TL's While We're Young (Ideas)
@WhileYoungIdeas @terrylyons @DigSportsDesk
By TERRY LYONS
While I’ve been quite busy re-starting a slightly “leaner” version of Digital Sports Desk, maintaining a six-days-a-week PGA Tour Brunch missive and a once-a-week While We’re Young (Ideas) Sunday Sports Notebook, I’ve failed to [provide much to the audience signed-up for “TL.”
As NBA basketball column guru Peter Vecsey would write, “I slouch, corrected.”
And, I’ll try to do better!
First and foremost: A Happy Mother’s Day to all.
Here’s a sampling of today’s @WhileYoungIdeas - a few of you might be seeing this for the second time, as it was sent to the paying subscribers last night at 10pm. Apologies on that and delete away.
BOSTON - The IVY League led the way back in March 2020. Hopefully, the Presidents of the IVY League schools knew something back then and know something once again. Something more than the rest of us because the IVY League is coming back for Fall Football.
“Given the current steady decline of Covid-19 infections in this country, and the broad availability and uptake of vaccinations, we are optimistic that our campuses will be back to something close to normal by this fall, including in-person learning with students in residence,” the Council of presidents said in their statement. “And this includes our expectation for the resumption of regular competitive schedules for Ivy League athletics across all sports beginning in fall 2021.
Here in the Greater Boston area, Harvard announced its plans in March to have invite all undergraduates back to campus to live and attend in-person classes for the 2021 fall semester. University President Lawrence S. Bacowalso wrote to affiliates this week that Harvard will require all undergraduates living on campus in the fall to get inoculated against the coronavirus.
While most major football conferences returned to some on-field activity last fall, the schools in the IVY League sat on the sidelines. As time passed, most Division I conferences permitted conference play for the Winter 2020-21 and Spring 2021 seasons. A handful of Ivy League schools permitted teams to hold local scrimmages this spring, but Ivy League teams were unable to compete against one another.
Specifics for various school graduations and other large gatherings are being scrutinized at campuses all across America, and pro sports are gradually increasing the percentage of capacity allowing fans to watch their favorite teams. The Ivy League decision, for some reason or another, forecasts better times ahead.
Here’s hoping Harvard visits Yale for “The Game,” this coming November and a significant crowd assembles at the 64,000+ capacity Yale Bowl. One thing is for sure, whatever the percentage of capacity is allowed to watch the football game inside, there will be an equal or larger number of alum assembled in the parking lots, tailgating away and reminiscing about “Glory Days” of the past.
HERE NOW, THE NOTES: A full return to Fall NCAA football will bring about a normalcy for sports fans that just might offset spring Spring FCS Football. On Saturday, the South Dakota State Jackrabbits acted like foxes feasting on the Delaware Blue Hens, to the tune of 33-3. … Meanwhile the Sam Houston State Bearkats came back from a 24-3 halftime deficit with 35 second half points to defeat the James Madison Dukes 38-35 in the other semi-final. … It all resulted in a spring 2021 Saturday sports schedule with NHL ice hockey, NBA basketball, MLB baseball, NCAA/FCS football, NWSL (Women’s soccer) Challenge Cup, Premier League, Bundesliga and MLS soccer, PGA Tour, Champions Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and LPGA golf, Auto Racing, Horse Racing, Mixed Martial Arts, Bass Fishing - you name it - all on the sports TV calendar.
7TH HEAVEN - Basketball has its “Sixth Man,” made famous by Boston Celtics’ legendary coach and GM Red Auerbach’s use of the first man off the bench. The great John Havlicek, Frank Ramsay and even Kevin McHale filled that role nicely over the years. The Boston Bruins and their regional sports network NESN established a “7th Player” award and, this season, it’s going to Bruins forward Nick Ritchie who was selected by a fan vote on NESN.com. … Ritchie, 25, tallied 14 goals and 11 assists for 25 points in 53 games with Boston this season. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound left winger ranks fourth on the team in goals, eighth in assists and seventh in scoring. He was acquired by the Bruins at the 2019-20 trade deadline from Anaheim. He recorded a goal and an assist in seven regular season games with the Bruins after the 2020 trade. Ritchie scored one goal in eight playoff games for the Bruins in 2020. … Over his six-year NHL career, Ritchie has skated in 347 NHL games, compiling 58 goals and 78 assists for 136 points. He has added five goals in 27 career postseason games. … NESN's “7th Player Award” is an annual honor presented to a Boston Bruins’ player who exceeded the expectations of the hockey club’s fans during the season. A feature highlighting Ritchie’s accomplishments, hosted by NESN’s play-by-play announcer Jack Edwards, aired yesterday.
DIAMOND DUST-UPs: In the “Did You Know” category: As of the morning of May 8, the Boston Red Sox owned sole possession of MLB’s best record (20-13, .606). Since getting swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the season-opening series, the Sox are 20-10 (.667) in games and 5-1-3 in series. … The Sox are one of three teams in the majors to have at least five players with 15+ RBI: They are J.D. Martinez (31), Rafael Devers (24), Xander Bogaerts (18), AlexVerdugo (16), and Hunter Renfroe (15). … (Colorado and Houston are the other two teams). … Red Sox have received 5.0+ innings from their starters in 11 of the last 12 games. Sox starters have thrown 5.0+ innings in 26 games, tied with the Giants for third most in the majors behind the LA Dodgers (28) and Oakland A’s (27). … The Red Sox received only 25 starts of 5.0+ innings in all of the 60-game short season of 2020. … Sox RP Matt Barnes has an MLB-leading 10 perfect appearances of at least 1.0 inning. He’s struck out 49.2% of opposing batters faced this season (29-of-59) and has not allowed a run in his last 6 outings (5.2 IP). … Barnes is 7-for-7 in save opportunities and since taking over the full-time closer role on 8/21/20, Barnes leads the American League with 16 saves, and is second-best in the majors behind Mark Melancon (18) of the San Diego Padres.
FOUR NO SCORE, NO HIT: Cincinnati Reds SP Wade Miley threw the fourth no-hitter of the 2021 MLB season, and it followed a no-hitter tossed by Baltimore’s JohnMeans earlier in the week. … They joined Joe Musgroveof the San Diego Padres on April 9, Carlos Rodón of the Chicago White Sox on April 15. The four no-hitters doesn't include Madison Bumgarner’s effort for the Arizona Diamondbacks who on April 25 no-hit the Atlanta Braves in a seven-inning game that was part of a new-fangled short doubleheader. MLB rules note that if a game doesn’t go the full nine innings, it was not an official no-hitter. … With the trend, it might be tempting for fans of the Boston Red Sox to buy some furniture at Jordan’s, as the store and its popular owner run TV spots that call for “free” furniture if a Red Sox pitcher tosses a no hitter between August 3 and October 3, 2021. … The Sox pitching staff has been much improved this season, and the likes of Nathan Eovaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez are among those capable of the feat, but a healthy Chris Salemight tilt the odds a little bit.
EDDIE! EDDIE! No, not Giacomin! Eddie Vedder committed to playing a set in the virtual Hot Stove, Cool Music virtual concert and fund raise for The Foundation to be Named Later, a worthy organization run by Paul and Theo Epstein (Theo being of Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and now MLB front office fame). … Vedder joins Yo-Yo Ma, the band French Lick and the usual cast of Hot Stove All-Stars like Bernie Williams (former NY Yankees OF, MLB pitcher Bronson Arroyo, and a collection of wanna-be rock stars like sports writer Peter Gammons and Theo Epstein, himself. … Circle May 18th and look for more info and ticket prices/donations at FTBNL.