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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
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“NFL…BLACK MONDAY…BLACK HOLE”
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The first wave of off season firings have come and gone.
Pretty harsh, pretty cruel, pretty petty.
And a true visual sign of NFL incompetence.

And it goes on year after year.
Coaches hired-fired, bought out, paid off and the losses continue

RAIDERS…Raw deal for Pete Carroll…Ownership bought into his track record, and why not, all he did as he reinvented himself, as USC, then with the Seahawks.  And then just 11-months later after a (3-14) season, you fire him, for all the past sins of years and decades of Raiders ownership.

Did everyone coming in, from Carroll, to Tom Brady, to John Spytek not understand the bad history of Raiders drafts? The poor free agent signings?  The quarterback crisis that has existed?

So much expect too soon in Las Vegas.  Of course Carroll is to blame some for the construction of his coaching staff, the hand picking of Chip Kelly and his recently failed resume; the use of Carroll’s son as an offensive line coach; the decision to deal for ex Seahawks’ starter Geno Smith and the awarding of big money to a journeyman quarterback.

But these were not all Carroll decisions.  It was not in a vacuum.  It was with input from Tom Brady and GM-John Spytek, and yet Carroll was terminated.

He should have been given a second year, with more player help, the use of all those draft picks (11) they have, and the big (116M) cap space they own, to take the next step.

Outside of Brady’s resume in the NFL, there is no one else in that building with the accomplishment’s Pete Carroll has put into the record book.

Mark Davis is the one who bears all the responsibility for what has been such a crap product for decades.  His hires, his fires, his waste of currency.

Let’s be honest.  Mark Davis, you are not Al Davis.  And if Al could step out of that casket, he should come fire his son.

Pete Carroll deserved better, but you cannot get that from historically bad ownership.

Black hole, black eye, that’s Raiders football.
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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast..Monday..1:30pm
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Hot Topics on Table..Stay for Fans Forum
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“NFL FINAL WEEKEND-LOST WEEKEND”
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It was a cold chilly January Sunday in San Diego.
It felt like the last week of August on the football field.
It was a weird vibe watching the Chargers season ending game in Denver.
It looked like a late preseason exhibition game

The Bolts kept marquee starters out of the game, and showed virtually nothing on offense

The Broncos looked really poor, not showing much on offense, struggling to move the football, in fact drawing boos at one point from their sellout crowd in Denver.

The Broncos won (19-3) with Bo Nix playing much like he did early in the season when Denver struggled out of the gate.

The game served as an addendum to Bolts Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter’s resume for upcoming job interviews.  His patch-work defense played really hard, created mayhem, and slowed down the lst place Broncos.

The game also served as a continued indictment of how poor the Chargers offensive line is.

We saw all the positives of QB-Trey Lance-the athlete.  Not many qualities of Trey Lance the QB.  Lance finished running for his life.  He started (1-8) with a pick six.  He wound up (20-44) with a fumble added on.  He had (136Y-passing, 69Y-scrambling) with a team that punted the ball away all day long.  The same old stat sheet read 4-sacks allowed, 17-pressures and 9-hits on the QB.

The Chargers will likely have lots of regrets by the time the season comes to an end, and that could be next week in New England when they face the (14-3) Patriot fans.

Yes, another week of rehab for QB-Justin Herbert.  But there are all the same problems you have seen, I have spoken to, and written about.  The offensive line cannot hold up.  They cannot run the ball.  They cannot protect Herbert.  And now they face Drake Maye and the Patriot firepower, and a Mike Vrabel designed defense every bit as tough as what the Chargers bring to the line of scrimmage.

Regrets about the bad injuries in the O-line.  Regrets about crap losses to bad teams like the Giants-Washington, and an early season loss to Houston-when the Texans weren’t playing all that well either.

Felt like a wasted Sunday in lots of NFL cities too

The Eagles lost at home.  The Bears got beat up.  The Chiefs finished (6-11).  The Raiders won a game on 6-field goals with 8-sacks.  The Cowboys sat their starters at halftime and promptly lost to the lowly Giants.  The injured Packers got taken down.  The Carolina-Tampa game was as ugly as the weather.  And the Steelers-Ravens were in a death grip game to see who could qualify to be beaten in the opening round…but 5-lead changes in the final quarter gave fans something to remember.

Outside of the war zone that was the Seahawks-49ers game, there was not alot of quality football played.

Of course still to come, the Black Monday-Pink Slip announcements.  The ongoing debate of Shedeur Sanders QB situation in Cleveland.  What QB-the Raiders will take with the first pick in the draft and will he be ready to star?

Like I said, it was a messy Sunday lots of places around the NFL.  Looking forward to wildcard weekend, because the final weekend was really a bummer.

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Hacksaw’s New Year’s Podcast…1:30-pm-Friday
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Hot Topics on Table…Stay for Fans Forum
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“NFL–WE KNOW WHAT IS NEXT”
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The final weekend of the NFL schedule is straight ahead.

Big games that decide home field advantage in both the AFC-NFC playoffs, so the 49ers and Broncos have something  really important to play for

Huge game for the Ravens-Steelers with first place at stake in the AFC-North-though neither would go far in the playoffs.

Equally important to see if Carolina-or-Tampa Bay can get into the post season, but who gets excited if someone is (9-8) or (8-9) and gets a wildcard berth

But the real story is what transpires on Black Monday…where head coaches get fired.

The Giants and Titans hit the eject button very early on their coaches in what turned out to be bad and ugly seasons, with talent-short rosters.  Good bye Brian Daboll and Brian Callahan.  More are coming.

There could be 7-more firings on Monday/. Bad teams, troubled teams, talent-barren teams, QB needy teams.

RAIDERS…Was the hiring of Pete Carroll a mistake by Tom Brady-Mark Davis, or is this just reality, the roster is thread bare, with some skill players but holes virtually everywhere else.  They have 11-draft picks and (116M) in cap space.  Carroll has rebuilt before-big question should he be given more time?

BROWNS..Kevin Stefanski has won Coach of the Year twice, he is also (7-26) the last two years with a disaster of a QB-situation, and big salary cap problems too.  If he is ousted, it’s more an organizational failure not a coaching failure.  He would get hired quickly somewhere else.

JETS…1-and-done sounds cruel, but this is a mess and it did not get any better under Aaron Glenn who came in from Detroit.  They need alot of roster upgrades, starting at QB.  Who would have thought the Jets, led by that coach, would have no interceptions on defense thru 17-weeks.  Problems everywhere.

MIAMI..Is the problem Mike McDaniels or is it Tua and Tyreek, and the question if you blow out the QB and WR, what does it do to your cap issues and your actual roster?

ARIZONA..Big debate around Jon Gannon.  Some good football and some awful blowouts.  Kyler Murray has been hurt and cannot stay on the field.  Injuries have wrecked the roster.  Is this a Gannon leadership problem, or a Michael Bidwill ownership issue?

TAMPA BAY..Hard to figure how it got off track for Todd Bowles.  Baker Mayfield had a great first half and then everything fell apart around him and now they are not very competitive right now.  Injuries yes, but  at times it looked as if the players quit on the coach, and that is bad.

Monday may also bring changes in front offices.  You could see GMs given their walking papers in Cleveland-Atlanta-Cincinnati and the Giants too.

Good Games coming.  Bad times coming for some more coaches too.
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Hacksaw’s New Year’s Day Podcast…moved to Friday (1:30pm)
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Hot Topics on Table..Stay for Fans Forum
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“2026-LOOKING BACK-2025”
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Happy New Year-as we take a look back for a final time at Last Year.

The top stories  in the sports world…sport-by-sport

(BASEBALL)

WORLD SERIES…DODGERS-BLUE JAYS..All things in the Fall Classic…Home runs, rallies, frontline pitching, defensive plays…Heroes everywhere-Yamamoto-Freeman-Rojas-Pages-Ohtani-Guerrero.

EVIL EMPIRE..The Dodgers take the reputation once reserved for the Yankees-Red Sox.
METS FAILURE..Juan Soto got his (765M) contract-the Mets failed to get to the playoffs
ANGELS LAWSUIT..Dark-painful-the 92M damages in the Tyler Skaggs drug death suit.
FRIARS FAREWELL..Mike Shildt quitting after 90-93 win Padres seasons
CLEVELAND SCANDAL..The arrests of Emmanuel Clase and others for betting.
ANGELS BUYOUT..The 38M-buyout to make Anthony Rendon go away
STARS FROM THE RISING SUN..The emergence of Roki Sasaki-Yosh Yamamoto-LA
BIG DUMPER..The 60HR season from the Mariners Cal Raleigh.
HOME RUN DERBY..The All Star game slugoff to determine a champ
OHTANI OUTING..Showtime hitting 3HRs..striking out 10 in a clutch playoff game
RIGHT PLACE-RIGHT TIME..George Springer walkoff HR in ALCS clincher-Game 7.
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(NFL FOOTBALL)

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY..The Eagles ended the 10-year dominant run of the Chiefs

ERA OVER..The season long trek as the Chiefs decade run came to a crushing ending.
SILVER-BLEAK…Did the Raiders make a mistake in hiring Pete Carroll-a roster mess
NEW ERA-NEW ENGLAND..Mike Vrabel’s impact in Foxboro-phenominal
CLEVELAND CRISIS..Shedeur Sanders goes from 2nd player to 5th round pick in draft.
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(COLLEGE FOOTBALL)

BACK HOME IN INDIANA..What a run for the Hoosiers to get to the Rose Bowl in just the second year under Curt Cignetti…Transfer U-hitting on a ton of key players

OHIO STATE…Oh no-a year removed from winning the Trophy, the Buckeyes star studded roster gets overwhelmed by Miami’s Hurricanes.  Sacks, picks, the OSU kid QB-Jaylin Sayin could not handle the Canes defense.  New Year’s Eve nightmare.

LSU LOSER..Ugly divorce with Brian Kelly-a disgraceful big money buyout for a condescending carpetbagger coach.

ONTO NORTH CAROLINA..What a soap opera-Belichick and his Babe go to Chapel Hill and go (4-8).

OLE MISS MESS..Alot of ill will from job jumping coach Lane Kiffin-who bolted Oxford like every other place he left..just a bit tacky.

CRYBABY CATHOLICS..What a couple of weeks of whining over Notre Dame getting snubbed in the College Playoffs…Play someone…get into a conference..quit being arrogant.

HAIL TO THE VICTORS..Talk about loss of esteem-with the Sharrone Moore scandal-firing-coming as the 5th set of violations in a 10-year span in Ann Arbor.  Bo Schembechler must be spinning in his grave.

NCAA NITEMARE..Multiple choice exam..What’s worse, the way they do business in college football, the transfer portal, all things NIL…the House Settlement…College football is broken.
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(BASKETBALL)

OKLAHOMA CITY..Changing of the guard-the way the Thunder stampede teams with their athletic lineup.

SAN ANTONIO..Next in line to be great will be the Victor Wembenyama-led Spurs roster.
LAKERS LIES..Big money roster does not fit-no longer dominant-think they are
LUKA LAKERS..History will write awful trade for Mavericks-wee what it means for LA
KD..Durant goes to really young roster in Houston..Suns blueprint fails.
AWFUL ACHILLES INJURIES..Jayson Tatum-Ty Haliburton playoff injuries
NBA GAMBLING..Tip of the iceberg scandal in Miami-Toronto-other places
WNBA..The glitter of Caitlin Clark’s arrival-now hit by this ugly Labor War over CBA
BIG GUY GOODBYE..The passing of a unique individual-Bill Walton-touched so many
POPS LEAVES..Gregg Popovich retires-the aftermath of a stroke
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(HOCKEY)

OVI-ALL TIME..Caps Alex Ovechkin breaking Gretzky’s 894-goal mark.
4 NATIONS FACEOFF..What a global war on the ice-no casualties-lots winners
LONDON 5-TRIAL..5-Team Canada players not guilty of gang rape incident 2018
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(STARLIGHT-STAR BRIGHT)

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER..Wins 4th straight Player of Year in Golf
RORY ROARS..McIlroy wins first Masters-now part of Grand Slam Club
ON THE COURT..Next great rivalry arrives-Jannik Sinner-vs-Carlos Alcaraz
NEW GUY BEATS GOOD OLD BOY..Michael Jordan testimony leads to NASCAR out of court settlement in ugly Anti-Trust lawsuit-changing the way the sport has operated since 1948.
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(PASSING OF THE TORCH)

BOB UECKER left us to go sit in the Cheap seats in heaven
RYNE SANDBERG fought a Hall of Fame fight vs cancer
PAUL TAGLIABUE..Legendary NFL commissioner made the game big business
KENNY EASLEY..Great NFL player-who graced us for 9-years
NICK MANGOLD..Man of steel who fought kidney disease-taken too young
LENNY WILKENS..A lifetime of achievement in the NBA-player-coach-ambassador.
TJ SIMERS..Outspoken LA Times columnist
SCOTT MILLER..San Diego based national baseball writer.
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We welcome 2026…remembering what we experienced in 2025.
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“COLLEGE PLAYOFFS–BIG BOY FOOTBALL”
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The new year is upon us and so are the matchups we have been waiting for in college football.

The regular season had some huge games thru out the fall.  The menu on Wednesday and Thursday is exceptional.

ROSE BOWL…Some two year run for Curt Cignetti-Indiana, and they have proven that last year’s run to the playoffs was no fluke…Now ranked #1 with a Heisman Trophy QB-Fernando Mendoza, big play receivers and a street tough defensive front seven, they face an equally rugged Alabama Crimson Tide…This shapes up as a war…Indiana had not won the Big 10-since 1945…not been in the Rose Bowl since 1968…and on the brink of being a national champion in 2026.

ORANGE BOWL…Oregon is a national power…Dante Moore looks like a #1 draft pick on the come..the Ducks offense leads the world in chunk plays and Dan Lanning is as good a coach as there is around…Texas Tech has bought itself a tremendous team with its NIL bank account..plays strong defense and sprays the ball around…Oregon has to make it a track meet and could

SUGAR BOWL..Can you say grudge-match…These two schools, Georgia-Ole Miss, have met 50-times in SEC history…What a great clash coming, the Kirby Smart-Bulldogs defense against QB-Trinidad Chambliss, in likely his final college game…Wonder if Lane Kiffin will be watching?

COTTON BOWL..Ohio State is on a mission to recover from their end of season loss in the thrilling Big 10-title game, and Miami is the first step in that direction…Ryan Day takes over as play caller, so nothing changes for Julian Sayin-Jeremiah Smith-Bo Jackson…The Buckeyes defense has two high draft picks too in Caleb Downs-Sonny Styles…Miami has always been about offense dating back to the Jimmy Johnson era, but this Canes defense is really rugged…Wonder how the U’s-QB-Carson Beck copes with that OSU defense.

The Indiana-Bama winner faces either Oregon or Texas Tech.
The Ohio State-Miami winner meets the Georgia-Ole Miss survivor.

Play on.
Fun 48-hours of football is ahead of us.
Big Boy Football coming
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