My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:
MLB: For the first time in exactly three decades, the Kansas City Royals won the 111th edition of the World Series by outlasting the New York Mets in five exciting, action-packed games. Catcher Salvador Perez was voted the Most Valuable Player of the Fall Classic - becoming the first backstop since Pat Borders of the 1992 champion Toronto Blue Jays took home the trophy....New managerial hires - Don Mattingly, Miami Marlins; Andy Green, San Diego Padres
NFL: Through Week 8 and the halfway point of the 2K15 regular season, the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos are your teams still without a blemish in the 'loss' column with 7-0 marks. The Carolina Panthers will also try to improve to 7-0 on the year when they face the struggling Indianapolis Colts on Monday night, November 2 at home...Game of the Week - New Orleans Saints 52, New York Giants 49. Both starting QBs Eli Manning (6) and Drew Brees (7) combined to throw a league-record 13 TD passes in the game.
NBA: The 2K15-16 regular season got underway, and as of Sunday, November 1, the reigning champion Golden State Warriors led by interim head coach Luke Walton are off to a perfect 3-0 start early on. Head coach Steve Kerr is still recuperating from off-season back surgery and will return to the bench once he's fully healed-up.....Indiana Pacers legend and Hall-of-Famer Mel Daniels passed away at the age of 71.
Distance Running: 33-year-old Mary Keitany of Kenya won the women's pro division of the TSC New York City Marathon for the second year in a row with a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 25 seconds. In the men's pro, 29-year-old Kenyan Stanley Biwott emerged victorious with a 2:10:34 mark.
Misc: The 2K15 World Cup champion U.S. women's soccer team was honored by President Barack Obama at the White House, and all-time goal-scoring great Abby Wambach announced her retirement.
My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:
MLB: The Kansas City Royals repeated as American League champs after taking out the offensively potent Toronto Blue Jays in six games of the ALCS. KC looks to win their first World Series title in exactly three decades when they face sizzling-hot slugging second baseman Daniel Murphy and the New York Mets, who swept a young, talented, on-the-rise Chicago Cubs squad to win their first National League pennant since 2000. The Amazin's seek to win their first world championship since their historic, magical run back in 1986. My prediction - KC will suffer disappointment in the Fall Classic for a second-straight season, falling to the Mets' young, talented arms in six games max....After five seasons, 446 wins and postseason disappointment, Don Mattingly decided to wrap up his tenure as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers...Great news for the Boston Red Sox organization and their loyal fan base going into the 2K16 campaign: Manager John Farrell looks like he'll return to the dugout as his non-Hodgkins lymphoma is currently in remission from the treatment he's received since he took medical leave back in August....The underachieving Seattle Mariners hired 48-year-old Scott Servais as their new manager for 2K16.
NFL: The New England Patriots remain without a loss at 6-0 after edging out the New York Jets 30-23 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. Also remaining impressively unbeaten are the 6-0 Carolina Panthers after their latest win over the Philadelphia Eagles at home 27-16.
Men's College Basketball: The infamous sex scandal involving the Louisville Cardinals basketball program - in particular by way of former staff member Andre McGee paying escorts to engage in very intimate and explicit activity with players and recruits in a dorm on campus is getting serious burn. Hall-of-Fame head coach Rick Pitino alleges that he had absolutely 'zero' knowledge of what supposedly took place between 2K10 and 2K14. Former escort Katrina Powell is the source that has initially ignite the firestorm by writing a book on what allegedly took place. A messy situation for sure, and I hope that Pitino is being truthful about the matter coming into a season where they're not expected to be amongst the top 25 teams in the nation.
NHL: As of Sunday, October 25, the Montreal Canadiens are still the league's lone unbeaten at a perfect 9-0 thus far. (18 points).....Notable head coach firing - Todd Richards, Columbus Blue Jackets
NBA: In very sad news, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach/President of Basketball Ops/part-owner Flip Saunders passed away from cancer (Hodgkin lymphoma) at just 60-years-young. Saunders coached 17 seasons with the T-Wolves, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards, winning 654 career games...After holding out the entire preseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers inked rebounding power forward Tristan Thompson to a five-year, $82 million extension.
College Football: Associated Press Top 10 - 1. Ohio State. 2. Baylor. 3. Clemson. 4. LSU. 5. Texas Christian. 6. Michigan State. 7. Alabama. 8. Stanford. 9. Notre Dame. 10. Iowa....No. 1 Ohio State behind new starting QB J.T. Barrett breezed through the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 49-7 to remain unbeaten at 8-0 on the season thus far. Barrett was efficient in completing 14 of 18 passes for 223 yards, ran for an additional 101 yards and was responsible for five touchdowns scored for the Buckeyes... After getting totally embarrassed 58-0 on their home field by the then sixth-ranked Clemson Tigers, the Miami (FL) Hurricanes fired head coach Al Golden.
My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:
WNBA: For the third time in the past five years, head coach Cheryl Reeve and her Minnesota Lynx team were crowned league champions after defeating a tough, determined and gritty Indiana Fever squad in five games. Lynx veteran center Sylvia Fowles was voted the Finals' Most Valuable Player. All-Star forward/guard Maya Moore in her first five years has won three titles, Rookie of the Year and MVP. Simply incredible!
MLB: The American League Championship Series got underway, and as of Sunday, October 18, the Kansas City Royals hold a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven over the Toronto Blue Jays and are just two more 'W's away from making a return trip to the Fall Classic. In the matchup for the 2K15 National League pennant, the New York Mets are up two-nil over the wild-card Chicago Cubs - who eliminated the 100-win St. Louis Cardinals in the division round.
NFL: As of Sunday, October 18, the teams that have yet to lose a game thus far through six contests are the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots (5-0), Green Bay Packers (6-0), Denver Broncos (6-0), Cincinnati Bengals (6-0) and Carolina Panthers (5-0). The Detroit Lions finally broke through victoriously with a 37-34 overtime win over the Chicago Bears at home...My top individual performance for Week 6 goes to San Diego Chargers All-Pro QB Philip Rivers, who in a 27-20 loss to the unbeaten Packers at Lambeau Field completed 43 passes on 65 attempts for 503 yards and two TDs.
College Football: A.P. Top 10 (Week 8) - 1. Ohio State. 2. Baylor. 3. Utah. 4. Texas Christian. 5. LSU. 6. Clemson. 7. Michigan State. 8. Alabama. 9. Florida State. 10. Stanford.....Notable head coach firing - Steve Sarkisian, USC Trojans.....Steve Spurrier, 70, decided to retire immediately after 23 total seasons directing on the sidelines for the Florida Gators and for the last 11 seasons at the University of South Carolina.
Men's College Basketball: USA TODAY Preseason Top 10 Poll - 1. North Carolina. 1. Kentucky. 3. Maryland. 4. Duke. 5. Kansas. 6. Virginia. 7. Iowa State. 8. Oklahoma. 9. Villanova. 10. Arizona
NHL: As of Sunday, October 18, the red-hot Montreal Canadiens (6-0; 12 points) are the lone undefeated team in the league early on thus far.
My notable happenings in the sports world this past week:
MLB: The playoffs got underway, and as of Sunday 10/11 in the National League, the favorite St. Louis Cardinals and the wild-card Chicago Cubs are knotted-up at one apiece in their division series, as well as the matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley - pending an appeal - will be suspended for Games 3 and 4 at Citi Field for illegally sliding directly into Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada which resulted in him breaking his right leg in Game 2, which L.A. ending up winning 5-2. In the American League, the wild-card Houston Astros are up 2-1 in their series against the defending league champion Kansas City Royals, while in the other matchup in the A.L. bracket, the Texas Rangers hold a 2-1 series advantage over the offensively powerful Toronto Blue Jays....35-year-old New York Yankees lefty starter CC Sabathia will enter rehab for a month to battle his addiction to the booze. Get well soon, brother CC.....Notable managerial firings - Matt Williams, Washington Nationals (2K14 N.L. Manager of the Year); Lloyd McClendon, Seattle Mariners
NFL: The Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals are all without an 'L' through five games thus far. The New England Patriots (4-0) are also perfect early on after crushing the Dallas Cowboys 30-6 on the road coming off a bye-week....The surprisingly hapless Detroit Lions are the lone squad without a victory five contests in, but on a historic note, All-Pro wideout Calvin Johnson became the franchise's all-time leader in passes caught, surpassing the great Herman Moore on the list.....Top individual performance - QB Eli Manning, New York Giants (personal and franchise-best 41 completions on 54 attempts for 441 yards and three TDs in a huge, come-from-behind 30-27 home victory over the struggling San Francisco 49ers).....Notable player injury - RB Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs (Torn ACL in right knee; out for the season)....Notable head coach firing - Joe Philbin, Miami Dolphins
NHL: The 2K15-16 regular season got underway for all 30 clubs, and as of Sunday 10/11, the New York Rangers are a perfect 3-0 early on. The defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks are 2-1 to start their run at yet another title....As a result of a brutal illegal check he administered to the head of Anaheim Ducks right winger Jakob Silfverberg during a preseason matchup, San Jose Sharks goon forward Raffi Torres was handed a record-41-game suspension by the league.
NBA: Despite the off-court distraction of second-year head coach Derek Fisher's love life involving his current squeeze Gloria Govan and her ex-husband/baby daddy - current Memphis Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes, the new-look New York Knicks with a healthy Carmelo Anthony are focused and playing well thus far through two preseason wins so far.
Men's College Basketball: Rookie St. John's head coach Chris Mullin hired former Golden State Warriors teammate and NBA All-Star Mitch Richmond to be part of his staff as a special assistant coach.
WNBA: As of Sunday 10/11 in the league Finals, the Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever are tied 2-2 in their epic best-of-five series. A do-or-die,championship-deciding Game 5 will take place Wednesday night 10/14 at Target Center in Minneapolis.
Men's Pro Golf: For the sixth consecutive year, the Americans hoisted the Presidents Cup after narrowly edging out the international squadron 15.5 to 14.5 in South Korea.
It takes a special, on-point, unique individual to discover top-notch, exceptional, once-in-a-lifetime talent, and in the always fun and competitive arena of comedy, Bob Sumner has been and continues to be THE guy in that department. As the co-creater, producer and talent scout of the iconic HBO series Def Comedy Jam with renowned music industry mogul Russell Simmons during the 1990-era, Sner was largely responsible for introducing not just America, but the entire universe to the legendary likes of the late Bernie Mac, as well as Chris Tucker, Bill Bellamy, Mo'Nique, Mike Epps, Adele Givens, Dave Chappelle, Sheryl Underwood and so many other gifted funny men and women at that point, and as of now in 2K15, each and every one of them has achieved great success. In 2K8, Sumner - along with talent manager/producer Arthur Spivak joined forces to give birth to the on-the-rise LAFF MOBB Enterprises, with comedy series on both the SHOWTIME (LAFF MOBB Presents) and ASPIRE (LAFF MOBB's 'We Got Next') networks, and looks to continue in making a massive impact in the game. I recently spoke to Sumner by phone to discuss LAFF MOBB, the state of today's comedy landscape and more.
RG: Why should fans of stand-up comedy check for the LAFF MOBB brand?
BS: The reason the people should check out what LAFF MOBB is all about is because of exactly what the name stands for - people LAUGHING; a MOB is somewhat of a family. Therefore, we are a comedy family, but in particular, the MOBB portion of the name stands for 'More Of Bob's Best.' So basically, what I had already accomplished in the past with Def Comedy Jam in launching the careers and changing the lives of some of the best to ever do it, I am now presently trying to contribute that trend with the next generation of super-talented, hilariously funny comedians. I am trying to build LAFF MOBB the same way Berry Gordy did with Motown Records and what Russell (Simmons) did with both Def Jam Records and RUSH Management. It's all top-quality comedy here at LAFF MOBB.
RG: What's your take on the current landscape of stand-up comedy?
BS: I think it's gotten watered down and it's used too much as a hustle. People are busy wanting you to buy their DVD after the show that they couldn't deliver a great performance and look at things the hard way. That's what stand-up comedy reminds me of today. I like to look at people do their thing live onstage and see and hear what they're really all about. Some stand-up comedians are not putting in the time to perfect and hone their craft - especially when it comes to working on fresh, new, original material. For me, it's not just about seeing a funny comic onstage - it's about if that comic has 'star' quality and can make the transition to TV and film. Classic shows like 'Seinfeld' (Jerry) and 'The Bernie Mac Show' were based on their stand-up routines. They weren't just shuckin' and jivin' and humping on stools. (Both laugh)
RG: Interesting! Now with your impeccably proven and highly successful track record of discovering comedic talent over the past two decades-plus, who are the hot, on-the-rise, funny fellas and ladies that fans should be on the lookout for in 2K15 and beyond?
BS: As far as the guys are concerned, Karlous Miller (Nick Cannon's Wild'n Out) is the funniest comedian I've seen since Bernie Mac. His stand-up stage performance is like WOW! He's fresh and original, so he's doing his thing. The other fellas to also check for are Rubyn Warren, Brandon 'Hot Sauce' Glover, Austin Hall, Bryan Dey (He's the Freddie Prinze of Comedy), veteran Red Grant, Boogie B Montrell and Trey Elliot. On the women's side, look out for Pretty Ricki Fontaine. She's more of an entertainer than a stand-up - like a Carol Burnett-type. Also check for Meshelle Forman Shields aka The Indie-Mom of Comedy, and Tyree Elaine. Those are just a few of the names that jump out at me right off the bat that are really talented in the comedy game right now.
RG: Who are the most influential comedians of all-time, from your perspective?
BS: 'Moms' Mabley, Richard Pryor, Nipsey Russell, Pigmeat Markham, Carol Burnett, George Carlin, Eddie Murphy (He changed the game like Michael Jordan), 'The Godfather' Dick Gregory, Chris Rock.
RG: What are the keys to a solid stand-up comedy stage performance?
BS: The 'IT' factors I look for are confidence without cockiness....Seeing someone in their natural, relaxed element....Just being themselves and not trying to be someone else....Most importantly - ORIGINALITY! They MUST come with something that I've never heard or seen before to really 'WOW' me.
RG: What is comedy to you, Bob Sumner?
BS: THE BEST MEDICINE!
www.LaffMobb.com
*For those who feel they have the goods to become the next hot stand-up comic superstar, send your performance video links via e-mail to info@laffmobb.com
As I was thoroughly enjoying much of the 2K15 edition of the BILLBOARD Music Awards, which was well-hosted by both Christopher 'Ludacris' Bridges and the oh-so-fine and quirky Chrissy Teigen last night, one thing absolutely bothered me - the mistreatment of both Kendall and Kylie Jenner (who both looked amazing as always) by way of a smattering of boos from the crowd as they were introducing their mega-talented brother-in-law Kanye West on stage at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
I get it. The vast majority of the general public here in the U.S. of A. are sick and tired of seeing or hearing about ANY of the Kardashian family members on TV, radio, or online every single day, but don't penalize two young, lovely, impressionable ladies who are not doing any harm to anyone. Being under the shadow of their mega-famous dad - 1976 Olympic Decathlon gold medalist Bruce - who is already dealing with so much mess from the media in regards to his current transitioning into a woman - plus their older step-sisters Kim, Khloe and Kourtney is hard enough as it is, but I think both Kendall and Kylie have blossomed very beautifully - both internally and externally - and have carved their very own niches and are doing so well for themselves thus far as supermodels, TV personalities and budding entrepreneurs with the potential to be extra-phenomenal in the very near future. The credit largely goes to the bosstress mom Kris - who I admire greatly for all that she's endured in her life in raising her kids after her husband Robert, Sr. passed away. Kris will forever get lots of love from me because I think she is a FANTASTIC MOTHER - first and foremost - PERIOD!
*Personal memo to Kendall and Kylie: Whenever you hear 'boos' directed at the both of you, just look at it as the crowd respecting the good things that the both of you are currently doing. ALL of the GREATS have been booed because a small portion of the general public CANNOT handle their GREATNESS, and only WISH they could be in their league. I love the both of you gorgeous, awesome and career-driven ladies and just continue being the BEST that the both of you can be with all that you love to do. Keep up the great work, stay positively focused, and most importantly, BE BLESSED WITH GOD'S L-O-V-E because the both of you young ladies DESERVE A TON BETTER TREATMENT from both the media, general public and yes, the hounding paparazzi!
Yes - superstar comedian, actor and pretty good baller Kevin Hart took home yet another MVP trophy (his fourth) for his 15-point performance in the Sprint All-Star Celebrity Game at Madison Square Garden in the Big Apple of New York City despite his East team losing to the West 59-51 in front of a packed house, but for me, THE brightest star of the game was without question the very athletically-talented, internally awesome and gorgeous young Miss Mo'Ne Davis. Why do I say this? First off, the huge amount of love she received from the fans inside the World's Most Famous Arena was incredible - most notably for her memorable, historic work on the pitcher's mound in the Little League World Series competition during the summer of 2K14.....Secondly, she's only 13-years-young competing in a game with the likes of Hall-of-Famer Chris Mullin, former New York Knicks great Allan Houston and WNBA All-Stars Tina Charles, Skylar Diggins and Shoni Schimmel, who led all scorers with 17 points....Lastly, despite only contributing four points in the game for the West, Mo'Ne made those points count in a LOUD way - especially the electrifying spin move she put on her Philly brethren K. Hart to score a bucket, which sent The Garden, the 'Net and social media ablaze! She is truly a mega-superstar on the rise and has a solid foundation with her loving, amazing family - most notably her beautiful mom LaKeisha, which only bodes immensely well for her obviously promising future. Friday the 13th of 2K15 was definitely a night to remember at MSG for all the right reasons. MO'NE - ALL DAY!
