Rams Outlast Bengals in Bowl as Flags Fly at End of Game

RAMS 23 – BENGALS 20

In a night where it looked like the Cincinnati Bengals were on their way to pulling out a stunning upset in Super Bowl LVI, a late rally by Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and the Rams propelled LA to a 23-20 victory for the franchises second overall Super Bowl title, and first since returning to the City of Angles.

With the Bengals holing on to a 20-16 lead with 6:13 to go, Tyler Boyd failed to haul in what would have been a first down conversion on a critical third and nine, forcing Cincinnati to punt the football back to LA. It was now or never for the Rams, and they took full advantage of the opportunity.

Stafford guided LA on a time consuming 15-play, 79 yard drive as he picked apart the Bengals with short, precise throws to likes of Kupp, Brycen Hopkins and Cam Akers. After Stafford found Akers on an eight yard completion to the Bengals’ eight yard line, he would miss on his next two passes to set up a critical third and goal, setting up a pair of controversial moments that will be remembered from this Super Bowl for years to come.

 Stafford’s short pass to Kupp was knocked away by linebacker Logan Wilson, who was quickly called for holding. Replay of the moment didn’t appear to indicate any hold on the part of Wilson, but the penalty gave LA new life with a first and goal at the four.

 On the next play a Stafford touchdown pass to Kupp was nullified by deferring penalties on both teams, setting up another first and goal at the four. On that play, former Giant cornerback Eli Apple was called for pass interference, which spotted the ball with a new set of downs at the one-yard line. Two plays later, Stafford finally hit Kupp in the corner of the end zone for the winning score.

 To be fair the penalties on the Bengals wasn’t the only controversial moment of the game. Earlier, the Bengals got away with a blatant offensive pass interference on Jalen Ramsey, when he caught a bomb from Joe Burrow and scored on the first play of the second half to give the Bengals a 17-13 lead out of the break.

 Down 23-20 with 1:25 to go, the Bengals had one last shot to pull out a miracle. Burrow hit Ja’Marr Chase for 17 yards to the 42-yard line. Next, Burrow connected with Boyd for nine yards to midfield. But that was as far as the Bengals would go.

The Rams defense tightened around the Bengals suspect offensive line and shut down Cincy on three straight short-yardage plays. The deciding play came on fourth and one with Rams super star edge rusher Aaron Donald swinging around the left end and dragging Burrow down to the ground. After recording the winning sack, Donald pointed to his right ring finger, where a Super Bowl ring will claim its place.

The Super Bowl MVP went to Cooper Kupp, who had an amazing Super Bowl game, hauling in eight passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner. Kupp was amazing all postseason, and even came in third in the League MVP voting this year.

Nets Trade Disgruntled James Harden to Philly in Blockbuster Trade

 The James Harden era is over with a whimper and, in some ways, a sigh of relief. 

After weeks of speculation, rumors that Harden wanted out, was unhappy with the situation in Brooklyn, which was wrapped around a nine-game losing streak and a number of games where he would sit with a "knee injury," the Nets finally had enough and traded him away to Philadelphia. 

It says a lot that the Nets were more than willing to ship Harden to a division rival, and they got a hell of a haul in return. 

By trading Harden, the Nets acquire All-Star Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond, Seth Curry and two first round picks. For the Sixers to be that much in love with Harden, who could turn free agent at the end of the year, it's a huge gamble for them. 

The Nets are hoping that by subtracting one distraction, and getting three quality players in return they can get back on track as a basketball team. 

That said, it's not like Simmons hasn't been a pain in the neck for Philly either. He hasn't played in a game this season,  and has been involved in a tense contract stand-off with the Sixers. He too wanted to be traded. 

So in many ways it was one disgruntled player for another. 

Even though the Nets get Simmons and two good young players in Curry and Drummond, it's hard not to look at this run by the Nets as nothing more than a failure. 

Harden was supposed to be the final piece to the "Big Three"with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The Nets looked the other way when Harden was making people miserable with his lack of effort in Houston a year ago, and decided it was worth trading draft picks and young, promising players to get him. 

It didn't work. The "Big Three" played only eight games together last season. 

This year, Irving has refused to get vaccinated against COVID, and is only a part-time player. Durant, who has had trouble staying healthy since coming to Brooklyn, has been out for a month now due to a MCL sprain. 

The Nets are now teetering on the brink of missing the playoffs, and are in the midst of a nine-game losing streak. 

Yes, the Nets got rid of a problem, but they do so, fully aware their attempt at being a super team in the East has been a colossal failure. 

Universial DH Now A Reality for Major League Baseball

There was already a cloud of uncertainty swirling around the start of spring training, but after Commissioner Rob Manfred offered little clarity on when baseball would return, reiterating he is hopeful that the regular season will begin on time.

However for that to happen, a deal would need to be struck soon.

According to reports, Manfred declined to announce a postponement to Spring Training, which was set to open in six days, February 16. Spring Training games are scheduled to start February 27.  While Minor League camps will proceed as normal, the embattled commissioner ruled out using minor leaguers as replacement players.

Both the players union and the owners are deadlocked on core economic issues, with players requesting that the minimum salary be increased, and that arbitration years are reduced so free agency can happen sooner.

The only thing that has come out of the meetings between the two sides is the adoption of the universal of the Designated Hitter in both the National and American League, and the elimination of draft pick compensation for free agents.

 The adoption of the Designated Hitter has been coming for some time, especially after both leagues used the DH rule during the COVID-shortened 2020 season to prevent injury to pitchers. The DH, while it has its detractors, manly from traditionalist fans, is widely popular and used on different levels of baseball both in college and the minors.

The DH has given second life to careers of aging players like Jim Thome and Edgar Martinez in the past. It could be a huge boon to a team like the Mets, who have a logjam on their infield with Robinson Cano returning from a year away due to suspension for PEDs.

As for when baseball games will be taking place in Florida and Arizona this spring? That is anyone's guess at this point.

MLB Lockout: Players Reject Mediator Request, Spring Training in Peril

 The start of the 2022 Major League Baseball season is going to be delayed. 

How long it is delayed is the only question.  

MLB's self-imposed lockout seemingly has no end in sight after the Player's Union rejected a request by the owners to seek federal mediation in negotiations. And according to reports, both sides are not feeling any love for the other. 

“It is hard to understand why a party that wants to make an agreement would reject mediation from the federal agency specifically tasked with resolving these disputes,’’ an MLB spokesman said, “including many successes in professional sports. MLB remains committed to offering solutions at the table and reaching a fair agreement for both sides.”

Economics have been holding up the two sides, with the players looking for a raise of the minimum salary from $570,000 to $775,000 so younger players can make more; MLB only offering between $615,000 and $700,000. The players want service time manipulation eliminated. 

The players also want the competitive balance tax raised from $210 million to $245 million, and they want revenue sharing between the teams lowered as a way to force teams who sit on loads of cash and don't spend to actually do so and compete (i.e. the Pittsburgh's and Baltimore's of the world). 

Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer made it clear that the players feel they are making fair offers and that mediation is not necessary. 

Where does this leave the sport? Right now it leaves it in total limbo. According to USA Today, further meetings have not been scheduled, and the players union is not heading to Florida to talk -- at least right now. Spring Training is inevitably going to get delayed. 

As a result, the regular season, which is scheduled for March 31 is absolutely at stake.  For a sport that watched COVID take out 2/3 of the 2020 schedule, as well as cost the league millions in revenue, one would think that there would be a sense of urgency to get this deal done. It hasn't been the case. There is a good chance, barring an eleventh hour miracle that baseball won't be taking place come March. And if that is true, who knows when we will see it this season.
 

 

Giants Among Accused Who Refute Brian Flores Allegations

 Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores has turned the NFL upside down with allegations that the hiring process in the NFL is blatantly racist, and is suing the NFL, the New York Giants, Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos for discrimination. 

Flores claims that the his interview for the Giants head coaching job was a “sham” to satisfy the “Rooney Rule” which requires teams interview minority candidates for head coaching jobs, even if they don’t hire one when a final decision is made.

 The complaint also includes a text message from Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick where the Super Bowl winning coach allegedly texted Flores to congratulate him for getting the Giants job, later retracting it, admitting he meant the text for Brian Daboll.

 The suit also alleges that the Miami Dolphins, its owner Stephen Ross, and General Manager Chris Grier tried to pay Flores “$100,000 per loss” in order to improve the team’s draft position.

The Giants hit back twice, denying the allegations. On Thursday New York issued a statement with a full itinerary that details Flores' s interview with the Giants occurred on January 27, one full day before Big Blue hired Daboll as head coach. The Giants also refute the notion that Belichick was privy to inside information on the Giants head coaching search. 

 “The allegation that the Giants’ decision had been made prior to Friday evening, January 28, is false. And to base that allegation on a text exchange with Bill Belichick in which he ultimately states that he “thinks” Brian Daboll would get the job is irresponsible. The text exchange occurred the day before Coach Daboll’s in-person interview even took place. Giants’ ownership would never hire a head coach based only on a 20-minute zoom interview, which is all that Mr. Daboll had at that point,” the statement reads.

The Giants add that Flores was a serious candidate for the job, and that owner John Mara was interested in his candidacy once Flores was released by Miami.

“John Mara called Mr. Flores two days after he was dismissed in Miami. Mr. Mara expressed to Mr. Flores in that January 12 call that once we had our new general manager in place, we would begin the process of hiring our head coach and we wanted to meet with Mr. Flores because we considered him a serious candidate for the position.”

The Giants weren't the only ones to hit back. John Elway and the Broncos also refuted claims that the two-time Super Bowl champion and Hall of Famer was drunk in his meeting with Flores. 

The most alarming charges made by Flores, were claims that the Miami Dolphins implored a pay-to-lose system, where Flores could get paid $100,000 per loss. If that is true, the Dolphins and the entire league could be in deep, deep trouble. 

Meanwhile, the NFL has done a reverse on its initial statement when it called Flores' lawsuit without merit.  Commissioner Roger Godell issued a statement Saturday saying that racism or discrimination of any form is contrary to the NFL's values.  Goodell also promises that the League will take the allegations seriously and investigate the matter further in hopes of improving the sports policies and opportunities for diversity. 

Tom Brady "Officially" Retires from the NFL

After 22 seasons Tom Brady is calling it a career. 

The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, winner of seven Super Bowl titles and three MVPs, officially retired on Tuesday. 

The announcement of course comes off the heels of Saturday's messy breaking news by ESPN that claimed Brady was in fact retiring, only to have that story denied by the Buccaneers and members of Brady's inner circle, who said the quarterback hadn't yet decided. 

On Monday, Brady said on his "Let's Go" podcast that he had not yet made up him mind on playing a 23rd season. 

Those sentiments quickly changed on Tuesday morning when Brady took to social media and wrote a heartfelt nine-part good bye letter to the sport he dominated for over two decades. 

Ironically that heartfelt good bye never even mentions the New England Patriots, owner Bob Kraft nor Head Coach Bill Belichick, leading many to speculate that Brady still harbors ill feelings to the way his exit transpired in New England. 

Brady thanks the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, General Manager Jason Licht, Bruce Arians, his agents Don Yee and Steve Dobin, and his personal trainer, Alex Guerrero, whom Belichick didn't approve of during the later stages of Brady's time in New England.  

Brady's unheralded career which began as a 6th round draft choice of the Patriots in 2000, became the story of legend. As we all know it began when Jets linebacker Mo Lews TKO'd Drew Bledsoe on a hit so vicious there were fears that Bledsoe could have died. 

Brady eventually came into that game against the Jets, falling short of leading a game-tying drive. That was only the beginning. Brady would get the start the following week for an 0-2 New England team, and would beat his career nemisis Peyton Manning and the Colts in his first professional start. That was the beginning of the rest of the story.
 

We all know the rest. The Patriots would win the AFC East, beat the Raiders in the Tuck Rule Game, and eventually beat the then-St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl. It was the first of six with New England. 

Through it all, Brady and the Patriots dominated the sport. He had a great rivalry with Manning that spanned 17 match-ups between the Patriots and Colts, and, later, the Patriots and Broncos. Both quarterbacks won their fair share of battles, especially in the playoffs. 

We saw Brady at the height of his powers in 2007 when he took the Patriots to 18-0 and Super Bowl XLII, only to lose to Eli Manning and the Giants in the Big Game. It was one of two Super Bowl losses to the Giants that Brady would suffer in his career. The Giants would get the better of the Pats again in Super Bowl XLVI in 2012. 

We saw Brady involved in various New England-created controversies: Spygate and Deflate-gate. 

Deflate-gate was a controversy of Brady's own making. He asked for the balls against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2012 AFC Championship Game be deflated. The Colts found out about it, wanted it investigated. It didn't make that much of a difference, considering New England trounced the Colts in that game. Still the dye was cast, Brady, like Bill Belichick during Spygate was perceived a cheater. 

Brady's biggest comeback in a Super Bowl came in Super Bowl LI, when he led New England back from a 28-3 deficit to the Atlanta Falcons, only to tie it at 28, force overtime, and beat the Falcons 34-28, sparking years of memes that the Falcons have never lived down. 

Brady's final Super Bowl triumph with Patriots came two years later in 2018 when he beat the Rams again, now known as the LA Rams, 13-3 in a defensive slugfest. 

After a acrimonious ending to his time in New England, one mostly defined by Belichick's desire to move on from the aging Brady, he decided to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the winter of 2020. 

Upon joining the Bucs, Brady reveled in the much more relaxed atmosphere of Bruce Arians Bucs camps, compared to the strict, boot-camp like atmosphere created by Belichick up in New England. He even had his Patriots buddy Rob Gronkowski join him. The Bucs went on to win Super Bowl LV last winter, Brady's seventh and final title. 

After all those seasons, all the victories (especially against the Jets, Dolphins and Bills), controversies, Super Bowl titles and so much in between, Brady finally hangs em up. 

No matter how you feel about Brady, one thing is for certain, we will never see the likes of him again, ever.

Giants Formally Introduce Brian Daboll as Head Coach

Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll was introduced to the New York media for the first time. Daboll spoke about trying to stabilize things for quarterback Daniel Jones, who has had a shaky first three seasons as Big Blue’s starting quarterback.

“We start out by building this relationship, and one thing I told him to do, was give me things you liked here and at Duke,” Daboll said.  “It’s foundational things he is comfortable with. This is a day to day process, he wants to do well; he’s a hard worker, we are looking forward to working with him.”

Daboll came across as comfortable and confident in his own skin, joking around with members of the press, while keeping the focus on the moving the Giants forward in the coming years.

Check out the presser here by clicking this LINK!