Yes, folks, it’s bowl season again, when dozens of college football teams meet for the CFB version of friendlies, sometimes in exotic locales and sometimes in the Bronx, often with rather unlikely names.  No bowl game has ever captured this more than the Poulan Weed-Eater Independence Bowl.  There is a certain delightful imbalance to the name, isn’t there? Of course, if you don’t like college football, there’s the last two weeks of the NFL regular season, the annual NBA extravaganza on Christmas, the firing of Jose Mourinho by Man-U, and maybe some lucky baseball fans getting a Bryce Harper or … Continue reading Sports Corner – December 19

It’s a given that if you coach or manage a team, you will probably get fired sooner or later.  The revolving door of sports spins, and spins fast much of the time.  Four NHL coaches have been fired this season.  Fred Hoiberg was shown the door by the Bulls on Monday.  And Mike McCarthy, who managed to hang on for 12 seasons, finally wore out his welcome in Green Bay.  It’s a rare individual who gets to leave on his own terms. I am not sure Urban Meyer, his credibility damaged by scandal and his health in question, would say … Continue reading Sports Corner – December 5, 2018

Is this the end for Blake Bortles? No doubt experts are debating this. Debate this and many other topics from the world of sports! Continue reading Sports Corner – November 28

Still can’t type much due to my broken shoulder blade, but that doesn’t mean you can’t tell me what you think of the Butler and Bell sagas. And everything else in sports. Lay it on me! Continue reading Sports Corner – Nov 14

With the World Series off and running, it’s time for this New Yorker to admit that we are lagging far behind Los Angeles and Boston as a sports center.  Even as the Dodgers and Red Sox square off, the rest of Boston’s teams have good to great chances to contend for titles, both of LA’s football teams are lined up to to make the playoffs, and LeBron James took his talents to Hollywood.  While New Yorkers are stuck with one relevant team,  a team a lot of us hate. Well, at least we still have Broadway. But don’t be surprised … Continue reading Sports Corner – October 24

As the month of October nears its climax on Halloween, it also becomes a sports fan’s dream.  With the NBA season starting earlier now, we can look forward to games that count in pretty much every major North American team sport but college basketball. Thursday night will have an NLCS game, Thursday Night Football, two nationally broadcast NBA games, and a full slate of hockey. Granted, it won’t be quite as whiplash-inducing as it was for Boston fans on Sunday night.  But it’s still a great time to be a sports fan. Though if you are a Boston sports fan, … Continue reading Sports Corner – October 17

On Monday night, Red Sox utility player Brock Holt became the first man to hit for the cycle in a playoff game.  The cycle happens about as often as a no hitter, and just like there are pitchers with no hitters who never did anything of note otherwise, there are players who’ve hit for the cycle and faded from view.  There is a chance that Holt will be one of them. But just like Don Larsen and Roy Halladay will forever be remembered for their no hitters in the playoffs, Holt will be remembered for his cycle.  Even if he … Continue reading Sports Corner – October 10

I join with my fellow Mets fans to say goodbye to David Wright. Thanks for everything, David.  Here’s to a great retirement. Elsewhere… MLB playoff season kicks off under the cloud of a major federal investigation of bad behavior in overseas scouting and signing. NHL regular season play begins.  Let’s have your predictions! Jimmy Butler Trade Watch! The Ryder Cup, where Europe defeated the US and where apparently the US defeated itself. Scoring is up in the NFL.  Except, it seems, at Met Life Stadium. As always, all sports subjects welcome. Continue reading Sports Corner – October 3

This column is a day late because of Yom Kippur, the most solemn and important day on the Jewish calendar.  So I am reminded of how, in  1965, the great Sandy Koufax chose not to start game one of the World Series because it coincided with Yom Kippur.  Even today, this is the subject of myth and of admiration.  Sports Illustrated ran this article on Koufax’s decision to mark the 50th anniversary of the event. Feel free to discuss the last weeks of the baseball season, the first two strange weeks of the football season, the NBA’s mild punishment of … Continue reading Sports Corner – September 20

We pause for a moment to mark the passing of Chicago Blackhawks legend and Hall of Famer Stan Mikita.  Mikita remains the Blackhawks’ all time leader and won both the Hart Trophy as MVP and the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship twice.  He retired when I was just becoming a hockey fan, but he is known to a younger generation for the fictional Stan Mikita Donuts in the Wayne’s World movies. RIP, Stosh. Elsewhere… Controversy is the order of the day as Urban Meyer is on administrative leave, Roberto Osuna joins the Astros, and Brian France is arrested for DUI. … Continue reading Sports Corner – August 8