03/08/22 – Radically Rational

03/08/22

There’s a new hotseat in Sports Hell. Welcome to Cotulla, Calvin Ridley.

Zero sympathy. It’s a year, for now. I’d be okay extending it to “all eternity.”

The second week of the MLB season will be cancelled if the owners and players don’t work it out by COB today. Calvin Ridley would bet they don’t get it done.

The NFL salary cap for 2022 will be $208.2 million. That’s not a cap, it’s a sombrero.

Tip of my cap to longtime Colts’ TE Jack Doyle, who is retiring after nine NFL seasons. Google “professional football player” and see a picture of Mr. Doyle. Well done, good sir. Jack is an Indy kid who grew up a huge Colts fan. His is a very cool story.

It’s franchise tag deadline day in the NFL. Remember when guys liked being called a “franchise” player? My guess is that Davante Adams is not gonna like this game of “tag.”

Dang, Rodgers. Just make up your mind. Maybe today?

Yes, Richard Sherman can be a knucklehead. But I do think he’s basically a good person, and I hope his guilty plea to two misdemeanor charges stemming from his July arrest brings him some peace and closure. Richard tried to break into his in-laws’ house. Who the hell breaks INTO their in-laws’ house?

I’ll hold off on writing the sonnet to Pop until he holds the record for most career NBA wins all by himself. But he just tied Don Nelson? THAT Don Nelson? Damn. 1,335 victories is, like, a lot.

I’ve never been a “fan” of fans taunting players. The price of your ticket does not give you permission to be a jackass. That said, toughen up Russell Westbrook. “Westbrick”? It could be way worse. Now that they know it gets under your skin, it’s going to get way worse, not better.

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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.