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Better to be lucky

"A favourite saying of mine has been, 'I’d rather be lucky than good'”

Congratulations to Grads. It has been a tough stretch for them of late, and getting to the big day has taken work and stress not usual for such a happy event.

Of course it has been all worth it. Starting out towards an independent life will be much easier for those carrying the skills and habits required to complete graduation requirements. Stay safe and have a good time, kids.

• A favourite saying of mine has been, “I’d rather be lucky than good,” for the simple reason that playing well does not always result in victory, but being lucky does (if it doesn’t, you haven’t been lucky).

Never more true, it seems, than in this year’s Stanley Cup Final playoff, during which, at least in my estimation, the team that played the best each night has lost in all four games.

We will see who, “gets lucky,” tonight and/or the rest of the way.

Whatever happens, I am continually impressed with the classy demeanour of Rangers’ coach Alain Vigneault. He has had plenty of reasons to be cranky and/or smug, but generally acts like a gentleman. Pro sports is obviously in need of more of that.

• Hey, young ball players - do not get caught up in the uninformed hype around Yones Cespedes the past few days.  Yes, he threw out runners at home and third from the left field wall, BUT,

The throws were nothing like, “lasers,” as the hypsters would have it. Both were actually what we used to call, “rainbows,” and neither hopped to the receiver. Both completely missed the cutoff man (the play at home would have been easier if that one had been relayed) and, worst of all, both were necessitated by shoddy, lazy-looking, defensive play from Cespedes on the original base hits.

Listen to your coaches, don’t emulate that fundamentally unsound play - hit the cutoff man.