SZ726

BY JIM DAWSON AUGUST 24, 2020 BRUINS The Bruins eliminated Carolina and now face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning, a much stronger opponent. Last night, Boston took Game #1 by 3-2 though they nearly blew a 3-0 lead in the 3r d period after Victor Hedman scored twice, the last with 1:14 left after the Lightning pulled their goalie. Both Hedman shots deflected off Charlie McAvoy so goalie Jaroslav Halak had no chance. Halak stopped 35 shots. Ironically, Hedman had gotten a 2nd period penalty which led to a Bruins power play goal by Pastrnak, who was set up by Kreji who found Pasta in the left dot. Charlie Coyle scored the first goal on a redirect of a Carlo shot. The Bruins got their 3rd goal early in the 3rd period as Bergeron stole the puck from Ryan McDonagh, got it to Pasta who then fed Marchand for the goal. So the #1 line of Marchand (goal and an assist), Pastrnak (goal and an assist) and Bergeron (assist) did their usual damage. Halak was excellent. The next two games are back to back – Tuesday and Wednesday. That could be asking a lot of the 35 year old Jaro Halak, but Tim Thomas did it in the 2010-2011 playoffs when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. Thomas was 37 at the time. Will Bruce ‘Butch’ Cassidy go to young backup goalie Dan Vladar, who is 23 and never played in the NHL in that Wednesday game? The Bruins also face Game 6 and 7 being back to back. Go Bruins! (Source for the Tim Thomas information – Wikipedia). CELTICS The Boston Celtics did not let up against the 76ers Sunday and beat them 110-106 to sweep the series 4-0. The Boston D was strong once again and got contributions from the usual suspects – Kemba Walker (32), Jayson Tatum (28) and Jaylen Brown (16). They also got 15 points from Daniel Theis who did a good job against the 7’ Joel Embiid though undersized at 6’8”. With time winding down and the Celtics up by about 14 points, they started taking quick shots which allowed Philly to shave the lead to 6. Brad Stevens was clearly not pleased. ABC’s next game was scheduled for 3:30 and it was past that mark when Theis was called for a foul on ex-Celt Al Horford. Stevens challenged the call and won as replay clearly showed Horford hooking Theis’ arm. Then when the 76ers got it to 6 with about 16 seconds left, Stevens called a timeout to remind his team to finish. Around this time ABC analyst Doris Burke said “The end of this game feels like a bad date. It is taking forever.” Doris Burke is a great NBA analyst and you wonder why it’s taken this long to get her on telecasts of the men’s NBA games. She is a true gem. RED SOX Being the eternal optimist, I took heart when the BoSox ended their 9 game losing streak by beating the Phillies and then bested the Orioles in the first two games of a 4 game set. Then they reverted to form, losing Saturday despite a fine 7 inning effort by Martin Pérez who left with a 3-1 lead (Josh Taylor gave up a tying 2 run home in the 8th and yes he walked a man before the HR. Sunday was a bullpen game started by Zack Godley (5 walks) who didn’t get out of the 3rd inning, and was ‘relieved’ by Jeffrey Springs who allowed all 3 inherited runners to score. New guy Robert Stock helped the Sox’s demise by allowing 2 runs in the 7th in a 5-4 loss. So the pitching auditions continue. I’ve seen enough of Springs that he should be sent packing and not back to Pawtucket. Lefty or no lefty. BULLETS • After Mike Milbury criticized Tuukka Rask for leaving the NHL bubble to join his family, it was revealed that a reporter had interviewed Rask before he left and Rask admitted getting a call from his wife about one of his daughters having a medical issue. Milbury was not done putting his feet in his mouth. After co-analyst Brian Boucher commented on the bubble being a great environment for the players, Milbury said: “Not even any women here to disrupt your concentration.” That resulted in NBC suspending but not firing Milbury, who then decided it best to leave the bubble and go home. • Then there’s the case of Thom Brennaman, the play by play man for the Cincinnati Reds and for Fox NFL games. Brennaman was doing a Reds game when a hot mic caught him referring (reportedly) to a city or place as “the fag capitol of the world”. (Source - Karma Allen and Tony Morrison/ABC News). That got him suspended. • Chaim Bloom didn’t wait for the trade deadline as he sent closer Brandon Workman and reliever Heath Hembree to the Phillies for RHPs Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold. The Phils are also owed a player to be named or cash. 27 y/o Pivetta is in Pawtucket and we’ll see him at some point. The smart thing would be to work with Pivetta on his mechanics, pitch selection etc. before rushing him to the parent team. While he is projected as a starter, he may end up in the bullpen. The real key may be the 24 y/o Seabold as he has impressed at the minor league level and Arizona Fall League. Workman is a free agent at the end of the season. Interestingly, the Phillies got Pivetta from the Nationals for Jonathan Papelbon. • Reports are that the Patriots are bringing back K Nick Folk. Rumors are that rookie draft pick Justin Rohrwasser has an injury. EMAIL Hi Jim - According to my Sportzine archives, the last issue WAS labeled as SZ725, so this one should be SZ726. I just renamed this issue SZ725x in case something else changes. 😂 STILL laughing at Robin Williams' Scottish accent, and what a screwed up family Clifford Roberts came from - sounds like in-breeding to me... Could the quiz answer possibly be Kris Kristofferson? Still love the 'Zine - it definitely brightens my Tuesdays! Best, Buff Steve Hi Steve, what happened is that when I returned, I started with SZ716 after ending with SZ714a. I should have checked. So I should have returned with SZ715 and that's why the change in #'s. Glad you liked the Robin Williams Golf bit. Good guess on the quiz but no, it's not Kris Kristofferson. - Z Hey Jim, If you read your paragraph about the numbering of the Zine, I think you compounded your problem. You said it should be SZ715. But then you called it SZ725??  So which are we at??  LOL. Jim Dwyer Jim, the last Zine I did before my sabbatical was SZ714a. When I resumed, I started with SZ716. So it should have been numbered SZ715. I had done Zines from 716 to 725. But they weren't correct because I left out naming one SZ715. So I changed each one from SZ716 to SZ725 to a number one below. 716 became 715, 717 became 716, all the way to the last I had done which was SZ725. - Z I’m enjoying the Zine as always Jim. However, I can’t even watch the Red Sox this year. The level of play is almost below preseason quality. Nice win by the Bruins last night….at least they’re coming alive. Is the answer to this week’s trivia question Kris Kristofferson? If so, you can list helicopter pilot among his many talents. Legend has it that he actually landed one in Johnny Cash’s front yard to hand deliver a song that he had written. Keep up the good work! Tom Robinson  Hi Tom, yeah the Red Sox are difficult to watch given their poor play. I keep waiting and hoping they will bust out. That offense should be much better, but you can see that they all are pressing. Good guess on the quiz but no, it's not Kris Kristofferson. I like the bit about him helicoptering in to give a song to Johnny Cash. - Z. Darn….I could have been a winner! My average is right down there with Andrew Benintendi’s. PS….second stab – Glen Campbell? Tom Robinson Tom, also a good guess, but no, not Glen Campbell. - Z My colleague Jay Turner, who enjoys the FANZINEs I print out for him and another colleague, writes... “I’m wondering if the answer to Jim Dawson’s trivia Question is Phil Collins “Land of Confusion” ...” Richard Flinn Richard, good guess but tell Jay Turner, no, not Phil Collins for the music trivia. - Z Jim: I remember Chuck Connors as a commentator on "Monday Night Baseball." He played in the NYY organization & later starred in a TV series called "Branded", about a Civil War soldier, unjustly accused of treason. The Rifleman's son was Johnny Crawford and I think he had a hit song or 2, in the late 50's, or early 60's.  Can't remember the name(s) of his hit songs.  Tom Wallis Yes Tom, when I was checking on the 6'6" Chuck Connors, who played for the Celtics from 1947-48, I was surprised to see he played for the Cubs in 1951. Kevin Joseph Aloysius 'Chuck' Connors (4/10/21 - 11/10/92) had a 40 year career in film and TV. Don't need no stinkin' baseball and basketball! Johnny Crawford had 4 songs in the Top 30, and I don't recognize any of them. In 1962, he did Cindy's Birthday which reached #8. He then did Your Nose Is Gonna Grow #14, Rumors #12 and in 1963 did Proud #29. He was better as Mark McCain. - Z Crazy Heart has a R.I. connection to RIC professor Thomas Cobb, who wrote the book that the movie was based on. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cobb_(author) Terry Nau Thanks, Terry, for that local connection to Crazy Heart. As for A Quiet Place, I did not know that John Krasinski went to Brown. - Z Thanks for the movie tips I am looking for something to watch.  Although, it will be hard to top one of your previous “classic” suggestions – The Hills Have Eyes!!  Lol   Lori Spooner Hi Lori, hope that my suggestion on The Hills Have Eyes was the original and not the remake. And the sequel wasn't very good either. I also liked Crawl which is a fun horror movie with a Florida hurricane and alligators in the basement. Crawl, A Quiet Place and Knives Out are all on Amazon. - Z Hi Jim, I know it’s a bad season for baseball! The players are lethargic at best and totally unable to have interest in the game. I can feel their pain! Sure they should always try to do their best, but in this case dead silence allows the mind to think about many things. Think about it the next time you find yourself in dead silence. Do you concentrate on one thing, probably not. These players are used to noise and I mean lots of noise! Now there is pretty much silence and perhaps a 3rd baseman is suddenly thinking about something else when the ball comes, and that player is charged with an error? Possible? Probable? You tell me. This damn virus has been a thorn in my side since day 1. Oh well, we all know that depending on the outcome of this election, it will all go away the first of November! Ted Bates Ted, last night with Gardner on 1st and no outs, a ground ball was hit to Devers and he didn't go to 2nd to get the lead runner and maybe even a double play. So yes the quiet is getting to Devers who needs to concentrate more. - Z Jim Well, my Canadiens couldn't pull off a second major upset and exited the playoffs against the Flyers.  The effort was there, but this kid Hart played as well as his counterpart and boyhood hero, Carey Price. Price kept Les Habitants in five out of the six games and pushed Philly to the limit. They just couldn't get the equalizers past Hart in three games, the last one being the elimination game last night. Kirk Mueller did a commendable job as interim coach; I believe that Claude Julien should retire and the reins handed to Mueller for next year. Canadiens are a couple of quality players short of a championship team and Price's clock is ticking along Now, I put all my eggs into the Avalanche basket to bring the Cup to Colorado once again. They will have to get by Dallas, which they have beaten several times this year.  If you have the chance to watch tonight's game, you'll see that these guys have bought into Bednar's system; they remind me of the Canadiens of the heyday when they were just flyin' from the first puck drop and never taking their foot off of the accelerator.  Fun to watch, especially MacKinnon. Stay cool, the heat out here is relentless every day.  We shall welcome fall with a Snoopy dance under the falling leaves. Bill LaPlante Sportzine is also available at jimdawsonsports.com thanks to Buffalo Steve Lenz THE HOT CLUB Kristin expressed surprise and (mock?) indignation that I hadn’t included her email about the trivia concerning the first video to be shown on MTV (The Buggles’ Video Killed the Radio Star). So here is what she wrote: “I know this one 100% so I will not throw my answer in the game. I worked for Rollins Cablevision and was in NYC for the MTV launch. Prophecy. - K”. There you go Kristin. We were talking about Restaurant Weeks which began August 16 and runs to September 12. The ProJo listed the participating restaurants and among them was one of my favorites: The Heritage Tap and Grille in Pawtucket which has been closed since the pandemic started. That got me excited that this small place with excellent seafood might have reopened. But since it was the unreliable ProJo listing it, I had my doubts. So I went to the Heritage on Grand Ave. in Pawtucket. Alas it has not reopened. On leaving the Hot Club, I ran into old friend Dale Rogers, who used to be a PawSox season ticket holder. Dale used to work for the Post Office. I mentioned to Dale and his 2 buddies that one day the HC personnel told me that I had a package sent to me c/o the Hot Club. A first! In it was a photo that Dale took of my then very young daughter Cara and me at our seats at McCoy Stadium. An act of kindness I never forgot. No one had gotten this week’s trivia by Friday, so I pressed Mark A and Peter B for an answer. When I gave them 2 clues, one got the answer. The singer songwriter is from the Midwest and he was born in Indiana. Peter quickly knew it was John Mellencamp. Dr. Jack has been here and there in his boat this summer. He showed us a sign from Chappaquiddick. It read “Warning: Seals attract sharks. Do not swim near seals.” Dr. John said that when he gets up in the morning, he reads the obits. If he’s not in them, he has his coffee.. ANSWER TO LAST ISSUE’S TRIVIA QUESTION That singer/songwriter/guitarist with at least 22 Top 40 hits who is in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame? Only Peter Bortolotti got it (with help) – John Mellencamp. Starting in ’82, he had at least 9 songs in the Top 10 thru 1986. THIS ISSUE’S TRIVIA QUESTION This singer/songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout is considered a seminal artist in soul and R&B. One of his best songs did even better on the charts when covered by a female singer. He’s in the Rock Hall and the Songwriters Hall. Name?