September 10, 2020
GOD BLESS
My heart goes out to my friends in the Lake Area who endured major destruction at the hands of Hurricane Laura. My thoughts and prayers are with you. We strongly urge readers of this newsletter to donate to a worthwhile Hurricane oriented charity in the Lake Area.
TODAY’S COLUMNS:
Scott previews the Who Dats
Dennis takes the week off…
Jon gives his thoughts on a number of topics
Please scroll down below.
OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO ONE AND ALL AS WE TRY TO MAKE OUR WAY SAFELY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC. WE STAND WITH THOSE THAT ARE PEACEFULLY PROTESTING AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY AND RACISM.
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THE WIZARDRY OF OS
It is not normal, but things are happening. The Kentucky Derby was run in September. The US Open in golf will occur next week after the US Open in tennis wraps up this weekend. The NBA Playoffs have had better games and finishes than the normal NBA Playoffs.
I haven’t kept up with hockey since the Rangers and Mark Messier broke the curse, but they are having their playoffs. Soccer is happening around the world, as is racing,
Every sport has found a way to get back in action and now it is the NFL’s turn. The main difference, though, is that those sports are finding ways to execute an abbreviated season, while the NFL is trying to play a complete season on schedule.
Of course, I only care about the Saints and how they will do this year. With the 53 man roster set, the reality is the Saints have almost the same roster as last year.
On offense, there are really two changes. Ted Ginn and Larry Warford are out. Emmanuel Sanders and Cesar Ruiz will take their place. I don’t see any scenario outside of injury where Sanders won’t be more productive than Ginn. Ruiz is a little harder to predict, but all indications are that he will be at least as good as Warford was last year.
Jared Cook took a little while last year to find his way in the offense, so having a year under his belt should make a difference. Meanwhile, Adam Trautman will certainly be a better third tight end who may end up being the second tight end.
The extra taste of spice in the offense is Ty Montgomery. and Deonte Harris. Harris is supposed to be able to expand his role in the offense, while Montgomery should ease the load just a tad on Kamara so Alvin will be fresh at the end of the year.
All those pieces added to Thomas, Tayson, Kamara, and Brees should make this one of the top 2-3 in the NFL.
I only have two questions with the offense. First, who is the power back when we need to run the clock or pick up third and fourth and short? Second, who will produce explosive plays? I know people harp on Drew’s arm strength, but when you watch NFL games notice how many big plays come from runs after the catch. I hope Harris and Sanders will help this area.
Defensively, there is not much difference in talent between the Saints and defenses in the upper half of the league. The Saints problems on defense are the inability to stay healthy and terrible situational awareness.
The good/bad news is the Saints have essentially the same defense as last year. Everyone expected the Saints to make a big move at linebacker or cornerback. It hasn’t happened.
The Saints drafted Zack Baun, but if Anzalone or Elliss are healthy I don’t think his impact will come until third down. I am guessing the Saints want to have a pass rush package that includes Baun.
The major change in the defense is supposed to be Malcolm Jenkins. The fact is that Lattimore has yet to exert himself consistently and take his game to the next level. Marcus Williams gets good grades from PFF and the experts, but he has not been the impact player he was projected to be after his rookie year. Jenkins is supposed to bring the leadership to the secondary that Cam Jordan brings to the line and Demario Davis brings to the linebackers. If Jenkins can elevate those around him, he will be an enormous addition.
The regular season starts with a huge challenge in Tampa Bay. The Bucs have one of the most talented offenses in the league, but the Saints have the advantage of putting almost the exact same team that was on the field last year. Since neither team has scrimmaged another team or played an exhibition game, this is like a college football opener. The Saints haven’t gotten off to a fast start in years. If it doesn’t happen this year, I will try not to panic like recent years, but it would be very frustrating for sure.
In closing, I want to jump to the Pelicans. Billy Donovan is available. Come on Gayle Benson. Let’s go David Griffin. This is the coaching version of winning the lottery and Zion Williamson being available. Get it done. Bring Billy D to the Big Easy!
HEY REF
Dennis takes the week off.
FINE IDEAS
Lou Brock and Tom Seaver
2 Hall of Famers whose careers were inextricably linked… passed away within one week of each other.
Brock was the most valuable position player on Cardinals teams that excelled in the mid to late 60s. Brock was part of 2 World Championship teams (1964 and 1967). He will go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest classic leadoff hitter in Baseball History. He often got on base and when he did, wreaked havoc on opponents with 938 career steals, including a then record 118 in 1974.
Seaver won 3 Cy Young Awards with the NY Mets. Not only was he the best player on the 1969 Miracle Mets, but he is, by far, the best player in team history, 2020 inclusive. If Seaver was not the best pitcher of his era, then he is a close #2 behind Brock’s Cardinals teammate Bob Gibson.
Who did Brock face more often than any other pitcher? Seaver. Who did Tom Terrific face more than any other batter? Brock
When they were teammates on the 1967 National League All-Star team, Brock approached a baby-faced teammate who had not put on his uniform yet, and thinking he was the clubhouse attendant, asked him to fetch him a coke. The teammate? Seaver.
Seaver also spent time with the Reds, White Sox and Red Sox, along with 2 stints with the Mets (1967-77 and 1983) in his 20 year career. Brock’s 19 year career was spent with the Cubs and Cardinals (1964-1979).
When the Cardinals obtained Brock from Chicago for pitcher Ernie Broglio, a lot of people questioned the move. In fact, Gibson skeptically asked “Who was the player we received for Broglio?” It turned out to be a steal—pun intended-- for St Louis.
Ironically enough, another all-time Cardinals great was the subject of a trade in which a lot of people initially felt they were fleeced. In 1982, Garry Templeton was traded from the Cardinals to San Diego. In return, they received a then Punch and Judy hitter-- Ozzie Smith.
Gibson attended Southern California (USC).
How did he end up with the Mets? Here is some information, printed without permission, but with attribution, from SI USC:
USC baseball coach Rod Dedeaux discovered Seaver playing in Alaska. The only other school that really recruited Seaver, a junior-college transfer, was Fresno State.
Seaver was the Trojans’ No. 3 pitcher his sophomore season but then his fast ball increased from around 85 mph to 91 mph.
He loved to play bridge at USC and his main hangout was the 901 Club, which in those days was on Jefferson Blvd. and known for its hamburgers and beer.
Seaver was 10-2 with a 2.47 ERA in 1965 for USC in his only season as a sophomore. The Dodgers drafted Seaver in the 10th round of the MLB draft but refused to meet Seaver's counter-offer of $70,000.
The Dodger scout who dealt with Seaver was Tommy Lasorda, who seemed to spend plenty of time in those days trying to steal players from USC.
In 1966, baseball held a winter draft that was during the college baseball season and Seaver was drafted by the Atlanta Braves. Dedeaux called commissioner William Eckert, who said not to let Seaver sign so he could keep pitching at USC.
That night, USC could not reach Seaver, who left his phone off the hook after he reached an agreement with the Braves.
Atlanta was going to tear up the contract so Seaver could finish the season with USC but athletic director Jess Hill contacted the NCAA and was told USC must declare Seaver ineligible. Hill complied, no doubt worried about crossing the NCAA, which had given USC sanctions in 1959.
Eckert nullified the Braves contract and three teams (Indians, Phillies, Mets) agreed to match Atlanta’s contract for Seaver. The Mets won a drawing and Seaver signed for a $50,000 signing bonus.
From baseball analyst Bill James: "There is actually a good argument Tom Seaver should be regarded as the greatest pitcher of all time … Seaver pitched for eight losing teams, several of them really terrible, and four other teams which had losing records except when Seaver was on the mound."
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Lou Brock was from a real small Louisiana town—Lewiston. He came down to Baton Rouge’s Southern University. Legend has it that he had a tryout, where he hit 2 of 5 pitches thrown to him over the fence. He was immediately offered a scholarship.
Most importantly, Brock and Seaver were really good people. Superstars on the field, but Gentlemen off of it. Lou Brock
Tom Seaver…
They are now a match made in heaven.
--As the NFL season opens up tonight, here are a few things that come to mind:
--Can Kansas City repeat? A Super Bowl winner has not repeated since the Patriots won back-to-back championships in the 2003 and 2004 seasons. One reason that Super Bowl Champs don’t repeat is that they are often decimated in free agency. Yet, the Chiefs were not hard hit in the open market this off-season. And, how can you count out a team that has Pat Mahomes as their quarterback?
One that has Lamar Jackson on a Baltimore Ravens team, that, remember, went 14-2 last year?… Another contender might be the Who Dats. Is this the year that the New Orleans Saints finally perform in the post-season the way they have during the last 3 regular seasons and make a run at the Super Bowl in what very readily could #9’s last season in the NFL?
--There might be some clarification on who gets more of the credit for the Patriots tremendous run—Belichick or Brady? Yet, the only way Belichick might possibly win this debate is if the Patriots are light’s out this year. But, then again, it will be hard for Brady to lose. Because, if Brady doesn’t resuscitate Tampa Bay, he will have failed at 43 years of age—which says nothing about his performance in New England.
--There are so many pandemic related questions that could wreak havoc with the NFL season. One can only hope that Roger Goodell shows strong, firm, consistent, fair, transparent leadership when faced with Covid issues that will inevitably arise. In fairness to the NFL Commissioner, formulate opinions while he is making decisions, not with 20-20 hindsight.
Credit Commissioner Larry Scott for working out an agreement that will provide daily testing for players when the Pac 12 does resume football. Me thinks the SEC, Big 12 and ACC should be doing their utmost for such an arrangement, as their season starts are right around the corner. Presently, their 3X/week testing is far from being full-proof.
Last night’s Game 6 Toronto Raptors 125-122 Double Overtime win over the Boston Celtics means that there will be a Game 7—which might be anti-climactic. Game 6 was a classic. Kyle Lowry of the Raptors was/is a stud.
I’m constantly running into NBA Haters. If you’re one of them, try to find a replay of last night’s game. If you’re not transformed into an NBA fan, there is no hope for you
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