By Paul Casey Gotham
It is that time again. Let’s hear from you, readers. We had another week of stellar performances. Pick the ONE (1), UNE, UNO from April 18-24th that stands out to you, and tell us a story.
Russell Westbrook gets my POTW.
It’s been almost twenty 20 years since anyone has turned a triple-double in game seven of a National Basketball Association playoff series. Westbrook made it happen yesterday.
Providing a complement to teammate Kevin Durant, Westbrook dished out 14 assists to go with 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder closed out the Memphis Grizzlies in convincing fashion 105-90.
With Durant hitting 13-of-25 from the floor, Westbrook kept the the Grizzlies honest by taking advantage when the defense extended on his teammate.
Westbrook was a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line and led the Thunder with six offensive rebounds.
In 1992, Scottie Pippen was the last N.B.A. player to turn a triple-double in a deciding game.
Who gets your POTW?
Carlos Beltran, for knocking 3 2-run homers last week against the Rockies. Oh, and from both sides of the plate.
That or the Red Sox taking the Yankees broom shopping.
There’s a couple real obvious ones out there, but I’m going local and drilling into the more obscure. The “Stanley Cup” of the AHL (American Hockey League) is named the “Calder Cup”. The trophy is the world’s second oldest (after the NHL Stanley Cup) continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937.
Although Houston is very much a major league town, we’re minor league in hockey with the former WHA and IHL member but now AHL team (since 2001), the Houston Aeros. In hot pursuit of the Calder Cup, the Aeros are currently battling the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Western conference Finals, now up 2-0 in the series after last night’s game. Earlier in the week, they closed out the Miwaukee Admirals to win that series in 7 games. A great week just ended for the Aeros … hope the winning continues and the Calder Cup is Houston’s when it’s all over.
btw, the Aeros are affiliated with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
Considering the Yankees are almost as bad as the Mets, I hardly think sweeping them is POTW worthy.
Oh, and I’ll take Jose Bautista’s last 7 days over Carlos Beltran’s, hands down:
Bautista: 11-for-26, 6 HR, 9 RBI, 8 runs
Beltran: 4-for-18, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 4 runs
I figured someone would pick Bautista … WOW, what a week!!!
Jorge Posada of the Yankmees should win “Pout of the Week” hands down.
Bill … you’re still certainly entitled to pick Beltran … this is a personal thing and there’s no “right answer” … sometimes our buddy, Chas, forgets that 🙂
Yeah, I forgot about Bautista, hat’s off to him too.
You’re right, Wally. We’re all entitled to nominate whomever we want, there are no right or wrong answers, blah blah blah…
There’s also a couple expressions about black kettles and glass houses that maybe you should take into consideration sometimes.
Yes … I had to throw that in there, Chas, indeed because I’ve been reprimanded in the past. But I’m recovering now … born again … ya da ya da ya da.
I’ll take the homer route and go with Adrian Gonzalez.. No not the sweep of the Yankees – considering their internal issues right now, I don’t consider the sweep to be sweet.. Especially when the Sox needed it just to get back to .500..
But Adrian is making quick believers out of Red Sox nation.
9 for 26, 5 HRs, 10 RBIs and 7 runs.
Wally – GREAT call with the Aeros. It’s been a while since the Rochester Americans claimed the Calder Cup (the mismanagement of the last decade could be a series of articles). From the late 50s to the 60s, when the NHL consisted of 6 teams, the AHL was great. The Amerks won the Calder with Bronco Horvath, Mike “Shakey” Walton, Red Armstrong, Dick Gamble, Jim Pappin and a young Gerry Cheevers. That team pre-dates me, but I have heard enough stories. They were as good as the bottom teams in the NHL.
Thanks, Casey. I’m not positive about this but something back in my memory bank tells me it was the Houston Aeros that boasted three Howes … Gordie Howe and his 2 sons … playing for them at the same time. I think this was back in their WHA days. I went to a handful of Chicago Cougars games as a ute.
Btw … The Aeros beat Hamilton again tonight to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals.