Category: Uncategorized

I shall be “off the air” until early in 2026.  My long-suffering wife and I are off on a short road trip.

Meanwhile, please stay safe and stay well.

See you next year…

 

The WNBA and the WNBPA continue their negotiations as they try to forge a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.  The two sides are supposedly far apart in the talks which have been a tad acrimonious at times; back at last year’s All-Star Game, the players all wore tee shirts saying “Pay Us What You Owe Us”.  Last week, the union announced that it had taken a vote of the players testing the willingness of the players to call a strike.  According to the union:

• 93% of the players registered a vote – – AND – –
• 98% of the players voted to authorize the union to call a strike.

Naturally, both sides issued statements in the wake of that announcement by the union; I need not tell you that the two statements have nothing to do with each other.  The existing CBA should have expired on Halloween, but the two sides have agreed to “extensions” pushing the date back to January 9, 2026.  If the two statements that were issued last week are even half true – – not necessarily close to correct – – what the two sides did was to kick the can down the road with those extensions.  Now the players have upped the ante.

Is that a good idea?  Well, if you believe that the league/owners “owe” the players something significantly more than they are currently paying the players, then this is not only a good idea; it is a necessary action.  If you believe the players are asking for more than league revenues support, this is a bad idea.

The WNBA is increasing in popularity but that increase comes against a markedly small base.  The bedrock for revenue foundation in sports today is broadcast rights.  When you compare TV audience size for the NBA and WNBA regular season telecasts, the reported numbers say that NBA audiences are 3 times larger than WNBA audiences.

Before I present numbers from the cited source above, let me say that it makes no sense to compare the WNBA to leagues like the NFL or MLB; the only comparison that is even close to realistic is the WNBA to the NBA; so, here are some numbers for you to consider:

• Revenue:        NBA = $10.6B             WNBA = $0.2B
• TV audience   NBA = 1.6M                 WNBA = 0.5M             (Regular season)
• TV audience   NBA = 5.5M                 WNBA = 0.4M             (Playoffs)
• TV audience   NBA = 11.6M               WNBA = 0.73M            (Finals)
• Attendance     NBA = 18,324              WNBA = 9,195            (Average)
• Ticket Price    NBA = $94                   WNBA = $87               (Average)

            Based on revenue, the NBA is about 53 times larger than the WNBA.  The average NBA salary is reported at $11.9M and the average WNBA salary is reported at $0.120M.  The multiplier there says the average NBA player makes 99 times what the average WNBA player makes.  If that is what the union wants to bring into balance, they have numbers to back up their proposals; but that will still leave the WNBA players in a situation making a lot less than their NBA counterparts.

Having nothing to do with the righteousness or the outrageousness of the union’s position, there is an interesting unknown here.  The WNBA has never had “labor strife”; it has never had a work stoppage.  So, there is no empirical evidence of how such a situation might affect the fanbase for the WNBA.  Yes, the league is significantly more popular than it used to be; yes, some of the WNBA stars are easily recognized figures.  However, do they have “staying power” as public figures if they are not going to play basketball for those new fans that are showing up?  There are “lifelong NBA fans” who were there in the days of Magic and Bird and in the days of Dr. J and in the days of Wilt and Russell.  There are no lifelong fans of the WNBA that come close to that sort of heritage.  A strike by the players is a risky option; the voting reported by the union suggests that most of the players are willing to take that risk.

The owners also have risk in taking a position that encourages a strike by the players.  The recent average attendance at WNBA games (more than 9,000 per game as cited above) has grown significantly.  Ten years ago, the only way the WNBA would have come close to that figure would be to hand out free tickets with the promise that anyone who came to the arena and sat through the game would get a $20 bill on leaving the premises.  Owners do not want to go back to the days of arenas filled to 15% of capacity.

As is the case with every CBA negotiation, what is set aside as the proposals go back and forth and the statements are issued is a simple fact:

• The owners and the players are actually partners in this endeavor; they both seek to present to the public an entertainment experience that the public is willing to support financially.
• Moreover, neither side of the partnership can do that on its own.

Personally, I think a strike would be a bad idea for both sides.  I wonder how many of those fans will maintain their interest to the point of being willing to pay to see the WNBA product if there is a protracted time period with no games and no publicity related to games.  During a strike, all other aspects of the affected league are stifled; the strike news sucks all the oxygen out of the room.  If the two sides get to the point that a strike – – or a lockout by the way – – comes into existence, the two sides have just placed a bet on the degree of robustness that exists in the WNBA fanbase.

Finally, these words from Charles E. Wilson – – former Secretary of Defense under President Eisenhower:

“Unfortunately, in collective bargaining one party or the other too often tries to gain an advantage – a bargain, like buying something in a store for less than it is worth.”

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

 

 

The FIFA World Cup will come to North America in 2026.  The first major event arising from that circumstance will happen next month when the FIFA masters draw lots to see which country teams will be in which groups.  Next year’s tournament will be the first one with an expanded field of 48 teams – – up from 32 teams in the recent past – – and that event will command the attention of as many as a billion folks around the world.

I ran across a report that many of the US venues for World Cup games have announced their parking fees for those who will drive to the events.  For Group Level games at Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), Jerry-World (Dallas) and Arrowhead Stadium (KC), parking will cost $75.  Round of 16 games will cost $100; Quarterfinals will cost between $125 and 145; and for the Semifinals at Jerry-World, parking will be $175.

One venue was a bit out of step on this front.  Lincoln Financial Field (Philly) will host 6 matches – – or “fixtures” as the EPL prefers to call them – – at the Group level and then in the Round of 16.  Parking for those games will be $145 for “preferred parking” and $125 for “parking”.  Let me do some back of the envelope math here:

• The Linc seats almost 70,000 people.  There is relatively convenient public transit to The Linc and people will likely come to the game in pairs or groups; so, let me assume that there will be 25,000 vehicles seeking parking for each game.
• Also, let me assume that the average tariff for parking is $130 – – regular parking outnumbers “preferred parking” significantly.
• 25,000 cars X $130 per car X 6 games = $19.5M

That Round of 16 game in Philly will happen on July 4^th which happens to be the 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  If the US Men’s National Team were to make it through the Group stage and into the Round of 16, I suspect their game would find its way to Lincoln Financial Field by some fortuitous circumstance.

Having thought about the World Cup, I decided to go and look to see what countries had already qualified for the field.  To no surprise, teams like Argentina, Brazil, Germany, France, England and Spain are in the field.  There were a few competitors that I would not have thought would be included:

• Algeria – – first time in the field since 2014
• Cabo Verde – – first time ever in the World Cup Tournament
• Curacao – – first time ever in the World Cup Tournament
• Haiti – – first time in the field since 1974
• Jordan – – first time ever in the World Cup Tournament
• New Zealand – – first time in the field since 2010
• Norway – – first time in the field since 1998
• Scotland – – first time in the field since 1998
• South Africa – – first time in the field since 2010

            No peeking at Google Maps, how confident are you that you could walk up to a world map and locate all 9 of those countries in 30 seconds?  I found 8 of them easily but had to scan very carefully to locate Cabo Verde; it is not very large.

One other point about that list.  I am old enough to remember – – and enjoy – – Monty Python’s Flying Circus.  One of their more outrageous sketches – – and that is saying a whole lot – – was about alien beings called “Blancmanges” attacking and devouring tennis players at Wimbledon simply to assure that a Scotsman named Angus Podgorny would be the Wimbledon champion.  I know nothing about the Scottish futbol team other than it has qualified for the World Cup in 2026 for the first time in almost 30 years.  Nonetheless, I suspect it will take the intervention of alien “Blancmanges” for the Scots to hoist the FIFA World Cup Trophy in July 2026.

Finally, the mention of Monty Python led me to go and reread the script of one of my favorite sketches; it is known as “Crunchy Frog”.  Here is a link to the script; go and enjoy Inspector Praline as he investigates the products offered by the Whizzo Chocolate Company.

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

 

 

Kenny Easley died over the weekend; he was 66 years old.  Easley had a brief but illustrious NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks as a safety who made the All-Pro team 4 times in 7 years and was the Defensive Player of the Year in 1984.  He was traded to the Cards after the 1987 season but never played there because the routine physical associated with any trade revealed a severe kidney disease that forced his retirement at age 28.  Kenny Easley was selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

Rest in peace, Kenny Easley.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are the CFL champions for 2025; they defeated the Montreal Alouettes yesterday in the Grey Cup game by a score of 25-17.  The stat sheet for this game was about as even as possible with one exception:

• The Alouettes turned the ball over 4 times (3 INTs and a lost fumble) while the Roughriders did not turn the ball over at all.

This win produced the first championship for the Roughriders since 2013.  The Alouettes were last CFL champs in 2023.

Moving on …  The Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders played in the first NFL regular season game in Spain yesterday.  The game went to overtime which might lead one to conclude that it was an exciting/nail-biting spectacle; actually, the team that made the last mistake lost the game.  The result is of minimal importance as compared to some data related to the game itself.

The NFL – like several other sporting enterprises globally – seeks to extend its reach outside the borders of the US.  And there does seem to be a large and enthusiastic audience out there for NFL football.  Consider:

• The NFL staged its first game in Dublin Ireland in Week 1 of this season.  An AP report said that “…600,000 digital devices were logged on to try to buy tickets for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ game against the Minnesota Vikings at Dublin’s famed Croke Park.”
• For the game yesterday in Madrid, it seems that “…nearly 700,000 people trying to get a seat to watch the Miami Dolphins play the Washington Commanders on Sunday at Real Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.”

With fan reactions at that level, the NFL continues to place games in new spots around the world.  Next year, the NFL will schedule a game in Melbourne, Australia; the LA Rams have been designated as the host team for that game, and you can sign up to get on the list to buy tickets to that game already.  Tickets are not on sale, but this activity is a registration for the opportunity to buy tickets at some future date.  And the website says explicitly:

“Registering your interest does not guarantee you can purchase a ticket”

The good news for aspiring ticket buyers is that the venue in Melbourne seats 100,000 folks; so, there will be tickets up for grabs when the time comes.

According to Gerrit Meier – – the Managing Director and Head of NFL International – – the league has its eye on staging at least one game in Asia down the line.  Other countries/cities are expressing interest in hosting regular season games including a request by Saudi Arabia.  Here is what we know about the NFL’s  international plans for 2026:

• There will be games in Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City.
• The NFL will have games in the UK – – the number is unannounced.
• The NFL is likely to play in venues on the European mainland.
• Specifics are not yet announced but it would seem that seven or eight international games will happen in 2026.

Switching gears …  Deadlines drive action; it happens in politics, and it happens in sports.  And there is a deadline approaching in college football.  On December 1^st, the folks in charge of the CFP must inform ESPN of any changes in format that will happen in subsequent CFP Tournaments.

• Translation: Will the CFP expand to 16 teams next year or not?

Why is that a big deal?  Well, many of the other bowl games have contracts with various conferences that define what team in the conference standings will go to play in which bowl game.  Most if not all those contracts will expire at the end of the next college football season and will need renegotiation and possible realignment.  And none of that can happen until the CFP – – the 800-pound gorilla of college football – – decides what it chooses to do.  Bowl committees and conference representatives are probably involved in contingency planning as I type these sentences.

The SEC and the Big-10 will determine if there are to be changes to the CFP and the two conferences cannot – yet – agree on how to do this.

• The Big-10 wants a structured allocation model.  SEC and Big-10 get 4 slots each; the Big-12 and the ACC each get two slots; the best “Group of Six” team gets one slot, and a committee chooses the final three teams to make a field of sixteen.
• The SEC wants the system in place now to continue.  Conference Champions get automatic invitations, and a committee picks all the other participants.

            I prefer the SEC model simply because there are going to be years when the guaranteed positions for a conference or two don’t make sense.  I am not sure there are four Big-10 teams this year that belong in an expanded CFP and I can easily be convinced that the ACC should only get one team in the field for 2025.  I presume that if the two major conferences cannot come to a compromise, the 12-team field with current rules will prevail into the future.

Time’s a-wastin’ gentlemen …

Finally, here is an observation from Warren Buffet:

“When you combine ignorance and leverage, you get some pretty interesting results.”

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

 

 

Tonight, in Philly, the Norfolk St. Spartans will play the Delaware St. Hornets in a football game.  I guess you could call this a “home game” for Delaware St. which is located in Wilmington, DE, but the attraction of this game has much more to do with the coaches on the two sidelines than anything else.

• Norfolk St. is coached by Michael Vick
• Delaware St. is coached by DeSean Jackson.

Not only did both men have long and successful careers in the NFL, but they were also teammates for a while.  So that provides a natural storyline for the contest – – but it is really an element of a much larger story about former NFL players taking college coaching jobs – – many in smaller football programs.

Let me do a reset here.  In 2021, Deion Sanders took the head coaching job at Jackson St. – – an HBCU in the Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC).  He was successful there for two seasons to the tune of 23-3 and parlayed that success into the head coaching job at Colorado where he had initial success in 2023.  It almost seems as if Sanders’ foray into coaching triggered other former NFL stars to try their hand at coaching at the collegiate level.  I am sure I have left out examples of this trend due to faulty research but let me present at least a partial list of former players in these sorts of coaching roles:

• Michael Vick is at Norfolk St. as head coach.  The Spartans are 1-7 coming into tonight’s game.  The Spartans program started in 2005 and has had only 2 winning seasons ever.  Vick played in college at Va Tech.
• DeSean Jackson is at Delaware St. as head coach.  The Hornets are 5-3 entering tonight’s game and lead the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).  The Hornets’ program began in the 1920s and had some sustained success in the 1990s but recently they were 2-21 over the last two seasons.  Jackson played in college at Cal.
• Eddie George is at Bowling Green as head coach.  George is in his first year there coming off a 24-22 record as the head coach at Tennessee St.  George played in college at Ohio St.
• Brian Hartline is at Ohio St. as the Offensive Coordinator.  Hartline played in college at Ohio St.
• C.J. Spiller is at Clemson as Running Backs coach.  Spiller played in college at Clemson.
• Marshall Faulk is at Colorado as Running Backs coach.  Faulk joined Deion Sanders’ staff in Boulder; Faulk played in college at San Diego St.
• Warren Sapp is at Colorado as a Defensive Analyst.  Sapp also joined Deion Sanders’ staff in Boulder.  Sapp played in college at Miami.
• Demarco Murray is at Oklahoma as Running Backs coach.  Murray played in college at Oklahoma.
• Hines Ward is at Arizona St. as the Wide Receivers coach.  Ward played in college at Georgia.
• Jason Taylor is at Miami as the Defensive Ends coach.  Taylor played in college at Miami.

The presence of these notable football names on the sidelines for the smaller schools adds to the attention those schools get.  Norfolk St. gets whatever public presence it does largely due to Coach Vick’s recognizable name and not because of its rich football history.  That is important because schools today are in “revenue-sharing mode” and revenue is attached closely to public attention.

It is also interesting to note that many of the former players on this list have returned to coaching positions at the schools where they played.  That aspect of this listing is different from the Deion Sanders’ model; he played at Florida St and started his coaching activities at Jackson St.  Florida St. and Jackson St. are not close to each other on the college football spectrum …

Finally, since today has been about players taking on new jobs/careers in coaching, let me close with this observation by Oscar Wilde:

“The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.”

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

 

 

The Baltimore Ravens had their BYE Week last weekend and there had to have been a fervent hope among Ravens’ fans and Ravens’ coaches that Lamar Jackson’s hamstring injury would be the prime beneficiary of that weekend’s rest.  The indications are that those hopes and dreams will not come to pass because Jackson did not participate in the Ravens’ practice session yesterday.  But the focus of attention in Baltimore remains on that hamstring muscle because the moment that it is deemed to be sufficiently healed, the Ravens will have Lamar Jackson back on the field playing QB.

Nothing that I have said above should be misinterpreted as a slam on the substitute QB in Baltimore.  Cooper Rush is a capable backup QB, and he is not the reason that the Ravens’ record is 1-5-0 having lost their last four games in a row.  What I mean to say here is that when Jackon is healthy again, there is no doubt whatsoever that he will be inserted into the lineup; that is not because he is the highest paid player on the team; that is because he is unequivocally the best QB on the roster.

I wonder if that situation similarly obtains in Palo Alto.  The Niners lead their division for now based on their undefeated status in division games and the Niners’ starting QB, Brock Purdy, is on the shelf with a toe injury.  Mac Jones has been the fill-in for the Niners at QB; he has started 5 games for the Niners, and the team has gone 4-1-0 in those five games.

Like Lamar Jackson, Brock Purdy is the highest paid player on the team and has been identified as the “leader of the offense”.  However, when his toe is healed, will he immediately and unequivocally be put on the field as the starting QB?  I don’t know the answer to that question, and I wonder if Niners’ coach, Kyle Shanahan, knows the answer.  The external trappings surrounding the two injured QBs are similar/parallel but there is a qualitative difference in the way the two QBs are perceived:

• Jackson is seen as an “All-World Talent” who is capable of dominating any game that he participates in.  If he returns to health, the Ravens’ season may still be pulled back from the abyss.
• Purdy is seen as the beneficiary of an offensive system created by and employed by Coach Shanahan.  Purdy orchestrates the offense – – and other QBs have shown an ability to orchestrate that offense as well.  Mac Jones specifically is orchestrating it rather successfully for now.

So, imagine for a moment that Brock Purdy’s toe is completely healed as of this morning.  [Aside: I wonder if importing some water from Lourdes would be subject to tariffs?  Whatever …]  Would that mean it is a slam-dunk decision on the part of Kyle Shanahan to put him back in the lineup at QB?

I obviously don’t know the answer to that question, but I do think that it would be an easier choice for Shanahan to come off a Niners’ loss as opposed to a Niners’ victory last weekend.

Moving on …  The Canadian Football League will end its regular season this weekend and the CFL playoffs which start next weekend will have a useful wrinkle called the “Crossover”.  Here is the deal:

• Six CFL teams will make the playoffs – – three from the East and three from the West.
• However, when the fourth-place team in one division has a better record than the third-place team in the other division, that “fourth place team” crosses over and competes as the third-place team in the other division.
• This allows for better teams in the playoffs and presumably better/more entertaining games.

There will be a “crossover” this season.

• In the East, the third-place team will finish with a record of 5-13-0.
• In the West, the fourth-place team will finish with a record of 9-9-0 at worst.
• Ergo, that fourth place finisher in the West will play in the East bracket of the CFL playoffs.

One way to look at this is to think of it as a way to do a reseeding of the playoff teams.  The last playoff slot is not guaranteed based on geography; it is earned based on a season-long record.  I have no reason to like or dislike any of the East teams who might be dislodged from the playoffs this year, but from a fans’ standpoint, the games will likely be more interesting without the participation of a team whose record is 5-13-0.

It would take a cataclysmic event to get the NFL to think of implementing such a selection process for its playoffs.  Here is such a cataclysm; let me pick the AFC South as my example.

• Imagine if all four teams lose every game outside the division.
• In the division games,
  • • Houston goes 4-2-0
    • Indy goes 3-3-0
    • Jax goes 3-3-0
    • Tennessee goes 2-4-0
• Houston would be the Division Champion and would host a playoff game with a season record of 4-14-0.
• Really?

Finally, ponder this comment from Doug Larson:

“A pun is the lowest form of humor, unless you thought of it yourself.”

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

 

 

An adage reads:

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

Applying that adage to an NFL transaction, the object under analysis would be Joe Flacco.  After earning the starting QB job for the Browns during Training Camp, Flacco was less than sterling in the opening games for the Browns.  In 4 starts, the Browns’ record was 1-3-0 and Flacco’s stat line was an unimpressive one:

• 93 of 160 for 815 yards with 2 TDs and 6 INTs

Let me save you the trouble of getting your calculator revved up.  He completed 58.1% of his throws; he averaged 5.1 yards per attempt; if you are into “Passer Ratings”, his rating was 60.6 and that is not a good rating at all.  Last weekend, the Browns sat Flacco down and played rookie Dillon Gabriel at QB.  The Browns lost that game but must have seen enough from Gabriel to go forward with him; so, they traded Joe Flacco to the in-state rival, Cincy Bengals.

The Bengals are smack dab in the middle of dealing with a struggling QB.  When Joe Burrow had to undergo toe surgery that will keep him out of action until at least December 2025, the Bengals turned to Jake Browning who had been a capable fill-in for them back in 2023.  However, Browning has not been as effective this year and here is his stat line for 4 game appearances in 2025:

• 80 of 124 for 757 yards with 6 TDs and 8 INTs

I think we can agree that neither stat line is impressive.  But the Bengals determined that it was worth it to them to acquire Flacco in a trade.  Here is the exchange:

• Browns get a fifth-round pick in 2026
• Bengals get Flacco plus a sixth-round pick in 2026.

Lots of commentators have labeled this trade as “unusual” because it is “inter-divisional”; I agree with that assessment.  However, I think it is unusual on another axis.  When the Browns “demoted” Flacco to backup status, it seemed clear to me that they were not going to play him any more in 2025 unless Gabriel was injured.  Although the coaches and team execs would never admit this, I honestly believe that the Browns know that they are not going to make the playoffs in 2025 and need to know if they have a QB asset in Gabriel and/or Shedeur Sanders who now becomes the backup QB in Cleveland.  Moreover, Flacco was on a one-year deal in Cleveland; and at age 40, he was clearly not part of the long-range plan for the club.

Joe Flacco is the “trash” in the adage above and the Browns managed to get a pick-swap for him in this trade.  Congratulations to the Browns for pulling that off.  Now here is what I do not understand:

• Why did the Bengals make this trade?
• Why do they see him as the “treasure” now?

When Joe Burrow is back and healthy, he will be the QB in Cincy; neither Flacco nor Browning is going to change that situation in the least.  And when you compare the two stat lines for 2025, Browning’s performance is slightly better than Flacco’s notwithstanding the fact that both stat lines are bad ones.

According to the Bengals website, they had Brett Rypien as the backup QB on the depth chart behind Browning until they acquired Flacco.  But does it make a lot of sense to give up a pick-swap for a 40-year-old backup?  Here is a possible motivation for the Bengals in the deal:

• They need someone who can start at QB for a while as the coaches work with Browning to get him back to the performance level he showed in 2023.  Joe Flacco can fill that role.
• If that interpretation is valid, then Joe Flacco might just be the best available option.  I know this is not the full list, but scanning the late Training Camp cuts for QBs who have not signed elsewhere and practice squad members, here are some of the other free-agent options or practice squad members who might be available to the Bengals:
  • • CJ Beathard
    • Tim Boyle
    • Taylor Heinicke
    • Nate Sudfeld
    • Dorian Thompson-Robinson
    • Kyle Trask

Joe Flacco is at the head of the class there …

If I were assigning academic grades to the Browns and Bengals for this trade, I would give the Browns an “A” because they got a small asset in exchange for something that was not of much value to them.  I would simultaneously give the Bengals a grade of “Incomplete” because it is not clear to me what the Bengals will do with their new acquisition nor is it clear to me that Joe Flacco is necessarily an upgrade over Jake Browning.  Just as with draft picks, it is going to take some time to assess what the Bengals received in this transaction.

Finally, I started today with an adage about trash and treasure.  So, I’ll close with a simple observation:

“Some people are such treasures that you just want to bury them.”

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

 

 

The initial report last week said that Mark Sanchez had been stabbed in Indianapolis and was taken to a hospital.  Later, there was a report that Sanchez had been arrested; that was a tad strange; the victims of a stabbing are usually not the ones getting arrested.  This morning the report is that Sanchez is being charged with three misdemeanors – – battery, public intoxication and unlawful entry of a motor vehicle.  The “stabber” in this case is 69 years old and said that he feared for his life in the altercation and used pepper spray on Sanchez in addition to a knife.  The hospital has upgraded Sanchez’ condition to “stable”.

The report this morning said that it appears as if the altercation began over a “parking situation”; Sanchez was in Indy intending to call the Colts/Raiders game on Sunday for FOX.  Maybe he can take some solace in the fact that he did not have to watch his former college coach, Pete Carrol, take a severe drubbing on Sunday.  The Raiders lost 40-6 kicking field goals on their first possession and again on their final possession in the game.  Between those field goals, here are the results of the Raiders’ offensive possessions:

• Punt
• INT
• Missed Field Goal
• Punt
• INT
• Turnover on DOWNS

Geno Smith now leads the NFL in interceptions thrown with 9.  That is a particularly ominous statistic when you consider that the Raiders’ defense allowed the Colts yesterday to score 6 TDs on 6 Red Zone possessions.

The 2025 season is about one-third finished; I have not yet seen all the teams in the league but of the one’s that I have seen for at least a half of a game let me categorize them into 3 groups – – teams that look very good; teams that look very bad and teams that look as if they could be a serious contender later this year.

• Very Good Teams: Bills, Broncos, Bucs, Chiefs, Lions, Rams
• Very Bad Teams: Browns, Dolphins, Giants, Jets, Raiders, Ravens
• Improving Teams: Commanders, Jags, Pats

Note that I do not have the Eagles anywhere on those lists because I do not think they have played well at all; and at the same time, they are not a very bad team either.

Last week, Giants’ coach Brian Daboll looked to be in desperation mode starting Jaxon Dart against the Chargers and it looked as if his longshot had paid off.  The Giants came away with a major upset victory and Dart was the toast of the town.  Against the Chargers, Dart produced 111 passing yards and one TD, and he added 54 yards rushing on 10 carries.  Yesterday was a different story …

Against a middling Saints’ defense, Dart led the Giants to touchdowns on the team’s first two possessions.  Things were looking up in NYC until the worm turned.  Here are the Giants; possessions after those two early touchdowns:

• Punt    
• Punt    
• Fumble
• Strip Sack
• Fumble
• Fumble
• INT
• Turnover on DOWNS

The Giants did indeed turn the ball over on five possessions in a row.  At that point the joy in NYC was probably equal to the joy in Mudville when Casey struck out.

Another source of agita in NYC is the current state of the Yankees/Blue Jays series in the AL playoffs.  The Jays lead the series 2-0 and have outscored the Yankees 23-8 in those two games.  No joy there either …

Finally, having mentioned the lack of joy in NYC, let me close with this observation about riding the subway in NY by Dorothy Parker:

“Not just plain terrible. This was fancy terrible; this was terrible with raisins in it.”

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

 

 

Well, the calendar has flipped over the requisite number of times, making it appropriate for another Football Friday.  So let me begin with an unpleasant review of last week’s “Betting Bundle”:

• Spreads and Totals:  1-4-0    Ugly
• Season to Date:         4-11-0  Even worse
• Money Line Parlays: 1-2       Loss = $70
• Season to Date:         4-6       Profit = $114

            The Linfield University Wildcats had the week off and will commence their Northwest Conference season this week at George Fox University.  Go Wildcats!

My “Sleeper team” for 2025 barely continued to succeed last week:

Ga Tech 30  Wake Foret 29 (OT):  My sleeper team was sleepwalking here; they were a 12.5-point favorite and were minus-550 on the Money Line.  Wake outgained Tech by 50 yards in the game and Tech won the game when Wake opted for a 2-point conversion in OT, but Tech foiled the try with an end zone INT.  Wake led the game 20-3 early in the second half, so it was a significant rally by Tech that got the game into OT in the first place.  However, a win is a win – – but I would prefer for my “sleeper team” to do a bit less sleep-walking this week.

College Football Commentary:

 

It may sound like a Hollywood screenplay, but Bobby Petrino is back at Arkansas as the head football coach.  After Arkansas was drubbed at home last week (see below), the school fired Sam Pitman and elevated Petrino to the job.  Recall that he had this same job in the past and was forced to resign after a motorcycle accident where it was discovered that he was in the presence of a young female volleyball player.  Now he is back as the head coach after about a 15-year absence.

Ole Miss has started the season at 5-0. The Rebels beat LSU last week (see below).  The rest of the schedule for Ole Miss seems favorable. They have only two ranked teams on their schedule over the final seven games – – at Georgia and at Oklahoma. The rest of the schedule includes home games against South Carolina and Florida, plus a rivalry game with Mississippi State in the final game of the year.  If they can avoid tripping over themselves, Ole Miss could easily end up with a 10-2 record – – or better – – and be part of the discussion for a CFP slot.

Here are some comments on college games from lasts week:

Notre Dame 56  Arkansas 13:  This was a home game for the Razorbacks, but they were embarrassed by the Irish who gained 641 yards on offense in the game.  They have a new head coach in Bobby Petrino who summarily fired the defensive coordinator and is in the process of shuffling the football staff.

Ole Miss 24 LSU 19:  In addition to being 5-0 overall, the Rebels are 3-0 in SEC games this year.   Ole Miss outgained LSU 480 yards to 254 yards; normally, that results in more than a 5-point differential.  Fourteen penalties and two turnovers by the Rebels kept the game closer than one would expect.

North Texas 36  South Alabama 22:  North Texas is 5-0 for the season.

Vandy 55  Utah St. 35:  Vandy is 5-0 for the season.

Memphis 55  FAU 26:  Memphis is 5-0 for the season.

Navy 21  Rice 13:  Navy is 4-0 for the season and Navy leads the nation in rushing offense.

BYU 24  Colorado 21:  BYU is 4-0 for the season.

Houston 27  Oregon St.  24.  Houston is 4-0 for the season.  AND Oregon St. is 0-4 for the season.

Northwestern 17  UCLA 14:  UCLA is winless at 0-4 for the season.

Texas A&M 16  Auburn 10:  Aggies’ head coach Mike Elko is a defensive guy, and his defense did the job here. The Aggies held the Tigers to 0 for 15 on third and fourth down tries.  The defense also recorded six sacks in the game.  Texas A&M is 4-0 for the season; Auburn dropped to 3-2 with this loss and both losses are in conference games.

Tennessee 41  Mississippi St. 34 (OT):  The Vols did it through the air in this game; Tennessee QB, Joey Aguilar, posted this stat line:

• 22 of 40 for 335 yards with 1 TD and 2 INTs.

It was those 2 INTs that kept the game this close as Tennessee outgained Miss St. by almost 100 yards which usually does not suggest an OT contest.

Alabama 24  Georgia 21:  There was no scoring in the final 22 minutes of this game.  There were no turnovers in those 22 minutes; both defenses just shut down the opposition.   Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson had a great day, throwing for 276 yards and two touchdowns.  This is a big win for the Crimson Tide.

Indiana 20  Iowa 15:  The Hoosiers are 5-0 for the season but the Iowa defense took some of the shine off the image of “unstoppable offense” that had been created for Indiana.  In their three games prior to the Iowa game, Indiana scored a total of 192 points.

Ohio St.  24  Washington 6:  There were no TDs by Washington’s offense, but the Huskies’ defense kept the game from turning into a rout.  Actually, the Ohio St. defense dominated the game.  The Buckeyes recorded six sacks and nine tackles for losses and held the Huskies to 2 for 14 on third and/or fourth-down conversions.

Oregon 30  Penn St. 24 (2OT):  Oregon dominated the stat sheet gaining 424 yards to Penn St.’s 276.  Oregon led 17-3 early in the 4^th quarter but the Nittany Lions rallied to tie the game at 17 and force OT.

Illinois 34  USC 32:  The Illini were able to shrug off the beat down they took two weeks ago at the hands of Indiana.  It was the first loss of the year for the Trojans, but it was a conference loss.  They are now looking up at 6 conference rivals who are undefeated in conference games.  The Trojans’ schedule is a tough one with games against Michigan, Notre Dame, Iowa and Oregon still on tap.

Baylor 45  Oklahoma St. 27:  The first game in the post-Mike Guncy Era was not pretty for the Cowboys.  But they did cover the spread which was 21 points…

Va Tech 23  NC St. 21:  Tech fired its coach after losing to Old Dominion by 19 points.  So, is the new interim coach in Blacksburg a miracle worker or is NC St. nothing more than mediocre?

UVa 46  Fla St. 38 (2 OT):  The Seminoles won the stat sheet by 75 yards but lost the scoreboard when they could not match a TD and a two-point conversion in the second OT.  Florida St. has a win over Alabama this year; so, while this loss will sting, I would not write the Seminoles off just yet.

Hawaii 44  Air Force 35:  The Total Offense by the two teams here was 1029 yards.

 

NCAA Games of Interest This Week:

 

            There is only one outrageous spread in the college games this week:

• Kent St at Oklahoma – 45.5 (53)

Air Force at Navy – 12 (52):  Navy leads the nation in rushing and Ari force’s defense has been porous this season.  Nonetheless, a 12-point spread in a game involving two service academies is very large …

Kentucky at Georgia – 21 (48.5):  The Bulldogs look to atone for last week’s loss …

UVa at Louisville – 6.5 (61.5):  The oddsmakers are not overly impressed with the Cavaliers’ win over Florida State last week …

Washington – 6 at Maryland (54):  Maryland is undefeated this year and at home – – and a significant underdog …

Clemson – 14 at UNC (46):  The Bill Belichick Era in Chapel Hill is not going smoothly …

Penn St. – 25 at UCLA (49):  The Lions look to atone for last week’s home loss to Oregon, and a winless Bruins team could be the perfect foil …

Miami – 4 at Florida St. (54):  This is my College Game of the Week.  Both teams are ranked; this is an intrastate rivalry game.  What’s to dislike here?

Vandy at Alabama – 10.5 (55):  Vandy beat Alabama last year and Vandy is undefeated so far in 2025.  I suspect that Kalen DeBoer has reminded the ‘Bama players of those two things more than once this week …

 

NFL Commentary:

 

Just a few random observations based on stats to date in 2025:

• The Bengals have been outscored 76-13 in the two games where Jake Browning has had to step in for Joe Burrow.
• Puka Nacua has been targeted 50 times this season and has caught 42 of those pass attempts for 503 yards.  Wow!
• Joe is Flacco out and Dillon Gabriel is in at QB for the Browns this week against the Vikes in another international game for the Vikes.  Flacco remains as the backup and Shedeur Sanders is still #3 on the Browns’ depth chart.
• The Jags’ defense has intercepted 9 passes in 4 games so far in 2025.
• The Jets’ defense has created no takeaways in 4 games so far in 2025.

Since I mentioned above that there is another international game this week, here is what Roger Goodell had to say on that subject last week:

“We have our eyes set on being 16 games internationally every year.  We think we can do it.”

He also opined that a European city could have an NFL franchise and that he loved the possibility of a team in London, England.  Regarding the 16-game international schedule, I believe that international games are an element of the CBA so this might need negotiation with the NFLPA to happen.  I suspect that players would prefer to “stay home” for regular season games.

Then, later in the week, the  NFL announced a deal with the city of Rio de Janeiro to host at least three regular-season games in the city over the next five years, with the first one set to take place in 2026.

Here are comments on last week’s games:

Steelers 24  Vikes 21:  This was the first international game loss for Vikes.  Minnesota scored 15 points in the final 8 minutes of the game to make the score respectable.  The Steelers improved to 3-1 to lead the AFC North that looks winnable for the Steelers with QB injuries in Baltimore and Cincy.  Carson Wentz played QB for the Vikes and threw for 300 yards and 2 TDs – – and also threw 2 INTs.    Carson Wentz was sacked six times.

Pats 42  Panthers 13:  The Panthers actually outgained the Pats 326 yards to 307 yards.  The Panthers held the ball for more than 35 minutes; they had fewer penalties for fewer yards and did not turn the ball over.  The Pats scored on an 87-yard punt return and had another punt returned for 65 yards setting up another TD.  After scoring a TD on their first drive, here is how the rest of the game unfolded for the Panthers:

1. PUNT
2. PUNT
3. MISSED FIELD GOAL
4. PUNT
5. PUNT
6. PUNT
7. TURNOVER ON DOWNS
8. PUNT
9. TURNOVER ON DOWNS
10. TD – – MEANINGLESS

Giants 21  Chargers 18:  Jaxson Dart did not shock and amaze in his first NFL game, but he did rush for a TD and throw for another one.  The Chargers outgained the Giants by 88 yards and still lost the game.  The Giants’ defense created 2 turnovers that were instrumental in this victory.  Tuli Tuipulotu had four sacks for the Chargers.

Lions 34  Browns 10:  The Browns’ defense did its job here; it held the Lions to 277 yards on offense.  But the Lions got a punt returned for a TD and created 3 turnovers that gave the Lions scoring opportunities that they cashed in.  That is 3 wins in a row for the Lions.

Bills 31  Saints 19:  The Bills are undefeated in 2025; the Saints are winless in 2025.  The Bills have scored 30+ points in all four of their wins so far this season.

Eagles 31  Bucs 25:  The Eagles did not complete a pass in the entire second half of this game and still won.  The Eagles were outgained 376 yards to 200 yards on offense and still won.  A blocked punt returned for a TD and two turnovers by the Bucs were just enough for the Eagles to stay unbeaten in 2025.

Texans 26  Titans 0:  The Titans were held to 175 yards of Total Offense in this game.  The outcome was never really in doubt despite the score being 6-0 at the start of the fourth quarter.  I said back in April that I was not sold on Cam Ward as a franchise QB in the NFL.  Well, after a quarter of a season, he has not changed my mind…

Falcons 34  Commanders 27:  Watching this game, it did not appear to be this close.  The Falcons outgained the Commanders by 141 yards for the day.  Bijan Robinson had a total of 186 yards from scrimmage and a TD in the game

Rams 27  Colts 20:  This was the first loss of the year for the Colts.  Puka Nacua had 13 receptions for 170 yards and a TD in the game, but it was an 88-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford to Tutu Atwell that provided the difference on the scoreboard.  Here is Matthew Stafford’s stat line for the day:

• 29 of 41 for 375 yards and 3 TDs with 0 INTs

Jags 26  Niners 21:  The Jags returned a punt for a TD and the Jags’ defense created 4 turnovers in this game.  Travis Etienne had a 48-yard TD run in the game.

Chiefs 37  Ravens 20:  The Ravens finished the game without the services of 7 defensive starters – – 4 were not even active for the game.  Also, Lamar Jackson exited in the third quarter and Cooper Rush had to finish the game for him; Jackson was limping after the game with a hamstring injury.  The Ravens are now 1-3 and could be in deep trouble if they don’t get well quickly.  The Chiefs seem to be on the mend.  Xavier Worthy played last week and was instrumental in the Chiefs getting back to their “chunk plays” down the field.  If this “offensive outburst” is indicative of the Chiefs’ returning to their offensive explosion roots, the AFC should prepare to be amazed.  From the Ravens’ perspective, their defense must find ways to stop the “other guys”.

Bears 25  Raiders 24:  The Raiders had a field goal attempt blocked at the end of the game to find another way to lose a football game.  The Raiders got the best of the stat sheet; Ashton Jeanty showed his potential as an RB with 21 carries for 138 yards and a TD.  The Raiders turned the ball over 4 times in the game; three of those were INTs thrown by Geno Smith.

Packers 40  Cowboys 40 (OT):  This was a great game to watch; at the same time, it probably was sufficiently anti-climatic for all the players and coaches involved.  The teams combined for 925 yards on offense and a total of 275 yards on returns.  I read a report that the Packers provided the sportsbooks with another windfall here; 77% of the wagers on this game took the Packers and laid between 6 and 7 points.  Two weeks ago, the Packers had about $1B bet on them in their game against the Bowns and the books cleaned up on that too.

Seahawks 23  Cards 20:  A field goal as time expired saved this game from going to OT.  The Cards rallied from a 20-6 deficit in the 4^th quarter to tie the game with 30 seconds on the clock – – but it still was not a compelling game.  The Seahawks got into field goal range in the final 30 seconds and kicked a 52-yard field goal to send the Cards’ fans home with a bitter taste in their mouths and to allow TV viewers to go find something more exciting to watch.

Dolphins 27  Jets 21:  Two bad teams here; one of them had to win the game.  The Dolphins lost Tyreek Hill for the season – – forever? – – so it may have been a Pyrrhic victory.  The Jets committed way too many offensive pre-snap penalties.  That is a lack of discipline and is one thing that can/should be attributed to coaching.  Coaches don’t make plays but here are stats from this game that ought to make Aaron Glenn and his staff wary:

• The Jets turned the ball over three times.
• The Jets committed 13 penalties for 101 yards.
• The Jets went 0-for-2 in the red zone.

Broncos 28  Bengals 3:  The Bengals took the opening kickoff and marched down the field methodically inside the 5 yardline and had to settle for a field goal.  After that drive, the Bengals never snapped the ball in Broncos’ territory for the rest of the game.  The Bengals have been blown out twice in a row without Joe Burrow under center; it could be a LONG season in Cincy…

 

NFL Games This Week:

 

There is another international game this week plus there are 4 teams working on their BYE Week:

1. Bears:  Their 2-2 record is about as good as should have been hoped for.  The next game is against the Commanders and the last-second Hail Mary pass by Jayden Daniels to win the game with no time left sent both teams on a totally different vector heading for the season.  Does history repeat …?
2. Falcons:  After a stinker of a game against the Panthers, the Falcons rallied to beat the Commanders more solidly than the score would indicate.
3. Packers:  This is a very good team that has played below their ability for the last two weeks.
4. Steelers:  They sit atop the AFC North as of this week.  They are probably best equipped to suffer a significant injury their starting QB than any other team in the division.

 

Vikes – 3  vs. Browns (36):  Two games in a row for the Vikes overseas.

Dolphins – 1 at Panthers (44): This is the Dog-Breath Game of the Week.  Neither team matters even a little bit.   

Cowboys – 2.5 at Jets (47.5):  Clearly, the oddsmakers think the Cowboys are not nearly accurate as was shown by the nomadic wanderers during the daytime.  The Jets seem to be zombie like,

Raiders at Colts – 7 (47.5):  The Colts need a win to right the ship after last week.  The Raiders are beyond hope.

Broncos at Eagles – 3.5 (42): This is the Game of the Week.  The only time the Broncos won in Philly was in 1986 and their QB on that day was John Elway.  Here are two more interesting stats related to this series:

1. Overall, the Eagles lead the series 9-5.
2. However, Broncos have outscored the Eagles 332-331.

Giants at Saints – 2 (42):  This would have been the Dog-Breath game had it not been for the focus on Jaxson Dart as the QB savior of the Giants.

Texans – 2 at Ravens (41):  The Ravens; defense has been lousy at best this year.  The Texans’ offense has not been much better.  Which unit will out stink the other?

Titans at Cards – 7.5 (42):  Cards need this win badly.  The Titans are merely bad.

Bucs at Seahawks – 3.5 (45):  Both teams are 3-1; the Bucs leas their division and the Seahawks share that record with two other NFC West squads.  This is an important game for both teams.

Lions – 10 at Bengals (49.5):  If the Bengals’ defense cannot play better than it has shown so far in 2025, the Lions might score 49.5 points all by themselves.

Commanders at Chargers – 3 (47):  This is a prove-it game for both teams.  The Commanders’ defense has been awful; the Chargers will play without the services of both starting offensive tackles.

(Sun Nite): Pats at Bills – 8 (49):  The Pats are much improved over last season, but the Bills are still too good for the Pats to win in Buffalo.

(Mon Nite) Chiefs – 3.5 at Jags (46):  Did the sleeping giant that is the KC Chiefs’ offense regain consciousness last week?  If so, the NFL needs to be very careful.

So, here is this week’s “Betting Bundle”:

• Alabama – 10.5 over Vandy
• Washington – 6 over Maryland
• Bills – 8 over Pats
• Giants +2 against Saints
• Colts – 7 over Raiders

And here are some Money Line Parlays for the week:

• Texas @ minus-240
• Baylor @ minus-220
• Illinois @ minus-330             $100 wager to win $169

And …

• Colts @minus-290
• Giants @ +115           $100 wager to win $189

            Finally, let’s hear from Woody Hayes:

“I am not very smart, but I recognize that I am not very smart.”

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

 

 

Over the weekend, the NFL dramatically announced the performer who would entertain at the Super Bowl halftime extravaganza.  It should come as no surprise to anyone who has been reading these rants for a while that I had never heard of “Bad Bunny” until that instant of revelation.  However, a long-term reader here is much more into music and concerts than I am; so, I contacted him for some enlightenment.  Here is our text exchange:

• Me:  Is there any reason that I might know who or what “Bad Bunny” is?
• Reader:  No.  But if interested he’s a Spanish speaking (I think Puerto Rican) singer who appears to be very popular.
• Me:  Since I couldn’t understand 99% of last year’s rapper, it will not be a shock when I don’t understand this artiste in Spanish.
• Reader:  Excellent point.

Moving on …  In a previous rant, I mentioned the collapse of the NY Mets in the second half of the MLB regular season resulting in the team missing the playoffs.  As a quick reset, the Mets had the best record in MLB in mid-June at 45-24 (win percentage = .652).  From that point on, the Mets’ record was 38-55 (win percentage = .409).  That “subsidence” gave the Mets a final record of 83-79 and a seat on the living room couch to watch the NL playoffs.

But looking at the standings and the payroll stats, the Mets finished only 4 games ahead of the Miami Marlins and that prompts me to do some math:

• Mets Payroll = $338M  Mets Wins = 83  Dollars per win = $4.07M
• Marlins Payroll = $68M  Marlins Wins = 79  Dollars per win = $0.861M

            That is quite a disparity!

Switching gears …  In case this all sneaked up on you the way it did on me, the NHL will begin its regular season next week and NBA teams are already playing Exhibition Games.  Really?  I thought those folks had just finished their playoffs a week and a half ago.

Next up …  The Cowboys and the Packers played to a 40-40 tie game at the end of overtime on Sunday Night Football.  So:

1. Was that a vindication for Jerry Jones in trading Micah Parsons?  OR
2. Was that a measure of revenge for Micah Parsons?  OR
3. Who cares?

I vote for the third entry on that list above…

Changing the subject …  The injury bug has hit some QBs early in this NFL season.  Jayden Daniels missed a game; Brock Purdy missed a game; Joe Burrow is out for most if not all the regular season; Lamar Jackson looks as if he will miss two or three games.  Various commentators have used that data to underscore the importance of the backup QB position in the league.  I am certainly not going to oppose that point of view, but I think there is another layer to consider.

• Indeed, teams need a competent backup QB.  He is like your homeowner’s insurance; you hope never to need to use him, but you will be awfully glad to have him in place just in case…
• And in addition, I think it is important for teams to have a backup QB whose skill set and whose style of play is similar to the starter.

When Jayden Daniels sat, Marcus Mariota played the position similarly to the way Jayden Daniles would have if healthy.  Mariota was not as proficient as Daniels; that is why Daniels is the starter and Mariota is the backup.  But for the rest of the players, the way the game evolved was very similar; the Commanders played a game the way they had been practicing to play games ever since Training Camp began.

The Niners were in a similar situation with Brock Purdy missing time and Mac Jones filling in.  The two QBs are comparable in their style of play.

I think it will be interesting to see how the Ravens adapt to their situation.  Cooper Rush showed last year that he is a competent backup QB but only someone who never followed football or someone who is totally blind would suggest that Cooper Rush plays the position similar to the way Lamar Jackson plays the position.  Perhaps, some of Rush’s success last year as the fill-in at QB for the Cowboys is that his game is similar to Dak Prescott’s game allowing for only minimal adaptations by the other folks on offense.

Finally, as the calendar moves into October and Fall is upon us, let me close with this from Dorothy Parker:

“Summer makes me drowsy.

Autumn makes me sing.

Winter’s pretty lousy,

But I hate Spring.”

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