve ever been up against were Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Robinson.  I fought Sugar so many times, I’m surprised I’m not diabetic.”

LaMotta was suspended seven months by the New York State Athletic Commission after throwing a fight against Billy Fox at the Garden in November 1947, in an attempt to curry favor with the underworld figures running boxing at the time.

In June 1949, he captured the middleweight championship, stopping titleholder Marcel Cerdan.  Cerdan, a Frenchman, was enroute to the United States for a return bout when he was killed in  a plane crash. 

In retirement, LaMotta ran a nightclub in Miami Beach – he was the in-house stand-up comic/singer, and he testified before a Senate inquiry into boxing on the fixed fight he had.  He served a short prison term on a morals charge and appeared in several movies, including as a bartender in “The Hustler” with Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason.  He would serve as coach and advisor to Robert DeNiro (boxing a reported 1,000 rounds with him), who played LaMotta in “Raging Bull.”  DeNiro won an Oscar.

--Nine elephants were electrocuted near a village in eastern Botswana this week after they came into contact with a fallen power line near a water source.

The elephants apparently knocked down power lines, which fell into a pool of water they were accessing.

At least Botswana has up to 200,000 pachyderms.

Top 3 songs week of 9/27/80: #1 “Upside Down” (Diana Ross...song blows...)  #2 “All Out Of Love” (Air Supply...ditto...)  #3 “Another One Bites The Dust” (Queen...became a Freddy Mercury fan too late...but I’m older and nearing death...)...and...#4 “Give Me The Night” (George Benson...I love this guy, but music really sucked this year...)  #5 “Lookin’ For Love” (Johnny Lee)  #6 “Late In The Evening” (Paul Simon...was kind enough to hire some horns, who were making minimum wage...)  #7 “Drivin’ My Life Away” (Eddie Rabbitt...underrated artist...)  #8 “Fame” (Irene Cara)  #9 “One In A Million You” (Larry Graham...whatever...)  #10 “I’m Alright” (Kenny Loggins....yup, we be goin’ back to the Sixties, sports fans...)

Golf Quiz Answer: Only three to finish T-16 or better in all four majors:

Matt Kuchar: T-4 (Masters), T-16 (U.S. Open), 2 (British Open), T-9 (PGA)
Brooks Koepka: T-11, 1, T-6, T-13
Hideki Matsuyama: T-11, T-2, T-14, T-5

By the way, 50-year-old Steve Stricker was one of the 13 to make all four cuts.  How freakin’ awesome was that?  [His best finishes were T-16 in both The Masters and U.S. Open, the former a tradition unlike any other...on CBS....]

Next Bar Chat, Thursday.

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