SZ666
BY JIM DAWSON
SEPTEMBER 4, 2017
WHAT’S IN A NUMBER?
The reason that I bring up the number business is because this Sportzine issue is #666. That’s right – 666. That’s a lot of issues of Sportzine, a weekly (but not every week). The other reason is that the number has meaning in some quarters about the Antichrist (the ‘beast’ described in the New Testament’s Revelations 13:18). Some extremely suspicious scaredy cats think it predicts the Apocalypse and the End of the World.
I once knew a physically strong, large man whom we’ll call Big Don. He visited my apartment and was looking at my album collection when he noticed a red cover with 666 on it. He began screaming for me to remove the hateful object from his sight. It was a strange reaction to Aphrodite’s Child’s double album. That such a behemoth could cower in fear over 666 was amazing. But he did. For the uninitiated, Aphrodite’s Child was the band of Vangelis, the great keyboardist who did the soundtracks to Chariots of Fire (Academy Award), Blade Runner and Carl Sagan’s Cosmos series. Vangelis also produced 666, (6/1972) the last album by Aphrodite’s Child. Big Don – don’t read this.
And by way of explanation and clarification, Sportzine is a fanzine. It pre-dates blogs by many, many moons. A fanzine was a niche publication that allowed the writer to explore his favorite pleasures in print. Fan is short for fanatic. My passions are sports, rock n’ roll and movies (especially horror – RIP Tobe Hooper who did one of the best – Texas Chain Saw Massacre). So there you have it. Now onto some sports.
RED FLOPS
All the Red Sox had to do to keep their 5 game lead (in the loss column) vs. NY was to split the 4 game series. They didn’t do it. They were outpitched, outhit and outmanaged.
New York’s young guns outplayed Boston’s young guns. And the Yankees were aided by their old guns, Headley, Holliday and Frazier as well as Sabathia and Tanaka.
Let’s put that in the rear view mirror. The Red Sox are 3 games up in the loss column with 25 to play, 16 at home where they are 40-25. The Yankees have 26 games left with
14 at home. NY is 33-36 in away games.
Boston has Toronto (6), TB (6), Oak. (3), Balt. (3), Cinn. (3) and Houston (4) to end the regular season. Let’s hope the wrestling match with NY doesn’t come down to those last 4 games. There is no guarantee that the Astros would rest some of their players.
NY has Balt. (7), Tex. (3), TB (6), Minn. (3), KC (1) and Toronto (6), including the final 3 at regular season’s end. If it’s close, the Blue Jays will be de-feathered by the Yankees.
This Red Sox team has been hard to figure. Can they hold on for 25 games? If they stagger in, they may not go far in the playoffs. We’ll see what they are made of.
THE PATRIOTS
The last thing that I just read was that RB and very special, special teams player Brandon Bolden was brought back. Bill Belichick, Nick Caserio and crew are amazing. So Jacoby Brissett, who wasn’t going to play, is traded for WR Phillip Dorsett, a former 1st rounder who has disappointed the Colts. A speedster, Dorsett could be used across from burner Brandin Cooks with Chris Logan getting some time in the slot.
Dorsett once upon a time (Miami U.) was a punt returner. A Patriots problem/concern is in the kick return area. They lost both Julian Edelman and Cyrus Jones for the season. It will be interesting to see who handles the duties with those two gone. Amendola could see time on punt returns as he has good hands. But Amendola is prone to injury and he would be at risk handling punts all the time. Maybe they use him when it’s crucial.
Can’t wait until Thursday’s home opener. It’ll be Driller Killer, Generalissimo and me as we take in the pre-game surprise and hopefully a win over the KC Chiefs. Rain is in the early forecast. I want a Goodell Clown towel, which I will wave with gusto. Go Pats!
BULLETS
• Only one Red Sox reliever, besides Craig Kimbrel, has a save. Name? Answer at end.
• Dan Shaughnessy of the Globe (9/3) had another of his very positive Red Sox columns Sunday ‘Not liking their chances in October’. Mr. Positivity never fails us. Can we get Bar stool sports to make up a Shaughnessy Clown shirt?
• The Patriots had not made a trade with the Colts in skiddy-eight years, mostly because ex-GM Bill Polian hated (and feared) Bill Belichick and the Patriots. This year NE made two trades with the Colts, also getting TE Dwayne Allen. Polian the Pain.
• Peter Abraham (Globe – 9/3) noted that before Saturday’s game (in which he didn’t play after starting Friday), Dustin Pedroia was getting electrical stimulation to his knee. That doesn’t sound good to me. The Sox need Pedey.
Sportzine is available at jimdawsonsports.com thanks to Buffalo Steve Lenz
• Per the Globe’s Gary Washburn (9/3), The Celtics have one roster spot open and may use it on Thomas Robinson, who can rebound and play D. Washburn points out that the only true center Boston has is Aron Baynes. The 6’10” Aussie averaged 4.4 rebounds last year for the Pistons. The 6’10” Robinson averaged 4.6 rebounds for LA last year.
• Nick Cafardo (Globe-9/3) said Michael Chavis will play 1B in the Arizona Fall League. 3B Chavis, after being promoted to Portland, has hit .250 in 66 games but does have 13 homers and 38 RBI. Rafael Devers had 18 HRs and 56 RBI in 77 games there.
• The Red Sox reliever with one save? Fernando Abad.
E-MAIL
RE: PEDRO MARTINEZ’S CRITICISM OF GARY SANCHEZ: Hey Jim, I don't think Pedro should be the guy to talk about cheap shots !!! Jim ‘Mr. Yankee’ Dwyer
Yes the one thing that sticks in my mind is Pedro throwing an onrushing Don Zimmer to the ground. Had Martinez just sidestepped him, Zimmer would have probably fallen to the ground all by himself. - Z
That's true. I think Zim was gassed just by running over there. Jim Dwyer
RE: THE MUSIC TRIVIA IN LAST ISSUE Gonna guess the Monkees for this issue's quiz. I believe Michael Nesmith wrote "Last Train to Clarksville" as one (only?) of the few songs written by a band member. Roger Boudreau
Good guess, Rog but not the band for which I am looking. Most of the Monkees hits were written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, including Last Train to Clarksville. Mike Nesmith’s best song ever might have been Different Drum for Ronstadt. - Z
Thank you for adding me Jim (to the emailers who get the Sportzine)! Had a great time at the game!! Your column looks interesting and fun, We Tiger fans are crying in our beer this weekend after having lost Upton and Verlander in the space of just a few short days. Likewise Patriots schooled the Lions the other night, though it was only preseason.
Bruce Irwin
Thanks Bruce. The Patriots thought highly enough of Detroit Lions CB Johnson Bademosi that they traded them a 6th round pick (but not until 2019). He’s a speedster and special teamer. Wonder if he can return punts? - Z
THE HOT CLUB Dr. John, Big John and I were talking when I brought up that both own boats. Big John said that all his sail boats have had the same name ‘Piece of Ship’. He said he told a friend “That’s with a ‘P’.” His friend replied, “You always spell Piece with a ‘P’.
Dr. John said he knew a guy with a boat named ‘Never Again 2’.
There are two new doors out onto the deck replacing the two double doors that were there. And the block they used to rest against has been removed since it could be a stumbling block.
So I was telling the Bear and Fleet Feet Pete that Driller Killer and I had been at the Cleveland – Red Sox game. Driller Killer asked me what song I would want played when I came to bat. I said, Don’t Touch Me There (the Tubes).
Captain Jack and Dennis mentioned a bar in Fall River called ‘The Tipsy Seagull’ which is in Borden Light Marina. The Tipsy Seagull is on a barge. Dennis said he took a girlfriend there and she told him, “This place is moving. We have to get out of here.”
Patti Quimby stopped by the HC and said she was going to a concert at Indian Ranch which is on Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggagungamaugg (Webster MA). I said “What does that mean?” Tom Bates (RIP), who was seated next to us, knew what it meant: “You fish on your side, I fish on my side and nobody fishes in the middle.”
LAST ISSUE’S QUIZ ANSWER
Last issue, I asked: Name a ’70’s band that rarely wrote their songs yet had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, 7 million selling singles, 12 straight gold LPs and 3 #1 singles. No one had it – Three Dog Night, which had #1 hits in Mama Told Me Not to Come (Randy Newman, sung by Cory Wells), Joy to the World (Hoyt Axton sung by Chuck Negron) and Black & White (David Arkin and Earl Robinson, sung by Danny Hutton).
THIS ISSUE’S QUIZ
This artist was part of LA session band The Wrecking Crew, playing guitar on many great songs like You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling, Mr. Tambourine Man and I’m a Believer. He then went on to a wonderful solo career which was heavily aided by a Texas song writer Yet he couldn’t read music. So he listened to one take and that was it – he had it down. Blessed with a great voice, he had 21 Top 40 hits and 50 million albums sold. Name?
THERE IS NOW A CHAIR IN THE HOT CLUB DEDICATED TO TOM BATES. IT RESTS AGAINST THE WATERSIDE BAR AND ISN’T MEANT TO BE USED.
MY THANKS TO BOB KUMINS FOR SUGGESTING THAT I TAKE A PICTURE OF THE PLAQUE AND PUT IT IN SPORTZINE. HIS PHOTO WAS BETTER SO THAT’S THE ONE THAT I USED. SEE BELOW.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2017
WHAT’S IN A NUMBER?
The reason that I bring up the number business is because this Sportzine issue is #666. That’s right – 666. That’s a lot of issues of Sportzine, a weekly (but not every week). The other reason is that the number has meaning in some quarters about the Antichrist (the ‘beast’ described in the New Testament’s Revelations 13:18). Some extremely suspicious scaredy cats think it predicts the Apocalypse and the End of the World.
I once knew a physically strong, large man whom we’ll call Big Don. He visited my apartment and was looking at my album collection when he noticed a red cover with 666 on it. He began screaming for me to remove the hateful object from his sight. It was a strange reaction to Aphrodite’s Child’s double album. That such a behemoth could cower in fear over 666 was amazing. But he did. For the uninitiated, Aphrodite’s Child was the band of Vangelis, the great keyboardist who did the soundtracks to Chariots of Fire (Academy Award), Blade Runner and Carl Sagan’s Cosmos series. Vangelis also produced 666, (6/1972) the last album by Aphrodite’s Child. Big Don – don’t read this.
And by way of explanation and clarification, Sportzine is a fanzine. It pre-dates blogs by many, many moons. A fanzine was a niche publication that allowed the writer to explore his favorite pleasures in print. Fan is short for fanatic. My passions are sports, rock n’ roll and movies (especially horror – RIP Tobe Hooper who did one of the best – Texas Chain Saw Massacre). So there you have it. Now onto some sports.
RED FLOPS
All the Red Sox had to do to keep their 5 game lead (in the loss column) vs. NY was to split the 4 game series. They didn’t do it. They were outpitched, outhit and outmanaged.
New York’s young guns outplayed Boston’s young guns. And the Yankees were aided by their old guns, Headley, Holliday and Frazier as well as Sabathia and Tanaka.
Let’s put that in the rear view mirror. The Red Sox are 3 games up in the loss column with 25 to play, 16 at home where they are 40-25. The Yankees have 26 games left with
14 at home. NY is 33-36 in away games.
Boston has Toronto (6), TB (6), Oak. (3), Balt. (3), Cinn. (3) and Houston (4) to end the regular season. Let’s hope the wrestling match with NY doesn’t come down to those last 4 games. There is no guarantee that the Astros would rest some of their players.
NY has Balt. (7), Tex. (3), TB (6), Minn. (3), KC (1) and Toronto (6), including the final 3 at regular season’s end. If it’s close, the Blue Jays will be de-feathered by the Yankees.
This Red Sox team has been hard to figure. Can they hold on for 25 games? If they stagger in, they may not go far in the playoffs. We’ll see what they are made of.
THE PATRIOTS
The last thing that I just read was that RB and very special, special teams player Brandon Bolden was brought back. Bill Belichick, Nick Caserio and crew are amazing. So Jacoby Brissett, who wasn’t going to play, is traded for WR Phillip Dorsett, a former 1st rounder who has disappointed the Colts. A speedster, Dorsett could be used across from burner Brandin Cooks with Chris Logan getting some time in the slot.
Dorsett once upon a time (Miami U.) was a punt returner. A Patriots problem/concern is in the kick return area. They lost both Julian Edelman and Cyrus Jones for the season. It will be interesting to see who handles the duties with those two gone. Amendola could see time on punt returns as he has good hands. But Amendola is prone to injury and he would be at risk handling punts all the time. Maybe they use him when it’s crucial.
Can’t wait until Thursday’s home opener. It’ll be Driller Killer, Generalissimo and me as we take in the pre-game surprise and hopefully a win over the KC Chiefs. Rain is in the early forecast. I want a Goodell Clown towel, which I will wave with gusto. Go Pats!
BULLETS
• Only one Red Sox reliever, besides Craig Kimbrel, has a save. Name? Answer at end.
• Dan Shaughnessy of the Globe (9/3) had another of his very positive Red Sox columns Sunday ‘Not liking their chances in October’. Mr. Positivity never fails us. Can we get Bar stool sports to make up a Shaughnessy Clown shirt?
• The Patriots had not made a trade with the Colts in skiddy-eight years, mostly because ex-GM Bill Polian hated (and feared) Bill Belichick and the Patriots. This year NE made two trades with the Colts, also getting TE Dwayne Allen. Polian the Pain.
• Peter Abraham (Globe – 9/3) noted that before Saturday’s game (in which he didn’t play after starting Friday), Dustin Pedroia was getting electrical stimulation to his knee. That doesn’t sound good to me. The Sox need Pedey.
Sportzine is available at jimdawsonsports.com thanks to Buffalo Steve Lenz
• Per the Globe’s Gary Washburn (9/3), The Celtics have one roster spot open and may use it on Thomas Robinson, who can rebound and play D. Washburn points out that the only true center Boston has is Aron Baynes. The 6’10” Aussie averaged 4.4 rebounds last year for the Pistons. The 6’10” Robinson averaged 4.6 rebounds for LA last year.
• Nick Cafardo (Globe-9/3) said Michael Chavis will play 1B in the Arizona Fall League. 3B Chavis, after being promoted to Portland, has hit .250 in 66 games but does have 13 homers and 38 RBI. Rafael Devers had 18 HRs and 56 RBI in 77 games there.
• The Red Sox reliever with one save? Fernando Abad.
RE: PEDRO MARTINEZ’S CRITICISM OF GARY SANCHEZ: Hey Jim, I don't think Pedro should be the guy to talk about cheap shots !!! Jim ‘Mr. Yankee’ Dwyer
Yes the one thing that sticks in my mind is Pedro throwing an onrushing Don Zimmer to the ground. Had Martinez just sidestepped him, Zimmer would have probably fallen to the ground all by himself. - Z
That's true. I think Zim was gassed just by running over there. Jim Dwyer
RE: THE MUSIC TRIVIA IN LAST ISSUE Gonna guess the Monkees for this issue's quiz. I believe Michael Nesmith wrote "Last Train to Clarksville" as one (only?) of the few songs written by a band member. Roger Boudreau
Good guess, Rog but not the band for which I am looking. Most of the Monkees hits were written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, including Last Train to Clarksville. Mike Nesmith’s best song ever might have been Different Drum for Ronstadt. - Z
Thank you for adding me Jim (to the emailers who get the Sportzine)! Had a great time at the game!! Your column looks interesting and fun, We Tiger fans are crying in our beer this weekend after having lost Upton and Verlander in the space of just a few short days. Likewise Patriots schooled the Lions the other night, though it was only preseason.
Bruce Irwin
Thanks Bruce. The Patriots thought highly enough of Detroit Lions CB Johnson Bademosi that they traded them a 6th round pick (but not until 2019). He’s a speedster and special teamer. Wonder if he can return punts? - Z
THE HOT CLUB Dr. John, Big John and I were talking when I brought up that both own boats. Big John said that all his sail boats have had the same name ‘Piece of Ship’. He said he told a friend “That’s with a ‘P’.” His friend replied, “You always spell Piece with a ‘P’.
Dr. John said he knew a guy with a boat named ‘Never Again 2’.
There are two new doors out onto the deck replacing the two double doors that were there. And the block they used to rest against has been removed since it could be a stumbling block.
So I was telling the Bear and Fleet Feet Pete that Driller Killer and I had been at the Cleveland – Red Sox game. Driller Killer asked me what song I would want played when I came to bat. I said, Don’t Touch Me There (the Tubes).
Captain Jack and Dennis mentioned a bar in Fall River called ‘The Tipsy Seagull’ which is in Borden Light Marina. The Tipsy Seagull is on a barge. Dennis said he took a girlfriend there and she told him, “This place is moving. We have to get out of here.”
Patti Quimby stopped by the HC and said she was going to a concert at Indian Ranch which is on Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggagungamaugg (Webster MA). I said “What does that mean?” Tom Bates (RIP), who was seated next to us, knew what it meant: “You fish on your side, I fish on my side and nobody fishes in the middle.”
LAST ISSUE’S QUIZ ANSWER
Last issue, I asked: Name a ’70’s band that rarely wrote their songs yet had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, 7 million selling singles, 12 straight gold LPs and 3 #1 singles. No one had it – Three Dog Night, which had #1 hits in Mama Told Me Not to Come (Randy Newman, sung by Cory Wells), Joy to the World (Hoyt Axton sung by Chuck Negron) and Black & White (David Arkin and Earl Robinson, sung by Danny Hutton).
THIS ISSUE’S QUIZ
This artist was part of LA session band The Wrecking Crew, playing guitar on many great songs like You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling, Mr. Tambourine Man and I’m a Believer. He then went on to a wonderful solo career which was heavily aided by a Texas song writer Yet he couldn’t read music. So he listened to one take and that was it – he had it down. Blessed with a great voice, he had 21 Top 40 hits and 50 million albums sold. Name?
THERE IS NOW A CHAIR IN THE HOT CLUB DEDICATED TO TOM BATES. IT RESTS AGAINST THE WATERSIDE BAR AND ISN’T MEANT TO BE USED.
MY THANKS TO BOB KUMINS FOR SUGGESTING THAT I TAKE A PICTURE OF THE PLAQUE AND PUT IT IN SPORTZINE. HIS PHOTO WAS BETTER SO THAT’S THE ONE THAT I USED. SEE BELOW.
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