“Super Bowl Owner-The Best”

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They are rich, some are loud, many are brash, some of rude, all of them successful.

These NFL owners have to have lots of those differetn traits, to get where they got, onwership of an NFL team.

Robert Kraft may be many different things to many different people, but in the end he has won, won with dignity, won with loyalty, just won.

And he has contributed enormous amounts of time and money to charitable causes around New England. Indeed he has become a special person.

His New England Patriots are in their 9th Super Bowl this weekend. Some franchises have never gotten there. Some, like Buffalo, got their 4-years in a row and got beat. Others like the Dean Spanos led Chargers got there once, and never got back.

History can write about the greatness of the Raiders, past tense, in the early Al Davis era. They will chronicle all the things the Rooney Family has done in leading the Steelers back multiple times. We know about the bombast of America’s team, the Cowboys, from back in Jerry Jones early days.

But come kickoff late Sunday afternoon in Atlanta, Robert Kraft and his son and that family, will be where they always are the first week of February, in the owners box at the Super Bowl, watching their team play there again.

5-Rings. The leadership of Bill Belicheck. The talents of Tom Brady.

Franchises aren’t supposed to repeat like this. Quarterbacks get hurt, get old. Veterans have to leave because of free-agency, retirement or the salary cap. Mistakes get made in the draft. A brain drain occurs when coaching staffs get stripped-their people hired away.

Not there-not in New England.

They found Brady in the 6th round. They discovered late round picks like the pillar that Vince Wilfork became. They fit in Rob Gronkowski.

They acquired the likes of Rodney Harrison. They resurrected people like Randy Moss, Corey Dillon, They gambled on troubled people like LeGarrett Blount and Josh Gordon.

They never fall down, never tankl, never ever fail to deliver for their fans.

Hardly ever happens to the Robert Kraft franchise.

Belicheck and Brady have a combined (29-10) record in postseason.
We know about the dominance at Gillette Stadium. But on this given day, at that neutral sight, the Patriots continue to win on the final Sunday of the season usually..

Since buying up the land around old Shaeffer Stadium. Since creating Patriots Place as a business sight. Since privately funding the new Stadium off Route 1-in Foxboro, Kraft’s NFL team is (229-121).

And since 2003, Kraft’s crew has gone (200-56) in regular season….(29-10) in post season. Since 1994, a 25-year span, they have had 20-seasons of 10-wins or more.

You may not like the bore that Belicheck is. You may not like the personna of all the things Brady has become. You may never have forgiven them for tampering with Bill Parcells, or Spygate, or Deflategate.

But in the history of control freaks, they’ve out done Vince Lombardi, George Allen, Al Davis and everyone else.

So if Sunday night arrives, and the Commissioner is presenting the trophy to Kraft & Company, respect the big picture of success, for a man who has given the ‘State of New England’ a quarter of a century of great football, plus great philanthropy..

Love ’em or Hate ’em …at least respect ’em for the Patriot Way.

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“Lakers–Going to Happen To Them?”

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They got what they wanted, but maybe they got more than they bargained for.

They being the LA Lakers. What they got, LeBron James.

What might happen next, a palace revolt inside the Lakers front office.

I asked the question opening night of the NBA season, whose team would it wind up being this year, the superstar player or the young on the bench coach?

If you connect the dots, what might happen in Los Angeles sure seems like what happened in Cleveland and nearly happened in Miami.

The rumors are spreading everywhere that there is a move afoot to remove Luke Walton as coach of the Lakers, as the team wobbles thru an up and down NBA season.

A season that started slowly, came together, then was derailed by a series of injuries to the young players, Kyle Kozma, Lonzo Ball, and now for nearly a month, LeBron James himself.

The Lakers haven’t come together as a team yet, because their team has not been on the floor much together.

But now well placed sources have told ESPN that King James group, his agent, his marketing people, are dropping hints that LeBron wants the coach out.

Earlier in the season, after a slow start, an impatient Magic Johnson had a meeting with Walton to talk about the team, the player rotation, the lack of defense etc. At that point, owner Jeannie Buss stepped in to half the media speculation, Walton’s job was not in jeopardy.

But now, this week, there has been no public backing of Walton, as the rumors spread like a fast moving brushfire.

You would say it’s much-ado-about nothing, except for the history of where King James as been, and what happened in his past.

The man, who led the Miami Heat and then his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers to NBA rings, has also been in the middle of turmoil with his former teams.

The first tour of duty in Cleveland ended with playoff failures and a rift between the player and his stoic head coach, Mike Brown. James left as a free agent and Brown lost his job. The relationship with owner Dan Gilbert became strained, then downright bitter.

On to Miami, where another slow start led to a rift between the big money free agent and the young head coach Erik Spoelstra. What never happened was the coaches ouster, because of the strong willed GM-Pat Riley. They won a ring in South Beach, when Riley put together King James with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade.

The return to Cleveland was with an open arms welcome. But when things didn’t go well, coaches got fired, and everyone pointed fingers at you know who.

Dave Blatt was ousted in a stunning move. GM-Dave Griffin disappeared. Tyrone Lue, even after the Cavaliers won a ring, didn’t survive, nor did replacement Larry Drew.

So now he is in LA, and less than 3-months into the mission, the head coach and the big money free agent, seem to be at odds again.

Oh LeBron won’t say anything, but he has people around him to create the pressure points, and spread the rumors.

Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, the Lakers braintrust, face a giant challenge. Do what the star player wants, or stay the course, and try to make the team grow? Wait to add another piece, either in free agency, one Kevin Durant, or via trade, maybe Anthony Davis?

Superstar or Coach-Killer? Great player or selfish millionaire?

You cannot ignore where LeBron James has been in the past, wins, and what’s happened also in the past, coaching firings.

Whose team is it? LeBron’s or Luke’s? We find out soon.

If you don’t learn from history, it repeats itself. Might just happen in LA, like it happened in Cleveland and Miami.

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“Teams in Town-What I Think”

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TORREY PINES….What a fabulous four days of action in the Farmer’s Insurance Open. The weather, the galleries, the shot making. Jason Rose has become a superstar on the tour over the last two years, and lived up to his #1-world ranking with a wild Sunday on the South Course. But it was not easy. Dodging bad shots, knocking in putts that were placed on the edge of the green. Fighting thru sand traps. Rose survived 3-penalty shots on Saturday but made great shots on Sunday.You go (-21), and he did it twice this weekend-getting to that total, you deserve the win. Adam Scott pushed him right to the final two holes but ran out of holes. Rose survived two bogeys early in the final round, survived a sand trap shot, a shot into the crowd, and a tough shot out of high grass. He tore apart the supposedly newly toughened-rebuilt South Course, with a 66- in the 2nd round, then the 69 as the sun set on Sundayand did it with new clubs. It was impressive.

TIGER TOWN…The galleries were superb in their support of Tiger Woods, who got better and better the final two rounds, and came home in double digits, at 10-under par, His game carries on, where he left it off at the end of last year, solid. Now we see if he can get spectacular.

JON RAHM…He had moments, especially opening day 10-under 62. He was close to getting back to the top on Sunday, but he had 3-puts that lipped off the edge o the cup. He hits those birdies and he would have been right on Rose’s heels. He was all over the course at the end, hitting one onto the golf cart path, another into a bunker late.

RORY ROARS….First time at Torrey, and likely will be back after finishing in a scramble mode at (-14). He liked the challenge, played well for the first time out.,

PADRES…Believe what you want to believe. But with spring training about to begin, I can’t fathom Manny Machado coming to San Diego, and I have doubts the franchise would fork out a 25-to-30M a year contract for a guy who openly admits ‘I’m not Johnny Hustle’. It would fast forward their credibility to add his bat to Hosmer-Myers-Renfroe-Reyes, but can he pitch also? The Padres boast one of the most unproven rotations of anybody in baseball.

BROWN IS BACK….They will look different a year from today when the Padres go to the Cactus League in Brown & California Gold, the new color scheme. White home jerseys with Brown lettering trimmed with gold. Brown road jersey with Gold lettering in the front. Looks good. What would look better would be a team in the wildcard playoff race too.

AJ-OK….You could be critical of GM-AJ Preller’s inertia in terms of finding some front of the rotation pitching. He obviously will not overpay. He is not interested in dealing away his young gems. Maybe standing pat is the right move. Maybe bringing azs many as 12-young starters to camp-he can find 6-trustworthy arms. That’s what spring training is all about.

AZTECS ARRIVE….They’re being people at home, and Jalen McDaniels has strung together 5-straight double double, and could wind up being played of the year in the Mountain West Conference. But SDSU must still prove they can do it on the road, where beatings have become the norm.

GULLS GREAT…It’s been some mid season run for the AHL-San Diego Gulls, but now the Anaheim Ducks have called up their top goal scorers, in the wake of an injury ravaged NHL season that is threatening the Ducks even getting to postseason. Credit Dallas Eakins with this midseason surge, teaching, demanding, teaching, demanding. A (9-2-1) record in January, a large chunk of it on the road. They go from 8th place to a couple of points out of second place with lots of games to play. I maintain Eakins remains the ‘head coach in waiting’ when-if Randy Carlisle is fired.

SOCKERS….A neat signing, legendary US World Cup soccer star Landon Donovan, to play the rest of the season. You hope he becomes a real contributor, has gas left in the tank, and is not just a PR play to sell some extra tickets. The MASL, Major Arena Soccer League, is in 17-cities, inclukdig longtime hotbeds like Baltimore-St Louis, but you wish the game were in more major markets, not in NY-LA-San Franisco-Chicago-Boston-Philadellphia.

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY….It’s coming and the Rams are in it against the Patriots, but there’s no buzz in San Diego. The Rams are not San Diego’s team, the Chargers are still the emotional link to the NFL. Last weeks TV ratings in Los Angeles for the Rams-Saints game were weak, in fact San Diego had a higher TV rating for that game than LA did.

SAN DIEGO STATE…They say it’s going to be different, the Aztecs offense going too a spread package. They will get big rushing yardage in the one back set, and the fullback will become obsolete. The biggest issue, does SDSU really have enough quality wide receivers to run a full time spread. Odd they would determine a philosophical shift like this, after the first early football recruit signing date.

USD-SNUB….What a career Anthony Lawrence had with the Torerors, this four year run, and yet not even named a FCS-1AA-All American , and did not get invites to any postseason all star games. Maybe he winds up in the Indoor Football League.

FLEET SAILING….Spring football about to begin the second week of February in the Alliance of American Football. The Fleet have been in the joint preseason training camp in San Antonio for the last 3-weeks, and will practice at the Stadium for a week before they open the season. Disappointed in the Fleet lack of marketing of the team. Think this market could be a gold-mine.

ARENA LEAGUE…The indoor football team, the Strike Force, doesn’t open till the end of February…and will conduct their training camp here in San Diego. Look for a flood of player signings shortly, with ex-Chargers pass rusher Burt Grossman will as their head coach.

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“Torrey Pines-Picture Perfect Postcard Day”

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It was the 1st morning, of the 1st day, on the 1st tee, and the place was packed.

It was at Torrey Pines, the opening round of the Farmers Insurance Open, this weeks stop on the PGA Tour.

The sun shined, white clouds over the blue Pacific Ocean, and green grass everywhere.

There was a buzz, there was energy everywhere. I stood on the green and watched them drive the ball long distances.

Then there was a conga line of fans, five and six deep, walking the fairways, following the groups right up till they made their putts on the sloped greens abutting the manicured sand traps.

They were here to see Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, and no one else.

I watched Swedish star Jonas Blixt and Korean rookie Sunglae Im get to the green. 5-people walked the fairway with them. A smattering of applause as they finished up their par putts.

I stopped counting at 300, the group following Tiger’s troops and McIlroy’s mob of fans, as they jammed around the green..

McIlroy, playing here for the first time ever, was wild. He hit a tee shot off the fairway, right near the Media tent garbage cans. Yet he scrambled, put his 2nd shot onto the green, and made par. Way to finish.

Xander Schaufelle, the former Aztec, looked as if his knees were knocking, walking up the fairway next to Tiger Woods. He, finally found his ball in the rough. He got to the green and he got par. That’s what pros do.

Tiger’s entourage was amazing. They roared with every strike of the ball he made.

Forgotten were all his transgressions, forgotten were the four back surgeries, forgotten was the attitude he used to display.

Woods is now humbled and human by his experiences. Most seem to have forgiven him, and now root for him, and root they did.

He’s not as enormous in the upper body now, for his weight training regime has changed. He’s not as long off the tee as in the past. The power seems different. But he can stroke it. He can putt it.

He hit a 40′ putt from the edge of the green that lipped the cup, that would have given him a birdie early and a good start. He made par.

And he and his multiple area code of fans then marched on to the next hole.

Oh there was work to be done gun. Woods was 7-shots back of early leader Jon Rahm, who had 6-birides in 8-holes. On this day, guys were seizing birdies on the North Course, and surprisingly the always tougher South course was giving up birdies too.

Rahm started with a stunning eagle and when he was done, he had 2-eagles enroute to a 10-under day of 62. ‘You never-ever think of shooting 10-under par at Torrey’.

Tiger finished with what he called a ‘workingman day’…5-birds-3 bogeys.

Schaufelle called his day with Woods, ‘chill and fun’.

But as always there was lots of golf to be played over the next 3-days.

And for the fans, they loved every minute of this. The stars coming out in the day, the beauty of the course, the challenges hole to hole, the accomplishments and the failure.

And for at least a round of golf, walking the course, fans forgot about the anger towards reviled Chargers owner Dean Spanos. Did not think about another impending last place Padres baseball team. Did not care about an up and down Aztecs basketball team.

A picture perfect postcard day. A Chamber of Commerce day for the nation to watch TV and see the beauty of San Diego.

The Farmers Open, indeed a crown jewel of our community.

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“Tiger Tells All”

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It may be a star studded field that tees off Thursday morning at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open.

But all eyes will be focused on Tiger Woods and his group, that tees off at (10:40am), just after Rory McIlroy makes his debut on the rugged South Course.

The storyline will be can Tiger pick up where he left off last year, the late season win in the Players Championship and the top fine finishes to the end of the season.

But the story will also involve what he accomplished, not his 80th career win to go with his 14-Grand Slam wins.

No, it’s not about a career and life lost to bad injuries and bad lifestyle decisions. It’s no longer about the betrayal so many people felt, from fans, media to his sponsors.

But now about surviving four back surgeries, the enormous demands of rehab, the re-learning about his body, the understanding of what his regimen should entail, and a refocus of his intense approach to golf, the competitors, and the end results.

PGA veterans may have put their arms around him as he fought the long lonely rehab battle. Maybe they didn’t because of who he was before. But there should be unanimous respect inside the lines for where he is now, what he’s come back from, after what he had accomplished prior.

On to Thursday we go with the 7-time winner at Torrey Pines ready to play, and you sense ready to win, as he told us in the press briefing.

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..Great be back-not played on Tour since December
..Have always loved this Golf Course.
..Was 1st PGA tourney I ever attended

..Opening day-never played with Xander Schauffelle before

..Different this year than last…know what I can and cannot do…last year very fluid…it was a moving target year….I have great understanding what I can and cannot do…Not the uncertainty this time a year ago….What I did end of last year-body held up better than I thought it would…

..Listen to my body now…going thru what I went thru last few years-would not wish it on anybody…couldn’t sit-stand-walk….the surgery was last ditch effort to return to quality of life…..What I worked thru the last couple of years…that’s why I am so diligent now in preparation….Now I don’t practice as much-give my body rest……hard to shut it down because most of my career has been spent getting better by working at it every day.

..Training differently now…I can’t do type of cardio I used to do…..I’ve been geared back to playing golf first….then do things I want to do…not as strong-fast-explosive as I used to be…but now I can do things.

..This year I am ready to play big events-not have uncertainty of last year ‘could I even get to Florida’…now I know I can….I am way ahead of a year ago….hope to play well in big events…maybe 15-to-17 events this year.

..Ever get chance to soak up wins….last year ‘no’…won Tour Championship…had to go immediately to Ryder Cup….but rewarding once I got to offseason.

..Gratified and touching to know people now recognize what I went thru and reception was great….people knew

..Did enormous weight room work for strength…went diving in off season-amazing to be able to do that knowing what my back was like prior to surgeries….I missed being in the water. my discs were so badly damaged.

..2019-fresh start yes…but have understanding of what I can do now…a year ago I had no idea of what I would be like every day…what great uncertainty…..recovering one day from the day before….Now I know my body…know how to finish….know how I should feel the next day.

..As President’s Cup member…Lots to think about going thru the year with my schedule..

..Phil Mickelson not here for first time in 28-years…it’s unfortunate-he has busy schedule ….Going to be a lot of adjustments when to play not to play with the new look schedule…

..Limited practice with new body….need to get to the flow of the round quickly…off season for me is trying to get stronger….last year I got tired at end of year…legs gave out…

..Win Player Championship…thinking about winning…..I did after what I did finishing 2nd in a tourney-knew I was ready to win….Late summer-game was close-knew I was ready to win…needed to have 4-consistent days in a row….Changed putter mid year and ball started to going into the hole….

..I knew I was back physically towards end of season when I started making critical shots, drops, placements, backspins…..It came after I was grinding all year long then the stats started to come to me….

..Rush-commotion of making shots-starting to win…brought very different energy….crowd very loud-very special to win at Players Championship.

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