Author: bestkeptsecret19

I'm just a man trying to be listened to. Hopefully, I can motivate and inspire people on the way to making a widespread positive difference.

History only tells part of the tale for once storied programs

Championship weekend in college football has come and gone. A few of the big winners for the day were Alabama, Michigan and Cincinnati, who along with Georgia, make up the four teams who will battle it out in the College Football Playoff. While watching the conference title games, one couldn’t help but notice how a few of the most storied programs in the history of the game were not playing on this day. While these teams have rich traditions, it’s been a long time since the word “elite” could be used to describe these teams, let alone be mentioned in any sort of national championship discussion. What’s sad for the fan bases (I’m a fan of one of the teams that will be detailed) is it could still be a while before that title talk becomes a topic. In other words, a person can only hold onto history for so long before it becomes ancient.

The first team holding onto past history is USC (University of Southern California). The Trojans haven’t had a lot of fight in them lately. Their last title, which was won in 2004, was vacated because of NCAA sanctions connected to running back (now FOX Sports analyst) Reggie Bush. Other than that, it’s been since the 1970s when USC could claim a national title. Ever since Pete Carroll left the college to coach the Seattle Seahawks in 2009, it’s been a nightmare finding another head man that can rekindle the long lost glory days. Five men have taken over the position after Carroll left, with minimal success. The sixth comes in the form of Lincoln Riley, who was coaching Oklahoma before heading out to Los Angeles last weekend. It’s no secret the Trojans have all of the ability to run the Pac-12 Conference, and possibly be back in the national championship conversation, if used correctly. Is Riley the man to lead them? Most people think so, but let’s remember it’s not the same situation it was with the Sooners, where he was promoted to head coach after being the offensive coordinator for a already-loaded roster. Only time will tell if Riley can actually build a program from scratch, but the contract he has says he nothing less will suffice.

Another team that’s holding on to the glory days from yesteryear is Texas (this is the team I’m a fan of). The Longhorns haven’t won a national title since 2005, and 2009 was the last season they won the Big 12 Conference (and last appearance in a national championship game). After ’09, the eyes of Texas have been constantly crying, seeing the Mack Brown tenure come to an ugly end, three rocky seasons under Charlie Strong and four underachieving years with Tom Herman. Now it’s Steve Sarkisian‘s turn in an attempt to bring the Longhorns back to prominence. If the first year in Sark’s tenure is any preview, that won’t happen anytime soon. Texas was 5-7, making it all but a guarantee they’ll miss out on bowl season. The campaign was filled with games that saw the Longhorns pull defeat from the jaws of victory, including one to Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout (I know it’s called the Showdown these days) that saw the Longhorns blow a 21-point lead. A loss to Kansas was also included in the record, and that’s probably a fireable offense in and of itself if this wasn’t a first year head coach. Needless to say, Texas has a lot of work to do if they’re ever going to get back to being mentioned with the great programs in the state, let alone the country. For the fans, they can only watch so many replays of the 2006 Rose Bowl on the Longhorn Network, reminiscing about the past success.

Finally, it’s time to take a look at “The U” for another institution still holding on to back in the day. Miami was once known as a university that had NFL-caliber players being grown from the roots of south Florida. Anyone who remembers the 2001 version of the Hurricanes know how many players went on to have sustainable pro careers. Unfortunately for Miami and their fan base, that was the last year they could claim a championship, and there hasn’t been much to celebrate in the two decades after. Any hint of a return to dominance gets swallowed up by the media, only for those hype machines to get shut down when the Hurricanes catch a humbling defeat. Since the end of the 2003 season, which was right before they joined the ACC, Miami has only been to one Bowl Championship Series or New Year’s Six bowl game. Like USC and Texas, the Hurricanes have had bad recent history, but hope comes with the arrival of coach Mario Cristobal, who is taking over for Manny Diaz after spending the previous four seasons in Oregon. Games aren’t won off the field, but the Hurricanes might have won a battle with the hire of Cristobal.

While these three universities all have storied traditions, recent history says they’re yesterday’s news. Having said that, there are reasons to believe the future can be brighter. One is with these respective schools being in California, Texas and Florida, the resources and talent available to assist in a rebuild are practically unlimited. Another is they can look at the Wolverines as a model for returning to the glory days. Before breaking through against Ohio State and ultimately winning the Big Ten Conference, Michigan was in a long drought that had them missing out on title talk since their last victory in 1997. If the Wolverines can do it, there’s no reason to believe USC, Texas and Miami can’t do the same. No longer should it be acceptable to keep living in the distant past. Enough time has gone by since these institutions were good in football. The only thing I ask is to wait until they at least win their conferences before we say they’re officially “back.”

Familiar names still in the NFL hunt through all of the craziness

If there is anything we’ve learned through the first half of the National Football League’s regular season, it’s validation of knowing we are watching the world’s best reality show in progress. Just when a team looks like they’re emerging from the pack, they catch a loss that has many wondering what happened. The Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills were among the squads that experienced those humbling defeats last weekend, while the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans (the team that gave the Rams their loss) might actually be the teams to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the bunch. What happens this week is anyone’s guess, but the one thing we do know is predicting who will be in the Super Bowl at L.A.’s SoFi Stadium in February won’t be too much easier than trying to figure out a Rubik’s Cube. We also know watching what happens on the way there will be tons of fun.

While I say there isn’t much we know in processing what has happened in the regular season so far, there are a couple of trends that do stay true. Any team with Tom Brady as their quarterback remains in the hunt for a Super Bowl, while the ones with Kirk Cousins as their triggerman remains consistently average. Something else has been proven true in regards to the landscape in the respective conferences. In the NFC, the standings are top heavy, while the AFC has many teams bunched within at least two games of each other. To back this up, consider the fact every team in the AFC North and West divisions have a winning record at the halfway point of the season. So yes, the NFL has new faces trying to stake claims, but there are a couple of familiar ones who are still in the mix, even through all of the wackiness. Those two teams are the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers.

For the Patriots, they have righted the ship to move their record to 5-4, which has them half a game behind the Bills for first place in the AFC East. New England still has two head-to-head matchups with Buffalo remaining on the schedule. The Pats have won their last three games, and they could be 8-1 if it wasn’t for a one-point setback to the Miami Dolphins, a two-point defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and an overtime loss to the Cowboys. At any rate, New England looks to be hitting their stride at the right time behind a strong running game and a ball-hawking defense. When the team needs a big play in the passing game, rookie quarterback Mac Jones has shown he is more than capable of providing that. Another thing the Patriots have going for them is they have one of the best head coaches of all-time in Bill Belichick, who can make up what the club might lack in talent with game-specific scheming. If this upward trend continues, don’t be surprised if New England does more than just make an appearance in the playoff picture.

As for the Steelers, they were sitting at 1-3, and people were basically declaring the season over for them. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was looking old and ready to retire, and nothing was going right for the offense and defense as a whole. Someone forgot to tell Pittsburgh the rebuilding project was beginning, because quietly, they have won their last four games to bring the record to 5-3. With a win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday, they would be tied with the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the AFC North, with both the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals close behind. One of the major questions about the Steelers coming into the season was the offensive line. Things didn’t look good the first four games, but they have become functional by establishing the running game with rookie running back Najee Harris. The defense has elite playmakers on every level, with T.J. Watt on the line, Devin Bush at linebacker and Minkah Fitzpatrick at safety. Like the Patriots, Pittsburgh has a great coach to help get them ready for battle each and every week. Say what you want about Mike Tomlin, but the truth is the Steelers have not had a losing season since he took over as the head coach in 2007. As long Roethlisberger doesn’t become a turnover machine, Pittsburgh will be a team nobody wants to play come December and January.

There’s a phrase that says “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” In the NFL, there are several new teams trying to emerge as contenders, but through it all, that conversation doesn’t happen often without a mention of the Patriots or Steelers. There’s a reason why these two teams are tied for the most Super Bowl wins (six) in league history. Winning DNA is not built overnight. It takes consistency over a sustained amount of time, and it’s hard to find more consistent teams than these two. It didn’t start well for either one, but as of now, they’re as dangerous as anyone in a league oozing with parody.

Coaching is killing a dynasty before it starts for the Dodgers

When looking for the ingredients to build a championship team, what comes to mind? Of course, talented players would help, but even the biggest talent pool won’t win a title without a coach who can put everything together. It’s no secret the coach’s primary job is to put the players in the best possible position to win games. Part of that process is understanding all of the analytics (fancy word for statistics) and translating the data into something the players can use against the opponents. Sometimes, the coach, or manager in this case, can get too engulfed in the numbers, and it ultimately comes back to hurt the team on the field.

This is the reality the Los Angeles Dodgers have sitting on their laps as of today. If someone was to say the Dodgers have the deepest and most talented roster in Major League Baseball, there probably wouldn’t be much pushback. The problem is they have a manager whose decisions regarding the pitching staff leaves a team loaded with talent coming up short of their championship goals, with the exception of 2020. The latest blunders from L.A. head man Dave Roberts resulted in his squad being eliminated by the Atlanta Braves, with the final blow coming in the form of a 4-2 loss in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series Saturday night in Atlanta. With the win, the Braves move on to face the Houston Astros in the World Series, with Game 1 set for Tuesday night in Houston. As for the Dodgers, they head into an offseason left to wonder what could have been once again.

While Atlanta was the team that ultimately knocked L.A. out of the playoffs, the battle with the San Francisco Giants set the tone for a move the Dodgers wouldn’t be able to overcome in the long run. In Game 5 of the NL Division series, Roberts decided to go with the opener, an analytic-driven strategy where a pitcher from the bullpen starts the game instead of a normal starter. The starting pitcher would have been Julio Urias, who was a 20-game winner during the regular season, won Game 2 of the series and would have been on a normal rotation. Instead, Roberts used two bullpen guys, and Urias didn’t see the mound until the third inning. While that move was perplexing, the choice that really put L.A.’s pitching staff in a bind going forward was bringing ace Max Scherzer in to close out the game. Everything worked out for the Dodgers to advance to the NLCS, but the moves caused Scherzer to come out early in Game 2, and miss his scheduled Game 6 start because his arm was still fatigued. In the NLCS, Roberts had two “bullpen games,” using eight pitchers in Game 1 (the first one) and nine in Game 3 (Game 5 was the other bullpen game). With a starting rotation already without Trevor Bauer (legal issues) and Clayton Kershaw (arm trouble), the last thing L.A. needed was to strain an already-short starting rotation even more with bad decisions.

As horrible as that sounds, the history of Roberts overworking the pitching staff goes back a few years. In 2017, the Dodgers probably should have defeated the Astros, sign-stealing scandal not withstanding, but the skipper continued to let analytics drive his decision-making, and the pitchers didn’t have much left when Game 7 came around. In 2018, L.A. was down 2-1 in the World Series against the Boston Red Sox, and Rich Hill (now with the New York Mets) was pitching a gem in Game 4, to the tune of allowing just one hit over 6 1/3 innings. Back in the day, numbers like that says Hill would stay in until his arm falls off, but in the analytics world, stats say it’s time to pull him due to the vaunted third time through the batting order. So Roberts decided to pull Hill, and the bullpen would get shelled for nine runs in the final three innings. The Dodgers lost Game 4 9-6, and would lose the series in five games. In 2019, it was the eventual-champion Washington Nationals who would take advantage of curious usage of the bullpen by Roberts.

Over the years, the Dodgers have developed a roster with an embarrassment of riches. The batting lineup is beyond potent when healthy, and the pitching staff is loaded with electric arms. They have both big pockets to sign high-priced free agents, and a farm system popping with talented prospects. All of the bookmarks of a dynasty are in place, but coaching can kill any vision of that before it starts. This is what’s happening in L.A., because the decisions made by Roberts between the lines (the front office is probably complicit in what drives this line of thinking) have turned the Dodgers into an organization that has underachieved. Even in 2020, the pitching staff moves seemed over-the-top, but they just happened to work out. Nine times out of 10, they have not, and even though the big picture has L.A. being a successful organization over the past few seasons, one can’t help but think there’s a lot of meat left on the bone. If the Dodgers want to salvage what could be a run of titles, their best chance is probably with someone other than Roberts as the manager. If the decision is to keep him, get ready for more disappointment in the City of Angels.

A chance to see player empowerment at its best

When player empowerment comes to mind, the thought probably goes to how players make power plays to get what they want. Some hold out to get more money, while others use leverage to get themselves traded from what they see as a toxic situation. While I would never fault anyone for doing what they feel is right to maximize profits, the logic behind it can be more than questioned at times. In the world of sports, situations can happen fast, to the point there’s nothing players can do about it. It’s at those moments where player empowerment takes on a whole new meeting, and we have a real life case study to see how it materializes.

The case study mentioned is the Las Vegas Raiders, who just saw their world turn upside down in a matter of days. The Raiders had to part ways with Jon Gruden, who was in the fourth of a 10-year contract (worth $100 million) as the team’s head coach. Gruden was exposed as, well, a garbage human being, in an email pattern spanning 12 years, according to The New York Times. In the emails, Gruden used racist, anti-gay and misogynistic language, and the messages themselves were uncovered as part of an NFL investigation into workplace misconduct within the Washington Football Team. The bulk of these emails were between 2011 and 2018, and a frequent member in these conversations was Bruce Allen, who was the general manager of the WFT during that time (Gruden was an analyst for ESPN’s Monday Night Football in that same span). Gruden and Allen held the coach and GM positions, respectively, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until 2008, when they were both fired after a bad season. The first report about the emails was Oct. 8. More were leaked out on the 11th, with the latter leaving no choice but for Gruden to resign.

For the Raiders players, this became a situation where many emotions have to be managed in a short amount of time. Yes, the argument can be made bringing the team together rests on the shoulders of owner Mark Davis, or maybe on GM Mike Mayock. It can be even be said special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, who was named interim head coach in the midst of the fallout, should be the one to rally the troops. In a perfect world, the powers that be could handle that task. The problem that may arise is with creditability, because the players might not trust the people who hired and worked with Gruden. Another unique aspect of this situation is defensive end Carl Nassib, the league’s first openly gay player, also plays for Las Vegas. All of this, combined with the feelings that could come as a result from hearing their former head coach is everything that’s wrong with humanity these days, and the potential for things to implode is as real as it gets.

No one knows what else can drop from this investigation, but for the Raiders players, the saving grace is there is still a lot to play for. Guys like quarterback Derek Carr and Nassib might be able to provide the leadership needed to get through something like this, and there will be plenty of opportunities to show how connected they are. Las Vegas was already 3-2 before Gruden left the team, and judging off of their performance against the Denver Broncos on the road Sunday, they intend to make the future even brighter in a time that’s seen as dark for the silver and black. With the Philadelphia Eagles coming to Allegiant Stadium next weekend, it’s reasonable to think the Raiders will be 5-2 with everything in front of them.

So yes, player empowerment is normally reserved for players who want to force issues upon a team, but when a group has a chance to come together at a time where trust in the front office might vary depending on the person, that’s when the term should see more usage. It’s always said sports is the ultimate unifier for divided times, and for Las Vegas, playing a sport they put so much into can help them get through this difficult period. Gruden’s words were hurtful and maddening, but now, an opportunity to grow and learn arises. If the Raiders can go on to win an AFC West division crown, we would have an example of player empowerment at its best, and that’s something we can all get behind.

Everything is fine in Chiefs Kingdom…right??

This past Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs had what a lot of people looked at as a “get right” game against the Philadelphia Eagles on the road. The Chiefs did win 42-30 at Lincoln Financial Field to even their record at 2-2, but it looked eerily similar to a good amount of games involving Kansas City. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes looked good in throwing five touchdowns, including three to wide receiver Tyreek Hill. That in and of itself is no surprise, but what’s also no surprise is the leaky defense, and the lack of a consistent running game to compliment Mahomes. The assumption from most in the sports media is the two-time defending AFC champions will get it together, and eventually, be back in the Super Bowl for a third consecutive season. The reality is the Chiefs have serious issues that need fixing before any postseason play can be thought of. Three of those issues have nothing to do with the team itself, and those are the rest of the clubs in the improving AFC West. They (at least after the first month of NFL action) are turning what was seemingly a walk in the park for Kansas City into anything but.

Let’s start with the Los Angeles Chargers, who are sitting at 3-1. The Chargers, under first-year head coach Brandon Staley and the next big thing (maybe) in quarterback Justin Herbert, look like they are starting to turn the corner after years of inconsistency. It’s no secret Los Angeles has one of the most talented rosters in the league, but bad coaching blunders and inexcusable penalties have kept the club from even coming close to reaching their potential. Lack of mental toughness has also hurt the Chargers, but based off of what we have seen in the last couple of weeks, there’s reason to believe that might be past history. Los Angeles beat the Chiefs on the road and the Las Vegas Raiders at home (there were far more Raiders fans than Chargers supporters in SoFi Stadium on Monday night). In both games, the Chargers had to stave off comebacks from their opponents, and in years past, those games would have been losses. So far, L.A. has been able to show why this year will be different, and if it continues, they could factor into results impacting not just the division, but the conference.

Speaking of Las Vegas, they, like the Chargers, also sit at 3-1. It would be reasonable to say the Raiders and Los Angeles have a good amount in common when it comes to talking about what holds them back (undisciplined play, clock management issues, etc.), but Vegas has also found ways to win games that would be losses any other year. The Raiders have had to come from behind to win in all of their victories, including two from double-digits against the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins, respectively. From the exterior, it looks like head coach Jon Gruden and quarterback Derek Carr are finally on the same page (stay tuned to see if this continues), and the defense looks respectable for a change. Slow starts in games is something the Raiders will have to fix going forward. If the loss to the Chargers taught them anything, they would learn it’s hard to win week after week having to climb out of huge holes, especially a 21-0 deficit at halftime. If Vegas can remedy that problem, they can find themselves in the middle of the playoff picture. On top of all this, the Raiders believe they should have swept Kansas City last season, so anyone can bet those two games are circled on the calendar.

Finally, there are the Denver Broncos. Any guess what their record is? If your answer is 3-1, that would be correct. Yes, the Broncos caught a loss to the Ravens last Sunday, but that doesn’t take away from the identity they have built through the first four games. Unlike L.A. and Las Vegas, Denver’s strength lies on the defensive end, where they are fourth in the league in total yardage allowed. The offense doesn’t lack for talent either if they can stay healthy. Wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler both suffered significant injuries (Hamler is gone for the year with a torn ACL in his left knee), and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who has played well after winning the job from incumbent Drew Lock, is battling a concussion. The running game, led by Melvin Gordon, has been solid. Long story short, if the offense can catch up to the defense, this is a team that is also dangerous to the Chiefs chances of running away with the division.

Keep in mind I still expect Kansas City to win the AFC West. Like many others, the Chiefs were my pick at the beginning of the year, and it’s far too early to jump off of that wagon. Having said that, there are a few issues the team has to deal with in a quick manner, or the percentage of things not being okay go up in a hurry. The defense is a turnstile, and the lack of a consistent ground attack is a red flag. These factors, along with the other three teams in the division, could combine to be too much for even the great St. Patty (Mahomes) to overcome. In other words, it’s not safe to assume all is well in Chiefs Kingdom, because right now, that’s far from the truth.

The NBA title asterisk argument, and why it doesn’t make any sense

Here we are, in the middle of the 2021 NBA Finals, coming close to crowning a new champion. As it stands right now, the Milwaukee Bucks have a 3-2 series lead over the Phoenix Suns, with Game 6 scheduled for Tuesday night in Milwaukee. Both of these teams have been through a lot in their journey to the championship series, and whoever wins deserve the time to be celebrated. It’s been said nobody can ever take a title away from a team who wins it. Unfortunately, there are many who will try to take it away, or at the very least, attempt to lessen the legitimacy of the triumph. Regardless of who wins, either the Bucks or Suns will have to hear how (among other things) teams they faced along the way were not at full strength, which is basically saying their paths were made significantly easier. The 72-game regular season is also something that will be thrown in to dump dirt on the potential victory. All of this equals the mastery of the halfway acknowledgement, where you have people admitting the championship run happened, but with an asterisk. Words like phony and cheap are constantly thrown around to explain a team’s quest when it’s perceived they did not exactly “earn” it. Come with me as we look at other title runs that commonly have an asterisk by it, and then talk about why these cases against the winners equate to glorified excuse making.

1999 San Antonio Spurs – Going into this particular season, there was serious doubt a season would even take place. The NBA and the Players Association were in the middle of a lockout, and a deal wasn’t reached until January of that year. As a result, the season was shortened to 50 games, and the All-Star Game was cancelled. With the campaign compacted, it was the Spurs, lead by future hall-of-famers Tim Duncan and David Robinson, who would emerge as the team to unseat the Chicago Bulls as the new heirs to the throne. Of course, the Bulls looked totally different from previous years, as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman all left the team, and the Los Angeles Lakers, with young superstars Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, weren’t quite ready to ascend to the throne just yet. To top it off, the Spurs defeated an eighth-seeded New York Knicks team to win the franchise’s first trophy. Bottom line is whoever won the title in this campaign was going to get grief simply because it wasn’t the normal 82-game format. It just happened to be the Spurs. Being a teenager who was growing up in San Antonio at that time, I can say first hand the fans down there didn’t care about the way victory was claimed by their team.

2012 Miami Heat – Like the ’99 season, the 2011-12 was also shortened by a work stoppage. The difference is the powers that be were able to salvage a 66-game season instead of 50, with the games starting Christmas Day. The Heat, with the “Big 3” of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, were coming off of a crushing loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 Finals. With everything on the line, they were able to come through and get the elusive title James sought after in coming down to Florida from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the summer of 2010. Having said that, the championship didn’t come without its doubts. Besides the season being 66 games, people wonder to this day whether or not the Heat even get to the Finals if the Bulls, who had the best record in the Eastern Conference that year, didn’t lose point guard Derrick Rose to a injured knee in the first round of the playoffs. In the conference finals, Miami needed all seven teams to get by a Boston Celtics team that had Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen all on the downsides of their respective careers. With the team the Heat had, it was not a huge surprise seeing them win, but for the haters out there, these are the excuses they put in front to justify the asterisk.

2015 Golden State Warriors – Unlike the first two case studies, the Warriors actually played a full 82-game season. They also had the league’s best record at 67-15 and the Most Valuable Player in guard Stephen Curry. On the surface, this is the team that should have won it all with all things considered, but the argument comes against them because of their opponent in the NBA Finals, the Cavaliers. It was the first year in James’ return to Cleveland after being in Miami for the last four seasons, and he had another version of the Big 3 in the form of himself, guard Kyrie Irving and forward Kevin Love. On the way through the East, Love suffered an injured shoulder and was lost for the rest of the season, and Irving hurt his knee in Game 1 of the Finals. Now here come the questions. What would the result have been if Cleveland was healthy (One can ask the same question in reverse when it comes to the Cavs’ title win the year after)? It’s always tough because injuries are part of sports, and we never know when, where or who they can happen to. It’s probably fair to say it’s often not the best team who rises to the top, but the healthiest. For LeBron (and the few remaining Cavs) fans everywhere, health will always be a question, but isn’t that the case for many teams in the history of sports?

2019 Toronto Raptors – In a time where we are always looking a story to captivate us, this version of the Raptors was one a person can get behind with ease. Forward Kawhi Leonard was traded to Toronto from the Spurs before the year started, and with that move, the whole country of Canada was being carried on Leonard’s back. The end saw the Raptors winning the title, defeating the Warriors, who were trying to become the first team since the Lakers in the early 2000s to win three straight league championships, 4-2. With this run, there are two glaring points some fans and media will point out to take away from Toronto’s accomplishment. One, James left the Eastern Conference to sign with the Lakers, and teams that had him playing for them had made the Finals eight straight times. Two, the Warriors saw Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson go down to catastrophic injuries. Yes, Golden State was favored to win it all going into the season, but to say they would have won just off of projections ignore the original reason why games are played. It just goes to show why there is an element of luck, good or bad, that goes with the skill, and for the people in the city of Toronto, I struggle to see any evidence of care about how the Raptors brought a title back to not just that metropolitan area, but the country as a whole.

2020 Lakers – I probably don’t have to explain why this case is questioned, but for research purposes, here it goes. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the season, and sports in general, stopped as we know it, and there were questions about the season being canceled altogether. From March 11 to July 30, the season was in limbo, but it did return to resume playing in Orlando, where teams met to play in the NBA bubble. Needless to say, the circumstances the players were facing were unlike any they have faced before. So with that being said, mental and emotional toughness was going to be key for the team that could rise to the top. It ended up being the Lakers, but people would be quick to point out how the “break” really helped James and newly-acquired forward Anthony Davis by helping their bodies recover from the grind of the regular season. Davis has a detailed injury history, and James, as great as he is, was showing signs of the wear and tear of a long career that has seen countless runs to the Finals in previous years. In other words, critics say L.A. would not have won the title if it wasn’t for the pause in action.

So there are five cases detailing why some fans and media want to put an asterisk on these title runs, but to be honest, the people who have these opinions sound dumb and jealous. If their favorite team, or in the case of the media, their pick to win, came through for them, they are not complaining or talking about the perceived pitfalls they want to throw on the winners. They would put a more positive spin on it, saying how their team was tenacious and showed the heart and grit necessary to complete such a task. Also, it’s quickly forgotten all of the other squads had the same circumstances to deal with. It’s not like there was a different set of rules put together for the team that hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy. To sum it up, the asterisk argument holds no water with these scenarios, and it won’t when the Bucks or Suns get their moment to shine sometime this week. That does not mean people won’t try to fill the broken cup with BS. We’re just left to decide if we want to take the cup, and that decision should be easy if things are looked at by principle instead of who is involved.

Did the Mavericks start a new trend with GM hire?

Looking at the NBA landscape, there were a number of places where change was taking place, but this was especially true in the case of the Dallas Mavericks. In a span of four days, the Mavericks saw events that included a damning story published by The Athletic questioning the pecking order under team owner Mark Cuban, a parting of the ways from then-general manager Donnie Nelson and the decision by Rick Carlisle to step down from the head coaching position (Carlisle is now the head man for the Indiana Pacers…again). All of a sudden, a franchise that seemed to be stable was in chaos, and Cuban was left to make decisions that will alter the course of the team for at least the next decade. The man chosen to be the next head coach of the Mavs is Jason Kidd, the former point guard who was on the team when Dallas won their only championship in 2011. Kidd also coached the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks before finding an assistant coaching role under Frank Vogel with the Los Angeles Lakers. This move is the one making the headlines simply because of the pedigree Kidd brings as a player and coach, but it’s the GM hire that, at least to me, is the more intriguing.

Enter Nico Harrison, a former executive with Nike, as the man chosen to lead basketball operations for the Mavs. At face value, replacing Nelson with a man who doesn’t have any experience in an NBA front office is unconventional at the least, but there could be a underlining method to Cuban’s methods. By being a Nike exec, Harrison has been able to build relationships with numerous players, most notably being the liaison for the late Kobe Bryant in his second year with the company. One of those relationships is with Luka Doncic, the team’s budding superstar who Harrison is tasked with building a championship contender around. That in itself is a monumental chore, considering Dallas plays in the rough and rugged Western Conference, and the roster has more than a few areas needing improvement. The hope for Cuban and the Mavs fan base is some of those relationships Harrison has created can be beneficial in bringing a few of the better players in the association to Dallas, and ultimately, erase the fact the franchise hasn’t made it past the first round of the playoffs since that 2011 title run. At any rate, I believe Cuban is willing to do anything possible to bring a title back to Big D, and while the move to bring Harrison in as GM can be questioned, it may be revolutionary depending on the results.

When we looks into the inner workings of a league’s teams, most of them go with a person who has worked their way up in the franchise, or with someone who is at least familiar with front offices around the league, to be a general manager. It’s not common the people who hold these positions come from a source outside of the league. If there is a model for an awkward GM hire working to the tune of championship results, look no further than the Lakers. L.A. brought in Rob Pelinka, a sports agent whose clients included Bryant and Nets guard James Harden, to be their GM in 2017. Pelinka, was able to help sign forwards LeBron James and Anthony Davis, bring Vogel in as the head coach (along with the aforementioned Kidd as an assistant), and build a roster around superstars James and Davis to win the NBA championship last season in the bubble. When Lakers owner Jeanie Buss decided to hire Pelinka as the GM, we could perceive it was because of those business relationships he developed as an agent for a big reason why he got the job. In other words, there are other walks of life that help to get a person in tune with the landscape of a business. While the hire of Pelinka is not exactly the same as Harrison taking over as the Mavericks GM, the fact they come from different entities to operate an NBA team is.

Speaking of those relationships, I personally never believed it when people say business is just business. That theory sounds like a copout more than anything else, and here’s why. Anytime we get into business with someone, there is a period of getting to know that person or group to some degree. In that process, a certain amount of trust has to be built, or the deal will not get done. While this is going on, a friendship may grow out of that. I say all of this to point out there is always a personal aspect to conducting business, and when those relationships are produced, it can lead to bigger and better things down the line. So when we look at what Cuban did with bringing in Harrison, he understands this very narrative, because if he did not, this move does not get made. I guarantee those relationships Harrison developed with the players will be crucial if Dallas is to bring free agents in that can produce a championship contender.

If we are being honest with each other, we can say not much is guaranteed in life or business. One thing we do know is the race to stay ahead of the trends is hotter than ever. If there is a way to revolutionize an industry or organization, the powers that be are going to attempt to find that. Cuban is known as a visionary, and he obviously believes brining someone who earned his reputation at a shoe and apparel company to run his team will get the desired results he desperately wants. Such is the life of a businessman. One either wins big or loses big, and it will be interesting to see if this is a gamble that pays off for Cuban at the end.

Issues, quality of play have MLB in serious disarray

If someone was to look into the history books going back 30 to 35 years, they could find evidence saying Major League Baseball (and baseball in general) was called “America’s Pastime,” and not just because it was the first professional sports league ever established in the United States and Canada. The sport was appealing to kids who dreamed of playing it when they grew up, and between MLB, the NFL, NBA and NHL, baseball is the only one of the four major North American sports leagues who has a chunk of their regular season all to themselves, where they don’t have to share the spotlight with others. Currently, football is by far the king in this country when it comes to popularity, and even though baseball is a global sport, soccer and basketball is what would win the numbers game in other countries around the world. On top of the rising popularity of the other sports, MLB found themselves dealing with a work stoppage that halted the 1994 season and an era that was ravaged by the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) during this 30 to 35-year threshold, among other issues. All of this equals a sport that is in peril, and if MLB doesn’t find answers to some of these problems that will get covered in this article, we could be talking about a league permanently losing millions of fans before too much longer.

It is understood the other leagues, particularly the NFL, continue to grow in the country’s popularity scale. A big reason for this is how football is marketed throughout the year. Even with the season being shorter than the others, the NFL is a topic year-round because they have different events (such as the combine, draft and minicamps) through the offseason that have us ready to get to July, which is when training camps start league-wide. The same can not be said for MLB, who has done a horrible job marketing their players. This is sad because baseball has a wealth of young stars, and Mike Trout, who plays for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, is in the prime of his career and probably the league’s best player. As good as Trout is, he can probably walk down the street, and the general fan wouldn’t even know it was him, where as NFL stars, like Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, can be spotted from nearby cities. The days of relying on play on the field for popularity are gone, and MLB is getting left further and further behind with their outdated marketing strategies.

Speaking of the play on the field, that has been the worst I remember seeing in my life. The quality is completely gone, being taken to unwatchable heights by the managers, front office gurus and scouts who are interpreting the analytics (fancy word for statistics). It’s to the point where computers might as well be in these aforementioned positions, because it’s rare we see a starting pitcher go past six innings, or see a team find ways to manufacture runs through singles, doubles, triples and stolen bases. It’s either a home run or a strikeout, and both have led to changes that made the quality of play worse (more on these changes in a bit). Regardless of what has transpired with the rules, MLB was already taken down the rabbit hole because of the trend to let analytics take over and dictate the way the game is played. Human instincts and heart is rarely a factor when it comes to making crucial decisions, and this is part of the reason why quality of play has severely diminished.

While MLB wants to show progression in some aspects, they are probably the league who holds on to traditional methods the most, and part of that includes the unwritten rules used to police the sport on the field. First off, unwritten rules are not rules if they can not be found a rule book. Secondly, can somebody tell me what is wrong with someone celebrating a home run a little bit? Why does the next batter, or maybe the person who hit said home run, has to be subjected to retribution? If a pitcher doesn’t want to get home runs hit off of them, get the hitter out. I equate a batter getting beamed to pitchers being sore losers. They are great if they have success, but the minute things go south, now it’s time to cry. Last time I checked, this is supposed to be a league played by adults, so handle the business like adults. If things do not work out as planned, make adjustments to ensure they do next time. As for the unwritten rules, they really are not much different from gray area. I thought it was the objective to get rid of gray area. If we are to believe that is the case, then it is time for the rules that are not written to go.

To compound all of the issues facing MLB, they lost a golden opportunity to perhaps win their way back into the hearts of many fans, even those that may have been lost from the past. We all know 2020 was a year unlike any other due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The sports world shut down in March of last year, and with the season that normally starts around early-April, baseball could have been the one sport that gave us something to watch and kept us together. Instead, MLB and the Players Association could not agree to a start date, with things as trivial as deciding whether or not to have a designated hitter in the National League coming between them. Therefore, the season did not begin until July 23, almost four months after the normal start date, and it was compressed into 60 games. With people dying and losing their jobs and homes because of the pandemic, the last thing people want to hear about is a league worth billions of dollars fighting over more money. Too many times, MLB gets in their own way, with out-of-touch owners not caring about anything else besides cashing checks, and a players union that seems to have trouble policing a game that’s supposed to take care of itself. Sadly, 2020 was just the latest example, and the once great game continues to get closer to the point of no recovery.

Major League Baseball has some tough questions to answer going forward, and what they come up with is critical for the sport’s future. The front office does not seem to know what they want to showcase on the field. In 2019, a record 6,776 home runs were hit, breaking the previous record (set in 2017) by 671. After the shortened 2020 season, MLB decided to do something about the baseballs being used during games, which pretty much acknowledged the balls were “juiced” during recent years. In this current season, the league batting average was lower than it has been in history, and six no-hitters have been thrown. After weeks of research, it has been discovered pitchers are using foreign substances (such as Spider Tack) to have better control of the ball and increase the spin rate, the amount of revolutions, on their pitches. The substance use in and of itself is something that is not really new, but is alarming because of the degree of the use across the league. So MLB decided to crack down on the usage, making it legal for umpires to do random checks on pitchers for these substances, and giving the league the right to suspend the players if caught. As far as the batting average goes, the fact pitchers have been using what is essentially performance-enhancers does not help what has been a bad season for hitters, but the downward-spiral was long underway because of the way hitting is taught these days. This is where MLB is has to figure out what direction they want to go in terms of getting the best possible product on the field. Either they want offense, or they want pitching to dominate. Instant replay continues to be questionable, and the league deals with some sort of scandal at least every other year. Do they allow minimum foreign substance use for pitchers? Should pine tar be allowed for the bats of hitters? In other words, the sport is in complete and utter disarray, with no answers in sight.

Even with my writing of this article, I am a fan of baseball, and to see the product MLB is running out there for our viewing displeasure is disheartening. With all the problems facing MLB, it does not help the current collective bargaining agreement expires after this season. It appears the two sides are not anywhere close to reaching a new deal, and for a sport that is falling out of favor altogether, that is the worse possible news for even the most hardcore of fans. It took years for MLB to recover from the strike in ’94, and even longer to come out of the steroid era. A work stoppage come next season, and that could be the final blow that puts MLB in a spot of never being able to gain popularity back. The clock is ticking on the league’s (inept) leadership to get a clue and learn to evolve with the times, or else, “America’s Pastime” will become an afterthought in the minds of fans and marketers alike.

Lots of questions await the Heat after abrupt end to season

In the world of sports, there is one thing we can be sure of, no matter what the situation is. We know only one team (or individual, depending on the sport) is going to end their season or competition with a victory, and that’s the champion. Everyone else is going to end with a loss, and with that comes questions regarding what direction to go in for the future. As of this past Saturday, the Miami Heat get an early start to address these questions after getting swept out of the NBA playoffs by a cold front known as the Milwaukee Bucks. We all know the last year and a half has been unlike anything most of us have ever dealt with, but it’s still jarring to see a team who was in the NBA Finals a few months ago get eliminated in the first round without much of a fight. Let’s dive into a few of these circumstances as to why we are at this point with the Heat, and explore where they might go from this point forward.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, Miami was in the finals literally a few months ago. The Heat, along with the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers, ended the season on October 11. Normally, and NBA season would end around mid-June, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was halted March 11, 2020, and didn’t restart until late-July. It’s an understatement to say the pandemic presented daunting and unique challenges for everyone, and the NBA was no different. Through it all, a bubble in Orlando was created to resume the season and keep the players safe, and some teams handled it better than others (to put it bluntly). The Heat were obviously one of the teams who handled it well, to the point where some (myself included), wondered if they would make this run if it was a normal season. Miami was the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference going into last season’s playoffs, and while they had a good team, I would be hard-pressed to find many who felt they would be the team to represent the East in the finals. Be as it may, the Heat became the conference champs, and had to be back on the court in short order, as this current season began before Christmas. Simply put, the offseason really wasn’t much of one for the squad, but how much of a factor that was in seeing Miami fall far short of last season’s results is anyone’s guess.

One of the biggest reasons why the Heat ascended to the NBA Finals last season was the play and leadership of forward Jimmy Butler. In my estimation, I always thought of Butler as a very good player overall, but just short of elite because I never looked at him as a man who could elevate a team to championship-level status. In the bubble, one could make an argument Butler was the best player in the league during that period of time, averaging 21.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. He, along with head coach Erik Spoelstra, was a calming influence for a team with a lot of young players, such as Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro. With this core primarily intact coming into this season, there were some who thought the Heat could duplicate what happened in the bubble, while others were wondering if it was just the team being the equivalent of an overnight success story. I was in the camp of those thinking it was a flash in a pan, but I have been wrong before, so I had to wait and see along with everyone else.

In the midst of a shortened 72-game season (a normal NBA season is 82 games), the campaign was going a lot like it was for Miami last season before the stoppage of play. The talent was in place, and it was taking a while to mold it together, but it was starting to take shape. By the time the playoffs started, the vision was the Heat would be ready to roll. Add the addition of Victor Oladipo, who was acquired in a trade with the Houston Rockets before the deadline, and Miami was sure to have a team no one would want to see come playoff time. We would come to find out none of the hopes and dreams of the team would play out to a positive outcome. Oladipo would miss the rest of the season with a quadriceps injury, which also sidelined him in 2019 as a member of the Indiana Pacers, and the rest of the Heat ran into a motivated Bucks team they knocked out of the conference semifinals last season. The magic and energy they were able to capture in the bubble wasn’t there to be found, but it wasn’t as much about the lack of magic as it was about Milwaukee being much better than Miami was. With the exception of Game 1, won by the Bucks by two in overtime, the series was every bit the sweep the scoreboard shows, with Milwaukee winning games 2, 3 and 4 by a combined 80 points. To say the least, this was an embarrassing and humbling way for the Heat to go out after such promise, but I don’t know if even the best teams would have had much of a chance if the Bucks are going to play like that.

So here we are, with Miami left to answer a lot of questions about their present and future. While I’m not in the Heat front office (or anyone significant…haha). I can give my input for answers as much as I can looking from the outside. Was Miami just a bubble sensation? It looks that way, but that doesn’t mean credit should be taken away from their run to the Finals last season, especially since the rest of the teams were dealing with the same environment. Is Butler an elite player? I would say he has moments where he can achieve that status, but not consistently enough to where I put him in that class. If the answer to the last question is indeed no, then who can the Heat get to pair up with Butler? Most of the teams who are championship contenders have two star players, if not three, on their roster. It remains to be seen if Adebayo is that second star. After getting a max extension in November, it’s hard to say much progress has been made. Can Oladipo recover from his injury troubles? That’s a wait and see answer also. I say all of this to point out Miami has to mainly work with what they have, because there isn’t much they can do with their current situation. In other words, the bubble could be the ceiling for the Heat, and I don’t think that’s a hot take considering how much the East is improving around them.

Time to catch up in the world of sports, BOFA style

It’s been a crazy last couple of weeks for me (nothing bad), but through it all, I’ve been able to keep up with the happenings in the world of sports. A lot has transpired since the last time I wrote, and to get everything on one article is a daunting task. Luckily, I think I have found a way to do just that, by doing a brief rundown of the events that have been in the forefront of the 24/7 news cycle. So without further or do, let’s discuss these events evoking different emotions, the Breath of Fresh Air way.

Mindset matters, or does it?: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is widely projected to be the first player taken in the NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, made news when he said he didn’t need football to feel worthy in an interview with Sports Illustrated. Lawrence also said he doesn’t play with a “huge chip” on his shoulders. Of course, leave it up to the Twitter cesspool and hot take media to dissect these comments and try to find where this could be a negative in picking Lawrence as a franchise cornerstone.

This “story” isn’t any different from most of the other ones that come out when NFL Draft time gets close, which are the ones designed to knit-pick and drudge up a perceived issue that can be looked at as some sort of a red flag. First, the hypocrisy of people strikes again, because all I keep hearing is we want people to be honest and authentic about their outlook on life and the sport they play. Here’s a player who is doing that, and look at how he’s being picked apart. It’s totally ridiculous seeing how people change up when they get exactly what they think they’re looking for. Secondly, can someone explain to me what is wrong with Lawrence’s comments? A player can be successful without being maniacal about the work ethic, and not everyone has that type of drive displayed by Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant, etc. Lawrence has won at the highest level in both high school and college. It may take a little bit with the Jaguars, but I can definitely see him being a part of something special on a well-rounded team. Remember this. Even though the razor-sharp focus of Jordan, Brady and Bryant are celebrated, they didn’t win their titles alone either.

Buffets served up by Chef Curry: On the NBA front, nothing has captivated the masses as much as the recent hot streak Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry went on. Before cooling off in a 118-114 loss to the Washington Wizards Wednesday night, Curry had scored 30 or more in the 11 games prior. This included four games over 40 points and a 53-point explosion against the Denver Nuggets on April 12. This was a streak that hasn’t really been seen before in league history, and the fact Curry was hovering around 50% from three-point territory during the streak makes it that much more impressive. In fact, the stretch was so impressive, some said the sharpshooter should be right in the middle of MVP talk.

As hot as Curry was, I’m sorry for disappointing everyone (not really), but Curry shouldn’t be in the running for the league-MVP. I admit what he did in that 11-game period is nothing short of phenomenal, but even with this, the Warriors are still tied for ninth in the Western Conference standings. Also, an recent stretch shouldn’t erase what players have done all season on teams that are much more successful than Golden State is. Therefore, if you want to tell me Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid or even Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul are at the front of this list, I’ll definitely listen. Even though Curry has won the award twice, I don’t think this is the year for him to add a third. By the way, all of that MVP talk was mighty quiet the day after losing to the Wizards.

Greed continues to drive motives: While this might not be huge news in America, this sent shockwaves throughout the rest of the world. For context, the world’s most popular sport (by far) is soccer, so that earthquake of emotion we heard in the states was the uproar of fans, players and coaches when it was announced 12 of Europe’s most valuable franchises wanted to start a super league between them. The 12 teams included six from the English Premier League (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur), three from LaLiga (Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid) and three from Serie A (AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus). The proposal from the so-called “rebel teams” was met with disdain at the least, the league died almost as soon as it started.

This is a monumental moment because billionaire owners trying to put more billions in their pocket were taken to task by the remaining teams in their respective leagues and the fans (I think they’re still protesting in England). It’s exactly what needs to happen, because if we’re to listen to these owners, they’re the first ones to say how much they value the fans. This attempted move says money is what they value the most, and that in and of itself isn’t some sort of a secret, but it was the blatant attempt at the money grab that shocked people the most. Now these same owners are apologizing because the fans called them out for their BS, and I’m glad to see this league fall flat. This should serve as a lesson for these leagues over here to not let the money crowd the judgement to the point of fan alienation.

The Nets are going to be the Nets: As the NBA playoffs get closer, one of the looming questions for fans and media concerns how far the Brooklyn Nets can go this year and beyond. Depending on who is asked, that answer goes anywhere between multiple championships to spectacular crash and burn. Ever since guard James Harden was traded to the team to join Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in mid-January, we really don’t have many answers as to how this will work with the Nets. For all but seven games, Durant, Harden and Irving haven’t been available together since that trade, and even when they have, it’s not like they’ve been overly dominant.

Here’s what we do know. The offensive firepower the Nets posses is potentially historic. Anytime three of the most dynamic players in the league get together, there’s no doubt scoring will be the least of their worries. As devastating as they can be offensively, they are just as bad defensively, and it’s safe to say Brooklyn will be in a lot of 130-125 shootouts. History says teams win championships, not individuals, and teams that do multiple things well, not just one, are who come out on top. At some point, the Nets have to stop somebody on defense, because even the most potent scorers go cold every once in a while. Plus, the durability of both Durant and Irving (along with their respective mindsets) are questionable, and Harden’s history of fading away in the playoffs is also in the spotlight. If you ask me, I think this won’t result in multiple titles. In fact, the Nets will be lucky if they get one, and if I’m wrong, best believe I’ll be back to eat my slice of humble pie.

A new best rivalry in Major League Baseball?: There are rivalries between teams and individuals that captivate people going back years, and it’s no different in MLB. When we think about the best rivalries in baseball, the one between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox is the one that sticks out the most. The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs can also strike some emotion between the team’s respective fan bases and cities. As the season gets ready to conclude the first month, a new one might be emerging as the best in the sport today, and it’s on the West Coast. I’m talking about the Los Angeles Dodgers and (wait for it) San Diego Padres.

Normally, it’s the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants who are known in as the best rivalry on the left coast, but the Padres have announced themselves as a player to be taken seriously. We know L.A. won the World Series last year, and they have dominated the National League West division for the last decade (although the Giants won three World Series titles in that span). Don’t tell San Diego that, because they’re coming for the throne. The Dodgers and Padres have played seven times already, and San Diego has won four of them, including three out of four in Dodger Stadium this past weekend. The teams will play 12 more times this season, and I’m trying to make sure I watch all of them. It’s chippy and spirited, and it’s a much-needed shot of adrenaline for a sport that can use a bunch of them.

A little entertainment news to close out: Of course, it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t talk about something outside of sports, and the topic of choice is the split between actress and songwriter Jennifer Lopez and former baseball player Alex Rodriguez. After being engaged to be married, the pair split up because of apparent trust issues J-Lo was having. In other words, there goes another power couple turning out to be not so powerful at the end, even though they are reportedly still friends (that’s a victory considering how most of these things end in a mess of drama).

Two thoughts come to mind in regards to this. One, I was actually surprised J-Lo and A-Rod wasn’t a couple before that time came. For whatever reason, I always felt they would end up together in some capacity. Two, with this breakup, people are acting like A-Rod is going down the drain, like he can’t sustain. Last time I checked, he’s a regular on ESPN and Fox Sports, appears on Shark Tank and just had a hand in purchasing the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. Simply put, A-Rod will be okay. Don’t get me wrong…J-Lo is a beautiful woman, and I wouldn’t mind dating her, but if anyone can survive that breakup, it’s A-Rod.

Well, that’s what I’m breathing on for this article. I hope you enjoy this rundown of events as in my attempt to catch up with everyone else. I’ll make sure I stay on track better in the future.