December 19, 2016
The Rams looked just as bad after Jeff Fisher got fired, as they did before he got fired. It was only a matter of time before their luck against Seattle ran out, and that’s exactly what happened in that ugly loss on Thursday Night Football. It was so bad, the FBI is planning on using the game tape as a new torture method when interrogating terrorists. There were actually a few moments though where Todd Gurley made me remember that he was a decent running back, who was just running behind a horrible offensive line all season. However, it looked about as bad as you would think for a team that has no coach, and only four days to come up with a game plan. Expect much of the same in the last two games, which will be an even more pointless exercise after Jared Goff got blown up by Richard Sherman. Goff apparently doesn’t know which direction the sun rises, nor how to not take punishment while running with the football. Dude clearly has a lot to learn after this shot…..
As for the coaching search, this is looking more and more like an offensive coordinator’s first job, as opposed to a big name. That’s definitely not what Rams fans want to here, nor Stan Kroenke, but that’s the cold hard truth. Jon Gruden will never leave the broadcasting booth. Jim Harbaugh isn’t ready to leave Michigan yet and would probably want the Bears job if he did. Also, the idea that Pete Carroll is going to leave Seattle for the Rams job is laughable. One guy that could be attainable is the Saints Sean Payton, who New Orleans looks ready to part with. Goff isn’t exactly Drew Brees, but Payton is a better offensive mind than the Rams have had in years.
Elsewhere around week 15, that definitely looked much more like a Raider home game in San Diego yesterday, as Oakland beat the Bolts. Raiders are in the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. The Bills beat the Browns, moving Cleveland closer to fulfilling my dream for them to go 0-16. Aaron Rogers should change his last name to “Hail Mary” after coming up with a clutch long pass late when the Packers beat the Bears. The Chiefs couldn’t close the door on the Titans, who rallied to beat K.C. with a late field goal. The Texans got by the Jags, but they now realize that throwing $72 million in the sewer would be better than giving it to Brock Osweiler. The Ravens edged the Eagles and can still win the division. The Steelers will probably have something to say about that after they beat the Bengals. The Lions got shutdown by the Giants. Adrian Peterson came back just in time to see the Vikings eliminated from the playoffs, as Minnesota got slammed by the Colts. Drew Brees remembered how to play, and the Saints outlasted the Cardinals. Falcons destroyed the 49ers, Patriots kept cruising along by beating the Broncos, and Dak Prescott shutdown the Tony Romo supporters as the Cowboys beat the Bucs. I loved Zeke Elliot’s TD celebration by jumping in the Salvation Army donation bucket, but of course the NFL didn’t because they are a bunch of hypocrites. The Dolphins also crushed the Jets on Saturday Night Football, in a game the NFL didn’t want you to know actually happened. This was actually ruled a catch?
The Lakers are in the midst of a brutal 7 game road trip. They finally got back in the win column on Friday, but their season has been torpedoed over the last two weeks. They got everyone healthy again, but the damage has been done. I do find it very convenient though that everyone is playing “revisionist history” and criticizing the Lakers for not taking Kristaps Porzingas in the 2015 draft. At the time, nobody in their right mind would have drafted Porzingas in the top 3 picks, including all 30 NBA General Managers. The Knicks didn’t even want him, and tried to trade out of that slot, but we’re stuck with him. The Lakers still got a pretty good player in D’Angelo Russell, so you definitely can’t say they made the wrong selection.
Then there’s the Clippers, who got some bad news after their four game road trip. Blake Griffin is going to need a minor knee surgery, and will be out until the middle of January. This feels strangely similar to last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. Maybe now we’ll see DeAndre Jordan go into beast mode getting some 20 point and 20 rebound games with Blake sidelined, since he won’t be occupying as much space in the paint. DJ is a very good modern day center, but Hassan Whiteside doesn’t think so. He says DJ just “catches lobs”. Whiteside does have the more consistent offensive game, but DJ isn’t the head case Whiteside is. Most people around the NBA would probably agree with that. Besides, that’s probably something Whiteside should have only said to his boys and not in the media, especially when your team is a pile of lottery garbage.
Very sad news to hear about the passing of TNT reporter, Craig Sager. Sager lost a battle with cancer, but fought very hard for the last year, and even continued to work while getting treatment. He was very well liked by everyone, and I will always remember his great sideline interviews with coaches and players, especially when they would give him a hard time. Sager was always such a good sport about it, and just shrugged it off, and that’s what allowed him to command respect from everyone. RIP Craig Sager.
UCLA Bruin Basketball is so good, I don’t even know what to say about them anymore. They didn’t even play that well on Saturday, yet improved to 12-0 after beating Ohio State by double digits. I’m almost thinking they should probably lose a game or two before March. As long as they win the conference and get a #1 seed, there would actually be less pressure on a group that wasn’t undefeated heading into the tournament. As the legend of Lonzo Ball grows, I suddenly mind Steve Alford a lot less. Whether Alford becomes a hindrance com tournament time though remains to be seen.
Do USC fans actually know they have a basketball team? Better yet, do they realize that their basketball team is 10-0 and ranked #24 in the nation? The Trojans are by no means a college basketball powerhouse, or a team that can win the national championship, but they are extremely underrated. Andy Enfield is finally recruiting the kids he needs to implement his uptempo style in a successful manner. Their most impressive win was probably against Texas A&M, and they should be able to contend in the Pac 12, as well as make some noise come tournament time.
How lucky are the Dodgers? Kenley Jansen was offered more money by both Washington and Florida, yet he instructed his agent to get a deal done with LA. Justin Turner wanted to stay in LA, and the market for his services didn’t work out too well. Thus, they both were willing to take less money than they were worth on the open market, in order to stay with the Dodgers. In addition to the market, baseball’s new luxury tax penalties will be gradually phased into the game over the next couple of seasons. In other words, Andrew Friedman got the perfect storm, enabling him to re-sign two key members of the Dodgers. Now if he can somehow trade for Brian Dozier, i’ll be impressed.