Ladies and Gentlemen – tonight is the first edition of the Tuesday with Smitty mailbag. This mailbag seems to have a World Series theme to it. Which leads me to the question – What is up with World Series games starting at 8:37 PM EST? Seriously? If they started any later I might even miss the 1st inning. I did get a kick out of listening to Bob DuPuy stating “well the rain wasn’t supposed to be here until after midnight ” – well it was nearly midnight when you started the game. But I digress. Let’s get to some questions – whether they are real or not, is for you to decide.
Q. Hey, I still have the chair, but do you think I should be worried about the suspension of Game 5? Should I be worried about the expensive champagne that I bought ? – The Philadelphia Phillies fan
A. Actually I think you do. The rainout is giving the Rays a chance to breath and re-group. They have the momentum – if there is such a thing in this case – in that they just tied the game in the top half of the inning. Cole Hamels was pitching well – again and had thrown only 78 pitches. There was a pretty good chance he was going to pitch into the 8th. Now he may not be available depending on the weather for tonight. My instincts tell me that they will resume on Wednesday and if that is the case – do they bring Hamels back? It would probably be a normal side session day for him, so would it hurt to have him pick up in the 7th and throw potentially 30 or 40 pitches? In some ways, the longer finishing this game off, the more it works in the Phillies’ favor.
Q. Smitty, I am Rays fan. I thought for sure after we beat your beloved Red Sox, we had the World Series won. Tell me in your somewhat honest opinion what has gone wrong with my Rays… please? – A Despondent Rays fan
A. Rays fan, I think there are 2 reasons for the Rays being in the 3-1 hole – Starting pitching and the 3/4 hitters. Let’s face it – the Phillies have not been great enough to run off with this Series. The Phillies have been atrocious with runners in scoring position, to a point that it has been embarassing as a non-Phillies fan. I am sorry, but the Red Sox of 2007 would have swept this series. The Rays simply haven’t hit – especially Pena and Longoria. Both have been terrible at the plate and it has cost the Rays. The Rays starting pitching has not lived up to the hype either. None of the Rays pitchers have looked good – with Shields pulling in the best outing of the group – and it was far from “Big Game” stuff. For the Rays to actually start making this a series – Pena and Longoria need to start hitting.
Q. Smitty, I haven’t seen you do anything on the NBA. Can we look forward to an NBA preview edition from you? – An Oklahoma Sonics fan
A. First the fact that Oklahoma is in the NBA and Seattle isn’t – is well disturbing. That being said, no you are not going to see anything from me previewing the NBA. I don’t know enough about the NBA and leave the basketball talk to Casey. But as a Celtics fan, I have to thank Michael Jordan for preventing the Big Three from resting on their laurels this year. According to Allen, Jordan apparently told him that when you win it once, it basically means you got lucky. Michael, aren’t you part owner for an NBA team? Does it make sense to challenge the reigning champ? Yikes
Q. Tyrone Willingham has quit, why won’t Greg Robinson do everyone in Western, NY a favor and do the same? – The Edgemere Phantom
A. Edge, I am wondering the same thing. I think Willingham did the AD at Washington a favor and I honestly think Robinson should do Daryl Gross a favor by quietly resigning. It would allow Gross to start his search immediately as well as hopefully have a positive impact on next year’s recruiting class. Something tells me he won’t help out SU – at all.
Q. What is wrong with my Oakland Raiders? – Al Davis
A. You.
Q. Smitty, I am wondering if you are ever going to help me out and push the “Who am I” contest on CCWW.com? Also, show the Nazareth Lasers’ soccer team some love. – Casey
A. Don’t mind if I do. Great chance to test your knowledge in sports and at the same time take down the reigning champ – Chas. But continue to check in as you never know when a “Who am I ” is going to pop up. Also, congrats to Ceil and the rest of the Lady Lasers. A huge semifinal victory in frosty conditions has guaranteed a Halloween date in the Championship game. And Chas – winning it one time is a fluke. Oh wait, did I pull a Jordan?
Smitty can be reached at ask.smitty@hotmail.com
Q. Smitty, what’s 1 + 1?.
Not defending Selig at all – but did he really have a choice Monday??
Chas, 1+1 = You losing the Who Am I contest.
That is right, like Dan Akroyd (Pre-Coneheads) ” I am on a mission from God…”
I full expect to get a phone call starting with “you are taking this way too seriously” or an intervention on Casey’s part.
Stop smoking – You are absolutely right. Bud didn’t have a choice. It was clear that the forecast called for a heavy dosage of crap the last couple of days. Considering that was it, or they went back to a dome, he had to try and get that game in for the sake of the Series.
That being said – couldn’t he have moved the game time up? Say 7 ? Just say. During the summer it has happened with games, so why not here? Just say that inclement weather is coming, and we don’t want half of Philly coming down with pneumonia. I think people would have understood.
But if they couldn’t move the game because it interfered with Fox’s commercials of the upcoming Simpson’s Halloween special – well that is where he is at fault.
Just so I’m clear, is your mission to beat me in the regular season Who Am I? or the Challenge? Because if it’s the latter, you are in for a rude awakening. I’ve figured out that my 14 minute time was a fluke alright. Flukishly bad, that is. I’m shooting for finishing twice as fast as you next time, because simply beating you….yawnnnnnnnn.
Intervention?!?! No way! This is entertainment at its best.
My challenge is to create 10 clues that keep you guys working for 30 minutes while not alienating the mere mortals. 🙂
Oh yeah – I plan to busy myself in creating a vast number of email accounts, so that I may fill smitty’s inbox. While on that topic – is the address above correct? Is it ask.smitty@hotmail.com?
Just in case you might consider an intervention, I have a potential diagnosis:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delusional_disorder
Who is the delusional one? 🙂
I won’t get into the trash talking. I’m playing for second, baby! Or maybe third. OK – I just want to get them all right in under 30.
I think Selig’s only choice was to not start the game at all. What kept him from doing it, a potential 2 days off with no traveling? Pitching Hamels or not is an interesting decision. This would be different if we were in the earlier stages of the playoffs. But at this point, with 2 days rest on only 78 pitches, throw him. It’s like you’re getting a CG out of him without the fatigue in the later innings.
The NBA should have another great year. Sad to see Oden go down – again. I don’t want this to happen, but I think this (or last year) is the beginning of an injury plagued career and one that might just never come to fruition. It’s unfortunate for the young man, who is a great role model for younger players. I hope he gets this knee thing figured out soon and can flourish in the league.
Q: Will Casey ever change his 70’s porn star avatar of Pat Riley? Everytime I see him comment, that picture creeps me out.
I think I only have to point to the upper right corner of the page to answer the question of who the delusional one is. Seriously, though, Smitty and I are getting a bit ridiculous with this, but I’m glad at least some of you are entertained.
I’m pretty certain Cole Hamels is not pitching tonight. As great as Philly’s bullpen has been, why would they throw him on one day’s rest and not know what they’re going to get, considering he’s never done this before? On the other hand, the bullpen is extremely well rested. I think it’s more likely that we could see Hamels on three days rest in a potential game 7.
It is amazing to me how little respect Bud Selig gets from EVERYONE! Not that he deserves a whole bunch, but as soon as he makes a common sense decision, every commentator feels obligated to blast the decision as just one more dumb decision by the worst commish ever…
He IS beholden to the TV networks- why blame that on just him? Are you telling me that the players don’t like the cash that FOX, TNT, ESPN, etc provide? How about the teams that don’t own their share of a local cable sports network?
If Bud got a bum weather forecast, well, haven’t we all?
Now, if he got a good forecast and is trying to sell us a bill of goods, that would be another story altogether. The guy does handle himself as if he were a meak little mouse, but most of his decisions have been reasonable. This is what you can expect when you have the Fall Classic in the Northeast…
I hope that someday I will see Greg Oden simply approach his potential with Portland… just think what Celtic fan would be saying if we did get to pick #1 in the draft- well, since I am Celtic fan I can tell you it would not be printable on the Clipboard and we would not have known the joy of last year and would be spending our time comparing the selection of Oden with that of Len Bias…
Smitty —
Am I the reincarnation of Sam Bowie?
Greg Oden
Smitty,
Do Al Davis and Jerry Jones belong to the same fraternity?
Do you still think Turner Gill will get the SU job?
Is Cole Hamels the next Josh Beckett?
Will Aunt Bea let me go fishing after dinner?
Chas,
Pointing to the upper corner of the website? C’mon now – your Yankee roots are starting to show.. 🙂
I agree – I don’t think Hamels will pitch tonight, but it would be interesting if he did come back out. That would rank as one of the guttiest coaching moves in the history of sports.
Did you guys like my Bill Walton impersonation??
Greg,
Thanks for writing in, but do you want CCWW to be the site where you finally admit to being the love child of Sam Bowie and Bill Walton?
Too late.
Casey, I mean Opey, I mean Casey –
1. Al Davis is Jerry Jones’ father… Just like Darth Vader is the father of Luke Skywalker.
2. Are you sure you didn’t mean Kendall? Kendall Gill will DEFINITELY get the job at SU, but I would say that it 10-1 odds that Turner Gill gets the gig at SU. Considering Daryl Gross’ ties to USC, I wouldn’t be surprised to see either Norm Chow or Lane Kiffin.. Yes, Al – Lane Kiffin
3. Cole Hamels is the next Sandy Koufax… This one out to cause a stir…
4. No you can’t go fishing because secretly you are going to play football and you will knock your front teeth out.
🙂
Smitty —
Will the Chicago Blackhawks ever contend again for a Stanley Cup in my lifetime?
Best Wishes … love the column.
Tony Esposito
Espo ol’ boy how’s it going? Glad to see you got your avatar correctly cropped. 🙂
Tony,
How is it going.. I think the Blackhawks are going in the right direction with Patrick Kane and Co… But firing Denis Savard 3 games in?? That is almost George Steinbrenner like.
As for winning the Stanley Cup.. Nobody is going to take the Cup until people can figure out how the Red Wings keep attracting the best players and stop them. Hockeytown indeed…
Smitty
What do you think are the chances that Big Papi will make a comeback? I’m kinda in need of a job. This 9 to 5 crap is for the birds.
Mike Myers