Weekend winners
Francesco Molinari. The Champion Golfer of the Year became the fifth player in Ryder Cup history to go 5-0-0 and joined Larry Nelson as the second player with a perfect weekend complete sweep in the current format. He joined Tommy Fleetwood (the duo was dubbed Moli-Wood) to go 4-0-0 in the team format. It was a slaughter for the Europeans.
Marcus Mariota and Mike Vrabel. Marietta looked the part of franchise QB against a talented Eagles defense in a very important and probably a season- and potentially a franchise-changing win over the defending Super Bowl champs. Is that hyperbole? Maybe a little, but consider that the future decision on whether Mariota is the long-term dude beyond 2019 will shape the direction of this team, performances like Sunday’s and outcomes like the 26-23 overtime win over Philadelphia give even the biggest critics pause. (Side note: Hey, so that’s why the Titans drafted Corey Davis in the top five. Dude looked like a monster.) As for Vrabel, dude put his onions on the table and went for it fourth-and-2. Yes, as he said the call was the easy part, the execution of the conversion was the tough end of it. (Here’s Weeds from Nashville in today’s TFP. Man, Weeds is good at his craft.) You look around the league, and with the defenses being at such a disadvantage in almost every case, here’s betting that more and more teams will have to weigh the decisions of going for it on fourth down more and more often. Seriously, look at the scores. We are at a place that forcing field-goal tries is almost a win these days. More on this in a moment. Also, as Weeds noted, the fact that the Titans have three wins by a combined nine points is an interesting stat, but the biggest number in that sentence is the three wins friends.
Dan Mullen. Yes, the loss to Kentucky made more than one Johnny Gators Fan scratch their noggin’ earlier this year. But this almost assuredly will be Mullen’s worst team at Florida and he’s 4-1 through five games and the win at Starkville – in a monster environment that he had a huge hand in creating at Mississippi State – was clearly personally moving. In fact, I was texting Saturday night with the biggest MSU fan I know and asked point blank, “Would you rather win this one or the Egg Bowl?” The answer he gave ended Saturday night with Mullen smiling with a 13-6 win.
Notre Dame. The Irish hammered an overrated Stanford team that was ranked No. 7. That’s a feather-in-the-cap win. Now at 5-0, Notre Dame will be likely No. 5 or s in the polls today with a win over a top-10 team and win over a Michigan team that gets better by the week. The Irish have one more currently ranked team left on the schedule – that’s this coming weekend against a Va. Tech team that is likely without its starting QB – and will be favored in every game the rest of the way. Barring an Irish stumble, the playoff field of four for the Big Five conference winners just became the playoff field of three.
While the National League playoff bracket is in shambles, the AL is clear. And the weekend winner from the AL side was this Boston fan who caught a Giancarlo Stanton homer atop the Green Monster and, as is custom, threw the ball back on the field. This dude however sent a high-arcing throw toward second base and hit Stanton on one hop. Here’s betting that guy did not have to buy another beer the rest of the game. Here’s also betting that there will be a rule against throwing the ball back on the field before the start of next year.
Cincinnati Bengals running back Mark Walton stands over wide receiver A.J. Green after he caught a touchdown pass with seven seconds to play in Sunday’s 37-36 win against the Falcons in Atlanta.Weekend losers
Every American involved in the Ryder Cup not named Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Webb Simpson and Tony Finau. Captain Jim Furyk was pantsed throughout the entire process, even dating back to pick Phil Mickelson as a captain’s pick. (Other than Finau, Fury’s other captain’s picks went 0-7-0.) Philly Mick and Tiger Woods became, respectively the players with the most and second-most losses in Ryder Cup play. Woods crapped his pants all weekend. So did Dustin Johnson. Patrick Reed lost twice in team play then started second-guessing the decisions to sit the pompous ‘Captain America’ twice and because he was not paired with Spieth. (that Spieth and Thomas were the only consistent US team was lost on Reed apparently) to the New York Times. Here’s betting that will not add to Reed’s less-than-stellar rep among his peers. It was a total disaster. And side note: The joy of the Europeans, the crafty way the course was set-up to magnify the strengths of the hosts and the joy of the crowd made it all too clear that this event simply means more to the folks across the pond.
The roughing the passer call on Arden Key in the Raiders-Browns game. This is the poster screen shot of the absurdity of the roughing-the-passer changes.
All of us who thought the Patriots are done. C’mon man. We all knew better than the Brady-Belichick tandem still had something left in the tank. And maybe they will not have the defensive speed to contain a Chiefs or Rams team, but there’s no way that the Dolphins and Ryan Tannehill were going to put that nail in the coffin, in Foxboro no less.
Falcons defense. Wow, injuries, injuries, injuries, blah, blah, blah. Forget that. (And while we’re here, Johnny Falcons Fans everywhere may need to say, “Hey Sark, nice job with the offense the last few weeks. That’s 30-plus points in three straight even if the Falcons became the first NFL team in 50 years to score 36-or-more points in back-to-back losses.) This defense is dreadful. Dread-Jul. And it’s apparent to everyone not named Dan Quinn, who is supposed to be a defensive guru, right? Well, knowing that these Falcons defensive dudes who are super cute and fuzzy when they try to tackle people can not stop a runny nose has to alter the decision-making on both sides. And certainly we were not the only folks in our living room screaming, “Cover A.J. Green” on the final play were we?
Nebraska. Wow, Purdue comes to Lincoln and puts 42 on the board. Man Scott Frost has to be wondering if he can return to the central part of Florida. The Cornhuskers are dreadful. Side question: Which one-proud program has the tougher rebuild, Tennessee or Nebraska? Because when we talk about getting back to the 1990s, the Rushmore of folks longing to turn the clock back two decades has to be Johnny Cornhuskers Fans, Johnny Vols Fans, Johnny Georgia Tech basketball fans and Bill Cosby.
National League playoff picture. Well, it took 162 games and we still do not know who will play whom in the NL postseason. In fact, the only thing we do know is the Atlanta Braves are the No. 3 seed. The Brewers and Cubs tied atop the NL Central. Those teams will play today, the winner gets home-field advantage through the NL playoffs and will face a wildcard winner that will have played back-to-back win-or-else games. The loser hosts Tuesday’s wildcard game. In the West, the Rockies and Dodgers play today with the winner getting the 2 seed and hosting the Braves and the loser being the last wildcard team and going on the road Wednesday. Shouldn’t head-to-head decide this? If you’re a Braves fan, these teams using as much of their pitching possible before Game 1 Wednesday is a good thing.
Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant talks to a coach on the sideline during the Tigers’ 48-7 win against Furman on Sept. 1. Bryant said he plans to transfer after being demoted from starter to backup of freshman Trevor Lawrence.Emotional edge
There was a ton to get to over a crazy football weekend. A ton.
But the emotional conundrums that football leaves us with can be staggering. And that’s saying something considering the fact that I’m an Auburn grad, and fewer teams in the sport torture its fan base more than Auburn.
Anyhoo, let’s review some of the emotional images that were truly moving this weekend, and that’s not counting Mullen’s return to Starkville or Jimbo’s 15-yard face masking of his own player.
What was Kelly Bryant thinking when Trevor Lawrence was concussed and leaving the Clemson Tigers in a dire situation Saturday? Even down to Dabo Swinney referencing that he would take Bryant back at halftime. If anything, it showed the following: a) Depth and experienced depth at quarterback are invaluable assets for these major fan bases that put year-round value on 13 Saturdays in the fall; b) Coaches now have incentive not to be straight forward with experienced quarterbacks before Week 5, like Swinney was with Bryant. Still, you have to wonder what Bryant’s first emotion was. Whether it was “Who’s missing me now” or “Man, I left my teammates in a real spot.”
What is the mental state of Johnny Football Fan this morning considering there were more than a few folks trying to spin scoring 12 points in Athens and a 26-point loss to a Georgia team that was sleep-walking for most of Saturday’s game? Seriously, what is the bigger statement of the place of the Vols in particular, a blowout loss at home to Florida in which the Vols played like crap or almost a four-touchdown loss in which Georgia was pretty blah-tastic but UT folks seem almost pleased?
James Franklin is a professional B.S.er gang. In a game that Penn State should have won and in which he was clearly out-coached by Urban Liar, and one that Franklin froze late and made several questionable calls, Franklin went all Tebow and delivered a passionate speech about going from great to elite. It made for a great sound bite, but in a sport in which the coaches and the leaders call for accountability and toughness, it really seems like those coaches are really quick to deflect accountability and get really pissy when a media person tries to do their job. Get a load of this jazz hands about Frankin talking about all the little things when he made some big boneheaded decisions. By the end of a news conference that started with the storyline being that Franklin let a big game get away at home, he gets to preach about taking notes in meetings. Brilliant.
How about the personal agony Tyler Eifert must have endured Sunday? Dude has battled back from a career dotted with injuries and was having a great start to the season. Sunday he had one of ‘those’ injuries that TV does not need to show more than once.
Finally, there’s Earl Thomas. Dude was mired in a contract battle with the Seattle Seahawks. He broke his left leg Sunday. He left the field sharing his feelings that the Seahawks bench was No. 1 with a digit other than his index finger. It was one of the most surreal moments in recent NFL history all things considered.
It also was the professional manifestation of the Kelly Bryant thing. Thomas wanted a new deal and held out. He does not practice because he wants a payday. It’s a business and he was reminded about it because that broken leg – in a sport and at a position in which your legs are your livelihood -likely cost him millions of dollars.
Was the middle-finger salute a bush-league play? Yes it was. (In truth, is there really a good time for the ol’ No. 1 greeting? Seriously?)
But in a game of that much emotion and with that much on the line and that much lost, being upset is understandable.
This and that
– We reference the fast-rising offensive numbers in the NFL this year. Well that’s true for everyone other than the New York Giants, who have now gone 36 consecutive games without scoring 30 points. Egad.
– Hey, Jets coaches and players bellyaching about Jags running up the score, here’s an idea: “Stop them from scoring.” It’s not that hard.
– My fantasy team is in shambles. I have five very productive wide outs and my bell cow running back (Leonard Fournette) has paper machete hamstrings. Need to make some deals. Who’s with me?
– We were Jerry Seinfeld, break-even guy this week with the picks, finishing 3-3. And man, and this is part of the process, we left a lot of winners on the table. Our final three eliminated picks were Army, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech. And we were very close to pulling the trigger on Syracuse too. Oh well, so it goes, and that’s why it’s entertaining. (Stupid Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies sprinting to a 17-0 lead and then folding the tents. If Jimbo put as much energy into finish games as he did assaulting his players during the game, then maybe the Texas A&M fans could breathe a little easier. Yes, we’re bitter.)
– Anyone else wonder why LeBron James’ NBA preseason debut got that much play from the Worldwide Leader?
– Speaking of NFL emotions, you had to believe Le’Veon Bell watched the Earl Thomas injury and thought, “See.” Here’s a crazy stat: Le’Veon Bell has forfeited $3,412,000 so far in four game checks. Bell’s backup, James Conner, has made $136,000 in four game checks.
– Side note: Is it just me or does Jason Witten look like Jordan Spite’s older brother coming home for Thanksgiving who still gives Spieth a wedgie even though Spieth is in college now.
Today’s question
Weekend winners and losers, enjoy and discuss.
There are several open-ended questions above. Feel free to debate.
Today is International Day for Older Persons.
On this day 110 years ago, the Model T was introduced. It cost $825.
On this day in 1982, Marvin Gaye released “Midnight Love” featuring the single “Sexual Healing.”
On this day in 1975 “The Thrilla in Manilla” happened and Ali stopped Frazier.
Let’s go there. Rushmore of the best nicknames for single games or matches in sports history. (For example, “The Fall Classic” for the World Series is for all World Series. The Kick Six or Miracle on Ice qualify. Not so much for a “Tradition unlike any other.”
Go.