Leftovers

Greetings from The Booth!

If you’re working on that umpteenth turkey sandwich, you probably should stop, as the FDC said that Monday was the last day you should be eating leftovers from the Thanksgiving meal. After that, your green bean casserole becomes a science project. Speaking of leftovers, that is the title of this week’s VFB, as we look back at the long holiday weekend. Grab the Duke’s mayo, pepper, and white bread, and here we go…

I wonder if Joe Buck and Troy Aikman were excited about broadcasting the Thanksgiving NFL contest between the winless Lions and a mediocre Bears team? I think they put their best face on the game, but at times Troy sounded like he’d been into the Thanksgiving punch. If so, who could blame him? I know the Turkey Day game from Detroit is an NFL tradition, but maybe it’s time for the league to “flex” some games and have some better matchups on Thanksgiving Day. It was nice seeing Dallas lose, though, and imagining all those Cowboys fans hurling their pumpkin pie against the wall as the game-winning Raiders field goal went through the uprights.

My college football team (WVU) is going “bowling,” but I’m less than thrilled. The Mountaineers struggled to beat a bad Kansas team Saturday night just to get to 6-6. So now it’s on to the iconic Cheez-It Bowl or some “XYZ.com” Bowl. I remember a day when 6-6 wouldn’t get you a sniff. There were a few bowl games like the Bluebonnet and Peach Bowls leading up to New Year’s Day, when you had the Cotton, Rose, Sugar, and Orange Bowls. Now, we start bowl season in early December and don’t end until after New Year’s Day. I know I sound like a curmudgeon, and the extra practices and games are beneficial to the teams involved, but there are too many bowls. Now, get off my field turf!

Wedged in among all the football this past weekend was the made-for-TV 12-hole golf match between rivals Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau, who supposedly don’t like each other much. If you were expecting trash talk, unruly behavior, and foreign objects, you were disappointed. The two were actually civil, which kind of defeated the purpose of the event. In addition, commentator Phil Mickelson talked too much, blathering on about wind, distance, and sea level. The comedy stylings of Charles Barkley saved the broadcast. As for the match, it was no contest, with Brooksie winning 4&3.

Finally, former Washington National Max Scherzer is now a New York Met, having signed a 3-year, $130 million deal. I could root somewhat for Mad Max last year when he became a Dodger, but say it ain’t so, a Met? A division rival? By the way, if you do the math, based on an estimate of 35 starts per season, Scherzer will earn $1,238,095.24 per game. It’ll be a nice Christmas in the Scherzer household this year.

Well, that’s it for the leftovers, folks. Anyone for a pizza?

Until the next visit from the Booth, happy “Salmonella Tuesday,” and GO HORNETS!

RW

Sports: Friday, July 30, 2021

Express Roll To Finals, Nats Split With Phillies, Olympic Update

In the Valley League Playoffs yesterday, the Strasburg Express moved on to the VBL Finals. The Express completed an 8-7 home win in Wednesday’s suspended game with Winchester, then beat the Royals 17-11 at Bridgeforth Field to complete the 2 game sweep. Strasburg will now take on the Waynesboro Generals for the Lineweaver Cup. Game 1 of that series is tonight in Strasburg.

The Washington Nationals split a doubleheader with Philadelphia yesterday. In what was Max Scherzer’s final game as a National, Washington beat the Phils 3-1. The USA Today is reporting that Scherzer, along with shortstop Trea Turner, has been dealt the the Dodgers in return for prospects ahead of the 4pm trade deadline. In the nightcap, Brad Miller’s grand slam in the 8th inning was the game-winner in an 11-8 Phillies win. The Nats host the Cubs tonight starting at 6:35 on Sports Radio 1450.

The Nationals also sent reliever Daniel Hudson to the Padres in return for pitching prospect Mason Thompson and minor league infielder Jordy Barley. And Kyle Schwarber was traded to the Red Sox.

The Baltimore Orioles fell to Detroit last night 6-2. The two teams play tonight at 7:10 pm.

And at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, gymnast Suni Lee won the gold in the all-around competition, continuing a streak of American women winning the all-around for the 5th consecutive Olympics. In swimming, US teammates Lilly King and Annie Lazor won silver and bronze respectively in the 200-meter breaststroke. The United States leads the overall medal count with 41.

Cellars Make Sellers

SU field oversight
SU field oversight
Winchester Printers
https://winchesterprinters.com

Greetings from The Booth!

It’s great to be back in The Booth after a week of vacation at beautiful Deep Creek Lake in nearby Maryland. Morning temps in the 50s there reminded me that SU Football is not far off, and my 22nd season of Hornet play-by-play will take me once again to destinations throughout the ODAC. More to come soon as we start previewing the 2021 Shenandoah University football fortunes…

There is certainly lots to talk about this week. The Summer Olympic Games are underway in Tokyo as the pandemic rages on in Japan. there have been some surprises already, as USA Basketball suffered a stunning loss to France, and the most recognizable athlete of the Games, gymnast Simone Biles, suddenly withdrew from the Olympics. I’m sure more surprises are coming.

But I wanted to concentrate this week on the fate of the Washington Nationals, who are now sellers leading up to this week’s trade deadline. If they weren’t in this mindset before, they certainly are now, after an embarrassing weekend sweep at the hands of the lowly Baltimore Orioles, one of the worst teams in the majors. Nationals’ GM Mike Rizzo had been on the fence, last week saying that the team would be in both buy and sell mode. Since those comments, the team went 1-5, and closer to the basement of the NL East than the top.

Truth be known, the Nats, with the exception of a June run that saw the team get to 40-38, have stumbled through the 2021 campaign, due in no small measure to injuries. The starting rotation has especially been hard hit, with every Nationals starting pitcher being placed on IR at one time or another. That being said, one man’s injury is another man’s opportunity, and it’s “next man up” when someone goes down. The late NFL great Sonny Randle once said “you know who feels sorry for you when you have injuries? No one.”

There are many fingers of blame to be pointed at the Nationals that got them in this “sellers” situation. Suffice it to say that everyone is on the table, including my favorite Nat, Max Scherzer. By the time you read this, “Mad Max” may be in a different uniform. Trea Turner has also been mentioned as trade bait, but with Turner testing positive this week for COVID-19, he will probably remain in Washington. Nonetheless, for the Nationals, as the movie line goes, this is a big (expletive) sandwich, and we’ll all have to take a big bite.

My only question is, what am I gonna do with my Max Scherzer jersey?

Until the next visit from The Booth, stay cool and GO HORNETS!

RW

Sports: Monday, June 28, 2021

VBL Twinbills, Scherzer Helps Nats Split With Marlins, O’s Woes Continue

It was a day of doubleheaders yesterday in the Valley Baseball League, as Waynesboro swept Front Royal 5-1 & 9-5. C’Ville took 2 from Strasburg 6-4 & 9-2. Winchester split with Covington, dropping the opener 18-12 and taking the nightcap 6-3. And New Market lost 2 to Staunton, 6-5 & 12-11.

Tonight in the VBL, action includes Front Royal at Strasburg, Woodstock at Purcellville, and New Market at Winchester.

Max Scherzer threw 6 innings of 1-run baseball, striking out 7, in a 5-1 Nationals’ win over Miami. Trea Turner and Josh Bell went deep for Washington, who gained a weekend split of the 4-game series. The Nats, who trail the Mets by 4 games in the NL East, take on New York tonight in a makeup contest. Air time is 6:35 on Sports Radio 1450.

The Baltimore Orioles’ struggles continued yesterday in a 5-2 loss to Toronto. The 24-54 Birds will be in Houston tonight for an 8:10 start.

From the weekend:

It took 8 playoff holes, but Harris English finally defeated Kramer Hickok at the Travelers’ PGA Tour event.

And, Kyle Busch, driving with a busted clutch, won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono.

Sports: Wednesday, June 23, 2021

VBL Results, Scherzer’s Return Sparks Nats, O’s Suffer 50th Loss Of Season

In the Valley Baseball League last night, New market pounded Front Royal, 13-1. 3 games were rescheduled, including Strasburg at Winchester, and Woodstock at Purcellville.

Tonight in the VBL, games include Winchester at Front Royal, New Market at Woodstock, while Strasburg visits Purcellville.

Max Scherzer returned to the Washington Nationals’ rotation last night, as the Nats stopped the Phillies 3-2. Scherzer struck out 8 in 5 innings of work, while allowing just 1 run on 2 hits. Yan Gomes drove in 2 runs for the Nationals, who wrap up the 2-game set in Philadelphia this afternoon. Air time is 12:35 on Sports Radio 1450.

The Baltimore Orioles lost their 50th game of the year last night, falling to the Houston Astros 3-1. The 2 teams wrap up their series tonight at 7:05.

And, the Detroit Pistons won the NBA Draft Lottery last night. they’re expected to pick Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham, the Big 12 Player and Freshman of the Year.

Sports: Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Nats Nipped By Cincy, Twins Outscore O’s, Wiz-Sixers Tonight

Despite a solid outing by Max Scherzer, the Washington Nationals found little offense for him in a 2-1 loss to Cincinnati. Scherzer pitched 7 innings of 5-hit, 9-strikeout ball, but gave up solo homers to Kyle Farmer and Eugenio Suarez in taking his third loss of the season. The Nats plated a run in the bottom of the 9th to make things interesting, before falling to 20-24 on the season. The two teams play again tonight starting at 6:35 on Sports Radio 1450.

The Minnesota Twins handed the Baltimore Orioles a 7-4 road loss last night. Each team collected 10 hits on the night, including 2 apiece by 3 different O’s, as Baltimore dropped to 17-31 on the season. The two teams play the getaway game of the series at 1:10 this afternoon.

And, the Washington Wizards try to even their NBA Playoff series at a game apiece tonight when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers outlasted the Wizards in Game 1, 125-118. Tip off is set for 7pm in Philly.