ESPN- The company, which signed an eight-year, $1 billion deal with the NBA that began this year, said in a statement provided to ESPN on Monday night that the initial product presented to teams needs more reinforcement.
There have been several jersey tears this season, but wardrobe malfunctions are by no means a new phenomenon in the NBA. Paul Lukas chronicles some of the more memorable jersey breakdowns in league history. "Nike has always put the athlete at the center of everything we do and we have worked hard to create the most advanced uniforms in the history of the NBA," the company said in the statement. "They are lighter and deliver great mobility and sweat wicking characteristics, and the feedback from players has been overwhelmingly positive. However, during game play we have seen a small number of athletes experience significant jersey tears. We are very concerned to see any game day tear and are working to implement a solution that involves standardizing the embellishment process and enhancing the seam strength of game day jerseys. The quality and performance of our products are of utmost importance and we are working with the NBA and teams to avoid this happening in the future." -------- My first instinct was to lay into Nike for half-assing it on the durability of jerseys that were set to be worn by some of the biggest, strongest, and most athletic of professional athletes on the planet. I mean, how could you not? It's flat out preposterous that full numbers are being plucked right off the back of authentic, game-worn NBA uniforms like they were attached with nothing more than bargain basement velcro. However, if you give it another second of thought, isn't it pretty insane that an apparel company is so unbelievably profitably and successful that they inked a billion dollar deal, and didn't even think the product they were providing in return was worthy of a test run? It's one thing to entrust the integrity of my mid-tier sneaker in the weathered hands of a severely underpaid child laborer, but to snooze your way through the inspection process when something that bears your unmistakable insignia is sure to be seen by millions upon millions of potential customers on a nightly basis? Giving them a quick once over that would make Chinese companies selling knockoffs with the last names sewn more crooked than Magic Johnson's pursuit of LeBron James for pennies on the dollar feel proud of their commitment to excellence? You can say what you want about Nike's manufacturing procedure, but you kind of have to respect that they give less fucks than Justin Timberlake when it comes to embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions on a massive stage.
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You really have to appreciate that Miko Grimes is such a shit-stirring wild card, but what she is not - apparently - is an expert in the art of the x's and o's. I can't imagine her shameless, pontificating ass would have been in the know if the Raiders offensive line did want to do the completely unthinkable in making their protest slightly less peaceful by sacrificing the health of their starting quarterback to the Derek Wolfe's of the world. However, even if she would have been first on the telephone tree for whatever reason, that is very clearly not at all what happened...
Let's say you really, really wanted to believe that five professional football players came together and all agreed to casually whiff on their blocks in order to send a massage that not-so-loosely translates to "fuck this season" on behalf of social justice. Wouldn't you be hard pressed to substantiate that argument after watching a play-action rollout that was designed to get the ball out of Derek Carr's hand in a hurry? I've admittedly already given the most venomous of verbal vomit too much credit by talking about it as if it were any way rooted in reality. But from a schematic standpoint, that would have been a ridiculously random (mid-3rd quarter?) and awfully stupid circumstance to try to get your quarterback killed on behalf of his beliefs when a 5-step drop on third-and-long was sure to follow. There's no doubt that Derek Carr is a bit of a Jesus freak so it's not remotely out of the question that he was pushing for players to take two knees bedside and pray for equality instead. It is, however, out of the question that an entire position group whose job security is super reliant on his arm would try to subtly put it in danger by secretly switching to their olé "protection". Now, that doesn't mean I don't love that the NFL's wildest WAG implied that was the case, because the uncomfortable lines of questioning that will result from such an inherently preposterous allegation will be nothing short of cringeworthy comedy, but it's still a preposterous allegation nonetheless. Browns' GM Sashi Brown Denied Sabotaging The A.J. McCarron Trade, As If That Makes Things Any Better11/7/2017 LBS- One of the hot pieces of gossip going around is that the Cleveland Browns’ front office bungled the A.J. McCarron trade last week because they didn’t want to make the deal. Team VP Sashi Brown says that is not the case.
Brown spoke to the media on Monday and refuted reports suggesting that he sabotaged the McCarron trade. “That’s wholly untrue,” Brown said of the sabotage accusations, via Cleveland.com. “We were all in there together – Hue (Jackson), myself and a couple other staff members that work on these things at the time we were trying to get the trade done so I’m not worried about that internally. Externally, I can just put it to bed that is just not the case. To sabotage a trade just wouldn’t make any sense.” ----- In most cases I would say that a rumor as patently ridiculous as one insisting that an NFL GM intentionally sabotaged his own trade for a starting (in name, not caliber) quarterback is unworthy of a response. Far, far, far more often than not the only thing that can be accomplished by offering a public statement regarding what is - on the surface - a seemingly preposterous allegation is justifying its legitimacy. As we've learned throughout the last week, the Cleveland Browns aren't most cases, but I still think Sashi Brown would have been better off silently burying his head in the pillow until this media shit storm passed. In theory, the right thing to do was to give his Head Coach peace of mind by claiming the untimely incompetence required to understand how clocks work. However, by closing the door on the possibility that he did disconnect the WiFi and pussyfoot around fast 4PM after realizing that a 2nd and 3rd round pick for A.J. McCarron was an egregious overpayment he continued to a torture fan base that still has no reason to believe in his talent evaluation. In vehemently denying that he imploded his own deal from within he indirectly denied that he had any reservations about giving up multiple, high level assets for a run-of-the-mill backup. I can't imagine that is going to earn him any good will amongst those who have lived through the promotion of about 35 run-of-the-mill backups in the last decade. The Cleveland Browns are not only the only franchise that could make possible a situation that would compare favorably to the scene in a horror movie where the killer unmasks himself as the best friend after the victim realizes the call is coming from inside the house. They are also the only franchise that could fail to see that leaving that trade as an unsolved murder ruined everyone but Hue Jackson's ability to treat it as a mercy killing. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Three out of six. As bad as the New Jersey Devils looked through the vast majority of the most unforgiving of NHL road trips, they returned with three out of six points. Doesn't matter whether or not you could argue that they actually "deserved" none (you definitely could), because at the end of the day they survived the loss of 1/3 of their top six in turning a subpar performance into a perfectly average result. Hopefully the week off gave a Kyle Palmieri and Marcus Johansson the opportunity to recover and Steve Santini is good to go after a game off, because even mediocrity is not sustainable unless players start getting moved into their rightful spot in a lineup that - at times - looked painfully overmatched. Even with a relative surplus of NHL-ready forwards in comparison to year's past, this team's lack of experienced depth is painfully obvious when one or more of it's most productive pieces is forced to spend time in a suit. That has a lot more to do with the prolonged absence of Travis Zajac than his incredibly biased haters are willing to admit, and you can probably say it of most NHL rosters. But especially one that had to force a rusty (though thankfully recovered) Brian Boyle into third line role that he didn't appear to be ready for. Brian Gibbons has been nothing short of a goddamned delight, but - even with his career re-defining scoring pace - he shouldn't be anywhere near the Devils' top two lines. Of course, a forward group that spent extended stretches riding the back of a rejuvenated Taylor Hall and two teenagers would be less of a concern if the defense wasn't still working to prove that are actually in progress. The turnovers and subsequent breakdowns - especially from the top pairing of Andy Greene and Damon Severson, but all the way on down as well - made everyone's job more difficult, none the least of which being Cory Schneider's and Keith Kinkaid's. If the former didn't stand on his head against Vancouver and the latter didn't make a handful of extremely timely saves on completely unnecessary chances against Calgary then Devils fans wouldn't be feeling anywhere near optimistic about the past week. It was only a matter of time, but the Devils biggest flaws are starting to get exposed. There's probably not a conceivable stream of goal scoring that will be able to distract from their leaky defense over the long run, but getting a couple of their most dangerous weapons back should - at the very least- force the opposition into spending more time in the penalty box . With how good the powerplay has looked during the early going, that's probably going to remain vital if they look to continue their success. Of course, this team had made it exponentially tougher to manage expectations with how fast they've come out of the gate, but if you believe anything that they, themselves, have said then the postseason - or damn close to it - is a realistic possibility. I'm not so sure it should be, but it definitely won't be if they continue playing like they did over a three game stretch that they wouldn't have even salvaged without getting a handful of bounces. When Taylor Hall said the team should be shooting to go at least .500 I can't imagine he thought doing so would lack so many style points. Objectively speaking, the outcome was encouraging, but the manner in which it was "achieved" was not. That's not particularly surprising given some of the unfortunate circumstances, but it is true. Alex Killorn, Steven Stamkos, And Kevin Hayes Were All Fined $5,000 For Getting In A Water Fight11/6/2017 — Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) November 3, 2017 — Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) November 3, 2017
You know, when you initially read that three professional hockey players each had their paychecks deducted four figures for engaging in the type of behavior that you'd expect from third graders at a pool party it's pretty easy to instinctually blame a league that tends to keep an ass backwards list of disciplinary priorities. The NHL's Department of Player Safety has a reputation of handing down punishments that lack rhyme, reason, or any sort of consistency and precedent, so it wasn't a stretch to assume they were taking a page out of the NFL's playbook in fining some good clean fun out of the game. That is, until you watch what actually took place, and realize that Alex Killorn must have been the type of kid to make a joke about your terminally ill sister because you said he had big feet. If he considers a sprinkle of water to be worth the threat of aggravated assault then it's almost a miracle the Lightning forward was able to make his way up through the ranks without taking a page out of Happy Gilmore's book of attempted skate stabbings. I think Kevin Hayes would have to have sex with my mother at center ice during the Stanley Cup Finals for me to flip the switch from playfully laughing to furiously repurposing a hockey stick as a deadly weapon that quickly. Alex Killorn did just that, and it was over nothing more than refreshing squirt down the spine. As far as I am concerned the NHL was basically strong-armed into handing down penalties that are admittedly pocket change relative to the bank accounts of those being penalized. They absolutely had to get proactive in restoring order considering the violent visual of one of their athletes treating an opponent like it was wild animal that had invaded his family's camp-sight because he got him a wittttle wet. Much like the youth player that costs his teammates a scrimmage at the end of practice by continually fucking around at the beginning of practice, Alex Killorn didn't just cost himself $5,000, he cost everyone else a privilege too. The privilege of freely using water bottles as super soakers without sanctions. He may not have followed through on the murdering Kevin Hayes, but he sure as hell killed the amusement of the what was an insanely harmless moment by appearing fit for the most thorough of anger management courses. Lane Kiffin Un-Covered The Spread With An Intentional Safety And Then Joked About It On Twitter11/6/2017
Look, I'm pretty confident that Lane Kiffin didn't decide to take a safety knowing that he backdoor'd his own spread in such an egregious and unforeseen fashion that it might somehow stretch the bounds of what's considered internet pornography. I can't say for certain since we are talking about a coach who has proven - time and time again - that he's not exactly someone who allows himself to be constrained by the social norms of sports. However, I'd hope that he tacked on two points for his opponent to solidify his own victory as opposed to gut-punching a select group of degenerate gamblers. That said, even if you were an unfortunate member of the gut-punched, you kind of have to respect Lane Kiffin's postgame trolling, right? In the moment you'd want him crucified, and that tweet would likely have you halfway to 'Home Depot' to buy the lumber and the nail gun, but after a little bit of reflection? It's theoretically impossible not to appreciate a college head coach that's also able to view a football game as a money making crapshoot as opposed to a purely competitive event. Take the anger and lost wages out of out of the equation for a second. The type of person who is self loathing enough to engage in the oft-depressing hobby of gambling on Conference USA should respond with nothing more than a "touché" after having salt rubbed in the wound of a bad beat with a sadistic use of social media. The NCAA probably doesn't love having one of their own shamelessly imply that he's fixing games for financial purposes, but those who are constantly begging for a game script to be altered on behalf of their bet should - at the very least - realize they need to be careful what they circumstantially wish for. Especially since they'd be singing Lane Kiffin's praises if they came out on the profitable side of what appeared to be an otherwise fairly smart football decision.
Oddly enough, the funniest thing about Jameis Winston's nonsensical diatribe about devouring victories like they were yet-to-be-purchased crab legs is that the only thing holding it back from being effective is the Buccaneers' record. I could sit here and tell you that it's inherently difficult to repeatedly come up with an original angle that's capable of eliciting a visceral reaction from a group of professional athletes, but the truth is that that pump-up speech wouldn't have even had to make sense if it was delivered to a team that had any reason for optimism. Now, we should absolutely mock his message since it's that of a drunk homeless person whose just loud and unpredictable enough to make you walk in the other direction to avoid crossing paths. Regardless, Jameis Winston's teammates wouldn't be standing around trying to mentally digest the psychobabble that is the physical ingestion of a particular hand letter if they were anywhere close to .500. Perhaps DeSean Jackson would remain unenthused no matter the situation, but - no matter how laughable the content - it takes a dreary set of circumstances for a dozen or so NFL players to respond to their leader's plea for enthusiasm with the collective mumble of an audience that just listened to a tasteless cancer joke at a fundraising event for cancer research. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are so bad that their players have begun focusing on Jameis Winston's oft-questionable semantics instead of following along with his infectious inflection. Or, to put it simply, treating a former Heisman Trophy winner like a street corner evangelist is a direct product of being 2-5 (now 2-6). Now that I think about it, maybe their "meh" reaction to his pregame theatrics hurt his feelings. That's as good of a reason for him calling it a day at the end of the first half and using the second half to childishly incite riots as a shoulder that was suddenly too injured for action after they were down two touchdowns.
Others may disagree with his command of classic movies, but - as a Saints' fan - I prefer to think that Cam Newton's 'Titanic' analogy was a spot-on description of how the rest of the Carolina Panthers season looks to play out. So you can call it the result of a shocking lack of knowledge regarding history and/or popular culture, but - with the NFC South still up for grabs - I'm going to treat it as a promotion that's clearer than any of the age old pieces published predicting an unforeseen iceberg coming out of nowhere to sink the most extravagant of ship. Now, I certainly don't think that Cam Newton was trying to say that the team he quarterbacks pushed back their meeting with fate at the NFL-equivalent of the bottom of the ocean by shoving the half-dead weight of their heaviest offensive weapon overboard. However, to those that are critical of Cam Newton's counter productive commentary, I ask you this - you guys really never let go, huh? I said it before, and I'll say it again - Cam Newton absolutely sucks at press conferences. He saves every ounce of quick wittedness that he possesses for ridiculous displays outside the pocket, and therefore has none left for in front of the microphone. Yeah, he appears to be a disingenuous prick when he no-shows or responds to simple questions by stomping out of the room like an infant, but if we have learned anything this year it's that apparently the alternative is even more unforgivable. We are halfway through the season and he's already - and completely unnecessarily - turned himself into a misogynist that lives under a rock. Is that not enough evidence that he's worse at navigating an ad-lib than the captain of the first flamboyant cruise ship was at navigating the natural disaster-laden waters of the Atlantic? Jack had more of a way with words when he was freezing to goddamn death, so let's not act like the bloom isn't off the Rose as it pertains to Cam Newton's inability to say what he means with a timely response. Instead let's focus on him dunking on the Falcons, since him dunking his head under cold and unforgiving waters is a virtual certainty when it comes time for a Q&A...
(Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports)
I don't want to make it seem like one play could ever encapsulate a thoroughly dominating performance, especially when the play being referenced didn't occur between the whistles of a 20 point dismantling that didn't even feel that close. That being said, if having a quarterback that mysteriously was no longer healthy enough to play after helping his team into a 13 point halftime hole intentionally spark a sideline pushing match only to have his disgruntled wide receiver deliver an absurdly unwarranted cheap shot on the guy that made him irrelevant otherwise isn't a sign of the disparity between these two teams then I don't know what the hell is...
Mike Evans wasn't protecting his then clipboard holding, shit-stirring quarterback as much as he was taking out on his grievances on the person that caused them by running his routes for him. That level of frustration could probably be matched by everyone else on his roster, and the fact that Marshon Lattimore took it in stride as he kept living in the head and on the hip of an elite pass catcher is a testament to a team that knows it has more important things to concern themselves with than brawling with the NFC South's basement dweller...
Even Mike Evans himself would tell he should have been tossed. However, the fact that a defense that is currently drenched in swagger reveled in the opportunity to actually make his afternoon worse than had it gotten cut short early says everything you need to know about a team that's feeling itself like it took ecstasy at an EDM concert...
As for the football that was played before the Buccaneers "leaders" changed the narrative of a trouncing by turning it into a street fight? Well, to say it was one-sided would be putting laughably lightly. Outside of a couple turnovers, the Saints gave their fans exactly what they have been looking for, which was a complete performance in all three units complimented one another and allowed the second half to become a time for cold beers and hot wings instead of mild heart attacks. Whether it be the picturesque punt block or the forced fumble that Drew Brees' turned into a one play knockout, there were shades of the 'Domefield Advantage' that existed when this team was at it's most dominant. That probably has just as much to do with Tampa Bay being a complete dumpster fire, but that wouldn't have stopped recent renditions of the Saints from unnecessarily making this a close game. More so than it being their sixth win in six tries, yesterday was promising because it showed that New Orleans can and will kick an opponent when they are down. That only stands to benefit them as their competition looks primed to put up a bit more of a (proverbial) fight. Obviously it would be crazy not to mention the guy who has dismissed the notion that he's simply a satellite back by being just about as versatile as anyone that's ever filled that role in a Sean Payton offense. The ease with which Alvin Kamara weaved through the defense in casually strutting his way to a 33 yard touchdown wasn't just something to behold, but a simultaneous reminder of what Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles, and Pierre Thomas provided this team...
Maybe that's overstating things a bit since we are merely 8 games into his career, but Alvin Kamara has at least made it a competition in determining the Saints' most impactful rookie, and that's borderline absurd with Marshon Lattimore turning Mike Evans into Kelvin Benjamin-lite. If he and Mark Ingram can stop putting the ball on the ground, there's just no reason to think they won't continue to make Drew Brees' life easier behind an offensive line that only stands to get healthier. He's still more of a complimentary piece in a backfield that's led by Mark Ingram, but I'll be damned if he's not the highest of compliment. Alvin Kamara has added versatility and unpredictability to a running attack (and the extension of it that is the screen game) that has proved reliable, and Marshon Lattimore has completely shut down a third of the field for a defense that's been so good that it has offenses resorting to professional wrestling tactics. When you look at it that way, the best player on their team has become a bit of an afterthought as of late, and I'd be willing to bet that's when Drew Brees' is at his most dangerous.
TheBigLead- Washington State University police are asking for felony charges to be brought against USC defensive lineman Liam Jimmons for an altercation after the Cougars’ victory in September.
Jimmons knocked down a fan as students stormed the field after the game. KXLY reports the blow resulted in significant injury. The WSU student that got hit has been to the hospital twice for a concussion suffered from the alleged assault. Because of the seriousness of the injury, WSU police want Jimmons to be charged with felony second degree assault. The case has been turned over to the Whitman County Prosecutor’s Office for a charging decision. Jimmons has appeared in five games for USC this season. ----- My first instinct was to argue that charging a college football player who was on a college football field with a felony for trucking a college student who had no business being on said football field is a bit excessive. However, after some reconsideration, I think the more important issue is that clearly the Washington State Police Force has its priorities straight. The areas surrounding university campuses are simply too serene and peaceful for those who are sworn and protect to let these deviant athletes go around ruining the crime-free environment by beating up on undoubtedly boozed up members of the student body that can't keep their head on a swivel. Cops, especially those of the rental variety, have caught too much of a bad rap recently, so I think we just have to tip our caps to these guys for setting a strong precedent that a football field is no place for a physical display of frustration. In all seriousness, I'll give my stamp of approval for the rushing of the field in the right situation, but if you drunkenly prance right into a forearm shiver from a pissed off 280 pound behemoth that had a lot more invested in the game than yourself then that's on you. Surely it sucks that it resulted in a concussion, but whatever brain cells this kid had knocked out of him were made up for in spades with the life lesson he had instilled in him. Go somewhere you're not technically supposed to be then you better pay close attention or some bad shit might happen to you. I don't know what higher education consists of now, but I always thought that a hospital visit was more of a right of passage than a reason for litigation. Shame on this kid for not taking his bumps and brain bruises like a man and bragging about them to his friends as opposed to explaining the trial and tribulations of them in court.
If we are being completely honest, there are other places that I would rather Taylor Hall "shoot his shot" than at the on again/off again girlfriend of a pop star whose reputation in preceded by the curse that he carries amongst NHL locker rooms. That said, if the confidence to fire off a tweet at Selena Gomez is a sign of the same type of chutzpah that has him dragging his proverbial balls up and down the ice while dominating in the way the Devils hoped he would last season then now is not too late to say "sorry, not sorry".
This says quite a bit about the increase in talent around him, but Taylor Hall's play has simply been on a whole new level this season. Maybe it's because he's now comfortable in the system, maybe it's because he's finally adapted to New Jersey, or maybe it's because the rest of New Jersey's roster isn't a barren wasteland of hopelessness that makes playmaking and points impossible to come by. Whatever the case may be, one of the best wingers in the sport has lived up to that illustrious billing since the first drop of the puck. Taylor Hall is easing the transition of each and every young forward the Devils have in their top six and becoming a leader by example in the locker room that Ray Shero is unquestionably building around him. Each and every time he whizzes through the neutral zone - with skating and body control that somehow appear noticeably improved from last year - in a successful attempt to drive possession he makes the one-for-one trade that brought him over from Western Canada look more and more laughable, and I say that with all due respect to Adam Larsson. I see absolutely no reason why he won't continue to use his renewed confidence to make Edmonton look foolish right in front of their stupid faces tonight, even though Oilers fans will go to the grave denying the absolute fact that the Devils got the better end of the deal. So, you know what. I take it back. He should fire off all the subtweets that he wants. However, I will caution that - considering his performance up until this point - he can probably slide into some DM's that are a little more deserving than those of Selena Gomez. If his game tying snipe against the Coyotes last Saturday is any indication then he shouldn't be shooting his shot any lower than the top shelf, and Justin Beiber's sloppy seconds are currently the equivalent of house vodka...
KapLifestyle- "You’re moisturized and smelling tropical, your teeth are white and your face looks like you’ve just visited a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon. The sun has set, and the moon is out. Perhaps you have a friend nearby, perhaps it’s just you by your lonesome…well, this is awkward. I’ve promised you authenticity, honesty and openness. Take this how you wish and I’ll spare you the step by step. Coconut oil is the world’s greatest lubricant. I can’t help where your mind goes with this. Once the ball leaves the bat, I can’t steer it." (Gabe Kapler, 2014)
There's a lot of people on this planet that I would love to sit down and have a beer with. I can now officially say that Gabe Kapler has been added to that list, and reporter Howard Eskin has been crossed off in permanent marker. Admittedly, it's probably pretty silly to talk about touching yourself on the internet if you have aspirations of coaching in the most repressed league in the entire sports landscape. However, if you listened to Gabe Kapler talk around the time he implied that going to the kitchen cabinet for reinforcements can bring you quicker to completion without the most shit-eating of grins on your face then I simply cannot relate to you as a person. If you think it's unforgivable for a grown ass man - whose look leads you to believe that he lathers a lot more than his penis in nature's lubricant - to have made an old but relevant inference about masturbation then we just never going to see eye-to-eye. He says "what about the poor children?", and I say "the poor children" who actually understand the half-serious storytelling of the Phillies new manager will be far better off having not resorted to the misguided use of shampoo. He tries to make it seem like jerking off is a sin, and I think he's nothing short of a jerk off for doing so. He wants the Philadelphia to hire a someone whose manhood hasn't been used for anything but procreation, and I think that's the type of counterproductive mindset that is killing baseball. He believes managers shouldn't waste their time touching themselves, and I think considering efficiency while engaging in a necessary evil is the mark of a good administrator. After all, some might not like the lesson but Gabe Kapler is unquestionably a teacher whose job it is to now...ahem...get the most out of his young players. Howard Eskin and I are just fundamentally different people that could only ever share an opinion on a more explicit use for coconut oil if he got rid of his "knock it before you try it" philosophy. So here's to hoping he hasn't reproduced. Not only because he seems like quite the wet blanket, but because he sounds like the type of person who would set bathroom time limits to keep his son's dick dry in hopes that it helps him "develop" into the next sexually inhibited GM of the Kansas City Royals. Richie Incognito Ranted Against 'Thursday Night Football' After Getting Crushed By The Jets11/3/2017
“These Thursday night games, they suck. They throw a wrench in our schedule. It’s absolutely ridiculous that we have to do this. As physical as this game is, as much work and preparation that goes into this, to force us to play games on four-day weeks, it’s completely unfair and bulls—. The league makes money off it, and that’s all they care about anyway,” Incognito said after the game, via ESPN’s Mike Rodak. ------- Do you think it's fair to say that Richie Incognito feels...ahem...bullied by the NFL and their decision to host mid-week games that are universally accepted as oft-unwatchable money grabs? I mean, technically nothing he said was wrong. 'Thursday Night Football' does - more often than not - suck. It is absolutely ridiculous to expect professional football players to fully heal from their previous game in no more than four days. It is completely unfair to athletes that are only guaranteed sixteen chances to show their full range of skills per season to expect them to do so at less than full strength. It is all about money, and it is - to put it very simply - bullshit. Unfortunately, almost everyone already knew all that, so the only thing we learned form this interview is that Richie Incognito's butt feels very hurt after getting steamrolled by the New York Jets defensive line. The NFL being run by a bunch of greedy schmucks isn't newsworthy, but LeSean McCoy being held to 25 yards on under 2.5 YPC behind an offensive line that have up SEVEN sacks absolutely is. So while I completely understand his frustrations, but it's near impossible to do so without acknowledging the fact that he wouldn't be voicing them if his team had come anywhere close to winning. As far as I am concerned, Richie Incognito is just a triggered little snowflake that is firing off at 'Thursday Night Football' because the Jets challenged the Bills' safe space amongst the AFC Wild Card race. I can't say for certain, but I'm pretty sure Jonathan Martin would agree. Sorry Richie, but this attempt at projecting is about as incognito as the amount of fun the Jets had at your expense....
When Jadeveon Clowney dressed up as an inmate on the heels of his employer making himself sound like the owner of a plantation instead of the owner of an NFL franchise I said that "the ghosts of improperly worded, idiotic idioms past were a persistent bunch". But man, I couldn't have envisioned how prophetic those words would prove to be. The reaction to Bob McNair's inflammatory comparison - just as everything that gets absolutely skewered by the general public - was just starting to die down, annnnnd now he has to answer to his inevitable silent refusal to sign the quarterback that ultimately put him in the position to spew his piss poor commentary. Obviously it's nothing more than an unfortunate coincidence that Deshaun Watson went from an "inmate" to the injured reserve in a little over a week. However, I'll be damned if a circumstance that intertwines the narratives of Bob McNair and the one (former) player that he's kept in solitary confinement doesn't feel like an act of God. The Texans' owner gave his empty apology just like every other pseudo-public figure that's said some prejudice bullshit in passing, and what does he get in return? An almost immediate opportunity to prove that it was nothing more than a saving of his old, 'Tales From The Crypt' face ass by signing a polarizing player that would undoubtedly improve a team that destined to be uncompetitive otherwise. Of course, he has enough money and power to ignore every derogatory thing said about him so he won't sign said player that - from a strictly football perspective - almost makes too sense as a replacement for his fallen starter. That said, if there's any slight positive to be taken from Deshaun Watson's ACL tear it's that it allowed Bob McNair's comically careless words to continue to haunt him. Everyone knew he was full of shit when he let his discriminatory drivel leak from his mouth, but I don't think anyone could have predicted how quickly he'd confirm it.
Maybe I'm silly for even acknowledging this because I'm really just responding to Warren Moon's use the word "bittersweet" on television. However, I have seen far too many people referencing the Deshaun Watson injury as it pertained to the Houston Astros' World Series victory, and - quite frankly - I find the affiliation deeply offensive to the team responsible for the latter. Don't get me wrong, it's objectively awful news that one of the best young quarterbacks in football is done for the year. Deshaun Watson was already - no more than halfway through what was sure to be an award winning rookie season - one of a handful of exciting players at an all-too-important position. His absence on the field will cost his team a chance to remain relevant in a league that's become exceedingly mediocre, and that seems super unfair to someone who seems like a real good dude off of it. So yeah, this sucks for Deshaun Watson, it sucks for the Texans, it sucks for their fans, and it sucks for anyone that has even the the most passing interest in professional football. What it doesn't do, however, is suck enough to take away from the celebration of a championship that has been 55 years in the making. It's unfortunate that the soulless sport of football keeps shooting its own stars onto season-ending IR, but every NFL team - whether they've realized it yet or not - rosters a disastrous injury (in Houston's case, 3 and counting) that's just patiently waiting to happen at the worst possible time. What most teams don't have is a fan base that can fall back on the unadulterated joy that's been granted to them by their city's first professional title in over two decades. Deshaun Watson will be back under center by the start of next season, and do you know what will remain unquestionably true between now and then? The absolute fact that Houston is the home of the reigning World Series champions. If I were a diehard Houston sports' loyalist I would have looked at what would otherwise be an insanely depressing notification, put my phone down, took a deep breath, poured the contents of my 22nd beer of the day on the ground on behalf of Deshaun Watson's ACL, and immediately cracked open my 23rd celebratory cold one. If there is a single Astros/Texans/Rockets fan that is walking around with his shoulders slumped and a 'woe is me' expression plastered across his face he should be publicly shamed for not realizing that the phrase "can't win 'em all" exists for this very reason. Fortunately for this hypothetical "him", his teams were able to collectively win one, and - since that's more than can be said for a lot of people - he should continue to remind himself that this Astros team will walk together forever while Tom Savage remains the Texans' most handicapped quarterback on Sundays. Ultimately, the point I am trying to get across is that - while you never want to see a guy suffer a serious injury - any Houston fan worth his salt would have signed up for this exchange...
(Bill Feig, Associated Press)
As a longtime Saints fan, I'm can confidently say that I am about the furthest thing from in touch with what signifies good cornerback play. I know defensive backs aren't generally defined by stats, but surely there has to be a couple quantifiable ways in which to accurately judge their efforts. Can anyone tell me if this is one of them?
I'd guess that having more gained yards of turnovers than yards given up to playmakers whose performance is damn near predicated completely on the compiling of yards would - in fact - be quite an impressive measure of success, but I'm not trying to jump to any conclusions here. So, if someone with a better command of analytics would like to let me know what it says about a defensive player when they are providing more offense than the host of offensive players they are covering it would be greatly appreciated. On the surface it appears to be an extremely rare feat for a rookie to accomplish, but that's under the assumption that by putting up numbers like this...
....the 'Defensive Rookie Of The Month' hasn't completely broken the game by playing better defense against the forward pass than the ground plays against an intentional incompletion...
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With plays like this?
And the trust and respect of his veteran teammates?
It's a pretty big assumption to say that someone who appears destined for greatness after six NFL games hasn't found some sort of glitch in the system...
Well, if that's not an indictment of the offsides challenge then I don't know what the hell is. Truthfully, I like the amendment they've made that punishes those who incorrectly call for replay reinforcements. However, I might have to reconsider what was a shockingly fair compromise - by NHL standards - if I have to witness another scene like this. I mean, the clock had long struck midnight on the East Coast, and professional officials were about one or two more legitimate attempts away from banging that tablet on a rock caveman-style all to review a game sealing empty net goal that wasn't remotely close to being offsides and was only challenged out of desperation. Of course, I could just consider this an indictment of the combination of older people and younger technology, but instead I'll just say that the NHL better not rest on their laurels as far as alterations to their video review protocol is concerned. I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure they won't always have a comical display of sheer incompetence to distract from the annoying use of a half-assed time wasting tactic that could have been blown dead for delaying the game.
I just absolutely love that Sam Hinkie has - on his own volition - labeled himself the official spokesperson for seemingly laughable prognostications coming to fruition. Do you have a team that used time, patience, and hundreds of losses to overcome once miraculous odds to achieve greatness? Well, then you've got a team that proves that Sam Hinkie's mind is but a crystal ball that can predict how current failures can contribute to future improvement. When you really think about it, it's pretty difficult to 'Trust The Process' when the culmination of 'The Process' is dependent on a fragile foot of a seven foot freak and a #1 pick that looks like he fell down the Draft Day stairs, bumped his head, and forgot how to shoot a jump shot. That said, how could you be anything but certain that things will work out in the long run when the person who set the counterproductive rise to the top in motion has countless examples of teams that have sucked their way to success at his disposal? Who cares if he took a circumstantial cross-sport reference and used it to pat himself on the back? With the tanking era in full-swing in almost every sport, someone has to step up to the proverbial plate as its ambassador. Why not have it be the person whose basketball life died for the sins of the talentless scrubs he intentionally put on the floor in hopes of sabotaging sacrificial seasons in the name of Ben Simmons? Congrats to the upstart Astros, but - once the celebratory smoke clears - they will be just another team on the list of examples of why the Sixers are destined to do big things.
Look, I'm certainly not the type to discourage guarantees. Sports would unquestionably be less fun if athletes stopped emotionally making empty promises without regard for the asinine amount of circumstances that have to go their way for their team to win a title. So, in that sense, I'm glad that Kenley Jansen gave us an answer that is statistically a hell of a lot more likely to end up being mockable than it is prophetical. Still, I think I speak for all Dodgers fans in saying that this is just....too soon. Like, let one of the most disappointing losses that a team and its fanbase can possible endure breathe for a bit before telling those in mourning that it's a sign of better things to come. This is like showing up to a funeral and telling the widow that "with death comes new life". It's technically not incorrect, but the timing of it sure is. No one wants to hear that there is potentially a breed with a longer life span available for adoption while their dog is getting put to sleep, so they probably don't want to hear their closer talk about a hypothetical World Series immediately after they failed to close an actual World Series. The Los Angeles Dodgers don't stand to withstand a fall from grace, so there is no reason to roll out a metaphorical safety net for their hurt feelings. So, being that it would be a full year away from coming to fruition, I am unfortunately going to have to discount the legitimacy of guarantee. If for no other reason, then because the people whose minds it was meant to ease were too busy whiskeying away their current sorrows to care about a false promise of the future. In the vein of "if you can't handle me at my worst then you don't deserve me at my best", there's a fraction of Devils' fans that didn't deserve to celebrate thee most undeserving of wins last night. Cory Schneider, as the man that somehow maintained an outside shot at Vezina Trophy candidacy while playing for a hopeless team who kept coming up short on their new year's resolution to score more than two goals a goddamn game, has become a polarizing player in New Jersey. Don't ask me how, but there are a portion of people that supposedly want the best for the Devils while simultaneously taking some masochistic joy in the worst of Cory Schneider. I don't expect it to register in their dumb brains that can't think further back than one admittedly disappointing, anomalous season that was played behind a "defense" that served as an insult to the definition of the position. However, last night was proof positive that - no matter how young and exciting they may be - this team only goes as far as it's starting goaltender takes it. You can call what Cory Schneider did in standing on his head in protection of a sphincter-clenching lead over his former team to be a standalone performance, but the people that feel inclined to do so would be laughable hypocritical considering how often they nitpick the negative as the norm. Cory Schneider himself would tell you that he's looking to improve on a GAA that is unfitting of his team's record, but the fact that his save percentage is right around the his career average is a testament to his ability to do more with less. Let John Moore's attempted assist on a potential game tying goal in the waning minutes of the third period serve as your reminder that this Devils roster isn't currently built to keep pucks out of its own net. If they score more than they give up on any given night, there's a strong chance that Cory Schneider did his job in an efficient manner. So maybe, just maybe, we could lay the fuck off and stop waiting until he puts on a circus act in the preservation of a shutout to give him any semblance of credit. Look to amount of stops he made in the first few games of season and realize he's been just as important to this hot start as anyone else, even if the numbers (other than, ya know, wins and saves) don't currently reflect such. As with the backup quarterback, the backup goaltender (who, in his own right, has been fantastic) will always get a disproportional benefit of the doubt, but - save for a season in which the only weight that was carried was tied to the foot of this team as they sunk to the bottom of the standings - I have no reason to doubt Cory Schneider. Player Notes: - At times Brian Boyle looked like he was playing his first NHL game of the season, and it was still nothing short an absolute pleasure to watch him do so. - Taylor Hall, I...I...I hardly even have the words. He's been absolutely phenomenal from the first drop of the puck this season, as if you needed that to remind you that the Devils pulled off an absolute heist last summer. - Everyone else better make sure that Cory Schneider doesn't pay for a single meal until he returns from Western Canada. |
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