06/29/22 – Radically Rational

06/29/22

Deshaun Watson’s disciplinary hearing may wrap up today. As a practical matter, this is already a wrap.

I’m telling you. While it is still an enormous longshot, the chances that Baker Mayfield will be the Browns’ starting quarterback this season are not zero. Watson will not see the field in 2022, and Jacoby Brissett can’t get the Browns where they are otherwise capable of going. How do I know strange things can happen? Because we’re talking about the Browns, and we’re talking about Baker Mayfield.

After decades of trying to stay light years away from gambling, the NFL is now partnering with the (legal) sports betting industry. In fact, overseeing that relationship will be the sole function of new NFL Vice President David Highhill. That will be a tough job. Many NFL fans despise gambling, while many others follow the league for no other reason than to get down.

Another Popovich protégé has landed an NBA head coaching job. Will Hardy is the new Jazz Man. He started as a video coordinator for Pop and later was promoted to an assistant coaching position. At 34, he now becomes the youngest head coach in the NBA. Ain’t that America?!

Nice bounce-back by the Astros, who threw off the stink of that walk-off extra inning loss to the Yankees on Sunday to bury the Mets 9-1 in the opener of a two-game set at Citi Field. Houston had it going on. Kyle Tucker smacked a three-run homer in the first, Framber Valdez pitched eight scoreless innings, and Yordan Alvarez reached base five times and hit his 23^rd homer. After seven games of a nine-game stretch against the Mets and Yankees, Houston is 5-2.

“If this is it” for Serena, let the salutes, bouquets, hugs, kisses, tributes and accolades commence. Wow.

The first tournament on the Murderous Saudi Blood Money Golf Tour to be played on American soil starts tomorrow outside Portland, Oregon. Pardon me while I turn my back.

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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.