Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 358

College football: Big second half lifts Lobos past Los Medanos

PITTSBURG — Special teams is part of Ronnie Palmer’s brand. The importance is preached in practice. It’s provided dramatic wins in the past for Monterey Peninsula College.

An argument can be made that it was difference in Saturday’s game as the Lobos used a 72-yard kickoff return for Devin Ellison and three field goals from two different kickers, accounting for 15 points in a 44-26 decision over Los Medanos.

“Our special teams came alive,” Palmer said. “Devin Ellison gave us some life. And our two kickers kept us in the game in the first half — not just with their field goals, but with kickoffs that sailed into the end zone.”

The highest scoring team in the state, the Lobos have produced 116 points through two games, with 72 of those points coming in a season opening win over Chabot.

“We were high after an impressive home opener,” Palmer said. “We came out a little flat. Adversity hit us. We had some misques early. It was our first road experience. We sputtered.”

Palmer was referring to the Lobos finding themselves starring at a 14-0 deficit to the Mustangs, who came into the game breathing confidence after a season opening win over Cabrillo.

“LM is a talented team,” Palmer said. “They’ll win a lot of games this year. We have 50 guys still figuring it out. The first two games are about finding your identity. Who can play in space, who can create pressure.”

What is becoming evident is the Lobos are deep in talent at numerous positions, including quarterback and kicker, where two of his pupils spent time at a Division I program prior to arriving at MPC.

“I personally think both of my quarterbacks are Division I players,” Palmer said. “And I’ve got two kickers with big legs. One is as big as some of my linebackers. The other is one of the fastest players on the team.”

Palmer, who has taken MPC to three straight American Golden Coast Conference titles, emphasized the importance of kicking balls into the end zone on kickoffs, which both Joey Fernandez and Isaac Mancera accomplished, resulting in touchbacks.

“Los Medanos had an all-state receiver returning kickoffs,” Palmer said. “He couldn’t get a return all day. Our kickers are weapons. Hats off to Joey and Isaac.”

Mancera, a Salinas High graduate, spent the summer at UNLV before electing to return home and play at least one season at MPC, where he has yet to miss a field goal attempt.

While spotting the Mustangs 14 points to open the game wasn’t the plan, the Lobos responded, starting with Ellison’s 72-yard kickoff return. Field goals by Fernandez and Mancera got MPC to within seven at the half.

“We needed to get the offense going,” Palmer said. “We were beating ourselves. We had the targets open to throw too. Yet, either we ran wrong routes of overthrew them. There were some windows. We didn’t execute.”

Big plays became a pattern in the second half for the Lobos when tailback Kieryus Boone broke free on touchdown runs of 53, 71 and 21 yards.

“The ground game was very reliable in the second half,” remarked Palmer, whose team rushed for 280 yards, averaging 7.2 yards each time it touched the ball.

Boone piled up a career high 208 yards and three touchdowns for the second straight game, as MPC outscored the Mustangs 31-6 in the second half.

“We have a lot of options,” Palmer said. “We some explosive talented players and an athletic offensive line. It’s always good to have some experience at quarterback.”

It doesn’t hurt when your defense provides an infusion of points as well as Monterey High graduate Jaki Thomas returned a pick six 32 yards for a touchdown. Last year the Lobos brought back six interceptions for touchdowns.

“We didn’t get down on ourselves, we didn’t panic,” Palmer said. “Sometimes that’s the mentality at the JC level. It was fun to see them battle from adversity. You don’t want to play poorly. But you want to see them get up after being hit in the mouth a couple of times.”

Palmer had already turned his attention on the bus ride home to Redwoods, who beat Hartnell 63-18 and has been a throne in the Lobos side, having won two of the teams previous three meetings, including the last two regular season matchups.

“We’re going to get tested and find out where we are,” said Palmer, whose only win over Redwoods came in a bowl game in 2022. “I’m sure Redwoods already has their mindset on us. We have had some battles in the past.”

Redwoods 63, Hartnell 18: The site of last year’s humbling loss in the Grizzly Bowl didn’t fare much better for the Panthers, who were humbled in their season opener by Redwoods at Humboldt State.

More concerning than opening the season with a road loss was the status of quarterback Adam Shaffer, who left in the game just before halftime on crutches with an apparent leg injury.

“It’s not good,” first year head coach Ruben Lerma said. “It unfortunate circumstances. It hurts losing a guy of that caliber. There was some morale drop. But we have to step up and keep fighting.”

Shaffer will likely have an MRI Monday to determine the seriousness of his leg injury, suffered during the second quarter when the Panthers were within 10 points.

“It’s next man up mentality,” Lerma said. “Adam spoke to the team. We’re rallying around who ever ends up being under center. It’s a long season. Guys will develop. When we clean things up, we’ll be fine.”

Prior to the injury, Shaffer had put the offense on his back with two touchdown passes, accounting for over 180 yards and all three touchdowns for the Panthers, who held a brief 6-0 lead in the first quarter.

The Panthers were outscored 35-0 by Redwoods after Shaffer left the game, as their offense struggled to find any sort of rhythm in his absence.

“We were making high school mistakes,” Lerma said. “We have 45 freshman that were playing in their first college game. But we were still out there playing hard until the end. We’re going to be fine.”

Carlos Galvez stepped in for Shaffer in the second half, and is expected to get the majority of snaps with the first team offense this week for the Panthers, who host De Anza next Saturday at Rabobank.

“With our system, you would like to have a quarterback that can do it all,” Lerma said. “We’re not going to change schemes. It’s just about getting reps at this point.”

Shaffer, who accounted for over 1,800 yards through the air or on the ground, along with 18 touchdowns last year, connected with Dominic Chavez — a former quarterback at Soledad — to give Hartnell an early 6-0 lead.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Shaffer also found Isaiah Durate on a 5-yard scoring toss and added a 13-yard touchdown run to close the deficit to 28-18 in the second quarter.

“It was a different vibe, considering the last time we were up here,” Lerma said. “We were right with them in the first half. Our effort off the bus was pleasing. They had the fight in them. Now we have to clean up our mistakes, rally as a team.”

 

Melvin calls out SF Giants for ‘instructional league’ play after third straight shutout loss

SAN FRANCISCO — On the third night in row the Giants were kept off the scoreboard, their offense wasn’t even the biggest issue in the eye of manager Bob Melvin.

“It’s the big leagues, but it looks like instructional league at times,” Melvin said Saturday night after his team’s third shutout loss in a row, 8-0, to the Padres.

The skipper felt the need to address his team in the clubhouse postgame after their offensive ineptitude leaked into other facets of the game. Their middle infielders were out of position for a relay to the plate, their All-Star outfielder lobbed a throw in with so little on it another runner advanced into scoring position, and their pitchers walked nearly as many batters as they struck out while allowing the Padres to pound out 17 hits.

“We only made one error, but it didn’t look like it,” Melvin said. “We were out of position too much. We didn’t get good breaks on balls. It’s sloppy.”

Last weekend, when they took two of three from the same foe, felt like a distant memory.

“It almost feels like it’s cratering here,” Melvin said. “There are only a couple weeks left in the season and we’ve got too much at stake, we’ve accomplished too much — even though it’s been disappointing as a whole — but we’ve accomplished too much to just start playing baseball like this.”

The loss was so ugly that it ended in Donovan Walton, a position player, on the mound for the Giants, which so happened to be the last situation in which they scored a run, in the eighth inning of their only win this home stand, Wednesday night against the Brewers.

They have failed to score in 27 straight innings, one of only four times since the team moved to San Francisco that it has been shut out three games in a row and the first time since June 23-25, 1992.

“I feel like every team struggles, but not this bad,” said Heliot Ramos, who contributed one of their five hits but also was central to their defensive miscues.

Indeed, the Giants became only the 25th team leaguewide since the turn of the century to go three games without scoring a run, not seen since the Reds last July. Ramos singled and reached third in the ninth inning but was stranded there when LaMonte Wade Jr. flew out to end the game.

Sputtering their way to a third consecutive shutout, the Giants struck out 10 more times, their 65th game this year with double-digits punchouts, and the issue has only gotten worse as the season progressed.

They’ve racked up 38 of those strikeout bonanzas in 66 games since the start of July after finishing only 27 of their first 85 games with double digits in the Ks column. Falling to 4-8 in September, only the lowly Rockies (32.2%) have ended a larger share of their plate appearances with strike three than the Giants (29.8%) since entering the final month of the season.

Facing Joe Musgrove last weekend, six of the Giants’ first 10 batters struck out before jumping on him for seven runs in the fourth inning. The same second life never arrived in their rematch a week later, as Musgrove fanned eight over six shutout innings a night after Dylan Cease racked up 10 strikeouts over six shutout innings.

“We had a really good plan against Musgrove last time,” Melvin said. “Tried to take the same plan into today and just got it handed to us.”

Ramos also pointed to the Giants’ offensive game plan and their opponents’ adjustments to it. They beat Cease last weekend, too, getting to him for four runs on six hits while striking out only four times.

“Not taking credit away from them, but we’ve seen what we can do against them last week,” Ramos said. “They changed their plan and it worked. It’s time for us to adjust to that.”

It was also a rematch for Mason Black, the Giants’ starter, who fared better than he did last weekend in San Diego but found himself in an early hole after the Giants botched a routine relay that allowed the Padres to open a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Jurickson Profar was able to score from first when Manny Machado lined a double off the wall in center field, but he was only sent home when Ramos threw the ball in to second base, where nobody was standing as both shortstop Brett Wisely and second baseman Marco Luciano were at various depths in the outfield grass.

Wisely was the cutoff man for the play but ended up having to chase down the ball when it missed him and made it all the way to second base, which was unoccupied as Luciano had ventured even deeper into the outfield grass to cut of a potential throw to third base.

“When you’re not in position on relays like we weren’t in the first inning, it looks really bad at the big-league level,” Melvin said. “We’ve got some guys playing out of position — Wisely’s not a shortstop, even though he’s played good shortstop this year; Luci’s learning the position at second base — but still, that’s not major-league quality what we did tonight.”

Ramos and Melvin confirmed that he should have hit the cutoff man, who would have either had a play at the plate or prevented Profar from attempting to score entirely.

“I mean, the cutoff man is supposed to be right there,” Ramos said. “I just threw the ball wherever I’m supposed to throw it.”

Again, in the sixth inning, Ramos had trouble getting the ball cleanly into the infield when Machado lined a single up the middle with the bases loaded. The hit drove in a pair of runs to extend San Diego’s lead to 5-0, and Machado was able to take second base when Ramos lobbed the ball to no one in particular.

Third baseman Matt Chapman had to chase it down near the pitcher’s mound as Machado jogged into second base.

“I messed up today with that throw,” Ramos said. “I can say that it slipped out of my hand, but at the same time I have to handle it, try to hit him in chest or at least on one bounce to him.”

While Melvin did call a team meeting, he didn’t call out their effort level despite their listless play the past three nights.

“It never looks like (we’re playing hard) when you don’t hit, when you get shutout three times in a row, it doesn’t look that way,” he said. “It feels like it’s more focus. Guys are running hard down the line. They’re preparing for the game. It just looks awful when you’re not hitting and you’re playing awful defense.”

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RHP Jordan Hicks (shoulder) was activated from the 15-day injured list and entered the game in the seventh inning, allowing three runs on four hits and one walk over 1⅔ innings in his first appearance since August 24. RHP Austin Warren optioned to Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move. … OF Grant McCray was feeling better a day after crashing awkwardly into the center field … SS Tyler Fitzgerald (back) will likely get one more day off Sunday before returning to the lineup when the Giants begin their final road trip of the season Tuesday in Baltimore.

Up next

The Giants wrap up their penultimate home stand of the season with RHP Landen Roupp (0-1, 3.44) on the mound against LHP Martín Pérez (4-5, 4.46). Before the 1:05 p.m. first pitch, Juan Marichal, Dusty Baker, Barry Bonds and Tony Oliva are scheduled to speak at the celebration of life for Orlando Cepeda. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 12:30 p.m.

High School football: North County succumbs to unbeaten Sobrato

CASTROVILLE — You can point to a missed extra point, the inability to produce points inside the red zone on three occasions, or a pair of turnovers that halted drives.

Yet, one play was magnified when a penalty whipped out a potential game winning touchdown in the final 32 seconds Saturday for North County.

“It hurt,” North County coach Juan Cuevas said. “I didn’t like the call. But I have to respect it. It’s not like one play decided this game. The message after the game was ‘we could be 3-0’.”

Instead, the Condors will go into next Saturday’s cross over game with Palma before the start of league play 2-1 after falling 7-6 to Sobrato of Morgan Hill.

“Practice is where it starts,” Cuevas said. “We just can’t show up on game day. Hopefully some of these kids will understand the importance of putting in the work.”

Sobrato, who knocked off North Salinas in its season opener, is 3-0, having beaten two teams that went to the postseason last fall.

“It’s not one person’s fault,” Cuevas said. “I made some mistakes. I will wear this one. It’s on me. The good news is it’s not the end of the world, although it might feel like it.”

Coming off its first shutout in two years and having not allowed a point in seven consecutive quarters, North County gave up its first points since the second quarter of its opener two weeks ago with under a minute left before halftime.

The Condors, who had taken a 6-0 lead earlier in the game on an AJ Gomez touchdown pass, found themselves down by a point — a deficit that held up over the final 24 minutes of the game.

“We just can’t seem to get on the same page with our special teams,” Cuevas said. “Due to injuries, our units keep changing. We’re still trying to find the right bodies. I don’t want to put two-way starters out there.”

Cuevas may have no choice going forward, depending on his depth and the health of his roster. For the fourth time in three games, North County failed to convert an extra point or two-point conversation.

“We had opportunities to win this game,” said Cuevas, whose got the Condors off to their best start in 14 years. “We felt pretty good about ourselves at the half.”

In part, because trailing by a point paled in comparison to North County overcoming a 19-pont halftime deficit in a season opening 20-19 win over Alvarez.

The Condors built an early 6-0 lead over Sobrato in the second quarter when Gomez connected with Kenji Mellin for a touchdown. However, three more drives into the red zone failed to produce any points.

“We played tremendous defense,” Cuevas said. “We’re still patching up our defensive front. Our linebackers stepped up and Marcos (Mendoza) just makes plays. He was 12 yards off the ball and making tackles at the line of scrimmage.”

The leader in the secondary, Mendoza put together another eight plus tackle effort, while sophomore linebackers Gaba Raya and Josiah Carranza shut down Sobrato’s ground game, with help from defensive tackle Xavier Jimenez.

The Condors, who have improved in the win column in each of the last two years, have yet to allow a point in the second half this year, outscoring teams 32-0 over the final 24 minutes.

“We’re not scared of anyone,” Cuevas said. “We know we’re up against the defending state champions next week. But we won’t back down.”

Branham 19, Soledad 13: It’s going to sting for a while. Heartbroken might not be a strong enough word to describe the feelings of an emotionally drained Aztecs squad as time expired.

Given another play with no time left on the clock because of a penalty, a desperation pass into the end zone fell into the hands of a Branham player, as pandemonium ensued on one sideline, shock on the other.

“It’s a loss,” Soledad coach Marc Villanueva said. “But in a sense, it’s a loss that has brought us together. We came out of this game believing in ourselves. That’s the best we’ve played or looked in two years.”

Two years removed from a school record nine-game winning streak in capturing a Cypress Division title, Soledad stumbled to a 2-8 record last season, winning just one game in the Mission Division South.

Bumped to the Mount Hamilton Division this fall after going 10-0 over the last two years in the Santa Teresa Foothill Division, the Bruins (2-1) hammered Scotts Valley 60-35 last week after falling 27-21 in their opener to Hollister.

Last year Branham went 9-3 overall and is 20-5 over the last two years, reaching the Central Coast Section Division IV title game in 2022.

Yet, the Bruins couldn’t shake a stubborn Soledad defense — who allowed just six points in a win over Gonzales last week — as they were held to six points in the first half.

“I think the kids will look at this game and realize if we put it together, we can play with all of our divisional opponents,” Villanueva said. “Playing Sacred Heart Cathedral really helped us. We had a rough time. But it’s prepared our program for elite competition.”

Villanueva was referring to a season opening 42-0 loss to Sacred Heart Cathedral, a member of the West Catholic Athletic League, who opened the season with a pair wins.

“A lot of people shook their heads when we scheduled that game,” Villanueva said. “What are doing playing a WCAL team? But we are seeing the results in terms of how we’re playing today.”

Soledad sounded the upset alert siren in the first quarter when quarterback DJ Valenzuela ran eight yards for six. When tailback Julio Camacho bolted 41 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, the game was tied at 13.

“Julio (Camacho) had an amazing day running the ball,” Villanueva said. “DJ (Valenzuela) made some good reads. The offensive line was outstanding.”

Camacho piled up 178 yards, with 73 coming on one play for Soledad.

Branham actually scored as time expired on the previous play, only to have the play called back because of a forward pass. Given one more play after Soledad accepted the penalty, a hail mary pass fell into the arms of a player in the end zone.

With Dominic Diaz bringing pressure up front and defensive ends Joshua Grover and Chris Rua coming from the outside, Branham couldn’t get untracked offensively.

“What I will say is Dominic had an amazing game,” Villanueva said. “He was blowing up their run game and bringing pressure. Chris and Joshua had big days. So did our freshman linebacker Daniel Garcia. He’s going to be special.”

Stevenson 48, George Washington 0: Coming off what head coach Kyle Cassamas called the team’s best week of practice, the Pirates snapped a Week 2 three-game losing streak in San Francisco.

“It was important for us to get back on the field and jell as much as we could,” Cassamas said. “We saw a lot more pieces to our puzzle return to practice this week. When you have good practices, it sets you up for success.”

Having fallen in overtime last week to Greenfield, the Pirates were still without their leading rusher and top defensive player, both of which are expected to return next Friday for a short road trip to Pacific Grove.

It will be one of just three night games on Stevenson’s schedule this season.

“Friday nights are easier on my lungs,” Cassamas said. “The emotions are already running high. I don’t have to give a big speech. We don’t play too many night games. It’s fun for the kids.”

Fin Mink was sharp behind center for Stevenson, completing 20-of-25 attempts for 193 yards and three touchdowns, hitting three different receivers, including a 76-yard scoring strike to Grady Roth.

Tono Borgamini filled a need at tailback for the Pirates, turning four touches into 54 yards and three touchdowns, while Reggie Bell returned a punt 65 yards for six.

“Looking at the overall program, we had those babies, those sophomores last year focusing on one position,” Cassamas said. “Now as juniors, a lot of them are seeing time on both sides of the ball, providing depth.”

Vicent Pierre and Zryan Morgan each collected seven tackles and two sacks for the Pirates, with Morgan adding a safety to his resume. Mitch Peurach added a sack and a fumble recovery.

“You can see how we jelled in all three phases of the game today,” Cassamas said.

North Salinas 40, Santa Cruz 7: Darell Camel rushed for a pair of touchdowns as the Vikings erupted for a season high 40 points in winning their second straight game.

Big plays were a theme for North Salinas as Camel had a 40 yard run, while Isaiah Gonzales bolted 60 yards for six and tossed a 70-yard touchdown pass to Cristian Rodarte.

Dylan Reynoso and Kamari Hunter added touchdown runs for North Salinas, who will host Salinas next Friday at Rabobank.

Coastal Christian 50, Trinity 12: Down just 12 at the half, injuries caught up with the Warriors in the second half, as they finished the game with just 10 players in suffering their first loss of the season in 8-man football.

Jahmir Flores finished with four sacks and six tackles for losses for Trinity, while Adrian Perez collected three sacks and three tackles for losses.

Carson Anderson had 105 receiving yards, including a touchdown catch for Trinity.

After rapid rise to Triple-A, when could SF Giants see first-round pick Bryce Eldridge in the big leagues?

SAN FRANCISCO — When the Giants broke camp this spring, the only expectations they had for their most recent top draft pick in his first full season of professional baseball was to “get him out there, get him up to speed and get him adjusted,” farm director Kyle Haines said in March.

Safe to say, Bryce Eldridge has blown past that forecast and put himself on another pedestal of prospect status.

Still 19 years old for another two months, Eldridge will finish the season one step away from the major leagues, in Triple-A Sacramento, where he was promoted on Saturday. In just over a year since being drafted 16th overall out of Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia, Eldridge has moved through four levels of the minor leagues, from Single-A San Jose, to High-A Eugene, a brief homecoming for Double-A Richmond and now, for the final week of the minor-league season, with the River Cats.

When Baseball America updated its Top 100 prospects list at midseason, Eldridge checked in at No. 35, the only representative from the Giants’ farm system.

With a rise that rapid, could the teenager be ticketed for San Francisco by the end of the season?

“I haven’t heard that,” manager Bob Melvin chuckled before Saturday’s game against the Padres. “I mean, it’s been a pretty quick ascent. I don’t know that it’s going to be that quick.”

Melvin mostly focuses on the day-to-day machinations of the major-league team. Still, he could understand the reasons why the Giants wouldn’t want to add another stop to Eldridge’s itinerary, as tempting as that might be. Besides the fact that Eldridge spent all of nine games at Double-A, there’s no reason to get a head start on his service time clock while occupying a 40-man spot that could be used to protect another prospect from the Rule 5 draft this winter.

There is, however, one more item the Giants will put on Eldridge’s plate. When he celebrates his 20th birthday on October 20, he will play for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League. Not exactly a gap year after high school graduation.

“We know those high school kids are going to go through ups and downs,” Haines said this spring. “It’s pretty rare when they don’t.”

So far, though, Eldridge is looking like the exception to the rule, and it’s hard not to envision his 6-foot-7 left-handed swing sending baseballs into McCovey Cove sooner rather than later. Even in his first stop at San Jose, Eldridge was two years younger than his average competition, and the gap only widened as he climbed the minor league ladder.

He spent 51 games with San Jose, slugging 10 home runs while batting .263 with a .801 OPS, and managed to not only hit a speed bump upon being promoted to Eugene but took his play to another level. He racked up 12 homers in 48 games and displayed an increased maturity in his approach, drawing 35 walks to 52 strikeouts in 215 plate appearances after striking out 61 times with 17 walks in 229 trips to the plate at San Jose.

Last week, Eldridge hit his first home run at Double-A Richmond, and after batting .270 with a .785 OPS in nine games, was already on his way to Triple-A.

“I think that just speaks to what the organization thinks of him and what he’s ready to do,” Melvin said. “You’re seeing some guys get to the big leagues a little bit quicker right now. That kid in Milwaukee (Jackson Chourio). It’s not like they don’t think he can handle it. It’s only going to be a short period of time here at the end, but just getting him a look at Triple-A pitching I think will be important for him.”

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Melvin hasn’t interacted much with the 19-year-old but has seen his left-handed swing on tape.

“I like it,” he said.

“He’s got an advanced approach,” Haines said this spring. “Hits live drives to all fields. He’ll hit for power one day.”

It can’t come soon enough for the Giants, who have gotten some of the least offensive production out of one of the spots traditionally expected to provide thump to a lineup. Led by LaMonte Wade Jr. (six), their first basemen have combined to hit 12 home runs this season, tied for the second-fewest in the majors.

“I think the hamstring injury lingered for a while,” Melvin said of Wade, who missed most of June after straining his left hamstring. “You could see at times that he was getting his at-bats but maybe not really driving the ball. Now, he’s into his legs a little bit more. I think a lot of his season was affected by the hamstring.”

Emmys 2024 predictions: Who will win vs. who should win?

This year’s Emmy Awards ceremony pits 17th-century Japanese politics against modern-day family dynamics, the drama of the British monarchy, and murders in both a New York apartment building and a freezing Alaskan town.

The 76th Primetime Emmys, airing live at 8 p.m. Sunday on ABC, celebrates the outstanding shows and miniseries that aired from June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024.

The FX network leads the nominations with “Shōgun” and “The Bear” earning a whopping 25 and 23 nods, respectively.

But it’s not just about who’s expected to win, but also who should win. Below are the predictions for the night’s biggest awards.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Will win: Toss-up — “Abbott Elementary,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” or “The Bear”

“Abbott Elementary” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” have the added benefit of being genuine comedies, while many argue that “The Bear” — with its tense atmosphere and themes of suicide and depression — is far better suited for the drama categories.

But despite the restaurant-set show running away with many comedy wins at last year’s awards, and being expected to do so again, “Curb” could take the gold given that its most recent season was its last.

Should win: “Abbott Elementary” or “Curb”

The third season of “Abbott Elementary” boasts a perfect 100% critics approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And while the final season of “Curb” doesn’t reach the same heights as earlier years, Larry David remains in top form. The finale — much like the “Seinfeld” one it alludes to — might strain credulity but largely sticks the landing.

Lead Actor (Comedy)

Will win: Jeremy Allen White

Jeremy Allen White stars in “The Bear.” (FX/TNS)

What “The Bear” lacks in laughs it makes up for in White’s sophomore season range as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto — a pinch of spice, a dash of vulnerability, and voila. White took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy last year, and could very likely do it again.

Should win: Jeremy Allen White or Larry David

While White indeed deserves the win, so does Larry David. At 77 years young, the comedian remains a master of improv and subverting audiences’ comfort, while still getting the laugh as an exaggerated version his surly self.

Lead Actress (Comedy)

Will win: Quinta Brunson or Jean Smart

Brunson, the 34-year-old star and creator of “Abbott Elementary,” remains pitch-perfect as second-grade teacher Janine Teagues in the ABC hit. But Jean Smart, at 73 years old, is getting her long-awaited due as stand-up diva Deborah Vance in “Hacks.” The role has twice earned her the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy.

Should win: Quinta Brunson or Jean Smart

Outstanding Drama Series

Will win: “Shōgun” or “The Crown”

The freshman season of “Shōgun” has a 99% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has been nominated more than any other series this year. The epic that was originally billed as a limited series, but went over so well it was renewed for two more seasons.

Though “The Crown” has somewhat fallen out of favor since its 2016 premiere, it’s the Netflix saga’s last opportunity to win, which could prove to be the clincher.

Should win: “Shōgun”

Lead Actor (Drama)

Will win: Gary Oldman or Hiroyuki Sanada

Oldman and Sanada are both masters of their craft and are at the heights of their power in “Slow Horses” and “Shōgun” respectively.

Should win: Hiroyuki Sanada

Lead Actress (Drama)

Will win: Imelda Staunton

With the reign of Queen Elizabeth II having come to an end with the final season of “The Crown,” it’s a healthy bet that Staunton will take home the gold this go-round.

Should win: Anna Sawai

Sawai’s performance in “Shōgun” has enticed viewers and critics, in part for its effectiveness through her reservedness. She could and likely should take home the award.

Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko in “Shōgun.” (Kurt Iswarienko/FX/TNS)Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

Will win: “Baby Reindeer”

Richard Gadd’s semi-autobiographical black comedy deals in the gray and dominated the zeitgeist long after it dropped out of the Netflix Top 10. There’s almost no way it won’t win.

Should win: “Ripley”

Another Netflix hit, this Andrew Scott-led take is the first TV adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley” — and a widely lauded one at that.

Lead Actor (Limited Series/Anthology)

Will win: Andrew Scott

The acclaimed actor has long been praised for his range of performances, from villainous Moriarty in “Sherlock” to the sexily pious Hot Priest in “Fleabag.” Still, he’s rarely awarded for his talents, but “Ripley” could finally be his time.

Should win: Andrew Scott

Lead Actress (Limited Series/Anthology)

Will win: Jodie Foster

Foster’s portrayal of a prickly yet protective police officer in the latest installment of “True Detective” is just as dynamic as any of her past efforts, proving she hasn’t skipped a beat over her lengthy career.

Should win: Juno Temple

Temple’s work in the most recent volume of “Fargo” has been somewhat overlooked in the run-up to the Emmys, but her physical and completely captivating performance is deserving of recognition. Should she win, it would be the first time “Fargo” has won an acting award, despite many of its stars being nominated.

Kurtenbach: How the 49ers will beat the Vikings (and how it could all go wrong)

The beauty of a short week is that football is back before you can even catch your breath following the last game.

For the players and coaches of the 49ers, that’s not a good thing, though.

Game No. 2 on the season takes the 49ers to Minnesota, a glass house of horrors for the Niners last season, for a sneaky-excellent matchup with the Vikings.

Here’s how I see the 49ers winning on Sunday. And how they can drop the game, as well:

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They do the same thing as last week

Football doesn’t have to be complicated.

Inside zone, outside zone, and Jordan Mason consistently picking the best lanes to run — it was the formula for the 49ers on Monday night football, and it shouldn’t change for at least the next four games with Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve.

“The only good thing that came out of [McCaffrey’] not playing [Monday] is that our playbook shrinks a little bit, which I’m always a fan of,” tight end George Kittle said.

And a small playbook is not a problem.

Especially in September, which is, effectively, the team’s preseason after an ineffective training camp.

It’s also a win for the Niners’ offensive line, which is an effective run-blocking unit at the moment, but provides serious question marks on pass protection (outside of left tackle Trent Williams.)

The Niners had a fullback or second tight end on the field for 82 percent of offensive snaps against the Jets. They told New York what they were going to do — run it right at them — and they were still able to do it to the tune of 147 yards on the ground for Mason.

No player saw more stacked boxes (eight or more players) last week than Mason, but it was no problem. Running off the right end (typically a tight end), Mason rushed for 8.1 yards per clip. Off the behind of rookie right guard Dominick Puni, that number jumped to 8.3 yards on three attempts.

There’s no reason for the 49ers to deviate from Monday’s game plan. If the Vikings can stop it with their dynamic, chaotic defense, the Niners can adjust, but the best route to the end zone is to run it there, and the Niners have yet to hit any roadblocks in that department.

And looking at the Vikings’ defensive personnel, I don’t think they will see one on Sunday. Vikings’ defensive coordinator Brian Flores might try to disguise everything his 11 are doing, but you can’t window-dress your way out of hat-on-a-hat football.

A vengeful Brock Purdy

Purdy — without Deebo Samuel and Williams, and perhaps concussed, it should be noted — had one of his worst performances as a pro against the Vikings last season. Flores’ aggressive defensive looks had the then-second-year quarterback a bit flustered.

But Purdy is the kind of quarterback who lingers on failures and less than a season later, he’s been handed a shot at redemption.

Even if San Francisco can run the ball well, the game will still require Purdy to play strong situational football—picking up third-down conversions and capitalizing on scoring chances. In those moments, Flores will throw his best at the 24-year-old. Will he be ready?

I’m betting yes. He rarely makes the same mistake twice.

“It was a good experience last year and there’s some things I had to learn from. I had a year of film and stuff and this week of practice, so we’re excited for it,” Purdy said.

How the 49ers lose

Mind matched

While the Niners’ Week 1 performance resulted in a perfect outcome, it was hardly a perfect performance.

The Jets had a quarterback who refused to move, a running back who couldn’t see the holes that developed in front of him, and two players — Javon Kinlaw and Sauce Gardner — who couldn’t stand up for themselves when the Niners ran at them play after play.

The Niners’ victory was as much a testament to the team’s coaching as it was to the players who executed the plan. Kyle Shanahan’s lapped Jets offensive coordinator, the anything-but-innovative Nathaniel Hackett. Meanwhile, first-year defensive coordinator Nick Sorenesen’s organized defense was never really challenged on its weak points.

That same truth will not apply on Sunday.

Vikings head coach and offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell deserves the same kind of “mastermind” status as Shanahan. He will see that Niners’ weak-side linebacker De’Vondre Campbell is more than a step slower than his All-Pro heyday, and will attack a Niners’ safety core that is still unproven.

And with Aaron Jones in the backfield and the world’s best wide receiver, Justin Jefferson, O’Connell has the kind of arsenal to hit the targets. Expect a steady diet of digs from Jefferson, challenging the space between the Niners’ linebackers and safeties, and plenty of runs to whatever side Nick Bosa isn’t patrolling from Jones, as well as more screen, swing, and dump-off passes than you can count — ideally (from the Vikings’ standpoint) towards No. 59 and away from No. 54, the All-World Fred Warner.

It’s all easier said than done, but O’Connell has been getting it done — no matter who his quarterback is — since he took over in Minnesota.

Down For the Count

The big number for the 49ers’ defense in Week 1 wasn’t a yardage or catch number — it was 51.

That’s the number of defensive snaps the Niners played against the Jets.

And a good portion of those came when the game was already over.

That low play count allowed the Niners to keep Nick Bosa (48 snaps) fresh. The game script gave them the freedom to move in some depth players with impunity.

But such a limited workload will not be the norm, and the Vikings will certainly try to go on long drives; that’s a big issue on the Niners’ defensive line, where depth is a serious issue.

The introduction of free-agent pickup Yetur Gross-Matos might mitigate this a bit at defensive end, but the Niners’ second-string players along the line do not appear ready to provide a positive impact, leaving Sorensen and defensive line coach Kris Kocurek with a tough decision — keep top players in, despite fatigue, or roll with that depth?

The 49ers will win this game, handily, if they can consistently pressure Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. Will they be capable of doing so — early in the season, on a short week — in the fourth quarter of what could be a close game?

PREDICTION

49ers 27 – Vikings 22

This is still a league defined by head coaches and quarterbacks. While I see little difference between the men with the headsets, I’ll take Purdy with a chip on his shoulder (and going against a weak secondary) over Darnold, who looked great against an awful Giants defense in Week 1 that gave him nearly three seconds to throw on every pass. That formula won’t hold up for the Vikings, and Darnold will throw the game to San Francisco.

Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: Avoiding property title problems

Question: When my uncle died, he left his property to his children and my brother and me. We are now in escrow to sell the land and find that we have both a lien from a bank for a loan we believe our uncle paid off long ago and we also have a mechanic’s lien. We don’t know the person who put the mechanic’s lien on the property and the bank has long since been sold. Any recommendations on how to simplify this problem?

Answer: We are fortunate in the U.S. to have strong property ownership laws. Countries that have clear and enforceable real estate laws are overall more economically stable, experience lower crime rates and citizens feel more vested in how their country is run.

When we buy real estate or receive it as a gift, we get a “deed” which evidences our ownership. If seven families bought and sold your property before you, this chain of title is recorded in the county records. The records also show liens on the property and, in the best of circumstances, show release of these liens, as well.

Liens occur on property title in several ways: If you get a mortgage to buy property, the lender secures their loan by placing a lien on title. This way, if you fail to pay, they can foreclose and take the property. Also, when you sell, the loan would be paid off so the new buyer gets “clean” title to the property. Unfortunately, the system is not perfect because even in the best of worlds we can have lazy bankers and forgetful contractors. It is incumbent on the owner of the property to be sure liens are properly released.

Additionally, careful attention must be paid to how we deal with property title. We recently encountered an issue with a client that went like this: Mary was elderly and moved to a senior facility. She wanted to sell her home and found a good buyer. In escrow, however, the title officer informed Mary that her daughter’s name was on title and would need to sign as a seller along with Mary. Confused, Mary contacted her daughter, Grace, who reminded her that Mary had put the house in joint tenancy with Grace years before. “But, dear,” Mary said, “That was so you would get it if I died without going through probate. I need the money from a sale to live on.” Grace insisted she was entitled to half the sales proceeds so Mary lost her good buyer and instead needed to find a lawyer.

More in keeping with your situation: Frank and Ann got a loan with better terms from Bank B and refinanced their home. The new loan paid off their previous loan from Bank A and, over time, the couple paid off Bank B’s loan. Ann died and Frank decided to downsize but, again while in escrow, Frank found that neither bank had removed their liens from title. With Ann gone and Bank A no longer in business, Frank had to hire a lawyer to work through the mess of getting the old liens off title. Wasted time and money to clean up something that should have been done by the lenders. Unfortunately, this happens all the time.

When making home improvements, contractors will often place a mechanics lien on property title. When the job is done and they are paid, the contractor should remove the lien. If the removal of the lien is overlooked, it can cause problems and delays down the road should you decide to sell or refinance, as you are now finding. My recommendation is to check with your title officer to see if they can help. If not, your only option is to find a real estate attorney who can help you clear off the old liens.

As owners, we must take the responsibility when it comes to clean property title. If you pay off a loan, get a “Deed of Reconveyance” from the lender. If you hire contractors, confirm that mechanics liens have been removed and never, ever put title in joint tenancy with anyone before speaking with your lawyer.

Liza Horvath has over 30 years of experience in the estate planning and trust fields and is the president of Monterey Trust Management, a financial and trust management  company. This is not intended to be legal or tax advice. If you have a questions call (831) 646-5262 or email liza@montereytrust.com 

49ers at Vikings: 5 keys to beating NFC foe inside U.S. Bank Stadium

MINNEAPOLIS – Nick Bosa paused mid-sentence, aware that some might seize on his words as a shot at the New York Jets, who the 49ers ripped 32-19 in Monday’s season opener.

But Bosa was already focused on the next task: Sunday’s visit to the Minnesota Vikings, who won their debut 28-6 at the New York Giants.

“This week we’re playing (pause) honestly a better team. They’re playing better football, it looks like,” Bosa said. “We got away with some things last week. We have to hone in and not pat ourselves on the back.”

A greater reality check entails playing again without Christian McCaffrey. The 49ers won’t have him in uniform as they seek their first win in Minnesota since 1992, a drought spanning seven games. On top of that, the Vikings are 6-2 in home openers against the 49ers, and 6-2 in home openers overall since U.S. Bank Stadium opened in 2016 with its Gjallarhorn and Skol chant.

“Sometimes the best-executed games are on the road with crazy environments because you have to be more in tune to the little things,” Brock Purdy said. “So there’s pros and cons to it. But Minnesota’s one of those places where you have to be on top of your stuff or else you can get exposed.”

Here are five areas the 49ers can’t get away with ignoring Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium:

1. RUN IT AGAIN

The McCaffrey-less 49ers — or, if one game won you over, the Jordan Mason-led rushing attack — will encounter a traffic jam at the line of scrimmage here. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores will blitz, and the 49ers will have to prove effective against it, both in the pass but especially on the run.

Running so dominantly and frequently like in Monday’s opener will help mute one of the loudest arenas in all of sports. McCaffrey’s bout with Achilles tendinits puts the onus again on Jordan Mason, whose encore won’t catch anyone off guard, not after his 28 carries produced 147 yards and a touchdown.

While Mason has averaged a robust 5.5 yards per carry over 111 career carries, Deebo Samuel owns a 6.0-yard average over his career as a moonlighting rusher and figures to share the load like Monday’s eight-carry shift. Samuel missed last year’s Minnesota visit due to a shoulder injury; left tackle Trent Williams also was out then but both are healthy for this one.

The Vikings’ opener Sunday saw them allow just 74 rushing yards (3.5 per carry), and afterward they awarded a two-year extension to defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, a seventh-year pro from Stanford. In last October’s “Monday Night Football” visit, the 49ers totaled just 60 yards (3.0 per carry) and McCaffrey had 45 yards (15 carries) while playing with oblique and rib injuries.

On the flip side, the 49ers defense can’t let versatile Vikings rusher Aaron Jones make a difference; he had over 100 yards from scrimmage in losing his last two matchups with 49ers while on the Packers in the playoffs.

2. PURDY VS. DARNOLD

Purdy and Sam Darnold were the 49ers’ Nos. 1 and 2 quarterbacks last season, and Darnold used that year as a successful bridge to the Vikings’ starting post this year. Darnold surely can draw on his scout-team duties last season against the 49ers’ first-string defense, and vice versa. Also, 49ers QB3 Josh Dobbs spent the last half of last season with Minnesota, so these teams know each other quite well.

After a successful debut under first-time defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, the 49ers now need to coerce Darnold into his pre-49ers days and back as a mistake-prone, ghost-seeing quarterback (67 career games, 71 turnovers; 57 interceptions, 14 lost fumbles).

“The different ways they are able to disguise coverages causes certain problems obviously schematically, but for a quarterback’s eyes,” Darnold told Vikings reporters. “If you hitch one too many times, there’s a good pass rush coming at you as well.”

Purdy said much of the same about the Vikings’ “illusion-fest” defense. He earned acclaim from coach Kyle Shanahan after Monday’s debut: “He didn’t make any mistakes and made a number of plays with the ball.” Purdy made two critical mistakes in Minnesota last October, throwing a pair of interceptions in the final six minutes. After a dizzying flight home, Purdy entered the NFL’s concussion protocol, although no one indicated he suffered symptoms during that fourth-quarter comeback attempt.

3. KITTLE JOINS 100 CLUB

George Kittle’s 100th-career regular-season game comes before some 30 family members in his native Midwest, nearly 31 years after he was born next door in Madison, Wisc. He needs six catches to reach 470 all-time and pass Rob Gronkowski for the fifth-most receptions in the first 100 games by a tight end.

None of the five ahead of him had a catch in each of their first 100 games like Kittle can do; he also has a catch in all 12 playoff games. Chiefs counterpart Travis Kelce (No. 1, 531 catches) has a reception streak of 159 consecutive games (plus 22 playoff games) since getting shutout in his one and only game as a rookie; Gronkowski had a catch in each of his first 80 games.

Kittle’s reception skills are important to take the pressure of the running game (see:  Mason’s encore) as well as allow Brandon Aiyuk to find his groove after a rusty opener. “I love playing Midwest football games, because everybody there loves football so much,” Kittle said. “You can just feel the energy of the city throughout the week. Every time I’ve played there, I’ve had a great time. The fans are in it, they’re loud, they have a great team.”

4. WARD VS. JEFFERSON

Charvarius Ward recorded an interception only three snaps into last season’s visit, and he nearly got another but instead yielded a touchdown on an ill-called, all-out blitz just before halftime.

Ward went on to enjoy his first Pro Bowl season, and all five of his interceptions came on the road. Add all that up and he should be supremely confident for a tense matchup with Justin Jefferson, arguably the NFL’s top wide receiver and financially its highest paid.

But the 49ers may not be coerced into strictly assigning Ward to Jefferson. Deommodore Lenoir wants some action, too, saying: “This is something I’ve been waiting on, to go against the best. You want to put your game against the best to see how you look.”

The Vikings won’t have either wide receiver Jordan Addison or tight end T.J. Hockenson, so taking out Jefferson is as important as it was to adjust coverage against the Jets’ Garrett Wilson (six catches Monday on 11 targets, 60 yards). Safeties Ji’Ayir Brown and George Odum also must keep their interception-seeking eyes on a swivel for a wayward Darnold pass

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5. BOSA-FLOYD, EPISODE II

Leonard Floyd got the 49ers’ only sack on Aaron Rodgers and Bosa got two quarterback hits, but that tandem has a tougher test in this encore. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw is among the NFL’s best. Right tackle Brian O’Neill is a seventh-year starter but he is questionable because of an elbow injury, so San Jose State product David Quessenberry may be on call.

Bosa’s scouting report on Darrisaw: “He has a low center of gravity and is athletic, so it’s tough to power him. He’s athletic enough to run you by. If he gets his hands, he’s able to replace them and run you by.”

Bosa not only faced the Vikings last season (one quarterback hit, no sacks), but he gained experience against their tackles in 2022 joint practices in Minnesota. Floyd has no sacks in his past five games against the Vikings.

Bosa has brought more variance to his pass rushes this season, and while a spin looked swift Monday night, he also found himself in a back-peddling bull rush “that was a failed move, but I’ll take it. I got pressure on him.” Bosa played 48 of 51 snaps, most among the defensive line’s starters that included Floyd (34) and defensive tackles Maliek Collins (37) and Javon Hargrave (32).

This California mom wrote the book on raising future voters

Those signs around town, what do they say?

“It’s election season,” Mom said. “This fall, we get to vote for our mayor, school board members, and even our president!”

So begins the political education of kids Kayden and Emma, the main characters of “Voting With Mommy,” a children’s book written by Eastvale City Councilmember Jocelyn Yow and illustrated by Bonnie Lemaire.

The mother of a 4-year-old named Kayden, Yow, 29, hopes that her book released last month inspires families to talk with their children about civics in hopes they’ll vote as grown-ups.

Eastvale City Councilmember Jocelyn Yow reads her new book, “Voting with Mommy,” to children Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at the Norco Library. Studies show that children whose parents vote are more likely to cast ballots as adults. (Photo by Stan Lim, Contributing Photographer)

Eastvale City Councilmember Jocelyn Yow reads her new book, “Voting with Mommy,” to children Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at the Norco Library. Yow’s interactions with her preschool-age son inspired her to write the children’s book. (Photo by Stan Lim, Contributing Photographer)

Eastvale City Councilmember Jocelyn Yow reads her new book, “Voting with Mommy,” to children Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at the Norco Library. Yow said that, while growing up, she was told never to discuss politics at the dinner table. (Photo by Stan Lim, Contributing Photographer)

A young boy votes on the best flavor of ice cream during the start of story time Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at the Norco Library. (Photo by Stan Lim, Contributing Photographer)

A young boy holds an “I Voted Today” badge during a story time Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at the Norco Library. (Photo by Stan Lim, Contributing Photographer)

Eastvale City Councilmember Jocelyn Yow reads her new book, “Voting with Mommy,” to children during a Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, story time at the Norco Library. Yow hopes the children’s book prompts parents to discuss participating in democracy with their kids. (Photo by Stan Lim, Contributing Photographer)

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Eastvale City Councilmember Jocelyn Yow reads her new book, “Voting with Mommy,” to children Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at the Norco Library. Studies show that children whose parents vote are more likely to cast ballots as adults. (Photo by Stan Lim, Contributing Photographer)

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“I would love for families, for parents to introduce the concept of voting, to talk about voting and what’s happening around them at home, starting at a young age,” Yow said.

Research shows the path to the ballot box starts at home.

Children whose mothers voted in the previous presidential election were 20.3% more likely to vote in their first election, according to research published by the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy.

“Parents have a tremendous influence on the interest people have in politics, the values they bring to politics, and the habits they have with regard to citizenship,” Stanford University political science professor Bruce E. Cain was quoted as saying in a 2016 New York Times article about the role parents play in whether their kids vote.

Statewide, voters ages 18 to 34 account for about a third of California’s adult population, but just 21% of likely voters, the Public Policy Institute of California reported this summer. By comparison, California voters 55 and older make up 35% of the state’s adult population but 50% of likely voters.

A Norco College political science professor and the first woman of color to be elected to the Eastvale City Council — she was also the youngest woman of color to become  a city’s mayor in California history — Yow said that while growing up she, “was taught that you never talk about politics at the dining table.”

That changed her freshman year in college, when she went to a friend’s house for dinner.

“My friend’s parents, they would ask me for my opinion about some political issues that were happening at that time,” Yow said.

“Because of that dinner and that experience, it really got me thinking and looking at things from a different perspective and how politics affects all of us, whether we like it or not.”

The idea for writing the book stems from taking her son to her polling place, Yow said.

“He’s like ‘What is that? What is that?’” she said. “If you’re ever around a toddler, they’re very curious. They will ask you, ‘What is this, what is this, what is this?’ … So I would have to explain everything to him and I’m like ‘Let me just start writing all these down.’”

It took four years for Yow to write the book, which is her first.

“It’s one thing to have an idea and then it’s another thing to put it in writing, and I would always get stuck,” she said.

Yow tried to think of “things that little kids would care about.”

“They care a lot about parks and playgrounds,” she said. “Then they don’t necessarily understand the concept of roads or streets or the city budget or public safety just yet. But kids, you don’t mess with their playgrounds and parks.”

As a professor, Yow said the Generation Z students — those born between 1997 and 2012 — she interacts with are “very involved” in politics.

“They have opinions. They are well aware of what’s going on.”

Yow said she’s concerned about where young people are getting their information from.

“I would rather be me talking to my kid about politics and what’s happening than him getting his information from social media or whatnot in a few years,” she said.

“And so it’s important … that we start this conversation at home, and that we guide them in showing them how to find how to source news. I think that’s something that we can start at home by talking about news (and) what’s happening, where can you find accurate information instead of relying on social media.”

Yow will sign copies of her book Saturday, Sept. 21, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Harada Neighborhood Center, 13099 65th St., Eastvale. She’ll do the same Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Corona Public Library, 650 S. Main St.

Mastering the game: Wilbur Ross on power, profit and perseverance

Jim Alkon | (TNS) BookTrib.com

It was one of his earliest and most unforgettable moments in corporate life. Young Wilbur Ross was closing a real estate deal with the legendary Bill Zeckendorf at the real estate magnate’s panoramic and totally circular office. Catching Ross gawking at his surroundings, Zeckendorf comes up from behind, puts his arm around the young man, and says, “If you had been backed into a f__ing corner as often as I have, you would want a goddamn round office too.”

Not that Ross had been scratching and clawing his way out of adversity all his life, but, well, it comes with the territory of being a Wall Street legend, known as the “King of Bankruptcy.” Over a 55-year career, he helped structure more than $400 billion in assets, was named by Bloomberg as one of the 50 most influential people in global finance, and served — and survived — four tumultuous years as secretary of commerce under President Donald Trump.

That illustrious history and the many lessons learned with it make up the substance of his just-released memoir and life primer, “Risks and Returns” (Regnery, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing Inc.).

The subtitle of the book, “Creating Success in Business and Life,” is not so much a roadmap for young financiers, but rather the path Ross took to reach the pinnacle of his profession. It is colored with fascinating anecdotes from his Harvard Business School days to his start on Wall Street to his counsel with some of the giants of business to his Cabinet position under Trump. The company names he worked with and for read like a Fortune 100 list, and as for the people, Ross finds himself rubbing elbows with names like Rothschild, Buffett, Icahn, Milken, Branson, King Charles, John Lennon.

Ross’s anecdotes do indeed paint a picture of financial life in the fast lane. For example, there’s the time that, during the Federated Department Stores hearings, a professor says, “Mr. Chairman, investment bankers are to the financial system what mud wrestlers are to the performing arts.” As Ross starts to refute, the room can hear the professor mutter, “Another goddamned mud wrestler.”

Or the time that Martin Shugrue, the only man ever to be the CEO of two airlines as they went into bankruptcy, says to Ross, ”You were educated at Yale and Harvard. Surely you can find more appropriate clients than the skirts who are stewardess and the thugs who are Teamsters. You should be ashamed. You have some nerve coming in to tell me how to run an airline.”

Ross was raised by parents who were Democrats but early in his adult life he switches to the Republican Party and eventually lands the Cabinet position under Trump. While he finds the role rewarding, he is also subject to the whims of the commander in chief. A 6:30 a.m. call from Trump demanding he go on TV to oppose the Fed’s decision to raise rates is nothing out of the ordinary.

And there’s the scrutiny from Congress and as well as the media. In a high political position, you give up a part of your life and your privacy.

Ross no doubt is a financial genius, but for readers of “Risks and Returns” fearing they will be caught up in theory and formulas, that is not the case. Ross is a convincing storyteller, with anecdote after anecdote told in layman’s terms for all to cherish, whether playing tennis at Carl Icahn’s oceanside house or hearing Donald Trump lament on how the Obama administration overspent for the ceremonial pens to sign documents into laws. You’ll find yourself savoring one story and then thirsting for the next.

You’ll also find some of the author’s ideas to improve the political system and our regulatory environment.

But as much as anything, “Risks and Returns” gives you insights into one of the financial titans of the last half century, through his actions, his philosophies and his thinking.

“No one will live a life free of difficulty … Lifestyle issues, boring jobs, dumb bosses, work pressures, low pay, political issues … Instead of concentrating on them … drop the self-pity and get on with an affirmative direction.”

“Do not be afraid of taking rational risks — I have found that accepting them as the essential ingredient to achieving high-level returns. Just make sure that you think them through.”

(BookTrib.com is the lifestyle destination for book lovers, where articles and books are paired together to create dynamic content that goes beyond traditional book reviews.)

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