May 10, 2018
HEARD FROM A STROKE VICTIM WHEN TOLD BY A TULANE SURGEON THAT BRAIN SURGERY WAS A POSSIBILITY… ”I hope you’re better with strokes than you are at football… ”
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
Assistant Basketball Coach and Head Swimming Coach at Central High
Excuse me for a moment as I do my part to clarify history. One of the main stories this week has been whether Baker Mayfield will be Johnny Manziel Part 2. I have been taken back as I don’t think any part of the discussion has been accurate.
To start with, the two players are similar in height and flare for the game, but that is all. Mayfield is twice the passer Manziel was at any point in college. I don’t know if Mayfield will be a good NFL quarterback, but anyone that puts the two in the same category as passers is a poor evaluator of quarterbacks. Before you claim I am making these statements in hindsight, I encourage you to go back and look what I wrote when Manziel was drafted.
My bigger issue is those who are somehow claiming that nobody predicted Manziel’s off the field issues were as bad as they turned out. What?!! Showing up at fraternities of rival teams wasn’t huge warning sign? What players were making the news for this behavior then and who has done it since? Nobody!
Even Manziel points out that the Browns should have known he wasn’t a student of the game. Mayfield has shown some immature behavior on the field, similar to Cam Newton, but like Cam, nothing that would prevent him from being a productive quarterback. Of course, Newton overcomes most of that with unprecedented athletic ability at his size.
I think Mayfield will be an average NFL quarterback. Regardless, my issue is comparing him to Manziel. The two played in spread systems, won the Heisman, are not tall, and were drafted by the Browns. Only two of those factors will impact his production in the NFL (spread system and height). Otherwise, Mayfield is his own person.
Sticking with the NFL, Boston Scott can send Mark Ingram a thank you letter. Ingram’s suspension pretty much locks up a roster spot if Boston can learn the system since I don’t want Alvin Kamara even close to special teams. I had a feeling the Saints would add a running back to the roster either this summer or right before the start of the year after roster cuts. That feeling may be an extremely safe bet now.
With all their faults, I am going to stubbornly believe in the potential of this LSU baseball team. Why? Probably because I am a huge LSU baseball fan, but also because I believe in averages and baseball.
Here is another way to explain myself. Two of the greatest home runs in LSU’s history were from Warren Morris and Brandon Larson in the College World Series. Both were off great closers who were thought of as the best closers in college baseball that season. Because it is baseball, bad times hit every player.
And every team has low times. LSU has given two of the greatest college baseball teams by record their worst moments. In 1989, LSU beat Texas A&M in a doubleheader to advance to the CWS. In 2017, LSU beat Oregon State twice in the CWS. The Aggies were a ridiculous 58-5 before LSU gave them losses 6 and 7 ending their season. The Beavers were 56-4 before LSU beat them on consecutive days to end their season.
How does any of this apply to this LSU baseball team? Seemingly, each pitcher has had the worst appearance possible. The kind where a reliever faces 4-6 batters and dosn’t get an out. The kind where a starter doesn’t make it out the first inning. The ERA does not recover from those outings.
Of course, it is possible that LSU’s pitchers aren’t very good and that is the reason for these outings. In reality, I think LSU’s relief pitchers are average, but an average bullpen can be good enough to make a Super Regional if other things work out.
Here is what I mean by saying other things may work out. Hess and Hilliard have shown their ability. They are not Lange and Poche, but they do their job as starters. Labas has always had the ability to be the third starter, but he has recovered slowly from off season surgery. Against Arkansas, he started the game closer to the fastball velocity he needs to have success in the SEC.
Beck, Bush, Fontenot, Bain, Gilbert, and Peterson have the stuff to get outs late in the game. Bush is the only one that doesn’t throw above 90, but is left handed. All have been great and terrible at one point this year. I would think Mainieri and Dunn have learned that these guys either have it or don’t when they come out the pen. Learning that about these pitchers can lead to a quick hook that might help avert disaster.
In both wins last weekend, Mainieri pulled Bush and Gilbert quickly when they struggled. Beck and Peterson were able to get the job done. This is not a great recipe for success, but better than other weekends when every reliever out the pen has struggled.
Then there is the potential to get another power arm in relief. We have waited all year for Nick Storz. I doubt he would be a candidate for a starting role or long relief at this point in the year. But if the 6’6” freshman can come in and throw 94-96 for an inning with a good breaking ball, then this bullpen could look considerably better.
In retrospect, the offensive issues have most likely been a result of injury. Feduccia and Broussard have played at certain points with broken bones in their hands. Of course, Smith’s back injury has been a huge loss. Bryce Jordan’s injury has limited Mainieri’s options as well.
Suppose Broussard gets back to the form he showed before the injury. That is not far fetched. I think expecting Smith to get healthy and stay healthy at this point is far fetched. While I am being optimistic, I am going to control my optimism somewhat.
Watson, Broussard, Duplantis, Bain, and Cabrera at the top of the order looks pretty good to me. That would leave Jordan, Feduccia, Slaughter, and Hughes to complete the lineup. Jordan and Feduccia are pretty solid six and seven hole hitters. Slaughter has at least become a tougher out than he was at the beginning of the year. While Hughes will compete, imagine if Smith is actually healthy. Sorry, I had to say it.
I know those are a ton of “ifs.” But, they are not like we haven’t seen evidence of talent from these players. Peterson is an “if,” yet he is an “if” that throws 94 with a good curveball. Gilbert beat Oregon State last year and has had many good appearances this year while throwing 94. Labas is a strike thrower that has the ability to throw 90-92. Broussard has hit well this year.
It doesn’t take blind optimism to imagine LSU having postseason success this year. Maybe seeing LSU get to the CWS would take blind optimism. But, with all the adversity the Tigers have faced this year, a Super Regional appearance would be a great accomplishment.
HEY REF
As to what Mark Ingram did or didn’t do the only real question that we should ask him is “WHY”. Just how many more players must we read about that try to say they didn’t use drugs or that the test is faulty? I can understand the players views of either try and get stronger at any cost because we are now talking not just millions of dollars but tens of millions of dollars per season being pumped into the pockets of young men that can’t even begin to balance a checkbook much less try and make sense of what to do with boxcars loaded with cash.
Each time I see and/or read of professional players landing multi-million dollar contracts I get this picture of the first few minutes of the movie “JAWS” hanging in the air. And as those familiar with “Hey Ref” already know he’ll only print what he knows to be fact and not fiction. So with that said it’s become more important now to start paying players during their NCAA days.
I can hear people again saying “not again” but I’ll continue to lead the push to pay college athletes a salary since it is the players that make everything possible for all the parasites at the NCAA. If players were paid a salary it will force all institutions to teach these young men and women who mostly come from poor households with the ability to balance a checkbook. Not only that but classes in “How To” invest and control their cash flow for many years will only enhance their lives away from the playing fields.
We are a long way away from doing what is right for the players simply because the many agents handling players and their contracts just turn around and introduce them to associates in the investment field who just so happen to be close friends and are given a “cut” for sending clients their way. Yes many people at the NCAA offices, Mark Emmert specifically continue their baseless opinions that players should never be paid. He says this will damage the amateur status of players. Excuse me Mark but players at the collegiate level haven’t been amateurs for close to fourty years. And to once again tell the truth Mr. Emmert just wants to keep his piece of the billion dollar pie going into his bank accounts.
Not paying players is a horrible thing but if you think like Mark Emmert it’s all right for kids 18 to 21 years of age to work for nothing. Today’s NCAA is nothing more that the reality of modern day slavery.
Till next week… …
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