07/31/23 “Mudslide Junction” – Radically Rational

07/31/23 “Mudslide Junction”

I really don’t know why I thought it would be different this season. But, for whatever reason, I thought Jerrah, at the age of 80-whatever, had finally gained the grace not to dirty the waters at training camp. But he has turned Oxnard into Mudslide Junction. Can anyone explain why he would pick a public fight with Zack Martin? And make it personal? Jones says “There is no resolution” to Martin’s contract holdout, adding, “He’ll come to camp when he comes to camp.” OK. Yes, football is a business and you can always claim that “a contract is a contract.” But then Lil’ Abner couldn’t help himself. “We need the money to pay (Micah) Parsons. We need the money to pay the players we’ve got to pay in the future.” Whoa! Now, by specifically invoking the name of another player, you’ve turned a business dispute into a spit in the eye. For Jones and the Cowboys, “the future is now” as we enter the 28^th season of The Great Dallas Super Bowl Drought. Jerrah, you ain’t going anywhere without your 8-time Pro Bowl guard. You just essentially told him to go stand at the back of the line and STFU. And your quarterback also heard it. And you’re pissing him off, too. I thought it would be different this year. I was wrong.

To his credit, Denver coach Sean Payton has apologized for his public attack on former Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett and his 2022 staff. “Unnecessary” would be the kindest way I could describe that ambush. More accurately, it was a shocking violation of The Code among NFL coaches. Hackett, of course, is now the Jets’ O.C. and has been reunited with Aaron Rodgers, with whom he worked in Green Bay with often spectacular results. Rodgers was spot-on Sunday when he came to Hackett’s defense and described Payton as “insecure” and told Payton to keep his coach’s name out of his mouth.

I hate it when I have to console myself with, “Well, at least the Rangers lost, too.” But here we are. The margin is still one game in the AL West. Chuck Howley will be enshrined in the PFHOF this weekend. If you don’t know what a stud Chuck Howley was, yes, I’m gonna tell you tomorrow.

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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.