Category: MLB

Ugly Football/MLB History — Whatever Will We Watch??

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

cleveland indians

It’s a great time to be alive!! The NFL season is in full swing. MLB is nearing the home stretch. NBA is just 1 month away. And, NHL is only 3 weeks from the drop of a puck. Today, NFL games are the ‘talk of the town’.

Thursday Night Football

Yup, it’s Thursday already. The day you wake up and say, man I’m exhausted, I don’t know how I’m going to make it through this day. And then you remember there’s a football game tonight. Awesome!! I’m looking forward to fighting with my eyelids this evening.

Tonight, the Cincinnati Bengals host the Houston Texans. Both teams will look to bounce back from awful performances in Week 1. The Houston Texans got blown out 29-7 by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Texans quarterback, Tom Savage, was unimpressive to say the least. The Texans have been silent on their starting quarterback decision for tonight’s game, but one with a brain would assume it’s going to be Deshaun Watson. If not, Bill O’ Brien should be placed in the hot seat.

The Cincinnati Bengals literally can’t play worse than they did last week. They were the only team to be shutout, as they lost to the Baltimore Ravens 20-0. Is it possible Andy Dalton thinks it’s still Preseason?? Dalton threw 4 interceptions Week 1. Thursday Night Football doesn’t seem to enhance the level of play, due to the short week, so don’t expect an offensive masterpiece to appear in front of your eyes around 8:30 P.M. on NFL Network.

Prediction: Texans 21, Bengals 17

MLB Record Book

The Cleveland Indians swept the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday, making history. They also swept the Orioles, White Sox, Yankees, Royals, and Tigers again on their way to winning 21 consecutive games. This feat ties the 1935 Chicago Cubs for the most consecutive wins in the regular season in MLB history. The Indians have vaulted themselves from decent playoff team, to World Series’ favorite in just 3 short weeks. While I’m not sure they’ll win the World Series, they’ve been extremely impressive during this streak. The most runs they’ve given up in the past 21 games is 6, and they’ve posted 7 shutouts.

Tonight, they’ll go for sole possession of the record against the Kansas City Royals. I have no clue where you can find this game on TV, unless you live in Kansas City or Cleveland, but I’m sure ESPN or MLB Network will give Live Look-Ins to the game if they’re winning. First pitch is set for 7:10 P.M. EST, and Josh Tomlin will take the mound against Jake Junis.

Prediction: Indians 6, Royals 4

 

Do you think the Indians will break the record tonight??

Who do you think will win Thursday Night Football??

Post your predictions in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

I Don’t Always Sit Through Rain Delays, But When I Do, I Want Them To Be Longer Than The Game

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

lightning

The West coast is silly. Their games and events start at 10:15 P.M., and they don’t end until 1:30 or 2:00 A.M. It is not possible for us normal folk to watch more than 3 innings, or the 1st quarter, or the 1st period of these games. And then, there are the West coast games that are still happening, from the night before (!), when I get to work.

Who Doesn’t Enjoy A Little Lightning Delay??

The San Francisco Giants (the 2nd worst team in baseball), played host to the Los Angeles Dodgers (the best team in baseball), on Monday night. Thanks to a 3 hour and 34 minute rain-delay, Monday night turned into Tuesday morning. The game was originally delayed 42-minutes prior to first-pitch. But then, thanks to the infinite wisdom of the decision makers in San Francisco last night, the game was delayed again, after just 1 batter!! After Curtis Granderson struck out to lead off the game, the heavens opened up again, this time handing us a 2 hour and 52 minute rain and lightning delay.

The total rain delay was longer than the actual game.

When they finally played baseball, the Dodgers proceeded to lose their 11th consecutive game (8-6). The game ended at 5:10 in the morning!! Despite this horrid stretch, they’re still 40 games over .500, and hold the best record in MLB. Anybody else dislike roller coasters??

We’re Going Streaking!!

On the other hand, not all streaks are made the same. The Cleveland Indians are in the midst of a winning streak for the ages. With their 11-0 win over the Detroit Tigers Monday night, the Indians have won 19 consecutive games. They now stand 2 wins shy of tying the MLB record for most consecutive wins. This record belongs to the 1935 Chicago Cubs (they finished with a record of 100-54). The Indians should moonwalk their way to a share of the record with 2 more games against the hapless Detroit Tigers. If the Indians were to break the record, it would take place Thursday night, as they host the Kansas City Royals. I never thought I’d say this, but I’ll be watching. Who knew the Cleveland Indians were Must-Watch-TV?!

Tampa Bay Hosts New York….In New York????

Due to the effects of Hurricane Irma, the Tampa Rays are not able to host the New York Yankees this week. Instead, MLB decided to shift the Rays/Yankees series to a “neutral” site. Anyone care to venture a guess as to where they moved this series??

“Anyone?? Anyone?? Bueller??”

The answer is Citi Field. Yes, as in where the Mets play, in Queens. Listen, I’m a Yankees’ fan, so I’m not flipping park benches over this, but how is this fair to the Tampa Bay Rays?? I fully understand the situation due to the impact of Hurricane Irma, but MLB couldn’t find a stadium outside of the New York area for this series?? I find that hard to believe.

To accommodate fans, ticket prices for this series will be capped at $25, and only the lower deck will be open. Monday was the 1st of the 3-game series, as 15,327 fans promptly booed the “home” Rays. The Yankees went on to win 5-1, and have now won 3 games in a row. Game 2 will be played tonight @ 7:10 P.M., as Blake Snell will take on Sonny Gray.

Hopefully the Yankees can capitalize on these completely logical, rational, reasonable, fair circumstances.

 

What were you watching on Monday?? Baseball?? More Football?? Let me know in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

 

 

Cheaters Never Prosper….

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

the-red-sox-used-an-apple-watch-to-steal-signs-from-the-yankees_1

You are a cheater!! I hope I didn’t send half of my audience running to a mirror in tears. No, I’m referring to the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox, wanting to be like big brother (New England Patriots), were caught stealing signs from the dugout. Reportedly, they used electronic communication from the dugout to steal opponents’ signs and relay them to players (Apple Watch style). This claim was brought to light when, who else but the New York Yankees, filed a formal complaint against their arch rival on July 18th. Major League Baseball’s investigation is under way and should be concluded before the end of the regular season.

Rob Manfred, MLB’s commissioner, summed it up in a way only MLB could. He said, “We actually do not have a rule against sign-stealing. It has been a part of the game for a very, very long time. To the extent that there was a violation of the rule here, it was a violation by one team that involved the use of electronic equipment. It’s the electronic equipment that creates the violation.”

So in layman’s terms, we’re okay with the cheating, we’re just not okay with how you cheated. SAY WHAT?!?! That’s like saying, I don’t mind that you robbed my store, I just wish you would have left the gun at home. If you had done it with a knife, I would have been a lot happier.

Am I missing something here????    

While this nonsense was being reported, we had actual baseball games going on. The Yankees were looking to cut into the Red Sox’ 2.5 game lead in the AL East. Up until about 10:00 P.M. EST, a 1.5 game lead with 24 to play seemed like a certainty. And then Robert Osuna happened. And then — Dellin Betances happened.

The Boston Red Sox played host to the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday night. After 7 scoreless innings thrown by Marco Estrada, the Blue Jays’ bullpen carried a 2-0 lead to the bottom of the 9th inning. Blue Jays’ closer, Robert Osuna, came in to shut the door on the game. Not so much. Instead, he got the ball rolling on a devastating, 19 inning loss for the Blue Jays. Because nothing says blown save like a walk, a double, and 2 ground outs that both score runs. Yankees fans everywhere give you the finger….

From 1 blown save to the next. After Osuna coughed up the lead in Boston, Dellin Betances thought it would be a good idea to give up a walk-off home run to Manny Machado (his 2nd of the game). If you haven’t seen the meatball served up by Betances, click here. There are hanging curveballs, and then there’s that.

And today, the Yankees wake up 3.5 games back in the AL East with 0 games left against the Red Sox. Nice scheduling MLB!! The scary part is they are only 3 games ahead of the Twins in the AL Wild Card. In fact, the Angels, Twins, Royals, Mariners, Orioles, Rangers, and Rays are all within 5.5 games of the Yankees. Yikes!!

Who said baseball was boring??

How do you feel about the Red Sox stealing signs?? Are they cheaters?? What should their punishment be?? Tell me in the comment section below.

 

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

Back To School Special

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

nfl

“Back to school, back to school, to prove to my dad I’m not a fool.”

Yes ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of year again. Time to get the kids on the bus, and send them off to school. Let’s just hope your child isn’t going back to kindergarten at the age of 35 (haha).

Labor Day Weekend is an exciting time. It marks the opening of the College Football season. Baseball is in the home stretch. The U.S. Open is approaching the semifinals. And last but certainly not least, the NFL is just days away….

College Football

What an exciting week of college football!! Although there were many games worth staying up until midnight for, 2 stood out:

Texas A&M vs. UCLA

All you need to know is Josh Rosen and the UCLA Bruins overcame the largest deficit in college football since 2006. 34 POINTS!! A 48-yard field goal put the Aggies up 34 with 4:08 left in the 3rd quarter. Those would be the Aggies’ last points. It was ALL UCLA from then on. 5 touchdowns later, UCLA walked away with a 45-44 victory. Insane!!

Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech

Labor Day brought us a thriller!! A double-overtime thriller!! Sometimes that QB moniker is just for show, as TaQuon Marshall is technically Georgia Tech’s quarterback. His stat-line would beg to differ:

44 carries for 249 yards and 5 touchdowns and 5/9 passing for 120 yards.

WOW!! Despite Marshall’s incredible performance (in his 1st game ever), Georgia Tech fell to 25 ranked Tennessee 42-41.

U.S. Open

For those who haven’t noticed, tennis’ final Grand Slam is well under way. And no, you don’t need to adjust your eyeballs. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Venus Williams are all in the Quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. Hey guys, psst, where can I get some of that fountain of youth stuff?? Venus will take on 13th ranked Petra Kvitova tonight @ 7:00 P.M. EST. Federer lands a tough draw as he’ll take on Juan Martin Del Potro. And Nadal will play Andrey Rublev. In a highly anticipated match-up, Federer and Nadal would play each other in the semifinals. Multiple fingers are crossed….

Baseball

There’s impressive, and then there’s what the Arizona Diamondbacks did on Monday. Both of these feats were accomplished against the all-mighty Los Angeles Dodgers (keep that in mind). Robbie Ray, Diamondbacks pitcher, was perfect through 5 innings. His first blemish, a leadoff single by Logan Forsythe in the 6th inning. Ray would go 7 and 2/3 innings giving up just 3 hits and striking out 14. And to think Ray wasn’t the best player on his own team on Monday….

That distinction belongs to J.D. Martinez. Martinez hit 4 HOME RUNS in this game!! He became just the 18th player to go yard 4 times in 1 game.

NFL

I like to save the best for last. The 2017 NFL season kicks-off in 2 days!! I’m so excited I think I just, uh yeah, I just wet myself. Game 1 of the NFL season is the Kansas City Chiefs @ the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots. You can watch Tom Brady and the Patriots handle their business on NBC @ 8:30 P.M. EST. There’s no pre-game speech necessary for the NFL. It speaks for itself. Don’t forget to set your Fantasy lineups….

 

What were you watching this past weekend?? Don’t be afraid to tell me all about it in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

 

 

 

I Don’t Do Deadlines

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

MLB: Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers

Deadline – the latest time or date by which something should be completed.

Can someone please pass this definition along to Major League Baseball?? While it is exciting to see trades happen on August 31st, it is confusing. Remember seeing Trade Deadline specials on ESPN and other programs on July 31st?? Yeah, me too. So, why are trades still happening a month later??

MLB has 2 different trade deadlines. Until July 31st at 4 P.M. EST, any player can be traded at any time. After this deadline, if a player is to be traded, they must ‘clear waivers’. This means, the given player must be offered to every team in reverse order. If any team decides to claim the player, they must take on the player’s current contract. Before the ‘claiming’ team officially acquires the player, the original team has the right to revoke the waiver, and retain the rights to that player (this is often the case). Once a player clears this waiver process, they can be traded to any team. August 31st is the ACTUAL TRADE DEADLINE, sort of. Players can still be traded, but any newly acquired player would not be eligible for the postseason.

Now that we got that out of the way, jeez, we can discuss the trades that happened on August 31st (yesterday):

  • Justin Verlander (SP) was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Houston Astros
  • Justin Upton (LF) was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Los Angeles Angels
  • Brandon Phillips (2B) was traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Los Angeles Angels

 

And one player, Cameron Maybin, was actually claimed on waivers (which is rare). Maybin was on the Angels, but will now add depth to the Astros’ outfield. The Astros will pay the $1.5 million Maybin is owed for the rest of the season.

Justin Verlander

Verlander, 34, is still one of the better pitchers in MLB. After a slow start to the season, Verlander has returned to form since the All-Star Break. Over his last 6 starts he is 4-1 with a 2.36 e.r.a. With Lance McCullers Jr. still on the DL, and the Astros struggling, adding Verlander could be just what the Dr. ordered.

Verlander was acquired for 3 prospects.

Justin Upton

Also departing the Tigers, Upton will bring a solid, veteran bat to a struggling Angels lineup.

Upton’s season so far: .279, 28 home runs, 94 r.b.i.’s. Decceenntt.

Angels’ left-fielders so far: .244 with 7 home runs. Yikes.

Upton was acquired for a pitching-prospect and a player to be named later.

Brandon Phillips

The Angels didn’t stop there. After acquiring Upton, they gave the Atlanta Braves a call. And just 1-hour prior to the deadline, the Angels acquired Brandon Phillips.

Phillips’ season so far: .291, 11 homes runs, and 52 r.b.i.’s. Not bad for a 36-year old. 

Angels’ second-baseman so far: .196….need I say more??

Phillips was acquired for Tony Sanchez (Triple-A catcher).

 

All of these trades are bad for the Yankees. So I don’t like them. The Yankees won the 1st of a 4-game series last night against the Boston Red Sox. 1 down and 3 to go. Let’s Go Yankees!!

Who did the best at THIS trade deadline?? Post your reaction in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

 

The Sucker Punch Heard Round The World

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

yankees tigers

Drama. Intrigue. Altercations. Retribution. Betrayal. You’d think I was talking about a movie or soap opera, rather than Thursday’s day-game between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. If you missed it, all I can say is, WOW!!

Of the many different angles to examine this, it’s difficult to do it justice, but I’m going to give it a good old college try.

1st, we must come up with a Headline….

A Headline should be catchy. It should grab the reader’s attention and give them a reason to click on your article. Some days, creativity meanders. Other days, like today, the options are plentiful:

  • The Sucker Punch Heard Round The World
  • Motown Melee
  • Rumble In Motor City
  • I Went To A Fight And A Baseball Game Broke Out

Which is your favorite??

2nd, we need a Setting….

2 outs. Top of the 5th inning. The Yankees are winning 3-2. Michael Fulmer of the Tigers is on the mound, and Gary Sanchez steps to the plate.

Very important Side Note: Gary Sanchez hit a home run in the 4th inning, his 4th of the series.

3rd, tell the Plot….

Michael Fulmer proceeds to hit Gary Sanchez, presumably because Sanchez is KILLING the Tigers. As ridiculous as that justification is, it’s the truth. Gary Sanchez has 4 home runs and 9 r.b.i.’s in the series, so Fulmer made him “pay”. Little did Fulmer know, he had just set in motion a hideous chain of events.

In the bottom of the 6th inning, Yankees’ reliever, Tommy Kahnle, took matters, and the ball, into his own hands. He fired a pitch behind Miguel Cabrera, and Kahnle was immediately ejected from the game. Yankees’ manager, Joe Girardi promptly went ballistic, causing a scene while getting ejected. Girardi most likely blacked out during his tirade but argued Kahnle’s ejection, without warnings issued, wasn’t justified. Girardi also pointed to Fulmer remaining in the game.

*Girardi was right. This is on the umpires. Issuing warnings could have prevented this whole situation.

As the dust settled on the ejections, Cabrera and Yankees’ catcher, Austin Romine, exchanged words at home plate. Apparently, Cabrera took exception to Romine’s verbiage, so Cabrera shoved Romine. Benches cleared, and a melee ensued.

To watch the brawl, click here.  

Romine and Cabrera were both ejected, however Gary Sanchez SHOULD have been as well. While a Yankees and Tigers’ player were wrestling on the ground, Sanchez threw a sucker punch at the Tigers’ player. I am a Yankees’ fan, but this was terrible!! I LOST A TREMEMDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPECT FOR GARY SANCHEZ YESTERDAY!! Don’t be surprised when Sanchez lands on the suspension list.

My favorite part of this was the argument that took place in the Tigers’ dugout between Justin Verlander and Victor Martinez. Verlander wasn’t a happy camper when Martinez could be seen having a friendly conversation with Sanchez. I gotta side with Mr. Verlander here….

What took place in the bottom of the 7th inning is what’s wrong with baseball.

Dellin Betances struck Tigers’ catcher, James McCann, in the head with his 1st pitch. This is frightening. This is dangerous. THIS WAS INTENTIONAL. And this shouldn’t be allowed. Baseball’s unwritten rules and the acceptance of pitcher retaliation is absurd. Yes, Betances was simply retaliating. But he could have killed McCann. Is that what it’ll take before there is a ZERO tolerance policy for head-hunting?!?! A Death?!?! I hope MLB smartens up before it’s too late. Some clichés, better safe than sorry, ring true.

As if that wasn’t enough fun for 1 game, Tigers’ reliever, Alex Wilson, plunked Todd Frazier in the 8th inning, bringing our grand totals to:

Ejections: 8

Benches Cleared: 3

Hit Batters: 4 

Suspensions: ?? 

The ultimate question is, who will be suspended, and for how long??

My guess is Dellin Betances, Gary Sanchez, Austin Romine, and Miguel Cabrera will receive suspensions. Betances and Sanchez should receive twice as many games as Romine and Cabrera. Period.

 

Did you watch this ridiculous game?? How long should suspensions be?? Tell me in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

What A Wild Wednesday!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

aaron judge 3

Who knew a Wednesday in August could provide so much entertainment?? From idiot doctors to MONSTER home run blasts, Wednesday provided as much fun as one guy can handle.

Misdiagnosis

There’s being bad at your job, and then there’s being BAAAAAAADDDD at your job. As the orthopedists for an NFL team, your only job is to properly diagnose players’ injuries and occasionally perform surgery — that’s it! Apparently, New Orleans Saints’ orthopedists Deryk Jones and Misty Suri couldn’t even do that. Jones and Suri misdiagnosed an injury to Saints’ #1 cornerback Delvin Breaux. Their official diagnosis was Breaux was dealing with a bone bruise, when in fact he FRACTURED HIS FIBULA!!!! WOW!! I mean, just WOW!! That’s like the school nurse sending you back to class with a  bag of ice, when you have a bone sticking out of your arm.

Needless to say, Jones and Suri were promptly fired. Now, Jones and Suri are also the team doctors for the New Orleans Pelicans of the NBA, so it’ll be interesting to see what route they take with these 2 geniuses.

That Ball Went Reeeaaalllyyy Far!!

The game was tied at 1. It was the top of the 4th inning. Mets’ pitcher, Robert Gsellman, actually looked like a MLB starter through 3 innings of Game 3 of the Subway Series at CitiField. And then Aaron Judge happened. Aaron Judge hit a home run to left field that may be in orbit at the moment. Judge has struggled since the All-Star Break, but his power remains undeniable. “My logic is undeniable.” $20 bucks to anyone who knows what movie that’s from…..

Anyway, you have to see this blast to fully appreciate it, so click here and enjoy. HOLY CRAP!! Right?? ESPN measured that bad boy at 457 feet, but I’m calling for a re-measure. The best part of the video, depending on your team-allegiance, is Yoenis Cespedes’ reaction. Re-watch the video and you’ll notice Cespedes doesn’t move an inch or even turn around. He simply knew that baseball was destined for space travel.

Not My Kind Of Record

Aaron Judge’s evening wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies. Despite hitting a monstrous home run, and going 2 for 5, Judge landed on the wrong side of the record books. Judge has now struck-out in 33 consecutive games. This is the longest streak, by a non-pitcher, in MLB history. He surpassed strikeout machine, Adam Dunn.

The question is, how many more games in a row will Judge strikeout??

Screw You Trevor Rosenthal

As a Yankees’ fan, I know how important the outcome of Boston Red Sox games are, especially in August. With a Yankees’ W firmly in the books Wednesday evening, my attention turned to the Red Sox game. They trailed the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 in the bottom of the 9th inning. Here comes Cardinals’ closer, Trevor Rosenthal. A 1-2-3 inning would have been too much to ask for, right?? Instead, Rosenthal thought it would be a better idea to give up 2 runs without recording an out. Yay!! So rather than the Yankees cutting a game off the Red Sox’ lead in the AL East, they remain 4.5 games back. Thanks Mr. Rosenthal. Ya jerk!!

 

What were you watching on Wednesday night?? Tell me about it in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

 

 

Yankees’ Bullpen Falters LATE

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

Boston Red Sox v New York Yankees

Screw you ESPN!! You and your bags full of money. You’re the reason I only got 4 hours of sleep last night. Watch out Monday!! I am one sleep-deprived, ornery Yankees’ fan.

Listen, I’m an ESPN child. I grew up on a balanced diet of Sportscenter and top 10’s, and if ESPN offered me a job I’d drop everything and run to Bristol, CT, but they’re killin’ me here!! Sunday Night Baseball is not a smart idea. Starting a baseball game at 8:00 P.M (which is really 8:15), on a Sunday, is not fair to anyone who works — anywhere. But nobody wants to hear my sob story, right??

What do you say we talk about the game?? Ya know, since I stayed up to watch the whole freakin’ thing….

Sunday night’s Yankees/Red Sox Game was a rubber match of a 3-game series. A series I thought the Yankees would win. Not because I’m a Yankees’ fan, but because the Yankees tend to step-up their game when the Red Sox come to town. Unfortunately, Dave was wrong.

The Yankees put forth a lackluster performance throughout this crucial, weekend-series with the Boston Red Sox. Forget the rivalry, these games were really important. And without a 5-run, 8th inning on Friday night, the city of Boston would be carrying brooms around this morning.

The Yankees had a chance to do something rare Sunday night — win a game Chris Sale started. Sale is the Red Sox ace who is currently in the Cy Young and MVP race.

We’re going to fast forward to the 9th inning because there are only so many Sale strikeouts a Yankees’ fan can watch (he had 12 of them). Aroldis Chapman took the hill with a 2-1 lead. 103 m.p.h. looks really nice on the radar gun (ESPN will make sure you find it), but when MLB hitters know it’s coming, it’s not that impressive. Give me 98 with movement over 103 right down the middle any day. Rafael Devers, the youngest of the Red Sox young guns, proved that theory. With 1 out in the 9th inning, Devers tied the game with a solo home run. Devers took a Chapman fastball the opposite way, just clearing the fence in left-center field. To see the heart-breaking home run click here.

Just like that, the game was blown. By the way, half of Chapman’s blown saves this season are against the Red Sox, the last coming on July 14th.

To the 10th inning we go….

This is when my (100 pound) eyelids started fighting with my brain. The Yankees can bolster their bullpen all they want, they will continue to shoot themselves in the foot. Before Andrew Benintendi drove in the go ahead run, Chapman and Tommy Kahnle thought it would be a good idea to walk the bases loaded. I couldn’t have planned it any better myself!!

And then came a visit to the mound from Craig Kimbrel (aka the best closer in baseball). An Aaron Hicks groundout, an Aaron Judge strikeout (man I’m tired of hearin’ that one), and a weak fly ball from Gary Sanchez was all it took. 1-2-3. Goodnight Yankees. Goodnight moon. Goodnight Dave.

But hey, at least the Mets are comin’ to town. Nothing cures a losing streak like playing the Mets….

 

Will the Yankees make the playoffs?? Do Sunday Night Baseball games anger you as much as they anger me?? Please tell me in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

 

Mets Trade Jay Bruce For A Bucket Of Chicken

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 3 Comments

MLB: New York Mets at Cincinnati Reds

Good Ol’ Mets

Making fun of the New York Mets never gets old. You may say that’s mean, but if it’s always true, how mean could it be?? The Mets are bad on so many levels. And Wednesday night, they took their stink to new heights. They traded Jay Bruce to the Cleveland Indians for a bucket of chicken — literally. Okay, not literally, but they might as well have. Because trading Bruce to the Indians for 30th round draft pick, Ryder Ryan, a relief pitcher, is not exactly a good R.O.I. (return on investment). Check out Bruce’s impressive season here. The Mets, as usual, kept money as their biggest concern. They received better offers for Bruce elsewhere, but dealt him to the Indians because they took on $5 million of his salary. Wow!! That’s good stuff. It’s days like these I’m overjoyed NOT to be a Mets’ fan.

PGA Championship (1st Round)

Raise your hand if you’ve heard of Thorbjorn Olesen and Kevin Kisner???? Yeah, me neither. These fine gentlemen are your 18 hole, co-leaders (-4) at the PGA Championship. I must give credit when credit is due. My guest co-host on my sports talk radio show, Uncle Mike, predicted Kevin Kisner would win the PGA Championship. I may have laughed in his face when he said this, but I bet he’s the one laughing now. Kisner, while relatively unknown, is the 25th ranked golfer in the world. This speaks to the state of golf, doesn’t it?? Imagine if no one knew who the 25th best basketball player was?? Kisner has Brooks Koepka nipping at his heels, at -3, and my pick, Jordan Spieth had a rough first day, finishing at +1. Check out the full leaderboard here. There’s a lot of golf yet to be played, so we’ll see how Kisner handles the grand stage today.

Stupidity Epidemic Continues

Zach Randolph is an idiot. There is no other opinion allowed in this situation. Zach Randolph was arrested early Thursday morning on marijuana possession with the intent to sell. This charge is a felony, and he was held on $20,000 bail. The LAPD found Randolph and a group of people drinking, smoking, and partying in the streets of Watts. Police backup was required as the crowd reportedly began slashing tires and smashing windows on police cars. Sounds healthy….

This story infuriates me. If you’re Zach Randolph, what the hell are you doing smoking and drinking in the projects?!?! And why do you have enough marijuana on you to get an entire city high?? Zach, you are 36 years old. You have earned $175,124,765 in your career. You are set to earn another $24,000,000 over the next 2 seasons. How freakin’ stupid can you be?!?! I know, other players do worse than this, but that doesn’t make this okay. And I want to shake the faces of the people who say this is not a big deal. Hey, just because this story involves marijuana, and some of you are potheads, doesn’t make this acceptable. IT’S TIME TO GROW UP ZACH RANDOLPH!!!!

 

What do you think of the Jay Bruce trade??

Who do you think will win the PGA Championship??

Should the Sacramento Kings release Zach Randolph??

Answer my questions in the comment section below. Please.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

 

 

 

Use Of Public Perception Goes Horribly Wrong!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

tiger woods 2

People are stupid.

Oh no, this isn’t a revelation, for I know stupid has been around since the dawn of time, however, every so often, stupidity lands at the forefront of a conversation. The latest conversation, putting together a list of “The 50 Greatest Black Athletes Of All-Time”, caught my attention. This list was posted by The Undefeated, a platform within ESPN, designed to bring the intersection of sports and race under the spotlight.

This list was constructed with 4 main criteria in mind:

  • Overall ranking as an athlete
  • Dominance in their sport
  • Inspirational Story
  • Social Impact

The concept of this list is tremendous. If it had been voted on by sports writers, or people in the industry, it would have been a fascinating study of Black Athletes who excelled in sports while overcoming unprecedented adversity and/or becoming role models. Unfortunately, this list was derived from a public survey. While I understand the purpose of surveying random people in society, it resulted in a list that hardly resembles rational, coherent thought.

“At no point in your rambling, incoherent thought were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you NO points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”

To see the list in its entirety, click here.

As you can see from the list, public perception in 2017 is misguided. Some athletes are ranked way too high, some way too low. Arthur Ashe being ranked just #38 on this list is a travesty. Arthur Ashe was the 1st African-American to win an NCAA Tennis Championship, the U.S. Open, and Wimbledon. Ashe was also an activist, who fought social injustice all over the world.

However, there is 1 MAJOR omission from this list that is unacceptable. Can you guess who I’m talking about??

Tiger Woods.

Tiger Woods not being included in this list is like ripping out Wayne Gretzky’s page from the NHL record books.

Tiger Woods revolutionized a sport. He singlehandedly made golf popular. Hell, he even redefined a color. When Tiger Woods played golf, red wasn’t red. Red was Sunday, Tiger Red. The man should have his own crayon in Crayola’s box. Now, I’m sure the public Einstein’s who were surveyed, chose not to separate Tiger’s transgressions as a husband from his sports accomplishments. Again — unacceptable.

Like, love, or hate Tiger Woods, you can’t deny his dominance, as well as his impact on the game of golf. To take an old-fashioned, white, elitist game such as golf and transform it into a mainstream, multi-cultural sport was groundbreaking. He changed what a golfer should and could look like.

All those who omitted Tiger Woods from this list, may now hide their heads in shame.

 

Who do you think are The Greatest Black Athletes of All-time?? Post your thoughts in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel called DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!