Sports Blog: 06/23/21 – Radically Rational

Sports Blog: 06/23/21

I saw Bill Russell do it in the 60s. I saw Dave Cowens do it in the 70s. I’ve seen Dwight Howard do it at least a half dozen times.

It appears the Clippers missed those highlight reels and memos. And at least a paragraph in the rule book.

That was a sweet inbounds pass by Jae Crowder. That was an even sweeter lightning dunk by Deandre Ayton. And that’s a 2-0 lead for the Suns. Yeah, Ayton was above the cylinder. And, yeah, it was perfectly legal. You can’t make a basket directly with an inbounds pass. Ergo an inbounds pass cannot be a shot. So there can be no “goaltending” on an inbounds pass.

That was a fine play, born in the “fine print.”

Clippers? Down Love-Two. Weren’t they also there about 15 minutes ago? That turned out all right for them. This still might, too.

“You’re once…..twice….three times a baby….” Really, Joe Girardi? You sic the umps on Max Scherzer THREE TIMES for “sticky stuff” inspections? I think you’re just jealous of Scherzer because he still has at least some hair. (I’m jealous, too, actually.)

Cheating is more a part of the baseball culture than Vin Scully Wannabe Announcers. I blame all that organ music and possible sunflower seed poisoning for the rampant chicanery. Here’s my position, Just do it. Pitchers should be able to take a can of Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup to the mound along with their rosin bag. They should be allowed to just serve up a hot fudge sundae.

Kudos to Yankees pitcher Garrit Cole, who when recently asked if he puts sticky stuff on the ball, responded, “Uhhhhhh.” Eloquent. And accurate. Football! You know who I’m fired up about? Justin Herbert. More manana.

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Paul's Bio

I clearly have the attention span of your median fruit fly.Look! Airplane!

Sorry. I’m back.

It’s both a curse and a blessing. I’ve never bought this stuff about, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” But I do think that a wide range of life experiences helps us grow as people, and helps us better relate to other people. I’ve been fortunate. And I am beyond grateful.

I show up on time. I go like hell. I’m a good listener. I hold myself accountable. I own my mistakes. And I have a natural and an insatiable curiosity. I’m never afraid to say, “I don’t know,” when I don’t. But then I try to find out.

The flip side is I’m a lousy ballroom dancer and my clothes sometimes fit me funny.

Stuff matters to me. I care. But while I take that stuff seriously, I try hard to never take myself seriously. As a result, I have sometimes been told, “Paul, it’s hard to tell when you’re serious and when you’re just having some fun. Which is it? Serious or fun?”

My answer is “yes.” But I think that is a legitimate criticism. I promise I’m going to work on that.

This has been the quickest and strangest half-century I’ve ever experienced. During that period, I’ve been afforded amazing opportunities in news and sports journalism across all platforms. I have taught wonderful students at the high school and collegiate level. Always, I learned more from them than they did from me. I’ve been a high school administrator. I spent ten seasons as a high school varsity football coach. I’ve been an advertising executive. I’ve hosted nationally syndicated television entertainment shows. In maybe the biggest honor I ever received, I was selected by NASA to be “Chet The Astronaut” for the “Land The Shuttle” simulator at Space Center Houston. (All I can say there, is “Do as I say, not as I do.” I put that thing in the Everglades more often than not.) Most recently, I just wrapped up a decade as a television news director, during which time our teams distinguished themselves in holding the powerful accountable, achieving both critical and ratings success.

What does all that mean? It means I am profoundly grateful. It also means I’m ready for “next.” So here we are. Radically Rational. It’s an idea I woke up with in 2017. I scribbled “Radically Rational” on a piece of notebook paper and used a magnet to stick it on our refrigerator. I saw it every day, and it just would not leave me alone.

I am second in charge at Radically Rational, LLC. My wife, Jo (also known as BB), is the president. Clearly, I have failed in my attempt to sleep my way to the top of this organization.

I hope you will learn that I’m loyal as a Labrador. But I will admit that this doggie can bite every now and then. My promise to you? I will show up on time. I will go like hell. I will listen to you earnestly and attentively. I will hold myself accountable. I will never be the least bit hesitant to say, “I don’t know,” when I don’t.

But then I’ll try to find out. Let’s do it.