Friday, July 31, 2020

In my own 'bubble': Bingeing on MLB opening, NBA restart

The Lakers' Anthony Davis, early in LA's win over the rival Clippers July 30. I don't prefer
his new 'do with the braids, but what do I know? (Photos by Ed Piper from TV monitor)

By Ed Piper

I might as well just say it: Ever since the (four-month-delayed) Major League Baseball season started last week (Thurs., July 23) and the NBA season, likewise suspended, "restarted" yesterday (Thurs., July 30), I have been amazed at my ability to watch game-after-game on TV on our couch--in the absence of any other meaningful activities at my disposal.

I have to add that I've been nursing two open blisters on the sole of my right foot, incurred during my granddaughter's seventh birthday a week and a half ago. (I thought I was 23 again, or at least 30, in maneuvering on the floor of her family's new backyard swimming pool while spraying my grandson and his friend with an effective water blaster. They got me back, two-on-one, and Grandpa took a hard beating--shots to the eyeballs and face. All in fun.)

Which means I have been making an effort to stay off that size-17 earthpad, and so binge-watched and scored five MLB games Fri., July 24 on the full Opening Day (eyed a sixth, but didn't score it). Yesterday's NBA reopening, with the Lakers' win over Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers following a Zion Williamson-New Orleans Pelicans contest in the league's "bubble" at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida, was another tasty treat--a mere doubleheader.

Meanwhile yesterday, I tested out a new point-and-shoot camera, taking shots of the TV screen in our living room, if you can believe it--of the Lakers' LeBron James, his sidekick this year Anthony Davis, and the two Clippers' superstars, Leonard from SDSU and Paul George (the latter, who was phenomenal on offense in a narrow two-point loss to the Lakers).

What has stood out:

--Breaking the boredom of the enforced four-month period of inactivity (I've been at home, not working, with the loss of opportunity to substitute-teach and cover La Jolla High's cancelled sports events), I have been amazed at my ability to watch (and keep score of in my scorebooks) five baseball games on TV in a single day.

I told my wife this sets new records for me. I used to think that scoring two baseball games at once on the radio was impressive. Five games in the book in one day, from noon to 9:30 at night or so, sets all sorts of personal records for desperation and the need for entertainment.

                                                           The Padres' Fernando Tatis, helping
                                                                                   lead SD to a 4-1 start.
                                                                       

                                                                              Tatis picked off in the Pads' July 29
                                                                              bottom-of-the-9th loss to the lowly
                                                                              Giants. Mike Yastrzemski, Carl's
                                                                              grandson, hit a three-run walk-off HR
                                                                              into McCovey Cove in San Francisco
                                                                              to win it.

                                                       Two-way star Shohei Otani, just before
                                                                    he clubbed an HR in an Angels win
                                                                    over Seattle July 29.

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