Well, we made it down to the Bills-'Stillers game in the 'Burg yesterday. It was a beautiful day for football, but as I heard someone in the crowd on the way out say, "What day isn't?" Anyhow, it about the low '60s and sunny and at about 10:30 a.m. I was standing by the grill, with a freshly charcoaled Bratworst in my hand, laid on top of a pepper stuffed with priscuto and parmesan, drinking a cold Labbat's -and well, I've been to some really nice restaurants in my time, but in my book, it just doesn't get much better than that.
Anyhow, it was a great day for football, but not for the Bills, as they got shellacked 23-3. Really, couldn't move the ball in the first half, couldn't really stop the Steelers from moving up and down the field all game, and then couldn't punch it in the end zone when they did move it in the second half. Things ended badly when our best player, Lee Evans, got two unsportsmanlike penalty calls on our last drive.
Dick Jauron, a Yale man, is our coach, and I've seen one of stars on his teams, a defensive lineman on Lions a couple years ago, have a similar meltdown. As an educated guy, I think Jauron is giving his players a bit too much credit and may be a bit lax with them, which is why you have these outbursts. Hopefully, it doesn't lead to the team losing respect for the coach, because we have a enough problems already. Jauron seemed to have some sort of conservative game plan, in which the Bills didn't take too many chances yesterday. You hope this is designed to build confidence, which will manifest itself later in the season, as the squad gradually improves and finally starts to win ballgames. But, if the team quits on the coach before this master plan can come to fruition, (as they say in New York) Forget about it!
What do I know about football, now that Tom Brady-to-Randy Moss looks like the hottest combo in the league?
At least the baseball was good yesterday, with Jeter hitting a game-winning home run on Curt Schilling in the eighth, and then Mariano Rivera holding on for dear life in the ninth and getting David Ortiz to pop out with the bases loaded and the Yankees up 4-3. Yankees are really making a push for the postseason, with the Tigers and Red Sox hangin' tough, however.
Cheers.
Ralph
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5 comments:
Ralph,
Glad you had a great time at the game down here in the Burg.
Andrew was soooo happy at his 1st B-Day Party !!!
Last year we went out and smoked that stange looking pipe downtown...
Jim
My dad used to tell me to "pipe down" when I was making too much noise...never knew exactly what it meant, but I always quieted down anyway. Looks like he was talking about downtown Pittsburgh.
I've been watching some of the RedSox/Yankees games recently and I coudn't help but notice the inbreeding: Roger Clemens, Johnny Damon, and I think at least one pitcher are all ex-RedSox turned Yankees.
In the past, it was Babe Ruth and Wade Boggs. It's like the players make a name for themselves in Boston and then take the train to NYC for the REALLY BIG BUCKS
Didn't Damon sign a $52 million deal?)
Funny how ying needs yang: Even though Yankees fans hate the Red Sox, they don't mind stealing their players. I guess it's the way of the world.
For me, pro baseball has been reduced to rooting against the Yankees just to prove that money does not automatically buy world championships. Seohow, watching the Yankees lose--with all of those all-stars--restores my faith in humanity.
So, at the risk of irking my host, here's my annual autumn cheer: "Hooray for any team but the Yankees!"
Who knows, maybe the Cubs will win it all...
DDD
The pipe was actually the hookah at the Hookah bar in Erie. I took a break from my time at the hospital with Maggie to enjoy some apple tobacco I believe.
Yes, back in the '20s, when the Red Sox were broke (because they were't drawing any fans and Sunday baseball was still outlawed in MA) that Yanks bought a bunch of players from the Sox and started that trend of players moving from Boston to New York. Now, however, the Sox pretty much pay as much as the Yanks, as they have the second or third highest payroll in the league. (Basically, the Yanks were willing to give Damon one more year on his contract than the Sox were, so he moved. And the Sox invested in Dice K rather than Clemens.) As for the Cubs, I think they're in the top five. If you want to root for a true underdog, the Indians would be your best bet, I think, with Brewers and Padres also good choices (Indians are probably the best team of that lot, and they have the local flavor. Oh wait, I'm the guy who said the Moss/Brady thing would never work out. Pick the Padres.)
I figured it was a hookah...I was just making fun.
I don't think I can bring myself to root for Cleveland, but it would be nice to see the Brewers win the Stanley Cup. They could put lots of beer into it.
DDDD
I've never been to Milwaukee, but I'd like to try the beer.
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