John Rooke - Thinking Out Loud
Saturday, November 09, 2013
Thinking out loud…and wondering whatever happened to Felipe Lopez?
• The Journal’s Bill Reynolds wrote a piece last week about Bob McGarry, a 41-year employee of the newspaper’s sports department who was laid off a couple of weeks back. While I am feeling Bob’s pain – because in this business, it happens to a lot of us – it just underscores a “change or be changed” philosophy prevalent in today’s media. Shame on the Projo leadership for not adapting to the times, and valuing local resources like McGarry and others who came before him. I wish him well…
• Not quite sure what to make out of the Jonathan Martin-Richie Incognito bullying spat in Miami. For one, if you’ve ever been in a football locker room, you know there is a sense of horseplay and even “hazing” that is allowed to take place…with team camaraderie seen as the driving force behind looking the other way. In this instance, based on reports that have leaked to the public, Incognito is simply one…bad…dude, who has never learned when to turn off his mean streak. He had trouble in St. Louis when he was with the Rams, and it has followed him as he has moved on. Incognito is also an unrestricted free agent when this year is over…wonder how that might play with potential future employers? Just sayin’…
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST• It’s going to be tougher in the future for parents to let their kids play this sport because of the violent nature – something the NFL really hasn’t addressed very well. But if this sort of “bullying” is looked at as just “boys being boys?” I don’t know too many mamas who will let their babies grow up to be…football players any more…
• Incognito’s indefinite suspension for conduct detrimental to the team came last Monday. This is a guy who was voted, by his peers, as the NFL’s “dirtiest” player in a 2009 Sporting News poll. The truly scary part is…he was a part of the Dolphins’ six-player leadership council. Let’s see how Miami handles this, and how long the suspension holds up…especially if QB Ryan Tannehill continues to be pummeled by a porous offensive line, of which Incognito was a member…
• Tweet of the Week I – from Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout): “Imagine if the #Dolphins protected Ryan Tannehill as well as they’re protecting Richie Incognito right now? #35sacks…”
• As far as I’m concerned, this is on the coach and the staff. Joe Philbin, and any head coach of any team anywhere, need to take ownership for their team’s conduct. A head coach is not just a teacher or instructor, or in some cases a parent or friend…but also a corporate CEO. These are the professional ranks. Unprofessional, juvenile behavior should never be tolerated in the workplace. Miami’s fans, who pay much of the freight, should demand as much. After learning that the coaching staff had encouraged Incognito to try and “toughen” Martin up, Philbin did take responsibility this week, but only after the firestorm started in the first place…
• Tradition? Ritual? Team-building or bonding? Or is it hazing? It’s all of the above, and when it isn’t checked by superiors or team leaders, it always seems to get out of hand. This is why the now-politically correct world screams out at times like these and why so many have such a problem with this type of activity in sports, or even in the military. It’s not exactly “right” behavior, but it’s also true that a bad apple can really spoil it for the whole bunch…
• Former NY Jets and Baltimore Ravens LB Bart Scott was pretty critical of Incognito this week, telling ESPN Radio in New York that he’s a “fake tough guy,” and one of the “dirtiest players I’ve ever played against.” Hmmm…pot, meet kettle…
• And naturally, late this week we learn that Incognito himself was formerly picked on when he was a kid. The victimizer was the victim, at one time. Seems to me the one thing that wasn’t taught to him – at any level – was respect, and how to have it. The fact that the majority of the Dolphins’ veteran players also came out in support of Incognito late in the week shows a huge lack of understanding what the word “respect” means overall in that locker room. Was this entire incident a “family” matter that should have been handled internally? Probably. But once it became public with Martin’s leaving – and I understand why some are actually blaming him – it shows the lack of decency that permeates through that entire organization…
• I’m reminded of a quote from one of the great college coaches in the game of football, the late, legendary Texas coach Darrell Royal: “Football doesn’t build character. It eliminates the weak ones...”
• Is it just me, or is there something in the water in Miami? Former Hurricane player and talk show host Dan Sileo was fired this week – again – from a radio job. This time, he tweeted out a bounty on a Florida State player for disrespecting his school, “the U.” Seems to me, Dan, you’ve done a good job of disrespecting your school, too. Stupid is as stupid does…
• Not a great week overall for “America’s National Pastime” when two NFL coaches also go down…in addition to the bullying going on in Miami. Denver’s John Fox (heart procedure) and Houston’s Gary Kubiak (possible stroke) are simply showing the wear and tear of stress and the pressure of coaching – and performing – to the standards expected by your team, and your fans…
• Any small wonder now why Bill Belichick is the way he is? Give no quarter, get no grief. Or at the very least, pay no attention to the grief…
• At 7-2 with the bye week this weekend, did you think the Patriots could be in this position? Sure you did. They’re about a game ahead of where I thought they would be…and that was WITH injuries factored into the equation. There is a similar feel with this team to earlier versions who played well with the “next man up” mantra. Eight players have been placed on injured reserve. And yet, they keep going out there…and keep winning their fair share…
• Heard from several of you in the past week, giving me grief over TB12’s 400+ yard, 4 TD, no pick performance against the Steelers, after I have taken the time to dissect how he is fossilizing before our very eyes. How did he manage to do it, given that I put him on the scrap heap? It’s simple. He has receivers again. Healthy. Talented. And the wookies (especially Aaron Dobson, rookie WR) are literally catching on…
• Not for nuthin’…but TB12 has now thrown at least one touchdown pass to 50 different players during his Patriots’ career…with Danny Amendola becoming the 50th player last week against Pittsburgh. Anyone remember Tom Ashworth? Cam Cleeland? Charles (don’t call me Chad or Bethel) Johnson? They all caught TD’s from TB…
• Glad to see RB Stevan Ridley wasn’t punished for his fumble against Pittsburgh, either…after earlier fumble troubles this season caused him to be benched in the opener at Buffalo, and cost him some additional playing time throughout the year. Now is not the time for penalizing mistakes...mistakes that are made in a physical, violent game. He has been, and continues to be the BEST option for every down at running back…
• If you’re wondering how focused the Patriots might – or might not – be after a bit more than a two-week layoff before playing again…don’t fret. Since 2001, the Pats are a near-perfect 11-1 coming off of their bye week…
• If the FCC decides to end its “sports blackout rule,” originally intended 40 years ago to ensure broadcasting sports events would not hurt local ticket sales, you most certainly will continue to see empty stadiums at games in all sports across the country. And for the first time since the rule was put in place…you’ll actually see empty seats in the NFL as well, and not just because fans are in a clubhouse for food, drink and/or warmth…more reasons follow below…
• Your World Champion Red Sox began the rebuilding process a matter of hours after the duck boat parade had concluded last weekend…by issuing qualifying offers to prospective free agents Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Napoli and Stephen Drew…while NOT giving one to Jarrod Saltalamacchia. That doesn’t mean Salty is through here…in fact, I’ll predict two of the four come back for another turn. The players have until Monday to accept. Salty is one…who is the other?
• Jake Peavy…you’ve just won the World Series! What are you going to do next? You’re going to buy a what?
• Tweet of the Week II – from Brendan McGair of the Pawtucket Times/Woonsocket Call (@BWMcGair03): “Ortiz on who had the nastiest beard: ‘Napoli. That thing was from the Bible…’”
• Right or wrong? Red Sox ownership took out a full-page ad in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch this week, thanking them for, well, playing a great game and being such a great baseball town. I don’t know…but why do I get the feeling this was a little condescending? Perhaps the best course here would have been to say nothing at all?
• 37 years ago this past week, the Red Sox became the first team to sign a player who declared for free agency under baseball’s new rules. Do you know who that player was? The answer is below…
• You know, when I saw that the Chicago Cubs this week had hired “Renteria” as their new manager, the first thing I thought was “really? Did Theo lose his freaking mind and hire Edgar Renteria?” Come on…you thought that, too. It’s Rick Renteria…but I know I’ll call him Edgar before long…
• Tweet of the Week III – from @DoYouBelieveIt: “If you have at least $34,000 you are among the world’s richest 1% of people.” Not sure what this is really saying – probably several things – so I’ll just go with it…
• So long, Building #19. It was nice having you around. Guess I didn’t get there enough to keep you going…and neither did anyone else, for that matter. The Hingham, MA-based discount store chain (with outlets in Pawtucket and Cranston) known for its “quirkiness” filed for bankruptcy protection a week ago, and will go out of business by early December. It was the kind of place where you might have gone in looking for some light bulbs and you left with an oriental rug. The problem, it seems, is that the “little bit of this and that” which the stores offer doesn’t translate well to the digital age…and large, discount retailers (like Walmart) have slowly pushed them out of business…
• So the ACC – at least in football – is having a pretty good year on the football field. Why then are their grandstands far from full? Stats, Inc. has reported that ACC schools overall are playing to less than 85% capacity this season, despite having three teams (at one time) ranked in the Top 10. Attendance in the ACC has slowly slipped every year since 2007. At Boston College, where the Virginia Tech game used to jam Alumni Stadium on a football weekend, barely 30K showed up a week ago in the 44K seat facility. A 93-game sellout streak at VT, by the way, ended last month as well. Pittsburgh and Syracuse, the league newcomers, are playing to about 75% capacity – below the rest of the league average…
• Too many games on TV? That’s one of the problems, no doubt. When you get a 50-yard line seat in front of your big flat-screen, and don’t have to pay extra for parking or perhaps for food…that’s a big incentive to stay home. Unless ticket prices come down, or the overall hassle of getting to games is eased somewhat, don’t expect this problem to correct itself anytime soon. TV contracts are in place for several years, and the networks need the inventory. Not sure how the schools correct this problem…especially when the NEXT round of TV negotiations comes in at a lesser figure for them to put in their pockets…
• Why, they’ll look to cut expenses, try to play more regionally…maybe even form alliances with closer schools? And voila…conference realignment again. What goes around, comes around…
• The Big East – specifically the basketball-only schools – got it right, by getting out…
• Here comes the “new Syracuse.” Creighton, ten days before opening its basketball season, cut off season ticket sales so they would have some single-game seats to sell to fans. In less than an hour, the Blue Jays sold out seven of their 17 home games in their 17,390-seat building…and the Providence game (senior night) in March soon followed. 15,046 tickets, every game, are season tickets. They’ve also already sold more than 1900 ticket packages for MSG and the Big East Tournament in March…which is more than Syracuse sold last year…and those fans will be flying in to NYC from halfway across the country. Whoa…
• In case you were wondering, among the Big East holdovers from last season…St. John’s sold the most Big East Tournament ticket packages last year, with 1440…
• The pre-season college basketball Associated Press all-American team was announced this week, and it included Creighton’s Doug McDermott. But the only unanimous pick was Marcus Smart from Oklahoma State. Why not McDermott? A two-time AP all-American already, did he get worse in the off-season? He was left off of two ballots, it seems. Those two “experts” should never be allowed to vote again…
• Sure, the Friars made their 2013-14 debut last night at the Dunk, but then again, so did Ed Cooley. Did you wonder who that strange-looking fella was storming the sideline? It was Cooley, alright. Since the end of last season in March, Cooley revealed on his radio coaches’ show last Monday that he’s lost 100 pounds, and will continue to work toward his goal of shedding 120 pounds before he pulls back the reins…
• Cooley’s suspension of freshmen Brandon Austin and Rodney Bullock really shouldn’t come as a surprise, should it? You know the ship has been tightened since the last regime. You know that anyone not following the rules laid down by the staff results in missed time (Kadeem Batts knows this, doesn’t he?)…these are, after all, young men learning how to be students, athletes and adults. Mistakes are allowed on the floor and in the classroom, and hopefully they are corrected, after paying a price, of course. And when mistakes happen elsewhere, there’s still a price to pay…
• That was very much like a post-season game last night at the Dunk for PC's win over BC. The emphasis on hand-checking fouls being called this year? It will make you pull your hair out, the refs are calling things very tight. But, as my partner Joe Hassett pointed out in the radio broadcast, this is the way things were when HE played...and there was much more fluidity to the game. It evolved over the years into the physical rock fight we see so often these days, but before things get better...they're liable to be much worse. Don't blame the zebras...
• Kris Dunn is still "day to day," Ed Cooley said before the game. Dunn is very sore, and while an MRI showed no apparent damage to his right shoulder, the fear is that it might be awhile before he can return. Or, awhile before he can shoot the ball well enough, since the injury is to his shooting arm...
• Brad Stevens NEVER lost four straight games at Butler. But he lost his first four in a row as head coach of the Boston Celtics, before cracking into the win column last Wednesday night against Utah. Welcome to the big time, coach. The Celtics started 0-4 for the first time since 1969…
• On November 6th, 1976…the Red Sox signed relief pitcher Bill Campbell to a four-year, $1 million contract. Campbell had previously pitched for the Minnesota Twins…and the rest, as the saying goes, is history…
• Btw…after going through all of those #hashtags a week ago…I saw this week where Twitter became a publicly traded stock, opening at a little more than $45 per share. Those in on the IPO were more than 70% ahead when it launched. How does the saying go – always a day late and a dollar short?
• My buddy Statbeast sez he doesn’t know much about investments, other than what Mrs. Statbeast sez. If his IQ on the stock market were two points higher, he’d qualify as a rock…
• This item made me happy and sad all at the same time…86-year-old Joy Johnson was the oldest woman to compete in last week’s New York City marathon, and had always told anyone she spoke with that she hoped to run until she died. She got her wish this week. After an annual appearance on NBC’s “The Today Show,” Johnson passed away in her hotel room. That’s going out on your own terms…
• The start of the college basketball season got me to thinking about former St. John’s player Felipe Lopez, who came into the Big East from his roots in the Dominican Republic with such great Michael Jordan-style hype as the #1 player in the country in 1994…and had a difficult time measuring up. Before he ever played a minute at SJU, coming from Harlem’s Rice High School, he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He had a great college career, finishing 3rd all-time in Red Storm scoring (now 6th), but his pro career paled by comparison…averaging just under six points per game over five seasons. SJU is turning the keys over to another heralded freshman in Philly’s Rysheed Jordan this year, although he’s not as hyped as Lopez once was. Lopez turns 39 next month, and does some Spanish broadcasting and works as an ambassador for NBA Cares…
• From the mailbag this week – Nick (@Nick_feelin_it) writes via Twitter: “When the Pats slaughtered the Steelers defense, do you think more of that is coming in the future with our offense?” Nick: You are feelin’ it, huh? It stands to reason that as the healthy players return on that side of the ball (Shane Vereen is due back next week), TB12 will have more – and better – targets to throw to. Whether or not they put up the kind of numbers they did on Pittsburgh remains to be seen, but if the offensive line can protect him (and they haven’t done a great job yet)…they can again be one of the best in the AFC, right there with Denver…
• Interested in having your questions on local RI sports (including the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Send ‘em to me! It’s your chance to “think out loud,” so send your questions and comments to [email protected]. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Follow me on Twitter, @JRbroadcaster…and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...
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