The college football season is well underway, with students and fans finding out quickly how good or bad their school’s roster is. This weekend, however, the students of Oregon showed the nation how nasty those in the stadium can be during a game when they chanted a profanity against their opponents from BYU. Sadly, a video showing how the students smeared their school’s name Saturday night, with the program and most students distancing themselves from the actions of a few. The question still remains: Should Oregon be punished for what a few students did?
The chant was focused directly at the players of BYU, a Mormon school located in Utah, and the message was clearly, HATE.
The chat of “Fuck the Mormon” was heard throughout Autzen Stadium, a chat which overshadowed the 41-20 victory by the 25th ranked home team over the 12th ranked visitors. By the time the stadium was empty, a video where the chat could be heard went viral for all the nation to hear, shaming the students and the school.
“F*CK The Mormons” chanted by Oregon Fans at Autzen stadium during their game vs. BYU.
Players from BYU showed their respects before the game by running out onto the field with a flag with the name Spencer Webb, an Oregon player who passed away this summer during a climbing accident. One BYU player also placed flowers on the four-yard line in tribute to Webb, who was planning to wear that number this season.
BYU ran out of the tunnel pregame with an Oregon flag that had Spencer Webb’s name and number on it 🙏🦆
For whatever it may be worth, reports are that only a few students in the stands took part in the chat. Nevertheless, it was captured for all to hear and now the University of Oregon must wear it. European soccer leagues have banned teams from having fans in their stadium if previous spectators get out of hand with what they say or do during a match. In this case, I feel as if Oregon should not be allowed to admit students into their home games for a least a few weeks if not the rest of the 2022 season and should be asked to forfeit the tickets which would have gone to their own students to those from their opponent’s school free of charge.
What the students from Oregon did was both criminal and cowardly, hiding a crowd hoping to bait their schoolmates into spewing hate at a football game. It is too bad that the university wasn’t able to find a few of them and let them meet the players who carried out the flag with Spencer Webb’s name or the player who placed flowers onto the field … It is also too bad that these hateful students didn’t have the guts to look any of the BYU players in the eye and express their narrow-minded opinions face to face. That’s why everyone at Oregon and the next school’s student body who is thinking about following their lead needs to be showed that what happen will not be tolerated.
I also hope that BYU invites the students from Oregon who were chatting for a visit to Utah so they can really learn what Mormons are all about.
About TooAthletic TooAthletic Takes is the News division of TooAthletic. Launched in 2019, TooAthletic Takes is a source for all your sports takes. TooAthletic Takes will make you laugh, cry, get mad, and even call us “idiots.” We strive to give our readers another viewpoint on any sports situation, and we look forward to disagreements with the hopes that it leads to healthy discussions and debates.
TooAthletic Takes aspires to be the #1 source for all sports takes, and become a leader in sports media.
It is difficult to imagine the Dallas Cowboys getting off to a more difficult start to the 2022 season. They lost not only their opening night game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leaving them the only winless NFC East team, but they also lost their quarterback Dak Prescott for the forseeable future. Of course, as Week 2 began, the troubled franchise was the fodder for more headlines when linebacker Micah Parsons no showed the Fox Sports talk show Undisputedhosted by Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe. On Thursday Parsons spoke to the media and explained what happened on Tuesday when he was schedule to appear on Undisputed.
Fox Sports has been a player in the NFL media game for decades now, and for their Fox Sports 1 talk show Undisputed, the 2022 season has started off with a bang for all the wrong reasons. As their Tuesday show unfolded, it was becoming more and more clear to the hosts that their star guest was ghosting them and would not make his first appearance of the year as scheduled. Sharpe, a former NFL player himself, noted Parsons went “radio silent” all morning and informed viewers that Fox Sports 1 had put equipment in the linebacker’s home to make it easier for him to appear.
On Thursday, Micah Parsons addressed the Dallas Cowboys’ beat reporters and explained why he didn’t appear on Undisputed as advertised. “My starting QB went down, and we lost,” Parsons said. “I just didn’t think it was appropriate for me to be on the show at that point. I need to step up and be a leader. It shouldn’t be on TV, it should be in this locker room. This is where my focus should be right now.”
When asked why he didn’t contact the show to explain his absence, Parsons replied, “I got people that handle that type of stuff,” Parsons said. “If there was a miscommunication on that part, I will correct that. I have nothing but love for Skip and Shannon. I wouldn’t just no-show anybody like that. A man is only as good as his word.”
Well, Mr. Parsons, you did no-show Fox Sports and the two hosts you claim you love.
I know that those who talk about the NFL always want to hear from coaches and players as often as possible. That includes throwing a few bucks at those who already make seven figures to squeeze ten more minutes out of them and try to sneak in a question they will actually answer honestly and insightfully. In most cases, this plan never works as both the players and coaches repeat the same cliches from the same book that fans have been hearing from for decades.
If Micah Parsons was too upset to talk to anyone on Tuesday, his only day off of the week, after a bad loss and a game that show his 2022 season likely end because of an injury to Dak Prescott, then all he needed to do was make sure someone told Undisputed he wasn’t appearing. He failed to live up to his promise of appearing and it is too bad the network can’t punish him because we know the Dallas Cowboys won’t do anything at all to him.
As for the Fox Sports, don’t waste your time giving any players in any sport some equipment to appear on your network during the season, especially in the NFL when a player or coach downtime is so valuable, and their emotions run high and low from game to game.
I blame the network partially for this because they should know that some players expect a network or at least a talk show they appear on to go easy on them when things are going bad for the team they play for. And all Micah Parsons proved is that something would have caused this relationship with Fox Sports to go south sooner than later, so it is better for everyone involved that things went haywire from the start.
Pick up your cameras and boom mic and go back home, Fox Sports, because Micah Parsons never really wanted to talk to you, you don’t really need to have him on Undisputed, and fans are used to getting blown off by players or not having them offer anything worth tuning in for. In short, the player did both the network and the fans a favor this week, don’t mess it up by asking him on after Week 2, because Parsons, just like every other NFL player is not worth the trouble.
About TooAthletic TooAthletic Takes is the News division of TooAthletic. Launched in 2019, TooAthletic Takes is a source for all your sports takes. TooAthletic Takes will make you laugh, cry, get mad, and even call us “idiots.” We strive to give our readers another viewpoint on any sports situation, and we look forward to disagreements with the hopes that it leads to healthy discussions and debates.
TooAthletic Takes aspires to be the #1 source for all sports takes, and become a leader in sports media.
The second week of the 2022 NFL season has a lot to live up to after the drama filled Week One action. Underdogs and road teams controlled most of the action Sunday, with upsets being one of the most overused words of the day. This week see a lot more fascinating action and those team who lost their openers look to rebound, and those who won try to keep their momentum going. Here now are my Week 2 picks and predictions for the entire NFL.
LA Chargers (1-0) at Kansas City (-4.0, 1-0): The two AFC West teams who won their opening game square off on Thursday Night Football, giving Amazon a great matchup to start their foray into live sports programming. LA knocked off the Raiders at home in Week One, with KC domination in the desert against Arizona being one of the few lopsided games of the day. The Chargers have had KC’s number in recent years, staring down Patrick Mahomes and not being shy about trying to go toe-to-toe with their own offense. Those reasons are probably partly why KC is only a 4-point favorite despite the short week for both teams and the long trip East for the Chargers. Kansas City was often bored last year, leading to a lot of wins for the team, but not for their supporters at the betting windows, with less than a TD needed to cover, KC should make their bettors happy to start the NFL week.
Miami (1-0) at Baltimore (-3.5, 1.0): It is too early in the season to use the phrase “playoff implications? I think not since these two AFC teams expect to be fighting for a postseason berth come January, with this game potentially help form the playoff brackets. The Dolphins travel to Baltimore this week having already knocked off the Patriots in convincing fashion last week, with some in New England calling for Bill Belichick to be fired after coming within one scoring drive of being shut out. The Ravens will be playing their second straight AFC East opponent this week after a nonchalant win at the Jets, with oddsmakers giving them a token 3.5-point favorite status in this week’s game. Playing Tua Tagovailoa will be “slightly” more difficult than playing Joe Flacco for the Ravens’ defense, while Lamar Jackson will present more challenges than Mac Jones, but as a player looking to cash in big in the offseason, Tagovailoa may be just enough to put Miami over the top on the road. I am holding on to the half-point hook at taking the Dolphins to cover.
Indianapolis (-4.0, 0-0-1) at Jacksonville (0-1): The Colts had their hands full last week with the Texans, doing all they could to come back and settle for a tie in their first AFC South game of the season. This week they play another divisional game against Jacksonville, who struggled at Washington in their opening day loss. Could the Jags be ready to take on Indy’s defense and have success this week? Perhaps … but what is scarier for the fans of the Horseshoe is seeing Matt Ryan looking old in the pocket and remembering this is only Week Two. I know watching him makes me wonder how much he has left in the tank and how far off his stats will fall during the year. The Jaguars, I believe, will keep it close and, perhaps, break through with a win, so I am taking Jacksonville +4 to keep it close and maybe even win.
New England (-1.0, 0-1) at Pittsburgh (1-0): These two familiar AFC foes had very different Week Ones, with the Patriots laying an egg in Miami and the Steelers taking Cincinnati to overtime before winning with a field goal. Fans were testy with the Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick because they felt the offense was unprepared for the Dolphins last week, something a better Week Two performance will help do away with for a few days. Steelers’ fan saw their first game Mitchell Trubisky at QB and the escaped Chicago Bear doing enough to win. It is easier to see Pats’ QB Mac Jones bouncing back over Trubisky maintaining an above average level of play, which is why until he is fired, taking New England is still a decent bet … and since the cost is only one point, the success of picking a winner will be easier to take despite choosing one of my team’s rivals.
Carolina (0-1) at NY Giants (-2.5, 1-0): Both of these NFC teams saw a potential game winning FG in the air at the clock reached 0:00 last week, with the Panthers losing to the Browns and the Giants surviving at Tennessee and heading home with a win. This week Baker Mayfield leads Carolina into MetLife Stadium where Daniel Jones and Big Blue look to stay undefeated and keep the Panthers winless. New York is not even getting the field three-point advantage from oddsmakers in this contest despite last week’s scores, which tells me they still like the Panthers as a team over the Giants. I do too, and I think after losing at the gun last week, Carolina comes out with a chip on their shoulders and something to prove; and in the NFL, that is often enough to propel one team over another. Taking Carolina to win outright in this game.
Tampa Bay (-2.5, 1-0) at New Orleans (1-0): Tampa Bay plays their second straight road game to start 2022 when they head to the Bayou in an NFC South showdown. The Bucs had a hard time finding the end zone Sunday night in Dallas; but kicked enough field goal to keep the ‘Boys winless in the NFC East. Earlier, New Orleans held on for deal life in Atlanta before squeezing out their one-point win against the Falcons. The Saints gave Tom Brady and his offensive teammates fits last season; and with the Bucs still, perhaps, suffering on the sharpness scale from their quarterback’s training camp vacation, facing them in Week Two on the road may help keep that streak going. With Brady having his team’s attention after last week’s average performance, the Saints defensive may have their hands full Sunday, which is why it’s Tampa Bay -2.5 for me.
Washington (1-0) at Detroit (-2.5, 0-1): For fans who want scoring, this might be the game to watch considering oddsmakers are hard pressed to keep the over/under at 49 points. Washington took their first game of the year over Jacksonville, and the Lions, who are hosting their second game of 2022, gave another NFC East team almost all they could handle in falling by three to Philadelphia. Despite last week’s outcomes, we find the Lions are a slight favorite this week, with Washington expecting another close contest. This is an early season test for Detroit and their head coach Dan Campbell, who, like many younger whistle blowers, is full of phrases for his players, but needs to prove those words turn into wins. It my mind’s eye, this week is win number one for the Lions, take Detroit -2.5 for the win and the cover in this high scoring affair.
NY Jets (0-1) at Cleveland (-6.0, 1-0): The Browns are the largest favorite on the early slate of games Sunday afternoon as they host the Jets, a team that was as non-competitive as any in the NFL during Week One. Cleveland fans saw their first opening week win in 18 seasons last week with a late comeback at Carolina, while all the head coach of Gang Green could do was “collect receipts” of those who doubt he or the Jets franchise will ever turn things around in New York. The Jets, sadly, will turn to Joe Flacco again at QB, who, behind his offensive line, had little chance against the Ravens last week and is doomed to face the same fate this week against the Browns. This is one of those easy picks for me since the Jets are not ready for this game, Cleveland -6.
Atlanta (0-1) at LA Rams (-10.5, 0-1): Both of these NFC teams lost last week, but unlike the visiting Falcons, who were competitive against the Saints in a one-point loss, the Rams started the season with a poor performance against the Buffalo Bills on opening night last Thursday. LA now gets to host the rebuilding Falcons in a “get right” game and one of many with a double-digit spread in the late afternoon broadcasting window. If Matthew Stafford is healthy, which he may not be all season, this should be an easy win, and this is a game the Rams must win. LA -10.5.
Seattle (1-0) at San Francisco (-10, 0-1): The Seahawks did all they could to help their team defeat Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos Monday night, even booing their former quarterback who the city feels turned his back on them. The 49ers were the victim of historical rains in Chicago last week, weather their neighbors on the West Coast would love to see for personal reasons but won’t this Sunday. With a short week and a road trip on their schedule, can the Seahawks come anywhere near the energy level they had last week in their one-point victory? Or will the real ‘Niners show up this week at home with better weather for their first divisional contest of 2022? Ten points may look like a lot, but give them up, because it’s San Francisco in this game, even if you don’t believe in their quarterback Trey Lance since Seattle is not that good.
Houston (0-0-1) at Denver (0-1): Don’t be surprised if the players are cheered and the Broncos’ coaching staff is booed during introductions on Sunday in the Mile High City Sunday. That’s because many were confused by a late decision to kick a 64-yard field goal rather than try to convert a 4th-and-5 on Monday night. Texans’ players should not expect too much love for their 20-20 tie with the Colts last week, and clearly oddsmakers were not impressed by their performance since they have pegged Houston as a 10-point underdog this week. Denver will be home and will be playing angry after their Week One disappointment, and if Houston had a hard time with Matt Ryan, hopefully the coaching staff will “Let Russ Cook” this week, and post at least 30 points. Denver -10 to win and cover, taking the coaching staff off the hook for one week.
Cincinnati (-8.0, 0-1) at Dallas (0-1): The defending AFC champs head to Big-D where the pain of their Week One loss was bigger than what you see in the standings. Because while the Bengals lost in overtime to Pittsburgh, Dallas lost QB Dak Prescott to a hand injury that could keep him off the field until November. Cincinnati is now, by far, the better team on the field in this game and should have little trouble shutting down the Cowboys’ offense while mimicking what Tampa Bay’s offense did and put enough points on the board to win, even if they kick FGs all afternoon. Cincy -8 to earn their first win of the season the put the continue the awful season Dallas will have.
Arizona (5.5) at Las Vegas (-5.5, 0-1): Now this is an interesting game and point spread to me because these are two intriguing teams that will make headlines win or lose. The traveling Cardinals were manhandled by Kansas City last week, yielding 44 points in an ugly loss, while the Raiders lost a close game at the Chargers to start their season. It is likely the lack of defense that sees Arizona over a field goal underdog here, but that reason is valid and should worry their fans. Yet, while true the Raiders held the Chargers to 24 points last week, they are a divisional opponent more familiar with Justin Herbert and the LA offense, so, perhaps the Silver and Black defense should not be taken too seriously just yet. In fact, I am still inclined to take the Cardinals in this spot since the Raiders still haven’t found what they have on offense, but Arizona will this weekend. Give me the 5.5 point and Arizona to cover if not win outright in a Desert Bowl upset.
Chicago (1-0) at Green Bay (-10, 1-0): Yes, the first place Bears are headed to Green Bay to take on the last place Packers. In this game, however, don’t expect flooding rains or tropical storm type wins to help Justin Fields and the Chicago offense and defense. We should also mention that Aaron Rodgers still wears the Green and Yellow for the Packers. The bettors like the Bears by a 7-3 margin in early wagering; but do we really believe Aaron Rodgers is going to come up small against an NFC North team for the second week in a row, especially with this game on Sunday night? Come back to reality, America and embrace your inner Rodgers fans, Green Bay -10.
Tennessee (0-1) at Buffalo (-10, 1-0): We have a twin-bill of Monday night games this week, with this AFC matchup starting at 7:15 ET and featuring two potential contenders who played opposite games last week. The Titans dominated the Giants at home late last Sunday, only to see their lead disappear in less than half of the third quarter; they then needed to watch a last-second field goal attempt fade wide in their loss, leaving people to already doubt the killer instincts of the team. Thursday night saw the Rams raise their Super Bowl banner before the Bills too them to the woodshed in the second half of a 10-10 halftime game, cementing Buffalo as a true AFC Super Bowl contender, at least after Week One. Money is coming in almost evenly for both teams in this game so far thanks to the 10-point spread and fearful the Titans know falling to 0-2 may be too much to overcome in the AFC. Nevertheless, the Buffalo Bills are for real and are poised to have a big season, which is why they are favorited by so much and while they will win by 14 here.
Minnesota (1-0) at Philadelphia (-2,5, 1-0): The second Monday Night game of the week will kick off in Philadelphia at its normal time and see the visiting Vikings take on the Eagles. Minnesota took Aaron Rodgers and the Packers out of their offensive game last week while the Eagles flew high in Detroit last week but had to fight off a late Lions comeback to hold on to the victory. Bettors believe more in what Minnesota did than what Philadelphia almost allowed to happen last week, so when you look at the Eagles getting the nearly token field goal for being home, know the money is coming in on the Vikings by a 2-to-1 margin. In this case I believe in what the public is thinking since I don’t think anyone will stop WR Justin Jefferson this season and he has a chance to make a run at 2,000 receiving yards in Minnesota, with his run at history continuing this week against Philly. Minnesota +2.5 in a mild upset win to close Week Two.
About TooAthletic TooAthletic Takes is the News division of TooAthletic. Launched in 2019, TooAthletic Takes is a source for all your sports takes. TooAthletic Takes will make you laugh, cry, get mad, and even call us “idiots.” We strive to give our readers another viewpoint on any sports situation, and we look forward to disagreements with the hopes that it leads to healthy discussions and debates.
TooAthletic Takes aspires to be the #1 source for all sports takes, and become a leader in sports media.
The start of the 2022 NFL season will be very different for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their quarterback Tom Brady. The team has a new head coach, and the player voted the best in the NFL is embarking on another championship run, only this time as a de facto “single parent.”
It has been reported, Tom Brady’s wife Gisele Bündchen left the quarterback and his three kids in Florida as they continue to fight over his un-retirement. At 45 and having nothing to prove on the football field, Bündchen and many around the NFL continue to ask why Brady still wants to play, with the quarterback answering by taking the field to add to his legacy while he can still put on the pads. With these uncharted waters ahead of him this year, should Bucs fans be worried about Brady’s off-field issues; or can Tom Brady make it business as usual in 2022 as he strives for ring #8?
In late February it was believed that Tom Brady retired due to family pressure, mainly by his wife Gisele Bündchen, the former supermodel, who has been taking care of their two children and her husband’s third child from a relationship with actress Bridget Moynahan. When Brady reversed course by un-retiring and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired Bruce Arians to lure him back, it was clear that both the quarterback and the team were, once again, all in for the 2022 season.
It appears, however, that Brady did break a promise to his wife by returning, and even after a reportedly pre-planned 11-day vacation from the team’s training camp last month, Bündchen has reportedly left Tampa Bay in protest of her husband returning to his career, leaving him with his three kids and a 17-game NFL schedule to manage over the rest of the year.
Tom Brady is, to say the least, a very single-minded person; something that has served him well during his NFL career while winning more Super Bowl titles than any other player as well as any franchise in NFL history. It often takes a very passive person to be the spouse of such a driven person since they must be willing to let their partner enjoy the limelight while they, as part of their support team, stay in the background. That is not who Gisele Bündchen was as the former world’s top paid supermodel, and that has never been who she has been as the wife of Tom Brady.
Gisele has often been outspoken about Brady’s health and safety when discussing concussions, and often commented on his New England Patriots’ teammates when they lost Super Bowls. Bündchen is a woman with opinions, and Brady is a person with a mission; and in 2022, these two forces are going in opposite directions.
With all that said, I would be very worried if I was in the NFC South along with all the teams which have Tampa Bay on their schedule this season. Tom Brady has learned how to multi-task, and he also knows that without Bruce Arians on the sidelines acting like Andy Reid by calling trick plays at the wrong time, Brady the quarterback will be in complete control of the Bucs offense. As a result, he will be able to deal with his off-field issues while also attending practice during the week, excelling during games, and being the father he has wanted to be for years. That’s because Tom Brady knows the tougher the road to success, the sweeter the victory becomes.
The NFL should be very afraid of what Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can, and should do in 2022. The quarterback knows he is on a year-to-year contract with his team and his family, and he wants to get as much as he can from his playing career before he says goodbye forever … and the way he’s going, that may not be for a few more years … even if that means losing Gisele Bündchen in the process since even she, in his mind, is expendable. Don’t believe me, just ask Bridget Moynahan.
About TooAthletic TooAthletic Takes is the News division of TooAthletic. Launched in 2019, TooAthletic Takes is a source for all your sports takes. TooAthletic Takes will make you laugh, cry, get mad, and even call us “idiots.” We strive to give our readers another viewpoint on any sports situation, and we look forward to disagreements with the hopes that it leads to healthy discussions and debates.
TooAthletic Takes aspires to be the #1 source for all sports takes, and become a leader in sports media.
While most MLB fans are focused on the playoff push currently underway in the sport, the leaders of the game would rather tell you which one of your favorite players is going to play in next spring’s World Baseball Classic. For those who forgot, the WBC is baseball’s answer to soccer’s World Cup. Of course, the WBC is played during MLB’s Spring Training, when players are vulnerable to injury while trying to hurry up and get in playing shape for a made-up tournament. So, I ask you, why is MLB still playing the WBC?
Believe it or not, we are less than two weeks away from qualifying games being played for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Germany will host games the third week of September that will allow teams from Europe to qualify for the WBC, all while Major League Baseball will be just days away from the end of their season.
Major League Baseball wasn’t popular enough to survive as an Olympic sport, yet its leaders still feel as if holding the World Baseball Classic during Spring Training is a good idea. Most franchise owners hold their breath and light a prayer candle anytime one of their players signs on to play, and managers dread the time that player is away from the team’s trainers and teammates. I know a lot of fans embrace the WBC since national pride (and the pride of Puerto Rico, which is an American Commonwealth) are at stake.
For me, however, it is a fake, OVERBLOWN tournament that doesn’t prove or mean anything to the sport and is never something that will appear on a player’s resume.
Major League Baseball has an entire season to promote their players, wherever they are from. Teams also have the ability to reach out to their communities and let their fans get to know the players. If a two-week tournament every two years held during spring training is what’s needed to get the name of the best baseball players in the world out into the public, then it is Major League Baseball that should be ashamed of themselves. There are plenty of nationally televised games on during the week, and now with the new schedule starting in 2023, every team will play every MLB team once, so fans will be able to see almost every star every season.
MLB doesn’t need the WBC, all it needs is a new way of thinking about and marketing the game and the players who don the uniform. Because unless you want MLB’s playoff winner to play the best team from outside North American in a true World Series, holding the WBC in March might as well be done by a traveling team visiting every MLB’s spring training facility for a few days and seeing who has the best pitches, hitters and managers.
About TooAthletic TooAthletic Takes is the News division of TooAthletic. Launched in 2019, TooAthletic Takes is a source for all your sports takes. TooAthletic Takes will make you laugh, cry, get mad, and even call us “idiots.” We strive to give our readers another viewpoint on any sports situation, and we look forward to disagreements with the hopes that it leads to healthy discussions and debates.
TooAthletic Takes aspires to be the #1 source for all sports takes, and become a leader in sports media.
When some people talk about their business, you better listen, and listen well. One person who had something to say is Deion Sanders, who recently had some choice words for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sanders, now a college football head coach, told those who are inducting NFL players that the Hall of Fame has become the “Hall of the Very Good” with too many players finding their way in. Sanders also offered a solution to what he called the “watering down” of the Hall of Fame, but neglected to mention the one flaw in the selection process which has created the problem he pointed to.
Every club in all walks of life needs a person that is able to tell the truth about what is required to be granted access to that club … in sports, the best club for all athletes is their sports Hall of Fame. So, those who run the Pro Football Hall of Fame needs to heed the warning issued by Deion Sanders when he recently said:
“The Hall of Fame ain’t the Hall of Fame anymore.”
When asked by Well Off Media during his interview with them to expand upon his answer, Sanders said:
“It’s people who changed the game. That’s what the Hall of Fame is, a game changer. Not, ‘I played good, I had a good run, I gave you 3-4 good years.’ No, dog. Game changers.”
When asked about how to fix the watering down of the Pro Football Hall of Fame roster, Sanders offered this solution:
“My jacket got to be a different color … There needs to be a starting 11, there needs to be an upper room. My (bust) doesn’t belong with some of these other (busts) that’s in the Hall of Fame … I’m sorry, I’m saying what you’re all thinking, and a lot of Hall of Famers are thinking the same thing.”
The problem Deion Sanders is pointing out is 100% real and he is 1000% correct. There are WAY too many “borderline” players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a problem most Halls have in the sports world. Those who vote for who is in and who is out of Canton, Ohio are not to blame however, those who set the rules for the annual vote each year are. That’s because after a constant reduction from all those eligible for the Hall of Fame (any player retired for five seasons), that sees several different lists released during the NFL season, when it comes down to the final 15 finalists, those who are asked to vote are required to enshrine at least three players, but no more than seven. It is this mandate of needing to have a Hall of Fame Class every year that has created the “Hall of the Very Good” Deion Sanders is describing and rightfully complaining about.
There are not always going to be three players worthy of Hall of Fame induction every year in football or in any sport, so having a rule like this is counterproductive and harmful to what any Hall of Fame should stand for. If they get rid of that rule, you will see an improvement of those players being enshrined in Canton and the mood of those already inducted improve immediately.
As for Sanders providing the idea of offering different color jackets for those who are in the “upper room” off the Hall of Fame: Well, I would love to be the person who tries to pick the people to be on the Upper Room Committee, because if you believe those who vote for who’s in the Hall of Fame face criticism, imagine what it would be like to put a “borderline” “upper room” player upstairs? That would be a job no one would want, and besides, that would take away from the pleasure of having all those passionate debates over who the best cornerback really is … because believe it or not, some people think there were better players in NFL history than Deion Sanders, I know, crazy, right?
About TooAthletic TooAthletic Takes is the News division of TooAthletic. Launched in 2019, TooAthletic Takes is a source for all your sports takes. TooAthletic Takes will make you laugh, cry, get mad, and even call us “idiots.” We strive to give our readers another viewpoint on any sports situation, and we look forward to disagreements with the hopes that it leads to healthy discussions and debates.
TooAthletic Takes aspires to be the #1 source for all sports takes, and become a leader in sports media.
The NFL world found out last week that the Buccaneers truly are the “Tompa Brady” Buccaneers after it was announced quarterback Tom Brady would be taking an “extended vacation” right in the middle of training camp. The 45-year-old QB who retired, and then unretired this past offseason apparently worked out his vacation time with the team in advance in order to create some chemistry with his new weapons on offense (Julio Jones, Russell Gage, and Kyle Rudolph.)
And if you believe that line of BS, then I have a bridge to sell you.
Citing his inability to make the “competitive commitment” needed to win games, Tom Brady retired from the NFL back in February. Forty days and nights later, Brady returned to the league and his team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Of course, we didn’t know at the time that Brady’s return would also cause head coach Bruce Arians to “retire” from the team shortly thereafter, allowing TB12 to completely take over the offense and run his squad the way he wanted to. Now, current head coach Todd Bowles said Tom Brady would be away with the team until sometime after their second preseason game on August 20th, saying that his #1 QB would be dealing with “personal issues” while on a leave of absence.
Bowles admitted these issues were discussed long before the start of training camp and the Bucs knew Brady would miss this time in advance. When asked what caused the leave of absence, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network said:
“The best description I got for this is that it is important to find a work/life balance. Brady has been doing this for 23 years. He knows the scheme as well as anyone … so he steps aside to do some actual personal things, family things.”
So, wait, Tom Brady has become so good at his job that he no longer needs to practice a team sport with his teammates during the period of time set aside to build up team chemistry, rather opting to let his backup and backup’s backup take more reps right in the middle of training camp? Has Tom Brady petitioned the NFL to have all of Tampa Bay’s game played at home yet, you know, in case in needs to attend to more personal, family things? Or will he just be able to play all the games by way of a clone/drone combination so his family can be with him every step of the way this year, all the way to a Super Bowl title.
In a league that makes star players seemingly overnight, Tom Brady is taking his role as the GOAT to the next level and beyond by asking for and being granted this vacation time during training camp. Camps are nowhere near as difficult as when Brady broke into the league and not anywhere as hard as those his predecessors faced in the 20th century, so clearly this vacation time was part of his “agreement” to return … that is if you believe there was a negotiation that involved Brady’s return to Tampa Bay in the first place, which I do.
It is clear to me Tom Brady retired under pressure from his family, mainly his famous wife Gisele Bündchen, who has begged the QB to retire for years to be more of a stay-at-home father to his children. Brady, it is clear to me, needed to negotiate with his wife first before working out a deal with Tampa Bay to un-retire this winter, with this mid-training camp vacation high on the list of priorities. It is likely that schools are reopening in Florida sometime in the next week and Brady wants to be there for as many days as possible for them as well to make his wife happier than she probably was when her husband asked for her permission to return to the NFL.
At the end of the day, all this tells us is the NFL might be Tom Brady’s world, with the rest of us just along for the ride; but when it comes to the Brady household, it is Gisele Bündchen’s world, and Brady better do what he is told or someone won’t be able to find their helmet to go outside and play with the rest of the Buccaneers this fall.
About TooAthletic TooAthletic Takes is the News division of TooAthletic. Launched in 2019, TooAthletic Takes is a source for all your sports takes. TooAthletic Takes will make you laugh, cry, get mad, and even call us “idiots.” We strive to give our readers another viewpoint on any sports situation, and we look forward to disagreements with the hopes that it leads to healthy discussions and debates.
TooAthletic Takes aspires to be the #1 source for all sports takes, and become a leader in sports media.
The death of any athletic legend is always heartbreaking since those who admire them always wish they could live forever. When the legendary basketball player Bill Russell passed away earlier this month, heartbreak took the form of love and respect for the former Boston Celtics center who touched so many lives and gave so much back to the game he loved. In tribute to him, the NBA announced every team would retire the #6 jersey that Russell made famous in Boston, while also adding that Russell’s number would appear on every player’s jersey and every team’s court this upcoming season. To that, I only ask the NBA this: What took so long? Why did you wait until Bill Russell died to give him such an honor?
When anyone puts together a list of the greatest basketball players of all time, the name Bill Russell always appears high on that list. As the greatest winner in the history of basketball and the NBA’s first Black head coach, when any basketball fan said the name “Bill Russell,” winning quickly comes to mind. What also comes to mind is the class, grace, and courage that Russell shown throughout his life, through giving back to the game while fighting for the rights and equality of others in the face of racism few could ever understand. For generations, when a basketball player needed advice, speaking to Bill Russell was normally a good place to go, and he was always there to help.
In 2009, four decades after Bill Russell retired, the NBA paid tribute to their greatest champion by naming the Finals MVP Award after him. However, what bothers me about this recent honor is that it was not given to Russell while he was still alive. He passed away days after turning 88 years old, and I really feel like this could have been done for him while he was still alive and able to appreciate the honor for himself.
I understand that most major honors in American society are only given to people after they pass away. There are no living people on your money or even stamps (by law), which can be explained to some extent even if I think giving someone the honor of having them see a stamp with their image would be more of an honor if they were alive. It’s just a shame that this is another example of someone not getting their flowers while they can still smell them. But that’s neither here nor there.
In short, it is more heartbreaking to me that Russell didn’t see his #6 on every basketball court and hanging from every rafter in the league. I only hope that when the NBA puts the #6 logo on the court, they put it near each team’s bench to remind the coaches what Bill Russell did in winning a title as a player and as a coach. They should also put his #6 logo on the low post box in each lane on the court to remind modern day players where Russell collected all of his points, rebounds, and blocks.
About TooAthletic TooAthletic Takes is the News division of TooAthletic. Launched in 2019, TooAthletic Takes is a source for all your sports takes. TooAthletic Takes will make you laugh, cry, get mad, and even call us “idiots.” We strive to give our readers another viewpoint on any sports situation, and we look forward to disagreements with the hopes that it leads to healthy discussions and debates.
TooAthletic Takes aspires to be the #1 source for all sports takes, and become a leader in sports media.
As the football world continues to break down the Deshawn Watson six-game suspension, the NFL announced disciplinary action against one of their franchise owners. The person at the heart of their investigation was Stephen Ross, owner of the Miami Dolphins. So, what did Ross, one of the richest owners in all of sports get punished for, and what was the price he and his franchise had to pay?
At the end of the 2021 season, the Dolphins owner fired head coach Brian Flores. Shortly after hitting the unemployment line, Flores accused team owner Stephen Ross of offering him bonuses if the team lost more games during his tenure to increase their draft position. The “Loses for Dollars” program Ross reportedly offered took place as early as 2019, Flores first season in Miami. After their findings, the NFL reportedly told the Dolphins franchise they were guilty of “hinting” to Flores and his coaching staff that higher draft picks were more important than winning. “Hinting,” being the key word, however, since the NFL did not punish the Dolphins for doing so.
The two-part basis for the punishment doled out by the NFL this week against the Miami Dolphins can be summarized in one word, TAMPERING. It is believed by the NFL that owner Stephen Ross and members of the team’s front office reached out to Tom Brady in the summer of 2019 while he was still under contract with the New England Patriots. There was also reason to believe that the Dolphins maintained a dialogue with Brady during the entire 2019 season with Ross willing to offer his promise to make the quarterback a limited partner when he retired from the NFL.
#Bribe
Since the Dolphins did, at the time, get away with tampering with another team’s quarterback, Ross and his fishy friends doubled down earlier this year when they contacted Sean Peyton who was still under contract with the New Orleans Saints to be their head coach. It wasn’t until the spring that Peyton retired, but, nevertheless, the Dolphins were found guilty of tampering with a head coach.
The punishment for all this:
A $1.5 Million fine leveled against Stephen Ross (did we mention he was a real estate billionaire).
The loss of their 2023 first-round draft pick (which will save the team tens of millions of dollars in salary) and their 2024 third-round draft pick as well as (wait for it) suspending Stephen Ross until October 17th (yawn!).
I realize that Stephen Ross is more important to the NFL then, say Daniel Snyder, and that coming down hard with a harsh penalty against your boss can be difficult at best … but can we get their multi-billion-dollar sports leagues to up the amount of money an organization or owner can be fined for transgressions that “violating the integrity of the game.” Because if you think Ross is going to miss $1.5 million, you need to look up a place in New York City called Hudson Yards, where the cheapest condos sell for twice that amount as long as you don’t mind a third-floor view.
Honestly, has there been one disciplinary action taking by the NFL during the time Roger Goodell has been commissioner that has been close to being correct? Because I sure as hell can’t think of one. They can’t get the players who need to be exiled from the game suspended for the correct duration, and they sure can’t get some of the owners and front office personnel out of their game day boxes like the NBA did.
When it comes to Law and Order, the NFL needs to learn the right way to do it, because coming down harsh is always better than coming down too weak, since it doesn’t provide an incentive to straighten up and fly right for the rest of the league.
About TooAthletic TooAthletic Takes is the News division of TooAthletic. Launched in 2019, TooAthletic Takes is a source for all your sports takes. TooAthletic Takes will make you laugh, cry, get mad, and even call us “idiots.” We strive to give our readers another viewpoint on any sports situation, and we look forward to disagreements with the hopes that it leads to healthy discussions and debates.
TooAthletic Takes aspires to be the #1 source for all sports takes, and become a leader in sports media.
The world of track and field experienced what basketball fans might call a “Trent Tucker” moment earlier this month when Devon Allen did something that technology says a human can’t. That’s because the University of Oregon sprinter and hurdler did something in the same amount of time, one-tenth of a second, that caused the NBA to create the Trent Tucker rule three decades ago. What did Devon Allen do, and why was he disqualified from his last collegiate race after doing it? Let’s take a trip to the World Athletes Championships.
Devon Allen SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISQUALIFIED. He didn’t jump the gun. He didn’t flinch. He got punished for being TOO FAST. Watch for yourself. pic.twitter.com/03xd3S3JHm
On July 17th, Devon Allen was competing in his last race for the University of Oregon in the 110 Meter Hurdlers at Hayward Field, his home track that was playing host to this year’s World Athletes Championships. Allen made it to the final race and was, for the last time as an Oregon Duck, lined up in the starter’s block. The starter’s pistol went off and the competitors took off, only to be stopped by a false start alarm. Somebody started running too soon, it was Devon Allen. Or did he start running too soon? A look at the video replay showed no sign of early movement out of the blocks by Allen, but something else did, technology.
Sensors are set up at the starting line for track and field events, and in this case, they picked up that Devon Allen moved 0.099 seconds after the starter’s pistol was fired. By rule, anyone who moves within one-tenth of a second is considered to have started too soon; and for this race, Allen was deemed to have false started, causing his disqualification from the race.
The rules are clear in a case like this: Once a false start is recorded by the technology in place, a runner is disqualified and there’s no avenue of appeal … and so ended the college track and field career of Devon Allen.
Speaking on “The Dan Patrick Show” two days after his DQ, Devon Allen said:
“It’s really unfortunate that that’s the rule. I understand the rule. It’s in place so there’s no false starts. But not to have a little bit of leeway for margin of error or anything that goes on for a thousandth of a second kind of is a little bit frustrating because I didn’t get a chance to compete.”
My reply to those who want more leeway in this rule is two-fold:
Everyone knew the rules going into this event, so, like it or not, they must be adhered to.
If you want a margin of error built into the rule, then what you are saying is the technology is unreliable, and should be scrapped, or you start bending the rule itself, and from there, you make the rule meaningless whenever it needs to be applied during competition.
Think about it: how big should the margin of error be? How far is enough to make everyone happy, and then what happened when someone is one-tenth of a second off the build-in margin of error, do we give them a break, too?
One-tenth of a second might as well be one toe to an NFL wide receiver or the width of one baseball to a pitcher trying to get a called third strike … the rule in this case MUST be the rule, period. To do otherwise would return the element of chaos that using technology is trying to remove from sports.
And if you are looking for a way to cheer on Devon Allen, you may do so by rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles where he is trying out to be a wide receiver. While not having played for the Oregon Ducks since 2016, Allen did tally 54 catches for 919 yards in three seasons and ran a 4.35 40-yard dash on the school’s Pro Day. Let’s just hope the Ducks taught him what the offsides rule is before he reports to the team’s training camp on July 26th.
About TooAthletic TooAthletic Takes is the News division of TooAthletic. Launched in 2019, TooAthletic Takes is a source for all your sports takes. TooAthletic Takes will make you laugh, cry, get mad, and even call us “idiots.” We strive to give our readers another viewpoint on any sports situation, and we look forward to disagreements with the hopes that it leads to healthy discussions and debates.
TooAthletic Takes aspires to be the #1 source for all sports takes, and become a leader in sports media.
