Flint Township View

Blues, Warriors and goodbye to Bart Starr

Fat Guy Corner


 

 

The Stanley Cup Finals began Monday in Boston between the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins. It seems like months ago the Tampa Bay Lightning were eliminated by the Columbus Blue Jackets doesn’t it? I know I expected the Tampa Bay team to be playing for the Cup. The early rounds of the playoffs were tremendous and that’s why I love the NHL playoffs. It’s really the ultimate saying get in the playoffs and anything can happen!

The Stanley Cup has two good hockey clubs and two hot hockey teams wanting to hoist Lord Stanley. The goaltending nod, in my opinion, is in Boston’s favor with Tuukka Rask. I worry about the play of Jordan Binnington of the Blues. He can look really good between the pipes and really shaky sometimes. The Fat Guy finds himself rooting for the Blues in the Stanley Cup because they have never won it. I also have a large gut hunch that they will pull off the upset over Boston! Maybe my heart is playing tricks with my head, but I will take the Blues in seven tough hard-hitting hockey games! I have spoken to the crystal cheeseball, which was on vacation until football season, and it says take the Blues, so I am rolling the dice on them.

Warriors in five

The NBA Finals have the favorite Golden State Warriors taking on the Toronto Raptors. I admit I was wrong in taking the Milwaukee Bucks in five games over Toronto in the Eastern Conference Finals. I really thought the Bucks were a much better basketball team. The play of Kawhi Leonard was nothing short of spectacular against the Milwaukee Bucks. He was clutch time after time and helped Toronto advance to the NBA Finals. The large question is, can he duplicate the performance against the Warriors? He will have to if the Raptors are to pull off the monumental upset. The rest of the Raptors’ supporting cast will also need to step up against Golden State. I am talking about Kyle Lowry, Freddie VanVleet, Ibaka and others. I believe Golden State, even without home court advantage, wins this NBA championship in five games. The roster of Curry, Thompson, and Green is too strong for the Raptors to overcome. If Durant plays the Raptors have zero chance to win. It’s been announced Kevin Durant will miss game one. I would love to see a great NBA Finals, but I have my doubts, to be honest.

Loss of a Starr

The NFL had some bad news, as legendary Hall of Fame quarterback, Bart Starr, passed away on Sunday. Bart was 85-years-old and had been in bad health for the last five years. He won five titles with the Green Bay Packers in 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966 and 1967. I see why the Packers were a dynasty back in the early 1960’s. The Ice Bowl in 1967, and his quarterback sneak, I have watched a hundred times. RIP, Mr. Bart Starr.

Baseball also tips its cap

Major League Baseball suffered a loss in the passing of Bill Buckner at the age of 69. I always felt sorry for Bill Buckner, who played 22 seasons in the majors. He won a batting title in 1980 and his career was solid as a MLB baseball player. However, he is known for the ball Mookie Wilson hit that went between his legs in the World Series. Man, talk about a brutal piece of baseball history you don’t want attached to your name. I bet most of you don’t know he had 2,707 hits and only one person had more in the 70’s and 80’s! The one in front of him is none other than Pete Rose, who had 2,929. It’s a shame things got so bad that Bill and family had to move to get away from irate Red Sox fans. RIP, Bill Buckner.

Tigers’ season on life support

While on the subject of death notices, let’s put one on the Detroit Tigers’ 2019 baseball campaign. The Tigers were swept at home by the lowly, pitiful Miami Marlins. Yes, I said the Miami Marlins. The fact they blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth and lost 5-2 was the low point of the season so far. The pitchers need neck braces, as the balls fly past them at record speeds and distances. The hitters swing at balls like they have tooth picks in their hands. It’s so embarrassing! I know they are rebuilding, but I question the building blocks they have in place. I think they Tigers are just a notch above Triple A baseball talent and I am being kind! I find them unwatchable, actually, and that is sad because I love baseball! thefatguy@mihomepaper.com