I am not going to discuss much football this week. The hiring of NFL coaches is ongoing—down to just two openings, which leads one to believe that an assistant coach on a Super Bowl team is likely going to claim a spot.
I found it interesting that former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, who reinvigorated the San Francisco 49’ers defense in his second stint there, has selected former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll to be his offensive coordinator in Tennessee. Talk about strange bedfellows.
Meanwhile, speaking about the two New York football teams, there is an aura of optimism with John Harbaugh taking over the reins for the Giants. While Aaron Glenn, the so-called savior of the New York Jets, is totally deconstructing his coaching staff.
Unless the Jets make a killing in the upcoming NFL Draft and sign some solid free agents, it is going to be the same old same old in Florham Park. Which makes one wonder what will it ever take to turn the franchise around?
Pittsburgh tabbed Mike Mc Carthy to replace Mike Tomlin. Mc Carthy had successful stints in Green Bay and at Dallas. The Western Pennsylvania native son has hinted at a reunion with Aaron Rodgers as the Steelers quarterback. I hope that either Rodgers or Mc Carthy comes to his senses and goes in a different direction. Otherwise, things could become dismal quickly for the Steelers.
Of course, the biggest story surrounded the failure of a group of fifty individuals to get forty of them to agree that Bill Belichick should be a first ballot member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. What an uproar this created.
Multiple reasons have been given for this result. They run the gamut—from only 3 of 5 players, coaches and owners could get into Belichick’s involvement with Spygate, for which he and the Patriots were penalized. Or perhaps there was resentment that he could get in after being out of the NFL only one year instead of the five players must wait.
Whatever the cause of this rejection, it was a major slight and a big stain on those who were tasked with enshrining the right people. The man’s credentials as a coach are unassailable. He did not deserve to be treated like a steroid user in baseball, where that kind of cheating led to long suspensions for Alex Rodriguez and public questions about integrity or Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, two of the all-time great players.
Put aside how intemperate Belichick could be with the press. He got his teams to win behind the mastery of Tom Brady as his QB. The defenses which he and his staff developed were top-notch. Nobody has won more Super Bowls.
The NFL and the Pro Football Hall of Fame fumbled this one horribly. This snub will ultimately be corrected. It isn’t the same for Eli Manning, whose resume is very nice but not overwhelming.
Manning can wait awhile for enshrinement. Belichick should have been on stage in Canton, Ohio in August, receiving the praise and recognition he richly deserved. It won’t happen when Brady’s time comes, unless he screws up as a broadcaster for FOX or his tenure as a Las Vegas Raiders owner goes south.
And even then, if there are reasons Brady is disliked or resented, it won’t matter. He’ll get in on the first ballot. So should have Belichick, too, and on the first ballot.
What amazed me is hat corrective action wasn’t taken for a special re-vote here. Change the rules if you have to. Football could have made it right. Not look stupid and pedantic.
In the sports world, a lot of different events are colliding as February begins. Besides the Super Bowl in another week, the Olympics, Australian Open, NBA, NHL, college basketball, golf, MLB Spring Training and even the Westminister Dog Show are in full swing or on tap.
Most everyone has seen the ski accident which derailed American Lyndsey Vonn as the 41 year old star ties to recapture glory one more time. Her prognosis to return to the slopes in Italy is up in he air—like the way she was guided into a waiting helicopter to whisk her away for evaluation and treatment of her injuries. Should she make a timely recovery and come back and medal, NBC has great theater for its viewers.
The NBA trade deadline is on February 5. The big story is whether Milwaukee will trade superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Golden State sure could use him, although I don’t know that Giannis will make the Warriors into a team to defeat Oklahoma City, Detroit or San Antonio. Yes, Steph Curry is going to be 38 soon and he is defying time with his high-scoring and three point accuracy. And yes, the window of opportunity for another championship for him, Draymond Green and dad coach Steve Kerr is closing fast—if it hasn’t already been shut.
Obtaining Giannis for a lot of draft capital and/or players is risky. This isn’t like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leaving Wisconsin for Los Angeles. Not close.
Bringing in Luca Doncic and pairing him with an aging but still powerful presence in Lebron James has made LAL a winning team. But not a top flight one.
Other suitors might outbid GSW. That could even include the New York Knicks, with center Karl Anthony-Towns name being bandied about for possible trade packages. Much to Towns’ dislike. Can’t blame him—even if pro basketball remains a business and sudden trades are always possible.
A footnote to the long NBA season. There was a historic rookie duel between two former teammates in college. Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks set an NBA record for points by a teenager on a night when the Mavs honored franchise legend Mark Aguirre, the former holder of the team’s rookie scoring record. Flagg scored a career-high 49 points, making 20 of 29 field goal attempts. He collected 10 rebounds.
However, Kon Kneuppel of the Charlotte Hornets tallied his career-high with 34 points, which was on 10 for 16 shooting. Eight of those tens made baskets were three point shots, which set a Charlotte rookie record. This was Kneuppel’s 13th game with five or more 3-pointers, which tied the NBA record for a rookie.
Their futures are bright for two franchises seeking to become relevant. The duo are certainly among the leaders for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. By the way, the final score was Charlotte 123 Dallas 121.
I want to comment about the influx of former G League and now a former NBA player back into the collegiate ranks. The courts are involved and one of the two players in question has played remarkably well for Alabama once permitted to participate.
This is wrong. So wrong. On many fronts. Let’s start with the ages—older than normal four year matriculating students. That puts them at a competitive advantage. As does exposure to the pros—whether it was in the G League or 10 games in the NBA.
I recognize that amateurism has been shredded at D I-level schools. Name, Image and Likeness has eviscerated that. Kids are being paid to play and then can up and leave through the Transfer Portal if a more lucrative deal awaits.
Oh, some don’t even go to school—like Carson Beck for the past two years at Georgia and Miami. Whatever happened to being academically eligible?
Big time college sports, already driven by greed and avarice while placing so many school athletic budgets deep in the red, has no morality and not very much decency. The alumni and fans don’t care—as long as heir school continues to win.
Curt Cignetti may be a saint for what he accomplished at Indiana in winning the national championship in his second year in Bloomington. However, the expectations will remain high and the pressure even greater. Cignetti must find he next Fernando Mendoza to quarterback his team lest the fans start to get uptight when the team loses a game or two.
It’s really no different at any other Big Ten school—there is tremendous pressure to win—now. Or in he ACC or SEC, where charges have been lobbed by Clemson head coach Dabo Sweeney that coaches at the University of Mississippi have been trying to poach his players—even calling their cell phones to take while the particular athlete is actually in class.
I’ve said it before and it’s worth repeating. Top tier college sports is out of control. How this is reigned in I just don’t know. Maybe court or congressional intervention has to happen. It isn’t pretty and things may get even uglier.
Which is part of the reason why I enjoy D III sports so much. It appears to be far less sullied and the kids actually go to school and many have real majors with aspirations that are high. Not to play professionally only to return to college older and with remaining eligibility.
The New York Yankees collared their man after all. Cody Bellinger is coming back to the team, a lot richer and with much greater expectations. The team has to sort things out early and straighten out the lineup and pitching so that when injured starters like Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are back, along with shortstop Anthony Volpe, the team can really run it back, like GM Brian Cashman recently remarked.
It has been nice to see a few new names surface to the top of college basketball. Nebraska looks for real—even with a loss at highly-ranked Michigan. The Big Ten is loaded this year with schools like Purdue, Michigan State, Illinois, Wisconsin and UCLA joining the Cornhuskers and Wolverines as potential NCAA teams.
#1 Arizona is really good. UConn is back and formidable. Every school in the Top Ten has a championship pedigree. March Madness is approaching—and it’s gonna be fun.
The Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings are feel good stories in the NHL. Franchises which have turned things around. The Islanders, too, as the trio sit in playoff spots just before the Olympics hiatus. It’s a lot closer in the West, as many teams are vying for playoff berths.
Tampa Bay and Colorado are the leaders thus far. Both are playing exceptional hockey. Hopefully no teams suffer great losses due to injury when the Olympic competition begins.
Down Under, Carlos Alcaraz declared that he’s the best in the world with his win over Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz is the youngest to complete the “Slam”—winning the Australian, French, US Opens and Wimbledon. At age 22. His future, barring injury, is bright.
The fact that the aging Djokovic made it to the finals added to his legacy rather than diminished it in any way. His defeat of Jack Sinner in the semi-finals demonstrated that he still is in the top three in the world at age 38—for its going to be Alcaraz and Sinner dominating men’s tennis the way McEnroe and Borg did, or Federer and Nadal did previously—until Djokvic interceded.
I may not like Djokovic for his arrogance among other reasons. I didn’t care much for Johnny Mac’s antics either. But I sure as heck respect their ability to play tennis.
Watching the Westminster Kennel Club’s annual soiree at Madison Square Garden made me think of eligibility and N-I-L. Non-factors for the dogs. Those performing have it good—if you like being primped and pampered. Just like in the colleges and pros.
I need a little puppy love right now.
