Rattlers Hold Off Thunder In AFL Playoff Preview

At Phoenix:

In a preview of their National Conference semifinal game which would be played on August 3, also at Phoenix, the Arizona Rattlers (15-2) defeated the Portland Thunder (5-12) 66-55 on Sunday at home.

The Thunder locked up an Arena Football League playoff berth on Saturday night after the Los Angeles KISS were eliminated from playoff contention due to their 72-65 home loss to the San Antonio Talons.

Portland will host the Spokane Shock next Saturday (7:00 PM Pacific Time) in their regular-season finale before getting another crack at the Rattlers in the National Conference semifinals.

Farewell To Bret Maverick--------------------------And Jim Rockford, Too

James Garner, the witty leading man best remembered for his television portrayals of Western anti-hero Bret Maverick and sometimes larcenous private eye Jim Rockford, as well as his appearances in iconic late 1970s-early 1980s TV commercials with actress Mariette Hartley for Polaroid cameras, passed away on Saturday night at his Los Angeles home at age 86.

Mr. Garner's publicist said that the actor, who had been in ill health in recent years, passed away from natural causes.

Jim appeared in more that 50 theatrical motion pictures, including "The Great Escape," "The Americanization of Emily," "Support Your Local Sheriff", and "Murphy's Romance," for which he received an Academy Award nomination who his portrayal of a small-town pharmacist.

But it was on Maverick (ABC 1957-62) in which Jim really made his reputation for portraying an ironic hero.  In this Warner Brothers-produced Western series, he played Bret Maverick, whom along with his brother Bart (played by Jack Kelly) sometimes skirted the law to outwit the bad guys.

On The Rockford Files (NBC 1974-80), private investigator---and ex-con----Jim Rockford kept alive the Bret Maverick tradition of sometimes skirting the law to outwit the bad guys, sometimes with the help of Jim's father Rockey (Noah Beery, Jr.) and his con-man pal Angel (Stuart Margolin).

Maverick was a send-up on television Westerns and The Rockford Files did the same for private-eye shows.

Timbers Come From Behind To Knock Off Rapids At Home

At Portland, Oregon:

Maximiliano Urruti (72') and Diego Valeri (77') each scored a goal in the second half as the Portland Timbers came from behind to defeat the visiting Colorado Rapids 2-1 in the lone Friday Major League Soccer match.

The victory was only the Timbers' second home win in league play this season.

Portland's next game will be at Montreal against the Impact on Sunday, July 27 at 2:00 PM Pacific Time (ROOT Sports Northwest).

Fun With Edgar!

From RKO Radio Pictures in 1933, we present Edgar Kennedy starring in the short subject "Good Housewrecking."  In this one, Edgar and his family decide to open a home decorating service----even though they have no idea what they're doing whatsoever!

This short subject was directed by Harry Sweet, who wrote story; supervised by Lou Brock; photographed by Eddie Cronjager; recorded by Earl Wolcott; edited by John Lockert.

Joining Edgar in the cast are Florence Lake, Don Farley, Billy Eugene, Arthur Houseman, Jane Darwell, and Bud Jameson.

Enjoy!

Time For A Visit With The Baron

From the NBC Blue Network, we have the December 21, 1936 boradcast of The Jack Pearl Show starring the comedian as Baron Munchausen along with his sidekick Cliff "Sharlie" Hall and Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra.  When Jack Pearl left the series in 1937, Tommy Dorsey became the show's headliner and the series was renamed The Raleigh-Kool Program.

Here's A Taste-Tempting Blast From The Past!

1963 commercial for A1 Steak Sauce.

Time For The Cheerios Kid!

Here's an animated 1956 TV commercial for Cheerios with The Cheerios Kid that aired during an ABC Network telecast of the Mickey Mouse Club.

Time For A Movie, Friends And Neighbors!

Here's Tim McCoy starring in "Bulldog Courage," produced by Excelsior Pictures and released by Puritan Pictures.  In this 1935 effort, Tim plays two roles, as Slim and Tim Braddock. Joan Woodbury, Paul Fix, and Eddie Buzzard  were among the featured cast.



In this flick, A miner who was swindled out of his mine by a banker turns to robbing stagecoaches.  Several years after he is tracked down and killed, his son comes to town to tangle with the banker.

Director: Sam Newfield

Producers:  Sig Neufeld and Leslie Simmonds

Original Story: Frances Guihan and Joseph O'Donnell

Screenplay:  Joseph O'Donnell

Photography: Jack Greenhalgh

Assistant Director: William O'Conner

Art Director: Harry Lewis

Sound Recorder: Hans Weeren

Film Editor: S. Roy Luby

Time For A Visit From The King Of Hi-De-Ho!

Here's the legendary Cab Calloway and his Orchestra starring in the 1937 Vitaphone Short "Hi-De-Ho."  With photography by Ray Foster, this short subject, released by Warner Brothers, was written by Burnet Hershey, edited by Bert Frank, and directed by Roy Mack.



In this one, Cab dreams of becoming a successful bandleader.

Have You Driven A '56 Studebaker Yet?

Here's a commercial for the 1956 Studebaker.

ALOHA!

From the October 10, 1959 ABC Network telecast of The Lawrence Welk Show, originating from the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu, here are Lawrence and his Champagne Music Makers performing the program's opening number "On the Beach at Wakiki."

Enjoy!

Sounders Blank Timbers At Home In Cascadia Cup Clash

At Seattle:

With Clint Dempsey (71') and Marco Pappa (86') delivering the late goals, the Seattle Sounders blanked the visiting Portland Timbers 2-0 in a Cascadia Cup clash which doubled as the lone Sunday Major League Soccer contest, played in front of 64,207 fans.

The Timbers will host the Colorado Rapids this coming Friday at 8:00 PM Pacific Time (NBCSN).

Thunder Knock Off KISS To Open Up Two-Game Lead For Final National Conference Playoff Berth

At Portland, Oregon:

Bryce Peila's fumble recovery for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter helped lift the Portland Thunder (5-11) to a 44-31 Saturday Arena Football League home win over the Los Angeles KISS (3-13), enabling the Thunder to hold a two-game lead over Los Angeles with two regular-season game remaining for the National Conference's fourth and final playoff berth, which Portland can clinch with one more win or one more KISS defeat.

Lions Double Up Riders In Regina

At Regina, Saskatchewan:

Quarterback Kevin Glenn completed 16 of 27 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions with running back Andrew Harris ran the ball 18 times for 138 yards and a TD while grabbing five receptions for another 65 yards on Saturday as the British Columbia Lions (1-2) knocked off the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-2) 26-13 on the road in Canadian Football League action.

Tommy Ramone, Co-Founder And Last Surviving Original Member Of 1970s Punk Rock Band, R.I.P.

Hungarian-born Tom Erdelyi, a.k.a. Tommy Ramone, co-founder and last surviving member of the 1970s New York City-based punk rock band The Ramones, passed away on Friday at his home in Ridgewood, in Queens, New York from cancer of the bile duct at age 65.  

Of the original Ramones, singer Joey passed away in 2001, bassist Dee Dee in 2002, and guitarist Johnny in 2004.

Tommy was the band's drummer.

LeBron's Homecoming

Will the return of Mr. James to the Cavaliers help end Cleveland's major-league championship drought?

The Cavaliers made their one-and-only NBA Finals appearance in 2007, with LeBron in tow, only to be swept by the San Antonio Spurs in four games.

The original Cleveland Browns last won the NFL title in the pre-Super Bow-era year of 1964.

The Cleveland Indians last won a World Series in 1948.