TAKE 5

Hello boys and girls and all those who follow sports, “it’s time to call’em as we see’em.”

TAKE 1: The words written in quotations belonged to a man I used to listen to and watch when I was a kid in Southern California. Gil Stratton passed away recently and not only was he a sports broadcaster, but he was truly a renaissance man. In an era when many sportscasters are looking to work at “The Improv” or “The Comedy Store” as an end to what has started as a sports broadcasting career, Stratton had the ability to not only serve as a reporter on radio and television, but he was also a radio actor, acted on stage (Broadway) and in film. He was actually in on of my all-time favorites Stalag 17. By the way kids it is a black and white film, no one gets blown up (not completely) and has all the charm of what Hollywood was. Rest easy Mr. Stratton and the rest of us well TRY and do our best to make you proud.

TAKE 2: Monday, October 20, 2008. If you thought Chicago Cubs fans were ready to use shoelaces and belts after being swept from the post-season by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Divisional Series of the 2008 MLB playoffs, someone be sure to remove all sharp objects from the homes of said fans that hang out in America’s best three hour happy hour bar. Sunday night the Tampa bay Rays, who have existed three fewer years than Ron Santo played in his career are going to the World Series for the first time. You wanna know what is cool about the Rays going to the World Series. Everything!!! I don’t care if it is Dickie V shilling for the team or Joe Maddon, the manager of the Rays, a devoted wine drinker letting his players have fun playing the game. It is good to see new blood make its way to a place that has been occupied and quite frankly dominated by the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, with either of the two aforementioned teams combining to win October’s Crown six times. Here is a side note to the entire World Series best four-of-seven series. Rays centerfielder B.J. Upton, the brother of Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton is the son of Manny Upton, who works college basketball games as an official in the ACC.

TAKE 3: So there I am Sunday afternoon, watching the NFL when I noticed something very peculiar on one hand, but not completely dumbfounding me. The Dallas Cowboys are possibly one of the biggest frauds in the National Football League. Not playing your quarterback because of the broken pinky finger is the right decision. If Romo was not going to be effective throwing the ball, what makes any of us think he could handed the ball off to any back that lined up behind him. The Question the Cowboys (Jerra Jones) needs to answer is what do I do now? Roy E. Williams is a solid pickup for the Boys, if you are interested in a disinterested receiver that is as tough over the middle as I am in fight with a woman…not tough at all. There is something to be said for guys that have the talent to be playmakers and Williams has the talent along with T.O. to possibly be the loudest wideout duo in the history of the NFL. As General Manager and owner, Jerra has lost his mind going out and getting Williams. It shows a sign of panic when you THINK you need to help your Pro-Bowl receiver with a one time Pro Bowler. If Wade Phillips had any guts, he would get in the grill of Patrick Crayton, suggest Crayton make catches or begin to find gainful employment at the local Sonic. Here is the problem, Phillips has no backbone and therefore Dallas really has no team that will amount to anything this season.

TAKE 4: I am not sure how many of you are hockey fans, let alone college hockey fans. However, something was awfully disturbing last week at the University of Michigan. In an off campus incident, Michigan Hockey player Steve Kampfer was body slammed the ground by a Wolverines football player. This is based on eyewitness accounts at the off campus activity. What is sad in this entire incident is the possibility of two people losing the opportunity to do what they enjoy doing. Kampfer, who was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks, will have to wear a neck brace for anywhere from eight to twelve weeks and after that, his season is still in doubt. For the alleged offender, Mike Milano, who was a walk-on football player, his future at the university is in doubt and the possibility of jail time looms depending on the way the investigation turns. Regardless, it makes for a sad time in two families and a sad time for the Wolverines family.

TAKE 5: The final take for the week is this. If you had the opportunity to watch the Tampa bay Rays and Boston Red Sox series, I hope you learned this from it. History can happen at any time. We are in the middle of a Presidential election that will make history with either the oldest Commander-In-Chief in our history or the first African-American to serve this great nation as President. Either of those things happening is a monumental event in our time, but think of all the sports you have viewed in your life and history is bound to happen when you think it won’t. What does sport give us? The Sox coming from seven down with seven outs to go to win a playoff game and keep the dream alive for a back-to-back championship; A team that has existed as long as most sixth graders around the world; the Los Angeles Kings trailing 5-0 in the third period of a playoff game and scoring five goals in the third period and netting the game winner in OT to knock of a superior Edmonton Oilers team in April of 1981; after witnessing so many baseball games in my life, I saw a no-hitter thrown in April of 2002. Don’t leave the game early or change the channel to often, because history is always a shot, pitch or pass away. And there is nothing like saying you witnessed it or that you were there.

Enjoy your sports this week and we’ll talk again next week. Thanks for stopping and taking five.