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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast
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‘COLLEGE FOOTBALL–ALWAYS COMPLAINING’
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College football is in crisis, all the time.

It’s the troubles with the crap leadership of the NCAA in an everchanging landscape of the game.

It’s lawsuit after lawsuit in the ‘players rights world’.

It’s the power brokers and the money grab via TV contracts.

It’s the college football realignments that make no sense and destroyed the heritage of the Pac 12.

It’s the money game transfer portal, with terms like first down-touchdown have been replaced by words like tampering and coaches quitting dominate the talks.

It’s the sickness of the NIL bank account and who goes where and why they do and for how much.  Wonder if anyone goes to class anymore?

Now it’s the football playoff structure.  Today’s crisis.

Should it have remained 2-teams.  It went to 4.  Now it’s 12 and no one is happy.

Substandard TV ratings.  4-blowout games in the opening round.  And now the mandate, change it, fix it, expand it further, it’s not right.

Issues on every street corner.

Solutions?

Once you choose the 4-conference champion teams, and then add the 8-at large teams, then seed the 12-team field based on a power formula, how good they are, what their record is, whom they beat, strength of schedule.

Then after you give out byes, and the first round is completed, re-seed the teams based on all those power criteria.

Pull the games in the opening round out of home stadiums, and put them in the 2nd tier bowls, on a neutral field.  Granted you might not have crowds of 100,000 or more, but it makes it fair for both teams, unless this whole thing is a stupendous money grab.

No one likes the idea that two power brokers, Oregon-Ohio State meet this weekend.

People are peeved that Indiana, SMU, and Tennessee played miserably in the opening round.

Maybe there is reality in all this.  College football, at least this fall, was about Oregon-Ohio State-Notre Dame-Penn State.  They were in a galaxy all to its own.  And no one else is equal to them.

But you cannot deny how great a season Boise had, or what Indiana did in September-October-November. That should count for something shouldn’t it?

As for the whiners, Alabama, South Carolina, Miami, you lost games at the end that crippled you.

There is no easy solution to the issue, but inviting 16-to-24 teams to this dance means more blowouts.  So why do it?

Always complaints in college football, where problems and problems keep piling up.

My suggestion box is open for ideas on how to solve this.

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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus PODCAST…1pm
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“FOOTBALL..HERE-THERE-EVERYWHERE”
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Did you overdose on football this weekend?  Most everyone did.

Everyone has opinions and a bunch of injuries in the NFL and College Football.

CHARGERS…Back in control of their destiny with that Thursday night win over the self-destructing Denver Broncos.  The last two games belong to them against the awful Patriots and battered Raiders.

RAMS..Brilliant, the only way to describe the leadership of Sean McVay, coach of the first place Rams, who were (1-4) out of the gate.

TAMPA BAY…What heart-what leadership-what talent..Baker Mayfield..Tough loss after he piled up (411Y) only to see Dallas’s secondary make two spectacular plays in the 4th quarter to preserve the win.

COWBOYS..End of discussion, the job status of Mike McCarthy.  His Cowboys, with a backup QB and a young defense, have won 4-of-5 to save Mike McCarthy’s job.  Quite a 2nd half of the season.

49ERS..Awful season with lots of injuries and doubts about Kyle Shanahan’s leadership qualities in a lost season that now includes no playoffs.

ATLANTA..Michael Penix with a nice debut with Falcons, trying to win a playoff berth.  Might be end of the road for Kirk Cousins.

BEARS..Progress by rookie QB-Caleb Williams, but rest of team has fallen apart.

WASHINGTON..Jayden Daniels keeps winning, with late game winning drives. It’s his big down the field passes, and his scrambling runs.  What a rookie season.

EAGLES..Got beat and QB-Jalen Hurts got battered with a concussion.

LIONS..They are now (13-2) with amazing Sunday by Sunday throwing games from QB-Jared Goff and the destruction via injuries of their defense.

VIKINGS..Sam Darnold is playing for his next contract and now has 30-TDs this season, a season that has them tied with Detroit, and they face each other in the season finale

TAMPA BAY…A mighty mite QB among Giants.  How fierce a competitor is Baker Mayfield?

RAIDERS..A season of misery might be washed away by 2nd year QB-Aiden O’Connell who has strung together good back to back wins.  How good is TE-Brock Bowers?  Good enough to say unstoppable.

BENGALS..Joe Burrow is blazing hot but Cincinnati is wasting away his MVP-type stats because of a lousy start to the season.

CLEVELAND…Hopeless, they have now used 3-QBs, and all three have proven they can turn the ball over.  What a team, now (3-12)

STEELERS..Wonder if they have shot their bullet, these 10-wins but now a couple of losses with an anemic offense.

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TEXAS-CLEMSON..The Longhorns are loaded, QB-Quinn Ewers, a two headed running game, big play receivers and a Texas tough defense.  Just ask Clemson how good the Horns are.

PENN STATE-SMU…Pick 6-TDs on two possessions early doomed the Mustangs.  Best collection of athletes the Nittany Lions have had since the Paterno years.

OHIO STATE-TENNESSEE…So where was all this offense two weeks ago when the Buckeyes got mugged by Michigan?  Explosive offense and defense.  The Vols, a huge disappointment from their QB-RB in the game, they were never in.

NOTRE DAME-INDIANA…The Irish are so physical, so good on defense, and Indiana got hammered for the 2nd game in a row, first getting blasted by the Buckeyes then what happened in front of that crazy Touchdown Jesus crowd on Friday night.  Indiana by the way, did not beat any Top 25-teams this season.

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Hacksaw’s Great Sports Weekend PODCAST
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“CHARGERS QB-REFUSE TO LOSE”
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Everything was stacked against the Chargers.
The defense was caving in, five straight games.
The quarterback had 3-different left leg injuries
The run game had disappeared
The offensive line was overwhelmed allowing sacks
The passing attack was withering.
Here comes Denver with its hot rookie QB and a 4-game winning streak.

Quarterback Justin Herbert would not be defeated
The Denver Broncos self destructed and lost a game they were winning.

Thursday Night Football was a testament to fortitude.  A vote of confidence for a battered quarterback.  A jumpstart response to a staggered defense.

It was a (34-27) Bolts win.  And it was an 11-point lead that died because Denver kept taking stupid penalties.

Herbert was at his most dangerous best.  He threw  for (284Y).  When in trouble he ran for (45Y) more.  He pulled off zany side arm throws, was aided by a spectacular 1-handed catch by a receiver on a 2-point conversion play.

The defense, playing in desperation mode, ramped up blitz packages in the second half to cool off Bo Nix, taking away virtually all his deep pass targets and neutering what had been an explosive first half offense.

Denver had built a (21-10) first half lead.  Extended in early in the second half to (24-13), then died because of stupidity.

The Broncos took a 15-yard penalty on a fair catch punt interference penalty at the half, giving Cameron Dicker a 57Y-free kick field goal attempt that sailed thru the uprights.

The second half belonged to Herbert’s magic throws, coupled with a huge pass rush the washed away all Denver did in the first half.  The Broncos piled up (288Y) at halftime with a ton of big plays.  It all went away after that.

Denver did stupid things, drawing a horsecollar tackle on Herbert that led to a scoring drive.  There was another personal foul flag that aided a 2nd scoring drive too.

The end result, a Bolts comeback win that likely puts them in line to go play the Steelers in a wildcard road game.  Denver’s penalty flag night means they likely have to go to Buffalo if they make the wildcard game.

For one night, the Chargers found momentum, and now could finish a strange second half of the season with a 3-game winning streak, considering the next two games are on the road, at New England at against the lowly Raiders.

The Bolts are (9-6), but hold the tiebreaker over Denver.

The Chargers spirited comeback is because Justin Herbert refused to lose against all the odds stacked in front of him.

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Hacksaw’s Thursday Podcast…1pm
You Tube Channel-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
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“CHARGERS-BRONCOS…Crossroads game”
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A big Thursday night game, and who would have thought this game would be so important this late in the season?

Not me.  Probably not Jim Harbaugh..nor Sean Payton.

So as they kickoff, there are so many storylines between these two AFC-West rivals.

The Bolts are staggering, having lost 3-of-4, after their (7-3) start.
The Broncos are rolling, with a raw rookie at QB, having won 4 in a row.

Justin Herbert is banged up and so is his offense, despite his impressive stats (16TD-2 Int).

Bo Nix has grown immensely since the first month of the season, nearly (3300 APY-24TD) and carrying the banner on offense.

The Chargers WR-group is led by Ladd McConkey (63R) but virtually no consistency from anyone else.

The Broncos have waited a long time for Courtland Sutton to emerge and he has (66R-13YPC) to lead an otherwise no name group of pass catchers.

The Broncos offensive front has been solid protecting a mobile Nix.

The Chargers, with the 3-number one picks upfront, have not, allowing a total of 42-sacks and a terrible tail off in the run game (2.7YPC) since JK Dobbins got hurt.

And by the way, in this Bolt tailspin, the offense is averaging (280YPG) and go long stretches without scoring drives, 6-in a row last week vs Tampa, and it has happened multiple times this season.

Denver’s defense is rugged,giving up just (311YPG) to go with 49-sacks and 23-takeaways.

The Bolts once highly rated defense, has caved in.  Since the near loss to Cincinnati, in the last five weeks, the Chargers are giving up (419YPG)…have allowed 129-points..given up 111-first downs.  The run defense is giving up just shy of 5YPC in that span.

So here is Jim Harbaugh, still selling positivity in all his press briefings, but the product isn’t showing that right now.

Sean Payton hasn’t had to say much.  He lets his team do the talking on Sunday, with all those wins, and the fact they have 4-losses by a TD or less with the rookie Nix from Oregon running the show is pretty impressive.

Hard to believe the Chargers are in this situation right now.  Equally hard to believe the Broncos have 9-wins this season with 3-weeks left to play.  And Denver has four road wins on their resume already.  The Chargers, some bad losses against good teams.

Yes the Chargers should win the final two games against the basement dwelling Patriots and Raiders, but who knows where they will be emotionally or physically by then.

And how important is all this?  If the Chargers lose, it likely means a wildcard game in Buffalo in January, against Superman Josh Allen, the Bills defense and the weatherman.

If the Broncos win, it probably means they wind up going to play in Pittsburgh, where the Bolts got punched in the mouth earlier in the season.

My heart says the Bolts could win on Thursday night.
My head says the Broncos are a more complete team and playing better right now.

Crossroads game for the Bolts.  Very important for Denver to grow as a team.

What say you?

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‘YANKEES-METS…WHO WON THE DEAL
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Juan Soto stole the spotlight in the Winter Baseball Meetings, signing his mega contract with the Mets, just hours before the Hot Stove League officially opened for business.

A record contract, 15-years..765M in total value and an all time high 51M-per year, with no deferred money and an Opt Out Clause after the fifth season.

But there is more to the story to consider.

A coup for the Mets to steal the power hitting slugger from the cross town Yankees?  Definitely.  Put the Mets on the front page of the NY tabloid papers for at least a day.

But what about the team he has gone to?  What about the team he left behind?  And what are the next moves out there for both New York teams to make?

A review of all things Soto.

His baseball card will show you a career average (.285) batting average and 201-career home runs.  Impressive.

A budding star with the Washington Nationals, who turned his back on a (440M) package in Washington, forcing a trade to the Padres.  1-really strong half season in San Diego, sandwiched around alot of disappointments.  An off the charts season with the Yankees-ending in a World Series appearance.

Impressive credentials?  Sure.  But there are other things to consider, on the field, off the field, in the clubhouse, in the front office.

Soto’s baseball card should also show you seasons in which he hit (.236 and .246).  It should show you his defensive liabilities in both left field and right.  It should show you an erratic throwing arm.  It should show you a lumbering base runner too.

In the clubhouse there is history too.

Do you know Soto has not spoken to any Yankees teammate since their final World Series game loss to the Dodgers.  Not one.  Not one to say great season.  Not one to say wait till next year. Not one to congratulate him on his record contract, or wish him good luck on his next challenge.

And Soto admitted he had clubhouse problems in San Diego, with the other big personalities with the Padres, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis.  His final year saw a crap collapse in the pennant race, and toxic infection within the clubhouse that led to Bob Melvin quitting as manager.

I found Soto a distant interview, full of generic quotes that had little depth.  It was as if he was pre programmed by his agent Scott Boras.  I viewed him as self-centered, worried only about his at-bats and pending free agency.  There never  seemed to be any real emotional linkage to the Padres, the fans, the logo, his teammates and the late Peter Seidler.  He was at the opposite end of the spectrum to guys I liked being around, Joe Musgrove, Chase Headley, and Tony Gwynn back in the day.

Fast forward to where we are at this hour.

Soto told the Mets beat writers he chose the franchise because it was about to win a championship.  Excuse me?

A Mets team that has not re-signed its only other power hitter Pete Alonso.  Is trying to trade Starling Marte.  A Mets team that currently has a starting rotation of Kodai Senga, David Peterson, and Clay Holmes, one coming off surgery, another a converted closer as the front of their rotation.  And the 3-lefthanders, who helped get the Mets to the NLCS, are out there unsigned with no offers from New York yet.

Soto may like owner Steve Cohen and his checkbook.  Has he really studied the roster of what might be around him?

And as for cross town, has Soto thought about the fact there will be no Aaron Judge hitting behind him?   Who protects him in the Mets batting order?

He doesn’t really believe the Mets rotation is better than the New York front line starters, Gerritt Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil and newly acquired closer Devin Williams?

The Yankees may have lost the back page for 1-day in the newspaper war in New York.  But they went to Plan B hours after Soto turned their offer down.

In a 6-day span they took Soto’s money, and added Fried, Williams, and now the trade for Cody Bellinger.  And they are going to talk to Pete Alonso about leaving the Mets and crossing the bridge coming this way to Yankees Stadium.

Wonder what happens if the Mets don’t add more around the slugger?  Wonder how he copes with the NY media if he is hitting (.226) as he did for months with the Padres?  Wonder how hostile it will be if he can’t become the leader they want.

His baseball card won’t tell you about shortcomings, but I wonder if ‘Mr. Me-Myself-I’ will be happy with the decision he made to go to the other New York team?  Maybe it doesn’t matter because he’s always been about himself and his next payday.

Looks like the Mets might have won the bidding war, but the Yankees won the off season of players acquisitions.

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