South Carolina just experienced a once-in-a-thousand-years flood, while California is in the middle of the worst drought in history (And Donald Trump doesn't believe in global warming). Personally, it feels like we're living in an Al Gore movie.
Meanwhile, the drought the Dodgers want so desperately to end has nothing to do with weather.
As I write this, the Dodgers are 1-game all with the Mets in the Division Series with game 3 tonight in New York. Keep in mind, it's been 26 years between appearances for the Dodgers in the World Series, the longest stretch going back to 1895 and the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers.
That puts the Dodgers at 7th in MLB on a list they'd rather not be on, most years since appearing in the World Series. (But the Chicago Cubs haven't been in a World Series since 1945 and haven't won one since 1908!)
In that 1945 Series it seems a tavern owner was asked to leave Wrigley Field because his pet goat's odor was bothering other fans. (No offense, but people in Chicago take goats to baseball games?) The goat owner was so offended he declared, "Them Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more." And they haven't.
Perhaps equally as strange, in the 1989 movie "Back to the Future 2," a headline from a paper in 2015 read "Cubs Win World Series!" So, could "Back to the Future 2" actually have predicted the actual future?
Going from "Back to the Future 2" back to the Dodgers, and the seemingly eternal question, what will it take to end their drought? Hopefully, $300,000,000 will help. That's the Dodger payroll. LA can afford it because they get $280,000,000 each year from Time Warner for local TV rights (I know it's a crazy world.) Actually, Time Warner is estimated to lose at least $1 billion this season. And much of the LA area still doesn't get Dodger TV coverage! Go figure.
But, even having such a colossal payroll unequaled in baseball history, doesn't guarantee a World Series ring. If, high power forbid, they lose tonight in New York, then they'd be one game from elimination and another "wait until next year." I'm tired of waiting. I'm too old.
If the Dodgers are fortunate enough to get past the Mets they would likely play the St. Louis Cardinals in the League Championship Series. But maybe the curse of the goat will be over and the Cubs will beat the Cards. It's a long shot but I'm praying for it; and I'm an atheist. If not, it would seem bleak because for forever the Cardinals have had the Dodgers number.
The Dodgers did beat the Cards in the 2009 Division Series, but they've lost in the post-season to the Redbirds four times going back to 1985. That '85 Series was the worst. At Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers were leading 5-4 in the 9th inning. Lasorda could have had Jack Clark walked, as there was an open base, but to quote Steve Martin, "Nooooooo!"
Then, in one of the darkest days in Dodger lore, Clark hit a towering home run off Dave Niedenfuer. That sent the Cardinals to the World Series and Tommy Lasorda screaming into the night. And me about to throw a brick through the TV screen.
Speaking of Tommy screaming, go to YouTube and type "Lasorda rant on Dave Kingman." You'll hear audio of a very young sports writer, (the late Joe McDonnell), innocently asking Tommy, "What did you think of Dave Kingman's performance?" Within seconds Joe was very sorry that he did. Sit back and listen to Tommy's less than diplomatic answer. Just make sure no children are in the room at the time.
Back to the World Series. It might just be indigestion, but I have a gut feeling the Dodgers just might win it all this year. Then again, some die-hard Cub fans have been saying that since 1908. (Which would make them 107 and at that age, you can say anything you want.)
If the Cubs get to the World Series, even if they beat the Dodgers to get there, I'd still have to root for them. I would only have one reservation. I know Dodger Stadium allows service dogs, I just hope they don't ever allow service goats.
Jack also writes Laughing Matters which appears ever Friday. He's at facebook.com/jackneworth, twitter.com/jackneworth and jnsmdp@aol.com.
