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Hacksaw’s Thursday Podcast…1pm
You Tube Channel-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
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“BOLTVILLE-TIME TO PLAY”
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Enough with all the side stories involving the Chargers.

Tired of the Jim Harbaugh-vs-NCAA story, his defiance and denials, and the NCAA assertion the Chargers coach is a liar and an unethical person.

He won’t ever coach college football again, not at his age, and not that he was going back.

The bigger story is Harbaugh’s return to the NFL and how quickly he can turn around the Chargers, in the similar fashion to what he did with the 49ers.

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Enough with conversation about the draft and filling all the needs.

1st round pick Joe Alt will start at right tackle, and Trey Pipkens moves into right guard, two moves that I think change everything about that front.  Now they have to stay healthy.

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Enough with the chit-chat, they are replacing Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, and are confident they have the right guys.

Ladd McConkey, the high pick from Georgia, caught everything in the early stages of camp, but now he’s hurt.  They have 4-weeks to get him ready.

The bigger question is last year’s first round pick, Quinton Johnston, tall, fast, lanky, but he of bad hands, still dropping passes.  They need him to be good, now, not in the future, and he has to prove it.  And where is the depth coming from?

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Enough with the theory they will pound the ball in the post-Austin Ekeler era, and hope to do it with veterans.

Gus Edwards and JD Dobbins, both from the Ravens.  Edwards is coming off knee surgery, and has limited in heavy duty worki.  Dobbins has had two major injuries and looks quick, but does not look heavy duty in nature.  Can he stay healthy?  What is the future of Ike Spiller, in his third year, but yet to really contribute.  Question marks everywhere?

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Enough with the team speed theory on defense.

Yes, Joey Bosa-Khalil Mack-Tui Tuiapoltu can got get QBs.  Have to see how much gas Denzell Perryman and Bud Dupree have left in the tank.

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Enough with compliments for Derwin James-Alois Gilman.

1-area I have been impressed with is what is happening at cornerback.  Did they steal a veteran in Kristain Fulton, a refugee from the Carolina Panthers?  He has been everywhere making plays.  And rookie Tarheeb Still has been a standout in camp.  Now we see if they can play that way in game action.  The secondary could be strong, it has to be.

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Enough with fixing the defense.

The reality is they fired 3-top defensive tackles, and they are looking for help for steady Morgan Fox.  Only time will tell if the no-names playing alongside Fox can be playmakers in the middle.

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Enough with the Justin Herbert injury updates.

You have to be concerned that the arch-foot injury for Herbert can be slow healing.  Two weeks in a boot, two weeks in the slow rehab, with the hope there are no setbacks.  That gives him about 10-days of heavy duty practice to get ready to start the season.

The other issue is what they have at backup, Easton Stick, who has not had a good camp taking all the snaps, seems to have problems staying within the pocket of Greg Roman’s new offense, and did not move the team at the end of last year when he replace the injured Herbert and could not get the ball into the end zone.

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So beyond the excitement of bringing Harbaugh in, and matching him with Herbert, the Chargers have alot of unanswered questions.

Wishing and hoping will be replacing by playing this weekend against the Seahawks on Saturday night.

The Chargers think they will be better than last year’s (5-12) mess that got everyone fired.  Saturday we see where the growth process is going.

Time to Play in Boltville.

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“BASEBALL…REACTION”
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What I see in baseball at this hour…How I reacted.

PADRES FLASHBACK…..25th Anniversary of what we saw on TV.  Olympic Stadium-Montreal…meaningless August game, Padres-Expos.  Not meaningless to us.  Tony Gwynn, 3000th-career hit.  Oddly did it before very few fans who still followed the Expos.  Did alot of great things on not so great Padres teams over the years, but what a brilliant person and player.

DODGER BLUE…If you saw it, you probably got choked up.  If you didn’t see it, then you should ‘Google it’.  Freddie Freeman’s heart-wrenching 7-minute press conference of the timeline of the near death of his 3-year old son, afflicted by a Virus that left him in ICU for  8-days on a ventilator-near death.  Maximus is home now in recovery but faces a long road back from the full paralysis that attacked his immune system.  Freeman wept, told the story, wept again.  Then at home plate, an outpouring standing ovation from Dodgers Stadium, a salute from the Phillies and the umpires.  It was moving, honest, loving.  Unless you have lost a child or had one at death’s door step, you cannot imagine what Freeman and his wife went thru.  Prayers work.

SAD SO LONG…He was a so-so journeyman ballplayer.  He was gay.  No one knew till he had retired.  Then they knew when MLB hired Billy Bean, the outfielder, to become  VP-diversity.  He toured major league clubhouses, spoke openly about homosexuality, and about how important it was to accept the lifestyle.  He was sincere, honest, intellectual, and courageous.  A person of conviction willing to help so many others.  He opened the door that had been in the shadows.  Bean died Tuesday from acute leukemia at (59).  Taken too soon for someone who did so good for major leaguers and minor leaguers who were gay.

SO BAD..How could an MLB owner, with a track record of success in sports, own something so bad?  The White Sox, threatening the all time record of 23-losses in a row, held by the Phillies, are owned by Jerry Reinsdorf.  Once upon a time, owner of the ‘Chicago Bulls’ in the Air Jordan era.  And he owns this product on the field after all these years.  Threatening to bust the NY Mets all time worst record (40-120) set in the Casey Stengel expansion ‘Let’s Go Mets’ days.  Egad.

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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast
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Checking the out of town scoreboard.

NCAA-vs-Jim Harbaugh

What a Sunday…what a Monday…and more to come.

The NCAA has turned over a Notice of Allegations to the University of Michigan, for another series of violations, during the final years of Jim Harbaugh’s run as head coach in Ann Arbor.

This involves the illegal scouting tactics of a staff member, Connor Stallions, caught video taping Big 10-opponents, Michigan was to play.

The notice to the U-of-M holds Harbaugh responsible, and then names Sharrone Moore, the new head coach, for violations also, saying he deleted texts from Stallions to the staff about his scouting trips.

Moore had already been implicated for violations in 2020 of illegal recruiting during the Covid Blackout period, when all schools were banned from making recruiting contacts.  He served a suspension for that, but now could be fingered as a repeat offender, that would bring on a stiffer penalty.

Harbaugh spoke to the LA media after Monday practice, read a statement and walked away.  No questions taken-no followup answers offered.

The outspoken coach, who has opinions on everything, said he was not involved.

Guess it begs the question, a man equal to Bo Schembechler, who knows everything and anything about the Michigan football operation, didn’t know anything about Connor Stallions and what was going on with the passing of information to Michigan’s offensive-defensive coordinators?

Do you really believe that statement?

Now we await Michigan’s response to the NOA from the NCAA.  Are they going to defend Harbaugh, who is named in the notice?  Are they going to ignore him because he is in the NFL?  Are they going to protect the new coach-or offer up Moore and remove him?

We have not heard the last of this, and Harbaugh walking off the podium has opened up a can of worms for the Chargers, who have had a dicey working relationship with an inquisitive media for years upon years.  You think this topic, those questions are going to go away?

Oh by the way, these are Level 1-violations the Chargers coach has been charged with.  The National Media is about to swoop in to cover the Chargers, and it won’t be about QB-Justin Herbert or the the rivalry with the Raiders.

Here’s what Harbaugh had to say before he exited stage right, and he never before has walked away from a chance to talk football.  He did on Monday:
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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — After being one of seven members from the 2023 Michigan football program accused of violating NCAA rules in a draft of the NCAA’s notice of allegations obtained by ESPN on Monday, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh denied any wrongdoing.

“Never lie. Never cheat. Never steal. I was raised with that lesson,” he said at a brief news conference, appearing to read from a prepared statement. “I have raised my family on that lesson. I have preached that lesson to the teams that I have coached. No one is perfect. If you stumble, you apologize and you make it right. Today, I do not apologize. I did not participate, was not aware nor complicit in those said allegations. So, it’s back to work and attacking with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.”

Harbaugh, who left Michigan to coach the Los Angeles Chargers after winning a national championship in January, is accused of committing a Level 1 violation, the most serious category in the NCAA’s enforcement process. The NCAA accuses Harbaugh of not cooperating because he denied the organization’s request to view relevant messages and phone records from his cellphone. The draft says Harbaugh could face a “show-cause” restriction if he ever opts to return to college sports.

 

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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast…1pm

You Tube Channel-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton

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“ALL THINGS OLYMPICS”

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What a weekend in Paris, as they wrapped up the first week of the Olympics.

Things I saw and liked:

 

SIMONE BILES…Continues to pile up the gold-with dominant precisions displays in such a wide variety of events.  7-Golds now in her collection.

GOLD MEDAL..Biles deserves a different kind of Gold Medal, for her work on Mental Health, and that is okay to aask for help, that counseling is not a negative.  What a great influence on so many young people who are having problems.  Where she was in Tokyo when she pulled out of the Olympics, to where she is at this hour, as a person and athlete remarkable.

TAKE THAT TRUMP..Biles sounded off too about politics with her pointed mocking of Donald Trump…’I enjoy my black job’ after Trump last week said migrants were taking ‘black peoples jobs’.  Another deranged, classless, no value derogatory comment.

WAVE A FLAG…What a story of perseverance, Ukraine high jumper Yaro Mahuchikh winning the Gold for her country in the high jump, a country she was forced to flee in the wake of the bombings by Putin’s Russia.

NOT ON TV…Did you know Russian TV is not televising the Olympics back there.  Yes there are 17-athletes there, but they are ‘independents’..cannot wear Russian logos on jerseys…cannot have their anthem played if they win medals..and were not in the openiung ceremonies.  The IOC says it does not want politics in the game, but banning innocent athletes from honors sure seems political too me.

NOAH LYLES…The high octane personality sprinter reels off an impressive come from behind win to get Gold in the 100-meter men’s event.  High energy-explosive style and now he gets to run in his favorite event, the 200M race midweek

BOBBY IN THE POOL…An Olympic record, a World record, the Men’s 1500-free style for Bobby Finke-blowing away the field.

KEEPING SCORE…Katie Ladecky medal count now at 12 including 9-goals.

SCHEFFLER-DJOKOVIC…What a sight, them winning Golf-Tennis, and weeping on the podium with their medals as their anthems were played.  What a signal about the importance of the flag and country, for two guys who own their sports.

SUNI LEE..What a comeback story.  Last January, in a hospital bed with a kidney disorder, now she comes back and wins 3-medals this week including a Gold, wondering how she could train, get strong and compete, much less collect medals.

BRETT FISHER…Comes from nowhere to win the Bronze medal in the gruelling 10,000-Men’s event.  To celebrate, he dumped into an ice bath tub with his medal.

MOM-BABY..How cool for US swimmer Ryan Murphy to get a silver medal, stand and turn towards his wife in the stands, who promptly held up a sign ‘It’s a Girl’, telling the future dad what was coming next in his life.

All that plus great events and a 2nd week just ahead of us in Paris.

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Hacksaw’s Thursday Podcast
You Tube Channel-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
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“BASEBALL TRADING DEADLINE REPORT CARD
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This has been some week in baseball.
59-trades in all…and a busy scorecard
29-starters traded
49-relievers dealt
89-prospects moved too.

A look, club-by-club, of who did what and why.

PADRES…GM-AJ Preller won the deadline, now his team must win playoff games.  At the end, he dealt away 14-of-16 top prospects this year, and the deals look like difference maker acquisitions.  They are 7-strong in the bullpen, and you need numbers like that come playoff time. The starting staff is still thin.  Tanner Scott is a 2-month rental as a closer, but that’s all they need right now.  See you in late October possibly in the World Series.

DODGERS…Got what they desperately needed, a strong starter in Jack Flaherty, a solid setup guy in Mike Kopech, a do everything Swiss Army knife in Tommy Edman and two glove utility guys.  And they did all that without giving up any of their top young pitching.  Superb.

ORIOLES..Zach Eflin, Trevor Rodgers and bullpen upgrades-what they needed.
TIGERS..Kept Tarik Skubal and added young Dodgers farmhands.
ROYALS..Rented 3-pitchers to help fatigued staff.
YANKEES..Jazz Chisholm can play and hit, though needed pitching.
MARINERS..Got spark plugs-Justin ‘turner-Randy Arozarena
PIRATES..Chemistry add ons-Bryan DeLaCruz-Ike Falefa.
CARDINALS..Erik Fedde middle of the rotation-hope Tommy Pham stays hot
CLEVELAND..Needed Lane Thomas power-Alex Cobb as starter.
ARIZONA..Bring in home runs-Josh Bell and 2-relievers-will help
PHILLIES..Changed bullpen chemistry-too many walks from pen
A’S..Kept virtually all their young productive players in house.

TAMPA BAY..New Stadium on line, but owner orders firesale veterans.
MIAMI..Hopeless situation-ownership deals veterans away..add 13-prospects
WHITE SOX..Headed worst season ever-kept Crochet-Robert
ANGELS..Add 6-more lower prospects-who plays with Trout next year?
TWINS..Needed starters-did not do much.
HOUSTON..Yeusi Kikuchi only add on-really?
RED SOX..Add 3-in bullpen-did they get right ones?
CUBS..Feels like they just swapped out pieces.
REDS..Needed help-all got Ty France
ROCKIES..Need pitching..got no pitching
BREWERS..Took on Frankie Montas-Adam Civale-needed arms
METS..Jess Winker arrives-but no pitching add ons.
GIANTS..What’s game plan-trade Soler-keep Blake Snell..add Canha?
TEXAS..Wrecked by pitching injuries-not much done
WASHINGTON..Dealt major leaguers for minor leaguers
TORONTO..Kept stars intact-hope for bounceback season in 2025.

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