A happy and healthy New Year to everyone in the SU intergalactic subscriber base. As we get ready to welcome in 2019, SU has a few final observations for 2018:
- After watching my share of NFL and college games over the past week, the NFL, in particular, needs to clean up the past interference penalties. How many one-handed catches have we seen of late by receivers whose other arm is firmly locked in and held by the defensive back? No penalties on these plays as the refs aren’t in position to see it but don’t they wonder why the receiver isn’t using their other hand? Combine that with receivers claiming interference on virtually every play and you have a major problem. I think teams are daring the officials to call a penalty on every pass play knowing that they won’t do it. As a result, you end up with some uneven officiating – especially late in games.
- While watching Clemson vs. Alabama yet again in the BCS championship game may seem boring, you can’t argue with the fact that once again, these are the 2 best teams in the country. You also wonder what might have happened if Clemson had lost to Syracuse earlier in the season? Would they have even made the final 4? SU is not sure that the answer is to expand the playoffs to 8 teams as some of those teams are probably not worthy. I will also say that the bowl match-ups this year have been pretty bad. The answer may be a longer playoff schedule and getting rid of the bowls which more and more are just exhibition games with NFL ready players sitting out for fear of injury.
- When it comes to basketball and football in NY, man, these are lean times. SU suspects that Netflix and Amazon sales must be way up in the metro NY area in the fall and winter.
- So, Jim Leyritz is saying on Twitter that the Manny Machado deal with the Yankees is all done except for the signatures. Apparently, Leyritz scooped the Stanton trade last winter and has some source for these things. Ugh. As stated previously, this is a major mistake by the Yankees and will usher in the 2nd A-Rod-like Era of drama and absence of championships.
Finally, watch for the large number of firings in the NFL for head coaches this week. Two went down yesterday and many more to come. The rumors are already starting – did you see Jim Harbaugh to the Jets? Honestly, why would the Jets want a coach with an offensive mindset right out of the 1980s? This is the era of the young, mobile NFL quarterback who can sidestep the rush and buy that extra second in the pocket. They don’t run necessarily but are able to reset and find a receiver down the field. Patrick Mahomes is the poster child but there are others out there and the days of the tall, slow pocket QB are behind us. SU will even be surprised if Eli Manning is picked up by some other team for one more season next year after the Giants cut him.
Anyone want to make some predictions for 2019? Have at it.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
Mets in 5 against the Yankees.
I assume you are talking about spring training games?
Ha! I’m counting on the World Series this year. I’m an eternally optimistic Mets fan!
Am I the only person who is sick and tired of watching Nick Saban ranting on the sidelines, throwing his headset on the ground, screaming at his players and (if my lip reading skills are adequate) cursing at the officials? Maybe a total lack of civility is the norm these days, but someone needs to slap this guy upside the head.
Saban was especially out of control on Saturday night. He does comes across as the Bobby Knight of college football although when you are winning championships, I guess it’s not a problem. You see some of those guys in college basketball but at the pro level, the younger generation of coaches focuses on communications, motivation and of course, big hugs a la Aaron Boone. I have always wondered why yelling and cursing at the officials is not permitted for fear of getting thrown out or a technical except in football where virtually anything goes.
You Gotta Believe That The Magic Is Back!
Mets in 7 over the Red Sox. Sorry Yankee Fans, Machado gets suspended for rest of playoffs after spiking the Red Sox 1B in game 1, inciting a bench clearing brawl. Yanks lose 4 games to 1.
Now to the sorry state of Football in NY.
JETS… Bowles should have been gone 2 years ago. He was a very bad head coach tactically and ran a very loose program. Too many penalties and stories about alarm clocks. However it is not solely his fault. There is a clear lack of talent on this team. 4 Years of Mike Maccagnan drafts have yielded very few quality players. Besides Adams and Darnold, would you trade a 3rd round pick for anyone else on this team? The team needs new leadership from the top down. Hire a president of football operations who hires the new GM and then together hire the coach. Discipline is incredibly important in football and a chain of command that demands accountability is essential to success.
Giants…Stuck in the void. A pretty bad team that has not yet committed to rebuilding. Eli has been a good QB who played his best in some of the biggest games. Clearly not a HOF player but a great Giant. Let him play out his final year with an improving O line and maybe they can make a run at the playoffs. I would at the same time look to the future and seriously consider trading Beckham Jr. A great talent who is a distraction on and off the field. The quintessential millennial player. Me Me Me. If they could get a mid 1st round plus a 2nd round pick I’d pull the trigger. Also, how is Landon Collins a pro bowler? He is one of the worst cover safeties in the league. I could beat him on a deep route. Don’t throw away good money on a long term contract.
Happy New Year SU!
I don’t see a downside to an 8-team playoff. Any undefeated team in D1 should get an automatic bid, then take the highest ranked teams. If week 1 is a blowout, who cares? Hard to argue Ohio State and Georgia shouldn’t be in. And UCF should be in, if nothing else but to prove they don’t belong. The Bowl games are being exposed as charlatans…kids are opting not to play, not one watches, they don’t matter… Expand the playoffs to 16 teams and figure out a revenue share. Wouldn’t it be great to see a top 4 team get upset in the round of 16? Sure beats watching the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (BYU crushed Western Michigan by a score of 49-18 in front of ~17,000 fans (which to be fair, is 1% of the population of the State of Idaho)
Red Sox to repeat as World Champs for sure.