HERE WE GO AGAIN

**Back in the day in my old neighborhood, the rule was if you can't win the game, win the fight afterwards.

Giant wide receiver Golden Tate and Rams defensive back Jalen Ramsey got into a little fisticuffs just as their game ended on Sunday. For the record, the Giant's lost the game but the fight was a draw. So, for the year, the Giants are 0-4-1. You guys would never make it in Oswego.

**Maybe I'm old fashioned (MAYBE?), but I prefer my sports described in English. My playesr jump, they do not elevate. Running north and south only works if the stadium is facing that way. In my day, if someone punched your ticket, either you were allowed into the stadium or you got killed. You did NOT advance to the next round. Jessica Mendoza, in an effort to show she belongs, told us about a "non-competitive breaking ball." I can't dispute this one because I have absolutely no idea what that is. 

**Sometimes,  what's said doesn't make sense in any language. Consider this bit of double talk from the master, Alex Rodriguez: “Strikeouts don’t matter, it’s just an out, as long as you hit with enough power.”  A few minutes later: "Putting the ball in play is essential, strikeouts don’t create scoring opportunities."

When he worked games, Joe Garagiola used to say, "I'm gonna shut up. The crowd will tell what happens." Of course, now there's no crowds, so they must feel they have to fill the void with nonsense.

**A few weeks ago, Tampa Bay & the Yanks played one of those series where everybody was being thrown at. This doesn't make for good baseball, it's just macho madness. In the playoffs, when the season is up for grabs, teams usually go back to serious baseball. Monday, these two teams square off for the right to play for the AL Championship. The sports writers won't let it go. They keep bringing up the "Feud" in every story they write. Both managers have indicated that they have no time for this bull, they are there to win the game. But that's not a big enough story for the writers. They won't let it go. Tonight is the deciding game and so far there hasn't been any brawls and I doubt we'll see one.

**David Schoenfield wrote a column for ESPN today asking, "How should you feel about the Houston Astros playing in the AL Championship". It's a long article but it came down to this: They cheated and we're mad they made it this far - or - we're Astros fans and we're thrilled. Other than Atlanta, the remaining teams have all indicated that they feel the Astros won because they cheated and want to beat them badly. 

Whoever iit is, I hope they succeed.

***THEY SAID IT***

 "I know it’s not currently cool to root for the Astros after the cheating scandal. But if anyone in baseball deserves a ring, it’s Dusty Baker. Life is complicated."  -- Janice Hough

"On Tuesday, MLB Network flatly reported that the Astros’ George Springer had surpassed Babe Ruth for total “postseason home runs.” Makes sense. Ruth went homer-less in wild-card, divisional championship and league championship games."  -- Phil Mushnick [Side note: Mickey Mantle hit 18 World Series homers, a record that will never be broken. - CP]

"The Yankees - for the first time in their 120-year history - hit into 5 double plays and committed 4 errors in the same game, a 4-3 loss to the Marlins. Or as the 1962 Mets used to call this occurrence - Friday."  - Dwight Perry

"An 88-year-old man has completed a walk around the world. Bad news: somewhere along the way he lost his keys and now he has to retrace his steps."  -- Brad Dickson

"A streaker who disrupted a high school football game in Florida avoided security by climbing over a chain-link fence. The bad news is police found him. The good news is the school choir has a new soprano."  -- RJ Currie

"If I tried to tell you that I understand the reasoning behind most of the Texans’ off-season moves, I would be a big enough liar to run for the US Senate.”  -- Jack Finarelli

"Asked why Mississippi State had to open the season at No. 6 LSU? Because New England, Green Bay and the Chiefs already had somebody scheduled."  -- Coach Mike Leach

"LSU is going to stop temperature checks for fans entering the football stadium this weekend, AND start selling alcohol. What could possibly go wrong?"  -- Janice Hough

"The only thing more shocking than the Marlins making the NL playoffs? They also tied for the MLB lead in home attendance."  -- Baseball writer Jim Street

"Alex Rodriguez returned to insulting even the moderately intelligent, anointing Gary Sanchez a “great hitter” no matter what he’s batting. Well, he was batting .147, which is why Aaron Boone benched him."  -- Phil Mushnick

"The Cubs’ Willson Contreras pinwheeled his bat high in the air after hitting a three-run homer against the White Sox, then got drilled in the back his next time up. Adding further insult, bench-jockeys are now referring to Contreras as Flip Willson."  -- Dwight Perry

Chad Picasner