An advice column for people who live with people who live for sports
What happened on Thursday, April 24, 2015?
In the world of the hopeful, the Pirates are the king: At least for a day. The Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates, both teams who have lost for a long, long time and who are more hopeful this year than ever, played yesterday in a matinee baseball game. It was a good one. The Cubs led 4-2 after five innings but lost the lead sixth and then the game in the seventh both to RBI hits by Gregory Polanco. On the Cubs side, Kris Bryant, their star-studded rookie got his first start in his second game and has still not gotten a hit. Line: If things go the way we’re used to them going, the Cubs and the Pirates will be a nice story until around August and then the Cardinals will turn it on and leave them in the dust.
Lightning strikes three times: The Detroit Red Wings were securely skating to a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning before the Lightning struck three times in a row to win the game. Their first goal came with less than seven minutes to go in the game, they scored a second to force overtime with only a smidge over four minutes left. In overtime, it only took two minutes and 25 seconds for Tyler Johnson of the Lightning to end the game with a bad angle shot into an open net created by a rare overtime three on one break. Line: The Red Wings will be shaking their heads all the way to Game Five in Tampa Bay.
Predictable results, unpredictable means: The NBA playoffs this year, as they often are, have been characterized by favorites winning. All three favorites won again last night but two of them needed overtime to do it. The Chicago Bulls beat the Milwaukee Bucks 113-106 in double overtime to take a 3-0 lead in their series. The Golden State Warriors beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-119 in single overtime but needed a heroic 39 point fourth quarter just to erase a 20 point deficit and get there. Likely MVP, Steph Curry had 40 points including an incredible last second three pointer. Line: You’d believe the results but if you hadn’t seen the games (or the highlights,) you wouldn’t believe how they happened.
