December 6, 2021
The Rams finally got back in the win column yesterday. You can’t make too big of a deal out of this one, since the Jaguars are booking their offseason flights to Cancun at this point. However, it was a get well game for Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and the Rams defense. I haven’t jumped ship on this team yet, even after some of the blow out losses to elite teams. I still think if they can manage to stop the turnovers they can beat anybody, and that’s what has killed them in the games they’ve lost. Some of that might be Matt Stafford being banged up, and some of that might be Matt Stafford being Detroit Lion Matt Stafford. Hopefully it’s not the latter, but we’ll find out soon.
As for the Chargers, as sure as the sun rises, you knew they were going to blow that 24-point lead against the Bengals. However, they managed to turn the tables in the 4th quarter with 17 unanswered points to get the win. I still have no idea where the Bolts find these kickers. I mean can they really not find anybody to kick the damn ball through uprights reliably? This felt more like the Bengals literally and figuratively giving this game to the Chargers after that Joe Mixon fumble in the 4th. The Bolts are still very much in the hunt for the playoffs, and their schedule is softer than tissue paper. However, I don’t have much confidence that they will actually get there. Knowing them, they’ll beat Kansas City, but find a way to lose to the Giants, Texans, Broncos, and Raiders.
This Laker team is so aggravating to watch. Lebron James hasn’t played in more than four consecutive games this season. That tells you everything you need to know about this team. They are very dependent on him. Too dependent on him. It also tells you everything you need to know about Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. Both nice players, yet unable to carry teams by themselves (or even together) like we once thought they could. The best news for the Lakers is the fact that nobody in the west after the Warriors and Suns is doing much. Heck it feels like they could just sleep walk until March and slide their way into a top 4 seed. That really wasn’t the expectation this team had though, and would still be pretty disappointing since there were championship aspirations when the season started. Frank Vogel also feels like a guy who is demanding credit in his press conferences at this point. I don’t blame him because he knows he could get fired anytime, and that is the style of the Buss family.
So the Clippers beat the Lakers, then turn around and lose to the Kings? That’s the most Clipper thing I’ve ever heard, not to mention it’s the 2nd time in a week they lost to the Kings. I don’t know who Isaiah Hartenstein is, but how has this guy played on four teams in four years? He’s been passed around the NBA like a Kardashian, but at times the man looks like Kevin McHale. It’s limited minutes but you’ve gotta imagine over 36 minutes he can ball. The Clips should do their best to find out what that looks like because they need size right now.
The MLB Players have been locked out but not before the Dodgers lost a couple of key free agents. I said it just before Corey Seager and Max Scherzer departed and I’ll say it again: they weren’t worth the money they got. The Dodgers just aren’t that desperate and they have alternatives. They have Trea Turner as an elite replacement for Seager, and they have more young pitching coming to replace Scherzer. Also, if the Dodgers can find a way to sign Freddie Freeman, I would argue their team might actually come out of this even better than last year. The demise of the Dodgers is going to be greatly exaggerated because they had so much talent, but it didn’t actually get them a World Series title. There’s still plenty of time to improve this club, and I’m confident after the lockout that will happen.
Meanwhile, the Angels got some pitching but they needed more before the lockout. They really missed the boat on Marcus Stroman, who ended up signing with the Cubs for the equivalent of MLB welfare. The Angels beefed up a little, but so did the Astros, Mariners, and A’s. I’m not sure there will be much pitching left to sign after the lockout, so the Halos better hope they can make a trade for Luis Castillo, or else they will be on the outside of the playoffs looking in again.
USC Football wrapped up their miserable season on Saturday with a loss to Cal. I’m not sure anyone really cares though because the Lincoln Riley era is about to get underway. What they do care about though is whether Jaxton Dart will be ok, after suffering a concussion. I’m sure Dart will be fine, and he might end up being the guy for Lincoln Riley next year as well, even with all the five star recruits he is high-jacking. On the other hand, Lincoln Riley has now surpassed Kevin Durant as the most hated man in the state of Oklahoma.
Speaking of the wild coaching carousel in College Football, I might be one of the few Notre Dame alums who is disappointed with the hiring of Marcus Freeman. Brian Kelly leaving the program was short sighted on his part, but actually a tremendous opportunity for the program. So why would you let the players pick the next coach? I completely understand that Freeman is a bright young coach, who may actually end up being wildly successful. However, I wouldn’t want that unproven experiment to be at Notre Dame. Also, here’s to hoping I’m wrong about this. However, the alums of the schools biggest rivals are thanking their lucky stars that someone like Luke Fickell or Urban Meyer isn’t going to take the job. Not that any of this matters though because Alabama still owns College Football, as we learned over the weekend.
Finally, the Bachelorette is going down tonight on ABC with The Men Tell All. This is going to be the most boring MTA in the history of the franchise. There just hasn’t been enough drama. Hopefully Tayshia addresses her break up with Zac, because that will be more interesting than anything this season has to offer. This thing is already in the bag anyway. Michelle is going to pick Nayte and we all know it. The producers are clearly doing everything they can to try to stop the dam from breaking and delaying this inevitable conclusion, but it’s too obvious now. Joe’s only shot is that he’s from Minnesota, like Michelle, but I’m not buying it.
