Sports this 'n' that

There will be a new World Series champion this year.

The Chicago Cubs were eliminated in grand fashion by the Los Angeles Dodgers, 11-1, on Thursday, as the Dodgers, who last won it all in 1988 behind Kirk Gibson, Orel Hershiser, and company, may be looking at an old nemesis next

Former Tri-City Valleycat Enrique "Kike" Hernandez led the way with 3 home runs and 7 RBI's in the game. How Houston let Hernandez get away, I'll never know. Hernandez's 3rd dinger, a 2 run shot in the 9th, iced the game, making Dodger closer Kenley Jansen's job that much easier.

Speaking of Houston, the top seed in the AL returns home tonight, hoping to rebound after losing three straight to the Yankees in New York. A Yankee win means they'll play the Dodgers in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1981, when the Dodgers defeated the Bombers in 5. It was the 3rd meeting between the two teams in a 5 year period (the Yanks won in 1977-78), but it would be 15 years before New York returned to the Series, and we know that story.
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Suddenly, the Kansas City Chiefs aren't so hot.

The AFC West leaders have fallen back to Earth, dropping two divisional games in the space of five days, the latest coming at Oakland on Thursday. Kansas City blew a 6 point lead with 5 1/2 minutes to play. Couple this with the Los Angeles Chargers coming to life, winning two straight, and all of a sudden, it's anyone's division. More proof that parity has taken over the NFL, especially in the AFC.
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Soccer season is over at Troy High.

Both the boys' & girls' soccer teams were one-and-done in sectional play for the second straight season over the last two days. The boys dropped a 4-2 decision to Bethlehem Thursday, as the Eagles extracted some revenge after losing to Troy last month on the same field. Mike Murnane's much improved club finishes 6-10-1 overall (5-9-1 in the Suburban Council), and while it's the third consecutive 10-loss season for the team, there's hope they'll find light at the end of the tunnel.

The girls, on the other hand, dropped their seventh straight game, shut out by Columbia, 4-0, on Wednesday. Justin Haviland's team had opened the season losing seven in a row, and to see them end the season the same way is more than disappointing. The Lady Horses finish 2-15 overall (1-13 in league play), far worse than last year.

It's also insulting that their best player, sophomore Abby Burns, was a second team All-Star in the Suburban Council, and senior Heather Moss merited honorable mention. Senior goalkeeper Maddie Rifenberick was the lone Troy player named a first team all star, much deserved as she had been the leading keeper in the league for much of the season. I suppose that had Troy won more games, and they were competitive in most, maybe Abby makes the first team. Just sayin'.
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The Arena Football League ain't what it used to be. There were only five teams in the league last season, so now rumors have circulated that would have a former franchise being revived for next season.

That would be the Albany Firebirds, who won the ArenaBowl in 1999.

Times-Union Center is looking for a pro sports tenant to fill the arena next spring after Siena College finishes its basketball season. The AFL has a TV contract with the CBS Sports Network, but you wonder about the quality of play. Will it be the same as it was 20 years ago? Albany's last team, the AF2 Conquest, lasted a few years in the last decade, but failed due to declining fan interest.

The Firebirds wouldn't be the only pro franchise being resurrected in 2018 in the home district, with the pending return of the former Continental Basketball Association franchise, the Albany Patroons, being resurrected again, this time for a new minor league due to begin play in early '18. And, yes, these Patroons will play in the acoustically challenged Washington Avenue Armory if everything goes according to plan. Well, being at the Armory would allow them to keep the prices down, because they'd probably charge twice as much for tickets at the Albany Capital Center........! Anyway, play in the North American Basketball League is set to start on New Year's Day, and former Patroons star Derrick Rowland will coach the team. Stay tuned.