Engage. Enrage. Enjoy.

Elmira?

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

As the calendar flips from February to March the madness of March Madness is nearly upon us.  Two weeks from now, or just 13 weeks removed from the college football bowl season, you’ll tune in to watch a college team you’ve barely heard of taking on another that you know no players on.  And, goodness knows you watched a lot of college football.

But, what about college baseball?  Similarly, 13 weeks from now the college baseball World Series will begin.  Prior to that thousands of games will be played.  Will you tune in now? Then?

It’s hard to tune in now because on traditional network TV none are on.  ESPNU carries a few along the way.  Conference channels carry a few more if you pay a few more bucks for your favorite one.

We wonder.  Why the huge interest in college football, the great interest in basketball, and the indifference in baseball?

Is it because as the weather heats up we choose to head outdoors for fun?  Is it acutely because the north does so? The north’s viewership is an important percentage of the potential TV viewership. And is that because the north doesn’t really play baseball nearly as much as year-round climates like California, Texas, and Florida?  It’s hockey season you know?  Eh?

Is it because the game is too slow?  That theory, which applies to MLB as well, has been advanced for years and years.

Or, is it that college baseball doesn’t allow us to establish a viewer relationship with its players?  What does that mean?  It means that very good and/or very likable baseball players, unlike football and basketball, head to the minors not directly to the NFL or NBA.

In the NFL we soon see which team drafts last season’s success stories.  We watch train wrecks like Johnny Manziel (Heisman to who’s man) in a nearly real continuous-time attempt to take their games to the next level.  We hope for and watch intently 36-month transition, great success stories like the build from Texas Tech to a Super Bowl MVP for Patrick Mahomes.

In the NBA the best ‘one and done” college players hit the hardwood for the NBA fame and fortune a mere six months after they cut down the nets in the NCAA tourney.

In baseball, if you even watched to begin with, the best of the best head to places called Round Rock, Appleton, and Elmira for a year, two, three, or more.  Many never dig their cleats in the major league batter’s box dirt.  Never is a long time.

In baseball we hardly knew you, then you left us.  So it’s harder to make the commitment.

When will I see you again?

Elmira?

 

 

Will Hoffa Weigh In?

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The court of public opinion continued to pour in yesterday on the crime and the punishment of the Houston Astros and their 2017 and 2018 cheating ways.  Even basketball superstar LeBron James, @KingJames, held court via a tweet.

He started with “Listen I know I don’t play baseball but I am in Sports and I know if someone cheated me out of winning the title and I found out about it I would be F*^king irate! I mean like uncontrollable about what I would/could do! Listen here baseball commissioner listen to your…..”

He continued with  “…..players speaking today about how disgusted, mad, hurt, broken, etc etc about this. Literally the ball(⚾️) is in your court(or should I say field) and you need to fix this for the sake of Sports! 

LeBron has every right to speak his mind.  It’s guaranteed in the first amendment.  Just ask Daryl Morey and all of the folks Daryl empathized with over in Hong Kong.  LeBron said as much back in October.  He also cautioned about speaking before thinking.

Maybe he should also caution about writing without spellcheck or a grammar check app.  Evidently King James is no fan of the King’s English.  But we digress.

Also yesterday Yankee Aaron Judge,

he of the same sport as the Astros, went judge and jury on his opponents.  He says the Astros should be stripped of their 2017 World Series title: “It doesn’t hold any value, it wasn’t earned.”

BBR wondered who hasn’t yet offered their two cents.  So, the staff comprised a list of the very few folks who have not weighed in yet on the circus and hit the phone lines, emails, and streets well into the evening.  Several eye-opening comments follow.

We caught up to Kanye West striding through LAX with his MAGA hat in place and daughter hand in hand.  “MAGA, Make (the) Astros Great Again,” he said.  “It looks like the organization is directionless to me.”  Daughter North West smiled in agreement.

Joe Biden campaigning in South Carolina for the upcoming Nevada primary frowned and commented, “I’ve been there.  I feel for the entire San Antonio Astros organization man!  They all need to support each other through difficult times.”  He concluded with, “Remember the Alamo!”

Elizabeth Warren, she of a campaign fading into the sunset, was asked what a team should do in such difficult times.  “Circle the wagons.”  We asked if she was referring to her campaign staff or the Astros.  “Both!” came the terse retort.

We asked Bernie Sanders if he thought it was crazy to ask the team to give the World Series trophy back.  “Of course it is.  Rather than give it back MLB should give one to every major, and minor league, and Little League team for 2017 and 2018.  Free trophies for all!” He shouted.

Prayerful Nancy Pelosi seemed torn on the subject.  But, she gritted her teeth and lamented, “Commissioner Manfred needs to get a (poly) grip on this 2017 stealing fiasco as we did with Russia in 2016.”

Adam Schiff declined our interview request saying “You just want to out the whistleblower, Mike Fiers.  But we are going to protect his identity at all costs.”

We reached out to Jeffery Epstein but got no answer.  We aren’t sure what the hang-up is there.

We spoke to big baseball fan Stormy Daniels as well.  Daniels has season tickets right behind the foul pole.  She thought that the Astros should be stripped of their crown just as Yankee Judge did.  Her lawyer Michael Avenatti is caught in some bad weather himself.  He thought “the punishment didn’t fit the crime.  Too harsh.  Everyone deserves a second chance, don’t they?” he queried.

He better hope that his judge agrees with him and not with Aaron Judge.

If Jimmy Hoffa weighs in today, BBR will dig up his quotes and dish the dirt tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take out the Trash

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Let us dispell two myths this AM.  One, cheaters never win.  Two, any press is good press.  Both are false.

The Astros won the 2017 World Series and cheated using a player-driven electronic sign-stealing scheme throughout the regular season and straight through the World Series.  MLB warned all 30 clubs early that September that electronic sign stealing was against the rules and that GM’s and managers would be held responsible for any violations.

The press, after the MLB report finding the Astros guilty was released in early January, unleashed their vitriol towards the Astros organization and it has been anything but good for them.  The team has compounded the negative sentiment with one PR blunder after another.  Owner Jim Crane tripped all over himself attempting to set the record straight from the Florida spring training site last week.  Players from multiple teams have taken turns talking, complaining, and even whining about it as well.

But, let’s get some facts straight, offer some opinions, and even make some predictions about the circus that is the Astros organization right now.

  1.  They were guilty and are paying a steep price.  The GM and manager were held accountable, suspended by MLB, and fired by Crane.  MLB fined the team 5 million bucks, the most allowed by the franchise/league agreement.  Additionally, the team forfeits its first and second round amateur draft picks in 2020 and 2021.  If you want more blood you can scream that the team should “give back” its 2017 World Series trophy and renounce its title.  Good luck.  MLB declined to do so.  You can’t undo what is done.  Take the trophy back?  Sure.  It’s a symbol, not an outcome.
  2. A.J. Hinch was suspended for half a year and fired by Crane.  Hinch was against the scheme, busted two monitors to show his displeasure, but never stood up and said: “stop this.”  His reputation, sterling throughout the game otherwise, took a hard hit up the middle.  It says here that he’ll take the year away from the game, rehab his rep through another chance, perhaps as an assistant for another team for a year or two, and will be back managing before 2024.  He’s too good for all 30 owners to pass him by for too long.
  3. GM Jeff Luhnow might be done in MLB.  He’s ahead of the game analytically. He’s tough to work with.  He’s not too popular league-wide.  He might get another chance as a paid employee, but a better guess might be as a third-party consultant in personnel matters.
  4. The scheme stopped very early in 2018 and ceased to exist beyond that per the investigation.  The Astros success (lost 2018 playoffs and 2019 World Series) after 2017 is legit.  Players actually interviewed asked for the process to halt because they “found it to be a distraction while batting, not a help.”  Anyone can rail all they wish about 2017, but the team won over 100 games a year since.  It’s just such a bad look.
  5. Seven of the nine primary position players in the 2017 batting order had better-hitting stats on the road than at home.  The five best players’ regular season splits are below. Maybe they would have hit even worse at home if no one banged on a garbage can.  That we will never know.  It is true that the postseason splits favor the home Astros greatly over the road.  But, the sample size is so much smaller than the regular season.  Postseason pitching in a short series factors greatly in that as well.  Your ace and deuce might pitch all four home games in a seven-game series.
  6. The Yankees lost to the Astros in seven in the 2017 ALCS.  The home team won all seven games.  In Minute Maid the Yankees scored 1,1,1, and 0 in four losses.  In the Bronx they scored 8,6, and 5 in three wins.  The Yanks weren’t banging a trash can at home, they just hit a lot better.  They didn’t hit a lick at Minute Maid regardless of the Astros playing outside of the chalk lines.
  7.  The Boston Red Sox lost to the Astros in the 2017 ALDS.  They worked the Astros in the ALCS while on their way to the 2018 World Series championship.  They are under investigation themselves for the same reasons during their 2018 season.   Pot.  Kettle.  Not good.
  8.   The only thing worse than “did Jose Altuve wear a device to get signals about pitches?” is that Carlos Correa painstakingly defended him.  If Altuve did, is it worse than listening for the beat of the drum anyway?  Maybe he did, and maybe he didn’t.  Audio only uncovers 23 discernable trash can bangs all year for Altuve batting at home.  It’s been said by a few teammates that Altuve asked that it stop while he batted.  Maybe so, maybe not.  He hit .338 in 2016 with no accusations and .346 in 2017 with accusations.  He’s a lifetime .315 hitter and has nearly 1600 hits in 9 MLB seasons.
  9.  The popular theory for 2020 is that Astros batters will get plunked repeatedly for their wayward ways and arrogance since.  Maybe so.  Several sites have even put a betting over/under line on it.  It’s 83.5 four-seamers to the hip on the year.  Last year they were hit 66 times.  Take the under.  MLB has already warned teams that fines and suspensions are available for any intentional beanballs.
  10. The damage to the game and to the Astros organization is done and it’s significant.  They should have apologized profusely from the owner down to the bat boy and moved on.  They didn’t.  Now would be a great time to fire the whole PR team and hire a new one, and have the players shut up and play ball.

Is this scandal the worst in baseball history?  Maybe.  Shoeless Joe Jackson and his White Sox teammates supposedly threw WS games 100 years ago.  Pete Rose bet on baseball while actively managing the Reds.  A host of players took steroids and hit it further and threw it faster than ever before.  Time will sort it all out.

Right now the Astros organization smells bad.  At least they finally took the trash cans out.

 

 

Know When to Say When

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Now ex Astros Manager A.J. Hinch took the ball in game 7 of the World Series last fall from his starting pitcher Zach Greinke with one out and a runner on in the top of the seventh.  The Astros were nursing a 2-1 lead.  Greinke had given up a mere two hits and one run to that point.

It seemed like a good idea to Hinch at the time, obviously.  You have to know when to say when and you have to do it in real-time.  Now was when.  His replacement, reliever Will Harris, surrendered a two-run homer, and the Washington Nationals never looked back. They won game seven 6 to 2, and the World Series 4 to 3.

That was only one game, but it was a huge one.   Organizations take educated guesses on when to say when all of the time.  When it involves a legend, perhaps the greatest to ever play the game, “when” gets very complicated.  Take Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

The Patriots are owned by a very grey-headed Rober Kraft. They are coached by a getting very grey-headed Bill Belichick.  The are quarterbacked by the GOAT who has a bit more grey around the temples daily.  You can own and coach with grey hair, but can you still play at the highest level when you have some?

If you believe that great organizations are built first by great cultures then by great people who strive to get with one, then collectively thrive by being in one, you might favor cutting ties with Brady.  Bring in the reliever, Will Harris.  After all, weren’t the Patriots looking (as they always do) to improve their roster when they nabbed Tom Brady in the sixth round with the 199th pick overall from the U of Michigan?

If you believe that there is only one Tom Brady, ever, then he has earned the right to go out on his own terms.  Maybe you would have stayed with Greinke.  But this isn’t one game.  It’s a body of work stretched over 20 seasons, nine Super Bowls appearances, six rings, and 75k and counting passing yards.

The Astros culture, as it turns out, was severely lacking.  Their owner took the ball from Hinch a month ago.  Where do they go from here?  With a new team president, a new GM, a new manager, and no ace named Gerrit Cole the culture must be built all over again.  This time it must be built with a real foundation.  Great players will only take you so far.  Time will tell.

The culture in NE is firmly in place.  It’s a personnel decision and a huge one.

But time waits for no man.  The Patriots technically have until March 18 at 4 p.m.(one month from today) to ink a new contract with Brady before he hits free agency. You have to know when to say when.   And you have to do it in real-time.

Mr. Kraft and Mr. Belichick, it’s time.  Are you going to take the ball from the GOAT, or are you going to let him face one more batter?

 

Why the Connection?

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Yesterday morning in unusually foggy conditions for the greater Los Angeles area nine people perished in a violent helicopter crash in Calabasas.  Two of the victims were a 41 year old father of four and his 13 year old daughter.

It’s always tragic when a death or deaths are so sudden.  It’s even worse when life is cut shorter than the average life expectancy age.  And, it’s down right awful when it’s a child with so, so much life to live in front of her.

But, based on the global outpouring of emotions ranging from shock to sadness to anger to grief, this was no ordinary 41 year old and his daughter.  This was a beloved figure.  Of course this was Kobe Bryant.  His list of accomplishments on the highest stage of the most accomplished basketball league, the NBA, places him on a short list of the all time greatest.

The BBR staff frankly was a bit surprised by the outpouring of emotion from those near and far.   Everyone has a right to speak, feel, and react as they darn well please.  But, the outcry made us wonder aloud, “why are so many so affected by the death of someone we don’t know?”  Our best answer is “because apparently so many were so affected by the life of someone we don’t know.”

And then we wondered why would one’s life be so affected by someone you don’t know.  And the answer of course is because one feels a connection to that person.  Isn’t it fascinating, for whatever reason that connection is felt, that one could be so moved?

Did you know Kobe personally?  Did you shake his hand?  Are the Lakers your favorite team?  Did Kobe do something off of the court for a cause that moved you?  Did you grow up idolizing him for his on court wizardry?  Did you dream in your backyard to dribble, drive, shoot and score like him?

If the answer to any of the above is yes, then you have that connection in you mind.

But BBR submits that there has to be more to it even than that.  Does his sudden death make you stop and realize how fragile life is?  Does it make you look a bit deeper into the “passage of time mirror?”  Does it, dare we say it, make you think about “what if it was you  or your daughter and you on that helicopter?

And if it really is more about you and your realization of human frailty, then so be it.  There is nothing wrong with it, but maybe it helps explain some of it.

Sometimes we just wonder, and wonder.  Seven others died in the same crash.  Do you know their names?  Do you care?  Maybe so.  But do you really, really care?  Maybe not.  Maybe there is no connection to them.  And, there is nothing wrong with that either, but maybe it helps explain some more of it.

Kobe connected, apparently, with millions in many thousands of ways.

Sports, the will to win, the excellence, the drive, the passion, and the fear of losing drove him.  And, maybe through him it drove you.

His passing might be a reason for you to examine why you had the connection.  And, whatever that reason is mystifies us on one level.  But if it drives us on another level to another level that is a good thing we suppose.  But, understanding the connection’s origin might be a healthy exercise as well.

May all nine victims rest in peace.  And, may ESPN give it a rest as well.

Black Monday in the NFL

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Yesterday was Black Monday in the NFL.  As the NFL Network sat round table discussing the firings of some head coaches the conversation turned naturally to the hiring of some new head coaches.  Over time the conversation morphed into the state of minority hiring at the key NFL franchise management positions of General Manager and Head Coach.

On the four man (no women) desk were host Steve Wyche, analyst Marc Ross, former GM and contributor Charley Casserly and a fourth whose name we couldn’t discern.  Time and again the refrain was that the NFL needed to do a better job of identifying, training, and interviewing potential minority candidates.  Time and again the refrain was that too few African Americans occupied these important positions.  Ross stated that only 3 or 4 head coaches were black.  It was flat out stated and repeated that the NFL needed to do a better job in creating diversity in the workplace.

Casserly once participated on the committee that created the Rooney Rule.  Adopted in 2003, the Rooney Rule is a National Football League policy that requires league teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs. It is sometimes cited as an example of affirmative action, as there is no quota or preference given to minorities in the hiring of candidates.  Yesterday he expanded on it’s intent and the progress that has been made.  The panel listened and was unimpressed.

Yesterday’s news in and out of the NFL as well as their well intentioned discussion made us wonder.

One, in the ultra competitive NFL would owners choose GM’s and coaches based on race? Or is it always about qualifications and perceived future success?  Either you win or you walk.

Two, how many black coaches or GM’s would make the NFL “truly diverse?”  Would it be a percentage equal to the population in the U.S.?  That percentage is somewhere less than 15% per the last census.  If so 15% of 32 teams would mean 5 black head coaches.  If you have 3 or 4 pending comings and goings right now are you that far off?  Or, to be diverse, should it be more?

Three, so does it mean more than that? The data collected by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), shows that 70% of NFL players were African Americans at the start of the 2018 season.  Should 70% of the GM’s and head coaches be black?

Four, what about other minorities, or women, being included in this diversity shortcoming.  Nearly 52% of America is female.  Shouldn’t 52% of the above mentioned positions go to females?  NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, in his state of the league address last year said, “there is no reason why 50% of our coaches shouldn’t be women.”  Apparently the NBA is progressive.  The NFL is not.

Once upon a time all NFL place kickers were “straight on” kickers.  Hell, they even employed the disabled.  One kicker only had half of a foot.  Now 100% are “soccer style” kickers.  It seems like the league is predisposed, dare we say prejudiced, to one type of kicker.  That isn’t very diverse.  Ah, but the difference in the kicking style is the “how,” not the “who” you say.  In other words anyone can kick as long as they are successful and are “sidewinders.”

Maybe anyone can man the running back position too as long as they are successful?  Sure.  Christian McCaffery, the only white running back of note in the entire league, has had such a great season that he might be a top MVP vote getter this year.  See.  Diversity indeed.

U Haul, the trucking company, announced yesterday that they were going to a “no nicotine” hiring policy beginning in 2020 and beyond.  So much for diversity.  If you can kick the habit come work for us.

The NFL says if you can kick a football come work for us.  But, it’s time to stop kicking this can down the road when it comes to hiring head coaches.  The NFL needs more diversity in certain positions of employ.  In others it’s doing just fine.  No need to take a knee after all.

 

 

 

With a Cherry on Top

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Well it happened again.  Capitalism got in the way.  Freedom of speech is good, even in Canada, of course.  Of course, it’s only good in Canada until it’s deemed divisive.  Or, stated differently, it’s only good if it doesn’t divide our fan base and potentially drain our coiffures.

We’ll keep it short this AM as we are working on a fun article for tomorrow AM.  Take three minutes to read this link from our friends at ESPN, the worldwide leader in diversity, and let us know what you think.  Hockey legend and commentator Don Cherry, embraced for his outspoken takes, was taken out after calling out those that in his opinion didn’t properly honor the heroes he honors.

Of all of the politically correct buttocks covering that went on after his rant, the mayor of his town took the prize.   Quoting directly from the article, “Mississauga mayor Bonnie Crombie called Cherry’s remarks “despicable” on Twitter. “We’re proud of diverse cultural heritage and we’ll always stand up for it. New immigrants enrich our country for the better. We’re all Canadians and wear our poppies proudly,” she said.”

Her last sentence is exactly what he was calling out and she is agreeing.  Wasn’t it?  Double talk.

But it didn’t stop there.  His long time co-host gave him an on air thumbs up and 24 hours later called the remarks hurtful.  It was a remarkable turnaround from approval to disdain.  His buttocks were covered too, but his arse was really exposed.

As stated in the article, both the National Hockey League and Hockey Canada distanced themselves from the comments in separate public statements. It’s their right.   Kudos to the young 85 year old Cherry for double and tripling down on his statement.  It’s his right.

With a Cherry on top, Cherry went out on top.

 

 

The King and His Court.

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

LeBron James exercised his right to free speech yesterday.  King James was holding court with reporters in LA after a workout on the court.  In a 45 second answer to an inaudible question James said Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey, he of the tweet of support for the protesters in Hong Kong, “wasn’t educated on the situation at hand.”

He went on to say that Morey’s foray into pro democratic support could have caused people to be harmed “not only financially, but physically, emotionally, and spiritually.”  He reemphasized that we do indeed have freedom of speech, but we must be careful with how we use it because there can be a lot of negatives that come with it.  And, he also said that he didn’t want to get into a war of words or sentences with Daryl.

The NBA received tremendous bipartisan criticism for their initial response to Morey’s tweet, when they responded by calling the post “regrettable” for the offense that it caused. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver eventually tried to tamp out the firestorm by recognizing Morey’s free speech rights.  China canceled exhibition games and a number of business deals with the Rockets, and the NBA as well.

Now, with the league representatives and players back from their tumultuous trip to China, LeBron, who has never shied away from social justice issues or criticism of American leadership weighed in.

And, all of this makes us wonder.

How does LeBron know that Morey is not educated on the “situation at hand?”  Or, is it more of LeBron exercising his right to free speech by expressing his opinion of Morey without knowing the depths of his study or concern of the subject matter?  LeBron said that we “need to realize that there are ramifications to what we tweet, what we say, and what we do.”  Does basically calling someone “uneducated” qualify?

LeBron expressed concern for the harm the tweet could have caused.  He then led with “not only financially.”  Hmm.  Seems like “financially” was top of mind over the physical, emotional, and spiritual concerns.  Words mean something we were told.  The order in which you use them does as well.  We also wonder how the pro Hong Kong tweet could have caused “spiritual” harm, but we digress.

And, King James wants no war of words (or sentences) with Daryl.  If that is the case, why speak out on it a full 10 days afterwards?  We wonder if James could have picked up his “smart” phone to call the “not smart” Daryl to discuss the matter privately and at some length versus the 45 second sound bite?  In yesteryear the world’s occupants actually used to talk to one another.

And most of all we wonder.   Does LeBron recognize that the “fight for freedom” that Morey was championing is the exact freedom Morey had when he tweeted and was the exact freedom that LeBron exercised when he called out Morey for doing so?  Burger King, not King James, once had a tag line.  “Have it your way!”

This “woke” society that we live in needs to wake up.

 

 

 

Morey’s Three Second Lane Violation

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Did you know who Daryl Morey was prior to last Saturday?  The Houston Rockets General Manager brought analytical concepts similar to MLB’s Money Ball approach to the Rockets organization over a decade ago.  Under his leadership the franchise has won plenty of games, acquired James Harden, but hasn’t won it all.

But, Morey’s tweet of support of the pro democracy movement/protests in Hong Kong, and vis a vis against The People’s Republic of China, threatened to take money from the NBA, it’s owners (specifically Rockets new owner Tillman Fertitta), and it’s players.  So the NBA, Fertitta, and Harden acted quickly.  They whistled a violation.  It’s the golden rule.  He who has the basketball makes the rules.  Morey was in the NBA lane (and out of his) for three long seconds.

In a statement Sunday, NBA chief communications officer Mike Bass called Morey’s tweet “regrettable” and said the league had “great respect for the history and culture of China.”  “The NBA can be used as a unifying force to bridge cultural divides and bring people together,” Bass said.

Fertitta tweeted that Morey’s tweet did not reflect the views of the NBA organization.  He went on to state that their presence in China is to promote the NBA internationally and that the Rockets were NOT a political organization.

Rockets superstar James Harden also pushed back on Morey’s statements. “We apologize. You know, we love China. We love playing there,” Harden said in Tokyo on Monday at practice, ESPN reported. “We go there once or twice a year. They show us the most important love.

“The most important love” actually might be “the most important money.”   You see a Chinese sportswear maker, two banks that sponsored the Rockets and a Chinese broadcaster that aired games bailed on the team, according to a Reuters report.

The sportswear maker, Li-Ning, expressed “strong condemnation” of Morey’s tweet, saying that it had suspended cooperation with the Rockets, and one of the banks, SPD, said it had halted marketing and publicity activities with them, Reuters reported.

So, yesterday, Morey under what we assume was intense pressure from the Chinese dictatorial government, China manufacturers and marketers, the NBA, his boss Fertitta, and his other boss James Harden, tweeted that he had contemplated his position on the matter a bit further. “I was merely voicing one thought, based on one interpretation, of one complicated event,” Morey said. “I have had a lot of opportunity since that tweet to hear and consider other perspectives.”

And so, in the real world span of time equivalent to a 24 second shot clock, the tweet heard round the world clanged off of the Pacific Rim.  For the NBA the only thing more important than defending this three point Morey shot was getting the rebound and starting a fast break the other way.

Last year Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner, addressed the media for a state of the NBA union.  He lamented the fact that the NBA had too few women in coaching positions and refereeing.  “There is no reason why we shouldn’t have women in 50% of these jobs,” he continued.  It’s about all about equal opportunity in the NBA.

A few years back, in his first as said commish, Silver strongly condemned the then LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling.  Sterling was caught on tape tossing around a few racial epitaphs.  Sterling got a lifetime ban for speaking in a hateful manner.  It’s all about equal opportunity in the NBA.

Ah, but over the weekend, social justice broke an ankle as capitalism pulled a crossed over dribble on it.  The NBA is just like many causes, movements, organizations, and individuals these days.  They align with all of these great ideals until those ideals don’t align with what’s in their best interest.  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  Or, not.  Alas, there really are no free throws in the NBA.

Fertitta made his fortune acquiring and expanding several restaurant chains.  Then, last year he acquired the Rockets.  His restaurant portfolio lacks a Chinese chain.  Perhaps he wants to put a full court press on Panda Express.  With all of the pandering that the NBA has done to appease the Chinese, it should be a slam dunk for him.

And, Morey has a far better understanding of money ball than ever before.

 

 

Payton’s Happy Place

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Late last week the New Orleans Saints and it’s head coach Sean Payton agreed to a five year contract extension.  Terms weren’t disclosed but our guess is that it pays $10 million per year at a minimum.  It’s great work if you can get it.  Payton can buy most anything he wants with that kind of dough.  Except, remember, money cannot buy happiness.

And, by Sunday night Payton was not very happy.  The Saints got worked in the second half by the NFC reigning champion LA Rams, and lost 27-9.  But, it was who they lost and how they lost that raises the coach’s blood pressure.  Midway through the second quarter, Drew Brees injured his thumb and after surgery Monday will miss the next six weeks.  Brees has played 15 seasons for the team and has played in at least 15 games each of those years.  That healthy streak is done.

But another streak is three games long and perhaps growing.  If you have any blood pressure you know that in the NFC Championship game in January was greatly influenced by a blown referee call effectively sending the Saints home and the Rams to the Super Bowl.  The head of NFL officiating apologized to Payton shortly after the game.

Fast forward to week one of this season and the Saints were victims again.  This time an improper run off of the clock just prior to the half cost them a chance at a shorter field goal in a tight battle with the Texans. The head of NFL officiating apologized to Payton shortly after the game.  Sound familiar?

And, on Sunday, the Saints scooped up a late second quarter fumble in a 3-3 defensive slugfest and returned it 87 yards for a touchdown.  Except the head referee thought that Rams QB Jared Goff arm had started forward, hence he blew the whistle, and the call.  The Saints got the ball on their own ten yard line as a consolation prize.  After a three and out the Rams got a short field and kicked a field goal.  This was a seven or ten point swing(depending on how you see it) in a deadlocked game.  Game changer.  The head of NFL officiating apologized to Payton shortly after the game.  Sound familiar?

Which brings us to a question.  If money cannot buy happiness, can it buy better officiating?  There is no grand plot to sabotage the Saints.  But, there is a standard deviation or two outlier outcome that puts them on the wrong side of three game changing, horrible calls.  Enough already.

Which brings us to a question.  If the NFL sent a whopping $8.7 billion net after expenses to the teams to share in 2018, could they consider paying for full time referees?  Doesn’t every other league worth talking about have full time officiating?   Of course they do.

Players are asked, er, told, um, must weigh in at a specific team desired weight.  They train year round, attend offseason OTA’s, study film, report to a fall camp, play four preseason games, play seventeen regular season games, and play as many as four playoff games.   You miss any of this you get fined.  You play poorly you get fired.  But most of all, you dedicate yourself  24/7/365 for the good of the team and the respect of the game.  Is it too much for the NFL to dedicate time, training, money, and people to officiate the sanctimonious NFL game in the same manner?  If they did, they could make far less “I’m so sorry” calls.

Money ($7.25 million) did buy Teddy Bridgewater as the highest paid backup in the league to Drew Brees.  He now needs to be a bridge over troubled water for six weeks.  Hopefully that money spent will buy Sean Payton some happiness.

Well, that assumes that the part-time employment referees will break their blown calls streak like Brees’ broken thumb will break his.