The Brian Flores Lawsuit

Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores has filed a lawsuit against the NFL, the NY Giants, the Dolphins, the Broncos (not sure why they were singled out), and the rest of the teams in the league. The lawsuit was filed, symbolically, on February 1st, the first day of Black History Month. Appropriate since this lawsuit is sure to make history. 

Mike Florio posted an article on the lawsuit. In it he states:

The message to a jury of average people, if it gets to that point, will be simple. "Folks, if you flip a coin 500 times and it comes up head's 490 times, there's something wrong with the coin."

And it's ultimately going to cost the NFL many, many more than 500 coins to resolve this one.

Even 500 Bitcoins, which would be over $19 million may not be enough. Hey NFL - Black Head Coaches Matter.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

If there's one thing Black Lives matter has taught us is that the political correctness police these past few decades have been pulling our legs in trying to force people to say "African-American" instead of "Black"... The next time a Canadian politician or even the Prime Minister criticizes the US some Senator should introduce a bill offering the Western Canadian Provinces a path to Statehood to see how that goes over in Canada... Who knew? In the mid 18th century London versions of the play King Lear had a happy ending where Cordelia doesn't die but instead falls in love with and marries Edgar and lives happily ever after. Not until 1838 was the tragic ending restored... Would love to see Hugh Jackman star in a live action Samurai Jack movie... Wish I could get odds that Joe Biden's initial announced VP pick (whoever that ends up being) will have to be walked back and replaced (for whatever reason). That would be peak 2020. I'd need at least 100-1 odds to put real money on the proposition... NJ Governor Murphy announces no fans at Giants or Jets games this season. And the NYC economy takes another big hit (fans going to those games weren't staying in NJ)... "Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself." - Rumi...

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Somebody pretty please ask Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez if she'd eat the moon if it were made of ribs. Or better yet ask her if the Sun is her favorite planet. Please, please, please... My current life goal is to live longer than Charles Bukowski did. That means if I make it to 75 I win!... Alex Trebek is the best!... Now that Beto is in the race - when does the Rent if Too Damn High guy announce he's running for President too?... "The tools for learning are abundant. It's the desire to learn that's scarce." - Naval Ravikant... "Stinktum" should be a word. It's so much nicer sounding than either "anus" or "sphincter"... How funny would it be if Odell Beckham Jr. didn't pass the Browns physical and had to return to the Giants? I have my fingers crossed because I enjoy a certain amount of chaos...

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Since the indictments were out of Boston part of me wondered if the college admissions scandal was part of either a long-game revenge on the part of Harvard University or a master prank pulled off by MIT. Both are certainly possibilities... "We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Castaneda... Socialism in a nutshell... How funny would it be if it turns out William H. Macy dimed out his wife, Felicity Huffman, in the college admissions scandal because he thought it would be cheaper than a divorce and he thought this way he could get custody of the kids. That would be just the thing one of the characters he's played would do... Heh heh - awesome!... Wish there was a place that I could bet that the combined win totals of the Giants and Jets will not equal the Patriots wins next season. That would be almost guaranteed money... And speaking of the Patriots, an under appreciated aspect of them extending a contract offer to Josh Gordon is that it allows the team to continue to financially support his treatment costs. Getting Gordon's life back in order is the priority and the Patriots stepped up to help make that happen...

Top 5 - Worst New England Patriots Losses

Disappointed in Sunday's Super Bowl loss but it is not close to the worst Patriots loss in my lifetime. Here's how I'd rank them.

1. 2007 Super Bowl loss to the Giants - this was supposed to be the "perfect" season. If this game is played 100 times the Giants maybe win once and guess what happens? Silver lining was that Tom Coughlan was respected in Boston by many for what he did for BC football so we felt good for him.

2. 2006 AFC Championship game 38-34 loss to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. This one really hurt. Indy went on to win Super Bowl LXI over the Bears. The Patriots would have destroyed Chicago.

3. Giants Super Bowl XLVI loss. Not only did it give Eli Manning and the Giants two Super Bowl wins over the Pats but believe it or not there was a bit of a vibe that the end of the road was near for Tom Brady. That was six years ago.

4. 1978 preseason game vs Oakland. This is the game Darryl Stingley was paralyzed by Jack Tatum. Don't even know if this was a loss on the scorecard but we lost Darryl Stingley. Am I a bad person that this isn't higher on my list?

5. Super Bowl XX 46-10 loss to the Chicago Bears. Every male in New England felt much less manly after that beatdown.

The loss to the Eagles Sunday doesn't come close to making the list. Philadelphia was simply the better team - no shame in losing to a better team. The most devastating loss in my lifetime was the 2003 extra innings home run by Aaron Boone off Tim Wakefield. The Yankees went on to win the World Series and the day after that loss I had to drive to NYC for business. When I got there I seriously thought about jumping off a bridge (I take sports much less seriously now).

NFL Sunday - Week 13

Most people have mentioned how little reaction Bill Belichick had during the Patriots 5 TD's last week vs the Dolphins but I love how he gets excited by good work and small details. Belichick knows that if you take care of the little things that the big things will take care of themselves.

People talk about how the Browns can't find a QB but consider that Bill Belichick has more wins for Cleveland (34) than any of the Browns coaches who came after him. The closest is Romeo Crennel with 24. Maybe they should find a decent coach first?

So the NFL is going to give millions to "social justice" charities in hopes of buying off players who might protest the anthem. Some players complain that these funds will come from monies already going to support the military and breast cancer awareness. The NFL says "No these will be new monies for these social justice programs." This is the same NFL that was supposed to provide millions in funding towards concussion studies but then backed out when they learned it was to be actual studies and not NFL approved conclusions already drawn studies. The NFL has zero credibility and is just making matters worse.

Meanwhile the Giants have "benched" Eli Manning. A move so poorly thought out and executed that all of New York is in an uproar. That must really please the NFL offices. The TV ratings are already in free-fall and now the Giants give their fans a reason to boycott the rest of the season. Fans in the biggest TV market in America actively avoiding NFL product. But sure give Roger Goodell a fat new contract. That will fix everything.

My guess is Eli Manning may have played his last game. He's made millions upon millions (his last contract payed him $35 million in guaranteed money) and he already has one more Super Bowl ring than his brother Peyton. What's left for him to prove? Why subject his 36-year old body to more pounding?

Rob Gronkowski is quietly having a very good season.

Today's pick is a three-team parlay involving the three QB's who started the season as the Patriots depth chart but all all three starting NFL games today; Tom Brady Patriots (Money Line), Jimmy Garopollo 49ers (+3 points) and Jacoby Brissett Colts (+9.5 points) - risk $100 to win $328.

Good luck.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

The NFL has to be really pleased with the Giants decision to bench Eli Manning. Now millions of fans in the biggest TV market have no reason to watch the rest of the season and plenty of reason to boycott the broadcasts. But sure give Roger Goodell a new contract - that will fix everything... Speaking of Eli Manning... Does Las Vegas have the wins totals for Arizona State next season under Herm Edwards up yet? I'd like to bet the under please... Wow - this was unexpected. American Gods show runners exit and season 2 is in question... Matt Lauer was eaten by wolves today. He was not delicious... Holy crap! This really happened... "I know of only two very real evils in life: remorse and illness." Leo Tolstoy...

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Now that Mike Gundy has turned down Tennessee - the Volunteers will next turn to Nick Saban. In the end they'll wind up with Ben McAdoo... AC/DC bandmates pay their respects to Malcolm Young... Not an Eli Manning fan in the least but for what he's done for and meant to the Giants franchise for them to treat him this way is shabby. The Giants were the "classy" New York franchise - not any more...  Good point... If "gormless" is a word - shouldn't "gormfull" also be a word?...Older people remember November 22nd as the anniversary of the JFK assassination. Younger people remember the date as the anniversary of the Butt Fumble... An Iranian wrestler throws his match rather than face an Israeli. This is acceptable behavior? Ban Iran from International competition for making their athletes behave this way...

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I think the NFL should stand firm and suspend Odell Beckham Jr. for this Sunday's game... WFT? Actor Nicolas Cage agrees to return stolen skull of dinosaur Tyrannosaurus bataar to Mongolia...  I'm starting to think Leonardo DiCaprio is "protesting too much" that he didn't get "raped" by a bear. Was it consensual?... Nice math trick - if you divide 1 by 998,001 you get all three digit numbers from 000 to 999 in order... Speaking of dinosaurs - Plesiosaurs may have swum like penguins... Black Hermione would be a great name for a band... "Ball Peen Hammer" sounds like it could be a sex act from the Urban Dictionary. Is "peen" ever used in any other phrase?... Yes this is the GIF of the year...  I should note that I'm in a Fantasy Football final and I'm playing against a guy who is starting Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. Suspend the bastard!...

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

The Red Sox Magic Number is now 8... God bless Fisher House. How can any politician say they support the troops while allowing military death benefits to go unpaid - especially when things like the Congressional gym remain open?... Love Nathan Fillion - it's great that he Tweeted this GIF of himself... Was Clint Eastwood right when he described President Obama as an empty chair? How do you negotiate with an empty chair?... Sorry Giants fans but this is funny... A Sequester in Ancient Rome was a man who held a bribe for a client until a politician delivered upon his promise. The more things change the more things remain the same... Cool simplified explanation of what the Higgs-Boson is all about... Is Larry Bird really so cheap that he has to resort to stealing other people's Chicken McNuggets?... Ha ha - this is awesome. Gotta love hockey...

Whither Tim Tebow?

"Who will rid me of this troublesome QB?" John "Henry II" Elway

Supposedly now that Peyton Manning is in hand - the Denver Broncos will trade Tim Tebow possibly as early as this afternoon. Speculation is ripe throughout the Intertubes about where he will end up. Jacksonville? That would seem the natural marketing fit yet the football people there prefer Blaine Gabbert which I don't understand. Sure Gabbert has a slightly higher completion percentage but he throws many more interceptions than Tebow. Miami? Don't know about you but I'd rather have Tebow than Matt Moore.

There's a school of thought that Tebow could work as back-up for an established QB like an Aaron Rogers in Green Bay, maybe a Drew Brees in New Orleans or Tom Brady in New England. Green Bay just lost their backup QB Matt Flynn who signed with Seattle so there seems to be a slot open there. I honestly couldn't tell you who is the backup QB in New Orleans but if Tim Tebow got traded there then everyone would know who the backup was. New England has perhaps the best depth at QB of any team in the NFL. Tom Brady is a God, Brian Hoyer could probably start for half the teams in the league and Ryan Mallett is a cannon-armed diamond in the rough. That said - how about a trade that would send Ochocinco to the Broncos for Tim Tebow? That would solve a problem for both teams. If I'm Bill Belichick I definitely make that offer. Just for the salary cap space it would be worth it (Chad Ochocinco costs them $3 million while Tebow would just be $1 million).

One of the more intriguing rumors is the Jets being interested in Tebow. I wonder if that is the offshoot of all the speculation that the Patriots are interested? How funny would that be if the Jets get goaded into a move just out of fear that Belichick was somehow outmaneuvering them? I would actually like to see Tebow in New York but not with the Jets. How ironic would it be if Tebow ends up as Eli Manning's backup with the Giants? I think that would be great on a cosmic karma scale.

Don't sleep on the very real possibility that the Broncos announce today that they are not trading Tebow but are releasing him instead. They could spin it that they owe it to Tim after everything he did for the team last year to let him decide what team would be best for him to sign with. This would eliminate the embarrassing situation of having to settle for a 5th or 7th round pick for a guy who was your starting QB last year.

If Tebow is released then a whole new set of opportunities open up. How come nobody has mentioned the CFL? Tebow in Canada would be the biggest thing since Doug Flutie played north of the border. It would give Tebow the chance to start at QB and prove that he can do the job just as Flutie had to go to America's Hat to show he could be an NFL QB.  You know the CFL is salivating just at the thought of Tebow.

I still think the Flutie comparison is apt. Looking back - how many NFL teams would have been better off with Flutie than the prototypical NFL QB's they tried while Flutie was up in Canada? When all is said and done - people may think the same thing about Tim Tebow.

So what's God's will for Tim Tebow? We might find out today.

Super Bowl Thoughts

"Is it wrong to gamble, or only to lose?" - Sky Masterson, Guys and Dolls

For the past several years I've spend Super Bowl Sunday at my friend Tim's house where the schedule has been start playing poker around 1:00, watch first half, play poker at half and then play poker after the Super Bowl until the poker game breaks up or the sun rises. When the teams in the Super Bowl have no rooting interest for us - we often play poker during the game too.

This past Sunday we had a rooting interest - a big one. To say we were disappointed in the outcome would be an understatement.

When the Boston Red Sox lose a game I've always avoided reading about the loss in the newspaper and when I got older - I also avoided sports radio as well. I don't need "the sky is falling" negativity in my life. Needless to say - I still haven't watched ESPN or listened to sports radio never mind reading about the game in the paper. I haven't even watched the local news on TV because I knew it would be all about the game. I've gotten my sports fix since Sunday night by watching the MLB Network where the Super Bowl hasn't been mentioned at all.

Having said the above - here are my thoughts (and some from my friends):

- On the ride home we mused that the loss sucked but anyone from New England who complains hasn't been paying attention these past several years. Boston fans have been blessed like no other fan group in the history of pro sports. All my friends were in agreement on this.
- Under Brady and Belichick - the Patriots have won 2 Super Bowls in the last minute and lost 2 Super Bowls in the last minute. All you will hear on sports radio are the yahoos complaining about the 2 that were lost.
- On the ride home I predicted that some idiots would even go so far as to say Tom Brady (who just passed for over 5,000 yards) is past his prime and that maybe one of the other QB's should be given a shot. My friends laughed at this as ridiculous but I'm sure some jackass has waited an hour on hold to make this point on WEEI. I also predicted that Wes Welker's dropped pass may actually help with his contract negotiations. My friend cynically agreed to that.
- When it comes to Welker's dropped pass - we all agreed that if he catches that pass then the game would have been over and the tune everyone was singing would have been different. But we also agreed that blame should not be placed on Welker. Rob Ninkovitch jumping off-sides on 3rd down was just as big a play. And if Brady hadn't had an intentional grounding in the end zone then the Patriots probably would have been down by just 2 points and a fieldgoal would have won it.
- When the Giants were called for 12 men on the field - everyone in the room thought the Giants did it on purpose and since it ran the clock down it was more like a penalty on the Patriots. Everyone figured this was a rule that would be changed in the offseason (and it seems like we were not alone in thinking this as Large Bill was thinking the same thing in Ohio).
- On the ride home, the three of us in the car all agreed that losing sucks but we were all happy for Tom Coughlin. He's a class guy and the job he did at Boston College has not been forgotten.

Still not ready for ESPN or sports radio but I did want to get these thoughts off my chest so that you wouldn't think I was locked in some bunker somewhere.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Happy Ice Cream for Breakfast Day! 15 offbeat holidays in February... Ernest Hemingway said the roar of a lion in the wild is first felt in the scrotum. The same is true of a Rob Gronkowski TD spike... Happy 64th birthday to Alice Cooper - one of the most under-rated rock stars in history. His music still stands up very well... Dan McLaughlin has some very eye-opening statistics on abortion. I was surprised by the numbers... Does any casino have a prop bet about the Giants defense faking an injury to slow down the Patriots no-huddle? The Giants have done it before - just saying...  According to some statistics I've seen there are 1.5 million fewer people working now than in January of 2009 and there are 13 million more people on food stamps in this country. Yet some would argue that we are heading in the right direction... Just 60 days until Opening Day... If God took a day off your life each time you masturbated - I would have been dead several years ago. Conversely if masturbating added a day to your life then I'm going to live to well past 100...

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

Coughlin and Belichick: Different cuts from the same cloth

Good ESPN story on 12 things we don't know about Tom Brady

Newt Gingrich's Wikipedia page hacked to more accurately portray his marriages

 Wow - a household of 4 making minimum wage has more disposable income than family making $60K

The 20 Most Beautiful Bookshops in the world

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

This is basically the state of Rick Santorum's campaign. I don't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for him... Supposedly the Blue Jays turned down a trade that would have sent Brett Lawrie to the Mariner's for Michael Pineda. I think Toronto was correct to reject that trade. Lawrie could be a monster every day player and a sleeper in many fantasy baseball leagues... On this day in 2004 we got to see Janet Jackson's breast at halftime of the Super Bowl. I was not impressed... Who knew? Bradbury Robinson threw the first forward pass in football history on September 5, 1906. He was playing for Saint Louis University. You would think that Bradbury Robinson would be better known...  Mara likes Coughlin because he's focused on winning not his image (unlike some other head coach in NYC)... I wonder if players who donate to Peter Gammons' Hot Stove charity get better and more positive coverage during the season?... Just saying but Eli Manning had a poster of Tonya Harding on his wall growing up. I think there is still some yearning there... Who knew? Joel Murray who played Freddie Rumsen on Mad Men is Bill Murray's brother...

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

It should be noted that the Patriots have now won 10 games in a row. The last team to beat them was actually the New York Giants... Had a dream last night that the Red Sox made a huge trade with the Marlins for Josh Johnson. I hope that dream comes true... Gov. Chris Christie calls Newt Gingrich an embarrassment to the Republican Party and I agree... So where does Rex Ryan watch the Super Bowl? No network would want him because how would he be able to answer the question of how do you beat the Patriots or the question of how to beat the Giants. Gasbag... I wonder if on the show Blue Bloods they ever show Tom Selleck and a sandwich and waterfall in the same scene. That would be a special episode... I wonder if Tiki Barber still thinks Eli Manning lacks leadership skills?... Definition of badass... So is Brian Orakpo banging the Geico cavemam? That's the takeaway I get seeing the caveman in the locker room in a cheerleader outfit... Just saw a guy with a "Will Work for Food" sign who looked just like Craig Kilborn. Pretty sure it wasn't him... I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that the Red Sox trading both Marco Scutoro and Jed Lowrie will lead to a desperation move of switching Dustin Pedroia to shortstop. I also wouldn't be surprised if Ben Cherington's next move is to trade Mike Availes for another middle reliever.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Yesterday would have been Phil Hartman's 63rd birthday. He's perhaps the most under-rated member of SNL's long history. Here's a link to some of his classic sketches... It occurred to me that Obama's new Buffett Tax will impact not just "millionaires and billionaires" but anyone making over $250,000 per year. I will assume that billionaire Warren Buffett's secretary is pretty well paid. I'd guess she would even be in the over $250k crowd. So in essence - Barack Obama will be raising her taxes so chances are she will still be paying a higher rate than her boss. Happy secretaries day honey... Who knew? Until just recently it was illegal to sell Sangria in California. What a perfect example of stupid government regulations... I wonder if the Marlins will try to trade Josh Johnson in the offseason? Johnson is coming off injuries that cost him most of the 2011 season and next year he is scheduled to be paid $13.75 million. He's under contract for both 2012 and 2013 so a team should be willing to give up some top prospects. When healthy Johnson is among the best pitchers in the game. This is worth keeping an eye on... JRR Tolkien, Hobbits and beer... Perhaps my favorite quote from the GOP debate the other night: "Yo gay guy in the military I'm gonna let you finish but DADT was one of the best military policies of all-time" - Rick Santorum... I love history like this. The time Notre Dame played the New York Giants to help the unemployed...

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I'm a fan of Mark Herzlich and had selfishly hoped he would have ended up with the Patriots. I wish him all the best with the New York Giants. I think anyone who knows his story is pulling for him. I do have to mention the fact that it is a little strange that an undrafted player is getting this much attention. Probably more attention than all the third round players put together... Harry Potter re-cut as a teen comedy... Who knew? Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts... It would be funny if it turns out that the Brett Favre to the Eagles rumors were started by The Onion... The Red Sox have four hitters on pace for 6 Wins Above Replacement. That would put them into the company of some of the most successful teams in baseball history... For the rest of my life if anyone says "This is all my fault" I'm going to say "Yes - yes it is"... A reminder of what's important. Best wishes to Dave Cameron of USS Mariner and Fangraphs on his fight against cancer.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Had dinner with a New York Giants season ticket holder last night and he's convinced that free agent receiver Anquan Boldin will be a Giant next season when all is said and done. He also made an excellent point that the defense will probably be the best in the NFC next season as a number of injured players return healthy for 2009. I did not mention it to him last night but one complicating issue that may sidetrack his Boldin to the Giants scenario is the fact that Drew Rosenhaus is not just Boldin's agent but also Plaxico Burress' agent. Still - the Giants at 10-1 odds may be a good 2009 Super Bowl bet if you happen to be in Vegas anytime soon... Did you know that Tris Speaker actually had more triples in his career (222) than strikeouts (220)? That's amazing... Maurice Clarett should have just finished his third full season in the NFL if he was able to stay in school, stay in shape and only get his Goose on during off-season occasions. I'm torn between seeing his as a tragic waste of talent or seeing him as a thug who is getting just what he deserved.... I could give a rat's ass about Michael Phelps taking a bong hit. Who really cares about swimmers except for a 2-week stretch every 4-years. Even then my interest in swimming and swimmers is mild at best.... I'm looking forward to the National Geographic show Morphed on how certain dinosaurs evolved into some of today's modern creatures like turkeys and whales. It would be cool if they could do a show on Barry Bonds while they are at it...

Championship Sunday

That's why Philip Rivers is Philip Rivers. - Doherty head football coach Sean Mulchahy.

That's why Tom Brady is Tom Brady. - Internet legend Chris Lynch

There are who we thought they were. - Beer spokesperson Denny Green

I don't think a team winning a spot at the Super Bowl was ever less climatic then the Patriots yesterday. It's kind of sad but it was just expected. I'm sure even jaded New Yorkers went more nuts after the Giants victory than Patriots fans did yesterday.

Just a couple of observations from yesterday's game.

Screw Bill Cowher. In his pregame spot he took the Patriots to task for overlooking the Chargers. His evidence was that Randy Moss had moved his court date in Florida till after the Super Bowl. Cowher took this as evidence that Moss and the Patriots just assume they will be in the Super Bowl. This is the same Bill Cowher who made team reservations in New Orleans for the Super Bowl the week the Steelers were playing the Patriots in the AFC Championship. How did that work out for you coach jawbone? Now he's trying to paint the Patriots with the same brush.

I have to wonder if Tom Brady was sick yesterday. If you saw him on the bench - he always seemed to have his head down as if he wasn't feeling very well.

Has anyone heard from Tiki Barber lately? Who would have thought that Tom Coughlin would last longer as head coach of the Giants than Tiki Barber would last as a TV "personality." Oh I know Barber is still on the air but for how much longer?

I think everyone in the world who bets teased the Patriots with the Packers yesterday. I wonder how many people were astute enough once the Patriots end of the tease came in to take the Giants to try and "middle" the bet? I did. I needed the Packers to win with a field goal for a big payoff but since I took insurance by taking the Giants - I pretty much finished even for the day.

A friend of mine met Pam Oliver once and he told me that you wouldn't believe how big her ass is. Well - after seeing this I wouldn't say it was gigantic but it ain't small.