01/14/23 Wild Card Weekend! – Radically Rational

01/14/23 Wild Card Weekend!

And away we go with Super Wild Card Weekend! I’m taking the ‘Niners and the Jags on Saturday. The horrendous weather in the Bay Area may serve as something of an equalizer in the early game between San Francisco and Seattle, but I can’t see the Seahawks pulling it off.

The nightcap should be fun. Chargers at Jacksonville. Justin Herbert vs. Trevor Lawrence. I’ll take the Jags, pretty much because I trust Doug Pederson more than I do Brandon Staley. Also, the absence of Chargers’ receiver Mike Williams, who has a spinal fracture that will not require surgery, will loom large.

I was mildly surprised to learn Friday that Sean McVay is staying on as the Rams’ head coach. I really thought McVay was going to shut it down for a while, but he says he’s good to go.

The Texans have asked for and received permission from the Saints to talk to Sean Payton about Houston’s vacant head coaching position. This could happen. The Texans have enough draft capital to meet the Saints’ compensation demands for Payton, who is still under contract in New Orleans for two more seasons. The Broncos and Cardinals have also received permission to contact Payton. I think this will all come down to how Payton feels about these teams’ respective quarterback situations. Does Payton think Russell Wilson can return to form? Does he really want anything to do with Kyler Murray? Is there a quarterback in the draft that Payton likes and the Texans can target?

This caught my attention. Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding is leaving to take the same job at Ole Miss. So Golding is leaving Nick Saban and joining Lane Kiffin.

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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.