Brad Pye Jr. Sports Editor EmeritusSeptember 30, 2016
Brad Pye’s National Sports Beat (9/30- 10/6/2016)
The Chicago Cubs’ goal is to win their first World Series since 1908! That’s a long time ago. Nevertheless, the Cubs are favored to get the job done.
Now hear This! Lamar Jackson ranks second in the nation in total offense with 459.0 yards per game while leading an attack that’s averaging the most yards (679.3) and points (65.0). Not too tacky! And the beat continues!
The Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig was hot for a day on Sept. 21. He smacked a first inning three-run homer to help the Dodgers prevail 9-3. “If you were given a book with the story of your life, would you read the end?” On his friend Miami Marlins All-Star pitcher Jose Fernandez who was killed in a boat accident, Yasiel Puig says: “I still can’t believe he left us so early.” He was only 24.
Come on D’Angelo Russell, keep this up and you may be able to match the great Kobe Bryant’s second year of play. And by all means help the Lakers and their fans to forget about that 17-65 report card, the worst in the club’s history. However, what it takes, because the impossible can become possible, Russell should know that. And the beat continues!
The Boston Sox’s David Ortiz is going into retirement hitting Homeruns. Ortiz smacked a three run homerun on Sept.20 to pace his team to a 5-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. This was the 540th of his career. Ortiz knows the score, he says: “Compare the number of Latinos with the number of Latino managers (2), you know what I’m saying. Sometimes I get so frustrated about it, But you can’t wait for anyone to be here for you something,” Ortiz adds. “But I tell the young guys ‘Be smart. Save, there won’t be anything for you when it’s done. Make as much as you can in the game and get your black ass out.”
Right now, Coach David Shaw and his Stanford Cardinals own every Pac-12 football thing that is not nailed down. Coach Shaw’s Boys From Up On The Farm beat UCLA 22-13. The Cardinals scored 14 points in the last 24-seconds, No. 19 ( J.J. Arcega-Whiteside) hit on an 8-yarder for six and Stanford’s Solomon Thomas scooped a fumble by UCLA’s QB Josh Rosen seconds later to make the final score 22-13.
Dr. Harry Edwards, who is employed by the ‘49ers, is all for San Francisco ‘49ers’ QB Colin Kaepernick, who says that he would like to see social change take root across America. Kaepernick says he would sit with the local police chief and a community activist in a conversation about social injustice and possible solutions ensued. The NFL is exploring its objectives for social change. It’s about time! Despite all the good Kaepernick is doing, he was voted in a recent poll, the most disliked player in the NFL. To each his own.
Who needs QB Tom Brady until he’s scheduled to return from his four game suspension? The New England’s No. 3 man, Jacoby Brissett, got his first start because of an injury to Jimmy Garoppolo, the No.2 man behind the four game suspended Tom Brady. Brissett (11 of 19 for 103-yards and ran 8 times for 48-yards. He also ran 27-yards for his first NFL TD) and stepped in and continued the Patriots winning ways with the key help LeGarrette with one and 41-yards TDs in the 27-0 win over the Houston Texans.
Kevin Garnett has told the Timberwolves he’s calling it a career after 21-years. Garnett joined the NBA after high school and this opened the doors for Kobe Bryant, LeBron James et al to join the NBA straight out of high school. Garnett reportedly earned $330 million in his career, the most any player in league history. You go boy!
. LeBron James says; “I will stand for the anthem. What I don’t like about the situation is the negative attention that been thrown upon on him from certain people, because is not deserved.”
. Coach Coach Popovich is noted for one word answers but in support of Kaepernick he virtually preached a sermon in support of the QB.
. Popovich says; “I absolutely understand why they doing, and I happen to understand what they’re doing, and I respect their courage for what they’ve done. The question is whether it’ll do any good or not, because change really seems to happen through political pressure. No matter how you look at it, whether its Dr. Martin King Jr., getting large number groups of people together and boycotting buses or what’s happened in Carolina with the NBA and other organizations pulling events to make it known what’s going on. I think the important thing Kaepernick and others have done is keep it in the conversation.
Courtesy Photo
The U.S. Olympic Committee honored Muhammad Ali as the inaugural recipient of the Jesse Owens Spirit Award, who else could the committee have chosen? The award was given on Sept. 28 at Georgetown University to Ali’s widow Lonnie Ali.
Attention Seattle Seahawks fans, don’t panic as long as Coach Pete Carroll and QB Russell Wilson are still around. The Seahawks will prevail again. I think so! Attention Wilson, hurry back from your latest knee injury! The Seattle Seahawks need you and can’t win another Super Bowl without you.”
PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem started in his job at the same time Tiger Woods started his historic journey. Finchem declared: “Many have written that the Tour’s growth was mostly because of Woods, who joined in 1996. Finchem will be the first to tell you Woods was a force to latch on to and build upon.”
When you think of the greatest moments in Major League Baseball in L.A. and the world, you think of the man who broadcasts to you. The man who made you aware of them is Vin Scully the Hall of Famer and six time World Series balls and strikes man! The one only voice of sports including NBA, NFL, boxing and golf and whatever else he was called upon to broadcast for 67-years. Scully noted the great players like Jackie Robinson, Don Newcombe, Maury Wills, Tommy and Willie Davis, Roy Campanella, Sandy Koufaux, Ernie Banks, Willie Mays, Lou Brock and all the rest of the great ones, Goodbye Vin! You are truly the greatest! Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully said in his departing: “You the fans in the stands means more to me than I could ever mean to you.” Vin the Dodgers’ Charlie Culberson’s 10th inning home run gave the team its fourth NL Championship, but for 57-years your voice gave the team life and you made millions of people in the world some of the happiest fans anywhere.
And the beat continues!
Checking college Black QBs? Nebraska’s Tommy Armstrong threw 16 interceptions and only one in a 3-0 start. He had a 6-7 record last season.
How is life for Mike Tyson today? Who is called the world’s most famous tennis dad! Tyson answers: “It works. It’s complicated as hell, but it works.”
Athletes and entertainment TV and movie stars are joining hands to support their communities and other helpful causes. Including in this group of caring stars LeBron James and Kobe Bryant (Fighting Cancer), Michael Jordan (Fighting odds vs. Leukemia), Jerry Rice (Support American Red Cross), NaVorro Bowman (Helping Children), Colin Kaepernick (Race Relations) and many others.
Those Harlem Globetrotters have a new 4-point demarcation area for this new point system. The Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry launches some shots, 6-feet-3 inches farther than the NBA’s 30-feet standard. The Globetrotters new four point system goes into effect on Dec. 26, according to a media release.
AP FILE — Jackie Robinson swings a bat during spring training in Sanford, Fla., in this March, 1946 photo. Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of Robinson’s debut in organized ball when he played for the Montreal Royals in an exhibition game against the Brooklyn Dodgers. (AP Photo/File)
President Barrack Obama and Tiger Woods were among the most notable people who saluted the great golfer Arnold Palmer on his death in the following words.: “It’s hard to image golf without or anyone more important to the game than the King.”
President Obama declared: LeBron James of the world champion Cleveland Cavaliers and Gregg Popovich, head coach of the San Antonio Spurs are heading the list of supporters of San Francisco ‘49ers’ QB Colin Kaepernick’s refusing to stand for the American flag.
