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    Friday, October 11, 2024

    Dr. I: Keep the yahoos out of Mohegan

    Idle Thoughts, while waiting for Sun-Lynx in the WNBA semis, the baseball playoffs and how long after Election Day gas is $5 per gallon again:

    • Dr. Idle, Dr. I to his close friends, understands that if fans pay the money now for often exorbitant ticket prices, they get to root for whomever they want in the stands.

    Still, Dr. I found it pathetic the other night during a playoff game at Mohegan Sun Arena seeing and hearing all the yahoos hollering their lungs out for the Indiana Fever.

    Consider that a year ago, these people couldn’t distinguish the Indiana Fever from Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Now they’re the Beatles?

    Get back, Loretta. Is Queen Caitlin of Clark honestly THAT fascinating?

    Seems a bit petulant from this corner.

    Note to Sun fans: Gobble the tickets early next year and keep the yahoos home.

    • And while we’re talking WNBA, how is it possible the Sun had their practice space limited (half the court) the day before the playoffs began?

    This is exactly what Alyssa Thomas was talking about recently with Connecticut and its substandard ways.

    Once again: If the Sun ever leave (start humming “I’m Shipping Up To Boston”) everybody around here ought to know where the blame lies.

    • Quiz: Name the four UConn women’s basketball players to have made at least 300 3-point field goals in their career. (Answer below).

    • One of Dr. I’s loyal readers, responding to a column about the mistake UConn made five years ago kowtowing to basketball: “Mike, you’re right. Modern college athletic conference configurations are indeed problematic. Me, I’m getting ready for a run at a three-peat. What’s BC up to?”

    Let’s see: BC football has beaten Florida State and Michigan State so far this year. Hockey made the Frozen Four last year and begins this season as the No. 2 team in the country. Lacrosse is the defending national champion. U.S. News just rated it a top 40 school nationally. And it made $44.8 million in media revenue from the ACC last season. Glad you asked.

    • Sorry, but Dr. I completely understands if Travis Kelce is, you know, distracted.

    • Dr. I could have saved the nice folks in Groton time and effort a few years ago if they’d just asked him about athletic fields.

    Dorr Field (the high school football field) should have been the priority. It has everything the town needs to be a modern, centralized facility. Ample parking and bleacher space. An adjacent practice field that could also have been turfed, a la New London High, providing more options.

    After spending all that money at the middle school, here comes more money required (potentially) for Dorr Field to get turf and a new track. Exactly what it’s needed since the Nixon Administration.

    Just ask Dr. I next time.

    He works cheap.

    • Was the NCAA made aware that Notre Dame actually played a ranked team (Louisville) Saturday?

    Dr. I figured that after Northern Illinois and Miami of Ohio thus far, Bacon Academy couldn’t be far behind.

    • Dr. I’s pal Pete Barry posed the question the other day: Name the best switch hitter at each position in MLB history. (Please feel free to post yours in the comments section). Here is Dr. I’s swing:

    Catcher: Ted Simmons (although it is killing Dr. I not to have picked Jorge Posada).

    First base: Eddie Murray.

    Second base: Robbie Alomar.

    Shortstop: Ozzie Smith.

    Third base: Pete Rose.

    Outfield: The Mick, Bernie Williams, Tim Raines.

    DH: Chipper Jones.

    Tough omission: Lance Berkman.

    • Dr. I recommends you follow Ultimate Dad Jokes on X.

    The latest: “A vulture boards a plane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks and says “sorry sir, only one carrion per passenger.”

    • Public service announcement: Wednesday is Bucky Dent Day for all those who celebrate.

    • So inspiring to see antisocial fan behavior in midseason form at state high school football games. Incidents in Waterbury, New London and Norwich on Friday night. (More pithy commentary on this subject coming this week.) But a nugget for thought: If there are no consequences at home, what makes you think the delinquents think there are consequences anywhere else?

    • So they call this guy Dominguez for the Yankees “The Martian.”

    Dr. I is left to conclude that Martians aren’t very good at catching routine fly balls.

    • Quiz answer: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (398), Katie Lou Samuelson (382), Diana Taurasi (318), Maya Moore (311).

    • Finally, a sad note. RIP to Kathy Suprin, the gentlest of gentle souls, who died last week at 75. Kathy is the former principal of the Friendship School. Wife, mom, grandmother. Put it this way: If you ever wanted to know how to treat other human beings, all you had to do was look at whatever Kathy was doing at the time. Condolences to her family.

    This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.

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