“Trading Deadline-Don’t Walk Away”

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It’s supposed to be the quiet time in sports. The Super Bowl is over. Pitchers and Catchers have yet to report. But it is not going to be a quiet time.

The NBA and NHL are in full swing, and teams are round the corner getting ready to make their push to get to the basketball and hockey playoffs.

That means making deals at the upcoming trading deadlines. In some cases, it’s acquiring a player that puts you over the top. In other cases, it’s moving players headed to free agency, you don’t think you can sign. Sometimes it’s dumping contracts to clear salary space for deals you might want to make when off season free agency arrives.

In hockey, the first shot was fired yesterday, when the arch-enemy Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, who don’t like each other, a ‘Battle of Ontario’ thing, pulled off a wild 10-player trade.

The Leafs shipped out their captain, defenseman Dion Phaneuf, highly paid at 7M per year, to Ottawa, for their young defenseman Jared Cowan, a big disappointment, young prospects and a second round draft pick.

Phaneuf was highly regarded as a young blue liner in Calgary. He went from the Flames to the Leafs in a mega-deal, since Calgary could not afford him. Now he’s moved again, because the Leafs are in total rebuild mode. Toronto has off-loaded 22M in contracts in just 9-months, including leading scorer Phil Kessel this past summer to Pittsburgh.

Dealing at the trade deadline has become the new norm in hockey. Toronto and Ottawa just jumped the gun a bit, before the deadline stares us in the face on February 29th. In the past couple of years, the NHL has become what baseball at become in late July, a swap meet. 47-hockey deals last year, 35 the year before. Days when Patrick Roy was dealt from Montreal to Colorado, or Lanny McDonald was jettisoned out of Toronto.

In basketball, we’re a week out from their February 18th deadline, and though the history of tons of trades is not there, there have been deals that could happen. Never say never, because history on deadline day brought Pao Gasol from Memphis to the Lakers, Kevin Garnett left Minnesota for Boston, and Detroit wound up with a ring and trophy after they picked up Rasheed Wallace.

Oklahoma City has had a tremendous run with the dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. But Durant is a walk free agent in July, and Westbrook can be one in 2017. If one goes, maybe the other does too.

The Clippers have an issue. Good team, but dealing with a bad situation in the aftermath of the Blake Griffin punch-out of a team employee, the broken hand, the suspension and loss of 850,000 in salary. Being in LA, might it be possible a Griffin for Durant deal makes sense?

Durant could make mega endorsement money in Los Angeles. Griffin played at Oklahoma, so it is going home to a degree.

Cleveland’s Kevin Love, who played at UCLA, may also be on the block, and could you imagine Griffin going to the Cavs to team with LeBron James?

 
And there will be some other pretty good names on the open market, guys who can, and will likely walk this summer. Pao Gasol of the Bulls, Al Horford of Atlanta amongst others. Is Dwight Howard of Houston about to be moved again?

And of course there are GMs with a history of doing deals, like Pat Riley-Miami, Danny Ainge, loaded with draft picks in Boston and the Knicks-Phil Jackson amongst others..

A quiet time for the NFL and MLB, but be prepared for explosions and aftershocks, because the NBA and NHL are about to open the trade window.

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“Chargers-Saying-Doing Right Things–Finally”

 
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A step forward from an organization that has taken so many steps backwards in its credibility in this community.

 
I’m not talking about the (4-12) San Diego Chargers football season, the shaky drafts, nor the wasted free agent money spent.

 
The Chargers have begun a concerted effort to try and restore their image after a near year-long spitting contest, where they tried to undermine everything the city-county-CSAG coalition did on their behalf to find a way to build and fund a new NFL stadium.

 
Owner Dean Spanos, who picks and chooses whom he wishes to talk to in the media, used one word, and took one action, in a 48-hour span, that have to be looked at in an approving fashion.

 
Spanos, under fire again for refusing to meet with all the key media members in town, and for insisting he would not talk about the past, wants to set aside all the damage done over the last year plus to his reputation.

 
No questions on the deal he made with the Rams; no questions about the (30-2) Houston vote at the NFL owners meetings; no questions about the demise of the Carson project; no questions about his relationship with the Raiders.

 
Of course, when it was convenient, he has talked about the past lousy leadership in San Diego’s government, that failed to work with him on stadium deals. He uses the ‘past’, only when it is to his advantage. He’ll have to work on that shortcoming.

 
However, in his limited interviews, he used a key word that caught my attention, ‘concessions’, and it was not used in reference to just the city-county-mayor nor supervisor. He was talking about his franchise making concessions too.

 
Maybe it was forced out of his mouth, because Commissioenr Roger Goodell said any new stadium in San Diego “had to work for both the city and the franchise”. Maybe it’s a new era where cities will no longer be held hostage. Extortion will no longer be part of doing business. I’ll get back to you on that one.

 
The other key issue in the last 4-hours, is the hiring of Fred Maas, the former influential Chairman of the Centre City Development Association, whose track record is developing, financing and finshing off projects, things like Black Mountain Ranch and the TPC Communities.  He knows land use, environment law, financing.  Yes he is a Spanos supporter, but also a civic supporter too.

 
He arrives as Mark Fabiani steps away from all the fire fight comments he made over the last year, the so-called ‘scorched earth policy’ of Team Spanos.

 
Time is of the essence, the next 7-weeks needed to come up with a Stadium location, stadium design, and financing. That before the beginning of a public drive to get signatures for a voter referendum. The Spanos-Maas team can now take the package plan of Kevin Faulconeer and Ron Roberts, rework it-remold it, and see how quickly they can reach agreement.

 
Nothing is ever certain dealing with those people at the Fortress-Chargers Park. But if you can take them at their word, what they did Saturday and now Monday, anything is better than what we have had to deal with over the last year or so.

 
Putting the right people in place on the Chargers side of the negotiating table, with experience and class, not hidden agendas, is a positive.

 
For once, one step forward by the NFL owner, after taking so many steps back with his attitude, arrogance, and cut-throat style.

 
Maybe it was the LA Times poll that showed 86% of the fans in LA want the Rams and only the Rams. Or maybe it was the UT poll, 95% of the fans here viewed Dean Spanos, as the most hated sports figured in city history.

Maybe it is reality, he lost out in LA and in Carson, and in the board rooms of the NFL. Humble pie may have a bitter taste.

Words are cheap. Actions carry value. This step forward has some validity to remove the stain from his soiled credibility.

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“Drinking from the Victory Fountain”

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Denver, known as the home of Coors Beer, will be drinking Orange Crush today, from the Victory Fountain.

 
Denver did it again…against all the odds…and against the NFL’s MVP, the Broncos won the Super Bowl for a third time in their storied history.

 
It was a (24-10) win over the (17-1) Carolina Panthers. It was a glorious 200th career win for Peyton Manning, in Super Bowl 50. It was a dominant defensive performance against the brilliance of Cam Newton, who sadly couldn’t do it by himself.

 
When the orange confetti reigned down onto the field, with the neon lights flashing, it was Manning holding the trophy, and his linebacking buddy Von Miller walking off with the MVP award.

 
Cam Newton got up and walked off the podium, sullen, heartbroken, and fed up after taking just 1-question.

 
Wade Philips used every card in the deck early, blitzing some, dropping 7-into coverage on other plays, tackling and getting to the ball quickly. And then when it became a lopsided game, he brought the heat, blitz after blitz.

 
When it was over, the Broncos had 7-sacks, 3-fumble recoveries,a pick, held Newton to (17-for-40) passing, made Carolina take 10-costly penalties with that pass rush.

 
Carolina missed 1-field goal, turned it over twice deep in their own territory, and let the Broncos run loose on a key 61-yard punt return.

 
Manning did the rest, milking the clock, managing the game with the lead, and letting running back CJ Anderson muscle his way for nearly 100-yards, especially chunks when it was needed to take time off the clock.

 
The Broncos won the ring and raised the trophy with a very pedestrian offense. They won it with a punch you in the mouth defense, strong at the point of attack, at getting to the ball, and in deep coverage.

 
It probably was Manning’s goodbye game in Denver. The Broncos don’t want to pay him 18M next season. Him going to a woeful team like the Rams doesn’t make sense. He could become the next Elway in a front office job, possibly with the troubled Tennessee Titans.

 
For Newton, it wasn’t his fault. He should have handled post game better, but he will learn from it. Carolina at (17-2) is an awesome finish, considering that once upon a time they were (1-15). The future looks bright with that guy at quarterback, with that offensive front, and that defense.

 
Coors may be the banquet beer in Colorado…but they’re toasting Orange Crush as they get ready to honor the Broncos in a Super Bowl parade.

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“Super Bowl Sunday Questions”

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Denver vs Carolina looks like a matchup of the ‘Old Guard’ (Peyton Manning) and the ‘New Breed’ (Cam Newton), but it is more than just that.

Football Game or IQ-Test…..Will Manning be able to outsmart all the defensive formations Ron Rivera and Carolina will throw at him?

Testing your Manhood….Will shaky Denver offensive line be able to deal with all the blitzes and stunts Carolina will send at Manning?

Broncos stubbornness….Can Denver run ball up inside against Lotolulei and Short, those massive DTs.

Who covers Demaryius Thomas…..Should be fun to watch Josh Norman and CBs try to bracket Denver top wide out?

Do you believe what you see…..Can Cam Newton cope with all the different schemes Wade Philips will throw at him at the line of scrimmage?

Spy-Cam……Does Denver spy Cam Newton-make him stay in the pocket….take away his scramble ability….do they blitz run lanes…hit him…get people at his feet?

Survivor game…..If Newton cannot break containment and move the pocket-will his lose his accuracy down the field?

Secondary matchups…..Isn’t key matchup how the Broncos safeties deal with the beast size of Panthers TE-Greg Olson?

Cornerback clout…..Aqib Talib-Chris Harrs-can run-be physical…will Ted Ginn-Devin Funchness cope with that?

1-Dimension Attack…..If Broncos cannot run, and Peyton Manning is not on the mark deep, how are they going to string drives together?

Glaring stat…..Did you know, going into New England playoff game, Broncos had gone 22-possessions without offensive touchdown?

Unsung heroes….Will this really be decided by a turnover or two and the kickers Brandon McManus and Grahame Gano?

Who Wins….Denver offensive too pedestrian…Peyton no longer what he used to be…Panthers will be slowed down by Orange Crush blitz..but Carolina wins (31-20).

Neutral field…..Carolina jumped out to (31-0) lead over Seattle and (17-0) led on Patriots-but that was in Charlotte-can they do that in Super Bowl in Santa Clara?

Who Wins….Denver offensive too pedestrian…Peyton no longer what he used to be…Panthers will be slowed down by Orange Crush blitz..but Carolina wins (31-20).

“The Snake was Sick-Everyone Else  Will Be”

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The news should not have come as a surprise. Ken Stabler passing away. The iconic-bearded-free spirit of a quarterback of the Raiders.

It’s only a matter of time before they will all pass, all the Raiders icons, and many, many more in the National Football League. And autopsy after autopsy will show the true cause of death of the players we loved to follow, loved to hate, loved to root for and again. They will all die from CTE, brain damage, brought on by years of big hits while playing in the NFL.

From Seau to Sash to Stabler, and lots in between. Names you know, names you don’t know. They all died from a buildup of Tau protein in different parts of their brain. Some killed themselves to end the agony, like Seau. Some died of causes triggered by the brain damage, Alzheimer’s, Dementia, ALS like Sash. Some died of other diseases, like the complications of cancer that took Stabler down, compounded by what was going on in his brain.

Boston University’s Brain Institute has now become the contact point for all NFL families who lose husbands and fathers and sons and friends. Their research has now shown 88-of the last 92-players they did autopsies on, all had CTE, from minimal levels to the most acute. The Mike Webster disease, named after the late Steelers icon, who killed himself rather than live with the horrors of his ailments that destroyed his family and his life. He suffers no more, but so many others are, and will.

The NFL wants to pride itself on the 963M they have funded to pay the players of yesteryear, who are suffering a slow agonizing death, eventhough two years after the agreement, not one penny has been paid out because of appeals and on-going litigation.

Pending lawsuits are still out there from players who don’t think it’s enough.

 
The NFL just released its 2015-survey that show concussions are up, 279-this past season, a high water mark over the last four years. That may be a higher number because of the hiring of independent neurosurgeons on the sideline, leading to better vigilance. We now know more about warning signs than we did five years ago, a decade ago, 20-years back.

But it is still a violent game, with big time hits.

 
Still out there is another possible suicide victim. Another 1970s star who will die in debt, unable to take care of himself. We know about the war with the NFL, giving Dick “Night Train” Lane just 695-dollars a month pension, and denying him disability after 11-years of playing the most violent safety you’d ever want to see from back in the day.

Enjoy the Super Bowl. You’ll see some guys get blown up. The term concussion protocol will be thrown around like that is a cure-all. And the game will indeed go on.

Too late for Junior Seau, Tyler Sash or Ken Stabler and so many more. The Chargers linebacker killed himself. The Giants young safety died in his bed. Stabler’s life was over in a hospice unit. A 43-year old linebacker. A 27-year old safety. A 60-plus quarterback.

The NFL should add an ‘addendum page’ to every players contract. ________________ passed away from complications of brain damage brought on by CTE.

It seems out of control, the game, the big hits, and the big damage. Throwing dollars after dollars at research won’t have an impact. Changing the equipment, the rules, making it safer, is the only way out.
The glory of Super Bowl Sunday will be everywhere. We should never forget however how unforgiving the game is to those who get badly hurt.

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