This Day in Sports History- weekend of January 20/21
Prime-Time Hoops
Fifty years ago this weekend (January 20, 1968), #2, undefeated Houston ended #1 UCLA's 47-game winning streak on prime-time TV with a 71-69 victory at the Houston Astrodome before a crowd of 52,693, at the time the largest crowd to see a college basketball game.
Houston forward Elvin the "Big E" Hayes outplayed UCLA's Lew Alcindor, who had returned to action after missing two games with an injury to his left eye. The "Big E" outscored Alcindor 39 to 15 and made two free throws with 28 seconds left to snap a 69-69 tie. Hayes connected on 17 of 25 from the field, grabbed 15 rebounds, blocked four shots, and played the last 11 minutes with four fouls.
Alcindor hit 4 of 15 from the field with 12 rebounds. However, UCLA and Alcindor got their revenge at the Final Four, routing Houston, 101-69, in the semifinals.
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Friday, January 19, 2018
CHIRPING BIRDS- 2018 SEASON NFL OVER/UNDER TOTALS
Just announced- Over/Under win totals for each NFL next fall. The Eagles are 10 1/2. Would you take the over or under, keeping in mind Carson Wentz and how he will come back form his injury?
4.5- Browns
5- Jets
5.5- Colts
6- Giants
6.5- Buccaneers, Bears
7- Cardinals, Broncos, Dolphins, Redskins, Bills
7.5- Bengals. Raiders, 49'ers, Titans
8- Lions, Texans, Chargers
8.5- Jaguars
9- Falcons, Ravens. Chiefs, Panthers, Cowboys
9.5- Rams, Vikings, Saints, Seahawks
10- Packers
10.5- Eagles, Steelers
12- Patriots
4.5- Browns
5- Jets
5.5- Colts
6- Giants
6.5- Buccaneers, Bears
7- Cardinals, Broncos, Dolphins, Redskins, Bills
7.5- Bengals. Raiders, 49'ers, Titans
8- Lions, Texans, Chargers
8.5- Jaguars
9- Falcons, Ravens. Chiefs, Panthers, Cowboys
9.5- Rams, Vikings, Saints, Seahawks
10- Packers
10.5- Eagles, Steelers
12- Patriots
BEING BILINGUAL MAY BE A PLUS FOR KIDS WITH AUTISM
This is from the Disability Scoop website...
Speaking more than one language may offer a significant advantage for children with autism that goes well beyond communication, a new study suggests.
Kids on the spectrum who are bilingual appear to be able to switch gears more quickly than their peers who speak only a single language, according to findings published recently in the journal Child Development.
"This is a novel and surprising finding," said Aparna Nadig of McGill University in Montreal who is a senior author of the study. "Some researchers have argued convincingly that living as a bilingual person and having to switch languages unconsciously to respond to the linguistic context in which the communication is taking place increases cognitive flexibility. But no one has yet published research that clearly demonstrates that this advantage may also extend to children on the autism spectrum."
Researchers asked 40 children ages 6 to 9- half of whom had autism- to do a variety of computer-based exercises. Each group was split evenly between bilingual kids and those who spoke just one language.
The children were asked to sort objects on the screen by color and then by shape. The bilingual kids with autism outperformed the other children on the spectrum in their ability to shift one task to the other, the study found.
Going forward the researchers said they plan to follow the children with autism who were part of the study to see whether the differences observed in the test will hold true in real-life applications as they grow up.
"It is critical to have more sound evidence for families to use when making important educational and child-rearing decisions, since they are often advised that exposing a child with ASD to more than one language will just worsen their language difficulties," said Ana Maria Gonzalez-Barrero who led the study while at McGill University.
Speaking more than one language may offer a significant advantage for children with autism that goes well beyond communication, a new study suggests.
Kids on the spectrum who are bilingual appear to be able to switch gears more quickly than their peers who speak only a single language, according to findings published recently in the journal Child Development.
"This is a novel and surprising finding," said Aparna Nadig of McGill University in Montreal who is a senior author of the study. "Some researchers have argued convincingly that living as a bilingual person and having to switch languages unconsciously to respond to the linguistic context in which the communication is taking place increases cognitive flexibility. But no one has yet published research that clearly demonstrates that this advantage may also extend to children on the autism spectrum."
Researchers asked 40 children ages 6 to 9- half of whom had autism- to do a variety of computer-based exercises. Each group was split evenly between bilingual kids and those who spoke just one language.
The children were asked to sort objects on the screen by color and then by shape. The bilingual kids with autism outperformed the other children on the spectrum in their ability to shift one task to the other, the study found.
Going forward the researchers said they plan to follow the children with autism who were part of the study to see whether the differences observed in the test will hold true in real-life applications as they grow up.
"It is critical to have more sound evidence for families to use when making important educational and child-rearing decisions, since they are often advised that exposing a child with ASD to more than one language will just worsen their language difficulties," said Ana Maria Gonzalez-Barrero who led the study while at McGill University.
CHIRPING BIRDS- JACKSONVILLE AT NEW ENGLAND- AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME- THE PICK
The Eagles will know who they will play in the Super Bowl by the NFC Championship Game kickoff Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. The AFC Championship Game starts at 3 p.m. in New England. Either the Birds will take on an upstart Jacksonville Jaguars squad that upset the Steelers in Pittsburgh last week to earn the right to face New England, or they will take on the daunting challenge of seeking revenge against the NFL evil empire known as the Patriots.
Jacksonville knows how to beat the Pats. Tom Coughlin, former coach of the New York Giants who is now in the Jags' front office,beat Tom Brady and New England in two Super Bowls. The weather forecast on Sunday afternoon in Foxboro, Mass.is for unseasonably warm weather. Advantage Jacksonville, especially when it easily could've been a frigid, icy, snowy day.
The Jags have a fierce defense, yet they allowed 42 points to Pittsburgh last week, while totaling 45 points of their own. QB Blake Bortls needs to step-up again, as he did against the Steelers, but if the Jaguars win this game, it will be because of their ground game and their defense.
Tom Brady knows how to win big games. Will the young Jaguars wilt under the intense pressure of the AFC Championship Game? New England does have home field advantage. It's the same formula that has gotten them to the Super Bowl before- win the AFC East, build up your record to get home field advantage in the postseason, and rely on experience, talent, your home fans and the weather conditions to vault you into the Super Bowl.
Despite the fact that Jacksonville can beat New England, and knows how to defeat Brady, I just can't see them going into imposing atmosphere and knocking off Brady, Belichek and crew. Somehow, someway, the Patriots always prevail.
The Jags need to be aggressive. Turtling-up and playing too conservatively, too tight ( as the Rams played against Atlanta a few weeks ago) is a sure-fire formula to getting behind and the Patriot avalanche occurring. Limiting turnovers and getting ahead early, as they did in Pittsburgh, will be key.We know from the past that Brady can overcome huge deficits, but make him do it. Get ahead, hunker down with the defense, make Brady beat you, yet don't take your foot off the gas. No lead is too safe against the Patriots.
For New England, they need to force Jacksonville and Bortles to throw the football and play catch-up, as they did last week vs. Tennessee. Getting up on the Jags in such a big game might make Jacksonville crack. Stay in the game and keep it close, and the Jags have a chance.
I think it's gonna be close. No blow-out like last week. No cakewalk for the Pats. They will have to earn their ticket to Minneapolis this time, against a hungry, wide-eyed, nothing-to-lose Jaguar team.
Make it Patriots 24 Jaguars 21
Jacksonville knows how to beat the Pats. Tom Coughlin, former coach of the New York Giants who is now in the Jags' front office,beat Tom Brady and New England in two Super Bowls. The weather forecast on Sunday afternoon in Foxboro, Mass.is for unseasonably warm weather. Advantage Jacksonville, especially when it easily could've been a frigid, icy, snowy day.
The Jags have a fierce defense, yet they allowed 42 points to Pittsburgh last week, while totaling 45 points of their own. QB Blake Bortls needs to step-up again, as he did against the Steelers, but if the Jaguars win this game, it will be because of their ground game and their defense.
Tom Brady knows how to win big games. Will the young Jaguars wilt under the intense pressure of the AFC Championship Game? New England does have home field advantage. It's the same formula that has gotten them to the Super Bowl before- win the AFC East, build up your record to get home field advantage in the postseason, and rely on experience, talent, your home fans and the weather conditions to vault you into the Super Bowl.
Despite the fact that Jacksonville can beat New England, and knows how to defeat Brady, I just can't see them going into imposing atmosphere and knocking off Brady, Belichek and crew. Somehow, someway, the Patriots always prevail.
The Jags need to be aggressive. Turtling-up and playing too conservatively, too tight ( as the Rams played against Atlanta a few weeks ago) is a sure-fire formula to getting behind and the Patriot avalanche occurring. Limiting turnovers and getting ahead early, as they did in Pittsburgh, will be key.We know from the past that Brady can overcome huge deficits, but make him do it. Get ahead, hunker down with the defense, make Brady beat you, yet don't take your foot off the gas. No lead is too safe against the Patriots.
For New England, they need to force Jacksonville and Bortles to throw the football and play catch-up, as they did last week vs. Tennessee. Getting up on the Jags in such a big game might make Jacksonville crack. Stay in the game and keep it close, and the Jags have a chance.
I think it's gonna be close. No blow-out like last week. No cakewalk for the Pats. They will have to earn their ticket to Minneapolis this time, against a hungry, wide-eyed, nothing-to-lose Jaguar team.
Make it Patriots 24 Jaguars 21
EAGLES FACTS AND TRIVIA
Today topic is: Eagle Nicknames-
1. Greg Garrity and Andre Waters had what filthy nicknames?
2. What were the real names of Buddy Ryan, Sonny Jurgensen and Duce Staley?
3. Who were The Minister of Defense, the Polish Rifle and the Frito Bandito?
Check back tomorrow for the answers!
Answers to yesterday's quiz- Eagle Defenders-
1. Mel Tom was an undersized, active and outspoken defensive end who challenged line coach Jerry Wampfler to a fight and quit the team in 1973, forcing a trade to Chicago.
2. Carl Hairston. He got a job delivering furniture after high school and was spotted in a pool hall two years later by a recruiter for Maryland-Eastern Shore. Dick Vermeil selected him in the ninth-round of his fist draft in 1976, and Hairston went on to have a 15-year NFL career in Philadelphia, Cleveland and Arizona.
3. Chuck Weber. The great Chuck Bednarik played center and sometime outside linebacker. Concrete Charlie moved to middle linebacker during the 191 season.
THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY- JANUARY 19
This Day in Sports History-January 19
TD Quote
"To succeed... you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you."
- Tony Dorsett, 1978 Super Bowl Champion.
TD Quote
"To succeed... you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you."
- Tony Dorsett, 1978 Super Bowl Champion.
PHILLY SPORTS CORNER- EAGLES. SIXERS, FLYERS, BASEBALL HOT STOVE
* 2 days until the NFC Championship Game between the Eagles and Minnesota. The excitement continues to build. Parties all weekend. Pep rallies galore. Even people who aren't football fans are talking Eagles. It will seem unreal on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. when kickoff finally arrives. Is this really happening? The Birds are only one game away from the Super Bowl/ A home game against the Vikings separates our team from destiny, a match-up vs upstart Jacksonville or perennial powerhouse New England.
What a season it has been! Win or lose, to win the NFC East.. to be the No. 1 seed...to witnesses the emergence of Carson Wentz becoming a superstar..Knowing Wentz will recover from his knee injury and will be the Birds' quarterback for years and years. But Philly has come too far to lose this game. All of the key players hurt- Sproles, Hicks, Wentz. So much overcome. Ultimate underdogs.
Making the NFC Championship Game is a true accomplishment. Look at the teams sitting home- Packers, Seahawks, Cowboys, Giants. But to come this far and lose, especially at home, would be a letdown. Improbably as it seems with Nick Foles, the area would be depressed for weeks if the Vikings win on Sunday night.
Eagles 20 Vikings 17
* Two times in this postseason games have ended in the last second. By a really stupid NFL rule, teams are forced to "complete the game" by attempting an extra point. How insane. Last week the Vikings were celebrating a miracle game-wining, last-second touchdown pass, ans by NFL rule, the Saints ) who were already in the locker room) were forced to come back on the field, already beaten, to line-up for a meaningless extra point.
The Saints should've stayed in the locker room and proved a point to the league. How embarrassing that would've been to only Minnesota line-up for the extra point.
What most coaches are doing is, pretending to go for two points and taking a kneel, so not to humiliate the losing squad. No one, even the winning team, wants to be in that position, trying to tack on an extra point in a game that has already been decided.
It's a dumb rule that the league needs to fix. I get it why they need to finish the game- betting concerns, point totals, etc. But it's meaningless, a waste of time, and a play that neither team wants to have anything to do with.
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* The Sixers avoided a season sweep by the Boston Celtics, defeating the Celts in Boston last night, 89-80. Joel Embiid was voted in as a starter on the All-Star Game, and he celebrated that honor by scoring 26 points and grabbing 16 rebounds.
In the process, the 76'ers move to 21-20 on the year and slide into the 8th spot of the playoff race. Philly and Boston may hook up again down the road in the playoffs. It's good to know the Sixers can hang with them, as they blew a huge lead in London a week ago against the Celtics.
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* The Flyers retired Eric Lindros' No. 88 last night before their overtime victory over the Maple Leafs. The Big E was emotional during the ceremony, watching his 88 banner hosted to the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center.
With the win, the Orange and Black creep to within a point of a final playoff slot. Hopefully the positive vibes from the Sixer and Flyer victories will carry over to the Eagles on Sunday night.
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* The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded away their star outfielder, Andrew McCuthen, and their best starting pitcher, Garritt Cole, in the span of a week. Obviously they are tanking. They are conceding the NL Central division to the Cubs and Cardinals for the next several years. They couldn't get over the hump with this current group of players, so they are starting from scratch.
Yet, they resign their star left-handed reliever to a four-year contract. That's dumb. A closer on a bad team is a luxury. How many close games is he really going to have a chance to close?
McCuthen was dealt to the San Francisco Giants, who will move the star center fielder to right field. The Giants, after suffering a horrible season last summer, are looking to retool with veteran players, also picking up former Tampa Bay Ray Evan Longoria to play third base. San Fran is hoping that these vets can team with guys like Hunter Pence, Buster Posey and Madison Baumgatner to give the Giants another playoff push.
But the NL West is strong with the mighty Dodgers and the solid Rockies and Diamondbacks leading the way. Give the Giants credit for trying. They are giving their fans something to watch this year, although a playoff run may be in vain.
The Pirates and the Giants, two teams going in opposite directions, with different philosophies, but, in the end, both losers.
* Meanwhile, the Phillies hold silent on more off-season moves, with spring training looming in less than a month. Tommy Joseph is still on the club, a guy without a position or a job. The catching position is crowded, as is the outfield. And the rotation can desperately use a veteran starter or two.
Joseph is a good player, not spectacular. But he can only play first base, which limits his attractiveness to other teams. Is he stuck with the Phils as a pinch-hitter/ part-time player?
Between Jorge Alfaro, Cameron Rupp and Andrew Knapp, one of the catchers has to go. Alfaro can't be sent down ( he is out of options, plus the organization likes his potential); Knapp is a switch-hitter who needs to work on his defense; and Rupp is what he is- a below average hitter and defensive catcher, with questions about his pitch-calling skills and how well he handles the staff.
Beyond Aaron Nola, the starting pitching is young and shaky but with potential. Guys like Valasquez, Eichoff and Thompson can blossom with time or are what they are- run-of-the -mill, borderline major league hurlers.
Questions abound, with not much time for answers.
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