04/13/23 What a fool believes… – Radically Rational

04/13/23 What a fool believes…

I don’t know what Lamar Jackson’s career gameplan is here. No one does. Including Lamar Jackson. My best current guess is that he will play for the Ravens under the franchise tag this season. He will come in late, and sullen, and display unending passive aggressiveness toward the Ravens franchise. He will attempt to portray himself as an underappreciated, underpaid victim.

But he will play for the Ravens. That explains his active recruitment in bringing OBJ to Baltimore. Jackson wants to put up some numbers, improve his reputation as a passer, stay healthy and then try to break the bank in 2024, either in Baltimore or elsewhere.

Good luck with all of that.

Jackson’s agent (himself) has painted him into a corner. Nobody is going to pay him what he wants. Nobody is going to give up two first-round draft picks to acquire a quarterback who will STILL be unhappy with his deal. No one wants the Ravens’ problem to become their problem.

Notice that the Colts went of their way Wednesday to distance themselves from speculation about Jackson.

The $230 million guaranteed deal the Browns gave Deshaun Watson did not “re-set the quarterback market.” It merely proved, again, that the Browns are clueless. The Ravens are under no obligation to follow Cleveland off the cliff.

I do think that Jackson is a rare, and even unique, talent. And I genuinely wish him well. And I genuinely hope he comes to realize that the team that best knows how to utilize his unique talents is the Baltimore Ravens.

Nor does Saquon Barkley have any leverage with the Giants. Barkley has not signed his franchise tender, which would pay him just over $10 million this season. Barkley wants a new long-term deal. The Giants would like to sign him to a new long-term deal. But Barkley has already turned down an offer for $12 million per year. Why would the Giants budge? They don’t have to. Oh, I like Saquon, too.

OK, that’s 12-0 to start the season for the Rays, one win short of the best major league start since 1900. 12-0. I’ve pretty well decided they are legit.

With the exception of DeMar DeRozan’s little daughter, I find nothing compelling or remotely interesting about the NBA’s “play-in” carnival.

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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.