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“Football-Futbol-It All Begins”

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The NFL preseason is underway, so football fans get their fix weekly now.

The Futbol season has begun to, for soccer fans, as the English Premier League kicks off this weekend, coming on the heels of the spectacular World Cup we saw in Russia.

The 20-team league kicks off with a full slate of games this weekend in England.

All eyes will be on Manchester City to see if they can continue the dominance of a year ago, and why not. Record wins, record points, record number of goals scored.

It all begins on Friday night. A quick look at storylines.

MANCHESTER CITY….Pep Guardiola returns this high powered team intact. Kevin DeBruyn comes off an amazing World Cup, and now the Citizens add Riyad Mahrez, from Liverpool, comes on board in a transfer deal, joining other big names like Sterling, Silva and Kyle Walker.

MANCHESTER UNITED….A summer of distractions for Coach Josie Mourinho, an unhappy Paul Pogboa, a volatile coaching style, an uncomfortable relationship with players. Mourinho campaigned heavily for this job, and now it may blow up in his face. A summer of trouble could be coming to Old Trafford.

TOTTENHAM HOT SPUR….A strange summer of inactivity on the player front. Harry Kane has become a super star, but do they have enough?

LIVERPOOL…40-goal scorer Mohammad Salah returns after rejecting offers to go elsewhere. They add international star goalie Alisson, but won’t have star Alex Chamberlain for the year with knee problems. Jorge Klopp is held in high regard as coach.

CHELSEA….What a couple of week leading up to the start of the season. Keeper Thibault Courtois is on his way to Real Madrid. They spent 83M to acquire Kepa Arrizabalaga from Spain and Mateo Kovacic from Real Madrid. Still to be determined what becomes of Eden Hazard. On top of all this, a new leader in coach Mauricio Sarri.

ARSENAL…For the first time in 22-years, there is no Arsene Wenger pacing the sidelines. . Coming on board is midfielder Lucas Torseira and Pierre Aubamayeng is a star in the making. Unami Emery replaces Wenger as manager.

EVERTON…..Wayne Rooney has gone to MLS, Lucas Degne comes in with great credentials, and they’ve added Yerry Mina, Jorginho and Richardson. They could be a big time team. for new lease Marco Silva..

LEICESTER CITY….Might be a big bounce back season, with Harry Maguire and Jamie Vardy bordering on star status after World Cup play, but there’s not much left from the champion Foxes team of just two seasons ago..

FULHAM…This bears watching, as they have added 10-free agents via the transfer route after climbing into the EPL during the relegation period. They just spent 38M to acquire French goals Andre Auguissa from Marseille. The Cottagers are joined by Cardiff and Wolverhampton are the other new teams in the EPL.

“Making Money-Always Unhappy”

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They’re all making enormous money in pro sports. The superstars are earning 20-to-30M per year.

Thanks to the strength of the Players Unions, the last man on the roster makes anywhere from 500K to 1.5M per year.

And they are constantly unhappy.

It is the American way to get as much as you can from your boss on the job. But in our life and times, you wonder where the ceiling is, where the common sense it.

Go around sports, NFL to NBA to MLB to NHL, and the salaries are boggling.

I know fans cannot identify with these players, those salary figures, and the prevelant unhappiness that always seems to be out there.

I laugh when I remember the discontent of Latrell Spreewell, the legendary Golden State Warrior-NY Knicks star, who said he would not sign a 16M per year contract extension because he worried he couldn’t feed his family. He never got another offer.

Today’s pro athlete and their agents are always about one-upping the last big contract given.

So Kirk Cousins goes to Minnesota for 30M a year starting this year. Le’Veon Bell is unhappy with his 14.5M franchise tag fee.

Aaron Donald wants 20M per season from the Rams, because they just gave Todd Gurley-Brendin Cooks 16M apiece.

We are approaching the 40M per year player in the NBA, see what Kevin Durant asks for next year.

LeBron James goes to the Lakers for 36M a year.

Here comes free agency for Bryce Harper, and you can bet that agent Scott Boras will seek 10Y-400M for the Washington Nationals slugger.

The unions have done a good job helping the players earn huge dollars. If not the owners would be reaping all the profits and the players would be forever at their mercy.

But you wonder where it all ends. The average salary in baseball is at an all time high, 4.4M per player, and that includes the pitchers with ERA’s of 7.92 and the utilityman hitting (.191), in addition to what Jose Altuve earns..

The NBA has a record 81-players earning the ‘max’ salaries allowable under the current collective bargaining agreement. Did you know there were 81-superstars in the league?

The NFL pays virtually all its star players north of 15M a season, and quarterbacks now approach the 20-to-30M range.

Even the NHL has its collection of 8-10 and now 11M a year players.

The fan in the stands has to pay 200-to-300 dollars a ticket to get the choice seats. What does it cost a family of four to go to a game?

But as a Dodgers player lectured me. “No one ever complains what Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger or Demi Moore makes. Go enjoy the concert, the movie, the game. Let us earn what the market is willing to pay us.”

Guess the question is, how much is too much? For the player to earn? For the fan to pay? For the owners profit margins?

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“NFL Preseason Games-We Have Questions”

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Let the games begin, four weeks of preseason games, as teams try to fit new players into systems, get injured players back healthy, and become new coaching staffs. Here are the talking points for each team.

ARIZONA…Can Sam Bradford stay healthy at QB….How fast do they bring along UCLA rookie QB-Josh Rosen…Have they fixed the OL with free agent signings Justin Pugh-Andre Smith?

ATLANTA..Julio Jones holdout lasted one day-back healthy and happy…How quickly can rookie WR-Calvin Ridley become a player?

BALTIMORE…Lots of pressure on Joe Flacco to throw down the field-but adding 3-WRs including Michael Crabtree helps…Will Lamar Jackson be a special player in certain packages at QB?

BUFFALO…AJ McCarron comes in as the likely starter at QB…High 1st round pick Josh Allen is being brought along slowly…DT-Star Lotolelei joins a good defense…A healthy WR-Kelvin Benjamin makes a difference.

CAROLINA…Cam Newton meet Norv Turner-this will be fun…Add Torrey Smith-DJ Moore and Christian McCaffrey and this will be a dynamic offense…Getting Cam to complete more passes the key.

CHICAGO…The Mitch Trubisky era begins at QB…Adding 3WRs-including Alan Robinson will help. Can they score a lot-remains to be seen…..Is Matt Nagy the right choice as new head coach?

CINCINNATI….Andy Dalton needs a bounce back year, so does coach Marvin Lewis….Adding OL-Cordy Glenn and Billy Price helps..does Joe Mixon become a star RB?

CLEVELAND…Spent loads of money on free agents, and drafted a lot of talent, so (1-31) should be in the rear-view mirror..Tyrod Taylor starts at QB-with 1st round pick Baker Mayfield waiting his chance…Jarvis Landry adds a lot to the offense…But WR-Josh Gibson’s personal issues are again part of the conversation…Will it all come together to save coach Hue Jackson?

DALLAS…Life after Dez Bryant begins, but Tavon Austin and rookie Mike Gallup seem ready to contribute…do they have game breakers to help Dak Prescott and Zeke Elliott, and can the troubled players on defense stay on the field?

DENVER….Case Keenum will give them bullet-proof QB work…Is Royce Freeman the answer at RB…will they find game breakers at wide receiver and tight end? Defense has lots of miles on it.

DETROIT….New leader in Matt Patricia…same old problems though, not enough around QB-Matt Stafford….Ziggy Ansuh needs help on defense…do they have a run game?

GREEN BAY….A real foray into free agency for the first time, signing 6-players from the outside…Mo Wilkerson and Jimmie Grahame come on board to help Aaron Rodgers.

HOUSTON…Will QB-Deshaun Watson be 100% and dynamic as he was as a rookie…..Is this a healthy year for JJ Watt and Jadeveon Clowney?

INDIANAPOLIS….Andrew Luck returns after 19-months of rehab….and 3-new OL on the roster bring in strong credentials….Can TE-Eric Ebron find stardom with the Colts? Can Luck stay healthy?

JACKSONVILLE….Blake Bortels had a huge season, now can he take another step forward…New help in OL with OG-Andrew Norwell, and a load of running backs…No one takes the Jags lightly this year.

KANSAS CITY…..It’s goodbye Alex Smith, hello young QB-Patrick Mahomes and a complete turnover on offense, and a rebuild on defense. Going to be an interesting year at Arrowhead. Lots of changes for Andy Reid’s team….Offense great-defense questionable?

LA CHARGERS….Philip Rivers, Keenan Allen, Melvin Gordon and role players make a pretty good offense but they then lost TE-Hunter Henry….Rebuilt the secondary with 1st round pick Derwin James, but then lost Jason Verrett….Must prove they can stop the run and didn’t add much to address that in offseason. Cannot afford any more injuries.

LA RAMS….Loaded on offense…loaded on defense….loaded with quality coaching. Jared Goff-Todd Gurley and the WR corps exceptional…Now you add Nadomakong Suh-Marcus Peters-Aqid Talib to the mix, and this could be an explosive team…..Or could it implode with the personalities on the team. Are they ever going to treat DT-Aaron Donald fairly in year three of this contract dispute?

MIAMI…Ryan Tannehill needs to stay healthy after two knee injuries…WR’s Danny Amendola and Albert Wilson comes in to help…but this team got rid of big names like Suh-Landry-Ajayi.

MINNESOTA….Kirk Cousins-big contract-big throwing yardage…RB-Dalvin Cook comes off knee injury…Sheldon Richardson joins a great defense…what a year ahead for the Vikings.

NEW ENGLAND…Must find a LT to replace Nate Solder, and Tom Brady will be without Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola to start…Young defense really grew up on the job last year…but OL is big issue right now?

NEW ORLEANS….RB-Marc Ingram is suspended to start the season…the defense gets an upgrade in LB-Alex Okafor and Marcus Davenport, and Drew Bree’s shows no signs of slowing down.

NY GIANTS….RB-Saquon Barkley arrives with a power run style to help Eli Manning and Odell Beckham. Pat Shurmur and GM-Dave Gentleman are going to change the personality of the team…Must solve the issues with Beckham contract and the clashes of Eli Apple-Landon Collins.

NY JETS….A new QB is in the offing, Sam Darnold or Ted Bridgewater. A rebuilt defensive front is coming in. Uncertainty at WR and RB. Do they have the right parts?

OAKLAND…Here comes Jon Gruden’s leadership to direct QB-Derek Carr….New look WR-group led by Jordy Nelson…..Doug Martin joins RB-Marshawn Lynch and they added 2-OTs in draft…Big questions on defense…they rented a lot of free agents to help that side of the ball….and must address the Khalil Mack contract issue…Will this be a power-ball team till the defense grows up?

PHILADELPHIA….Carson Wentz will be back opening day, and so will insurance policy QB-Nick Foles…..return to complete health of Jason Peters and Barrett Brooks in OL adds even more to great team….What a defense too.

PITTSBURGH….Big Ben and AB…Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown are superb but this cloud cover contract issue with Le’Veon Bell still looms out there….Upgrades on defense with Jon Bostic, Morgan Burnett and Terrell Edmonds should take the sting out of the career ending loss of LB-Ryan Shazier.

SAN FRANCISCO …What a start for QB-Jimmy Garoppolo, and now they add Mike McGlinchey-OT and Dante Pettis at WR, plus free agents C-Weston Richberg and CB-Richard Sherman….Big season coming?

SEATTLE….A complete overhaul…Everything around QB-Russell Wilson is new, led by RB-Rashaad Penny from SDSU…..How do you replace Richard Sherman-Michael Bennett-Kam Chancellor-Earl Thomas?

TAMPA BAY….No James Winston to start the season…Big challenge for Coach Dirk Koetter…but what a haul on defense with Vin Curry-Beau Allen-Vita Via-Jason Pierre Paul joining DT-Gerald McCoy….Keep an eye on USC rookie RB-Ronnie Jones too.

TENNESEE..Mike Vrable comes in as head coach and so do FA’s-Malcom Butler and Dion Lewis to help QB-Marcus Mariota and the defense…Do they have enough firepower?

WASHINGTON….Alex Smith arrives-Kirk Cousins exits for a big payday….but they need lots of help on offense…Watch RB-Derrius Grice and new WR-Paul Richardson, maybe they get things done, to help an overburdened defense.

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“Johnny Football-Not So Good”

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So much for the debut. So much for the hype. So much for the expectation.

It wasn’t very good, in fact it was awful, but that team has seen awful for a couple of years.

The 1st career start for Johnny Manziel with the CFL-Montreal Alouettes was pitiful. So was his team. So was their defense. So is what they have become.

The scoreboard, a (55-11) lopsided win by the Hamilton Ti-Cats only tells part of the story.

Manziel was intercepted on his first pass. Was picked off 4-times in the first half. It got worse as it went on.

The stat sheet will show just (11-20) passing for (104Y). He was picked four times, sacked twice, and flushed out of the pocket 10-other times.

He hadn’t played a game in 32-months, his last start being in late season of 2015 with the dreadful Cleveland Browns.

His two years of part-time play in the Browns showed a (2-6) record as a starter…7-TDs…7-interceptions…7-fumbles….23-sacks in 14-games.

Indeed a far cry from those Texas AM-Aggies days, you know (9,989) all purpose yards and 99-TDs in 2-seasons at College Station..

The former first round draft pick’s career has spiraled down from that point on. Wrist injury. Missed medical appointments. Missed team meetings.

Off season parties, allegations of drug binges, nite clubs et all. All while the Browns were trying to decide what to do with him. They dumped him just like he dumped on all the responsibilities that came with being a starting quarterback.

Drug rehab stints, counseling for bi-polar disorder, and utter dismay at what he allowed his career and life to become.

Developing QB’s in the NFL is tough enough, without trying to control all the distractions Johnny Manziel dragged with him.

No NFL offers, much like Colin Kaeperneck, but for different reasons.

He wound up in camp with the Hamilton Ti-Cats on a 2-year contract, played some in preseason, but not at all in weeks 1-thru-5. Dealt to the quarterback poor Alouettes, he becomes the starter on the most troubled team in the CFL.

Longtime NFL coach June Jones helped get him to the Ti-Cats. His former Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman, has him now in Montreal.

Montreal was once great, led by future Hall of Fame QB-Anthony Calvillo. But dreadful recently, with 16-losses in their last 17-games.

Manziel will be given time to grow into the game. He needs time to knock the rust off too.

The CFL is a very different game. The pressures are different. The field is different. The rules (3-down football) are different.

Into that came Manziel after just a week of practice in a new system.

He threw late, he threw into coverage, he threw on the run, he threw four picks with 2-others dropped. He made bad decisions, and he made some high school plays too. Started bad, got worse.

He surely didn’t look like Johnny Football we saw at Texas A&M. He didn’t look much like what he was in Cleveland, a struggling rookie.

He looked more like the ‘bum’ he allowed himself to become.

But football is always about talent and giving second chances to talent, so Manziel will get lots of time, the rest of this lost season in Montreal to learn on the job.

He’s saying all the right things, right now. Doing all the right things too, on and off the field.

Might he can be the next Doug Flutie in Canada? Maybe he winds up the next Akili Smith, another NFL washout who went north. Only time will tell.

Football can be humbling, and it surely is right now for this quarterback.

Johnny Football? Johnny Be Good? Johnny Was Bad. At least in his CFL-debut.

He’ll start against Ottawa this weekend.

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“Chargers-Let Me Count the Ways We Dislike You”

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It’s been 18-months since Dean Spanos and his moving vans transferred the San Diego Chargers to Los Angeles..

You’d think by now the resentment over the move would have left us, those loyal Chargers fans, left behind. But it hasn’t.

As the Bolts prepare for what they think will be a good season, in year two in Los Angeles, they continue to be held with utter disregard in the market, jam packed with so many other franchises.

And the Bolts just continue to make mistakes in what they do up in Los Angeles, the latest being the gaffe over the selling of new gear fans can buy and wear to practices, or games, for the upcoming 2018 season.

They ran an ad last week for a new look ‘New Era’ caps, inviting fans to get a sneak preview and place their orders for SAN DIEGO CHARGERS gear for 2018. That’s right, SAN DIEGO CHARGERS gear.

The ad came just days after the LA Times ran a sports column that praised all the off season moves by the LA Rams, saying “the Rams can now be mentioned alongside the Lakers and Dodgers, as one of the three major local sports franchises in LA”

No mention of the Chargers, the owner, his sons, the team, its great quarterback.

Just like last year, when the same LA Times ran a column the day the move to LA was announced, headlined by the comment “you’re not welcome here-no one wants you here”.

Oh count the ways they’ve fouled this up, this move to the second biggest market in the country, where they will pay rent to the Rams owner for playing in his stadium, while having to take out a 650M loan to pay the territorial transfer fee to move into LA.

You remember all their great decisions, pioneered by AG Spanos, President of Business Operations.

Moving to LA and promptly displaying an LA logo with a lightning bolt that looked as if they plagerizied it from the Dodgers logo.

Then there was a second logo, that was here today-gone tomorrow.

There was the introductory press conference, where they hired and dressed actors from central casting as if they were Chargers fans.

There was the fan shouting match as a San Diego fan berated Spanos at his own press conference, infront of Commissioner Roger Goodell.

There was the NFL press conference with Goodell reigning praise on Rams owner Stan Kroenke for his move and the funding for the new Hollywood Park stadium, then mentioning the Chargers-Spanos as an after-thought.

They tried to market the team by working a sponsorship, giving fans an invite to get free tattoos.

There was a free hot dog giveaway, where a few fans showed up along with homeless people.

There was the “Fight for LA” motto everywhere, until the NFL told them to eliminate it. Of course the Rams 11-win season and run to the playoffs pretty much led to a technical knockout in the so call fight for LA.

There was the major flub in the media guide and game program detailing an executive working hard to get a new stadium built in San Diego.

Of course they announced all home games were sold out with season ticket holders buying out the yard, then the revelation they sold a large number of tickets to brokers, who promptly sold them to out of town fans coming to see their team play the Bolts.

The (0-4) start buried the team in another non-playoff season.

Home games became road games because so many out of town fans came to root for the other guy.

The Charges stopped doing pregame introductions of their own star players in their own stadium..

And San Diego’s bitter fans rented planes flying banners over the Stub Hub Center mocking the Spanos family and the NFL for allowing the move out of San Diego. The FAA even rejected an attempt by Spanos to cancel the permits that allowed the flights, saying the flights did not violate laws, because the futbol stadium they play in was too small to fall under FAA guidelines.

The Chargers had the lowest ‘home market’ television ratings in the NFL for their own home games televised in the Los Angeles market.

Meanwhile in San Diego, ‘hate-watching’ became the thing to do, disenfranchised Bolt fans ignoring the team. In fact TV ratings in San Diego for Chargers games plunged 41% from the final two years they were in San Diego.

It was followed by another failed attempt to to make the playoffs, and the stunning stat, a legendary quarterback like Philip Rivers has just 1-playoff win over his last 11-years.

And now this, 2018 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS gear ad on their website among other places.

It goes on and on doesn’t it?

Just update your scorecard, for all the reasons San Diego fans still dislike Dean Spanos.

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