The Giants finished the pre-season undefeated, 5-0, despite non-existent output from its first string offense. After last year’s disappointments, the team switched to the West Coast Offense. I’ve always believed the system is superfluous. The personnel determines success or failure. Eli Manning seems lost. If the defense doesn’t get any help from the offense, I don’t see how Big Blue can go better than 8-8. In 1966 the Giants were 6-0 in pre-season and 1-12-1 in the regular season. As for the Jets, who split their four pre-season games -- I like their running backs. If they can effectively ground and pound, if the QBs limit their errors, and if the defensive front seven make up for the deficiencies of the secondary, Gang Green can finish 8-8.
San Francisco Giants pitcher Yusmeiro Petit has set a major league record, having retired 46 batters in a row over his last eight appearances, two as a starter, six in relief. In 66 innings this season, he has an ERA of 3.44, a respectable number but hardly indicative of the excellence of his feat. He broke the record of Mark Buehrle, then a Chicago White Sox, who in 2009 retired 45 consecutive hitters over two starts, one a perfect game. Kudos, Senor Petit.
According to an article in today’s NY Post, movie moguls are scratching their heads, addled by a 21% drop in revenue in summer box office from 2013. Prime time TV viewership is off 7%, and sales of video consoles have been down eight of the last nine months. Execs are wondering what young people are doing with their time these days. I have two thoughts: money is tight, and the use of electronic devices seems the most popular cultural option at present.
Also in the Post: Only 1% of NYC teachers were deemed ineffective in 2012-’13, this despite the fact that only 31% of students passed standardized tests. While I suspect the teaching pool in NYC is not as good as it was in the past, I still believe the greatest roadblock to students is the astronomical number of single parent homes, the absence of fathers, who have been replaced in large part by government checks.
The numbers were modest at the floating book shop today. My thanks to those who bought, swapped and donated.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
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