First off, we give props to long-time subscriber, T. Potter, who had the closest prediction for the final score of the game at 34 – 24 for Kansas City. Very impressive.
SU says that there were two major points in this game where the Niners had some curious play calling:
- First, at the end of the first half, they allowed KC to run the clock down before punting with 1:35 on the clock and 3 timeouts. That was a lost opportunity to try and score again before half time.
- Second, with 5 minutes left and up 20-17, SF ran on first down for 5 yards. But then, passed on 2nd and 3rd down and had to kick. They are a good running team. That was the time to run the ball.
Yes, the Niners are young and they may be back. But in football, being back means staying healthy and that is not always easy. Time will tell.
Greg Bird signs a minor league deal with Texas. SU will be watching. The over/under for his first injury is March 3rd.
Mookie Betts to LA as the Red Sox look to cut payroll. They are in transition but will no doubt look to regroup in 2021 with some new technology for stealing signs. The Dodgers are all in to win it all in 2020. They continue to come close but their time is now.
Finally, SU watched the Michigan – Ohio State game last night. I must agree with ESPN commentator Jay Bilas who says that officiating is ruining college basketball this season. There is so much grabbing and holding going on that players can’t cut and get open. It’s like watching the Rye High School basketball team over and over again. And in the Big Ten, it’s always bad officiating on steroids. Michigan did not deserve to win shooting 30% for the game but SU saw a first at the end of the game. Zavier Simpson drives to the basket, is fouled and then as he is falling to the ground happens to grab on to the jersey of the Ohio State player which rips. Simpson is assessed a flagrant foul. 2 fouls shots and the ball with 35 seconds left. Never seen anything like that at any level – high school, college, NBA. To SU, it’s incidental contact and he was heading to the floor and just reached out. But the officials got together and disregarded what happened but rather just looked at a ripped jersey. Someone had to pay. Is that the rule?
Sports Update Intergalactic 
Agreed on the SF play calling. They had two late possessions late in the game with the lead and I think they passed on 2nd down both times. They did have success throwing the ball in the game but running is the strength and running time off the clock should have been the priority. Otherwise, it was a good game to watch. Relatively close throughout. Well paced. Lead changes. Good defense. Some big plays. Some interesting play calling.
Agree on your two strategy calls but the biggest play of the game was Jimmy G missing a wide open Sanders on a bomb that would have won the game. The guy is a decent QB but blew the big chance to grab a place in history. At 27 Mil a year you expect a lot better, not a true franchise QB.
One interesting trade suggestion I read which has no chance but is fun to discuss is a swap of Brady for Garoppolo. Belicheck gets his boy back to build for the next 5 years and San Fran gets a win now QB who won’t miss the open bomb to help win a Super Bowl next year and then ride off into the sunset.
But the biggest news that happened on Sunday was that after being in super bowl box pools for 35 years I not only won once, but twice with
0-0 at the half and third Q. There’s a first time for everything, and apparently, a second!
Quick take on my NY Mets. Is it possible that Stevie Cohen realized that 5 years tied to the Wilpons is not a good idea and he is trying to leverage this into a complete and total control sale now? One can only hope.