Column: Cheers to Eddie, my new hero

By William Wilczewski

Next time you’re in a toasting mood but have no one to raise a glass to, consider Eddie Pepperell.

My new hero.

You gotta hand it to good ol’ Eddie, he certainly marches to the beat of a different drummer.

And that drum set — complete with bass, snare, floor tom, hi-hat and cymbals — was apparently going off in his head Sunday afternoon while playing the last round of the British Open.

“I was a little hungover. I won’t lie,” he told reporters. “I had too much to drink last night.”

Sure, we’ve all been there, right? A little less pep in our step while walking to the break room; an extra glass of water (or five) to rinse those cotton balls out of our mouth before talking to the boss; a five-minute smoke break that turn into 15 so we can try and convince Neil Peart to stop playing his Tom Sawyer solo behind our eyeballs.

Noooo, not this guy!

This guy shoots a 4-under 67 that put him in a three-way overall tie for sixth place with Tiger Woods and Kevin Chappell, who both also ended their rounds in Carnoustie, Scotland, at 5-under when all the dust settled.

It was also the low round of the final day — and one that not only poured a little salt in Tiger’s wound, but one that also gave Mr. Pepperell his first top 10 finish in a major.

I can see the beer commercials rolling in now for this bullet-proof 27-year-old.

The slogans might go something like this …

Budweiser: “It may not make you wiser, but it could improve your short game.”

Old Milwaukee: “It does get better than this — if you’re Eddie Pepperell!”

Fosters: “Australian for tying Tiger.”

Miller Lite: “Great taste … less filling … … and could net you a payday of $327,000.00.”

Tecate: “Con resaca.”

Schlitz: “Yes, we still make this pond-scum-water, but look who we’ve got as a sponsor!”

Anyway, part of me was actually a little miffed about this whole suds-soap-opera.

I mean, it doesn’t seem fair. Anytime I hit the links, I use my “barley sodas” as an excuse for why my chainsaw (used in the rough) and flip-flops (used in the sand traps) get pulled out of my bag more than a wedge or putter.

After all, no better excuse for triple-bogeying every single hole than a gut full of “loudmouth soup,” right?

But here comes Eddie, changing the game for us all. Thanks to him, it’s not enough anymore to dominate 1-18, now we have to dominate the 19^th hole, too!

Come to think of it, though, there’s really no downside to that, so, “Cheers, Eddie! The first round is on YOU!”

(Wilczewski can be reached at wilczewskiwilliam@hotmail.com.)

Open letter to Phil Mickelson (my 2018 U.S. Open champ)

Opinion by William Wilczewski

Dear “Lefty:”

From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

With one (rule-breaking) stroke of your putter on Saturday, you’ve brought the game of golf back to the common man.

Sure, in many circles you’re being trashed more than a discarded Twinkie wrapper, but — to me — your move on the 13th green that fateful day at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, N.Y., has given all us normal duffers piece of mind.

Like many of us, your bogey putt sailed passed the cup like it was on rails.

Like many of our balls, that damn Duracell Bunny kept going and going … and going!

Like many of us, you picked up your pace to a fast jog (okay, maybe it was more like a Usain Bolt sprint) and caught up to it like Rosanne Barr catching up to a lost Twinkie. Then — while it was still moving, no less — you tried to poke it back into the cup, which — sadly — didn’t work either.

All said and done, which included a 2-stroke penalty, you ended the hole with a snowman holding a couple beers (or a 10 for all you non-golfers).

Yes, people have likened it to a John Daly-esque meltdown, but to all us Average Joes, that’s not such a bad thing.

To all us Average Joes, having something we’ve done on the links being compared to a movie hybrid of Happy Gilmore and Slapshot is a good thing.

Welcome to the club!

Secret handshake details to come …

Anyway, at the end of the day, many say this may have been the worst hole of golf since Happy and Bob Barker mixed it up on their fateful day.

To us common men, though, it was just another frustrating hole during another frustrating round on yet another frustrating Saturday for yet another common man.

One just like us.

Well, accept for the $27,952.00 you made for a four-day, tied-for-48^th-place, +16-effort.

Ok, looking at it that way, maybe you’re not exactly a common man, but at least Daly has another member in his club.

You’re going to have to get with him about the secret handshake for that one …

 (Wilczewski can be reached at wilczewskiwilliam@hotmail.com.)

‘Catching’ Super Bowl fever

Opinion by William “Ski” Wilczewski

Guest columnist

Sure, the Tom Brady Haters Club of America has about a zillion members.

All who would love to put his face—and throwing arm—through a cheese grater.

And, yes, the Philadelphia Eagles fan-base is about as friendly as Al Capone on a bad hair day.

Who else would throw snowballs at Santa?

Anyway, these are two great examples of things, I think, we can all agree on when it comes to Super Bowl LII.

More importantly, though, should be the hope that this 52nd edition isn’t marred by one of the NFL’s many recent problems.

Public Enemy #1: Defining what a catch is.

After all, it shouldn’t be that difficult, right?

The ball firmly in hand or hands.

Said ball not touching the ground.

Two feet inbounds.

That should basically be it.

Sadly, in our modern day of super-slow-mo instant replay, it’s not that simple.

As a Buffalo Bills fan, I’ve felt the pain of this controversy—although not nearly as much as any Pittsburgh Steelers fan, which are likely still seeking therapy for what they’ve experienced this season.

Don’t get me wrong, though, I’m a supporter of instant replay at the end of the day.

What’s right is right. Right?

The problem seems to rear its ugly head, though, when it comes to judging “control” when time is slowed to the point that you can watch a receiver’s nose hairs grow at the same time he’s pulling in a touchdown pass at the most critical point of the game.

At some point, though, maybe we just need to go back to good ol’ school-yard judgement and move on.

I know it’s not that simple and likely will never be.

Heck, maybe it shouldn’t be that simple with the fate of the free world—and millions of dollars in Vegas—riding on every single snap.

Having said that, however, I don’t claim to have a solution to the NFL’s biggest catch-22 dilemma.

So, I’m part of the problem, you say? Well, sue me! I’m not getting paid enough for that.

But, before you rake this four-eyed, bald Polack over the coals, I hope we can at least agree on more than just wanting Brady to see half the game through his helmet’s ear hole and Santa giving Eagles fans the aforementioned coal on his big day in about 11 months.

And that’s a Super Sunday without any of the crazy controversy that could spoil one of the greatest days on Planet Sport.

(Wilczewski can be reached at wilczewskiwilliam@hotmail.com.)

Super Bowl LII ... Eagles vs. Patriots: Who makes the grade?

By William “Ski” Wilczewski

Guest analyst

(Editor’s note: Wilczewski is not an expert, although he does play one on TV.)

Super Bowl LII should provide many interesting coaching and skilled-position matchups. Here are a few and they how stack up in classic school-grade format.

HEAD COACH

Patriots: A+

Bill Belichick is the modern Vince Lombardi. He may not be the easiest interview in the world, but he certainly does his talking with how he moves his chess pieces on the gridiron. And Belichick’s ability to plug in pawns and make them kings has been his strength above all others. That has been the key to New England’s long reign of terror in the last decade or so. It will also be the key Feb. 4 if Philadelphia gives the Pats a run for their money, as many real experts think they can.

But more than Xs and Os, Belichick knows that the devil is in the details, and understands situational effectiveness, which creates incredible problems for any team looking to game-plan them or—more so—stick to a game plan against them.

Eagles: B+

Doug Pederson may not be as high-profile as Belichick, but, then again, who is? Regardless, Pederson—and the rest of his coaching staff—has gone through many ups and downs this season, and has still managed to reach the pinnacle. The worst of those downs was likely losing quarterback Carson Wentz to injury. Bouncing back from that alone is enough reason to be impressed with Pederson. And a Super Bowl victory over Belichick would be a large feather in the cap that very few can display.

QUARTERBACK

Patriots: A+

Tom Brady is Mr. Clutch. There’s no denying it. Time and time and time again (including nine AFC championship since 1996 and five Super Bowl titles since 2002), Brady has proven no situation is too daunting to overcome. Coming back from a 25-point deficit with 8:31 left in the third quarter to defeat Atlanta in last season’s Super Bowl is perfect proof.

Even with an apparent busted up thumb, Brady has been rock solid in the playoffs this season, and showing no signs of that changing come Feb. 4. Yes, he’s got some talented targets (we’ll get to those soon), but he’s proven to the be the gold standard, regardless. Brady’s quick release and quicker-thinking ahead of time has puzzled defenses for years, and will once again prove to be a monumental challenge for the Eagles—although that comes as no surprise.

Eagles: B

Nick Foles, the first University of Arizona signal called to start in a Super Bowl, has done an impressive job of backing up an injured Wentz, and deserves high praise for Philadelphia’s offense basically not skipping a beat since Wentz went down.

Foles has shown poise and command in a situation where it would be easy to fold under the pressure. But he hasn’t. New England’s defense would be wise to not underestimate him, especially if he gets hot. If he doesn’t quite get hot, he can still be dangerous but also hasn’t been quite as consistent in clutch situations compared to his counterpart Brady, not that any other NFL QB can claim that, either.

Foles also has some big bodies to protect him, too, plus some dynamic ball-catchers to help him look good, but he and his Eagles will also need an effective ground game to keep New England’s defense guessing if they hope to have enough success—especially late in the game.

RUNNIGBACK

Patriots: C

New England’s offensive backfield has been more of a threat in the passing game than the running game of late (again, not a big surprise with Mr. Wonderful throwing the ball), but some ground production from Dion Lewis, James White and Rex Burkhead could go a long way for the defending Super Bowl champs. Unfortunately for them, Lewis was their leading rusher against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC championship game with a mere 34 yards on nine carries. As a whole, the Pats’ backs only tallied 46 yards on 19 carries—one glimmering weakness in The King’s Court.

Eagles: B-

The Eagles aren’t exactly loaded in the backfield, either, but if Jay Ajayi can get on track, it would help open things up for Foles and create an offensive balance that Philly will need to knock The King off his mountain.

Ajayi ran for 73 yards on 18 totes and no TDs against the Vikings in the NFC title game. He also didn’t fumble, which will also be critical for the Eagles’ offense across the board come Feb. 4.

RECEIVERS

Patriots: A

Two words: Mutt and Jeff. In other words, Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola. These two are the equivalent of an NFL backfield’s thunder and lightning, providing Brady with more variety than a box of Lucky Charms has marshmallows. Go ahead, try to double-team Gronk; much easier said than done. It’s like trying to cover a Jiffy Lube on train tracks.

Then there’s Amedola, who’s about as big as a pimple but shiftier than a sinner in church.

Between these two alone, Philly’s linebacker corps and defensive backfield will have their hands more full than a one-armed juggler.

Eagles: B

This position will be critical for Philly, which is facing the third worst passing defense in the NFL that gave up 251 passing yards per game in the regular season. It could also help Foles wrap up the season with his third straight 300-yard passing performance.

His targets will also likely be a Mutt and Jeff duo in Zach Ertz and Alshon Jeffery. If the Pats’ suspect secondary isn’t careful, though, they may also get surprised by Nelson Agholor and Torrey Smith.

The Eagles, however, might be best served to use this entire committee to keep Belichick and Pats’ defensive coordinator Matt Patricia scratching his bearded chin in wonderment of what’s coming next.

OVERVIEW

As expected, it appears the New England Patriots have the edge in this one, but the old-saying “that’s why they play the game” isn’t an old saying for no good reason.

In fact, as much as New England likely cherishes the role of Evil Ruler, the Eagles cherish the role of underdog—stated no more clearly than by defensive end Chris Long’s now-famous German Shepard mask.

These two factors alone should—hopefully—make this yet another Super Bowl to remember, regardless who gets the top grade when the school bell rings at the end of class.

 (Wilczewski can be reached at wilczewskiwilliam@hotmail.com.)

Taking inventory in Buffalo

Opinion by William Wilczewski

Buffalo Sabres and Bills owner Terry Pegula has come under fire lately in Western New York for some recent bold decisions he’s made on behalf of the two major sports franchises he now leads.

Those decisions mirrored each other when, in the last week or so, he cleaned house more efficiently than an obsessive compulsive on a caffeine high at the county dump.

Yes, in both the Sabres and Bills organizations, Pegula has axed not only last season’s coaches but also both organizations’ general managers.

In doing so, some have accused him of making those teams a national punchline, while others are more concerned about the mistakes of the past that led to those teams becoming the butt of all those jokes.

The latter I can understand, because both the Sabres and the Bills were national punchlines long before Pegula grabbed his dustpan.

If you ask me, though, he did it the right way, because he gave everything he inherited (well, okay, bought) a chance before doing his best Mr. Clean impression.

That impression now, though, serves as yet another ray of hope for a city that’s been without playoff hockey for the last six years—and playoff football for an astounding 17.

On the icey side of things, that meant a goodbye to skipper Dan Blysma, who won a Stanley Cup in 2009 with Pittsburg, and GM Tim Murray, who—by most general reports—seemed to be building quite the roster for the blue and gold in the last few seasons with the acquisitions of offensive stalwarts Jack Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly and Evander Kane.

Defenders Rasmus Ristolainen, Zach Bogosian and Dmitri Kulikov have also bolstered the defensive side of things, which still lacks solid goaltending, but the pieces of the puzzle seemed to be coming together.

Somehow, though, that house of cards came crumbling down this past season when Buffalo did worse (33-37) than they did the year before (35-36). And this was supposed to be the breakout year after the honeymoon with then-rookie and crowned wonder boy Eichel in 2015-16.

Eichel did start the 16-17 season on the walking-wounded list after suffering a high ankle sprain in the preseason, but the Boston University stud didn’t take much time to catch up once he was stamped healthy after the first 21 games of the regular season.

His Sabres, on the other hand, seemed to always be playing catchup—and never quite got there.

I guess that was the final straw for Pegula, who’d seen flashes of brilliance from the Sabres, but none that ever created enough spark to ignite the franchise’s first winning season since 2011-12, when the Sabres went 39-32. That was a year after their last playoff appearance in 2010-11 when they went 43-29 but lost a seven-games series to Philadelphia in the conference quarterfinals.

A trip back to the playoffs, though, is all Buffalo’s faithful fans are asking for out of Pegula—who, according to some in the Sabres peanut gallery, is letting Eichel pull the strings at KeyBank Center.

The actions of the last week or so, though, give me the clear impression that Pegula has a firm grasp on those strings—and is prepared to do whatever it takes to make his Bills and Sabres relevant in the big picture.

Whether cleaning house is an efficient way of doing that or not is yet to be seen, but it certainly beats sitting on your hands and merely hoping things will magically change somehow.

I just hope Eichel & Company realize none of this takes the pressure off them. If anything, it may just add to it—meaning that roster spots just might be the next things on the chopping block if things don’t change.

And fast.

COLUMN: New MLB rule a blunder for the hardcore fan

 

Opinion by WILLIAM “SKI” WILCZEWSKI

 

There’s been a lot of talk lately about rule changes in Major League Baseball.

Plenty of negotiations have been going on between the players’ union and MLB. Among other things, they’ve been discussing the strike zone, pitch clocks and the number of trips to the mound for strategy talk.

The last two would certainly be an attempt to speed up a game that’s slower than the last day of school, and the goal—regardless of what changes are made, according to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred—is to “have little effect on the competitive character of the game.”

This—at least I think—is where the ball has been dropped, because it was announced Wednesday that intentional walks will be pitchless from now on.

In other words, this means that a manager or pitcher will just signal the umpire in order for the batter to take first base uncontested.

No catcher standing up four times with his arm stretched out to tell the pitcher to throw it intentionally wide of the strike zone.

No pitcher having to the throw the ball intentionally wide of the strike zone to the catcher four successful times.

I stress the word successful, because this isn’t always such a simple task, and without it, the competitive character of the game is being compromised.

Yes, 2017 is the year that nothing needs to be done but a head nod for a base to be gained in the world’s greatest game.

That makes this one great mistake, if you ask me, because you’re taking away actually having to successfully accomplish A in order to get your desired outcome of B.

Sure, to the casual baseball fan, this is no big deal at all; as inconsequential as banning Stevie Wonder from an eye exam room.

For the more hardcore fan, on the other hand, you’re taking nail-biting out of the game, because as all hardcore fans know, if the worst can happen at the worst time, it probably will.

And it has over the years.

Sure, throwing a wild-pitch on an intentional walk at a crucial moment of a crucial game—or any time for that matter—is more embarrassing than a pimple at the prom, but that’s why these guys make the big bucks, right?

And, there’s always the possibility of the batter getting a hold of an intentional walk pitch, which has happened plenty of times, too, if the pitcher doesn’t quite do his job right.

What’s next, the PGA handing out gimmees for two-foot-or-less putts?

Or literal free throws in basketball.

Heck, while we’re at it, the next time your rival football team is on the one-inch line, what would you say if they just decided to give ‘em the touchdown. (Hey, they were close enough, right?)

This is how it all seems to me, anyway, making me more shocked than a schizophrenic that stopped getting letters … from himself!

Sure, I do have a tendency to make Everests out of molehills sometimes, but I don’t think that’s the case this time.

Do you?

COLUMN: Charismatic was very … well, charismatic

Opinion by WILLIAM WILCZEWSKI

 

To some, Charismatic was just a horse.

To others, he was a lot more.

I’m in the second category.

More specifically, he was a great memory—and one that I talk about often when I look back on my career as a sports journalist.

In this case, though, in 1999, I had a camera in my hand instead of a notepad.

On the track.

At the Kentucky Derby in Louisville.

Blood-Horse Magazine on my left.

Sports Illustrated on my right.

I was in a class well-above my head.

Little did I know, though, that all this fascination would vanish when the starting gate opened and Charismatic—who passed away at age 21 on Sunday—broke from his standstill and finished with jockey Chris Antley waving his No. 1-finger enthusiastically to the hooting and hollering crowd.

I literally felt the ground shake that day.

I also saw a beautiful, sinewy animal do what he did best in his prime.

Run.

And run fast.

It was one of a few Derby’s I’d shot in the late 1990s, and is still one of the best memories of not only my career but of my life.

Granted, I’ve been told by more than one person that I really don’t have much of a life, but because of this experience, I must beg to differ.

Now, Charismatic is no longer with us.

His memory, though, will continue to live on forever—at least in my eyes.

My proof is an 8x10 of the shot I took at the finish line that magnificent sunny day in May, Antley proudly waving that finger onboard The Chestnut Wonder.

I gave that 8x10 to my Uncle Al. After his passing, it was safeguarded into the hands of my cousin Mark, who now has it proudly displayed in his office.

It just doesn’t get much better than that.

Thanks, Charismatic. R.I.P.