Month: May 2018

The NFL owners had a choice to make last week as they grappled with the issue of NFL players kneeling to protest police brutality.

Would they stand with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who lost both legs in the conflict or would they stand with Donald Trump, who received multiple deferments for bone spurs during the Vietnam War and never served in the military?

After the NFL passed its new policy on standing for the national anthem, Sen. Duckworth tweeted a picture of her prosthetic legs and said, “One day my coffin will be draped with our nation’s flag just as it did with my husband’s and brothers. I will always stand on these legs for the flag and the anthem but ALSO my honor to defend people’s right to free speech.’’

Sen. Duckworth isn’t the only veteran who understands the members of the military protect the right of free speech.

Naturally, Trump took the opposite view.

Continue reading “Botched anthem policy shows how much cowardly NFL needs new leadership”

The NFL “Hard Knocks” show is a lot more popular with the fans than the teams.

Many teams don’t like the idea of cameras being in their inner sanctums in camp. They sometimes act as if they were working on The Manhattan Project instead of putting together a football team.

And since NFL Films produces it, there is little chance a team will be embarrassed.

Still the NFL had to put together guidelines for teams that can’t turn down an invitation so they all can’t refuse.

If a team has a new coach, has been on the show in the last 10 years or has been in the playoffs the last two years, they can’t refuse to do the show.

Continue reading “‘Hard Knocks’ producers will have their work cut out making the Browns interesting”

It might seem logical for the NFL’s highest-paid player to be the league’s best player, too.

But that obviously wasn’t the case when Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons became the NFL’s first $30 million man, even though he isn’t the best quarterback or the best player in the league,

Ryan, though, was able to take advantage of good timing.

He’s only 32, young enough to get a big deal, while Tom Brady has a history of taking below-market deals and Aaron Rodgers’ current deal isn’t up yet.

Is Ryan worth the money? Well, any player is worth what a team will pay him.

Continue reading “Timing, not talent, helped Matt Ryan become the NFL’s highest-paid player”

There is an old saying that when a politician speaks the truth it is called a gaffe.

I was reminded of that line when Ben Roethlisberger publicly complained about the Pittsburgh Steelers drafting quarterback Mason Rudolph on the third round.

Roethisberger got a lot of flak for the comment when he wondered how Rudolph helps the team now.

From his standpoint, Roethlisberger spoke the truth. Rudolph doesn’t help the team win now, and Big Ben wants to win now.

And if Rudolph turns out to be a good quarterback, he could be pushing Big Ben for a job in a year or two.

Continue reading “Roethlisberger needs to pipe down and start winning big games again”