Sports Blog: 06/28/21 – Radically Rational

Sports Blog: 06/28/21

I’ve always thought the 400 Meter Intermediate Hurdles is the toughest event in track. I’m guessing it’s probably even tougher when it’s 107 degrees, as it was yesterday in Eugene, Oregon. That’s why the performance by Sydney McLaughlin at the U.S. Olympic trials is so remarkable. World record. 51.9. First woman to ever dip under 52 seconds. That’s a “wow!”

Oh, but by the way. These upcoming Olympic Games in Japan are still a very bad idea.

The Bucks’ Khris Middleton outscored the Hawks 20-17 in the fourth quarter of last night’s NBA Eastern Conference Finals. By himself. That’s Middleton 20, Atlanta 17. Bucks up 2-1. The Hawks had better win at home tomorrow night or this one is all but over.

So why do I think the Clippers, down 3-1 to the Suns, still have a chance? Probably because I’m being irrationally inconsistent.

MLB is going to have a hard time sorting out The Sticky Glove Caper. Mariners’ reliever Hector Santiago got busted and ejected yesterday. Santiago says he only used the rosin bag. Umps say you can’t use it on your glove hand. Full review to follow. A possible suspension hangs in the balance. Sticky, indeed.

BB and I watched the NFL Films “A Football Life” yesterday. Troy Aikman. Fascinating. If you recall, the Cowboys made Aikman the number one overall draft pick in 1989. But they then selected Steve Walsh in the supplemental draft. Walsh had quarterbacked the Miami Hurricanes to a college national championship. His coach at Miami was Jimmy Johnson. Johnson was now the coach of the Cowboys. Aikman was understandably concerned. Ultimately, he needn’t have been. I was at the Cowboys’ first 1989 training camp practice in Thousand Oaks. Understand, Walsh was a very good quarterback. But five minutes into the practice it was evident that the talent gap between Aikman and Walsh was undeniable. One more thing about the Aikman “A Football Life” episode. I never before knew the full extent to which Aikman finally lost all respect for Barry Switzer, for whom Troy had played collegiately at OU.

Finally, a very happy 85^th birthday to Chuck Howley. There are those who will contend that Howley was the best overall athlete to ever wear the star. They may very well be right. Yes, I have heard of Deion Sanders and Bob Hayes.

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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.