Reviews

Thank You, Caitlin Clark

4/2/2024

I was trying to watch the hideous Mets -- an act of avoidance from the huckster running for President.
Not to compare, but the Mets were not watchable, either.
Fortunately, fortunately, the Upstate members of the family reported they were watching Caitlin Clark light up the NCAA quarterfinals.
Since retiring, I've been pretty much avoiding all sports except baseball (which the Mets used to play) and soccer. Other things to do. But on this night of the April Fools, I knew a refuge when it was suggested.
I watched just enough of this heady player loft her shots from the 3-point sector - helping to beat LSU and move into the semifinals next weekend.
I cannot compare Clark with some of the great female players I have seen, but she is terrific.
Maybe Clark is "a unicorn," as a Japanese friend who knows her baseball calls Shohei Otani, slugger and pitcher, currently and maybe for a long time under suspicion for being in some kind of cahoots with his interpreter with a gambling jones.
I wonder if anybody in Major League Baseball has linked Ohtani and his associate with the deluge of gambling ads on TV -- snarky losers trying to get even, in Rob Manfred's world. The commercial-makers know their suckers.
Anyway, there is a lot to avoid in a year of a grifter waving his new campaign product, a Bible.
What a world.
Meantime, the Mets stink -- four straight losses to open the season. I have the suspicion that owner Steve Cohen has messed up the decent mind of Pete Alonso, who looks lost, since the owner told him to have another great year and maybe they could do business.
Creeps everywhere.
Then again, as a family Mets sufferer asked Monday night when I suggested the owner had submarined Alonso, "Maybe. What's Lindor's excuse?"
The Mets announcers were giving a gloomy weather forecast for the next night or two.
Wishful thinking on everybody's part.
Anyway, Caitlin Clark will be tossing up 3-pointers Friday night against Connecticut.
She is worth watching.

Walter Schwartz

4/2/2024 09:44:11 am

Our beloved hometown of Queensborough better start shaping up real soon. First it was Trump; now the Mets; and I don't think the locals will be too fond of congestion pricing. Hard times for the locals.

4/2/2024 02:34:59 pm

Chief: I don't blame Queens for Trump. I turn on the tube sometimes and see Jelani Cobb of Columbia J School and the New Yorker, plus Sheila Jackson Lee, now a House member from Houston -- both from "our" Jamaica High. Plus, think of the good people from right around the spawn of evil on Midland Parkway -- you and I could name dozens.
Just saying. GV

Chris Vecsey

4/5/2024 04:34:25 pm

Another great Queensite to praise: Merrill Miller, M.D., Jamaica High alumna, longtime chief of medical operations at Colgate University, now emerita, recently (semi-) retired, now only working 50-hour weeks. I saw her at a Colgate lecture this morning. She reminded me that Queens is the most diverse municipality (languages, religions) on earth.
Love to you both, George and Walter,
Chris

Bruce

4/5/2024 05:03:35 pm

george,

hmmm.. one of those things i read and wonder who says so?

bruce

...https://www.afar.com/magazine/why-you-should-travel-to-toronto-canada#:~:text=By%20most%20measures%2C%20Toronto%20is,180%20languages%20are%20spoken%20here.

bruce

Alan D. Levine

4/2/2024 10:27:07 am

Had tickets for last night's game. Didn't go. Night baseball in early April is uncomfortable to sit through. And my son, the stagehand, working on an endless load-in for the past month, was afraid he'd fall asleep by the fifth inning. I somewhat regretted my choice until the tenth inning. I absolutely hate the ghost runner!

And what about Nimmo and McNeil? So far, Alvarez is the only player who impresses. The pitching is spotty and already injury plagued. Someone please remind me why Buck was fired.

4/2/2024 02:40:21 pm

True, Alvarez has been fun. And Diaz is back. But the rest....
Good question about Buck.
I could say, well, poor feller turned 67.
Then I remember Casey Stengel getting fired by the Yankees, end of 1960.
The Old Man said he had turned 70 ...and he would ever make that mistake again.
He went on to put life into an expansion franchise.
GV

Darrell Berger

4/2/2024 10:30:05 am

I watched Mets/Tigers on SNY last night as Tigers are blacked out in my area vs. Mets. Just wanted to make sure that disgruntled Mets fans (on merit) still appreciate that a product poorly assembled can still be wonderfully reported. Keith Hernandez had a full scouting report on every Tiger's pitcher after about ten pitches and I'm sure he had not seen any of them before. Maybe one. His perception, experience and ability to convey them clearly and succinctly is unmatched. I know you Mets' fan know this, but just wanted to put in a note of appreciation and envy.

4/2/2024 02:46:05 pm

Darrell, thanks for the astute comment. I think Ron Darling was elsewhere last night -- not that he and Keith butt heads, they do not -- but there was more air space and he filled it admirably, and you noticed it. I have to add that in the years around 1986 Hernandez was probaby the most observant ball player I have ever covered, He would give a seminar after games -- but only if the cameras and recorders were turned off, And he "shared" his wisdom with his teammates -- including Jesse Orosco on the mound in the final inning of the classic Sixth Game in Houston.
Darrell, you know the game...well done GV

Roy Lloyd

4/2/2024 11:58:25 am

My wife, who describes herself as a hopeless Mets fan, says she’s grateful that she didn’t have to wait until August for this! As for me, I’m startled by the start of my old hometown Pittsburgh Pirates. As my cousin, Tom, who lives in Ohio and goes regularly to Pittsburgh to see games, he joked that the Bucco’s are “invincible.” Hah! Isn’t hope a wonderful gift?!

I agree that the Iowa phenom Clark is startling to watch, but I agree with the UConn coach that Bueckers is the best all-around player.

This is turning out to be a fun year for college basketball.

As for that $60 Bible, it’s a special edition ala Jefferson, with some parts left out because it’s irrelevant—like the 10 Commandments and “love your neighbor.” What foolishness. To quote Lombardi, “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.”

Back to the Mets, as my wife sees it, the endless cycle of “anticipation followed by disappointment is assumed.” Or as my cousin Tom quotes the old Pirate’s announcer Bob Prince, “We had ‘em all the way.”

Roy Lloyd

4/2/2024 02:51:16 pm

Hey, Roy, nice to hear from you, Please tell your wife that even before the first hideous game this season I was quoting Dante:
"Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate qui."
They should make that the official Mets motto.
GV

Ed Martin

4/2/2024 12:56:51 pm

On target. Even in Florida, the Mets start is bad news.

Way back in the 50s in Tuscaloosa, Ala. the radio refuge after dark were clear channel stations, e.g. KMOX, St. Louis, WWL, New Orleans.
WHO from Des Moines had something unknown to NY listeners, Girls Basketball Scores! Who knew?

It’s seems destined that Caitlin Clark would play in Iowa!

4/2/2024 03:02:16 pm

Ed, you could get those clear-channel stations on Long Island, despite the coastal glut of noise. Saturday night, on my car radio, I could get the Opry on WSM, 650 AM. Reds Games. Cardinal games. And there was a clear-channel country station from Marshalltown, Iowa....seems to have morphed into something else . Womens basketball had 6 players? Two had to stay behind halfcourt.
I can';t compare Clark with other players -- including my friend Nancy Lieberman from Far Rockaway, took the A train to play against men in Harlem schoolyards, known as "Big Red." So many others, Here's a web list:

https://www.google.com/search?q=best+female+basketball+players+of+all+time&sca_esv=1ae4fc2d32eb8d6b&sca_upv=1&rlz=1C1GCER_en&ei=kVUMZuizLMbuiLMPq_SMqAI&oq=best+female+&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiDGJlc3QgZmVtYWxlICoCCAAyCxAAGIAEGIoFGJECMgsQABiABBiKBRiRAjILEAAYgAQYigUYkQIyCxAAGIAEGIoFGJECMgsQABiABBiKBRiRAjIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAESKtAUABY5CNwBXgBkAEAmAG3AaABswyqAQQxNC4zuAEByAEA-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-wEYlwUYjAUY3QTYAQTCAhcQLhiABBiKBRiRAhixAxjJAxjHARjRA8ICGhAuGIAEGIoFGJECGJcFGNwEGN4EGN8E2AEBwgImEC4YgAQYigUYkQIYsQMYyQMYxwEY0QMYlwUY3AQY3gQY4ATYAQHCAggQABiABBjJA5gDFroGBggBEAEYFLoGBAgCGAe6BgYIAxABGAq6BgYIBBABGBOSBwYxNS42LjGgB97JAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Randolph

4/3/2024 09:27:34 pm

George,
Big Red a.k.a. Secretariat the greatest thoroughbred in history.
Big Red a.k.a. Nancy Lieberman the greatest woman in basketball
R

Altenir

4/2/2024 01:30:36 pm

I've been listening to John Sterling on WFAN. It's very impressive how his broadcasting has so emotional. Sweeping the Astros at the start of the season, I think, was a beautiful event, and it must have helped alleviate many traumas.
Let's play ball!
Best, Altenir

4/2/2024 03:07:39 pm

Altenir. Bless his heart, John is a throwback -- lot of schmaltz, as we say in NY.
(Plus, we share a birthdate.) In this same post, I've seen Bob Prince mentioned -- the voice of the Pirates. Piece of work. Today's visible reality on TV has diminished the role of the old radio characters.
I am so glad to hear my longtime friend with the Mets -- I call hi Good Old Howie Rose, Keep chattering,

Ed Martin

4/2/2024 11:07:14 pm

In 1957 Peggy and I arrrived in Pittsburgh, began listening to Bob Prince. He used “we” in broadcasting the Pirates, Red Barber would not do that. The hometown flavor of sports reporting continued in papers as well. Pitt was going to be powerful, Steelers a winner, etc. Spring ‘58 I said to Peggy, these guys are such “homers,” now they say some guy from Latrobe is going to win the Masters.

Arnold Palmer, ever heard of him?

bruce

4/3/2024 08:29:16 pm

ed,

when i got married (first time) in '71 my cable company used to show the pirates' games in hamilton.

enjoyed prince a lot plus they had a good team.

it was a treat to watch clemente.

Alan D. Levine

4/3/2024 11:23:09 pm

One steel town to another

Bruce

4/3/2024 11:58:42 pm

alan,

i'm a bit surprised.

i'm sure not too many americans know hamilton is called steet town or, more often these days, the hammer. also the 'ambitioius city' years ago.

i've only spent about 11 or 12 years living there. mostly dundas and greensville which were amalgamated along with some others towns more than 20 years ago.

martin short, eugene levy, nick cordero, dave thomas, father caughlin--the racist priest, jack kent cooke and the jaimz woolvett--who played 'the kid' in unforgiven--were/are from the area.

also Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who is considered one of the top half dozen players or so in the nba.

bruce

Bruce Picken

4/3/2024 08:41:34 pm

george,

can't bring myself to watch the two yuge revenue producing sports in american college sports.

too much money, too much hype, too much (in BB) hopping from school to school and too many who probably couldn't make it academically if not for sports.

i will make an allowance for purdue since they have the canadian kid who won player of the year last year and will probably again this one.

apparently a bright guy too....enrolled in the Krannert School of Management,

Jean B via George V

4/4/2024 04:55:30 pm

“The old story – start spring with such hopes and then the action starts, Ugh,
“We got our first black and white tv in 1952. Diana rooted for the Dodgers and I was for the Indians.
“In Connecticut, we had a radio that ran on a card battery which the previous owner left us. It had a short wave so sometimes we got broadcasts from India – missionaries, The best shortwave was Radio Canada.
“PS: We heard about the end of the war in August of 45. And in 1956 when a hurricane knocked out the other statios we got the news from the nearest town in Connecticut.
“We now have Spectrum, so we’re up to date, but those were the days.
“WBZ gets us the Red Sox.
“Thanks for the memories.”
Jean (and Diana B)

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Thank You, Caitlin Clark

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