Category: Daily Rants

             A while back in this space, I said that I did not yet consider the Kansas City Chiefs an NFL dynasty of the same sort as Lombardi’s Packers or Noll’s Steelers or Belichick’s Patriots.  I do not want to relitigate that issue, but I do want to say something about dynasties in various sports.  Here is my bottom line:

• Dynasties are a good thing for sports enterprises.

Much of the basis for that assertion is my fundamental idea that sports leagues at the professional level and the so-called “revenue sports” at the collegiate level in the US are at their core entertainment enterprises.  All of what we now consider the “major sports” in the US had their beginnings as shoestring operations that hoped one day to be profitable commercial undertakings.  They have succeeded in that economic dimension significantly because enough members of the general public have chosen to devote some of their discretionary dollars and/or some of their spare time to following and supporting the games put on by the leagues.  Sports created a demand among fans; fans responded by “paying for” their entertainment either directly with ticket sales or indirectly with TV ratings.

So, why are dynasties good for the leagues?  Dynasties create emotional reactions; fans either love them or hate them.  From the league perspective, it does not matter if the dynasty organization is loved or hated; the bigger point is that the dynasty organization is the focus of emotion for lots of fans meaning more attention to the entertainment product.  The love/hate aspect of dynasties is always present; the balance of love versus hate will vary from situation to situation, but it is always there.

In baseball, the Yankees have had several “dynastic” eras.  In the present, MLB exploits the love/hate aspect of the Yankees by featuring them on national telecasts an inordinate number of times.  Do you think it is by chance that so many Yankees/Red Sox games get scheduled for Sunday nights?  Are you surprised that Yankees/Red Sox games draw higher ratings than Guardians/Rockies games?

In football, fans had an intense love/hate relationship with Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the entire Patriots franchise for at least a decade.  Again, the NFL presented that team to fans nationally as often as possible because people who loved the team tuned in to see them conquer their opponent and people who hated the team tuned in with the hope that the Pats would get their comeuppances that day.

There was no real national television presence for the Celtics in their great dynasty of the 1950s and 60s, but once the NBA got a foothold in the national TV landscape, it was “Showtime” for the Lakers that dominated until it became the “Bad Boy Pistons” and finally the “Jordan Bulls” that everyone saw at every possible opportunity.

When Tiger Woods was dominating golf, TV ratings were much higher than they are now that there is no dominant figure on the PGA Tour.  In fact, when Tiger Woods was dominating golf, the entire golf industry was on a more solid financial footing than it is today.  And more than a few folks were tuning in hoping to see Woods botch a key shot that would cost him the tournament.

Here is the deal in a nutshell:

• Dynasties drive interest.
• Interest increases involvement.
• Involvement can be monetized.

In most situations, I do not subscribe to the concept that even bad publicity is good for an organization because that bad publicity draws attention to the organization and attention is a good thing.  When someone tries to use that argument with me, my canned response is to ask them to check with the Archdiocese of Boston to see how that turned out for them.  But regarding the case of dynasties and sports, I think “negative” feelings and passions are good things just as are “positive” fan reactions.

If you browse around the Internet a bit, you will find prognostications of imminent and sweeping fan apathy washing over the NFL and MLB.  The argument goes:

• Fans are tired of the Chiefs and the only reason they win is because the league has directed the referees to ensure that they win.  Here is the problem with that “logic”.  Last year, 123 million people tuned into the Super Bowl and the projection for this year is 125 million viewers.  That may not be a staggering increase in viewership, but it is not “cratering” by any definition.
• Fans have given up on baseball because the Dodgers have bought up all the best players, rendering the lengthy MLB regular season a mere formality.  Well, MLB game attendance has risen by more than 7 million paying customers over the past two seasons; attendance in 2024 was more than 71 million fans; that does not square with “widespread fan apathy”.

The fact is that “dynasties” ebb and flow.  The Yankees had some rough times in the 70s and 80s; the Dodgers went more than 20 years without a championship; the Pats were bad before Belichick and are bad once again in 2025; is anyone worried about the Pistons or Bulls dominating the NBA any time soon?  As that ebb-and-flow proceeds, it sweeps in more fans for that love/hate relationship that can be monetized.  As Sonny and Cher once sang:

“And the beat goes on …”

The Kansas City Chiefs – – notwithstanding my failure to consider them as a dynasty as of today – – will play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl in 4 days and the TV audience is expected to be in the neighborhood of 35% of the entire US population.  Some folks will only tune in for the ads and for the halftime show; some will hope to see their favorite team win and others will tune in hoping to see their least favorite team fail on the big stage.  But fans are not revolted by or repulsed by a “dynasty” team.

Finally, sports dynasties extend beyond sports themselves; they can become indicators of periods of time as in this statement by Rudy Giuliani:

“I was Mayor of New York during a great Yankees dynasty. I got to preside over the city during four Yankees championships.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports ………

 

 

MLB has fired one of its umpires, Pat Hoberg, after a “lengthy investigation” for sharing a legal betting account with someone who bet on baseball games.  It was the friend who shared the account(s) who did the betting and not Hoberg which introduces various levels of strangeness into this situation.  Please take a moment and follow this link to a report at espn.com for a summary of the details in this case; the evidence is not nearly as open-and-shut here as it was in the Tim Donaghy matter in the NBA about 20 years ago.  Hoberg admits to errors of judgment but “adamantly denied” to Commissioner Manfred that he ever bet on baseball.

The “shared accounts” became a thing due to Iowa law regarding legal online sports betting.  To use those betting accounts, the bettor had to be physically in Iowa and the phone or other device used to place the bet had to register as connected to a site that showed it was in Iowa.  The friend was not always in Iowa when he wanted to make a wager and asked Hoberg to join his account(s) to place wagers for him when he was out of state.  Agreeing with that request was the first error in judgement; and unfortunately, it was not the last one.

According to the ESPN report, Hoberg was regarded as the best ball-and-strike umpire in MLB.  He will be eligible to petition for reinstatement no earlier than the opening of Spring Training 2026; it will be interesting to see how MLB handles any such petition because in the official statement announcing this termination, it says that there is no evidence that Hoberg bet on baseball games but that his friend did.

Moving on …  There was an announcement last week that FOX signed Jameis Winston to be a “Super Bowl sports correspondent” this year.  When I read that, my first thought was that Carson Wentz must have been otherwise occupied …

Switching gears …  The NFL’s international footprint will undergo another expansion in 2026.  According to a report in the Herald Sun – a newspaper in Melbourne, Australia – the NFL will play 3 games in Melbourne starting in 2026 with the games to take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.  This venue is the largest sports stadium in the Southern Hemisphere according to Wikipedia and it can seat just over 100,000 fans.

I can attest to the popularity of NFL football in Australia.  We went on a trip to Australia and New Zealand that would have had us in flight as the Super Bowl was in play; that was unacceptable; so, we flew to Australia two days early to adjust to jet lag and then to go and see the game live at a sports bar in Sydney.  The game happens there on a Monday morning starting at 9:00 AM for pre-game “stuff”.  The sports bar we found was a 4-story building with one floor devoted almost entirely to betting on the game; the other three floors were packed with people on a Monday morning to watch the Super Bowl.  Moreover, Australian fans know the game and the rules; this is not the only game they watch during a season.

To put that observation into perspective, we were there in 2012 – – the second time Eli Manning and the Giants beat Tom Brady and the Pats in the Super Bowl.  Assuming that level of interest has grown in the intervening years, it is possible that Australian fans will fill that 100,000-seat venue for that regular season game.

The dominance of the NFL as a sports enterprise continues to amaze me.  Think about this season for a moment:

• Three of the worst teams in the league are in three of the largest markets in the country – – the Bears, the Giants and the Jets.
• Three of the best teams in the league are in three much smaller markets – – the Bills, the Chiefs and the Vikes.
• No problem with dwindling fan interest under those circumstances; the league just keeps on keeping on.
• The upcoming “Australian regular season games” will mark the fourth continent to experience NFL regular season football.  There are only seven continents and one of them is Antarctica which will never be considered for NFL football.

Elsewhere …  NBA Commish, Adam Silver, was a guest on a podcast and said that he was in favor of reducing NBA games from 12-minute quarters to 10-minute quarters which is the length of college games and international pro basketball games.  Silver admitted that he might be in a significant minority by liking this idea, but he did not walk away from it.  People have experienced the phenomenon of “shrinkflation” at the grocery store; if Adam Silver were to get his way, shrinkflation would come to the NBA.  You pay the same price; you get less product.

It would be interesting to see what might be the network reaction to a serious proposal for “shrinking” NBA games.  On one hand, the networks just paid $76B for 11 years of “48-minute basketball” and not “40-minute basketball”.  On the other hand, shortening the game on the court might allow for tighter scheduling for the networks as games fit into smaller time windows.  I don’t know which way the networks might come down on that.

Finally, consider this observation by former Dodgers’ manager Tommy Lasorda:

“If Mike Scioscia raced his pregnant wife, he’d finish third.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

Fay Vincent died yesterday at the age of 86; the cause of death was bladder cancer.  Vincent was MLB Commissioner from 1989 through 1992.  His time as the head of the sport was tumultuous to say the least; in those three years he dealt with the banishment of both Pete Rose and George Steinbrenner, league expansion and labor unrest leading to a lockout.  He also happened to be in the Commissioner’s seat when the World Series was “interrupted” by an earthquake.

Rest in peace, Fay Vincent.

The other piece of big news from last weekend is the NBA trade involving Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavs.  The analysis of that exchange at CBSSports.com has this lead sentence:

“The Dallas Mavericks just made the worst trade in NBA history.”

When you consider that Wilt Chamberlain was traded (twice) and Kareem Abdul Jabbar was traded and Kobe Bryant was traded, that lead sentence might be a tad hyperbolic, but the Mavs should have been able to get more than Davis and a first round pick out in the future for a 25-year-old Luka Doncic.  While just about everyone assigns the Lakers as the winners in this exchange – – as do I – – one of the losers is Doncic himself.

Had he been a Maverick this summer, he would have been eligible to get a “super max contract extension”.  The NBA salary cap rules are Byzantine at best so let me go on what reports say about his contract situation without the details.

• “Super Max” would be worth about $345M over 5 years BUT only the Mavs can make that offer based on Doncic’s years in the NBA and who drafted him and how long he had been with that team before being traded.
• The best extension he can get now is about $230M over 4 years and he can get that deal from the Lakers or anyone else if he becomes a free agent.
• Moreover, Texas is a state with no income tax; California has an income tax with the top marginal rate being 13%.

The pairing of Doncic with LeBron James makes the Lakers into championship material for 2025.  The move from Dallas to LA might wind up costing Doncic tens of millions of dollars.  Do not shed crocodile tears over that “loss”; Doncic’s current deal has another year to run, and he will make $43M for the 2025/2026 season before any sort of monster extension contract might kick in.

Moving on …  According to a story that broke in the Baltimore Banner, Ravens’ kicker, Justin Tucker, has been accused of “improper behavior” regarding masseuses in the Baltimore area.  If this sounds to you like a reprise of the Deshaun Watson situation in Houston, you would be correct.  Skipping all the sordid details, the only significant difference in the two sets of accusations is in the number of women making allegations in the two cases.  Watson faced accusations from almost two dozen women; Tucker’s total is still approaching one dozen.

These alleged improprieties have been going on for a while because one of the accusers filed a document with the spa that employed her about such behavior back in 2015.  That tidbit of course leads to the question of why this is coming to light now and not back in the past proximal to the time of the behavior.  Not to worry, the NFL is investigating and that should take somewhere around a couple of years to come to a conclusion that will never be made public thereby clearing up this matter in the minds of fans and other parties who are interested in it for publicity purposes.

It will be interesting, however, to see how the NFL deals with Tucker in comparison to how the NFL dealt with Watson given that the alleged behaviors involved are quite similar.

• Watson is a QB; Tucker is a Kicker.  QBs in general are more valuable and more visible to a franchise and the league than kickers.
• Watson is a middling QB; Tucker is one of the best Kickers ever.
• Watson was fined and suspended by the league for a full season’ Tucker … TBD.

Tucker says the accusations made by all these women are “unequivocally false”.  This story is nowhere near over …

Switching gears …  I read a report that the eight United Football League teams will be “headquartered” in Arlington, TX.  There is some confusion here, but it seems that games will be played in the “home cities” of the teams but that all game prep and administrative functions for the eight teams will be in Texas.  This does not seem to be a return to the concept of the UFL playing all its games in the Birmingham area; it seems that Arlington will be “home” for players and for practice facilities and the like but that games will be distributed to the places where the teams are nominally representing.

If I have it right, the only justification for such an arrangement would be financial benefit and that reminds me that even with FOX and ESPN TV deals in place, the UFL remains a work in progress as a viable economic entity.  In any event, the start of the 2025 UFL season is going to begin on March 28^th – – right in the midst of March Madness.  The regular season will be ten weeks long – – with no BYE Weeks thankfully – – and will culminate in the UFL Championship Game on Flag Day, June 14^th.

Finally, having mentioned Justin Tucker above who is a Baltimore Raven, let me close with this observation by Edgar Allan Poe:

“I have great faith in fools; self-confidence my friends call it.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

Traditionally in August, I do an NFL Preview Rant where I make predictions about the final record for all 32 teams in the NFL along with some other stuff.  I did not do that last August because travel scheduling intervened, but I made a few minor sets of predictions.

In any case, now is the time for me to go back and grade my predictions to see if I should be allowed to continue to use my threadbare crystal ball any longer.  So, here goes …

In August, I listed 7 coaches who were on a hot seat for 2024.  Here is how that turned out:

• Dennis Allen (Saints):  Fired in mid-season
• Todd Bowles (Bucs):  I said he needed to make the playoffs – – probably meaning winning the division – – to keep his job.  And that is exactly what the Bucs did.
• Brian Daboll (Giants):  By all reports, he came within a whisker of losing his job earlier this month.  Here is foreshadowing:
  • • Brian Daboll will be on this list again in 2025
• Matt Eberflus (Bears):  Fired in mid-season
• Mike McCarthy (Cowboys):  Fired after season was over
• Nick Siriani (Eagles):  I said that for him to keep his job the Eagles “need to make the playoffs as a minimum in 2024.”  Well, the Eagles did more than that and he will keep his job.
• Robert Saleh (Jets):  Fired in mid-season
• Dave Canales (Panthers):  As a first-year coach, I thought his job was safe save for the impetuousness previously shown by the team owner, David Tepper.  The Panthers finished 5-12-0 which is an improvement over the 2-15-0 record posted in 2023 – – and Canales has kept his job.

Here is the link to that rant from August 2024 so you can see my full comments if you find that interesting.  I completely missed out on Jerrod Mayo and Antonio Pierce as coaches being fired; I thought they would each get more than one season at the helm; they did not.  Overall, my only complete miss was Brian Daboll, and I did miss the two “one-and-done coaches” this year.  I think that deserves a Grade of B+.

In another rant from August 2024, I looked at the Win Totals futures wagers for the upcoming season and made predictions.  There were four “categories” of predictions and here is how they turned out:

• OVERS:
  • • Vikes OVER 6.5 wins – – an easy cover; the Vikes were 14-3-0
    • Commanders OVER 6.5 wins – – an easy cover; the Commanders were 12-5-0
    • Texans OVER 10.5 wins – – ever so close; the Texans were 10-7-0
    • Bears OVER 8.5 wins – – forget it; the Bears were 5-12-0
• Temptation to take the OVER – – but resisted:
  • • Broncos OVER 5.5 wins – – an easy cover; the Broncos were 10-7-0
    • Jets OVER 9.5 wins – – forget it; the Jets were 5-12-0
• UNDERS:
  • • Cards UNDER 7.5 wins – – ever so close; the Cards were 8-9-0
    • Giants UNDER 6.5 wins – – an easy cover; the Giants were 3-14-0
• Temptation to take the UNDER – – but resisted:
  • • Pats UNDER 4.5 wins – – close but it covered; the Pats were 4-13-0
    • Titans UNDER 6.5 wins – – an easy cover; the Titans were 3-14-0
    • Raiders UNDER 6.5 wins – – an easy cover; the Raiders were 4-13-0
    • Bills UNDER 10.5 wins – – forget it; the Bills were 13-4-0

Here is the link to that rant from August 2024 if you care to see the commentary that went along with those picks.  The 6 “Solid Picks” went 3-3 which is no better than a coin flip and which is a loser in Vegas against the vig.  The 6 “Temptation Picks” went 4-2 which is a profit even against the vig.  If you combine the two categories, the picks were 7-5, which is a betting profit.  I think that deserves a Grade of B -minus.

In a third rant in August 2024, I made predictions about teams that might go “Worst-to-First” in their divisions – – and vice versa.  Here is how all that played out in the 2024 regular season:

• AFC West:  Chiefs – – no way they finish last and they did not by a long shot.  Chargers – – 20% chance they finish first.  They fished second and made the playoffs but trailed the Chiefs by 4 full games.
• AFC South:  Texans – – would take a “monumental sophomore slump” by CJ Stroud to finish last.  He regressed a bit, but the Texans still won the division.  Titans – – maybe they “escape the cellar” in the division but no way they win it.  In fact, they did not even “escape the cellar.
• AFC North:  Ravens – – vulnerable because other teams in the division are good.  Not to worry, the Ravens won the division once again posting a record of 12-5-0.  Bengals – – the return of a healthy Joe Burrow gives them a shot at the top of the division; I thought it was the best chance of all last-place finishers in 2023.  The Bengals were 9-8-0 in 2023 and finished 9-8-0 once again in 2024.
• AFC East:  Bills – – should expect better competition from Jets in 2024 (yeah, right!) but still too good to finish behind the Pats who were in the cellar in 2023.  Pats – – summed it up concisely here; “No way they win the AFC East”.
• NFC West:  Niners – – suspected a hangover as “Super Bowl Losers” but not something that would drop them to last in the division.  However, that hangover plus a bunch of injuries did just that.  The NIners were last in the division at 6-11-0.  Cards – – likely to improve on a bad season in 2023, but no way all three other teams in the division crater to get the Cards to the top; no chance here,
• NFC South:  Bucs – – may be vulnerable as division champs but will not finish last; they did not; they won the division again and made the playoffs.  Panthers – – “No way the Panthers win the NFC South in 2024.”
• NFC North:  Lions – – vulnerable because the rest of the division is strong; gave them a 30% chance of first-to-worst.  That never came close to happening.  Bears – – expected a significant upgrade at QB for a team that won 7 games in 2023; gave them a 30% chance of going “worst-to-first”.  That too never came close to happening.
• NFC East:  Cowboys – – this was the team I thought was most likely to go “first-to-worst”; the Cowboys finished below .500 which was bad enough to get their coach fired, but the Giants presence in the division made finishing last an impossibility.  Commanders – – here is exactly what I said then, “If the defensive secondary can be competent – – it was not in 2023 – – the Commanders could be a big surprise and win the NFC East.  I give that proposition a 30% chance.”  The secondary was improved but not fully competent; the Commanders finished second in the division at 12-5-0.

Here is the link to those predictions if anyone finds that interesting.  My suspicion that the Cowboys and the Niners were vulnerable for a drop this season was a plus along with my call back in August that the Commanders were going to be good in 2024.  At the same time, I totally overestimated the Bears, Bengals and Jets.  Overall, these predictions deserve a Grade of C -minus.

Also, back in August, I did a rant with the headline:

• College Football Pre-Season Thoughts

These do not necessarily lend themselves to grading as do the NFL Predictions, but I will hit a couple of highlights and lowlights from back then.

I identified 7 college football teams that deserved praise for purging their schedules of division 1-AA opponents.  Here are 5 of those 7 teams:

1. Arizona St.
2. Notre Dame
3. Ohio St.
4. Penn St.
5. Texas

Even after getting rid of any lower-level games on the schedule, those 5 teams all made the CFP field for 2024.  Good show gentlemen …

I said the expansion of the CFP to 12 teams could have more first round games that were not “attractive properties for TV networks”.  Indeed, the first round of CFP games produced 4 blowout games that were uninteresting.

I wished Kalen DeBoer good luck in his first year at Alabama taking over for legendary Nick Saban.  Alabama finished the year with a 9-4 record which would be wonderful in just about anywhere in college football.  However, the Crimson Tide has not lost 4 games in a single season since 2007, which was Saban’s first year at Alabama, and they lost 6 games.  In Tuscaloosa, I suspect there are a lot of fans who see a 9-4 record as worthy of a D -minus grade…

Nebraska was my “sleeper team” for 2024; the Huskers finished 7-6 and won a minor bowl game.

I also identified three teams to consider playing as Win Totals for the 2024 season.  Here is how they turned out:

• Boise St. OVER 9 wins:  Boise St. finished 12-2 and made the CFP.  This was a comfortable win.
• Florida St. OVER 9.5 wins:  This is hugely embarrassing.  Here is exactly what I said then, “I like the Seminoles to go OVER 9.5 wins in 2024.  I think Florida State is the best team in the ACC and could win 11 games comfortably this year.”  What happened is that the Seminoles came apart at the seams and finished 2-10 for the season.  Shameful …
• Oklahoma UNDER 7.5 wins:  The Sooners finished 6-7 for their first season in the SEC.

Even with the outrageously incorrect assessment of Florida St. those three picks deserve a Grade of B+.

To sum up, I think these predictions were better than average for the 2024 football season despite some horrible miscalculations on my part.  It was good enough to convince me to do it again this summer – – Good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.

Finally, a thought from legendary Notre Dame football coach, Knute Rockne:

“Most men, when they think they are thinking, are merely rearranging their prejudices.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

As they say at the end of Election Night TV coverage, the numbers are in.  Well, sports and elections are completely different because when “the numbers are in” applies to the sports world, it means we know how many people tuned in to see a certain event.  So let me look first at this year’s CFP Championship game between Ohio St. and Notre Dame:

• The game was on ESPN, and it attracted 22.2 million viewers.

There is good news and bad news in that result.  The good news is that on a network that is only available in about 50% of US households, the game drew a sizeable audience.  The bad news is that ESPN penetration into US households has been dropping for the last decade or so due to “cord cutting”; so, growing that audience is going to be a tough assignment for the CFP mavens and for ESPN.

Let me put that number in perspective here; 22.2 million viewers compare:

• FAVORABLY to the 15.8 million people who made up the average TV audience for the 2024 MLB World Series.
• FAVORABLY to the 11.8 million viewers who made up the average TV audience for the 2024 NBA Finals
• UNFAVORABLY to any NFL Playoff audience and/or to plenty of ordinary regular season games in the NFL.

Having cited the NFL playoff audience size above, let me expand a bit.  Last weekend there were two NFL Conference Championship Games.  One was wildly “more popular” than the other, but both swamped the CFP Championship game in viewership:

1. Eagles/Commanders:  This was the “less popular game” in the late afternoon time slot on the East Coast.  It drew an average audience of 44.2 million.  Believe it or not, that is a double-digit percentage drop from last year’s Conference Championship Game in the late afternoon time slot on the East Coast.  Nonetheless to a first approximation, the Eagles/Commanders game drew an audience twice the size of the Ohio St./Notre Dame CFP Championship Game.
2. Chiefs/ Bills:  This was the game in the “Prime Time slot” on the East Coast.  It drew an average audience of 57.4 million.  That is a 1% increase over last year’s Conference Championship Game in the “Prime Time slot” on the East Coast.

Other than the very obvious conclusion that the NFL is more popular than the other major US sports, there ought to be consideration given to the network presentation of championship events.  The CFP and the NBA Finals are cable TV events; the World Series and the NFL Playoffs are on far more widely available TV networks.  Maybe there is a message there?

Moving on – – but sticking to NFL and the TV business …  There was a report on ProFootballTalk.com that FOX – – which will do the Super Bowl this year – – uses a variable pricing model for the various commercial time slots during the game.  That would only be a surprise if FOX did not do something like that but there was a note there that made me stop and reread the sentence.  According to the report, FOX says it has sold 10 of the elite time slots for ads at “more than $8M”.  Do the math; five minutes of advertising time in the Super Bowl will bring in $80M for FOX.

Switching gears …  Now that the NFL regular season is over, I have had a full season to observe the new kickoff rules in the NFL.  Here is my assessment for what it is worth:

• I like the fact that the league says that injuries are down.  Of course, the league instituted the rule with the intent of doing that; so, I would like for that simple statement to be audited in some way by an “outside source”.
• I like the fact that more kicks were returned this year.  I have no quantitative data here; it is a qualitative assessment but not one that is not nearly on the margins in my opinion.
• I do not like that the new rule eliminates the “surprise” onside kick completely from the game.  Even though it happened infrequently, it was always something that had to be considered.

That rule change was instituted for one-year only; it was a “trial balloon”.  When the owners meet to consider other rule changes presented by the Competition Committee, they will also vote on whether the new kickoff rule should be made permanent.  It will take a vote of 75% of the owners to retain the new rule; if it does not have that level of support, the NFL will revert back to the longstanding way to administer kickoffs.

And speaking of rule changes …  MLB will have two rule changes for 2025 that are characterized as “tweaks” and not major changes:

1. One rule change allows the replay official some discretion on plays where runners intentionally overrun a potential force play at second base perhaps to allow a run to score from third base on the play.  That seems like a minor thing to me, but it will require some mind-reading on the part of the replay official who must determine when/if a runner has “abandoned the baseline” seeking such a potential advantage.
2. The other rule “tweak” seems to be more than a “tweak”.  MLB is tightening the screws on players who violate the new “shift rule” which prohibits more than two infielders on either side of second base on a play.  Currently, if a defender violates the rule, the penalty is for the team at bat to take the result of the play where the infraction happened or for the batter to be awarded a ball.  Here is what the new rule will do.

• • • • Batter is awarded first base.
      • Baserunners move up.
      • The player violating the rule is charged with an error.

Finally, having mentioned MLB today, let me close with this observation from Bob Ryan – – “the quintessential sportswriter according to Tony Kornheiser”:

“Whoever did not vote for Ichiro Suzuki in the Baseball Hall of Fame election should have his or her voting rights revoked and should be placed under House Arrest because clearly that person is unhinged and a clear danger to Society.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

Back in the Spring of 2022 – – late into the NFL off-season – – Bruce Arians abruptly resigned as the head coach of the Bucs.  He pretty much said that he timed his resignation such that the Bucs would have no choice but to name Todd Bowles as his hand-picked successor.  I remember thinking at the time that his decision and his tactics were efficient and effective while being horribly manipulative.  I had always liked Bowles as a coach even when his Jets’ teams were outmanned; those teams never “mailed it in”; they always played hard.

So, how has that worked out for the Bucs.

• In three seasons, the Bucs have won the NFC South Division three times.
• In the 2023 season, the Bucs won a wildcard playoff game.

Those results may not be the foundation for a Hall of Fame coaching career, but they certainly have given Bucs’ fans more good times than bad over the past three seasons.  Bowles’ public persona is very quiet and measured; I wonder if that demeanor leads some to think that he is not the basis for the Bucs wining but tat he is merely riding the wave of the players on the field.  I think Todd Bowles is a significantly underrated and under-appreciated head coach.  That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it …

Moving on …  The Miami Heat contretemps with Jimmy Butler has reached new depths.  After Butler returned from a 7-game suspension by the team, he hung around for a while and then missed a team flight to an away game; that earned him a shorter suspension.  Once that was over, he went to practice where he found out he would no longer be starting for the Heat but would come off the bench; that news led him to walk out of practice earning him an indefinite suspension by the team.

It seems that all this began when the Heat refused to give Butler a long-tern lucrative contract extension that he feels he has earned and that he wants badly.  Pat Riley is the Heat’s GM and Riley can be as hard-nosed as anyone once he settles into a position.  It seems that Butler has forced Riley into a position where the Heat needs to trade him somewhere in the next 8 days – – before the NBA trade deadline for 2025.

NBA trades are much trickier than in other sports because the NBA has a salary cap, and it has rules governing trades such that there must be “salary matches” on both sides of the trade.  I don’t pretend to understand all of that so here are two possible trade scenarios for Jimmy Butler that might “save the day” in Miami – – if they pass muster on the “salary match” dimension:

1. Jimmy Butler to the Warriors for Andrew Wiggins.  Butler is the better player when he is motivated and on good behavior – – which is certainly not the case for now.  However, Butler is 35 years old and Wiggins is only 29 years old meaning that Wiggins is probably the better long-term asset.  The question in my mind is that Butler has been “the guy” in Miami but would not be “the guy” on a roster that also has Steph Curry.  How would that play out?
2. Jimmy Butler to the Wolves for Julius Randle.  The Wolves acquired Randle only a few months ago in a trade with the Knicks and things have not worked out the way the Wolves’ braintrust had hoped.  Instead of being at or near the top of the Western Conference, the Wolves find themselves in “play-in territory” which is exactly where NBA teams do not want to be.  Like Wiggins, Randle at age 30 is probably a better long-term asset than Butler even though Butler is the better player in 2025.

Switching gears …  Here is an amazing stat from the nearly completed NFL season:

• In last Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, the Eagles posted seven rushing TDs.
• For the entire 2024/2025 NFL season comprised of seventeen games, the Dallas Cowboys posted six rushing TDs.
• Wow!

One more interesting statistical oddity from that Eagles/Commanders game last weekend:

• Coaches often say they seek “offensive balance”, and they need to run the ball effectively.
• Last Sunday, the Eagles gained 230 yards passing and 229 yards rushing for the game.
• Balance achieved …

Finally, I ‘ll close today with a message received from #2 son reacting to the Raiders hiring 73-year-old Pete Carroll as their new coach:

“Pete Carroll was just hired by the Raiders, and he brings with him a 5-year plan for the team.

“It’s called … “Don’t die!”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

An interesting trend is developing.  Five retired NFL players whose careers were either “Very Good” or even “Great” have come out of retirement to become the head football coach at an HBCU.

1. Deion Sanders coached Jackson State for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.  He posted a record of 23-3 at Jackson State before moving on the coach Colorado starting in 2023.
2. Eddie George coached Tennessee State since the 2021 season.  His record there has been 24-22.
3. Michael Vick was hired to be the head coach of Norfolk State in December 2024.
4. DeSean Jackson was hired to be the head coach of Delaware State in December 2024.
5. Terrell Buckley was hired to be the head coach of Mississippi Valley State in January 2025.

At a more elevated and visible level of football, all but one of the NFL’s coaching vacancies for this offseason have been filled.  The Saints’ job in New Orleans remains up for grabs.  So, here are some first impressions of the hiring decisions:

• Bears:  They hired Ben Johnson as the their head coach.  Johnson was the “prize catch” in this year’s installment of Head Coaching Musical Chairs.  The theory is that Johnson’s offensive genius will blend with the high-level innate talent that is QB Caleb Williams to produce something unknown to Bears’ fans for the last 50 years or so – – namely an offensive team that is to be feared.  If Johnson can pull that off – – and I have no reason to think it is out of the question – – that will make the NFC North the “Division From Hell” where none of the teams is a pushover.  I think this will be the most interesting coaching transition to follow.
• Cowboys:  They hired Brian Schottenheimer to be their head coach; since I have advocated for his father, Marty, to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a coach, I obviously think he is “genetically suited” to the job.  Having said that, Brian Schottenheimer is 51 years old and has been an assistant coach at the collegiate and NFL levels since 1997.  The narrative here is that the Cowboys decided to hire someone who is familiar with the team and its personnel – – specifically Dak Prescott – – in lieu of amore experienced “outsider”.  He has his work cut out for him in 2025.  In the same division, he needs to deal with the Commanders and the Eagles; in addition, the NFC East will play the NFC North and the AFC West teams next year.  That is not a cupcake schedule.
• Jags:  The Jags hired Liam Coen whose previous job was as the Offensive Coordinator of the Bucs.  In the 2024 regular season, the Bucs were one of only 4 teams in the NFL to score more than 500 points and whatever offensive system was in place it allowed Baker Mayfield to throw for 4500 yards and 41 TDs.  Reports say that Coen only took the job after the Jags fired GM, Trent Baalke; somehow, that does not seem to me to be a great way to begin a coaching regime.  Maybe that’s just me …  The coaching situation in Jax has been a revolving door recently; Liam Coen will be the fourth coach in the last six years for the Jags.
• Jets:  The Jets hired Aaron Glenn as their head coach.  I think this is an “A+ decision” by a Jets’ franchise that is not known for making “A+ decisions”.  Based on reports and having seen Glenn in interview settings, he is clearly a no-nonsense guy; should there be any drama associated with the team, my guess is that he will either use it to the team’s advantage or he will stamp it out.  Glenn was a defensive player and has been an assistant on the defensive side of the ball; the Jets were “offensively challenged in 2024”; so, it will be important for him to get an Offensive Coordinator who can light a fire under the offense be it with or without Aaron Rodgers.
• Raiders:  They hired Pete Carroll as their head coach.  Rumor had it that Tom Brady was personally involved in trying to get Ben Johnson into this job but could not get that done.  If I were Johnson in my first head coaching gig, I would surely prefer to work with Caleb Williams than the triumvirate of Gardner Minshew, Aiden O’Connell and Desmond Ridder.  Carroll is 73 years old and has been coaching since 1973 with previous head coaching stints at USC, the Jets, the Patriots and the Seahawks.  Carroll is a proven commodity here; nevertheless, the AFC West is no walk in the park; the other three teams there all made the playoffs in 2024, and the Chiefs are heading to their third consecutive Super Bowl game in two weeks.
• Pats:  The Pats hired Mike Vrabel as their head coach.  If Ben Johnson was not the “prize catch” in the coaching search this year, then Mike Vrabel was.  If reports are accurate, Vrabel had 2024 “off” because he lost an internal struggle in Tennessee with the GM – who himself got fired at the end of this season.  In his time at Tennessee, he made the playoffs three times and made it to the AFC Championship Game once and earning Coach of the Year recognition in five seasons there.  Vrabel has already made an interesting hiring decision; back for a third trip around the league will be Josh McDaniels as the Offensive Coordinator for the Pats.  McDaniels has been successful in that role to the extent that he has gotten two head coaching gigs from his performance there.  Both of those head coaching gigs flamed out badly – – but he is back in a job where he has excelled in the past.

The job as head coach of the Saints is still open.  I am surprised that there are not a whole lot of reports of candidates lining up for interviews because the Saints’ job seems very attractive to me for one simple reason.  The NFC South is a weak division; the Bucs have won the division in the last four years and in three of those years, the Bucs won 10 games or less.

Finally, since today has been about football coaches, let me close with one of my favorite lines from Lou Holtz:

“Don’t tell your problems to people: eighty percent don’t care; and the other twenty percent are glad you have them.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

Well, the Super Bowl for February 2025 is set.  It will be a rematch of the Super Bowl from February 2023 with the Eagles and the Chiefs as the participants.  The game from two years ago was decided by 3 points and was tense from start to finish; we can only hope that will be the case about two weeks from now.

Eagles 55  Commanders 23: I certainly did not expect this result, but the dominance indicated by the score was about equal to the dominance displayed on the field.  The Eagles outgained the Commanders 459 yards to 350 yards and the Eagles’ defense forced 4 turnovers in the game.  With about 5 minutes left in the third quarter, the Commanders had closed the gap to 11 points, trailing 34-23.  Here are the Commanders’ possessions from that point on:

• 5 plays  30 yards  1:12 time of possession  FUMBLE
• 8 plays  1 yard  2:01 time of possession  SACK TURNOVER ON DOWNS
• 10 plays  36 yards  3:00 time of possession  INTERCEPTION
• 4 plays  7 yards  1:49 time of possession  TURNOVER ON DOWNS

Meanwhile in the same part of the game, here were the Eagles’ possessions:

• 7 plays  29 yards  3:24 time of possession  PUNT
• 5 plays  51 yards  2:58 time of possession  TOUCHDOWN
• 4 plays  31 yards   2:21 time of possession  TOUCHDOWN
• 4 plays  80 yards  1:48 time of possession  TOUCHDOWN
• 2 plays  minus-6 yards  0:40 time of possession  END OF GAME

I said last week that the Commanders are both good and lucky; clearly, they used up their allocation of good fortune for the season before kickoff yesterday.  They were clearly outplayed – – and their fairy godmother took the day off too.

 

Chiefs 32  Bills 29: The game on the field was as even as the score would indicate:

• Chiefs’ Total Offense = 368 yards   Bills’ Total Offense = 374 yards
• Chiefs’ time of possession = 29:28   Bills’ time of possession = 30:32
• Chiefs’ offensive plays = 63   Bills’ offensive plays = 68

This is the fourth time in a row that the Chiefs have beaten the Bills in the playoffs, but this one did not follow the script of other Chiefs/Bills games.  There was no miraculous drive by Patrick Mahomes and the offense in the final seconds to set up the winning score; this time, the Chiefs’ defense did the deed.  After the Chiefs took the lead 32-29 on a field goal with 3:33 left in the game, the defense batted down two Josh Allen pass attempts.  After a short gain on third down, the Bills had to go for it on fourth down.  [Aside: The Bills had gone for it on fourth down 5 times prior to this in the game and had converted 4 of those 5 attempts.]  The defense brought an all-out blitz forcing a hurried throw that fell incomplete.  The Chiefs’ offense then did its job and ran out the clock.

Changing the subject slightly, I also mentioned here before that many Commanders’ fans took a measure of joy that the team’s success came immediately after the departure of Danny Boy Snyder from the owner’s box.  Last week there were several articles indicating that Danny Boy is none too happy about the team’s success in his absence.  Here is a link to one such article at CBSSports.com; it will take you less than 5 minutes to read it:

That report comes from Will Brinson who is a solid NFL reporter and columnist; it cites information gathered by Seth Wickersham and Don Van Natta who are both well-respected sports journalists.  In addition to being “intensely unhappy” with the Commanders’ success, the article says that Snyder threatened to back out of the sale process in the final stages of the purchase including a ploy where he would claim to have given up alcohol and that previous transgressions that may have happened were due to his debilitating alcohol dependency.

There are plenty of anonymous quotes in the article and plenty of hearsay contained in the anonymous quotes; so, this is not nearly what one might call “best evidence” for what transpired then or what Snyder’s sentiment is today.  Notwithstanding the accuracy of these recent reports, I can say from personal observation and interaction with Commanders’ fans in the DC area that the absence of Danny Boy Snyder enhances their joy at the turnaround by the team.

Finally, here is one of my favorite Darothy Parker quotes:

“That would be a good thing for them to cut on my tombstone: Wherever she went, including here, it was against her better judgment.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

There is no need for dancing around it; this is the next-to-last Football Friday for a while.  So, here are the far less than positive results from last week’s “Betting Bundle”:

• Against the spread =  2-1-2  It doesn’t get better than this
• OVER/UNDERs  =  0-2-0   It can’t get worse than this.
• Parlays  =  0-2  It can be just as bad but not worse.

Enough with the past; now to the present …

 

College Football Commentary:

 

We have our National Champion for the season and the outcome has been determined on the field among a selected group of 12 teams who had good seasons in 2024.  No more pollster derived “national champ”; this time it was head-to-head.  So, obviously, all is well in college football.  As Dandy Don Meredith might say in the obverse:

“All those ifs and buts are candy and nuts

So, what a great Christmas there’ll be.”

And at this point, we have an interjection from Lee Corso:

“Not so fast, my friend …”

What this first expanded field CFP did was to give us 11 football games to focus attention on.  The first four games were not even marginally interesting; the last four games were very interesting; the three in the middle were “good enough”.  The situation in college football today as it regards determining a national champion reminds me of the lyrics of a song by Della Reese from about 50 years ago:

“You came a long way from Saint Louie

But Baby, this is New York city

And you still got a long way to go …”

Having attended a rodeo once in the past, this is not my first one; so, I realize that the powers-that-be in college football recognize that an 11-game tournament generated a bazillion dollars of revenue and that those powers-that-be have already figured out that a 15-game tournament will generate more than a bazillion dollars.  When it comes to dollars, more is always better than less.  Ergo, at some point the CFP will expand again to 16 teams.

Just because I think this is inevitable does not mean that I have to like it.  Adding more teams will open the door to more of the games in the “marginally interesting” category.  Sure, occasionally, the team seeded 16^th will upset the team seeded 1^st; we have seen that in March Madness; it will happen here too every once in a while.  But most of those games will be yawners.  If the world were to make the huge mistake of making me the College Football Czar, I would contract the CFP to 8 teams and put up with the cries and wails from a handful of schools every year who will claim to have been snubbed by the selectors.

Now that I have “settled” the concept of the ideal CFP going forward, let me ask a question and ponder the future for a moment here:

• None of the four teams that played in the semi-finals of the CFP this year won their conference; in fact, two of them lost their conference championship game.  So, has the CFP diminished the value of those conference championship games and even the concept of being a “conference champion”?
• With all the added revenue flowing into college football via the CFP, the fundamental nature of college football has changed to make it minor league professional football.  [Aside:  A friend calls it “Triple-A Football”; he is not wrong.]  Is that an unalloyed benefit?

For the minor conferences, the championships matter to the teams and their followers.  In August when the college football season starts, there may be a few delusional fans in places like the Sun Belt Conference or the Mountain West Conference or the MAC who ponder that their school will emerge as national champion.  That is a Hollywood script and not rationality.  In those conferences and for those schools, winning the conference championship is a big deal and will likely continue to be a big deal.  In the MAC this year, Ohio won the regular season and the championship game and then a minor bowl game to finish the season at 11-3 overall.  My guess is that fans of the Bobcats felt very good about that outcome even though no one gave a second thought to the team as a national champion contender.

In the major conferences, there might be a different story.  Winning the regular season title and/or the conference championship game is normally going to be a steppingstone to an invitation to the CFP.  A poor showing in the CFP will definitely take some of the luster off that conference championship.  As an example, consider Oregon this year; the Ducks were undefeated in Big-10 games and then won the conference championship game; Oregon got a BYE in the CFP and then had their doors blown off by Ohio State.  I doubt that Oregon fans are despondent about the season; I also doubt they are euphoric.

Regarding the changes that may accrue to college football from the massive influx of revenue, I wonder if some fans will be turned off by the evolution of “college football” into “Triple-A football”.  And the evolution has already started and will likely accelerate over the next several years.  Players are now mercenaries more often than not; they are signed to NIL contracts that contain provisions for them to play football at Whatsamatta U and they are generally free agents every couple of months when the Transfer Portal opens, and they can – – subject to the terms of their NIL contracts – – change teams.

In essence, Triple-A football identifies teams with schools and not with municipalities; is that going to be OK with fans?  More importantly, will that be OK with the people who tune in to watch games because that is where the big money is?  My guess is that fans will adjust to the change and accept it sufficiently to remain loyal fans – – but that is a guess and nothing more.

And the explosion of revenue that has been the driver for turning college football into Triple-A football brings me back to a position that I have held for more than 35 years:

• Collegiate Athletic Departments are sports franchises attached to universities, and they pay no taxes on those revenues because they are “school affiliated”. 

That sleight of hand may have worked in the days of the NCAA fantasy regarding “student athletes” who are in college pursuing a degree and who find time in their busy academic life to participate in athletics as an extra-curricular activity.  Somehow, that doesn’t work today when there are reports of some athletes getting 7-figure NIL deals to change teams – – er, schools.  Here is my position:

• Athletic Departments need to incorporate on their own. 
• They can choose to be attached to schools or not. 
• They need to be taxed on their revenues minus expenses as audited by competent auditors. 
• Donations to Athletic Departments by boosters or alums cannot be deducted from the tax returns of the donors because the Athletic Department is not an educational institution.

Were that to happen, the evolution of college football into Triple-A football would be completed.  And at that point another question arises.  At that point, the NFL would have an extensive network of “minor-league football teams” in every state in the union.  The NFL would also enjoy the existence of that minor league football league that plays in the Spring as another player developmental entity for which the NFL would need to play nothing.  So, if all that were to come to pass:

• Is ”college football” really Triple-A football or is the United Football League the higher-level minor league?
• Is college football morphing into Triple-A football or Double-A football?

 

NFL Commentary:

 

            Going into last week’s playoff games, the Washington Commanders were the NFC team who had been left out of the NFC Championship Game for the longest time; they had not been there since 1991.  With the Commanders’ win over the Lions, that absentee streak will be broken on Sunday.  Now the NFC team who had been absent from the NFC championship game will be:

• “America’s Team” – – the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys last appearance in the NFC Championship game was in 1996 when they beat the Packers.  To give you an idea of how long ago that was, the two opposing QBs that day were Troy Aikman and Brett Favre.

The finalists for various NFL Awards have been announced.  Here are some of them with my selection:

For MVP:

• Josh Allen – – my pick
• Saquon Barkley
• Joe Burrow
• Jared Goff
• Lamar Jackson

For Offensive Player of the Year:

• Saquon Barkley – – my pick
• Joe Burrow
• Ja’Mar Chase
• Derrick Henry
• Lamar Jackson

For Defensive Player of the Year:

• Zach Baun
• Myles Garrett – – my pick
• Trey Hendrickson
• Patrick Surtain II
• TJ Watt

For Offensive Rookie of the Year

• Brock Bowers
• Jayden Daniels – – my pick
• Malik Nabors
• Bo Nix
• Brian Thomas, Jr.

For Defensive Rookie of the Year:

• Cooper DeJean
• Braden Fiske
• Quinyon Mitchell
• Chop Robinson
• Jared Verse – – my pick

For Coach of the Year:

• Dan Campbell
• Kevin O’Connell
• Sean Payton
• Dan Quinn
• Andy Reid – – my pick, but I cannot argue against any of these candidates

For Comeback Player of the Year

• Joe Burrow – – my pick
• Sam Darnold
• JK Dobbins
• Christian Gonzales
• Damar Hamlin

 

Games This Week:

 

Commanders at Eagles – 6 (48):  The Washington Commanders are the embodiment of a line from the movie, The Blues Brothers.  They can claim with credibility that they are “on a mission from God” for this season.  Every bounce of the ball and every “50/50” play seems to have gone in their favor ever since the Hail Mary win over the Bears back in October.  I said it before:

• It is better to be lucky than proficient.
• It is even better to be lucky AND proficient.
• The Commanders are both…

Jalen Hurts tweaked his knee/leg/ankle in last week’s win over the Rams; he was limping noticeably at the end of the game.  Was it a bump; was it something serious that will limit his mobility this week?  The spread of 6 points – – up from an opening level of 5 points – – indicates that it will not be a significant part of this game.  Both Hurts and Eagles DB, Quinyon Mitchell had “full practices” this week indicating they are ready to play.  I have come to believe that the football gods are fully behind the Commanders this season as their way of thumbing their nose at departed owner Danny Boy Snyder who will only be able to watch the “new kid on the block” have his team in the Super Bowl.  I like the Commanders plus the points AND I like the Commanders on the Money Line at +240; put those in the “Betting Bundle”.

 

Bills at Chiefs – 2 (48):  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe we have seen these two teams meet under playoff circumstances in the past.  The Bills beat the Chiefs earlier this year in Buffalo; this game is in KC.  Here is a stat I ran across that is stunning:

• For the 2024 season to date, the Bills have turned the ball over only 8 times.

I think it is time for “Josh Allen & Co.” to beat “Mahomes Ltd” who have won the last 3 playoff meetings between the teams.  Give me the Bills plus the points and give me the Bills on the Money Line at +115; put those in the “Betting Bundle”.

Obviously, since I like both underdogs to win outright, I must like a parlay of those two “plus-money” wagers:

• Commanders @ +240
• Bills @ +115     $100 wager to win $631.

Also, there is one player proposition bet I like this week:

• Josh Allen to score a TD in the game at minus-115     $100 wager to win $90.

            Finally, words from Vince Lombardi:

“Some people try to find things in this game that don’t exist but football is only two things – blocking and tackling.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

 I ran across a report yesterday at Sportico.com with this headline:

“Cleveland mayor invokes ‘Modell Law’ to block Browns move”

Three things compelled me to read this article:

1. I never knew Art Modell had a law named for him.
2. I did not know the Browns planned to move.
3. It was by Michael McCann who is a sports law professor that I read whenever I run across one of his articles.

Let me start with the first item above.  Back when the “Browns 1.0” left Cleveland for Baltimore to become the Ravens, the Ohio Legislature passed a law that would make it more difficult for another team based in Ohio to pick up and move somewhere else.  I did not know that; I am not surprised to learn that it happened; I now understand why there is a law that is commonly referred to as the “Modell Law”.

As to the next item on the list, I learned by reading the Sportico report that the Browns’ attempted “move” was not going to be out of Ohio.  Not being a Cleveland area resident, I was not aware that the Browns have been considering a site about 15 miles outside Cleveland for a new stadium/development project in a town called Brook Park.  The Browns lease to the current facility in Cleveland runs through the end of the 2028 NFL season.  Again, I did not know such planning was happening; I am not surprised that it is ongoing.

Now comes the interesting part from Professor McCann.  The mayor’s invocation of the “Modell Law” demands that since the Browns will be moving out of Cleveland, they must – – in compliance with that law – – provide “the City or others with the opportunity to purchase the team.”  When you consider the number of billable hours for lawyers that a move to Brook Park with approvals for a stadium/development project might engender, this added layer of interaction with the City of Cleveland could raise that number exponentially.

The Browns’ response is not in a kind and gentle tone; it has two parts:

1. The Browns contend that the “Modell Law” is unconstitutional – – AND – –
2. Even if the “Modell Law were to be found to comply with the Constitution, it would not matter because the Browns are in compliance with the “Modell Law”.

Now, over to Professor McCann:

“The law forbids Ohio-based pro teams that use a ‘tax-supported facility for most of its home games’ and that ‘receive financial assistance’ from playing home games ‘elsewhere.’

“The word ‘elsewhere’ is unclarified as to whether it could refer to an intrastate move or is intended to only cover out-of-state relocations.

“Should a team wish to move, the Modell Law says it must provide the government with six months’ notice and offer the team for sale to the city or local buyers.”

The mayor wants that six-month period of notice and purchasing options to start now.

Here is the short version of why the Browns are not going to do so without a fight.  Again, from Professor McCann:

“Whether the Modell Law could actually block the Browns from relocating to Brook Park is an untested legal concept. Although the law was cited in court filings when the Columbus Crew planned to move to Austin, Texas, seven years ago, that legal dispute was resolved via settlement. It also concerned an out-of-state relocation, whereas the Browns seek a comparatively local move.

“… the Browns contend the law is impermissibly vague because it: (1) doesn’t clarify how far a team must move for it to apply; (2) doesn’t explain what triggers six months’ advance notice; (3) violates the Constitution’s Commerce Clause, which prohibits states from excessively interfering with other states’ economies, by giving Ohio residents ‘preferential treatment’ to buy the team; (4) violates the Constitution’s Contract Clause by impairing the Browns and NFL’s contractual obligations to one another concerning league approval of franchise relocation; and (5) violates the Constitution’s Privileges and Immunities Clause by discriminating against citizens of other states (at least those who want to buy an NFL team).”

Somewhere in the cosmos, Art Modell is smiling because he is relevant again in Cleveland; citizens there thought they would never have to deal with him again once he passed – – and yet, here we are.  I have a much more benign view of Art Modell than just about anyone in Cleveland has.  In broad overview:

• Cleveland found money to build the Indians – – now the Guardians – – a new stadium.
• Cleveland then found money to build the Cavaliers a new arena.
• Modell sought Cleveland money to build a new stadium for his “Browns 1.0” and was rebuffed.
• Modell got a good deal from Baltimore and hightailed it out of Cleveland.
• Then, when the NFL offered to put a new franchise – – “Browns 2.0” – – back in Cleveland if there were a new stadium there, suddenly that funding became readily available.

It is that last turn of events that leads me to believe that Art Modell may not have been pure evil.  He was probably driven by financial gain to a huge extent, but that is not surprising for an NFL team owner.  I just think that the failure to reach an agreement between Modell and the City of Cleveland back in the 1990s was a joint venture; Modell deserves a share of the scorn and so do the Cleveland pols who had the money to build a stadium with him but didn’t and only “found” that money after the Browns were gone and the citizenry in Cleveland was not too happy about the loss of their team.

Here is a link to Professor McCann’s article; it is obviously more thorough and more instructive than my summarization here; I include it for those who might want more information.

Finally, I will close with these words from Art Modell himself; think about recent and current NFL owners and ask yourself how far off base he was when he said:

“The quality of ownership is not what it was in yesteryear.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………