Friday’s 6-pack:
Interesting NFL spreads this week:
— Chargers @ Pittsburgh (-1.5)
— Texans (-2) @ Minnesota
— Eagles @ New Orleans (-2.5)
— Broncos @ Tampa Bay (-6.5)
— Packers @ Tennessee (-3)
— NJ Giants @ Cleveland (-6.5)
Quote of the Day
“Not something I was necessarily expecting. Obviously, not something that was great to hear, but I respect Coach [Dave] Canales, I respect the organization. They made the decision. … Right now, that’s the situation that it is. I have to do everything to help the team whatever way I can.”
Carolina Panthers’ QB Bryce Young, after being benched this week
Friday’s quiz
In the history of the New York Mets, who has hit the most home runs?
Thursday’s quiz
Washington Nationals won the World Series five years ago; Anthony Rendon led the Nationals in RBI that year, with 126. In five years since then, Rendon has knocked in a total of 125 runs.
Wednesday’s quiz
In the history of the NFL’s Chargers, Antonio Gates caught the most passes (955); Keenan Allen caught 904 passes.
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New England is 30-41 since Tom Brady left town.
Patriots averaged 1.3 yards/pass attempt.
Patriots were 2-11 on third down, Jets 10-15.
New England is 10-13 ATS last 23 games as a road underdog.
Jets ran 70 plays for 400 yards; Patriots 48 plays for 139 yards.
In three games, Jets are 21-37 on third down.
Under is 12-6 in their last 18 home games.
Rodgers is 161-86-1 as an NFL starter.
— South Alabama 48, Appalachian State 14
Jaguars ran ball for 320 yards (7.4 yards/rush)
USA was 7-11 on third down, App State 4-13.
App State was favored by 8.5 points.
Under Clark, App State is 9-16 ATS as a home favorite.
— Dodgers 20, Marlins 4
Shohei Ohtani went 6-6 in this game.
Shohei Ohtani hit three HR’s in this game.
Shohei Ohtani had two doubles in this game.
Shohei Ohtani had 10 RBI in this game.
Ohtani became first player ever with 50+ homers, 50+ stolen bases in a season.
— Guardians 3, Twins 2 (10)
Cleveland clinches a playoff spot with this win.
Andres Gimenez had the walk-off hit for the Guardians.
— Blue Jays 5, Rangers 0
Kevin Gausman tossed five no-hit IP, then left with a bad back.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr hit two home runs.
— Astros 3, Angels 1
Houston is 9-0 when Yusei Kikuchi starts on the mound.
Jon Singleton’s 2-run double in 8th inning was the game-winning hit.
— Washington Nationals won the World Series in 2019; Anthony Rendon led the Nationals in RBI that year, with 126. He then signed a 7-year, $245M deal with the Angels, and in the first five years of that deal, Rendon has knocked in a TOTAL of 125 runs.
— Famous birthdays, September 20:
Sophia Loren, 90
Butch Byrd, 83
Dave Twardzik, 74
Gary Cole, 68
Dante Hall, 46
Kyle Anderson, 31
— Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell recently sold his house and moved, after he and his family dealt with harassment from so-called fans late last season.
A buyer agreed to purchase Campbell’s old home within 24 hours of it being listed.
— Wednesday night in Seattle, Mariners trailed 2-1 in 10th inning, had Julio Rodriguez on third base with no outs, and Randy Arozarena at bat.
Arozarena struck out swinging, lost the grip on his bat and the bat headed straight towards Rodriguez, who spun out of the way of the bat and then took several more steps into foul territory — farther away from third base.
The catcher threw to third base and picked him off, and Seattle lost 2-1. Not good.
— Saturday in the Bronx, Gerrit Cole was pitching for New York; he drilled Rafael Devers in the first inning, then in the 4th inning, with the bases empty and one out, leading 1-0. he walked Devers intentionally. Why?
He walked a guy on purpose with the bases empty in the 4th inning; Boston wound up scoring three runs in that inning and won 7-1. Very strange.
— Buck Showalter has managed five teams in the major leagues; he managed the Mets last year. Two of the other four teams that fired Showalter won the World Series in the first year after he left, Bronx in 1996, Arizona in 2001.
— Last week in Knoxville, Tennessee obliterated Kent State 71-0; the game was 65-0 at halftime, but it wasn’t without some drama.
Up 30-0 in the first quarter, Tennessee recovered an onside kick, which seemed excessive. Why would you do that? Kent State got a hefty paycheck for showing up, but they were obviously not competitive. Kicking a dog when they’re down produces bad karma down the road.
Kent State was offered the chance to play the second half with a running clock; they turned that down. Golden Flashes lost to a I-AA team the week before, lost 55-24 at Pitt the week before that and they visit Penn State this week. Oy.
— The fan in Miami who caught Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run declined to make a trade with a Dodgers and took the baseball home. Interesting decision; hard to believe they’ll keep the ball, which has to be worth a nice chunk of change.
Aaron Judge’s 62nd home run ball sold for $1.5M
Mark McGwire’s 70th home run ball sold for $3M
Albert Pujols’ 700th home run ball sold for $360,000.
Interesting NFL spreads this week:
— Chargers @ Pittsburgh (-1.5)
— Texans (-2) @ Minnesota
— Eagles @ New Orleans (-2.5)
— Broncos @ Tampa Bay (-6.5)
— Packers @ Tennessee (-3)
— NJ Giants @ Cleveland (-6.5)
Quote of the Day
“Not something I was necessarily expecting. Obviously, not something that was great to hear, but I respect Coach [Dave] Canales, I respect the organization. They made the decision. … Right now, that’s the situation that it is. I have to do everything to help the team whatever way I can.”
Carolina Panthers’ QB Bryce Young, after being benched this week
Friday’s quiz
In the history of the New York Mets, who has hit the most home runs?
Thursday’s quiz
Washington Nationals won the World Series five years ago; Anthony Rendon led the Nationals in RBI that year, with 126. In five years since then, Rendon has knocked in a total of 125 runs.
Wednesday’s quiz
In the history of the NFL’s Chargers, Antonio Gates caught the most passes (955); Keenan Allen caught 904 passes.
*********************************************
Friday’s Den: Clearing out a cluttered mind……..
— Jets 24, Patriots 3New England is 30-41 since Tom Brady left town.
Patriots averaged 1.3 yards/pass attempt.
Patriots were 2-11 on third down, Jets 10-15.
New England is 10-13 ATS last 23 games as a road underdog.
Jets ran 70 plays for 400 yards; Patriots 48 plays for 139 yards.
In three games, Jets are 21-37 on third down.
Under is 12-6 in their last 18 home games.
Rodgers is 161-86-1 as an NFL starter.
— South Alabama 48, Appalachian State 14
Jaguars ran ball for 320 yards (7.4 yards/rush)
USA was 7-11 on third down, App State 4-13.
App State was favored by 8.5 points.
Under Clark, App State is 9-16 ATS as a home favorite.
— Dodgers 20, Marlins 4
Shohei Ohtani went 6-6 in this game.
Shohei Ohtani hit three HR’s in this game.
Shohei Ohtani had two doubles in this game.
Shohei Ohtani had 10 RBI in this game.
Ohtani became first player ever with 50+ homers, 50+ stolen bases in a season.
— Guardians 3, Twins 2 (10)
Cleveland clinches a playoff spot with this win.
Andres Gimenez had the walk-off hit for the Guardians.
— Blue Jays 5, Rangers 0
Kevin Gausman tossed five no-hit IP, then left with a bad back.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr hit two home runs.
— Astros 3, Angels 1
Houston is 9-0 when Yusei Kikuchi starts on the mound.
Jon Singleton’s 2-run double in 8th inning was the game-winning hit.
— Washington Nationals won the World Series in 2019; Anthony Rendon led the Nationals in RBI that year, with 126. He then signed a 7-year, $245M deal with the Angels, and in the first five years of that deal, Rendon has knocked in a TOTAL of 125 runs.
— Famous birthdays, September 20:
Sophia Loren, 90
Butch Byrd, 83
Dave Twardzik, 74
Gary Cole, 68
Dante Hall, 46
Kyle Anderson, 31
— Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell recently sold his house and moved, after he and his family dealt with harassment from so-called fans late last season.
A buyer agreed to purchase Campbell’s old home within 24 hours of it being listed.
— Wednesday night in Seattle, Mariners trailed 2-1 in 10th inning, had Julio Rodriguez on third base with no outs, and Randy Arozarena at bat.
Arozarena struck out swinging, lost the grip on his bat and the bat headed straight towards Rodriguez, who spun out of the way of the bat and then took several more steps into foul territory — farther away from third base.
The catcher threw to third base and picked him off, and Seattle lost 2-1. Not good.
— Saturday in the Bronx, Gerrit Cole was pitching for New York; he drilled Rafael Devers in the first inning, then in the 4th inning, with the bases empty and one out, leading 1-0. he walked Devers intentionally. Why?
He walked a guy on purpose with the bases empty in the 4th inning; Boston wound up scoring three runs in that inning and won 7-1. Very strange.
— Buck Showalter has managed five teams in the major leagues; he managed the Mets last year. Two of the other four teams that fired Showalter won the World Series in the first year after he left, Bronx in 1996, Arizona in 2001.
— Last week in Knoxville, Tennessee obliterated Kent State 71-0; the game was 65-0 at halftime, but it wasn’t without some drama.
Up 30-0 in the first quarter, Tennessee recovered an onside kick, which seemed excessive. Why would you do that? Kent State got a hefty paycheck for showing up, but they were obviously not competitive. Kicking a dog when they’re down produces bad karma down the road.
Kent State was offered the chance to play the second half with a running clock; they turned that down. Golden Flashes lost to a I-AA team the week before, lost 55-24 at Pitt the week before that and they visit Penn State this week. Oy.
— The fan in Miami who caught Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run declined to make a trade with a Dodgers and took the baseball home. Interesting decision; hard to believe they’ll keep the ball, which has to be worth a nice chunk of change.
Aaron Judge’s 62nd home run ball sold for $1.5M
Mark McGwire’s 70th home run ball sold for $3M
Albert Pujols’ 700th home run ball sold for $360,000.
