12/22/22 COACH MAYBE A LITTLE SALTY TODAY?

I’m gonna like the Pro Bowl a lot better now that they no longer play a football game. Not that that charade ever resembled a “football game.”

Yes, it’s an honor to be a Pro Bowler, and Pro Bowlers should rightly be proud. So, yeah, let’s all get together, grab some good food, have some fruity drinks, toss the ball around a little, play some slo-mo flag football and invent some “skills” competitions. Just don’t screw it up with helmets and shoulder pads. This is progress.

And while we’re on the subject of sham football games, why are so many folks still hyping Saturday’s “rematch” between the Eagles and Cowboys? The Thrill is Gone. The Eagles are going to win the NFC East. They’re three up with three to play, for goodness sake. The Cowboys will be the fifth seed in the NFC. Philly would be crazy to play Jalen Hurts in this one as he recovers from a sprained throwing shoulder. And don’t give me this drivel about this game “sending a message” if these teams meet in the postseason. It will have no bearing whatsoever, one way or the other. Hey. Saturday is Christmas Eve. Now that this game is completely meaningless, we may all actually have to talk to our family members.

I just realized that there is a definite “I don’t care” theme running through this Thursday morning sports blog.

Along those lines, Wednesday was early signing day in college football. I didn’t care. Of course, recruiting is crucial. But recruiting “rankings” make me want to hang myself by the neck until dead. You know what you get when you give a monkey a computer? A monkey with a computer.

I hear Alabama did well. Well, that’s a relief…

And Arch Manning actually “inked a pact” with Texas? Let’s just declare the Longhorns the 2023 national champions right now.

Damn, Paul? Are you just sour about everything? Not at all. I’m genuinely looking forward to both tonight’s bowl game between Air Force and Baylah (they nasty!) and the NFL Thursday Nighter matching the Jets against the Jags. That’s actually pretty cool. Who would have thought a game between the Jets and Jags would ever be this attractive? Those are two good, interesting and attractive young teams. I’ll be into it.

And now that unfortunately the Titans have lost Ryan Tannehill for the season with an ankle injury that will require surgery, Jacksonville has a legit shot in the AFC Souff.

OK. I did notice this. Former national high school player of the year J.T. Daniels has started at quarterback for USC, Georgia and West Virginia. He’s a very good quarterback. And he’s transferring. Again. To Rice. The Owls were actually pretty good offensively this past season when their four quarterbacks weren’t throwing pick-6s. And Rice returns nine offensive starters in ’23.

So the Colts are going to bench Matt Ryan and start Nick Foles at QB for the rest of the season? That would have been an excellent idea. Back in October.

I want some Tex-Mex. Today. I just thought I’d let you know.

One Response

Ben Campos says:

December 22, 2022 at 1:33 pm

Hi, I’m here for the 2023 UT national championship

Reply

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.