Sports Blog: 08/06/21

I have one indelible image from last night’s Hall of Fame Game. Did you see the way Steeler tight end Kevin Rader stole the manhood of Cowboy safety Tyler Coyle on Kalen Ballage’s touchdown run? OMG! Can you say, “Dead Roach”? Holy Cahulawassee.

Pittsburgh beat Dallas to the punch all night. But I was encouraged by the way the Dallas defense was generally able to line up in the right spots, something it never once mastered in 2020.

Garrett Gilbert? Yeah, he looked like he knew what he was doing, as did Cooper Rush occasionally. Ben DiNucci? Needs to go back to singing lead for Dion and the Belmonts.

Look, I’m just gonna say it. Yes, I’m worried about Dak. Yes, I am.

So Jimmah and Jerrah have buried the hatchet? And not between each other’s shoulder blades? That’s nice.

Most impressive Jimmah stat during his tenure with the ‘Boys. He was 7-1 in the postseason.

Most impressive Jerrah stat? In the middle of a pandemic the value of the Cowboys went up $800 million in 2020. The Franchise is now valued at 6.5 bill. And for those people who claim the NFL is “declining,” the average value of each of the 32 teams jumped 14 percent in 2020, despite a pandemic-induced decline in revenues in 2020. STHU.

Of course I’m looking forward to Roger’s introduction of Drew! But don’t sleep on Charlie Waters. He will knock it out of the park in introducing his buddy, “Crash” Harris. Have I ever mentioned that Charlie Waters is the most consistently brilliant football interviewee I have ever encountered? Oh, I have? Like maybe 1,389 times?

Say what you want about Brady. My wife, BB, spits on the ground every time his name gets mentioned, kinda like Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard. But Brady is flying into Canton for Peyton’s induction. That’s cool. That’s very cool.

Photofinish in the race for Biggest Idiot in the NFL. Cole Beasley? Kirk Cousins? And here comes Jimmy Graham closing on the rail! Get your bets down!

Graham is bitching that now he’s “not getting paid” to play a 17^th game. Dude, you can’t stay on the field for three games these days…

But RGIII’s mama didn’t raise no fool. He just landed a mega-deal with the Four Letter as both a college football and NFL analyst. And there’s a clause in the deal that allows him to return to getting concussed on the field should some team give him an opportunity. That’s the way I feel about this blog thing. I’ll just keep doing it until the NFL calls me back.

Finally, rest easy, J.R. A lot of people loved you, Big Fella. Me included.

One Response

Ben says:

August 6, 2021 at 12:36 pm

Unpopular Opinion: Lovers Who Wander > Run Around Sue

Reply

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.