Travis Zajac Is Making His Return Tonight, And The Devils Are Much Better Off Because Of It11/16/2017
"Ugh, Travis Zajac? And in the top six?!? But he doesn't even score 25 goals a season or require a particular set of circumstances or linemates to properly play his two-way game in all three zones! Plus, he makes $5.7 million dollars (of money that is most definitely not mine) per year and all he does is win puck battles, win face-offs, win the respect and adoration of his teammates, and provide the stability of a proven defensive presence at a position that currently lacks it. In the grand scheme of things, what's that really worth anyway...", said the idiot. Look, I know the New Jersey Devils don't have an embarrassment of riches up front, but I'll be damned if returning the anchor of the only line that was worth a damn last season to a team that's burning out the bulb on their goal light doesn't make this team feel like the 80's Oilers in comparison to the '16 Devils. Consider how many seasons have gone by in which scoring a goal probably felt like stumbling upon a $10 bill during The Great Depression, and you can't honestly tell me that adding Travis Zajac to a lineup that finally has a primary concern that perfectly fits his skill set doesn't feel like a blessing. With Mirco Mueller going under the knife and New Jersey leaning so heavily on their goaltending, the impending return of a trustworthy center whose capable of shutting down the best players in the league probably makes Cory Schneider feel like the wife of a recovering alcoholic whose getting ready for a long overdue girls' night. If not for what he brings to the team defensively then for the fact that he serves as another lightning rod with which to share the undeserved criticism of his own fanbase. Hooray! In all seriousness, this young roster (specifically Nico Hischier) can and will learn a lot from a guy that has always led by example in playing the game the right way. More importantly, the fact that he can easily be moved up and down said roster while remaining effective in almost all the areas in which the Devils are currently struggling makes him an asset that can't be judged simply by statistics. Hopefully that will be made clearer now that New Jersey doesn't appear to be in desperate need of those statistics.
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You absolutely have to admire the awareness of someone who was basically forced into playing dead by being one more shoe slip away from a sock hop. I obviously can't tell you what was going through either players' head while this play was underway. However, I'd like to think that Seton Hall's Khadeen Carrington got a little too excited at the prospect of doing the basketball equivalent of hunting a wounded deer and ended up shooting himself directly in the foot. Props to Devonte Green for realizing that it was a virtual certainty that the ball was coming his way and taking advantage of his own vulnerability. By failing to tie his sneaker in any sort of way that would actually offer ankle supportive he essentially dropped a loose dollar in the middle of the street, but having the wherewithal to pickpocket the guy that bent to pick it up? Now, that's impressive. Let this serve as a lesson to LiAngelo Ball and company. Timing, circumstance, and the appearance of complete harmlessness are imperative to swiping without detection. An attempt at shoplifting from a international store as - by far - the three tallest people in it doesn't meet the qualifications. A little slight of hand while helplessly holding one shoe like the inability to find the other is making you late to a wedding absolutely does. Joel Embiid's Night: Lonzo Ball's Night (in a nut shell, but a nutshell is all it needed):
I have to be honest. I wish this tweet from Joel Embiid was a genuine acknowledgment of the style of basketball played by Lonzo Ball as opposed to a semantically questionable pun made at the expense of an insanely inaccurate performance that ultimately got the latter benched...
If the following Instagram post is any indication then that couldn't be further from what it was, but - considering their developmental curves are heading in completely opposite directions - Joel Embiid shouldn't be wasting his time swerving into the oncoming lane of a career path that is already veering wildly downhill... If Lonzo's last name wasn't Ball then it would actually make more sense for Joel Embiid to throw him a pity post instead of hammering him over his brillo head with a troll job, because this is online attack is the equivalent of a wolf howling loudly over the top of the corpse of sheep whose guts he's just ripped out. That's why this has to be a "thanks a lot, DAD" moment that would rival the most uncomfortable of parental walk-ins. I know Lonzo has taken a lot of LaVar's stupidity in stride, but it has to suck to have your ashes put out as the butt of the joke immediately after coming out on the ass end of a historical performance. Last night Joel Embiid solidified himself as someone whose only competition on the road to generational superstardom is his own health, and - due solely to vicarious living - the first target of the best trash talker in the league was a guy whose jumper helps Ricky Rubio sleep better at night. With a never-before-seen stat line, the Sixers center had his come to Jesus moment, but amidst him basking in the bright light of what stands to be a florescent future, he felt it necessary to trash on a guy whose preseason promise has gone straight to hell. Personally, I think Lonzo Ball will figure his shit out and - sooner rather than later - become an above average NBA point guard. However, I certainly don't think that getting dunked on by a player whose name he should never share a breath with is helping him get over a hump that makes the hitch in his jump shot look like a minor speed bump. The 'Big Baller' is currently playing small ball, and it's not the type that has Steve Kerr sleepwalking through the regular season. Wouldn't it be great if he could do so without drawing the ire of a 7 foot freak that protects the rim like he's 8 feet tall and handles the ball like he's 6 feet tall? Process? Right now you can't help but trust it...
The fact that Ezekiel Elliott was reportedly clearing his mind on some foreign countryside (potentially just pulling out titties out in Acapulco) during last week's game, and still felt it necessary to officially withdraw his appeal this week leads me to believe that I should probably remain skeptical that the bladders have finally run empty in this pissing match...
All I have learned since his initial 6-game suspension got handed down is that no decision is actually final, so if the Cowboys' playoff hopes take a massive hit you won't find me surprised if that appeal gets re-opened faster than Roger Goodell's contract negotiations. I'm not sure if it was after the third or fourth re-reversal but at one point or another I chose to view this on again, off again situation as if it were as committal as a teenage relationship. With that in mind, I'll be damned if I am going to believe that a scorned Zeke isn't going to pop into prom with a purpose until the last of the high school sweethearts have disappointingly consummated their puppy love. With how laughable both the league and the justice system have looked throughout this entire endeavor, it's not even remotely beyond the realm of possibility that he ends up serving his suspension for domestic violence in chunks at his own convenience like he's doing community service for speeding in a school zone. That said, if this waving of the white flag does truly serve as a conclusion to the most counterproductive act of disciplinary action since the NFL made 100 MPH crosswinds out of a missing pump of dead air then what a perfectly absurd conclusion for a patently ridiculous situation it is. Ezekiel Elliott calling it quits only after he had all-but-taken a loss like Tiger Woods dropping out of a tournament with back spasms after realizing he wasn't going to make the cut. For a split second I thought that maybe, just maybe, sitting out the first game of it meant this suspension was as on-going and uninterrupted as pre-TiVo television. The fact that Ezekiel Elliott still appeared to have a say in the matter as of yesterday makes me think I should probably remain as wary of its "resolution" as I was of Jerry Jones kneeling in front of a camera pre-anthem. The Saints Are Currently In The Business Of Putting Starting Quarterbacks Out Of Business11/15/2017
Is it possible that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - after weeks of letting their franchise QB play through injury - finally gave in to their biggest fear of starting a Harvard grad that plays with the wherewithal of a community college dropout after a half in which Jameis Winston proved he's physical incapable of making all the throws? Sure, I suppose. Is it also possible that the Buffalo Bills have benched Tyrod Taylor because they are a laughable organization with an even more laughable defense that would have no choice but to point the fingers at themselves for trading away all their skill position players for thrift store equivalents if they didn't make a change under center? Again, not remotely outside the realm of possibility. That said, the one thing those two quarterback swaps have in common is that they came either during or after an absolute lashing at the hands of the New Orleans Saints. Maybe there's a correlation. Maybe there's not. Either way, the man that's on the cusp of long term financial security is about to find out if the defense of his upcoming opponent truly is passing out non-refundable tickets to the back of the depth chart. So, Kirk Cousins, if you want to get out ahead of harm's way and hit the pine on your own volition due to a religious reason (Ex. God don't like ugly...stats) or some such shit then I would totally understand. It would be a wise business decision when the alternative is going up against Cam Jordan, Marshon Lattimore, and the rest of a relentless defense that's currently in the business of putting starting quarterbacks out of business. P.S. To be fair, the Saints defense might have somehow been the least of Jameis Winston's problems...
Ricky Fowler Said That Tiger Woods Has Been Easily Outdriving Him, For Whatever That's Worth11/15/2017
Actually, I must apologize for being so noncommittal in the title, because I know exactly what the fact-based compliment bestowed on Tiger Woods by Ricky Fowler is worth, and the answer is absolutely fucking nothing. Don't take that as an implication that Ricky Fowler has a flawed eye for talent, but rather as an acknowledgement that professionals don't say nice things about proven assholes unless they no longer consider said proven asshole competition. I guess I'm glad that Tiger Woods is out there launching long balls as opposed to slumped over himself on the side of the road with a toxicology report that reads like a pharmaceutical inventory, but "back" he is most definitely not. If he were back then those currently in front of him wouldn't be publicly blowing smoke up his ass to the media. If he were "back" we wouldn't be talking about someone who was once the most feared golfer in the sport like he's 'Happy Gilmore' taking all on comers at the local driving range. I suppose Tiger's "back" in the sense that he hasn't dropped out of any tournaments mid-round in the past month, but if you think he's "back" to contending then I'd be forced to question which one of you was really more in need of a piss test. I bet Ricky's voice shot up a couple octaves when he answered that question. Not because it's a lie, but because the conclusion that Tiger's fanboys are going to draw from it absolutely is. Sean Payton Has Seen The Light, And The Saints Have Added Mike Westhoff To Assist On Special Teams11/15/2017
I hope the person who coined the phrase "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" is paying attention, because Sean Payton has done the equivalent of standing on his hind legs and jumping through hoops after a full decade of being one of the most stubborn bosses in the NFL. Prior to this past offseason, the only Saints' firing that you could set your watch to was the occasional scapegoating of an underperforming defensive coordinator. But, in case the emphasis on the running game and dominant defense haven't clued you in, times are a changin' in New Orleans. All due respect to Bill Johnson, Greg McMahon, and Joe Vitt, but the work of their replacements is proving that the purge of long-tenured assistant coaches was more overdue than the 'Blockbuster' VHS that's laying around your parents' attic. More importantly, Sean Payton is proving that the gutting of his staff wasn't just a desperate play to save his job, but a sign of proactivity to come. Mike Westhoff is an excellent addition, and I know that because there aren't many special teams coordinators that I would know by name prior to their addition. Now, I don't know if he has some secret remedy - outside of Elmer's - that's going to get his players to stop dropping punts, but I do appreciate Sean Payton's willingness to find out. The Saints have ridden high before, but this might be the first time they've taken that opportunity to address their lows. They currently look like a well-oiled machine, but with their sights set on the unpredictability of one game playoffs that's no reason not to run preemptive diagnostics checks. Credit goes to the supervision of a head coach who was previously loyal to a fault for recognizing that. It Got Weird Between John Calipari And Sideline Reporter Maria Taylor During A Halftime Interview11/15/2017 I can't say I am surprised. As a person that's been blessed with a hell of a lot of power, it's not all that shocking that he's one of "those guys". And no, by that I do not mean he's the type that make women with which they share a workplace stand at attention as they fertilize the leaves of a ficus. I do, however, mean that he's type that thinks his words are so important that he can't even fathom the possibility that his audience isn't fully entrenched in his dialogue at all times. Honestly, how many times did Maria Taylor have to make it blatantly clear that she wasn't particularly interested in Coach Cal's rebounding diatribe. The look away. The lip bite. The exaggerated, "holy shit, are you done yet?" nods. The forced smiles of someone being held hostage. She used every social cue at her disposal and it still took him an amount of time that would make you think he kept hitting the snooze button on the internal alarm that's supposed to go of in one's head when the person with which they are conversing is no longer matching their enthusiasm. Makes me think that Kentucky's head coach would argue he's never had a bad first date in all his life, despite being turned down for a second one on multiple occasions. I don't know why John Calipari had a sideline reporter's arm in a vice grip, but it concerns that it took him an agonizing amount of time to realize that it made her feel uncomfortable. Not because I think he was trying to assert his dominance in some perverse way like every higher-up in the history of Hollywood, but because I think we can all relate to the painstaking experience of having someone incessantly talk at you while completely deaf to the tone of every form of non-verbal communication. I want to say that Maria Taylor made it weirder than it had to be by stating the obvious fact that she is indeed not a college-aged male athlete for the Kentucky basketball program. Unfortunately for everyone that cringed through the entirety of that interview, when you're dying to say something and someone finally throws you the lifeline it's damn near impossible not to take it. Part 1: Part 2: Part 3: As I listened to Seth Greenberg go on and on about how UCLA's trio of petty thieves should be suspended for an entire season before having their transfers forced only one question came to mind... Why stop there? Shit, is completely re-routing their lives is what's going to teach them that it is, in fact, extremely dumb to steal from luxury outlets overseas while standing out in a way that only ridiculously tall American athletes could? If that's the case then maybe they should be automatically enlisted so that they can give back to the country whose reputation they singlehandedly ruined by stealing upcharged aviators. If the right course of disciplinary action is to make them carry the heaviest of burdens for so long that it gives the backbone of their future scoliosis then that experience should be even more jarring and traumatic than sitting in a holding cell in Shanghai. A couple games? A COUPLE GAMES?!? HA! What do these kids look like, uncultured first time offenders that are mere months removed from high school and had no business wandering around foreign territories without supervision in the first place?!? Is Jason Williams taking crazy pills? Does he not realize that young, dumb kids pilfering a couple products on international soil is, without a doubt, the most irredeemable of embarrassments to a nation that was at the height of being taken serious globally? Look, I get that the Moe, Larry, Curley of PAC12 basketball deserve a punishment that fits a crime as mind numbingly stupid as shoplifting in China. They probably shouldn't have needed a college education to understand how insanely bad of an idea that is. However, maybe - just maybe - we could factor in that they were held up in a hotel and forced to acknowledge the possibility (be it however small) that they could be forced to spend the next decade of their lives tucked away in a Chinese prison? Honestly, if that eye-opening realization didn't scare them into paying for their accessories going forward then spending a year watching from the sidelines before slipping into a USC Trojans jersey ain't gonna do it. h/t AwfulAnnouncing
Usually when a stat this absurd pops up my inclination is to go with an obnoxiously sarcastic 'Grandma's Boy' reference. Unfortunately, I can't - in good conscience - go the "is that bad, did I break the game?" route, because I genuinely don't even know what game Sean Payton and Co. were playing. Considering that their first downs apparently came with more ease when their opponent knew exactly what they were going to do, it's far more likely it was Madden on 'Rookie' than New Orleans Saints football. Seriously, outside of virtual simulations designed for kids, how is it even possible to be that efficient on the ground? I don't care how badly the Bills' defense has been struggling, because it's still inherently difficult to continue punching someone directly in the mouth while stopping between haymakers to give them a chance to protect themselves. Kenny Vaccaro referred to the aforementioned mentioned statistic as "bully ball", and I'm genuinely surprised that Buffalo didn't hand over their lunch money in hopes of getting the Saints to take their foot off the gas with a passing play. It's almost not even fair that the Saints were given four downs, because every time they lined up in an obvious running formation they ended up damn near halfway to their next first down.
A couple victory formations away from 300 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. Twenty four straight rushes at seven yards a clip to close out a game that was coached by potentially the most pass happy person in professional football. Yet, despite not having been done in almost 30 years, it's still not the most impressive stat of the day. I say the following as the most genuine of compliment to an absurdly dominant offensive line as well as the running backs that are absolutely abusing its power...I have no idea what team I am watching anymore.
Admittedly, that headline reads rather dramatic. Mirco Mueller, as improved as he's looked of late, should never be the linchpin that keeps an NHL defense from completely falling apart. Hell, we're talking about a guy that conceded his spot in the lineup to Ben Lovejoy no more than a month ago, so we're not exactly talking about the absorbing the indefinite absence of a Norris Trophy winner. That said, it's pretty amazing how one broken clavicle can change the perception of unit that used an impressive preseason to ease the minds of those that once (stupidly, mind you) found themselves praying Ray Shero would offer Kevin Shattenkirk a 15-year contract with the incentive of complimentary hair transplant surgery to convince him to sign on the side of the river that actually has a future. In an extremely morbid way that probably has Cory Schneider and Keith Kinkaid doubling up on their meditation sessions, it's kinda funny how having eight "NHL caliber defensemen" sounds so much better in theory. That is, until one of the six that are average to slightly above average get hurt and you suddenly realize that you had no interest in watching the other two do anything other than sit in a luxury suite. I actually think Ben Lovejoy has absorbed an amount of criticism that is disproportional to his play this season, but in a lot of ways he and Dalton Prout are like the oxygen masks on a commercial jetliner. It's nice to know they are there until their use is actually required. That'll make things go from "okay, okay" to "oh shit, oh shit" before you even have a chance to buckle your seatbelt. Of course, I hardly think that the continuation of a promising start to the season hinged on what is now a fractured clavicle. The drop-off from Mirco Mueller to his replacement is not what's ultimately going to send the Devils spiraling down to Earth. However, considering the amount of chances they were giving up with him playing, they were probably headed there anyway. So I urge fellow Devils' fans to start practicing their deep breaths, because Travis Zajac would have needed a rocket surgically implanted in his ass for his return to save New Jersey from an inevitable uptick in icings. He couldn't possibly be more welcomed but even one of the best defensive forwards in the sport can only jump on so many grenades, so let's blindly hope that whichever launcher gets inserted into the lineup doesn't get trigger happy.
PFT- Brees is in the final year of his contract, but said during an appearance on XTRA 1360 AM with former Chargers teammate Nick Hardwick and Judson Richards that he’ll “handle 2018 when 2018 gets here.” Brees did make it clear that his desire is to remain in New Orleans.
“I feel like we’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us and I don’t plan on leaving New Orleans ever,” Brees said. “Hopefully, I know all of that stuff takes care of itself when it’s supposed to. I have not approached them about any contract. We just have a great understanding here. Listen, we’re going to go through this season and we’ll revisit it in the offseason. For right now, I’m in the moment.” ------ Wha-what?!? Why that answer doesn't seem "uncertain" at all. In fact, you might even say that Drew Brees' response to a question about his future read rather....definitively. Seems odd that he would speak so cavalierly about the rigorous contract negotiations that are sure to come between him and the NFL franchise that he's served as the face of for more than a decade. It's almost like he thinks it's a forgone conclusion that he'll continue to be a member of the New Orleans Saints now that the rebuild that he put his faith in has finally proven fruitful and the rest of the roster around him appears built to make the most of his remaining years. I wonder what even gave him that impression? Could it be his close relationship with a head coach that - for the first time in a long time - appears to be on the coolest of seats just a year and a half after signing a 5-year extension? Perhaps it's the fact that contending teams don't typically let elite quarterbacks walk when there is not a single potential heir apparent waiting in the wings? I don't know, maybe he's just been made to feel optimistic by seven straight victories in which the team that he is the unquestioned leader of has looked like one of the most complete in the entire league. Whatever the case may be, he might want to check in with Ian Rapoport before he goes blabbering on and on about how he plans on staying in New Orleans for the remainder of his career, because a handful of inaccurate passes have people with no affiliation to organization considering alternate plans of action...
"A beautifully executed scam!! True Story: I go to get my exam because I do have 20+ years of football in this body. This Doctor says we’re gonna go over a few test... Starting at 100, subtract 7 and keep subtracting until I say stop. Instantly I say, ‘WTF’ this got to do with anything. So I do that dumb ass sh*t. Lol. Next test we’re gonna give you an address and in a few minutes I want you to tell me that address. Once again I said ‘WTF’ this gotta do with anything... So I tell his dumbass the address that he just told me. Lol. Then he says we have a few more test today and we’ll call you for the 8 hour session of test. I say 8 hours of more stupid ass questions? He says yes...So I cut that meeting short and said fk that concussion settlement. Like the guys on Shark Tank always say when they sense a bad deal... “Edge Out”. Good luck to all the former players thinking they’re gonna get something from the concussion settlement. And to the Lawyers, my daughter is in school to become a Lawyer... Next time you find a sweet deal like this concussion settlement, make sure you let my Daughter in on it. Lol #CreateTheLifeUwant2Live" -------- Clearly there is no shortage of criticisms that can be made of the NFL. As an entity that has become worth billions on the backs of players whose hemorrhaged brain cells they have only just begun to acknowledge, they are just about the furthest thing from beyond reproach. Still, even for the most cutthroat, money-hungry league in professional sports, this seems low. Assuming that Edgerrin James' experience is just like that of every other player who thinks years of head-to-head collisions with the biggest, strongest, and fastest athletes on the planet just might have done irreparable damage to their cerebral cortex, think about what the NFL is doing here. Those maniacal sons of bitches have turned an exam that - on its surface - is a service to the players whose minds were intentionally put at a risk that they weren't fully aware of into an arduously long undertaking that would leave the most trauma-afflicted of former athletes wondering whether or not it's worth it. I'm sure that memory evaluations are the best way to decipher whether or not an adult brain has been affected by CTE, but 8+ hours of them?! That sounds more draining than taking the wheel during a road trip with an overly curious kid who forgot to take his Ritalin. From the looks of things, the NFL is literally trying to exhaust it's former employees out of collecting their reparations by turning it into a process that makes the SAT's seem as painstaking as a 'True Or False' test. You want to collect a little cash in exchange for all those years off your life that you donated to professional football? You better be ready earn it, because the NFL won't even stop short of asking stupid questions that could be accurately answered by a first grader that's fallen off the swings one too many for the entirety of a work shift in an effort to eventually use a loophole to deny them from you anyway!
USAToday- Tennessee State defensive end Latrelle Lee was dismissed from the team and expelled from school Saturday night after he hit Tigers head strength coach T.J. Greenstone twice in the head and knocked him to the turf on the sideline.
TSU athletics director Teresa Phillips confirmed to The Tennessean that coach Rod Reed kicked Lee, a senior from Dothan, Ala., off the team. Lee, 22, was expelled from the university on Monday. -------- I think it's pretty obvious that Tennessee State did the right thing in cutting a player that wound up and blindsided one of his coaches with a sucker punch while he was roaming the sidelines in the middle of the game. I'm not going to pretend to to be an expert on what type of behavior is allowable within college football programs, but I would imagine there's a steadfast rule throughout all of collegiate athletics that slugging an authority figure for any reason whatsoever is worthy of harsh disciplinary action. So while you might think expulsion is a little excessive for something that happened in the heat of the moment during a football game, it's probably best to keep someone that didn't hesitate to swing on this guy away from other students and faculty...
(Photo: Tennessee State Athletics)
Now, that being said, I think the Tigers should probably be in the market for another strength and conditioning coach as well. That's partly because T.J. Greenstone almost had to say something over-the-top to elicit an instinctual reaction of physical assault from an inactive player, but it's mostly because the one character trait that a strength and conditioning coach absolutely has to possess is the untested ability to intimidate. This sounds weird to say this about a guy that got clocked upside the head when he wasn't looking, but by seeming like a worthy adversary - if only for one second - he wasn't doing his job. There's just no way he can walk back into that locker room after getting buckled by a 22 year old, and have other 18-22 year olds take him seriously as he screams in their face and tries to stack 45-pound plates past the peak of their exhaustion. Everything I know about strength and conditioning coaches leads me to believe they are all complete lunatics, and everything I know about lunatics leads me to believe they can better take even the most unexpected of punches. There's no shame in not being psychopath, but - as a former defensive tackle - T.J. Greenstone might be better off reviewing tape as a line coach, because he doesn't appear to have anywhere near enough screws loose to run purely on adrenaline at all times.
Full disclosure? Regardless of the questionable semantics of it, I like the spirit of the quote. As someone that considered Enes Kanter a bit soft due to his inability to play anything that resembles passable defense as a near 7-footer, I probably needed a reminder that he's the same guy that forced his own family to public disown him by speaking out against the tyranny of the leader of his war-torn homeland. He might be a bit of a sieve on the block, but - whether his opposition be a King, Queen, Princess, or Dictator - he's not the type to let himself get pushed around in a power struggle...
Now, just because the use of a Biggie quote is extremely relevant doesn't mean it's not problematic. Usually I could brush off an old white guy's use of the n-word as a sign that he's close to meeting the same demise as his filter. However, when the old white guy in question is "with it" enough to have a twitter account, know his Notorious B.I.G., and censor himself? I expect him to be able to properly count his asterisks. Not to nitpick because we are all capable of typos, but your tweet is probably deserving of a proofread when one extra * takes your unnecessary use of an edited slur from casual to racist while taking the side of the European guy in a interracial scuffle. I hate to do this, but I think we're going to have to make it a rule of thumb that white dudes over 70 years of age shouldn't be using the oft-explicit lyrics of dearly departed hip hop legends for internet approval. I know, I know. It pains me to contribute to the online handcuffing of the marginalized white male, but if Peter Vescey taught us anything it's that even the most well-intentioned attempt at citing the work of proud black men in popular culture is liable to go off the rails at any moment. I'll give him 'One More Chance' because I don't think his cultural crime was maliciously committed, but when it comes to his failure to reconsider his extremely forced and contextually unfortunate rap references? Yo Pete, ya dead wrong... November 8th: Martellus Bennett gets cut by the Packers after prematurely announcing a potential retirement at the end of the first year of a three year deal...
November 9th: The New England Patriots claim Martellus Bennett, who - by his own declaration - is damaged beyond repair...
November 10th: Martellus Bennett goes scorched earth on members of the organization that "strongly suggested" he play through an injury that "required surgery", while his former teammates all-but-say he's full of shit...
— Jordy Nelson (@JordyRNelson) November 10, 2017
November 13th: Martellus Bennett plays for the New England Patriots...
Hand up. I initially gave Martellus Bennett the benefit of the doubt when the enigmatic tight end who had been all-but-diagnosed with a case of the dropsies ended up on the waiver wire for "failing to disclose an injury". I will say that the decision to side with the player seemed to make sense given the inherent frugality of NFL franchises and the fact that said player was unperforming a long-term deal that the Packers would have been smart (albeit scummy) to get out from under by any means necessary. Unfortunately for me, it appears that Martellus Bennett is the exception to the rule that in professional football the employer is generally more sheisty than the employee. Both his words and his actions since threatening both season-ending surgery and an early retirement en immediate route to the New England Patriots active roster have made him look like anything but a victim. Some of those defenses of Dr. McKenzie came from players that dealt with far more severe injuries as far more important pieces to the Green Bay Packers. Therefore, it's probably fair to say Martellus Bennett is some combination of a habitual liar, a shitty teammate, and an insufferable asshole who selfishly sullied the good name of a trusted medical professional. That said, I sort of respect him for deciding that getting himself onto a contending team whose starting quarterback isn't hurt was worth the entirety of his reputation, as well as whatever future guaranteed earnings he stood to make before turning himself into a unreliable pariah. I don't respect that he's still lying about it by pretending the Patriots' interest was some stunning development that changed both his mind and his medical records, but as far as somehow getting the upper hand on a league that's rules its players with iron fists? It's a pretty impressive feat. It might seem a hell of a lot less impressive if the Packers recoup some of the millions they paid him due to his nonsensical, "coulda, woulda, shoulda"-style explanation for why he was healthy enough to suit up in New England days after placing his playing career on death's doorstep in Green Bay. After all, that rationale has more holes than a goddamn cheesehead. But hey, that's just the cost of doing unethical business with an entity who is far more proficient in the art.
I'm equally as familiar with what it must feel like to lose your child before even having the opportunity to truly meet them as I am with what it must feel like to score an 83-yard touchdown in the NFL, so I can't even begin to fathom the emotional toll that yesterday must have taken on Marquise Goodwin and his family. As one of the fastest guys in the entire league, it's far from a miracle that he was able to burn the Giants' absolute disgrace of a defense. However, the same can't be said for him having the ability to lace up his cleats and run straight by other professional athletes while carrying what must have been the heaviest of hearts. I think I speak for even the football fans that were on the wrong side of a score that was worth so more than six points in saying that I'm glad that he did. The notion that sports can actually help people heal is probably a bit overdone, and I hardly think that it would even come close to applying to an experience as tragic and traumatic as the death of a newborn son or daughter. That said, having his football family immediately rush to his side in support of his actual family must have - if only for one single second - distracted him from the unquantifiable amount of mourning that still lie ahead of he and his wife. In that moment, the 49er's weren't a (then) winless NFL team, but rather a collective shoulder for their distraught teammate to lean on. I'm sure Marquise Goodwin felt that sense of community as he dedicated his touchdown to the disturbingly short memory of his child. Nothing can really lessen the blow of the life-altering gut punch that is the unexpected death someone that couldn't be closer to you. But, if that play and the tear-jerking scene that followed brought the dimmest of lights to two people who were enduring their darkest of days then it was totally worth Marquise Goodwin playing in an otherwise meaningless game. Perhaps, in a weird way, the most promising aspect of a start that has the Devils atop what's widely considered the NHL's deepest division despite being no more than a winning weekend removed from a 4-game losing skid is that it hasn't required them to play anything close to a flawless brand of hockey. A team whose success is predicated on those with the youth and inexperience of first and second year players is very rarely going to play mistake-free, so the fact that they've managed to win in spite of their warts is a pretty good barometer for their potential. Make no mistake, back-to-back victories over the Panthers and Blackhawks weren't the result of dominant efforts as much they were the result of non-stop efforts. I like hockey far too much to start watching it with mathematics in mind, but the advanced numbers from this weekend do a pretty good of job of backing up an eye test that the Devils appeared to barely pass with performances that would probably grade out in the high-60's...
So no, regardless of their current standing, the Devils aren't some fundamentally sound team that's going to out-chance their opponent more nights than not. What they are - however - is team that continues to find a way to do what most young teams can't by winning some games they probably shouldn't. A lot of credit goes to their goaltending for being far better and more timely than its numbers suggest, but the resilience from the rest of the roster has been just as imperative to their success. I know the Blackhawks are a shell of what they were when they were winning cups, but a rebuilding team isn't supposed to be able to respond to the ludicrously bad bounces that led to a four goal first period from a group that knows what it takes to close out games with a four goal period of their own. More often than not, a team with the roster makeup of the Devils does let a goal scored with 2.7 seconds left in the second period affect their psyche headed into the third period of a one-goal game. The fact that they didn't is a testament to a level of mental toughness and that only stands to be aided by the imminent (and much needed) return of their best defensive forward. Especially since Travis Zajac brings just about all the things they lack in positioning, face-off ability, and veteran savvy. Yeah, there are going to be times when a player like Steve Santini looks overmatched when he's forced in over his head as a shutdown defenseman. You just hope there's just as many times that he shows that he's starting to embrace that role with a bone crushing hit that has the opposition thinking twice about entering the zone in the first place...
There are going to be times when veteran-laden clubs are going to have the Devils gratuitously icing the puck like they are trying to stop their opponent by giving them diabetes. You just hope that some of those icings - like those that were waved off with the goalie pulled due to the hustle of Jesper Bratt and Kyle Palmieri - get offset by work ethic. They've been far from perfect, but they've made the plays necessary to win. Look no further for an example of that than Brian Boyle saving one of the team's only face-off wins against the Panthers for the draw that drew the game to a close. Oddly enough, Miles Wood is a pretty good personification of what to expect from this team right now. He's never going to blow you away with his hockey IQ, but what he lacks in decision making he makes up for in speed, energy, and - if last night's hat trick is any indication - a willingness to stop pooping on the proverbial carpet and learn some new tricks like any good young dog...
John Hynes hasn't been hesitant in giving his players a metaphorical whack on the nose, and I think that's been instrumental in making sure they don't roll over or play dead when things aren't going their way. But hey, don't take my word for it...
I can't tell you that the cohesion of what appears to be one of the most fun-loving rosters in the entire league is what has propelled the Saints' back to prominence after their active revamping of what was once an extremely disgruntled locker room and an emotionally unproductive workplace. I'd like to do so, but a positive attitude isn't as imperative to the winning formula as a winning formula is to keeping a positive attitude. Of course, New Orleans wouldn't have bounced back from the most ugly of 0-2 holes if they didn't believe in one another, but it's no coincidence that the laughs, jokes, and celebrations have become more and more prevalent with each and every consecutive win since. Their undeniable swag is a product of their collective personality, but that personality wouldn't be on display anywhere near as often without their success. That, however, doesn't mean that it's been anything less than an absolute treat to witness. Thomas Morstead declaring himself 'inactive' after spending the entire afternoon watching the defense continue to get the ball back for an offense that was running roughshod is just one example of the infectious amount of fun this team is having. The fact that they rewrote history by being the first team since 1941 to score six rushing touchdowns without attempting a single punt surely helps. However, the inter-unit photo-ops, choreographed handshakes, and subliminal jabs about the ease with which they are winning have somehow made their seven game streak that much more enjoyable...
So here's to hoping that the Saints keep smiling, because their change in demeanor has not-so-surprisingly had a positive correlation with the huge upswing of their season. "Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?!" is no longer a rhetorical question, and the team that genuinely seems to like one another has had no problem asking it...
The "Uncertainty" Regarding Drew Brees' Future Is A Non-Story At Best, And Fake News At Worst11/13/2017
Photo: Adrian Kraus, AP
There it is! It's like clockwork, although it appears that this year's timing of it got accidentally pushed a few months forward during Daylight Savings. The annual mid-season narrative that the New Orleans Saints' franchise is set to become a winter wasteland with the potential departure of someone who is instrumental to their success (more often than not, it's Sean Payton) is usually a "gift" that gets unwrapped closer to Christmas. Though, I guess I can appreciate that the media felt it necessary to try to dump damp coal on a Saints team that's officially on fire before their winning streak became a far bigger storyline by way of a thorough dismantling of the Buffalo Bills. Sure, it seems silly to bring up the ambiguity of Drew Brees' future when the present undoubtedly has him feeling as settled as he's been in years, but not nearly as strange as it would have sounded on the heels of one of the most dominant ass-kickings he has ever been apart of. At 12:30PM EST the idea that the Saints' quarterback would be elsewhere next season was stupid, but at 4:30PM EST the idea that the Saints quarterback would be elsewhere next year was flat out moronic. Credit to Ian Rapoport for limiting the damage by making sure his report came out prior to kickoff. Admittedly, I have a hard time believing that a "trusted" NFL insider completely fabricated the whispers he's heard regarding Drew Brees' contractual status. Unfortunately for him, I have an exponentially harder time believing that any one of the few people in-the-know would open their mouth when Drew Brees' previously unfulfilled faith in his organization's ability to turn things back around has finally started to pay off in a major way. Now, if you want to tell me that the Saints won't let their recent success stop them from exploring prospective options at the most important of positions then I'd tell you "no shit", because the person currently holding that position is 38 years old and trending into the twilight of his career. But, if you're trying to tell me that they are going to let the league leader in completion percentage walk because his deep ball has been unable to keep up with Ted Ginn's afterburners a couple of times then I'd say you're smoking something that proves - once and for all - that marijuana doesn't enhance performance. Drew Brees' is technically less important to his team than he once was, but that's only because the team surrounding him is no longer ungodly terrible. If anything, the fact that the Saints are now up-to-snuff in all other phases of the game makes Drew Brees even less expendable, because you can't argue that defense (and to a lesser extent, a trusted rushing attack) wins championships without acknowledging that unproven quarterbacks typically don't. When the time comes the negotiations will likely prove lengthy because - from a salary cap perspective - his value to the Saints has certainly been trimmed by talent. Still, the reason why there have been "no talks" about Drew Brees' future is because the guy who has repeatedly said he never wants to play anywhere other than New Orleans has always refused such discussions when there is still football to be played. It would be nothing short of ass-backwards for him to change that philosophy and shift his focus during an incredibly efficient season that has allowed him to drastically lighten his load and probably has him feeling like he could play 4-5 more. I have no idea whether or not this news is intentionally fake, but - as far as sources are concerned - I think I'll prioritize the opinion of the guy that spent his entire 12 year career playing alongside the player whose future is allegedly "in question"...
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