Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

That was manly, Astros. You’ve made it to November and you’re going home. You took a first-inning grand slam on the chin and didn’t blink, outscoring the Braves 9-1 from that point on. That is some hellacious counter-punching. In the words of Carlos Correa, “Keep fighting.”

The Cowboys absolutely made the right decision about Dak. And it would have been the right decision even if they had lost to the Vikings Sunday night. But now it looks like solid gold. Dallas won. That’s six straight. And that backup QB no longer appears to be a Mini-Cooper. That’s “Mr. Rush” to us now, after watching him throw for 325 yards and two touchdowns. That Cooper (Rush) to (Amari) Cooper fade with fifty-one seconds left to win it will become folklore.

Kudos to UTSA and Jeff Traylor for taking care of business.  That’s the way these things ought to work, on both sides. I will remind you, however, this does not ensure Traylor will be there in 2031, or anytime near that. All respect to him. I don’t use the word “visionary” very often. Coach Traylor is a visionary.

I can’t say I’m surprised that Gary Patterson is out at TCU. In fact, if you checked Sunday morning’s video, I mentioned that as a possibility. Nothing can alter the fact Patterson did a remarkable job in two decades at TCU. Peace to him. Gary’s motor runs hot. That’s not a knock. That’s what has made him…him.

That doesn’t look good for Jameis. Best wishes, certainly. The Saints own the Bucs in the regular season, but…

Nothing but support for Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley, who has announced he is temporarily stepping away from football to deal with a mental health issue. That’s rational.

The fact the Steelers won in no way negates the insanity of their getting their kicker knocked out of the game, for no rational reason. That fake FG call made no sense. If you have seen something on video that makes you think there is an opportunity, scheme it such that your kicker just grabs it and throws it. But having your kicker roll out and “read” the defense is absurd. By the way, the hit was legal. Boswell had no legal protection as a “passer,” since he was outside the pocket. He just got vaporized. It’s football. And he could be out for a while. Dumb. Dumber than slow dirt.

The Colts are done. And it’s a shame, because they’re pretty good. I can’t and won’t defend Wentz’s two interceptions. But that’s frustrating for the Horseshoes, because he actually had been playing very well of late.

Indications are the Texans will not trade D. Watson before Tuesday’s deadline. I get it. He’s going to the Dolphins, who are going to have to pay a king’s ransom. They don’t want to pay that price for a guy who may not be able to play right now. This will happen in the offseason, after the Dolphins know where Watson stands, legally and within the league’s conduct policy.

As a Texans fan, I hope there is a third team involved in this inevitable deal. I don’t want Tua as Houston’s quarterback. He is by all accounts a really great guy. But my eyes don’t lie. He cannot play at an NFL level.

Speaking of the Texans, it doesn’t mean much to score 22 unanswered points after you have given up 38 unanswered points.

None of this reflects on Culley, IMO. Good hire. Stay with that man.

Yes, you don’t have to remind me. I’ll remind myself. I picked the Lions to get their first win of the year against the Eagles.  I don’t know. Bad mushrooms?

The Jets are not good. They’re not close.to good.  In fact, they’re bad. But they have now beaten the Titans and the Bengals, both of whom are very good. And that win over Cincy Sunday was done with a backup QB.  What a wacky and wonderful sport.

But that helmet-to-helmet call that ended it was ridiculous. The receiver/ballcarrier lowered HIS helmet. What Was the defender supposed to do? He attacked the legal “strike zone.”

Throwback unis generally suck. But the Saints’ throwbacks are better than their “currents.” Sweet.

OK,wuddya think? I’m not knocking anyone, or anyone’s decision. But what would you have done? Yes, I’m a Rice Owl fan. The Owls are my heart. My heart got broken by Saturday’s 30-24 OT loss in Houston to North Texas. Owls down 24-17 in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter. Rice had never led.  Owls drive 89 yards in the last two minutes of the fourth, with their backup quarterback at the helm, to score a TD and get within one at 24-23 with sixteen seconds left in regulation. Go for two? Owls instead kicked the PAT to get to OT.

They screwed the pooch mightily in overtime and lost 30-24.

I honestly don’t know what I would have done as a coach. I believe a coach’s responsibility is to keep the game alive and not do anything to end it prematurely.

But I also know Rice was fired up about that TD drive, was playing at home, had outgained UNT by about 100 yards on the day, and had dominated time of possession. Rice’s placekicker is shaky at best. A two-pointer was a chance to win it, for a team that had all the momentum.

If Rice had a two-point play polished up during the week, this might well have been the time to run it. But, as I said, Rice had a backup (although experienced) QB in the game. Perhaps he had not run that selected two-point play in practice.

Difficult decision. I’m not saying Mike Bloomgren made the wrong one. I’m not sure what I would have done.

You?

It is indeed The Great Game.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

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.