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Contract decisions
For most of us, the occasional job offer is flattering, and potentially a chance to elevate your salary.
But there’s more that goes into it for everyday Joe American, from fiscal to family, from profession to location.
But what about athletes?
We have become accustomed to the phrase “hometown discount” in terms of free agents-to-be.
The Braves wanted Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson — and even Max Fried — to accept less, in part because they were more familiar with the Atlanta organization and their coworkers.
That happens frequently in business. Heck, both the Mrs. and me expected to be long gone from these parts long ago.
But living here is boss, and that weighs in.
Granted, athletes — especially baseball players — can live anywhere and work everywhere because they are on the road half the year anyway.
Plus, the difference in $5 million a year and $15K a year is stark.
But what about QBs, especially some of the names percolating this NFL offseason.
Should Matt Stafford take less to play with a Rams team that is poised to compete?
Should Brock Purdy take less to keep the core of his 49ers crew that was a title contender as recently as 2023 together?
And there is Sam Darnold, who authored a comeback, rivaled only by Travolta agreeing to be Vincent Vega in “Pulp Fiction.”
Does he take more from the QB-needy Raiders who are years away from competing or take less and run-it-back with the Vikings?
Look, I’ll never begrudge someone taking an opportunity for financial reasons. I’m smart enough to know that spending another man’s money is a waste of time and brain cells. That’s doubly true when asking multi-millionaires to take less from multi-billionaires for the “good of the club.”
But the value of winning — especially for a QB1 — and the importance of roster support — especially for a QB1 — should really factor in, right?
So, on an AGT — anything goes Thursday — if you were Sam Darnold, are you taking a one-year, $25 million deal with Vikings knowing that another year like 2024 — more than 4,300 passing yards and 35 passing TDs — and you are going to command one of those five-for-$250 million deals or sign with Tennessee for three years and $90 million?
Discuss.
A legend is gone
Some celebrity deaths hit harder than others.
It’s not like we know them, but we feel like we do — especially athletes and entertainers.
I remember being really sad as a kid when I learned that Thurman Munson died in a plane crash. I remember being melancholy when Hank Aaron passed.
Same with Prince and many others.
The Gene Hackman news hit me like that this morning.
Hackman, 95, was found dead in his New Mexico home along with his wife and dog. Foul play was not suspected, but details are sketchy.
What is not sketchy is the dominant acting career Hackman enjoyed.
For a lot of us, he will forever be Coach Norman Dale, who led the barely big enough for three syllables Hickory Huskers to the Indiana state title over the mighty Bears of South Bend Central.
Or maybe he was Jimmy Doyle of “The French Connection” for you. Or even the patriarch of the Tenenbaum clan.
I guess my favorite role of his was Little Bill Daggett in “Unforgiven.”
Hackman had been retired for more than two decades, and while there may have been guys with more awards and more acclaim and even better catalogs, I’m not sure there has been an actor in my lifetime with his range.
From true comedy chops — “The Tenenbaums,” “The Birdcage,” “Get Shorty” — to being the villain — Little Bill, “Crimson Tide” and lest we forget, he was the early Lex Luther — to being the hero — “I play, Coach stays. He goes, I go” and, of course, “Mississippi Burning.”
Thanks for sharing your gifts, Gene Hackman.
NFL news to know
So the NFL combine is happening. That’s cool.
(Side note: News that Abdul Carter, the Penn State pass rusher, may need surgery is less than cool. I think he may be the best player in this draft.)
But the Shield is never short on storylines. Here are some of the back and forth that caught my eye.
First there was the NFLPA report card where Miami was ruled the best organization to play for and the Arizona Cardinals were DFL.
Somehow, Atlanta was third on the anonymous grading by almost 1,700 of the league’s players. Tennessee was 16th.
Second, there appears to be a trade market for Hendon Hooker, and if his final year at UT before the injury was any indication, he’s better than any signal caller in Nashville not named Diego Pavia currently.
Finally, the league announced some changes to rules and the exploration of overtime tweaks.
The OT possible changes — go to the playoff model or extend the OT period to a full 15 minutes — are an effort to minimize the coin toss in the extra session.
OK, whatever. My thought has always been, if you are gonna get in a twist about heads or tails, crack some heads and stop their tails from getting in your end zone.
Finally, and when I read this across the ticker last night, it gave me joy then some pause.
The NFL is going to a virtual measuring system to determine first downs. We have been asking for this for years.
But they are still going to spot the ball manually and will still use the chain crew.
The virtual spotting will notify officials if a first-down was achieved after the ball was spotted by hand.
Why go half way? Use the spotting system or don’t, but this does not feel like a solution. It feels like a compromise. And a tease.
Other rule-change possibilities include expanding the realm of plays that can be reviewed, tweaks to the kickoff overhaul from last year, including a likely move of touchbacks coming out to the 30 and to make the onside kick more of a viable play.
NFL teams were 3-for-50 on onside kick attempts last year.
This and that
› Early nomination for winning the weekend — Clemson’s baseball team leaving the dugout mid-inning to shake hands with veterans as “God Bless the U.S.A.” plays in the background. That is cool.
› Wowser, Fight Club and Rule 1. IFYKYK, and if you know what that means, can you share it with me?
› Auburn played one of its most complete and impressive games last night, absolutely destroying Ole Miss. Auburn scored 106 points in 40 minutes. That said, the Lil Miss 5-at-10 — a huge Auburn hoops fan — was not pleased about Chad Baker-Mazara’s new hair cut.
› Michigan State’s half-court-plus bucket at the horn to win at Maryland was awesome.
Today’s questions
It’s the ol’ AGT, so fire away — either for today or for the mailbag.
Which player has you most intrigued in the coming days of the combine?
As for today, Feb. 27, let’s review:
› Mardi Gras was first celebrated in NOLA on this day in 1827. Spy, how was the crowd and did you get many beads?
› Elizabeth Taylor would have been 93 today.
› James Worthy is 64 today.
› In honor of Mr. Hackman, Rushmore of Gene and have some fun out there.
And remember the mailbag.