Sports Fan Update

In the summer of last year, I decided I was going to get deep into sports by extensively following the three local teams I’ve been a fan of for most of my life.  In (American) football:  the Forty-Niners;  in basketball:  the Golden State Warriors;  and, in baseball:  the San Francisco Giants.  The plan was to watch every pre-season, regular season and playoff game the three teams played in.
I started off well watching the five(5) pre-season Warriors games and (so, far) 55+ regular season games.  There are 82 regular season games in the NBA (National Basketball Association).
Now comes the problem:  Major League Baseball has 30 pre-season games and 162 regular season games.  That’s basically 190+ days out of my year tied up watching 3-to-4 hour games and then another amount (1 hour) doing a review!!!  Fold this on top of the last 27 Warriors games (left in this season) and I might as well be a professional sports writer…  Except I ain’t and am never gonna be!
I’ve also come to realize most of the MLB pre-season games are held in the day-time (not the evenings), so you don’t have much time for any “real life” / “get things done” activity.  Add to this not all of the pre-season games are televised and “several” of the in-season games only appear on special channels (Apple+, YouTube, Prime, etc.)  I have NO intention of paying for a handful of games when I am already paying for the sports channel which is “supposed” to provide ALL the games of my local teams, and, no – I am not a happy camper about it.
To mix sports metaphors, I am punting for reviews of this MLB season.  I will still try to watch as many games as appear on regular cable, but (again) I’m not going out of my way to view every single game – pre-season or regular season.  I may pick up the game reviews if the SF Giants make the playoffs…
To make a longer story short…  I will finish my viewing (and posting reviews) of all of the Warriors games and then pick up the Forty-Niners when they begin their three pre-season games and seventeen regular season games.  Of course, I’ll review all playoff games through the SuperBowl in early February 2025, if we make it that far.
At that point, I’ll decide if I want to make some kind of commitment to viewing / posting about the Giants in the 2025 season.  (Although, to be honest 192 games – not including playoffs – is a bit over the top.  …Even for me.  LoL
As an aside, my wife has watched practically EVERY Giants game since 2012 and EVERY Warriors game since the 2015 championship.  With the exception of a single summer in England, she has missed no more than a handful of games each year and several years she watched EVERY game.  She has, quite literally, watched more baseball and basketball in that time span than I have in my entire life!!
She has NO interest in American football (since Joe Montana got traded to the Chiefs).  So there is that in my favor…  LoL
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On This Day In:
2023	And / Or Complex
2022	Don’t Pretend
2021	I Like Curves More, Too
	I Don’t Know What I’d Do (I’ll Never Find Another You)
2020	Pay It Forward
2019	From My Sullied Prison (I Am A Rock)
2018	In My Room (2)
2017	Pretending
2016	And Songs Too…
2015	On The Road To Failure
2014	Each Moment
2013	Conversation
2012	4 Down, 11 Done (At Last)
	I’m Not Afraid
2011	Who’s Risk Is It, Anyway?

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Sports Review Update

First off, we are now two days post Super Bowl and I would like to thank all the staff and team members of the San Francisco Forty-Niners for a very entertaining season.  We came up short in the SB, but that’s nothing to be ashamed of.  Thirty other teams never even made it to the dance…
As for whom to assign blame to – for the loss – I blame God.  It’s easy to blame the coaches, the players, the refs, the shape of the ball, and the front desk receptionist in Santa Clara.  But, I won’t.  I’ll blame God…
It wasn’t any individual play.  It wasn’t any penalty call (or lack thereof).
It was:  At the end of 74 minutes and 57 seconds of play, the Kansas City Chiefs were a slightly better team on the day.  Three points better.
Having said that, it shouldn’t be lost that we played well (almost all season and in the Super Bowl) and had a “good” season.  …Division Champion and Conference Champion.
I have a very specific definition of a “successful” 49er season:  We must win the Super Bowl or beat the Rams twice.  (Three times if we face them in the playoffs.)  We did neither, so for me, this was not a “successful” season.
And still, the sun came up on Monday morning and we’re all still here.  So, the loss was not the end of the world as we know it.  Life continues and there’s always next year…
Sports Viewing / Bucket-List Update:  As my regular followers know, last summer I have made a “commitment” to follow the three major sports teams in the Bay Area (The Warriors , the Giants and the Forty-Niners) through every game in a season.
As a young child I don’t remember sports being a big part of my life.  It was something I’ve grown into.  First baseball, then football and finally basketball…  (And in the 1990s, footie (soccer) and rugby.)  Nearing retirement, I said to myself I would like to immerse myself in each sport for an entire season.  With my heart operation last April I decided I better do it before time runs out.  (LOL)  I made the decision to get started this Warriors season, because the Niners had already begun having their pre-season games.  The Dubs had five pre-season games and (so far) 51 regular season games – all of which I’ve watched and posted a review for.  There are 82 regular season NBA games each year and then we start the playoffs.  So far, I’ve only had to watch one taped game (life got in the way).  All the others have been me viewing them as they happened.
Soon I will face the consequences of my “commitment”…  On Thursday (15 February), the pitchers and catchers report to training camp.  The rest of the team reports after 5 days, and then the Major League Baseball (MLB) pre-season games start shortly after that.  The regular season “normally” begins the last week / weekend of March.  Baseball has 162 games in their regular season!!
This means there will be around a half-dozen NBA games left to cover after the start of the MLB season and I have no idea how far the Warriors will go in the post-season.  Depending on how fast (or slow) teams win their series will determine how long I’ll be doubling up on my viewing and posting.  The NBA Finals generally extend into June.
(Just in time for the Niners to start getting ready for their pre-season…)
I have a feeling at some point I will have to watch recorded games – just because there are only so many hours in each day and both the NBA and MLB try to show the majority of their games in the evenings to earn the most money they can from the TV / cable networks.
I didn’t realize this “bucket-list” project was going to turn into a full time job.  LOL!!!  How does that saying go:  “If you love what you’re doing, it doesn’t really feel like work.”  I guess I’ll be testing that expression…
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On This Day In:
2023	I Honestly Don’t Remember
2022	Slow Down And Don’t Break Things
2021	How Many Democracy Loving Conservatives Are In The Senate?
	The Fighter Still Remains (The Boxer)
2020	Love And Charity
2019	Tomorrow Is Valentine’s Day
	Inverted U Curve
2018	Still More Prejudice
	A Well Trod Path Of Hopes, Expectations And Surprise
2017	…And With It Civilization
2016	Just Like My Mother
2015	All Omissions Are Mine
2014	Precise Order
2013	Uh, No. Not Really…
	Deep Regions
2012	A Pre-Valentine’s Day Message
2011	Easy Like Sunday Morning
	May I Have A Little More, Please…
2010	Valleys and Peaks

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And Got Paid For All Seven

During my 18 years I came to bat almost 10,000 times.  I struck out about 1,700 times and walked maybe 1,800 times.  You figure a ballplayer will average about 500 at bats a season.  That means I played seven years without ever hitting the ball.
—     Mickey Mantle
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On This Day In:
2023	Easing Over The Edge
	Hanging On By My Fingertips…
2022	Do People Know What You Stand For?
2021	The Republican Party Can Survive Trumpism (If It Wants To)
	Don’t You Ever Ask Them Why (Teach Your Children)
2020	Art Work
	One Person (Republican) Can Make A Majority
2019	Hopefully, Closer To Noon (Did I Fill The World With Love)
	Can You See The Bottom?
2018	Stock Market Sets Another Record Under #DumbDonald
	#LyingDonald: About That Special Prosecutor Testimony
2017	We Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet
2016	But You Have To Learn It Feels Good
2015	Never Stop
2014	Caution
2013	Treat Her Like A Lady
2012	Build New Worlds
2011	I Grok Elegance
	Standing Relish

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A Great Week In Sports

Well, all in all it has been a great week in sports for me!!
We started the week (last Sunday) with a first pre-season game (a home game) win by the Golden State Warriors over the Los Angeles Lakers…  125-108
The San Francisco Forty-Niners remain undefeated (so far) by stomping the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 45-10!!!  (And it really wasn’t THAT close.)
The Los Angeles Dodgers embarrassingly choked away a 100 win season getting swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in their National League Division Series!!!
And tonight, the Dubs win their second pre-season game (this one an away game) also against the LA Lakers by 129 – 125.
How sweet it is!!!
Now, being totally honest, we all know pre-season games mean next to nothing.  (Particularly in the NBA, pre-season games only mean something if one of your star players gets a serious injury.)  …And, the Lakers’ starters looked and played better than the Dubs’ starters.  But, our scrubs played better than their scrubs and we managed to eke out the win.  And, I’ll take a win over a loss anytime, even when it doesn’t really count for anything.
All in all, a very good week!!!
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On This Day In:
2022	Ask Your Friends To Vote In November
2021	What Matters To Me
	With The Slamming Of The Door (It’s All Coming Back To Me Now)
2020	Make Voting A Habit
	You Ought To Hear Him Tell His Stories (Silence On The Line)
2019	2019 49ers Season Starts 5-0!!
	Will Any Republican Senator Vote For Impeachment?
2018	VOTE – We Need A Wave
2017	Soothe, Inspire And Recharge
2016	Aren’t We?
2015	Cold Embrace
2014	Delightful
2013	Apprenticeship
2012	Curtain Rods
2011	A Living Force
2010	BART Rides – A Tipping Point

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Be Careful What You Wish For

If the world were perfect, it wouldn’t be.
—    Yogi Berra
[But it sure would be nice if the Giants beat the Dodgers a little more frequently…    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	Be Careful What You Wish For
	Salaam Alaikum, Pakistan
2021	Why Republicans Are Unhappy
	I Guess It’s True (I’m Stone In Love With You)
2020	A Tiny And Fragile World
	Your Lyin’ Eyes (Karn Evil 9 1st Impression, Pt. 2)
2019	Day 1: Done
	#IncompetentDonald Fails On All Three
2018	I Put It Down To Bad Teachers
	Day 34: In And Out
2017	And The Future Is Now
2016	I Am
2015	Positively Aiming Higher
2014	Suspicious Minds
2013	We Are Not Alone
2012	Lawyer, n.
2011	Each Day Remember…
2010	Impossible Dreams of Camelot

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I’m Not Okay Either

Home of the Brave?
May 27, 2022 By Gabe Kapler
The day 19 children and 2 teachers were murdered, we held a moment of silence at sporting events around the country, then we played the national anthem, and we went on with our lives.
Players, staff and fans stood for the moment of silence, grieving the lives lost, and then we (myself included) continued to stand, proudly proclaiming ourselves the land of the free and the home of the brave.  We didn’t stop to reflect on whether we are actually free and brave after this horrific event, we just stood at attention.
When I was the same age as the children in Uvalde, my father taught me to stand for the pledge of allegiance when I believed my country was representing its people well or to protest and stay seated when it wasn’t.  I don’t believe it is representing us well right now.
This particular time, an 18 year old walked into a store, bought multiple assault rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, walked into a school with an armed resource officer and its own police district and was able to murder children for nearly an hour.  Parents begged and pleaded with police officers to do something, police officers who had weapons and who receive nearly 40% of the city’s funding, as their children were being murdered.
We elect our politicians to represent our interests.  Immediately following this shooting, we were told we needed locked doors and armed teachers.  We were given thoughts and prayers.  We were told it could have been worse, and we just need love.
But we weren’t given bravery, and we aren’t free.  The police on the scene put a mother in handcuffs as she begged them to go in and save her children.  They blocked parents trying to organize to charge in to stop the shooter, including a father who learned his daughter was murdered while he argued with the cops.  We aren’t free when politicians decide that the lobbyist and gun industries are more important than our children’s freedom to go to school without needing bulletproof backpacks and active shooter drills.
I’m often struck before our games by the lack of delivery of the promise of what our national anthem represents.  We stand in honor of a country where we elect representatives to serve us, to thoughtfully consider and enact legislation that protects the interests of all the people in this country and to move this country forward towards the vision of the “shining city on the hill.”  But instead, we thoughtlessly link our moment of silence and grief with the equally thoughtless display of celebration for a country that refuses to take up the concept of controlling the sale of weapons used nearly exclusively for the mass slaughter of human beings.  We have our moment (over and over), and then we move on without demanding real change from the people we empower to make these changes.  We stand, we bow our heads, and the people in power leave on recess, celebrating their own patriotism at every turn.
Every time I place my hand over my heart and remove my hat, I’m participating in a self congratulatory glorification of the ONLY country where these mass shootings take place.  On Wednesday, I walked out onto the field, I listened to the announcement as we honored the victims in Uvalde.  I bowed my head.  I stood for the national anthem.  Metallica riffed on City Connect guitars.
My brain said drop to a knee;  my body didn’t listen.  I wanted to walk back inside;  instead I froze.  I felt like a coward.  I didn’t want to call attention to myself.  I didn’t want to take away from the victims or their families.  There was a baseball game, a rock band, the lights, the pageantry.  I knew that thousands of people were using this game to escape the horrors of the world for just a little bit.  I knew that thousands more wouldn’t understand the gesture and would take it as an offense to the military, to veterans, to themselves.
But I am not okay with the state of this country.  I wish I hadn’t let my discomfort compromise my integrity.  I wish that I could have demonstrated what I learned from my dad, that when you’re dissatisfied with your country, you let it be known through protest.  The home of the brave should encourage this.
—    Gabe Kapler
Manager, San Francisco Giants (baseball team)
Mr. Kapler’s personal blog can be found at:  Kaplifestyle – A Lifestyle and Fitness site by Gabe Kapler
The specific post can be found at:  Home of the Brave? (kaplifestyle.com)
[Disclaimer:  The above post has been copied from the original site without permission or prior approval.  I make no claim of ownership – implied or actual.  I read the original blog post multiple times to try to extract the hi-lights for a “fair-use” review / quote.  I lacked the skill (or heart) to do this, so I am reprinting the author’s post in its entirety.  If Mr. Kapler feels I have misused his intellectual property and asks me to remove or modify this post, I will do so.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2023	But Try To Finish Some Thing (At Least One)
2022	Smoldering Or Burning?
	I’m Not Okay Either
2021	Make A Difference
	What’s That Sound? (For What It’s Worth)
2020	Promise Her In Music (Never My Love)
2019	But I’m Well Past 100 By Now
2018	Learn
	Land Of The Free, Because Of The Brave
	4 Appearances In A Row, 4 Wins To Go
2017	And Yet I’m Still Having Fun
2016	I See Coincidence Everywhere
	CA3: Civil War
2015	I Resemble That Remark… (5!)
2014	The Writer’s Dilemma
2013	Just Paying The Rent
2012	Remembering…
2011	A Little Farther

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MLB: End The Lockout, Sign A CBA

Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.
—    Yogi Berra
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On This Day In:
2023	Let’s Get Crackin’
2022	MLB: End The Lockout, Sign A CBA
2021	And Keep Doing So
	I’ll Forgive You By And By (I Would Die 4 U)
2020	Well Over!
	The Group
2019	Carrying Humanity
2018	Not Necessarily In This Order
	Stock Market Sets More Records Under #DumbDonald
2017	An Accumulation Of Acts
2016	Here’s Lookin’ At You Kid
2015	How To Be Omnipotent
2014	The Promise Of Future Love
2013	Christian, n.
2012	Praise
	Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
2011	A Few More Lyrics From The Past
	5 For The Price Of 1

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Public Ridicule For Office Holder

Why Trump Only Goes Out In Public To His Own Rallies
Last night (27 October 2019), President Trump attended Game 5 of the World Series in Washington, D.C. between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros.  When introduced, the President was first booed by the crowd and then while pointing in his direction, the crowd began chanting “Lock him up!” repeatedly.  While politicians getting booed at baseball games (and other sports events) is nothing particularly newsworthy, it is notable (and a bit saddening) that Trump has so shamed the office that a crowd would chant to have him incarcerated on a televised event being seen around the world.
We can draw a line from Reagan’s line:  “Government is the problem!” to Joe Wilson’s:  “You lie!” at President Obama’s 2009 State of the Union Speech to a crowd shouting to “lock up” a sitting President.  When the general public is encouraged to disrespect the government and our elected officials, “We the People” all become a little less civil and a little less secure in our own liberties.
While I personally believe candidate Trump did conspire / collude with the Russians to influence the 2016 election and while I believe President Trump has continued to commit crimes (obstruct justice) and violate his Oath of Office, I am more dismayed “the Office” has been brought down in public opinion this way and is now subject to ridicule in front of the world.  If Trump is not impeached and subsequently removed from Office between now and November 2020, I hope the next election provides our nation with a President who can both bring respect back for the Office and (more importantly) give us “a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.“
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On This Day In:
2022	Mangia, Mangia
2021	Why We Have So Few Personal Favorites
	I Would Have Liked You Anyway (You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice)
2020	Why We Must Vote #45 Out
	If You Believe (Do You Believe In Magic)
2019	Sometimes I Still Have Trouble Sleeping
	Public Ridicule For Office Holder
2018	And Flights Of Fancy
	Dodgers Lose 2nd Consecutive World Series!!
2017	By Their Acts Thy Shall Know Them
2016	Remembering
2015	One
2014	Sure Experiments And Demonstrated Arguments
2013	Irrational Complacency
2012	Why Criticize?
	Giants Sweep 2012 World Series With Game 4 Win (4 To 3)!!!
2011	Saying Just Enough
2010	Giants Win Game 2 Shutout of Rangers – 9 to 0!!!

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Dodgers Choke AGAIN

Let’s just get it out there…  I am a Giants fan;  ergo:  I HATE the Dodgers!  I MAY have to grant a grudging respect to one or two of their players, but it always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  Especially if it’s a current player…
There has been little sweeter for this Giants fan than watching the Dodgers lose the last two World Series at home, but this year’s playoff elimination is pretty close…  (Yes, I am a small enough person to gloat about this!)
The Dodgers won 13 more regular season games than the Washington Nationals (their opponents).
The Dodgers had a regular season run differential of +273 compared to +149 for the Nats!
Game 5 (the “deciding” game) was played in Dodger Stadium.
Clayton Kershaw has been one of – if not THE – most dominant pitcher of the last decade.  (Please recall:   I LOVE me some Madison Bumgarner!!)
The Dodgers were leading in game 5 by two(2) runs going into the 8th inning.
And, then, the collapse…  Kershaw surrenders two home runs and the game is tied.  Two innings later (in the 10th), the Nats get a grand-slam and go on to with the game 7-3.  The Dodgers are eliminated from the 2018 playoffs!
Now, Kershaw has always seemed to me to be a decent person:  In victory, he shares the credit.  In defeat, he claims ownership and responsibility for the loss.  So, I have one request for the Dodgers:   PLEASE trade Kershaw to some other team so I can root for him to win a World Series before he ends his illustrious career.  I saw his post-game (series) interview and I really want to support him.   But, I can’t!!!   I can’t!!!!  If Kershaw gets enough post-season appearances, eventually he will win a World Series…  Please (Baseball Gods) let it be for anyone but the Dodgers!
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On This Day In:
2022	My Brother’s Keeper
2021	Chaos Theory
	Too Few (Precious And Few)
2020	What About Blog Posts?
	Listenin’ By Myself (Old Time Rock N Roll)
	A Short History
2019	Dodgers Choke AGAIN
	He Wasn’t “Just Kidding The Press”
2018	Thinking About My Hil (Higher And Higher)
	Remember Your Duty In November
2017	Play Well With Others
2016	Surviving And Challenging
2015	On Destroying Historic / Archaeological Sites
2014	Magical Power
2013	How Awesome Would That Be
2012	Two Views
2011	Still Looking For Examples
2010	Giants Win Away 3 – 2!!

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#Forever44

“Stretch”
Two days ago, on Halloween, the world lost one of the true gentlemen of sports history:  Willie Lee McCovey.  Nicknamed “Mac”, “Big Mac”, and (my personal favorite) “Stretch”, McCovey was a first baseman who defined the position for me as a child.  He played for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball for 19 of his 22 seasons in the majors.
My earliest memory of ANY sports event was attending a baseball game as a youth at Candlestick Park and seeing McCovey, Willie Mays, and Juan Marichal in person.  My mom and I sat high in the upper deck, underneath the shell which used to line the stadium.  I don’t recall if the Giants won the game or much else about the game except – Marichal’s high-kick pitching delivery style, Mays hit a home run and “Stretch” made a terrific catch at first base.  It wasn’t a high catch (as shown in the image above).  It was low, near the ground and McCovey had to practically do the splits to make the catch.
It seems “funny” to think of this, but imagine you are Willie Mays – arguably the greatest baseball player of all time and in the top five career home run hitters in history and you bat third in the order because the guy (Willie McCovey) batting fourth, behind you, has more power…
None of the above speaks to the true greatness of the man, himself.  It is better to think of Willie McCovey this way:  his last active year was 1980.  That same year, the Giants retired his jersey number (44) and began awarding “The Willie Mac Award” which is given to the team’s most inspirational player that year, as voted on by the team’s players, coaches, training staff, and (just recently included) fans.  Finally, in 1986, in his first year of eligibility, Willie McCovey was voted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
R.I.P “Stretch”.  And thanks for the childhood memories…
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On This Day In:
2022	At Least Three…
2021	Maybe A Tiny Bit Wiser
	On The Other Side Of That Hill (You Just Can’t See Him From The Road)
2020	Resistant Expectation
	Every Second (I Lived)
2019	Two More Reasons Trump Is Such A Poor Leader
2018	Conservatives Have 20/20 Hindsight
	#Forever44
2017	Dodgers Choke Away World Series
	Firing Director Comey = Obstruction
2016	Why Do Republicans Always Seem To Be Angry?
2015	All Things Being Equal
2014	Fearful Light
2013	Unexpectedly Knowledgeable
2012	Seems Obvious
2011	See The Specialist

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Dodgers Lose 2nd Consecutive World Series!!

First off…  With all due props…  Congratulations to the Boston Red Sox for winning the 2018 World Series!!!
Boston defeats LA in 2018 World Series 4 games to 1 !!!!
As an SF Giants fan, all I can say is:  “Two World Series losses in a row!!  How sweet it is!!!!“
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On This Day In:
2022	Mangia, Mangia
2021	Why We Have So Few Personal Favorites
	I Would Have Liked You Anyway (You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice)
2020	Why We Must Vote #45 Out
	If You Believe (Do You Believe In Magic)
2019	Sometimes I Still Have Trouble Sleeping
	Public Ridicule For Office Holder
2018	And Flights Of Fancy
	Dodgers Lose 2nd Consecutive World Series!!
2017	By Their Acts Thy Shall Know Them
2016	Remembering
2015	One
2014	Sure Experiments And Demonstrated Arguments
2013	Irrational Complacency
2012	Why Criticize?
	Giants Sweep 2012 World Series With Game 4 Win (4 To 3)!!!
2011	Saying Just Enough
2010	Giants Win Game 2 Shutout of Rangers – 9 to 0!!!

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Dodgers Choke Away World Series

Astros Win 2017 World Series – Dodgers Choke
Congratulations to the Houston Astros for winning the 2017 World Series (defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers) four games to three!
Last night the Los Angeles Dodgers completed one of the most dominant seasons in Major League Baseball history by choking in the 2017 World Series!!  Although heavily favored to win (mostly picked for victory in 6 games), the Dodgers lost to the regular season’s second most dominant team – the Houston Astros.  This is not to take anything away from the excellent baseball played by the Astros, but when push came to shove, all three of the Dodgers’ strengths (Kershaw, power hitting and a dominant bullpen) fell short.  Of the three, Kershaw was the only one which did not “clearly” choke.  Kershaw finished his three appearances in the Series with 4.02 ERA and 17 strikeouts to five walks (almost 1 walk per 3 strikeouts) across 15 2/3 innings (almost 1 walk per 3 innings) facing the Astros.  These are NOT normal Kershaw numbers.  (His career ERA is 2.36.)  Granted, take away his horrible game 5 loss and he had an okay Series.  In contrast, in game 7, the Dodgers everyday players left ten(10) players stranded on base and many were in scoring position (on second or third base).
So, while the boys in Blue go home (stay home – the loss was in LA) with dreams of what might have been, the men in Orange carry the day with a 5 to 1 game 7 victory!!
Okay, while it’s Orange and Navy Blue, not Orange and Black…  As a Giants fan…   I LOVE IT!!!!
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On This Day In:
2022	At Least Three…
2021	Maybe A Tiny Bit Wiser
	On The Other Side Of That Hill (You Just Can’t See Him From The Road)
2020	Resistant Expectation
	Every Second (I Lived)
2019	Two More Reasons Trump Is Such A Poor Leader
2018	Conservatives Have 20/20 Hindsight
	#Forever44
2017	Dodgers Choke Away World Series
	Firing Director Comey = Obstruction
2016	Why Do Republicans Always Seem To Be Angry?
2015	All Things Being Equal
2014	Fearful Light
2013	Unexpectedly Knowledgeable
2012	Seems Obvious
2011	See The Specialist

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Orange October (XI) – Giants Win Game 5 (5 To 0)!!!

The San Francisco Giants stormed to a Game 5 victory winning 5 runs to 0 on the complete game shutout pitched by their ace Madison Bumgarner!  In a golden age for Giants baseball, which seems to be hosting a handful of potential hall-of-famers – MadBum is emerging as one of the strongest of all.  Across three World Series (2010, 2012, and now 2014), Bumgarner has now won four games in four opportunities with a combined score of 1 run allowed in all four games!  He now has the lowest runs allowed average (career) in World Series history for pitchers who’ve thrown more than 20 innings.
But now the Giants face a tough test of going into Kansas City having to win one of the last two games.  The odds are in their (the Giants) favor.  Historically, the winner of Game 5 goes on to win the Series 68% of the time (.683), but it would have been so much more satisfying to have swept the Royals at home in S.F.  Still, the main thing is to keep the pressure on and try to take Game 6.  We don’t want a let down to give the Royals (and their fans) hope for a Game 7.
So now it’s time for the team to get a good night’s sleep and board a long flight to K.C. tomorrow for the Tuesday Game 6…   (And for those of you who’ve lost track:  my prediction was Giants win Series 4 Games to 2.)   Go Giants!!!
I AM ORANGE INSIDE !!
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On This Day In:
2022	Don’t Miss Your Life
2021	A Message To All The Democrats In Congress
	Where Did You Go In Texas? (La Grange)
2020	Reminds Me Of #LyingDonald
	It’s All Been Rehearsed (Baby I Need Your Lovin’)
2019	The Earth’s Breath
	Family Visit
2018	Forests, Shorelines And Mountain Paths
2017	Reach Down
2016	And Women When You Are 59
2015	Intersections, Explorations And Relationships
2014	[!(±*=)/≠], [!<]
	Orange October (XI) – Giants Win Game 5 (5 To 0)!!!
2013	Hard To Deserve
2012	Cloudy Between Games
	Admiration, n.
2011	One, Two, Three – Blink

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Orange October (X) – A Blue Morning Turns Into An Orange Evening

And yes, we’re in for one heck of a World Series!!  As I said a few days back, you can’t have a great World Series until both teams lose at home.  So far, the Giants have taken Game 1 in K.C.  The Royals won Games 2 (in K.C.) and 3 (in S.F.) and now the Giants have evened the Series with a big 11 to 4 victory in Game 4 (again in S.F).  All 15 runs were scored without a single home run!  Solid pitching (by both sides), great defense (by both sides) and exciting hitting (by both sides).  Whew!!
With three games left, it’s the first team to win two which gets to raise the trophy.  Hopefully, it’ll be the boys in Orange & Black.
As trite as it sounds, this Series is revolving around hitting it (the ball) where they ain’t.  In games 1 and 4, the Giants have done this.  In Games 2 and 3, although the Giants hit the ball hard, it was mostly hit hard right to the Royals players.  Almost all of the “spectacular” defense has come from both teams outfielders.  With a few notable exceptions by the Giants infielders in Game 4, this has remained true.  The teams are turning out to be incredibly balanced.  It’s a bit of a shame the TV numbers are so low.  The rest of the country is missing some great baseball.  (Of course, the numbers are strong in the S.F. Bay Area and phenomenal in the K.C. region, but elsewhere, only so-so.)
I must admit to being nearly crushed when the Giants fell behind 4 to 1 in the third inning.  I was even saying, “Well, that’s the series…”   It just goes to show you how much I know – and my wife cheerfully reminded me of my comment in the 9th inning.  (LOL)  Needless to say, there was even more elation when the Giants tied the game in the 5th inning and then scored seven more runs (3 in the 6th and 4 in the 7th) to cruise to the Series tying victory.
So, tomorrow is Game 5 and it comes down to the two teams’ aces to see which team gets the key victory.  If we win the game, we fly back to K.C. with a lot of optimism looking for a split.  If the Royals win, it’ll be a long flight into a steep climb of two must win games.  So, it looks like the Series will turn on the strong left arm of Madison Bumgarner.  Go Maddy!  Go Giants!!
I AM ORANGE INSIDE !!
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On This Day In:
2022	Make It So
	Hot Messiah (Part 1)
2021	A Simple Choice, Really
	Waaaay Before The Movie (Iron Man)
2020	I Just Want To Stay Happy
	Fading… (Photographs And Memories)
2019	Show Righteousness, Not Fear
2018	Sounds Like Politics, Too
2017	Resist More
	Conservatives Are Not The Enemy
2016	Two Weeks To Go…
2015	Remembering
2014	The Creeping Death Of Civilization
	Orange October (X) – A Blue Morning Turns Into An Orange Evening
2013	License Problem
2012	Giants Win Game 2 Of The 2012 World Series 2 To 0!!!
	Adage, n.
	Questions Women Should Ask Before Voting…
2011	What Are You Looking At?

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Orange October (IX) – Giants Lose Game 2 In Bullpen Collapse

Well, it looks like we’re in for one heck of a World Series!!  In what can only be politely called a “collapse” by their bullpen, the Giants gave up five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to the Royals and Kansas City never looked back rolling to a 7 to 2 victory.
The Royals pitching, particularly the bullpen, looks formidable with everyone throwing heat in the 95+ mph range and off-speed in the low 90’s.  By comparison, low 90’s are what the Giants were throwing as their top end pitches.
The disappointment of the game was a squandered first inning, lead off home run by Gregor Blanco.  It was a thing of beauty.  We touched the Royal’s starting pitcher (Yordano Ventura) just as frequently as they got to our starter, but in the end, Ventrua outlasted Jake Peavy and the K.C. bullpen was “all that and a bag of chips”.   Real deal…
So, the Giants leave for home with doubts and the Royals leave for San Francisco with hope.  There is a saying in sports that you can’t have a great Series until both teams have lost a game at home.  Now we find out if the Royals can turn the 2014 Series into a great Series.  The next three games are in S.F.  I’m still predicting a 6 game, 4 to 2 victory by the Giants.
But it’s back to being interesting…
I AM ORANGE INSIDE !!
By the way, this post is my 1,901th post – not counting pages.  What a long, strange trip it’s been…  I’m looking forward to 2,000.  🙂
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On This Day In:
2022	And Longer To Stay That Way
	A General Guideline For Voting In The 2022 Mid-Terms
	A Series Of Observations
2021	Press On
	Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This (Love Yourself)
2020	AMA
	Still Shiny (Sunshine On My Shoulders)
2019	Things That Go Bump In The Night
	Hoping I’m Careful
2018	I Must Be Truly Wise
2017	My Sensei
2016	The Worst Sin
2015	Rules Of Thumb
2014	A Prayer
	Orange October (IX) – Giants Lose Game 2 In Bullpen Collapse
2013	Complacent Reality
2012	Two-minute Sex
	Just Staring, Why?
2011	A World Of Difference

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