Sports Blog: 10/07/21 – Radically Rational

Sports Blog: 10/07/21

BB and I awoke in St. Louis, a city in mourning.

Redbirds are now Deadbirds, and it was sudden death indeed.

Toasted Ravioli Reflection. Over dinner last night at Charlie Gitto’s on The Hill, as we’re watching the game, I told BB, “Scherzer was awful early. Awful. And the Cards only turned that into one run. This will end badly for them.”

Nobody loves their team more than St. Louisans love their Cardinals. And I feel badly for this city and these fans. And I’m fondly reminded of the seven years of my life I spent here.

But Baseball Justice was served. The Dodgers have been great for six months. The Cardinals were great in September.

I can’t wait for Dodgers-Giants. This could and should be historic.

The NFLPA would be stone crazy to get rid of DeMaurice Smith. But it sure looks like it’s going to happen. Bad Idea Jeans.

La’ell Collins, you’re dead wrong. STHU, do your time and get your act together.

Stephon Gilmore is a good get for the Panthers, who have lost almost as many DBs to injury as have the Buccaneers.

The Bears’ “commitment” to Andy Dalton proved to be about a millimeter deep. Look, I know they have to play The Kid. He is very talented. But he is still clueless, despite that promising performance last week against the Lions. Photographically speaking, Justin has yet to develop any “depth of Fields.”

You have to admit the Thursday night NFL schedule has been beefed-up this season. That’s a no-kidding big game tonight between the Rams and Seahawks. Seattle already has two losses. And we’ll see if the Rams can bounce back from the smokin’ the Cards gave them.

Tomorrow? College football picks!

NFL TV ratings are up 17 percent over last year. And NFL ratings were great last year. Sorry, haters. I know you’re taking this hard. I’ll take a knee for you.

Adios from St. Louis. We’re on to Chicago.

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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.