Football Friday 1/24/25

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 16th will upset the team seeded 1st; 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………

 

 

There Is Such A Thing As The “Modell Law”

 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………

 

 

You Make The Call …

I was talking with a friend this morning about a report on CBSSports.com and we disagreed on the backstory there.  I want to present the story here and our differing interpretations to see how others react.  Here is a link to the report in question.  I will summarize it here if you choose not to read it in full:

  • Mark Andrews (TE, Ravens) suffers from juvenile diabetes and has a charity that supports kids who suffer from that malady.
  • Mark Andrews dropped the pass that would have been the two-point conversion to send the Bills/Ravens game into OT last weekend.
  • Bills’ fans have donated nearly $40K to Andrews’ charity via a GoFundMe page.

Here are the differing interpretations:

  • My Friend:  Andrews doesn’t need the money for his charity; this is just a ploy to make it seem as if they [Bills’ fans] are doing something noble when what they are really doing is rubbing Andrews’ nose in that dropped pass.
  • My Take:  Granted that Andrews does not need the money – – but if Bills’ fans want to “rub his nose in it”, they have social media to do that; I think this is a classy move by the “Bills’ Mafia”.

So, any other interpretations out there …?

Switching gears …  The NFL has announced the home teams for two more international games next year.  Remember that we already know that the Browns, Jets and Jags will play in London next season:

  • The Colts will be the home team for a game in Berlin in 2025.  That will be the first game ever in Berlin; previous NFL regular season games in Germany have been in Munich and in Frankfurt.
  • The Dolphins will be the home team for a game in Madrid in 2025.  This will be the first NFL international game in Spain.

As with the London Games announcements about a week ago, the dates and the opponents for the games are still to be revealed.

International games have been around for almost 20 years now and every NFL team has had that experience.  There are five teams that are undefeated in international games:

  1. Vikes  4-0-0
  2. Niners  3-0-0
  3. Chiefs  3-0-0
  4. Eagles  2-0-0
  5. Panthers  2-0-0

There are eight teams that are winless in international games:

  1. Titans  0-2-0
  2. Packers  0-2-0
  3. Bills  0-2-0
  4. Cards  0-2-0
  5. Steelers  0-1-0
  6. Browns  0-1-0
  7. Bengals  0-1-1
  8. Commanders  0-0-1

Moving on …  The names of the players who will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this summer are now known.

  • Ichiro Suzuki:  He is in on the first ballot and was one-vote shy of being a unanimous selectee.  I would really like to know what shortcomings that single voter saw in Ichiro’s career because I cannot find one.
  • CC Sabathia:  This was his first time he was eligible for induction, and he easily passed the 75% bar for voting receiving 86.6% of the votes cast.
  • Billy Wagner:  This was his tenth time on the ballot and the last time he would be there unless he was elevated by the Veterans’ Committee – – or whatever they are calling to these days.  Wagner got 82.5% of the votes cast.

These three players will join Dick Allen and Dave Parker who were selected by that Veterans’ Committee about a month ago.  I have absolutely no problem with any of these five inductees; all are deserving.

Finally, let me close with these words from Baseball Hall of Famer, Yogi Berra:

“So, I’m ugly.  So what?  I never saw anyone hit with his face.”

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

 

 

Ohio State Is The National Champion

Congratulations to Ohio State.  The Buckeyes are the college football champions in the first year of the 12-team CFP; they beat four good football teams to earn that distinction in this new playoff format.

  • The first-round games were “Meh!”
  • The quarterfinal games were better.
  • Both semifinal games were entertaining
  • The final game was excellent.

You may recall that I said I wished for Ohio State to win and then for Coach Ryan Day to take the trophy for winning the National Championship and say into the microphone that he would resign as the Ohio State coach because the fans there are irrational.  That did not happen on live TV – – but hold on.  One of the lead articles today on CBSSports.com has this headline:

“Ryan Day gets Ohio State back atop college football; now he’ll make an NFL call on his own terms”

In the column under that headline, the author begs Day to stay in Columbus and not seek an NFL job right now.  Alternatively, I hope Day’s agent has already been on the phone to enough NFL teams for the word to get out that he will be listening to offers.  And if he takes an NFL job, the Ohio State fans will get exactly what they wanted 2 months ago – – a new football coach in Columbus, OH.  Except in this scenario, they do not get to fire Ryan Day; he gets to fire all of them.

Speaking of NFL coaching vacancies, the Bears have filled their opening by hiring Ben Johnson who was the offensive guru for the Detroit Lions over the past several seasons.  His task in Chicago is simple; he has a young QB with a boatload of physical talent and at least one young WR who can become a certified #1 receiver at the NFL level.  Johnson’s main job is to have those talents express themselves on the field on Sundays.

Johnson takes over a job where success is in the distant past.  It was 2006 when the Bears last played in – – but lost – – the Super Bowl.  Since then, the Bears have finished at or below .500 fourteen times and only made the playoffs three times.  You do not need to be overly proficient with the “Fosbury Flop” to get over that bar.  However, the job is not merely teaching and growing a few young talents:

  • In 2024, the Bears allowed more sacks of their QBs than any other team.

That situation must not continue to obtain, and the Bears have 8 picks in this year’s NFL Draft.  That deficiency may not be overcome by Week 1 of next season, but Johnson must improve that part of the team dramatically and quickly lest his prize young QB be ground to dust.

The fact that Johnson chose to work with the Bears – – where ownership and front office management is hardly top notch – – says something about two other teams seeking head coaches today.

  1. The Raiders were supposedly pursuing Johnson; he chose the Bears.  Both the Bears and the Raiders disappointed on the field in 2024, and both the Bears and the Raiders have “owner/front office reputations” that are not among the elite in the NFL.  But the Bears have Caleb Williams, and the Raiders have Aiden O’Connell/Gardner Minshew/Desmond Ridder.   ‘Nuff said …
  2. The Jags were supposedly pursuing Johnson; he chose the Bears.  Both the Bears and the Jags disappointed on the field in 2024 and both the Bears and the Jags have a young and talented QB for Johnson to mold and develop.  My gut tells me that Johnson leaned into the non-elite front office/owner situation in Chicago because he perceived the front/office/owner situation in Jax to be worse.  Obviously, I cannot prove that assertion; so, I won’t try; but that makes sense to me.  Whatever …

Let me focus on the Lions for a moment.  With Johnson gone, they need to find a new Offensive Coordinator; OK, that is something that is routinely done in the NFL.  However, there are reports that the Jets have narrowed in on hiring Aaron Glenn to be their next head coach – – and Glenn is the Lions’ current defensive coordinator.  That would mean the Lions would need to replace both of their main coordinators at the same time.  I guess that is the price an NFL franchise pays for being good …

Finally, since today has been about football coaches, let me close with these words from Paul “Bear” Bryant:

“If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, we did it. If anything goes really good, then you did it. That’s all it takes to get people to win football games for you.”

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

 

 

Rest In Peace, Bob Uecker

Bob Uecker died last week at the age of 90; according to reports, he had been battling small cell lung cancer for about 2 years.  In addition to being the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers, Uecker was a comic.  He appeared as a guest with Johnny Carson more than 100 times; Carson nicknamed him “Mr. Baseball” and the moniker stuck.  He was in the TV series, Mr. Belvedere; he was in the movie, Major League; he made about a dozen outstanding ads for Miller Lite; he was a natural entertainer.

As a baseball player, his career was pedestrian.  He spent 6 years in the major leagues with 3 teams; his career batting average was .200 and his career home run total was 14.  Nevertheless, his comedic talent turned that career into an asset.  Much of his humor was self-deprecating and all of it was entertaining.  Bob Uecker brought smiles to the faces of many people many times.

Rest in peace, Bob Uecker.

Moving on …  According to reports over the weekend, Rob Ryan is going to be the Defensive Coordinator for USC next season except his official title will be “Assistant Head Coach for Defense”.  If the negotiation over his title lasted more than 10 seconds, that would be 9 seconds too long.  Ryan has an extensive résumé as a defensive coach, and he comes by it naturally; his father was Buddy Ryan.  Since 2000, he has been employed by 8 different NFL teams; his last involvement with a college football team was in 1999 when he was the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma St.

Ryan will not have a high hill to climb next year.  The Trojans’ defense was mediocre at best in 2024 ranking 77th nationally in Total Defense and 56th nationally in Scoring Defense.

Switching gears …  The Miami Heat find themselves in the middle of a spitting contest between the team and its best player, Jimmy Butler.  The seeming basis for the contretemps is that Butler wants a big money contract extension, and the Heat have not offered him one.  The team suspended Butler for 7 games for “conduct detrimental …” and – – not surprisingly – – that action has not let peace and harmony abound…  I really don’t care a whole lot about Jimmy Butler’s contract situation, but there is something weird going on in Miami if you take a long-term view of the Heat franchise:

  • The Heat had Shaq about 20 years ago.  Things got crosswise and Shaq wound up with the Suns.
  • The Heat had LeBron about 10 years ago.  Things got crosswise and LeBron left for the Cavs.
  • The Heat had Dwayne Wade about 10 years ago.  Things got crosswise and Dwayne Wade wound up with the Bulls.
  • Now, here we are in the present tense with Jimmy Butler and the Heat.  Things got crosswise and Butler wants to be traded out of Miami.

I am not going to pretend to be an “insider” here; I have exactly no direct knowledge of whatever is ongoing between Jimmy Butler and the team.  Having said that, there is something strange about that pattern of friction between the Heat and their “franchise players”.  I don’t believe those recurring instances are caused by some sort of impurity in the air or water supply in Miami; I suspect that there is something about the way the team handles its business off the court that is an irritant for “star players” but not so much for “other players”.  Now, if that suspicion is even close to correct, it would seem to be beneficial for the Heat’s braintrust to identify the irritant and either remove it or modify it to some degree.

As of today, the Heat have played exactly half of their regular season games.  The NBA trade deadline is February 6th at 3:00PM ET; expect this saga to continue over at least the next 16 days and well beyond that if the Heat do not find a trading partner to move Butler out of town.

Finally, since I began today with the news of Bob Uecker’s passing, let me close with a few of his self-deprecating comments:

“You wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up.”  [When asked how you catch a knuckleball.]

And …

“When I came up to bat with three men on and two outs in the ninth, I looked in the other team’s dugout and they were already in street clothes.”

And …

“Gene Mauch once told me to go grab a bat and pinch hit to kill a rally.”

And …

“Career highlights? I had two.  I got an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax, and I got out of a rundown against the Mets.”

And …

“I signed with the Milwaukee Braves for $3,000. That bothered my dad at the time because he didn’t have that kind of dough.  But he eventually scraped it up.”

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

 

 

Football Friday 1/17/25

Willie Nelson sang:

“Oh, the days dwindle down

To a precious few …”

Such is the condition for Football Fridays; after this one, there are only two left until the heat of summer.  So, I’ll savor the dwindling number of keystrokes remaining for this genre …  And that requires a review of last week’s “Betting Bundle” notwithstanding the miserable outcome:

  • Spreads and Totals = 2-6-0  Yuck!
  • Same Game Parlay = 0-1  Double Yuck!

On the assumption that I have rid my self of such stupidity, I press on …

 

College Football Commentary:

 

I have long held that there are way too many college football bowl games forcing teams with mediocre records to be paired one against the other simply because ESPN needs original programming to fill out airtime.  I have not changed by view there; at the same time, there are some things that happened in some of the myriad bowl games this year that should be worth noting:

BYU 36  Colorado 14:  The game was not nearly this close; BYU led by 27 and put the game on cruise control.

Ohio St. 41  Oregon 21:  The fact that Ohio St. won is not a surprise but the way the Buckeyes dominated the Ducks was completely unexpected.

Toledo 48  Pitt 46:  It took SIX overtimes to get to this result.

USF 41  San Jose St. 39:  It took FIVE overtimes to get this result.

Texas 39  Arizona St. 31:  It only took TWO overtimes here thanks to a great comeback attempt by ASU.

Navy 21  Oklahoma 20:  The Sooners finished the season with a losing record of 6-7.

Michigan 19  Alabama 13: Two surprises that no one expected back in August:

  1. Michigan would beat Alabama and Ohio St. this year – – and – –
  2. Alabama would lose 4 games in 2024.

Ole Miss 52  Duke 20:  Jaxon Dart looked like Superman in this game; why has he attracted almost no attention in NFL mock drafts?

Nebraska 20  BC 15:  My “sleeper team” for 2024 won a bowl game!

I will talk about the rumors related to Deion Sanders possibly becoming the coach of the Dallas Cowboys when I get to “NFL Commentary”, but I think it is also interesting to think about the situation in Colorado.  Colorado won 9 games in 2024; considering that they were 1-11 in 2022, that is an impressive turnaround.  Sanders was the magnet that brought talent to Boulder, CO and if he leaves that magnet will be gone.  Even if he stays at Colorado, there will be a need to replace his son, Shadeur, and Heisman Trophy winner, Travis Hunter which is no small task given that those two players could easily go in the Top 3 of this year’s NFL Draft.

But wait … there’s more.  If Sanders leaves, how many of the other talented players that he “attracted to” Colorado will avail themselves of the Transfer Portal and go elsewhere?  There could be an outbreak of some serious drama in and around Boulder, CO if Deion goes to Dallas.

 

CFP Final Game:

 

(Mon 7:30PM ET)  Ohio St. – 8 vs. Notre Dame (46):  The spread for this game opened at 9.5 points and has slowly eroded to this point as the week wore on; I would be surprised, however, if it dropped to or below 7 points by game time.  Let’s get one thing out of the way early on here; both teams have a very surprising loss on their record this year:

  • Ohio St. lost to Michigan – – a team that lost 5 games in 2024
  • Notre Dame lost to Northern Illinois – – a team in the MAC for Heaven’s sake

If you want to look at that and call this CFP Final Game some sort of “Redemption Bowl”, have at it.  I prefer to look at those two losses as hiccoughs along the way.  I think this game revolves around the Notre Dame defense which has been smothering during the playoffs and for the final few weeks of the season leading up to the playoffs.  For me the question is this:

  • Is the Irish defense up to the challenge of “smothering” the Ohio St. offense – – or is the Ohio St. offense the best offense that defense has had to try to stop?

I lean to the second version of that question.  Having said that, I also believe that both teams will have to earn their points because neither defense is going to concede anything on the field.  So, here are the elements of the “Betting Bundle” for the CFP Final Game:

  • I like Ohio St. – 8
  • I like the game to stay UNDER
  • I will also play both elements in a Same Game Parlay  $100 wager to win $264.

 

NFL Commentary:

 

Picking up on the “Deion-to-Dallas” subject referenced above, those rumors/conjectures started about a millisecond after the Cowboys announced that they would not be resigning Mike McCarthy as their head coach.  The happiest class of people learning of that firing were sports-talk hosts; they could fill dozens of airtime segments with multiple variations on this theme:

  • Is Deion ready for such a high-profile job?
  • He has won everywhere else; can he win in the NFL?
  • Can he co-exist with Jerry Jones?
  • Whose ego is bigger, Jones or Sanders?
  • You get the idea …

Let me try to be rational for a moment here.  I am not the least bit surprised that Sanders’ teams at Jackson St. won.  He had his son Shadeur and Travis Hunter on a team playing SWAC level competition.  A team with that kind of talent is going to win games in the SWAC unless the head coach is a certified dunderhead.

However, taking over the Colorado job – – and bringing Shadeur and Travis Hunter with him – – was a different story.  There was little to nothing for him to “build on” so he had to throw together a team almost like Dr. Victor Frankenstein creating a being out of random parts.  Getting Colorado to 9 wins as quickly as he did tells me that he can coach as well as he can recruit.  Granted, the assembly of an NFL roster is different than the process of assembling a college roster.  Moreover, that difference would be magnified greatly in Dallas where the owner is also the GM, and that owner/GM has an ego the size of Planet Jupiter.  Nonetheless, I don’t think Deion Sanders would be over his head in the coaching dimension at the NFL level..

My first reaction to hearing these rumors is that Jerry Jones would crave such an opportunity for a press conference announcing this hiring decision on his part.  As time proceeded – – as it always does – – my thinking changed slightly:

  • Yes, Jerry Jones would and will love the limelight of that press conference and the follow-up interviews that would flow from it.
  • HOW-EVAH, Jones may need to make this happen to avoid being the brunt of criticism.

Firing McCarthy who had three twelve-win seasons with the Cowboys sort of put the Cowboys in a position where they needed a new coach who would make at least a modest splash.  McCarthy provided some “splash” when he was hired since he had won a Super Bowl in Green Bay; similarly, Jones made news hiring Bill Parcells and Barry Switzer in the past.  And now, with the job open the splashiest of hiring possibilities – – and a former Cowboys’ player too – – gets linked to the job publicly.  If that does not work out in the end, I think some folks will lay some blame on Jerry Jones for “not getting it done” and I don’t think he will like that even a little bit.

Hang in there; this story still has a way to go …

Sometimes, just reading the news gives you an impression of someone you have never met or ever will meet.  Such is now the case with WR, Diontae Johnson.  He was drafted by the Steelers in the 3rd round in 2019; in 5 seasons there he averaged about 80 receptions a year for 875 yards and 5 TDs per year.  Those are not Hall of Fame stats, but given the Steelers other WRs, this made Johnson valuable.

Last March, the Steelers traded Johnson to the Panthers for a CB and a fifth-round pick which looked like a good deal for the Panthers given their needs at WR.  That did not last long; in October the Panthers traded Johnson and a sixth-round pick to the Ravens for a fifth-round pick in return.  The Ravens are a much better team than the Panthers but like the Panthers they too were in need of WR upgrading.  That move looked like the Ravens stocking up on talent for a playoff run this year.

Not quite …  Six weeks later, the Ravens simply waived Diontae Johnson after he was suspended by the Ravens for a game when he refused to enter a game when told to go in by the coaches.

Pay attention now …  The Texans claimed Johnson off waivers just before Christmas; he appeared in 1 game for the Texans catching 2 passes for 12 yards.  The Texans waived him three weeks later.

Finally …  The Ravens claimed him again even though he will not be eligible to play for the Ravens in this post-season and he will be a free agent next Spring.

That saga tells me two things:

  1. Diontae Johnson is a talented WR.
  2. Diontae Johnson is a sufficiently large pain in the posterior that he can wear out his welcome quickly.

The Vikes lost last week to the Rams eliminating them from the playoffs after posting a 14-3 record in the regular season.  In addition to that outcome, I believe that Sam Darnold’s performance in that game had the same effect on Darnold’s checking account as lighting a steamer trunk full of hundred-dollar bills on fire.  Darnold had been amazing up until Week 18 and it looked as if he had established himself as a solid-if-not-great starting NFL QB.  I figured he might get a free agent offer something like Baker Mayfield got last year – – something in the range of 3 years and $90-100M total value.

His game in Week 18 against the Lions was bad; his game in the playoffs against the Rams was even worse.  In those two games, his completion percentage was 53% with 1 TD and 1 INT while he stood there and got sacked 11 times.  Those are numbers associated with the “Old Sam Darnold” and not the “New and Improved Sam Darnold”, and Old Sam ain’t gonna sniff $90M as an NFL QB.

Sam Darnold is a free agent this year; it will be interesting to see what sort of interest teams show in him.  This is not a great year for QBs in the Draft – – as compared to last year for example – – and there is not a font of quality free agent QBs on the market either.  I am sure this is not a full list of this year’s free agents, but these guys came to mind, and I was able to figure out that they will be available to teams this Spring:

  • Justin Fields
  • Jimmy Garoppolo
  • Daniel Jones
  • Russell Wilson
  • Zach Wilson
  • Jameis Winston

So, where does Sam Darnold fit into that list of free agents?  You make the call …

The Washington Commanders are both a good team and a lucky team.  That is a dangerous combination for any opponent to confront.  I ran across this note earlier this week at CBSSports.com:

“This [win over Bucs last weekend] is their sixth victory when tied or trailing in the final 10 seconds this season, the most since 2000. Washington has won four straight games in the final 10 seconds of regulation or overtime, a streak that seems improbable — and yet they have done it.”

Fans in the DC area are enamored with the Commanders’ team this year as they have not been for a long time in this part of the country.  Here is a link to a column by Sally Jenkins in the Washington Post where she identifies one of the elements of joy in the fanbase – – the fact that Dan Snyder isn’t here to revel in the winning.  If you don’t live around here, you may think that is overblown, but I do not.  It would be difficult to explain to someone who lives in a different time zone the distaste that is in the mouths of Commanders’ fans for Snyder.

The reason the Eagles are still alive in the playoffs is their defense.  Not only did they limit the Packers to 10 points in their game last week, but the defense also posted 3 INTs along the way.  The Eagles’ offense was – – how shall I put it – – inconsistent or sputtering or inefficient, but the defense bailed them out.

 

Games This Week:

 

(Sat. 4:30PM ET)  Texans at Chiefs – 9 (41.5):  The spread here opened the week at 7.5 points and has climbed steadily.  As of this morning, the spread is all over the place; you can find it at 7.5 points at one sportsbook and at 10 points at another – – with every half-point option between those extremes.  Nine points is the most prevalent number; so, I’ll use it here.  The Chiefs won 15 games this year; only 5 of those wins were by 9 points or more and those 5 opponents were:

  • Saints
  • Niners
  • Panthers
  • Browns
  • Steelers

Only the Steelers were in the playoffs this year; the other four teams that lost to the Chiefs by more than 9 points were not all that good – – so now the Chiefs with the starters having to shake off some rust after 3 weeks off are 9-point favorites?  The Texans are not some sort of offensive juggernaut, but that defense throttled the Chargers last week and made Jim Harbaugh’s bully-ball offense look puny.  Here is a trend that may be relevant for this game:

  • Chiefs are 0-6-1 against the spread this year when favored by 6 or more points.

I think the Chiefs will win the game and advance in the playoffs, but I like the Texans plus the points.  Put that in the “Betting Bundle”.  Also, I think that Total Line is too low; give me the game to go OVER; put that in the “Betting Bundle” too.

 

(Sat. 8:00PM ET)  Commanders at Lions – 9.5 (56):  I don’t think either defense will dominate the opposing offense in this game.  The Commanders lost 5 games this year; back in September, the Commanders lost the season opener to the Bucs by 17 points; that is their only loss that would represent a loss against this spread.  In fact, the Commanders have played “one-possession games” in 10 of the last 11 games on the schedule.  Can they keep it close against the Lions?  I think so …

I think the Lions will win and advance in the playoffs, but I like the Commanders plus the points; put that in the “Betting Bundle”.

 

(Sun. 3:00PM ET)  Rams at Eagles – 6 (44):  When these teams met in Week 12, Saquon Barkley lit things up.  Barkley ran for 255 yards in the game and added another 47 yards receiving just for fun.  I suspect that the Rams’ defensive coaches have been focused on making sure that does not happen again.  And that creates the pivotal question for me in this game:

  • Can the Eagles/Will the Eagles employ their well-above-average assets in the pass catching part of football this weekend?

I think this game has the most “upset potential” of any this week so I’ll take the Rams plus the points even though there is snow in the forecast for Philly on Sunday and the Rams do not see “snow” often in their NFL West focused schedule.  Put that in the “Betting Bundle”.

 

(Sun. 6:30PM ET)  Ravens – 1 at Bills (51.5):  This is the Game of the Week and the weather forecast for Buffalo this weekend calls for rain/snow on Saturday with temps dropping to the teens overnight; then on Sunday the temperature will peak at 20 degrees and begin to drop to a low of 9 degrees with whatever snow remains in the area.  I mention this because Ravens’ QB, Lamar Jackson, bundles up in layered clothing for a game in the 30s and 40s; might he be look like the Michelin Man on Sunday night?  Both teams have outstanding QBs; the Ravens have Derrick Henry to run the ball, but the Bills have James Cook to run the ball for them and he may be the most overlooked player on any of the teams still in the playoffs.  The Bills’ rushing defense is their weak link and I think Darrick Henry can/will exploit it here just as he did when these teams met earlier this year, and he ran for 270 yards

I like the Ravens to win and cover even on the road in snowy Buffalo; put that in the “Betting Bundle”.

So, let me review the ”Betting Bundle”:

  • Ohio St. – 8 over Notre Dame
  • Ohio St./Notre Dame UNDER 46
  • Same Game Parlay of those two picks   $100 wager to win $264
  • Texans +9 against Chiefs
  • Texans/Chiefs OVER 41.5
  • Commanders +9.5 against Lions
  • Rams +6 against Eagles
  • Ravens – 1 over Bills

And just for fun, here is a two-element Money Line Parlay:

  • Ohio St. @ minus-360
  • Rams @ +225     $100 Wager to win $315

Finally, here is Vince Lombardi on the importance of purpose:

“We run to win, not just to be in the race.”

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

 

 

Baseball Is On The Horizon

The orbital mechanics of Planet Earth allow for the days to lengthen in the Northern Hemisphere at this point in the journey around the Sun.    The calendar mechanics for MLB are such that:

  • Pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Spring Training sites in 4 weeks.  The Dodgers and the Rays report on Feb 11th.  The other 28 teams report on or before Feb 13th.
  • Opening Day for MLB’s 2025 season is10 weeks from now – – at least for teams not named the Dodgers or Cubs.
  • On March 18 and March 19, the Dodgers and Cubs will play their first two regular season games in Tokyo.
  • The Dodgers and the Cubs will take advantage of being in Japan and each will play an exhibition game against the Hansin Tigers of the Japanese Central League.  The Dodgers will play the Tigers on March 15 and the Cubs will play the Tigers on March 16.
  • [Aside:  2025 will be the 150th year for the Cubs in the National League.]

The Rays’ stadium was destroyed by Hurricane Milton a few months ago and is inoperable at this time; so, the Rays will play their home games in 2025 in George Steinbrenner Field which is the home field for the Yankees during Spring Training.  The dislocation of the Rays and their need to play in a facility with limited seating capacity stems from an “act of God”.

Not so with the “Las Vegas/Oakland/Sacramento” A’s.  They will play their home games 2025 in Sacramento, CA; the reason the A’s are playing in a minor league facility is because the team is in the process of leaving Oakland to take up residence in Las Vegas and the new stadium there is nowhere near ready and may not be operable until 2028.

Three MLB teams will have new field managers in 2025.

  1. The White Sox lost 121 games last year.  It is not surprising that they have a new manager.
  2. The Marlins lost 100 games last year.  It is not surprising that they have a new manager.
  3. The Reds’ record in 2024 was 77-85; that is not a laudable record, but it is certainly not in the same category as the ones posted by the White Sox and the Marlins.  And yet, they have a new manager.

I mention all this today because it will only require the days to get a little bit longer than they are now for fan to hear a welcome sound around the baseball world:

  • Play ball!

Moving on …  I ran across an interesting historical tidbit I wanted to share.  In 1983, the Detroit Pistons defeated the Denver Nuggets in triple overtime by a score of 186-184.  That is the highest point total for two teams and the two individual highest team scores in NBA history.  Here are the tidbits that makes that score even more amazing:

  • Four players scored 40 or more points in that game.  That is the only time that has happened in NBA history.
  • This scoring tsunami involved only two 3-point field goals.  Each team made exactly one 3-pointer in the game.  Compare that to a typical NBA game in 2025 where teams combine to throw up about 60 3-point shots and make about 25 of them.
  • NBA basketball was indeed a different game then…

According to a report at CBSSports.com, 41.5% of all the field goal attempts in NBA regular season games this season have been 3-point attempts.  In fact, as of now, the Celtics have attempted more 3-point shots than 2-point shots; since the Celtics are the reigning champions, there is some “copycat” strategy at work throughout the league.  The report says there has been “fan pushback” to that style of play; let me translate that for you by saying that TV ratings are in the dumpster.

Adam Silver to the rescue?  In an interview with Colin Cowherd, Silver said the league is “considering serious change” from a rules standpoint.  Let me offer some ideas here:

  1. Simply moving back the 3-point line might have a short-term effect until players adjust to the new line.
  2. Eliminate the corner jump shot for 3-points by changing the shape of the 3-point arc.  Have the arc extend as a curvature to the point where the existing line now drops straight down to the base line and instead have the line from that point go perpendicular to the sideline.
  3. Test out a rule in the G-League where teams have a fixed allocation of 3-point shots in a game; once they have tried that number of 3-point shots, all future shot attempts are worth only 2 points no matter where they come from on the floor.
  4. Test out a rule in the G-League where the ball must be in the possession of an offensive player in the 2-point zone at least once before a shot worth 3 points can be attempted no matter where on the floor that shot originates.  That rule will stop the offensive play of dribbling over the half-court line and just launching a long shot.

Finally, it is a rare occasion where I disagree with someone like Frank Deford but given this statement by M. Deford, I must object:

“In days of yore, Opening Day of the baseball season was special, signifying that spring had come at last. Today, however, Opening Day sort of dribbles into existence, and the spiritual start of spring now belongs to the Masters golf tournament, where the azaleas and magnolias and dogwood bloom.”

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

 

 

Ponderings On A Wednesday Morning

After the Texans won their playoff game last weekend, I wondered if “Mattress Mack” might be running another of his gambling related promotions where he bets on a “Houston Team” to win a championship and runs a deal where people who buy specified furniture from him during a limited time span can get the furniture for free if he wins the bet.  Prior to the Texans’ demolition of the Chargers last weekend, the odds on the Texans winning the Super Bowl were +8000.  This morning, the odds range between +4200 and +4500.

I have mentioned here before that the “reader in Houston” – – in addition to being a guru for sports history and stats – – knows “Mattress Mack” in the flesh; so, I sent him an email asking if we might see another of his promotions.  Here is his response:

“He’s definitely going to do something like he did last year, when he bet $500,000 total on three wagers with Caesars, which he ended up losing: $210,000 on the money line to beat the Ravens (Texans lost, 34-10); $263,000 getting +9.5 vs. the Ravens, which the Texans didn’t cover; and $27,000 on the Texans to win the SB, which they never got to. I think he would have made a profit in the ballpark of 800 grand or so, if the Texans won all three bets.

“On a side note, he’s still mourning the $1.5 million he lost last week when he bet on Texas to win the national title with the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles, which is owned by our mutual friend, Tilman Fertitta. Mack actually made the bet before the Texas SEC Championship loss to Georgia in early December with odds of Texas +390. If Texas went all the way, he would have made $5.85 million profit.

“That’s the fourth straight year that Mack lost in college football:

2022: $6.15 million on money line Alabama vs. Georgia

2023: $3.1 million total on TCU (money line and +13 vs. Georgia)

2024: $1 million on Texas to win national title.

2025: $1.5 million on Texas to win national title”

“That’s a total of over $11 million … but it’s a little more than pocket money for Mack.”

Moving on …  The US House of Representatives passed a bill yesterday that would ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports in public schools and institutions that do not comply with that ban would lose public funding.  I am in favor of keeping post-pubescent males from competing as women in sports where strength and/or speed are the critical elements of success.  My position is not based on any sort of moral stance; I simply believe that it defeats the entire purpose of having “women’s sports” in the first place.

The bill – – nobly named as “The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act” – – would amend Title IX to define a person’s “sex” as “based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”  The bill passed the House narrowly by a vote of 218 – 206 and now goes to the Senate where it will either die or provide an opportunity for lots of grandstanding – – or maybe both.  In one report I read about this at CBSSports.com, I found this sentence:

“Those against it [the bill up for debate] said it could lead to intrusive genital examinations of the student-athletes.”

If indeed that is the crux of the opposition here, it would seem easily to be circumvented by saying that to participate in women’s sports, an athlete’s birth certificate must indicate that the child is a female and that nothing will override that provision of the law.  No need to examine anyone – – male or female – – because the only thing that matters here is what the birth certificate says.  Now, if you want to be as exclusive as possible, you might also add that in the event that there is any ambiguity whatsoever regarding the birth certificate identification of gender, then the default is for the aspiring athlete to be declared a male.  The Bottom Line here is that I do not think this should be part of the law even though I agree with the intent of this bill – – and yet, here we are.

Next up …  The NFL “leaked” the first scheduling tidbit for the 2025 season last week.  There will be 3 “London Games” in 2025 and the host teams will be:

  1. Browns
  2. Jags
  3. Jets

When I saw that list, this is the first thing that came to mind:

  • Does the NFL secretly hate Londoners?

The combined record for those three teams in 2024 was 12-39 [win percentage = .235].  Not good …

Finally, I’ll close today with these words from Abraham Lincoln:

“Whatever you are, be a good one.”

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

 

 

Rooney Rule Reporting

When the football season begins in the summer as teams report to Training Camps around the country, fans experience formulaic sports commentary.  As they used to say at the start of the old Dragnet TV shows:

“Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.”

There is always one player in every Training Camp who shows up 15 pounds heavier than he was in the last season and the story goes that he added that weight/strength so that he will better be able to withstand the physical rigors of the season.  Often, there is another player in camp who shows up 15 pounds lighter than he was in the last season and the story goes that he cut weight to make him faster.  The stories write themselves; most of them have next to no real content.

It is now approaching the end of the football season; you can count the remaining college and pro football games left in the season on two hands without using either thumb.  And at this time of year, we now see another manifestation of formulaic reporting.  I am referring to stories about the wonderfulness of the “Rooney Rule” and how it has been soiled by an evil team owner who adhered to the letter of the law but flouted its intent.

This year’s focus on Rooney Rule Reporting begins in New England with the Pats.  The team announced that it had completed interviews with two minority candidates – – Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich – – and in almost the same breath announced that they had hired Mike Vrabel as their new head coach.  As is always the case in this genre of reporting, the newly hired coach is a white male.

I think it is time to put this sort of reporting out to pasture.  Before someone accuses me of being a racist, let me outline why I think that should be done:

The “Rooney Rule” requires teams to interview at least 2 minority candidates for any head coaching or General Manager vacancies.  It’s stated intent is to give minority candidates an entry into the interview process which in turn gives them an opportunity to get one of those prestigious jobs.

  • The “Rooney Rule” is well intentioned.  It provides a mechanism that seeks to provide equal opportunity for minority employment.
  • The “Rooney Rule” has no real enforcement mechanism.  If a team owner has already made up his mind to fire his current coach and hire Joe Flabeetz – – a white male in this case – – then all his interviews with minority or majority candidates will be a sham.  However, as long as he “checks the box” with interviews of two minority candidates, he is free and clear of any punishment save for the cries of foul play in “Rooney Rule Reporting” stories.
  • [Aside:  The Pats added fuel to this year’s fire by interviewing two minority candidates who were not openly proclaimed to be head coaches in waiting by the same reporters now engaged in “Rooney Rule Reporting”.]

There is a fundamental problem here.  The NFL does not assign incumbents to head coach or General Manager positions for the teams.  Were that the case, there would be no need for a “Rooney Rule” assuming that the folks at NFL HQs are people of good will; however, that is not the case and there is no real probability of it ever becoming the case.  The logical consequence of this condition is:

  • Team owners will hire the people they want to hire for those positions every time they decide to go through that exercise.

At least once a year, a team and/or a team owner will be chastised for doing what the Pats did this year – – interviewing two minority candidates and then hiring the “white guy” that they had been rumored to want for the job for at least the last 6 weeks.

It has happened before; it happened now; it will happen again.  Lather … rinse … repeat.  The reporting here has no surprise element or informative element.

  • The team fired last year’s coach – – who by the way was a Black male – – and set out to hire a new one.  That is old news.
  • Previous reporting said that the team really wanted to hire Mike Vrabel who used to play for the team.  That is either old news or old speculation depending on the sources used by the reporters.
  • The team hired the guy they “wanted” fulfilling the rumors.  That is news in the sense that the hiring decision was made, and it confirmed previous reporting.

And then the “Rooney Rule Reporting” tends to go off the rails:

  • Some have called for the “Rooney Rule” to be scrapped because there is no enforcement, and owners make a joke of it.
  • Some have imputed not-so-subtle racism inspired motives behind the firing of the previous Black coach and the hiring of the new White coach.

Getting rid of the “Rooney Rule” because it does not produce results that coincide with the beliefs of the reporters is tantamount to saying that it should never have been in force in the first place.  Think about that for a moment.  The rule is there to provide opportunity not certainty simply because certainty is reserved only for the owners who make these decisions and not the reporters of those decisions.  So, because the outcomes do not conform to reporters’ preferences, get rid of the rule itself.  That makes no sense at all.

Calling into question the owners’ racist motivations in hiring decisions – – explicitly or implicitly – – is less effective in having minority head coaches and GMs hired than the “Rooney Rule”.  If that is the “best shot” an owner needs to endure after hiring the coach he really wants, I imagine that he will lose about a nanosecond of sleep over it.

The “Rooney Rule” is not particularly effective, but it is better than nothing and it is the best thing we’ve got until someone comes up with something better.  So, I am not interested in joining the chorus of people who want to get rid of the “Rooney Rule”; rather, I would really like to see a moratorium on “Rooney Rule Reporting”.

Finally, the “Rooney Rule” is aspirational.  So, let me close with words about hope from FDR:

“We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.”

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

 

 

An NFL Dynasty

             A friend called over the weekend and our discussion meandered to the subject of the NFL Playoffs that got underway on Saturday.  My friend’s position is that the Chiefs are a dynasty; I do not yet have them in such a lofty status – – although another Super Bowl victory this year would elevate them.  At some point, my friend asked what I thought the Chiefs lacked in terms of “dynastic stature”.

My answer had two parts:

  1. I think the “Brady/Belichick Patriots were a dynasty because of the longevity of the excellence there spreading over about 15-18 seasons.  Even in years when the Pats were not playing in the Super Bowl, they were serious contenders to have been participants.  The Chiefs are getting close to being today what the Patriots were in pre-COVID years, but I think they need more “aging” in that status.
  2. I think dynasties produce a wide variety of “truly great players” – – not sort of great ones but really great ones – – and again the Chiefs are close but not quite there.

My friend accepted Part 1 but pushed back on Part 2.  So, I explained my feeling that the Chiefs roster of late had not produced a wide variety of great players, that did not detract from the greatness of several individual players – – Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones to be specific.  I believe that all three of those players will be in the Hall of Fame sometime in the future but as a way to draw a comparison, I suggested a look back at the Steelers’ dynasty in the 1970s.

  • QB = Terry Bradshaw – – Hall of Fame
  • RB = Franco Harris – – Hall of Fame
  • WR = Lynn Swann and John Stallworth – – both in the Hall of Fame
  • OL = Mike Webster – – Hall of Fame
  • DL = Joe Greene – – Hall of Fame [Aside:  The rest of the “Steel Curtain” front four were awfully close to Hall of Fame caliber too.]
  • LB = Jack Ham and Jack Lambert – – both in the Hall of Fame
  • DB = Mel Blount and Donnie Shell – – both in the Hall of Fame

The only position group not represented here is Tight End; I could not recall who was a tight end for the Steelers in the 1970s but I used Google to check and the only Steelers’ tight end from that era that I can remember even when presented with a list was Bennie Cunningham who was a good player but not a Hall of Fame caliber player.

The thing about the 10 players cited above, is that they came from every position group on the team; there were no significant weaknesses on those Steelers’ teams.  As of now, I do not see the same spread of greatness over the rosters of the Chiefs over the past several seasons.  Now, if someone wanted to compare the Steelers of the 1970s to the Bill Walsh/George Siefert Niners teams of the 80s and early 90s, I think that would be an interesting discussion.

I’ll close today with some observations by Chuck Noll – – the guy who coached those Steelers in the 1970s:

“Everyone’s job is important, but no one is indispensable.”

And …

“Before you can win a game, you have to not lose it.”

And …

“The critics are always right. The only way you shut them up is by winning.”

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