Interesting. Sports Illustrated has the Detroit Lions, who currently sit atop the NFC north division, winding up a wild card team and getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs -- by the Eagles. Could happen.
The author, one Andy Benoit, goes on to predict a Packers/Patriots Super Bowl with the Pack prevailing 31-27. It's possible. Barring major injuries (see Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady), few would doubt the Cheesers and a team owned by a guy that owns a cheese company (Kraft) are amongst the elite teams.
But right now, with 6-7 games to go in the regular season, a few very strange things have occurred.
Out of 16 teams in the entire American Conference, twelve of them still have a realistic shot at the playoffs. Only the Jags, Jets, Titans, and the still winless Raiders are out of it.
In the AFC North, all four teams are above .500, separated by no more than one game.
Cleveland. 6-3.
Cincinnatti. 5-3-1.
Pittsburgh. 6-4.
Baltimore. 6-4.
One way or the other, somebody will wind up being the division champ, though it might well have to be determined by various tie-breakers.
On the other hand, in the NFC South, all four teams are BELOW .500.
New Orleans. 4-5.
Carolina. 3-6-1.
Atlanta. 3-6.
Tampa Bay. 1-8.
Somebody has to win that division too and, the way they're going, it could be a team with a sub-.500 record that makes the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Philly and Dallas are slugging it out in the East, Detroit and Green Bay in the North, and Arizona and Seattle in the West for division championships. All have far better records than the above-mentioned bunch from the South.
Therefore, given the playoff format where all four division champs qualify, plus two wild-cards, it's entirely possible that a 7-9 or 8-8 division champ gets in -- while another team at 10-6 or even 11-5 is left out. How can that possibly be?
Sure, it's all about the mighty buck, and playoff games rack up some major cha-chings. That's why the NFL keeps expanding its playoff format. Like the movie Field of Dreams, schedule an NFL playoff game, regardless of the teams' records -- and they will come. Legions of them, with fat wallets and purses ripe for the picking.
The NFL has 32 teams, and twelve of them will make it to the playoffs. Watered down? Opinions vary, but so far the league continues to GROW in popularity. It would be interesting to see the public's reaction if the NFL expanded their playoff format even further. Instead of twelve teams, perhaps 16. Instead of two wild cards from each conference -- make it four. No extra weeks would be necessary. Just eliminate the first week playoff "byes" for the top two teams in each conference, and have everybody in action when the playoffs start. A "Sweet Sixteen" with a twist if you will, seeded accordingly. Teams with the best records get home field advantage. Oh yes, they would come -- in droves. Bring on the grease paint.
Yet it leaves one to wonder -- just how much can they water down the product before the public says "enough"?
Hard to say where the tipping point might be. The NHL currently has 30 teams and fully 16 of them will make it to the playoffs. That seems watered down, but they still pack the arenas at exorbitant prices once the post-season starts.
But not that long ago -- before they went through their own expansion -- the NHL consisted of twenty one teams. And SIXTEEN of them would go to the playoffs. In other words, a team had to terrible NOT to make it.
Want irony? While the pro leagues have expanded their playoffs, college football, certainly as big a deal in this country, had to be dragged kicking and screaming into allowing a whole 4 teams (instead of two -- out of a total of 119) to compete for a championship. And even those teams are determined by a special "panel". Instead of deciding it on the field with games, the likes of Condoleezza Rice and company will rule from on high as to which 4 schools get a shot.
For the most part, college teams are idle in the month of December. And spare me the argument about "student-athletes having to study for final exams" and the like. All the football players at Enormous U schools are NFL wannabes and have curriculums more patsy-like than their typical first games of the season. They could just as easily play a few rounds of playoffs during December. The lower division colleges do -- and those players have little chance of ever becoming a pro. So it's OK if the players that will graduate from lesser schools with a, GASP, education, and have to go get real jobs can play during December -- but it's putting too much of a burden on the big-time jocks with "majors" your average potted plant could breeze through? The hypocrisy screams.
Nevertheless, on with the games. It is what it is. How it all turns out is anybody's guess.
Packers 31, Pats 27 in the Big Dance? We'll see in February.
And why do I get this feeling that despite currently being ranked #5 and out of the college football playoff picture, that Alabama is going to win another national championship?
Here's a good question. Currently #1 ranked Mississippi State plays at Alabama this Saturday. So why is the #5 team an 8 and a half point favorite over the supposed top team in the country?
It's just about enough to make one scoff at the "polls".
But never fear, Condy will figure it out. Right.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Oscar Taveras. R.I.P.
Yours truly wouldn't wish harm on anyone. Well, maybe those roto-callers leading up to an election, but haven't we all thought that way?
The death of Oscar Taveras is a tragedy, but no more so than the passing, by whatever causes, of most anybody else.
Should it matter that Taveras was a major league baseball player? The fact that he hit for a certain batting average, clubbed a key home run in a playoff series, and was thought to be the #3 overall best "prospect" in all of baseball as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals?
In the whole scheme of things, probably not. While Taveras was a gifted baseball player, his very existence on the planet was no more important than that of a desert nomad, or a homeless person finding shelter in a dumpster. A human life is a human life. They all count the same, or at least should.
Like any other "celebrity", Taveras' death made news. At the young age of 22, with such a promising future, his life was snuffed out. All due sympathies to his surviving kinfolk and friends.
But sometimes a dose of hard reality is in order. Turns out, while driving a Chevy Camaro on the freeway at a high speed in his native Dominican Republic, Taveras had a blood alcohol content over 5 times the legal limit. In other words, he was super-drunk. For whatever reason, he eventually crashed into a tree, killing not only himself, but his 18 year old girlfriend and passenger Edilia Arvelos. Whether or not she was drunk as well is unknown but irrelevant. She wasn't driving the car. Oscar was.
Sure, young men/women (yours truly included) do/did a lot of stupid things that might have turned out to be disastrous. But most times we look back and laugh at them. Lessons learned, and stories to be embellished upon in later years to the amusement of others.
Yet every once in a while, though tragic, whatever powers that be say at the time, "Nope. You messed up. There will be no second chance. Game over."
By most accounts, Oscar Taveras was a good guy. He certainly had a promising future in baseball. Countless riches awaited him. Sadly, he leaves a one year old son behind. Oscar Jr.
But roaring down the interstate with a 5 times the legal limit snootful of alcohol in one's system was a very bad idea. It cost Oscar his life, along with his girlfriend's, and who knows what will become of Junior? A sad tale indeed.
The moral of the story can be summed up as follows in the immortal words of Don McLean:
Bye bye Mr. American Pie. He tried to drive his Chevy to the levee, but he should have stayed dry.
And sure enough, that was the day he died.
Or something like that. Close enough.
Five times over the legal alcohol limit -- at high speed on a freeway? May he and his girlfriend rest in peace, and God bless them.
But this was no act of God, like a lightning strike. Oscar Taveras did something stupid and wound up paying with his life. There will be no amusing stories to tell later.
And that's just the way it goes sometimes.......
The death of Oscar Taveras is a tragedy, but no more so than the passing, by whatever causes, of most anybody else.
Should it matter that Taveras was a major league baseball player? The fact that he hit for a certain batting average, clubbed a key home run in a playoff series, and was thought to be the #3 overall best "prospect" in all of baseball as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals?
In the whole scheme of things, probably not. While Taveras was a gifted baseball player, his very existence on the planet was no more important than that of a desert nomad, or a homeless person finding shelter in a dumpster. A human life is a human life. They all count the same, or at least should.
Like any other "celebrity", Taveras' death made news. At the young age of 22, with such a promising future, his life was snuffed out. All due sympathies to his surviving kinfolk and friends.
But sometimes a dose of hard reality is in order. Turns out, while driving a Chevy Camaro on the freeway at a high speed in his native Dominican Republic, Taveras had a blood alcohol content over 5 times the legal limit. In other words, he was super-drunk. For whatever reason, he eventually crashed into a tree, killing not only himself, but his 18 year old girlfriend and passenger Edilia Arvelos. Whether or not she was drunk as well is unknown but irrelevant. She wasn't driving the car. Oscar was.
Sure, young men/women (yours truly included) do/did a lot of stupid things that might have turned out to be disastrous. But most times we look back and laugh at them. Lessons learned, and stories to be embellished upon in later years to the amusement of others.
Yet every once in a while, though tragic, whatever powers that be say at the time, "Nope. You messed up. There will be no second chance. Game over."
By most accounts, Oscar Taveras was a good guy. He certainly had a promising future in baseball. Countless riches awaited him. Sadly, he leaves a one year old son behind. Oscar Jr.
But roaring down the interstate with a 5 times the legal limit snootful of alcohol in one's system was a very bad idea. It cost Oscar his life, along with his girlfriend's, and who knows what will become of Junior? A sad tale indeed.
The moral of the story can be summed up as follows in the immortal words of Don McLean:
Bye bye Mr. American Pie. He tried to drive his Chevy to the levee, but he should have stayed dry.
And sure enough, that was the day he died.
Or something like that. Close enough.
Five times over the legal alcohol limit -- at high speed on a freeway? May he and his girlfriend rest in peace, and God bless them.
But this was no act of God, like a lightning strike. Oscar Taveras did something stupid and wound up paying with his life. There will be no amusing stories to tell later.
And that's just the way it goes sometimes.......
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Detroit Pistons, 2014 version
OK, I have to own it. Yours truly finally gave in and watched a Detroit Pistons' game. No, I wasn't in the DC arena where they were taking on the Wizards -- just in the man cave with the humongous LG flat screen and dynamite home theater sound system. Best three grand I ever spent, not counting the down-stroke on attorney fees to cover that long overdue divorce a while back.
And no, I haven't been to a Pistons' game at their Palace in Auburn Hills for several years, though I used to go quite often. Why?
Because in a word they were, and continue to be terrible, at least by NBA standards. Why would any sane person pony up big bucks to go watch a bunch of bumbling millionaires live and in person when they can have the best seat in the house at home -- for free?
Atmosphere? Well, let's see. Besides the outrageous cost of tickets, if you prefer fighting the traffic in and out of the arena -- you've got atmosphere.
If you prefer getting dinged for 10 or 20 bucks to park in the back forty, only to trudge a couple hundred yards to and from the venue, rain, shine, blizzard, or otherwise -- you've got atmosphere.
If you prefer paying six bucks for a cooked to death cheap-meat hot dog on a soggy bun, which is twice as much than a whole 8-pack of quality dogs would cost at home -- you've got atmosphere.
Let's not forget the condiment stands. This is not to say they leave something to be desired -- but if the drunk in front of you is the latest to drool on the mustard dispenser, and the chopped onions give off their typical smell which brings back memories of high school locker rooms after gym class, you've got atmosphere. And instead of the hassle of unscrewing a jar at home for relish, who can resist a couple spoonfuls of chopped sweet pickles in an arena that seem to have a life of their own. They move. Horrors. They're alive. But dammit, you've got atmosphere.
If you prefer paying eight bucks for a watered down beer, even assuming they're 24 ounces -- that's the equivalent of paying $96 for a single case of REAL beer. Would any sane person do that? But, by god, you've got atmosphere.
This is not even to mention what kind of crazies one might find themselves seated along side. You know, the semi-naked guys that have grease-painted their whole bodies with the team colors, and never stop screaming, dancing, and gyrating in their eternal quest to be on the Jumbotron. Yep, that's atmosphere.
Nevertheless, all of the above might be semi-endurable given one condition.
The team is actually -- gasp -- competitive. Alas, the Pistons are not, and don't look to be any time soon. Relatively new Pistons' owner Tom Gores may have sunk millions into sprucing up the Palace, and it remains a world-class venue indeed. Yet when it comes to the team itself, it's reminiscent of a political slogan not long ago. Something about putting lipstick on a pig. Did I mention the Pistons are terrible?
After their most recent loss to Washington, the Pistons find themselves 2-6. A .250 winning percentage. Given their personnel, there is nothing to suggest that percentage will improve over the rest of the season. A final 2014 record of roughly 20-62 is not only possible -- but likely.
Yes, new Prez and head coach Stan Van Gundy inherited this mess from the finally broomed Joe Dumars. Over the years with other teams (Miami and Orlando), Van Gundy has had limited success. But he's also been a lightning rod for controversy as well, with both front offices and players.
And excuse me but, Prez/head coach notwithstanding, somehow I find it comical when I see a little 5 foot 8 chubby dude with a big mustache (that never played in the NBA) barking out orders to his current players. Talk about a mismatch, height or otherwise. It's kind of like a yappy chihuahua taking charge of a pack of misguided wolves.
Though it was tough/ugly to watch, yours truly hung in there until the merciful end of the Pistons/Wizards game.
Of course, even though they lost, the Pistons TV network had to name their most valuable Piston for the game. That was one Brandon Jennings. He scored 32 points and had 10 rebounds. A double-double. Hurray.
Thing is, naming a most valuable Piston these days was like naming a most valuable Washington General when they used to get wiped by the Harlem Globetrotters.
The Pistons of the present aren't the Bad Boys of yesteryear. They're just plain bad. And while they may "go to work" like the last successful Piston team, they don't seem to have a collective clue how to do their jobs.
So, if you've got a few hundred bucks to blow and nothing else to do -- and you want to pack up the spouse and kids to go see the Generals, sorry, Pistons get beat yet again, then the Palace is the place for you.
Just one suggestion. Sneak up on the relish. First strike capability is always best.....
And no, I haven't been to a Pistons' game at their Palace in Auburn Hills for several years, though I used to go quite often. Why?
Because in a word they were, and continue to be terrible, at least by NBA standards. Why would any sane person pony up big bucks to go watch a bunch of bumbling millionaires live and in person when they can have the best seat in the house at home -- for free?
Atmosphere? Well, let's see. Besides the outrageous cost of tickets, if you prefer fighting the traffic in and out of the arena -- you've got atmosphere.
If you prefer getting dinged for 10 or 20 bucks to park in the back forty, only to trudge a couple hundred yards to and from the venue, rain, shine, blizzard, or otherwise -- you've got atmosphere.
If you prefer paying six bucks for a cooked to death cheap-meat hot dog on a soggy bun, which is twice as much than a whole 8-pack of quality dogs would cost at home -- you've got atmosphere.
Let's not forget the condiment stands. This is not to say they leave something to be desired -- but if the drunk in front of you is the latest to drool on the mustard dispenser, and the chopped onions give off their typical smell which brings back memories of high school locker rooms after gym class, you've got atmosphere. And instead of the hassle of unscrewing a jar at home for relish, who can resist a couple spoonfuls of chopped sweet pickles in an arena that seem to have a life of their own. They move. Horrors. They're alive. But dammit, you've got atmosphere.
If you prefer paying eight bucks for a watered down beer, even assuming they're 24 ounces -- that's the equivalent of paying $96 for a single case of REAL beer. Would any sane person do that? But, by god, you've got atmosphere.
This is not even to mention what kind of crazies one might find themselves seated along side. You know, the semi-naked guys that have grease-painted their whole bodies with the team colors, and never stop screaming, dancing, and gyrating in their eternal quest to be on the Jumbotron. Yep, that's atmosphere.
Nevertheless, all of the above might be semi-endurable given one condition.
The team is actually -- gasp -- competitive. Alas, the Pistons are not, and don't look to be any time soon. Relatively new Pistons' owner Tom Gores may have sunk millions into sprucing up the Palace, and it remains a world-class venue indeed. Yet when it comes to the team itself, it's reminiscent of a political slogan not long ago. Something about putting lipstick on a pig. Did I mention the Pistons are terrible?
After their most recent loss to Washington, the Pistons find themselves 2-6. A .250 winning percentage. Given their personnel, there is nothing to suggest that percentage will improve over the rest of the season. A final 2014 record of roughly 20-62 is not only possible -- but likely.
Yes, new Prez and head coach Stan Van Gundy inherited this mess from the finally broomed Joe Dumars. Over the years with other teams (Miami and Orlando), Van Gundy has had limited success. But he's also been a lightning rod for controversy as well, with both front offices and players.
And excuse me but, Prez/head coach notwithstanding, somehow I find it comical when I see a little 5 foot 8 chubby dude with a big mustache (that never played in the NBA) barking out orders to his current players. Talk about a mismatch, height or otherwise. It's kind of like a yappy chihuahua taking charge of a pack of misguided wolves.
Though it was tough/ugly to watch, yours truly hung in there until the merciful end of the Pistons/Wizards game.
Of course, even though they lost, the Pistons TV network had to name their most valuable Piston for the game. That was one Brandon Jennings. He scored 32 points and had 10 rebounds. A double-double. Hurray.
Thing is, naming a most valuable Piston these days was like naming a most valuable Washington General when they used to get wiped by the Harlem Globetrotters.
The Pistons of the present aren't the Bad Boys of yesteryear. They're just plain bad. And while they may "go to work" like the last successful Piston team, they don't seem to have a collective clue how to do their jobs.
So, if you've got a few hundred bucks to blow and nothing else to do -- and you want to pack up the spouse and kids to go see the Generals, sorry, Pistons get beat yet again, then the Palace is the place for you.
Just one suggestion. Sneak up on the relish. First strike capability is always best.....
Monday, November 10, 2014
NASCAR's scoring insanity
Yours truly likes to think he's a little better than your average couch tater when it comes to keeping up with the wide world of sports. But when it comes to the NASCAR scoring system, particularly lately, I must admit I haven't a clue -- NONE -- as to what's going on.
Here's what I do know. Next week, a champion will be crowned in the final race of the year at Homestead, Fla.
Only four drivers have a chance at the Cup going in.
They are -- Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Newman.
Such notables, and former champs, as Wonder Boy (Jeff Gordon), Six Time (Jimmy Johnson), and I'll Piss You Off Eventually (Brad Keselowski) have been eliminated from contention. Smoke (Tony Stewart) hasn't been the same since he accidentally killed that kid on a dirt track a few months back. And The Go Daddy Priestess (Danica Patrick) was right in the thick of things until, well, maybe the middle of March, April Fool's day tops. Ahem.
Beyond that, how NASCAR's "playoffs" work might as well be brain surgery on a Klingon. Good luck trying to figure out either one.
In the penultimate race at Phoenix, Jeff Gordon finished second. He was fourth in points going in, but eliminated because Ryan Newman finished 11th. How does that work?
For that matter, Newman hasn't won a single race ALL YEAR. But if he wins at Homestead, he'll be the champ. Huh? Isn't that a little like giving an 0-16 NFL team a spot in the Super Bowl because all their losses were close games?
Idle thought: What gives with NASCAR's "lucky boy" rule? This is when a car and driver find themselves a lap down, but if they're in just the right position on the track when a caution flag comes out -- they get to pass the entire field and get their lap back. It's not lucky -- it's insane. A comparison might be if Tiger Woods found himself 6 shots out of the lead on the back nine of the final round at the Masters on Sunday. Let's lop 4 strokes off his score so he can be back in the "hunt" to make things more interesting. How well do you think that would go over? But it's basically what NASCAR continues to do every race. These are the same people that will bang a car, driver, owner, and crew chief with hefty fines and loss of points for the slightest deviation from their "template" in their quest for "parity" -- but they're giving away free laps? How nuts is that?
And here's the really potentially crazy part. Again, only Hamlin, Harvick, Logano, and Newman are eligible for the Sprint Cup. One way or the other, one of them is going to be the champion when the Homestead race is over. But what if......
A major accident occurs early in the race and takes them all out? After all, the four of them will be racing for all the proverbial marbles. They'll all have fast cars and chances are they'll all be super-aggressive trying to go to the front. Which means they will likely be in close proximity of one another towards the head of the pack. If somebody makes a mistake, or even a tire blows, it's entirely possible such an incident could collect them all.
This is not to wish misfortune on any driver, car, or team. But wouldn't it be interesting if the entire Final Four wound up in no better than, say, 30th place when the checkered flag waved at Homestead?
Could happen, and yours truly hopes it does, for two reasons.
While NASCAR would spin it to trumpet their new champion -- champagne, mega-bucks, and future endorsements galore -- they would also find it painfully awkward to justify to the fans and media how their entire Final Four could crash out of the championship game, finish towards the rear, if they finished at all, but still crown one of them king. A lot of questions would be asked as to how such a stupid scenario was ever allowed to play itself out that way. It might lead them to rethink the ludicrous point/playoff system they've put into play.
But more importantly, if much needed changes are made, then your better than average couch tater such as myself might begin to understand what the hell is going on.
Here's what I do know. Next week, a champion will be crowned in the final race of the year at Homestead, Fla.
Only four drivers have a chance at the Cup going in.
They are -- Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Newman.
Such notables, and former champs, as Wonder Boy (Jeff Gordon), Six Time (Jimmy Johnson), and I'll Piss You Off Eventually (Brad Keselowski) have been eliminated from contention. Smoke (Tony Stewart) hasn't been the same since he accidentally killed that kid on a dirt track a few months back. And The Go Daddy Priestess (Danica Patrick) was right in the thick of things until, well, maybe the middle of March, April Fool's day tops. Ahem.
Beyond that, how NASCAR's "playoffs" work might as well be brain surgery on a Klingon. Good luck trying to figure out either one.
In the penultimate race at Phoenix, Jeff Gordon finished second. He was fourth in points going in, but eliminated because Ryan Newman finished 11th. How does that work?
For that matter, Newman hasn't won a single race ALL YEAR. But if he wins at Homestead, he'll be the champ. Huh? Isn't that a little like giving an 0-16 NFL team a spot in the Super Bowl because all their losses were close games?
Idle thought: What gives with NASCAR's "lucky boy" rule? This is when a car and driver find themselves a lap down, but if they're in just the right position on the track when a caution flag comes out -- they get to pass the entire field and get their lap back. It's not lucky -- it's insane. A comparison might be if Tiger Woods found himself 6 shots out of the lead on the back nine of the final round at the Masters on Sunday. Let's lop 4 strokes off his score so he can be back in the "hunt" to make things more interesting. How well do you think that would go over? But it's basically what NASCAR continues to do every race. These are the same people that will bang a car, driver, owner, and crew chief with hefty fines and loss of points for the slightest deviation from their "template" in their quest for "parity" -- but they're giving away free laps? How nuts is that?
And here's the really potentially crazy part. Again, only Hamlin, Harvick, Logano, and Newman are eligible for the Sprint Cup. One way or the other, one of them is going to be the champion when the Homestead race is over. But what if......
A major accident occurs early in the race and takes them all out? After all, the four of them will be racing for all the proverbial marbles. They'll all have fast cars and chances are they'll all be super-aggressive trying to go to the front. Which means they will likely be in close proximity of one another towards the head of the pack. If somebody makes a mistake, or even a tire blows, it's entirely possible such an incident could collect them all.
This is not to wish misfortune on any driver, car, or team. But wouldn't it be interesting if the entire Final Four wound up in no better than, say, 30th place when the checkered flag waved at Homestead?
Could happen, and yours truly hopes it does, for two reasons.
While NASCAR would spin it to trumpet their new champion -- champagne, mega-bucks, and future endorsements galore -- they would also find it painfully awkward to justify to the fans and media how their entire Final Four could crash out of the championship game, finish towards the rear, if they finished at all, but still crown one of them king. A lot of questions would be asked as to how such a stupid scenario was ever allowed to play itself out that way. It might lead them to rethink the ludicrous point/playoff system they've put into play.
But more importantly, if much needed changes are made, then your better than average couch tater such as myself might begin to understand what the hell is going on.
Detroit Lions and football gods
This one's for you, Mach.
Sometimes things just fall the right -- or wrong way. There's being lucky and there's the ever-present Murphy's Law.
Of course, a lot of things have nothing to do with luck, be it good or bad. One doesn't get to be a surgeon unless they make it through medical school, and one certainly has no future in politics without having first mastered the art of lying with a straight face. This takes a lot of work.
But for a team to be successful in the NFL, several different things need to intersect.
They have to have talented players.
A coaching staff that can bring them together as a cohesive unit.
They have to work hard, study hard, practice hard, and properly game plan for any opponent.
When the actual games start, they have to execute.
And last but not least, they need to catch a lucky break here and there.
In years past, the Lions had a few talented players. Yet the "bonehead" gene remained in their collective DNA, from the front office, to the coaching staff, on down to the players. If there was a way to screw something up -- they'd eventually find it. The football gods likely frowned -- or perhaps chuckled.
Sure, given they failed to make the playoffs once again last season resulted in the NFL handing them a relatively easy schedule for 2014 -- but that's the way the parity thing in the NFL has always worked. Bad teams get high draft choices and easier schedules. Good teams get lower picks and tougher schedules. Smart teams (see the New England Patriots) find a way every year to be perennial contenders. Likewise, dumb teams (see the history of the Lions) will find a way every year to stay also-rans.
But this year, at least so far, the Lions seem to have everything going their way. After nine games, they're 7-2 and sitting atop the NFC north division.
Are they better than last year? Absolutely. In fact, the glass half-fullers would say they could be 8-1 if not for that heartbreaking loss to Buffalo earlier in the season.
But the glass half-emptiers could counter with an equally valid point. Over the last three games, the Lions have staged improbable late fourth quarter rallies to win them all. Good grief, in London, against the Atlanta Falcons, the Lions missed a last second field goal. The game was lost. But incredibly, on a penalty against THEMSELVES, the Lions got another shot from 5 yards further out. That one was good. Lions win. The Falcons wondered how in the hell such a thing could happen. The New Orleans Saints had them all but put away, but combine a couple last second miraculous plays with some highly questionable calls by the refs, and the Lions eked out another win. Against the Dolphins, Lions' receiver Calvin Johnson tipped a long pass thrown to him up in the air, with a defender on either side of him. Instead of being intercepted, somehow the ball wound up back in Johnson's hands. A Dolphin's receiver dropped an easy catch in the end zone for a touchdown that would have sealed the game. In the end, again, the Lions squeaked out another victory. The football gods are smiling on them indeed.
Had those games gone the other way (as they all likely should have), the Lions could well be 4-5 right now instead of 7-2. But that's the breaks. Sometimes a team gets them -- and sometimes they don't.
The next two games for the Lions will be tough. They go to Arizona next week, and the high flying Cardinals are 8-1. Typically, the Lions don't fare well out west. But even there, they may have caught another huge break. Starting Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer injured a knee earlier today in a game against the St. Louis Rams. Status unknown for the game against the Lions.
The following week, the Lions travel to New England. The Pats are on a major roll. Few would think Detroit would have much of a chance in that game, but if Tom Brady gets dinged up in the meantime, then the stars are definitely aligning for the Lions.
And consider the rest of their schedule. Two games against Chicago? Da Bears appear to be in freefall. Green Bay blitzed them 42-0 today -- by HALFTIME -- before they mercifully sent in their subs.
Tampa Bay is terrible.
The Vikings aren't much better, especially if Adrian Peterson remains suspended.
That's four easily winnable games with a maybe against Arizona, depending on Palmer's knee.
No, they likely won't win their finale in Green Bay, because they NEVER win in Green Bay. And don't look now, but the Packers are on a major roll too. Since they lost in Detroit, they've got everybody back healthy and have become a steamroller. Aaron Rodgers, a bevy of receivers to throw to, a brutal running game, and a defense that is physical, fast, and talented make for a formidable combination.
That last game of the season might well determine who wins the NFC north -- and even have playoff implications. If the Lions can win the games they should, and even -- GASP -- pull off a victory in Cheeserland, they could conceivably go 13-3.
But remember. It's the Lions, and there's seven games to go.
Despite teasing them, one never knows when the football gods might change their minds and snatch it all away from the Lions once again.
Gods can be funny, or maybe not, that way......
Sometimes things just fall the right -- or wrong way. There's being lucky and there's the ever-present Murphy's Law.
Of course, a lot of things have nothing to do with luck, be it good or bad. One doesn't get to be a surgeon unless they make it through medical school, and one certainly has no future in politics without having first mastered the art of lying with a straight face. This takes a lot of work.
But for a team to be successful in the NFL, several different things need to intersect.
They have to have talented players.
A coaching staff that can bring them together as a cohesive unit.
They have to work hard, study hard, practice hard, and properly game plan for any opponent.
When the actual games start, they have to execute.
And last but not least, they need to catch a lucky break here and there.
In years past, the Lions had a few talented players. Yet the "bonehead" gene remained in their collective DNA, from the front office, to the coaching staff, on down to the players. If there was a way to screw something up -- they'd eventually find it. The football gods likely frowned -- or perhaps chuckled.
Sure, given they failed to make the playoffs once again last season resulted in the NFL handing them a relatively easy schedule for 2014 -- but that's the way the parity thing in the NFL has always worked. Bad teams get high draft choices and easier schedules. Good teams get lower picks and tougher schedules. Smart teams (see the New England Patriots) find a way every year to be perennial contenders. Likewise, dumb teams (see the history of the Lions) will find a way every year to stay also-rans.
But this year, at least so far, the Lions seem to have everything going their way. After nine games, they're 7-2 and sitting atop the NFC north division.
Are they better than last year? Absolutely. In fact, the glass half-fullers would say they could be 8-1 if not for that heartbreaking loss to Buffalo earlier in the season.
But the glass half-emptiers could counter with an equally valid point. Over the last three games, the Lions have staged improbable late fourth quarter rallies to win them all. Good grief, in London, against the Atlanta Falcons, the Lions missed a last second field goal. The game was lost. But incredibly, on a penalty against THEMSELVES, the Lions got another shot from 5 yards further out. That one was good. Lions win. The Falcons wondered how in the hell such a thing could happen. The New Orleans Saints had them all but put away, but combine a couple last second miraculous plays with some highly questionable calls by the refs, and the Lions eked out another win. Against the Dolphins, Lions' receiver Calvin Johnson tipped a long pass thrown to him up in the air, with a defender on either side of him. Instead of being intercepted, somehow the ball wound up back in Johnson's hands. A Dolphin's receiver dropped an easy catch in the end zone for a touchdown that would have sealed the game. In the end, again, the Lions squeaked out another victory. The football gods are smiling on them indeed.
Had those games gone the other way (as they all likely should have), the Lions could well be 4-5 right now instead of 7-2. But that's the breaks. Sometimes a team gets them -- and sometimes they don't.
The next two games for the Lions will be tough. They go to Arizona next week, and the high flying Cardinals are 8-1. Typically, the Lions don't fare well out west. But even there, they may have caught another huge break. Starting Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer injured a knee earlier today in a game against the St. Louis Rams. Status unknown for the game against the Lions.
The following week, the Lions travel to New England. The Pats are on a major roll. Few would think Detroit would have much of a chance in that game, but if Tom Brady gets dinged up in the meantime, then the stars are definitely aligning for the Lions.
And consider the rest of their schedule. Two games against Chicago? Da Bears appear to be in freefall. Green Bay blitzed them 42-0 today -- by HALFTIME -- before they mercifully sent in their subs.
Tampa Bay is terrible.
The Vikings aren't much better, especially if Adrian Peterson remains suspended.
That's four easily winnable games with a maybe against Arizona, depending on Palmer's knee.
No, they likely won't win their finale in Green Bay, because they NEVER win in Green Bay. And don't look now, but the Packers are on a major roll too. Since they lost in Detroit, they've got everybody back healthy and have become a steamroller. Aaron Rodgers, a bevy of receivers to throw to, a brutal running game, and a defense that is physical, fast, and talented make for a formidable combination.
That last game of the season might well determine who wins the NFC north -- and even have playoff implications. If the Lions can win the games they should, and even -- GASP -- pull off a victory in Cheeserland, they could conceivably go 13-3.
But remember. It's the Lions, and there's seven games to go.
Despite teasing them, one never knows when the football gods might change their minds and snatch it all away from the Lions once again.
Gods can be funny, or maybe not, that way......
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Michigan State. Exposed
A lot has been said and written (in this space as well) this year as to why the Michigan State Spartans possibly deserved a berth in the national championship playoff. We were all wrong.
In a game many had eagerly awaited for weeks, if not months, Ohio State waltzed into MSU's stadium and put a Whuppin (note the capital) on the Spartans. Though the final score was 49-37, the game wasn't nearly that close. The only reasons it wasn't a total blow-out to the tune of 30 or 40 points had nothing to do with MSU. It was OSU missing even more opportunities.
During the game, MSU quarterback Connor Cook threw a pass directly at an OSU cornerback. It hit him right between the numbers. He could have walked into the end zone for yet another touchdown -- but he dropped it. On another play, OSU quarterback, J.T. Barrett heaved a 50 yard bomb to one of his wide receivers. Uncontested by a Spartan defender, the pass hit the receiver right in the hands at the 2 yard line. Two more steps after the catch and it's another touchdown. He dropped it.
But it wasn't supposed to turn out this way. After all, Michigan State was ranked #8, and playing at home against the #14 Buckeyes. MSU's only loss had come early in the year @ Oregon to a top 3 nationally ranked team. OSU only had one loss as well, also early in the year, but they'd been sacked at home by two touchdowns at the hands of unranked Virginia Tech. And as their local scribes had constantly reminded us -- MSU had handily defeated the Buckeyes just last year in the Big 10 conference championship game and went on to win the Rose Bowl. Ohio got dumped by Clemson in their own bowl game. This was supposed to be -- finally -- Michigan State's year to burst into the limelight on the national stage. What could go wrong?
Turns out, plenty, and it did. In a word, MSU was exposed -- again. I'll get back to that.
When the other team is repeatedly gashing you for huge chunks of yardage, be it through the air or on the ground (OSU had over 330 yards of total offense in the first half alone), throw in a garden variety of bone-headed penalties and your team has a problem.
MSU apologists might counter by saying -- OK, our defense isn't as dominant as it was last year, but we lost a few stars to the NFL. Indeed they did. But what they overlook is the fact OSU lost four starting offensive linemen, three of which are starting as rookies in the NFL. Plus, their star QB Braxton Miller was also lost for the season early on. They had to plug in an untested freshman, the above-mentioned J.T. Barrett to run a complex offense. So forget that argument. As they say, that dog don't hunt.
It will be interesting to see where both MSU and OSU are in the next polls. Any national championship aspirations for the former just went up in smoke. After getting mauled at home, MSU will certainly drop out of the Top 10. They might fall all the way into the deep "teens". Sure, they'll go to a bowl somewhere but, heck, there's so many bowls these days (see cha-ching) that fully 76 -- count em -- SEVENTY SIX -- teams will play in a post-season affair. Talk about a watered down product.....
On the other hand, OSU will likely move up at least a few spots. They're not dead yet when it comes to the playoffs. Consider what else happened today amongst the Top Ten teams.
Auburn got beat at home by Texas A&M. Notre Dame was crushed at Arizona State. Alabama needed an incredibly lucky break to slip past LSU in overtime. Both TCU and Kansas St. were in the Top Ten and they played each other. Somebody had to lose. It was K-State, in a big way. They're going to fall a few notches. And don't think the beatdown OSU put on MSU on the road will go unnoticed by the pollsters. The Buckeyes appear to be as good as anybody right now -- and will play @ Minnesota, a surprisingly good team next week. Another road game beat down and who knows if they might still be in the mix for a shot at glory -- which Michigan State denied them last year? But a whole lot of things have to fall just perfectly for the Buckeyes, and it's highly doubtful they will all happen. More about that in a future post.
Speaking of last year, the Spartan area scribes completely missed the obvious. What happened last year between those two teams, and projecting it to this year, was totally irrelevant. Annually, players come and players go. Depending on the personnel, overall schemes are adjusted. Game plans for any particular opponent are modified. There is no more logic in trying to foretell what might happen between any two teams a year later than there is in predicting the weather based on how it was outside on the same date in 2013.
As for the "exposed" part mentioned above regarding MSU? Granted, they've come leaps and bounds under head coach Mark Dantonio from what they were not long ago. They're a good team, definitely respectable.
But a hard truth remains. While beating up on the patsies, the Sparties have really only played two tough teams and one semi-tough. Against Oregon, they were beaten by 19 points. Earlier tonight, they were beaten at home by the Buckeyes by 12 points -- though it could and should have been much worse. At home against Nebraska a few weeks back, they barely held on to win at the end.
True, "little brother" has grown up and is rubbing long time nemesis and in-state rival Michigan's head in the sand these days. But Michigan's terrible.
Yet until they start winning the big games against the big boys during the regular season -- the little brother perception on the national level isn't going to change.
Let's face it. Perhaps rightfully so, the SEC continues to be regarded as the premier conference. And the media will adopt it's "darling" or two every year. Michigan State plays in a weak conference and there's certainly nothing glitzy about them.
So if they ever want to break through to the promised land, they need to do three things.
Stop with the non-conference patsy games and schedule half-way decent teams. Beating up on Campfire Girl U, or Northeast Nerd State impresses absolutely nobody.
Given the media and pollsters remain loathe to let MSU into the house of the elite, they have to quit knocking, and beat the door down. This can only be accomplished by pretty much running the table from September through November. One loss is permissible, if it's close and to a good team on the road.
And never, EVER get pummeled at home like they just did. That's a deal breaker every time.
Maybe next year......
In a game many had eagerly awaited for weeks, if not months, Ohio State waltzed into MSU's stadium and put a Whuppin (note the capital) on the Spartans. Though the final score was 49-37, the game wasn't nearly that close. The only reasons it wasn't a total blow-out to the tune of 30 or 40 points had nothing to do with MSU. It was OSU missing even more opportunities.
During the game, MSU quarterback Connor Cook threw a pass directly at an OSU cornerback. It hit him right between the numbers. He could have walked into the end zone for yet another touchdown -- but he dropped it. On another play, OSU quarterback, J.T. Barrett heaved a 50 yard bomb to one of his wide receivers. Uncontested by a Spartan defender, the pass hit the receiver right in the hands at the 2 yard line. Two more steps after the catch and it's another touchdown. He dropped it.
But it wasn't supposed to turn out this way. After all, Michigan State was ranked #8, and playing at home against the #14 Buckeyes. MSU's only loss had come early in the year @ Oregon to a top 3 nationally ranked team. OSU only had one loss as well, also early in the year, but they'd been sacked at home by two touchdowns at the hands of unranked Virginia Tech. And as their local scribes had constantly reminded us -- MSU had handily defeated the Buckeyes just last year in the Big 10 conference championship game and went on to win the Rose Bowl. Ohio got dumped by Clemson in their own bowl game. This was supposed to be -- finally -- Michigan State's year to burst into the limelight on the national stage. What could go wrong?
Turns out, plenty, and it did. In a word, MSU was exposed -- again. I'll get back to that.
When the other team is repeatedly gashing you for huge chunks of yardage, be it through the air or on the ground (OSU had over 330 yards of total offense in the first half alone), throw in a garden variety of bone-headed penalties and your team has a problem.
MSU apologists might counter by saying -- OK, our defense isn't as dominant as it was last year, but we lost a few stars to the NFL. Indeed they did. But what they overlook is the fact OSU lost four starting offensive linemen, three of which are starting as rookies in the NFL. Plus, their star QB Braxton Miller was also lost for the season early on. They had to plug in an untested freshman, the above-mentioned J.T. Barrett to run a complex offense. So forget that argument. As they say, that dog don't hunt.
It will be interesting to see where both MSU and OSU are in the next polls. Any national championship aspirations for the former just went up in smoke. After getting mauled at home, MSU will certainly drop out of the Top 10. They might fall all the way into the deep "teens". Sure, they'll go to a bowl somewhere but, heck, there's so many bowls these days (see cha-ching) that fully 76 -- count em -- SEVENTY SIX -- teams will play in a post-season affair. Talk about a watered down product.....
On the other hand, OSU will likely move up at least a few spots. They're not dead yet when it comes to the playoffs. Consider what else happened today amongst the Top Ten teams.
Auburn got beat at home by Texas A&M. Notre Dame was crushed at Arizona State. Alabama needed an incredibly lucky break to slip past LSU in overtime. Both TCU and Kansas St. were in the Top Ten and they played each other. Somebody had to lose. It was K-State, in a big way. They're going to fall a few notches. And don't think the beatdown OSU put on MSU on the road will go unnoticed by the pollsters. The Buckeyes appear to be as good as anybody right now -- and will play @ Minnesota, a surprisingly good team next week. Another road game beat down and who knows if they might still be in the mix for a shot at glory -- which Michigan State denied them last year? But a whole lot of things have to fall just perfectly for the Buckeyes, and it's highly doubtful they will all happen. More about that in a future post.
Speaking of last year, the Spartan area scribes completely missed the obvious. What happened last year between those two teams, and projecting it to this year, was totally irrelevant. Annually, players come and players go. Depending on the personnel, overall schemes are adjusted. Game plans for any particular opponent are modified. There is no more logic in trying to foretell what might happen between any two teams a year later than there is in predicting the weather based on how it was outside on the same date in 2013.
As for the "exposed" part mentioned above regarding MSU? Granted, they've come leaps and bounds under head coach Mark Dantonio from what they were not long ago. They're a good team, definitely respectable.
But a hard truth remains. While beating up on the patsies, the Sparties have really only played two tough teams and one semi-tough. Against Oregon, they were beaten by 19 points. Earlier tonight, they were beaten at home by the Buckeyes by 12 points -- though it could and should have been much worse. At home against Nebraska a few weeks back, they barely held on to win at the end.
True, "little brother" has grown up and is rubbing long time nemesis and in-state rival Michigan's head in the sand these days. But Michigan's terrible.
Yet until they start winning the big games against the big boys during the regular season -- the little brother perception on the national level isn't going to change.
Let's face it. Perhaps rightfully so, the SEC continues to be regarded as the premier conference. And the media will adopt it's "darling" or two every year. Michigan State plays in a weak conference and there's certainly nothing glitzy about them.
So if they ever want to break through to the promised land, they need to do three things.
Stop with the non-conference patsy games and schedule half-way decent teams. Beating up on Campfire Girl U, or Northeast Nerd State impresses absolutely nobody.
Given the media and pollsters remain loathe to let MSU into the house of the elite, they have to quit knocking, and beat the door down. This can only be accomplished by pretty much running the table from September through November. One loss is permissible, if it's close and to a good team on the road.
And never, EVER get pummeled at home like they just did. That's a deal breaker every time.
Maybe next year......
Friday, November 7, 2014
Michigan football and Domino's
Recently, Michigan athletic director David Brandon resigned (see ousted). It likely resulted from a combination of a lot of things. As Sports Illustrated writer Andy Staples pointed out, jacking up the price of student tickets wasn't exactly a popular move. Nor was offering free tickets to a game with the purchase of a couple bottles of Coke. Hard core fans who had spent big bucks on tickets likely weren't thrilled to discover John and Jane Yahoo could get them free if they bought a couple liters of pop. Bad idea.
Throw in the obvious blunder of originally hiring Brady Hoke as the head football coach. Incredibly, as Michigan football continued its spectacular fall from respectability, after a loss to unranked Utah less than two months ago, Brandon extended Hokes contract for 7 more years -- money guaranteed through 2021. At a whopping $6 million a year, making the cluesless Hokey Pokey man the highest paid college football coach in the country. In a show of how much Hoke is respected elsewhere, the AD at arch rival Michigan State allegedly offered to pay his salary if only he would PLEASE stay on as Michigan's head coach. Rodney Dangerfield, anyone?
But the real problem? Pizza. Especially Domino's. Michigan football and Domino's honchos have a very strange and not so good track record together.
Harken back to the founder, and original Grand Poobah of Domino's -- one Tom Monaghan. He would make billions in the cheese and pepperoni business. He was also likely responsible for clogging up a few million miles of arteries along the way, but hey, after a few beers, guys will eat damn near anything.
Monaghan would go on to buy the Detroit Tigers in 1983. It was a team chock full of talent reaching their collective peaks, and indeed the Tigers would win the World Series the following year. But then they quickly unraveled over the next few years.
Along the way, Monaghan fired long-time and super-beloved play-by-play man Ernie Harwell. Public outrage in Detroit would force the pizza man to rescind that decision and take Ernie back -- but a certain amount of PR damage had been done.
In 1990, in Monaghan's infinite wisdom, he hired former Michigan head football coach and athletic director Glenn "Bo" Schembechler as the President of the Detroit Tigers.
Bo was known for a lot of things, and definitely an icon in Ann Arbor, home of the Michigan Wolverines. Their athletic building remains named after him to this day.
But not all those things were necessarily good. If one was a big fan of arrogance, three yards and a cloud of dust, and regular season winning records -- Bo was your guy. And let's not forget, back then the only two good teams in the Big 10 were Michigan and Ohio State. The other eight were typically cannon fodder.
And it was Bo's refusal to adapt to the changing game of football that caused him and his teams to have such a poor bowl record. 5-12 overall, including 2-8 in the cherished Rose Bowl. Beef and brawn are good -- but speed kills.
Despite what one thinks of Schembechler's college football prowess -- the obvious question remains. What in the hell was Monaghan thinking when he hired a career long college football guy to run a professional baseball team? Mercifully, that experiment only lasted three years, from 1990--1992. Cumulatively, the Tigers would finish 10 games below .500 on Bo's watch.
Back to David Brandon. He inherited the throne at Domino's as Prez, CEO, and #1 mucky-muck. Evidently, the man knew pizza, or least how to market it. So that leads to a similar question. What in the hell was Michigan thinking when they hired a pizza guy to oversee their athletics deparment?
Was he handing out free bread sticks to the women's volleyball team if they won a match? A buy one -- get one ice cream coupon to any hockey player that scored a goal?
Worse yet, Brandon's at least temporary replacement is guy named Jim Hackett. He's the former CEO of an outfit called Steelcase. That company is into office furniture. This qualifies him to run an entire college athletic department? And what's HE going to come up with as his signature accomplishment? State of the art swivel chairs in the locker room of the rowing team? Please.
Alas, Bo is now running his three yards on clouds in the sky and, the aging Monaghan, being a devout Catholic, has seen fit to give much of his fortune to religious causes.
Brandon's next stop is unknown, but former CEOs typically find a way of landing in another rose garden, whether they know what they're doing or not.
As for Hoke, he's just gotta go. This man was the answer to solving Michigan's football problems like Tim Tebow was going to lead an NFL team to multiple Super Bowls. Some things just aren't going to work out.
But in the meantime, until at least 2021, the still proud but clueless Hoke, that never won anything, will make $6 million a year, while the humble former Heisman winner and national champion scuffs around looking for work.
The Lord (and the Michigan/Domino's connection) works in mysterious ways indeed........
Throw in the obvious blunder of originally hiring Brady Hoke as the head football coach. Incredibly, as Michigan football continued its spectacular fall from respectability, after a loss to unranked Utah less than two months ago, Brandon extended Hokes contract for 7 more years -- money guaranteed through 2021. At a whopping $6 million a year, making the cluesless Hokey Pokey man the highest paid college football coach in the country. In a show of how much Hoke is respected elsewhere, the AD at arch rival Michigan State allegedly offered to pay his salary if only he would PLEASE stay on as Michigan's head coach. Rodney Dangerfield, anyone?
But the real problem? Pizza. Especially Domino's. Michigan football and Domino's honchos have a very strange and not so good track record together.
Harken back to the founder, and original Grand Poobah of Domino's -- one Tom Monaghan. He would make billions in the cheese and pepperoni business. He was also likely responsible for clogging up a few million miles of arteries along the way, but hey, after a few beers, guys will eat damn near anything.
Monaghan would go on to buy the Detroit Tigers in 1983. It was a team chock full of talent reaching their collective peaks, and indeed the Tigers would win the World Series the following year. But then they quickly unraveled over the next few years.
Along the way, Monaghan fired long-time and super-beloved play-by-play man Ernie Harwell. Public outrage in Detroit would force the pizza man to rescind that decision and take Ernie back -- but a certain amount of PR damage had been done.
In 1990, in Monaghan's infinite wisdom, he hired former Michigan head football coach and athletic director Glenn "Bo" Schembechler as the President of the Detroit Tigers.
Bo was known for a lot of things, and definitely an icon in Ann Arbor, home of the Michigan Wolverines. Their athletic building remains named after him to this day.
But not all those things were necessarily good. If one was a big fan of arrogance, three yards and a cloud of dust, and regular season winning records -- Bo was your guy. And let's not forget, back then the only two good teams in the Big 10 were Michigan and Ohio State. The other eight were typically cannon fodder.
And it was Bo's refusal to adapt to the changing game of football that caused him and his teams to have such a poor bowl record. 5-12 overall, including 2-8 in the cherished Rose Bowl. Beef and brawn are good -- but speed kills.
Despite what one thinks of Schembechler's college football prowess -- the obvious question remains. What in the hell was Monaghan thinking when he hired a career long college football guy to run a professional baseball team? Mercifully, that experiment only lasted three years, from 1990--1992. Cumulatively, the Tigers would finish 10 games below .500 on Bo's watch.
Back to David Brandon. He inherited the throne at Domino's as Prez, CEO, and #1 mucky-muck. Evidently, the man knew pizza, or least how to market it. So that leads to a similar question. What in the hell was Michigan thinking when they hired a pizza guy to oversee their athletics deparment?
Was he handing out free bread sticks to the women's volleyball team if they won a match? A buy one -- get one ice cream coupon to any hockey player that scored a goal?
Worse yet, Brandon's at least temporary replacement is guy named Jim Hackett. He's the former CEO of an outfit called Steelcase. That company is into office furniture. This qualifies him to run an entire college athletic department? And what's HE going to come up with as his signature accomplishment? State of the art swivel chairs in the locker room of the rowing team? Please.
Alas, Bo is now running his three yards on clouds in the sky and, the aging Monaghan, being a devout Catholic, has seen fit to give much of his fortune to religious causes.
Brandon's next stop is unknown, but former CEOs typically find a way of landing in another rose garden, whether they know what they're doing or not.
As for Hoke, he's just gotta go. This man was the answer to solving Michigan's football problems like Tim Tebow was going to lead an NFL team to multiple Super Bowls. Some things just aren't going to work out.
But in the meantime, until at least 2021, the still proud but clueless Hoke, that never won anything, will make $6 million a year, while the humble former Heisman winner and national champion scuffs around looking for work.
The Lord (and the Michigan/Domino's connection) works in mysterious ways indeed........
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