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“WATCHING TV”
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We head to the final weekend of the NFL regular season schedule.

The TV ratings are staggering, with a few exceptions, oddly involving the Chargers.

A quick look-see at what America is watching (viewership number averages):

CBS-FOX….(24M)…Viewership has jumped up for both networks.  Marquee end of season games in both the AFC-and-NFC have driven both networks to strong finishes.  Tony Romo-Greg Olson have squared off as quality color analysts.

NBC SUNDAY NIGHT (21.8M)…A big bump up on NBC with a series of good games too.  Chris Collinsworth-Mike Tirico, a fine play by play tandem.

ESPN MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (17M)…The weekly numbers are the most watched games since ESPN inherited the schedule decades ago.  Toning down the noise from the broadcast team has helped too.  Joe Buck-Troy Aikman rock solid, but they have tried so long to reinvent Cosell-Dandy Don and Gifford.  No can do.

AMAZON PRIME-THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (11.8M)…Year one was a disaster because of bad games (8M)…but a decent jump in year two, aided by better games.  Still odd Al Michaels left where he was to go to a place not alot of people watch.

PEACOCK..(7.3M)…It’s one time streaming telecast bombed with the Chargers-Bills game drawing poorly.  That came a week after the Chargers-Raiders game on Thursday night, drew just (7.8M) fans.

SUNDAY TICKET-YOU TUBE….They took the package from Direct TV, and promptly cranked up the prices.  What was ($229) a year ago, became ($499) for people signing on for the first time.  You Tube sold (1.3M) subscriptions, but based on paying ($2B) per year, double what Direct TV paid, they need (5M) subscribers, at inflated prices, to break even.  Did not happen in year one.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL…The big event playoff games, Rose-Sugar Bowl, were pretty impressive.  Give the fans an ‘event’ and they will watch.  Michigan-Alabama drew (24M) with a final hour high of (32M) fans.  Wasington-Texas drew (18.7M) with the final hour high of (22M).  Bet next Monday’s Championship game will be really high.

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“NFL COACHING CAROUSEL”
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1-week to go in the NFL schedule, and we are waiting for the axe to drop on coaches in trouble.  Or maybe it won’t.  A quick look at trouble spots and coaches in trouble in the NFL.

NEW ENGLAND….An interesting report surfacing in what was supposed to be the final week in Bill Belichick’s coaching career with the Patriots.  The downhill slide continued this year, with the Pats skidding to (4-12).  The Super Bowl runs of the Tom Brady era seem a long time ago.  Now a report, owner Robert Kraft might not fire him, let him coach the final year.  But as a trade off, Kraft would take the Player Personnel decision power away and hire a new GM above Belichick.  Stay tuned for this.

WASHINGTON…It’s almost accepted now that both Ron Rivera and Martin Mayhew will be ousted by this time next week, as they have overseen the demise of the franchise.  The removal of troubling owner Dan Snyder solved a credibility problem, but has not solved the roster problems at quarterback and across the entire offense.

ATLANTA..An unhappy  owner Arthur Blank might make a move after 3-straight (7-10) seasons with Arthur Smith as coach.  The roster rebuilding has taken longer than normal, and the QB-crisis seems serious.

JETS..Robert Salah will remain as coach, but upheaval is coming on the offensive side of the ball is coming, coaching staff and on that roster.

GIANTS..It appears the Giants will go one more year with Brian Daboll as coach, but they need player upgrades on offense.

CHICAGO…A late season surge seems to have saved the coaching staff, and the fact the Bears have the lst pick in the draft via a trade means more players and picks are coming at draft time.

CAROLINA…Impulsive owner David Tepper has already fired 3-head coaches in his tenure.  He may have a GM opening too.  But who wants to go to work for a meddler.  He may have the quarterback of the future, but there’s not much on the roster..

CHARGERS…The Jim Harbaugh watch is underway, and the fact he just hired NFL-agent Don Yee leads you to believe he will look hard at taking over the Chargers reigns.  Whom they hire at GM is intriguing.

RAIDERS…Antonio Pearce has taken the Raiders to a (4-4) record since mid season, but you can only win so much with emotion, they really need players.  Mark Davis also needs a stronger GM to go with whomever they hire as Coach.

SAINTS…Ownership just gave .500-coach Dennis Allen next year to take this team up a notch in the standings.  Not much success since Sean Payton left the Crescent City.

TAMPA BAY…Looks as if Todd Bowles has survived much like his QB-Baker Mayfield has also.  No changes coming there.

TENNESSEE…Mike Vrabel has done lots of good things, but it looks like a major rebuild is about to begin in Nashville, and Vrabel will oversee it.

Everyone is looking for the next DeMeco Ryans (Houston) and Shane Stiechen (Colts).

Do you hire a veteran coach who has rebuilt a resume like Dan Quinn (Dallas)..Jim Schwartz (Cleveland)…or Rhaheem Morris (Rams)?

Do you try to find the next hot coordinator llike Ben Johnson (Detroit) or Frank Smith (Miami)?

Coaching interviews of college coaches can start as soon as the Bowl season is over.  Interviews with coaches on other teams cannot begin until the Divisional Playoffs in the NFL are done in 3-weeks.

We have openings, we have more openings coming too.

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“COLLEGE PLAYOFFS–WOW”
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The Grand-Daddy of them all put on an all time show in its 110th Rose Bowl Game.  The Sugar Bowl became a very different game, but it was the sweet smell of offense..

For 12-hours on Monday, we stopped thinking-worrying-complaining-criticizing things like the transfer portal, NIL payments, tampering and all the things that make college football fans ill.

Michigan stun-gunned Alabama with its United Auto Workers strong-as-steel defense, earning Jim Harbaugh’s team a berth in the College Football playoff game.

It was 4-quarters of a defensive war, and then it was over in an instant.  There were so many starts and stops in a game in which quarterbacks were challenged, running games stymied, and receivers choked off.

Harbaugh said it best right before kickoff, ‘this game will be won upfront’, and it was.

The Wolverines had 6-sacks, 1-fumble recovery, and held the hi-octane Tide offense to (3-of-12) on 3rd downs.

Watching Harbaugh was like watching a passion play on the UM sideline.  Screaching, cajoling, cheerleading his team.  Nick Saban looked stunned all day long, as if he knew the roof would cave in on him.  The sacks were bad enough as were the 4-3-and-out series Bama had in the opening half.

It was not a pretty win, but the defenses caused havoc all afternoon long.  Alabama had 4-bad snaps to QB-Jalen Milroe.  The Tide defense struggled with the motion formations Michigan used thruout the second half.  Alabama hurt itself fielding punts at the 1-4-5, putting its QB on a terribly long field,much of the day.

Michigan won, but wasn’t clean either.  Special teams were not special, missing a field goal and a point after, and dropping an opening punt.

Heroes everywhere, from JJ McCarthy making big plays when needed, Corum busting an odd big run, and the guys in the trenches crushing Alabama’s run game and eventually its quarterback.

A great game for the Maize & Blue, not so much for the Roll Tide-offense that looked like Low Tide.

-0-

We knew what Michael Penix was all about here on the West Coast, the rest of the nation obviously did not pay much attention, because not many voted for him in the Heisman Trophy race.

The whole country saw Penis put on a dazzling display of big pass plays, deep down the field, underneath routes, slants, outs and more.

When he was done with his (430Y) pass night, the Texas Longhorns were done too.

Stunning that Texas’ defense could not holdup to the onslaught.  Texas played Oklahoma-Oklahoma State-TCU, all who run spread formations with motion.  None did to the Burnt Orange and White what the QB wearing Husky Purple did.

Pick any quarter, and he was  throwing laser beam passes, covering 24-29-29-32-52-77 yards.  It wasn’t till the 4th quarter, when they started blitzing, because they could not cover, did they slow Penix down, but only for two series.

Quinn Ewers, who had a great season at UT, just could not keep up.  And a gassed Texas defense wilted having to chase the UW QB around the turf.

Washington’s defense was not renowned, giving up nearly 400-a game in the regular season.  But it did not matter because Penix just kept throwing and completing chunk plays.

Some storylines too about these coaches, Kaelen DeBoer, coming from tiny NAIA-school South Dakota State, with a ton of assistant stops at places like Southern Illinois, before he fixed a failing Fresno State team.  Look at what he has done in Seattle now.

A tough loss for Steve Sarkisian, the QB turned head coach.  He’s travelled a tough road, fighting thru alcoholism, and taking any job possible after his ouster at USC.  Nick Saban may have saved his career giving him an administrative job once out of rehab.  The rest is history, a good finish, despite lifestyle choices  and the Monday night loss.

So Washington, behind Penix’s (430-yards) night, with his receivers running wild all evening, will face Michigan in the title game.

Great offense, great defense, two great coaches too.

For 12-hours, we could set aside the mess college football has become, to enjoy a world of talent, dynamic coaching  and bulging playbooks.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR
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“YEAR IN REVIEW”
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It’s 2024…One last look back at 2023 and big sports stories…here-there-everywhere.

PETER SEIDLER….The passing of the Padres lead owner brought an outpouring of emotion from baseball fans and from citizens for all the things ‘St Peter’ stood for.  What a good owner.  What a greater person.

AZTECS-MARCH MADNESS…A once in a lifetime trip to the Final 4 and then to the championship game.  They earned it with defense, selflessness, and outside shooting.  An enormous coaching job by Brian Dutcher.

PADRES FAB FOUR..Fan Fest in February debuted the Fab 4-roster put together by AJ Preller.   Excitement for a pennant race, the playoffs, the World Series hopes

PADRES FAILURE…The Fab 4-failed across the board, hitting a combined .110 points below their career stats.  Injuries.  The clubhouse chemistry problems.  The Juan Soto trade.  The decision to let Manager Bob Melvin walk to San Francisco.  A near 40M-tax bill for their high payroll.  The decision to cut payroll by 50M for next year.  The bankruptcy of Bally Sports-costing the team 60M in TV revenue.  What a difference a year makes.

CHARGERS CRAP OUT…Bad karma a bitch.  Fans watched the Raiders build a (42-0) lead, then expand it to (63-7) and win (63-21).  The First Family of Football fired the GM-Coach  12-hours later, but the Spanos family still owns the  failing franchise.

AZTECS FOOTBALL FAILURE…Empty seats, lousy losses, the force ourt of once successful coach Brady Hoke.  The arrival of Sean Lewis as new head coach with his passing game resume of accomplishments at Colorado-Kent State-Syracuse-Bowling Green.  The sight of Snapdragon Stadium being 50% empty has to be alarming.

USD..A horrid football season, the investigation into sexual hazing incidents involving players, the inaccessibility of new coach Brandon Moore, the refusal of transparency of the university about the players involved, and then the firing of Athletic Director William McGillis without explanation.  All this from a small Catholic school.

SDFC…MLS Soccer coming in 2025, but leads to the death of the popular San Diego Loyal-USFL.  San Diego Wave soccer continues.

GULLS-GRUESOME…The AHL club with its worst season ever, a lst place finish and another coaching changing.
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DODGERS SPENDING SPREE…Ohtani-Yamamoto-Glasnow…The signings and trades amounted to a (1.1B) gift under the tree to Dodgers fans

MESSI TO MIAMI…Soccer’s global icon chooses to turn down Saudi super money and elects to come to the MLS.

SAUDI-BLOOD MONEY…At first it was golf, now it’s soccer, Cristiano Ronaldo-Neymar and more jump for big money deals.

PGA-LIV…War and Peace.  A merger announced in the middle of the night to end the Civil War in golf, but details still not finalized.

DEATH OF THE PAC 12…First it was USC-UCLA leaving then 8-more schools left in the collapse of the Conference of Champions, which had been in business since 1915, leaving Oregon State-Washington State as the lone conference members.

COACH PRIME-COLORADO..Pick any headline-it caught your attention, Deion Sanders to CU…his roster told to go to the transfer portal, the opening 3-wins of the season-must see TV, then the collapse of the team losing 7-of-8 games.  Talk is cheap-following it up is tougher.

BRITTENY GRINER…US-Russian politics galvanized by the drug arrest and jailing of the WNBA star and the months of negotiations on a prisoner swamp

DAMAR HAMLIN..The world stopped and watched EMT units and the NFL protocols save the life of the Bills defensive back on the field in a game against the Bengals.

WORLD SERIES HEROES…From 100-loss seasons to the Fall Classic in one year’s time-great stories about the Texas Rangers-Arizona Diamondbacks

MARCH MADNESS…Some show by LSU-Iowa in women’s basketball and Angel Reese’s post game picture..’See the Ring on my Finger’ .to Caitlan Clark of the Hawkeyes after the LSU win

FALL FAILURES…The NCAA is reeling under the Transfer Portal, the NIL financial pools, player defections, the collapse of Bowl Games.  Alot to clean up in the next year to fix college sports.

FLORIDA STATE FIASCO…The Seminoles went (13-0) and did not make the playoffs…with an uproar in Tallahassee.  They then get smoked (63-6) in their Orange Bowl game.

NEW CHAMPION…New Year’s Day Bowl games, so much anticipation, Washington-Texas..Michigan-Alabama, whether you like Jim Harbaugh or Nick Saban or not.

NOVAK SHINES…Tennis’ superstar Djokovic comes off his COVID ban of a year ago to win 3-Grand Slam events when they let him into the country, winning the Aussie-French-US Open.

WIMBLEDON WARRIOR..The arrival of Carlos Alcarez at Wimbledon.

SIMONE COMEBACK..Simone Biles left gymnastics with mental health issues…Two years later she returns as a world champion on mat and for all the kids who struggle with depression.

MAD MAX…Formula 1-has seen so many great drivers in its history, Max Verstappen, Team Red Bulls wins a record 19-races this year, the best ever.

PAYDAY…Jon Rahm leaves the PGA Tour to take a reported (400M) payday to join LIV golf next year after spending 2023 denouncing the LIV’s existence.

DENVER DOES IT…Longtime ABA-NBA member had never won a title…the Nuggets did with Nikola Jokic.

SHOOTING GUARDS-GUNS…Ja Morant 25-game suspension for repeated gun incidents.

TREVOR BAUER BARRED…A record 302-game suspension over sexual misconduct, he leaves MLB and signs with Yokahama Bay Stars.  His suspension is over, no one has signed him yet.

AARON RODGERS MOVES…The love me-love me not era in Green Bay is over, and Rodgers gets traded to the Jets, then gets hurt, torn achilles, in his first game.

THE HOODIE ERA OVER…Now at (4-12)..New England may well remove Bill Belichick at the end of the season, as they are still searching for a replacement for Tom Brady.  The Pats, under Belichick, are (28-37) since TB12 left the building.

WASHINGTON EXILE..Disgraced owner Daniel Snyder sells the franchise for a record 6B and then moves to London, England

DEATH OF NEWSPAPERS..The New York Times folds its entire sports department after its purchase of the Athletic.  The LA Times ends game story coverage and turns sports pages into feature articles and big pictures.

NFL-TV…Give me your credit card, as the NFL expands its media packages onto streaming.  Big paydays, reduced ratings for streaming members, but money in every owner’s pockets.  Your games may be on CBS-NBC-ABC-ESPN but also You Tube, Amazon and Peacock.  There seems no end to what they ask of fans and what they will charge.

IN MEMORIUM…
..Jimmy Brown
..Dick Butkus
..Bob Knight
..Brooks Robinson
..Tim McCarver
..Bud Grant
..Johnny Lujack
..Charles White
..Willis Reed
..Bobby Hull
..Billy Packer

..Cale Yarbrough

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“NFL MUST WIN WEEKEND”
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The long road to the playoffs is almost over..here we are week #17.
A look see at what’s left on the NFL Menu.

CHARGERS-BRONCOS..The benching and imminent release of QB-Russell Wilson has stolen the headlines from this game.  Easton Stick played well last week, but it was still a loss in a (5-10) lost Bolts season.  Denver asks journeyman Jared Stidham to find a way to win at home to keep faint playoff hopes alive.  If it fails in Denver, do you dump on Coach Sean Payton, or GM-George Paton who traded #1-1-2-2-4-5-6 and 3-players for Russell Wilson, and then gave Wilson a 4-year extension that could cost the Broncos (89M) in dead money over the next two yars.

DETROIT-DALLAS…Another big boy test for the Lions who have 11-wins this year. Will Dak Prescott’s big plays overwhelm the fierce Lions defense?  Will Jared Goff hold up against a good Cowboys defense?

MIAMI-BALTIMORE…Who gives ground, QB-Tua Tagovailoa (4214P-26TD) or Lamar Jackson (4143APY) in an MVP season.  Tua has to face a Ravens defense (297YPG-54 sacks-36% on 3rd downs)

CHIEFS-BENGALS…No one is happy in KC.  How does team react to Travis Kelce ‘F-everything’ rant?  Jake Browning has regressed a couple of weeks in a row.  Not the same Cincy team now

PACKERS-VIKINGS…Some breakout season for QB-Jordan Love. Vikings on their 4th QB of season after benching Nick Mullens.

BILLS-PATRIOTS..Josh Allen-vs-Bill Belichick..lots of talent vs no talent in a (4-11) New England team.

STEELERS-SEATTLE…Can Mason Rudolph do it again, this time vs Seahawks and its 12th man turnout in the stands?

HOUSTON-TITANS..CJ Stroud returns from concussion protocols.  His (20TD–5 pick) season the reason Houston could go to (9-7)

JAGUARS-CAROLINA…Jags in bad tailspin with Trevor Lawrence injury. Panthers’ season a disaster even with Bryce Young at QB

49ers-WASHINGTON…Commanders housecleaning coming. QB-Sam Howell done after 60-sacks, 27-turnover season.

BUCS-SAINTS…Baker Mayfield (26TD-8Int) is hot.  Dennis Allen is on New Orleans coaching hot seat.

EAGLES-ARIZONA..Philly not the same team defensively.  Arizona not much of a match for that defense.  Is Kyler Murray in his final days at Cards QB?

RAMS-GIANTS..LA (8-7) record not a mirage. Sean McVay has coached them into a playoff spot.  What a bounceback season.

RAIDERS-COLTS…How do you win 4-games in last 7-weeks with an offense averaging (279YPG) that cannot score?  Interim coach Antonio Pearce has willed the Raiders to this spot.

BEARS-FALCONS..Chicago has won 3-of-4 with Justin Fields back in the lineup.  May save coaches job.  And Bears get Carolina’s #1 pick too

BROWNS-W-JETS..(37-20)..Joe Flacco did it again…a (309Y-3TD) night in Cleveland’s key win..The Browns defense recovered a fumble then picked off a pass in the lst quarter and converted them into early TDs

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