Author: mouthofthemidwest.com

Chicago sports are brutal to watch right now. As I went through O’Hare airport this morning to buy a paper—it was a major task!!The woman at the Hudson newsstand had to help me with self-pay I somehow could not find a way to pay in English. It asked me about German, français and any other way imaginable for currency or an approval …I just wanted to lay out the three dollars for the Chicago Tribune.

I guess in a way I’m like the insufferable Chicago sports fans. The White Sox are God awful. The Cubs can’t get any consistency together the Bears well we’ll get to them in a moment the Bulls are irrelevant, and the Blackhawks are bottom feeders.

So for the last fortnight, I’ve got to experience the joys of Boston in the lows of Chicago and Dallas somewhere in between. I guess what it boils down to is your sports fan for a particular city- a franchise or a player, perhaps. True fans?…you have to ride high with the good times, and you’ve gotta keep your head above water during the low times; life as a sports fan who do thunk it was a simple.

The one savior for the Chicago Bears perhaps is Caleb Williams will actually pan out to be a premier NFL quarterback. But then again, you gotta remember this is Chicago and it’s the Bears, so anything is possible! The one thing for sure is the NFC North he’s going to be the most contentious, most interesting and potentially the most exciting division in the NFL this coming season.

Championship #18 is officially in the books for the Boston Celtics.

The “J’s”!
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown finally have the gorilla off their backs; Brown was named MVP and while you could argue otherwise, why bother?

Tatum stepped up with a 31 point performance putting no doubt in anyone’s mind there would be no hangover from Friday’s thrashing in Dallas.

Before the ink is dry on this script, the legions want multiple titles from this Big 2. We’ll see. The J’s have arrived make no mistake.

For the best photo coverage of Celtics record-setting title #18
punch up NBCBoston.com

BOSTON- The headlines are brutal “Gory Rory…”
Fleet Street is having a hay day.

For Rory McIlroy, this is major devastation once again. Two blown putts on holes 16 & 18 sealed his fate in the 124th US Open. The 2 foot putt on 16 never had a chance.

As much as McIlroy choked this one away, Bryson DeChambeau WON it with an epic,”nerves of steel” up & down on the 18th hole.

DeChambeau now has 2 US Open Championships under his belt – McIlroy adds another brutal loss in a Major to his resume. Too bad. Classy guy who has a world class game.

Tonight:
Color me nervous. Celtics NEED to not close the door against Dallas – but SLAM IT !

The Sports Junk Drawer:
The Yankees got their heels cooled a bit against the rival Red Sox… as mediocre as the  Olde Towne Team is, there is some juice when the Yankees/Sox collide …

Oh no… MOOKIE! Broken bones in the wrist hands take a while… bummer.

Cubs are impossible to figure out!

Classy move by the Iowa Cubs with the Perry, Iowa baseball community.

A great listen is “Blake Bern” Sports Byline.
Saturday night’s at 7:40p Eastern/6:40p
Central. “Health & Wellness” podcast serves up great ideas and a weekly motivator.

Podcast on IHeart Radio “Sports Overnight America.”

Geez Dallas, act like you’ve won something!

The Mavericks 122-84 drubbing of the Boston Celtics was painful indeed. Yet, it’s nothing more than a “Stay of Execution, Texas Style.”

This goofy franchise with a collection of crybabies and misfits, is not winning any NBA Championship anytime soon.

Predictably, the Celtics were in full tank mode and looked like a team they wanted to be anywhere but American Airlines Arena.

Jaylen Brown was putrid; Jayson Tatum was even worse. Turnovers, horrible shot selections and listless on defense. The Celtics treated Game 4 like it was a preseason tilt.

Fear not, Monday night the Celtics will win a long overdue, high-scoring game —
( these grunge matches are over) and send the
Miserable Mavs along their way.

The Skinny:
Rory is poised to win his 2nd US Open… -9 seems to be the number…

Croatia 🇭🇷 in Euro 2024 today…

Len & Kenn. My Dad and his brother Kenn. As I watch the U.S. Open this morning in Dallas, I’m thinking of them. It’s Father’s Day weekend and that means our national golf championship and great memories.

Dad loved golf and the camaraderie with it. He mastered the ability to still be talking while striking the ball. Every shot he gave a “very optimistic” play-by-play description!

Uncle Kenn “The Candy Man” Tirrell was a blast to play a round of golf with. Much of our matches were contested at the Crumpin-Fox Club in our native Massachusetts. Candy was a straight-shooting grinder. Off the tee he was right down the middle; didn’t hit it far, but kept it on the short hair.(the fairway)…

With both of these Cats, there was action. $ was on the line and it was small stakes; the $ was secondary—this was about bragging rights. Lenny was into gamesmanship too. Again, talking constantly. After putting out you’d get a complete recap of the hole just completed. Often I wondered if we were playing the same round?! So funny and I miss him and these times so much.

Father’s Day arrives again on Sunday. Both Dad and Uncle Kenn passed away in the last few years. I don’t think about them enough. Today and Sunday I’m going to have a threesome of golf with myself and them. Pops will be swinging and talking; Uncle Kenn will be hitting him short and straight.

I, on the other hand, will bask in the glow of memories of a simpler time; a time of a father/son sojourn around a golf course and showing love the way men do. And an uncle who was as sweet as “Candy”…

Isaiah 43:2

Len Tirrell

Picture of Kenn “ Candy Man “ Tirrell

On the cusp. The Boston Celtics most assuredly are going to be NBA Champions for the 18th time.

Two blanks to be filled in:
What game gets it done? ______?

Who is the MVP?————————

What you may have missed :
Luka Doncic cries after every freakin’ play.

Kyrie Irving is just a weird cat.
Wouldn’t want him on my team.
Mavs lose and he smiles.

Mark Cuban dyes his hair. Badly.

Celtics fans were too overheated to start trouble in Big D.
Heat index is over 100 and the Mavs can’t outscore it.

Having Mike Gminski alongside analyzing is gold. G-Man best sidekick ever. Loves Roundball.

The acoustic guitar for the National Anthem was sad… almost offensive to the Game 3 crowd at American Airlines Center.

Dallas, Texas-

Cleaning out my sports “junk
drawer”…

Red Sox fan for life, yet I’m pledging my allegiance to the Philadelphia Phillies. This P group reminds of 79-80 visiting
a friend – Doug Stotz- at UPenn and grabbing the SEPTA to Veteran’s Stadium to watch the
Phils. We’ll try and be in Philly for a few shows this summer.

Up 2-0, 86 percent of NBA teams win the series and the Championship. Number 18 for the greatest franchise in the history of sports is on its way.
The C’s!

Orioles – Phillies would be a a great World Series… just sayin’.

Sean Grande is the best radio
play by play guy in the NBA…
Sharp, prepared and knows the “moment” when it’s happening!
You can’t reach that – it’s talent.
Closing in on 25 years at the Celtics microphone. Ironic, both legendary Celtics announcers were born in New York City. Grande and Johnny Most. That should be a DQer- but we’ve been blessed to listen to them over 60 plus years.

Show tonight : Mike Gminski on Celtics/Mavs…
Evan Roberts WFAN….

Dallas gets a W tonight – Kyrie goes off!

We’re inside 74 days to 🏈!

Love the mags. Athlon, Lindy’s and Phil Steele is 2 1/2 weeks out!

Dan Hurley made a smart decision to stay put at UConn. His new contract with the Huskies will take him to among the highest-paid coaches in the country; he’s a great recruiter and with NIL he will continue to add to a dynasty in Storrs, Connecticut.

Further, the LA Lakers job is kryptonite. The last 8 coaches lasted on average 2 years. You cash the checks and are quickly “LeBron Gone.”

Aaron Judge just hit another HR…
He’s on pace for 75 plus…

Both the NBA and NHL Finals are duds… so far.
Sweeps for both the Celtics & Florida Panthers might just happen.

Scottie Scheffler looks unbeatable right now.
The US Open at Pinehurst this week finds him enjoying favoritism we haven’t seen since Tiger in his prime.
Sleeper pick: Tommy Fleetwood.

Anybody seen or heard from Dustin Johnson since he defected to the LIV Tour?
I’ve been checking milk cartons to no avail.

Ty Law sighting. At a parade hawking his vodka. The former Patriot is as kind and welcoming as they come.

Emily Kaplan is a rising star on ABC/ESPN hockey telecasts. She is excellent working the benches during the NHL playoffs… I could probably word that better, eh?

I’m still struggling with Coach Cal at Arkansas.
There again, he did coach at Memphis.

Tonight on show:
Euro 24 Preview.
6p East/5p Central
SportsByLine.com
IHeart Radio

Ty Law… all-time Patriots great

NBC was licking their chops! The billions the Peacock has laid out to continue its cache as the
TV $ streaming rights holder was about to yield a mega return on investment.

Two words were going to be the proverbial cherry on top of the sundae.

Caitlin Clark.

That is until Saturday when the 2024 US Women’s Basketball team was announced and did not include CC.

It felt like a cruel joke at first. But it obviously was not.

Look, I’ll spare you all the drama and groundswell. It’s a waste of time and energy.

Caitlin Clark is the essence of what an Olympic participant should be.

The powers that be at USA Women’s Basketball look small and petty; they are clicky and caddy.

Clark will ultimately be added to the team as she is the “first alternate” and watch how they (Jennifer Rizzotti) spin this disaster.

Tonight : Florida Panthers.

Was that a puck I heard drop? Finally, tomorrow night we get Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers.

The Skinny:
Panthers avenge last year’s Finals loss with a 4-2 series conquest.

Conn Smythe 🏆:
Sam Reinhart
Florida

Six Celtic players in double-figures, a rollicking home crowd at the Gah-Den and a clear message to the Dallas Mavericks. ‘You may beat us, but aren’t beating ourselves.’

The Mavs looked intimidated and a 9-0 immediate 2nd quarter spurt by the Celtics (Three 3’s!) and the D
Boys never really recovered as the lead swelled to 20.

Kyrie Irving was just plain no-factor. 12 points , 0/5 from distance …

Luka scored 30 and looked bad doing it. Hey, it didn’t whine because he was too embarrassed.

Delonte West played for both the Celtics and the Mavericks …other teams too. West bought homes for both his parents, gave generously to other family members.

Like so many former professional athletes once the cheering stopped, Delonte’s life quickly spun out of control. Homeless and broke, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban spotted West panhandling in Dallas and picked him up at a gas station and got him shelter and some help.

West is in court today in Virginia after being revived with Narcan from an apparent drug overdose. Police discovered an outstanding warrant.

While two of his former teams battled on the floor of the Boston Garden last night, Delonte West is fighting another round with the insidiousness of addiction.