On the TunneySide of Sports October 19, 2020 #818 Up next… Here’s to the Winners
After further review… With the COVID-19 dominating the National Football League scheduling, let’s move on to other sports that seem to be progressing during these times.
The National Basketball League has completed its “bubble-in” season with a predictable winner as the Los Angeles Lakers demolished the up-and-coming Miami Heat 116-98 with the Lakers in front by 30 points much of that game. After that smashing sixth game victory, some wondered why the series went that long? If the Lakers could win that easily, why didn’t they win four straight? Enter Miami’s Jimmy Butler. Playing in his tenth season, with five of those an NBA All-Star, he certainly was responsible for keeping the Heat in each of the first five games.
This is the Lakers 17th NBA Championship after a long dry spell. If memory serves me correctly, the Lakers have had such superstars as Elgin, Wilt, Jerry, Kareem, Magic, Kobe, LeBron and others that helped them maintain an unmatched NBA record. With LeBron, now at 35 years of age – the oldest player on the current team – let’s segue to a younger champion – Iga Swiatek.
Iga Swiatek (pronounced Sheee-ON’teck) at 5’9” doesn’t measure up to those above, although on those Roland Garros tennis courts, she looked larger-than-life. From being ranked 54th she was the first Polish and only the second teen to win the French Open. This was only her seventh major tournament, but her heavy-topspin forehand was the difference in winning 6-4, 6-1.
Also, at Roland Garros “Rafa”, aka Rafael Nadal, defeated Novak Djokovic in a lopsided victory (6-0, 6-2, 7-5). Perhaps it was Rafa’s 106 mph ace in his flawless performance that made the difference or maybe it was the tapping of his shoes with his racket, right, then left, then right again, a ritual that cleared away the R.D. clay dust. Most tennis players have rituals.
Then there’s Tampa, Florida known mostly as Tampa Bay for their nicknames of Bucs, Rays or Lightening, First, the MLB American League (East Division) Tampa Bay Rays, formerly known as Devil Rays whose home field is called Tropicana in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays at this writing are currently ranked number one in quest for the MLB World Series playing for the ALCS against the Houston Astros, who are without their pitch-calling, drum-banging.
Then there are the Tampa Bay Lightning 2020 Stanley Cup Champions of the NHL who actually play their games at the Amelie Arena in Tampa. They are also known as the Bolts, sorry about that Chargers fans who originally were from Los Angeles, then San Diego, but now back in Los Angeles. If that’s confusing, please tell me how a major league hockey T*E*A*M who play their games on ice is located in Tampa, Florida where the Winter temperature averages 70 degrees?
Finally, the NFL’s rejuvenated Tampa Bay Bucs now has QB Tom Brady, after he spent 20 years with the New England Patriots taking them to 9 Super Bowls and winning 6.
Will the Bucs become the first NFL T*E*A*M to play in their own Raymond James Stadium on February 7, 2021, the site of Super Bowl LV (55 for those who failed Latin)?
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Jim Tunney
