The game has been called for Halloween, and the best-dressed celebs have been chosen. In the sports world, the hair-raising moments continue.
The thrilling World Series matchup between the two longest suffering baseball teams and their fans continues. The football playoff picture is shaping up and basketball is off to the races.
Major League Baseball (MLB)
What’s another day or two? That’s what folks in Chicago and Cleveland are asking themselves. After a lifetime, literally, without a World Series title, Chicago Cubs (last won in 1908) and Cleveland Indians (last won in 1948) fans know what it’s like to wait. One team’s followers will be celebrating like nobody’s business Tuesday or Wednesday night.
After losing World Series Games 3 and 4 at home, the Cubs won Game 5 (also in Chicago) Sunday night 3-2 to stay alive and cut the Indians’ series lead to 3-2. Maybe they just needed some musical inspiration. In a Wrigley Field tradition, a guest sings “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” in the middle of the 7th inning. Pearl Jam lead man Eddie Vedder took the mic and brought good luck on Sunday, something that eluded fellow celebrity Cubs fans Bill Murray and Vince Vaughn the previous two nights. Maybe the team can bring Eddie on the 300-mile road trip back to Cleveland for Game 6 Tuesday night.
National Football League (NFL)
Are we done? NFL players might be asking for overtime pay with three games going beyond regulation time Sunday.
- For the first time since 1997, the NFL had two games end in a tie in back-to-back weeks. The Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals traveled all the way to London just to play to a 27-27 stalemate.
- Fighting themselves…The surprising Oakland Raiders, led by QB Derek Carr’s ridiculous performance (519 yards, four touchdowns), needed overtime but took down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30-24 despite committing a record 23 penalties.
- In the Sunday night national game, the Dallas Cowboys erased a fourth quarter deficit and beat the Philadelphia Eagles 29-23 in overtime. The Cowboys, once known as “America’s Team,” have won six-in-a-row after losing their opener and boast the second-best record in the league.
Where is the love? Seattle Seahawks all-pro safety Earl Thomas recovered a fumble and ran it in for a touchdown. Cause for celebration, especially in The Big Easy, home of Mardi Gras. He did just that and hugged it out with a referee but the ref wanted no part of it and gave Thomas a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. On the field his Seahawks were equally frustrated losing to the New Orleans Saints 25-20.
The Cubs’ momentum continued in the Windy City Monday night as the Chicago Bears dropped the Minnesota Vikings 20-10.
College Football
Perfect no longer…Four previously unbeaten teams were handed their first defeat of the season helping to shape college football’s National Championship picture:
#7 Nebraska lost to #11 Wisconsin
#8 Baylor lost to Texas
#10 West Virginia lost to Oklahoma State
#13 Boise State lost to Wyoming
The National Champion will be determined by a four-team playoff in late December and early January. Who chooses the final four squads, you ask? The College Football Playoff selection committee is a 12-person group of coaches and administrators that includes former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Are we there yet? Tuesday night the committee will unveil the first of six weekly rankings. The AP provided a preview of the current final-four favorites, who are all 8-0 and wishing it was December already:
#1 Alabama
#2 Michigan
#3 Clemson
#4 Washington
National Basketball Association (NBA)
The NBA season is a week old and celebrities are standing tall for for their teams. Toronto Raptors superfan Drake got some love on “Jeopardy!” last week when Alex Trebek rhymed lyrics from Drake’s “Jumpman.”
Oklahoma City Thunder star guard Russell Westbrook, fresh off his GQ cover appearance, is already making a strong case for MVP. Westbrook, leading his team to a 3-0 record, continued his breathtaking pace notching a second triple double (double digit points, assists and rebounds) in the team’s first three games. Westbrook’s prolific start puts him alongside NBA royalty Magic Johnson, Jerry Lucas and Oscar Robertson.
Joining OKC as the NBA’s remaining undefeated teams are the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers.
In case you were wondering…even three-time champion and four-time MVP LeBron James has a sports bucket list.
College Basketball
Football isn’t the only major sport on campus as the college basketball season tips off next week. The preseason top-5 teams are:
#1 Duke
#2 Kentucky
#3 Kansas
#4 Villanova
#5 Oregon
Remember at TINK Sports we watch the games so you don’t have to.
See you next time…
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