SZ639

BY JIM DAWSON

SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

PATRIOTS TRUMP CARDS 23-21; THE JIMMY G STRING BEGINS!

Jimmy Garoppolo (24 of 33) outplayed rival QB Carson ‘Big Mouth’ Palmer (24 of 37) and the Patriots’ defense did just enough to win in Arizona. Leading the team to a TD and FG on the team’s first two possessions, Jimmy G began his string of 4 games determined to hold the fort until Tom Terrific returns. Hey ‘God’ Goodell – Go to Hell!

Jimmy G did have a fumble (actually two – Bolden recovered one), but caught a batted pass and ran for a 1^st down all the while looking composed against an Arizona defense known to blitz frequently. Garoppolo was sacked twice and hit 4 times. Meanwhile the Pats D sacked Palmer 3 times and hit him 5 times. When the game was on the line (Pats losing 21-20 with 9:46 left), Garoppolo led his team to a winning FG. And he did that while converting a 3^rd and 15 with a 32-yarder to Danny Amendola. The team also overcame a 3^rd and 11 when Blount ran for 13 yards on a delayed draw (one of my favorite plays). Josh McDaniels did a great job with his play calling.

Coming into this game, all eyes were on the rebuilt Pats offensive line. 2^nd year man David Andrews was at center, rookies Joe Thuney LG and Ted Karras RG were in, Marcus Cannon held his own at RT and Cameron Fleming was at LT. Shaq Mason (RG) and LaAdrian Waddle (LT) also contributed. The line protected Jimmy G for the most part and did a good job run blocking. The Pats ran it 31 times and passed it 33. They had 7 rushing 1^st downs and 11 by the pass. The Pats ran for 106 yards to the Cards 92 with their vaunted runner David Johnson (89). The ability to run helped the Pats have almost an 8 minute advantage in time of possession (33:59 to 26:01).

Besides the O Line, for me there were two other concerns – could the Pats run the ball (yes), and could the D get the Cardinals off the field on 3^rd down (an OK 6 of 12)? Still it took a missed 47-yard FG to cement the win.

Martellus Bennett did a great job blocking especially against old friend Chandler Jones. Bennett had but one pass thrown to him in the 1^st half (ending with 5 targets 3 catches).

Rookie Vincent Valentine had a sack as did Chris Long and Jamie Collins. Jabaal Sheard had 3 tackles for a loss!

Julian Edelman was a perfect 7 for 7 (targets/catches) and James White was also targeted 7 times (5 catches). White was much improved in his pass catching and pass protection.

Newcomer Chris Hogan contributed the Pats first TD (4 targets and 3 catches) which was a play that Jimmy G changed at the line of scrimmage. Amendola was also 4/3.

Moving on to the first home game and the Miami Dolphins. Game # 2 in the Jimmy G string. And on Sunday, all 3 AFC East opponents lost. Good start.

BOSOX BOP BLUE JAYS 11-8

The Red Sox concluded their 9 game road trip (6-3) with an impressive series winning rally. The team was not discouraged by the poor pitching of Clay Buchholz who went from Feats of Clay back to Feet of Clay as he looked lost, not knowing where his next pitch was going. On this day, the ’pen did its job (8 relievers) with only Heath Hembree having a hiccup (2-run homer). And it was the amazing David Ortiz who once again came to the team’s rescue with a 3-run homer to put the team up 10-8. The win was huge as it restored Boston’s 2 game 1^st place edge over Toronto. Now the team heads home and needs to beat up on the Orioles (3 games) and Yankees (4).

BULLETS

• Per the Globe’s Ben Volin (9/11), 11 of the top 12 lowest-scoring NFL defenses made the playoffs last season. Only the Jets (#9) missed out. That’s why it is so important for the Pats D to improve. Volin noted that the Pats have 9 rookies on this year’s team.

• Nick Cafardo (Globe – 9/11) saluted Ben Cherington for deals which got the Red Sox Rick Porcello, Hanley Ramirez, trading for Steven Wright, Sandy Leon (for cash from the Nationals!) and Brock Holt and holding onto Betts, Bogaerts and Bradley. Cherington also signed #1 prospect Yoan Moncada and drafted Andrew Benintendi.

• Unbelievable that Yoan Moncada, pinch running for David Ortiz, did not know that there were two outs and never ran full out on Betts ball. Bet that never happens again.

• 3B Kyle Seager of the Mariners has 28 home runs and 22 errors.

VIEWING EXPERIENCES

There are a number of ways to watch some excellent movies, TV shows and series. You can get them from the library (I do), Netflix, Amazon and on stations that most cable viewers have (AMC, TNT, FX and BBC to name a few).

Sportzine is available at jimdawsonsports.com thanks to Buffalo Steve Lenz

Lately I’ve been engrossed with Ray Donovan. Liev Schreiber is great as Ray and has competition from his father Mickey, played superbly by Jon Voight. Interestingly the series (4 years with a 5^th coming) was created by Ann Biderman. Biderman also created the LA cops show SouthLAnd, which I also recommend.

Another series Victoria and I like is The Knick, a turn of the century piece about the Knickerbocker Hospital in New York City. It stars Clive Owen and Andre Holland who play doctors trying to combat racism, colleagues who are slow to accept new medical discoveries and their own personal demons. It ran for two seasons.

Lately we’ve also been watching Bloodline on Netflix. It’s about the Rayburns, a dysfunctional Florida family that comes apart when black sheep son/brother Danny (Ben Mendelsohn) returns. Sissy Spacek and Sam Shepard are also in it. It’s been on for two seasons with a 3^rd set for 2017. So some viewing ideas for readers.

E-MAIL

Hi Jim, Quiz - Otis Redding? Thank you for the ZINE.

David Annese

David, good guess but Otis Redding is incorrect. - Z

Otis Redding, Dock of the Bay, too easy.

Matthew Dawson

Good try, Matthew, but No. Otis did not have 30 top 40 hits. And the anthem was not Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay.

Not even googling this one: Otis Redding "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay"

Roger Boudreau

Nope that’s not the answer. - Z

Hello Jim, nice work as always! I'd like to say that the R & B guy is Otis Redding......just not sure if he had that many hits.

Tom Robinson

Good try Tom but you’re right – Otis had a lot of hits but not 30 Top 40 ones. - Z

Jim - I'll take a stab at Otis Redding - I was thinking Sam Cooke but I'll stick with Otis.

Dennis Doyon

Your original guess was the right one - Sam Cooke. Cooke had 30 top 40 hits. Otis did not. - Z

Sam Cooke?

Ken Forestal

Right you are Ken. - Z

THE HOT CLUB

ERRATA Last week I mentioned that Charlie Clancy, part of the BC football chain gang, was going to Dublin, Ireland to work the Boston College - Notre Dame game. I had it in my mind that it was quite appropriate for the Irishmen to be playing in Ireland. Except Notre Dame wasn’t the opponent – it was Georgia Tech. The Ramblin’ Wreck beat BC in the closing minutes. Charlie said he didn’t get much of a chance to see Dublin but had some nice pictures from the Temple Bar.

Buffalo Steve, who was a Sea Bee, told us about taking a trip while in the Navy from Christchurch, NZ to McMurdo Station, which is on Ross Island in Antarctica. The Sea Bees were providing support to civilian scientists there. Stevie said that Mt. Erebus, the only active volcano on Ross Island, is there. I asked what was it like. Buffalo Steve said that there was a naked woman behind every tree. Everyone laughed except me. Then I got it - there are no trees.

The Hot Club as Hotel California: You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. Old friend and HC bartender Jen Riley was in the house. Jen sounds like she’s very busy bartending, just not at the Hot Club.

We were talking about the Red Sox and the gaffes that manager John Farrell has made. I said “He should have been fired just for having Steven Wright pinch run against the Dodgers.” Fleet Feet Pete said, “Yeah and he hasn’t been right since.”

ANSWER TO LAST ISSUE’S QUIZ

So who was the soul and r&b great who died a tragic death two weeks before the release of one of his greatest hits, a song that has become an anthem? Why Sam Cook(e), of course. The anthem - A Change Is Gonna Come. Only Ken Forestal had the answer. Sam Cooke died when shot by a motel manager after a prostitute took his clothes (and money) while he was in the bathroom. It was ruled justifiable homicide. Research shows that the motel manager was an ex-madam. The prostitute later went to jail for the 2^nd degree murder of her boyfriend.

THIS WEEK’S QUIZ

This singer had several hits in the ’60’s including a #1, a #5 and a #9. He went into decline but was about to be recognized when another artist put out a cover of his #1 hit. Sadly, he did not live to enjoy a comeback. Name?