Wilt Chamberlain, perhaps the man who made the sport of basketball what it is today, has passed on. Will he be remembered, though, more for his on-court or off-court exploits? Since the publication of his biography, in which he ridiculously claimed to have bedded 20,000 women, that’s all anyone has talked about , never mind the records he set or the rules that were made almost solely to stop him from single-handedly reducing opposing teams to tears. Even if he was the Casanova he claims to have been, few men are going to take any consolation in his death thinking of the thousands of women who will be made available.
Tip-off baseball predictions
National League Championship Series: The Atlanta Braves, who have a 2-0 series lead as I write this, are doubtlessly headed for the World Series (which they will lose, but more on that on a later date). While the New York Mets are everyone’s underdog sweetheart, the subway series is not meant to be. Atlanta’s famed pitching staff may have struggled a little during the regular season, but they’re ready now. And the John Rocker Show in the ninth inning has better ratings than ER. Being kind to the Mets, we say Braves in five.
American League Championship Series: Red Sox? Ha! The Yankees are unstoppable. The only chance Boston has is to run the rotation like this: Kent Mercker, Ramon Martinez, Pedro Martinez, Ramon, Pedro, Pedro, Pedro. No wonder Pedro’s the al MVP. Cleveland had five fewer starting pitchers than the Yankees do. Hell, anyone from their bullpen would be the number one on the Tribe squad. We won’t even start on the Yankees’ hitting power. If worst comes to worst, the last man standing is the Strawman. Bottom line, the Yanks won’t choke. Ever. Yankees in six.
(With files from Mukul Ahuja)