It's Halloween

A sigh of relief. That’s what originated from Yankee Stadium on October 18th around 7:30 in the evening. That was when the Yankees survived the best of five series with the Cleveland Guardians. 

A chorus of groans and boos emanated form that same ballpark one week later, when the Houston Astros eliminated the not-so-vaunted Bronx Bombers. In four games. 

Manager Aaron Boone was said to be gone, the scapegoat for everything wrong with the team. Except that owner Hal Steinbrenner said not so fast and is keeping Boone on for another year.  Having supporters like Derek Jeter and C.C. Sabathia didn’t hurt him.    

The Yankee faithful also want GM Brian Cashman gone. They blame him for everything which went wrong. While that is partially true in relation to players like Josh Donaldson and Aaron Hicks who looked old, he did bring in blossoming star Harrison Bader, perhaps the shiniest light for the Yankees in the ALCS. Expect Cashman to sign a new contract to continue to strive towards that elusive 28th World Championship. 

Those same fans may have gotten too carried away when they booed Aaron Judge for underperforming in the playoffs. He gave it his all to break Roger Maris’ record in a gargantuan regular season likely to result in his winning the American League Most Valuable Player Award. They liked him aplenty for how he literally carried the team into the playoffs. 

But their fickle nature may have been the last straw in whether the soon-to-be free agent leaves New York. His displeasure with the Yankees front office with their public airing of his spring contract offer, coupled with his enormous dislike of how the fans treated underperforming Joey Gallo—forcing to remain inside his apartment as a refuge from vitriol until he was mercifully trade to the Dodgers— or how they castigated Hicks, did not sit well with the big man. 

This drama will play itself out once the World Series is over. My wife asked me if I would be mad at Judge if he left. The answer is no—should he decide to play for the San Francisco Giants, the team he rooted for in his childhood, who am I to question how he reached his decision? 

However, I sure will be angry at the Yankees management and the fans for ruining what could have been a lifetime of love. For which none of the above will accept any responsibility.

Meanwhile, there has been an underdog in the National League that has come from the final playoff spot in the expanded format to reach the World Series. Those Philadelphia Phillies have exactly what the Yankees don’t have—a team which can hit, field, run the bases and is resilient. 

The fact that the Astros, a big favorite to win it all, and the Phillies are tied at one apiece when the Series resumes at Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia on Monday night, should not be a surprise the day the Phillies have dominated their opponents. Ask the Cardinals, Braves and Padres what happened and they will say they were swallowed up by a hot team. 

Moreover, the denizens of Broad Street will be very vocal, looking to rattle the Astros and bring a championship to the City of Brotherly Love by displaying anything but that. I am in sync with them—I loathe the Astros for their cheating, even if many of the perpetrators are gone. 

It’s kind of like my dislike for the New England Patriots from their multiple attempts at tilting the competitive advantage. Hey, Tom Brady isn’t in Foxborough any more, with his career  in the toilet at the moment as he shows his age, and his personal life apparently in shambles. 

Might I add that the Eagles are a legitimate Super Bowl contender and the Philadelphia Union is in the MLS Final Four. The Flyers are playing quite well and the Sixers are destined to get better. This is a great time to be a Philadelphia sports fan. I can just imagine how sports talk radio is afire. 

Somehow, I have managed to attend football games on three of the last four weekends. I saw the New York Jets beat the Miami Dolphins. I watched Franklin and Marshall retain the Conestoga Wagon Trophy with a True Blue Weekend victory over arch rival Dickinson. And the this Sunday I painfully watched the Jets unravel in handing a win to the New England Patriots. Again. 

When the Jets beat a below par Green Bay team with an ailing Aaron Rodgers, I thought there was some hope for the Jets. With a win over Denver, I said, maybe this team has a chance to make the playoffs. 

Until the team can get quarterback Zach Wilson to not throw balls into the hands of enemy defenders and the team can make up for the loss of RB Breece Hall, they aren’t going to win many more games. And perhaps, those prior wins were mere illusions, blips on other teams’ radar which could have had a different result. 

I was warmed by Rutgers finally winning a Big Ten contest, outlasting Indiana at home. As soon as they headed out on the road, Minnesota, a so-so Big Ten power, shut the Scarlet Knights out 31-0. #4 Michigan comes to Piscataway next. Oh boy. 

So, too, was I hopeful that F&M might travel to Allentown and upset Muhlenberg. Into the third quarter, it was a nip and tuck battle. Then the Mules asserted their superiority. 

Alabama is no longer undefeated, thanks to a trip to Knoxville where Tennessee downed the Crimson Tide in front of over 100,000 and football alum Peyton Manning, better known as the brother of Eli, the great Giants QB. Ohio State is second to Georgia in the polls. I still don’t see a Big Ten team winning the national title. 

I have seen some NBA games, mostly the one involving the Golden State Warriors. The Nets, with the unhappy duo of Kevin Durant and the foot-in-mouth Kyrie Irving, are floundering. I couldn’t be happier. Ditto the Lakers, who have yet to win a game. Lebron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook are not to be confused with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The latter trio has won four rings.

Plus, the New Jersey Devils are leading their division. Let me let that sink in. The Devils are on top. Who would have thunk it!!

There is a lot of zany stuff going on right now in the sports world. I have a theory. It’s Halloween.