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“Padres Begin Off Season-Not Done Either”

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The busiest team in baseball on Tuesday, roster deadline day, was in San Diego.

Why not? When you have a 96-loss tin can tied around your tail, you cannot stay with the same roster.

And so the Padres made 3-trades of fringe players to clear roster spots. They are about to sell off last year’s starting 3rd baseman, and promoted 7-kids from the farm system, to be protected from the Rule 5-draft.

The one things that still might happen, is the rumored trade of OF-3B-1B-Wil Myers.

I reported two weeks ago at the GM’s meetings, he was being shopped to Seattle. Voila, now the national media has picked up on what I reported.

Myers and his 64M-contract, shaky glove, and laissez-fair attitude, might be headed to the Seattle Mariners, as I said he might, in a package deal for 2B-SS-3B- Jean Segura and mid-rotation workhorse starter Mike Leake.

The Padres would be taking on some 20M in additional salaries in the transaction, but Segura hit (.304) last year, and Leake is a (10-10) pitcher with a fierce starters personality.

There may still be more transactions coming. Part time infielder-outfielder Jose Pirela is still here, so is the overload of other outfielders, and 4-catchers are still on the protected list. P-Brett Kennedy Bryan Mitchell..and utility men Carlos Asuaje-Greg Garcia-Javy Guerra are still in San Diego, but trades could still happen.

Say goodbye to Christian Villanueva, with reports he might be going to the Hanshin Tigers in Japan. Good start to last season, lousy 3-months and then he got hurt. Lots of errors at 3B too. Not a bad guy, just not a complete player.

The club is sending out Corey Spangenberg and Colin Rea among others to AAA-El Paso, exposing them to the Rule 5-draft.

Dispatched in trades, P-Colton Brewer went to the Red Sox; P-Rowan Wick is now a Cub; P-Walker Lockett was shipped to the Indians, for minor leaguers, who did not need to be protected.

They had to create at least 7-roster spots to protect a series of young arms, led by fast moving prospect Chris Paddack, power hitting catcher Austin Allen, infielder Ty France and others.

The Padres have a big bargaining chip in Myers as well as fellow flychaser Hunter Renfroe. Only time will tell if one, or both, are moved. This franchise still desperately needs veteran pitching presence, so anyone, most everyone, with the exception of Eric Hosmer could be in play.

Tough to say goodbye to some of these guys, but it’s the transient part of baseball, and the Hot Stove League is starting to heat up.

It’s just the beginning of a busy winter of trades.You can’t keep everyone here, and why would you. The bad taste of another last place season, this a 96-loss campaign, is not going away unless you rinse your mouth and get rid of a chunk of players who made it a 96-loss year.

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“Monday Nite Football-All Time Best”

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The Rams-vs-the Chiefs.

Did you kow the Super Bowl was moved to late November in the NFL?

The matchup of these two (9-1) teams sure looked like it was a matchup of two potential Super Bowl candidates. I don’t know if the Super Bowl next February could equal what we saw in this Monday Night Football matchup run Los Angeles.

Rams 54-Chiefs 51….

An all time record 105-points, the highest scoring Monday Night game in the 773-games ever televised in its history.

1,001-combined yards of total offense. Howard Cosell might have even been speechless.

The new breed head coach Sean McVay against the old guard Andy Reid, matching Xs-Os and mismatches against each other, from first snap to final turnover.

The entire world was talking about the offenses of these two teams coming into the game. And those quarterbacks put on a dazzling show.

But on a night we expected fireworks, we got defense. Turnovers, takeaways, sacks, quarterback hits, interceptions, fumble recoveries, defensive touchdowns.. It was super human defensive plays that changed this game thruout the night.

7-turnovers changed the outcome, so did a combination of 8-quarterback sacks resulting in big TD plays.

KC QB-Patrick Mahomes, going downfield all night, finished with 6-TDs on a 478-yard passing night.

Jared Goff did the same for his Rams, a 413-passing yard night and 4-TDs.

The heroes might have been the defenses. The Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald had two huge quarterback sack-strip fumbles, that resulted in TDs. Linebacker Sam Ebukam scored two touchdowns picking up lose footballs. So did Chiefs defensive tackle Alan Bailey, coming up with a fumble-walk into the end zone TD.

And that was odd because a storyline coming into the game, the Chiefs haven’t played much defense all year, and the Rams, despite a highly paid group of shiny objects on defense, haven’t played that way this year either.

It was a game where you had to pick your poison

Were the Rams going to commit lots of defense to take away KC’s explosive receiver Tyreek Hill? What about Travis Kelce or Kareem Hunt, how to stop them?

Ditto for Kansas City. Can you take LA running back Todd Gurley out of the game, but if you do, how to defend Branden Cooks and Robert Woods the wideouts, and by the way, they have tight ends to catch the ball.

Even the most controversial player on the field, Marcus Peters, came off with a huge 4th quarter interception and a couple of big plays against Kelce late in the game.

The Chiefs staggered to 10-penalty flags in the opening quarter, in fact, going to the lockeroom with13-penalties by halftime. They cleaned it up in the second half, but by then both defenses looked gassed, too tired to even get there to commit infractions.

You almost felt the last guy who touched the ball, would win, and the Rams final interception with (:20) left held true to form in the LA win.

Mahomes and Goff not only combined for 10-TD passes, and 891-yards passing, but under siege, they took 8-sacks and handed over 7-turnovers. All the while, there were 6-lead changes in the final quarter alone.

If they were still playing at this hour, it would still be back and forth, more scores, more big plays.

It may count just 1-game in the standings, but it seems so much more. Yes, Drew Brees and New Orleans have won 9-in a row, and sit there (9-1), but its doubtful even his great career greatness could match what the Chiefs and Rams just put on display.

When it was over, I had to catch my breath. I laughed thinking about the other team in Los Angeles, the Chargers, and how they are not on anyone’s radar despite having Philip Rivers and friends. I wonder what Dean Spanos really thinks about his team’s future in Los Angeles, considering, who the Rams are, what they’ve become, and what they just did to the Chiefs?

Who needs the Super Bowl in February. We just saw something that no one else can top.

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“Chargers-Lousy Loss-But Just 1-Loss”

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The way you play-the day you play-means a lot during the NFL regular season.

That’s why you see performances like the Chargers shabby outing…the loss to a staggering Denver Broncos team.

You know Denver, losers of 6-of-7, where the coach was on the brink of being fired by a General Manager (John Elway) who has made a lot of mistakes himself. They lost to a Broncos team that was without 3-starting offensive lineman, out with injuries.

The Chargers wasted away a lead (19-7), saw their 6-game win streak snapped, and probably lost a chance at chasing down 1st place Kansas City. They had (437Y) in total offense, kept the ball for 37-minutes and didn’t get a win.

Another big injury, maybe a season ending knee problem for DE-Corey Liuget, coming a week after they lost top inside linebacker Denzel Perryman.

Philip Rivers threw for (401Y) in pushing his team to a big lead. But he threw 2-interceptions, took 3-sacks, and gave Denver some (:40) additional on the clock at the end of the game, throwing the ball away, when if he had taken a sack, the clock would have kept ticking away.

Lots of paper cuts during this game.

Michael Badgley missed his first field goal after all those good kicks.

There were 14-Bolts penalties, 7-in each half.

They were beaten for the second week in a row on a fake punt that wound up for a lst down.

They let rookie Phil Lindsey explode for a big run on a ‘wildcat’ direct snap play.

There were not quarterback sacks from a defensive front that had both Liuget and Joey Bosa on the field for the first time this season.

The wide outs dropped 3-passes, heck, Rivers could have had 500-yards passing.

Then a shaky defense, let Case Keenum put together the game winning scoring drive in the final (1:51) starting from his own 8-yard line. He completed 6-passes in a row…spiked the ball…and let kicker Brandon McManus win it with (:03) left.

It’s not a death blow to the Bolts. They are still (7-3)…but now with Liuget gone, and Bosa not really football ready to play-down-by-down, some of the six games left on the schedule, have to be looked at it a new light.

Cincinnati will be coming in, and they are still dangerous.

Arizona is having a miserable swain with kid QB-Josh Rosen, so that should be a victory.

Who knows about Baltimore, with an ailing Joe Flacco, but now a dangerous rookie Lamar Jackson is making things happen.

But fear creeps in over the rest of the road games.

Ben Roethlisberger and red hot Pittsburgh await.

Maybe Denver feels better about itself now with this win, and they do play well in the Mile High City, with the rematch coming up.

And then there is Arrowhead Stadium and Kansas City, and you know that history.

The Chargers still are the top wildcard team, with a chance for a home game, but even that comes with issues. You know, other teams fans overflowing the futbol stadium where the Chargers play football.

It only counts as 1-loss in the standings, but it was a lousy loss, and now you wonder if the Bolts are upper echelon.

The way you play-the day you play. Sunday was poor. The next 6-Sundays need to be better.

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“Steelers-vs-Star Player-Way of Doing Business”

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It’s like standing on a street corner in downtown Pittsburgh, yelling at the other guy on the other corner.

No one is going to win the argument, and the fans might likely wind up as a loser.

The year long contract battle for superstar running back Le’Veon Bell is now over.

Franchise tagged at (14.6M) in the last off season, he refused to sign the contract, held out, and as the final deadline for him to report to the team, he walked away from the money still on the table, ending his relationship. He’s elected to sit out the entire NFL season.

In the midst of all this, the Steelers are rolling as a team, with bright young running back James Connor having a banner year. But we don’t know if Connor is the equal to Bell.

We know a lot of facts for certain.

In 5-years in Pittsburgh, Bell became a superstar. He had (1,541-touches) running and receiving, an amazing workload. He had (7,996-all purpose yards) a spectacular stat. He leaves Pittsburgh with 42-career TDs.

Where as Ben Roethlisberger may be the heart-soul of Steeler football, Bell and fellow wide receiver Antonio Brown made that engine fire.

We know Pittsburgh is paying the quarterback 18-M a year, salary and guaranteed signing bonus, a state of the art contract for top stars in the NFL, and he is one.

We know Brown got a contract extension last season, and will earn him 4.2M going forward, with bigger paydays coming, pretty impressive money for a pretty impressive player.

But Bell wanted more, lots more, in the neighborhood of 20M a year average.
And he wanted a likely 5-year contract, and wanted upwards of 50M guaranteed.

That is not the way the Steelers have done business. Pittsburgh made him a big offer, at least in neon lights, it seemed that way, a (5Y-70M) upgrade, but only 17M of that was guaranteed. If he got hurt, all he had to show was the guaranteed coming.

Bell viewed it as an insult, when you consider his productivity and the comparisons to the contract the LA Rams just gave their star running back Todd Gurley, a package just north of 50M overall, but 45M of that guaranteed.

There are lots of ways to look at this angry divorce.

Some Steeler teammates feel betrayed, that a 14.6M guarantee is a huge amount. Others felt lied to, because the running back kept saying he was coming to camp and would join the team for the playoff run.

Others rooted for Bell, for whatever he got, would help other players get big paydays in the future, in a sidebar game ‘can you top this’.

And Bell’s public stance has merit, other guys get huge guarantees, I am a complete superstar, I’m not risking injury on a 1-year deal without future guarantees. Reward me for what I just did, pay me for what I might do, like other teams do.

It’s a different NFL game now, not just touchdown passes, touchdown runs, quarterback sacks, and 11-wins seasons.

Now it’s a money game, with each new contract topping the contract of the last superstar at a position.

NFL quarterbacks are getting 20-to-23M a year going forward, as witnessed by what Atlanta just handed QB-Matt Ryan.

Bell will go on the open market in February. He’s not a used up or beat up running back. He is still a young (26), and there are some clubs with huge salary cap space that might make a run at him. The Colts, who have QB-Andrew Luck. The Jets and their young phenom QB-Sam Darnold. Even the Raiders, with a likely Jon Gruden sales pitch coming.

Of course there are other things to consider.

Is Bell a good teammate after what he just did to the loyalty that was the Steelers lockeroom?

He gave up 14.6M in that last year salary, a ton of doe, even for a guy who has made good money in his first four years.

But the one thing he will never get back, a year’s worth of athleticism for sitting out the season. It’s not like Bell can put the 2018-lost season in his pocket, and cash it in for an extra year when he turns 32. Just doesn’t work that way in the NFL.

Only time will tell where he goes, how big a payday he gets.

The Steelers seem fine right now. Le’Veon Bell will be fine too.

And on the street corners and bars in Pittsburgh the debate will go on the rest of the season, into the playoffs, and likely into free agency.

You can argue all you want, it won’t change things.

Le’Veon Bell just did, what Khalil Mack did to the Raiders early in the season, and what more stars will do walking down the gold brick road.

It’s just the new way mega stars do business vs NFL teams, who make mega-profits.

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Aztecs Coach-Gives HIs Team-Vote of Confidence-Gives Lecture to Media”

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Rocky Long’s team faces a big game…at Fresno…with 1st place in the Mountain West on the line. The Aztecs are struggling, despite a (7-3) record. Fresno State is rolling, even with last week’s loss to Boise State.

SDSU’s coach says he is dealing with reality right now, and believes the future is better. He gave his team a vote of confidence on Tuesday, and lectured the media about expectations, pressures, disappointments, and the big picture..

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..We’re playing the best team in the league
..Most veteran team in league
..Best offense-defense in league…quite a challenge

..Boise State took what they could get from Fresno
..Boise kept everything infront of them defensively
..Boise poised on offense
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..Aztecs-start looking for reasons why we struggle
..We’ve had the same situation in 2014-too many young players
..We had expectations-but there are reasons for struggles
..I think we overachieved early in year.

..Take true facts-playing like we should play
..We need to take emotions out of it-determine how many veterans we have
..We’ve won 7-games..we’re going to a bowl
..This team has overachieved as young as they are
..I had hoped they would develop veteran leadership at start-I didn’t-my mistake
..I realized it 3-weeks ago-and accepted.

..We still have a minute chance to win the championship
..We are at huge disadvantage now with youth-resources
..We beat Power 5-teams-we overachieved

,,Don Coryell had 5-great teams in row..then (6-5) record..lots freshman
..The more you don’t play up to expectations-lack of confidence increases
..To 18-year old-losing confidence is tough
..Losing to UNLV is not a shock to me-their coaches done a good job

..Real surprise-we have this young a team-we’ve won 7-games-that’s surprise
..We have group of good young players who will be special in 2-years
..We don’t have it now-they are out of their league-this experience will do them well.

..Frustrating part is coaching them-some kids rally from adversity-others don’t
..Kids have not been in program enough to know how to react
..Our line of scrimmage is important-if you control it-you win
..If you don’t win line of scrimmage-you could lose.
..Those guys upfront are so important to us
..It’s a simple game-but it starts upfront.

..Beat Boise-everyone had a good day..not string it together
..We’re so young, we just haven’t be able to repeat that type of game-yet.

..Fresno-amazing turnaround last year with good QB
..Marcus McMaryion has 2-or-3 outstanding receivers
..Will be aggressive against McMaryion..
..We play soft-in fear-get beat by 35
..McMaryiion stats very impressive-beats zones-man
..His offensive line is loaded-thrown only 3-picks-protect him

..Jeff Tedord-he is a QB-guru coach-has flipped program
..Fresno defense is dominant-gets no credit
..They’re just as good on defense as they are on offense

..Fresno rivalry…our kids don’t know about it-but they will
..Christian Chapman will start at quarterback
..Offensive line not playing very well…they are beat up..
..Offensiive line has not matched expectations

..Rashaad Penny…Just be patient-look how he’s playing in Seattle now