As of this writing, the Pacers stand 2-2 in the first round of the playoffs against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. That the Pacers are even in the playoffs is one of the great sports stories of 2018. They were figured to be on a downward spiral with the departure of Paul George. Instead, Head Coach Nate McMillan got them to start believing in themselves rather than waiting for someone else to step up. Certainly the development of Victor Oladipo into an all star was a big part of the equation, but the whole roster has improved and is playing up to it’s potential. The George trade now looks like a great deal for the Pacers. George is a great talent but he did not want to be in Indiana. Oladipo was a young talent ready to bloom and he wanted to be here. So it has all come together for the team and the fans. Whatever happens, 2017-18 will be remembered as one of the great seasons in Pacer history.
Newgarden Prevails in the Rain
It took two days for the IndyCar warriors to run the Honda Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds Alabama. Rain was the order of the day. A heavy downpour delayed the start on Sunday and then caused the race to be red flagged after 22 laps. Josef Newgarden had dominated the proceedings, winning the pole on Saturday and taking command of the race when the green flag fell. Will Powers’ string of bad luck continued as he spun early on the wet track and was out for the day. On Monday, Newgarden continued his dominance of the race. The rain started falling again but Newgarden held on for the win, his second of the season. Ryan Hunter-Reay was second, James Hinchcliffe finished third, rookie flash Tom Wickens was fourth, and Sebastien Bourdais held on for a for a fifth. Rain or shine, the Barber Road Course seems to be a particular favorite of Newgarden’s. He won there last year and also in 2015. The guys are now headed for Indianapolis. The Indy Grand Prix is next on the IMS road course, then the Indy 500!
Cool Night at the Vic
The Boss, our son Chris, and I finally had our first night of the season at Victory Field last Friday night. While it was a bit on the cool side it was much warmer than opening day had been when we elected to pass on attending.
A night with the Tribe has become a family tradition and is a sign the spring is officially here for the family. We enjoyed some tasty food. I ate a breaded pork tenderloin which was quite good and later on had my traditional foot long hot dog. They have added some new treats to the Vic’s concession menu. Chris and the Boss enjoyed some popcorn in a refillable tub (you can bring it back all season for $7 – great deal!) and later a bowl of taco chips with barb-e-que chicken, beans and cheese. The Boss got so cold she looked for coffee instead of a beer. Oh BTW the Tribe beat Charlotte 4-1 just to complete the evening!
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