The $100 Million Dollar Man. No Mr. Ed. The Sir Alex Ferguson. Atlanta on Fire. The Cornhusker Roll.
One of my first blog posts, almost two years ago, slammed Atlanta Falcons quaterback Matt Ryan for his indecisiveness and lack of mobility. Yes, my assessment was totally incorrect as I had no clue how much work Ryan had done in that off season to improve his arm strength and overall physicality. After I went off on him before that season he went on to be the league’s MVP. When I am wrong, I am really wrong. Now, two years later, he is thirty-three and gearing up for the 2018 NFL season. MSN Sports ranks him the NFL’s fifth best quarterback, behind Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, and Drew Brees – which you may or may not agree with. With all of that said, the Atlanta Falcons extended Ryan’s contract, giving him $150m over 5 years, with $100 million of it guaranteed. The five-year part of it, until Ryan is 38, is eyebrow-raising enough, but the $100m guaranteed contract sets a precedent that is not necessarily healthy for the NFL and other professional sports. Yes, Tom Brady and Drew Brees may finally be near the end of their careers but the go-forward discussions with Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, based on Ryan’s new deal, should lead to some very interesting renegotiations.
How does Bob Baffert do it? Five Kentucky Derby winners, including yesterday’s winner, Justify, in the 144th running of the Derby.
Prayers and thoughts to Sir Alex Ferguson and his family – the coaching icon underwent surgery yesterday and is hopefully recovering from a brain hemorrhage.
With last night’s road win for Atlanta United against Chicago, along with NYCFC’s loss to the Red Bulls, United is now on top of Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference. Wednesday night’s match against Sporting KC, the Western Conference leaders, should be another sellout at Mercedes Benz Stadium. A quick turnaround for both teams as Sporting KC beat Colorado last night. Would Atlanta sports fans every think that three of their professional sports teams would be in the hunt to win championships? United, the Falcons, and now the Braves seem to have something great going on. Don’t discount the Hawks, who are undergoing a rebuilding process but with a positive draft, a couple of key trades, and a new head coach, will be competitive very soon.
It can be recreational in nature and includes words oil, spin, bed posts, cherry, kegler, and back up balls. You can lay it down, split it and the sweet spot changes depending on location. Now get your mind out of the gutter and realize that the activity is bowling – one of America’s pastimes with participants young and old. I always have had the upmost respect for the sport – as someone who played many sports growing up, I have always had a very difficult time with bowling. My respect for the sport has increased as last week I had the chance to catch HBO’s Real Sports program. One of the segments was very well done as the piece covered the University of Nebraska women’s bowling team. A team that recruits worldwide, trains at the football team’s athletic complex, and has won ten national championships. Their coach competed on the Professional Bowlers Association tour and at 6’5″ and 22o lbs, Coach Bill Straub commands the respect of his players with one consistent demand: his entire team, no matter their previous success and pedigree, must throw every ball in the same precise manner. Hundreds of training hours (or course within NCAA regulations) are focused on the arm swing, and any deviation is corrected immediately. No one can argue with the ten national titles and 22 All-Americans at Nebraska, no longer just associated with being a college football powerhouse.
Adios and Have a Funday Sunday!