What of Sports in the Wake of George Floyd?

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I have a confession:  I am struggling to see a path forward from this as protests and clashes of violence enter—what day is it? And by this I mean the outrage over the death of George Floyd. And that of Ahmaud Arbery. And Breonna Taylor. Oh, and Tamir Rice. Wait, also Philando Castile.

 

You get it.

 

If you are not devastated, outraged, or feeling some combination of the two then you’ve got something else coursing through your veins and it’s equal parts Clorox and Hydroxychloroquine.

 

I am not here to draw a correlation between those who vote for a certain orange-tinged president and those whose stance on how athletes should behave is synopsized by “Shut up and dribble”.

 

Folks, that line draws itself.

 

I’m writing because I have to wonder, “What is the role of sports in this?”

 

I’m not even talking about games as a means of escapism. I’m saying this after watching countless Food Network and HGTV shows and feeling as if I’ve exhausted everything remotely interesting on Netflix. This wasn’t just to fill time during the COVID pandemic, but it was a holding pattern until sports would begin again.

 

And then Ahmaud Arbery happened. And Breonna Taylor. And lastly George Floyd.

 

I am proud that Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores stepped up to make his feelings known on the deaths of George, Taylor, and Arbery. That is great. Just about every league, team, and numerous players have issued some kind of statement. But what else is there but words? Words carry so far. There’s been action. But action has only taken things so far. What’s left?

 

 

Is this the contribution of sports? Athletes have used their fame to call attention to injustices.

 

There was the Jesse Owens fist raise. The Jackie Robinson breaking of the color barrier. The Bill Russell and Boston—well, Boston. Fast forward to today with the likes of LeBron James and Kenny Stills. They have been activists in their own way by parlaying their fame to draw attention to social causes. They are simultaneously modeling the way and clearing a path.

 

Athletes like LeBron have maneuvered themselves to not just be in a position to make contributions to their communities but to be role models for all kids. He’s been a model for carrying one’s self off the court and parlaying his talents to create something of significance. LeBron is an industry. But that still doesn’t make him immune.

 

Then there’s the retort, “Well they’re millionaires”. As if the money that they make is enough to shield them from the pain of seeing someone who looks like them, killed in a cruel and apathetic manner. Like us, they probably watched in shock as a man pleaded for his life while an officer pressed his entire body weight down through his knee and onto the man’s neck. The light in the man fades slightly with each passing second until it is finally snuffed out. The officer does this all while wearing an emotionless expression on his face. Somehow money might not have saved George Floyd at that moment. Or maybe it would have. Who knows?

 

Money isn’t everything though many believe that it is a means of influence. Perhaps it doesn’t. It brings me back to a spot on point by the great Chris Rock regarding rich and wealthy, back in 2004.

 

“Shaq is rich. The white man who signs his checks, is wealthy.”

 

So much for money.

 

What is the solution? I don’t know. But each advancement is followed by an even greater retreat.

 

 

The sad truth is that despite their notoriety and money, very little has advanced in terms of race relations. My feeling is that with every significant step forward there has been a couple steps back.

 

Colin Kaepernick used his fame and took a knee in protest over police brutality and racism. He gained attention and started a conversation and movement that inspired other players, like Kenny Stills, to do the same. One step forward. Outraged NFL fans lost their minds and threatened to boycott NFL games resulting in the league mandating that players stand during the national anthem or risk a fine. Two steps back. Kaepernick continues to donate his money and his time to various charities and causes, extending the life of his activism and thus impacting various groups and communities. One step forward. In the past few seasons there were teams with varying degrees of need for an experienced quarterback either because their incumbent is suspect or simply as an insurance policy. Despite holding workouts to prove that he still has skills, Kaepernick has still not caught onto a pro team. Two steps back.

 

It was 12 years ago—though it might feel like four lifetimes ago—that we had the first black president. One major step forward. It also gave rise to a number of right wing extremists and militias as a result of his election. Two steps back. It was eight years ago that Obama won re-election. One step forward. Then the current occupant of the White House was elected president and gave rise to even more extremist groups. Two steps back.

 

 

This painful choreography is going to continue and it’s going to take time. Despite such gains, they did nothing to quell the racism and hate.

 

The sad reality of the two examples above is that as more time goes by, Kaepernck’s window will slowly close simply because he’ll be older and his physical tools will diminish. Perhaps teams are just hoping for time to naturally close the door on him and are then bailed out of having to dodge questions about whether he is worthy of a look.  As time goes by there will be more rhetoric criticizing and falsifying details about Barack Obama and these will be taken as “truths” despite facts pointing to the contrary. The sad reality is that this will only breed a new generation of believers as well as reinforcing a devoted base that will consume these “alternative [gulp] facts”. There will be more who take these “truth tellers” seriously (because they align with their own biases), if not literally (rather than look closely to truths because they will debunk their biases).

 

Ultimately, to put this into sports parlance: This is a long rebuild. It’s a rebuild on top of what has already been a long rebuild. This is a long game that will feature tiny victories over many administrations, Democrat or Republican. It is long because it is having to undo many long held prejudices that are perpetuated by passing them on to their subsequent generations. I can’t even come up with an analogy creative enough to describe how entangled these hateful beliefs are within the lineage of many families. I can only assume that it is embedded in their DNA and impossible to extricate. Or is it? Insert shrug emoji here.

 

There is no overnight build that accelerates success.

 

These latest events have robbed me of the love and excitement of watching sports again. The Heat are on the cusp of something great. The Dolphins are relevant again with a player we can all be excited for. And yet I cannot take any satisfaction from any of it. As a father I have to feign enthusiasm as my son wants to discuss the potential of Bam and the promise of Tua. In the back of my mind, I wonder what of his future.

 

Perhaps when sports, in whatever new normal it manifests itself in, resumes it will not just be an escape but a platform. I’m talking about a platform that will allow athletes of all races, races, and sexual orientations to speak up more and more. It will be to continually speak up, tell the stories, and vocalize truths. It’s like Ricky Williams, wearing down a defense through the first three quarters until the fourth quarter the line is exhausted and yields. Then finally there’s a run that breaks for a long touchdown. There comes the breakthrough. The road to that breakthrough will be a long one.

 

Hoop History: Ralph Sampson, 1982, & The NBA Draft

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You’re probably wondering who that random dude in the crowd is. That’s normal. I’ll spare you the detective work—his name is Ralph Sampson. Who is Ralph Sampson? I’ll spare you the reading time:

Here’s a terrifying prospect—in 1982, Ralph Sampson, who was in attendance for Game 1 of that year’s NBA Finals between the Sixers and Lakers, had the option of declaring for the NBA Draft through what was known at the time as the Hardship Exception.

After winning the NBA title over Philly in six games, the Lakers—shockingly—had the #1 pick that summer. They took James Worthy. Imagine a league today where the recently-crowned champion has a Top 2 pick in the NBA Draft.

The closest we’ve come to that has been the 2002-03 Détroit Pistons, who had the #2 pick in the ’03 Draft—as we already know, they went on to win the 2004 NBA Finals. Darko Miličić does. Suppose the Lakers take Ralph Sampson #1 overall?

Dominique Wilkins’ career numbers.

Or even Dominique Wilkins, as I mentioned earlier? Could you imagine Magic running the floor with Byron Scott and Nique for the next decade, especially considering the latter’s scoring output didn’t dip under 17 PPG until he turned 38 years old?

As a reference, James Worthy’s career would last only 11 years, forcing him into retirement in 1994 after a series of knee injuries ended his career at only 32 years of age. Injuries don’t care who you are, and we’ve seen how they’ve changed NBA History.

As we would eventually find out, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who had already turned 34 years old prior to the 1982 NBA Finals, would go on to play another seven full seasons in the NBA before retiring at the ripe old age of 42 at the end of the 1989 NBA Finals.

How much more could the Lakers have won with a dynamic duo of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Ralph Sampson up front? This means that Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon never form the Twin Towers in Houston. This means that there’s no Rockets upset of the Lakers in the 1986 Western Conference Semifinals.

Could this mean that a younger Sampson, not burdened with the fortunes of a franchise desperately in need of a new center with Moses Malone traded to Philadelphia, has a healthier career? Maybe. Do the Lakers, now equipped with Kareem and Sampson inside, still struggle with a dominant Malone inside the following season?

This is the fun part about these what-if scenarios. We might never truly know. Who knows, maybe the draft order, due to shifting talent in Houston and elsewhere, changes in the summer of 1984, meaning someone other than the Chicago Bulls is awarded the #3 pick. You know where this is going.

This means that Michael Jordan takes flight elsewhere—like Portland [they had the #2 pick here on Earth-1], Dallas [#4], or even—amazingly enough—in Philadelphia [5th] alongside his idol Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Mo Cheeks, and Bobby Jones (instead of Charles Barkley).

As a reference, the Sixers went 58-24 in 1984-85, and that was with Charles Barkley not starting for 22 games. Replace him with a young and superior Michael Jordan in that lineup, just two years removed from a dominant 1982-83 campaign. How do you count them out, even against a dominant Lakers team that season? With Sir Charles, they split the season series with L.A. (122-116, W on 12/07/1984; 104-109, L on 01/25/1985). Don’t they win with MJ instead?

And what does that mean for the rest of the decade? Imagine that if you must.

And it all starts with Ralph Sampson coming early out of college.

This is fun.

—

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Boca Raton, Ricky J. Marc, J.D., M.S. is an alumnus of the Obama White House and Cornell Paris Institute, a former Legislative Aide with both the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate, and a graduate of St. Thomas University with a Juris Doctor and Master of Science in Sports Administration.

Ricky currently resides in Paris, France, is the host of the The RJM Experience (available everywhere podcasts are found), and is the host of the upcoming STICK TO SPORTS: A Sports Podcast (That Isn’t) series.

Follow him on Twitter @RickyJMarc. His life matters.

THE EXTRA YARD: 2020 NFL QB RANKINGS

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It must be that part of the offseason when analysts come up with Top 40 lists where a hot take is built in to generally piss off an entire fan base, or better yet, very dumb lists that inexplicably go viral.

So I’ll come up with my own.

This is a top 40 list of NFL Quarterbacks, but I am doing it a bit differently. I’m classifying them in several (weighted) groups: The Elite, The Franchise Guys, The best of the rest, and Just Guys.

NOTE: If a guy projects for a longer career with his current team, he is classified as a “Franchise Guy”, and therefore, is going to have a natural edge over established 1-2 year band aids. (Ranks higher)

 

THE ELITE

1. Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

The Defending champ. Huge numbers, immense physical talent, he has it all. Now, he has a ring, and more could be coming.

2. Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
Accurate, exciting, and a ring holder. Russ needs a concerted effort to build a juggernaut skill group (that’s happening) to challenge Pat Mahomes for NFL supremacy.

3. Drew Brees (Saints)
This old dog still has a few tricks up his sleeve. it was heard in 2019 that Brees is “finally showing signs of slowing down.” Those signs? nearly 3,000 yards in 11 games with 27 TD’s against 4 INT’s, with a 116.3 Qb rating. Yep. Slowing down.

4. Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
His third consecutive sub 10 QB rating and the lowest rating of the last 5 years, has Rodgers dropping from the top of “the elite” to merely just “elite”. Big year coming for the aging “G.O.A.T” candidate.

 

THE FRANCHISE GUYS

5. Deshaun Watson (Texans)

The lack of playoff success gave Watson a knock, but that’s over now as he won his first playoff game in 2019, in comeback fashion. He followed that up with a great effort int he divisional round versus #1 on this list. Arrow up, although his coach might slow some of that growth. Big pay day on the horizon.

6. Lamar Jackson (Ravens)
Polarizing to say the least. What is not polarizing is his accomplishments. A league MVP, and record setter already in just 2 years. Needs improvement throwing outside the hashes, as it’s now TWO teams that have successfully game planned for him in the playoffs.

7. Carson Wentz (Eagles)
Had a brief MVP run already, stopped by injury. Availability is a big thing for a franchise guy, so Wentz has plenty to prove in 2020. Nothing wrong with him when he actually does play. Eagles have not afforded him a ton of talent to build on, however. Another top QB with a lot to prove.

8. Kyler Murray (Cardinals)
Reigning rookie of the year. Cardinals stockpiling talent too. Great candidate for a HUGE leap forward in 2020.

9. Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers)
Super Bowl participant as a 3 year starter. He also has a 21-5 record as a starter. This guy wins. He is also a steady if not spectacular passer. Showed some promise as a prolific passer in 2019 as he hugged 4,000 yards. Won a couple of shootouts vs. Murray (#8) and Brees (#3).

10. Dak Prescott (Cowboys)
Did you know that Dak nearly threw for an efficient 5,000 yards in 2019? Probably not, seeing how some talk about him. He has to agree to a contract soon so he can build upon his big 2019 (did lose a big one vs. Wentz (#7)). Dak has some more firepower this coming year as well (CeeDee Lamb).

11. Jared Goff (Rams)
The big numbers for Goff came to a halt in 2019, as some roster mismanagement is starting to seep in for one of the NFC’s biggest winners in recent memory.

12. Matt Ryan (Falcons)
This might be the quietest hall of fame career we have ever seen at QB. Age is becoming a factor and you can see the finish line from here.

13. Josh Allen (Bills)
Josh has critics. The accuracy issues. The occasional brain dead moment. But we can allow for further growth as his team improves around him.

14. Matthew Stafford (Lions)
Was headed for a career year when last seen (injured). 2020 is an all important year for many QB’s, and I am not sure there is any more important than Stafford’s.

15. Baker Mayfield (Browns)
Former rookie of the year (2018), and total disaster in 2019. Big bounce back year upcoming as some issues along the Offensive line have been addressed.

16. Sam Darnold (Jets)
Darnold has it all, save for the occasional break down. Has consistent;ly improved throughout his first 2 years, and a big jump could be on it’s way.

17. Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)
The best QB prospect this writer has seen since Andrew Luck (Kyler murray is close), and had it not been for his Hip injury, could have been the 1st overall pick in the 2020 Draft.

17A. Joe Burrow (Bengals)
The 1st overall pick, tied with Tua Tagovailoa, even though, this writer believes Tua to be the superior prospect.

18. Drew Lock (Broncos)
4-1 to finish 2019 and had his moments throwing it late in games. Broncos might have hit big on the polarizing 2018 prospect.

18A. Daniel Jones (Giants)
Some moments in 2019, and an improved offensive line in 2020 could lead to a strong upward trajectory.

THE BEST OF THE REST

19. Tom Brady (Buccaneers)

Evans, Gronk, Godwin, Howard. Brady moved on to greener pastures as the Patriots cupboard was bare. Big year for the 43 year old in 2020?

20. Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
Talk about polarizing. Kirk has been talked about as anything from “near elite” to complete festering trash. The facts are clear however, Kirk Cousins produces, big.

21. Ryan Tannehill (Titans)
Escaped Miami, had a career year (elite numbers) that led the Titans to the AFC title game. If he does it again, maybe Miami had the right guy all along and were just unlucky as they screwed him up.

22. Cam Newton (Free Agent)
Does not have a team, and was fading badly when he went away with injury. Cam swears he is healthy for 2020, and is the first to watch if any top starter goes down this season.

23. Philip Rivers (Colts)
25 million for 1 year to play behind one of the best OL’s in football, and a decent set of skill players. Rivers has no excuses to not be effective in 2020. Top performer, on the way out.

24. Gardner Minshew (Jaguars)
Minshew-mania was real? We will find out as he has every opportunity to earn this job and possibly move up a category into “the franchise guys.”

25. Derek Carr (Raiders)
His numbers have always been strong, but the results weak. There always seems to be something missing with Carr, and all the Brady noise, and the eventual Mariota signing confirms that Gruden is starting to think the same thing.

26. Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Age, weakness in surrounding talent, and a return from a serious injury (elbow) casts doubt on Big Ben’s 2020.

 

JUST GUYS

27. Nick Foles (Bears)
In town to rescue a team stacked with talent that feels as if their QB has held them back. The former Super Bowl champ has yet to prove he can stick on a team outside of Philly.

28. Ryan Fitzpatrick (Dolphins)
Fitz-Magic rides again, this time as a mentor to 5th overall pick Tua Tagovailoa. If this is a legitimate competition, Fitzy could transition to a top backup in short order.

29. Andy Dalton (Cowboys)
Speaking of top back ups…This could be Andy Dalton’s future. Not a bad gig.

30. Mitch Trubisky (Bears)
“Bust” has been said. Trubisky has had moments for a young QB, but the arrow is pointing down, and that’s always a bad sign for a 3rd year guy.

31. Matt Moore (Chiefs)
Matt Moore and Ryan Fitzpatrick are the same guy. Both capable of magic, and disaster. You could do a lot worse than Matt Moore for a 2 game stretch where your MVP goes down.

32. Jarrett Stidham (Patriots)
Who knows? truth be told, this ranking is so high just because it seems as if Belichick is vouching for him. Was an unspectacular prospect in college that consistently faded since his first start at Auburn.

33. Jacoby Brissett (Colts)
The Colts finally see Brissett for what he is. Just a guy. Could have a very long career as a top backup.

34. Marcus Mariota (Raiders)
Does Mariota have a second act in his career? Got unseated by Tannehill, now seeks to unseat Carr.

35. Dwayne Haskins (Redskins)
Top draft pick, so why isn’t he a “franchise guy”? Well, becasue he was pretty damn bad and it’s hard to see the improvement as the talent around him has improved only slightly.

36. Jameis Winston (Saints)
Massive counting numbers, massive INT totals. He is with the right guy in Sean Payton, and has a real shot to be the heir apparent as Brees is in the twilight of his career.

37. Case Keenum (Browns)
Career “maybe” guy. Maybe he can put together another stretch like he did in Minnesota. Maybe, they gave up on him too quick in Denver. Maybe he’s just a journeyman backup at this point.

38. Brian Hoyer (Patriots)
Smart, top performer in relief, his whole career. Belongs in that Fitzy, Matt Moore category. You want this guy around if your top QB goes down. All three are very good QB room influences.

39. Kyle Allen (Redskins)
For a while there it looked as if the Panthers might have found their QB of the future. Then reality set in. He is young enough to have another shot at a starters job.

40. Josh Rosen (Dolphins)
Is it over? Could be. Drafted to be the future. Dumped in favor of a top prospect in Kyler Murray (#8). Traded to Miami with a shot to restart his career, and Miami has moved on in short order after taking Tua Tagovailoa (#17) in the 2020 NFL Draft

Missed the cut: Joe Flacco (Jets), Tyrod Taylor (Chargers), Mason Rudolph (Steelers), Brandon Allen (Broncos)

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Jaillet’s Journal: In Boston, LeBron’s 2012 masterclass will always resonate

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Let me set the scene for you here a little bit from my perspective. Game Six, 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. The Boston Celtics had defeated the Miami Heat in three straight games. Things did not look good for Boston early on, as LeBron and Miami had won the first two games of the series.

Heading into the sixth game, I felt pretty confident about the Celtics chances that night. I knew LeBron James was going to be a problem. He always seemed to show out against the Celtics in the playoffs. My Dad was also feeling pretty confident that night as well. He was a huge Celtics fan, and had grown up in the days of the Larry Bird era.

He would always tell me “Pierce, Allen, and Garnett are good, but not like the original Big Three. “ I always took that comment as an old man “Get off my lawn!” type of statement. Looking back now, he was right.

I had enjoyed this particular Celtics group. I knew that the days of the KG, Pierce and Allen era were numbered. Nevertheless hope seemed very much alive. This was their chance to close out the series instead of having to go back to Miami.

Lebron begins his “lesson”

Ray Allen begin the game with a layup, and from there it was a see-saw battle. Lebron’s first basket came at the 9:01 mark in the first quarter. He soared in for a dunk to extend the Miami lead to 8-4 at the time.  That one basket was part of a 14-point quarter for James. Right away, it was clear that Boston needed to stop Lebron right away. They never were able to.

The second quarter was more of the same. Lebron had his entire bag of tricks empty for this one. He drove in the lane, he shot the three-pointer, he got to the line. By halftime, Lebron had 30. Miami lead at this point by a 55-42 margin. The Celtics had some catching up to do.

Dwayne Wade free throws at the end of the second quarter were the last points for both teams as they hit the showers.

The third and fourth quarters were more of the same. Lebron got every single shot that he wanted. James shot the three, he stopped on a dime and shot fadeaways. He single-handedly controlled the pace of the game and kept the Celtics off-balance. He was a man on a mission that night, and played in a way I haven’t really seen before or since. It was like he was part of the old NBA Jam games of the early 2000s. Once he caught fire, he was impossible to stop.

This was Lebron’s finest hour

Lebron has had many great games over the years. This game out of all of them stands out to me. James undoubtedly wanted to win this one, and help Miami get another shot at the title. At the time, the TD Garden had not been kind to the King, especially during the Cleveland days.

The efficiency at which he scored, combined with his attributes and ability to control  both teams were unlike anything I had seen in quite a while. He kept the Celtics guessing, and on their toes. He put Miami on his back and said “I’ve got you guys.”

It was mesmerizing to watch, and thankfully, it worked in Miami’s favor.

Each player has a signature game that fans remember. For me, it was this one.

Dad, who was usually very vocal during the course of Celtics games was quiet for most of the night. It was almost weird to see. He knew as well as I knew that there was no stopping Lebron on this night. He knew as well as I knew that going back to Miami for a seventh game would not be easy.

Indeed, James could not be stopped. He would finish the game going 19-of-26 from the field and two-of-four from beyond the arc. With 45 points in total, he carried Miami on this night.

As a Celtics fan, I was sad to see Boston lose this one. As a basketball fan, I had to appreciate greatness.

Even my dad, a huge Celtics fan, appreciated what Lebron brought to the table that night. It was Lebron at his finest, and perhaps the best performance of his career. That’s certainly saying something.

Miami Dolphins

THE EXTRA YARD: 5 Ways to Fix “The Rooney Rule”

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Sometimes, you need to look at something twice.

Or more.

I must admit that when I initially read the tweet below, that broke news that the NFL would be voting on a resolution that would improve a team’s draft position if they hired a person of color to be Head Coach or General Manager, I thought five things, almost in order: A) This is kinda clever and funny as a protest of the Rooney Rule. B) This is racially insensitive as a protest of the Rooney rule. C) This is tone deaf if real. D) It’s borderline racist. E) Wait…THIS IS REAL?

This ridiculous, condescending, tone deaf resolution has since been “tabled”, presumably to be improved upon in the future. In it’s place, the following was approved:

On the face of it, it’s fine as an add-on, although I am sure we can all agree it won’t make much of a difference, but at the very least it will draw some attention to minority hiring practices in the NFL. So, how do we attempt to “fix” this problem? Well, first of all, you must agree that there is a problem. There are 2 Black GM’s and 4 Head Coach’s of color in the NFL, making for a 17 year low. People of color are underrepresented. That’s a problem. So what’s the issue? Racism? Can’t fix that. You can’t legislate tolerance. Especially when racial bias will be denied. In the end, the problem is not rampant racism among the owner’s ranks in the NFL. It’s the good ole boy network, or the simple fact that people tend to hire people that they more readily identify with.

What people of color need is an opportunity that for whatever reason, is harder to come by. So how do we increase opportunity? I have five ideas that can create an environment for minority candidates, where they will have a better chance at landing top NFL Jobs as Head Coach’s and General Managers.

 

1. Expand the Rooney Rule for Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Jobs.

Pretty straight forward. If you have a vacancy at OC/DC, you must comply with the Rooney rule and grant an interview to a minority candidate. This way, you are exposing minority candidates to the Jobs that are most likely to be in line for the top gigs.

The Web site fivethirtyeight wrote about this and had an instructive graph:

a
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/a-5-part-plan-to-fix-the-nfls-coaching-diversity-problem/

 

2. Only College Head Coaches, NFL Coordinators, and former NFL Coaches are eligible to interview for a Head Coach’ job.

Wait, this seems counter productive to the goal? No. As you create opportunities for minorities to become coordinators, they will populate the hiring pool and thereby fill coaching vacancies at a higher rate. It’s Math.

 

3. If you are fired as a Off./Def. Coordinator in the NFL, you are removed from the HC candidate and coordinator pool for one league year.

“This works as a scarlet letter and will hurt, more than help.” Disagree. This will break up the retread market that stifles the upward mobility of younger candidates. You are not preventing them from getting other jobs either, it’s just the titles that are not available to them for one league year. they can be hired as play callers, consultants, but cannot hold the title that includes them into the Head Coach pool.

 

 


4. Expand Internships for High School/College athletes.

Will the NCAA allow this? They better. They have no leverage to deny unpaid internships during the college offseason/ High School summer. The simple rule to use to avoid the inevitable hanky panky that will go on, is that these “interns” must not do their internship during a draft eligible year. Simple and easy as that. By exposing young minority athletes to the coaching ranks at an earlier age, it may plant the seeds to continue on this path if/when their football life doesn’t blossom into playing careers.

 

5. Expand post-retirement player coaching assistant participation by incentivizing/enhancing their pensions.

This is the foot in the door. These are not highly paid jobs, and in fact, will likely pay rather poorly, but this is the easiest of starts for a coaching career, available to all football retirees. These players can also be incentivized to participate by enhancing their pensions (when eligible). Sound weird? State governments and the federal government already do that for those that work past their retirement eligibility. This will seed the lowest rung of coaching staffs, and thereby create a feeder system for minority candidates.

These are simple fixes that don’t engage in mandates, but do increase opportunity for minority candidates by merely offering opportunity where none existed before. Football, like no other sport, enjoys using phrases such as “football family”, and “football life”. With these proposals, you are not merely creating a big tent, but encouraging your “football family” and football lifers” to fill it.

 

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.

Tua TagovailoaUniversity of Alabama Athletics

Fresh Perspective: Why Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa needs to redshirt 2020

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Now that the Miami Dolphins have drafted Tua Tagovailoa, the former Alabama superstar has the entire Dolphins fanbase reeling with either anticipation, or impatience. Given the circumstances, that’s an entirely understandable feeling. Miami hasn’t had hope for a true franchise quarterback since Ryan Tannehill was initially drafted back in 2012. The seven years he spent with the Dolphins made it clear that he’s good, but he will never be that elite level player fans want.

So now here comes Tua Tagovailoa. Perhaps the most talented quarterback to come out of college in recent memory. Many evaluators equate his skill set to Drew Brees. How could fans not want to see a left-handed Drew Brees come in as soon as possible? However, there are a few problems with that. While the temptation to play Tagovailoa right away is incredibly strong, is it really in the best interest of the franchise?

One can easily make the argument that patience is still a virtue. Here’s why.

Health Concerns

One thing that cannot be dismissed or ignored is that Tagovailoa’s health is a huge question mark. His college career at Alabama is riddled with injuries that slowed him down, including the hip injury that officially ended his final season there. It’s because of that injury the Dolphins were able to draft Tagovailoa fifth overall in the 2020 NFL draft. It’s also because of that injury that caution is strongly advised. At the very least, head coach Brian Flores doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to throw him to the wolves.

“Look, we haven’t even seen him. Obviously with the pandemic and all that’s going on, our doctors haven’t seen him.” Flores said back in late April. “We have a long way to go before we can say who’s doing what … We have to just get him and have a meeting first. I think it’s way too early to speculate on this year and how this is going to go. You guys know we like to take a one day at a time approach anyway. That’s going to be the approach I’m going to have him take as well.”

Videos emerged before the draft of Tagovailoa going through the motions for a virtual Pro Day. He threw well, showed off strong footwork and revealed that his hip was progressing nicely. Doctors have come out and said that Tagovailoa’s hip is ahead of recovery schedule. All of these things are excellent signs. However, ahead of schedule does not mean fully healed, and we’ve seen what happens when Tagovailoa gets rushed out onto the field before he’s ready.

Uncertain Offensive Line

Take a look at the offensive line the Dolphins project to field in 2020.

  • LT – Austin Jackson
  • LG – Ereck Flowers
  • C – Ted Karras
  • RG – Solomon Kindley
  • RT – Robert Hunt

This is merely an assumption based on what Miami seems intent on doing. Unless they sign veteran guard Larry Warford to play right guard, it’s obvious development is the goal for the upcoming season, one way or another. Kindley is a monster of a guard, Hunt loves pancaking defenders, and Jackson has all the tools necessary to be an elite left tackle. There are other young players who will get a chance as well.

But they’re raw. Every single one of them has some part of their game that needs serious fixing before they can truly be deemed ready to start in the NFL. Jackson’s hands and footwork needs to be fine-tuned. Hunt needs to move faster if he plans to play right tackle. Is it really wise to throw Tagovailoa out there when the offensive line is going to be using this season as a trial run? The obvious answer is no.

Again, temptation is very strong. It’s understandable that fans want to see Tagovailoa play as soon as possible. He represents the end of a long two decades of mediocrity. But without an offensive line worth touting, Miami runs the risk of ruining Tagovailoa the same way Tannehill was. No run game and no pass protection is a recipe for disaster for Tagovailoa’s career. Thankfully, there is a simple solution.

Let Ryan Fitzpatrick take those hits.

If Tagovailoa was going to start right away, why bother keeping Fitzpatrick around? Why bother investing in Josh Rosen and not seeking some sort of trade option to try and recoup the second round draft pick they gave up for him? The smart thing to do is to let Fitzpatrick be the crash test dummy so to speak. While the offensive linemen learn and grow through trial by fire, Tagovailoa can sit and watch Fitzpatrick, getting his reps through practice where the risk of re-injury is minimal. If something happens to Fitzpatrick, then Rosen can play instead, maybe even increasing his trade value.

Pattern of History

Everyone knows Aaron Rodgers. He will go down in history as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. But he didn’t play right away. He sat behind another Hall of Fame QB in Brett Favre for a while before he got to take over in Green Bay. Now, the Packers are following the same formula with extremely raw but talented Utah State QB Jordan Love.

Everyone knows Patrick Mahomes. He’s the best QB in the NFL. Some are already even crowning him the greatest of all time. But in his rookie season, he sat behind veteran Alex Smith. Granted, Smith was in the running for an MVP award that year. But as special as Mahomes obviously is, why did he not immediately take over?

Everyone knows Dan Marino. There’s no QB in Dolphins history who has accomplished more. There are many who consider him the greatest passer to ever play football. But even in his rookie season, Marino sat behind David Woodley for some time while he acclimated to the NFL. What came after that was more than a decade and a half of incredible play that leaves Dolphins fans constantly searching for that one player who can truly carry the baton for Marino.

The list of QBs who found success waiting their turn goes on and on. Think of Carson Palmer sitting behind Jon Kitna for some time in Cincinnati. Eli Manning waited for his chance when Kurt Warner was a New York Giant. Philip Rivers didn’t make a name for himself in San Diego until after the departure of Drew Brees. Jimmy Garoppolo got traded to the 49ers while learning from Tom Brady in New England.

To be fair, there’s an argument in the opposite direction that can be made just as easily. Cam Newton started right away, as did Andrew Luck. Ben Roethlisberger only sat for one week before taking over for an injured Tommy Maddox. Matt Ryan, Russell Wilson, Carson Wentz, Deshaun Watson, the list goes on and on.

But there are extenuating circumstances when it comes to the case of Tua Tagovailoa.

Conclusion: Future over Present

The points made in this column are fairly easy to understand. So much is at stake with Tua Tagovailoa. As stated earlier, he represents the end of a long stretch of mediocrity. Miami has not been relevant since the days of Dan Marino, in spite of several tries to find his true successor. No one shows more promise in that regard than Tua Tagovailoa. But for this unique case, it’s best to err on the side of caution. Tagovailoa may not be fully healthy. His offensive line may not be reliable. His acclimation to the NFL may be hindered by factors beyond his control.

As tempting as it is to make him start now, that only satisfies the base urge to see the Dolphins be successful as soon as possible. It’s understandable, it’s relatable, but it’s not recommended at this time.

2021 is the year to truly get excited. Miami has two more first round picks that season. They have two more second round picks as well. Another strong free agency will only bolster the roster Tagovailoa comes in to play with. Add to that the draft picks the Dolphins select, and all systems are go from that moment on.

The future is indeed bright, the light is shining at the end of the tunnel. But they aren’t out just yet. One more season, Miami fans. The offensive line needs time to learn and gel, Tua Tagovailoa needs time to learn and heal. And the Dolphins have not one, but two quarterbacks who can easily step in while that process takes place. They have time to give. The wise thing to do is not risk the future for the sake of the present.

The NFL is a marathon, not a sprint.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for seven years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung

Jaillet’s Journal: Relocating NFL teams to Florida seems like logistical nightmare

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is extending an offer to every NFL team whose state is affected by the lockdown.

Thursday, DeSantis said that he is reaching out to commissioners of professional sports leagues to let them know that those teams will have an opportunity to play in Florida.

“If you have a team in a league in an area that just won’t operate, we’ll find a place for them here in Florida,” DeSantis said.

“Our people are starved to have some of this back in our lives,” DeSantis said. “I think we can certainly do it in a way that’s safe.”

This is certainly interesting when you figure in all of the states who are still taking precautions to stop the spread of COVID-19. I certainly want to see sports back again. Is this the way to do it? I certainly don’t think so. When you consider all of the teams may have to go down to Florida, it would just be a logistical mass. For example, I would love to see a NFL schedule that would be able to accommodate multiple teams. Depending on the amount of teams and games there are, it could make for a hectic Sunday.

I get the fact that DeSantis says that there will be room for everybody in the state to do it safety. I’d like to see logistics on how it would actually work. With money losses abound, a bunch of teams will probably want to go down there. How would the state of Florida make it all happen? It sounds good in theory, but can it actually get done? As the old saying goes, nothing ever goes according to plan.

It would certainly be something different than what were used to. I doubt that it’s going to work, but I have been wrong before. If I’m wrong again, then so be it. I would certainly be open to watching sports again. If the state of Florida can get the job done then that would certainly be beneficial for many. However, it sounds more like a pipe dream than reality.

Season Ticket: Is it Tua much trouble to be positive?

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If it is true that misery loves company, it is also accurate that the truly miserable don’t when optimism is abundant anywhere. This is a trait particularly inherent in sports fan populations, with some trying to extinguish hope wherever it may appear.

In South Florida, they are the Dolphins Downers.

You probably know one.

Or a few.

They are the ones who will tell you it will never get better, that the Dolphins will forever be stuck in the doldrums because of some decision made by some long-gone executive more than a decade ago. They are the ones who keep telling you that every plan is destined to fail, because others did before under the same ownership, discounting the possibility that anyone can learn, grow and adapt. They are the ones who keep telling you that the new Hawaiian Hope, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, will be another Beck or Lemon, another Harrington or Culpepper, another Henne or Tannehill, another waste of time and resources — maybe not because of ability on this occasion, but fragility. They are in your mentions on Twitter whenever you post something positive or, more likely, lurking in Facebook grousing groups, where the negativity spreads as if seeded in a Russian bot farm.

Can we finally put that pessimism out to pasture?

Can we finally believe… in something?

Can we finally stop whining, and willing the worst into reality?

Somehow, in a week when the new quarterback’s number release meant more than any passing numbers that any of 20 Dolphins quarterbacks had compiled in 20 years, some fans still found a way to fret. Not all. Certainly not. Not with Tagovailoa’s jerseys ranking first and second in the NFL Shop (and wait until the throwback finally drops). Not with our Tua shirts selling briskly.

Not with memes like this, from fans of the teams in this town, who has seen more success on the basketball side and want a little in football too:

Not with Dolphins fans announcing on social media that they will be putting money on Tagovailoa to win Rookie of the Year, with the sports books having him in the top three, behind only Joe Burrow and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, both widely expected to star and start sooner.

(CLICK BELOW…)

But the other side?

The doomsayers?

They’re out there.

It’s not a straw man situation when you scan social media and see so many still clinging to the notion that Tua was the wrong choice because he’s too brittle. But at least that’s a rational sports argument. It’s flawed, because there’s not much historical correlation between elite quarterbacks’ collegiate injuries and their durability in the pros, but at least it’s understandable to be concerned if Tua will be available enough to fulfill his potential.

It is not rational to just keep endlessly trying to find reasons to dislike him.

And this is some of what was seen on social media this week, the week that Tua officially signed with his right hand not his throwing hand, which somehow rattled some:

There were actual posts asking why the Dolphins didn’t wait to make him earn it, as if that’s how NFL contracts work. Throw for 4,000 yards and then you get paid.

There were actual posts asking why Tagovailoa had to announce he would be helping the places that helped raise him, instead of doing it quietly — as if setting that example of generosity wouldn’t inspire any others.

There were actual posts in response to the above tweet, questioning why he was spending so little on his mother, or why he would spend so much.

Or questioning who paid for it, as if he couldn’t be advanced anything by an agent or someone else with the contract coming a day or two later.

OK, now some will say these are not Dolphins fans.

And in many cases, that is true.

But Facebook tells another story.

You can’t post anything about Tua there without several trolls trashing the pick.

So the question becomes:

Did the Dolphins make those people miserable?

Or were they always that way?

 

Ethan J. Skolnick, the CEO of Five Reasons Sports Network, has covered South Florida sports since 1996… and finally feels good about the direction of the Dolphins. 

Let Tyler Cook: Why The Rookie’s Braids Are Much Ado About Nothing

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With the 13th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Miami HEAT selected… Tyler Herro. Remember this moment, HEAT fans? I sure did. It was unexpected, as I had only known about this kid in passing while combing YouTube for potential draftees. I won’t lie.

No one I knew expected him to be drafted by the HEAT in the Lottery, and even less people expected to see him walk up to shake NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s hand in the outfit that he had on that night.

Drip. That’s the word that came flowing out when we saw him in that outfit. That’s what #NBATwitter suddenly added to its vocabulary. From the moment he was drafted, Herro turned heads, and this would extend to his play on the court.

A quick YouTube search will find that Herro always seemed to be a confident, outsized personality on the basketball court. We remember his silencing of a Wisconsin high school crowd shortly after committing to Kentucky.

And then the regular season started. Rookies are prone to inconsistent play from time to time, but Herro let the world know who he was on multiple occasions, with impressive scoring outputs, clutch play, and a refusal to back down from anyone.

We remember this well, HEAT Nation.

Now that play has been suspended due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, we are all looking for some means of entertainment while staying inside and practicing social distancing like smart, prudent citizens.

It wouldn’t be long before Miami’s rookie would turn up again, and so he did, first with some impressive social media shot-shooting (shooters will continue to shoot, right?) and then a certain hairstyle that would apparently set #NBATwitter ablaze.

That’s right, Wisconsin’s very own Tyler Herro now has braids. Is this really an issue? It would seem as such to some, believing that Herro is pretending to be something he’s not, acting “Black” when he’s really white, and so on.

Let’s slow down. It’s very easy to throw around terms like culture vulture, cultural misappropriation, and so on. We see it happen all the time with Black people. We wear something and are crucified for it, and some white celebrity goes on vacation for a week and comes back with a new fashion style that’s amazing. Yes, it’s maddening.

But here’s the truth: Tyler Herro is doing nothing wrong. Braided hair is a hairstyle. Black (and other) men have worn it for years, and while reactions have been mixed depending on who you ask, we are no longer in the late-90s when Allen Iverson was deemed controversial for cornrows.

There’s no safer place than sports to wear differing hairstyles. This isn’t like a white woman in Hollywood wearing braided hair and being celebrated for innovation while Black women have been wearing it (and being disrespected) for millennia. We know the history. If not, read something.

Tyler Herro isn’t pretending to be someone he isn’t. It’s easy for those to dismiss or attack the HEAT rookie for his behavior, especially when they don’t actually know who he is. Isn’t that what social media is famous for, after all?

How someone behaves isn’t so much of an issues as whether or not they’re putting on a cultural mask that never belong to them in the first place. Remember Jason “White Chocolate” Williams?

He was who he was, the same way Herro is who he is. We’re not talking about a white person attempting to pass as Black in a world like this. We already have real examples of that in this world. Rachel Dolezal, anyone?

Another note: did we suddenly forget that Herro happens to be on a roster that is predominantly Black? Did we forget that he happens to share a locker room with two players that are well known for their toughness and unapologetic Blackness in Jimmy Butler and Mr. 305 himself, Udonis Haslem?

If Udonis Haslem considers him certified, what’s the issue? In fact, here’s what Butler had to say about Herro just the other day during a SLAM Magazine photoshoot.

Bottom Line: Tyler Herro is who he is. It’s clear that he’s being himself and not worrying about what other people think about him. If Jimmy and UD are fine with him, who are we, spectators who view him from afar, to act like we know? Rest assured, if Herro ever steps out of line, this team will let him know.

In the meantime, let Tyler cook, people. We’ve got other things to worry about.

Stay safe and INSIDE, people.

—

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Boca Raton, Ricky J. Marc, J.D., M.S. is an alumnus of the Obama White House and Cornell Paris Institute, a former Legislative Aide with both the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate, and a graduate of St. Thomas University with a Juris Doctor and Master of Science in Sports Administration.

Ricky currently resides in Paris, France, is the host of the The RJM Experience (available everywhere podcasts are found), and is the co-host of the upcoming STICK TO SPORTS: A Sports Podcast (That Isn’t) series.

Follow him on Twitter @RickyJMarc.

Miami Dolphins and Patriots share common ground in opener

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As most of you know by now, the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins are set to face off in the 2020 season opener. In terms of recent organizational trajectories, these two teams could not be more different. However, the theme of “new eras” lends some common ground.

When you think about what Miami has done this offseason, it’s almost a complete flip from last year. They signed Byron Jones, Elandon Roberts, and Kyle Van Noy. They continued the remodel by signing Jordan Howard, Ted Karras, and Shaq Lawson . Then came the big move in the draft, drafting a potential franchise quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa. Although some of these moves may seem minor, this roster looks completely different from what it did a year ago.

The same could be said for the doing the Patriots. Tom Brady is now no longer the signal-caller after two decades at the helm. Instead, New England will probably be relying on Jarrett Stidham to carry the load. When you take a look at what they did in the offseason, much of the remodeling came via the draft.

New England focused heavily on defense in this draft. From taking Kyle Duggar with their first pick, to selecting Anfernee Jennings and Josh Uche, the Patriots retooled their roster. After all, they had to make up for some of the departures from the team, especially at the linebacker position.

For Brian Flores, this marks a new era for him as well. In comparison to last year, this roster has his fingerprints all over it. He is now beginning to build a roster that he sees fit. With a New England feel to the linebacking group in particular, Flores is getting players that he is comfortable with. Now, he can really begin to put his stamp on this team.

In that sense, the Miami Dolphins are entering a new era. Of course, Tua Tagovailoa is a big part of this equation as well. Time will tell if he will start this year, but at the very least, this marks the beginning of having a franchise quarterback for the first time in quite a while.

For New England, head coach Bill Belichick is entering a new era in the sense that he has to prove he can win without Tom Brady. He led New England to 11-5 record in 2008 after Tom Brady went down with a season-ending injury in the opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. He also managed to go 3-1 when Tom Brady missed the first four games of the 2016 season to serve the infamous Deflategate suspension. However, this will undoubtedly be his toughest test yet. For the first time in two decades, he will no longer have the greatest quarterback in NFL history at the helm.

Change is upon us, and for the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots, that may be evident in week one. Assuming the season starts on time, both teams will have a lot to prove at the beginning of September. With New England historically struggling in Miami, this will definitely be a closer game than many think.