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“Old Dogs–Not Going Away”

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Time out from all things Election and all things Covid.

We get to the midseason of the NFL schedule, with Society in chaos.  The never ending controversies over the Election continue.  The sadness of the scoreboard over the Covid deaths everywhere.

But there will be NFL games again this weekend, and there will be tremendous performances from quarterbacks.

Russell Wilson of Seattle has 26-touchdowns on the year. Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson and the new breed young bucks, Joe Burrow, Kyler Murray, Justin Herbert continue to put on big performances each Sunday.

But equally impressive are what the senior members of the quarterback class are doing.

Time is marching on, but  Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger are not ready to head to the twilight of their careers.  Still games to be played before they embark on a trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The New York Times took a look at the NFL’s great QBs, as  head to the Autumn of their lives.

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Updated 1:35 p.m. ET

9
With a combined age of 85 years and 30 days, Tom Brady and Drew Brees will be the oldest pair of starting quarterbacks in N.F.L. history when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the New Orleans Saints in Sunday night’s marquee matchup. The previous record of 84 years and 243 days was set by Brady and Brees when the Saints and Buccaneers squared off in the regular season opener. The pair will set another record in the likely event that they meet in the playoffs.

Brady (43) and Brees (41), along with Ben Roethlisberger (38) of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philip Rivers (38) of the Indianapolis Colts comprise the N.F.L.’s quarterboomers, a generation of still-spry living legends who can teach the league’s whippersnappers a thing or two, at least so long as they are perched behind fortresslike offensive lines and supported by star-studded rosters.

These 40-ish quarterbacks should not be mistaken for creaky has-beens who are merely coasting on their reputations. The Buccaneers, Colts, Saints and Steelers have a combined 23-6 record through Week 8. Brady is tied for third in the N.F.L. with 20 touchdown passes, while Roethlisberger is tied for seventh with 15. Brees and Brady rank seventh and ninth, respectively, in the league in efficiency rating. Brady and the others are keeping their teams near the front of the playoff chase while outperforming many would-be challengers 10 to 20 years younger.

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“Sports–Getting Worse–Not Better”

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They may be playing games in the NFL as we move to late fall..  The NBA, NHL and MLB have concluded their truncated seasons with virtually no positive tests.

The Covid-scorecard did not shutdown leagues, but what the Virus-Crisis did, will have a longstanding impact on the games, the leagues, and most definitely the players.

We are talking massive financial losses in every sport because there were no fans in the stands.

The NFL has not indicated the financial damage from the loss of fans revenue yet, but many believe it is a 40% drop in team revenues gate receipts..

MLB said it lost 3B-in local revenues this past season.
NBA officials say their losses are more than 2B for the past campaign.
NHL hockey, with smaller revenues, had losses of close to 2B also.

The players took pro rated salaries to finish their seasons.

But the problems haven’t ended with the seasons ending, things look worse down road.

Baseball’s blood bath will spill into free agency.  So many players are being dumped onto the open market, the cost cutting in payroll is staggering.  And baseball has no idea if they can have fans next spring into summer.

There may be very few big money contracts to what few marquee playes going out on the open market.  Most everyone will wind up with 1-year contracts, betting on themselves next year, for a bigger payday in 2022.

The NBA has alot of issues.  The salary cap will come down.  They are fighting with the Union over how many games to play, anywhere from 80-down-to-50, and apparently without fans to begin in the fall.  It might be December or even January.  There may not be very many max contracts given out in the off season.

The NHL wants to play a whole season, but maybe not till January, and no one believes fans can be part of the start of the season.

The NFL is concerned they might not finish this season with everyone playing 16-games.  They are proposing an expanded playoff format in January.  They have the calendar on their side for next year, with the hope a vaccine takes hold to heal the country before next fall’s football season.

Next season could be worse than this season.  Everyone knows it, fears it, believes it is going to be happening.

The vaccine may save society sometime as the new year begins.  Whether it can stop the blood-letting in sports is an unknown.

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“Election Day–Keeping Score at Home”

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The most important election of our life-time?  The most important decision since the years of the Depression and the onset of World War II?

People at the polls today will make a final decision on Trump-vs-Biden.  Or maybe it is America-vs-Trump.

They have voted in record numbers in advance via Mail In ballots and drop off boxes.

The sun comes up this Election Day morning with the nation in the grips of an unrelenting global pandemic.  The death toll climbing to 230,000 by the end of the week.

A nation reeling with Civil unrest in a long hot summer of racial violence and protests.

A choke hold unemployment rate, record setting bankruptcies, and a fear America may not come back to the jobs lost for years to come.

Natural disasters ravaging our nation from violent fires, hurricanes and blizzards.  The toll on human suffering is never ending by climate change around the globe.

And in the midst of all this, President Trump continues to wage war on his opponent, on Democrats, on governors, on the media.

Voted in four years ago, I viewed him as a “Reality Show TV President”.  He promised to change everything.  He brought out the anger in an American society tired of politics in Washington.

For every step forward came multiple steps back.  For every name hire, there came a series of firings and dismissals.

For every issue there was a corresponding critical tweet.

For every statement there was constant ‘fact-checking’ that proved truth was somewhere else.

As time went on, I became appalled at the lack of dignity shown by the White House leader.  Things said, actions taken, blame game assigned.

And then the Virus-Crisis struck.

I’ve been keeping score at home, and want you to look at the list that follows of what the President said, did, meant, blamed.

And when you are done, you tell me whether this has been a good four year run?  Has this been the kind of leadership you expected?  Is there an accountability bill that will likely be paid by the time we get to late evening.

Trump’s scorecard:

“Quotes”

Covid nothing to worry about.
It’s only five cases…be down to 1-case next week.
We have it under control.
Clorox
Chloroquine
Hot weather will kill it
Winter weather will freeze it
It’s the Flu
China Flu
Kung Flu
Everyone can get a test
Facemasks are over-rated
I won’t wear a facemask
It’s an individual choice.
We should slow down testing-that’s why numbers are up
I did not tell anyone-did not want them to panic
This will go away
Risk to Americans is very low
Very little problem in our country
End of pandemic in sight
Open the churches for Easter
Vaccine just around the corner by November 3rd maybe
Rounding the corner
Covid-not let it take over your life
Don’t let it dominate your life
Media has manufactured the story about covid to get me
Covid-Covid-Covid-comedy club act
November 4th-no one will be talking about Covid-election is over
Liberate-not Mitigate
Doctors reported Covid deaths to make more money
Governors it’s up to you to come up with a plan
NFL is dead

So much for America’s sport
NBA players fortunate can take the night off get paid
It’s not my fault
I am not responsible
Anthony Fauci is an idiot
Jared Kushner is a smart man
Fauci has been wrong alot
I got well-I am immune
I have done more for Black Americans than any president
I am ‘Law & Order President’
‘Loot & Shoot’
They will be met with fire and fury
There are good people on both sides-Charlottesville
Stand down and Stand By
Mexico will pay for the wall
We will start sending people back day I take office
John Lewis-never met the man
Nancy Pelosi wants to be president
Elizabeth Warren-Pocohontas
Bernie Sanders is socialist-communist
Historical election fraud coming

Mail in ballots will be tampered with
Hillary-put her in jail
Michigan governor-put her in jail
Sleepy Joe Biden
Hunter Biden frauds
Biden 47-years political fraud
It is what it is

Fake Media

It’s all a hoax

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“People”

Insulting John McCain…war heroes don’t get captured.
Suckers and losers…veterans who gave their lives
Gold Star family event may have given us Covid
Attack Muslims
Children in cages at the border
Mexican rapists and drug dealers coming to US
DACA-dreamers children should leave
Presidential Pardons-my rights
Supreme Court judge nomination-my responsibility
Remove Obamacare
Medal of Honors to friends
World Health Organization War
CDC mixed messages
CDC Director mis-spoke
Obama’s birthplace
Muller investigation
John Bolton book
Marie Trump book
Dr Atlas qualifications
FBI firings
Michael Cohen
Steve Bannon
Roger Stone
Paul Manaforte
John Kelly
James Mattis
Michael Flynn
HR McMaster
John Allen
Mike Mullen
Richard Myers
Martin Dempsey
Will Perry
William McRaven
Leon Panetta
William Barr
Putin influence
China interference
Stormy Daniels
Jeffrey Epstein
North Korea’s President
Tulsa
Minneapolis
Baltimore rat infested city
New York City is empty-hollow-shell of itself
Sell Puerto Rico
9-11 Victims Fund
Lindsay Graham
Mitch McConnell
Dumpster Fire-1st Debate
Colin Kaepernick
Impeachment

Black Lives Matter Boulevard

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“Snapshots”

Helicopter Ride to Walter Reed Hospital
Ripping Mask off on steps of White House
SUV Ride-Photo Op
Liberty Park Troops-Tanks-National Guard
Bible Photo Op outside Church
Children in cages at border

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The White House…where once upon a time, words like loyalty-respect-honesty-integrity-moral fiber-intelligence were all part of the job.

You held the position of President with reverence for all it has meant since the days of Washington-Jefferson-Lincoln.

In the toughest of times, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, JFK, Eisenhower rallied America thru its toughest times.

Donald Trump’s ‘America’ is about hate, divisiveness and deaths.  It’s fires, riots, anger.

It’s about him, not about the death toll, nor unemployment.

It’s stalled stimulus bills in his Republican house as America’s workforce suffers.

It’s lies, half-truths, mis-statements, and lack of intelligence.

There is no moral compass, for this is how he has acted his entire life.

When night falls after the daylong elections, maybe America calls for a change.

When the sun come up on Wednesday, Trump, for all he said, all he did, all those he mis-treated, will have a bill come due.

Maybe the next time federal troops will be seen in Washington, will be when he is forcibly removed from the White House.  Maybe the day after the next inauguration his wife sues him for divorce.  The day after that, he gets indicted for tax evasion.

Maybe his mail will be forwarded from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to some Federal Penitentiary.

I always wondered when people died and went to hell, would there forever be pain.  Maybe Richard Nixon’s corrupt career could tell us.  Maybe Donald Trump should consider what life after death for the hell he created will be like.

As the time went on, the incidents grew, the bodies on the government and military leaders left on the street-their careers ravaged, words kept coming to mind.  The man is a demagogue.  Deranged.  Unhinged. Narcissist.  Incompetent.

You vote for whom you want.

Just wanted to remind you what my scorecard looks like.

‘Make America Great Again’.

Sure.  Remove the cancer that is our leader in the White House.

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“Chargers Football–Losersville”

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Where do you begin to detail how bad the Chargers losing ways are right now.

If it were still our franchise, the grief, the angst, the anger, the ache would be monumental in San Diego.

For those that still care here, this hurts.  For the bulk of the fans left behind, the feeling towards Team Spanos is ‘screw you’..

The history book shows this team having blown leads of 10-11-16-17-17 and now 21-points this year, as last place welcomes them at (2-5).

They have now lost games to horrid teams, Carolina at home, and lowly Denver on the road, so what does that make the Bolts?

The Chargers, who in the Anthony Lynn era, have made ‘blowing leads’ a cottage industry, did it again, losing to a substandard Denver Broncos team (31-30) on a TD pass with (:01) left.

Young QB-Drew Lock, suffering thru injuries, and alot of the issues QB-Justin Herbert is dealing with, drove his team for 2-TDs and a field goal, 3-drives in the final 10-minutes of the game for the Broncos win.

Herbert strung together another solid NFL rookie quarterback day, throwing for (278Y)…tossing 3TDs…but also being picked off twice.  He did most of it without much of a running game.  He was good enough to get the Bolts a (24-3) lead.

The problems remain the same for the Chargers.  The inability to hold a lead.  The consistent failures on pass defense.  And costly penalties.

Lock never gave up, but as the Chargers defense wilted, they tried to survive without Melvin Ingram, battling the knee injury, and then Joey Bosa, out with a concussion.

The Broncos kid QB, who has had two injuries in the parts of two seasons he has quarterbacked the Orange and Blue, took his team on drives of 70-75-80-81 yards for the win.

That’s alot of quality execution to put those yards and points on the board, when you are digging out of a (24-3) hole.

The Chargers team photo should be an ‘X-ray’.  They have so many people hurt.

But the 4th quarter, they were lining up a secondary that featured Brandon Facyson..Tevaughn Campbell…Nassir Adderly and Michael Davis.   Maybe that would work in the Mid-American Conference but this is the NFL.

Desmond King was MIA, not active, with might be a Covid issue or at least a discipline hissue.  Casey Hayward is no longer what he used to be, a shutdown corner.  For every interesting play Davis makes, he gives up alot of pass completions.  He can run but that is about all.  Life without the injured Derwin James and the hurt Chris Harris adds more issues.

Anthony Lynn’s postgame press conference went (5:35) in length.  He gave the typical coachspeak.  “This is unacceptable”….”I am sorry for the fans”….”I take full responsibility”….”We’re not winning so yes my job should be in question”….”It’s too soon to make changes on my staff”

The guy who replaced another loser, Mike McCoy, is putting a loser of a product on the field, on an almost weekly basis.

Since their last playoff game, Lynn’s team has gone (7-17), that with Philip Rivers trying to win games the last two seasons, and now with a gifted Justin Herbert putting up impressive numbers.

Gus Bradley was a highly respected defensive coordinator once upon a time.  Got head coaching job in Jacksonville, got fired, came to San Diego with Lynn, but is failing now.

For all the coaching this supposed staff does weekly, it does not look like the teaching of young players has had any positive effect.

Lynn may not want to fire Bradley, but last year’s lousy season, followed by this year’s lousy blown leads, must raise a new question.  Where does the buck stop?  Who is to blame?

Maybe Anthony Lynn isn’t a good head coach, and this is deeper than a shaken defensive coordinator, or too many young players.

As Bill Parcells would say, you are what your record says you are.

And Chargers football (7-17) since January 2019, isn’t good at all.

They left the 619-Area Code, to go to Los Angeles, or as some fans would say “Lost Angeles”.

Life in last place is hard, when your mail is being sent to  “Losersville”

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The Best of the Worst”

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Winning seasons are so hard to maintain in the NFL.

The successes of the Steelers and Ravens, the Patriots and the Seahawks, seem to be the exception of the rule in the NFL.

You look at what John Harbaugh does year in and year out in Baltimore, a factory of productivity.

Pittsburgh has maintained excellence over some 46-years, stretching from Chuck Noll to Bill Cowher to Mike Tomlin.

Pete Carroll brought electricity to Seattle very early on and there has been no dropoff in the quality they play.

New England, with all those rings, has reached portions of epic success under Bill Belicheck, when you consider they rebuilt the team three different times around Tom Brady.

It’s been awhile since the Chargers, under Martry Schottenheimer, put together those brilliant  seasons, led by the (14-2) campaign and an appearance in the AFC-Championship game led by Philip Rivers, Ladanian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates.

It’s been a quarter of a century since that wondrous 1-season run to the Super Bowl with Coach Bobby Ross and QB-Stan Humphries.

And the brilliance of the Air Coryell years with triggerman Dan Fouts was some 40-years ago of record setting Sundays.

The Chargers, who reside in LA, have gone thru ups and downs in the waning years of Rivers, have been losing more than they have been winning under Anthony Lynn.

There is hope for the future, though a (2-4) record may not be the calling card you’d think.worth paying attention too.

But the arrival of rookie quarterback Justin Herbert means there is a brighter future.

Yes his record is (1-4) but he has nothing to do with that record.  He is surrounded by a substandard talent, and an often injured offensive line.  His top running back is out for 8-weeks.  His top defensive players have been hurt.

Herbert is unique.  He stayed at Oregon for four years, to graduate.  He had a 4.1-GPA in biology.

On the field, starting for virtually all four years, he wound up throwing for more than 10,000-yards and 95-touchdowns, while playing for 3-different head coaches and 4-offensive coordinators.

At 6’6, big and rangy.  A more athletic version of Philip Rivers, who can move the pocket, show burst of speed, and do some run-pass option plays.

He throws a huge deep ball, better than Stan Humphries.

And he exhibits no fear….a-la all things Fouts was, as he developed into a Hall of Famer.

In his five starts, he is going places few rookies have gone before.

He enters Sunday’s game in Denver with a neon light shining (108) quarterback rating.  Think of that, playing on a losing team, where he has to do it all.

He’s thrown for (1542Y) already, three times going for over 300-yards on a Sunday.

He is guiding an unheralded offense averaging (405YPG).

There are 12-TD passes, only 3-picks, only 10-sacks in 184-attempts.

He is the cornerstone of the future for the Bolts.  He needs more quality players around him; needs a healthy team too.

They won’t make the playoffs this year, but that doesn’t matter because this is a learning curve season for the kid QB.

His first five game numbers are better than Fouts, Humphries, Drew Brees and Rivers.

And remember, great quarterbacks in the NFL, all struggled early.

People forget Peyton Manning went (3-13) in Indianapolis.  Troy Aikman was (1-15).

The kid is tough, smart, composed.

He hasn’t had a bad Sunday yet where you say he is overwhelmed.
He’s making alot of plays down the field.  This keeps up, the team will start winning.

The stage is not too big for Justin Herbert.  The big challenge for the front office, put a better team around what could be the next great Chargers quarterback.

Herbert, the best in a bad situation.

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