Goosegumps: ABCs of a San Diego sports weekend

Here are the ABCs from another exciting sports weekend…How about those Padres?

AAA+: The city of San Diego and neighboring cities countywide, all of whom never wavered in their love and support of their Padres. Beating the Dodgers to advance to the NLCS must have tasted sweet. I have been here in Solana Beach since 1977 and have never seen such adulation. I saw people crying…and 98% were Padres fans!

AAA: Our kids and grandchildren, the families hugging and kissing, the rain starting to fall when the Padres trailed the Dodgers, 3-0. The thoughts of losing came roaring back — San Diego always choked in the past. We didn’t want to go back to Los Angeles for Game 5. This night was different than any other. We knew they could. The city became monumentally unified.

AAA: El Cajon’s Joe Musgrove pitching lights-out for the Padres in Game 4, giving his team a chance to come back after trailing the Dodgers 3-0 through six innings. The honoring of former Padres pitcher Jake Peavy, who threw the first pitch before the game wearing Musgrove’s No. 44 jersey (For those who don’t know, Musgrove honors Peavy by wearing No. 44). This was an electric start to a baseball game.

AA: The sports bars like Chief’s Burgers & Brew in Solana Beach and many others along the coast packed fans inside like sardines. This was a must-watch game.

A+: The San Diego sports fans, who filled Petco Park for both playoff games against the Dodgers, were connected from the moment they entered the ballpark. They cheered everyone, and I mean everyone. Rob Machado, UFC’s Dana White, the goose signs and gear (one fan had a goose assembled on his Padre hat) and the rain! Hell, they cheered the San Diego Padres grounds crew. The fans’ spirit was contagious and extremely intense over 48 hours this weekend. Proud to be a part.

A: The goose who landed on the field in Game 2 of the NLDS. Was it the Mother Goose? Former Padres HOF pitcher Goose Gossage? Most Padres fans believed it was a sign of good luck. Now we know. Also, I would like to give an “A “to the good folks who were sardined inside trolleys going to the game. That’s why we are called America’s Finest City. The people make the city great — people helping one another.

A: The San Diego Padres bullpen…These guys were downright nasty. Martinez, Suarez and Hader worked their way out of some big situations all week and never folded — not once.

A: Petco Park…The best baseball park in the world and a food court that is second to none. This stadium likely reached the highest decibel level in its history. This place was rocking. You could argue this was the most fantastic weekend in baseball for the Padres since they opened Petco in 2004. This game experience will live with me forever.

A: Alabama-Tennessee football game…Alabama head coach Nick Saban Alabama was 17-0 versus Tennessee since 2006. Label this one an instant classic after the Volunteers defeated the Crimson Tide 52-49 in overtime. And remember the name Herndon Hooker, the Vols’ QB.

A: Indianapolis Colts QB Matt Ryan setting a team record of 42 completions against Jacksonville.
Some great QBs of that organization — Bert Jones, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck and Phillip Rivers.

A: Houston Astros needing 18 innings to close out the Seattle Mariners, 1-0. Houston wins the series 3-0.

A: The San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies won their respective series from two 100-win teams: Dodgers (111) and Braves (101). The Padres did it twice after eliminating the NY Mets (101) in the wildcard playoff round.

B: The New York Jets manhandling the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. This “B” is for “beatdown.”

B:  Both USC-Utah and Oklahoma State-TCU were awesome college football games. Utah and TCU were victorious. The Trojans-Utes game was an instant classic and should be upgraded to an A. Add TCU’s comeback.

B: Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen…now the favorite to win the MVP after taking down Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, who threw three interceptions and beating the Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium, 24-20.

B: The New York Giants…Both New York teams have winning records: NY Jets (4-2) and NY Giants (5-1).

B: The Philadelphia Eagles…Now 6-0 versus the Dallas Cowboys with their win Sunday night 26-17.

C: The Dodgers seemingly take the Padres for granted, possibly overlooking the series.

C: The video of former Padres all in a suite on Saturday night at Petco depicted on the Jumbotron. The Padres were down 3-0 in the 7th inning, but Padres hall-of-fame pitcher HOF pitcher and Padres face Trevor Hoffman fist-bumped the fans with belief and strength. This should be an A … Tremendous love and respect in that place.

D: The Dodgers…111 wins down the drain. Look, my longtime best friend, the late Jerry Tarkanian, always told me that the regular season means absolutely nothing. During the regular season, Los Angeles went 14-5 against the Padres, outscored San Diego 104-46, and won the NL West title by 22 games. Now, the Padres are heading to the NLCS against the Phillies.

D: Dave Roberts…Let me preface this by saying I have seen the ascending path of Roberts, a resident of Cardiff, going back to his QB days at Rancho Buena Vista High School and a well-respected former Padres player and coach. That said, Roberts pulling pitcher Tyler Anderson in the 5th inning with the Dodgers leading 3-0 will be second-guessed for many years to come. I will never be mean to this man of Christ and a good human being. It’s only a game. Everyone who meets this guy loves him. But he’ll take a lot of abuse for this loss.

D: Dallas Cowboys…After his first bad game, QB Cooper Rush will open the path for the return of Dak Prescott … add Dallas’s defense .. worst game of the year.

F: The Dodgers, Braves, Green Bay Packers, LA Lakers, NY Mets manager Bucky Showalter…Oh, wait, that was last week…

League Championship Series

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