Oh, my. Super Bowl week has produced a super-fat mailbag, and there are too many good ones this week to ignore.
So buckle up, gang — sorry, Clint — this is going to take a hot minute.
So with all reference and respect to DJ Kool, let me clear my throat.
Rushmore of worst trades in sports history — OK, had no idea this one was going to be this difficult, but the final prism has to include all-time franchise impact, which makes Babe Ruth for cash No. 1. It made the Yankees the Yankees and cursed the Red Sox. Sorry, Spy. That puts Herschel for the multitude of picks to the Vikings there too, since it redirected America’s Team. Kobe for Vlade Divac seems right too. With so much left to choose from, I’ll fill the final spot with the Bulls dealing draft picks with Seattle, sending Olden Polynice to the Sonics for a rookie named Scottie Pippin, which equated to six NBA titles. Apologies to Joe Barry Carroll for McHale and Parrish as well as the current moves that have built the Seahawks (Russ Wilson to Denver) and Houston (DeShaun Watson to the Browns) as well as Luka. (Late add: Loyal reader Jeff noted that Steinbrenner dealt George Costanza to Tyson Chicken for lower concession prices. Actually that seems like a good deal for the Yankees.)
Does he make the Rushmore of sports superstars universally known for their initials — LT, MJ, TO and KG? Side note: I viewed this as first and last name initials, so proper apologies to Yelberton Abraham Tittle. Side note on the side: If my name was Yelberton Abraham, I’d be going by Y.A., too.
Rushmore of SEC QBs solely based on NFL careers — Peyton, Tarkenton, Stafford and Bart Starr. The first three feel like dunks. The last one is open for debate.
Rushmore of most famous varmints, and key word here is famous — Mickey Mouse, “Groundhog Day” the movie, Bad Bunny and a personal choice of Rocket Raccoon from the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy.
More business details. Here’s the coolest Sam Darnold story I have seen this week, and it has nothing to do with bust-to-bona fide. Darnold’s granddad was an Olympic volleyball player, a firefighter, a TV star and actually the Marlboro Man back in the day. And he was named Dick Hammer.
Let’s bag the’ bag.
From several folks last night
Jay, what did you think of the NFL Hall of Fame selection and the Awards Show?
AND
From Smart Ascot from LM
In our dysfunctional world that elects frauds and cowards to the Oval Office, that often sees thugs and thieves walk free, where human suffering is off the charts, maybe we need the pro football HOF, of all outfits, to remind us that there is a price to be paid for being nasty, arrogant, disrespectful and manipulative. Both Kraft and Belichick will be enshrined one day. But it’s obvious someone doesn’t care for them, and maybe it’s for a good reason. The voters should remain anonymous, or change the HOF rules for the future. Their snubs don’t mean the end of the world.
Gang and Smart Ascot (great handle, by the way),
Terrific questions, and they are layered.
As for the awards, 1) I did not watch, B) I would have voted for Drake Maye as MVP, and third) how did Matt Stafford win the MVP in part because one of the 50 voters decided to give Justin Herbert a first-place nod?
Which leads us to the biggest lead-up chatter before this Super Bowl. The Hall of Fame and now Award voters have stolen the show. Which violates one of my biggest journalism rules — Don’t become part of the story.
And we will get to Mr. Ascot’s astute query, but the voters have now brought questions into the process.
Not because we disagree with the result. Stafford was worthy for sure. (And side note: Stafford just punched his ticket for Canton with an MVP added to his Super Bowl and top-8ish career stats in every metric. Even though Stafford has all of two division titles in his 17-year career.)
Look, Larry Fitzgerald, Drew Brees and even Roger Craig — far better player, and light years ahead of his time in terms of a pass-catching RB1 — are Hall-worthy.
This is not about who got in, because there is an argument that the names that did not get in by comparison — Belichick, Kraft, Eli, Reggie Wayne — could be better and more accomplished than the ones that did.
And to Ascot’s insightful input, I am for accountability. I am for trying to improve our cultural actions and moreover our expectations. I am for valuing the approach as much as the outcome.
SA is right, the snubs of Coach Hoodie and Happy Ending Robert are not the end of the world. But if you don’t believe they should be first ballots, what can Belichick do to change your mind he’s Hall-worthy next winter? Date a 21-year-old smokeshow instead?
And the different narratives with Adam Vinatieri — who started his run to the best kicker in NFL history with the Pats under Belichick and Kraft — getting in on first ballot make me wonder.
I can see the debate about anonymous voting and open voting, but I will say this: If you can’t defend your choice on at least some level — I voted for DJT in 2016 because I voted against Hillary Clinton, and I have said that multiple times — then are you making the right choice?
And is Spy-Gate or Deflate-Gate, which is more on Brady than Belichick, the morality line for first ballots, because Big Ben Roethlisberger and Adrian Peterson are on the ballot next year, and those skeletons are far worse than any -gates we can tag to New England?
And remember Ray Lewis was first-ballot, and that debate was a killer.
From Mike B
With the success of Bucky McMillan at TX A&M, is it fair to say the Southern Conference is becoming a cradle of coaches? Including McMillan, I count at least six former Southern Conference coaches currently at power 4 basketball jobs — Steve Forbes (Wake), Wes Miller (Cincinnati), Mike Young (VTech), Will Wade (NC State) and Lamont Parris (SC). That is a pretty impressive group and should speak volumes to the quality of the Southern Conference.
Mike B
Great call, and maybe GoMocs and MocsColts can give more names through the years and details, but we’ll start with Bucky Ball in College Station.
(Side note: If/when Dan Earl wants to make a move, he will have suitors. Yes, the Mocs have struggled with injuries and inconsistencies this year, but the dude coaches his whistle off. Nice win for the Mocs last night over Mercer. Here’s more from Gene Henley.)
Man, the ascent of high school coaches rising through the ranks — quickly — and taking their versions of Pitino’s perimeter/pace plan to high levels is awesome.
It also is product of NIL, because systems at places that can spend on talent are now more important than ever.
Because how many star players would choose to go play at major stops for “former high school coaches” at the next level?
And Will Wade is great at this, and man, the whole “big (butt) offer” at LSU seems as trivial as the $2,000 “Medieval Architecture” answer in Double Jeopardy, no?
And as much as I like the dude, Lamont is dead coach walking in Columbia, if I had to guess.
Great talking point, Mike.
From Chas
Not sure I understand why the greatest music and film stars are so heavily on the left side. Any theories?
Chas
Who knows, but here are a couple that I believe.
First, there’s a real chance the majority of their bosses lean that way, so the pressure is tangible, if I had to guess.
Second, the cost of crossing the far left line is recoverable. The cost of crossing the far right edge sends you to the land of exile. And if you think not, well Kathy Griffin did decapitate a Trump doll on live TV and she’s still in the circles.
Big picture, I welcome all viewpoints. With the caveat that those welcome mine.
And maybe that’s the broken part of our discourse and civility these days.
From Spy (part I)
My dad coached me one year in basketball. I think I was the only one of us he coached in anything. Nothing like playing in a gym built by German POWs.
He did play and coach on his unit’s flag football team, and they would have won the base championship, if not for some stupid officer, a captain, who put the I in team.
But other than my dad coaching me, I can’t recall our parents going to any of our rec games or school ECAs. Ever. Shoot, they even left graduations after our names were called. We turned out OK. Mostly.
Spy
You had a monster week, my man. My email was overflowing, and it made think and smile and laugh every single time.
I looked for an old column I wrote about Dad coaching baseball from back in the day. Also, found this column I wrote a decade ago about coaching my son in the 7-8 youth baseball league.
I’ve got a slew of them if you guys want more. Just let me know.
(Bonus link: I also found this column I wrote for A2 when Pop died in August 2018. Oh my, it’s dang dusty in here right now.)
From Spy (part II)
Wonder what got better ratings last night — the Pro Bowl games or the Westminster Kennel Club dog show?
A Doberman won Best in Show. Like someone was going to tell a Doberman you didn’t win.
Spy
Not sure the 2026 Pro Bowl numbers are out yet, but the decline is real. In 2022, the Pro Bowl had 6.7 million viewers. Last year it was 4.7 million.
The dog show draws between 2.5 and 3 million.
And there’s no way I’m telling a Doberman no.
None. It’s treats and “good boy, good boy.”
We had a Doberman — Grayson — and he was a great dog. We have video of Grayson doing the Easter egg hunting for a 4-year-old Lil 5-at-10, who would just stand in the yard as Grayson went and got the eggs and placed them in his basket.
He was a wonderful friend while he was here. Dang, dusty in here again. My bad.
Have a great weekend, gang, and enjoy the Super Bowl.