I wish more current sportscasters would emulate Vin Scully and stop shouting. I can't recall him ever thinking the moment need him to be loud to be great.
Sure the Texans have a very good defense, but they still had to score to win. Things played out as I expected, given that the Pats offense, even as poorly as they played Sunday, was still better relative to the Texans offense than the Houston defense was compared to New England.
If the world is still here 50 years from now, will baseball fans mention Wilbur Wood when they speak of pitchers from the 1970s?
He never played a postseason game and he peaked at 7% in the HoF vote. But 50 years from now, he may still be the last pitcher ever to go 24-20 in a season.
That's a great trivia question. Who is the last pitcher to win more than 20 games and lose more than 20 games in the same season? We know that it will never happen again. BTW, the last time that happened before Wilbur did it in 1973? Walter Johnson in 1916. Crazy stat.
Kind of reminds me of another one of my favorite trivia questions that stumps most people; who was the last pitcher to have 10 or more shutouts in a season? We all know that will never happen again either.
Nice call. How did I forget about Niekro! Of course, there was no way it would be anyone other than a knuckleballer. We need more of those guys in the league.
I think Johnson's decision there is why I would not want to be a head coach. If the Bears had come up short on the 2PC a lot of people around here in Chicago would be cranky today.
Wilbur Wood's 1971 and 1972 were insane. The Sox were short on serviceable starters so their pitching coach, Johnny Sain, 100% a mad scientist, decided to solve the problem by having Wood start more often. He was game to do so, and it was apparently that simple. 49 starts in 1972, 376 innings pitched. Not bad for a pastry chef.
Wilbur Wood probably would still be pitching into the 80's, starting over 40 games, but he had his kneecap shattered by a Ron LeFlore comebacker early in the 1976 season. He came back in 1977, but wasn't the same pitcher.
As a Bears fan, I think Johnson was right to kick the extra point. The Rams dominated short yardage plays like that all game. Plus I think it would be difficult for the offense to move on from the emotions of the miracle touchdown and execute the next play. Yes that is true of the defense also, but the Bears probably would've passed for it and an errant throw or miscommunication works just as well for the defense as making a play on the ball does.
I also don't fault Johnson for passing on the points several times. On the first possession it was reasonable to assume you needed 30 points to win the game and fields goals weren't going to cut it. With 4:30 in the 2nd it would've been a 49 yard field goal with the worst weather conditions of the night. And with the next to last drive you're more likely to get a stop with your opponent at the 2 if you miss than at the 30 if you kick a field goal.
My one fault was that last interception play. The Bears had 2nd and 8 maybe 15 yards from field goal range and Johnson went for a lower percentage kill shot. Even if it's an incompletion you face 3rd and 8. In hindsight, I wish he had called a quicker pass play instead. Setup an easier 3rd down or even get a first within site of a field goal. Same thought for Caleb there. Even if it's maybe possible to make the throw, don't risk the turnover when a short completion or scramble keeps you in a great position.
Wonderful news about Elizabeth. Congratulations!
I wish more current sportscasters would emulate Vin Scully and stop shouting. I can't recall him ever thinking the moment need him to be loud to be great.
I can never unsee the image of Wilbur Wood in the White Sox’ short pants uniforms in 1976.
Sure the Texans have a very good defense, but they still had to score to win. Things played out as I expected, given that the Pats offense, even as poorly as they played Sunday, was still better relative to the Texans offense than the Houston defense was compared to New England.
Congratulations!
Just one thought.
If the world is still here 50 years from now, will baseball fans mention Wilbur Wood when they speak of pitchers from the 1970s?
He never played a postseason game and he peaked at 7% in the HoF vote. But 50 years from now, he may still be the last pitcher ever to go 24-20 in a season.
That's a great trivia question. Who is the last pitcher to win more than 20 games and lose more than 20 games in the same season? We know that it will never happen again. BTW, the last time that happened before Wilbur did it in 1973? Walter Johnson in 1916. Crazy stat.
Kind of reminds me of another one of my favorite trivia questions that stumps most people; who was the last pitcher to have 10 or more shutouts in a season? We all know that will never happen again either.
Well, the answer to that exact question isn't actually Wilbur. Phil Niekro went 21-20 in 1979....
Nice call. How did I forget about Niekro! Of course, there was no way it would be anyone other than a knuckleballer. We need more of those guys in the league.
Congratulations to the family on the engagement!!
The BILLS broke my heart------again.
One very cool reason to love baseball------ Wilbur Wood in those very classic White Sox shorts.
RIP
Congratulations to the Posnanskis!
Saw Wilbur and the White Sox often in '72. What a fun season that was.
Except the Strike prevented teams from playing equal games and the Red Sox finished 2nd in the East by 1/2 game.
I think Johnson's decision there is why I would not want to be a head coach. If the Bears had come up short on the 2PC a lot of people around here in Chicago would be cranky today.
Wilbur Wood's 1971 and 1972 were insane. The Sox were short on serviceable starters so their pitching coach, Johnny Sain, 100% a mad scientist, decided to solve the problem by having Wood start more often. He was game to do so, and it was apparently that simple. 49 starts in 1972, 376 innings pitched. Not bad for a pastry chef.
Congratulations Elizabeth!
Wilbur Wood probably would still be pitching into the 80's, starting over 40 games, but he had his kneecap shattered by a Ron LeFlore comebacker early in the 1976 season. He came back in 1977, but wasn't the same pitcher.
RIP
As a Bears fan, I think Johnson was right to kick the extra point. The Rams dominated short yardage plays like that all game. Plus I think it would be difficult for the offense to move on from the emotions of the miracle touchdown and execute the next play. Yes that is true of the defense also, but the Bears probably would've passed for it and an errant throw or miscommunication works just as well for the defense as making a play on the ball does.
I also don't fault Johnson for passing on the points several times. On the first possession it was reasonable to assume you needed 30 points to win the game and fields goals weren't going to cut it. With 4:30 in the 2nd it would've been a 49 yard field goal with the worst weather conditions of the night. And with the next to last drive you're more likely to get a stop with your opponent at the 2 if you miss than at the 30 if you kick a field goal.
My one fault was that last interception play. The Bears had 2nd and 8 maybe 15 yards from field goal range and Johnson went for a lower percentage kill shot. Even if it's an incompletion you face 3rd and 8. In hindsight, I wish he had called a quicker pass play instead. Setup an easier 3rd down or even get a first within site of a field goal. Same thought for Caleb there. Even if it's maybe possible to make the throw, don't risk the turnover when a short completion or scramble keeps you in a great position.
I was gonna post and instead I’ll just agree with everything you said
Same here
Not a single major league team would put Wood on their roster today, and I think the game suffers for it.
RIP Wilbur Wood--so many good memories of him, on the mound, in old Comiskey...