Wayne Granger Only Wore a Cincinnati Reds Uniform for 3 Seasons, But Was Inducted into the Team's Hall of Fame

Former MLB relief pitcher Wayne Granger passed away on Wednesday at the age of 81. No cause of death was announced.

Granger grew up in Western Massachusetts in the small town of Huntington which is about 25 miles northwest of Springfield. In his youth, Granger played baseball, basketball and soccer in high school and would play baseball at Springfield College.

Prior to the 1965 season, Granger signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and would make his big-league debut with the club in 1968 when they won the NL pennant. Granger appeared in Game 6 of the World Series against the Detroit Tigers which the Cardinals lost 13-1. While Granger pitched two scoreless innings he did plunk both Al Kaline and Willie Horton.

Only 48 hours after Granger pitched in the World Series, the Cardinals would trade him and speedster Bobby Tolan to the Cincinnati Reds for veteran outfielder Vada Pinson. 

In his inaugural season for the Reds in 1969, Granger set a then big-league record with 90 appearances out of the bullpen resulting in 27 saves. The following year, the Reds would win the NL pennant and Granger contributed with a league leading 35 saves. During the 1970 season, the Reds would move from Crosley Field to Riverfront Stadium. Granger has the distinction of both throwing the last pitch and earning the last win for the Reds at Crosley Field in a game against the San Francisco Giants.

For the second time in three seasons, Granger would find himself in World Series competition this time against the Baltimore Orioles. In Game 3 of the 1970 World Series, Granger gave up a grand slam HR to Orioles pitcher Dave McNally marking the only time a pitcher ever hit a grand slam in World Series competition. Granger would also give up two runs in the deciding Game 5.

In 1971, Granger would lead the NL in appearances by a pitcher with 70. But the Reds struggled that season and the team would trade him to the Minnesota Twins for reliever Tom Hall. After a single season with Minnesota, the Twins would send him back to the Cardinals in the trade which brought Larry Hisle to the Twin Cities. 

Granger's second tenure with the Redbirds was short-lived and by August he was in a New York Yankees uniform. In the next three seasons, Granger would pitch with the Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros and the Montreal Expos ending his big-league career in 1976. Granger tried to hook on with the Atlanta Braves in 1977 but would be released during spring training and would end up pitching in the Mexican League for two seasons.

In 451 appearances (all out of the bullpen) over 9 big-league seasons, Granger went 35-35 with a 3.14 ERA collecting 108 career saves. 

Although Granger only pitched with the Reds for three seasons, he would be elected to the team's Hall of Fame in 1982. No other Reds player in the team's Hall of Fame played fewer seasons in Cincinnati than Granger.

Wayne Granger certainly made a lasting impression with Cincinnati Reds' fans. R.I.P.

Khamenei Reportedly Killed After U.S. & Israel Strike Iran

Following a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation in Iran, both Israel and President Trump have reported that the Ayatollah Khamenei has been killed in an airstrike. 

For their part, Iran claims Khamenei is alive, well and "commanding the field." Yet one must consider this to be a "Baghdad Bob" moment.

Trump told the Iranian people, “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”

Presuming that Khamenei and other members of Iran's leadership are dead or incapacitated, who will succeed them?

Consider what I wrote scarcely 48 hours ago:

Yet let us suppose there is military action in Iran. Who can say it would be any different than what occurred in Venezuela earlier this year where they extracted Nicolas Maduro only to install his vice-president as his replacement? Meet the new Ayatollah. Same as the old Ayatollah. 

I also think the words of Adrienne Mahsa Varkiani, an Iranian American, who is the Deputy Editor of The New Republic, should be given weight in a piece she wrote today titled "I Want Iran To Be Free More Than Anything; I Also Don't Trust Trump":

Trump can talk about how he cares about the freedom of Iranians all he wants, but everything he has done until now makes that hard to believe.

Just examine how the Trump administration is viewing its operation inside Iran. This round of strikes on Iran is not called “Operation Aiding Freedom”—or some feel-good cliche. It is called “Operation Epic Fury,” which is being led by the newly-renamed “Department of War.”

But if that is too small a point, perhaps we can look at what Trump has really done to support the Iranian people thus far. In 2017, just one week after becoming president, he banned all Iranians from the United States. It is almost silly to mention that now, given how much worse things have gotten since then, but at the time, it was a nightmare. For a few days, that ban applied to valid visa holders and permanent residents as well. I remember calling my cousins with green cards who were outside the country, trying to explain to them in my broken Farsi the latest on immigration law.

That ban has only gotten worse in his second term—with no new visa applicants allowed to enter the United States. (In his first term, Trump eventually relented and allowed Iranian students the opportunity to continue to come study here.)

Varkiani then goes on to decry Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018. I would part company from her on that for the simple reason the JCPOA had the effect of giving a lifeline to the Khamenei and company and only prolonged the suffering of the Iranian people. It is also worth noting that President Biden did not see fit to rejoin the JCPOA after rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, UNESCO and WHO.

Nevertheless, I share Varkiani's mistrust of Trump regarding the aspirations of the Iranian people when he has gone out of his way never to welcome Iranians who opposed the regime in this country. In which case, who can say that Trump won't reach an agreement with a member of the existing regime as he has done in Venezuela? Or perhaps we will see the restoration of the House of Pahlavi. The days of the Shah of Iran don't look so bad after nearly half a century of rule by Shiite Islamic fundamentalists, but there were plenty of human rights abuses under the last Shah of Iran. Is there any reason to believe that Reza Pahlavi would be better than his father? After all, Bashar al-Assad proved to be more ruthless than his father in Syria.

Naturally, I shed no tears for Khamenei and hope the Iranian regime will come to a long overdue end. But I worry that Iranians will simply trade one murderous regime for another. And if Trump and his so-called Board of Peace are to be involved in a post-Khamenei Iran, the opportunities for corruption will be staggering. 

However, even if Iran's new regime is less than stellar, if it no longer has designs on the destruction of Israel then it will be one less thing for the Jewish state to worry about. Not that Israel isn't still surrounded by countries and an international community hostile to it. But not having a nuclear design with designs to use that nuclear power against Israel would be quite significant.

Of course, if it turns out that Khamenei is in fact not dead then both Trump and Israel will have egg on their face. Such an error would put the wind back into the sails of the Iranian regime. That would be most unfortunate. If you are trying to kill the Ayatollah, you better not miss.

UPDATE: Khamenei has been confirmed dead with Iranians taking to the streets to celebrate. I hope their celebration isn't short-lived. I also recall rejoicing in Baghdad after the fall of Saddam in 2003. Only time will tell.

Why I Will Forever Associate Neil Sedaka with Wheeling, West Virginia

Shortly before leaving work, I learned of the passing of singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka at the age of 86. Sedaka's death was sudden as he was rushed to the hospital early this morning.

The Brooklyn-born Sedaka had two distinct periods of success - the early 1960's when he scored hits like "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" and "Calendar Girl" and the mid 1970's when, with a boost from Elton John, had a career resurgence with "Bad Blood" (featuring John), "Laughter in the Rain" along with Captain and Tennille's cover of "Love Will Keep Us Together" which featured Toni Tenille singing "Sedaka is back" at the conclusion of the song.

Sadly, Sedaka is now gone.

Yet my favorite Neil Sedaka song comes not from his peaks but during the valley in between. When chart success proved elusive for Sedaka in North America and the U.K., he found a receptive audience in Australia and New Zealand and scored a couple of big hits in the late 1960's and early 1970's - "Star-Crossed Lovers" and "Wheeling, West Virginia".

For those of you familiar with these pages can hazard a guess that it is the latter song which has become my favorite of Sedaka's on account of my business trip to Wheeling in June 2025. In anticipation of my trip, I thought of songs about West Virginia. Of course, there is John Denver's "(Take Me Home) Country Roads" which is now the official state song. There is also "West Virginia Fantasies" which is part of Chicago's "Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon" suite composed by James Pankow.

But I certainly didn't expect to come across a song named for Wheeling much less one sung by Neil Sedaka. Co-written with his longtime lyricist Howard Greenfield, the song has a breezy, elaborate orchestration accompanied by introspective, morose lyrics on the price of success:

Where is the guy from Wheelin' West Virginia
Why did he have to roam
So far away from Wheelin' West Virginia
Thousands of miles from home

Gone is the guy from Wheelin' West Virginia
Gone is the world he used to know
There's no such place as Wheelin' West Virginia

It faded long ago 

Given that this was a hit south of the Equator more than half a century ago, I'm not sure how well known this song is Wheeling, West Virginia although I'm sure he must have performed at the Capitol Theatre at some point in his six-decade career. 

I cannot speak for the people of Wheeling, West Virginia, but I can tell you that I listened to this song scarcely 24 hours ago. I can also tell you that when I think of Neil Sedaka I will always think of Wheeling, West Virigina and when I think of Wheeling, West Virginia I will always think of Neil Sedaka. R.I.P.

Will There Be a New Iran?

The time has come to give long overdue attention to the situation in Iran.

Since late last year, there have been systemic protests against the Iranian regime with the regime responding by killing between 7,000 and 30,000 civilians.

Mass protests are hardly new in Iran. Indeed, they have occurred regularly since the ill-fated Green Movement of 2009 following the "election" of then Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Of course, then President Obama refused to back the Green Movement because he wanted to achieve a nuclear deal with Iran. For Obama, it was more important to preserve a repressive regime in the name of justifying his Nobel Peace Prize than it was to stand with people fighting for their freedom. 

Yes, it is true that in 2022 Obama admitted that he erred in not backing the Green Movement. Better late than never perhaps. But Obama knew what his choices were and chose his own ego over the greater good. If Obama were ever to be sent back to the White House, I do not have confidence that he would be any wiser. 

Yet Obama's failure to back the Green Movement has not stopped Iranians for standing up for themselves. There were protests influenced by the Arab Spring in 2011, the Dey Protests of 2017-2018, Bloody November in 2019 as well as the 2022 women led protest sparked by the murder of Mahsa Amini by Iran's morality police for not wearing her hijab properly.

What is different about this set of protests is how Iran's regime appears to be crumbling. Iran's Supreme Leader the Ayatollah Khamenei turns 87 in April, and the country has been plagued by water, food and fuel shortages. The Iranian regime is only capable of responding with violence against their own people.

Then there is the threat of military action by President Trump. Yet those threats are accompanied by diplomatic talks over its nuclear program. Should diplomacy succeed then the Trump Administration will have given the Iranian regime a lifeline and a guarantee of more water, food and fuel shortages with a large dose of political repression. 

Yet let us suppose there is military action in Iran. Who can say it would be any different than what occurred in Venezuela earlier this year where they extracted Nicolas Maduro only to install his vice-president as his replacement? Meet the new Ayatollah. Same as the old Ayatollah. 

From where I sit nearly 6,000 miles away from Tehran, I believe the best possible outcome would be if the regime were to collapse by the sheer force of popular revolt from within and for Iranians to determine their own destiny. I write this knowing full well such a thing is unlikely to happen without the aid of external actors. While it is true that Iranians have long been the most pro-American nation in the Middle East outside of Israel, leave it to Trump to squander that good will.

During his SOTU address earlier this week, Trump stated:

And just over the last couple of months with the protests, they’ve killed at least, it looks like, 32,000 protesters — 32,000 protesters in their own country. They shot them and hung them. We stopped them from hanging a lot of them with the threat of serious violence.

I'm not sure how much Trump has deterred the Iranian regime from killing their own people. Of course, Trump is right to decry these killings. Yet his credibility on the subject is severely undermined by the enthusiasm with which he and his administration defended the executions of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last month. It is hard to take Trump seriously concerning his defense of political protest in Iran when he does not support political protest on American soil unless it is a crowd trying to overturn an election on his behalf. 

Unfortunately, when it comes to Iran, Democrats are little better. Democrats are falling all over themselves to accuse Israel of genocide while looking upon Iran with complete indifference except to oppose military intervention either by Trump or by Israel. Well, why would those who accuse Israel of genocide condemn Iran when Iran has long been a significant benefactor for Hamas? Why would pro-Hamas apologists bite the hand which helps feed Hamas?

Iran's Islamic regime has made the lives of Iranians miserable on all counts. Nothing good comes from their remaining in power. Yet they cannot be replaced by an entity which will either maintain the status quo or make things worse. But what Iran lacks in water, food, fuel and basic freedoms is made up by a thriving civil society which, in the face of death, has the capability of being the foundation of a new Iran which could contribute positively to the Middle East and the world. 

The question which remains is whether a new Iran will have a chance to emerge or if the Trump Administration gives it yet another lifeline.

Why Did I Watch Trump's 107 Minute SOTU Address?

 

I know there were a great many people who skipped watching President Trump's SOTU address including nearly half of all Democratic members of both Houses.

Of course, much of it was going to be bullshit just like his 100-minute address to Congress last March.

True to form, Trump told some whoppers.

He claimed that America was raking in trillions in tariffs from foreign government when in reality it is paid by American importers and passed onto consumers.

He claimed to have ended 8 wars when the U.S. is not party to most of these ceasefires or peace agreements.

He claimed America had record inflation under President Biden. In fact, America had much higher inflation both after the end of WWII and during the Watergate scandal.

He claimed America saw the sharpest drop in its murder rate in history. Except that the study didn't include either Jackson, Mississippi or Birmingham, Alabama which had the highest murder per capita rates in the U.S. in 2024. Even so, the murder rate has been declining for years save for a spike during COVID in 2020.

He claimed the price of eggs have declined by 60%. Perhaps the wholesale price, but not the retail price.

He claimed to have obliterated Iran's nuclear program but wants to go to war with them because their nuclear program is still in operation.

But then it got ugly. 

Trump claimed corruption was plundering America and laid all of it at the feet of "Somali pirates" in Minnesota. Says the President who is using his office to profit to the tune of nearly $4 billion off crypto schemes.

Well, President Reagan had the War on Drugs.

Well, now Trump has started the War on Fraud and is appointing JD Vance to lead the charge. 

You know the guy who created stories about Haitian immigrants eating cats and dogs. 

What could go wrong?

Based on what's already gone wrong, I shudder to think about that.

After all, the demagoguery of the Trump Administration against the Somali community is what eventually resulted in the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Trump castigated Democrats for not funding DHS claiming they were impeding snow removal. Yeah, well here in Massachusetts, Governor Healey declared a state of emergency and called in the state National Guard. She didn't need Trump to take action.

This isn't to say that Trump didn't reward genuinely good deeds as he did with 100-year-old Navy Captain Royce Williams for his service in Korea bestowing him with the Congressional Medal of Honor. But like always, Trump made it about himself and said he wanted to give himself a Congressional Medal of Honor. Indeed, a few days ago, Trump said he should have received a Congressional Medal for visiting Iraq during his first term in 2018.

So why did I give 107 minutes of my time to a bullshit artist?

Because it is my duty to do so as an act of citizenry. If we are to effectively criticize Trump, then we have to remind ourselves of what he tells us and what he intends to do so no matter how nonsensical it is. Like it or not, Trump is President and that makes him a dangerous man. We need to shine a light to that danger and do everything in our power to make that danger stop.

In her SOTU response, Virginia Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger noted:

In his speech tonight, the President did what he always does. He lied, he scapegoated and he distracted. And he offered no real solutions to our nation's pressing challenges, so many of which he is making actively worse. He tries to divide us. He tries to enrage us. To pit us against one another, neighbor against neighbor. And sometimes he succeeds. 

With that said, I would have preferred it if Democrats showed up and then walked out en masse as he was decrying Somalians. It would have made for compelling drama. 

At the same time, decades pass in days. Chances are very few people will remember what Trump said tonight. Some, of course, have tuned him out. But others among us because he will have said and done so many other egregious things. When you flood the zone with shit, some of it will remains and its stench will linger.

Thoughts on Another Snowstorm: Well At Least I'm Not in Fall River, MA or Providence, RI

As you may be aware, much of the Northeast United States was pummeled with snow. 

Here in Cambridge, we just got a little over a foot of snow. But we still have the snow from last month. And then there was the wind. 

Last night, I did some shoveling and my left arm is still sore.

Still, it could have been much worse.

Had I lived in either Fall River or New Bedford, I would have faced more than 3 feet of snow as the two southeastern Massachusetts communities received 41 and 37 inches of snow, respectively. 

Providence, Rhode Island also received exactly 3 feet of snow. The 28.6 inches it received during the Blizzard of '78 now seems paltry by comparison.

As for me, with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey's state of emergency order, I worked from home yesterday. 

I will be working from home again today. While the snow has ceased to fall, the MBTA is operating on Sunday service. I am sure there will be residual delays for the rest of the week as was the case last month. 

I'll make my way to the office tomorrow. But for today I don't want to take any chances. I am at a stage in my life where I do not want to rush carrying my laptop and other stuff knowing full well that I would not be on time for work no matter how early I left.

Less is more. 

Well, maybe except when it comes to snow.

Bill Mazeroski Was So Much More Than His Game Winning HR in the 1960 World Series

 

Bill Mazeroski, best remembered for hitting a game winning HR in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, passed away yesterday at the age of 89.

Mazeroski's death comes only a week after that of his longtime Pittsburgh Pirates teammate Elroy Face. With Mazeroski's passing, pitcher Vernon Law and outfielder Bob Skinner are the last living members of that 1960 World Series champion Pirates team which upended the powerhouse New York Yankees against all odds.

Yet Mazeroski was sometimes maligned for that HR with some mistakenly believing it was the only reason he was elected by the Veterans Committee into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Mazeroski was the greatest second baseman in the NL from late 1950s into the late 1960s winning 8 Gold Gloves at the position between 1958 and 1967. While his offensive production was modest with a lifetime batting average of .260 with 138 HR and 853 RBI over 2163 career games. His 2016 career hits as a second baseman puts him at 22nd on the all-time list although at the time of his retirement he would have been 11th which just goes to show how second base has emerged as a more offense-oriented position. Those 2016 hits put him 8th on the Pirates all-time list.

I cannot emphasize enough that Mazeroski spent his entire 17-year MLB career with the Bucs. Not only did he win a ring with the Pirates in 1960, but he also did so again in 1971. Maz and Roberto Clemente were the only two players who won rings with both teams though Danny Murtaugh did manage both teams. Bill Virdon played on the 1960 Bucs and by 1971 was on Murtaugh's coaching staff. 

Bill Mazeroski earned his place in baseball history not only through his historic HR off Ralph Terry to make the Pirates champions, but with his stellar play with Pittsburgh throughout his career. He belongs in Cooperstown.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention my trip to Wheeling, West Virginia last June. Of course, Mazeroski was born and raised in Wheeling which is about 60 miles west of Pittsburgh. Right across the street from the hotel where I was staying was a sports tavern with a mural of sports legends who were either from the Wheeling area or had spent time there. Mazeroski had a very prominent spot on that mural. He will always have a spot on that mural, a spot in Cooperstown and a soft spot in the hearts of Pittsburgh Pirates fans everywhere. R.I.P.

Man on the Run: Paul McCartney Has Slowed Down But He Isn't Standing Still

This evening, I attended a special screening of Man on the Run, a documentary covering the life of Paul McCartney from the breakup of The Beatles, the origins of his solo career and the rise of Wings through the assassination of John Lennon.

Early on in the film we see footage of McCartney's farm in Scotland in its early days. Macca tells us that he didn't know if he'd ever write another song after The Beatles disbanded. This I did not find convincing considering that most of the footage of him is singing or playing the guitar even in casual moments. Music would always be a part of his life. The question was would it be accepted by the public let alone measure up to The Beatles.

McCartney's early solo efforts (McCartney, Ram) and early efforts with Wings (Wild Life, Red Rose Speedway) were maligned and misunderstood. Greater success would come in the form of Wing's seminal album Band on the Run followed by Venus and Mars, Wings at the Speed of Sound and Wings Over America, the live album documenting Wings' viability as a live act. Of course, even with these successes, McCartney's work with Wings would always be measured against The Beatles although Wings' 1977 "Mull of Kintyre" would be a bigger hit in the U.K. than any Beatles single. 

Of course, there was always hope of a Beatles reunion whether it was $3,000 from Lorne Michaels in the early years of SNL to the hundreds of millions of dollars. Alas those hopes were forever shattered with John Lennon's assassination in December 1980.

Grounding McCartney during this period was his wife Linda who was an integral part of Wings. Although Linda McCartney has been dead for nearly 30 years, she remains very much a part of his life through his memories and through his children. 

Following the screening, there was a bonus clip of McCartney speaking with Man on the Run director Morgan Neville. What struck me most about their dialogue is how old Macca is getting. Yes, he is still touring but he was laboring to play both "1985" and "Maybe I'm Amazed" on the piano and did not attempt to sing either song in Neville's presence. 

Yet we must remember that McCartney will turn 84 in June. In other words, "When I'm 64" will be commemorating a 20th anniversary of sorts. The fact remains that McCartney could sell out any stadium in the world. Most people understand that one cannot do at 83 what was one was able to do at 23 and 33. 

It is worth noting there was a clip of a reporter questioning McCartney's ability to perform at 33 which the reporter viewed as old age for rock 'n roll. Macca invited the reporter to see the show and then come backstage after and tell him if he still had it or not. In our present age, I suspect most people are just happy to be in Paul McCartney's presence for a couple of hours even if he can't hit the notes he once hit with ease. Macca's music and The Beatles at large have a larger meaning for people. As such, people want to appreciate Paul McCartney while he is still here. For his part, Macca still hopes we will enjoy the show. 

Tony Clark Resigns as MLBPA Executive Director Following Internal Investigation Amid Federal Probe

(Associated Press)

Tony Clark abruptly resigned as Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) today following an internal investigation which uncovered an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law who had been in the employ of MLBPA since 2023.

Clark's resignation comes following a federal investigation of the MLBPA launched last year amid a whistleblower complaint that Clark had been profiting off licensing fees and other programs launched under his leadership. Before stepping down today, Clark had led the organization since December 2013 following the death of his predecessor Michael Weiner. Clark was the first former MLB player to lead the organization. He played in the big leagues for 15 seasons primarily with the Detroit Tigers and the Arizona Diamondbacks along with stints with the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres.

The shakeup comes amid the expiration of the CBA between MLBPA and MLB come December 1st. With MLB seeking to impose a salary cap, speculation has abounded that the 2027 MLB season could be awash as the owners are prepared to impose a lockout. 

The players could select an interim director as soon as tomorrow and Bruce Meyer, the union's lead negotiator, is the most likely choice to succeed Clark. Although Meyer has rankled some feathers among MLBPA's ranks and some would prefer Harry Marino, the labor lawyer who unionized minor league baseball, to succeed Clark. It is conceivable that down the line the players could choose Marino as their Executive Director and retain Meyer as their lead negotiator. 

I shudder to think what Marvin Miller would have thought of this spectacle. Miller was chosen as the first Executive Director of the MLBPA 60 years ago when it be ceased to be a company union making it one of the most powerful unions in American history. Of course, Clark has not been charged with a crime and is innocent until proven guilty if charges come to pass. As such, I could imagine Miller looking at the accusations against Clark with some skepticism especially only months before the expiration of the CBA. 

Yet I also cannot help but think that Miller would be disgusted by Clark or any union leader using their office for personal gain. I also cannot imagine Miller engaging in such nepotism even without the impropriety of an inappropriate relationship.

Like a lot of other things in this world, the MLBPA ain't what it used to be.

Thoughts on AOC Accusing Israel of Genocide on German Soil

While participating on a panel at the Munich Security Conference last Friday, New York Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused Israel of committing genocide. Her comment came in response to a question from Hegar Shazaf, a journalist from the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz concerning the reevaluation of military aid to Israel:

I think that, personally, the idea of completely unconditional aid, no matter what one does, does not make sense. I think it enabled a genocide in Gaza, and I think that we have thousands of women and children dead … that was completely avoidable.

Not surprisingly, AOC spares Hamas from any criticism or culpability. After all, it is Hamas which has long used their civilian populace as human shields in an effort to turn them into involuntary martyrs. Egypt, Jordan and other Arab states could have opened their borders to the people of Gaza, but it is so much easier for them to vilify Israel. 

Of course, AOC engaging in defamation against Israel is nothing new under the sun. But what makes this particular accusation different is the fact that she uttered it on German soil. That she did so was no accident. Indeed, in accusing Israel of genocide on German soil was AOC's way of likening the Jewish State to the Nazis. 

Yet in accusing Israel of committing genocide while on German soil, AOC reveals her ignorance of what genocide actually is. The Nazis sought to eliminate Jews from the face of the Earth, a goal shared by Hamas. Israel merely wishes to protect itself from yet another entity which wishes to exterminate Jews from the face of the Earth. 

Alas, this will fall on deaf ears of most Democrats and AOC knows is all too well as speculation abounds for a White House bid in 2028. And if AOC sees fit to launch a White House bid, "the Israel is guilty of genocide" will become a focal point of her stump speech. Unfortunately, I suspect that nearly all Democratic aspirants for the White House in 2028 will fall over themselves trying to render Israel an international pariah with few dissidents. Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman rebuked AOC during an appearance on Fox News stating, "Why is she so eager to criticize Israel, but I don't recall her saying anything as Iran executed thousands of protestors! There was never a genocide in Gaza."

And this is exactly the point. There is no genocide in Gaza. AOC's assertion that there is every bit as much of a lie as Donald Trump's claim that he won the 2020 election. No amount of screeching will change the fact.

The problem though is that far too many people believe lies to be true and sometimes those beliefs are expressed at the ballot box. In this respect, an AOC presidency would be every bit much of an assault on the truth as the continuation of the Trump presidency or a successor dedicated to implementing the MAGA agenda. AOC is every bit as much a demagogue as Trump or his minions and thus every bit as dangerous to the future of American democracy as Trump and MAGA are.

Robert Duvall Had a Quiet Gravitas

Actor Robert Duvall passed away yesterday at the age of 95.

In a career which spanned seven decades, Duvall earned himself a place among the heavyweights of American actors in the late 20th and earliest 21st centuries. His credits are simply staggering:

To Kill a Mockingbird

Bullitt

True Grit

M*A*S*H

The Godfather

The Godfather, Part II

Network

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Apocalypse Now

The Great Santini

Tender Mercies

The Natural

Rambling Rose

Falling Down

The Apostle

Deep Impact

A Civil Action

Gone in 60 Seconds

Secondhand Lions

The Judge

Hustle

In recent months, I saw Duvall in The Natural in tribute to Robert Redford where he portrayed the conniving, cynical sports reporter Max Mercy. Last summer, I saw Duvall's Academy Award nominated performance in Apocalypse Now which I described as "a manic intensity but is unaffected by chaos and explosions going on around him". Well, I suppose a high surf and the smell of napalm can do that. 

Yet when I think of Duvall, I think of his performances in some lesser-known movie from the 1990s namely Falling Down, Wrestling Ernest Hemingway and Phenomenon. 

In Falling Down starring Michael Douglas and Barbara Hershey, Duvall plays a cop who is on his last day on the job. He is disrespected by nearly all of his colleagues at work and has to deal with a mentally ill wife at home. Yet he manages to stay two steps ahead of everyone as it becomes clear to him who it is that snapped and wreaking havoc on the city while he must break the news to Douglas' character D-Fens that he is the bad guy.

In Wrestling Ernest Hemingway, he co-starred with Richard Harris as a lonely widower who develops a crush on a waitress played by a young Sandra Bullock and wishes to dance with her. I should mention that Duvall's character is Cuban. In this day in age, a white actor playing a Latino would be verboten. But Duvall played his role with the greatest care, dignity and restraint. As with a great many of his characters, you forget that it is Duvall as he subsumed himself into the role. I particularly remember how his character, in the hope of dancing with Sandra Bullock, would practice tangoing alone in front of the mirror. Duvall did the little things which made you remember him.

In Phenomenon, Duvall portrays a kindly local doctor alongside John Travolta, who after seeing a flashing light, suddenly becomes full of infinite powers. When the townspeople turn against the Travolta character, it is Duvall who rushes to his defense and publicly shames those who forsake their friend who had never asked anything of them.

I also remember some of Duvall's early TV work on The Fugitive and on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, the latter of which he played an undersea alien who temporarily takes over the Seaview. Then again who didn't temporarily take over the Seaview?

Whether Duvall was playing the hero or the heavy, a small role or a big one, he always carried himself with a quiet gravitas even as he retreated into his character. Robert Duvall may be gone but his quiet gravitas will carry on for decades to come. R.I.P.

Will Nick Castellanos Turn Over a New Leaf With The Padres Burning Bridges With The Phillies?

Nick Castellanos had a very interesting 48 hours.

Only days before he was due to report for spring training, the Philadelphia Phillies abruptly released him with a year remaining on his contract.

A mere 48 hours later, Castellanos, who turns 34 next month, signed a one-year deal with the San Diego Padres for the MLB minimum $780,000 with the Phillies on the hook for the balance of the $20 million he was due to make this season.

Castellanos' falling out with the Phillies stems from an incident in a game against the Miami Marlins in Miami (where Castellanos lives) back in June during which manager Rob Thomson pulled him out of the game for late inning defense. In protest of the decision, Castellanos brought an open beer to into the dugout which several teammates including Kyle Schwarber urged him to put away so as not to be caught on TV. 

For his part, Castellanos openly questioned the credibility of both Thomson and hitting coach Kevin Long because neither had played at the major league level. It is a curious comment considering, Thomson was hired by the Phillies following Joe Girardi's dismissal in mid-season in 2022 and turned around the club en route to a NL pennant. 

Castellanos' was in the first season of a five-year contract with the Phillies after a career year with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021 (.309 BA 34 HR 100 RBI). His tenure in Philly has been largely disappointing although he did drive in a career high 106 runs in 2023 along with 29 HR and a respectable .272 batting average. In 2025, Castellanos hit .250 with 17 HR and 72 RBI. Complicating matters is that he below average defender in both the outfield and at third base. 

While Castellanos wanted to play for the Marlins, he would have encountered the same problem he had with the Phillies. Neither Marlins manager Clayton McCullough nor hitting coach Pedro Guerrero had played at the major league level. In case you're wondering, this is not the same Pedro Guerrero who starred with the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 1980s.

Castellanos does not have this issue in San Diego with both manager Craig Stammen and hitting coach Steven Souza, Jr. having both played at the big-league level. Indeed, he praised Stammen:

He’s a player. He’s done it. He’s put on spikes. He’s grinded. He’s felt the feeling of success, and he’s also felt the feeling of when the game doesn’t go your way. There’s a lot of respect in that. I’m excited to do whatever he needs me to do.

In this particular case, Stammen has asked Castellanos to play first base, a position he has never played before. He will be in the same infield with Manny Machado, a friend since childhood.

Perhaps Castellanos can turn over a new leaf in San Diego and rebuild his career. A rebound season (especially if he helps the Padres win their first ever World Series title and perhaps a World Series MVP to boot) could help get one last big payday whether it be in San Diego or somewhere else.

With 13 seasons of big-league ball under his belt with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies, Castellanos enters 2026 with 1742 hits in 1688 career games for a lifetime batting average of .272 with 250 HR and 920 RBI along with 399 career doubles.

Jews Should Not Let Anti-Semites Redefine Zionism

Alfred Dreyfus (L) and Theodor Herzl (R)

Earlier this month the Jewish Federation of North America (JFNA) released a survey which concluded that while nearly 9 out of 10 Jews support Israel only a third identify themselves as Zionist.

In response to this survey, Jerusalem based communications strategist Laura Kam welcomed his development:

Communications strategist Frank Luntz saw this problem years ago, long before today’s campus upheavals and social media wars. In his work for The Israel Project (where I worked on enhancing Israel’s image internationally), including his 2003 report “Israel in the Age of Eminem,” Luntz explicitly and repeatedly warned pro-Israel advocates not to use the word “Zionism” on college campuses. His reasoning was blunt and strategic. Whatever the word once meant to Jews, it no longer meant that to the audiences’ advocates were trying to persuade. On campus even then, “Zionist” functioned as a negative identity marker, not a neutral description. Once a word triggers hostility, Luntz argued, you have already lost the argument.

From where I stand, this is a copout. Because if one cannot utter the word Zionist because it triggers hostility, then what of other words such as Jew or Israel? Indeed, I would make the case both words trigger even more hostility than Zionism.

This argument, taken to its logical conclusion, would mean Jews would cease calling ourselves Jews.

On this note, Kam addresses the language around Zionism:

Words do not operate in a vacuum. They operate in ecosystems shaped by repetition, repetition, repetition, as well as media framing. Today, Zionism is widely understood — particularly among younger Americans — not as Jewish self-determination but as a synonym for occupation, oppression and/or racism. That definition is historically wrong, but Luntz’s core insight from his seminal book Words That Work still applies: It’s not what you say; it’s what people hear.

Some within the Jewish community have responded by trying to reclaim or redefine the term. We see earnest campaigns insisting that “Zionism simply means…” followed by careful lessons in Jewish history. These efforts are sincere — and largely failing. You cannot successfully rebrand a word whose public meaning has hardened, especially in hostile environments like college campuses and social media.

Luntz’s insight was not ideological; it was tactical. He was not arguing against Israel or Jewish self-determination — nor am I, having moved to Israel and raised a family here. He was arguing that clinging to language that alienates persuadable audiences is self-defeating. Defending a word is not the same as defending values, Israel’s legitimacy or Jewish safety. 

Words are indeed shaped by repetition. But what happens when the words which are repeated are false? Well, Hitler's Big Lie answers that question. Unfortunately, a great many Americans (Jewish or not) have been subjected to yet another big lie when it comes to Zionism. Even more unfortunately, being passive consumers of what we are told, we either accept things at face value or accept them because we want to believe them.

Kam argues that "defending a word is not the same as defending values". Alas, she utterly misses the point. The fact is Israel does not come into existence as a modern state without Zionism. To ask Jews to stop using the term Zionism not only emboldens our enemies but it renders us ignorant of our own history. 

Let me put it this way. How many Jews who object to the term Zionism are aware of The Dreyfus Affair or of Theodor Herzl's response to it? 

If those who oppose Zionism think I'm referring to Richard Dreyfuss then they have no business being anti-Zionists. 

Should one ultimately oppose Zionism then one ought to know what Zionism actually is not as it is defined by the Zohran Mamdanis or the Carrie Prejean Pollers of the world.

As for me, I am a Jew and I am a Zionist. If you don't like it then too damn bad.

ICE's Withdrawal from Minnesota is a Tactical Retreat, Not a Sign of Deescalation

(Mary Murphy/Forum News Service)

ICE might be leaving Minnesota within the next week or so. But make no mistake. It is not a sign of deescalation but rather a tactical retreat. Consider what White House Border Czar Tom Honan said yesterday:

We have a lot of work to do across this country to remove public safety risk, who shouldn't even be in this country. And to deliver on President Trump's promise for strong border security and mass deportation, law enforcement officers drawn down from this surge operation will either return to the duty station or be assigned elsewhere to achieve just that.

What this tells me is that a) ICE will be deployed in large numbers elsewhere and b) that ICE will return to Minnesota at some point in the future. It also tells me the retreat coincides with the imminent shutdown of DHS at midnight over funding to ICE and CBP . But unless Republicans lose their majority in the House, at some point DHS will have its funding restored. And when it does ICE will be back with a vengeance. ICE isn't getting the fuck out. Not by a long shot.

I have no doubt President Trump will vigorously defend ICE at his State of the Union address later this month and escalate matters. It would not surprise me if he bestowed the "men" who murdered Renee Good and Alex Pretti with the Presidential Medal of Freedom or made a point of honoring them. That escalation will certainly reignite anger over Good and Pretti's deaths and cruelty with which ICE has treated migrants and American citizens alike.

While I think ICE will return to Minnesota in large numbers, I think it is more likely that the Trump Administration sets its sights on another blue state. I cannot help but think that Massachusetts could see the sort of ICE surge which occurred in Minnesota with tragic results. This is certainly not lost on leaders here in the Bay State including Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

Until there is no more Trump Administration or an administration which shares it values, ICE presents a clear and present danger to the people of the United States regardless of our immigration status.

Elroy Face Was a Relief Pitching Pioneer

(Elroy Face (R) showing Ed Sullivan (L) how to grip a forkball)

Former MLB pitcher Elroy Face, who spent the majority of his 16-year big league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, passed away today at the age of 97. He was 8 days shy of his 98th birthday.

Face, who grew up near Albany, New York, was a high school baseball standout despite standing only 5, 8. Because of this, Face did not turn professional until he was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the 1949 season following a two-year stint in the Army. He would then spend three seasons in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization before being plucked by the Pirates prior to the 1953 season.

That year, Face would make his big-league debut but struggled posting a ghastly 6.58 ERA in 41 appearances (including 13 starts). After spending all of 1954 with the Bucs Double-AA affiliate in New Orleans, Face would return to the majors in 1955. By then, Face had developed a forkball under the tutelage of manager Danny Murtaugh for whom he would later pitch at Forbes Field. 

In baseball's early days being a relief pitcher went that one was not good enough to be a starting pitcher. But Face's forkball was so devastating that he was often called into games in crucial situations. More often than not, he would win or save games. In 1956, Face led the NL in appearances with 68 and by 1958 would lead the NL in saves with 20.

But it was in 1959 when Face would become one of baseball's most prominent faces when he went 18-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 57 appearances all in relief. Face would not get a Cy Young vote, however. At the time, there was a single Cy Young for the AL and NL. Alas the baseball writers of the day were partial to starting pitchers as Early Wynn would get the nod for his performance with the AL pennant winning Chicago White Sox. However, Face did finish 7th in AL MVP balloting that year.

In 1960, Face would earn a World Series ring with the Bucs saving three games in that Fall Classic against the New York Yankees. Face would run out of gas in Game 7 blowing a rare save opportunity by giving up a 3-run HR to Yogi Berra in the 6th inning. But Bill Mazeroski would help Face save face and earn Pittsburgh its first World Series title in 35 years.

With Face's passing, the only surviving members remaining with the 1960 Bucs are Mazeroski, pitcher Vernon Law and outfielder Bob Skinner. 

Face was named to six NL All-Star Teams between 1959 and 1961 (when there were two All-Star games per season) and led the NL in saves twice more in 1961 and in 1962. He would continue pitching in a Pittsburgh uniform until he was sold to the Detroit Tigers late in the 1968 season. While the Tigers would win the World Series, Face was largely a spectator only making two appearances before watching the World Series from the dugout. Face would finish his career with the expansion Montreal Expos in 1969.

Face finished his career with 848 appearances (802 of them in a Pittsburgh uniform). He went 104-95 with a 3.48 ERA saving 191 career games, 188 of them with the Bucs. He would appear on the BBWAA ballot between 1976 and 1990 but never reached 20% of the vote and was never subsequently given consideration by the Veterans Committee. No pitcher who played the majority of their career with the Pirates has ever been inducted into Cooperstown. 

Nevertheless, Elroy Face is among the greatest pitchers in Pittsburgh Pirates history and is the man who invented modern day relief pitching. That is a worthy baseball legacy. R.I.P.

If JD Vance Believes "Jew Hatred is Disgusting" Then Why Does He Associate with Tucker Carlson?

In an interview last week with The Daily Mail, Vice-President JD Vance spoke about anti-Semitism when asked whether Nick Fuentes' supporters should be accepted into the Republican Party fold:

Well, I don't know what that means. I think people are going to vote for us or not vote for us. I think that there are certain things that we should - we should have the moral clarity to condemn. I think Jew hatred is disgusting.

Vance went to say:

You shouldn't hate people because they're white. You shouldn't hate people because they're Jewish. You shouldn't hate people because they're black,

And I don't like anybody who does that or engages in that stuff. So when you say supporters of this or that person, all I can do is say what I believe, take the moral stance and the policy stance that I believe in.

The Vice-President's words ring false.

If Vance truly believes that Jew hatred is disgusting and that one ought not to hate people because they are Jewish, then why does he pal around with Tucker Carlson?

Mind you, Florida Republican Congressman Randy Fine considers Carlson "the most dangerous anti-Semite in America." 

After all, Carlson has seen fit to legitimize Holocaust deniers like Nick Fuentes and Darryl Cooper, legitimize the anti-Semitism of the despised Iranian regime and suggesting Jews were responsible for Charlie Kirk's assassination and likening Kirk to Christ. Where it concerned Carlson's interview with Cooper in September 2024, not only did Vance not condemn the interview he stated he "doesn't believe in guilt by association cancel culture."

Of course, a lot of it has to do with the fact that Vance would not be Vice-President today if not for Carlson. Vance is not about to bite the hand that feeds him even if that hand spreads the poison of anti-Semitism.

As such, I am not inclined to take Vance's claim that he is disgusted by anti-Semitism with any degree of credibility and seriousness when he could not bring himself to mention anti-Semitism let alone Jews during Holocaust Remembrance Day, declined to condemn Young Republicans who exchanged anti-Semitic messages with one another and denying there is a surge in anti-Semitism among both Republicans and Democrats alike.

JD Vance cannot tell us that he finds "Jew hatred is disgusting" all the while ignoring it, minimizing it and giving credence to those who spread it.

Bud Cort is Gone but His Presence Will Remain with Me

After seeing Harold and Maude at The Brattle Theatre in 2022, I had some thoughts and concluded with this one:

I don't know how much time Bud Cort has in this world (or for that matter of any of us) but Harold will thanks to Maude always have his whole life ahead of him.

While Harold will always have his whole life ahead him, Bud Cort had four more years less a day. Cort passed away today at the age of 77 following a long illness. 

While Cort never attained the level of stardom he appeared destined for with roles in Harold and Maude and in Robert Altman's Brewster McCloud with Shelley Duvall, he did carve out a unique place for himself in and out of Hollywood even if it wasn't by his design. 

Some among us see ourselves one way while the world around us sees us in another way and is wedded to that vision. Cort wanted to play Randall McMurphy in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest while the studio viewed him as Billy Bibbit. He didn't want to play Bibbit but the studio wanted Jack Nicholson as McMurphy. Only then did he change his mind, but by that time the role had gone to newcomer Brad Dourif. The thing of it is that Cort probably could have played both roles with equal effectiveness.

So, he would settle for smaller roles such as in Bernice Bobs Her Hair though it did give him an opportunity to reunite with Duvall as well as an uncredited appearance in Columbo though he did share screen time with Peter Falk. Cort spent much of the 1970's living with Groucho Marx which in of itself would be worthy of some letters and some dialogue. It did not help matters that Cort was twice seriously injured in car accidents in 1979 and again in 2011.

Outside of Harold and Maude, I remember a guest appearance Cort made on the 1980's revival of The Twilight Zone in which he played hapless hotel manager who came in possession of a trunk which made all wishes come true though he would not be careful about what we wished. Disappointed by what the trunk brought he went inside the trunk only to be unable to get out of it. 

The ending scene shows a woman alone in an empty apartment now with the trunk. While on the phone with her mother, she says she wished she had a husband and out pops Cort dressed as a groom. I haven't seen that episode since it aired nearly 40 years ago and yet it has stayed with me. It has stayed with me because Bud Cort's presence will never leave. R.I.P.

Verlander Rejoins Tigers; Will Be in Starting Rotation with Skubal & Valdez

Justin Verlander, who spent 13 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, is returning to the team for one last season having signed a 1-year contract worth $13 million. Of that $13 million, $11 million will be paid out through 2030.

Verlander, who turns 43 later this month, spent 2025 season with the San Francisco Giants where he had a subpar 4-11 record with a decent 3.85 ERA over 29 starts. While Verlander is not the ace pitcher he was in 2022 when he won his third AL Cy Young Award, he still has gravitas and could help the Tigers get over the hump in search of their first World Series title since 1984.

He will join a starting rotation which includes back-to-back AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal who last week earned a record $32 million in arbitration before he becomes a free agent at the end of this season and Verlander's former Houston Astros teammate Framber Valdez who signed a 3-year, $115 million contract with the Tigers last week.

Verlander earned two World Series rings with the Astros in 2017 and in 2022 (the latter alongside Valdez) and would like to finish his career with a ring with the Tigers. Of course, Verlander went to the Fall Classic with the Tigers during his rookie season in 2006 and in 2012 but were bested by the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants, respectively.

He enters the 2026 season in eighth place on MLB's all-time strikeout list with 3553. It is conceivable that by season's end he could leapfrog Hall of Famers Don Sutton, Tom Seaver and Bert Blyleven for fifth place on the all-time strikeout list.

Detroit Tigers fans have a lot to be excited about in 2026 and the return of Justin Verlander has just added to that excitement.

A Pleasant Evening with John Sayles

This evening, I had the pleasure of attending a talk given by director, screenwriter, novelist and actor John Sayles at Porter Square Books here in Cambridge.

Sayles, who is 75, was in the area to promote his new historical novel Crucible which is set in both Detroit and Brazil. The novel documents Henry Ford's failed efforts to union bust and to build a rubber plantation in Fordlandia, a town in the Amazon rainforest which bears his name amid Prohibition, The Great Depression and WWII.

Yet when Sayles read a passage from the book, the focus was on baseball. Of course, given that Sayles is best known for directing Eight Men Out, a film about the 1919 Black Sox scandal and his appearance in Ken Burns' Baseball, that he would make baseball a part of this story does not come as a surprise.

In the context of Crucible, the focus was on his protagonists Rosa and Ira Schimmel, a Russian Jewish sister and brother, attending a game at Navin Field (later rechristened Tiger Stadium) between the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox in 1933. 

Sayles noted that the 1933 Tigers weren't very good with a wink in his eye. That year, the Tigers went 75-79 finishing fifth in the American League 25 games back of the Washington Senators who would win their third and final AL pennant. In case you're wondering, the Red Sox were worse finishing ahead of only the lowly St. Louis Browns. However, in 1934, the Tigers would win their first AL pennant in 25 years and their elusive first World Series title in 1935.

The passage focused on Ira and the fans surrounding him trying to teach Rosa about the subtleties of baseball. While Rosa could not understand the difference between the infield fly rule and a double play and didn't understand why the umpire didn't send automatically send the batter down the first base following an intentional walk, she considered Hank Greenberg a hero. So, too, did many other Jews whether or not they lived in Detroit.

Following the excerpt, Sayles opened up the floor to questions. I relayed my experiences growing up rooting for the Tigers in Northwestern Ontario once our TV signals switched from Duluth to Detroit and recounting my experience at Tiger Stadium in August 1999 only a few short weeks before it shuttered. I asked Sayles if he had ever been to Tiger Stadium. He replied that he had not but had been to Fenway Park many times when he lived in East Boston and recounted how he enjoyed seeing the fans on the Blue Line en route to Fenway. His passage is the mark of a great writer. Although he was writing about Detroit baseball in the 1930s, one could easily picture Sayles having sat in the bleachers himself. 

Among the other questions directed toward Sayles focused on his writing process for a historical novel, the difference between writing a novel and a film/TV screenplay and his views on Henry Ford. He also spoke briefly about his next novel which he has also completed writing called God's Gotham which is an account of the point shaving scandal at CCNY involving the school's basketball team in the late 1940's. 

At the end of the evening, Sayles signed books including my own. I told Sayles that my favorite film is Matewan which I saw when I was a teenager not long after it was released. Nearly 40 years after the movie was released, the scene where the hillbillies rescue the unionized mine workers thrown out of the company town still sticks with me. 

When I told Sayles this, he mentioned that the hillbilly elder had been the editor of the local paper in Charleston describing him as an intellectual. But he also noted that this same man had grown up in a mining town. Upon hearing that, I told him how my maternal grandfather spent 43 years as a coal miner in the Crowsnest Pass in Alberta from the time he was 15 to the age of 57 and how he lived to the age of 84. He told me that my grandfather must have had strong lungs. That he did.

With other people waiting in line and not wanting to monopolize his time, I bade Sayles farewell. Trying to balance my book with my bag and my laptop, he gently told me to watch my step which struck me as a thoughtful and considerate gesture. It was a fitting conclusion to a pleasant evening.

Patriots Have Nothing to be Ashamed of in Super Bowl 60 Loss to Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have just won their second Super Bowl title in franchise history besting the New England Patriots 29-13.

The Seahawks won their previous title in Super Bowl XLVIII a dozen years ago when they dominated the Denver Broncos 43-8. The win also avenges their Super Bowl loss to the Pats the following year.

Neither quarterback had a stellar game. Seahawks QB Sam Darnold and Pats QB Drake Maye both had their struggles. The Seahawks did have a 9-0 lead at the half on the strength of 3 field goals by Jason Myers who would add a fourth field goal in the third quarter to extend the Seahawks lead to 12-0.

Darnold would get his only touchdown in the game with 13:29 on the clock in the fourth quarter on a 16-yard pass to tight end AJ Barner to give the Seahawks a 19-0 lead.

The Pats were in serious danger of becoming the first team to ever be shutout in a Super Bowl matchup. But after a streaker momentarily disrupted the game only to be stopped by Pats wide receiver Kyle Williams, Maye would lob a TD pass to wide receiver Mack Hollins to finally get on the board with 12:27 remaining in the game.

With 5:38 left in the game, Myers then kicked a Super Bowl record fifth field goal to give the Seahawks a 22-7 lead. While some thoughts Myers should have won the Super Bowl MVP, this honor went to running back Kenneth Walker III who carried the ball 27 times for 135 rushing yards with 26 additional receiving yards on two catches.

Despite being sacked in the game 7 times, Maye and the Pats were only down by two possessions. However, Maye would fumble the ball leading to a fumble recovery by linebacker Uchenna Nwosu with 4:37 left in the game to score a touchdown and give the Seahawks a commanding 29-7 lead.

Maye did throw his second touchdown pass of the game to running back Rhamondre Stevenson with just over 2 minutes in the game, a two-point conversion was unsuccessful.

While the outcome was disappointing, the New England Patriots have nothing to be ashamed of at all. I can assure you that in August 2025, the Patriots were not expected to be playoff bound let alone Super Bowl bound.

The Pats exceeded all expectations in this NFL season.

I can tell you that at the office, people thought the Pats overcoming the Seahawks defense was a very tall order and they came precariously close to not scoring at all. Although Walker won Super Bowl MVP honors, there is no question a case could be made to have given the award collectively to the Seahawks defense. 

In a championship game, someone wins and someone loses and tonight the Seahawks were simply the better team. 

There is always next year, and the Patriots have a lot to look forward to in 2026.

In the meantime, congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks.

Along with 3 World Series Rings, Terrance Gore Had More Stolen Bases Than Hits

Former MLB outfielder Terrance Gore, best known for being utilized as a pinch running specialist, died suddenly yesterday following complications from a routine medical procedure. He was only 34.

Gore had a very unusual big-league career. He played in parts of 8 MLB seasons and was primarily a pinch runner and a late inning defensive replacement. Gore would finish his career with more stolen bases (43) than hits (16). Although Gore made his MLB debut in 2014 with the Kansas City Royals where he spent his first four big league seasons, he did not collect his first big league hit until 2018 when he was a member of the Chicago Cubs. That first hit came against future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer when he was pitching for the Washington Nationals. His lone career RBI came the following year when he rejoined the Royals when he belted a triple against Seattle Mariners pitcher Matt Festa. It was also his only career triple.

Although Gore never appeared in more than 37 games in any single season, he earned three World Series rings with the Kansas City Royals (2015), Los Angeles Dodgers (2020) and the Atlanta Braves (2021). 

Even more remarkably, he spent all of 2021 playing with the Braves Triple-AAA affiliate in Gwinnett before earning a spot on the team's post-season roster. When the Braves won the World Series, Gore Facetimed his injured teammate Charlie Morton so he could be a part of the on-field celebrations.

Gore last played in the majors with the New York Mets in 2022. 

All medical procedures have an inherent amount of risk. Nevertheless, one does not expect an otherwise healthy 34-year-old man to die in this manner. Needless to say, one can only imagine the loss Gore's family is feeling right now and will continue to feel for as long as they live. R.I.P.

The Defiant Ones is About Bondage & Brotherhood

 

This evening, I ventured to the Coolidge Corner Theatre to take in a special screening of The Defiant Ones starring Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis.

This screening is one of several being shown in homage of Poitier's work along with Lilies in the Field and A Raisin in the Sun.

Following Poitier's passing in 2022, I attended screenings at the Brattle Theatre for Blackboard Jungle and would then spend a weekend watching Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, To Sir, With Love and In the Heat of the Night. 

I had viewed all four films previously in TV, but never on the big screen. Although I have long been aware of The Defiant Ones and its basic premise, I had never seen it before.

For those who are unfamiliar with the basic premise of The Defiant Ones, Poitier and Curtis portray two prisoners (Noah Cullen and John "Joker" Jackson) who manage to escape when their truck is involved in an accident but are handcuffed to one another. Indeed, it was a template The Fugitive would follow just over five years later to great success.

Of course, The Fugitive only had one protagonist. In this case, the two protagonists are black and white and do not care for the other. This might be old hat to some and DEI to others, but in 1958 this was a groundbreaking film. Indeed, perhaps a little too groundbreaking. Although it was nominated for 9 Academy Awards including Best Picture and a Best Director nomination for Stanley Kramer (who later directed Poitier in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner), it only won 2 Academy Awards - one for Best Writing for Nedrick Young and Harold J. Smith and Best Cinematography for Sam Leavitt. Gigi, which was nominated for 9 Academy Awards, went 9-for-9 setting a then record for a single film eclipsing Gone with the Wind.

Now, I haven't seen Gigi so I cannot judge it on its merits, but given the subject matter in The Defiant Ones, I suspect most Academy voters thought a light-hearted musical was the safer choice. While Gigi might be a good film in its own right, The Defiant Ones undoubtedly has more staying power.

From where I sit, The Defiant Ones is mainly about bondage and brotherhood. As Cullen and Jackson are chained together, they have no choice but to rely on each other for survival even if they both resent this fact. Yet after their chains are broken, their bond is not. Cullen reluctantly parts ways with Jackson after he forms a romantic bond with a lonely divorcee played by Cara Williams. But when Jackson discovers that the divorcee has sent Cullen to his death by sending him to the swamps, he sacrifices the possibility of freedom and a new life to see that Cullen doesn't meet a fatal fate. It is here that the two become brothers.

Poitier and Curtis would each receive Best Actor nominations but lost out to David Niven for his performance in Separate Tables. Williams earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination but was bested by Wendy Hiller also in Separate Tables. I would be remiss if I did not mention Theodor Bikel also earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his portrayal of Sheriff Max Muller. Bikel, too, would not come away with Oscar gold which instead went to Burl Ives in The Big Country. 

I would describe Bikel's performance as a lower key version of Rod Steiger's portrayal of Sheriff Bill Gillespie from In the Heat of the Night nearly a decade later. Sheriff Muller is less volatile yet equally determined to find his men. Bikel portrays Muller with a quiet determined dignity. He will do his duty, but he has no thirst for violence.

Speaking of a thirst for violence, perhaps the scene which had the deeply resonance with a 2026 audience was when Cullen and Jackson are caught by residents of a mining town and are nearly lynched by a mob led by a goon played by Claude Akins. Amid this, Jackson demands to know why they would lynch a white man as if to invoke privilege he did not have the luxury of having. However, the mob is stopped singlehandedly by Big Sam played by of all people, horror movie legend Lon Chaney, Jr. Big Sam dares the town folk to lynch the pair by shaming them with a knife, a rope and a torch. With all that has happened in Minneapolis, we need all the Big Sams we can find.

The Defiant Ones is not only an important part of not only Sidney Poitier's legacy, but among the earliest American films to confront the ugliness of racism in a meaningful way.