I never thought Patrick Kane would waive his no-trade clause last year and let the Blackhawks trade him. The writing was all over the walls that Kane’s days in Chicago would be over sooner rather than later as his contract was expiring at the end of the 2022-23 season. Kane deserved the no-trade clause and the big contract that he did get from the team that drafted him. Kane had a say on where he wanted to go and that was the Big Apple with the Rangers. The Blackhawks could have gotten more, but in the entire hockey world there are only a few teams Kane would play for. The Blackhawks ended up getting something for one of the main cogs of the dynasty that helped the Indian sweater win three Stanley cups. Meanwhile the Rangers wanted a cup of their own and Kane would gladly return to his home state and give them a hand. Both parties were not happy with the results, as the Rangers and Kane were dispatched from the playoffs in the very first round. Kane is now available as a free agent to sign anywhere he wants. The Rangers have mixed feelings about a reunion with the former Blackhawks great, and the price tag may be too steep. What if Kane had a homecoming, stayed in the state of New York, and played for his home team, the Buffalo Sabres?

Last season, the Buffalo Sabres missed the post-season by one point in the standings. The Sabres have not been relevant in 16 seasons which is the last time they won a playoff series if you count this season as a success. The Sabres have the longest playoff drought in the NHL as it is now tallied up to 12 seasons. The number keeps going up as any business would like an increased number like this in days without injuries. The Sabres, and only the Vancouver Canucks. are the longest active teams in the NHL without winning a Stanley cup which now stands at 52 years. The Sabres fans witnessed one of their own guys, Jack Eichel, win his first cup with the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Eichel seems ecstatic to get out of the frozen waste land of NHL hockey in Buffalo, New York as he made his feelings known about his days playing for the Sabres organization and fans. Could a 34-year old right winger who is a 16 year veteran with three Stanley Cups under his belt be the answer to help Buffalo break their playoff drought?

Last year, Patrick Kane played in 73 regular season games scoring 21 goals while dishing out 36 assists for a grand total of 57 points. Kane played in 19 regular season games for the Rangers and scored 5 goals with 7 assists for 12 points. The playoffs is what the Rangers wanted Kane for ,as they had to work out multiple deals just to get the Blackhawks superstar on their roster. Kane played all 7 games of the series versus the New Jersey Devils who knocked out the Rangers in that first round of the playoffs. Kane would score one goal in seven games but did dish out 5 assists in that playoff series versus the Devils. Only team Kane knew, was the Chicago Blackhawks, the team that drafted him. Some experts will say it takes a player being on the team at the start of a season to get affiliated with their teammates and surroundings. That they’ll do that better than arriving in mid-season. Some players could play that rental player well while others do not do well in the quick change of uniform. Then they’re expected to lead the team to the promised land to a bunch of guys you may not know. Kane did have hip surgery when his season ended and is expected back by the time teams start to gear it up for the next season.

The Buffalo Sabres last year got by with a veteran goalie on his last legs, in Craig Anderson. Anderson did pretty good for a 42 year old in net for the Sabres. Last season, Eric Comrie only played in 19 games as he suffered an injury but will return next season. He went 9-9 as a starter for the Sabres in front of the net. The Sabres need to definitely improve their goalie situation. The Sabres have a nice core assembled with some talented 1& 2 skating lines. The Sabres top line features Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson, and Alex Tuch. The Second Line can do some damage as well with Jack Quinn, Dylan Cozens, and JJ Peterka. Adding Patrick Kane gives this team a veteran presence like when the Blackhawks added Marion Hossa to the team with an abundance of younger talent that helped Chicago get over the hump and win three cups. Kane, a sure thing first ballot Hall of Famer, could spice up his late chapters of his hockey career. Patrick Kane still has a shot to score the most goals in the NHL by any American-born player. I imagine going back home to help his hometown team break a playoff drought would be something special for him and the city of Buffalo, his old stomping grounds. The 62 year old cab driver he helped his brother beat up over 20 cents, might not like the deal when Patrick was visiting Buffalo in the off-season. The rest of Buffalo should be reminded they do have a hockey team and could use a guy they know as they watched him play in their town for years. Kane could easily score his 500th goals in a Sabres uniform if he decides he needs and wants to suit up for the his home town team. Some players do not like playing in front of their home town team because of the pressure. Kane is able.

The USFL will be the first Spring football league to complete its second season in a row since the original USFL did that/done that in the 1980’s. It looked like the USFL was going to have two rematches in the post-season from last year. The North division has two new representatives as the Stars and Generals fizzled in crunch time. The Breakers and Stallions will be the rematch in the South division. Can the Stallions repeat as champions? I kicked around both match-ups and came up with a prediction for each championship. Not sure I’ll be right as anything could happen. If I’m right or wrong, I will also have a prediction next week when two teams will be alive in the USFL Spring fling.

PLAYOFFS

NORTH DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP

#2. MICHIGAN PANTHERS (4-6) VS #1.PITTSBURGH MAULERS (4-6)

Head to head record in 2023: Maulers 2-0 Panthers

All-time head to head including 1980’s Panthers 3-2 Maulers

Record since the USFL reboot: Panthers 2-2 Maulers

Playoff history: Never faced each other

Panthers all-time playoff record including 1980’s: (2-1) Won 1983 Championship

Maulers all-time playoff record including 1980’s: (0-0) First ever playoff appearance

Both the Panthers and Maulers are in the post-season despite winning records as the entire division finished under 500. The Maulers won two in a row to win the South division title. Maulers took down the Generals last weekend to officially punch their card in the post-season. Meanwhile the Panthers made a change at quarterback and the move worked as EJ Perry made his first start ever in the USFL, and led his team from behind to get a comeback win over the Stars. Both teams are known for their defenses this season over unpredictable offenses that are more cold than hot. The hottest is lukewarm.

QUARTERBACK MATCH UP

Maulers Troy Williams vs Panthers EJ Perry

Both quarterbacks can move in the pocket and make plays with their legs. Troy Williams was not the day one starter in Pittsburgh when the season started, but has given his team new life. Williams takes care of the football most importantly for this Mauler team. Williams made 8 starts going 4-4. Williams has thrown 6 touchdown passes compared to only 3 interceptions. EJ Perry, with only one start under his belt, has a lot rested on his shoulders. Perry did find the end zone with his legs in the win over the Stars. Perry’s combination through the air and ground had 169 yards total offense for the Panthers.

EDGE: Maulers experience

GROUND ASSAULT

The Panthers have one of the best running backs in the league in the this department. Reggie Corbin had 437 yards on the ground with two touchdowns, a back that can also catch the ball out of the back field. The Panthers also use Stevie Scott III who can come in and get big gainers.

The Maulers quarterback, Troy Williams, is the guy who will get the most yards with his legs. The Maulers then split the load with Madre London and Garrett Groshek, two power backs that can get short yardage gains.

Edge: Panthers

THROUGH THE AIR

The Panthers and Maulers play makers through the air, could be even Steven. Both teams have the security blankets as Panthers uses Trey Quinn for those must-need yards while the Maulers use Bailey Gaither. Then both teams have the home run guy. Panthers have Joe Walker who has three touchdown receptions over 300 yards receiving. The Maulers have Isiah Hennie who also has three touchdown receptions and over 300 yards receiving.

EDGE: EVEN

THE DEFENSE

When it comes to defense, both teams are solid. The Panthers have the sack king of the USFL in Breeland Speaks.

Speaks had 9 sacks in ten games. The Panthers also have Levi Bell on the other side of the field with 4 sacks. Then the tackling machine of Frank Ginda at the linebacker position. Ginda also led the Panthers in interceptions.

The Maulers are like the ’85 Chicago Bears as they are loaded with a ton of defensive talent. The Maulers have 4 guys with at least 3 sacks. Nasir Player at 3.5 sacks, Boogie Roberts at 3.0, Olive Sagapolu at 3.0 and Terry Miles with 3. Then Chris Okoye has two. On the back end are two tackling machines of Reuben Foster and Kyahva Tezino, who may be the defensive player of the year. Arnold Tarpley and Mark Gilbert have 7 interceptions combined. Boogie Roberts is the maestro of this unit.

EDGE: Maulers

I know it’s hard to beat a team three times in one season as the Maulers have swept the Panthers season series. The Panthers came through the crawl space to get in the playoffs and have not won more than one game since opening up the season at 2-0. The Maulers are playing their best football now and have won two straight. I like both coaches of each team, Ray Horton of the Maulers and Mike Nolan of the Panthers. I think the Maulers respond better with Horton as a team better than Nolan and his Panthers. I like the Maulers’ special teams over the Panthers. Troy Williams has more experience than EJ Perry at the quarterback position. Plus, Perry did well versus a bad Stars defense and that being said, the Maulers defense is different animal.

PREDICTION: Maulers win!!!!

SOUTH DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP

#2.NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (7-3) VS #1.BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (8-2)

Head to head record in 2023: Breakers 1-1 Stallions

All-time head to head record including 1980’s + playoffs: Stallions 8-2 Breakers

Note: Breakers played in 3 cities in the 1980’s: Boston, New Orleans, & Portland

Record head to head since the reboot: Stallions 4-1 Breakers including playoffs

Playoff history: Last season Stallions beat Breakers 31-17 in the South Division Championship game

Breakers all-time playoff record including 1980’s: (0-1)

Stallions all-time playoff record including 1980’s: (4-2) Won 2022 USFL Championship

The Breakers and Stallions will have a rematch from last year’s South Championship which the Stallions won. The Breakers gave the Stallions their first loss of the season by putting 45 points in the first meeting of the year. Then in week 7, Stallions got their revenge winning a close one over the Breakers. The Stallions have won 5 straight and clinched their second South division title. The Breakers were the last unbeaten team in the USFL this season, but they lost in week 5 after starting 4-0 which included the win over the Stallions. The Breakers went through some hard times losing three in a row. Since their last loss to the Stallions, the Breakers have won three straight to take the second seed in the South division. The South division, by far the toughest in the USFL as every team was 500 or had a win unlike the North in which every team had a losing record.

QUARTERBACK MATCH UP

This match-up between the Breakers and the Stallions features the two best quarterbacks in the USFL. McLeod Bethel-Thompson’s stats: 220-336 for 2,433 passing yards, 65.5 % completion percentage with 14 touchdown passes and 8 interceptions.

Alex McGough’s stats: 180-267 for 2,105 passing yards, 67.4 % completion percentage with 20 touchdown passes and only 5 interceptions. McGough on the ground stats: 70 rushes, 403 yards and 5 touchdowns.

EDGE: Stallions stats do not lie.

GROUND ASSAULT

At one point, Will Hills looked like the best running back in the league for the Breakers. Hills had the most rushing yards in the entire USFL, only 25 yards more than Gamblers Mark Thompson who played two games less. Hills had 680 yards on the ground and ten touchdowns as he averaged 3.8 a carry. The Stallions’ lead rusher was CJ Marable who gained 524 yards on the ground and averaged 4.4 yards a carry. Marable can catch the ball out of the back field. The Stallions also use the legs of McGough in the running game. Hills has fumble isssues.

EDGE: Stallions

THROUGH THE AIR

Both the Breakers and the Stallions have a slew of play makers that can catch the ball. The Breakers and Stallions each have two guys that went over 500 yards receiving. The Breakers’ security blanket is Sage Surratt who had 50 grabs for 552 yards with one touchdown. Then not talked about a lot, is Jonathan Adams for the Breakers. He’s a big target in the passing game, a guy that can jump in the air and bring in those overthrown passes. Adams had 41 grabs for 511 yards with two touchdown passes.

Let’s not forget about Johnnie. Johnnie Dixon had 33 grabs for the Breakers for 463 yards with 5 touchdown catches. The Stallions’ Davion Davis led the team with receptions and receiving yards with 39 grabs for 575 yards.

The Stallions also have the best tight end in the league with Jace Sternberger who had 33 grabs for 533 yards with 7 touchdown catches.

EDGE: Breakers

THE DEFENSE

Both the Breakers and Stallions can do some good things on the defensive side of the ball. The Breakers have two guys that can kill the opposing team’s quarterback. Keonte Schad had 7.5 sacks this season for the Breakers and his partner in crime, Anree Saint-Armour, had six sacks.

The Stallions have two guys with 4 sacks each, in Dondrea Tillman and Willie Henry, that lead their team killing the quarterback.

The Breakers as a team have recorded 28 sacks and can force turnovers as they have 12 interceptions as a group. The Stallions defense have recorded only 19 sacks and tallied up six interceptions. Last year, the Stallions had Scooby Wright who was the anchor of that defense. The Breakers have their Scooby in Vontae Diggs, a linebacker that can do it all.

EDGE: Breakers

When it comes to the Breakers, Head Coach John DeFilippo has done a very nice job in year one as the man. The Stallions guy, Skip Holtz, has won coach of the year this season and has a championship under his belt. The Stallions get the edge in special teams, as Deon Cain is one of best returners in the USFL. This game should be close no matter what. It will be either a defensive struggle or an offensive shoot out. The way Alex McGough is playing the game right now and the entire season, you have to go Stallions on this one. McGough can come back if the team is down. McGough rebounds quickly from any mistakes he makes. The Breakers can score with the best of them in this league, as their offense is deadly. The Breakers are prone to make too many mistakes that will cost them the game and their chance to advance to the championship.

PREDICTION: Stallions win!!!

The final week of regular season in the USFL and only one team has clinched a playoff spot. The team that is in so-far, well your lucky guess is the Birmingham Stallions, last year’s champions. Final week of the season has 7 teams battling it out for 3 playoff spots. Plus, the Stallions are looking to clinch the number one spot in the South. Could the North division end up with two teams under 500 making the playoffs? We will try to sort it out in our Week Ten USFL Power Rankings. Who do you think will be alive after week ten? Your guess is probably as good as mine.

WEEK TEN POWER RANKINGS

#1. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (7-2) SAME SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

What can you say? The USFL has the Stallions, then the rest of the league is tier two and further beyond. The Stallions are the first team to clinch a playoff spot as they stepped on the throats of the Gamblers in the 4th quarter to put them away. The Stallions get revenge on the Gamblers for tagging them with one of their two losses earlier in the season. The Stallions are not out of the woodshed yet, as they face the Showboats who they murdered in the first game. Stallions want the number one seed in the South as the Breakers are one game behind them. Plus, the Showboats’ Todd Haley had words with Skip Holtz after the authorities put the chalk lines on the Memphis players sprawled all over the field in the first meeting of the year (a 42-2 slaughtering.)

The Stallions, despite key injuries, are playing very well and could repeat as champions. You can make an argument that the Stallions quarterback, Alex McGough, could be the best QB in the USFL. We know the Stallions have the best tight end in the league with Jace Sternberger. He leads the USFL in touchdown catches with six as McGough hooked up with him last weekend versus Houston.

This season, Sternberger has 29 catches for 433 yards and those six touchdown passes.

#2. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (6-3) MOVED UP 2 SPOTS FROM LAST WEEK

The Breakers are picking the right time to get hot as they won two in a row. The Breakers and the weather were the two storm-fronts that Memphis had to deal with as they blew out the Showboats 31-3 last week. This game was pretty much over by the end of the first quarter. The Breakers defense put on a clinic. Breakers defensive lineman, Keonte Schad, had two sacks.

The Breakers had 3 interceptions off Cole Kelly as Vontae Diggs ran one back. Jerod Fernandez had a monster day with ten tackles.

Can the Breakers beat the Gamblers in the final game of the season? The Breakers control their own destiny to make the playoffs for the second year in a row with a win. Breakers started the season red hot and hit a speed bump in the middle of the campaign. They could head to post-season on fire with a win over the Gamblers.

#3. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (5-4) DROPPED ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

Looks like good trumps over evil as Todd Haley’s deal with the devil comes to an end. Memphis and Haley go up in flames on a stormy day as the Breakers were the storm blitzkrieging the Showboats, 31-3. It ends the Showboats’ 5 game winning streak. Cole Kelly had his worst day behind center for the Showboats with 3 interceptions as the Breakers defense was all over him the entire game and inside the rookie’s head.

One of Kelly’s interceptions was a pick six. In the final regular season game. it does not get easier for the Showboats as they have a rematch versus the Stallions and we remember what happened last time. The Showboats scored two points, the Stallions had over 40 points, and Todd Haley was making threats after the game to Birmingham’s head coach, Skip Holtz.

#4. HOUSTON GAMBLERS (5-4) DROPPED ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Gamblers knew they would have to play their best game of the year last week with a rematch versus the Stallions. Gamblers did beat the Stallions in the first game of the season. The wild horses put a beat-down on this Houston team that has struggled lately, 38-15. The score is misleading as the Gamblers were battling the Stallions and at one point it was 17-15 Birmingham in the 4th quarter. Then the wheels fell off the Gambler offensive machine.

The Gamblers were beaten by the Stallions like a red-headed step child. The Gamblers offensive machine was not operating on all cylinders as they relied on 5 field goals for the 15 points they produced on the score board.

Nick Vogel had a perfect day at the office, making all 5 field goals and producing all of the Gamblers’ points. The Gamblers need to beat the Breakers this weekend and need the Stallions to sink the Showboats to get the number two spot in the south division.

#5. NEW JERSEY GENERALS (3-6) MOVED UP THREE SPOTS FROM LAST WEEK

You can never count out a Mike Riley coached team, especially when it comes to Spring football leagues. The Generals won the North last year and made it to post-season only to get knocked out by the Stars. The Stars had a chance to terminate the Generals last week and kill their playoff hopes. The Generals are alive and well and have a chance to get back to post-season. They scored the most points of the season and get a desperate win they needed. De’Andre Johnson returned from his injury behind center as he completed 75% of his passes going 15-20 for 213 yards. It was the bowling ball at running back that carried the load for the Generals, as Darius Victor had two rushing touchdowns with 51 yards on the ground.

Victor also had a touchdown pass and caught a ball for 12 yards. The Generals defense scooped up three fumbles. The Stars made a comeback, but the Generals would escape with a victory to keep them alive as they play the Maulers this weekend, and with a win they are in.

#6. PHILADELPHIA STARS (4-5) DROPPED ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

Suddenly the Stars are falling from the skies once again this season as they dropped two in a row. The Stars could have locked down a playoff spot last week facing a Generals team that were a DOA on arrival.

FUMBLE, FUMBLA, FUMBLINA!

The Stars could not hold on to the rock as they coughed up the ball three times and dug themselves a gigantic hole, down 37-16 at one point. The Stars defense relys on turnovers, and if they don’t get them, they are the worst unit in the USFL. Case Cookus of the Stars, besides the one fumble, had a great game with three touchdown passes.

The Stars got one of the dangerous return men in the league, Terry Wright, involved in the offense. He had a 26 yard touchdown reception as the Stars came back and made it a game but fell short. The Stars face the Panthers in the final week of regular season. A win gets them in the playoffs and they may be the only team with a 500 record in the division if they beat Michigan. If Stars lose two teams from the North division, they will make the playoffs with losing records.

#7. PITTSBURGH MAULERS (3-6) SAME SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

I have the Maulers in the same spot because they only beat the kittens from Michigan for the second time of the year, and that’s who two of their victories have come from. The win gives the Maulers a chance still to make post-season as they have a big game versus the Generals in week ten. A win should catapult this team into post-season.

The Maulers defense plays like the old 1980’s game of Crossbones and Catapults where they blow up the opposing team’s offensive line, viking-style. The Maulers picked off Josh Love 4 times last week.

Kyahva Tezino gets defensive player of the week for his performance versus the Panthers. Tezino had two of the 4 team interceptions with 7 tackles and 3 passes defended. The Mauler defense is filled with these types of guys that scrap, and play Chicago Bears 1985 style defense getting it done. The Mauler defense in the playoffs would be awesome and I know they would be getting there under a 500 record, but they are fun to watch.

#8. MICHIGAN PANTHERS (3-6) DROPPED TWO SPOTS FROM LAST WEEK

The Panthers, since starting 2-0 out of the gates, have lost 6 out their last seven games and they still have a chance to sneak into the playoffs in the final week of regular season. The Panthers would have to actually win a home game in front of their own fans, which they have not done all season. Last week, the Maulers completed a two game sweep over the Panthers. Another bad performance by Josh Love in which tipped passes became interceptions for the Maulers defense. Love had 4 interceptions and you would think the Panthers would have been blown out only losing 19-7. Panthers defense always keeps Michigan in these games.

Levi Bell had 9 tackles for the Panthers in the loss with 1.5 sacks. If the Panthers want to get into the post-season, the defense needs to make it happen and hope the offense can generate more than they’ve been giving. Especially versus a Stars team that can score points.

After walking off the field calling it a day in the middle of a football game in 2022, Antonio Brown has never resurfaced back into the NFL. Brown, we all know, is not playing with a full deck inside his brain as he left the Buccaneers sideline & had a hissy fit taking his shirt off . Then he proceeded to do jumping jacks as he gave his farewell to the crowd and his football career. Brown has gotten back into the game this time as owner of the Albany Empire, who play in the NAL (National Arena Football league.) It did not take long actually, only 3 months ’til the entire league kicked Brown out for not paying his team’s fees. Another stunning chapter in Antonio’s book of life, where he will blame everyone else but himself. This as he’s going around with more than one loose screw bouncing off the cranium inside his head when he tries to view reality.

Antonio Brown made 80.4 million dollars in his 12 year NFL career. He had to use some of that to buy the Albany Empire in the first place. Brown did pay the NAL league fees in April. His own players and staff did not get their pay checks. The Empire’s coach, Damon Ware, left the team quitting because he was not getting paid. The NAL has 7 teams in the league of which each team has to annuity up 1/7 of the leagues operating fees. Did Brown not read the league rules? Brown has an accountant, but did he even look at the league rules. Brown refused to pay the next two months of fees. Brown even was his total asshole self making comments about the league and how it was run. The league fined Brown a thousand dollars. The league then set a deadline to collect the league dues, but Brown’s accountant said the team will not pay anything by the time that date arrived. Brown and the Empire played a game of chicken with the rest of the league. When a zombie bites you in the arm, cut it off so the virus the does not spread to the rest of your body. The entire NAL did that by cutting the virus Brown from their league, and now can move on without dealing with a crazy.

Let’s look at Antonio’s track record when it comes to owing money to others. Brown is being sued by a jeweler for not paying money for the merchandise he agreed to purchase. In 2021, Brown had to deal with a marketing company who is suing him for 2.4 million dollars for whatever efforts they put in for the former Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver. Then Brown was accused of trying to rip off a music promoter for 500,000. Let’s not forget about Brittany Taylor who filed three cases of sexual harassment against Brown who was playing with the Patriots at the time. Taylor, who coached Brown, said she was raped by this goon gone crazy.

Antonio Brown makes Tom Brady look like a boy scout when he continued to blame the quarterback for his exit out of Tampa Bay. Now that the Albany Empire will not be playing any more games this season, what about the stadium employees trying to make ends meet? The Brown virus will effect all the businesses around the stadium who probably rely on those arena games for extra profits or even paying the rent for their stores. The stadium owner had a block party on the docket coming up with all the businesses, so that will be cancelled. The fans will get their money back from Ticketmaster. The fans will have to go to the stadium to get their refund like people need another thing on the to-do list. Rumors had Brown was going to actually play a game on the field with his team, the Empire. I’m sure the players from Albany are not very happy looking for a job if they can’t latch on to one of the other teams in the league. I’m surprised the league let the sale of the Empire happen knowing Brown was the buyer. The league may have thought the publicity would have been great having a talented player from the NFL having a team. This is why places do background checks. The Evil Empire is a great name for a Brown team. I could see Brown as one of those crazies in the Mad Max movies in the Thunderdome. I could see him being one of those crazies suited up for the Empire in an arena football game, and turning it into the Thunderdome like them old gladiator fights in Rome. I just can’t wait to see what unfolds in Brown’s next chapter in life because you can’t make this stuff up.

Going into week 9, every team in the USFL still has a chance for the post-season. All 8 teams fighting to get the top 4 spots for the post-season with two weeks remaining in regular season. Last season, the Generals won the North while the Stallions won the South. The Stars and Breakers took the remaining two spots. We will help sort it all out in week nine on the road OF the search for the holy grail by all 8 teams.

Only 4 will have a chance at the USFL hardware!!!

WEEK 9 USFL POWER RANKINGS

#1. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (6-2) SAME SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

Another Alex McGough comeback and another Stallions comeback over the Philadelphia Stars. Last year’s championship, the Stallions managed to comeback and win it all last year as the Stars were the victim of seeing Stallions.

The Stallions have a one game edge over the division, but the rear view mirror has three teams closer than it appears all with records of 5-3. The Stallions have the offense to repeat as champions. If you’re a Stallions fan, you like to see their defense catch up to the offense. Could the Stallions get Scooby Wright, line backer, back for the post-season?

The Stallions safety had a big game last weekend to help them keep their team’s hex over the Stars. Nate Brooks had six tackles and an interception.

#2. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (5-3) SAME SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Showboats are the hottest team in the league as now they have won 5 straight after opening up 0-3. What has the Showboats cruising during this 5 game winning streak? The Showboats found their quarterback with Cole Kelley. Kelley has only thrown 6 touchdown passes but is 5-1 as the starter. The Showboats have a nice running game with Kerrith Whyte who ran the ball over 100 yards last week versus the Generals with a touchdown.

Whyte has done better than the first week starter for the Showboats’ Alex Collins, former NFL running back. Derrick Dillon has given the Showboats nice field position in the return game. Then the Showboats stout defense has found their identity after getting off to a bad start. They now have improved to one of the best units in the USFL.

#3. HOUSTON GAMBLERS (5-3) SAME SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Gamblers were on the ropes last week versus the fighting Pittsburgh Maulers. The Gamblers needed the legs of Mark Thompson with which he seems like he is carrying this Houston team down to the finish line.

Will Hills leads the USFL with 613 rushing yards. Mark Thompson of the Gamblers has 514 rushing yards while playing 2 games less than Hills of the Breakers. Hills averages 4.0 yards per carry. Thompson averages 5.2 yards per carry. Thompson has 13 rushing touchdowns compared to Hills’ 9. You wonder why the Gamblers have Thompson carrying the load right now. With a log jam in the South division, the Gamblers will need their quarterback to step up and defense with a rematch against the Stallions on the horizon. Remember the Gamblers beat the Stallions in the first go around this season.

#4. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (5-3) MOVED UP ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

Finally the Breakers’ losing streak comes to an end as the team came close to losing the game as well. The Breakers looked like they were on cruise control last weekend versus the Panthers. Then the Panthers made a come back and launched a Hail Mary pass at the end in hopes for a stunning upset. Breakers hold on barely, but have to be relieved at the same time since once upon a time ago they started off 4-0. Last 4 weeks they have gone 1-3.

Here’s Johnny!!! The Breakers needed Johnnie Dixon to stop the bleeding. Dixon had two touchdown catches to help the Breakers find the win column once again.

The Breakers are 5-3 & so are the Gamblers and the Showboats while the Stallions are 6-2. Only two games left in a crowded division fighting for two spots. The Breakers win over the Panthers could be a season saver.

#5. PHILADELPHIA STARS (4-4) DROPPED ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

I may as well have the entire North division at the bottom of the USFL power rankings going into week 9. The Stars winning streak comes to an end against their kryptonite, the Stallions.

Remember the old Nintendo game Pro Wrestling? The Star Man was no match for King Slender who would be the Stallions wrestler. I like the Amazon guy, not the delivery guy. The Stars had the lead late in the game but the Stallions come back like in the championship and break the hearts of Case Cookus and company.

The Stars defense kept their team in it as the safety, Cody Brown, had 8 tackles and a forced fumble. The Stars defense did their thing by forcing turnovers. Case Cookus had another monster game versus the Stallions, but he threw an interception. Any mistakes versus the Stallions can cost you the game. The Stars missed out on a few opportunities they wish they had back.

#6. MICHIGAN PANTHERS (3-5) MOVED UP ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Panthers, Maulers, and Generals… you can probably put them in any order at the bottom of the power rankings. The Panthers do have one more victory than the Maulers and the Generals. After starting off 2-0 out of the gate, the Panthers have gone 1-5 the last 6 weeks. If the season ended today, the Panthers would be in the playoffs. The Panthers could help their cause this week versus the Maulers with a win to solidify the number two spot in the North. Maulers won the first game when these two teams met. A Mauler loss would send them home for the post-season because Pittsburgh would have the tie breaker. The Panthers made a nice comeback against the Breakers last week but fell short as the Hail Mary did not connect. One Panther defensive player continues to elevate his game. Frank Ginda is now on the same level as the great Frank the Tank.

Frank Ginda’s 11 tackles versus the Breakers – 8 of them were solo. Ginda also had an interception as he could be the guy that helps the Panthers get into the post-season.

#7. PITTSBURGH MAULERS (2-6) DROPPED ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Maulers blew another late lead this time to the Gamblers in a close one with a 20-19 outcome. The Maulers have lost three in a row. Can this Maulers team win two games in a row in the final slate on their schedule? It’s the same old story for the Maulers last week, nice drives but settling for three points instead on converting touchdowns in the red zone. Bailey Gaither led the Maulers offense with 6 catches for 70 yards.

Gaither had a 31 yard reception that set up the Maulers in scoring position, but they settled for the field goal. The Maulers kicker is pretty good, but he missed a field goal which is another 3 points and the team lost by 1. The Maulers offense may only need to average like 20 points per game. With that defense they could win games.

Ray Horton, head coach of the Maulers, could have his team learn to finish games by playing Mortal Kombat. Scorpion wears and supports Mauler colors. Words yelled by the coach late in games should be “FINISH THEM!”

#8. NEW JERSEY GENERALS (2-6) SAME SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Generals should start taking auditions at the quarterback position. Bring in the cast of Jersey Shore to see what kind of talent they can assemble. The Generals did make a change behind center as they gave Dakota Prukop another whirl. Only problem was the Generals played the hottest team in the league, the Showboats. The Generals defense kept their team in it as DJ Daniel had an interception. Prukop figured out things in the second half as he had a nice game overall passing for three touchdown passes and made one mistake with an interception.

Prukop hit his wide receiver Alonzo Moore with a 17 yard touchdown strike for one of those TD passes. The Showboats answered every time the Generals tried to get the momentum. The Generals are lucky they play in the North division. They still have a shot for that number two playoff spot in the North. With only one team playing at a 500 record while the rest of the division have lost more games than won. With two weeks left, the Generals could find a way to win both games & then anything can happen. The Stars did well last season with the number two playoff spot in the North last year.

The last two seasons, we all know the Buffalo Bills defense went kaboom in the playoffs. The Kansas City Chiefs sliced and diced the Bills defense like a butcher behind the glass counter. Patrick Mahomes, being the butcher back in one of the best playoff games in the history of the NFL, as both teams met in the divisional round in 2022. The Bills answer for next season was signing future hall of famer Von Miller who helped the Broncos and Rams win a Superbowl. Miller was unavailable for the last year’s defensive meltdown with the Bengals due to a season ending injury. Some say the scapegoat was defensive coordinator Lesile Frazier who quietly left the team several weeks ago as the story was he needed some time off. Some would say he was pushed out the door. The Bills’ answer this season is to collect more X-Rams from that Superbowl defense a few years ago that LA had. The Bills have added Taylor Rapp who was a safety for that Rams team. The team just announced they have also signed Chicago Bears-bust defensive lineman X-Ram Leonard Floyd.

Leonard Floyd was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first-round number 9 overall in 2016. In 4 seasons in Chicago, Floyd was considered a first round bust. When players leave the Bears, they usually get better as other coaching staffs tap into their strengths and suddenly the busts turn into pretty good options. Floyd signed with the Rams and in his first season in LA in 2020, he had 10.5 sacks. Floyd has played for the Rams three seasons and has registered at least 9 sacks a year. Floyd racked up 29 sacks in LA where in Chicago the most he had in one year was his rookie season with 7. In 4 years in Chicago, Floyd only had 18.5 sacks as experts said he needed to put on weight to be an elite edge rusher in the NFL. Floyd last season had 31 tackles playing all 17 games for the Rams and the 9 sacks. The Rams are in rebuild and could not find a trade partner for the 30-year-old edge rusher so they released him as he gets a one-year deal with the Bills for a guaranteed 7 million. The deal has incentives as well if Floyd can get to the quarterback, he can add 1-3 more million to his bank account.

The Bills defense took a hit when Tremaine Edmunds left the team in free agency and signed a mega deal with the Chicago Bears. Some thought Lesile Frazier walking away from the team as defensive coordinator would be a bad thing; especially at the time when options of replacements were scarce. The Bills were able to resign their top safety in Jordan Poyer as many thought he’d find a better deal from another team in free agency. The Bills added Taylor Rapp to add depth to the back end of the defense especially with Micah Hyde coming back from a season ending injury last season. Sean McDermott will call handle the defense and the head coach responsibilities which may be a better thing for this Bills. The Bills extended Ed Oliver to a 4 year 68-million-dollar deal keeping their defensive line intact and making him happy at the same time. The Bills added a big man former Seahawk in Poona Ford who could be like the next Ted Washington in Buffalo, just suffocating the opposing teams running game. Then having a healthy Von Miller and hopefully he can stay on the field for the entire season and playoffs.

Sean McDermott likes to rotate his defensive linemen in and out of the games so Leonard Floyd could cause more havoc with fresher legs. Leonard Floyd’s middle name is Cornelius. The Bills fans of the 1990’s remember Cornelius Bennett as a pretty good linebacker who played on those Superbowl teams. This is a great move by the Bills because it gives this team depth. It gives the Bills a guy that can get to the quarterback and Floyd has improved his game since leaving the Bears. I like that Floyd has played with Von Miller and Taylor Rapp. The Bills also signed linebacker Travin Howard, another former Ram that has played with Floyd. The Bills also added offensive guard David Edwards who is another Ram from that Superbowl team. I’m not sure a Buffalo and a Ram could share the same land together. I know these animals are not common enemies. Sometimes you need to recruit guys like the Miller’s, the Floyd’s, and Rapp’s who have done it before. These guys beat the Bengals in the Superbowl. Every team needs a few mercenaries to help them get over the hump. It would be hysteria for the Buffalo Mafia seeing X-Ram players helping the current Buffalo team beat down the Bengals and scalp the Chiefs to get to the Superbowl and beyond.

Recently someone asked me who I was rooting for in the NBA finals between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets. It was an easy answer, not even thinking about it, as I said the Nuggets, a team that is seeking its first NBA Championship. Why not? The Heat… I still have that bad taste in my mouth from Lebron James and the decision to combine forces with Dwayne Wade as they recruited Chris Bosch to form an instant powerhouse in the NBA. The person who asked me the question said he was rooting for the Heat because of Jimmy Buckets. Former Chicago Bull, Jimmy Butler, is an NBA superstar who now has the Heat in the finals. Butler is the number 1 guy on the Heat. The Bulls have been still looking for their number one guy since the team traded Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Zach LaVine, and others that are not even on the teams roster presently.

Jimmy Butler was a first round draft pick in 2011 for the Chicago Bulls. Butler had to earn his stripes as his career started off as a bench guy until his motivation earned him playing time, which he took advantage of. The Bulls Head Coach at the time, Tom Thibodeau, was a guy that helped Butler improve his game as the talent was there. Just unleashing it took some time. When Butler arrived, the Bulls did not know what to do with him as it was the Derek Rose show back then. Rose and the Bulls struggled in a playoff elimination game against the Heat, but Butler found his groove that day even though the game was out of reach. At that point, the Bulls should have realized they had something special in the works – a guy that can take the team on his back. A guy that can create his own shot. These were the Bulls and they ran the organization at the time like a lemonade stand. John Paxson and Gar Foreman were dumb and dumber. They fired Thibodeau because he always had the foot on the gas petal as he would be the one they blamed for burning out Rose. After Thibs left town, the team made a stupid hire in Fred Hoiberg, a former player for the Bulls and a guy who coached Iowa State. Hoiberg had the Cyclones to the tournament with a decent seed a few years in a row only to quickly be dispatched by the underdog team at the time. Butler would tell Freddie to, “coach harder.” The Bulls would low ball Butler with a very laughable contract offer. Thibodeau probably helped Jimmy stay in Chicago as both sides worked out a deal. The Bulls knew they would have to pay Butler big money at some point. For the Bulls at the time, the locker room & the front office were just a toxic place to be. The Bulls then would send Butler to the Timberwolves in a trade. At the time, both parties would have a new beginning. You can see how well that worked out.

Jimmy Butler had a rocky road in Minnesota as the Timberwolves would send him packing to Philadelphia. The Bulls probably patted themselves on the back as Butler was looking like a locker room cancer. In the 2019-20 season, Butler found a new home in Miami where he’s been every since. Butler, like Michael Jordan, remembers everything. Especially all these organizations have done to him. Butler this season has been averaging 22.9 points per game with 5.9 rebounds and dishing out assists at an average of 5.3 per game. This post-season in 17 games, Butler has been averaging 28.5 points per game with 7 rebounds per contest while dishing out 5.9 assists per game. The Heat led by Butler knocked out the Bulls in the play in game which seems like an eternity ago. Butler and the Heat knocked out a juggernaut Milwaukee Bucks team in the first round. Then the Heat took down the Knicks in the next round followed by the Celtics in the Eastern conference championship. Talk about taking down all the historical basketball big boys in your route to the championships.

I don’t know if the Bulls would have been better off keeping Jimmy Butler and building around him. They tried once by bringing in Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rondo, two veterans on their last legs. My question is why would you trade away a guy you drafted who had that Michael Jordan style of motivation and every season elevated his game? It’s typical fashion in Chicago sports which gets exhausting dealing with the stupid that run the Windy City sporting landscape. Usually boils down to penny pinching owners who charge you ten dollars for a beer. I know I do not have any stake in the NBA finals. The NBA game in general is just hard to watch with the no-calls for traveling. Soft defenses. The movement of superstars from team to team. The Bulls took Arturas Karnisovas from the Nuggets front office and made him the President of Basketball Operations a few seasons ago. Could the Bulls be onto something with that high ceiling type of move? Would Jimmy Butler winning a championship put egg on the faces of Jerry Reinsdorf, the Bulls CEO, and John Paxson, head custodian at the United Center. Or can you just chalk this up to old news about which many Chicago fans don’t really care because it will continue to happen as we are used to their way of running things.

The Stallions are galloping to the finish with the league’s best record. Houston may have a problem. The Showboats are still motor-boating. The 4 star Generals lose their stripes. Who woke up the Panthers? Follow the yellow Stars as we’re off to see the Cookus of the USFL. Let’s sort it all out in another edition of the USFL Power Rankings.

WEEK 8 POWER RANKINGS

#1. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (5-2) MOVED UP ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Stallions are back in the driver’s seat as they got their revenge on the Breakers last week.

The Stallions have once again the best record in the league. The Stallions roster has depth as they still are playing like a well-oiled machine despite multiple injuries to some of their bigger names that helped this team win it all last season. That means others step up.

The Stallions linebacker, Quentin Poling, has a motor as his play has helped stabilize that Birmingham defense. Poling had a monster game versus the Breakers. Poling has 31 tackles for the season with two sacks and is getting better as the season prolongs into the last few weeks.

#2. MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS (4-3) MOVED UP ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Showboats are riding the waves right now to a 4 game winning streak and are in the thick of things as post-season is not far off.

The Showboats leading receiver, Vinny Papale, caught his second touchdown pass of the year in a big win versus the Gamblers. Cole Kelley rebounded quickly after throwing an interception in his first series last week. The Gamblers suddenly have one of the best kickoff returners in the game as Derrick Dillon has become Devin Hester-like on some of these amazing returns. It has been the Showboats defense who have turned their ship around this season as they continue to force turnovers. The Showboats lead the league in that category. Greg Reaves had his first interception of the year and is number two in sacks in the USFL with 4.5 of them.

#3. HOUSTON GAMBLERS (4-3) DROPPED TWO SPOTS FROM LAST WEEK

The Gamblers’ 4 game winning streak comes to an end versus the Showboats last week. The final looked like a close game, but the Gamblers did not look crisp like they were in those 4 wins. The Gamblers division may be too crowded for them to find the playoffs. The Stallions are perched in the top spot of their division. The rest of the division has 4-3 records going for one spot. The Gamblers defense is surrendering 23.1 points per game which is the second most in the league. The Gamblers defense has played better as the year has gone on. They kept the Gamblers in the game last week when the offense came out stale in the first half.

Gambler’s Manny Bunch had an interception in the first series of the game and gave the Houston offense a primo field position from which they only were able to generate three points off the turnover. The Gamblers will need to execute those gifts from their defense better if they want to be part of the post-season.

#4. PHILADELPHIA STARS (4-3) MOVED UP ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

Suddenly the Stars have won three straight and are going on a second half tear just like last season. It was the 56 yards touchdown by Corey Coleman which helped the Stars put down the hammer on the Maulers. Coleman has 34 catches for 409 receiving yards and has established himself as one of the top wide receivers in the game this season. For the Stars, it’s good to see their quarterback, Case Cookus, finding his old form as he’s struggled most of the season after being one of the elite quarterbacks in the USFL last season. The Stars have a rematch this weekend against the Stallions. The last time these two teams met was the championship game from last year. Cookus and the Stars had the lead until he broke his leg and left the game. The Stallions would go on and win it all.

#5. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (4-3) DROPPED ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Breakers are no longer the steak and potatoes of the league as this team is in free fall and broken right now. New Orleans’ losing streak hits 3 games now after they started out of the gates going 4-0. The Breakers looked like they were the cream of the crop in the first 4 games as they gave the Stallions their first loss of the season. The Stallions got their revenge last weekend on the Breakers with a win to continue their skid. The Breakers have the top quarterback in the league with McLeod Bethel-Thompson, They have the top running back in the league in Wes Hills. The Breakers even have the best receiver in the USFL with Sage Suratt. As a team, the Breakers have the top passing offense and top offense in yards per game. Throw in that the Breakers have the third best scoring defense in the league. In the last three losses, the Breakers are averaging 13.3 points per game which is not going to rack up many victories.

#6. PITTSBURGH MAULERS (2-5) SAME SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

The Maulers put up 31 points with the defense they have and lose to the Philadelphia Stars in a game the team needed to stay in the playoff race. The Stars put up 37 points as their special teams doom the Maulers defense, putting them in a bad field position most of the game. The typical Mauler mistakes occurred as well that the Stars took advantage of, and in the end Pittsburgh needs to win out and get help from their friends if they want to snatch one of those playoff spots. The Maulers had their own special teams magic as Josh Simmons had an 88 yard touchdown return off the kickoff in the first half that put the Maulers back on top in this shootout.

Maulers blew a nice lead late in this game with missed opportunities in plays that the team wished they had back. As we know, it’s not pee wee baseball where the ole do over play came into effect.

#7. MICHIGAN PANTHERS (3-4) MOVED UP ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

It was the battle of X-Mauler quarterbacks between Josh Love of the Panthers and Kyle Lauletta of the Generals, in a game both teams needed. Love prevails after coming out of the gates very poorly going 1-5 & ends up throwing three touchdown passes and over 200 yards passing to win the Mauler bowl.

One of the best slot receivers in the USFL, Trey Quinn, has himself another good game catching three passes for 61 yards of which one reception was a touchdown. Love hit his main man Joe Walker for a 68 yard strike which was the game winner. Walker finished with 121 yards. The Panthers running game was effective with Reggie Corbin having a big day on the ground. Most importantly, the Panthers broke a 4 game losing streak – their first win since starting out of the gates 2-0.

#8. NEW JERSEY GENERALS (2-5) DROPPED ONE SPOT FROM LAST WEEK

To find the last time the New Jersey Generals hit rock bottom in the USFL, you have to shine back to the 1980’s.

When Donald Trump owned the Generals, he killed the USFL by challenging the NFL. The league folded up shop and Trump would eventually move on to become President of the United States decades later. The Generals had three of their top defenders out last week versus the Panthers. The defense is the Generals’ back bone of the team. The Panthers knocked out one of the Generals’ dueling quarterbacks, De’Andre Johnson, late in this contest. The Generals had a chance to tie the game with a three point conversion late in the game and failed. Then the 4th and 12 onside kick version also failed, as the Generals lose to, at the time, the worst team in the USFL.

It’s called Child’s play when you think the killer is dead at the end of any these slasher movies. Suddenly Freddie is coming for you. Then Jason is a reborn Christian who never gets rid of the hockey mask as he’s still haunting the good citizens visiting Crystal Lake. Now the return of Chucky to the NFL. Jon Gruden was the victim of the tuck rule when he coached the Raiders. Won the Superbowl as Head Coach of the Buccaneers in his sequel versus his old team, the Raiders. Then Gruden’s third Child’s Play movie took him to the broadcast booth. Then the Raiders offered Gruden to come back to coach with a few Brinks trucks for his 4th Chucky, Child’s Play of the series. The 4th Chucky ended very bad with old emails from the Washington Redskins days resurfacing in front of a live studio audience. Gruden steps down as head coach in 2018. Gruden’s reboot of Child’s Play comes with the Saints, being a consultant to help New Orleans implement a new offense. The NFL has no comment. Is it too soon? Should a guy like Gruden be banned from the league for life with his racist homophobic rants on company emails and some guy, the head of the players association, and his big lips. I was always raised on sticks and stones will break your bones, but names will never hurt.

The head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Dennis Allen, and his quarterback, Derek Carr, and “Chucky” Jon Gruden himself have ties to the Raiders organization. Both Allen and Gruden have coached Carr during their coaching career. Allen was around for Carr’s rookie season while Gruden coached the Saints quarterback for few seasons when he came back to the Raiders organization. The stats show Carr performed his best behind center with Gruden’s designed offense. We all know Allen is a defensive minded head coach and the last few seasons, the Saints have been one of the better units in the league. Since Sean Payton left New Orleans, once a high powered offense has turned into one of the worst units in the league. The Saints have not found their replacement for Drew Brees as Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton could not get the job done in one of the worst divisions in the NFL, the NFC South. This off-season, the Saints think they finally found the answer behind center, and they feel Carr could get New Orleans back to the post-season. Bringing on Gruden to help Allen’s offensive staff implement an offense tailored to their new quarterback’s strengths, could be a savvy move if the team gets good results during the season. Every savvy move by one brain trust could follow with dark clouds of some who want guys like Gruden banished from the league for good.

We all know the Washington Redskins organization was a complete mess. When Jon Gruden coached in Washington, he was trying to establish himself in the NFL as a quality assistant and moving up the rungs of the ladder to take his abilities to the next level. Passing notes makes you think of the clowns you knew in high school. It seemed like the Washington organization at that time was the Delta House on campus with just crazies running the asylum. The NFL was investigating the Redskins’ former President of Football Operations, Bruce Allen. The league had multiple data sets compiled up on that regime. The league paid investigators lots of man-hours to not leave any stone unturned. With all the information the league had on Washington, it was the Gruden emails that seemed to leak out to the public. In 2018, Gruden had no choice but to step down as Raiders head coach because he would have lost his own locker room. You would think more stuff would have come out of the closet filled with skeletons, but Gruden Chucky would take the sword and Child’s Play 4: the Bride of Chucky would end. Once again the Killer always comes back in all these slasher films and Chucky finds a window to crawl through to his next gig in the NFL, even if it’s only consultant work.

When it comes to Jon Gruden as a NFL head coach he may be a guy very overrated at that position. How many coaches have won one Superbowl? How many great coaches, that are better than Gruden, have won no Superbowls? Gruden’s superbowl win came against a team he helped build and knew every weakness they had. Can you fault him for beating his old team in the big game? Gruden did not create the match up as his Buccaneers took a different path to the Superbowl than his old Raider team. I think Gruden’s a good coach a middle of the pack type of guy, who does have a great offensive mind. I think he can help Derek Carr get his career back on track. I think he helped the Saints running game use Alvin Kamara and the team’s biggest free agent signing of the off-season, Jamaal Williams, to turn this new tandem into a deadly two-headed monster attack. The Saints have the Swiss Army knife in Taysom Hill. The Saints have some nice receivers in hopefully a healthy Michael Thomas and the speedster, last season’s rookie, Chris Olave. As a consultant in the background, the Saints can avoid anybody that does not like their idea. Plus this may be a limited basis type of assignment for Gruden & once the offense is installed, he can go on his merry way. In and out like a bank robber. This is probably best for Gruden right now to just get the feet wet & see how everything goes before he gets back in the league at a permanent job. Gruden has filed a case against the NFL. Gruden should not have been the only target in that Washington investigation. If Colin Kaepernick got money from the league that they black balled him as a person, not over what he did on the field because he was not very good at it. Gruden is a moron for writing things on an email that stays in the clouds. I will say every nationality in the entire world or galaxy probably has made a comment about another race, creed, or sex for no good reason. Sometimes poking fun is what this could be, poking fun. Don’t get me wrong… some people are haters of everybody, but I don’t think Gruden fits that profile, especially coaching a game that has higher percentage of black players than any other race playing the game. You know football is this guy’s life. The guy should get another gig in the NFL. I would not make him the face of my franchise because of the checkered past. I would take his help on my staff. Everybody does stupid stuff. We all should be out of jobs for our past, even the Saints found a bump in the road at one point. Let’s see if the Gruden offense can put Derek Carr into Sainthood. The Carr was not driven right in Josh Daniels’ Patriot way. Meanwhile Chucky has planted his seed and you know the reboot of the series is just getting into the works… he’ll be back.