National Baseball League

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1921 World Series Champions: New York Mets (1st title)

Mike (big, booming): “Dog, the Mets have done it — THE METS HAVE WON THE WORLD SERIES! Alicea, with the WALK-OFF, down the right-field line, keeps it fair, and the Mets — after all the heartbreak, all the frustration — they’re finally champions!”

Mad Dog (shrieking): “MIKEY! It’s the biggest swing in Mets history! PEDRO ALICEA! Bottom of the 10th, two outs, the Yankees thinking ‘we’re going to the 11th,’ and then BANG, into the porch in right field — GAME OVER, SEASON OVER, METS ARE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!”

Mike: “And Dog, think about the drama here. Yankees take the lead in the top of the ninth, Romero with the double, it’s 1-0, you figure the Yanks are forcing Game 7. Mets are down to their last out, Joe Stacks comes through with the single to tie it, and then Alicea — history. You can’t script it any better.”

Mad Dog: “It’s devastating if you’re a Yankee fan, Mike. DEVASTATING. You had the Series in your hands, bullpen lets it get away AGAIN, and now you’re gonna live with this forever. Twenty years of frustration for the Mets, and in the most dramatic fashion possible, they stick it to the Yankees at Citi Field. Ohhh, Mikey, that’s a stinger!”

Mike: “Listen, give credit where it’s due. Sloan was the MVP, but this was a total team effort. Stacks, Contreras earlier in the Series, Alicea tonight. They just refused to die. Every time the Yankees thought they had ‘em, the Mets had an answer.”

Mad Dog (pounding desk): “THEY REFUSED TO DIE, MIKEY! That’s the difference! And now, after all the collapses, all the curses, all the years watching the Yankees pile up championships — it’s the Mets who finish on top. It is the METS’ city tonight!”

Mike: “No doubt about it. Mets win the Series, 4 games to 2. First title in franchise history. One of the greatest comebacks and finishes you’ll ever see.”

Mad Dog (laughing, yelling): “And the Yankees? Oh, they’ll be thinking about this one for the next hundred years!”

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World Series walk-off home run

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NHL 2005 Standings

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Yo, check it, man — Calgary straight up smoked L.A. in this Wild Card game, bitch!
Flames rolled in like, boom, first inning — Grubin goes deep, three-run bomb, yo. Kings didn’t even know what hit ‘em. By the end of the night? Scoreboard lookin’ straight up ugly: 13-8, Calgary. That’s like a beatdown with fireworks, man.
Nazem Kadri? Dude was a beast, yo. 5-for-5, homer, 4 ribbies, hittin’ like he’s Walter White with a bat instead of a beaker. Bro was straight up cooking out there. Grubin too, droppin’ bombs and doubles like, “say my name.” Whole Flames lineup just raining hits, man.
Kings tried to fight back, right? Sanchez tripled, Fuller cleared the bases late, but nah — too little, too late. Their pitching? Pure disaster, man. Camacho didn’t even get an out before Calgary lit him up. Donahue, Parker, Lopez — all of ‘em got wrecked, yo.
So yeah, Calgary moves on, bitch. Next round? Chicago. Blackhawks sittin’ there all chill with a bye, but now they gotta deal with Kadri and his crew. Flames be like, “Yeah science!” but with bats, yo.
Bottom line? Kings cooked. Flames movin’ up. Playoffs, bitch!

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So the Flyers absolutely rolled Montreal in this Wild Card game. And folks, this wasn’t a win — this was a statement. Final score? 16 to 5. That’s not playoff hockey, that’s a demolition.
And let me say this — Philadelphia looked like the more talented, deeper, and frankly more prepared team. Montreal came in sloppy. Four errors, poor pitching, no bullpen depth — that’s not how you win elimination games. That’s how you book tee times in September.
Sean Couturier? He was the adult in the room. Two hits, three RBIs, four runs scored. MVP of the game. This is what Philadelphia does — they find grinders, leaders, guys who don’t shrink in big moments. And listen — when your best player plays his best in the postseason, you win. Period.
Montreal? They’re the opposite. They’re the team with a leaky roof, bad plumbing, and you just keep hoping duct tape will hold it together. Their starter, Sanchez? Didn’t even last two innings. Seven hits, six runs, ERA north of thirty. That’s not a playoff starter, that’s a batting practice pitcher.
And this is why Philadelphia is dangerous in the next round against New York. The Rangers had the bye, sure, but the Flyers come in hot, confident, and tested. In single elimination, momentum matters. Chemistry matters. And right now, the Flyers have both.
Bottom line: Philadelphia’s culture showed up, Montreal’s flaws got exposed, and this series was over by the third inning. Flyers win, they move on, and they’ve got the look of a team nobody’s going to want to face in the East.

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2005 NHL Conference Semifinals

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[Mike Francesa voice]:
Alright, Dog, lemme tell ya, this one in Vancouver, ten innings, Wild beat the Canucks 5–3, Game One, and I’ll tell ya, Dave Schultz was terrific. Seven shutout innings, Dog, terrific. Hundred and sixteen pitches, kept ‘em quiet, Vancouver couldn’t touch him. That’s the story.

[Mad Dog Russo voice]:
MIKEY, MIKEY, HOLD ON A SECOND, HOLD ON! YOU SAY HE WAS TERRIFIC — HE WAS! — BUT THE MINNESOTA BULLPEN, MIKE, THE BULLPEN NEARLY BLEW IT! They’re up 2–0, Schultz is out, Ochoa comes in, gives up the Pennypacker homer, ties the game! RODRIGUEZ ALMOST BLOWS IT IN THE TENTH! You can’t trust these guys, Mike! YOU CAN’T!

[Mike]:
Listen, Dog, they won the game. Bottom line. They got the doubles in the tenth, Rolon, Seinfeld, Torres with the big homer back in the second. They did what they had to do. You go on the road, you steal Game One in Vancouver, best-of-seven, that’s the formula.

[Mad Dog]:
BUT MIKE, LOOK AT VANCOUVER! EIGHT HITS, THREE RUNS, PENNYPACKER — WHO IS THIS GUY?! — HE HITS THE HOMER IN THE EIGHTH, TWO HITS, TWO RBIs, U-GALDE WITH THE HOMER IN THE TENTH! They had the crowd goin’ NUTS! And then Nakasone comes in and can’t get anybody out! KILLS ‘EM, MIKE! ABSOLUTELY KILLS ‘EM!

[Mike]:
That’s the difference, Dog. Minnesota’s pitching, at least at the top with Schultz, was better than Vancouver’s late arms. That’s the difference in playoff baseball — or hockey, whatever we’re callin’ this thing. The Wild take Game One, and now Vancouver’s in trouble.

[Mad Dog]:
IN TROUBLE, MIKE, BIG TIME! THEY LOSE HOME FIELD, THEY LOSE THE MOMENTUM, AND NOW TOMORROW THEY GOTTA FACE IT AGAIN! YOU CANNOT LOSE GAME ONE AT HOME IN A BEST-OF-SEVEN! YOU JUST CAN’T!

[Mike]:
Well, they did. Wild up 1–0. That’s it.

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[Superfans at the table, sausage and beer in hand]
Bill: Alright, so, da Blackhawks… dey take Game One against Calgary, ten to five. Ten to five! Da Flames? Toast. Crispy. Like a sausage left on da grill too long.
Pat: Oh sure, Bill. And lemme tell ya — Armando Gonzalez, two hits, three RBIs, a dinger. Da guy’s basically Mike Ditka with a bat. If Ditka played second base, Blackhawks sweep this series in one game.
Todd: [interrupts, mouth full] Question for da table: how many RBIs would Ditka have if he batted against da Flames’ bullpen?
Carl: [thinks hard] Uh… carry da one… conservatively? … about four hundred and twelve.
Bill: [nodding] Reasonable.
Pat: Lemme tell ya, da fourth inning was da killer. Blackhawks put up seven runs. Seven! Hextall with a homer, Bedard with a homer, and then — BOOM — Gonzalez clears da bases. Flames pitchers? Ramos, Hwang, Visser — doesn’t matter who ya put out dere. Da only thing dey were pitchin’ was batting practice.
Todd: [laughing] Hwang’s ERA? A hundred and eight point zero zero. Dat’s not an ERA, dat’s a blood pressure reading.
Carl: [grins] Dat’s also my cholesterol, Todd.
All together: Da Hawks!
Pat: So Hawks up 1–0 in da series. Next game at da United Center. Prediction: Blackhawks sweep.
Bill: In how many, Pat?
Pat: Oh, sweep in negative two. They already won. Ditka declared it.
Todd: Final thought: Flames? More like… “charred embers.”
All together: HAHAHAHA! DA HAWKS!

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[Mike Francesa voice]:
Alright, so the Islanders, they beat Hartford, one nothin’, Game One, Conference Semis, UBS Arena. Roman — Eduardo Roman — terrific. Seven innings, four hits, no runs, walked one, struck out three, Dog, he was in total command.

[Mad Dog Russo voice]:
MIKEY, MIKEY, HOLD ON! YES, ROMAN WAS GREAT, BUT THIS WAS A TERRIBLE GAME TO WATCH! ONE NOTHIN’! NO OFFENSE! THE ONLY RUN COMES ON A SACRIFICE FLY BY BERNABEL! A SAC FLY, MIKE! C’MON!

[Mike]:
Dog, that’s playoff baseball. You gotta win games like this. Roman did his job, Jacomino comes in, two shutout innings, they shut the door. That’s a formula for a series win.

[Mad Dog]:
YEAH, YEAH, BUT GIVE ELLSWORTH CREDIT FOR HARTFORD, MIKE! HE GOES EIGHT INNINGS, ONE RUN, FOUR HITS, HE WAS EXCELLENT! HE DESERVES BETTER! HIS TEAM DID NOTHING! Bania, Francis, Donahue, Gomez — ALL O-FER! THEY COULDN’T HIT WATER IF THEY FELL OUTTA A BOAT, MIKE!

[Mike]:
They didn’t score, Dog, that’s the bottom line. Five hits, no runs, left men on base, didn’t execute. You can’t win like that on the road in the postseason.

[Mad Dog]:
SO THE ISLANDERS TAKE GAME ONE, AND NOW HARTFORD IS IN TROUBLE! BIG TROUBLE, MIKE! YOU GO DOWN 2–0 IN BELMONT, SERIES IS OVER! GOOD NIGHT, DRIVE HOME SAFELY!

[Mike]:
Islanders up one game to none. Roman was terrific. That’s it.

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[Mike Francesa voice]:
Alright, so the Rangers, they open up they series, they beat da Flyers, 7–2, Garden was rockin’, alright, they’re up one game to none. Gi-Hun on the mound — five innings, only three hits, struck out twelve, little wild with the walks, but Dog, the stuff was electric.

[Mad Dog Russo voice]:
MIKEY, THIS WAS A CRAZY GAME! THE RANGERS SCORE FIVE RUNS IN THE EIGHTH INNING, MIKE! FIVE! IT’S TWO–TWO GOING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH, AND THEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! BLIEBERNICHT HITS A TRIPLE, CUYLLE A HOMER, BRISTOL A HOMER — IT WAS A CAVALCADE OF RUNS, MIKE, THE FLYERS COMPLETELY FOLDED!

[Mike]:
Jon Ramirez, Dog, he was awful. He comes in relief, gives up five runs, couldn’t get anybody out. Flyers had this game tied late, you can’t have your bullpen implode like that on the road.

[Mad Dog]:
HORRENDOUS, MIKE, HORRENDOUS! AND GIVE THE CROWD CREDIT — 53,000 AT THE GARDEN, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THEY WERE GOING BANANAS! THAT’S A PLAYOFF ATMOSPHERE!

[Mike]:
Gi-Hun did his job. Struck out twelve, handed it to the bullpen, Rodriguez closed the door. Rangers’ lineup showed balance — Bliebernicht, Cuylle, Escandon, Bristol — all came up big.

[Mad Dog]:
AND LET’S NOT FORGET, MIKE — GILBERTO YANEZ GETS THROWN OUT IN THE FIFTH INNING! EJECTED! YOU CAN’T LOSE YOUR SHORTSTOP IN A PLAYOFF GAME BECAUSE YOU’RE YAPPING AT THE UMPIRE! TERRIBLE DISCIPLINE FROM THE FLYERS!

[Mike]:
Bottom line, Rangers up one game to none. Flyers had their shot, didn’t take it. Rangers are the better team, they showed it.

[Mad Dog]:
BIG WIN, MIKE, BIG WIN! BUT THE SERIES AIN’T OVER! PHILADELPHIA WILL COME BACK TOMORROW — THEY GOTTA! OTHERWISE THIS COULD BE A QUICK ONE!

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Ohhh, Lemme tell ya somethin’, I’m watchin’ this game, and I can’t believe what I’m seein’, I mean COME ON! The Blackhawks, they get smoked 17-6 by Calgary! Seventeen to SIX! I mean, this ain’t football, it’s hockey—or baseball, whatever they’re playin’ now—and we’re losin’ like little kids in gym class.
Mila Grubin, she’s just laughin’ out there, hittin’ FOUR home runs, drivin’ in SIX, scor—SIX runs! And our boys? Our CHICAGO Blackhawks? They’re droppin’ the puck like it’s hot potatoes. Alex Suarez gets tagged for three home runs in one inning! THREE! Who’s pitchin’ this garbage?!
And we got R. Hextall tryin’ to keep us in it, throwin’ some power, hittin’ a couple home runs himself, but it’s like throwin’ a snowball at a blowtorch! I mean, look at the pitching line—7 runs on 6 hits in FIVE innings? FIVE INNINGS, for crying out loud!
And it’s the United Center, our HOME, and we got 41,000 people watchin’ this train wreck. Forty-one THOUSAND! They’re booing, they’re comin’ outta there mad as hell, and can ya blame ‘em? I mean, we might as well have stayed home and watched reruns of Da Bears sketches, at least we’d get a laugh.
Game 3? Sunday in Calgary. I dunno if I can watch. I’m tellin’ ya, I got a headache just readin’ the box score. Seventeen runs, SIX for Chicago… What the hell happened to this team?! They’re supposed to be tough, Chicago tough! This ain’t tough, this is embarrassing!
I’m tellin’ ya, we gotta find some defense, some pitching, SOMETHING, or it’s gonna be a long, long series. And don’t get me started on Grubin… Mila Grubin, playin’ like she’s in a video game, just destroying the United Center. Oy vey.