Big Sports Weekend-There–Not Here”

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It’s started, the new season.

Futbol, not Football. English Premier League, not the NFL.

The 20-team EPL season, which draws monster TV ratings in Europe and pretty good numbers here in the states, kicks off its season across England.

A summer of huge roster moves, record amounts of money paid in transfer fees, new coaches, and new faces in new places.

Here’s a look at the storylines soccer fans, here in the US and in England will be following.

MANCHESTER CITY….A bad final week of summer-losing goal scorer Leroy Sane with a torn knee ligament this week that could take him out 3-to-6 months. It nullified a potential 111M-transfer deal to send him to Bayern Munich. City did spent 86M to get goal scorer Rodri from Madrid, and still has Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero and DeBryune in a fabulous array of talent.

MANCHESTER UNITED.. They rid themselves of controversial coach Josie Mourinho…and then said goodbye last night to Romey Lukaku in a 90M mega transfer deal with Inter-Milan….but they still have the controversial Paul Pogba on the books. Incoming Aaron Wan-Bissaka and all time great defender Harry Maguire, who came in a 97M-transfer deal, will look to add to the 20-titles the Red Devils already have.

ARSENAL…What a week, spending 87M to get French star Nicolas Pepe than acquiring F-David Luiz of Chelsea. They join star F-Pierre Aubameyang and G-Peter Cech in what could be a tremendous season.

CHELSEA….Welcomes American star Christian Pulisic, coming from Germany, and Matt Kovacic from Real Madrid. A new era begins at Stamford Bridge with Eden Hazard having gone to Spain. Interesting to watch how former star player Frank Lampard, turned head coach, does as a manager.

LIVERPOOL….Mo Salah returns for a 3rd year, and Virgil vanDijk comes in at midfield but does Coach Jurgen Klopp have enough firepower?

TOTTENHAM HOT SPUR….Three big last minute additions as the transfer window closed, an 80M acquistion of Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon, France, Ryan Sessegnos from Fulham, and Gio LoCelso from Spain will make a difference. A full season of health for Dele All and Harry Kane is a must if they are to be upper echelon. Disappointed they did not close deadline deal to get Paulo Dybala of Juventus.

WOLVERHAMPTON…Strong first season in league…adding Patrick Cutrone and Raul Jimenez helps alot…and more expected from Morgan White.

WEST HAM…Felipe Anderson returns for second season and gets help with Sebastian Haller coming in.

WATFORD…Craig Dawson comes from West Ham, as does last minute addition Sarr from the French League.

SHEFFIELD UNITED….Moves up this year and will welcome Dean Henderson of Manchester United.

NORWICH CITY….Moves back into EPL after two years relegation, hopes to get goals from Josep Drmick from Germany and Teemu Pukki.

NEWCASTLE UNITED…They have added Joelinton in big money deal..but gave up Benitez Perez in deal, and won’t have American DeAndre Yelin, recovering from injuries with Team USA.

EVERTON….What kind of season will G-Jordan Pickford have? Gyl Sigurdsson of Iceland joins veteran Richardson and Lucas Digne to score goals.

CRYSTAL PALACE…They kept F-Will Zaha but don’t have enough firepower.

LEICESTER CITY….Life after D-Harry Maguire, off to Man U, will be a big challenge…Adding F-Ayoze Perez is not enough.

BURNLEY…Big things predicted for young F-Jay Rodriguez.

BRIGHTON…Best they have going for them is bright light coach Grahame Potter.

BOURNEMOUTH…Great individual talent in 14-goal scorer Callum Wilson but not much else

ASTON VILLA…Spent 160M in acquisitions..12-new players on board.

SOUTHAMPTON….Che Adams is the best they have. They have a new coach, but not enough new players.

They corner-kick it Friday night, Saturday and Sunday, to start another EPL season.

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“Playing in the NFL….Right or Privilege”

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Games are being played. Opening day is coming up.

We pay attention to the daily NFL news cycle, workouts, holdouts, roster moves, injuries, who’s happy, who’s sad, who’s mad.

And then there is the NFLdrug issues. Suspensions, positive tests, requests for reinstatement.

Pick a year, and we can pick a name of players in trouble.

Colin Kaeperneck’s social protest, using the American Flag as a prop demanding better respect for minorities.

Ray Rice’s 1-punch knockout of his fiancee, that knocked out his career.

Greg Hardy’s gun and punch rage of his girlfriend that led to a year long suspension, and the end of his career.

Adrian Peterson’s suspension for beating his son, sitting out nearly a year.

The banishment of top running back Kareem Hunt for the violent hotel incident, his release by the Chiefs, and now the 8-game suspension he will serve.

The off season ban of Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill while the probe continued of possible child abuse against his son, and the verbal tirades against his longtime girlfriend.

The finish of the promising career of ex-49er-Raider pass rusher Alden Smith after a potpourri of violations, from alcohol, to domestic abuse, to unlawfulness.

And this months series of 4-8-and-10 game suspensions for positive PED tests.

It never ends does it? And neither does what is happening now.

Sinners want to be reinstated and forgiven to get back into the NFL.

1-name in neon lights, troubled wide receiver Josh Gordon.

The other name out there Randy Gregory.

Poster boys for troublesome players, who cannot stay out of trouble, stay off drugs, stay clean, or stay in the NFL. Except both are in the midst of applying for reinstatement.

Gordon, a former 2nd round draft pick of the Browns, has been unbelievably productive when he’s played, But that’s the issue, he’s hardly played at all, since falling out of grace in Cleveland, and then stumbling again in New England. He dragged all this bagged with him from his suspension at Oklahoma State.

People have gone to extreme levels to help Gordon, some of it because of a unique talent level, averaging 17-yards a catch in his stormy career. Others have stepped front and center to aid him, because he is popular player, who came from a really bad background.

Gregory has been a Dallas Cowboy forever, and forever in trouble with drugs, dating all the way back to his days of suspensions at Nebraska. Jerry Jones has gone on and on about the player and the person he is trying to become, coming from a really bad background too.

Gordon has missed 53-games in 7-years, played 52-games in Cleveland or New England. He’s been suspended for 2-full seasons, and missed parts of 3-others. He’s been disciplined a total of 5-times by Roger Goodall. Some for positive drug tests, others for not showing up for drug tests, and sometimes for just not following thru on counseling programs set up for him.

Gregory has been suspended 4-times in 4-years. He’s had 6-violations in the NFL and two prior to that at Nebraska. He’s played in only 28-games, missed 36-games with suspensions, and been in and out of drug rehab centers almost non stop.

Cleveland got tired of Gordon. Tom Brady and Bill Belicheck have stepped forward with the Patriots to become Gordon’s advocate and guardian.

Jones in Dallas has become a father figure and guide in the long struggle in Cowboys country.

Sometimes you wonder if leadership like this becomes an ‘enabler’ to the players, because the can run a 4.3-while catching TD passes,or chasing down quarterbacks for sacks.

There always seems to be a ‘next team’ out there willing to take on problem players, under the banner of helping them, when the reality is those troubled players can help their new clubs.

It then begs the question, isn’t the truth that people like Josh Gordon or Randy Gregory can’t be helped, because they can’t help themselves. Maybe these players don’t have the fortitude to stay out of trouble. Don’t have the intelligence to cut ties with their past posse. Cannot beat the urge to get high. Can’t rationalize right from wrong, or their responsibility. Their mental capacity prevents them from going back time and time again to past discretions.

So now we wait to see if Gordon-Gregory get reinstated again, and again, and again.

Maybe the NFL has to understand, some people’s addictions are so strong, they cannot be saved.

Maybe the only time they’ll be out of the NFL is when their body is found in an alley, in a wrecked car, or in a hotel room, deceased.

Talk is cheap for Josh Gordon-Randy Gregory. People try to say the right things on their behalf. They can never follow the right path though.

The NFL needs to tell us about playing on Sunday,earning the big paycheck, being in the spotlight.

Should playing in the NFL..be a ‘right’ or a ‘privilege’.?

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“Dislike Them–But Respect Them”

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I know it’s got a lot to do with history.

Big City-vs-Little Town.

World Series Rings-vs-50 Years Failure

Loudmouth Manager-vs-Small Time Team

Big Budget-vs-Franchise Full of Firesafes

I get it.

This Dodgers-Padres thing that never ends.

I know why there is such dislike of all things Dodgers baseball.

Maybe it started with Koufax and Drysdale at act era.

Maybe it has more to do with the loud history of the very successful Tommy LaSorda.

Maybe it was the O’Malley families success vs the eras of C-Arnholdt Smith, Tom Werner etc.

Garvey-Cey-Lopes-Russell…the Davis Boys. Fernando Valenzuela. Nomo and more.

For years and years, what almost appears decades upon decades, the Dodgers have dominated the Padres, in the standings, in the box seats, in the games, in your state of mind..

They tortured Andy Green during his first three years of last places Padres baseball, battering them time and time again.

And here we sit in August, the Blue with a (75-40) record and the Friars fighting to stay out of last place, again.

As much as you might dislike the Dodgers, and their 216M payroll, you need to look deeper as to how they built this team. They’ve been to 2-World Series in a row, and though they did not win, they have been dominant in-season.

And whereby the Red Sox and Yankees, have built dynasties thru huge free agent signings, or taking on big salaries in trades, the Dodgers are doing this differently.

Clayton Kershaw, likely a Hall of Famer, is one of their own. The LA history of scouting and signing abroad has continued with the arrival of Hyun Jin-Ryu and Kenta Maeda.

Now Walker Beuhler and Dustin May are the latest to arrive from the farm system.

The everyday stars are their own. Cody Bellinger, Alex Verdugo, Corey Seager, Will Smith, and Joc Pederson, are the cornerstones now and the future.

They scouted and saw something in Max Muncy. They showed patience in picking up then journeyman Justin Turner.

Even the flashes that came from Yasiel Puig, prior to his trade, came from his LA upbringing.

Next in the farm chain might be highly regarded Gavin Lux and Kei Ramirez. And it goes on and on.

Oh you can boo them, get tired of the lifetime of praise for Vin Scully, or the historical perspective of Dodgers Stadium, but that team is atop the standings because of the good job done by that front office.

Last place baseball sucks. First place baseball is where everyone wants to be.

Dodgers baseball continues to do it. Not happening yet in San Diego

Padres Fans, you may not like them, but you should respect them.

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“Dislike Them–But Respect Them”

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I know it’s got a lot to do with history.

Big City-vs-Little Town.

World Series Rings-vs-50 Years Failure

Loudmouth Manager-vs-Small Time Team

Big Budget-vs-Franchise Full of Firesafes

I get it.

This Dodgers-Padres thing that never ends.

I know why there is such dislike of all things Dodgers baseball.

Maybe it started with Koufax and Drysdale at act era.

Maybe it has more to do with the loud history of the very successful Tommy LaSorda.

Maybe it was the O’Malley families success vs the eras of C-Arnholdt Smith, Tom Werner etc.

Garvey-Cey-Lopes-Russell…the Davis Boys. Fernando Valenzuela. Nomo and more.

For years and years, what almost appears decades upon decades, the Dodgers have dominated the Padres, in the standings, in the box seats, in the games, in your state of mind..

They tortured Andy Green during his first three years of last places Padres baseball, battering them time and time again.

And here we sit in August, the Blue with a (75-40) record and the Friars fighting to stay out of last place, again.

As much as you might dislike the Dodgers, and their 216M payroll, you need to look deeper as to how they built this team. They’ve been to 2-World Series in a row, and though they did not win, they have been dominant in-season.

And whereby the Red Sox and Yankees, have built dynasties thru huge free agent signings, or taking on big salaries in trades, the Dodgers are doing this differently.

Clayton Kershaw, likely a Hall of Famer, is one of their own. The LA history of scouting and signing abroad has continued with the arrival of Hyun Jin-Ryu and Kenta Maeda.

Now Walker Beuhler and Dustin May are the latest to arrive from the farm system.

The everyday stars are their own. Cody Bellinger, Alex Verdugo, Corey Seager, Will Smith, and Joc Pederson, are the cornerstones now and the future.

They scouted and saw something in Max Muncy. They showed patience in picking up then journeyman Justin Turner.

Even the flashes that came from Yasiel Puig, prior to his trade, came from his LA upbringing.

Next in the farm chain might be highly regarded Gavin Lux and Kei Ramirez. And it goes on and on.

Oh you can boo them, get tired of the lifetime of praise for Vin Scully, or the historical perspective of Dodgers Stadium, but that team is atop the standings because of the good job done by that front office.

Last place baseball sucks. First place baseball is where everyone wants to be.

Dodgers baseball continues to do it. Not happening yet in San Diego

Padres Fans, you may not like them, but you should respect them.

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“Padres-Skid City”

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It was definitely a bad look on Sunday afternoon, the end of the Padres-Dodgers game.

Not just the ugly loss. Not just the staggering bullpen tossing gas on the fire. Not just the failure to hit with runners on base in scoring position a bunch of times.

It was a bad look to see an angry Kirby Yates barking on the mound during a meeting with his catcher Francisco Mejia and Manny Machado in the 9th inning.

It was one of a couple of meetings on the mound between the struggling catcher and the Padres pitchers. In fact, Mejia used up all of his mound visits during the game.

And then Yates gave up two doubles, when he couldn’t spot his pitches, and the game was open.

And then another bad look, Yates screaming in the direction coming off the mound, heading to the losers dugout..glaring-staring-cursing in the direction of the kid catcher.

You can read body language, you can probably lip read too.

The Padres are going thru a tough learning curve season, lots of places.

Mejia is trying to master calling-games at a young age. There are past balls, wild pitches, stolen bases. He has his hands full with the full responsiblilities.

He can hit, hit long balls, and he has a gun for an arm. He just does not have all the ingredients to be a complete catcher, to take the job from Austin Hedges..

Hedges is headed for a gold glove season, and does all the right things behind the plate. But Hedges, after all these years in the majors, is hitting sub .200 again. And Hedges may be headed to the trade block this winter for an established starting pitcher.

The good ship Padres, the ones who started (11-5), look like a boat taking on water.

Yates’ 30-save first half of the season, has been replaced by control problems, home runs, maybe fatigue. The same with his setup guy Craig Stammen.

Matt Strahm, who pitched so well for 2-months, has become highly erratic since being sent to the bullpen, so the kid pitchers could get starts in the rotation.

Joey Lucchesi, Eric Lauer, Cal Quantrill look sharp for 4-or-5 innings, then get into a hole they cannot get out of.

Danielson Lamet has good stretches and rocky times in his post Tommy John starts.

If Luis Perdomo or Robbie Erlin is in the game, it means the team is likely losing more so than not.

Luis Urias is lugging around a batting average under .100.

The Wil Myers-Manny Margot summer has been one of hot streaks and cold Arctic-like slumps. Not much consistency.

Ian Kinsler doesn’t hit. Ty France looks like a Great 4A–player in AAA at El Paso.

Franmil Reyes is gone. Travis Jankowski has not yet returned.

From an (11-5) start with Tatis-Hosmer-Machado, the Padres have gone (40-55) since. Tons of ugly losses to bad teams. Thank goodness the Pirates and Tigers are still in the league.

And now this meltdown in public view of everyone, after it appeared so much progress was being made.

Wildcard hopes-not any longer. Now the fight to stay out of last place.

Not a good look for long suffering Padres fans for sure.

Frustration boiling over from a clubhouse of guys who liked winning early in the year, and right now are upset they are losing so much.

Padres baseball-in a long hot summer-Skid City.

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