Tommy Lasorda Passes Away

 

Tommy Lasorda, the former Dodger manager, has passed away.  
 
He suffered a sudden cardiopulmonary arrest at his home Thursday night and was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
 
Lasorda came up to the major leagues as a pitcher. From 1954-56 he pitched for Brooklyn and then the Kansas City A's, where he had a career record of 0-4. In 1955, he had no record of 13.50 ERA.  
 
In 1961, Lasorda became a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was a scout until 1965. In 1966, he became a minor league manager in the Dodgers system. He won three straight Pioneer League titles with Oregon. From 1969-72, he was the team's triple-A manager, first with Spokane and his last season the team played in Albuquerque.  
 
 In 1973 he became the Dodgers third base coach under the iconic manager Walter Alston. He took over the team in 1976.
 
Under Lasorda, the Dodgers won 8 division titles, 4 NL Championships, and two World Series titles (1981 and 1988). He also managed the 2000 Olympic Gold Medal in Sydney.  
 
Lasorda was replaced as manager in 1996, with 1599 wins. Second most in Dodger history, at the time, the 11th most wins all time. He now stands at 22nd.
 
Under Alston and Lasorda, the Dodgers won six World Series titles, and both men were synonymous with Dodger Blue, and one of my favorite managers growing up.
 
Lasorda was 93.

Browns End Drought

 

When the Cleveland Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-22, the win meant much more than an 11-5 season. It clinched the team their first playoff spot since 2002.   
 
Cleveland is just three seasons removed from being just the third NFL team to go winless through a full season. Between 2016 and 17, the Browns won only one game. Back then, the Browns were a step ahead of being a dumpster fire. In the two seasons, the Browns started five different quarterbacks, including DeShon Kizer and Robert Griffin III. Griffin got the Browns their only win in 2016, a 20-17 win over San Diego in week 16.  
 
Since rejoining the league, in 1999, the Browns have only made the playoff twice, with the last time being the 2002 team. That season they took the wild card, only to lose to their most hated rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-33. Not only did the Browns beat the Steelers to make the playoffs this season, but now they get to play the Steelers Sunday night.
 
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are also in the playoffs this season. This is their first appearance since 2007. They went 9-7 and took the wild card to lose to the Giants 24-14.
 
The longest playoffs drought now is owned by the New York Jets, who have not been in the playoffs since 2010.

Do The Bears Need to Win?

 The best thing for the Bears could be losing to Green Bay. Let me take a moment and explain how much that first sentence hurt to write.  
 
I have been a Chicago Bears fan all my life and think the world would be better without the Packers.  
 
A Bears win could be a dangerous thing. A Packer loss matched with a Seattle win will give Seattle the number one playoff spot. Green Bay would get the two spot, and they will host the seven spot. That will be the Bears.
 
The Bears are in the playoffs with a win or tie, or an Arizona Cardinals loss or tie.
 
The number one spot can go in one of three directions. Green Bay gets the nod with a win. Seattle receives it with a win and Packer loss. If Green Bay and Seattle lose and New Orleans wins, the Saints get it. At least no one from the NFC Least can win it.
 
In reality, the Bears can meet anyone from Green Bay, Seattle, or New Orleans. No matter who the two seed is, it will be a tall order for the Bears. But to lose to the Packers in the playoffs. That is a long, hard recovery.