ROGER’S HOT CORNER…………

Friday September 11………..12:49 a.m……….the Finals next week will pit the #5 seed, TEAM KIRZNER vs. the #3 seed, TEAM SCHWARTZ in a game that will be played under the lights at Grooms Field in Blue Ash……..Game time is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. with ESPN starting coverage at 6:00 p.m. with a pre-game show which will include interviews with both captains HOWARD SCHWARTZ and JERRY KIRZNER……..also included will be a special insiders report on ADAM CRONSTEIN of TEAM KIRZNER entitled THE RISE OF A SUPERSTAR……..as for the game, rumor has it that ANTON LOON has worked out a deal with TEAM KIRZNER to all0w all-star pitcher BARRY KAPLAN to replace the absent MIKE GRAY……in return, TEAM LOON will share in the championship winnings if TEAM KIRZNER can pull off the victory…….odds at this time are TEAM SCHWARTZ (-5)…… stay tuned…..other tidbits……former Commissioner GREG “GIG” FRANKLIN and ROGER “ROGZILLA” ROSENTHAL were at Ruby Tuesdays in Blue Ash for lunch on Thursday and ROSENTHAL actually picked up the check…….the question is, did he pay for it?……….STAR SIGHTINGS……….RON ROSE, HAL FINE and DENNIS BERNSTEIN were all spotted for dinner at Cheescake Factory on Thursday night……..finally, upon a request from RICK LEFTON…….he wants to know if people want the LEFTON BROTHERS to be split up or not……to vote YES, NO or I DON’T GIVE A DAMN, please e-mail me at r.rosenthal@fuse.net………..

ROGER’S HOT CORNER…………

Thursday September 10……….10:55 a.m………….the finals are set……TEAM SCHWARTZ vs. TEAM KIRZNER………TEAM SCHWARTZ defeated TEAM NEWMAN and TEAM KIRZNER knocked off TEAM FOGEL……..the only reported action at presstime is the TEAM KIRZNER victory……JOEL “SPARKY” FOGEL reported that his team jumped to a 4-0 lead in the opening frame thanks in a large part to a two-run two out triple by DAN “MR. PHILLY” GREEN……TEAM KIRZNER came back and took a 10-4 only to have TEAM FOGEL fall short in their comeback. losing 10-6……..FOGEL commented afterwards, “Injuries and a lack of a consistent line-up made for a tough season, but we ended the season playing our best softball.”……..afterwards, members of TEAMS NEWMAN, FOGEL and WERNICK gathered for one last time at a local eatery to BS thanks to GREG “GIG” FRANKLIN, who hosted the gathering……the real questions were……. did FOGEL stop off at the candy shop and where was STEVE “DONUT MAN” EPPSTEIN……..ROGER ROSENTHAL showed up wearing USC cap and shirt and was rudely welcomed by the mostly pro-Ohio State crowd……… r.rosenthal@fuse.net…………

ROGER’S HOT CORNER…………

Thursday September 3……..11:21 a.m………upsets were in the air in the first round of the tournament as three of the top four seeds were sent packing…….top seeded TEAM WERNICK fell to the surging TEAM FOGEL……..#2 seeded TEAM LOOOOOOON was knocked off by TEAM NEWMAN and finally, TEAM GREFER, the # 4 seed lost to TEAM KIRZNER…….only #3 seed TEAM SCHWARTZ narrowly escaped with an extra inning game victory over TEAM EPPSTEIN…….in the only game reported at press time……..TEAM FOGEL trailed 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning when TEAM WERNICK loaded the bases with no outs and could NOT score…….in the top of the fifth inning, the victors plated 12 runs to basically put the game away…….JOEL ”SPARKY” FOGEL, still out with an injury, commented after the game, “The team is finally peaking and there is no reason why we can’t win the whole thing.”……kudos go to DAVID “IT’S MY FAULT” WEIL who caught a strong game and collected four hits in the process……overall, it was a total team effort on offense…….next up is TEAM KIRZNER in the semi-finals and in the other semis…….TEAM SCHWARTZ vs. TEAM NEWMAN……..afterwards many players congregated at their favorite hangouts, however a few including STEVE OSTROW, STEVE EPPSTEIN, WILLIE WAXLER, BEN LEFTON and ROGER ROSENTHAL went well into the wee hours of the morning hunting down donuts…….what an experience…….. r.rosenthal@fuse.net …………..