---

Bar Chat

01/15/2024

Legendary Coaches Exit...NFL Playoffs

Add-on posted early Tues. a.m., before the next round of firings in the NFL.

NFL

--Playoff Schedule next weekend….

Saturday

4:30 p.m. Houston at Baltimore…ESPN/ABC

8:15 p.m. Green Bay at San Francisco… FOX

Sunday

3:00 p.m. Tampa Bay at Detroit…NBC

6:30 p.m. Kansas City at Buffalo…CBS

Let’s hope this slate of games is better than the bulk of this weekend’s were.

--In Sunday’s late opener, after Bills-Steelers had been moved to Monday because of the weather, Green Bay and quarterback Jordan Love came out fast and furious, totally overwhelming the ill-prepared Cowboys in Jerry’s World, 27-0 just prior to halftime before Dallas punched one in to make it 27-7 at the intermission.

In the third quarter, Green Bay added two more touchdowns to Dallas’ two field goals, 41-16, then 48-16 in the fourth before the Packers gave up some garbage time TDs to make the score look far closer than it ever was, 48-32.

Love was awesome, looking like Aaron Rodgers, 16/21, 272, 3-0, 157.2 (158.3 perfection), while Aaron Jones had his fourth consecutive 100-yard game on the ground, 21 carries for 118 and three touchdowns.

Dak Prescott put up some gaudy numbers, 41/60, 403, 3-2, 89.8, but much of this came after the game was long decided, and he didn’t help the cause throwing a pick-six that made it 27-0 at the time.  He’s also now just 2-5 as a starting quarterback in the playoffs, throwing seven interceptions in the seven games.

So, after the game the conversation, aside from singing the Packers’ praises, was about the fate of Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, who has led Dallas to three straight 12-5 regular seasons.  But they are now just 1-3 in the postseason over that time.  Owner Jerry Jones, 81, is running out of time.  He wants a last Super Bowl so badly.  But does he go for Bill Belichick, as many believe he will do?  Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, despite the awful showing on his side of the ball, is also thought to be a hot commodity with all the coaching vacancies.

Prescott, one of the classier players in the league, told reporters after the game that McCarthy has “been amazing.”

“I don’t know how there can be [questions about his job], but I understand the business,” Dak said.  “In that case, it should be about me as well, honestly. That guy, I’ve had the season I’ve had because of him. This team has had the success they’ve had because of him.  I understand it’s about winning the Super Bowl, and that’s the standard of the league and damn sure should be the standard of this place.  I get it, but add me to the list in that case.”

Prescott has one year left on his contract, and reports last month suggested he and the Cowboys were expected to sign an extension this offseason.

Steve Politi / NJ.com

“Would Belichick do it?  He’d have softer landing places after his divorce with the Patriots. The Chargers would give him a better quarterback in Justin Herbert, than the Dak Prescott who wilted against the Packers.  The Falcons would give him a younger core and, with owner Arthur Blank, the kind of boss who wouldn’t meddle as much as Jones.

“Dallas, however, is Dallas. Winning the Cowboys’ first championship since 1996 would be the kind of legacy-defining accomplishment that Belichick might crave at the end of a Hall of Fame career.  Could there be a better way to stick it to New England owner Robert Kraft than to give Jones another Lombardi Trophy?

“It seems like the perfect match.  Belichick would have, in linebacker Micah Parsons*, a defensive star in his prime. He would have, in (CeeDee) Lamb, a playmaker that he hasn’t had since Randy Moss was leading the Pats to an 18-0 start that ended with a loss to the Giants in the Super Bowl.

“ ‘I’m floored,’ Jones told reporters in the locker room after the loss.  ‘This seems like the most painful (playoff loss).  This is beyond my comprehension.’  He wouldn’t address McCarthy’s future – ‘I haven’t thought one second,’ he insisted – but Jones knows he can’t go into 2024 with the architect of this failure on the sideline again.”

*For the record, Micah Parsons was a no-show Sunday, like the rest of the defense.

Green Bay, by the way, is the youngest (by average age) to make the playoffs since 1974.  Starting right tackle (though he moves around, playing where needed) Zach Thom is 24, a 2022 fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest.  Go Deacs!

--In Sunday’s nightcap, the Lions edged the Rams, 24-23, in a terrific game, the first playoff contest that Detroit has hosted in 30 years.  It was their first postseason win since 1991, after which they lost nine straight in the time since.

It was once thought that Matthew Stafford, the best QB in Lions history, would be the guy to snap the streak. Instead it was Jared Goff beating Stafford’s Rams, fitting as it was the Rams who traded Goff for Stafford in 2021.

Goff was superb, 22/27, 277, 1-0, 121.8, Amon-Ra St. Brown with seven receptions for 110 yards, including a huge game-sealing first-down catch from Goff

Stafford was magnificent, 25/36, 367, 2-0, 120.9, playing with a bad throwing hand, while Rams rookie wideout Puka Nacua racked up 181 yards in his playoff debut, a new rookie postseason record.

But the Rams had to settle for three Brett Maher field goals inside the red zone, the longest from 29.

The Lions, on the other hand, got into the red zone three times and scored three touchdowns (on their first three drives).

Here’s the thing, and I’ve been surprised at all the post-game narratives that don’t really acknowledge that without Michael Badgley’s career playoff-best 54-yard field goal in the third quarter that made it 24-17 Detroit, the Lions are once again losers, and the streak would have continued.

It’s really that simple.  Out of nowhere, Badgley without a job much of the season, the kid from Summit, N.J., came through.  Super psyched for the guy I had a chat with at the local field just days before he went to training camp with the Lions and was cut…only to have Detroit call him back months later.

--Monday, as this wild-card weekend was stretched out interminably, Josh Allen and the Bills whipped the Steelers, 31-17, as Allen threw for 3 touchdowns and rushed for 74 yards and another score, the first QB in NFL playoff history to amass these numbers

It was 21-0 early, Allen with a spectacular 52-yard touchdown run, the Steelers tried to make a game of it, pulling to within 24-17 in the fourth, but Allen and the Bills drove the ball 70 yards for the clinching score.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin wouldn’t address his future after, but the rumor is he wants to take a year off. We’ll see.

Now the Chiefs come into Buffalo next Sunday, more bitterly cold weather on tap, but at least for now, no snow in the forecast.  But the Buffalo area is in the midst of picking up another 1-3 feet through Thursday, so good thing they got this in, and kudos to the ground crew.

--As for the nightcap, the Eagles continued their historic collapse.  Even when they were 10-1 there were constant questions as to just how good they were, and then they proceeded to lose six of their last seven, including last night’s 32-9 debacle in Tampa Bay.

The Eagles played with zero energy, quarterback Jalen Hurts emotionless on the sidelines, and all of Philadelphia expects coach Nick Sirianni to be fired by the time you read this, even after taking the team to the Super Bowl last season.

Troy Aikman said on the telecast after the game: “You’ve got to re-energize the fan base and to do that, there has to be changes.  Will there be changes?  Will it be Nick Sirianni?  I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised. …You can’t go into next season with the status quo. …It’s going to be a long offseason for the Eagles.”

As for the Bucs, Todd Bowles’ squad looked solid, and Baker Mayfield was terrific, 22/36, 337, 3-0, 119.8.  He was pretty good all season, 28 touchdown passes, 10 interceptions, and unlike Jalen Hurts, Mayfield energized his team.  Good for him.  I want him doing Progressive commercials again.

--With Detroit’s win, Miami now has the longest playoff drought, 23 seasons since they last won a postseason game.

--Kind of shockingly, Saturday night’s wild-card game on Peacock got an average of 23 million viewers to stream it, making Chiefs-Dolphins the most-streamed game in NFL history.  Which means one thing.  We will have another ‘stream only’ playoff game on Peacock next season.

--We note the passing of former NFL, and Wake Forest, great, quarterback Norm Snead, who made four Pro Bowls in his 16-year career.  He was 84, dying after a lengthy illness, according to his brother.

Snead started his career with Washington, making the Pro Bowl two of his three seasons there, before being traded to the Eagles for Sonny Jurgensen.  Later, after playing for Minnesota for a season, he was traded to the Giants for Fran Tarkenton.

Snead had a miserable 52-100-7 record as a starter, but he was on some dreadful teams.

--In College Football, Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Bond is heading to Texas, even with Kalen DeBoer coming in to replace Nick Saban.  DeBoer is bringing former Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb with him.

--Arizona coach Jedd Fisch is leaving to replace DeBoer after a terrific three-year run in Tucson; 1-11, to 5-7, to 10-3.  The Wildcats were 0-5 in the 2020 Covid season and had lost 12 in a row when Fisch took over.  A little different situation for him in Seattle.

--Caleb Williams finally declared for the NFL Draft.

College Basketball

--New AP Poll (records thru Sunday)

1. UConn (39) 15-2*
2. Purdue (20) 15-2
3. Kansas (3) 14-2
4. North Carolina (1) 13-3
5. Houston 14-2
6. Tennessee 12-4
7. Duke 13-3
8. Kentucky 12-3
9. Baylor 14-2
10. Memphis 15-2
11. Wisconsin 13-3
12. Arizona 12-4
13. Auburn 14-2
14. Illinois 12-4
15. Oklahoma 13-3
16. Utah State 16-1
17. Marquette 11-5
18. Creighton 13-4
19. TCU 13-3….zoooommm…after their two big wins
20. BYU 13-3
21. Dayton 13-2
22. Ole Miss 15-1
23. Florida Atlantic 13-4
24. Iowa State 13-3
25. Texas Tech 14-2

*Incredibly, this is the first time UConn has hit No. 1 in the AP Top 25 since spending four weeks there in the second half of the 2008-09 season.

Wake Forest received no votes, which is really kind of funny.  4-1 in the ACC.  But we have some tough conference road games comin’ up, starting tonight at NC State….put up or shut up time…gotta win a few of them.

Gonzaga fell out after a loss at Santa Clara, marking the first time they have been unranked since 2015-16.

Houston, despite losing twice, only dropped three spots because 15 ranked teams lost last week!

--In the NBA, the Knicks got off to a poor start for their extended home stand, falling to the Magic (22-18) at the Garden in their traditional MLK Day contest, 98-94.

But New York (23-17) was without Jalen Brunson for a second game due to his calf issue and they obviously need him in the lineup.

Stuff

--Interesting start to the 2024 PGA Tour season.  Two golfers with well-known problems with alcohol prevailing.  Last week it was Chris Kirk at The Sentry, and Sunday evening in Honolulu, it was Grayson Murray, who sank a miracle 40-foot putt on the first playoff hole to beat Byeong Hun (Ben) An and Keegan Bradley.  An missed from 4 feet for his first win.  It was Murray’s first since the 2017 Barbasol Championship.

But there is so much to the story.  You see, by his own admission, in 2017 Murray was drinking during tournament week and admitting on Sunday at the Barbasol that he played three days hungover when he won.

“Best thing and worst thing that ever happened to me was winning my rookie year,” he said.  “I think the alcohol brought a side out of me that wasn’t me.  It was kind of the monster in me in a way.”

Success was fleeting.  Aside from alcoholism, he dealt with anxiety and depression, and said there were days he didn’t want to get out of bed.

That he won at the Sony was fitting as it was the site of one of his lowest points.  Three years ago, at this very tournament, Murray was involved in an incident at a hotel bar where many of the players stayed, and the Tour placed him on probation.

“Why was I drunk?” he posted on social media.  “Because I’m an alcoholic that hates everything to do with the PGA Tour life and that’s my scapegoat.”

Murray eventually entered rehab and he said he’s been sober for eight months.

He regained exempt status on the PGA Tour this season after winning twice on the Korn Ferry Tour last year and set out to treat his return to the big leagues as a new beginning.  Mission accomplished…so far….

--Naomi Osaka made her return to Grand Slam tennis at the Australian Open following maternity leave, and she lost her first-round match to Caroline Garcia, who is the 16th seed.

Osaka had returned to tournament tennis just two weeks ago after a 15-month layoff. 

--And we note the passing of Joyce Randolph, 99.  Some of you may be instantly thinking, where do I know that name?  So I’ll give you a second…….

Randolph played Trixie Norton, the disapproving Brooklynite wife of a sewer worker on “The Honeymooners.”  She died Saturday at her home in Manhattan, complications from dementia, according to her son.

Randolph emerged from obscurity, having done a Clorets gum commercial, to join the cast of “The Honeymooners,” one of the most enduringly popular sitcom ensembles of all time. She was its last surviving member.

As the Washington Post’s Adam Bernstein wrote:

‘ ‘The Honeymooners’ began in 1951 as a skit on Jackie Gleason’s DuMont network variety show ‘Cavalcade of Stars’ and featured two blue-collar friends, their get-rich-quick schemes and their exasperated but ultimately forgiving wives.

“Gleason portrayed Ralph Kramden, a bus driver and blowhard forever conjuring half-baked plans to escape his dingy apartment and life behind the wheel.  Art Carney was Ed Norton, his rubber-limbed, dimwitted upstairs neighbor and partner in crime. Audrey Meadows was Alice Kramden, forever pouring cold water on her hotheaded husband’s plans, as Ms. Randolph’s Trixie cast an equally gimlet eye on her spouse’s impractical ambitions.

“ ‘You can take the man out of the sewer,’ she says of her husband, ‘but you can’t take the sewer out of the man.’”

The 10-minute skits turned into a half-hour sitcom called “The Honeymooners” on CBS in 1955 and 1956.

Growing up I loved the re-runs, because I had an aunt and uncle who lived in a really dreary place like the Kramdens in New York City, Mom dragging the family to see Aunt Anna and Uncle Jimmy often after Mets games on the way home.  It was so depressing, walking up 7 or 8 flights of stairs, but we did it for Mom and it gave me an appreciation of city life for the common folk back then. Aunt Anna worked in a garment factory.  We never knew what Uncle Jimmy did, except I later learned he had been a world-famous chess player back in Czechoslovakia.

In a 1999 interview with the Television Academy Foundation, Randolph said she had little memory of her time with “The Honeymooners” because of the breakneck speed of their work – “fast-paced, very little time to socialize, just enough time to read and memorize lines.”  She described Gleason as a mercurial figure – jolly or else in a “black Irish mood” – and Carney as shy and quiet (“You don’t get to know Art”).  Gleason died in 1987, Meadows in 1996 and Carney in 2003.

I love this final anecdote from Adam Bernstein:

“In her later years, Ms. Randolph held court at Sardi’s, the Broadway watering hole, nursing her favorite drink of Dewar’s Scotch whisky and milk – dubbed the White Cadillac.  Even a half-century after she left ‘The Honeymooners,’ she was frequently recognized at the bar by zealous fans.  When asked for her autograph, she smiled obligingly and downplayed the significance of her part on the show.  ‘It was others,’ she said.  ‘Not me.’

“ ‘I talk to everyone,’ she told the New York Times in 2007.  ‘You can’t be hoity. …I know what they really want is the name Trixie Norton. So I sign that, too.’”

Seriously, that would be so cool to have that autograph.

Next Bar Chat, Sunday p.m.  I will try to wait until after the first playoff game that day.

-----

[Posted early Sun. p.m., prior to NFL playoff games and golf]

NFL Quiz: 1) Name the four QBs selected ahead of Lamar Jackson in the 2018 NFL Draft.  2) Name the QB selected in the third round who has become a late-season star.  Answers below.

NFL

--In Saturday’s playoff opener, rookie C.J. Stroud became the youngest quarterback to win a playoff game, Stroud almost perfect, 16/21, 274, 3-0, 157.2, as the Texans mauled the Browns, 45-14, Joe Flacco throwing two pick-sixes, 34/46, 307, 1-2, 80.6 overall.

Cleveland had a 14-10 lead early in the second quarter before it all went downhill.  Stroud had three first half touchdown passes to Nico Collins, Brevin Jordan and Dalton Schultz, Jordan’s going for 76 yards.  The Texans then had the two pick-sixes from Steven Nelson and Christian Harris in the third quarter and it was game over.

A huge disappointment for Browns fans, and Flacco, who was carving out one of the great stories in recent NFL history until it went south on him.

But what an exciting story the Texans are.  It helps that Stroud is highly likeable and it’s amazing the job rookie coach DeMeco Ryans has done. 

You can also see why Texas offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is highly sought after with all the head coach job openings.

--Then we had the frigid nightcap, Miami at Kansas City.  For the record, the game time temperature of -4 at Arrowhead Stadium was the fourth-coldest in NFL history, the 1967 “Ice Bowl” still the recordholder with a temperature of -13 and wind chill of -48.  The windchill of -27 was the third-coldest kickoff wind chill ever.

It was the coldest game ever in K.C., the previous record of 0.5 degrees at kickoff (-19 wind chill) in 1983 when the Chiefs played the Broncos.

But it wasn’t much of a game to watch, as Kansas City dominated, 26-7, Patrick Mahomes throwing for 262 yards and a touchdown in the miserable conditions, Rashee Rice accounting for half the yardage, eight receptions for 130 and the TD.  And kicker Harrison Butker was outstanding, nailing all four field goal attempts.

Kansas City’s defense held the injury-depleted Dolphins offense to just 264 yards in all.

The Chiefs won their 15th consecutive home playoff game.  But they head to Buffalo next week if the Bills beat the Steelers in their delayed contest, now Monday afternoon following the Buffalo area’s blizzard, which may continue tomorrow.

By the way, ticket prices dropped to as low as $38 for the Chiefs game due to the ungodly temperatures.

--Bill Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft agreed to part ways amicably in a classy, albeit brief, appearance on Thursday.  The move came after New England finished the season 4-13, their worst since 1992, and the third time in four years the Patriots have finished with a losing record.

Belichick can now seek another job, and he will get at least one offer.

For the record, he is second all-time in wins (including playoffs) among head coaches with his 333, trailing only Don Shula’s 347.  Belichick was an astounding 266-121 in the regular season with New England, the Patriots posting a winning record in 20 of his 24 seasons.

But they are 29-38 with one playoff appearance and no postseason wins since the departure of Tom Brady.  With Brady at quarterback, the Patriots never finished below .500.

Belichick’s six Super Bowls are two more than any other head coach, and he won two others as an assistant to Bill Parcells.

The Patriots then moved quickly to replace The Hoodie, utilizing a succession plan written into the contract of linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, becoming the first of the eight NFL teams searching for new head coaches to fill their vacancy.

Mayo’s previous contract as an assistant contained the succession clause, which was filed with the NFL and accepted, meaning the league had already approved it.

This meant the Pats didn’t have to go through an extensive interview process to comply with the NFL’s Rooney Rule for minority hiring requirements.

This also meant the presumptive favorite, Mike Vrabel, a former Patriots linebacker with three Super Bowl rings who was fired as coach of the Titans on Tuesday, did not get the job. 

Vrabel was let go after a 54-45 record, three playoff berths and a 2021 AP Coach of the Year award in six seasons in Tennessee.

But the Titans were 13-21 over the last two seasons.

The move to fire Vrabel was a bit of a shock to the players, but for Vrabel, the move to New England seemed to be a layup.  Until it wasn’t.

Tom Brady, in a classy statement, said he never would’ve been the player he became without Bill Belichick.

Brady paid tribute to his former coach on Instagram, calling him the GOAT.

“I’m incredibly grateful to have played for he best coach in the history of the NFL,” Brady wrote.

“He was a great leader for the organization, and for all of the players who played for him.  We accomplished some amazing things over a long period of time, many of which will be hard to replicate.  He worked every day to help us achieve the ultimate goal, in the ultimate team sport. And, although we were successful, some of the greatest lessons I learned were in the moments where we faced the most challenging adversities.  He set the tone for the organization to never falter in the face of adversity, and to do what we could do, and what was in our control, which was to go out and DO OUR JOB.

“I could never have been the player I was without you Coach Belichick.  I am forever grateful. And I wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose next.”

Brady and Belichick arrived to the Patriots the same year, in 2000, when Brady was nearly an afterthought as a sixth-round pick out of Michigan, while Belichick was infamously coming off resigning “as the HC of the NYJ,” leaving the Jets high and dry after one day on the job.

The Patriots went 5-11 in their first year before Brady took over for Drew Bledsoe two games into the 2021 season after Bledsoe was injured on a hit by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis.

--While Belichick’s dismissal was expected, Pete Carroll’s firing on Wednesday was a stunner, though he will remain with the organization as an advisor (if he isn’t hired away by someone else), Seahawks chair Jody Allen said in a statement.

Seattle ended their season with a road win over the Cardinals to finish 9-8, missing the playoffs since the Packers held the tiebreaker.

Monday, Carroll downplayed the idea that he may be ready to move on from coaching.

“I plan to be coaching this team,” he said on his radio show.  “And I told you, I love these guys. And that’s what I would like to be doing and see how far you can go.”

He added: “I’m not worn out.  I’m not tired.  I’m not any of that stuff.”

The 72-year-old Carroll delivered Seattle its only Super Bowl title during the 2013 season, and went 137-89-1 (.606) during his 14 years with the team.

Carroll also had brief stints with the Jets (6-10, 1994) and the Patriots (27-21, 1997-99) before enjoying sustained success at USC.

The Seahawks, however, last won a playoff game during the 2019 season, going just 25-26 the last three.

--So, after the Jerod Mayo hiring, seven open jobs remained.

Chargers, Commanders, Falcons, Panthers, Raiders, Seahawks, Titans

The Chicago Bears surprised some folks in retaining head coach Matt Eberflus, who has gone 10-24 in his two seasons, though Chicago played pretty well down the stretch, winning five of eight, which no doubt saved his job.

Now the Bears have the big decision…Caleb Williams with their first pick in the draft, or stay with Justin Fields and take a lineman.

--The Associated Press 2023 NFL All-Pro team was announced. This is the one that matters.  When you are looking up old-time players on football-reference.com, it’s the AP All-Pro selections that matter far more than Pro Bowls, if you know your football.

This year’s first team….

OFFENSE

QB – Lamar Jackson, Balt.
RB – Christian McCaffrey, S.F.
FB – Kyle Juszczyk, S.F.
TE – George Kittle, S.F.
WR – Tyreek Hill, Miami; CeeDee Lamb, Dallas; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit
LT – Trent Williams, S.F.
LG – Joe Thuney, K.C.
C – Jason Kelce, Philadelphia
RG – Zack Martin, Dallas
RT – Penei Sewell, Detroit

DEFENSE

Edge Rushers – Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt
Interior Linemen – Aaron Donald, Chris Jones
LB – Fred Warner, S.F.; Roquan Smith, Baltimore; Quincy Williams, NY Jets
CB – DaRon Bland, Dallas; Sauce Gardner, NY Jets
Slot CB – Trent McDuffie, K.C.
Safeties – Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore; Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK – Brandon Aubrey, Dallas
P – AJ Cole, Las Vegas
KR – Keisean Nixon, Green Bay

Jets fans were psyched to see Quincy Williams, who had a terrific season, selected, but for some reason he didn’t make the Pro Bowl, which his brother, Quinnen, did.

--Pat McAfee announced Wednesday that Aaron Rodgers had made his final appearance of the season.

“There will be a lot of people who are happy with that, myself included to be honest with you,” McAfee said.  “The way it ended, it got really loud. I am happy that he’s not going to be in my mentions going forward, which is great news.”

Rodgers was originally scheduled to appear through the playoffs, reports had it.  His feud with Jimmy Kimmel was too much, and he spent his final appearance on Tuesday spending much of his time on the topic.

But wait…there he was, back on with McAfee less than 24 hours later, “from the woods,” to talk about Bill Belichick leaving the Patriots.

McAfee did say on Wednesday night in a tweet that he hoped Rodgers would still come on to discuss “big events.”

Rodgers touted Belichick’s “love of the game” and the respect the coach always showed him.

Nancy Armour / USA TODAY…with further reflections on what Rodgers has become….

“He’s become the kooky, cringey relative at family holidays, demanding to be taken seriously as a deep thinker ‘challenging the establishment’ when what he’s parroting is both nonsensical and easily debunked.  It’s a far cry from the days when Rodgers acted as something of a conscience for the league, offering thoughtful and measured responses to thorny issues that went even beyond football.

“Had Rodgers simply not gotten vaccinated, even been caught lying about it, it would have been a blip on his glittering resume.  A footnote at the bottom of stories about him. But he has made his fight for truth the central theme of his narrative, and you can no longer separate Rodgers the star quarterback from Rodgers the quack.  Especially when his misinformation, his snide remarks about those he disagrees with or those who call him on his BS go from being simply unfunny to dangerous.”

Following Jimmy Kimmel’s blistering monologue against Rodgers Monday night….

“Rodgers tried to say Tuesday that he wasn’t suggesting Kimmel’s name would be on a list of people associated with (Jeffrey) Epstein, who trafficked young women to the rich and famous. But his explanation – that he only wants corruption and corrupt people exposed – was as bogus as his repeated claim that India and Japan successfully used ivermectin to treat Covid.  Anyone who heard Rodgers last week, and saw the smug look on his face, knew he thought he was delivering a savage takedown of Kimmel.

“But the only person Rodgers is taking down is himself.

“Rodgers is intelligent, and his curiosity about the world outside of football used to be one of his most admirable qualities.  But he somehow got lost in a vortex of misinformation and mistruths, and can no longer see what everyone else does.

“Rodgers is a terrific quarterback and an utter fool, and it’s impossible to separate one from the other.”

College Football

--The College Football world was stunned to learn of the retirement of Alabama coach Nick Saban, 72.

Saban is simply the best college football coach ever. Seven national titles (six with Alabama, one with LSU), 11 SEC championships, a 292-71-1 career record, 206-29 at Alabama. 

Saban’s tenure at Bama saw 123 players drafted into the NFL, 44 first-round picks (most of any coach in the common draft era, 49 overall), and four Heisman Trophy winners. A man obsessed with process and scheme, he changed the sport, and changed with it as tactics shifted.  The 16 straight seasons of double-digit wins is a record.  He’s the only coach to win a title in three different decades, further showing his ability to adapt.

And he leaves on his own terms, which everyone can appreciate.

Dan Wolken / USA TODAY

“All along, the signs were hidden in plain sight.  Saban, at age 72 and understanding how rapidly college athletics were changing, finally had enough.

“Congratulations to him on a job more than well-done.  Pity the rest of us who will never see his kind again….

“When then-Alabama athletics director Mal Moore convinced Saban to leave the Miami Dolphins and come back to college football, there was no doubt he was going to win. But the way he did it – efficiently, ruthlessly and with the notoriously fractious Alabama boosters all falling in line – was a revelation.

“And that was just the beginning.

“He didn’t merely win football games, he changed the entire paradigm of the university. During Saban’s tenure, the school’s enrollment doubled, its endowment exploded and more than half of its freshmen now come from out of state.

“His innovations and search for every conceivable advantage forced the SEC to adapt or get run over, which it mostly did anyway.  The old-guard coaches like Steve Spurrier sneered at pouring millions of dollars into fancy facilities and armies of analysts, but once Saban started winning, the competition had no choice but to try and copy his blueprint….

“Whatever it was – name, image and likeness, transfer portal, the creation of the College Football Playoff – Saban adapted and won.  He was always thinking, always pushing, always innovating to create an edge.  When Covid-19 hit and football stopped, his first impulse was to get Apple Watches sent to the players so that their individual workouts could be monitored.

“Alabama cruised to the national title later that year….

“His brain just worked differently, but he never lost sight of the most important factor in his success.  Being the best football mind wasn’t worth much if you didn’t have the players. So when Saban got to Alabama, he recruited and recruited and recruited some more.  By his third year, he made sure he never had to coach a game with inferior talent.”

As for Saban’s successor, Bama moved quickly.

Chuck Culpepper / Washington Post

“The coveted yet unenviable role of replacing coach Nick Saban at Alabama went Friday to a name Alabama fans might not have recognized even two months ago, yet a name that has spent recent years surging upward in the ranks of coaching reputations.  It went to Kalen DeBoer, the 49-year-old native South Dakotan who steered Washington to this week’s College Football Playoff national championship game in his second season in Seattle.

“After a Thursday and a Friday morning of rapt attention and memes about papal-style white smoke here in Alabama and elsewhere, the news began emerging Friday afternoon, shortly after a storm had passed through the area and forced local schools to close as a precaution. It came after three other much-discussed names decided to remain in their head coaching jobs, with at least the latter two getting fresh raises: former Alabama graduate assistant Dan Lanning of Oregon, former Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian of Texas, and Mike Norvell of Florida State.  In addition to DeBoer’s glowing coaching record of 104-12 across multiple levels, he boasts a 3-0 record against Lanning and a 2-0 record against Sarkisian, including in the Sugar Bowl national semifinal of Jan. 1.”

It seems like a great move by Alabama, though the big question is, can DeBoer recruit like Nick Saban was able to.  One five-star recruit, wide receiver Ryan Williams from Saraland, Ala., withdrew his commitment upon learning of Saban’s retirement.

--Shedeur Sanders announced he is returning to Colorado for his senior season, his dad, Coach Prime, no doubt finding more NIL money for his lad to make the decision even easier.  Deion has also been once again a recruiting fool…bringing in at least 20 players from the portal and all seem to be in agreement the Buffaloes could be greatly improved, and Shedeur is instantly a Heisman Trophy frontrunner.

“Y’all know I’m not declaring this year.  We got the pieces we need do it big this year,” he wrote on social media.

--Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is also returning for a third season with the Longhorns, and he will be another preseason Heisman contender.  Ewers took a big step up this season, after a shaky 2022 debut, leading Texas to the College Football Playoff before falling to Washington.

Ewers’ move means that the Arch Manning era will be put on hold for one more year – if Manning intends for that opportunity to come at Texas.

--Former Washington State star quarterback Cam Ward two weeks ago announced he was heading to the NFL Draft.  But then Saturday he changed his mind and committed to Miami.

“They’ve got a lot of people returning on offense and defense,” he told The Athletic.  “With the portal guys they’ve got coming in and the recruiting class they had, I easily think Miami can get to the CFP next year.”

Ward has thrown for 13,876 yards and 119 touchdowns in his four college seasons…only six players at all levels, including D-II and D-III, had thrown for more at the end of the season.

Former Miami starting QB Tyler Van Dyke transferred to Wisconsin.

--And just now we learned Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy has declared for the NFL Draft, as you’d expect.  Coach Harbaugh has an interview with the Chargers.

--I forgot to note the final AP Top 25….

1. Michigan (61)
2. Washington
3. Texas
4. Georgia
5. Alabama
T-6. Oregon
T-6. Florida State
8. Missouri
9. Ole Miss…Wake Forest hosts them next September, very cool…
10. Ohio State
11. Arizona
12. LSU
13. Penn State
14. Notre Dame
15. Oklahoma
16. Oklahoma State
17. Tennessee
18. Kansas State
19. Louisville
20. Clemson
21. NC State
22. SMU
23. Kansas
24. Iowa
25. Liberty

--Monday’s national title game drew 25 million viewers, the most-watched college football game since LSU-Clemson four years ago.

College Basketball

[I’m not including conference records unless it’s at least the fourth game.]

It was nuts Tuesday and Wednesday in college hoops.

Tuesday…No. 1 Purdue (14-2, 3-2) lost on the road to Nebraska (13-3, 3-2), 88-72, as the Cornhuskers held Zach Edey to just 15 points.

No. 2 Houston (14-1) then lost its first of the year (no undefeated teams remaining), 57-53 to Iowa State (12-3) in Ames.

Also Tuesday, Wake Forest (11-4, 3-1) suffered its first ACC loss down at Florida State (9-6, 3-1), 87-82, in an incredibly frustrating game for Demon Deacon fans to watch.  It was the first time we really didn’t play well as a team, committing an egregious 20 turnovers, many self-inflicted (like kicking the ball off the leg during the dribble), even though Wake twice came back from 12-point deficits to take the lead.

Rutgers (9-6, 1-3) picked up a desperately needed 66-57 win against Indiana (11-5, 3-2), RU having the Hoosiers’ number the past few years.

Wednesday…No. 3 Kansas (13-2) was upset at UCF (10-4), 65-60.

5 Tennessee (11-4) fell to Mississippi State (12-3) on the road, 77-72.

And 9 Oklahoma (13-2) lost at TCU (12-3), 80-71. 

Additionally, 11 Marquette (11-5, 2-3) was upset by Butler (11-5, 2-3), 69-62.

7 North Carolina (12-3, 4-0), on the other hand, held serve with a nice 67-54 road win at NC State (11-4, 3-1).

Also Wednesday, St. John’s (12-4, 4-1) continued to make strides under Rick Pitino with a terrific 75-73 win over Providence (11-5, 2-3) at the Garden.

The Garden seats more than 19,000, and some pointed to ‘only’ 11,832 fans attending a 6:30 p.m. tip on a Wednesday, but the Johnnies wouldn’t have drawn 4,000 there a few years ago.  If they keep improving, they’ll be packing the place like days of old.  And Pitino is clearly targeting next season as the big breakthrough.  Success this season will have transfers streaming to the school.

Friday, Nebraska fell to 3-3 in the Big 12, losing to Iowa (10-6, 2-3), 94-76, making Purdue’s loss to the Huskers look even worse.

Saturday, more upsets, though 1 Purdue rebounded to beat Penn State (8-9, 2-4), 96-78, Zach Edey with a monster game, 30 points and 20 rebounds for the Boilermakers, now 15-2, 4-2.

5 Tennessee (12-4) also held on to defeat Georgia (12-4) in Athens.  The Bulldogs had a double-digit lead late, but scored only one point the last 5+ minutes and the Vols, led by Northern Colorado transfer Dalton Knecht’s 36, roared to the finish.  This would have been a big win for Wake Forest as well, since the Deacs lost to Georgia early in the season.

Speaking of Wake, we rebounded from the FSU loss to soundly whip Virginia (11-4, 2-3) 66-47, the Deacs shooting 50% from the field, while holding the Cavaliers to a miserable 28.1%.  Eegads, that blows.  Wake is now 12-4, 4-1, as this fan is just hoping for a 12-8 conference record, which should be enough to get us into the Big Dance, but a long, long way to go.

Cliché alert….one game at a time, boys!  [And clean up those turnovers, another 17 yesterday.]

Meanwhile, back to the upsets du jour, 2 Houston (14-2) lost again, TCU (13-3) pulling off their second upset of a top ten team in four days, 68-67, in an exciting finish.  TCU will obviously be ranked this week.

6 Kentucky (12-3) lost at Texas A&M (10-6) 97-92.

And 8 Arizona (12-4) lost at Washington State (12-5) 73-70.

Finally, in Big East play, Seton Hall is 5-1 in the conference, 12-5 overall, after a 78-72 road win at Butler (11-6, 2-4).

St. John’s (12-5, 4-2) suffered a crushing loss at Creighton (13-4, 4-2) 66-65.

Today, Rutgers lost at Michigan State (10-7, 2-4), 73-55, the Spartans with a 19-0 second half run. The Scarlet Knights are just 9-7, 1-4.  They basically suck.

NBA

--Chicago Bulls fans have already made next December’s file for all the wrong reasons.  The Bulls celebrated their inaugural class for the organization’s new Ring of Honor during halftime of Friday night’s game against Golden State, but the ceremony took a nasty turn when some fans loudly booed Jerry Krause, the former Chicago general manager who died in 2017.

The first Ring of Honor class included 13 men and the entire 1995-96 team, which went 72-10 and won the NBA championship.

The Bulls were missing a few key members from the team, with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman absent.  Rodman was going to be there before the bad weather in the region prevented him from being part of the festivities. Both he and Jordan submitted video messages acknowledging the honor.

Phil Jackson received the largest cheers of the attendees.

But Krause’s name was booed vociferously, with his widow, Thelma, in attendance and visibly emotional at the reception. 

What bastards.

Former Bulls forward Stacey King, now an analyst for NBC Sports Chicago, said when play resumed in the third quarter that the fans were “classless.”

“It was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” King added.  “I hurt for that lady.  Brought her to tears, and whoever booed her in this arena should be ashamed of themselves.”

Krause, who built the Bulls’ dynasty, was blamed for dismantling it, one of the themes of the popular “The Last Dance” documentary about the 1997-98 season, the final one of Bulls’ greatness.

Bulls star DeMar DeRozan said of Krause, “You can never take away what he created.  Without Jerry, there wouldn’t be a historic Chicago Bulls history.”

Warriors coach Steve Kerr – who played five seasons in Chicago from 1993 to 1998 and was grateful that the Bulls’ scheduling allowed for him to be in attendance Friday – said he was in the locker room at the time but heard about the booing, which he described as “absolutely shameful.”

“I’m devastated for Thelma and for the Krause family,” Kerr said.  “I cannot believe that the fans – and you have to understand, when you hear boos, it’s not all of them. The fans who booed, they know who they are.  To me, it’s absolutely shameful, and I’m devastated by that.”

--The Knicks (23-16) are now 6-1 with OG Anunoby.  They had a bad road loss at Dallas the other day, 128-124, the Mavs playing without Luka Doncic. 

But they won last night in Memphis, 106-94, as New York was without Jalen Brunson, who has a balky calf, but of course the Grizzlies are without Ja Morant.

Once again, Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein had a huge game, 12 points, 20 rebounds.

And now the Knicks are back at the Garden, Monday, for their traditional MLK Jr. Day game.   This starts a stretch through Feb. 10 with 10 of 12 at home…a chance to get in a real groove.  I expect OG will be even more embraced by the home fans.

--Victor Wembanyama recorded his first NBA triple-double (16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists) in the Spurs’ 130-108 win over the Pistons on Wednesday…and in just 21 minutes of play.

MLB

--The Yankees bolstered their starting rotation, agreeing to terms on a two-year, $37 million deal with Marcus Stroman, a former Met.  His contract can become a three-year, $55 million deal if an innings threshold (140) is reached in 2025.

Stroman, 32, is coming off an up-and-down season for the Cubs, his second in Chicago. He was 9-4 with a 2.28 ERA through 16 starts, helping him earn an All-Star nod.  But he went 1-5, 8.29, over his final 11 starts as he battled injury.

Stroman is 77-76, 3.65, for his career and is great at inducing ground balls, so he could be very effective at the Little Bandbox that Ruth Didn’t Build.

However, here’s the thing.  The guy is an asshole, very high maintenance.  He’ll be on his best behavior early on, no doubt, but then watch out if things aren’t going his way.

Separately, the Yankees avoided arbitration with Juan Soto, one-year, $31 million, the highest ever for an arbitration-eligible player, beating out the $30 million Shohei Ohtani got last year.  Now it’s about the Yanks getting Soto to sign a huge extension end of the season, Soto already saying he will test out the market.

--The Mets signed Pete Alonso to a one-year, $20.5 million contract, avoiding arbitration.  If the Metsies don’t get off to a good start, Alonso could be gone at or before the trade deadline, given his upcoming free agency.

--The Cubs signed lefty Japanese Pitcher Shota Imanaga, terms of the deal not disclosed.  Call him Yamamoto ‘light’.  I was hoping the Mets would sign him.

--Rays star Wander Franco may not be allowed into the United State when he faces charges of sexual abuse of a minor in the D.R., two immigration attorneys told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.  Moreover, it would likely take a “full exoneration” for Franco to gain reentry into the U.S., so it’s possible he’s done playing baseball here, which would be remarkable.

--I was reading a piece in Crain’s New York Business by Jack Grieve on how much it cost the New York Yankees to miss the playoffs last season.

To wit, in 2022, when the Yankees made it to the ALCS, only to be swept by the Astros, “the team brought in $344.7 million in ticket sale and suite license proceeds.  That included collections of $72.6 million from the five home games the team hosted during the postseason.”

Last season, the 82-80 Yanks brought in just $279.2 million in ticket and suite sales.

The numbers are according to disclosures the team makes to holders of the bonds it used to pay for the construction of their stadium.

[I know you’ll want to do the math per game, per ticket, and it comes out to $84-$86 (given 40,000 fans), so the numbers make total sense.  It ain’t cheap going to baseball games in the bigger markets these days.]

--Finally, we note the passing of Mets legend Bud Harrelson, 79.  He had been battling Alzheimer’s since 2016.

Harrelson was a classic good-field, no-hit shortstop from his day, winning the Gold Glove in 1971 and making the All-Star team in 1970-71.  He was a key to the Miracle Mets’ 1969 championship, and their 1973 N.L. pennant winners who lost the Series to the Oakland A’s.  [I still cry myself to sleep over that one, 50 years later.]  Harrelson was also the third base coach on the 1986 Champs, becoming the only person to be in uniform on both World Series winning teams.

Harrelson replaced the fired Davey Johnson as manager in 1990 and coached the team until late in the 1991 season when he was also dismissed.  He had an overall record of 145-129 as Mets manager when he was fired in the last week of that season.

‘Buddy’ was with the Mets his first 13 seasons in the big leagues, finishing up in Philadelphia and Texas.

Harrelson was a beloved teammate and fan favorite, despite the fact he hit only .236 for his career with just seven home runs in 4,744 at-bats.

He never hit more than one home run a season, and I was thinking I could not remember him actually hitting a ball out of the park (though he did), but I have written on more than one occasion of one of my favorite early vivid memories of the Mets, Aug. 17, 1967, in Pittsburgh.

My father had just driven me to the local pizzeria to run in and get our dinner he had called in, we get the pizza home, I turned on the Mets game on our little black & white in the living room and will never forget watching Harrelson bloop a hit down the right-field line that the umpire ruled ‘fair.’

Pittsburgh right-fielder Al Luplow, who had played with the Mets the previous season, argued the call and while he was doing so, Harrelson sped around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.  You can look it up.

And of course there was one of the more memorable moments in Mets history, Game 3, NLCS against the Reds, Bud Harrelson getting into a fight with Pete Rose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8xKLnO4hOs

“Words can’t describe & so saddened in hearing of the passing of #BudHarrelson,” Art Shamsky, Harrelson’s teammate from 1968-71, wrote on social media.  “A great teammate & friend & a huge part of the ‘Miracle’ in #1969.  His fight against Alzheimer’s is so inspirational.  A true icon in #NYMets history.  Prayers to his family & loved ones.  RIP Buddy!”

Golf Balls

--At this week’s Sony Open in Honolulu, it was all about the return of Gary Woodland, just four months after he underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his brain.

An emotional Woodland said during his pre-tournament press conference Tuesday at Waialae Country Club: “I had gone four and a half months of every day really thinking I was going to die. Every day it was a new way of dying, new way of death. The jolting in the middle of the night scared the heck out of me.”

Woodland missed the cut, but after Thursday’s opening 71, he said he’s never felt better about shooting one-over.

Wake Forest’s Will Zalatoris is finding difficulty in his comeback from major back surgery, also missing the cut, 76-69.

Heading into the final round, the event not finishing until this evening….

Keegan Bradley -14
Grayson Murray -14

Last week’s winner, Chris Kirk, at -11.

--The DP World (European) Tour started the season in Dubai with the Dubai Invitational, and Rory McIlroy royally screwed it up, 3-putting from 2 feet at No. 14 in today’s final round, and then driving it into the water on 18, frittering away the lead and handing his good friend, Tommy Fleetwood, the victory by one stroke, Rory tied for second with Thirston Lawrence.

Never heard of Thirston Lawrence, apologies to the Lawrence family.

--Meanwhile, Farmers Insurance, title sponsor for the PGA Tour stop at Torrey Pines in San Diego since 2010, does not plan to renew its contract when it expires in 2026, according to a report from Sports Business Journal.

Farmers thus becomes the second company to drop its title sponsorship with the tour, Wells Fargo announcing in December that it would step away from its role as title sponsor of the tour event at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte after 2024.

But it seems Farmers is stepping away from golf as a marketing platform in general, because Rickie Fowler said during the offseason that the company did not renew its endorsement deal with him.

Fowler observed, “I think they have a new CEO and are downsizing,” and in that he is indeed correct.  Raul Vargas took over as Farmers CEO early in 2023, and over the summer announced they were laying off about 2,400 employees as part of a restructuring effort.  [The insurance industry as a whole is going through a rough stretch…see that other column I do, the one I sign.]

The PGA Tour has brought in two new title sponsors for events starting in 2024, and it was able to find a sponsor for the Byron Nelson event in Dallas, so it’s not all bad news these days.

--Jack Nicklaus, 83, had a brief interview with Golf Channel’s Rich Lerner the other day.  When asked about the growing trend and demand for guaranteed pay in golf, Nicklaus noted that all sports are headed in such a direction, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a positive change.  LIV Golf offers many of its members years-long contracts and its tournaments are 54-hole no-cut events.  And now, with the PGA Tour’s new 2024 structure, several signature events do not feature cuts either.

On LIV, Nicklaus said: “The LIV thing has been a powerful addition to the game, probably impacted a lot more than we thought it was going to, but it has, and it probably will continue to do so.”

Premier League

--Just a few matches this weekend. Saturday, Manchester City pulled within two points of first-place Liverpool with a 3-2 win at Newcastle they say was a terrific affair, though I missed it.  Kevin de Bruyne, injured much of the season, with his first goal (and an assist) for City.

Chelsea, struggling to become relevant again, beat Fulham 1-0.

Today, Manchester United hosted Tottenham and the two played to a 2-2 draw.

Standings…20/21 of 38 played….

1. Liverpool…20 – 45
2. City…20 – 43
3. Aston Villa…21 – 43
4. Arsenal…20 – 40 …Champion League line
5. Tottenham…21 – 40

Stuff

--The Chicago Blackhawks are awful, but they do have 18-year-old rising star Connor Bedard, who had 33 points in 39 games.  Alas, now there is really no reason to see the team, at least for the next 6-8 weeks, as the kid suffered a broken jaw on a hit from New Jersey’s Brendan Smith.

Note to Chicago fans.  Feel free to boo the heck out of Smith the rest of his career, instead of your total lack of class noted above.

--It just seems yesterday I was telling you the New York Rangers had gotten off to the best start in their history, winning 25 of their first 35 games…25-9-1.

But since then, they’ve gone 1-4-1, losing their last four, their once big lead in the Metro Division gone.

So this afternoon, after a hideous loss at Washington Saturday, 3-2, giving up two goals in the third, they faced the Capitals in a back-to-back, this time at the Garden.

After taking a 2-0 lead, the Rangers and their fans then went through another nailbiter, New York pulling it out 2-1.  I felt like it was the playoffs watching this because they had to break this skid.

The Rangers are now 7-0-0 in the second game of back-to-backs.

Top 3 songs for the week 1/20/68:  #1 “Judy In Disguise” (John Fred & His Playboy Band)  #2 “Chain Of Fools” (Aretha Franklin)  #3 “Hello Goodbye” (The Beatles)…and…#4 “Woman, Woman” (The Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett)  #5 “Green Tambourine” (The Lemon Pipers)  #6 “Daydream Believer” (The Monkees)  #7 “Bend Me, Shape Me” (The American Breed)  #8 “I Second That Emotion” (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles)  #9 “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” (Gladys Knight & The Pips)  #10 “If I Could Build My Whole World Around You” (Marvin Gaye & Tami Terrell…A- week…)

NFL Quiz Answers: 1) The first 10 of the 2018 NFL Draft:

1. Baker Mayfield, QB, CLE
2. Saquon Barkley, RB, NYG
3. Sam Darnold, QB, NYJ
4. Denzel Ward, CB, CLE
5. Bradley Chubb, DE, DEN
6. Quentin Nelson, G, IND
7. Josh Allen, QB, BUF
8. Roquan Smith, ILB, CHI
9. Mike McGlinchey, T, SFO
10. Josh Rosen, QB, ARI

11. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, MIA
17. Derwin James, S, LAC

2018 had an outstanding first ten selections, save for some of the QBs.  Saquon, Denzel Ward, Bradley Chubb, Quentin Nelson and Roquan Smith all Pro Bowl and/or AP All-Pro in their careers, while Mike McGlinchey has started all 85 games.

And Fitzpatrick and Derwin James have been outstanding.

Lamar Jackson, of course, didn’t go until No. 32, last in the first round, when he was selected by Baltimore.

Star Browns running back Nick Chubb was the third pick in the second round by Cleveland.

Houston tight end Dalton Schultz was the last pick in the fourth round of the draft by Dallas and he’s had a very solid career, that continues this postseason.

2) Another QB selected in the 2018 draft was Pittsburgh’s Mason Rudolph, taken by the Steelers in the third round.

Add-on up top by noon, Tuesday.

---