Stafford cashes in
Matt Stafford is now the highest paid football player ever.
Dude signed an extension that includes a $50 million signing bonus and averages more than $27 million per year over the next five years.
Egad.
Matt Bleepin’ Stafford.
Yes, we know the “If they let him walk someone would pay him” argument. Yes, we know the “market drives price” debate. Yes, we know the hollow debate that Jets fans or Bears fans or 49ers fans or Jags fans or QB-less team X fans cling to about how they’d love to have him.
OK, and we understand all of that. And do not really dispute that on its face. But now answer these questions:
Where does Matt Stafford rank in value at his position?
Would you take him over Brady? Rodgers? Brees? Ryan? Carr? Dak Prescott? Eli Manning? Andy Dalton? Cam Newton? Philip Rivers? Do I need to go on?
Yes, the spectrum of payment is skewed by Stafford’s position, and again, we understand the market value discussion. But at what point does an owner or a front office realize that the definition of insanity is following the same path of broken rewards for mid-level QBs on fringe playoff teams in a hard-cap sport.
There’s also this question that we are interested in the answers: If Tom Brady or player X is a good teammate and ‘cares about winning’ as the argument frequently goes, then is Matt Stafford a bad teammate or care less about winning by taking more than 20 percent of the Lions’ salary cap?
Discuss.
(And while we’re here, the talks of Stafford being an elite quarterback are simply ridiculous. Yes, stats can be twisted and yes, he has the most come-from-behind wins in since 2011 and he’s one of eight QBs to lead his team to the playoffs twice in the last three years. To answer that we offer that he’s a stat-generator in a very parity-based league. And if we are going to quote the win stats of coming from behind and playoffs, also know that Stafford is 5-46 against teams that finished with a winning record and 1-25 on the road.)
FILE – In this Sept. 25, 2016, file photo, former Baylor football coach Art Briles watches the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears warm up for an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League have hired former Baylor coach Art Briles to be an assistant. The team announced the move Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, via Twitter. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins, File) Briles
It was announced before lunch on Monday. It was rescinded before we went to bed.
Art Briles – yes, that Art Briles, the disgraced former head coach of the Baylor Bears who turned blind eye after blind eye toward the brutality and sexual assaults – was hired as “Assistant Head Coach Offence” on Monday.
When I first heard it, truthfully I thought, “Wow, how unfortunate for that football coach has the same name as the jack wagon from Baylor. Because there’s simply no way any football organization would hire THAT Art Briles.”
Well, it is that Art Briles and it took almost 10 hours for the adults and the sponsors and all those who know simply that Art Briles is unemployable to correct this.
June Jones, who was promoted to the head coaching spot late last week, and the Hamilton Tiger Cats are the worst team in the CFL. They are 0-8. And this decision cements them on the short list of worst organizations in all the free world. Here’s the joint statement from the Tiger-Cats and the CFL:
“Art Briles will no longer be joining the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as a coach,” the statement read. “We came to this decision this evening following a lengthy discussion between the league and the Hamilton organization. We wish Mr. Briles all the best in his future endeavours.”
Translation: “Art Briles is too busy in his duties serving the dark Lord in Hell. We realized this decision was so bad that we now question June Jones’ capabilities to run this organization. We sincerely hope Art Briles gets what’s coming to him.”
File-This Sept. 10, 2016, file photo shows Florida State’s Brian Burns stripping the ball from Charleston Southern’s Robert Mitchell in the second half of an NCAA college football game, in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State’s defense returns nine starters to a unit that struggled the first half of last season before rounding into form. Defensive coordinator Charles Kelly is hoping that the lessons the No. 3 Seminoles learned last season pay off. They will find out quickly since the opener is against top-ranked Alabama. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon) College football
We’re ready. Giddy up.
Full state of games. Some heavy hitters. Some games of interest for all areas of the country.
Good times.
That said, and this is something we have been worried about for some time as the discussion of playoffs and expansion have grown in commonality and volume over the years. Yes, we are all super excited for the opener between Alabama-FSU, teams ranked 1 and 3 in the country.
Should be a show-stopper with a ton of NFL talent on the field for both teams. We’re in. But, we heard a discussion this morning that gave us pause.
The loser of this game still controls its destiny, the argument came. A one-loss Alabama or FSU would still get into the playoff, the logic followed. And it makes sense.
You know what else it does? It’s the first step in making the most entertaining regular season in all of sports less impactful.
Are we there yet? No we’re not, and a loss for the Tide or the Noles would certainly be felt. It would remove any sign of a mulligan and make running the table a must. But now ask yourself if the playoff field was expanded to eight, how meaningful would the Alabama-FSU truly be beyond the moment and pageantry of Saturday night?
This and that
– The details and stories from Houston are heart-breaking. If you are looking to donate and help, here’s the link to the Red Cross.
– As always we were impressed with UTC coach Tom Arth, who joined us on Press Row on Monday. Here’s the interview if you missed it.
– Want to know the guys who are 12 ways to Tuesday tickled about Matt Stafford’s contract? Try guys like Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins, all of whom will be on the market sooner rather than later. Seriously, if Stafford gets $27.5 million per, here’s betting that’s the starting point on what Cousins will ask for in a new contract.
– It’s not very often that a first-round women’s U.S. Open tennis match featuring an unseeded wildcard player catches our attention. But it’s not very often that said wildcard player is Maria Sharapova, who toppled No. 2-seeded Simona Halep 6-4,4-6,6-3 in a match that looked more like a semifinal than an opener.
– RIP Judd Heathcote. He was 90 when he died Monday. Heathcote came out on top in arguably the biggest college basketball game of all-time – the 1979 title game when Magic and Michigan State topped Larry Bird and Indiana State.
– OK, this is weird and terrifying. The Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas, is hosting a special screening of Stephen King’s “It” next month. The special screening is for only people dressed as clowns. Egad, that’s the movie seen for me in Hell. And I’d have to eat cole slaw. And sit next to Art Briles.
Today’s question
Hey, it’s a Tuesday. You know what that means?
True or false, if you were the GM of the Detroit Lions, you would have signed Matt Stafford to that contract. True or false, Art Briles will ever coach a football team ever again. True or false, the loser of the FSU-Alabama game will make the college football playoff.
Go. (And feel to leave a couple of T or Fs if you so desire.)
As for today, let’s explore.
Michael Jackson would have been 59 today. Side note: Did you know he died in all the way back in 2009?
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina made its second trip inland on this day. The numbers – more than 1,800 deaths and $115 billion in damages – are still staggering.
On this day in 1898, the Goodyear Tire Company is founded.
On this day in 1915, Ingrid Bergman was born. She died on this day in 1982.
Brigham Young died on this day in 1877. Lee Marvin on this day in 1987. Gene Wilder on 2016.
As for a Rushmore, let’s go here. On this day 53 years ago, “Mary Poppins” premiered.
Rushmore of Disney movies that are not animated.
Go.