“Drinking from the Victory Fountain”

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Denver, known as the home of Coors Beer, will be drinking Orange Crush today, from the Victory Fountain.

 
Denver did it again…against all the odds…and against the NFL’s MVP, the Broncos won the Super Bowl for a third time in their storied history.

 
It was a (24-10) win over the (17-1) Carolina Panthers. It was a glorious 200th career win for Peyton Manning, in Super Bowl 50. It was a dominant defensive performance against the brilliance of Cam Newton, who sadly couldn’t do it by himself.

 
When the orange confetti reigned down onto the field, with the neon lights flashing, it was Manning holding the trophy, and his linebacking buddy Von Miller walking off with the MVP award.

 
Cam Newton got up and walked off the podium, sullen, heartbroken, and fed up after taking just 1-question.

 
Wade Philips used every card in the deck early, blitzing some, dropping 7-into coverage on other plays, tackling and getting to the ball quickly. And then when it became a lopsided game, he brought the heat, blitz after blitz.

 
When it was over, the Broncos had 7-sacks, 3-fumble recoveries,a pick, held Newton to (17-for-40) passing, made Carolina take 10-costly penalties with that pass rush.

 
Carolina missed 1-field goal, turned it over twice deep in their own territory, and let the Broncos run loose on a key 61-yard punt return.

 
Manning did the rest, milking the clock, managing the game with the lead, and letting running back CJ Anderson muscle his way for nearly 100-yards, especially chunks when it was needed to take time off the clock.

 
The Broncos won the ring and raised the trophy with a very pedestrian offense. They won it with a punch you in the mouth defense, strong at the point of attack, at getting to the ball, and in deep coverage.

 
It probably was Manning’s goodbye game in Denver. The Broncos don’t want to pay him 18M next season. Him going to a woeful team like the Rams doesn’t make sense. He could become the next Elway in a front office job, possibly with the troubled Tennessee Titans.

 
For Newton, it wasn’t his fault. He should have handled post game better, but he will learn from it. Carolina at (17-2) is an awesome finish, considering that once upon a time they were (1-15). The future looks bright with that guy at quarterback, with that offensive front, and that defense.

 
Coors may be the banquet beer in Colorado…but they’re toasting Orange Crush as they get ready to honor the Broncos in a Super Bowl parade.

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“Super Bowl Sunday Questions”

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Denver vs Carolina looks like a matchup of the ‘Old Guard’ (Peyton Manning) and the ‘New Breed’ (Cam Newton), but it is more than just that.

Football Game or IQ-Test…..Will Manning be able to outsmart all the defensive formations Ron Rivera and Carolina will throw at him?

Testing your Manhood….Will shaky Denver offensive line be able to deal with all the blitzes and stunts Carolina will send at Manning?

Broncos stubbornness….Can Denver run ball up inside against Lotolulei and Short, those massive DTs.

Who covers Demaryius Thomas…..Should be fun to watch Josh Norman and CBs try to bracket Denver top wide out?

Do you believe what you see…..Can Cam Newton cope with all the different schemes Wade Philips will throw at him at the line of scrimmage?

Spy-Cam……Does Denver spy Cam Newton-make him stay in the pocket….take away his scramble ability….do they blitz run lanes…hit him…get people at his feet?

Survivor game…..If Newton cannot break containment and move the pocket-will his lose his accuracy down the field?

Secondary matchups…..Isn’t key matchup how the Broncos safeties deal with the beast size of Panthers TE-Greg Olson?

Cornerback clout…..Aqib Talib-Chris Harrs-can run-be physical…will Ted Ginn-Devin Funchness cope with that?

1-Dimension Attack…..If Broncos cannot run, and Peyton Manning is not on the mark deep, how are they going to string drives together?

Glaring stat…..Did you know, going into New England playoff game, Broncos had gone 22-possessions without offensive touchdown?

Unsung heroes….Will this really be decided by a turnover or two and the kickers Brandon McManus and Grahame Gano?

Who Wins….Denver offensive too pedestrian…Peyton no longer what he used to be…Panthers will be slowed down by Orange Crush blitz..but Carolina wins (31-20).

Neutral field…..Carolina jumped out to (31-0) lead over Seattle and (17-0) led on Patriots-but that was in Charlotte-can they do that in Super Bowl in Santa Clara?

Who Wins….Denver offensive too pedestrian…Peyton no longer what he used to be…Panthers will be slowed down by Orange Crush blitz..but Carolina wins (31-20).

“The Snake was Sick-Everyone Else  Will Be”

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The news should not have come as a surprise. Ken Stabler passing away. The iconic-bearded-free spirit of a quarterback of the Raiders.

It’s only a matter of time before they will all pass, all the Raiders icons, and many, many more in the National Football League. And autopsy after autopsy will show the true cause of death of the players we loved to follow, loved to hate, loved to root for and again. They will all die from CTE, brain damage, brought on by years of big hits while playing in the NFL.

From Seau to Sash to Stabler, and lots in between. Names you know, names you don’t know. They all died from a buildup of Tau protein in different parts of their brain. Some killed themselves to end the agony, like Seau. Some died of causes triggered by the brain damage, Alzheimer’s, Dementia, ALS like Sash. Some died of other diseases, like the complications of cancer that took Stabler down, compounded by what was going on in his brain.

Boston University’s Brain Institute has now become the contact point for all NFL families who lose husbands and fathers and sons and friends. Their research has now shown 88-of the last 92-players they did autopsies on, all had CTE, from minimal levels to the most acute. The Mike Webster disease, named after the late Steelers icon, who killed himself rather than live with the horrors of his ailments that destroyed his family and his life. He suffers no more, but so many others are, and will.

The NFL wants to pride itself on the 963M they have funded to pay the players of yesteryear, who are suffering a slow agonizing death, eventhough two years after the agreement, not one penny has been paid out because of appeals and on-going litigation.

Pending lawsuits are still out there from players who don’t think it’s enough.

 
The NFL just released its 2015-survey that show concussions are up, 279-this past season, a high water mark over the last four years. That may be a higher number because of the hiring of independent neurosurgeons on the sideline, leading to better vigilance. We now know more about warning signs than we did five years ago, a decade ago, 20-years back.

But it is still a violent game, with big time hits.

 
Still out there is another possible suicide victim. Another 1970s star who will die in debt, unable to take care of himself. We know about the war with the NFL, giving Dick “Night Train” Lane just 695-dollars a month pension, and denying him disability after 11-years of playing the most violent safety you’d ever want to see from back in the day.

Enjoy the Super Bowl. You’ll see some guys get blown up. The term concussion protocol will be thrown around like that is a cure-all. And the game will indeed go on.

Too late for Junior Seau, Tyler Sash or Ken Stabler and so many more. The Chargers linebacker killed himself. The Giants young safety died in his bed. Stabler’s life was over in a hospice unit. A 43-year old linebacker. A 27-year old safety. A 60-plus quarterback.

The NFL should add an ‘addendum page’ to every players contract. ________________ passed away from complications of brain damage brought on by CTE.

It seems out of control, the game, the big hits, and the big damage. Throwing dollars after dollars at research won’t have an impact. Changing the equipment, the rules, making it safer, is the only way out.
The glory of Super Bowl Sunday will be everywhere. We should never forget however how unforgiving the game is to those who get badly hurt.

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“Bad Season-Team-Leadership”

 
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The losing continues. The solution is nowhere to be found. The cause, right infront of you.

 
Welcome to Los Angeles Lakers basketball, where ‘Showtime’ was special, first at the Forum, then at Staples Center.

 
Lakers basketball was about West-Baylor-Chamberlain. It was Magic-Worthy-Cooper-Nixon. Then Shaq-Kobe-Gasol and the likes.

 
Now Lakers basketball is losing, blowouts, bad shots, bad attitudes, and more than anything else, bad leadership.

The Lakers banners and jerseys hung from the rafters, are the only symbol left what was the great era ownership by Dr. Jerry Buss. Now it is an era of error by his son Jim Buss, who has delivered us last place finishes, lottery picks that don’t pan out, and a parade of coaches, hired to be fired.

 
Since opening night of the 2013-season, the Lakers have a composite record of (58-158). Think about the history of the word ‘awful’ in NBA history, and the Philadelphia 76ers (9-72) record comes to mind back in the day. The terrible Sacramento Kings teams. The demise of the Boston Celtics. The poorly run New York Knicks.

They ended a numbing 10-game losing streak last night with a win over the woeful Minnesota Timberwolves.  They’re still (10-41), very un-Laker-like.

 
But this is the Lakers franchise, where things like this only happened to other people in the Association. Right infront of your eyes, including those in the $1500 courtside seat, they are witness to this shameful product.

 
Kobe Bryant is in his farewell tour. Some nights showing flashes, other night’s firing up shot after shot, failing to hit. And then the nights he is so banged up he cannot suit up.

 
The Lakers have given us back to back lottery picks, Julius Randle of Kentucky, and Ohio State’s DeAngelo Russell, both with talent, both overwhelmed by this next level of play, both with reps of being whiners.

 
The growth is painfully slow, and there is agony watching their attitudes on the court, playing little defense, missing shots, and sitting and laughing on the bench in the midst of 27-point blowouts at home.

 
The rest of the roster, assembled by GM-Mitch Kupchack, is a mixed bag of young guys cut from other teams, D-League plays, and limited talent because the league says you have to suit up so many on game night.

 
Coach Byron Scott, a throwback to better days, is failing badly here, just like he failed as a head coach elsewhere. His glory days are behind him, and if he were not an ex-Laker, he’d be gone too.

 
But who should go is Jim Buss. They need leadership, and whether that comes from Kupchack, who knuckled under to Buss’ power move, or somebody from the outside, remembering Phil Jackson was available once upon a time, something has to change.

 
Good will and great days years ago, carries only so far. The Lakers have this TV channel, and the highlites are not game night against whomever they will lose to next, but rather yesteryear, and all the videos of Magic-Bird-Jordan.

 
The Lakers are no longer a destination point for marquee free agents. They think they can make a run at Kevin Durant a year from now if he leaves Oklahoma City. Did Lakers tradition carry the day last summer when they tried to lure the Trailblazers LaMarcus Aldridge? Don’t think so, then, or in the future.

 
Kobe vacates the first week of April, leaving behind cherished memories of 81-point nights, great years with Shaq, great fights with Shaq, and the time with the Zen Master-Jackson.

 
That’s all that’s left of Lakers basketball, the memories. The word bad is everywhere around that team’s practice facility and game night tipoffs.

 
Living in the past. That’s all the Lakers have going for them right now.

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“The Kid QB-Can Do”

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So what are we to make of Cam Newton, the heart-the soul-the smile of the Carolina Panthers?

The diverse and dynamic athlete, who has driven the Panthers back to relevance from the decay and obscurity they had been.

 
The athlete with the big cannon arm and the bigger than life ever-present smile.

 
Quarterbacks with promise come and go. For every Cam Newton there has been a JaMarcus Russell of the Raiders. For every big play he makes, you think of the failures of a Vince Young in Tennessee. For the spectacular athlete he has become you wonder whatever went wrong with Robert Griffin III. For all the hype he got coming in, he made it, but Johnny Manziel has not.

 
There will always be critics everywhere. Cam is a showboater. Cam is a hot dog. Cam is self-serving. Cam is too full of himself.

 
The preening for the cameras after all those touchdown passes and runs, 47-to be exact this year now, you must give him credit. His talents allow that to happen. He makes all the plays, without a lot of household names around him. Can you name me any of his star wide receivers? Does anyone outside of Mecklenberg County know who his tight end is. Bet few can name the group of running backs he has. And his offensive line, nameless and faceless are unidentifiable.

Should we be offended he is so active? No we should be impressed with his raw talent. Should we hold it against him, he always smiles? No, it’s a byproduct of all he puts into the game and what he gets out of it? Do we know very much about him? Yes we do, from the end product at Blinn Junior College, at Auburn, and what he has become in Carolina.

 
Yes he made an immature comment about being an ‘African American quarterback who scares people-because you cannot compare anyone to him’. Maybe it came out wrong, came out sideways, came out stupid.

 
But as they kickoff come Sunday, know this. He has played in big games all his life. The stage has never seemed too big for him. And the end result is he wins.

We respect and enjoy the business like style of Peyton Manning, the fire and tenacity of Tom Brady, the class and leadership of Philip Rivers, and the play of the other really good quarterbacks in the NFL. But this guy is different, as a player and a person.

Cam Newton plays the game with ‘joy’ and I think that’s pretty neat. Enjoy the theatrics, for his backs it all up with his greatness.

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