The Sports Curmudgeon

I can count the number of Football Fridays left in this season on one hand – – with some fingers to spare.  So, let me get right to the subject at hand by reviewing last week’s “Betting Bundle”:

• Spreads and Totals:              2-1-0
• Season to Date:                     37-41-2

And …

• Money Line Parlays:             0-1                   Loss = $100
• Season to Date:                     17-24               Profit = $557

 

College Football Commentary:

 

When you were a kid, you probably played the game of musical chairs at least once; and as an adult, you probably recognize that the game has a relationship with the Law of Supply and Demand in Economics.  The only reason that a seat on a chair is valuable is because there are not enough seats to go around; demand exceeds supply; there are more fannies than chairs.  Well, I ran across a datum last week that tells me there should be some college football players who will feel like outcasts from the game of musical chairs soon.  Here is the datum:

• There are 180 QBs in the college football portal.

There are also, only 136 Division 1-A college football teams as of January 2026 and there is only one starting QB per team.  Recognizing the mathematical outcome here is not nearly equivalent to proving The Poincaré Conjecture [Google is your friend.]; there are going to be some unhappy would-be QBs.

Moreover, after observing that mathematical imbalance, Dante Moore announced that he will not declare for the NFL Draft but will return to Oregon for next year.  Given that he led the Ducks to the CFP semifinals this year, I would imagine that he will get the start for Oregon in 2026 meaning there are only 135 potential starting jobs up for grabs.[Foreshadowing Alert:  I will have more to say about Moore’s decision later on.]

I commented on Miami’s victory over Georgia last week; here is a thumbnail on the Indiana win over Oregon last week:

Indiana 56  Oregon 22:  That score is an accurate reflection of the game on the field.  Indiana outplayed Oregon on offense, defense and special teams.  Oregon lost 3 turnovers (one was a Pick Six) and had a punt blocked.  I think – – I am not sure – – that I saw a bit of a smile hit Curt Cignetti’s face before the final whistle went off.  Could that be right?

 

The CFP Championship Game: 

 

(Mon Nite 7:30 PM ET) Miami vs. Indiana – 8 (47):  The spread opened at 6.5 points; it rose as high as 9 points in mid-week and now sits at this level in most places.  There are a couple of sportsbooks where the spread is 8.5 points this morning.  The Total Line for the game opened at 45.5 points.  That number jumped very quickly to 48.5 points and then backed off to this level by mid-week, and it has been relatively stable since then.  The money has flowed to the Indiana side and to more scoring than originally posted by the oddsmakers.  This is essentially a home game for Miami, but I fully expect there to be a large contingent of Indiana fans in the house loudly supporting their Hoosiers.  Fernando Mendoza gives Indiana a surgically accurate passing attack; Reuben Bain, Jr. gives Miami an effective pass rush.  I think the game will come down to Indiana’s ability to protect Mendoza and enable that passing attack to do its job.  I like Indiana to win the game but I do not like having to lay more than a TD’s worth of points; so, I’ll pass on the spread and take the game to go OVER; put that in the ‘Betting Bundle”.

 

NFL Commentary:

 

With the Niners advancing to the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, I would like to post an off-the-wall comment here:

• One might make a case for Mac Jones as the NFL MVP

The Niners made the playoffs with a record of 12-5-0.  They did that with Brock Purdy missing 8 starts due to injuries; Mac Jones had a record of 5-3-0 in those 8 games and the Niners would not have made the playoffs had they gone 3-5-0 instead.  I am using here the concept of “value” to his team and not the concept of “best player on the field for the season” with my assertion.

And, for the record, I do not expect anyone to agree with me on this matter…

I want to take a moment here to say a few more things about Mike Tomlin, his tenure with the Steelers and his decision to “step down” as the coach of the Steelers.  I read that his tenure in Pittsburgh was the seventh longest tenure in NFL history.  The most recent coaching tenure that was longer than Tomlin’s time with the Steelers was Bill Belichick with the Pats; other than that, all the folks on the “longest-tenure list” got their jobs more than 50 years ago.  Here is the list:

1. Tom Landry – Cowboys – 29 years
2. Curley Lambeau – Packers – 29 years
3. Don Shula – Dolphins – 26 years
4. Bill Belichick – Pats – 24 years
5. Chuck Noll – Steelers – 23 years
6. Steve Owen – Giants – 23 years
7. Mike Tomlin – Steelers – 19 years

The presence of both Chuck Noll and Mike Tomlin on that list above reminds me that the Steelers have had 3 head coaches since 1969.  It has been 56 years since then and in that time frame, here are some historical facts:

• There have been 21 head coaches of the Cleveland Browns since 1969
• There have been 13 leap years since 1969.
• There have been 11 presidencies in the US since 1969.
• There have been 8 chairs of the Federal Reserve since 1969.
• There have been 7 Secretaries General of the United Nations since 1969.
• There have been 6 Popes since 1969.
• There have been 5 horses that won the Triple Crown since 1969.

And …

• There have been 3 head coaches of the Pittsburgh Steelers since 1969.

I wonder about the desirability of the Steelers’ job as of now.  If Aaron Rodgers chooses to retire or to go elsewhere, the Steelers need a QB unless they believe that Mason Rudolph is a late-bloomer who can lead the team to the playoffs.  Over and above that, the team needs to upgrade the OL, and it needs help with its receiving corps.  The defense has some aging vets but is in less need of upgrade than other areas of the team.

The Steelers’ QB situation is under appreciated because the Steelers have not had a losing record in next to forever.  However, since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger after the 2021 season, the Steelers have had a less-than-impressive array of starting QBs:

• Justin Fields
• Kenny Pickett
• Aaron Rodgers – – the 41-year-old version not the HoF version
• Mason Rudolph
• Mitch Trubisky
• Russell Wilson

And in addition to the possibility of needing to reboot much of the team, there is an intangible debit.  Some in the fanbase may perceive that “they” got Tomlin fired; he did not step down; he was asked to step down.  Remember those signs and those chants of “Fire Tomlin” about a month ago…  Well, just how happy might those self-empowered fans be to a season where the Steelers’ record is 5-12-0 instead of 10-7-0 and no playoff participation.

I said above that I would comment here on Dante Moore’s decision to go back to Oregon instead of entering the NFL Draft.  Here is the situation:

• The Raiders need a QB and have the first pick.  The consensus pick is Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.  I will be surprised if the Raiders take anyone else.
• As of today, the second pick in the April Draft belongs to the NY Jets.  That team needs a QB even more than the Raiders need a QB; that team has been the elephants’ graveyard for QBs for the last 50 years or so.

So, the question now comes down to this:

• Did Dante Moore make his decision based on a desire to avoid following in the footsteps of Zach Wilson, Mark Sanchez and Sam Darnold as first round picks by the NY Jets?

Here are some comments about last week’s wildcard games.  There were 6 games over last weekend; there were five-and-a-half exciting games until the Texans ran away from the Steelers in the second half of the last game of the weekend.

Rams 34  Panthers 31:  The Rams were 10-point favorites here and eked out a win such that backers of the Panthers did not need to sweat it out in the final moments of the game.  The Rams had a tidy advantage in terms of Total Offense, but 9 untimely penalties gave the Panthers ways to stay within hailing distance on the scoreboard.

Bears 31  Packers 27:  The Packers led 21-6 at the start of the 4^th quarter and managed to lose the game.  Jordan Love threw for 323 yards and 4 TDs, and the Packers managed to lose the game.  The Bears had 4 possessions in the 4^th quarter of the game and scored 3 TDs, made a two-point conversion and kicked a field goal with those four possessions.

Niners 23  Eagles 19:  The Eagles’ defense did its job limiting Christian McCaffrey to 48 yards rushing in the game on 15 carries.  On offense, the Eagles dropped passes at critical points and gave the Niners too many offensive opportunities.

Pats 16  Chargers 3:  There is no way that Jim Harbaugh foresaw his offense producing a meager 207 yards in this game; it was a dominant performance by the Pats’ defense.  Not only was the Chargers’ offensive output low, but the Pats’ defense also held the Chargers to 1 of 10 on third-down conversions.

Bills 27  Jags 24:  The Jags held James Cook to 45 yards on 15 carries but that was not enough.  Josh Allen ran for 2 TDs and threw for another; the Bills’ defense showed up and recorded 2 INTs allowing the Bills to score the winning TD with about a minute left in the game.

Texans 30  Steelers 6:  At halftime the Texans led by only 7-6; then came the deluge orchestrated by the defense.  Here are the Steelers’ possessions in the second half of the game:

• 8 plays             23 yards          PUNT
• 4 plays             6 yards            PUNT
• 4 plays             35 yards          STRIP SACK – – Texans TD
• 6 plays             19 yards          PUNT
• 4 plays             5 yards            INT
• 6 plays             21 yards          GAME OVER

 

Games This Week:

 

(Sat. 8:00 PM ET) Niners at Seahawks – 7.5 (45):  Everyone points to the Niners’ list of injuries to top-shelf players, but the team has dealt with those shortcomings for months now; I have to believe that the team had made its adjustments.  I think the game will turn on the performance of Sam Darnold.  As he did last year, Darnold had a great regular season making only a few debilitating mistakes.  Looking back as last year however, this is the time when his game unraveled against the Lions in the playoffs.  So, what does this iteration of the playoffs have in store for Messr. Darnold?  I love the way the Seahawks play defense, but I am drawn to that generous helping of points with the Niners; give me the Niners and the points; put it in the “Betting Bundle”.

(Sat. 4:30 PM ET) Bills at Broncos – 1.5 (46):  This game opened as a “Pick ‘Em game”; it moved quickly to this level early in the week and has stayed there all week long.  There are two fundamental questions here; the two answers should decide the game:

1. Will the Bills’ defense – – particularly the run defense – – play as well as it did last week?
2. Will Bo Nix have an efficient game or an inefficient game this week?

As is the case with every game involving the Buffalo Bills, there is the potential for Josh Allen to take over the contest and make things happen the way he wants them to happen.  The Broncos’ defense is a good unit and is well aware of that potential.  I’ll take the Bills plus the points here and cross my fingers in hopes of a significant defensive effort by the Bills; put it in the “Betting Bundle”.

(Sun. 3:00 PM ET) Texans at Pats – 3 (40.5):  I think this game will turn on the two defenses.

• Can the Texans’ defense overwhelm the Pats’ OL and minimize the Pats’ passing game?
• Can the Pats’ defense force fumbles and INTs out of the Texans’ offense?

The Texans lost two fumbles and threw an INT last week — and still won; however, that is not generally a recipe for success.  I like the Pats to win and cover here; put that in the “Betting Bundle”.

(Sun. 6:30 PM ET) Rams – 4 at Bears (48): My pick here is purely from the gut; I think the Bears’ comebacks in the final minutes of a half-dozen games this year indicates that they are serious contenders for the Super Bowl.  I know that when it does “come undone” for the Bears, they are likely to lose a game by 3 scores – – but not this week.  I like the Bears plus the points at home; put that in the “Betting Bundle”.

So, let me review this week’s “Betting Bundle”:

• Indiana/Miami OVER 47
• Niners +7.5
• Bills +1.5
• Pats – 3
• Bears +4

And just for giggles, here is a Money Line Parlay:

• Bears @ +170
• Bills @ +105               $100 wager to win $454

Finally, this observation from Frank Leahy:

“Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

The 2025 NFL season remains “open for business” to 8 of the 32 teams today; the other 24 teams are probably using their time strategizing for free agency and then the Draft and ultimately the 2026 season.  To my mind, the NY Giants’ situation stands out from the rest of the league.

• Many of the “idle” teams this morning are looking for “their QB”.  The Giants seem to be in fine shape there with Jaxson Dart.
• Reports this morning say that the Giants and John Harbaugh’s agent are finalizing an agreement for Harbaugh to coach the Giants.  Check that box.
• And then, on the negative side, there is this headline from msn.com:
• “Russell Wilson leaves Giants cruel parting gift with NFL investigation expected over comments”

Say what?  Russell Wilson’s contract with the Giants was a 1-year deal; so the “parting gift” is not something related to a cap hit when the team released him and even if there were some unusual clauses in that contract, how might that involve an NFL investigation?

Here’s the deal.  On his way out the door, Wilson said that he injured his hamstring prior to the Giants’ Week 2 game against the Cowboys and that injury went unreported.  If true, that is an NFL no-no.  Also, if true, other QBs around the league might be looking to injure their hamstrings before games because Russell Wilson threw for 450 yards and 3 TDs against the Cowboys in Week 2.  The Giants lost that game 40-37, but it would be difficult to pin the blame on Wilson for that outcome.

Here is what Wilson said to reporters:

“You know, I played that [Week 2] game, you know, I tore my hamstring on Friday in practice — the last play of practice.  And I had a grade two [tear]. I couldn’t tell anybody. I had to go and play on it just because I knew the circumstance, I had to play on it, no matter what. I actually ended up going to the Dallas Mavericks’ facility, training.”

The NFL has long been diligent in reporting the injury status of players; that practice has taken on even more importance with the explosion of legal sports wagering and things like “player prop bets” proliferating.  That statement cannot have fallen on deaf ears in the NFL Front Office; the Giants need that sort of scrutiny like I need a third nostril.

And lest you think that this is merely one last grasp at publicity by Wilson, it is not.  In the same session where he dropped that little item above, he also declared that he is a free agent and fully expects to be ready to play QB for an NFL team next season.  Here is how he characterized his off-season plans:

“You know, and just be ready to rock and roll, and be as healthy as possible and be ready to play ball.”

As they say at the World Series of Poker, “Shuffle up, and deal …”

Moving on …  Do you realize that the NBA regular season is almost half over?  Teams already have played between 38 and 41 games; the regular season is 82 games in length.  I have paid only the most marginal attention so far this season; I have watched only two or three games in their entirety since the season tipped off in October 2025 and have not paid full attention to some of the game snippets I have experienced so far this season.  For those of you who have also paid little attention, let me bring you up to speed here:

• The Detroit Pistons have the best record in the Eastern Conference at 28-10.  No, they have not cloned Isiah Thomas and Bill Lambeer.
• The Boston Celtics record is 24-15 which is surprising since most folks thought that Jaxon Tatum’s injury and other roster shuffling would make this a down year in Boston.
• The Oklahoma City Thunder started the season with a 24-1 record; they have “cooled off” since then but still have the best record in the league at 34-7.
• At the other end of the teeter-totter, the Philadelphia 76ers record for futility is all but assured; the Indiana Pacers record today is 9-32.  The Sixers’ record in 1973 was 9-73, meaning the Pacers would have to lose out from here just to equal that degree of ineptitude.

Finally, here is an interesting point of view from George Burns:

“Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

Scott Adams died yesterday; the cause of death was metastatic prostate cancer.  Scott Adams was the creator of the comic strip Dilbert which I considered a “must-read” from the mid-1990s on.  His social and political views were outside the mainstream; he described himself as a libertarian minus the crazy stuff; nonetheless, some of his views were seen by many as “crazy”.  He suffered from the “cancel culture” when he made some racially insensitive remarks on his podcast.  Notwithstanding his personal sociopolitical views, Scott Adams brought me thousands of smiles and chuckles with Dilbert and Wally and the pointy-haired boss.  His satire of “office life” was sharp and pointed; he will be missed by many folks including me.

Rest in peace, Scott Adams.

Mike Tomlin decided yesterday to abandon his role as the coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 seasons on the job.  Every football fan in America knows that Tomlin’s Steelers never recorded a losing record in any of those 19 seasons and that feat alone should pave the way for Mike Tomlin’ entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  The search process for a new coach will be an unfamiliar one for the Steelers’ organization and for Steelers’ fans; here is the history:

• In 1969, the Steelers hired Chuck Noll to replace Bill Austin.
• In 1992, the Steelers hired Bill Cowher to replace Chuck Noll.
• In 2006, the Steelers hired Mike Tomlin to replace Bill Cowher.

In the last 57 years, this will be the Steelers’ fourth “coach-hiring event”; that record is unique in NFL ranks.

Even though Tomlin’s teams never had a losing season, a part of the fanbase became disenchanted with him and his style of football – – defense first and a conservative offense.  At a game in the regular season this year, chants of “Fire Tomlin!” broke out in one of the Steelers’ home games.  I have to think those chants played at least a small part in Mike Tomlin’s decision yesterday.

Some have opined that Tomlin now joins John Harbaugh as a “prize catch” in this year’s NFL coach-swap season.  [Aside: How great would it be for Harbaugh to get the Steelers’ job and for Tomlin to get the Ravens’ job and the two of them to carry on their rivalry?]  My gut tells me that Tomlin is not going to take another coaching gig quickly; the level of stability that he had lived and worked under in his time with the Steelers is not likely to be imitated let alone duplicated anywhere else; so, I suspect he will do a lot of thinking about whether he wants to work in a different environment or not.

Others have suggested that Tomlin will go into broadcasting – – and at least a few commentators have speculated that he already has the outline of a deal with FOX for next season.  Yahoo!Sports says that he earned about $100M over his time with the Steelers; if that figure is even close to correct, I doubt that Mike Tomlin “needs a job”.  Personally, I think he would be very good on TV if that is what he chooses to do next in his life.

Staying with today’s theme of “departures”, the Eagles fired their offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo yesterday.  To say that the Eagles’ offense underperformed in 2025 would be high praise for that portion of the Eagles’ team.  After I watched the Eagles lose to the Niners over the weekend, I sent a text to two good friends who are Eagles’ fans; I did not know at the time I sent the text that they were in attendance for that game freezing their butts off in those weather conditions.  Here is the text I sent to them:

“If Patullo has a job with the Eagles on Tuesday morning, that means he has photos of the owner having sex with a barnyard animal.”

I have not seen a report as to the exact time that this separation took place, but I will assert that my prediction came true because there are no photos of the Eagles’ owner having sex with a barnyard animal – – or even a household pet.

At the end of a text exchange with my friends, one of them declared that:

“… I’m swearing off going to Eagles games when the wind-chill is below 70°.”

To paraphrase the bearded guy in the Dos Equis ads:

• Stay warm, my friends …

Finally, since today has been about separations, let me close with George Carlin’s view on one specific separation:

“I’m completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

Stonehill College is in Easton Massachusetts and its men’s basketball team – the Stonehill Skyhawks – are in the Division 1 Northeast Conference.  Another member of that conference is the Chicago St. Cougars, and the two teams played each other in a game with a bizarre finish.  Let me set the stage:

• Chicago St. led by two points,
• Time left on the clock was 1 second.
• Chicago St. had possession of the ball out of bounds.

You guessed it, Chicago St. lost that game.  How could that happen you may ask.

The Cougars’ player with the ball out of bounds called a time out – – but Chicago St. had no timeouts left.  By rule, the timeout is granted and a technical foul is assessed thereby giving Stonehill two shots from the foul line.  Naturally, Stonehill sank the two free throws to force overtime and then Stonehill won the game in overtime 85-82.

That loss left the Chicago St. Cougars with a record of 2-15 for the season; it is not as if defeat is unknown in that locker room.  However, that loss must be a standout for the team; that timeout call is even worse than the infamous one executed by Chris Webber in the NCAA Tournament against UNC.  Yes, the stakes were higher in that March Madness game; Chicago St. is clearly not going to “be a factor” in the NCAA Tournament this season; however, Webber’s mistake was made in the course of game action not in a situation where the ball was in the hands of a player standing out of bounds needing only to throw the ball to anyone on the court to start the clock down from 1 second.

[Aside:  That victory for Stonehill ran their season record to 4-12; I am guessing they too will not “be a factor” in this year’s March Madness event.]

Moving on …  The Atlanta Falcons hired former Falcons’ QB, Matt Ryan, as their President of Football late last week.  Ryan turned in his “football analyst on TV” mantle and assumed the role of “NFL Front Office Executive”.  The Falcons can only hope that Ryan will be as good as an exec as he was as a studio analyst on TV; the CBS pregame show has a hole to fill.

In that new role, Ryan will answer directly to the principal owner of the Falcons, Arthur Blank.  In a statement by the Falcons, Blank said that Ryan will have the final say on “all football decisions”.  That would seem to take any ambiguity off the table about roles and responsibilities within the organization.

Ryan’s first job objective is to find and hire a new GM and a new head coach both of whom will report to him.  And it would appear that Ryan is letting no grass grow under his feet.  According to a report in this morning’s Washington Post, the Falcons announced on Monday that they had already interviewed both John Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel for the head coach position.

Let me make it clear that I do not wish for Matt Ryan to fail in his new role; it seems to me that he is a class act.  However, the Falcons did something akin to this in the past.

• In 1968, the Falcons hired former NFL QB, Norm Van Brocklin, as their head coach.
• In 1970, the Falcons made him the GM in addition to the head coach.
• “Stormin’ Norman” was with the Falcons through the first half of the 1974 season.
• The Falcons record under Van Brocklin was a meager 37-49-3.

Switching gears – – sort of …  John Harbaugh is clearly the trophy fish in the coaching pond at the moment, and his coaching style is different from just about everyone else out there on various teams’ radars.  John Harbaugh is a former Special Teams coach and defensive backs coach; he was never an offensive coordinator nor a defensive coordinator; he does not call plays on either side of the ball and – – according to reports – – he delegates game planning and scheming to his staff.  That style does not map well onto many other coaching aspirants.

What does John Harbaugh do to earn his keep as a head coach?  From my perspective, he assures that there is always an adult in the room.  Moreover, that adult will remain emotionally in control through good and bad game situations providing a measure of stability that is not universally present on NFL sidelines week after week.

Personally, I think the Giants would benefit the most from having Harbaugh’s maturity and stability on their sideline; those elements were clearly absent during the “Brian Daboll Days”.  As of this morning, I have not heard or read anything that would suggest that the Giants have spoken with Harbaugh about the job.

Finally, here are words for Matt Ryan and John Harbaugh as of this morning from General George S. Patton:

“Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

The CBA between the WNBA and the WNBPA has expired.  Notwithstanding two time extensions from Halloween until last weekend, the two sides chose not to come to an agreement, and the league now exists in a zombie state.  There are no rules or restrictions on things that players or teams might choose to do; and at the same time, there is reason for teams and players to do nothing spectacular since no one knows what the new rules/restrictions will be once a new CBA comes into existence – – which must happen sometime down the road.

There is no player strike and there is no league- imposed lockout at least for the moment.  The sticking points seem to be commonplace for management/union stalemates – – salaries and benefits.  Both sides issued statements once the CBA ceased to exist over the weekend and both statements were just about what anyone would have expected under the circumstances

From the union:

“Make no mistake, pay equity is not optional and progress is long overdue. We urge the league and its teams to meet this moment. The players already have and will continue to do so.”

From the league:

“As the league experiences a pivotal time of unprecedented popularity and growth, we recognize the importance of building upon that momentum.  Our priority is a deal that significantly increases player salaries, enhances the overall player experience, and supports the long-term growth of the league for current and future generations of players and fans.”

Unless one is willing to project the evaporation of the WNBA and its disappearance from the sporting cosmos, there will need to be a compromise here one of these days.  Here is my “suggestion” for the sports media in the US:

• Report NOTHING about the players and the league until and unless they announce that negotiations are over and a new CBA has come to be.

Recall in George Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984, there were “Unpersons” – – those that had been “removed” from society by the Party and whose very existence had been expunged from all memories.  I believe the best thing that could happen to the labor negotiations here is for BOTH SIDES to experience what it is like to be an “Unperson”.  If there is nothing that either side can do to achieve even a morsel of attention from the media, both sides may become a bit more motivated to get to where they both need to get.

• The league might begin to wonder if indeed the sporting public and the sports media might be able to continue to exist without a thing called the WNBA.  Public indifference might lead to public absence from arenas and from in front of TV sets.
• The players might begin to recognize that if the league fails or exists in diminished stature, their playing future(s) will also go into decline.  Yes, the players would still have overseas leagues to join, and they would still have their 3-on-3 league, “Unrivaled”, as opportunities.  However, they exist now and if they were sufficient for players’ opportunities, there would be no imperative for worrying about any WNBA issues at all.

Let the coverage moratorium begin today and see how long it is until either or both sides here try to do something to “get back in the news”.  My guess is that would happen in 3-5 days …

Moving on …  The Winter Olympics in Milan will start on February 6^th; late last week, The Athletic had a report that there seems to be a major glitch in the preparation for the ice hockey events there.  The plans called for the construction of a new venue for Olympic hockey; with less than a month to go before pucks could drop, “… the main ice hockey venue remains very much a work in progress.”

The report says that the arena feels like a construction site even though a test game was played there last week.  There is an ice surface and there are seats in the arena; that is the good news.  However here are a few other observations from the report:

“Construction dust floated over the playing surface”

And …

“There were still multiple large holes in the exterior of the building “

And …

“The permanent dressing room area is also still under construction”

And …

“The practice rink structure is currently dotted with forklifts, building materials and other tools … Getting that completed is vital since there won’t be anywhere else for teams to skate during the Olympics, when the main rink will be jammed with as many as three games per day.”

And …

“The building currently features unpainted drywall and unfinished concrete floors throughout. There will be no fancy concourses or luxury boxes here. On Friday night, fans [for the test game played there] could purchase food and beer from food trucks parked outside.”

This sounds like the essence of a goat rodeo.  Like the inevitability of a new CBA for the WNBA and its players, there will be accommodations made to permit the Olympic hockey competition to happen.  Just sit back and focus on other matters and wait to see just what those accommodations turn out to be.

Finally, here is an interesting perspective on “inevitability” from author, Haruki Murakami:

“Pain is inevitable.  Suffering is optional.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports ………

 

 

Back in the days of the Roman Empire, Fridays were Dies Veneris – or Days of Venus, the goddess of love.  Possibly, that is because the Romans had not invented football yet; thus, they could not have experienced a Football Friday.  It’s no wonder that the Empire fell …

There were no picks in the “Betting Bundle” but there were two Money Line Parlays; so, let me clear the stats on that front:

• Spreads and Totals:              0-0
• Season to Date:                     35-40-2

And …

• Money Line Parlays:             0-2                   Loss = $200
• Season to Date:                     17-23               Profit = $657

 

College Football Commentary:

 

Before commenting on last night’s CFP action, I want to consider something a bit more generic about the CFP.  For a reason that I do not understand – – partly because I am similarly afflicted – – college football fans are very intolerant of early round lopsided games in the tournament.  And as the complaining reaches a crescendo, the knee jerk solution to that offensive situation is to exclude teams outside the Power Four and/or to increase the number of teams invited to the tournament.  By now – – when half of the teams that will play for the national championship has been decided – – those cries have died down to the point that the issue might be considered less emotionally.

I too am not nearly as entertained by some of the early round CFP: games as I would be if they were more competitive, but when I think about the general “solutions” offered to the problem, I am not sure that they would cure the problem.

• Add more teams: This “solution” would do two things; it would offer more games in the early rounds, and it would seriously impact all the other bowl games by removing the few teams that might be an attraction for those games.  If the “added teams” come from the Power Four, that will assure that some fourth-place teams from one or more of the conferences will be in the CFP and almost assuredly, those teams have already lost to the top teams from that conference.  So, is that going to kick it up a notch?  [Hat Tip: Emeril Lagasse].
• Exclude G-5 Teams:  This “solution” runs the risk of the CFP being sued for monopolistic practices and whether you believe it to be behaving in that way or not, facing that sort of legal jeopardy is not going to be attractive to anyone involved with the CFP.  Maybe you could come up with a structure whereby the G-5 schools get a percentage of the revenue generated by the CFP even without participating such that the G-5 would agree to the deal.  However, I think the willingness of the power brokers in the Power Four conferences and in the CFP hierarchy would be sketchy at best.

            As I was ruminating on this situation, an analogy came to mind that makes me wonder why fans are as intolerant of “CFP mismatches” as they are.  The best analogy to the CFP that I can come up with is March Madness.

• Both are intercollegiate competitions
• Both crown national champions
• Both attract large TV audiences
• Both generate sizeable revenues

And the early round blowouts in March Madness brackets are usually shrugged off as “business as usual” in the tournament.  When a team like UConn or Kentucky or Duke wallops “Are You Kidding Me A&M” by 45 points in a first-round game, the only “complaints” that seem to arise are from those who took UConn/Kentucky/Duke and laid 47 points.  So, what is the difference?  Why is there no hue and cry to make sure that “Are You Kidding Me A&M” and any team that resembles “Are You Kidding Me A&M” never darkens another annual bracket?

There is, regarding March Madness, a similarity in a suggestion to “add more teams”; some have suggested expanding March Madness to 96 teams which I think is outrageous.  And once again, if there is “expansion” along with the exclusion of more Mid-Majors”, legal peril could arise.

My resolution here is pragmatic.  The CFP will eventually expand to 16 teams; that will add revenue (always a welcome result), and it will obviate the debate on “rust or rest” that faces the top-seeded teams which have gone 1-7 in their first appearances in the CFP as it exists now.  Since I have every expectation that will come to pass, the only question is the makeup of the 16-team field and once again I think March Madness provides a model.

• Empanel a Selection Committee – – people with a strong résumé and a very thick skin.
• Empower them to name the participants and to seed them.
• Then embrace:

What the Selection Committee has put together, let no man put asunder…

            Or as Yul Brynner said in the role of Ramses II in The Ten Commandments:

“So let it be written; so, let it be done.”

The Miami Hurricanes secured a spot in the CFP Final Game last night coming from behind and scoring the winning TD with 18 seconds left on the clock.  Hopefully, that presence in the Final Game will silence all those who were dead certain that Miami simply did not belong in the field in the first place.  Moreover, it should serve as an example for folks who think that conference champions should be the teams to represent their conferences regardless of any other consideration; recall that this year’s ACC Champion was Duke, which posted a regular season record of 7-5.

 

Tonight’s CFP Game:

 

Oregon vs Indiana – 3.5 (48.5):  These teams met in the regular season; on Oct 11, the Hoosiers beat the Ducks in Oregon by a score of 30-20.  In that game, the score was tied at 13 apiece in the middle of the third quarter and tied again 20-20 early in the fourth quarter.  Given the subsequent performances by both teams, there is every reason to expect a good game tonight.  Both teams are well coached; the two QBs are considered to be “Top 5 Picks” in the upcoming NFL Draft; both teams play hard every play.  I think Indiana can establish “Big-Ten Dominance” in football this season by winning the CFP; it would be the third year in a row that the big Ten produced the CFP champ AND it would be the third different big Ten team to do so.  I like Indiana here to win and cover; put it in the “Betting Bundle”.

 

NFL Commentary:

 

I guess the biggest NFL news today is that no other head coach was fired overnight.  So, let me comment on the NFL coaching situation as it stands now – – recognizing that it will certainly change once teams are eliminated from the layoffs and their assistants can be openly interviewed and contacted.

• Ravens:  This must be a desirable position for several reasons; two-time MVP, Lamar Jackson, is there; Derrick Henry is there; Mark Andrews is there.  All those players are on offense, so this team needs a defensive guy to round things out.  Both Brian Flores and Robert Saleh had excellent season-long results as defensive coordinators.  Another “plus “attached to the Ravens’ job is the history of a patient ownership.  Since the Ravens came into existence 30 years ago, the team has had only 3 head coaches – – Ted Marchibroda, Brian Billick and John Harbaugh.
• Cards:  I guess the best thing this job has to offer is that it should not be difficult to show some improvement early on in one’s tenure in Arizona.  The roster did not mesh last year; the QB situation is up in the air; the team invested in defense in the last offseason and that defense was mediocre at best.  Coaches only get two shots at being a head coach in the NFL; after two firings, most are labeled as “damaged goods”.  I would be surprised to see a “second-time coach” take this job with this roster and with marginal ownership on top.
• Browns:  Everything I said about the Cards applies to the Browns – – except the Browns’ defense is very good as opposed to the Cards’ defense.  The ownership situation here is less than ideal to say the least and the QB situation would fill up two years of drama on an afternoon soap opera.  Remember, Deshaun Watson is still on the payroll and is rehabbing …
• Raiders:  Bad roster; bad owner; the specter of Tom Brady hovering around the team; playing in a tough division.  Other than those factors, this is a great job …
• Giants:  I think the team is at an inflection point; they appear poised to become much better than their double-digit losses in the previous season would indicate.  My first thought was that Kevin Stefanski would be the ideal candidate for this job, but I wonder if his low-key/ cerebral demeanor will play well with the NYC media.  A mismatch there can generate those “dreaded distractions”, don’t you know…
• Dolphins:  Who knows what that franchise will do next?  The first thing an aspirant for the job must figure out is the value of Tua Tagovailoa and then assess his availability due to injuries.  The defense is good – – not great – – and De’Von Achane is a quality running back.  Best assessment here is that this is neither the best nor the worst job out there this year…
• Titans:  This is another franchise where the next move is likely to be the next surprise.  According to a report at CBSSports.com, the Titans have requested interviews with 14 head coaching candidates.

Glass half full = The Front Office wants to gather as much input from as many candidates as possible to set the course for the future of the team based on a synthesis of that input,

Glass half empty = The Front Office has no clue what it needs or wants and will – at some point – tire of trying to sort among the candidates and draw a name out of a hat.

            Here are comments from some of last week’s games:

Giants 34  Cowboys 17:  The Cowboys played their starters for the first half only; the Giants played their starters longer than that.  Conclusion:

• The Giants starters are better than the Cowboys’ reserves

Vikes 16  Packers 3:  The Packers played Clayton Tune at QB in this game, and he had net passing yardage of minus-7 yards for the game.  On Tuesday of this week, he was released by the team from its roster.  Just in case you need an explanation of how important some of the games last week were …

Texans 38  Colts 30:  Riley Leonard acquitted himself quite well in this game throwing for 270 yards and 2 TDs against the Texans’ defense.

Raiders 14  Chiefs 12:  In this game, the two teams COMBINED to produce 372 yards of Total Offense.  The four QBs that produced that meager total were:

• Shane Buechele and Chris Oladokun (Chiefs)
• Aidan O’Connell and Kenny Pickett (Raiders)

Commanders 24  Eagles 17:  The Eagles played almost no starters on offense or on defense for the entire game; the Commanders played the starters.  See the Cowboys/Giants game above for a parallel assessment …

Steelers 26  Ravens 24:  When that last second field goal went “wide right”, I wonder if somewhere Scott Norwood felt a twinge in his leg …

 

Games This Week:

 

The Seahawks and the Broncos get a week off as the overall #1 seeds in the conference playoffs.  Both teams are as healthy as can be expected after an 18-game regular season schedule; so, they are not necessarily looking at this time off as a “rehab opportunity”.  The other 12 teams in the playoffs need to face quality opponents this week as they press on for a shot at the Super Bowl on Feb 8.

(Sat. 4:30 PM ET) Rams – 10.5 at Panthers (46):  These teams met in Carolina on November 30^th in the regular season; that was not all that long ago. In that game, the Panthers won outright by a score of 31-28.  In that game, the Rams closed as 10-point favorites – – and lost outright.  So, why is there nothing different in the spread for this game?  An important element of the Panthers’ winning six weeks ago was that the Panthers’ defense turned the ball over for the offense three times.  Can that unit replicate that performance?

(Sat. 8:00 PM ET) Packers – 2 at Bears (44.5):  This will be the third meeting for these two teams this season; that does not happen all that often.  I think the key to this game is efficacy of the Bears’ running attack.  If the Bears can run the ball and keep the Packers’ offense off the field a bit, that will provide some respite for the Bears’ defense.  Moreover, it will keep Caleb Williams from feeling as if he has to do everything by himself for the offense.

(Sun. 1:00 PM ET) Bills – 2 at Jags (51.5):  I know that Josh Allen is always capable of emerging from a phone booth (remember those) in a Superman outfit and taking over any NFL game.  Having said that, I like the Jags in this game because there has been “something missing” or “something discordant” about the Bills when I have watched them this season.  And the Bills’ run defense is just plain “not good”.  Give me the Jags plus the points; put that in the “Betting Bundle”.

(Sun. 4:30 PM ET) Niners at Eagles – 5 (44):  Let me get to the Bottom Line here:

• Niners’ defense has a ton of injuries to key players.
• Eagles’ offense has sputtered for most of the year.

It would not be a huge surprise to see the Eagles’ defense keep the Niners in check; the question is how the Eagle’s offense might fare against the Niners’ defense.  The spread for this game opened at 3 points so that line movement means there has been a significant imbalance of money on the Eagles from earlier this week.  I think this line is fat; give me the Niners plus the points; put that in the “Betting Bundle”.

(Sun. 8:15 PM ET) Chargers at Pats – 3.5 (46):  Drake Maye has never been in an NFL Playoff game; in fact, he was never in a college football playoff game. This is terra incognita for him.  Meanwhile, Justin Herbert has been in two NFL Playoff games and has lost both of them.  This is a long journey for the Chargers from sunny SoCal to cold and possibly snowy New England.

(Mon. 8:15 PM ET) Texans – 3 at Steelers (38):  Points will be at a premium in this game; defense is the calling card for both teams.  The spread here bounced up to 4 points a couple of times earlier this week, but it has been stable at this level since Wednesday evening.  Normally when I expect a low-scoring game, I like to take the points; but this game has too many moving parts:

• Aaron Rodgers has loads of playoff experience; CJ Stroud does not
• The Steelers get DK Metcalf back in this game; they had to play without him for the last two weeks.
• Can the Steelers’ OL handle the Texans’ pass rush?  Aaron Rodgers is not nearly as mobile as he used to be.

I’ll just sit back with a nice glass of wine and enjoy the last game of Wildcard weekend.

So, let me review the “Betting Bundle”:

• Indiana – 3.5 over Oregon
• Jags +2 against Bills
• Niners +5 against Eagles

            And just for fun here is a Money Line Parlay:

• Jags @ +105
• Pats @ minus-180
• Indiana @ minus-165                        $100 wager to win $412

Finally, Jake Gaither was the longtime head football coach at Florida A&M; here is how he described his ideal defensive player:

“He should be agile, mobile and hostile.”

Sounds like what we might be seeing in the Texans/Steelers game on Monday night.

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

I do not recall another early-January season where the NFL coach firings have come out in dribs and drabs the way they have this year.  Usually, all the beheadings take place or have taken place by Tuesday after Week 18 of the regular season; this year there seems to be a new “firing” every day.  This morning, I learned that the Dolphins have fired Mike McDaniel after having him at the helm for four seasons.  I wonder who is next …

Let me stay with the idea of “coach firings” for a moment here.  I read yesterday afternoon that the Raiders will owe Pete Carroll $30.1M as his buyout for the rest of his contract.  I thought that had to be a typo because I could not imagine that the Raiders had given a 73-year-old man a long-term deal and he had only been on the job for a little less than 12 months.  Well, I was wrong.

According to various references, Pete Carroll’s contract with the Raiders was for 3 years and $45M; so, assuming linear payments, the Raiders are on the hook for about $30M.  Moreover, even if there is a clause there allowing the Raiders relief should Carroll get a head coaching job elsewhere, that is not likely because Carroll is now 74 years old.

Reports say that the Falcons restructured Kirk Cousins’ contract such that they may be able to release him and not suffer a monstrous cap hit.  I don’t pretend to understand all that cap-related mathematics, but I assume all the reporting is reliable.  It does, however, make me wonder about the Falcons’ evaluations:

• The Falcons record in 2025 was 8-9-0
• Michael Penix Jr. was 3-7-0 as a starter
• Kirk Cousins was 5-2-0 as a starter
• Michael Penix Jr has been injured often in college and the NFL
• And the Falcons are working to release a backup who went 5-2-0 …?

The Cowboys fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.  Given the way the Cowboys performed on defense in 2025, Eberflus is lucky he was not tarred and feathered on his way out of town.  The Cowboys finished the season with a record of 7-9-1:

• The Cowboys gave up 511 points (28.4 points per game) in 2025; that was the most in the NFL.
• That defensive failure wasted an excellent offensive year by the Cowboys who scored 471 points (26.2 points per game) which was third best in the NFC.

The Commanders fired both of their coordinators – – Klif Kingsbury on offense and Joe Whitt, Jr. on defense.  Kingsbury had to deal with not having Jayden Daniels available for 11 games in 2025 and with nagging injuries to Terry McLauren.  Indeed, the Commanders’ offense “took a step back” in 2025 but it is not clear that the playcalling was the cause.

On defense, the Commanders’ problem is much worse.  The problem there is that the Commanders have two – and arguably three – starters on defense who could also start for a majority of other teams in the league.  The talent level is low and coaching cannot infuse talent.  Having said that, there is a coaching issue with the defense, and it is basic:

• Other than Bobby Wagner, the Commanders’ defenders do not tackle effectively.  The essential element – the key skill/ability – of a football defender is to tackle the guy with the ball.
• The Commanders’ defenders usually tackle form the shoulders up; the more effective way to tackle is from the waist down.
• Coaching can be very effective in that aspect of the game.

The CFP continues this weekend; were this March Madness, we would be talking about the “Final Four” in the tournament.  Let me suggest that Alabama – – and more specifically Nick Saban – – have a large footprint regarding this “Final Four”; each of the head coaches this weekend have spent time working under Saban at Alabama:

• Curt Cignetti was at Alabama from 2007-2011 as the run game coordinator and the WR coach.
• Mario Cristobol was at Alabama from 2013-2016 as the run game coordinator, OL coach and Assistant Head Coach.
• Pete Golding was at Alabama from 2018-2022 as the linebackers coach and the Defensive Coordinator.
• Dan Lanning was at Alabama in 2007 as a Graduate Assistant.

And just in case you think I sneaked one in on you, if Lane Kiffin were still at Ole Miss, he too would fit the pattern:

• Lane Kiffin was at Alabama from 2014-2016 as the QBs coach and the Offensive Coordinator.

Finally, it would be difficult to argue with Nick Saban on this point:

“The way I look at it is, if you don’t want somebody to know something, don’t say it. If you don’t want them to see you do something, don’t do it.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

Even though there had been “reports” of some degree of conflict in the Baltimore Ravens’ locker room, I did not think the Ravens would “move on” from John Harbaugh who had been with the team for the last 18 NFL seasons.  Only Mike Tomlin (Steelers) has been in the same job for a longer time than that; although the Ravens clearly underperformed expectations for 2025, injuries had a lot to do with that.

If one were to use the metric that Harbaugh’s Ravens failed to make the playoffs, consider that the proximal reason for that failure was a missed but makeable field goal try with no time remaining in the final game of the season.  John Harbaugh did not miss that field goal attempt and nothing in John Harbaugh’s coaching decisions missed that field goal attempt.

In his 18 years as the head coach of the Ravens – – his only head coaching gig ever – – here are some stats:

• Overall record = 180-113-0   Winning percentage = .614
• 12 playoff appearances in 18 seasons
• 4 appearances in AFC Championship Game
• 1 Super Bowl victory

Those numbers are comparable to some of the achievements of coaches in the Pro Football Hall of Fame; they might not be so easy to replicate.

There is a potential similarity here to something in the past.  In 2012, the Eagles “moved on” from Andy Reid who immediately got another job with the Chiefs.  I need not remind anyone that Chiefs’ fans have been pretty happy with that hiring decision.  John Harbaugh comes from the “Andy Reid Coaching Tree” and I will not be surprised to read relatively soon that one of the NFL teams looking for a new coach chooses John Harbaugh for that job opening.

In fact, there are teams in the league who decided to stick with their coach for next year who might be “rethinking” now that someone with John Harbaugh’s résumé is out and about and perhaps looking for work.  Might there be a small measure of “pucker factor” going on in the coaching ranks of:

• Bengals
• Bucs
• Commanders
• Dolphins?

Moving on – – but staying with the topic of the NFL’s coaching carousel …  A report in The Athletic says that there is an inordinate amount of nepotism in the Front Office ranks of the NY Giants.  The report highlights some positions in the personnel evaluation department and in football operations where it is not clear that some incumbents are in positions based solely on merit.  Given that The Athletic is a credible source, applicants for the Giants’ vacant head coaching position might want to prepare a far more diplomatic way to ask two questions when they are prompted to do so by the interviewing team:

• Are the people responsible for the personnel decisions involving Saquon Barkley and/or Daniel Jones still in place?

And if the answer is “Yes”, then

• Why?

Switching gears …  I got an email from a former colleague who has been reading these rants even before they made it to the Internet.  He thought that I had been kinder to Jonathan Gannon when news of his firing was announced than I should have been.  Here is something he pointed out to me:

“Gannon’s Cardinals lost more games in 2025 than the other three teams in their division lost in 2025.  That team has lots of work to do to recover from a disastrous season.”

That observation is completely correct.  The Cards record was 3-14-0 in 2025.  The other three teams in the NFC West lost a total of 13 games.  Amazing …

Finally, I’ll close with this piece of wisdom from Peter Drucker:

“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………

 

 

After I posted yesterday’s rant, the Arizona Cardinals decided to take a hand in the NFL coaching carousel for 2026 and fired head coach Jonathan Gannon.  He had been on the job there for three seasons and posted a record of 15-36-0.  That is a bad record, but it is even worse than it looks.

• In 2023, the Cards were 4-13-0 – – but showed signs of life.
• In 2024, the Cards were 8-9-0 – – and looked competitive.
• In 2025, the Cards were 3-14-0 – – and lost 14 of their last 15 games.

I thought the Cards were ready to make a positive splash in 2025 and I picked them to win the NFC West in my Pre-Season Analysis.  [Aside: Snickering is permissible here …]  What looked promising to me back in August 2025 now appears to be sewage backup situation in Arizona.

On the assumption that teams have decided on their coaching situations going forward, there are six teams with job openings.  None of the opportunities look like great situations but let me consider each of them here.  These are in alphabetical order and not in any order of preference.

• Browns:  The Browns’ defense is excellent; there is no question about that.  The QB next year will be either Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel and that is not excellent.  The Deshaun Watson contract will hang around the neck of the new coach through the end of the 2027 season and the geniuses who created that contract mess are all still in place in Cleveland.  Who knows what else those folks have up their sleeves?  The Browns will draft at #6 in 2026.
• Cardinals:  The QB situation is in flux – – unless the new coach wants to try to reinvent Kyler Murray.  They have two excellent receivers in Michael Wilson and Trey McBride.  They spent on defensive players last year, but that never seemed to mesh.  They have the #3 pick in the upcoming draft.
• Falcons:  The team has a couple of MAJOR unknowns to deal with:
  • • Can Michael Penix Jr. stay healthy?
    • When healthy, is Michael Penix Jr. really an NFL franchise QB?

The Falcons have plenty of offensive weapons and a tolerable defense, but if Penix is fool’s gold …  One big plus for this job is that the Falcons are in the NFC South and that division is “less than fearsome” as witnessed by the fact that this year’s division champion posted a record of 8-9-0.  The Falcons do not have a first-round pick this year after trading it away last year.

• Giants:  It sure looks as if the Giants have a real asset at QB in Jaxson Dart and if both Malik Nabors and Cam Skattebo can return to form after serious injuries last season, the Giants could be better than average on offense.  The defense has some quality players up front but the linebacking and the defensive backfield need serious upgrades.  The Giants draft at #5 this year so there should be plenty of quality defenders available to them.
• Raiders:  The Raiders have three talented players on the roster – – Brock Bowers, Maxx Crosby and Ashton Jeanty.  They also draft first in 2026 and should get a quality player there.  [Aside: The last time the Raiders had t=he overall #1 pick and took a QB as they are expected to do here, they took JaMarcus Russell.  Let’s just agree that it did not end well for the team.] The rest of the roster is a soggy mess and any aspirant for the job there must convince himself that Raiders’ owner, Mark Davis, will allow things to settle into some sort of pattern.  Stability is not part of that franchise’s DNA…
• Titans:  Similar to the Falcons above, the Titans need to know if Cam Ward is indeed an NFL franchise QB.  He had some “good moments” in 2025 – – but not nearly as many as he had “bad moments”.  The Titans draft fourth in April and have plenty of need for talent upgrades throughout the roster.   There is an “owner issue” here too.  When Titans’ ownership had an internal squabble between the coach and the GM, these owners sided with the GM and fired Mike Vrabel.  Go look it up …

Finally, here is a closing thought from my favorite curmudgeon, H. L. Mencken:

“It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………