Updates and Some Old NBA Trivia

Happy Hump Day! It's foggy and rainy in  the Crescent City, and I hope your day is a good one.

Yes, we're still working on The Curse. Now that the big issues have been resolved, we're focusing on the smaller ones. The story flows so much better now.

I started to work on the second draft of Justice. This will be the first volume of a series. One of the disadvantages of being a pantser and doing Camp NaNoWriMo is remembering what you wrote before. Early in the draft, I did a quick bio of a character and did it again near the end of the book. The easy thing to do would have been to take it out. Instead, I kept it in and had the main character act like a jerk. I may tweak the scene in the next edit. There was a lot of adding in, because of what I inadvertently omitted in the first draft. That and I messed up the timeline by a day, but that's been fixed. It's shaping up to be a good story.

Also, Rickshaw, New Mexico will be free for the Kindle this Friday and Saturday. I'll post the announcements on my Twitter and Google+ pages (feel free to click the links and follow), since Facebook changed the way posts are seen. That's another rant for another day. Now for some sports trivia!

The 12-51 New York Knicks are today's Kings of the Cellar. They're losers of 5 straight games and 2-13 since February 3. The 14-49 Philadelphia 76ers are two games back, with January's Kings of the Cellar, the 14-48 Minnesota Timberwolves a half game behind Philly.

Today's honorable mention goes to the 23-40 Detroit Pistons. They're losers of their last seven and 2-8 in their last ten games. A special honorable mention goes to my New Orleans Pelicans, not because of poor play, but because they're 36-29 and last in the Southwest Division. Makes me wish they were back in the Eastern Conference. They would have been currently 6th in the rankings. They're 9th and battling the 36-28 Oklahoma City Thunder for the 8th spot now.

Today in 1998, the 42-20 San Antonio Spurs edged the 33-30 New Jersey Nets 79-78. The Spurs' David Robinson and the Nets' Kendall Gill led all scorers with 19 points.

Today in 1988, the 38-21 Portland Trailblazers defeated the 35-24 Houston Rockets 112-109. Portland's Clyde "The Glide" Drexler led all scorers with 33 points. Hakeem Alajuwon led Houston with 28.

Today in 1978, the 23-41 Buffalo Braves, while trailing 89-81 in the 4th quarter,  mounted a furious comeback, scoring 36 points, but it was not enough. The Braves lost the the 31-35 Cleveland Cavaliers 118-117. Buffalo's Swen Nater led all scorers with 30. The next season, Buffalo moved its franchise to the West Coast and became the San Diego Clippers and then the Los Angeles Clippers.

Here's one for the Knicks. Today in 1948, the 25-20 New York Knicks lost to the 27-16 St. Louis Bombers 82-73. New York's Bud Palmer led all scorers with 25 points.

So who were the St. Louis Bombers? They were a BAA and NBA team who played from 1946-50, with a collective record of 122-115. They were actually a good team in the BAA, making the playoffs all three years. In the NBA, their final year (1949-50 season), the Bombers went 26-42, their only losing season, and folded.

Here in the Who Dat Nation, there's an uproar over the Jimmy Graham trade. Half the fans love it and half the fans hate it. I'm okay with the trade. Since he got shut down by Aqib Talib and twice by his new team, the Seattle Seahawks, along with his injuries, Graham hasn't been the same player. Last season, he dropped key passes, alligator-armed others, and there was that fumble against Atlanta that was really a touchdown. Sorry, the ball did cross the plane. He did not earn that huge contract he signed before the season started. With that said, the Seahawks are getting a great receiver, as long as Graham can stay healthy. He will be missed here.

Speaking of remaining healthy, Max Unger can stabilize a porous offensive line that made Drew Brees learn what Archie Manning felt like when he played for the black & gold. Unger can also help open holes for Ingram and company, and help give Brees more time in the pocket.


Until next time...

Have a great day!!!

What Has Been Written

At the end of June, I was still debating the idea of writing the story I wanted to (Return To Origin) and writing the story that wants to be written (Timewatch), for CampNaNoWriMo. I ended up doing the latter. Timewatch began as the sequel to my ebook, Rickshaw, New Mexico. However, as the story progressed, things went sideways and if you know me, I embrace the sideways.

So what happened?

First of all, I'm technically a CampNaNoWriMo winner, passing the 50,000 word total. However, the story isn't finished. There are several more chapters to write. Rickshaw, New Mexico was only somewhere around 30,000 words, but that doesn't answer the question.

Rickshaw was told from George Foster's point of view. Timewatch isn't. George is in there and has a key role, but he's more of a supporting character. Laura Taylor and Dean Haskell are the main characters of Timewatch, so can you call that a sequel? I can't. It may be sequel-ish, but it's not THE sequel, at least by my definition. A true sequel of Rickshaw would still have to be told from George's point of view. Timewatch could also be a sequel of my short story, A Flash In Time, which is in The Acts of 1 - A Collection of Short Stories. Haskell makes his first appearance in that story. As I said in my last entry, once Timewatch is almost ready for publication, I will publish A Flash In Time by itself. There's plenty of time to decide on the price.

Thank you for your support and readership. Now let's have some fun.

My, how the mighty have fallen. The 43-66 Texas Rangers are Kings of the Cellar, but the 44-65 Colorado Rockies are only a game behind, with the 45-65 two time defending Kings of the Cellar champion Houston Astros making their run at a threepeat. This week's honorable mention is my beloved 58-52 Atlanta Braves. They are 4-8 in their last 12 games, losing four straight.

On a sad note, Indiana Pacers star, Paul George, suffered a possible season ending leg injury in the US National Team's intrasquad scrimmage. Thoughts and prayers go out to him and hope his injury heals quickly.

Congrats to the NFL Hall of Fame Class of 2014! This is an excellent class.

Speaking of the NFL, now that training camp has begun, so have the prognostications. Most of it's crap, but it's still fun to read and write about.


If you haven't done so already, please visit my Facebook author page and my Amazon author page, and put a like on each. Thank you for reading my post and thank you for your support.

Last Place Update and Did the '62 Mets Win On This Day?

Before we get started, congrats to Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers, for pitching his first ever no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies, an 8-0 win. Kershaw struck out 15 batters and is now 7-2.

On the flip side, the 28-45 Tampa Bay Devil Rays are this week's Kings of the Cellar. After going 4-1 in recent games, the Rays have lost two in a row. The 31-44 Arizona Diamondbacks trail the Devil Rays by two games. Arizona is 3-7 in their last ten games, but are 2-2 in their last four. At this point, none of these teams are a threat to the 1962 New York Mets' record of futility. After 73 games, the Mets were 20-53.

This week's honorable mention goes to the 43-29 San Francisco Giants. They are 2-8 in their last ten games, losing five straight.

Now for some trivia...

Today in 1962, the New York Mets scored three runs in the first inning and never trailed against the Milwaukee Braves, getting one of their few wins in their worst ever season, 6-5. Future Padres and Giants manager, Roger Craig, pitched a complete game for the Mets and struck out five. Eddie Matthews of the Braves, and Joe Christopher and Gene Woodling of the Mets each hit a homerun.

Today in 1988, David Cone pitched a complete game two-hitter helping the New York Mets defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-0. Cone struck out seven and batted 1-4. Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds hit a homerun.

Today in 1992, a top of the first inning leadoff homerun by Greg Briley was all the Seattle Mariners needed to beat the Minnesota Twins 1-0. This was Briley's only hit of the game. WP Dave Fleming struck out six batters. Chili Davis and Kent Hrbek got the only hits for the Twins.

Today in 2004, Julio Franco and Eli Marrero each hit a two run homer and elevated the Atlanta Braves to an easy 4-0 win over the Cleveland Indians. In seven innings, WP Paul Byrd struck out seven and John Smoltz got the save.


As we count down to July's Camp NaNoWriMo, the choice of which story to write is getting easier. It also appears that July's Camp NaNoWriMo is called JuNoWriMo. If I had to choose which story to write now, it would be Return To Origin. I started it just after finishing the first draft of The Curse in 2011.

It seems I may have to use Amazon's Cover Creator once again for Second Chance. I was hoping to enlist someone's help, but that's not going to happen. Hence, the plan is to keep the cover design simple until it can be replaced with a better one.

I wrote a few drafts of the blurb to Second Chance. Although it's not ready, here's the best version so far:

Gus Harrison is a 46 year old city worker who lives in the past. He obsesses over the good old days of his youth, but there is a dark side. In 1987, the love of his life, Penny Neal, was murdered. His best friend, Dub Druber, died in 2000. Not a day goes by that Gus wishes he could go back in time and save their lives.

One fateful day, as his life falls apart, Gus gets his chance. He gets sent back to 1987 and is young once again. Can Gus change history and save the people he loves?

If things go as anticipated, Second Chance will be published as early as July or August.

Have a great day!!!

Some NFL Series Trivia - Week 14

A few days after I posted my last entry, I realized that it was Week 13, not Week 14. I regret the error, which has now been corrected. Now let's get to the Week 14 series trivia.

Houston vs Jacksonville - In a battle for Kings of the Cellar, Houston leads the series 13-10 and is 5-1 against the Jaguars since 2011. Jacksonville leads the series at home 6-5 and is 4-2 since 2007. They first met and became divisional opponents in Houston's inaugural season in 2002. The Texans won that game 21-19. They never met in the postseason, but they have gone to overtime twice. The overtime series is tied 1-1. They last went to overtime in 2012, with Houston winning 43-37. The last time Houston shut out Jacksonville was 21-0 in 2004. The last time Jacksonville shut out Houston was 27-0 in 2003.

Oakland vs New York Jets - The Raiders lead the series 23-17-2, but the Jets are 4-2 against Oakland since 2003. New York leads the series at home 10-8-1, winning the last three home meetings. They first met in the AFL in 1960, when the Raiders beat the New York Titans 28-27. They met in the postseason four times, with the series tied 2-2. Their first postseason meeting was the 1968 AFL Championship, when the Jets won 27-23 and went on to win Super Bowl III. They played for the AFC Championship in 2002, when Oakland won 30-10 and went on to lose Super Bowl XXXVII to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They went to overtime twice and the series is tied 1-1. They last went to overtime in 2008. The Raiders won 16-13. The last time the Jets shut out the Raiders was 38-0 in 2009. The last time the Raiders shut out the Jets was in 1985, when the Los Angeles Raiders won 31-0. Their last tie was 28-28 in 1966.

Indianapolis vs Cincinnati - The Colts lead the series 17-9 and are 7-1 against the Bengals since 1998. Cincinnati trails the series at home 3-8, but is 2-1 against Indianapolis since 1996. They first met in 1970 in their only postseason meeting. The Baltimore Colts won that game 17-0 on their way to winning Super Bowl V. This was also the only shutout in the series. They went to overtime once, with the Bengals winning that game 24-21.

Detroit vs Philadelphia - The Eagles lead the series 15-13-2 and is 6-1 against Detroit since 1995. Philadelphia trails the series at home 8-9, but is 4-1 at home since 1995. They first met in 1933, when the Portsmouth Spartans won 25-0. They met in the postseason once, in 1995. Philadelphia won that game 58-37. They went to overtime twice, with the Lions leading 1-0-1. The last time they went to overtime was in 2012, when Detroit won 26-23. The last time Philadelphia shut out Detroit was 12-0 in 1968. The last time Detroit shut out Philadelphia was 21-0 in 1940. Their last tie was 23-23 in 1984.

Kansas City vs Washington - The Chiefs lead the series 7-1, winning the last five meetings. Washington trails the series at home 1-3. Their only win came in 1983, when the Skins won 27-12. They first met in 1971, when Kansas City won 27-20. They never met in the postseason. They never went to overtime, nor are there any shutouts in the series.

Minnesota vs Baltimore - The series is tied 2-2, with Minnesota winning the last meeting in 2009. Baltimore leads the series at home 2-1, winning their last two. They first met in 1998, when the Vikings won 38-28. They never met in the postseason nor did they ever go to overtime. There are no shutouts in the series.

Miami vs Pittsburgh - The Steelers lead the series 13-11, winning the last five meetings. Pittsburgh also leads the series at home, 7-3, winning their last three games against the Dolphins. They first met in 1971, when Miami won 24-21. They met in the postseason three times, with Miami leading 2-1. That includes two AFC Championship games, which is tied 1-1. The winner of every postseason meeting went on to the Super Bowl. Miami won in 1972 and 1984, moving on to winning Super Bowl VII and losing Super Bowl XVIX. The 1972 meeting was a divisional playoff game. Pittsburgh won in 1979 and went on to win Super Bowl XIV. They went to overtime once, in 1994, when the Steelers won 16-13. The last time Pittsburgh shut out Miami was 3-0 in 2007. The last time Miami shut out Pittsburgh was 21-0 in 1998.

Cleveland vs New England - The Browns lead the series 13-9, but New England is 6-2 since 1995. The series is tied in New England at 5-5, with the Patriots winning the last four. They first met in 1971 when the Browns won 27-7. They met in the postseason once, in the 1994 season, when Cleveland won 20-13. They went to overtime once in 1977. The Patriots won that game 30-27. The last time Cleveland shut out New England was 20-0 in 1991. New England has never shut out Cleveland.

Buffalo vs Tampa Bay - The Buccaneers lead the series 6-3, but the series is tied 2-2 since 1991. Tampa Bay leads the series at home 6-2, winning their last two meetings. They first met in Tampa Bay's inaugural season in 1976, when Buffalo won 14-9. They never met in the postseason. They never went to overtime nor has either team shut out the other.

Atlanta vs Green Bay - The Packers lead the series 15-13, with the series tied 2-2 since 2005. Green Bay also leads the series at home 9-5, losing two of their last three meetings at Lambeau Field. They first met in 1966, when Green Bay spanked the Falcons 56-3. They met in the postseason three times and the Packers lead that series 2-1. They last met in the postseason in 2010, when Green Bay won 48-21 on their way to a Super Bowl XLV victory. They went to overtime twice, with the series tied at 1-1. The last time they went to overtime was in 2002, when the Packers won 37-34. The last time Atlanta shut out Green Bay was 20-0 in 1988. The last time Green Bay shut out Atlanta was 23-0 in 1967.

Tennessee vs Denver - The Titans lead the series 22-16-1, but Denver is 3-1 against Tennessee since 2004. However, Denver leads the series at home 10-7-1, with Denver winning their last four meetings. They first met in 1960, when the Houston Oilers won 45-25. They met in the postseason three times, with the Broncos leading the series 2-1. They last met in the postseason in 1992, when the Broncos beat the Houston Oilers 26-24. They never met in overtime nor has either team ever shut out the other.

New York Giants vs San Diego - The series is tied 5-5, but the Chargers won the last two meetings. The series is also tied 2-2 in San Diego, going 1-1 in their last two meetings there. They first met in 1971 when the Giants won 35-17. They never met in the postseason nor have they ever gone to overtime. Neither team has ever shut out the other.

St. Louis vs Arizona - The Rams lead the series 35-33-2, winners of their last three meetings. Arizona trails the series at home 15-16-2, but is 4-2 against the Rams at home since 2007. They first met in 1937, when the Chicago Cardinals beat the Cleveland Rams 6-0. Their only postseason meeting was in 1975, when the Los Angeles Rams beat the St. Louis Cardinals 35-23. They went to overtime three times, with Arizona leading 2-1. They last went to overtime in 2011, when Arizona won 19-13. The last time the Rams shut out the Cardinals was 21-0 in 1979. The last time the Cardinals shut out the Rams was 7-0 in 1942. Their last tie was 24-24 in 1953.

Seattle vs San Francisco - The Seahawks lead the series 15-14, winning the last two meetings. San Francisco leads the series at home 7-3, winning the last four meetings at Candlestick Park. They first met in Seattle's inaugural season in 1976, when the 49ers won 37-21. They never met in the postseason, but they did go to overtime once. San Francisco won that game in 2008, 33-30. The last time Seattle shut out San Francisco was 24-0 in 2007. San Francisco has never shut out Seattle.

Carolina vs New Orleans - The Panthers lead the series 19-17 and swept the series last year. Carolina also leads the series in New Orleans 10-8. but the Saints are 3-1 in the Superdome since 2009. They first met in Carolina's inaugural season of 1995, when the Panthers won 20-3. They never met in the postseason, but they went to overtime once. Carolina won that game in 2003, 23-20. The only shutout in the series was a 13-0 Panther victory in 1997.

Dallas vs Chicago - The Cowboys lead the series 13-10, but the Bears won the last two meetings. Chicago trails the series at home 5-6, but they are 2-1 at Soldier Field since 1996. They first met in Dallas' inaugural season in 1960, when Chicago won 17-7. They met in the postseason twice, with the Cowboys winning both games. The last time they met in the postseason was a Dallas win in 1991, 17-13. They never went to overtime. The only shutout in the series was a 44-0 blowout by the Bears over Dallas in 1985.

The 2-10 Houston Texans are this week's Kings of the Cellar. Honorable mention goes to the 3-9 Washington Redskins, losers of four straight.

Here are some historical scores for this week's matchups on December 5,

1954  Philadelphia 13 - Detroit 13
1965  Los Angeles Rams 27 - St. Louis Cardinals 3
1971  Philadelphia 23 - Detroit 20
1982  Cincinnati 20 - Baltimore Colts 17
1993  Arizona 38 - Los Angeles Rams 10
2004  New England 42 - Cleveland 15
2004  Carolina 32 - New Orleans 21
2010  St. Louis 19 - Arizona 6

Have a great day!!

What's Been Going On Lately?

It's been a few months since my last entry. I apologize to those of you who enjoyed my posts. It's not that I lost interest in writing a blog. The task of writing editing my ebooks has been taking more of my time.

Since my last entry, I released my ebook novelette, The Hunted. The link takes you to the Amazon page. If you have a NOOK, it's The Hunted. Right now, I'm working on a NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) project, titled Second Chance.

So will there be more entries? Probably. When I start again, there may be some changes so the entries won't interfere with my other writing, but am not sure what they'll be.

Thanks for reading these posts over the years and I hope more will be coming soon. Just for the fun of it, here are a few historical NFL scores.

On this day, November 20,

1955  Cleveland 41 - Pittsburgh 14
1960  Pittsburgh 14 - Cleveland 10
1964  Boston Patriots 12 - Denver 7
1977  Detroit 16 - Tampa Bay 7
1977  New Orleans 21 - Atlanta 20
1988  Cleveland 27 - Pittsburgh 7

The Jacksonville Jaguars would be this week's Kings of the Cellar, with the NFC East getting the honorable mention over an underachieving Atlanta Falcons team. In that group of scores, the game of the day would have been the 1977 Saints/Falcons game. Atlanta led 20-7 at halftime and Archie Manning brought the Saints back by throwing two touchdown passes to Henry Childs to win the game.

Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - August 5

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. This has been a week of streaks, so let's have some fun.

   The defending champion Kings of the Cellar 36-74 Houston Astros staved off a ferocious 0-10 collapse by the 40-69 Chicago White Sox to keep a 4.5 game lead on their quest for a repeat. The 43-67 Miami Marlins are inching their way off the radar, but not enough to shake the third place spot. Houston is 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last four. They are 6-25 since June 28 and the Astros still haven't won two games in a row since June 15-16. In their ten game losing streak, the White Sox are 1-13 since July 22. The former leader this season, the 43-67 Miami Marlins, are 5-5 in their last ten games, but lost their last two. Miami is 8-6 since July 22.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 50-61 Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies are 1-9 in their last ten games, losing five straight. Philly is 1-13 since July 20. This week, they start the week hosting the Chicago Cubs and end the week at Washington, playing the Nationals. Will they start to win like last week's honorable mention, the Texas Rangers, did? Or will they rival the Chicago White Sox and continue their losing ways?

   We have a different honorable mention this week. Unlike the White Sox, the 67-45 Atlanta Braves have won ten games in a row. Atlanta is also 12-2 since July 22. This week, the Braves go to Washington to play the Nationals and then host the Miami Marlins. Washington will probably break the streak and with Miami's improving play, they could also get a win from the Braves.

  And then there was one. The only remaining team with fewer wins than the 1962 New York Mets and 2003 Detroit Tigers is Houston. The White Sox have the same number of wins as the '62 Mets. After 110 games, the '62 Mets and '03 Tigers were 29-81. The Astros and White Sox should make those records safe for another year in the next week or two.

Other Stuff...

Congrats to the 2013 NFL Hall of Fame inductees, Jonathan Ogden, Dave Robinson, Curley Culp, Bill Parcells, Larry Allen, Warren Sapp, and Cris Carter. All good choices here.

On a sad note, Hall of Famer Art Donovan died today at the age of 88. He was a DT for the Baltimore Colts and played from 1950-61. He played in "The Greatest Game Ever Played" which was the 1958 NFL Championship, when the Colts defeated the New York Giants in overtime 23-17. Donovan was in the Hall of Fame Class of 1968. Thoughts and prayers go out to the Donovan family.

Speaking of the Hall of Fame, who should be in the Class of 2014? There are lots of good candidates, especially wide receivers. There are a few names that come to mind, such as Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce. However, there are some other names that come to mind: Jerry Kramer of the Green Bay Packers, Sam Mills of the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers, Tim Brown of the Oakland Raiders, and Sterling Sharpe of the Green Bay Packers. Unlike many of the pundits, I believe special teamers belong in the Hall, too. The first one who should go is Ray Guy of the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.

What about head coaches? The next two who should be inducted in the NFL Hall of Fame are Bill Cowher of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tony Dungy of the Tampa  Bay Buccaneers and the Indianapolis Colts.

The Drum Corps International World Championship is this week. At this point, it's a dogfight between the defending champion Blue Devils and Carolina Crown. If Carolina Crown pulls off the upset, they will be the first World Class corps from the South to win the DCI Championship and the first southern corps since 1981 to win a DCI championship on any level. In 1981, the Louisiana Southernaires won the DCI Class A Championship. Class A is now Open Class and Open Class from 1981 is now World Class.

I created an Facebook author page, Jon de Silva Author Page. If you enjoy these entries, please visit my page and give it a like. There are links to both of my ebooks. I also messed around and had an Amazon Cover Creator idea for my upcoming e-novelette, The Hunted.  There are also links to interesting articles, such as explaining phases of the moon using Oreo cookies, among others.


Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - July 15

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update on this All-Star week. Let's get started.

   The defending champion 33-61 Houston Astros have taken all the beer and are this week's Kings of Cellar. They lead the 35-58 Miami Marlins by 2.5 games. The 37-55 Chicago White Sox bring up the rear and are five games behind the Astros. Since the last update, Houston is 1-4, Miami is 3-3, and Chicago is 3-4.

   This week's honorable mention goes once again to the 42-54 San Diego Padres. They are 2-10 in their last ten games and 2-5 since the last update. They are also 4-18 since June 24. After the All-Star break, the Padres will visit the St. Louis Cardinals for a three game series.

   So how are the defending Kings of the Cellar champions doing against the 1962 Mets and 2003 Tigers? The '62 Mets were 24-70 after 94 games and the '03 Tigers were 26-68 after the same number of games. At this pace, both records will soon be safe for another year.

Other Stuff...

   On the drum and bugle corps front, Carolina Crown is on pace to be the first corps from the South to win the Drum Corps International World Championship. They have a great show, though the vocals take away from what the horns are doing at times.

   On their way home from Hormel, NY, one of the buses AtlantaCV rode had a breakdown, temporarily stranding members in Virginia. I feel their pain. In 1981, the Louisiana Southernaires were on our way home from DCI Finals in Montreal to New Orleans. My bus broke down in Effingham, IL, stranding us there for three days. At least CV's Bus 3 makes it home today, fresh from a good 2nd place showing in New York.

   I'm currently working on later drafts of a novella and novelette. The novelette already has a cover, thanks to Amazon's Cover Creator. The novella cover is more of a challenge. More details on both ebooks to come.


Will Houston continue their losing ways and repeat as Kings of the Cellar Champions? Will Miami have an epic collapse and replace the Astros? Or will some other team come out of nowhere and surprise everybody?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - July 8

Welcome to this week's Last  Place Update. We have a new leader...same as the old leader.

   The  defending Kings of the Cellar champion 32-57 Houston Astros have overtaken the 32-55 Miami Marlins and are this week's Kings of the Cellar. The Astros lead the Marlins by a game. The 34-51 Chicago White Sox supplanted their former AL Central foes, the 35-52 Milwaukee Brewers, to bring up the rear. Houston is 2-8 in their last ten games and 3-10 since June 23. The Marlins lost their last three and are 5-5 in their last ten games. And this week's newcomers, the White Sox, are 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last three. They are also 3-10 since June 23.

   Since the last update, Houston went 2-5, Miami went 3-4, and Milwaukee also went 3-4. The White Sox went 2-4, earning the third slot.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 40-49 San Diego Padres. San Diego is 1-9 in their last ten games and on a nine game losing streak. The Padres are 2-13 since June 24. They have a homestand this week against the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants. The three teams have similar records, so anything is possible. The Padres could have a great or rotten week. They should fare better.

    So how is Houston faring against the '62 Mets and '03 Tigers?  The '62 Mets and '03 Tigers were 24-65 after 89 games. And to continue a theme from last week, the '62 Mets, '03 Tigers, and '13 Astros all lost game #89. At least the '03 Tigers won July 8 that season.

   Will Houston hoard the beer in the cellar or will Miami take another shot at the bottom? How far will the White Sox's losing streak go? Will the '03 Tigers and '62 Mets records be safe for another year by the end of July?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - July 1

An early Happy Fourth of July to you all!! Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. They fight, they claw their way, and refuse to give up on themselves to keep winning. No, this isn't the Pittsburgh Pirates, who won nine straight. Then who?

   The 29-51 Miami Marlins continue their winning ways and are in a virtual tie with the 30-52 defending Kings of the Cellar champion Houston Astros. The 33-45 New York Mets won six of their last ten games and got booted from third place by the 32-48 Milwaukee Brewers, who are three games behind the Marlins.Miami is 7-3 in their last ten games and 13-7 since June 8. Houston, alas, is 3-7 in their last ten games, losers of their last three. This week's newcomer, the Brewers, are also 3-7 in their last ten games, but they lost five straight.

   Since the last update, Miami went 4-1, Houston went 1-4, and the Mets went 3-3. The Marlins fared better in their last ten games than all of their NL East rivals. They also did better than the NL West leading Arizona Diamondbacks and the AL East leading Boston Red Sox. Will Miami leave the beer in the cellar fridge to Houston or will they start to collapse again?

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 39-42 San Francisco Giants. They are 2-8 in their last ten games and 6-13 since June 11. The Giants are on the road this week to play a four game series with the Cincinnati Reds and return home to a three game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They swept the Dodgers the last time they played in San Francisco, but this is the first time they are facing the Reds.

   So how is Miami doing against the '62 Mets and the '03 Tigers? The Marlins are only eleven games behind the Mets' total wins from their inauspicious inaugural season. The '62 Mets were 23-57 after 80 games, but they actually won game number 80, the first in a doubleheader. They lost the second game. The '03 Tigers were doing  worse, with a record of 19-61 after 80 games. They, too, won game number 80 and they won game number 81 to bring their win total to 20. And yes, Miami also won game number 80.

Other Stuff...

   Local New Orleans broadcaster and former New Orleans Saints sideline reporter for WWL 870 AM, Kenny Wilkerson, died this past weekend. Thoughts and prayers go out to the Wilkerson family.

   On the drum corps front, today in 1967, the Des Plaines Vanguard won a contest in Kenosha, WI with a score of 78.80. The Kilties came in second place (74.80), followed by the Blue Stars (74.60), Norwood Park Imperials (74.00), SkyRyders (63.70), and the Madison Scouts (54.70). Of these corps, the Blue Stars and Madison Scouts still compete today. The Kilties compete in the DCA circuit.

   Today in 1985, the Blue Devils won the DCI contest in Norman, OK with a score of 86.90. The Santa Clara Vanguard came in second (84.90), followed by the Phantom Regiment (72.70), Freelancers (58.50), Velvet Knights (58.40), and the California Dons (48.10). The top three still compete at the highest levels today and are current or former DCI champions.

Who will win the catfight between Miami and Houston for the beer in the cellar? How long will the '62 Mets and '03 Tigers' records hold out for until they're safe for another year? Or will there be a collapse by one of the bottom three?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

 

Last Place Update - June 24

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. Here's an odd one for you. Who would have thought that the bottom three teams would do as well or have a better ten game stretch than nine of the top ten teams in MLB? Let's get the fun started.

   Even with all this winning, the defending Kings of the Cellar Champion 29-48 Houston Astros have closed the gap on this week's Kings of the Cellar, the 25-50 Miami Marlins to three games. The 30-42 New York Mets bring up the rear at six games behind Miami. Each team went 6-4 in their past ten games, a rarity at this level. Over that stretch, the bottom three performed better than the MLB leading 47-29 St. Louis Cardinals, who went 4-6, and the AL leading 44-32 Texas Rangers, who went 5-5. Of the top ten teams, only the 46-30 Pittsburgh Pirates fared better, going 7-3 during that stretch.

   Since the last update, Miami went 4-3, Houston went 3-4, and the Mets went a respectable 5-3. Each of these teams have had a bit of a turnaround. Is this a sign of how things will be or is it an apparition? Only time will tell.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 44-34 Oakland A's. They are 3-7 in their last ten games, losing four of their last five games. The A's have an interleague homestand this week, hosting the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals. Oakland should do some winning this week, but that could go either way.

   So how are the Marlins doing against the 1962 Mets and 2003 Tigers? After 75 games, the '62 Mets were  21-54 and the '03 Tigers were at a miserable 18-57. The Marlins are four and six games ahead respectively at this time and are on pace to keep those records safe for another year.

Other Stuff...

   Hats off to the 38-36 Toronto Blue Jays for winning 11 straight games.They are also 14-2 since June 5, when they had a 24-34 record. The streak will probably end in Tampa this week, but it is still a great accomplishment.

   Congrats the Miami Heat for winning their second consecutive NBA championship and third overall.

   On to drum and bugle corps trivia. Today in 1972, the Santa Clara Vanguard won the California American Legion State Championship in San Jose, CA, with a score of 78.50. The Stockton Commodores came in second (60.15), followed by the Velvet Knights (56.00), LA Chinese (51.95), and the Royalaires (CA), who scored a 47.75. Of these corps, only the Santa Clara Vanguard is still active. The Stockton Commodores, LA Chinese, and Royalaires stopped competing after the 1976 season. The Velvet Knights stopped competing after the 1996 season, but came back for one season in 2011.

   Today in 1999, the Blue Devils won the DCI contest in Normal, IL, with a score of 75.70. The Cavaliers came in second (73.90), followed by the Glassmen (70.20), Blue Knights (68.20), Phantom Regiment (64.90), Colts (62.70), and Pioneer (53.20). Every corps in this contest is still active today.

How long will the bottom three teams' winning ways continue? Will there be a collapse or will other teams supplant them as Kings of the Cellar? Who will threaten the '62 Mets and '03 Tigers records of futility?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

 

Last Place Update - June 17

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. The 1899 Cleveland Spiders' all-time worst record of 20-134 is safe for the 114th year in a row.

   The 21-47 Miami Marlins continue to be Kings of the Cellar, leading the 26-44 Houston Astros by four games. The 25-39 New York Mets bring up the rear at six games behind the Marlins. Miami is still the only team in MLB to have less than ten road wins. Will they go over the top this week?

   Since the last update, Miami went a respectable 3-3, Houston went an even more respectable 4-2, and the Mets represented the bottom by going 2-4. The Marlins are now 5-5 in their last ten games and 8-6 since May 31. The American League's newest team, the Astros,  are 4-6 in their last ten games, winners of their last four. They are also 12-8 since May 27. And then there are the Mets. They are 3-7 in their last ten games, but are 8-10 since May 26.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 38-31 Texas Rangers. The Rangers are 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last six games. They are also 6-14 since May 26. Texas faces Oakland and St. Louis this week and the Rangers could find themselves here again next week. Or they could do some winning, like last week's honorable mention, the Cleveland Indians, and win themselves out of the Mention.

   Although the 1899 Spiders' record is safe, the 1962 Mets and the 2003 Detroit Tigers are still out there. The Marlins are faring better than their counterparts of the past right now. The '62 Mets were 19-49 after 68 games. The 2003 Tigers were doing even worse, at 17-51.

Other Stuff...

   The San Antonio Spurs had an impressive win against the Miami Heat last night. However, Miami will win Game 6. Game 7 and the NBA Championship will go to whoever wants it more.

   Today in 1984, the Phantom Regiment won the DCM contest in Grand Rapids, MI with a score of 81.10. This was the first year of the all build-up judging. The Cavaliers came in second (73.40), followed by Pioneer (41.20), Glassmen (32.10), Royal Grenadiers (26.00), and Saginaires (17.00).

   Today in 1972, the 27th Lancers won the Shriner's International contest in Hamilton, ONT, Canada with a score of 81.50. The Blue Stars came in second (78.50), followed by Blue Rock (77.30), Kilties (76.10), Garfield Cadets (75.50), De La Salle Oaklands (74.65), CMCC Warriors (73.70), and Toronto Optimists (68.75).


Will Miami continue to win or will there be an epic collapse? Will the defending Kings of the Cellar Champion Houston Astros overtake the Marlins? Will the Mets continue their losing ways?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - June 10

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. The gap is closing.

   The defending Kings of the Cellar champion 22-42 Houston Astros nudged a little closer to this week's Kings of the Cellar, the 18-44 Miami Marlins. The Marlins now lead by three games. Miami is three wins away from keeping the 1899 Cleveland Spiders record of futility safe for another year. The 23-35 New York Mets bring up the rear by trailing the Marlins by seven games.

   Since the last update, Miami went a respectable 2-3, winning their last two games. However, in true Kings of the Cellar fashion, Houston went 2-5, losing their last four. The Mets supplanted the Milwaukee Brewers by going 4-6 in their last ten games, losing their last two. The Brewers did a little winning and went 4-3, winning their last three games.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 30-32 Cleveland Indians. Cleveland is 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last seven. They are also 4-15 since May 21. With the Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals on the horizon, the Indians may end up here again next week.

  So how are the Marlins doing against some of the worst teams ever? Again, the 1899 Spders' record should be safe for another year. They were 12-50 after 62 games. The Marlins did put a little distance between their record and the 1962 Mets. The '62 Mets were 17-45 after 62 games. The 2003 Detroit Tigers were 16-46 after the same number of games.

Other Stuff...

   Miami and San Antonio are now tied at 1-1. As the Spurs did, the Heat should take at least one game in San Antonio. If Miami wins both games, the series will end when it returns to Miami.

   Today in 1962, the Mets split a double-header with the Chicago Cubs, getting one of their 40 wins that season.

   The Marlins are on pace for a 47-115 record. Their all-time worst season prior to this year (in a non-strike year) was as the Florida Marlins in 1998. They went 54-108 after winning the World Series the year before.

   Today in 1989, in a low scoring contest, Pioneer won the Drum Corps Midwest show in Three Oaks, MI. They scored a 36.00, beating the Belleville Black Knights (27.20), Coachmen (21.00), Joliet Kingsmen (17.00), and the Racine Scouts (11.30). Of this group, only Pioneer and the Racine Scouts still compete today.

Will Miami continue their winning ways and open the door for Houston to repeat? Or will the Marlins collapse and replace the 2003 Tigers or 1962 Mets with their own record of futility?

Stay tuned.  Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - June 3

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. Now it gets interesting...

   The 16-41 Miami Marlins have taken a commanding lead over the defending Kings of the Cellar Champions, the 20-37 Houston Astros. The Marlins lead Houston by 4 games and the third place 21-34 Milwaukee Brewers by 6 games. However, the Marlins swept the New York Mets this weekend. Houston is also on a winning tear, by winning five straight. Milwaukee bucks this winning trend by going 3-7 in their last ten games and 4-10 since May 19.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 23-31 Kansas City Royals. The Royals are 2-8 in their last ten games and 3-14 since May 17. Kansas City has a homestand against last week's honorable mention, the Minnesota Twins and the defending champion Astros.

   After their three game win streak, Miami put some distance from the 1899 Cleveland Spiders record. The Spiders were 10-47 after 57 games. However, the Marlins are even with the 1962 Mets at 16-41 after the same number of games. And let's not forget a more recent abysmal record of futility, the 2003 Detroit Tigers. They were also 16-41 after 57 games.

Other Stuff...

   Who will win Game 7 tonight between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers? It's Miami's game to lose and they're my pick.

   At one time, this was the first week of competition in drum and bugle corps. The 2013 season kicks off on June 19.

   To stay on topic with drum and bugle corps, today in 1978, the Phantom Regiment won the Illinois Drum Corps Association show (69.95), beating the Guardsmen (60.20), Pioneer (43.95), CapitolAires (35.25), and Phantom Regiment Cadets (26.45). The Phantom Regiment and Guardsmen went on to compete at DCI Finals in Denver, CO. Today, only the Phantom Regiment and Pioneer still compete from those who competed in this show.


Is this the turning point for Houston and Miami? Can they put the 1899 Spiders, 1962 Mets, and 2003 Tigers in the rear view mirrors? Or will they have an epic collapse and break one of these records?

Stay tuned.

Have a great day!!!.

Last Place Update - May 27

Welcome to the first Last Place Update of the 2013 MLB season. Before we get started, today is the day we remember the men and women who served and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms and liberty. My message to them and their families is, THANK YOU!!! You are all remembered and appreciated.

   Now let's get started...

   This week's Kings of the Cellar, the 13-37 Miami Marlins, lead the defending Kings of the Cellar champion and newest American League team, the 14-36 Houston Astros, by a game. The Marlins are 2-8 in their last ten games and losers of five straight. They are also 3-15 since May 6. The Astros a faring a little better. They are 4-6 in their last ten games and losers of their last three, a sweep by the Oakland A's. Houston is 4-12 since May 9. The New York Mets bring up the rear and trail Miami by 5.5 games. The Mets are 4-6 in their last ten games and 5-13 since May 8.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 19-28 Minnesota Twins. Minnesota is 1-9 in their last ten games by getting swept by the Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and going 1-3 against the Detroit Tigers. Unlike other 1-9 streaks, this collapse followed a 6-3 run from May 5-13.

   At this point, none of the teams in contention for Kings of the Cellar are a real threat to the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, but 1962 New York Mets are a different story. The 1899 Spiders were 9-41 after 50 games. The 1962 Mets were 13-37 after the same number of games. On this date last year, the defending champion Astros were 22-25 and the Chicago Cuber were in the lead with a record of 15-32.

Other Stuff

  A shout out has to go to the Los Angeles Angels. They are on an 8 game winning streak after going 1-5 from May 12-17.

   The San Antonio Spurs can sweep the Memphis Grizzlies with a win tonight. Memphis may pull an upset here, but if the Spurs win and Indiana hangs on for another game or two, this could mean trouble for the Heat if they face a rested Spurs team.

   My new ebook, The Curse, is now available in paperback from Createspace. Click the link on the title to order your copy. To add a little spice to the blurb, Dr. Walter Young said in the novel, "As you now know, it really was a matter of life and death."


Can Miami stay in the lead or will the American League's newest team come back and repeat as Kings of the Cellar Champions? Will the Mets make a run and make it interesting? Are one of these teams a real threat to the 1962 Mets or even the 1899 Spiders?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - April 18

We have a winner! Congrats to the 2013 Kings of the Cellar Champions, the 20-62 Orlando Magic. All of the beer in the cellar is yours. They edged the 21-61 Charlotte Bobcats by a game. The Cleveland Cavaliers lost their sixth game and secured third place at 24-58.

   The Magic overtook the Bobcats, who once led by 4.5 games on March 11, by going 2-16 since March 12. Orlando also ended the season with a three game losing streak.

   So what  happened to the defending champs? Charlotte did some winning and went 8-11 since March 12. Cleveland made a move of their own and went 3-16 during that same stretch.

   The 2013 Honorable Mention goes to the 33-49 Portland Trailblazers, who just ended their season with a 13 game losing streak. The Trailblazers actually had a winning  record on February 4, at 25-23. Then they went downhill, going 8-26 the rest of the way. It was almost as bad as the 6-28 record Orlando posted during that same stretch.

The Last Place Updates are a tongue-in-cheek look, from a fan's perspective, at the worst teams in whatever professional sport is featured. However it's important to remember that only a tiny percent of our population is even good enough to play for a professional sports team. It doesn't matter if that team wins it all or dwells in the cellar, the vast majority of us, myself included, could never make the first cut for a professional sports team, including those in last place. These players on their worst day could easily beat a team of fans on their best day. It's also important to remember and appreciate that it takes a special kind of athlete to earn the privilege to play for a professional sports team, whether it's for only a season or a long, Hall of Fame career.

Other Stuff...

Congrats to the Los Angeles Lakers for winning their last game in overtime against the Houston Rockets, 99-95. That win not only clinched the Lakers a playoff berth, it propelled them into the 7th seed. They will play the San  Antonio Spurs on Sunday. If they continue to play well, the Lakers can do some damage in the playoffs.

   The 8th seeded Houston Rockets will also play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. It will be interesting to see James Harden play his former team.

   Except for the blurb, my ebook, The Curse, is ready. It is also ready for Createspace. Once I write a satisfactory blurb, the novel will be published on Amazon for the Kindle and paperback.

Congrats to all for another successful NBA season. Good  luck to all the teams in the playoffs. May my New Orleans Pelicans contend next year.

Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - April 16

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. First of all, thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the tragedy at the Boston Marathon.

   Time to share the beer! That's right. We have a tie. The 20-61 Charlotte Bobcats and Orlando Magic are having a beerfest before the deciding game to see who is this year's Kings of the Cellar. The 24-57 Cleveland Cavaliers returned to the radar and are only a game ahead of the 25-56 Phoenix Suns for the vaunted third place.

   Since the last update, Charlotte went 2-2 and Orlando went 1-2. Cleveland went 0-5 to pull ahead of Phoenix, who went 2-2.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 37-44 Milwaukee Bucks and the 29-52 Washington Wizards. Each team has a five game losing streak. Milwaukee has a good chance to make it six straight when they finish the season at Oklahoma City to play the Thunder. Washington also finishes their season on the road when they travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls. Again, it could be six straight, but both teams could pull off a win against teams who are resting their starters.

Next Losses...

   Charlotte hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. If Charlotte loses, then they have at least a tie for a repeat championship. If Cleveland loses, then they clinch third place. The Cavaliers should get their loss.

   Orlando travels to Miami to take on the Heat. The Heat should spank the Magic, even without their starters, but every now and then, the Magic pull a rabbit out of their hat...but not this time. Orlando should lose and get at least a share of the beer in the cellar. Orlando should topple Charlotte outright and be the 2013 Kings of the Cellar.

   Phoenix also ends their season on the road. They hit the rarified air of Denver to take on the Denver Nuggets. This should be an easy loss, because unlike the Eastern Conference, the Western Conference playoff slots are still somewhat fluid and the Nuggets still need to play at their best. Phoenix can clinch a tie for third with a loss and a Cavaliers win.

Other Stuff...

   There is a more deserving team for this week's honorable mention, so why weren't they named? It's because that team earned the 2013 Honorable Mention and I wanted to give a couple of other teams a mention.

   The final Last Place Update of the NBA season will be posted this week after the last game.

   The Los Angeles Lakers finish their season at the Staples Center against the visiting Houston Rockets. The Utah Jazz go to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies. If the Lakers win, they're in. If the Lakers lose and the Jazz win, the Jazz are in.

   Yesterday was Jackie Robinson Day and every major league player wore number 42. It was a fitting tribute to a trailblazer of the game and one of the all-time greats.

   If this entry was for baseball, the 2-11 Miami Marlins would be this week's Kings of the Cellar. MLB's Last Place Updates are coming soon. The defending champion 4-9 Houston Astros are two games behind the Marlins.

   The final readthrough for my upcoming novel, The Curse, is done. It's now time to put in the adjustments and get that blurb finished. Once that's done, then it will finally be time to publish.

Who will win Kings of the Cellar? Will the Lakers clinch a playoff spot? Who is the 2013 Honorable Mention?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - April 8

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. The race for Kings of the Cellar is getting even tighter.

   Although Orlando is thirsting for some cellar beer, the 18-59 Charlotte Bobcats hold a half game lead over the falling 19-59 Orlando Magic in their quest to repeat as and are this week's, Kings of the Cellar. And they are not alone. The 23-54 Phoenix Suns are on a nine game losing streak and knocked the 24-52 Cleveland Cavaliers off the radar. Cleveland's two wins last week officially took them out of contention for the title. Phoenix is five games behind Charlotte, but a Charlotte loss or Phoenix win eliminates the Suns for Kings of the Cellar.

   Since the last update, Charlotte went 1-2, Cleveland went 2-1, and Orlando whiffed, going 0-3. The Magic are 1-13 since March 12. Phoenix got back on  the radar by going 1-9 in their last ten games and 2-15 since March 6.

   This week's honorable mention goes once again to the Portland Trailblazers. Since last week, Portland went 0-3, eliminating them from playoff contention. The Trailblazers are 2-10 since March 18. That's worse than Charlotte, who are 4-7 during the same period. This week, Portland hosts the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Then the Oklahoma City Thunder come to town on Friday. On Sunday, the Trailblazers go to Denver to take on the Nuggets. This has all the makings of an 0-fer. If they play well, Portland could surprise the Lakers, but that's it. The Trailblazers will probably strike out against their opponents.

Next Losses...

   Charlotte spends most of the week on the road. They travel to Memphis on Tuesday to play the Grizzlies and then go to Detroit to play the Pistons on Friday. The Bobcats return home for the weekend by hosting the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. Based on how Charlotte has played in recent weeks, they should easily avoid the 0-fer and win a game. And if they continue to improve, the Bobcats could win two.

   Orlando spends the week at home by playing the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday and the Boston Celtics on Saturday. Although they allowed over 100 points only once in the last six games, the Magic will continue their quest to unseat the Charlotte Bobcats as Kings of the Cellar and pull an 0-fer.

   Phoenix goes on a road trip this week. They travel to Houston to take on the Rockets on Tuesday, Dallas to play the Mavericks on Wednesday, and end the week in the Midwest by going to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. As with the Magic, this should be an 0-fer for the Suns. They may surprise everybody with one win, but that's it.

Other Stuff...

   Check out the New York Knicks! Having lost four in a row, they're on a 12 game winning streak.  The two main threats to their streak this week is at Chicago on Thursday and Indiana at home on Sunday.

   Veteran QB Vince Young remains unsigned. Chances are he may not be signed at all before the draft. However, don't be surprised if some team signs him between July and September.

   Every team in MLB has at least one win. The 1988 Baltimore Orioles' 0-21 season start record is safe for another year.

  Will Orlando overtake Charlotte for the beer in the cellar? Will Portland turn things around? Will Phoenix even win a game?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

 

Last Place Update - April 2

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. Like a good roux, the plot thickens what was a runaway repeat. Let the fun begin!

   The last two teams below 20 wins are duking it out for all the beer in the cellar. This week's Kings of the Cellar, the 17-57 Charlotte Bobcats, hold a game and a half lead over the 19-56 Orlando Magic in their quest to repeat as champions.  Charlotte lost their last three games, but the Magic are 1-9 in their last ten games. The 22-51 Cleveland Cavaliers are at the top of the steps of the cellar with their eyes on the beer, hanging out at 4.5 games behind the Bobcats. The Cavs own the longest active losing streak at nine games. Since the last update, Charlotte went 1-3, Orlando went a whopping 1-6, and Cleveland 0-fered, going 0-4.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 33-41 Portland Trailblazers. They beat out a 27-47 Toronto Raptors team that are 2-8 in their last ten games, Why? Because the Trailblazers are still in the hunt for that final playoff spot in the Western Conference and lost five straight. Portland's playoff chances are now slim, at best. The Trailblazers spend this week at home. They host the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, the Houston Rockets on Friday, and the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Portland may get one win, but they will get eliminated from playoff contention, if not this week, then definitely next week. Their only hope now is a total collapse by both Dallas and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Next Losses...

   Charlotte starts the week at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday and then host the Miami Heat on Friday. Then the Bobcats visit the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. This has all the makings of an 0-fer, but Charlotte could pull out one win. They definitely won't get their 20th win this week. They probably won't get their 18th win either.

   Road trip!! Orlando hits the road and visits the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, the Chicago Bulls on Friday, and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. As with the Bobcats, this has all the makings of an 0-fer week. However, Orlando is a decent 4th quarter team and could pull off one win, maybe against Cleveland, but that's it.

   Cleveland spends Wednesday at home against the Brooklyn Nets. On Friday, the Cavaliers go to Boston to play the Celtics. Then they end the week at home against the Orlando Magic on Sunday. To keep with the common theme of the day, this also has all the makings of an 0-fer. The key for both Cleveland and Orlando is this game. The winner gets their lone win of the week and the other has an 0-fer, getting one game closer to the beer in the cellar fridge.

Other Stuff...

   The streaks have ended. The Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat each lost. Brooklyn now has the longest active win streak at eight games.

   The New Orleans Saints signed QB Luke McCown to a one year deal. Really? Is he the best available quarterback out there? He didn't even make the team last year. They would have done better by signing QB Vince Young to a one year deal.  It's the only blemish on some solid free agent signings.

   Baseball season is here! I'm hoping to write more "Today in..." entries soon and get some actual sports trivia out there. However, there is also the novel and novella that I have to publish and I actually get paid for those, so they have priority.

   Who will get to 20 wins first? Who will get to 60 losses first? Who will take the lead as Kings of the Cellar for good and claim the beer in the fridge?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - March 25

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. Ah, the plot thickens...

   The 16-54 Charlotte Bobcats have been doing some winning. They closed the gap some, but not enough to keep them from being this week's Kings of the Cellar. They are two games ahead of the 18-52 Orlando Magic. The 22-47 Cleveland Cavaliers also returned to the radar, kicking off the New Orleans Hornets and Phoenix Suns.

   Since the last update, Charlotte went a respectable 2-2 and Orlando is making a move against the Bobcats by having an 0-fer, going 0-4. The Hornets went 2-1 and the Suns went 1-3. The Cavaliers are on a five game losing streak.

   This week's honorable mention goes to the 34-36 Utah Jazz. The Jazz are 2-8 in their last ten games, with a four game losing streak. Utah is also 2-12 since February 23.  They have allowed over 100 points in the last three games. This week, the Jazz spend most of the week at home. They host the Philadelphia 76ers tonight and the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. On Friday, Utah goes to Portland to play the Trailblazers and then they finish the week at home versus the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. The Jazz should win at least one or two games this week.

Next Losses...

   Charlotte has a light week, mostly on the road. They host the Orlando Magic Wednesday and hit the road to play the New York Knicks on Friday and the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. Based on their recent success, the Bobcats could go 2-1 or collapse and have an 0-fer. The Magic game is a pick'em and could be either team's only win this week.

   Orlando starts the week at home by facing a spanking by or huge upset of the Miami Heat tonight. Then they go to Charlotte to play the Bobcats on Wednesday and return home to host the Washington Wizards on  Friday. The Magic end the week on Saturday by going to Atlanta to play the Hawks. Orlando could potentially win two games this week. Chances are, they'll have yet again another 0-fer.

   Cleveland spends most of the week at home. They host the Boston Celtics on Wednesday and the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. The Cavs end the week in the Crescent City by visiting the New Orleans Hornets. They could win one or two games or they could whiff and lose them all. Cleveland should win at least one game.

Other Stuff...

   What a great time of year. The NCAA Tournament has been a blast, even though one of my overall brackets is dead and a regional bracket on my Main Entry bracket is dead. Sometimes it's a work in frustration, but it's one that you enjoy.

   I made The Acts of 1 available for the NOOK a while back. It hasn't had the success on Barnes & Noble as it did on Amazon. If this continues, when I publish The Curse, it will start off exclusive to Amazon and in the KDP Select program.

   Which winning streak will end first? Will Miami break the Lakers' record? Will Denver overtake Miami? Or will both teams fall woefully short?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!

Last Place Update - March 18

Welcome to this week's Last Place Update. The waters near the cellar are murky, so let's get started.

   Bobcats win!! Bobcats win!! Bobcats win!!

   Okay, they only won one game, but Charlotte's win over the Boston Celtics on  Tuesday does break their ten game losing streak. However, the 14-52 Bobcats are still this week's Kings of the Cellar. They went 1-2 last week, but still have a 3.5 game lead over the 18-49 Orlando Magic. The Magic whiffed all three games and went 0-3.

   Now here's where it gets murky. The 23-42 Washington Wizards went 3-1 last week and moved themselves off the radar. Way to go Wizards!!

   Two other teams made moves to get themselves on the radar, one of them a return trip. The 22-45 New Orleans Pelicans, uh, Hornets and the Phoenix Suns are 7.5 games behind the Bobcats and 4 games behind the Magic. The Hornets are 2-8 in their last ten games, losers of their last three. The Suns are 1-6 in their last seven games, losers of their last four.

  This week's honorable mention goes to the 23-45 Detroit Pistons. Detroit is 1-11 in their last dozen games, losers of their last eight. In all but two of those losses, the Pistons allowed their opponents to score more than 100 points. They start this week at home against the Brooklyn Nets tonight. Then the spend the rest of the week along the Atlantic coast by visiting the Miami Heat on Friday and to Charlotte to play the Bobcats on Saturday. The Pistons could get two wins this week, but will probably only get one.

Next Losses...

   Charlotte will spend most of their week at home. They host the improving Washington Wizards tonight, the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, and as previously stated, the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. The Bobcats will finish the week on the road on Sunday in Miami to take on the Heat. This has all the makings of an 0-fer, but they did surprise the Celtics. Could Charlotte stun Miami on Sunday? Actually, that's possible, but not probable. The Bobcats could win one, maybe two games, but will most likely post another 0-fer.

   Unlike Charlotte, Orlando will spend most of their short week on the road. The Magic will go to Indiana to play the Pacers on Tuesday and to New York to play the Knicks on Wednesday. Then they return home on Friday to lose to, us play the Oklahoma City Thunder. Unless Orlando has a good game or one of their opponents has a bad game,  Otherwise, the Magic will whiff through their games and extend their losing streak to six games.

   New Orleans has a homestand this week. They host the Golden State Warriors tonight, the Boston Celtics  on Wednesday, and the Memphis Grizzlies on  Friday. They could win one game, depending on which Hornets team shows up. If the one who put together a couple of winning streaks shows, then they could go 2-1. If last week's team shows, then it's an 0-fer. They should get at least one win this week.

   Phoenix will also spend their week at home. They host the Los Angeles Lakers tonight, the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, the Minnesota  Timberwolves on Friday, and the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. This is a tough one to call. The Suns should win one or two games this week, but could also lose them all. Chances are, Phoenix will go 2-2.

Other Stuff...

   As predicted, Grambling State went one and done in the SWAC Tournament. However, they did lose  by less than ten points, the first time this season. Maybe next year.

   Let the madness begin!! Yes, it's March Madness and the NCAA Tournament berths are filled. This appears to be one of the tougher tournaments to call. We'll see.

   There's a lot of hype over the Miami Heat's 22 game winning streak, but there's another team with a nice winning streak. The Denver Nuggets have won 11 straight. They go to Chicago to play the Bulls tonight and to Oklahoma City to play the Thunder on Tuesday. The Nuggets spend the rest of the week in the rarified air of Denver hosting the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday and the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. The streak should end in Oklahoma City, but if it doesn't, Denver should go undefeated this week.

  Will Miami and Denver continue their streaks? Will any of the #1's fall early in the NCAA Tournament? Will anybody threaten Charlotte in their quest to repeat as Kings of the Cellar Champions?

Stay tuned. Have a great day!!!