Thursday, November 29, 2018

MLS Cup Playoffs: Timbers To Visit Five Stripes For MLS Cup Title

Both conference finals in the MLS Cup Playoffs concluded on Thursday.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Harrison, New Jersey:

Despite a 1-0 game-two road defeat to the New York Red Bulls, Atlanta United advanced to their first MLS Cup (in only their second season) by winning the Eastern Conference final 3-1 on aggregate.


WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Kansas City, Kansas:

Diego Valeri scored twice (61', 90'+9) and Sebastian Blanco once (53') as the Portland Timbers upended Sporting Kansas City 3-2 on the road in game two of the Western Conference final, which the Timbers won 3-2 on aggregate to advance to their second MLS Cup Final (Portland won 2-1 at Columbus against the Crew in 2015).



Atlanta United will host the Portland Timbers in the MLS Cup Final on Saturday, December 8, at 5:00 PM Pacific Time, to be telecast on the FOX Network.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

SWISS MISHAP



This one belongs in the WTF File.

Buffaloes Ground Visiting Pilots

At Boulder, Colorado:

Mickey Wright scored 22 points on Wednesday as the Colorado Buffaloes (4-1) held off the visiting Portland Pilots (5-4) 93-69.

Josh McSwiggan was the lone Pilot to score in double figures, pacing Portland with 22 points.

Cardinal Too Much For Vikings

At Palo Alto, California:

Oscar Da Silva scored 12 points on Wednesday night as the Stanford Cardinal (4-3), with a balanced attack, defeated the visiting Portland State Vikings (3-3) 79-67.

Holland Woods paced PSU with 20 points.

Johnny Maddox, Legendary Ragtime Pianist, R.I.P.

Johnny Maddox, the ragtime pianist best remember for a series of hit recordings in the 1950s, passed away on Tuesday at age 91.

Amongst Mr. Maddox's hits were his 1955 version of the "Crazy Otto Rag."

You can find more on Johnny's career here.

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

CFP Rankings: Georgia Climbs To Fourth Place While 'Bama, Clemson, Notre Dame Remain #1, 2, 3

In the latest College Football Playoff rankings released on Tuesday, Alabama, Clemson, and Notre Dame remained in the top three spots while Georgia climbed up a spot to #4, replacing Michigan, who lost Saturday to Ohio State and fell three spots to #7.

Oklahoma climbed up a spot to #5 while the Buckeyes climbed up four places to #6.

Central Florida climbed up a place to #8.

Washington, after their Apple Cup road win over Washington State, became the highest-ranked Pac-12 team at #11 (up five spots from last week while the Cougars fell five spots to #13).

Utah remained at #17 as the only other Pac-12 team in the rankings.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Jags Can OC, Bench QB

Things haven't gone well in Jacksonville in the past two months as the Jaguars have dropped seven straight games after a 3-1 start.


Cody Kessler becomes the Jags' new starting quarterback.

Tigers Knock Off Ducks In Eugene

At Eugene, Oregon:

Trayvon Reed scored 23 points (converting all nine of his shots) while John Jones added 20 as the Texas Southern Tigers (2-4) stunned the Oregon Ducks (#18 AP, #21 Coaches; 4-2) 89-84 on the road on Monday night, offsetting the hosts' Bol Bol's 32 points (to add to his 11 rebounds)

Men's College Hoops: Ducks Climb Up Three Spots In AP Poll

The Oregon Ducks climbed up three spots to #18 in the Associated Press men's college basketball poll released on Monday while dropping a spot to #21 in the USA Today/Coaches rankings.

MLS Cup Playoffs: Five Stripes Gore Red Bulls In East Final Opener; Timbers and SKC Gather Goose Eggs In West Final Opener In Portland

Both conference finals in the MLS Cup Playoffs commenced on Sunday.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Atlanta:

Josef Martinez (32'), Franco Escobar (71'), and Hector Villalba (90'+5) each scored once as Atlanta United dominated the visiting New York Bulls 3-0 in the opening contest of the Eastern Conference Final.

The series is set to conclude on Thursday at 4:30 PM Pacific Time (FS1) at Harrison, New Jersey.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Portland, Oregon:

The opening contest of the Western Conference final between the Portland Timbers and visiting Sporting Kansas City was played to a 0-0 stalemate.

This series is set to conclude on Thursday at Kansas City, Kansas with kickoff time set for 6:30 PM Pacific Time (ESPN).




STAMPEDERS HOLD OFF REDBLACKS TO CAPTURE 106TH GREY CUP FINAL AND FIRST TITLE SINCE 2014

At Edmonton, Alberta:

In Sunday's 106th edition of the Grey Cup Final, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell (named the game's Most Valuable Player) threw two touchdown passes in the first half while Terry Williams ran back a punt a Grey Cup-record 97 yards for another score as the Calgary Stampeders won their first Canadian Football League title since 2014 (and eighth overall) by holding off the Ottawa REBLACKS 27-16.

Ducks Regain A Measure Of Support In Both Gridiron Polls

Following their Friday Civil Was dismantling of Oregon State, the Oregon Ducks received some support in both the Associated Press and USA Today/Amway/Coaches college football polls.

The Ducks would be ranked in a three-way tie with Appalachian State and Buffalo at #32 in the former and tied for #35 with Stanford and Buffalo in the latter.

Niners Fall To Bucs In Tampa

At Tampa, Florida:

In Sunday National Football Action, quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7) ended their four-game skid by holding off the visiting San Francisco 49ers (2-9) 27-9.

Leave It To The Thompson Brothers As Beavers Hold Off 49ers In Long Beach

At Long Beach, California:

Ethan Thompson scored 18 points while brother Stephen, Jr. added 17 as the Oregon State Beavers (5-1) defeated the Long Beach State 49ers (2-5) 75-72 on the road.

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Vandal Holiday Hoops Showcase: Vikings To Take On NW Nazarene Nighthawks In Boise

At Boise, Idaho:

Derek Brown and Holland Woods each scored 16 points on Saturday as the Portland State Vikings cruised past the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks (Division II, Nampa, Idaho) 91-75 in the Vandal Holiday Hoops Showcase.

It was the Vikings' 34th straight win over lower-division competition.

Portland Classic: Bobcats Ground Pilots In Final

At Portland, Oregon:

Nijah Pearson scored a career-high 33 points on Saturday (en route to being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player) as the Texas State Bobcats dominated the Portland Pilots 91-68 in the final of the Portland Classic tournament.

Friday, November 23, 2018

122nd Civil War Football Game: Ducks Crush Beavers, Clinch Winning Season In Conference Play And 8-4 Overall Record Heading Into Bowl Game

At Corvallis, Oregon:

In Friday's 122nd edition of the Civil War Football Game, running back Travis Dye ran for 199 yards and three touchdowns while quarterback Justin Herbert, in what may have been his final regular-season game in an Oregon uniform, threw for 102 yards and another score as the Ducks (8-4 overall, 5-4 in Pac-12 play) manhandled the Oregon State Beavers (2-10, 1-8) 55-15 on the road.

Fellow Oregon running back C.J. Verdell ran for 187 yards and another four TDs to help the Ducks' cause; he also caught a pass for an additional touchdown.

Portland Classic: Pilots Hold Off Mustangs On Friday

At Portland, Oregon:

Franklin Porter scored 24 while Josh McSwiggan added 19 on Friday as the Portland Pilots (5-2) defeated the visiting Cal Poly Mustangs (1-4) 72-67 in action from the Portland Classic.

Vandal Holiday Hoops Showcase: Gauchos Outgun Vikings In Boise

At Boise, Idaho:

In Friday play in the Vandal Holiday Hoops Showcase, Ar'mond Davis scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds as the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (4-1) defeated the Portland State Vikings (2-2) 76-69.

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

More Madge!

Another glamour photo of Madge Evans.

Magic Madge!

Here's a glamour photo of 1930s screen actress Madge Evans.

Pilots Top Visiting Spartans of SC Upstate

At Portland, Oregon:

Josh McSwiggan scored 17 points on Wednesday as the Portland Pilots (4-2) defeated visiting South Carolina Upstate (1-3) 73-56.

Deion Holmes topped the Spartans with 20 points.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

CFP Rankings: Still The Same Quartet In The Same Places; Cougs Still At #8

In the latest College Football Playoff rankings released on Tuesday night, Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Michigan maintained the same positions that they occupied last week.

Georgia, Oklahoma, and LSU are still ranked fifth through seventh.

The Washington State Cougars stayed at #8 and remained the highest-ranked Pac-12 team.

Other Pac-12 schools: Washington @ #16 (up two spots from last week) and Utah @ #17 (up two).

Pilots Too Much For Lewis And Clark

At Portland, Oregon:

Marcus Shaver, Jr. scored 10 of his team-high 16 points in the second half as the Portland Pilots (3-2) pulled away from visiting Lewis and Clark 77-57 on Monday.

Zeke Crawford paced the visiting Division III Pioneers with 16 points of his own.

Ducks Hold Off Green Bay

At Eugene, Oregon:

Bol Bol scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds on Tuesday as the Oregon Ducks (#21 AP, #20 Coaches; 4-1) defeated UW-Green Bay (3-3) 83-72 at home.

Paradise Jam Tournament: Tres Tinkle Powers Beavers Past Quakers In Third-Place Game

At Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands:

Tres Tinkle scored a career-high 32 points while grabbing 12 rebounds on Monday as the Oregon State Beavers (4-1) overpowered the Pennsylvania Quakers (4-2) 74-58 in the third-place game in the Paradise Jam tournament.

Ducks Fall In Both Hoops Polls

After a split week in New York City as they dropped a semifinal game to Iowa but then came back to take the third-place contest at Syracuse's expense (both in the 2K Classic tournament), the Oregon Ducks dropped eight spots to #21 in the Associated Press men's college basketball poll that was released on Monday.

The Ducks fell four spots to #20 in the USA Today/Coaches poll.

None of the three other Beaver State men's Division I basketball teams received any support in either poll.

Monday, November 19, 2018

Paradise Jam Semifinal: Mizzou Holds Off Beavers To Reach Final

At Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands:

In Sunday's semifinal contest of the Paradise Jam tournament, Jordan Geist scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half as the Missouri Tigers (3-1) rallied to defeat the Oregon State Beavers (3-1)  69-63.

Grey Cup Playoffs: It's REDBLACKS vs. Stamps For The Marbles

Both divisional finals in the Canadian Football League's Grey Cup Playoffs took place on Sunday.

EASTERN DIVISION:

At Ottawa:

Quarterback Trevor Harris set a CFL single-game playoff record by throwing for six touchdowns as the Ottawa REDBLACKS rolled over the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats 46-27 in the Eastern Division Final to reach their third Grey Cup Final in four years.



WESTERN DIVISION:

At Calgary, Alberta:

Eric Rogers scored three touchdowns as the Calgary Stampeders held off the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers 22-14 in the Western Division Final and advanced to their third consecutive Grey Cup Final.



Next Sunday, the Ottawa REDBLACKS will face the Calgary Stampeders in the 106th Grey Cup Final (3:00 PM Pacific Time; telecast in the United States by ESPN 2).


Saturday, November 17, 2018

Ducks Hold Off Sun Devils @ Home

At Eugene, Oregon:

Quarterback Justin Herbert threw for 262 yards and a pair of touchdowns on Saturday as the Oregon Ducks (7-4 overall, 4-4 in Pac-12 play) held off the visiting Arizona State Sun Devils (6-5, 4-4) 31-29.

Huskies Too Much For Struggling Beavers In Seattle As UW Keep North Title Hopes Alive

At Seattle:

Quarterback Jake Browning threw three touchdown passes on Saturday as the Washington Huskies (#18 CFP Rankings; 8-3 overall, 6-2 in Pac-12 play) defeated the Oregon State Beavers (2-9, 1-7) 42-23 at home.

Pilots Knock Off Matadors On Road

At Los Angeles:

JoJo Walker scored 23 points and dished out seven assists on Saturday as the Portland Pilots (2-2) upended the Cal State Northridge Matadors 80-77  on the road.

Terrell Gomez scored 25 points and Lamine Diane added 21 to pace the Matadors.

Vikings Turn Bearcats Into Road Kill

At Portland, Oregon:

Jamie Omre scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while Holland Woods and Michael Nuga each tallied 22 points on Saturday as the Portland State Vikings (2-1) vanquished the visiting Division III Willamette Bearcats 125-61.

Friday, November 16, 2018

Beavers Overtake Monarchs In The Virgin Islands

At St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands:

In Friday's quarterfinal match in the Paradise Jam tournament, Gligorije Rakocevic scored 15 points to guide the Oregon State Beavers (3-0) to a 61-56 victory over Old Dominion (1-2).

Stephen Thompson Jr. paced the Beavers with 17 points.

2K Classic: Ducks Squeeze Orangemen In Third-Place Game

At New York:

In Friday's third-place game in the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden, Bol Bol scored 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Oregon Ducks (#13 AP, #16 Coaches; 3-1) defeated the Syracuse Orangemen (#15 AP, #14 Coaches; 2-2) 80-65.

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Roy Clark, Iconic Country Music Legend, R.I.P.

Roy Clark, the legendary country music singer, guitarist, banjoist, and fiddler perhaps also remembered for his 24-season run as host of TV's Hee Haw, passed away on Thursday at age 85 at his Tulsa, Oklahoma home of complications from pneumonia.

Mr. Clark hosted Hee Haw for its' entire television run (CBS 1969-71; first-run syndication from 1971 to 1992), the first seventeen years (1969-86) co-hosting with fellow country music great Buck Owens.

A talented instrumentalist, Roy could play the electric and acoustic guitar, the fiddle, the banjo, and the mandolin, amongst other instruments.

He also had many hit recordings, including "The Tips of My Fingers" (1963), "Yesterday, When I Was Young" (1969), "Come Live With Me" (1973), and "Honeymoon Feeling" (1974).

You can find more on Roy's life and career here.


Hawkeyes Knock Off Ducks At MSG

At New York:

In Thursday semifinal action from the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden, Jordan Bohannon scored 16 points as the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-0) knocked off the Oregon Ducks (#13 AP, #16 Coaches; 2-1) 77-69, offsetting the 25-point performance from the Ducks' Ehab Amin.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

CFP Rankings: 'Bama, Clemson, Notre Dame, Michigan Stay Where They Were Last

Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Michigan remained in the top four in the College Football Playoff Rankings that were released on Tuesday.

Georgia, Oklahoma, LSU, and Washington State remained in positions #5 to #8 as the Cougars remained the highest-ranked Pac-12 team in the rankings.

Other Pac-12 schools in the rankings:  Washington at #18 (up seven spots from last week) and Utah at #19 (back in the rankings after a one-week absence).

Are You Kiddin'?

Barely two weeks after the Brownies canned him, he's now a "special assistant" on Marvin Lewis' staff in Cincinnati.

Monday, November 12, 2018

Luscious Lizabeth!

Here's a promotional photo of 1940s and 1950s film noir legend Lizabeth Scott.

Apparently In Cincinnati.......

Defensive coordinators can't seem to hold jobs.

Head coach Marvin Lewis (a former defensive coordinator himself) will take over the defensive play-calling duties.

College Hoops: Ducks Climb Up A Spot In AP Poll

The Oregon Ducks climbed up a spot to #13 in the Associated Press men's college basketball poll that was released on Monday.

Eli Rallies Giants Past Niners

At Santa Clara, California:

Quarterback Eli Manning threw for three touchdowns, including the three-yard game winner to Sterling Shepard with 53 seconds remaining on Monday night as the New York Giants (2-7) snapped a five-game losing streak by coming back from behind to upend the San Francisco 49ers (2-8) 27-23 on the road.

MLS Cup Playoffs: SKC (Who Get Timbers Next), Five Stripes, Red Bulls Advance To Respective Conference Finals

The quarterfinal round of the MLS Playoffs concluded on Sunday with three games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Atlanta:

Josef Martinez scored twice (PK-25', 83') as Atlanta United defeated visiting New York City 3-1 in game two and won their conference semifinal series 4-1 on aggregate.

At Harrison, New Jersey:

Daniel Royer scored twice in the second half (73', 76') as the New York Red Bulls dominated the visiting Columbus Crew 3-0 in game two and won their conference semifinal series 3-1 on aggregate.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Kansas City, Kansas:

Daniel Salloi scored twice (19', 90'+7) as Sporting Kansas City doubled up visiting Real Salt Lake 4-2 in game two and won their conference semifinal series 5-3 on aggregate.



Both conference finals are set to open on Sunday, November 25 with the hosts listed first and all times Pacific:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

Atlanta United vs. New York Red Bulls, game one, Sunday November 25 @ 2:00 PM (ESPN)

New York Red Bulls vs. Atlanta United, game two, Thursday November 29 @ 4:00 PM (Fox Sports One)



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

Portland Timbers vs. Sporting Kansas City, game one, Sunday November 25 @ 4:30 PM (Fox Sports One)

Sporting Kansas City vs. Portland Timbers, game two, Thursday November 29 @ 6:30 PM (ESPN)

Ducks' Support In Both Gridiron Polls Evaporate

In the aftermath of Saturday tough road defeat at Utah, support for the Oregon Ducks in both the Associated Press and USA Today/Amway/Coaches college football polls disappeared on Sunday.

Grey Cup Playoffs: Ticats, Bombers (Who Knock Off Riders In Regina) Advance To Division Finals

The Canadian Football League's Grey Cup Playoffs commenced on Sunday with both divisional semifinal games.

EASTERN DIVISION:

At Hamilton, Ontario:

In what proved to be not much of a catfight, quarterback Jeremiah Masoli threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats demolished the visiting British Columbia Lions 48-8 in the East Division semifinal game.

Next Sunday, the TiCats will visiting the Ottawa REDBLACKS in the East Division Final (10:00 AM Pacific Time, ESPNEWS)



WESTERN DIVISION:

At Regina, Saskatchewan:

Drew Wolitarsky and Andrew Harris each scored a touchdown as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers upended the Saskatchewan Roughriders 23-18 on the road in the West Division semifinal, spoiling the Riders' first playoff game in their current home stadium.

The Bombers will visiting the Calgary Stampeders in next Sunday's West Division Final (1:30 PM Pacific Time, ESPNEWS).

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Beavers Buck Cowboys In Corvallis

At Corvallis, Oregon:

The Oregon State Beavers (2-0) defeated the visiting Wyoming Cowboys 83-64 (0-2) on Saturday.

Vikings Top Highlanders For First Win

At Portland, Oregon:

Derek Brown scored eight of his twelve points in the final nine minutes on Saturday as the Portland State Vikings (1-1) enter the win column for the first time this season following their 71-64 home victory over UC Riverside (0-2).

Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic: Mean Green Hold Off Pilots In Honolulu

At Honolulu:

Zachary Simmons scored a career-high 23 points while Ryan Woolridge added 22 on Saturday as the North Texas Mean Green (3-0) defeated the Portland Pilots (1-2) in the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.

Jo Jo Walker topped the Pilots with 22 points.

Cardinal Too Much For Visiting Beavers

At Palo Atlo, California:

K.J. Costello threw four touchdown passes---all to tight end Colby Parkinson---on Saturday as the Stanford Cardinal (6-4 overall, 4-3 in Pac-12 play) clinched bowl eligibility by dominating the visiting Oregon State Beavers (2-8, 1-6) 48-17.

Utes Hold Off Game Ducks In SLC

At Salt Lake City, Utah:

Jason Shelley ran for a pair of touchdowns while Armand Shyne ran for 174 yards and Matt Gay kicked a school-record six field goals on Saturday as the Utah Runnin' Utes (#24 in the USA Today/Amway/Coaches poll; 7-3 overall, 5-3 in Pac-12 play) held off the visiting Oregon Ducks (6-4, 3-4) 32-25.

Friday, November 09, 2018

SINNERS IN PARADISE | Madge Evans | John Boles | Full Drama Movie | Engl...



From Universal Pictures in 1938, we present "Sinners In Paradise," starring Magic Madge Evans (in one of her last films), John Boles, and Bruce Cabot.

This motion picture, written by Lester Cole, Harold Buckley, and Louis Stevens,  was produced and directed by James Whale.

Rainbow Warriors Shoot Down Pilots In Honolulu

At Honolulu:

Zigmars Raimo scored 17 points to lead the Hawaiian Rainbow Warriors (1-0) to a season-opening 92-64 home win over the Portland Pilots (1-1).

This game was part of the 2018 Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.

College Hoops: Ducks Fricassee Eagles At Home

At Eugene, Oregon:

Bol Bol scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds on Friday night as the Oregon Ducks (2-0; #14 AP, #16 Coaches) annihilated the visiting Eastern Washington Eagles (0-2) 81-47.

Thursday, November 08, 2018

MLS Cup Playoffs: Timbers Oust Sounders After PK Shootout, Get SKC-RSL Winner In West Final Next

At Seattle:

At Seattle:

Dairon Asprilla, who scored an overtime goal in the 93rd minute, converted the clinching spot kick in the penalty-kick shootout as the Portland Timbers, despite dropping a 2-1 game-two regulation contest on the road to the Seattle Sounders, thus squaring their series at 3-3 on aggregate (and with each club ultimately scoring once in overtime), still won the shootout 4-2 (and their MLS Cup Western Conference semifinal series) to advance to the Western Conference Final against the winner of the Sporting Kansas City-Real Salt Lake series (currently at 1-1 on aggregate, to be decided on Sunday at Kansas City, Kansas).

Wednesday, November 07, 2018

CFP Rankings: Bama, Clemson, Notre Dame Are Joined By Michigan In Top Four; Cougars Still Ranked Eighth

The Alabama Crimson Tide and Clemson Tigers still ranked first and second in the latest College Football Playoff rankings that were released on Tuesday night.

Notre Dame climbed up a spot to third place while the Michigan Wolverines inched up a spot to the number four slot.

Georgia and Oklahoma (each climbing up one spot) are in the fifth and sixth positions, respectively.

Washington State remained in eighth place as the highest ranked Pac-12 team, one spot behind LSU, who fell from third place after being blanked at home on Saturday night by the Crimson Tide.

The Cougs' cross-state rival, the Washington Huskies, are the Pac-12's only other ranked team, at #25.

Tuesday, November 06, 2018

Beavers To Host Hoop Season Against Highlanders

At Corvallis, Oregon:

The Oregon State Beavers, with Tess Tinkle and Ethan Thompson each scoring 19 points,  opened their men's college basketball regular season on Tuesday by outdistancing the visiting California Riverside Highlanders 72-59.

Dikymbe Martin topped the Highlanders with 20 points.

Pilots Hold Off Game Lions

At Portland, Oregon:

Josh McSwiggan scored 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds on Tuesday night as the Portland Pilots, in their men's college basketball regular-season opener, held off the visiting---and game----Multnomah University Lions 111-103.

Justin Martin scored 39 points and Ben Grandle added 34 (each converting eight three-point shots) to pace the NAIA school.

Ducks Too Much For Vikings In Men's Hoops Season Opener

At Eugene, Oregon:

Payton Pritchard scored 22 points on Tuesday night as the Oregon Ducks (#14 in the Associated Press poll, #16 in the USA Today/Coaches rankings) hammered the visiting Portland State Vikings 84-57 in the men's college basketball regular-season lid lifter for both schools.

Blackhawks Axe Coach Q

All he did was win three Stanley Cups.

Monday, November 05, 2018

MLS Cup Playoffs: Crew, Timbers, Five Stripes Open Respective Conference Semifinal Series With Sunday Wins; SKC Gain Series-Opening Road Draw With RSL

The quarterfinal round of the MLS Cup Playoffs commenced on Sunday with four games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Columbus, Ohio:

Gyasi Zardes scored the only goal of the match in the 61st minute as the Columbus Crew defeated the visiting New York Red Bulls 1-0 in the opening contest of their conference semifinal series, which will conclude next Sunday at Harrison, New Jersey (4:30 PM Pacific Time, Fox Sports One).

At New York:

Eric Remedi scored the game's lone goal in the 37th minute as Atlanta United upended New York City 1-0 on the road in the opening match of their conference semifinal series, which will conclude in Atlanta next Sunday (2:00 PM Pacific Time, ESPN).



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Portland, Oregon:

Diego Valeri assisted on goals scored by Jeremy Ebobisse (17') and Sebastian Blanco (29') as the Portland Timbers came from behind to upend the visiting Seattle Sounders 2-1 in game one of their conference semifinal series.

Raul Rudidiaz scored what might be a precious road goal for the Sounders in the 10th minute.

The series is set to come to a close in Seattle on Thursday night at 7:30 PM Pacific Time (Fox Sports One).

At Sandy, Utah:

Diego Rubio's equalizer in the 60th minute lifted Sporting Kansas City to a 1-1 conference semifinal series-opening 1-1 road draw with Real Salt Lake.

Albert Rusnak scored for the hosts in the 51st minute.

The series is set to conclude at Kansas City, Kansas on Sunday at 12:00 Noon (ESPN).

Riders To Host Bombers In Grey Cup West Semifinal Playoff

The Grey Cup Playoffs are set to open with two games this coming Sunday.

EAST DIVISION SEMIFINAL:

At Hamilton, Ontario:

British Columbia @ Hamilton, 10:00 AM Pacific Time



WEST DIVISION SEMIFINAL:

At Regina, Saskatchewan:

Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan, 1:30 PM Pacific Time



The winners will advance to the divisional finals, set to be staged on Sunday, November 18, with the Ottawa REDBLACKS hosting the British Columbia-Hamilton winner in the East Final, while the Calgary Stampeders will host the West Final against the Winnipeg-Saskatchewan winner.

The two divisional playoff winners will meet in the 106th Grey Cup Final, set for Sunday, November 25 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta.

Ducks Still Have Support In Both Gridiron Polls

After Saturday's home win over UCLA, the Oregon Ducks still had some support in the Associated Press and USA Today/Amway/Coaches college football polls, where they would respectively be ranked #36 and #31.

Saturday, November 03, 2018

Ever Still More Claire!

Time for one more glamour shot of Claire Dodd.

Still More Claire!

Here's another glamour photo of actress Claire Dodd.

Fiddlin' Claire!

Here's another glamour photo of Claire Dodd.

Claire!

Here's a glamour photo of 1930s and early 1940s screen actress Claire Dodd.

Claire Dodd | Official Site for Woman Crush Wednesday #WCW

Trojans Wear Down Beavers In Corvallis

At Corvallis, Oregon:

Aca'Cedric Ware ran for 205 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday as the Southern California Trojans (5-4 overall, 4-3 in Pac-12 play) defeated the Oregon State Beavers (2-7, 1-5) 38-21 on the road.

Ducks Spoil Chip Kelly's Return, Gain Bowl Eligibility

At Eugene, Oregon:

Quarterback Justin Herbert threw for 264 yards and two touchdown on Saturday as the Oregon Ducks (6-3 overall, 3-3 in Pac-12 play) doubled up the visiting UCLA Bruins (2-7, 2-4) 42-21, spoiling the return to Eugene for former Ducks coach Chip Kelly, now coaching the struggling Bruins.

With the win, the Ducks gained bowl eligibility with their sixth victory on the season.

Friday, November 02, 2018

Magic Merle!

Here's a glamour photo of screen legend Merle Oberon.

Nick Mullens Make Triumphant NFL Starting Debut As Niners Bury Raiders To End Six-Game Skid

At Santa Clara, California:

In his first NFL start on Thursday night, quarterback Nick Mullens (in the the injured C.J. Beathard) completed 16 of 22 passes for 262 yards and three touchdowns (and no interceptions) as the San Francisco 49ers (2-7) ended their six-game losing streak by manhandling the visiting Oakland Raiders (1-7) 34-3.

Thursday, November 01, 2018

Willie McCovey, San Francisco Giants Legend and Hall of Famer, R.I.P.

Willie McCovey, the San Francisco Giants' Hall of Famer who hit 521 home runs and was one of baseball's most feared hitters, passed away on Wednesday at age 80.

Mr. McCovey had been battling health problems in recent years.

"Stretch," as Willie was nicknamed, burst onto the scene in 1959 and was named the National League's Rookie of the Year in 1959 and its' Most Valuable Player in 1962, when the Giants reached the World Series for the first time since moving West.

He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, retiring in 1980.  He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986.

You can find more on Willie's career here.

MLS Cup Playoffs: Two Games Set For Thursday At Newest MLS Venues

The MLS Cup Playoffs' knockout round concluded on Thursday with two games.

At Washington:

Federico Higuain scored twice during the match (30', 96'), then, after a 2-2 draw through 120 minutes, converted a spot kick, along with Will Trapp and Niko Hansen, as the Columbus Crew won the penalty-kick shootout, 3-2 on the road over DC United.

Crew goalkeeper Zack Steffen saved spot kicks from DC's Wayne Rooney and Luciano Acosta during the shootout.

At Los Angeles:

Walker Zimmerman's own goal in the 69th minute proved fatal as Real Salt Lake upended the Los Angeles Football Club 3-2 on the road.



MATCHUPS FOR THE SECOND ROUND:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

Columbus Crew SC vs. New York Red Bulls:

Sunday @ Columbus, Ohio, 12:00 Noon Pacific Time (ESPN)

November 11 @ Harrison, New Jersey, time TBD

New York City FC vs. Atlanta United FC:

Sunday @ New York, 4:30 PM Pacific Time (FS1)

November 11 @ Atlanta, time TBD



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders FC:

Sunday @ Portland, Oregon, 4:30 PM Pacific Time (ESPN)

Next Wednesday @ Seattle, time TBD

Real Salt Lake vs. Sporting Kansas City:

Sunday @ Sandy, Utah, 10:00 PM Pacific Time (FS1)

November 11 @ Kansas City, Kansas, time TBD