Sports Blog: 08/13/21 – Radically Rational

Sports Blog: 08/13/21

I think MLB Commish Mighty Manfred should require all ballparks to have a cornfield behind the right field fence.

Remember the first two months of the season when nobody could score runs? Last night the A’s and the Brewers each put up 17. And Milwaukee’s Luis Urias had a MLB record-tying five extra base hits, including two homers. Urias upstaged his teammate Manny Pina, who could only manage six RBI, including a grand slam and a two-run dinger. I said “dinger.”

Yeah, I saw Mac Jones last night, aka Rob Thomas. “Smoooooth…” This is gonna happen sooner than later, Cam.

The Eagles’ Quez Watkins should register himself as a Top Fuel Dragster. Did you SEE that dude take that tunnel screen 79 yards last night against the Steelers? I mean, that happened all of a SUDDEN.

I thought Dwayne Haskins looked good last night for the Steelers. I’ve never doubted his talent. I’ve only questioned his maturity.

Five weeks ago, we assumed this was going to be a “normal” football season. Sadly, that is not going to be the case, at any level of the sport. This year may be more dangerous and more difficult to navigate than was 2020. Yeesh.

Applause for the Saints, who are going to require all fans to either provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to enter Superdome. And they’ll have to be masked anytime they are not eating or drinking. That’s good. But you’re still gonna have 65,000 folks screaming their lungs out. Yeah…that’s a problem.

Two Atlanta area high school basketball coaches have been charged with second degree murder. It appears they literally ran 16-year-old Imani Bell to death during outdoor pre-season conditioning drills in August of 2019.

I was out in my truck during the heat of the day on Wednesday. Smoking hot. I looked onto a neighborhood football field. There was a man, a “coach,” conducting conditioning drills on the field. He was making his “players” do grass-drills, including the dreaded “up-downs.” These boys—and girls—could not have been more than seven years old.

I had to struggle to resist the urge to drive over to the field, get out of my truck, and punch out this clown.

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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.