Book Bits

Reading Al Michaels' book. Learning a lot.
1. Michaels started out broadcasting as a student on the Arizona State radio station.
2. Got to know Sal Bando, Jay Johnstone, and Reggie Jackson at ASU.
3. Moved back home to LA and was hired by Chuck Barris recruiting contestants for the Dating Game.
4. Worked a short stint on LA Lakers radio reading halftime stats, giving Chic Hearn a break.
5. Hired by the Hawaii Islanders minor league baseball team and got to know manager Chuck Tanner. While in Hawaii he also called games for the University of Hawaii, as well as high school games. He also appeared in an episode of Hawaii 5-0.  
6. Hired by the Cincinnati Reds in the early days of the Big Red Machine.
7. Got to know Sparky Anderson and Pete Rose. Hosted The Johnny Bench Show.
8. The first hockey match he called was the Gold Medal game in the Japan Olympics.
9. Hired by the SF Giants and later ABC Sports. Traveled the world for the Wide World of Sports.
10. Called the famous 1980 Georgia/Florida Game, won on Lindsay Scott's long TD reception. Broadcast partner Frank Broyles predicted greatness for Stanford head coach Bill Walsh and Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Bill Clinton.
11. Lots of dirt on Howard Cosell and Bob Uecker. Michaels was originally called the B broadcast, but later replaced Keith Jackson on the main game. 
12. Has owned LA Kings season tickets for 30 years.

13. ABC televised the 1980 Winter Olympics. Michaels and Ken Dryden covered ice hockey - the first time Michaels called a hockey game since that one Gold Medal game years before. During the USA"s second game the chant "USA! USA!" was first used. By the end of the Olympics the chant was a national phenomenon. When the US beat Russia Michaels' "Do you believe in miracles?" call was completely off the cuff. Two days later Team USA had to win again to lock up the gold medal - and they trailed after two periods.

Move over Bobby Cox. Step aside, Tony LaRussa. There's a new king of the pitching change: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. In 2016 Roberts was named manager of the year after changing pitchers a record 606 times. The Dodgers averaged four pitchers a game.

I figured out why the South Carolina Gamecocks made the Final Four. It's gotta be the shoes. When they upset Duke several players were wearing orange-trimmed sneakers. Guess they were paying homage to the National Champion Clemson Tigers. Maybe Carolina was trying to channel Clemson's gridiron success. Photo evidence to follow.

Worked on a big bobblehead trade last night. Black beans and rice for dinner. Also salad. Wheel. Jeopardy, The Voice. The Middle. But I was upstairs most of the time.

Today Uni Watch has links and comments about the pictures I took Saturday at SunTrust Park. A nice write-up. Short, but more than I expected.

Busy day at work.