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“NFL-QB League-But Not This Weekend”

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It’s a highlife weekend of the NFL schedule, showdown Sunday, the AFC and NFC Championship games, with the winners headed to the Super Bowl.

It’s usually a weekend of electricity. The biggest names on the stage, really good teams, and quarterbacks who would put the fear of God on defenses.

Used to be, but not that way, at least this season.

Tom Brady is the marquee name in lights this Sunday for New England. That’s the way it usually is.

But the other 3-quarterbacks are pedestrian or journeyman. Their teams have gotten to this weekend because of great defense.

Brady is (18-3) in postseason games at home, and (108-18) in his career at home. He and Bill Belicheck are attempting to get a 6th Super Bowl ring.

Nick Foles, once upon a time, had a 27TD-2 interception season for the Eagles, but that was years back. Since then he is nothing more than a journeyman, and no longer a sure thing, Sunday to Sunday. In fact, since he replaced Carson Wentz, gone with an injury, the Eagles have just 4-touchdowns in 9-quarters of football covering three games.

In Minnesota, no Teddy Bridgewater, then no Sam Bradford, and now Case Keenum. Yes the Vikings are (14-3) but it has more to do with that Purple defense than anything else. Keenum was an after thought on NFL rosters, but has become a great game manager in Minnesota.

In Jacksonville, so much was expected of Blake Bortels, but he has not delivered, at least not consistently in terms of wins. He has put up big passing numbers, but his teams have not won.

This year, with a better run game, and an amazing defense, he has gotten the Jags deep into the playoffs, even though he runs hot and cold. A playoff quarterback throwing for 87 and running for 88-yards in a win. Not what we normally expect this time of the year.

But it has been defense that has been the different. The Jaguars numbers are overwhelming, 55-sacks, 33-takeaways.

The Vikings and Eagles are 1-2 in the rankings on defense, with some awe inspiring stats, like 25% conversion rates on third downs, and minimal points allowed.

It might not be pretty this weekend. Tom Brady has lots of firepower that might just wear out the Jags defense.

That Philly-Minny game may be more about Fletcher Cox and his Eagles friends and Ev Griffin and the Vikings gang.

Tom Brady takes the field on Sunday with a QB rating of 102. Keenum is at 98.3. Bottles at a poor 84. Folks plays this weekend with a league low 79.5. Don’t think we have seen numbers this bad at a position so important, on a big-big NFL weekend.

In a league known for quarterbacks, this looks like the strangest weekend we have ever seen.

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“Washington State Football-There are No Words”

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Grief stricken…Heart Broken…Saddened.

It is what Washington State football is all about today.

There will be no off season workouts for the units today.

There will be no heavy metal music blaring in the weight room.

There will be no jokes cracked by Cougars coach Mike Leach.

There is silence most everywhere around the Athletic facilities in Pullman, Washington.

This the day after starting quarterback Tyler Hilinski took his own life, a shotgun to the head, with a suicide note on a table, in his apartment. Police found him after he missed the team’s off season morning workout.

The responses via twitter, and via interviews are all one and the same.

Tears, prayers, shock, disappointment and blame.

No one knew the young 21-year old QB from Upland, California had problems, issues, depression.

Teammates asked for prayers for his family. Competing schools wrote glowing letters of tribute about the young man. Even ex-Cougars and Chargers QB-Ryan Leaf expressed regret, wishing he could have been there to counsel the young man thru whatever tough times he was having.

Mike Leach has worked so hard to resurrect the Washington State program. To teach his kids how to compete. To get his QBs ready for the NFL. To make Martin Stadium a destination point on campus.

To make Washington State football special again. To return it to glory days of Mike Price-Ryan Leaf….Jim Walden and the option….Drew Bledsoe-Mark Rypien-Tim Rosenbaach-Jack Thompson and others of good eras of years gone by.

Hilinski had all the makings of the next really good one on the Palouse. Leach coached him hard, made it tough, and watched the kid lead his team to a triple overtime win over Boise State, and then in a bowl game.

The young QB came off as happy, a lucky-go guy, thrilled at what was just ahead of him, three years likely as the starting QB of a program on the rise. He was a young leader, learning on the job trying to carry on in the tradition of the Crimson & Gray.

Just 3-weeks removed from his Holiday Bowl appearance, the WSU-Michigan State game, up next will be the saddest of funeral services possible.

The hardest part ahead will be answering the questions. What went wrong. How could Hilinski be around so many people daily, and no one have knowledge of problems.

Great athletes are all wired differently. Love to compete. Can hold up to the tough love coaches give them. Can grow on the job. Become winners.

The issues, whatever they were, overwhelmed Tyler Hilinski to the point he did not feel he could reach out for anyone.

The joys of the growth of the Cougars program have been set aside right now. The Memorial Service will be extremely hard to be around. Going forward will not be fun.

The players, the program, the coach, will not be able to leave this behind. This is so much worse than losing an Apple Cup game to the cross-state Washington Huskies.

There will be an emotional emptiness going forward from now till spring ball into fall camp.

The loss of life hangs heavy all around the Washington State campus.

There are just no words to describe what everyone involved, or who follows or covers the program, can feel at this hour.

You hope Tyler Hilinski is at peace.

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“Delay-Deny-Hope You Die”

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The pictures in your mind never-ever go away.

Ryan Shazier of the Steelers, lying motionless on the field, after a head first tackle into a ball carrier, his career damaged, and life likely changed by a neck injury.

Mike Utley of the Lions, flipping over, crashing to the ground, his offensive lineman bulk flying thru the air, landing on his head, with his arms flailing out of control. Paralyzed.

Daryl Stingley of the Patriots, going down after a violent head on collision. A quadriplegic for life till death.

And then the face of Mike Webster of the Steelers, Iron Mike, as they called him. The epitome of toughness as a player, a weakened degenerate of a man by the time he passed.

The excitement and explosiveness of the NFL game is the hook that lures fans to stadiums and to televisions each weekend. The damage done to the players is hardly ever seen, till we are reminded of the victims.

The players, then their families, then the bitterness.

3-starting offensive lineman of the Pittsburgh Steelers are dead because of head trauma, concussions, CTE, and brain damage, all from the same era..

We all know the stories of Mike Webster, the face of toughness, the legendary Steelers center, dead at an early age because of decades plus of blows to the head, blocking after snapping the ball.

His right tackle Justin Strelczyk is dead too, in a wild rage auto accident on the New York Thruway, driving at a high rate of speed, heading eastbound on the westbound lanes on the Thruway, running into a gasoline tanker truck head on, a suicide mission.

That right guard Terry Long, deceased too, self-indicted, drinking anti-freeze in an angry rant, after years of off field mental problems and incidents when his life was no longer football.

All three died from acute CTE to the brain, after all those years playing in the NFL.

It has been a couple of years since the settlement of the 965M-CTE lawsuit, filed by families of players suffering from dementia, Alzheimers and Parkinson’s disease.

All allegedly brought on by playing in the NFL and by suffering concussions.

The suicides of Junior Seau, Andre Waters, Dave Duerson and others is like a scorecard, never to be forgotten.

Steve Gleason, the Saints linebacker, is a testament to those still living, but dying a slow death, bound to a wheelchair with ALS.

Payments are being made slowly but surely to those suffering players, and to the families of those who took their own lives. Anywhere from 3M to 5M for the worst cases, for those who died.

The research continues at Boston University, where at last count 110 of the 111 players autopsied, had CTE when they died, most at ages 30 to 60.

But as the payments are being metered out slowly, there will be no payments to Mike Webster’s family, Strelczyk’s wife and kids, nor Long’s loved ones.

It’s because the NFL and the lawyers agreed that payments would go to any players afflicted after the year 2006. No one before could get those payments.

Webster died in pain; Strelczyk died in a fire; Long choked to death, all prior to the 2006 threshold date.

Imagine how many other senior players there may still be out there, suffering, whom cannot get payments.

Did you know any player that retires today, who develops these systems going forward in their post career life, cannot file a claim? That’s as absurd for we know hitting, concussions, head injuries continue to happen, with damage not likely to show up for years.

And like the Webster family destitute, or the other Steelers teammates, embittered by treatment, it all seems unfair.

Maybe the judge in the case will appoint a special committee to evaluate the aging players issues.

It’s shameful, that the CTE disease, and the CTE settlement, is all the result of Mike Webster, and no one seems willing to find a way to take care of the hurt, pain, agony his family has gone thru, after watching the hurt-pain-agony he went thru at the end of his life.

The history of the league in dealing with workmen comp claims, and the lawsuits is well known. It came from players who testified they felt the NFL’s mode of operation was ‘delay-deny-hope you die’.

In Mike Webster’s death there is hope for better medical research and better future health for players going forward in the NFL.

The NFL and the Steelers owe him and his 2-fallen Pittsburgh teammates something, don’t they?

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“Padres-1 Month to Spring Training”

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The Padres put on a party for the fans on Saturday…their Fan Fest…and baseball fans, wearing Padres colors from all types of uniforms showed up.

So did GM-AJ Preller, who spent a half hour with the media in a Q&A session.

Highlite quotes of what he had to say to my questions.

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..Brad Hand-big time performer-all kinds of roles-closer..multi-inning guy…lefthanded batters…can do it all….Not surprised at what he has done…was a high draft pick…couldn’t say he would be a star-but he had qualities we liked…got lots of calls-interests on the trade front…not giving him a no trade clause-we like to keep flexibility with our roster.

..Chase Headley-had lots of talks since trade..more complete hitter now than anytime in career..controls strike zone well…recognizes pitches well…. really played well down the stretch and post season with Yankees..our message has been consistent-come in-be a leader..could play some 1B in relief role-but will be our 3B….like his attitude…he gets it…gives us great level of leadership

..Tyson Ross…2-years removed now from arm surgery…still has good stuff..has had multiple conversations with Darren Balsley…we did not have him put on special workout for us.

..Chris Young..he competes all the time…great leadership makeup…much like Clayton Richard…don’t have to see him throw…like how he’s wired.

..Eric Hosmer…our offer is still out there…no restructuring of proposal…free agents have right to pick and choose and pick time they want to sign….we have other plans if he does not come here.

..Kazu Makita…scouted him for over a year…all scouts had lots of looks…pitched very well in pressure games…lots of arm slots…ball movement…strike thrower…lots of experience as starter has made him better reliever now…comes in as 7th inning or 8th inning setup guy.

..Bryan Mitchell..Goes to camp as a starter…really good stuff in the minors..big fastball…learning how to located pitches…has lots of weapons…has attack mode attitude

..Colin Rea..healthy…gotten bigger stronger upper body in last year…spending off season in Arizona.

..Robbie Erlin…100 percent ready-spending off season training in Las Vegas.

..Matt Strahm…fully recovered from knee surgery…will determine in next couple of weeks whether he goes to camp as starter or a reliever….need to see what type of workload he can handle…will have a lot of discussion.

..Rookie pitchers…Cal Quantill..Joe Lucchessi..Jacob Nix..Eric Later have all performed well…all got to AA in just 1-year….they have gotten to be polished pitchers….they are on track now.

..Franchy Cordero….Played as MVP in Dominican League…lots of our scouts watched him….lots of natural talent….has learned and made adjustments everytime he has moved up a level….played hard here last year but was overwhelmed…could ge part of our rotation…had over 300 plate appearances at all levels last year

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“Stunners on Saturday and Sunday”

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We’re headed to the AFC and NFC Championship weekend with one superstar quarterback and 3-posers. Tom Brady will head the teams into next weekend, but who could have imagined Case Keenum..Nick Foles…and Blake Bortels being the other signal callers…in a league where you must have star quarterbacks to win.

It is surely not what we expected when the playoffs began, but it proves if you play defense you can win when it really counts.

EAGLES-FALCONS……Fletcher Cox and friends were fierce…3-sacks and 9 hits on Atlanta QB-Matt Ryan…How good is Jim Schwartz”s group, they held the Falcons to 1-TD in 9-possesions….Nick Foles survived a shaky-shaky start, bad passes, fumbled handoffs and snaps to go (23-30) to do enough to compliment the midnight green defense….Atlanta just never looked the same team of year ago…or maybe Philadelphia is becoming that team.

STEELERS-JAGUARS…What a tough day for Ben Roethlisberger having to deal with the Jaguars defense and his coaches decisions…..Big Ben throw for (469) and 5-TDs, including 2-TD bombs on 4th down plays…. but all the postgame talk was about Todd Haley’s 4th and 1… and 4th and 2 play calls…throwing long or not just running the ball for the first down….and then Mike Tomlin’s decision to onside kick after getting within 1-TD…He had the 2-minute warning and 2-timeouts in hi pocket…why would you not put Blake Bortels on along field…hope you hold..make em punt..and get another shot for Roethlisberger….Onside kick fails-game over…This will haunt them because that was a pretty good team.. …Jacksonville’s personality is like their leadership, Tom Coughlin and Doug Marina, scowls and slugger shots….Yes it was a shootout, but the Jaguars did it their way and withstood a 500-plus yard Steeler day…Everyone still doubts Blake Boatels-Nobody should have any doubts about that Jags defense…Credit the Burgh for coming back from a (21-0) deficit..

PATRIOTS-TITANS….Tom Brady was Tom Brady and that’s all you need to know…his career playoff record at home is (18- 3)….and overall (108-18)….Marcus Mariota has yet to string together 4-quality quarters of football and maybe that will just be a growth process for the Tennsee QB…Lost in all the talk of the Patriots front office, relationships;, they possibly losing both their coordinators, is that Bill Belicheck’s defense, especially the front, has gotten better and better from week one to where are now…..And that’s coaching-coaching-coaching.

VIKINGS-SAINTS…. Drew Brees would not be denied, but neither would a journeyman quarterback and a Division II wide receiver-Case Keenum and Adam Thielen…What a day….Just when it looked like the season was over. With 90-year old Bud Grant in the house, the Vikings defense pitched a shutout for the entire first half, bringing back memories of the Purple People Eaters…That ended in the second half as Brees went wild…That Viking defense had not given up a TD in 30-possessions, and then it all changed thanks to Brees… .2-TD’s in a 3-minute span…then a late 4th quarter touchdown…then the game ending field goal drive….Sean Payton burned 2-timeouts on replay challenges in a 3-play sequence….Minnesota’s pedestrian offense with Case Keenum at the controls had to hit big plays, and thanks to Thieien, from tiny Mankato State, the Vikings came back with 49 and 53Y-field goals.,.and then Keenum threw a desperation 61-yard TD pass to Stefan Diggs on the final play for the win….Players screamed..players cried…and the Vikings won after 4-lead changes in the final 3-minutes

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