Ten Things I Think
1. I think the Browns should do whatever it takes to make Lincoln Riley their next head coach. The current Oklahoma coach is thought by many to possess one of the most innovative offensive minds not only in the college game, but in all of in the football universe. Riley’s offensive pedigree in conjunction with his familiarity as it pertains to Baker Mayfield makes this hire a no-brainier for the Browns. If John Dorsey and the Cleveland front office is serious about maximizing all that Baker has to offer they will make Riley a Godfather-type offer to ensure that the thirty-five-year-old is manning the sidelines for the Browns come 2019.
2. I think Gary Sanchez redeemed himself for a season full of blunders with his play in the Yankees Game 2 victory against the Red Sox. Without Sanchez, the Yankees do not win that game and their season is nine innings from being over. Sure, the Yankees catcher didn’t always run out double play balls and let more than his share of past balls trickle by, but his two home run performance at Fenway is why Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman never gave up on Sanchez. If he can stay hot, the Yankees lineup has no weakness.
3. I think the Falcons wish they could hit he reset button on their 2018 season. At 1-4 in the NFC, their season for all intents and purposes is over. A lot of Atlanta’s failure this season boils down to tough luck as Dan Quinn’s defense has been absolutely decimated by injuries. The Falcons three most valuable players on that side of the ball – Deion Jones, Keanu Neal, and Ricardo Allen – have had injuries that prematurely ended their seasons. It is a bummer to waste a year in the prime of Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, but Atlanta’s defense cannot stop a nosebleed.
4. I think the fact that Derek Jeter traded away Christian Yelich is inexcusable. Trading away Giancarlo Stanton made a little sense just because the reigning NL MVP was set to make $25 million per year for the next decade-plus, but getting rid of Yelich is baffling. The soon to be NL MVP, Yelich, (yeah, you read that right, the Marlins will have traded away two MVPs in one-offseason) is in the midst of a contract that pays him an average of $7 million annually. That is an absolute steal for the type of productivity that he provides his ball club. Jeter and Marlins ownership should be under some serious heat for that inexcusable misstep.
5. I think Marcus Mariota is the worst quarterback in the AFC South. Basically, I am saying that he is worse than Blake Bortles and for anyone who follows the NFL closely that is a damning indictment of the Titans fourth year quarterback. Mariota has shown very little improvement year over year and has seemingly lost the zip on his fastball. Overall I believe the Titans have one of the more complete rosters in the AFC, but the shaky play of their quarterback gives me little hope for Tennessee this season and beyond.
6. I think the Knicks should sit Kristaps Porzingis out for the entire 2018-2019 season. The talented forward is coming off of an ACL injury and as the face of the franchise for the foreseeable future why would the Knicks jeopardize his long-term health? There is no precedent for a player the stature of Porzingis (7’3”) coming off of such a debilitating knee ailment. It is better to be safe than sorry and the Knicks are tanking anyways. Having KP watch from the sidelines this entire season seems like a logical decision.
7. I think if Jon Gruden could have a mulligan he would’ve stayed in the Monday Night Football booth. Sure, he signed a massive contract to return to the sideline, but it’s not like he was making peanuts with ESPN; he was compensated handsomely. The Raiders are an utter train wreck and I do not see that changing anytime soon.
8. I think the Pacers are the team that most intrigues me from the Eastern Conference this season. Victor Oladipo took a massive leap last season and now Indiana has added Tyreke Evans, a bucket-getting wing, into the mix. It also appears, from what I have seen this preseason, that Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis are in terrific shape and could both take serious leaps this season. If all goes right in the Hoosier State, I think the Pacers could win 50-plus games and claim a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference.
9. I think the melee that took place at UFC 229 will turn out to be a net-positive for the UFC. While Dana White wouldn’t admit to it right now, six months from now when Khabib and McGregor are set for a lucrative rematch all of the shenanigans that took place Saturday night in Vegas will only lead to more interest and eyeballs for their next bout.
10. I think, aside from the Lakers for obvious reasons, the team that most intrigues me in the Western Conference this season is the New Orleans Pelicans. How much of their late season run a year ago was a charade? Will they be able to withstand a full-season of high-level play without Boogie? Can Anthony Davis take that next step? How will Nikola Mirotić and Julius Randle coexist? Can Elfrid Payton reignite his career in The Big Easy? There are so many fascinating subplots to the Pelicans season and I cannot wait to see how they play out.
