In his first year, Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell guided his batter-ready, bearded bunch of Red Sox players to a World Series victory. It had been since 1918, that the Red Sox had won a final deciding World Series game at home, but on October 30 (the night before Halloween), the Red Sox made it all happen again for Red Sox Nation and the good people of Bean town. Their intensely loyal fans of the friendly Fenway Park stood in the stands, savored the moment, and drank in a very well deserved sip of all that is good in baseball world. Suffice to say that “the curse of the Bambino” (involving a trade that sent Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees) has been lifted forever.
Cal-Berkeley is unfortunately experiencing a rough-go (losing season and locker room in-fighting) in recent weeks, and Cal Bear alum Aaron Rodgers is having a tough time as well given what happened on Monday Night. As the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears are now all knotted up with records of 5-3, the Bears beat the Packers by a touchdown, and Aaron Rodgers is now out indefinitely (minimum 3 weeks) with a broken collarbone.
Seneca Wallace will step in as the Quarterback and hopes that Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy will make NFL watchers and Lambeau Field loyalists overlook a shoddy Packer Defense that is clearly missing the presence of an injured Clay Matthews.
Players Sports Bar and Grill offers The PAC-12 Network on our TV screens. Thursday Night down “on the farm” in Palo Alto is THE PAC-12 Game of the Year. For the #2 (or #3) Oregon Ducks, they will battle the #5 (or #6) Stanford Cardinal. ESPN is sending one of its game day crews to cover what happens outside the stadium (in addition to what happens on the gridiron at Stanford Stadium). Whoaaaaa Nellie, this will be a game for the ages as the Ducks try to avenge last year’s 17-14 loss to Stanford in Eugene, Oregon. The other very important Thursday Night game (4:30pm) pits the #10 Oklahoma Sooners visiting the #6 Baylor Bears.
In adding to the pageantry of college football, Stanford will retire John Elway’s number during the Oregon game. Other PAC-12 Saturday games will feature: Colorado at Washington (5pm), #22 Arizona State at Utah (1pm), USC at Cal (12 noon), and #19 UCLA at Arizona (7pm).
College Football Games are played for 60 minutes that much we know. AND then there are stories of college football living legends on 60 Minutes (the show). Coach Nick Saban and #1 Alabama are embroiled in their preparations to host its SEC West Rivals, the #13 LSU Tigers. The Tide summarily destroyed LSU 2 years ago in the NCAA Championship Game, though LSU beat Bama 9-6 the last time these two tangled in Tuscaloosa. Still, Alabama and its winning coach is national news as they remain undefeated, and they should be tested Saturday Night at 5pm (PST) when the Crimson Tide and Bayou Bengals kick things off on national TV. Get on in here for some grub and game.
Watch for the sea of Crimson to come rumbling on to the field at home in Tuscaloosa at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The NBA season is now in full swing and underway. The Bay Area’s Golden State Warriors are off and running following Steph Curry’s second Triple Double, as the Warriors beat Philadelphia. Andre Iguodala (a former Philly 76er who came over to Golden State from the Denver Nuggets) has been a steady contributor early on this season; there is no disguising the good he’s done for the team.
The Warriors return HOME (Nov 12) to play Detroit, (Nov 14) Oklahoma City, and (Nov 16) Utah — after finishing up their road trip against Philadelphia, Minnesota, San Antonio, and Memphis.
The San Francisco 49ers host the Carolina Panthers and the Oakland Raiders visit the New York football Giants. The Sunday Night game pits the Dallas Cowboys at the New Orleans saints, and the Monday night game has Miami at Tampa Bay.
What else can you expect to see besides Football and Basketball? How about some San Jose Sharks Ice Hockey or some Poker?
Players salute Players – and, with a tip of the cap to the victorious BoSox (Boston Red Sox), youth was certainly served up in Vegas at “The November Nine” at the World Series of Poker which started in July. SPARTY fan and Michigan State alum Ryan “The Beast” Riess (and donning his Calvin Johnson football jersey) became the 3rd youngest player in history (at the age of 23) to win The World Series of Poker. Riess said he was inspired by 2003 WSOP amateur winner Chris Moneymaker — and now, he has his own WSOP Champions bracelet.
Also, of the more than 50,000 runners in the New York Marathon, 30 runners were over age 80. We salute them, along with San Jose’s Joy Johnson. She ran her 25th NYC Marathon, finished the race after a tumble at the 20-mile mark, met Al Roker and appeared on The Today Show. After completing the Fall rite of passage, she took a nap in her hotel room (track shoes on) and passed away in her sleep.
We serve up some views of the freshly-lit-for-evenings Bay Bridge and ever-present Alcatraz with TV’s that abound in our PIER 39 sports grill. Do you like to sample beers from around the states ? Roam on over to Players for international ales or domestic brews like (Shock Top, Racer 5 IPA, Kona Big Wave, Widmer “Hefe,” or a Goose Island Matilda or Honkers. Visit and chow down on some of our hospitality and home-cooking, while you get primed and ready for the World Series. Players Sports Bar & Grill (and our Arcade) offers up fan-friendly meals in the form of savory, well-prepared appetizers, sandwiches, meals and signature dishes to keep reeling them back in to dine with us.
Like we tell everybody, the Luau Lounge at Players SF (at the end of Pier 39) is simply just a phenomenal tiki-bar kind of place to water-watch and people-watch. Our top-notch desserts include Luau Pie, Rocky Road Sundae, and Chocolate Lovin Spoon Cake.
Come in to Players Sports Bar and Grill (and Arcade) and watch. As we are water side, our place is on point for you to book corporate events while having some fine by-the-bay dining and libations in the Luau Lounge at Players. House Specialties like Goose Pear Martinis or Drunken Sea Lions give way to Tiki Classics like Blue Hawaiians, Pain Killers, Maui Ritas, and Daquiris flavor which chill up our international sports bar, to which we affectionately refer and welcome you in. We offer two DirecTV satellite dishes, and our Club Room, Luau Lounge, and Arcade.
Be America. Be a Player. Support our Players.