Gambling by NFL players is a legitimate, and apparently growing concern. I’m pretty close to calling it “alarming” after news broke Friday that five players—four of them Detroit Lions—have been suspended following league investigations. Some of this gambling was on NFL games. This is a very slippery slope, as is the league’s ongoing greedy grab to cozy up to the gambling industry.
I’ve watched tons of video on former Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, and yeah, it confirms what I thought after watching a ton of high-profile Bulldog games in 2022.Carter is a beast. That’s not the question. Carter’s character and work ethic is. I’d be leery abut drafting him. Lions G.M. Brad Holmes says he feels “better” about Carter after a recent visit. Detroit has four picks in the first two rounds, including the sixth overall selection. The Lions’ run defense was atrocious in 2020. Carter is a run-stuffer. That talent will eclipse teams’ trepidation. It always does.
The battle between the NFL and the NFLPA over playing field safety is far from settled. The Players Association says data collected from 2012 through 2020 prove conclusively that grass fields are safer than artificial turf fields. The league’s position is that it’s not that simple, that some artificial turf surfaces have a lower injury rate than some grass fields, and vice versa. One thing is clear. Players overwhelmingly prefer playing on grass. This issue will be a hot point of contention in the next CBA negotiations.
I never understood why the Hoodie moved Matt Patricia to the offensive side of the ball last season. That made zero sense to me. That’s why I was not the least bit surprised that Patricia is joining the Eagles’ staff, where he will be a “senior defensive assistant.”
Picking up CeeDee Lamb’s fifth-year option was a no-brainer for the Cowboys. Now let’s hope Dallas gets busy signing Lamb to a long-term deal. That will happen. You could make a case that Lamb has had the most impact in his first three years of any Cowboys receiver since Bob Hayes. Cornerback Trevon Diggs’ future with the team may be a little cloudier, since the team may have to use the franchise tag on him before the 2024 season.
Totally random thought and comparison. Remember when basketball’s Connie Hawkins’ physical talent became legendary, bordering on mythical? I think I see the same thing happening with former Florida QB Anthony Richardson. We will ultimately find out this athletic freakishness squares with professional performance.
Doc Rivers says the NBA must address goading of star players, both on the court and in the headlines. No. NBA star players must address their hypersensitivity to goading. Grow up.
Astros have made it to .500 after beating the Braves. Now we’ll see if they can climb above the break-even line for the first time this season.
