My Racism, Your Taxes, Some Sports

I've been thinking about this for quite awhile now, and figured I must write something. Had to be honest and direct though, so it took a bit longer to crystallize.

Here goes.

Some people might consider me a racist because I do in fact laugh at stereotypical shortcomings among people of different races, including whichever race(s) I fall into. I have said some racist shit in my life, or at least commentary that would be perceived as racist if you overheard it. I'm not saying I call black people "nigger", Latin people "spics", or Italians "WOPS" or "dagos." That I don't do. If someone called me a "kike" there would be a problem.

BUT...I do laugh sometimes when people make seemingly racist, sexist, or otherwise offensive jokes.

Why do I laugh? Well, first off, that shit is funny. When Chris Rock said, "I don't care where you are in America, if you on Martin Luther King Boulevard, you in a bad neighborhood." That shit's funny...and racist.

Now if I say that at a bar, and a black person overhears me, there will likely be a problem. I get it.

Here's the catch though when it comes to all of it: I may laugh at off-color jokes having to do with race, color and creed, but deep down, within my constitution, I don't inherently believe particular individuals, or groups of people, are any more or less capable than anyone else. As far as I'm concerned, there's no "god given" or scientific advantage bestowed upon any set, and I certainly would never judge anyone as if there was. In other words, I don't feel that me being "white" and/or "Jewish" gives me any more capabilities than someone of another group (although black people seem to be super fucken fast).

What sets people apart is opportunity and access, and unfortunately that's where the divide comes from, at least in this country. Racism actually keeps people subjugated, and I'm not part of the group who finds this treatment acceptable. In fact, it is this wholly American problem which bothers me more than any other: the subjugation and judgement of different persons.

I think it's worth mentioning this because America's racism is truly based on certain peoples' beliefs that one group is in fact less than another. And frankly, it's disgusting.

So even if I would laugh at the same joke as an actual racist, in no way are we remotely the same.

And yes, I think we have countless politicians who do in fact believe one group is lesser than another.

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Turning the page a bit, I also want to mention something about the "tax debate" in America, and associated problems. Again, some racism shit here too.

This is a true story.

I have a friend, we'll call him Brian, and he happens to live in a town that's slightly above his pay. We'll call it Whiteville.

Brian probably shouldn't live in Whiteville but his wife is from the area, and there's a status issue associated with not doing so. If you can't afford to live there, you might be judged by your "friends." Some of you may have witnessed this story before.

Brian is pretty much a Democrat, as are his parents, since his dad was a union man. Voting for Democrats is in Brian's blood, to some extent. Except in Whiteville there's a lot of wealthy Republican types, who attended private schools, have Republican parents, and basically think the system is working. In truth, it is...for them.

Brian gets a bit conflicted when he hears people talk about their political leanings, but he's not the type to argue about these types of things (unlike me) since he doesn't care THAT much.

After living there for a bit, Brian loses his job, which was barely helping him survive in Whiteville. He has picked up some odd jobs, etc, and is just getting by. No job is above him.

Brian's not much into politics, but he has a lot of free time lately, so he's been reading a lot on the internet. A race for Governor is coming up, and the issues are various. Yet the one thing which sticks out to Brian is the Republican guy, who happens to be a really fat, obnoxious type, constantly preaching about "personal responsibility", and was guaranteeing to "LOWER YOUR TAXES!"

This appealed to Brian. Taxes in Whiteville are high, and a lot of people in Vineyard Vines pants keep repeating this. Brian's wife Mary tends to agree. "Our taxes are too damn high!"

Brian is swayed. He won't vote for the Republican candidate for President out of respect for his family, and a general sense of knowing what's right, but he figures to himself, "It's just a local thing. I need lower taxes" (What he really needs is to move and get a new job, but he's not prepared for that convo).

Yet the reality is this Governor, nor any other Governor, or President, or Congressman, or Senator, or Comptroller, or any other asshole who runs on the "I'll LOWER YOUR TAXES" platform won't actually lower your taxes in a meaningful way. Ever. This Governor did not lower Brian's taxes when viewed in sum total. Lowered in one area; raised in another. And that's the point.

A politician claiming to "lower your taxes" is someone who is merely trying to buy your vote, period. It's someone who is promising you money in exchange for you overlooking their stances on equal rights, the environment, education (Brian was a teacher) and any number of things you can think of. And for what? A promise of giving you more money? Yeah. Except it's a lie, and every politician who targets middle class people knows it.

No politician is ever going to give Brian a better house, a better job, or anything else which will take him out of his current predicament. At least not through "cutting taxes for you!" No politician is ever going to change the tax code in a way that's going to make your life better. Your life is your life. No politicians is going to significantly alter it by giving you "more of your money." It's a complete farce.

The proof is in the last 40+ years, or more.

All told, a vote for "less taxes" is really a vote to disguise something else entirely. Maybe you are racist. Maybe you are sexist. Maybe you're against women having the same pay as men. Maybe you're against the neighboring kids in the crappy high school, and you don't want to pay for them, even though your kids go to private school you can afford. I don't know. But when you're making taxes the centerpiece of any vote you're casting, you're pretty much full of shit. Either that, or you're just an idiot.

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Sporrrrrrts...

Was having a talk last night with a Knicks fan, and we both agreed: Kristaps Porzingis is one of the 10 most coveted players in the NBA right now, and you probably couldn't find more than 7 guys in the NBA you'd trade him for right now.

It was reported today Knicks General Manager Phil Jackson was going to take Jahlil Okafor if available, even over Porzingis. What a mistake that would have been.

Thing is though, Phil isn't in this for the long haul. He wants to win while he's still running the team. Who knows how long he'll do that for? But the point is he figured Okafor was more ready now, so he was willing to sacrifice the team's future. Not the GM you want.

Not surprisingly, I probably have a better eye for talent than Phil. While he believed Porzingis may be the next Shawn Bradley, I'm desperately trying to draft him in my fantasy league :-) See the text below from July.

That's me in blue...

Now the only issue for me is getting over how much I dislike Knicks owner James Dolan.

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Stanford should not be in the college football playoffs, whether they win the PAC 12 or not, and regardless of what happens to any other team in the BCS Top 4. They lost to Northwestern on the road, Oregon at home and barely squeezed past Notre Dame.

If you honestly believe Stanford is one of the 4 best teams in the country, then name me the other 3, and bet me they'll beat Ohio State outright in the Rose Bowl.

I'll take all offers.

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In a pre-game locker room speech before the Ohio State / Michigan game this weekend, Coach Jim Harbaugh apparently told his players that they are "more talented" and have a "coaching advantage" since they're being coached by "and NFL staff...not a college staff..."

Is this true? Well, I can't say for sure, but if I was going to pick one coach in America to say something like this it would be Harbaugh.

Putting aside his buffoonery and bluster, I have every expectation Michigan will be a force to reckon with for a good 3 years. Then Harbaugh will leave Ann Arbor for something different. A lot of my Michigan fan friends don't want to believe this, but Harbaugh isn't cut out for this gig long-term, and that's the truth.

See there's a difference between being a pro coach and a college coach, especially when it comes to recruiting players. You have to be on your "A Game" ALL. THE. TIME. And if you ever heard the Harbaugh/Cowherd interview, you know that's not always so easy for the guy who still thinks he's the QB.

I get the feeling that Harbaugh has a problem with long-term anything. Be it coaching, relationships, living somewhere, you name it. It's a dream to think he'll remain in Michigan for a 7 to 10 years, especially without a title. If he takes that program to the Final Four within the next 2-3 years he'll be able to look in the mirror and say, "I brought them back." To him, that'll be enough before he has to scratch the NFL itch. And he's only worried about convincing himself.

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Following up on Harbaugh, if you've ever read my blog, or heard my radio show, then you know I always believed Colin Kaepernick would end up being the bust that he is today. It was obvious to me the first time I saw him play, and I don't give a shit if he was "one throw away from winning a Superbowl." Hardly a thought for me because that wouldn't make him good today.

Good coaches, of which Harbaugh is one, can coach up unique players in a hurry, and foist them onto the NFL before defensive coordinators know what hit them. Whether it was "The Wildcat", Robert Griffin III, or Kaepernick, defenses are a bit slow to adapt; or change their ways. But once they get some film on a guy they usually figure it out, and that usually leads to a rapid decline in new schemes and the output of average players, of which Kaepernick is one. It's part of the reason the backup QB usually has a good few weeks before they ram head on into a brick wall.

That was Kaepernick (maybe Chip Kelly, but we'll get to that).

Right now the 49ers are in the midst of a terrible season, obvious to some before it began (eh hem). And it seems all the fans want to blame Owner Jed York and GM Trent Baalke. They certainly bare a major portion of the blame, for sure. BUT...it seems no one ever wants to point to Harbaugh. He's viewed only as the hero, or the victim, in all of this.

Now I was clearly in the camp you don't fire your coach over the GM, especially when said coach has achieved so much success. Clearly York felt differently, and that's probably because Baalke didn't treat York like a child. But it's unfair not to point out that Harbaugh treated York like trash, and had no respect for Baalke either. You can't let that guy stick around. Except Harbaugh didn't realize they would keep him out of the NFL for one year, hence the Michigan job.

The larger point is this though: Kaepernick was Harbaugh's guy. In their last year together Kaepernick was not very good, and the Niners were a team trending in the wrong direction. They were still going to have the attrition they experienced across the roster whether Harbaugh was here or not. As for signings, Baalke made those decisions. Here or not, this was going to to be the team, and a fading Kaepernick was still the QB. He won't be good anywhere.

Harbaugh wanted Kaepernick to be his FIRST ROUND selection. Baalke wanted Aldon Smith. Smith was clearly the better choice, off-field issues aside. Yet after Harbaugh got Kaepernick he did everything possible to prove he was right and Baalke wrong, for not taking Kaepernick earlier. When he saw an opening to get Kaepernick on the field, and Alex Smith off it, he took it. That's how stubborn he is, and because of it, Alex Smith is in Kansas City.

Because Harbaugh wanted to prove a point.

Well guess what...the shittier QB is in San Francisco, and the Chiefs are contending for the playoffs.

Alex Smith may not have been the answer, and maybe you think Kaepernick was a risk worth taking. But at the end of the day Harbaugh ran with an average QB good teams figured out, was trending in the wrong direction, and jumped ship at the right time.

He's no hero in this.

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Chip Kelly.

If you go back to his time in Oregon, Kelly never won the really big games. In games against equally talented teams, Kelly's "genius" offenses didn't put up a ton of points. There were times when he would have shootouts with the post-Carroll USC teams and others, but against the Stanfords, Ohio States, Auburns, and even Boises of the world, pretty much unimpressive.

I recently heard Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer reference Kelly on Charlie Rose's show, and you hear medi types say things like, "Belichick called Kelly for advice!"

There's no question some people think he's a good coach, or at the very least, a creative offensive mind. But none of this means he's a great football coach when the chips are down.

The real question is, "Can Chip Kelly adapt?"

It's not looking promising.

As far as anointing him this "genius offensive mind look at it from another perspective. The person who designs your battle plans is not always the person who leads the troops into battle. These days those are often different people. May help explain other coaches getting "advice" from Kelly.

I'm also tired of people saying, "If Kelly had a great quarterback this team would be much better!"

NO SHIT! Doesn't that go for every team? If the Jets had Tom Brady they would probably have a couple of Superbowls! BUT THEY DON'T.

Why is it Chip Kelly has to be the one afforded the great QB, and no other coach? It makes no sense.

All told, he's probably not a bad coach, but he is certainly a victim of his own early success. At the very least, the guy should not be a GM.

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Finally, the Warriors.

There are two teams in the recent NBA that have designed themselves through the draft, and have made sure nearly every player on their respective rosters played multiple years in college, or Europe. The Warriors and the Spurs.

There's a reason for their successes.

Furthermore, the other thing these two teams have in common is a selfless leader: Steph Curry and Tim Duncan.

In this modern era of sport, especially the NBA, so rarely do we see superstars who don't need the spotlight. Both these teams have one, and because of it, things run smoothly. All the other players are forced to take their cues from their humble superstars. Not the Carmelo Anthony or the James Harden types. No, not at all. Quiet leaders. Guys who lead with their play only.

Obviously we're all surprised at the Warriors crazy undefeated streak, but I'm not surprised by the overall success. When I saw this team in the works 3-4 years ago, I sensed it. In fact, they should have beaten the Spurs in the 2013 playoffs, but Boris Diaw decided he was Oscar Robertson.

Because of it, nothing will stand in their way, least of all, the Spurs.

F Barkley and Other Sports Shit You Want

If you haven't heard Charles Barkley's most recent idiotic comments about the NBA (or anything else), consider yourself lucky. After all, this is a man who while sitting across from me in a Las Vegas hot tub decided to put down his newspaper, but then realized water probably isn't the best spot to do that. Then he had to fish it out while it floated around and said, "Man, that was stupid." Yeah, that happened.

After stating emphatically the Golden State Warriors would not win the championship last season because they're a "jump shooting team", Barkley now is claiming the current Warriors, specifically, Steph Curry, would never have survived during his time in the NBA. You can watch the video here. The gist of it is the game used to be tougher, and the NBA, like the NFL, is now a hands-off game.

Seriously, Chuckles, you're comparing the problems with today's NBA to that of the NFL? You pretty much lost the argument right there. But I'll humor it for a moment more.

While it may in fact be true that hand-checking is called more tightly now then it was when the Knicks and Pistons were punching opponents in their spines, a time Barkley looks back upon fondly, you build your team to compete in the moment. Had the rules been different maybe the Warriors find different players for their team. Who knows? Yet I doubt they would even have to because this Warrior team is one of the few who could compete in almost any era (and the Spurs). They have the scoring, the size, the team game, and every other aspect down pat.

If there's a major difference between teams in the 90s to most of the teams today, it's truly the "team aspect." Most players before the Kevin Garnett era spent at least 3 years in college, and really learned the game. Team basketball was a hallmark of the Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan eras. Yet the Warriors are one of the few teams who can also compete on that level, featuring a number of guys who graduated college, or played in Europe. What the teams of the 80s and 90s were great at is something that separates the Warriors from other teams now.

Then of course, there's Curry. I think it's fair to say Isiah Thomas was the best point guard of the era in which Charles loves so much. Is there anyone out there who believes for a seocnd that Thomas is a better player than Curry? I for sure do not. There was a time I certainly did, but that time has clearly passed. Everything Thomas brings Curry brings, except Curry is now also bringing the greatest shooting stroke of all time.

Sorry to say it, but Barkley's arguments carry about as much weight as his championship trophies do. And that's why he's complaining.

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I've been saving this one, but I'm finally ready. Buffalo Bills Coach Rex Ryan is the biggest coaching clown since, uhh, his dad, former NFL Coach Buddy Ryan. And rarely do clowns win. Like father, like son.

The last few weeks Ryan has looked the fool time and time again, and yet he doesn't even seem to know it. He hasn't seemingly recognized it for the last decade.

There is a thing some call a "player's coach." It supposedly represents the type of coach who can relate to players, who isn't a hard-ass, can maybe even get away with having a beer and a joke with them. Pete Carroll is that guy. Urban Meyer might be that guy. Bill Belichick, less that guy. Ryan? Nothing like any of these guys.

"Player's coach" or not, all of these champions are serious guys. It's why they get consistent results. No matter what type of coach you are, you need to be a serious one.

Having grown up with a father already coaching in the NFL, Rex never had to be as serious as the guys who worked hard to get where they are. He didn't earn $25 a week like Belichick did during his first job with the Colts, or drive a soda truck in Ohio as a second job like Nick Saban did. He had connections. Buddy got him his first college and pro jobs. Now you might say he had to work harder to prove himself, but is there any indication that's the case? Is there any indication he's a serious guy, a tireless worker, someone others should take seriously?

No there is not.

Ryan is a child, still wanting to be noticed, and never having learned the lessons his father Buddy missed before him: brash and obnoxious coaches rarely win. People who don't face consequences rarely learn.

The most recent example of Ryan's clownish behavior came 2 weeks ago against his former team the NY Jets. Any coach who would make IK Enemkpali simply because he had recently assaulted a player on the opposing team is not someone you take seriously. After all, what would we be saying if Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett made Greg Hardy a captain against any opponent?

A childish decision by a childish man.

I will forever root against any team this man is a part of. Looking forward to the day he loses his last job. He can go hang out with Barkley and discuss what it was like to not win in Philadelphia.

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Right before the NBA draft I suggested the Sacramento Kings should deal Demarcus Cousins to the Orlando Magic for Center Nikola Vucevicqa, Forward Aaron Gordon, and their first round draft pick.

Pretty steep price for one player, but for Cousins they would have gotten it.

My reasoning was simple: 1) Cousins is a problem and he will never succeed in Sacramento (maybe anywhere). 2) European players are less likely to complain about where they play like their American counterparts do. 3) Gordon is from San Jose area, which isn't far from Sacramento. Keeping players in Sacramento, or getting them to come, is somewhat of a problem. It's why they needed to get rid of the one star who didn't want to be there, and find potential stars who do.

Instead, the Kings seemed to think they could land Kentucky Coach John Calipari, who coached Cousins in college. They triple-downed on that idea by drafting Willie Cauley-Stein and signing Rajon Rondo, also Calipari-coached players.

The hope was team owner Vivek Ranadive could convince Calipari to come to Sacramento to coach the team.

How's that plan working out?

No joke, I sent Ranadive an email before the draft suggesting such a move. To my surprise, I got not reply :-)

Kings lineup COULD HAVE BEEN:

C - Nikola Vucevic

PF - Rudy Gay

SF - Aaron Gordon

SG - Mario Hezonja

PG - Emmanuel Mudiay

That's a team with a real future. A team that could grow. That's a team George Karl could potentially coach.

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Sorry to say it, but my Oakland Raiders are further away than the recent excitement would lead us to believe.

Before yesterday, the Raiders had 2 defensive players other teams would covet. The first being Khalil Mack, and the other being Aldon Smith, who will now sit out for one year due to his suspension. In fairness to the situation, we kind of fell ass-backward into Smith so hard to think of him as a building block.

I'm excited about the potential for the Raiders offense over the next few seasons. There are a number of good players on the team. But unless they significantly upgrade their defense at every single level, this team won't truly be competitive for a while. Fortunately, management seems to have a good grasp on the draft, so I expect good things will come.

Challenging for a playoff spot next season? Certainly possible. A title? We're a long ways off.

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I'm trying to figure out if Chip Kelly will still be the Eagles coach next season if he doesn't make the playoffs. I'm not sure he could handle it. I'm positive Eagles cannot.

The big issue for Kelly is he's also the General Manager of the team, and I don't think he quite understands how to deal with the team personnel. Someone else needs that job. The other reason it's a problem is usually when you downgrade someone's professional position the situation deteriorates from that point forward. I can't site any specific examples in sports, but in life, usually how it plays out.

My guess is you'll see him running down the sidelines in Southern California next season.

I'm of the opinion he's a very good coach, but that he needs to have better players than most of his opponents to win. That may sound obvious, but a lot of coaches can't even win with the best players.

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The last time I mentioned Ronda Rousey on this blog, I pretty much told you I was unimpressed with what she had done. Now I'm even less impressed.

I don't care much about women's MMA, so I didn't spend too much time following the Holly Holm v Rousey fight. But when I saw footage of Holm training, knew who was training her, recognized her distinctive size advantage, and was aware she was a striker, I pretty much anticipated the end of Rousey's dominance.

Yeah, I am kicking myself for not predicting publicly ahead of time, but believe me when I tell you, I was figuring it would happen :-)

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Kentucky has "reloaded" again. It's lame. It's not interesting. I get why the players go there.

I just wonder where they're going when Calipari takes the Lakers job.

Kaep and the 49ers

If you have ever read anything I've posted on this subject, or heard me discuss the 49ers on the radio, then you're well aware I NEVER believed Colin Kaepernick was a good quarterback. Nor did I think he ever would be, or ever will be.

Call it a hunch, intuition, a guess, or just the ability to see what to me is so glaringly obvious, but others so obviously not. At this point it no longer matters because one thing is finally clear to all: the guy sucks.

No, no, it's not the offensive line. No, no, it's not the surrounding skill-players, or the coaches, or anything other than his lack of ability to play the position. Countless other Quarterbacks have done more with less, many playing right now. It's simply this: Kaepernick does not have the ability to anticipate what's going to happen on a football field before it does. He makes obvious plays as well as anyone, but it's the not-so-obvious plays which separate the good from the bad, no different from a point guard in basketball. I used to joke about how Steph Curry could become a better QB than Kaepernick in 2 years, having never played the sport. Thing is, I really wasn't kidding.

Now that the thing which was so obvious to me is apparent to those of you who couldn't see it, lets point out the parts of this story seemingly less obvious to those commenting on the matter.

First off, it is worth noting nearly every host on KNBR-680, for whatever reason, either willfully distorts the reality because of their relationship with the 49ers, or they really have no clue what they're witnessing. They all seem utterly clueless about this player. I've never heard a radio station's "talent" (using that word VERY loosely) create so many excuses for a player who not only isn't good, but is also both a terrible interview and a prick to the media. Remarkable how poor their coverage has been the last few years with regards to Kaepernick. Yet at the same time, I've come to expect it. We all have.

So many 49ers fans listen to KNBR and came to believe the Kaepernick problems were "fixable", since it was so often repeated. Clearly, they were all wrong in their group-think.

Next is ESPN's Mike Greenberg, who today mentioned how the 49ers "deserved this" for letting Jim Harbaugh leave. Greenberg isn't alone in this; but for the sake of argument, he represents everyone who says similar things. Sorry, Mike, but Kaepernick was never a "superstar."

For a moment, lets take a realistic look at the Harbaugh situation. I said at the time and still believe you fire a General Manager before you do a coach, but clearly the immature 49ers owner Jed York wasn't going to do this. Instead, he chose his guy GM Trent Baalke.

In defense of Baalke his drafts have actually been quite good, which was a problem for Harbaugh, as odd as that seems. One would think the drafting and signing of good players as a net positive. Not so much in Harbaugh's world. In fact, one of the biggest dust ups between Baalke and Harbaugh, if not the biggest, was Harbaugh's loss of draft control especially as it relates to Kaepernick. Harbaugh desperately wanted to select the player with the 7th overall pick in the 2011 draft. Baalke instead chose Aldon Smith, who despite his off-field problems, is/was clearly the better player.

Because of this loss of power Harbaugh decided he couldn't get rid of Alex Smith fast enough, who at the time of his benching was 6-2-1. Since Harbaugh is a know-it-all egomaniac, he wanted to prove to everyone, Baalke in particular, just how good Kaepernick would be. He pushed Kaepernick onto the field as quickly as possible to rub it in Baalke's face, as well as send a message to York that he's the football mind that matters. This part of the story you NEVER heard on KNBR, that's for sure.

To Harbaugh's credit he was able to succeed with Kaepernick despite the flaws in his game, but this was the beginning of the end between coach and management. It was also only a matter of time before the flaws started to show up. You can't trick NFL coaches over the long run.

Harbaugh is a good coach, but clearly not a great assessor of talent. Guys with huge egos often believe they can make anyone good. In Kaepernick's case, Harbaugh saw this Adonis-like athlete and figured it would be a cinch. Unfortunately Kaepernick's flaws became more and more obvious after nearly every game they played, especially if Seattle was on the field.

Contrary to Greenberg's comments, the Kaepernick gimmick Harbaugh pulled off for a couple of seasons was quickly figured out. He was far from a "superstar" in Harbaugh's last season, which if you assume Harbaugh to be a great coach, it should have been his best. It was his worst.

You can't teach a guy to be a NFL pocket passer when he gets to the league. They couldn't teach Tim Tebow to be accurate, Terrelle Pryor to have good mechanics, or Robert Griffin III to remain in the pocket. These things are learned well before you're drafted, and are often innate. The appeal with Kaepernick is he seems to possess ALL the physical tools these other 3 have, but it's still not enough. It takes a strong mind to be a great quarterback.

That's the one thing Kaepernick has never had, and never will.

Now That the World Series is Over...

I am not at all surprised the Kansas City Royals won the World Series. As I told Mets fans the last few weeks, "You better pray someone beats the Royals."

There was a collective, "I'm not worried about them...just want to get there!"

Well, no one did.

As a general rule, teams beat individuals. So whether it's Daniel Murphy or Jacob deGrom, when you're facing a TEAM which possesses that never say die attitude, it's hard to beat.

I believed the Mets would make the World Series, and I also believed they wouldn't win. Now here we are.

Today I'm hearing a lot of, "This Mets team has the basis to be great, and next year just might be their year." I wouldn't count on it.

Baseball is the trickiest to predict, and there are a lot of question marks facing this Mets team. For example, does the first baseman still field like he's in High School? Is management signing Yoenis Cespedes, the man most responsible for getting them to the playoffs? If not, who is filling that role, and can that player repeat the enormous feat? Will homophobe Daniel Murphy be on the team? And if not, which Mets player is single-handedly carrying the club through 2 rounds of the playoffs? Where does the power come from in this lineup against an AL team?

I know, I know, it was the pitching. But it wasn't. It was Murphy, who in the Cubs series helped give their pitchers a lead after every first inning, and in the Dodgers series destroyed their will. It was a freakish situation for a player who has never in his career (nor will he again) shown that type of ability. Certainly, he won't be on the Mets next season for he is an average player who is also extremely disliked. I heard an ESPN reporter on the radio the other day call Murphy, "the most disingenuous player I've ever met in my 15 years covering the sport." That's nice.

Putting all of this side, the assumption the NL East will be the worst division in baseball again is just that, an assumption. The road to the playoffs could not have been easier for the Mets, which is part of the reason I saw them making it this far. It's unlikely they'll have the easiest schedule in baseball post-All Star Game like they did this year.

Pitching is impossible to predict. Just as no one saw Jake Arrieta performing miracles for the Cubs, no one has any clue how the Mets staff will look next year.

So yeah, put me in the camp that says, "This was their shot."

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As a Cubs fan it's hard for me to say "this was their shot" because very few people predicted them to do anything. Yet they did have an opportunity, and no different from the Mets, you just never know when another one is coming around.

Where do the Cubs get their pitching from? Is it not crazy to expect a repeat from Arrieta? Jon Lester is trending toward #3 status, and the best free agent pitcher available is David Price, a man who has never won a playoff game in 9 tries and holds a 0-6 record taboot. Is he the answer?

Because the team is so young, and the turnaround seemingly so quick, my guess is they will be back in the mix the next 3-4 years. But I'm not going to get too excited until I see better pitching across the board, starters to closer.

My guess is they take the field with the team they have and attempt to trade for pitchers going into Free Agency in 2017. R.A. Dickey won't be one of them.

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The NFC East is such a clusterfuck I'm trying not to concern myself with it. But I have to for a number of reasons.

One of which is not because I've mostly drafted fantasy players in the NFC East and South, hence my current dominance (and Todd Gurley, because of my wife, of course).

First thing, it's amazing the Giants are in first place when they have one of the 5 worst defenses in football. No, seriously, they do. And I'm including TCU and Baylor.

Slowest LBs I've ever seen, a defensive line with only one great player that has 10 fingers, and a secondary that's awful when Prince Amukamara isn't playing, and he's not even that good. Yet somehow they're in first place.

Next is the Redskins. Their quarterback is Kirk Cousins. Should I repeat that?

Cousins is the second least heralded quarterback coming out of college in the entire league, just barely ahead of his Spartan alum Brian Hoyer. And yet somehow the Redskins are a game out of first place. In most other seasons this team maybe doesn't have a single win. Today they're a 1/2 game out of first. I'm sure they'll trade all their picks for Trevone Boykin.

And then there's the Eagles, the most hated team in the NFL...by their own fans. Actually, the team isn't hated at all. Just the coach, the quarterback, the starting running back, and the wide receivers. Okay, let me rephrase that: the most hated offense in the league by their own fans, and being led by "an offensive genius."

It's not a good situation.

The crux of the Eagles problems are simple: their coach should not be a GM. Nothing more; nothing less. The team has some talent, but clearly the coach doesn't know who should be on the team. He should just coach the team.

As for the Eagles defense, it's one of the best in the league. However, the offense is such a mess they spend about 59 minutes on the field every game, and will eventually get worn down. It's a problem.

Then there's the most talented team in the division if not for the loss of their Quarterback and star Wide Receiver, the Dallas Cowboys. Thank goodness the Cowboys lost yesterday because at 3-5 this team would still be in a great place to win the division. Considering their unpredictable nature, it's way too much to ask them to go 6-3 the rest of the way in order to achieve an 8-8 record, which may win the division. Just don't see it happening.

More likely scenario, the Cowboys don't make the playoffs and all the knuckleheads they sign stir the pot up enough to make this franchise a dumpster fire worth staring at. Couldn't happen to a better owner.

In the end, the Eagles will win the division at 9-7, losing to the Patriots, Cardinals and Giants, but squeaking into the playoffs. And still, fans will want Chip Kelly fired as he attempts to trade Fletcher Cox next season for LaMichael James.

*

Speaking of Kelly, did anyone see Ohio State Head Football Coach Urban Meyer on...wait for it...WAAAAIT FOR IT...THIS SHOW?

Let me just say if you're a fan of inspirational speakers and like football, it's worth watching. Although it is odd Meyer holds his iPhone the entire interview. And it's equally as odd how bad Rose is at interviewing people in subjects he's not comfortable with.

Throughout the interview Meyer brought up a number of great coaches and players from Belichick to Brady to Tebow to...CHIP KELLY. More than once he referenced Kelly's insight and ability to "understand people." I found it surprising considering the situation in Philly and his inability to win any massive games in college. But I also found it hard to dismiss what Meyer had to say. It was Meyer's praise of Kelly which leads me to believe this guy should not be a GM, and should focus solely on coaching. For there's just no way a guy like Meyer would have such admiration for a guy who isn't capable of doing a good job.

*

Finally, I always get amped up for the start of the NBA season, but then Denver @ Lakers is on and I'm like, "There has to be a Sex and the City marathon on somewhere!"

Thank goodness for On-Demand.

I do look forward to the Kobe/Lakers meltdown which will certainly ensue. There are some amazing stats about Kobe coming out right now, like how he "misses more shots than 99% of the NBA takes" and "he has more missed shots than he has made passes this season."

This is sure to end well in LA.

As it stands now I'm loosely getting into the NBA, eagerly anticipating the NHL season which begins in late March...

*

First CFP Playoff rankings: 1) Clemson 2) Ohio State 3) LSU 4) Baylor

Final rankings? 1) Ohio State 2) Clemson 3) Stanford 4) Alabama

Sorry Big 12, but I see all of you guys beating each other, and then Oklahoma losing to OK St for no good reason.

Cheers!

Giants Offensive Problems

It occurred to me while the NY Giants "dink and kick" offense was putting me to sleep how desperate this team is for a quality big target. As it stands, Larry Donnell and Reuben Randle are their big targets. One guy occasionally catches the ball; the other plays like he's 5'7".

I put together a list of every team's biggest offensive weapon, which implies the player has to be at least 6'1" or bigger, or at the very least proven to be a red-zone target.

Not surprisingly, the Giants probably have the worst options in the NFL, which in turn forces Eli Manning to be extremely accurate. He's also not afforded a reliable bail out option, like many other QBs. One could argue the Skins, Ravens and Bills have as few poor options, but having seen their players, I think the Giants take the cake. You're taking Jordan Reed over Larry Donnell. In the case of the Ravens and Dolphins, having recognized the need, they went out and drafted big target options.

Here's the list:

Baltimore Ravens - Breshad Perriman - 6'2", Crocker Gillmore 6'6", Marlon Brown 6'5", Kamar Aiken 6'2"

Cincinnati Bengals - AJ Green 6'4", Tyler Eifert 6'6"

Cleveland Browns - Dwayne Bowe 6'2", lost Josh Gordon 6'3"

Pittsburgh Steelers - Martavious Bryant 6'4", Heath Miller 6'5"

Buffalo Bills - Sammy Watkins - 6'2", Charles Clay 6'3"

Miami Dolphins - Devante Parker 6'3", Jordan Cameron 6'5"

New England Pats - Rob Gronkowski 6'6"

New York Jets - Brandon Marshall 6'4", Eric Decker 6'3", Jace Amaro 6'5"

Denver Broncos - Demaryius Thomas 6'3"

Kansas City Chiefs - Travis Kelce 6'5"

Oakland Raiders - Michael Crabtree 6'1", Andre Holmes 6'4", Rod Streeter 6'2"

San Diego Chargers - Keenan Allen 6'2", Antonio Gates 6'4"

Houston Texans - DeAndre Hopkins 6'2", Jaelen Strong 6'2" - rookie

Indy Colts - Andre Johnson 6'3", Donte Moncrief 6'2", Dwayne Allen 6'3"

Jax Jaguars - Allen Robinson 6'3", Julius Thomas 6'5", Mercedes Lewis 6'6"

Tennessee Titans - Justin Hunter 6'4"

Atlanta Falcons - Julio Jones 6'3"

Carolina Panthers - Kelvin Benjamin 6'5", Greg Olsen 6'5"

New Orleans Saints - Marques Colston 6'4", Brandon Coleman 6'6"

Tampa Bay Bucs - Mike Evans 6'5", Vincent Jackson 6'5", Austin Sefarian-Jenkins 6'6"

Dallas Cowboys - Dez Bryant 6'3", Jason Witten 6'5"

NY Giants - Reuben Randle 6'2", Larry Donnell 6'6"

Philly Eagles - Jordan Matthews 6'3", Brent Celek 6'4"

Washington Redskins - Jordan Reed 6'5"

Chicago Bears - Alshon Jeffery 6'4", Martellus Bennett 6'6"

Detroit Lions - Calvin Johnson 6'5"

Green Bay Packers - Jordy Nelson 6'3"

Minnesota Vikings - Kyle Rudolph 6'6", Charles Johnson 6'3"

Arizona Cards - Larry Fitzgerald 6'3", Michael Floyd 6'3"

St Louis Rams - Kenny Britt 6'3", Jared Cook 6'5"

Seattle Seahawks - Jimmy Graham 6'6"

San Fran 49ers - Vernon Davis 6'3"

Now of course, the Giants have one of, if not the best undersized WR in the NFL, but that's hardly the point. In the Red-Zone he's much easier to defend than a bigger player, and that's where the Giants really seem to struggle.

Fortunately, ODB just woke me up with that catch.

What's Worse? Ray Rice or Michael Vick

Ray Rice punching his fiance in the face, or Michael Vick throwing pitbulls into a pool filled with dead dogs, feces and blood, with battery charged jumper cables attached to their ears, and laughing while they were being electrocuted and fighting for their lives to escape?

Think about that for a second. Is it really a question?

If you saw a woman being punched in the face you would probably be appalled, maybe even shocked. You'd tell people about it, and probably remember it for the rest of your life.

But if you saw a pool filled with blood and feces, and in it were dogs being electrocuted, fighting for their lives to escape, crying out in pain, do you think maybe that would leave a bigger mark?

I'm guessing it would. I'm guessing that shit would haunt you for the rest of your life!

Now I'm not one who raises the lives of dogs to that of human beings because after all, I eat animals. And while some might argue the eating of animals is in fact a method of torture, I wouldn't necessarily agree. Putting all of this aside though, to torture a living creature, be it a mouse, or fly, is both inhumane and sick. Michael Vick did this ALL THE TIME.

That's what Vick was/is: inhumane.

Ray Rice? I'm not sure what he is. My gut tells me he's a man who made at least one massive mistake, but whose fiance still married him in the end. As far as we know, he did a really bad thing once.

Vick? Again, ALL THE TIME.

I'll say this, and I'll mean it. I would never lay a hand on my wife, but if pressed with the option of having to either punch her in the face, or standby watching as countless dogs were murdered and tortured before my eyes, day after day, I'd tell me wife to put her hands up. And she'd agree.

Then she'd probably buy a guard dog.

Volkswomen

How creepy are these commercials if it's old men?

Fire Art Briles

Baylor Head Football Coach Art Briles needs to be fired for negligence.

If you don't know the story, Baylor football player Sam Ukwuachu was found guilty of assaulting a female soccer player at the university. Ukwuakchu was dismissed from Boise State for violence against his then girlfriend, and other behavioral issues. Baylor signed Ukwuachu, but now claim to not having known about any of this.

Simply put: buyer beware.

Whether Boise St Head Coach Chris Peterson made Baylor aware of the problem is immaterial. From a moral standpoint you would hope Boise St notified any and all teams interested in Ukwuachu, which I'd bet they did. Not doing so is reprehensible, but still, it's not their job to even have done so. They did their job by dismissing him. Certainly fire-able though, if the Boise St administration discovered they didn't pass on the information.

On the other hand, it's entirely Baylor's job to find out who they are inviting into their program and university. Clearly they did not do this. And because they didn't another student was physically and sexually assaulted.

Someone needs to be fired, and it's Art Briles.

Cris Carter, the Cool Dad

For years I have watched Cris Carter on set for ESPN and said out loud, "He is such an asshole."

Most recently my wife has been privy to hearing this over and over. Today she said, "Yeah, I always hear you say that about him. What did he do now?"

Here ya go.

As an alum of Ohio State, I get excited when I see the countless Buckeye media personalities strewn across the numerous outlets. It's a point of pride, since presumably they not only handled themselves well on the field, but also off.

Then there's Cris Carter, the loudmouth embarrassment who does not.

The same Carter who signed an illegal contract with an agent while at Ohio State and was suspended, which ultimately hurt the program. The same Carter who had problems with Philadelphia Eagles Coach Buddy Ryan because of alcohol and drug abuse, who was then traded. The Carter whose Hall of Fame speech seemed like more of an act than something genuine. And now the Carter who tells NFL rookies to make sure they have a "fall guy" when something goes wrong in their lives.

Keepin' it real.

Shocking that his son Duron Carter was kicked out of Ohio State, universally disliked for his poor work ethic, released from Alabama again for grades, signed with Florida Atlantic, but was later released again after doing poorly in school. When Cris Carter was asked about his son's problems he said, "He. Just. Hates. Fucking. School!"

As real as it gets.

I bring up the younger Carter because as someone who follows Ohio State closely, it has been discussed in hush tones the reason Duron is such an irresponsible person is because Cris Carter was never around to make sure he wasn't.

Does this surprise you? Then again, if Cris is doing the day to day parenting, I can't imagine things would have worked out any better. Yet the real problem here is Duron Carter had every opportunity in life to excel in school, while so many other kids do not, and yet his parents still allowed him to fail time and time again.

It's on Duron, but it's also on his parents.

It finally dawned on me this morning while watching Cris bend his knees and preach across that NFL stage, what he wants to be: The Cool Dad.

You know the guy. The one who wants young people to think, "He's just like us." That no matter how much fame, fortune, or success he achieves, he's still that kid fighting to make it. Just like those kids he was speaking with.

It's not an attractive quality. It's an immature and irresponsible one.

No one should ever minimize or disparage what it takes for people to rise up out of bad situations, and there are countless athletes who do. Some of them have a hard time escaping their own past, as was assumed about Desean Jackson just last year.

When it comes to Carter though, he's not using his stature to help these athletes learn from their mistakes, or grow as men. He's trying to portray himself as one of them even to this day, as if to suggest you can never escape where you came from. And that you don't even need to try to! Just go be you.

Even if his message had been, "Don't do drugs...avoid bad people...here's a second chance...", as naive and cliche as it may sound, maybe it resonates with some of those young men. Maybe he could help even a few of them become better people, who in turn pass it on.

But he didn't do that.

No. He was the Cool Dad. The one who might buy the underage kids beer, and then throw a few back. Maybe take a toke. The Cool Dad might let his kid drive before he gets his license. Takes his kids to R-rated movies. Lets his kid throw parties at the house. Shows up at sporting events, but not there to finish the homework. That's the Cool Dad.

"Mr. Carter, do you know Duron didn't hand in his research people?"

"Yes, but that's only because he HATES FUCKING SCHOOL!"

We all know the Cool Dad. And as we become adults and begin to look reflect on that person, we all realize the Cool Dad wasn't really that cool at all. In fact, it's the Responsible Dad who we come to admire, and hope to one day emulate. And there's probably not a group of people in this country who need a lesson from the Responsible Dad like NFL rookies. It's hard enough for many of these kids to overcome their difficult pasts. It's made that much more difficult when a Hall of Fame player is telling you it's okay not to.

Cris Carter shouldn't be on a stage telling young people how to act. Cris Carter should be sitting in the audience learning how to be an adult.

About Tom Brady

Anyone who has heard me on the radio or read this blog knows I believe Tom Brady is innocent of what he has been accused of. Do I think he knew the balls were under-inflated? Sure. Why not. Who gives a shit. Do I think he personally under-inflated those balls, forced or asked anyone to do it, or even cares that it's done? Not particularly. Not in a way that makes any difference.

I also think the PSI level of a ball is an absurd argument to be having, and that's the real issue here. Recall, a referee touches the football on EVERY PLAY, and NOT A SINGLE REF EVERY SAID A WORD.

I'm told by someone who knows Brady pretty well that this entire thing is affecting his life in a very negative way. From the 4 game suspension, to the lack of a normal training camp, to the release of his personal emails, as well as the hyper-intrusive coverage of his life in general. All of it is taking it's toll on him, and Roger Goodell is the reason it's happening.

Now it goes without saying, Goodell is motivated by his own incompetence, fueled by the other high-profile cases he mishandled. He just spent the last year of his life looking like a fool, and in his own mind, this is his counter. To think, he believes taking down one of the game's all time greatest players over the PSI level of footballs somehow erases his own mistakes. It does not. It will not.

It's embarrassing.

All of this said, Brady needs to view this through the lens of competition, and for the moment forget about his actual job. He needs to be the guy who wins the case, and ends Goodell's reign over the NFL. Because another loss for Goodell should just do him in. And his reign has to end. Brady is in a prime position to bring EVERYTHING to it's conclusion. For the players, for the fans, for everybody. End this guy.

Putting the nail in Goodell's proverbial coffin will be almost as satisfying as any football game Brady has ever won. He needs to see this through. Step away from football for a second. Sit the games if it comes to that. But don't let this guy beat you. Do the football loving world a favor by removing his name from anything we ever have to read, see, or hear again.

And I'm a Buckeye fan.

Get it done, Tom.

Oh, Ray Rice...

I keep hearing on sports talk radio things like, "The only teams who are going to take a chance on Ray Rice are teams who are desperate, and need a running back."

Really? Is that who's taking a chance on Rice? Desperate teams in need of a running back?

In other words, teams should only take a chance on a guy who knocked out a woman if the football team isn't doing as well as management would like it to do.

Does that sum it up?

What Ray Rice did is hard to defend, and I'm not about to do it (even if he is the greatest Rutgers player ever). I'm just not sure Rice should have to pay for this endlessly, and lose his entire career over it. Actually, I know he shouldn't. Adrian Peterson whipped his defenseless child's legs until they bled, and he's back playing. Rice's then fiance could have left this man, but instead chose to marry him.

If Rice ultimately does get signed by a team he will be forced to do some public relations work like speak to battered women, etc. I'm fine with that. I would demand it too. I'm sure he has done it before, is probably doing it still, and will gladly do it some more. It's beneficial for every living person someone of his stature is speaking out on an issue like this.

Yet whether or not he gets signed shouldn't be decided by the desperation of your football team!

It should be decided based on whether you think this man has suffered enough and paid a steep enough price. On whether we believe in second chances, and things of that nature.

Clearly, there will be people who don't think he should ever play again. What they expect him to do, you never hear about. Short of a high profile job there's no reason for him to continue his "rehab", and speak out against awful actions like the one he engaged in. But it's only through football will we get that version of Ray Rice, the one who is now helping others.

There are also those who didn't care much about what he did at the time of the incident, and wanted to see him playing immediately so they can further enjoy their Sundays. Those people are morons. Rice first needed to pay for his sins before being accepted back.

Ultimately we shouldn't be deciding Rice's fate based on football needs. It should be decided based on whether we think a man can repent for a wrong, and make good going forward.

I think Ray Rice has repented, and I would have no problem seeing him playing football again, regardless of the team. But my morality and ethical decisions won't be based on football statistics.

Oh, Geno and Tom and Ben...

I'm hopeful always-wrong Jets fans recognize the blessing that just occurred regarding Geno Smith and IK Enemkpali.

Btw, before I get into it, how many of you have stared at his name and tried to pronounce it inside of your head repeatedly? Even though I've heard others say it, I still find myself mouthing "En-ehmK-polly?" And is his name "Ick?" If not, what is his name? Lets just go the distance on it.

Actually, don't tell me. I don't really care. I never heard of him before the right hook, and I've basically heard of everyone.

But I'm not a miserable Jets fan (aka, Jets fan), so I don't have to care who he is. If I were, well I'd probably run out immediately and buy myself an ENEMKPALI #51 Jersey, Jets or Bills. Because this future MMA star just did you a favor, having saved you from yet another season of sure agony. Or at the very least, 5-6 games.

Yeah, I know this may not make the Jets better, but it's probably not making them worse. It's good when you can plan ahead for the inevitable.

Face the facts, Jets fans, the guy is not good. He was never good. He will never be good. He was not great in college, and he's no better today than he was when he couldn't beat Giant's backup Ryan Nassib's Syracuse team. He was the product of a system, and the talent he had around him, to say little of the super garbage conference he played in.

Now I'm no John Nash, but I know what 38 is, and in this case it's the number of players taken before Smith in the NFL Draft. Not to say 2nd round draft picks don't pan out, but when Smith was chosen 38th it was deemed a surprise. Some predicted he'd be in the Top 10, maybe even Top 5.

When a player starts free falling right out of the first round past a slew of teams who need a QB, it's a red flag. One the Jets management didn't see.

Heck, EJ Manuel went 20 picks higher! Btw, EJ, don't promise your new teammate anything.

So Jets fans, THANK Mr. Enemkpali for sparing you the torture. Now you have a pedestrian Quarterback who will help you forget all about Sheldon Richardson's future as a NASCAR driver.

*

Speaking of NASCAR!

Was someone speaking of NASCAR?

No. Never. Certainly not me...but...

...For a moment. If you know me, you know what I think of NASCAR. If you know anyone, you should probably know the same. But I will say this morning I randomly read my first ever NASCAR-related article because I was SLIIIIGHTLY intrigued about Tony Stewart killing a guy who was "on marijuana", as was written.

I know as much about Stewart as I've just written about, and slightly more about the legal process. Deceased driver Kevin Ward's family has filed a wrongful death suit against Stewart, claiming the "accident" was intentional, etc.

Clearly they're upset, and quite possibly insane. If there's a video about frivolous lawsuits in America, the opening should be Kevin Ward walking down a race track toward Tony Stewart's car.

I'm hopeful some ambulance chasing lawyer didn't tell these people he'll pry some money off Stewart via blackmail because that's all this is. The family knows he has tons of cash, and are taking the calculated gamble he'll settle with them rather than risk being found guilty. After all, this would certainly tarnish his career if he was deemed at fault in any way.

It won't happen though. He'll fight this til the end and win.

When it's all said and done I hope he turns around and gives these people a $100,000 stuffed into an old bag. Just tosses it over to them after the trial, and says something like, "Sorry about what happened to your son. Hope this makes you feel better."

It's not easy making Tony Stewart look classy, but the Ward family is sure trying.

After all, he's somewhat responsible for another man's life. I'm sure that doesn't feel great.

*

And there it is, my first and hopefully last ever post about NAAAAAAAASCAR.

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I have it on good authority Tom Brady is losing his shit, borderline depressed. Roger Goodell is beating him down for sure, but now he's caught up in the whole 'Peyton Manning email exchange' and "my buddy brought his hot nanny on our flight to Vegas" thing.

Yep, it's all wearing him down.

Part of me feels bad for the guy because I think this NFL "ball deflating" scandal is a massive joke. Hand the guy his fine, and move on. That Goodell is using Brady, a hero of the sport, to make himself look better is embarrassing on so many levels. The more it gets spoken about, the more absurd it seems to me.

Goodell needs to be fired, and I hope this does it.

Back to Brady...

Another part of me doesn't feel bad for him at all. He's taking private jets to Vegas all the time with hot nannies? Going to UFC fights, hitting the Kentucky Derby, and this is just what we hear about!

I've surmised that the worst summer of Brady's life is basically the dream I have every day.

So while I feel for the guy (because all of this is so lame), I'm going to get over it. I'm sure he will too.

*

Which brings me to Ben Affleck taking Brady to Vegas on his private jet with his kinda hot nanny. I wasn't even aware Jennifer Garner and Affleck had split until my mom came to visit, and mentioned it in passing. For this summer, Kaitlyn Jenner dominated the "Shit I Don't Really Care About" section of my mind. So pardon me for missing this.

That said, I want to blame Garner for their breakup, having no idea whose fault any of it really is. It was probably his, but I still want to blame her more.

Why you ask?

Well, I think it's pretty obvious.

You don't hire THAT GIRL to be your Nanny! You hire her, and her, and her, and MAAAAYBE her. BUT NOT HER.

So, yeah, I'm sure it's probably his fault, but as I have said MANY TIMES during all my travels to Vegas with the UFC. "If you run through the lion's den once you might not get killed. But if you run through 50 times, you certainly will." In Ben's case, he's living with the goddamn lion.

*

Is it that time when I give away ANOTHER fantasy sleeper?

Hate to give away all my tricks, but I will say this: I find it interesting the Eagles are trying to extend Sam Bradford's contract right now.

He's always had the ability, but staying on the field has been a problem. Apparently the Eagles, namely, Head Coach Chip Kelly, believe he is more than capable of running the show. Logic dictates if THIS GUY can somewhat succeed, well I'm guessing Bradford will far exceed expectations. Which in Bradford's case just means making it through the first half of a game...

But I'll go you one better because that's too easy of a sleepski.

Draft Cameron Artis-Payne. Probably a bit obvious with him playing in Carolina behind Jonathan Stewart and a 2 other players less known than IK Enemkpali, but the reality is this kid is a legit football player. Forget measurables, etc. He has great feet, balance, vision, and runs hard between tackles.

He will be getting picked up by your wife's friends in her fantasy league by week 5, which means he's valuable by at least Week 3.

*

Cheerio.

The Mental Health Gun Bullshit

Stepping away from sports for a second...

Whenever there's a debate about guns in this country there's an immediate reaction from conservatives who collectively agree, "Guns aren't the problem! Mental health is the problem!"

Let's say for a second this is actually a fact (it can be both, right?). Then why is it those same people never want to do anything to fix the mental health problems as well? In fact, is it not the liberals in this country who want there to be stricter gun laws, AND more resources to solve a variety of mental health related issues?

You know the answer to that.

This brings me to my point about guns and mental health from a conservative perspective: they don't care about the well being of other people regardless of what the cause is. Just take a peek at how each state spends on the issue.

If you focus on guns for a second, it would seem a lot of these "gun rights" folks want protection for themselves, and from others (aka the government). The idea of defending yourself from the external threat is what's important to them because they believe there are threats. After all, they're causing them...but we'll get to that...

What is seemingly not important to them is the amount of death and injury caused by guns. The reason being: it's not hurting themselves, i.e, the individual.

The same goes for mental health. It's happening to someone else; someone in the abstract who isn't them. Now of course, when a particular individual is faced with a mental health issue, or gun death, then the tune changes. But up until that point it is a position of self, and the individual. Never the collective; never society at large.

So in truth, the gun issue, as well as the mental health issue, is handled the same way by those on the far right: It's ignored.

*

Which takes me to another point about mental health in general.

Harvard Researcher Ronald Kessler, PhD, did a study a few years ago and then remarked, "Depression is a luxury disorder."

The United States blows the competition away when it comes to depression. The least depressed countries are the poorest, who are more concerned with just surviving. Not ironically though, the most depressed country is also the wealthiest, and that's the "luxury" problem.

America is the epitome of a 'dog eat dog'/'survival of the fittest' society. And with that type of society comes many problems. Those problems are manifesting themselves through depression, and that depression often results in violence and suicide.

When you have a system of rewards that is essentially a zero-sum-game, where in the losers literally end up in the streets, it's a problem. When someone loses a job, or isn't making the cut at work, it can often lead to a tragic situation, like we saw in Virginia the other day. This is not to say the assailant didn't have serious mental issues, but it seems that only in America does this play out over and over through violence. American culture exacerbates mental health problems through the subjective experience.

Now ask yourself, which group of people in this country are in support of unbridled capitalism and competition every step of the way? Who supports the zero-sum model most?

The answer? The same people who want to make sure there are no gun laws and who don't want to fund public health initiatives.

So is it any surprise they're also the people most in favor of a system that causes us the problems in the first place?

Suck on that for a bit.

Overrated Ronda, Maybe Racist Chip, the Metsies and Fantasy Tidbit

Don't take this the wrong way, but I am wholly uninterested in Rhonda Rousey's MMA dominance, and am confused by her popularity.

If you have not heard the latest, she'll be starring in a film based on her own autobiography. That's just weird to me.

Here's my issue with her fame, generally speaking: I don't think she's beating anyone that good, and while she is the best female MMA fighter, that's on par with being the best Floorball player. So to be treating this woman as if she's beyond anything we've ever witnessed, or that her star shines as bright as say Serena Williams, is just strange to me.

Women's MMA is less competitive than MMA was in 1993, when the UFC began. Robbie Lawler started training MMA in the late 90s, and now he's the champion, to give you an idea of how strong men's MMA has been over time. So while I'm all for her touting herself, color me confused when people speak and write about her as if she's on par with a Williams, or a Floyd Mayweather. For all we know she's about as talented a female athlete as Dottie Pepper.

Maybe I'll turn out to be wrong on this, but considering how easily she's rolling through people, I'm guessing competition isn't too tough.

*

Do I think Chip Kelly is a racist? No, I don't. But do I think certain black players feel uncomfortable around him because of the way they're treated? Yes, I do.

Lets cut to the chase here: there's something to be said for the way a person feels. And it's quite possible players feel Kelly treats them in a way that reminds them of how a racist might treat them. Maybe it's condescension? Maybe it's dismissive? Who knows? But maybe those types of behaviors feel an awful lot like racism to certain players, and that similar emotion makes them believe he's "racist." I think this is quite possible.

I also think it's possible to have black friends, etc, and still be racist. Heck, I think Ben Carson is a racist!

Anyway, you get my point. Chip Kelly coached and defended a lot of players of questionable character and lifestyle like LeGarette Blount, LaMichael James and Jeremiah Masoli, to name a few. All of these guys were his guys, and seemed to represent a similar lifestyle to the one LeSean McCoy believes Kelly has a problem with.

So while he's probably not an out and out racist, he may in fact just be a jerk to guys who aren't his guys, and most of them happen to be black. And to them it feels like racism.

*

Call me crazy, but I have a weird feeling the Mets are going to the World Series. It's a stretch to get past the Dodgers, Cards, Giants, etc, but they're trending, as is said. To think, just 2 weeks ago there was a discussion about Major League Baseball stepping in to force them to sell!

Think about it, this is a team who I watched score TWO runs in a 3 game series against the Cubs a bit more than a month ago. Since signing Yoenis Cespedas last week, they scored TWENTY against then division leader The Nationals. Now I'm not saying this is a sign of things to come, but keep in mind, that prior to the recent additions this team had the lowest team batting average in baseball and scored the fewest runs in the league.

And NOW THEY'RE IN FIRST PLACE!

None of this is science, but if this team starts believing in themselves, and begins to give their pitchers a little help, watch out. What team wants to face the 3-Headed Monster of deGrom, Harvey and Syndegaard? Each of those guys alone has the talent to win a series. Plus, David Wright returning, and without the pressure to carry the offense.

On top of all I provided above, the Mets have the easiest schedule in baseball of any team in the NL. They play 14 games against teams with a winning record, and most of these weaker teams have since become worse since the trade deadline.

I don't know, but I have a strange feeling.

*

Which gets me to my Cubbies.

I just don't see it. You can't have the second lowest Batting Average in the league and make the playoffs. By season's end they'll have the worst average in the league. And the irony is only their power hitters can get on base (Rizzo and Bryant), relatively speaking.

I'm just glad management didn't try to sell the farm to make the playoffs, or do something stupid. This team is still a couple of years away from anything significant. Now was not the time. Well done, Theo. Don't need a repeat of what they did to Mark Pryor.

*

Last year I told you to draft Jeremy Hill and Odell Beckham (yes, and Justin Hunter). Well, it worked out for my team.

This year I'm telling you not to draft Latavious Murray, and to highly consider TJ Yeldon as your 2nd back.

Murray is brittle. Draft him, and then trade him early. For a man who looks that big, he's too light. Which leads me to believe he has something called "light bones." This was a term we used to throw around in the UFC, wondering how a man could weigh so little, but look so big? The answer: light bones. Guys with light bones tend to break easily, and Murray always breaks.

On the other hand there's Yeldon, who while seemingly the smaller back at 'Bama, is still a very big guy. He measures at 6'2, 225, and ran a 4.52 40 at the NFL combine. Few running backs have the vision Yeldon has, and he can catch.

Remind you of anyone? Think about a guy who is 6'1.5", weighed 228lbs in college, ran a 4.6 in the 40, also slipped to the 2nd round in the NFL Draft, and has good hands...

Probably the first player picked in your fantasy draft: Le'Veon Bell.

Don't sleep on Yeldon. He will be a star.

*

Cheers.

Did You Even Know Cecil the Lion?

Did any of us really know Cecil the Lion?

I've seen this question bandied about quite a bit by the minority of people who think it's more than suitable to kill majestic creatures.

"Seriously, WHO EVEN KNEW ABOUT THIS LION LAST WEEK?"

And to that I say, "That's not relevant," and "You're a fucking moron."

There are many things taking place every single day of our lives which we've come to accept because fighting against every injustice is exhausting. For example, most of us probably own some footwear or clothing made under squalid conditions, often by children, and we're not happy about it. Yet when a warehouse in India fell on top of people a few years ago, people were moved by the images; moved to act. Something was done about it. But no, before that day I was not aware of the poor and unsafe conditions specific to that particular Indian manufacturing plant.

Now I am.

Many of us take small actions to make sure things improve, but we don't dedicate every waking moment of our lives to the cause because we have other responsibilities. Now there are those out there who are stopping whaling boats, elephant poachers and the like, and I love those people for doing it. I'm glad someone told me I need to breakdown the plastic rings which hold soda cans together because Dolphins get caught in them. Thank you! And if those people weren't out there doing that for me, maybe I'd be motivated to fill the void, or one of you. I'm a believer that people should follow their passion(s), and that's not mine. Yet I'm thankful every day those people exist to make me a better person, and the world a better place. Yet that doesn't mean I need to know all of these things, all the time.

But when someone rubs your face in something in such a brazen way, without concern for humanity, while donning a perfect smile, you have every right to say, "THAT'S FUCKED UP! FUCK THAT GUY!" When an emotion is beyond your control then you know you're in the right place.

And most everyone felt the same way about Cecil the Lion, even if we didn't know of him previously.

There are norms. When you cross them, expect the wrath.

I know a number of people who go big game hunting, and I've said things to them directly. I even fought with an ex-girlfriend about the issue, and stopped talking to one of her friends because of it. Yes, I am judging you. That's really all I can do. Now everyone is judging Dr. Walter Palmer for, quite frankly, being a lowlife.

It takes MAJOR events for change to come about, and this is one of those "critical mass" moments.

Look, hunting is legal, I get it, and it should continue to be, but when you're killing something so you can hang it on your wall then you are a person of low class. What else can I tell you? That wasn't for food, or for some societal benefit, none of that. It was purely because you believe killing some beautiful animal in its home makes you some kind of a man.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

*

I have said on my radio show how I don't differentiate between animals because I eat animals. Now I'd prefer that I didn't, but quite frankly, I don't have the will power not to.

For the most part, I try and eat poultry. And yes, I do believe chickens (and many birds) are not the smartest species on earth. I think there's a spectrum, with humans sitting at the top and chickens somewhere close to the bottom. That's what I believe. Many would agree.

Therefore, if you want to go out with your gun and shoot some quail, or maybe even a chicken, that wouldn't keep me up at night. But if you went out into the wild and shot a Bald Fucking Eagle to hang on your mantle, that would piss me off to no end. Because we don't eat Bald Eagles, and they're gorgeous. Plus, they're often at risk of disappearing altogether.

When you make decisions in life you need to consider the larger world in which you operate. That goes for everybody, be it banker, doctor, lawyer, hunter, farmer, teacher, you name it. There are accepted societal norms, and you need to adhere to these things. Can you legally go out into the world and kill some lion? Yeah, you sure can. It's terrible, but you can do it. You're terrible, but you can do it. But when you decide to publish that cowardice to the world with a shit eating grin, expect to hear about it. Expect the wrath. Expect what happened to this idiot doctor.

He deserves worse than he's getting, and I hope the rest of you moron hunters are taking notice.

Damn you, Roger!

So the news is: Tom Brady will be suspended 4 games by the NFL.

I'm just wondering how long before Roger Goodell officially loses his $40 Mil job.

I think we can all agree Brady was suspended 4 games solely because of Goodell's mishandling of every other high-profile situation, and his own credibility issue. Because in truth, "tampering" with footballs was hardly ever an issue, so much so teams have been filmed attempting to affect the balls in various ways, but nothing ever happened.

Yet the real question in all of this is why this took 6 months?

Answer: By the time Brady appeals the ruling the season will have begun, and the suspension will have come into effect. So yes, the greatest player of our generation will miss 4 games because Roger Goodell is inept. Because Brady challenged him, and did not get down on his knees for him, Goodell will injure both his career and legacy. He's that type of guy.

Do I think the Patriots "cheated" by letter of the law? Sure. Why not. Do I think they, or anyone else believed what they were doing rise to some high crime? No chance. This all happened because a) The Colts are a weak organization from the top down and b) Roger Goodell is a joke.

This could have been decided months ago.

Carry on.

Quick Sports

Lets start with the obvious: Shaquille O'Neal is amazing.

DeAndre Jordan.

Never has more been written about a marginal basketball than has about this man. I guess that's the genius of the new NBA collective bargaining agreement, where Free-For-All Agency keeps us discussing the NBA for a solid 2 months after the season ends.

Jordan signed his deal when, 2 weeks ago? And we're still talking about this guy? Impressive.

I read on Twitter this morning DeAndre went to sleep one night after agreeing to a deal with the Mavericks, but woke up having some reservations.

If ever there was something I needed to know today, it was this.

Get back to me when the Clippers aren't winning titles and DeAndre is riding the pine for much of the 4th quarter.

And btw, if my parents has named me DaVid, would that equate to the method of spelling used by DeAndre's parents? What is that?

*

We're in the "stretch four" era. How bummed out do you think Robert Horry was when he turned on his television two weeks ago, and the scrolling ticker across his screen read: Thunder to match Blazers offer of $70 Million to C/PF Enes Kanter...?

*

Yesterday I went from not caring much about Zach Johnson to now becoming a big fan.

Rick Reilly commented in 2007, shortly after Johnson mopped up Tiger Woods, et al, at Augusta "I think Zach Johnson, in 10 years, has a real chance to be your server at Olive Garden."

At the time I thought it was obnoxious, but I laughed. One of those "heh" moments. For me, Johnson's constant mentions and allusions to "Jesus" after winning the Masters were a bit of a turn off. Never been one who's into the constant expression of Gods after a victory, and he was one of the worst. More to the point, I never like it when people can't credit themselves with greatness, but to each their own. I got over it, but still wasn't rooting for the guy. Yesterday I had an ABJohnson mentality, and that went for Dustin too.

Then all of a sudden I was won over by the way Johnson handled himself yesterday. You can now consider me one of his biggest fans going forward. Gracious, humble, caring, competitive, everything you could want to see in a champion, living in a "me first world."

This guy can openly become a devil worshiper and I wouldn't care at this point. Actually, that'd be pretty amazing.

His whole life, Johnson has been the underdog, and now he's on the path toward golf immortality. Love it.

Tell you one thing, him working at Olive Garden is about the only thing that would get me into that place. I'm Italian. It's sacrilegious; even more than Satan himself.

*

Twitter is ablaze with "Jordan Spieth isn't the next Tiger Woods."

No shit.

Amazing, the things I don't learn on Twitter. Ever.

But if Spieth keeps playing golf like this, he'll be every bit as good as Tiger on the course, which is all I care about.

Lets put aside the obvious: Tiger is a once in a lifetime athlete, who came along at the right time, changed not only the game of golf but the culture as well. It's debatable he has done as much for golf as any athlete has ever done for their respective sport.

With that said, Spieth may end up being better at golf than Woods. No shit.

Now the likelihood is he won't be, and it's easy to get caught up in superlatives after 2 majors, but lets consider some of the details:

Tiger Woods propelled so many people into the game, and now we're seeing the fruits of this. All of these younger players we're seeing on the course today were motivated by Woods, and now they're competing against each other. Mickelson, Furyk, Harrington and a few others can keep up with these younger players, but Tiger can't. Yet Spieth looks to be the dominant player at a time when the sport has NEVER been more competitive.

Tiger was a physical prodigy, an athlete the tour had not yet witnessed. He forced other players to put down the cigars and pick up the curling irons. He also happened to be beating up on a tour of rather pedestrian golfers for a long time. It wasn't much different for Hogan, Nicklaus Player and Palmer who largely beat each other week in, week out. After all, WHO WAS EVEN PLAYING GOLF when those guys were winning?

Point is, Tiger's majors are more impressive than Jack's, in my opinion. And if Spieth can get to over half of Tiger's majors it would seem to me equally as impressive. The competition is as stiff as it has ever been, and Spieth looks like the type of person who can conquer it. Each week he's taking on someone's best, and that best is more difficult than what Woods faced 15 years ago. That's just a fact.

White, yellow, black, blue, orange, red, green, I don't care what anyone looks like - I care about watching greatness. If Spieth is the real deal, and I'm guessing he will be, it will be amazing to witness.

*

I've never been a huge fan of the baseball wildcard, but have come to accept it. For if there was no wildcard national league fans in cities like San Francisco, New York and Chicago would be slowly moving toward the exits. That's a major issue right there. But I still have a few issues with it.

6 Wildcard teams have won the World Series since 1994, and last year both the Royals and Giants were the Wildcard teams. In 2008 the Cubs were swept by the Wildcard Dodgers in the opening round. All of these events confirmed my belief the Wildcard teams are fighting for their lives well before the playoffs begin, and that's an advantage to them. It's a mindset. The Cubs had the best record in baseball in '08, and coasted into the playoffs. They had already squeezed a few rounds of golf in before the Dodgers sent them back onto the course. Joe Torre's Dodgers were locked in, while Pinella's Cubs were busy laughing it up. Until game 1 was over, which is also when the series ended. Again, the mindset of being in the playoffs begins much earlier for the Wildcard team.

Adding the play-in game was a good addition by MLB, giving a real advantage to divisions winners. The Royals were a 1/2 inning away from being knocked out by the Oakland A's, but survived all the way to the last out of the World Series. They at least had to earn it.

Taking it further though, I'd like to see the #1 seed get 4 home games, with Wildcard team getting 1. That's stiff, but I'd like to see the regular season rewarded a bit more than it currently is.

*

Football can't come fast enough. I'm looking forward to the Raiders rise coupled with the Niners slide, and then the Raiders moving. Should be a fun season.

How is it possible the Raiders can't get a new stadium in the Bay Area, one of America's wealthiest regions as members of the incredibly wealthy NFL? Someone explain that to me.

If the Raiders cannot get their own facility at this point in time, with all the money that flows to the NFL, then they shouldn't be here. It's really that simple.

*

Also looking forward to Tom Brady not missing any games, which I standby, he shouldn't.

Pete Rose & The All Star Game

Before I get to Pete Rose I want to point out just because the All Star Game supposedly "matters" does not mean it does so equally for all players involved.

For those not in the know, Major League Baseball has attempted to increase fan interest in the ASG by awarding home-field advantage in the World Series to the league who wins this game. I have always believed it to be one of the dumbest concepts in modern-day sports.

Why you ask?

Because the game DOESN'T MATTER.

No, but David, that's the point. Now it does!

No. It doesn't, and here's why.

First off, if the game is going to matter it should not be left up to the fans who is playing in the game. Thankfully a crisis was averted when the entire AL starting lineup, short of Mike Trout, were not Kansas City Royals. This happened because MLB has exclusive online balloting, and fans can vote up to 35 times each. Where are we? Florida? Jeeeeeesus.

KC made a major push to get their fans involved, and it worked. They have 7 participants (3 starters) still, but aren't as dominant as they could have been. This is because their fervent fans voted...over and over and over. To their credit they got involved, and the Royals players may very well benefit from home field advantage, but it seems ridiculous fan excitement plays a role in where the World Series is played.

More to the point, not all the players on the field are on teams who care about the playoffs, and this is the my biggest concern. The Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers have guys playing in this game, and yet all won't be in the playoffs. If those guys are coming up to pinch hit in this game, do they care who has home field advantage? And after sitting on the bench for 6 innings, and probably throwing down a few beers the night before, do you think it makes sense to have Prince Fielder deciding the game? After all, he probably spends the first 5-6 innings laughing it up, having a good 'ole time in the dug out. Every time they cut to the dug out during the ASG guys are having a blast. NO ONE IS FOCUSED! Then all of a sudden the game might come down to the final pitch and at bat between the least deserving of the All Stars? After all, those are the guys who are still available. Not the starters!

All told, do we really need the game to matter at all? It's ONE GAME, and people still don't really care.

It's high time we start making the baseball All Star game as irrelevant is it should be.

*

Pete Rose should not be in the Hall of Fame.

About 15 years ago I met Pete Rose at his restaurant in Boca Raton, FL. The place was called...wait for it...WAAAAIT FOR IT...

Pete Rose's!

I happened upon the place randomly, deciding to give it a shot over Wilt Chamberlain's restaurant (Yes, it was called Wilt's. Lets give credit to Charles Oakley for calling his Steakhouse "Red.") More people frequented Wilt's place, who had since died, than Pete's, who was, uhh, at the bar...

Here's the point of this story: Pete Rose was in the restaurant that night, and being the mouth that I am, I approached him. We had a conversation. He did not seem sober and looked to be a mess. He kept looking around at his empty restaurant. The guy was so shaky I started looking over my own shoulders for hit men. And yet even with the guy sitting in this place there was hardly anyone there. And those who were there didn't care that he was there! That moment told me all I needed to know about Pete Rose.

Here he was, more than 20 years after his playing career was over and he looked like a hot mess. His hair was all over the place, his eyes looked dark, his gut was large, and he didn't smile once. I didn't know if he was drinking water, or vodka straight. If I was a gambler...

Sitting in an empty bar with his own name on it, what could be more apropos?

The reality of Pete Rose is simple, and it gets back to a lesson my dad drilled into me before I was a teen: gambling is worse than everything.

Apparently my dad once took all his savings (not a lot) and bet on a "sure thing" college basketball game at Madison Square Garden back in the 1960s. Turns out the game had been thrown, but that didn't prevent my dad from having to pay. He never bet again, and outside of some Vegas fun, I haven't either.

To me I have always looked at gambling as worse than drugs, or other vices, because gambling takes place in the open and people think it's okay. Yet gambling destroys lives because it's so obviously wide open as to become accepted! Onlookers might think to themselves, "Oh, he's just betting on a few games." Except a few games can turn into your entire life's savings and destroy you without anyone noticing what was coming.

With drugs, people see it coming; people intervene. With gambling it's usually way too late, despite those wonderful commercials from Harrah's during the World Series of Poker.

And that's the point of it all when it comes to Rose. Whether gambling is better or worse than PEDs is not the point. The reality is this guy bet on his team when he played and managed, which in turn affected his decision making during those games. Maybe he was rash? Maybe he added additional pressure to himself and didn't come through during an at bat? Maybe he stole a base when it was unadvised and was called out? Maybe as a manager it caused stress which in turn made him less focused? Maybe that stress led to drinking? All of these are reasons why the argument, "He only bet on his own team!" is nonsense. Total nonsense.

Betting on your OWN team is probably WORSE! You've got skin in that game! You can affect THAT GAME.

PEDs? As far as I know they just make you better, and as a former producer with the UFC, I can tell you "everyone is doing it."

If "everyone" was betting on baseball, maybe I'd feel different. But as far as we know it was just Pete Rose.

So Pete Rose can be lauded and loved in Cincinnati, the most backward city I've ever been in, but at the end of the day he'll be sitting alone at the bar. Because as gambling does to nearly everyone who is touched by it, eventually you become an old, broken down, disheveled and dishonest person.

And that's the guy I saw sitting in a South Florida bar.

By the way, I would make a bet: Vodka.

The eNdlessBA, Adam Schefter, Bill Cosby and Women's Soccer.

Wow, Adam Schefter.

Yesterday ESPN's Adam Schefter posted a medical report of NY Giants Defensive End Jason Pierre-Paul, which displayed the surgeries he both needed and received because of a mishap with some fireworks. A lot of people are upset with Schefter for doing this, and there are ethical questions regarding his role as a journalist.

When I saw the report plastered on ESPN I thought to myself, "Wow, what a dick." I can't imagine I'm alone in thinking that.

Could he not have gone on Twitter and said, "I have indisputable proof Pierre-Paul had his finger amputated." Would that not have been enough? Can't you just put your name on the line, guarantee something, and watch it play out accordingly? I guess not when you measure your self worth in Twitter "shares" and "follows."

Obviously, it's not a fireable offense, or anything close to it because surely someone signed off on it. If the rancor grew to a point where people then blamed Schefter and ESPN, they would suspend him, even if they signed off on it even if it was okay'd. That's kind of how they operate - deflect, deflect, deflect.

But at the end of the day, it seemed very odd to me Schefter was conducting an interview about this very topic from the comforts of his own home-office, laden with family photos on his bookshelves. The image of a clean cut, classy, educated man, doing yeoman's work for the starved NFL fan, contrasted brightly with the lowbrow, ethically questionable and borderline illegal journalism he was then currently engaged in.

No, it's not Schefter's job to care too much about how he received his information, especially if he can claim ignorance in getting it, but putting aside journalistic ethics, one should probably consider their own personal morals when it comes to something like this.

Jason Pierre-Paul is a public figure, so he's open to scrutiny for sure. But so is Schefter, and others who work for the company. For example, how would Schefter feel if someone posted his colleague Stuart Scott's medical report relating to his cancer? Or any number of personal things relating to his wife or kids? Because I think losing a body part is certainly equal to any of those things.

Find the line, buddy, and think about the value of crossing it. More twitter followers? Sure. More people think you're a jerk? Absolutely.

You a better person when you woke today than you were yesterday?

Probably a good standard.

*

NBA Free-for-All

The NBA Free Agency off season is bananas, capped off by the disingenuous behavior of DeAndre Jordan. If you want to read about the breakdown and future ramifications, click here.

The NBA changed their collective bargaining rules a few years ago during the strike, and what has resulted is a complete fluctuation of teams, players, salaries, and anything else you can think of.

I recall the launch of the "Larry Bird Rule", the purpose of which was to make sure teams could retain players they drafted even if they went over the salary cap in doing so. Now I'm no "capologist", and don't waste much time trying to figure out contracts. But it just seems to me the NBA has created a system where players are on shorter contracts and can end up any place, anytime. And they love it.

I guess the idea was to make every team competitive like the NFL, which is a good thing. But unlike the NFL, which is driven hard by fantasy football, the NBA needs to have certain heroic and villainous cities. As much as I don't care about the Lakers, Knicks and Celtics, you want them to be good. It makes the NBA more interesting. This idea that every team becomes even is not only unrealistic, but not necessarily that interesting.

BUT...Now the NBA becomes a year-round activity and gives fans SOMETHING to talk about.

This reminds me of that political moment when Senators John McCain and Russ Feingold pushed forward Campaign Finance Reform. That law lasted about 5 minutes, until the Supreme Court allowed endless amounts of money into campaigns through the "Citizens United" case. The NBA's "Larry Bird Rule" seems to carry as much weight now as "McCain-Feingold."

I'll admit there's definitely a lot of excitement surrounding it all, and that's the point. But I try not to get TOO EXCITED about the news of DeAndre Jordan going from Los Angeles to Dallas and back to Los Angeles. I mean, this is a guy who can't make a foul shot, who rides the pine during the last 5 minutes of close games.

How is he THAT interesting?

The answer: baseball season.

What should drive the NBA is good management. The ability to draft good players and maintain strong rosters. Not just finding cap space by making absurd trades. That's less interesting to me.

What the Warriors have done is interesting.

What Miami did, less so.

*

Women's Soccer.

Oh, women's soccer.

Before I say anything, I want to point out that I've played soccer my whole life (still), have a wife, a daughter, two sisters, I force my daughter to watch women's soccer (and men's), and I coach both boys and girls soccer on my own free time.

As big as you might think you are a women's soccer fan, believe me, I AM A BIGGER WOMEN'S SOCCER FAN!

Oh, and Heather O'Reilly of the US Women's Team went to my high school, so everyone from my town follows her...just like everyone else follows everyone famous from their town.

That said, and simply put, the women do not deserve to be paid more money, despite pleas otherwise.

The obvious answer to all of this is the Women's World Cup brought in $17 Million, whereas the Men's brought in close to $600 Million. Need we say more?

Apparently, yes, we do.

But rather than go over every other point rationale people have made the last few days, I will say this:

1) Had the final game been Sweden vs Nigeria, no one would have watched, nor cared. The whole idea of "equal work" would never have been brought up. An entire legion of women fighting for "equal pay" wouldn't even have realized there was a job. Why is it "equal work" simply because more people watched it? Isn't it the same work?

2) "Equal work for equal pay" makes sense when two people get the same job, and are paid differently. If the Women's National Team can defeat the German Men's Soccer team in the World Cup, by golly, give them all the money FIFA has. But until then, you're not doing "equal work."

3) Now I know a lot of people like to point out how much money FIFA has, and how corrupt it is, blah blah blah. That's neither here nor there. Lets not forget: FIFA gave the women money the men earned when they CREATED THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP IN 1999! Before that there was no WOMEN'S WORLD CUP, and THEY HAD NO MONEY FOR IT! You didn't earn it, but you still got it!

So please, pick a better fight. If you want to make more money playing sports, be more entertaining. It's not my fault my high school boy's soccer team could win the Women's World Cup. And believe me, they could. I know this because Heather O'Reilly wouldn't have started on the team.

Equal work means you're doing the same thing. In this case, you're not. You're not playing the same people, nor are you bringing in the same amount of money. If you have a fight at all it is with the networks who didn't demand the advertisers pay more money. But why would they? They pay for the rights to the entire tournament, and I am assuming across the board the ratings were not very good, both here and abroad.

They received what they earned. In fact, I bet FIFA takes a loss on the Women's World Cup.

All told, Women's soccer worldwide is oppressive, sexist, and problematic in most countries. Brazil's Marta is the best player in the world, and no one in Brazil even cares to watch her play. The USWNT is better funded and supported than any other women's team anywhere, ever. It's why they win. And it's unfortunate women are treated second class in other parts of the world.

I'm just not sure giving more money to the US Women, who didn't earn it, solves those unfortunate problems.

*

Fresh Air from the Cow

Colin Cowherd did a masterful job on his show yesterday talking about Bill Cosby raping women. His entire argument discussed how too many adults act like "fanboys," whether it be for Bill Cosby, Lebron James or anyone else in the world. At some point you have to see the truth for what it is. So when 25 women who don't know each other all say the same thing, "That guy with the Pudding Pop, he raped me..." then he probably did it.

Cowherd went on to say that the "anti-vax" crowd is crazy because nearly every reputable scientist agrees. That the global warming deniers crowd is crazy because nearly every reputable scientist agrees. Now it is dangerous for Cowherd to get into these waters because a lot of times politics and sports talk don't mix, but he made sure to swing from the left and the right. As I view things, a common sense approach.

Yet what I liked most about his take on the topic(s) was it touched on pop culture while tying sports "fandom" into the discussion. And to me, that's what a good talk show host does, be it sports or current events. You have to find a way to take the major topics of the day and tie them into your show. Because even if people are tuned into the political talk, the Superbowl matters. Just ask Rush Limbaugh who sat in on ESPN (albeit, briefly). Or Keith Olbermann who has done shows in both mediums. Or someone on sports talk who manages to talk about problems in Ferguson by mentioning the St Louis Rams walking out of the tunnel with a message. There are ways to discuss all things through the lens of sports, and the great ones know how to do it. Not all the time, but when it matters most. Like Women's soccer.

It would be nice if we had some more of that higher end talk in the Bay Area as opposed to the same repetitive "fanboy" stuff we hear day in, day out on the self-appointed "America's #1 Talk Station."