“Smartest Man in Football ?”

 
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Downcast, sullen, seething, disappointed. Slouching shoulders, a scowl on his face, and disinterested.

 
That’s what losing out on a chance to go to the Super Bowl can do to an NFL head coach.

 
Bill Belicheck addressed the throngs of Boston media, less than 8-hours after his New England Patriots fell 1-play short of making it back to the Super Bowl.

 
Though if you read the list of questions fired at him by the Patriots press, you realize it wasn’t just the two point conversion the Pats failed on. It seems to be a series of failures that stretch back thru the entire season.

 
The Broncos win over New England was more than just a Von Miller series of big pass rush plays. It was more than just the two interceptions. It surely involved all the hits quarterback Tom Brady took.

 
The final stat sheet is staggering, something you cannot file away and forget. Brady sackded 4-times, throws 2-picks, took 20-hits, and was pressure 19-other times. A quarterback rating of (56.4), that’s right, a Tom Brady QB-rating of (56.4).

 
But this loss you could see coming from 2,000-miles away, at least I did. Despite his heroics, the legendary coach let him down, the front office let him down, and his teammates let him down.

 
Belicheck, who never tolerates second guessing, has invited tons of it now.

 
Why did he rest all his key veterans, except Brady, in the final game of the regular season in Miami, when a win against the lowly Dolphins would havge guaranteed the Patriots home-field advantage for all the AFC playoffs? Don’t think that would made a difference, in a Gillette Stadium environment, where Brady is (114-20) in his career in home games? Where Belicheck is (15-1) in postseason in home games?

 
The coach who controls all, elected not to kick field goals twice on 4th downs deep in Denver territory, that could have cut the deficity to the point where the Broncos could have won with a field goal on the final last second drive after the Rob Gronkowski 40-yard catch on 4th down.

 
Oddly, the man who pushed the NFL to change the PAT rule last off season, gets stung by the rule, when his great kicker Steven Gostkowski misses one after putting 523-straight kicks thru the uprights.

 
The problems are deeper than just the Sunday game management.

 
It should be apparent the Belicheck philsophy of hiring street free agent running backs to compliment Brady, doesn’t work all that well. Aside from Stevan Ridley or Shane Vereen, journeyman at best, when was the last big name Patriots running back you feared?

 
The Brady beating came because of a pourous frontline. Injuries did take a toll, but running off Logan Mankins amongst others, spelled problems for the quarterback. He took a similar pounding thru a 3-game stretch in November and December.

 
They do draft well on the defensive side of the ball, and they have made a tremendous transition from the Teddy Bruschi era, to the Vince Wilfork era, to now.

 
The clock is running out on Brady’s brilliance. Aside from Pete Carroll’s play-calling blunder down on the goal line in last year’s Super Bowl, shunning aside a Marshawn Lynch 1-foot run, for a Russell Wilson pass-pick, Belicheck has not really won a Super Bowl since ‘Spygate’.

 
Of course Spygate was followed by Delflate Gate, followed by fines and loss of this coming year’s first round draft pick.

 
Belicheck is brilliant and beliggerant, arrogant and the annointed, but he can still be held accountable.

 
This will be painful, this offseason after the postseason failure. His body language, his tone of speech, said it all on Monday morning.

 
Tom Brady’s play did not cost the Pats a return trip to the Super Bowl for a 9th time. Belichieck’s failures on the field, and off the field before that, was equally as damaging.

 
They fell 1-play short of a comeback, but the truth is the Patriots are dying a a death of a thousand paper cuts because of the so-called smartest man in football.

 

 

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———————–(Football)————————

 

 

 

 

Chargers…Stadium isse remains stalled…County Supervisor Ron Roberts says Chargers ownership remains ‘unresponsive’ to multiple calls from the Mayor to talk face-to-face…..Roberts says too many obstacles exist for downtown sight, tied to Convention Center, to get accomplished…Former Mayor Roger Hedgecock says the Chargers have ‘insulted the hell out of San Diego’ and he does not believe the team would ever get a deal done now.

 

 

Chargers….Worked out top FA-WR-Eric Rogers (6’3) from CFL Calgary Stampeders (91R-1,148Y-10TD) in Canada but then fail to sign him…Signs with Chip Kelly-49ers.

 

 
(Playoffs)

 

 
NEngland…Bill Belicheck taking heat for ‘Arrogant giveaway’ of home field advantage by resting starters and losing season finale game at Miami….Had they won-would have hosted Denver in AFC-title game in Foxboro.

 
Denver..Gary Kubiak salutes team for ‘buying in’….’redefining their personality’ by their fierce defense.

 
Arizona…Bruce Arians continues tirade in defense of Carson Palmer-6 turnover game….saying ‘all big players’ failed to play big in horrible loss in Carolina.

 
NFL…TV Ratings…AFC title game (31-rating) up 19%…NFC title game (26.8-rating) up 9%

 

 
(Injuries)

 

 
Carolina..LB-Thomas Davis undergoes surgery for fractured arm.
Broncos..S-Darius Stewart-knee…TJ Ward-ankle-believe will be ready play.
Dallas..QB-Tony Romo meets with doctors plan ‘plate surgery’ in broken collarbone area.

 

 
(Coaching)

 

 
Patriots…Fire OL-Coach Dave DiGuglielmo a day after AFC playoff loss.
Falcons…Hire Jerome Henderson-Dallas-DB coach.
Rams..Hire Mike Groh-UVirginia-WR coach.
49ers..Interview Jim O’Neil-Browns-for Def Coor job..Hire-Jeff Hafley-Cleveland-DB coach.
Bucs..Hire Todd Monken-So Mississipi head coach-as Off Coor…Brett Maxie-Vanderbilt-DB Coach
Browns..Hire Roc Cartwright-Quality control coach-former Redskins running back.

 

 
(NFL)

 

 
Vince Young…ex-Titans lst round draft pick-arrested DUI-Austin, Texas.

 

 
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—————————(Baseball)—————————

 

 
Padres…..Fangraphs-using statistical date on off season roster moves, says San Diego will finish (74-88) this year, tied with Colorado for last place in NL West….Projects Dodgers (90-72)…Giants (86-76)…Arizona (79-83) despite deal for Greinke…..Predicts Cubs-(94-68) and Red Sox (91-71) to have best records in baseball.

 

 
Dodgers….Invite hot young pitcher Julio Urias and Jose DeLeon to major league camp as non-roster players.
Dodgers…Gabe Kaplar-runs farm system-criticized for using 84-different players at AAA-Oklahoma City last year.

 

 
Angels…Put P-CJ Wilson back on trading block-prepared to pay large portion of 20M-salary to acquire an outfielder in return.

 

 
(MLB)

 

 
MLB….Commissioner Rob Manfred says owners not ready to vote yet on possible DH-to-NL….just floating ideas in conversations right now.

 

 
(Roster)

 

 
Washington..Open talks FA-P-Bronson Arroyo-ex Reds.
Rockies…Confirm talks with FA-P-Yvoni Gallardo-Rangers.
Angels…Shopping P-CJ Wilson-will to pay large part of 20M-contract.
Brewers..Sign FA-P-Chris Capuano-ex-Yankees-Dodgers.

 

 
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———————–(Basketball)———————-

 

 

Aztecs-Nevada…..San Diego State (14-6)…Wolfpack-led by lst year coach Eric Musselman-former NBA coach (12-7)-loaded with transfers.

 

 
Golden State-W-San Antonio….Warriors shoot 58% opening half-take 17-point lead….Warriors (41-4)…(21-0) Home….Spurs (38-7)…F-Tim Duncan-Spurs sat out game with knee soreness.
Cleveland-W-Minnesota…Cavs (31-12)…LeBron James (25P-11A-4R) in win.

 

 
Lakers-Dallas…LA (9-37) with Mavericks coming to town tonite at Staples Center..
Clippers-Indiana…LA (28-16) without Blake Griffin.

 

 
Lakers…Kobe Bryant rips lst round picks Julius Randle-DeAngelo Russell for work ethic and lack of defense…upset players were laughing on bench after trailing by 27-P in game in Portland on Sunday

 

 
Bobby Wanzer…great shooting guard with the early days NBA Rochester Royals passes away (94Y)…in Pro Basketball Hall of Fame.

 

 
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——————-(Hockey)————————-

 

 
Ducks-Boston….Anaheim (21-18-7)…won 4-of-5 and 9-of-13 heading into Tuesday night game.

 

 
Toronto….Maple Leafs GM-Lou Lamoriello puts G-Jon Bernier on NHL trading block….Bernier (6-13-2) record this year.

 

 
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(General)

 

 

Australian Open…Serena Williams storms back from losing opening 2-games, to blowout Maria Sharapova to move to semi finals…..Andy Murray-David Ferrer also post victories……Top Tuesday match-Roger Federer-vs-Tomas Berdych.

 

 

“Win-Go On…Lose-Go Home”

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Crushing is the only way to describe what happened yesterday in the AFC and NFC championship games.

 
The NFL may be a quarterbacks league, but the memo must have gotten lost on the way to Gary Kubiak’s mailbox in Denver. His Broncos, with a pedestrian offense, rode their defense to another win, on their way to the Super Bowl game.

 

Crushing describes what happened to Tom Brady, when the Orange Crush got done with him. Denver used every page in Wade Philips playbook, and beat the Patriots quarterback over the head to stymie the New England passing game.

 

A week ago, Kansas City’s highly regarded blitz scheme never got to Brady, end of Chiefs season. He threw 42-passes and was never sacked. Yesterday he got banged from pillar to post by the orange-clad Broncos.

 
Denver had 4-sacks, 2-interceptions, 15-hits, and 19-pressures against one of the top throwing QBs in the league. When they were not blitzing, they were rushing three and still causing havoc, while dropping a ton of players into coverage. The sightings of Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and Brandon LaFell were few and far between.

 

On top of all that werre the two fourth down stops with their backs to the wall at the 14-and-17 in the fourth quarter, and the tip deflection interception on the final 2-point play of the game.

 

The Broncos don’t have much offense right now, but they sure have lots of defense. The devastated Bill Belicheck didn’t say it, but you could tell it in his down trodden voice. He didn’t want to blame a struggling offensive line, which was shaky on a week to week basis. His kicker Steven Gostkowski had made 523-PATs in a row, and then missed one. Make it, and all you’d need on the final play was another kick to force overtime.

 
And how about Belicheck’s decision to sit regulars in the final regular season game in Miami against a woeful Dolphins team, a game they lost. Had you played your stars, you likely win, and yesterday’s game would have been in Foxboro not in Denver.

 
Crushed too was a different term to describe Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer, and his defense. The Carolina Panthers started that downhill ride with a 17-point explosion in 8-minutes in the opening quarter, and kept it up all night.

 

In the biggest game of his respectable NFL career, Palmer threw four picks, fumbled once, and saw his team turn the ball over seven times in all, in a (49-15) hammering in Charlotte.

 
The excitable and dynamic Cam Newton was all that and more, running roughshod over the Arizona defense. They couldn’t stop him, his receivers, or stop the bleeding It was the worst beating Bruce Ariens has had since getting to the Valley of the Sun.

 

Palmer and receiver Larry Fitzgerald had tears in their eyes in the post game press conference.

 
So we go on to the Super Bowl, and some people go home with regrets. We’ve got two weeks to breakdown Cam-the-Kid quarterback vs the Orange Crush defense.

 

The playoffs the last three weeks have been fabulous. The Super Bowl may have to go some to eclipse what we have just seen.

 

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“Pick’em Pal-AFC-NFC-Title Games”

 

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It doesn’t get any better than this, the games for the AFC-and-NFC championships on Sunday in the NFL.

 

 

Pick any storyline you want and there’s something to talk about.

 

 

2-coaches the San Diego Chargers never seriously considered, Bruce Arians and Ron Rivera, are coaching against each other when Arizona visits Carolina.

 

 

Bill Belicheck, “Belicheat” to some, is back there again with the much disliked Tom Brady, seeking their 9th trip to the Super Bowl. Of course Belicheck has never won a ring since Spygate and more recently Deflategate.

 

 

Cam Newton has arrived as a supertar, and a folk hero in Carolina, the quarterback who made it, when the other drafted alongside him, Robert Griffin III is about to be released.

 

 

Carson Palmer, viewed as a malcontent when he forced his way out of Cincinnati, went to Oakland where careers used to die, bounced into Arizona, survived another knee injury, and is having the best year ever of a very good career.

 

 

Tom Brady, with a chip on his shoulder the size of Plymouth Rock, is what he is, a master surgeon, quick release, get the ball out of there, with a touch of flair and alot of fire.

 

 

Peyton Manning, trying not to become Johnny Unitas in his final days of greatness, is trying to manage what appears to be an ill-fitting offense imposed by coach Gary Kubiak.

 

 

Who’s going to win these matchups?

 

 

 

Carolina’s home field counts for something, as does their ferocious defensive front. Yes they may take away the Arizona limited run game, but how are they going to defend all those down the field receivers, Larry Fitzgerald, Johnnie Brown, and Michael Floyd? Look for Arizona to play disciplined to keep Cam Newton in the pocket, stop his freelance runs, make him throw the ball alot, to a weak part of his offense, the receivers. Arians will do something different, and then the challenge to see if Rivera can counteract it. Arizona wins.

 

 

Denver has been living on borrow time. Manning is no longer Manning. I thing running yards are going to be tough to come by, but not letting Peyton be Peyton, no huddle-hurry up, find the mismatches, making him run the ball so much, has limited their options. This probably as far as Kubiak can push this team, even with Wade Philips superb defense. That is mastermind Tom Brady, who does it all, regardless of what the defenses do to him. Sure the Broncos may get some sacks, and may for a bunch of punts, but after you have limited him on five possessions, what are you going to do the other 6-times he has the ball. Belicheck’s defense slows down Manning and stops the run game. New England wins.

 

 

Come Super Bowl Sunday, it will be a guy everyone seems to like (Arians) vs a guy no one likes (Belicheck.

 

 

“HMS-Chargers-Is Ship Sinking”

 
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You won’t find them talking about it. They are not going to put out any press release. No, never would they ever want to be quoted about it either, that being a negative.

 
They being the San Diego Chargers, who have enough negative wrapped around them, that the odor around the franchise is like that of a garbage dump.

 

They keep losing coaches off Mike McCoy’s staff, the ones that were not fired that is and now those electing to get out.

 
If you are keeping score at home, you will recall they fired their Special Teams coach at mid-season in the wake of the shocking punt return stat, They were averaging (0.1) yards per punt return, after having given veteran Jacoby Jones a nice free agent contract. They got rid of him too.

 
Then just hours after McCoy had praised his staff for holding the team together in the downward spiral of a (4-12) season, he jettisoned 7-more assistant coaches.

 
Gone before they even closed the Media Center offices, were offensive and defensive line coaches, the offensive coordinator, and others.

 
In the week since, the love-me-love me not day, more assistants vacated, including highly regarded veteran linebacker coach Mike Nolan, and now young assistant DB-coach Greg Williams.

 
Maybe the fans won’t miss Frank Reich or Joe D’Allesandris, Don Johnson or Nolan, but these were long term respected coaches, blown out in what many term scapegoat firings.

 
They’ll be replaced by other veterans, who lost their jobs. Ex-Vikings OL coach Jeff Davidson comes on board, as does DL-coach Giff Smith. Some with good credentials, others because of past working relationships with McCoy.

 
You wonder, with McCoy having been given a 1-year extension, how tough it is to hire good quality assistants, on a team in limbo (San Diego-or-LA), on a staff with a head coach, whose career record is plunging (10-losses-15 games)

 
It seems odd McCoy has elected to do this, since his GM-Tom Telesco denied the head coach was ordered to axe assistants. Play the blame-game.

 
Maybe the landscape of the NFL has changed. The Colts kept Chuck Pagano but blew out 7-assistants also last week.

 
Usually head coaches are pretty loyal to the staff they hired. But not here in San Diego, not now with Mike McCoy.

 
HMS-The Good Ship Chargers seems to be taking on water. Man the pumps, and have the head coach go down with the ship. No.

 
Mike McCoy elected to throw bodies (assistants) overboard, to keep the ship afloat, and keep his head coaching job.

 
So now he has virtually a new staff. Just wondering,why? Just wondering, is that an iceberg dead ahead?

 

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