Failed Attempt at a Book Review: All Those Mornings...At The Post [I go rambling on...]

FEDORAS!!!

This past April, I had the pleasure of meeting George Solomon, and the Povich brothers, Maury and David. After reading this collection of columns collected from the Washington Post, I feel as if I've met Shirley, too.

Who is the voice of Washington sports today? I'm thinking Dan Steinberg.

In the 20th Century, such is hogwash. Yes, hogwash.

Shirley Povich was the dominating sports writer in the Nation's Capital until his death on June 3rd, 1998. ALthough I had never read his columns in full context until this book, I've gotten to know Povich. It was almost like a novel; a fictional story of a sportswriter who went from small-town farm boy to the voice of sports.

Povich had seen it all from the Dempsey-Tunney fight in 1927 to his final column discussing Mark McGuire and Thomas Boswell (a fellow Post columnist).

In that final column, its quite obvious that this was pre-asteriks and injections.

"[McGuire is] bulked up by strength coaches and Nautilus weightlifters, plus the new diet of "nutrition shakes" popular in the clubhouses..." Povich writes.

In a modern day paper, "nutrition shakes" immediately registers alongside "juice". (I didn't add the quotations) That is, if Mark McGuire didn't.

Can you imagine what Shirley would have had to say in this era? He always had something to say. He wasn't afraid of the public's reaction to his writing. He wrote what he thought, not to impress. He earned respect through respect. He wasn't loud or annoying like so many sports writers (and broadcasters) today. He wrote about (sports related) social issues and "attacked Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall for having an all-white team [in the fifties]."

If it happened, Shirley wrote about it.

ALL THOSE MORNINGS...AT THE POST BY SHIRLEY POVICH. PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN PUBLISHING, 2005.

next post: what happened to the Yankees? Hockey? Why the NBA Finals champions are underrated?

AL East- More heated than ever

It is only June, and baseball fans are already seeing the AL East turn into the most competitive division, with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Toronto. The Rays aren't in it (5 games back). Although it is early, it appears the wildcard will probably go to either the Sox or the Jays. Boston and New York face off this weekend, and another sweep like last series could be critical.

It Ain't Over Till It's Over

Yogi Berra once said the above quote. To me, it makes perfect sense...it seems like a variation of "Don't count your chickens 'till they hatch".
Such is true with the Stanley Cup Finals.
Last night, the Penguins battled the Detriot Red Wings. Pittsburgh certainly out played the Wings, leading to their win, 4-2. It could've been 5-2 if Evengi Malkin hadn't missed on the OPEN NET.
On sports debate shows everywhere, journalists are questioning whether or not its over for the Penguins.
It doesn't appear so, as the series is tied 2-2.
After last night, Penguin supporters may be apprehensive, since the both team win's were on home ice.
Detroit can be equally nervous after game four, considering the Penguin's defense snatched the puck each time they came near the net, passing it up.
Not to mention Penguin goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury's dazzling appearence. You may be rolling your eyes, considering he still let it get by twice, but watching the saves the young player makes are amazing.
The entire Penguin's team, from their stars (Crosby, Malkin, Fleury..) to the underrated heroes (Talbot, Staal, Orpik...) are all young. Many say that the sophistication of these young 20-something players is astonishing.
Imagine what this team will be like in two, three years. If fans think Pittsburgh is dominating now, just wait.

WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO: A RANT ABOUT HOW THE HECK THE YANKEES ARE IN FIRST PLACE. (HINT: ORTIZ)

I stand corrected. Or rather I sit corrected...

GASP! I was wrong?
on two things, sweetheart. Such as-
1. Syracuse losing and Cornell's defense
2. Saturday's Cornell/UVA game attracting new fans.

On error one- Obviously I was quite wrong. Throughout the entire game, down to the last seven minutes or so, Cornell had secured a 3 point lead, much like my prediction. What no one saw was Syracuse coming back from no where, one player standing at the net, awaiting the pass, only to of course get the ball and shoot with three seconds to spare, leading into a sudden death OT.
Which of course, they won. Final- 10-9.
What is this, a Disney fairytale? A Mighty Ducks movie?
No, this was one of the best underrated, college games I have seen in awhile. THIS was the game that should've attracted new fans.

Lax Attacks Upstate NY for finals

In the mens' lacrosse championship game, fourth seeded Cornell will face second seeded Syracuse, providing for an interesting college lax game Monday night.
Cornell easily managed to walk right around number one Virginia's defense in Saturday's match (which was obviously won, 15-6). Yesterday's game was barely into the first period when Big Red began to realize that the Cavs defense wasn't covering their stars, Rob Panell, Ryan Hurley and Chris Finn, who each contributed three goals. Panell had three assists ,as did Hurley.

Syracuse spanked(!) Duke in their semifinal, 17-7. Orange's offense included stand-outs Kenny Nims and Patrick Peritt, along with eleven others who managed to score in the upset. The Blue Devils' lax fans must be pretty depressed, considering that Duke's women's lax team also lost in overtime to Penn State, 10-9. Nittany Lions also lost in semifinals. Women's lax championship game will be played between Northwestern and North Carolina.

Cornell should win, by at least 3 goals, despite the fact this is their first finals appearance since 1988. The way Panell dances around opposition is absolutely incredible, and exciting. If there had been more sports fans watching Cornell/UVA Saturday afternoon (it was televised), NCAA men's lax would have many new fans. The excitement of these high-scoring upsets is entertaining, and you're in awe watching how the boys jump up to catch a small, hard ball in such tiny and shiny sticks.

Cornell versus Syracuse will be played Monday night.

P.S. I Love You, Yankee Stadium..home run "problem"/"blessing"

This is pretty much just an add-on to my last post, so read the last post too.

Phew! It isn't the Yankees fault they're losing now! It is only because Yankee Stadium is dimensionally screwed up, and so it is very easy to hit a dinger.

Now, wouldn't that help them, or at least be balanced, almost being irrelevant? Am I making any sense here?
It certainly seemed to be a positive- if you're Nick Swisher and playing phenomenally.
It is a negative when the other team is getting those huge leads because the majority of your pitching staff has a void that offseason trades have helped (Burnett) or hurt (CC).
If the Yankees fixed their pitching woes, will this help? Is this new stadium a complete haha-this-is-blowing-up-in-your-face?

Right now seems to be a good time to switch religions

I can remember an episode of YES Ultimate Road Trip, a show where the NY Yankees pick a few lucky fans to go to every game, home and away, on the 'ultimate road trip'. One of the guys said the Yankees were everything to him. Baseball was his religion, the Yankees his chruch, and (the old) Yankee Stadium his cathedral.
It was a good analogy. At the time.
Not only are Yankee fans remembering the optimistic last season, when "everything would get better" but it never did, but the 'baseball Gods' are handing the Bronx Bombers embarrsing margins.
Their last loss- Saturday, against the Indians- was 22-4. The last time I remember a baseball game with such a difference was in 2006, when the Rangers killed the Orioles, 22-2.
That was the O's, though.
This is the Yankees. C'mon. What is going on?
Pitching. It must be pitching. But I thought they filled the holes in the offseason, aquiring A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia and bringing Andy Pettite back to the Bronx.
Burnett (2-0) is showing to be a strong, and smart, addition.
CC (1-1), however, um, yeah. I guess no one saw that Sabathia was extremely successful in the NL (sarcasm not intended, FYI). On the Indians, he wasn't a standout star, unlike in Milwakuee, where he was incredible! So what happened? What is wrong?
Yankee vets like Pettite and Chien-Mang Wong seemed to be the least of the Yanks worries. Pettite is dependable, however, something is stunning fans. Wong has always been a good pitcher, but so far, there is something bothering him, and no one gets it. He was even pulled from his start versus the Red Sox. Will they send him down?
The Yankees are currently tied with rival Boston for second place in the suddenly competitve AL East. Before, it was the BoSox/Yankees battle, but with Tampa's sudden World Series appearence, it seems to be "a whole new ballgame."
TOMMORROW: AS THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS SAY, IT'S A GREAT DAY FOR HOCKEY!