- 09:24 AM
- 10/15/25
| Name: | Howard Titus |
|---|---|
| Location: | Nashua, NH |
| Gender: | Old Alpha Male, hoping no young stud steals the herd. |
| Member since: | April 08, 2006 |
| Last visit: | October 14, 2025 |
Howard_T has posted 44 links and 4,601 comments to SportsFilter and 3 links and 265 comments to the Locker Room.
Bernie Parent Dead at 80: Bernie Parent, considered one of the greatest goaltenders of all time in the NHL, passed away at age 80. He backstopped the Philadelphia Flyers to consecutive Stanley Cup wins in 1974 and 1975. Parent's NHL career started with the Boston Bruins who let him go in the expansion draft, and he played in Philadelphia and Toronto before jumping to Miami of the World Hockey Association. When his time with Miami was not working out satisfactorily, he returned to the NHL and the Flyers. His boyhood idol was Jacques Plante, and during his time in Toronto, Plante was a teammate as well as a mentor.
posted by Howard_T to hockey at 11:20 PM on September 21, 2025 - 3 comments
Recent Sports Necrology: Over the past day or two the sports world has lost some notable people. Stirling Moss, passed away at the age of 90. He was one of the legendary racing drivers in what some might call the golden age of racing. Moss competed against the likes of Juan Manuel Fangio (a teammate) when Ferrari, Maserati, and Mercedes ruled.
posted by Howard_T to general at 10:28 PM on April 13, 2020 - 2 comments
Rusty Staub Dead at 73: A sad note on opening day, Le Grand Orange has passed away. His career spanned 23 seasons, mainly with the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets.
posted by Howard_T to baseball at 09:28 PM on March 29, 2018 - 3 comments
Roger Bannister has Passed Away: Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in less than 4 minutes has died. The feat was accomplished in 1954. We had a small black and white TV, and film of it was shown on the sports news. I also remember seeing it in the newsreels at the movies. It was a really big deal then, but now even high school kids are running under 4 minutes
posted by Howard_T to other at 04:05 PM on March 04, 2018 - 4 comments
...and Maybe the Dynamite Fizzles: Cleveland is having second thoughts about the Thomas-Irving trade after Isaiah Thomas took his physical. What's up here?
posted by Howard_T to basketball at 03:47 PM on August 26, 2017 - 10 comments
I love the game of baseball, but the way it is being played in the major leagues is rapidly turning me off. The sole strategy has become "the certain outcome" of a strikeout or a long ball. Most pitching has become a succession of 4-seam fastball mixed with sliders and sinkers. The ability to upset timing in order to induce weak contact is nearly gone. Rather than trying to put balls into play where fielders cannot make a play, batters will wait for the mistake, and if it doesn't come, the strikeout is often the result. Getting a ball into play with runners in scoring position is being replaced by searching for the long ball. While watching the ball disappear into the stands is exciting, too often the sequence becomes a lead off double being followed by 2 strikeouts and an easy fly ball.
posted by Howard_T at 04:05 PM on October 14, 2025
[Tiny] Cape Verde clinches country's first-ever World Cup spot
The city of Brocton, MA, and the south coast region of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut have been called the "Eleventh Island" because of the large number of immigrants from Cabo Verde. They form the largest population of Cabo Verdeans in the US. If Cabo Verde can make it to a game played in Gillette Stadium, the place will be rocking.
posted by Howard_T at 03:46 PM on October 14, 2025
Someone in Howard's family may have lit an extra votive candle this morning.
My son spent the weekend with one of his Penn State buddies in Connecticut. Their reaction to the Northwestern debacle was one of disgust. The curses and evil thoughts were accompanied by repeated stabbing of a doll in Franklin's image. No need for a votive candle.
My understanding of the buyout is that he is owed around $49 million, but there is no time stated in which it's due. It wouldn't surprise me if they pay him off in small installments equal to his annual salary, and offer him a single payment less than the full amount owed. Penn State has one of the largest alumni associations among colleges in the USA, and a lot of them have some heavy money. An example is Pegula who funded the transition of the hockey program from club to varsity. On top of which he bought the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres with his pocket change.
posted by Howard_T at 12:45 AM on October 13, 2025
With my background in engineering and the associated mathematics, I once felt that I could correctly calculate my probability of winning and the amount of profit. Parlay betting is much more complicated. It's no longer a matter of simple choice, like the perfecta or trifecta at the race track. Parlays in team sports are too dependent upon the action of the other players on both teams. Even a single prop bet, such as Player A scores more or less than X points, is not a good idea. The line is set by those who have a lot more to gain or lose than we do, and they have a lot more expertise and data too.
While in between jobs a few years ago, my son interviewed with FanDuel for a user research position. He was a finalist, but he didn't get the job. Now he is a senior manager for user experience research at Trip Advisor. We were talking about it recently, and he says that he is awfully glad that he has no part in anything that tries to make money from the gullibility of people.
posted by Howard_T at 04:08 PM on October 09, 2025
My picks:
Eagles by 16 (lock)
Broncos by 10 (lock)
Colts by 9
Chargers by 7
Patriots by 6
Steelers by 4
Cowboys by 3
Jaguars by 6
Rams by 12 (lock)
Raiders by 3
Packers by 17 (lock)
Buccaneers by 6
Chiefs by 7
Bills by 16 (lock)
Commanders by 6
Had I not fallen asleep last week and missed picking all of the 1:00 PM games, I might have have had a worse week. Undaunted, we continue making a fool of ourself.
posted by Howard_T at 03:44 PM on October 09, 2025
Former Boston Red Sox left fielder Mike Greenwell has passed away. Another who has gone way too soon.
posted by Howard_T at 03:23 PM on October 09, 2025
Lessons for Mr. Sanchez:
1. A man with a gun is a man to watch, but a man with a knife is a man to fear.
2. Never piss off an old guy. Not only are we usually ill tempered and crotchety but also once we have passed a certain age, we really don't care about possible consequences.
posted by Howard_T at 03:23 PM on October 05, 2025
Revised picks:
Cardinals by 12 (lock)
Seahawks by 9
Lions by 15 (lock)
Chargers by 8
Bills by 6 (lock)
Chiefs by 8 (lock)
Up early for church, slept badly, so really tired when I got home. Forgot about the overseas game. Started to make picks, but wanted to comment about Penn State first. Fell asleep while writing that. Picked all that had not yet started.
posted by Howard_T at 01:49 PM on October 05, 2025
Who had a worse Saturday, Belichick & North Carolina or Franklin & Penn State?
My son, the Penn State grad, has informed me that he is going to go to grad school somewhere that doesn't have athletics. By doing so he will remove all of the odor attached to this season's Nittany Lions. Franklin should be asked to leave, preferably at the business end of a well-aimed foot. He can take both of his coordinators with him. I saw an unimaginative offense, verging at times on flat out stupid. I also saw a defense that didn't know how to adjust to what the opponent was doing. Can you not spy on a quarterback who is very capable running through the middle of the field?
posted by Howard_T at 01:33 PM on October 05, 2025
For no other reason than the constant attention given to betting lines during game broadcasts, I am against sports wagering. If I am watching a game on tv, the last thing I want to know is where any particular player stands in relation to the prop bets on his performance. Tell me what he or she is doing in relation to the game, the opponent, or the record book. I really don't care about the over - under. The other reason I dislike sports betting is the real potential for scandal. It will not be much longer before we learn of games lost due to the deliberate action of one or more players to ensure an outcome that favors one group of bettors. It could destroy not only the players and their team but also the entire league. The leagues claim to be able to police themselves, but they cannot cover everything.
posted by Howard_T at 06:34 PM on October 02, 2025
My picks:
Rams by 14 (lock)
posted by Howard_T at 06:03 PM on October 02, 2025
My picks:
Cardinals by 8
Vikings by 14 (lock)
Chargers by 12 (lock)
Texans by 6 (lock)
Commanders by 10 (lock)
Bills by 4
Eagles by 7
Lions by 12 (lock)
Patriots by 9
Rams by 13 (lock)
49ers by 10
Ravens by 5
Raiders by 6
Packers by 9
Dolphins by 4
Broncos by 8
Hoping Patriots have run out of feet in which to shoot themselves.
Hoping Matthew Stafford will avoid another ball injury. (Perhaps a reinforced cup might help.)
Cajun food vs wings is a difficult choice. I'm taking wings, but I make a passable jambalaya.
posted by Howard_T at 02:41 PM on September 25, 2025
Did you miss Eddie Giacomin?
I saw the post, but I was in a place where the wifi was questionable. I remember something about Giacomin while riding on a moving train caught a piece of debris that flew through the window, saving the person next to him from injury. I can find no reference to this, so it might be something that crawled into an 84-year-old mind.
posted by Howard_T at 04:07 PM on September 22, 2025
My picks:
Bills by 9 (lock)
Packers by 11 (lock)
Colts by 6
Vikings by 7
Patriots by 4
Eagles by 3
Buccaneers by 12 (lock)
Commanders by 6
Falcons by 10 (lock)
Texans by 3
Chargers by 8
Seahawks by 6
Cowboys by 4
Cardinals by 7
Chiefs by 10 (lock)
Ravens by 9
posted by Howard_T at 06:42 PM on September 17, 2025
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
Welcome to Cincinnati! Would you like a 3- 4- or 5-way?
Welcome to Boston. I'll trade you straight up for a lobster roll and a side of cole slaw.