by John Walters

Ripe For Removal

“After a term that spanned two monarchs…” Wait, let’s try that again… “After a tenure that lasted 43 times longer than George O’Leary’s in South Bend…” How about, “After six weeks in No. 10 Downing Street…?” Yes, that’ll work. After six weeks in No. 10 Downing Street, Conservative Liz Truss has resigned as Prime Minister of Great Britain.

Will this even merit an entire episode of The Crown?

Rule No. 7 Two’fer

Two first in postseason MLB history yesterday during the LCS round. First, siblings Aaron (Phillies pitcher) and Austin Nola (Padres catcher) faced one another. That had never before happened. Aaron induced a groundout in big brother’s first at-bat but then let him off the hook with an 0-2 middle-of-the-plate pitch that San Diego’s No. 9 hitter rapped into right center for a run-scoring single (the man on first, Ha-seong Kim, was off on the pitch). That hit incited the decisive five-run inning that put the Padres ahead for good to even the series (San Diego’s second five-run inning during its rare four-game postseason homestand). You kind of have to love that the Nola bros are from Baton Rouge, which is not quite New Orleans (NoLa), but close.

Second, the Yankees struck out 17 times to Houston’s two, the largest strikeout differential (15) between two teams in postseason history. At one point six consecutive Yankees whiffed. This is who they’ve been all season, only more so last night. The letdown is that New York still had a chance to steal Game 1 last night at Minute Maid, but lost 4-2. A letdown if you’re a Yankee fan. Meanwhile, Jose Altuve is now 0-19 during this postseason.

Now This Was The Game 7 We Needed

Phoenix Suns basketball fans are still not over the Game 7 beatdown that Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks unleashed last May when, early in the third quarter, they led by 39 points (70-31). Only a 40-point fourth quarter by the Suns reserves that Sunday made the final score (123-90) look somewhat less abominable (PHX trailed by 42 points, 92-50, after three).

The NBA, in its infinite wisdom, chose to have the two clubs square off in the same venue last night to begin their respective seasons. And when Dallas raced to a 22-point first-half lead, it looked like more of the same. Then Phoenix miraculously pulled to within one point in the third quarter—only to have the Mavs go up by 15 again.

But something happened in the fourth quarter as, with both Chris Paul (old) and Cam Johnson (injury) on the bench, the Suns staged a comeback. Newcomer Damion Lee, who unlike his teammates owns an NBA championship ring… as a member of last year’s Golden State Warriors, whose best player is Lee’s brother-in-law, Stephen Curry, nailed a couple of big threes late and then, with the score tied at 105, a very difficult off-balance shot from the right baseline (sure, he walked to create space but why should Luka be the only one to get all the calls?) for the game winner.

It was a fitting Game 7 comeback… five months later.

A Deleted Scene From Superman II?

An undergarment check on the crew and passengers on this boat will be warranted when and if they reach safety.