In round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs, we had a winning record predicting 5 out of the 8 match-ups correct. With the winning record, we know we should just call it a day and go home with a smile on our faces and pat our backs. Job well done. We are going to get wild and crazy and drive on the highway with no lights on during the daylight hours. Instead of doing that, we decided predicting NHL round two outcomes of each series is a better idea. We will take a stab at it and hope luck is on our side as we give you round two of the Stanley Cup playoff predictions.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

COLORADO AVALANCHE VERSUS ST. LOUIS BLUES

Can the Blues Goalie, Jordan Binnington, do it again? Binnington looked a lot like the 2019 goalie we saw get hot in the Stanley Cup playoffs who carried the Blues all the way to the championship. Binnington in front of the net versus the Minnesota Wild in first round just had 1.67 goals-against average. That’s a Berlin Wall in front of the net. Hold your horses as the Avalanche’s have 5.25 Goals per game versus the Predators which they swept away like a Tom and Jerry housekeeper getting rid of the cat.

I just can’t see Jordan Binnington keeping the Avalanche from lighting up the lamp or even able to keep them in check in a full series. Defenseman Cale Makar of the Avalanche had a big series versus Nashville with ten points in 4 games during which he had 3 goals and dished out seven assists.

Too many worries & too many talented pieces to overcome means it looks like St, Louis will be singing the Blues in this one.

PREDICTION: AVALANCHE IN 5 GAMES

CALGARY FLAMES VERSUS EDMONTON OILERS

Edmonton’s star Connor McDavid finally gets the Oilers out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Round one exits have been a common theme for the Oilers. Then in Calgary the talk about the Flames superstar, Johnny Gaudreau, finally showing up in the playoffs and making himself be heard with his play on the ice. This will be a tough series as it should go the distance in the best out of seven. Connor McDavid played like the Superstar label that has been inserted on his jersey the last few years by producing 14 points in seven games. Evander Kane, who everyone hates, even produced in a high pressure series for Edmonton. When a series looks even, what my closing argument comes down to who is in the net. I like Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom with that stingy 1.53 goal-against average versus the Dallas Stars in round 1.

The Flames seemed like the team all year long destined to go deep into the playoffs. The Oilers machine is running on dirty crud and are due to bottom out as round two of the playoffs will be unfamiliar after they found a way to knock off the Kings in round one. It took everything from them in the process. Another long series will have different results for Edmonton.

PREDICTION: FLAMES IN SEVEN

EASTERN CONFERENCE

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING VERSUS FLORIDA PANTHERS

How often does the state of Florida have a match-up like this with two power house hockey teams playing for their own survival in the second round of the playoffs? The state of Florida is usually known for their power house College Football match ups over the years. Can the Panthers end the Lightning run of two Stanley Cup championships in a row? The Lightning may be without center Brayden Point for a few games of this epic battle in Florida since Girls Gone Wild invaded the beaches there.

The Panthers were the highest scoring team coming into the playoffs. Panthers stars Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov were MIA in the first series versus the Capitals.

I think the Panthers will give the Lightning a run for their money just like the first series versus the Leafs Tampa Bay faced. Lightning once again with their season on the brink and they’re defending their second Championship in a row means they will prevail. Andrei Vasilevskiy will once again be the X-factor for the Lightning ending a great Panther season. Have to go Lightning until actually someone beats them.

OUR PREDICTION: LIGHTNING IN SEVEN

CAROLINA HURRICANES VERSUS NEW YORK RANGERS

The Rangers and the Hurricanes had to go the distance of seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in two well fought out series. The Hurricanes overcame some bad history they had facing a Boston Bruins team that had their number. Even without their starting goalie, Frederick Anderson’s Hurricanes did well with Antti Raanta.

Igor Shesterkin struggled in the net for the Rangers versus the Penguins in round one. New York escaped round one against a Penguin offense that is one of the the tops in the league. Both the Rangers and the Hurricanes match-up well against each other. I think the Hurricanes have a bit more fire power than the Rangers. I liked the Hurricanes last year how they played & eventually got knocked out. I believe when you slay your dragon in Boston, then why not escape New York in round two.

OUR PREDICTION: CANES IN SIX GAMES

Rock you like a Hurricane.

We are approaching the halfway point of the USFL return. The picture is getting a tad clearer of which teams have risen to the top and a few teams that will stay at the bottom of the barrel. Some of the teams will hover around until they rise or fall in the next few weeks. In week 5 we have some movement in the regular edition of the USFL power rankings, but most of it’s the same as week 4. However we some new stories to be told about all of these teams. We kick around some numbers that tell some of the story of the success or why some teams are riding the struggle bus. The Stallions are still the top dog.

The Maulers seem to be repeating history. We dissected the worm in grammar school and survived. We can do the same with our lovely edition of this week’s power rankings.

#1.

BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (4-0) SAME

What is the recipe for being undefeated in the USFL? First to have home field advantage against all your opponents. Second, slice and dice your opponent and score the most points in the league. Third, pick out the top notch defense at the market.

Stallions lead the USFL in sacks with 12 in 4 games so they know how to kill the quarterback. The Stallions defense has held their opponents to only 17.3 points per game. Last week, the Bandits only tallied up 36 yards in the second half. Last week the Stallions failed to score 20 points or better, as they were held to 16. If you want, you can say that’s their first kink in the armor.

#2.

NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (3-1) SAME

The Breakers turnover the ball 4 times to the Houston Gamblers and still won the game. Chalk this up to great teams find a way to win the ball game. Kyle Sloter had a bad day at the office but redeemed himself at the end of the game by leading the Breakers to the winning score to put away the Gamblers for good.

They say the cockroach survived the extinction of the dinosaurs. Sloter has been stepped on, hit multiple times, has all kinds of injuries, but he’s like that bug keeps getting up to live and fight another 4 downs. Sloter shot his team in the foot 4 times and still keeps coming back at you. Like a horror movie you think the killer’s dead, but he always somehow returns. The Breakers defense last week put a grinding halt to the top running back in the league, Mark Thompson of the Houston Gamblers, as they swarmed him every time he touched the ball.

#3.

NEW JERSEY GENERALS (3-1) UP 1 SPOT

The Generals are moving up in this star-studded power rankings.

The Generals have won three in a row since losing in week one to the undefeated Birmingham Stallions.

Chris Dishman, the defensive coordinator of the Generals, has his unit only giving up 15.8 points per game which is the third fewest in the USFL. The former defensive back, Dishman, from those powder blue Oiler teams has done a remarkable job. On offense, the Generals ground game is second in the league with 178.3 yards per game. Running back Darius Victor leads the USFL with 4 rushing touchdowns.

#4.

PHILADELPHIA STARS (2-2) The back up quarterback is always the most popular guy from where at least I come, watching Chicago Bears football every Sunday. The Stars season looked grim last week after Philadelphia lost their starting quarterback Bryan Scott, who has been a rock star in this league behind center. A new star was born on the gridiron last week as Case Cookus took the reigns behind center and emerged as a gunslinger that completed 73% of his passes and lead the team to a big win getting back to the 500 mark.

Cookus threw 2 touchdown passes and had 190 yards in his debut to keep the Stars season alive closing in on the halfway point of the season.

#5.

TAMPA BAY BANDITS (2-2) DOWN 2 SPOTS Some experts thought the Tampa Bay Bandits were going to be the best team in the USFL. I thought that Jordan Ta’amu would be the best quarterback in the entire league. Don’t get me wrong, Ta’amu is one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but to me he was much better in 2020 playing for the St. Louis Battlehawks.

Todd Haley is a bum. I think he coached on teams like Pittsburgh Steelers that had guys already in place, and he went along for the ride. The Bandits are averaging only 156 yards per game in passing which is the middle of the pack. Offensive genius that Haley thinks he is, the Bandits should have way more points on the score board. Bandits defense has kept this team in most of their games. Even though I think the Bandits have too many big guys that can get tired in the second half. A good running game can wear therm out.

#6.

HOUSTON GAMBLERS (1-3) SAME

The Gamblers defense are a machine at getting turnovers.

The Gamblers lead the league in that department as they forced 4 turnovers against the Breakers last weekend, with all of them coming from New Orleans quarterback Kyle Sloter. The problem with the Gamblers is they can’t capitalize on them. Plus the offense goes dormant in the second half and can’t put points on the board. Second half leads for Houston evaporate and lead to heartbreaking losses with another one coming from the Breakers last Sunday.

Gamblers have to figure out how to put away a team. They may need to start learning how to Mortal Kombat their opponent.

#7.

MICHIGAN PANTHERS (1-3) SAME Panthers have one of the best defenses in the USFL. The Panthers head coach, Jeff Fisher, has the most stars and stripes on his polo shirt in the USFL from all those years in the NFL. The kicking game for the Panthers have been killing them all year. Panthers had two timeouts left at their disposal at the 3 yard line with 28 seconds left in the game down by one point.

Jeff Fisher pulls a Homer Simpson, runs down the clock to a few seconds, and takes a time out to trot out his kicker. Not even taking one chance to try to get the six points with a touchdown. The kicker misses and game over. The Panthers lost to the Stars second string quarterback to pour gasoline on the fire.

#8.

PITTSBURGH MAULERS (0-4) SAME It looks like history is repeating itself in the city of Pittsburgh when it comes to the Maulers of the USFL. In 1984, the lone season the Maulers played, they finished with a 3-15 record which was at the bottom of the barrel of the league at that time. The big name the Maulers had was Heisman trophy winner running back, Mike Rozier.

Rozier could not carry the team by himself as the Maulers relied on a 3rd string quarterback from the Dallas Cowboys, Glenn Carano, who threw more interceptions than touchdown passes. The modern day Maulers really don’t have anyone who stands out from the pack. Maulers’ dueling pianists at quarterbacks have only mustered up 9.7 points per game. The defense surrenders 23 points per game which is the second highest in the league there. The Maulers may be jinxed by the man cut for going with the pizza over the chicken salad.

Hershel Walker of the old USFL did other things besides run the ball in his General days of the USFL. Generals are on the rise in the power rankings coming into week 4. The Stallions are the only undefeated team left in the rebirth of the USFL. How is Pittsburgh’s football team at the bottom of the barrel? Breakers fall from king of the mountain. Lots of moving around in this edition of the USFL power rankings. Lets see what we did well or what we messed up as we roll out week 4 and go over the top of the pile for this week.

#1. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS (3-0) Birmingham Stallions taking advantage of the home field advantage as they created a fan following with all games played in Alabama. The Stallions games are the only games each week that have some kind of crowd assembled that can be loud and motivating for the home team. Birmingham in the battle of the unbeatens last week took down the Breakers. Stallions are perfect after three weeks in the rebirth of the USFL. The Stallions won this game with their defense. J’Mar Smith behind center for Birmingham is not the best quarterback in the league but was able to throw two touchdown passes despite having a horrific quarterback rating of 39.5%. That was his worst performance last weekend versus the Breakers. Obviously it was the defense of the Stallions that held the top ranked offensive team, the Breakers, coming in to only 13 points. Linebacker Scooby Wright has some guys in the Stallion Mystery van that can defend as they forced three turnovers and registered two points with a safety.

DeMarquis Gates played out of his helmet versus the Breakers as he had ten tackles, an interception, and a fumble recovery.

#2.NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (2-1) I feel the Breakers are still one of the top teams of this USFL. Sometimes you have an off night. Sometimes a loss is just what the doctor ordered. Breakers have the best quarterback in the entire league behind center. Kyle Sloter has 4 touchdown passes in three games with a quarterback rating of 117.2. Sloter has also been dealing with numerous injuries to his body but still takes the field. Offensive player of the week from Ohio State, Johnnie Dixon, is the top receiver in the league and Sloter’s top target as he has 16 grabs for 165 yards and three touchdown catches.

Breakers will be in the thick of things with their top notch offense and a very solid defense will win them plenty of games.

#3.TAMPA BAY BANDITS (2-1) The Bandits had to come back from ten points down late in the game to steal one versus the Gamblers. Tampa Bay has not played a full game yet in three games. In week one the Bandits scored all their points in the first half when they played what is right now the worst team in the league, the Maulers. In week two, the Bandits got smoked by the Breakers. In week three, the Bandits played a solid second half and come away with the win. Bandits have only averaged 15.6 points per game offensively. On defense they are giving up 21 points per game. You can pass on the Bandits as they allow the second most passing yards in the league. Is Bandits quarterback Jordan Ta’amu going to use this game as a stepping stone how he guided the comeback? Some could say it was luck in a league of bad kickers that Tyler Rausa hit that 33 yard game-winning field goal to win the game for the Bandits versus the Gamblers.

We know what happens to kickers when things don’t work out their way. Lets hope Tyler Rausa is playing with a full deck. Great kick in the clutch.

#4.NEW JERSEY GENERALS (2-1) Did not take a Mike Riley team that long to rise up in the USFL power rankings. Generals have a two quarterback system which has a nice rushing attack as one of their quarterbacks can use his legs to keep the chains moving. De’Andre Johnson’s 4 yard rushing touchdown sealed the deal for the Generals.

Behind the dueling quarterbacks that Mike Riley has, is a two-headed monster in the back field. Trey Williams and Darius Victor have been a force. Every Spring league, Riley has had a nice back field to go along with a pretty good guy behind center. Plus the Generals still have the King Pin pro-bowler in Luis Perez to use in passing situations.

The Generals defense does just enough to hold on or come up with a play or two to put the game on ice.

#5.PHILADELPHIA STARS (1-2) The Stars could be in big trouble. Last weekend the Stars lost their star quarterback, Bryan Scott, to a knee injury in the second quarter versus the Generals.

If Scott is out weeks, this could doom the Stars season. It’s like the Packers losing Aaron Rodgers and trying to replace him with a square peg that fits in a round hole. Stars lost the lead to the Generals in the 4th quarter to receive their second loss of the year after coming away with a win in week two, and the team looked like it would be headed in the right direction. Nothing else is working well for the Stars as the running game only mustered up 31 yards versus the Generals defense. The Stars defensive already surrenders the most yards allowed in the entire league.

#6.HOUSTON GAMBLERS (1-2) The Gamblers’ Reggie Northrup explained his smoking habit on the field as a picture of him went viral that had a cigarette dangling out of his mouth during a Houston practice.

He did not use Slick Willy’s excuse “I did not inhale,” made by the former US President Clinton. Northrup said it was just a prop. Which is up there with, “I’m holding it for a friend.” The Gamblers wear black uniforms and make a lot of noise. Love trash talking as they remind me of those old Atlanta Falcon teams coached by Jerry Glanville.

The Gamblers all talk and can’t walk the talk as they blew a double digit lead to the Bandits last week. The defense makes big plays but gives up big plays. The Gamblers have to rely on the running game as Mark Thompson has carried the heavy load, the ball and the team, on that side of the ball. Thompson leads the USFL in rushing with 310 yards after three games averaging 5.8 yards a clip.

#7.MICHIGAN PANTHERS (1-2) I did not think it would take to week three for former NFL coach Jeff Fisher to win his first game in the USFL. Panthers with a shutout win over Pittsburgh last weekend. Is beating a bad Mauler team earning you stripes in this new league? A win is a win, but the Panthers still have questions behind center. Paxton Lynch looked awesome on the first two drives of the Panther offense which resulted in two scores. Lynch even engineered two 2-point conversions after each touchdown. Then Lynch left with an ankle injury and did not finish the first quarter. Shea Patterson, who has been the starter most of the year for the Panthers, has only completed just over 50% of his passes. Let’s say the quarterback situation is the weakest link.

You can throw the Panthers kicker under the bus as well. The team last week went all in on two-point conversions instead of kicking the extra point after each score.

#8.PITTSBURGH MAULERS (0-3) The Maulers representing the city of Pittsburgh are playing more like all those bad Pirate teams, than all those great Steeler teams. When your team gets shut out by the other winless team last weekend, the Maulers have hit rock bottom in the USFL. Can you trade the entire team to the XFL? In three games, the Maulers scored a lone field goal in week one and then came back nicely in week two to score 23 points only then to be shutout. Maulers have been outscored 71-26 this season. The problem the Maulers have is the rotation of quarterbacks. They have to pick one and let either Kyle Lauletta or Josh Love be the guy. Neither Love or Lauletta can find that rhythm. If they do find it, they are replaced next time the team gets the ball back and have to sit and watch. The Maulers defense is respectable. I like the two headed monster at running back with Garrett Groshek and Madre London.

I have no teams at stake in this 2022 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. The first round has some powerful match ups to get the Stanley Cup playoffs in gear. Playoffs in every sport are always the best as teams try to rise up to the challenge. You see unsung heroes come up with the clutch play and possibly profit off that performance down the road in a big way. May be worth it or may not for your team’s salary cap in the future. The Stanley Cup playoffs is always one of the best post-seasons played out in the sports landscape. I make some predictions. I have some teams that sparked my interest who I’m rooting for. Sometimes you have to adopt a team here and there for only a few weeks, as I’m not a bandwagon jumper. My hockey predictions pretty much stink at all costs each season. With no teams I like involved, maybe I have a clearer mind and will come away looking like a genius. Just don’t count on that logic I’m feeding you.

ROUND ONE PREDICTIONS (DING !!!!!)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

FLORIDA PANTHERS VERSUS WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Could this Panther team have been Joel Quenneville’s masterpiece team as a head coach? Will the natives get restless over Superstar Alex Ovechkin being buddies with the new Hitler lurking in Russia? The Florida Panthers come into post-season with the best record in regular season play. The Capitals probably have the best player in the NHL, but Ovechkin will play banged up dealing with injuries. Panthers have dominated the Caps throughout regular season as well. Panthers roll out 4 solid lines. Then add the solid goal tending the Panthers have especially with their Russian Sergei Bobrovsky in the net. The Capitals will need a few healthy Ovechkin’s to win this series.

PREDICTION: PANTHERS ARE A LOCK IN 4 GAMES

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS VERSUS TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Can the Lightning win three Stanley Cups in a row? Can the Maple Leafs make it out of the first round of the playoffs? How long do we have to wait, you hosers?

Toronto has a Superstar on the rise. Can Auston Matthews be the rise of the Bat Man and take his play to the next level and knock out the champs in the first round?

Matthews has had a great month closing out the regular season and tallied up 60 regular season goals for the Leafs. Can Jack Campbell hold up in net for the Leafs if the series, you know, should go 7 games? The Lightning have an all-star team that has did this, done that. Andrei Vasilevskiy in my opinion is one of the best goalies in the game. Vasilevskiy’s playoff experience alone gives the Lightning a shot at escaping the first round. Look for my sleeper of the series, Brandon Hagel, to make some noise in this series for the Lighting. He’s a guy they got from the Blackhawks at the trade deadline.

History will repeat itself.

PREDICTION: LIGHTNING IN SIX GAMES

CAROLINA HURRICANES VERSUS BOSTON BRUINS

If you’re a Hurricanes fan, the Boston Bruins would be the last team you want to play in the first round action. Boston and Carolina have squared off in two recent post-seasons and the Bruins made the Hurricanes feel like a light drizzle on a sunny day. Bruins won both series tallying 8 victories to one defeat. The Hurricanes like to shoot the puck at the net. More shots the better. The Bruins have the personnel to keep the good shots from hitting and giving the Hurricanes tougher shots most of the series with a stellar defense. Watch Bruins Captain Defenseman, Patrice Bergeron, on the ice if you don’t believe me.

Hurricanes are another team with an injury to their starting goalie. When will Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen return to action? I have to go with the history in this series.

PREDICTION: BRUINS IN SIX GAMES

NEW YORK RANGERS VERSUS PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

The Penguins and the Rangers may be the best series of the entire first round. The Penguins have one of the all-time greats in Sid the Kid Crosby. The Rangers have a goalie.

The rise of Igor Shesterkin has the Rangers playing solid hockey especially coming into the tournament. New York has been one of the hottest teams. Penguins have played solidly all year and have a group of guys besides Sid that can get the biscuit in the basket. Rangers defense as a whole only gives up 2.49 goals per game. Penguins will not have their starting net minder as Tristan Jarry is dealing with a lower body injury. Penguins back-up Casey DeSmith gave up 5 goals in a game versus the Rangers earlier in the year. I like to see the Penguins knock off the Rangers. Penguins post-season play of late has been one and done. I’m a firm believer that a great defense beats a great offense.

PREDICTION: RANGERS IN SIX GAMES

WESTERN CONFERENCE

COLORADO AVALANCHE VERSUS NASHVILLE PREDATORS

I wonder if Nashville Predators ownership has banned fans from wearing Avalanche jerseys for this series in home games? Avalanche come in as one of the best teams in the NHL and one of the teams that is favored to win the entire thing. The Predators showed they are a scrappy bunch. Avalanche are loaded with fire power.

The Predators will be playing without their top goalie, Juuse Saros, who is injured and will miss the entire series. This is a David versus Goliath series.

No hope for David in this one.

PREDICTION:AN AVALANCHE SWEEP

MINNESOTA WILD VERSUS ST. LOUIS BLUES

The Blues and the Wild should be a battle to the death. This is a series that should be decided in game 7 in double overtime because both teams are evenly matched. The Wild have not been very successful in the post-season. The Blues historically always came out on the losing end of post-season but they finally won the cup in 2019 as some would say they overachieved. The Blues had hot goal-tending. Blues come in with a group of well-balanced players that can rush, attack the net, and defend. No big names in the Blues roster, but just a group that works well together. The Wild have good goal-tending and play sound defense around the net.

The X-Factor in a series that can go either way, I give the edge to the Wild. Marc-Andre Fleury has that post-season experience a team like the Wild needs. Fleury, who was acquired at the trade deadline from the Blackhawks by the Wild, has won cups with the Penguins. Fleury came close to helping the Golden Knights of Vegas achieve a Stanley Cup early in their existence. Fleury is playing with a chip on his shoulder. Vegas did not want him anymore and was dealt to the Blackhawks. The Golden Knights did not make it into the playoffs. Perfect time for Marc-Andre to Fleury his stuff.

PREDICTION: WILD IN SEVEN GAMES

CALGARY FLAMES VERSUS DALLAS STARS

The Flames you can always count on not making a huge splash when trying to add a piece to their puzzle. The Stars still rely on old-fashioned defense to win games on the ice. Both these things have been going on for years for the Flames and the Stars.

HERE’S JOHNNY!!! The Flames’ Johnny Gaudreau had the second most points in the Western conference. The Stars have one solid line with Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski, and Roope Jintz. Can the Flames contain it? This series could turn into a goalies duel for both teams. Flames have the stronger roster. Let’s not forget about left winger Matthew Tkachuk who lit the lamplight 42 times this season. I think the Flames coach will get Belichick-like and come up with a plan to take out that top line for the Stars.

PREDICTION: FLAMES IN 5 GAMES

EDMONTON OILERS VERSUS LA KINGS

The LA Kings should pass on the secret of making it into the post-season to Lebron James and the Lakers. Will Evander Kane’s X-wife put a bounty on the gambler’s head?

The Oilers have star power as they have one of the biggest superstars in the NHL, Connor McDavid. The Oilers ownership has added lots of pressure to this team in terms of winning now. Oilers went out and signed a shady character in Evander Kane, former Shark. The Kings played some of the best 5 on 5 hockey in the entire NHL. Phillip Danault plays the center position very well for the Kings, both offensively and defensively. That can change the game in an instant to their favor. Oilers over the past few seasons are another team in Canada that fail miserably in the first round of the playoffs. It’s good to be King.

At least they eat well.

PREDICTION: KINGS IN 6 GAMES

The Chicago Bears have released the last dark cloud polluting the skies of Halas Hall from the last regime. It was like the Jack and the Beanstalk tale in March of 2020 when the Bears traded the cow which would be draft capital to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a washed up Nick Foles. The Bears could not trade the highest paid third string quarterback this off-season, so instead of taking him to back of the shed to put a bullet in between his eyes, they released Foles into the wild. The same Nick Foles who is a legend like the Rocky statue in the Philadelphia sports landscape. Rocky is make-believe, and Nick Foles was like Luke Skywalker taking down the death star with his arm versus Tom Brady and the Evil Empire Patriots in Superbowl LII. Eagles won their first ever Superbowl. Eagles eventually had to let Foles go because they already were paying Carson Wentz who they thought was going to be their franchise quarterback for years to come. Jacksonville then came along & paid the huge money to Nick Foles as they thought they had their guy. After the first game in a Jacksonville uniform, Foles would not last the game due to an injury. When Nick Foles came back from his injury, he did not have the magic he did in Philadelphia. Thank God the Bears came along because Foles was going to be the answer for Matt Nagy’s offense. General Manager Ryan Pace then would have finally admitted his number 1 pick for Mitch Trubisky was a bust. if Foles succeeds in the Bears offense…

The NFL had no pre-season games due to the pandemic, so Mitch Trubisky started the 2020 season and had the Bears with a winning record. At the first sign of struggle, Head Coach Matt Nagy knew he had his chance to take Trubisky out of the game and replaced him with his guy, Nick Foles. Foles would rally the team and the Bears would prevail over a poor Falcons defense. Foles would then slay Tom Brady this time when he was behind center for the Buccaneers. Foles would finish 2-5 as the starter for the Bears in the 2020 season before he went down with an injury. Foles’ play behind center started off hot, but he went cold and the Bears’ makeshift offensive line probably did not help. Matt Nagy’s play calling with that makeshift offensive line did not help as most of the coaches’ plays take too much time to develop and Foles did not have it. Last season the Bears would sign veteran quarterback Andy Dalton as Nick Foles became the third string guy after the Bears drafted Justin Fields. Foles would make one start late in the season for the Bears and guide the team to victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Foles would make ten appearances behind center for the Bears of which 8 of them were starts. Foles completed 65% of his passes in a Bears uniform as he threw 11 touchdown passes but had 8 interceptions. Bears signed Trevor Siemian this off-season to back up Justin Fields as Andy Dalton left in free agency. Nick the Dick Foles is now free from his Siberia habitat exodus in Chicago where quarterbacks go to die.

Nick Foles has played ten seasons in the NFL for 5 different teams. Foles is 29-27 as a starter in the NFL. Foles has thrown for over 14,000 yards with 82 touchdown passes in 68 games in his career. Foles is a back up quarterback who can get hot and carry your team to the promised land like he did in his Eagles days. Foles is very injury prone as to get to the season with the most games he has played behind center, you have to go back to 2013 where he appeared in 13 games. Then in 2015 he appeared in 11 games. Foles has not played in double digit games since. Foles will land another job in the NFL with somebody. Foles could get you through 4 to 5 games if your starter goes down. At the end of regular season it seems like Nick Foles rises his play level to the occasion. Nick Foles turns into the closer of football. In baseball Nick Foles would pitch the 9th inning with the lead. I don’t like Nick Foles playing in the first ten games of the season. Game 11 and beyond is the only time Nick Foles became a legend.

The Bears finally can lay to rest the Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace regime. The ghost of Nick Foles will live on during the Bears 2022 season as the team will take a 7.66 million dollar dead cap hit by releasing him now. By failing to trade Foles, the Bears had to pay him a 4 million dollar bonus in March of this year to him, and Nick was set to make another 4 million in base salary. To get Foles, the Bears gave up draft capital and restructured his contract to pay him 3 years worth of a total 24 million to make 8 starts, one as a third string quarterback. Then the Bears go out and sign another veteran quarterback in Andy Dalton. Bears obviously did not know they would get Justin Fields in the draft and lost faith in Nick Foles that quick. Let’s not forget Nick Foles beat the Bears playing in an Eagles uniform in the first round playoff game that ended in a double doink kick off the foot of Cody Parky to try to win that game for the Bears in 2019 at the end of regulation. It was Mitch Trubisky as the starter in that one. Mitch Trubisky, the first quarterback picked in the 2017 draft by Ryan Pace, left town as the scapegoat of this regime’s failure. Then Nick Foles and Andy Dalton did nothing with Matt Nagy’s miserable play calling or war and peace style playbook. Justin Fields was drafted by Ryan Pace and played for Matt Nagy. Let’s just hope that one season did not ruin Fields for good. Getting rid of Nick Foles should help fans recover from the tom foolery of who’s on first skit as in who’s the quarterback that is tainted in everyone’s mind like the buffoons running the operation from 2017-18 until the end of last season. Foles may have one more legendary run behind center because he is very streaky. Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace will be fetching the coffee in someone’s organization for years to come. Mitch Trubisky hopes he will drag Matt Nagy’s reputation deeper in the mud as we wait to see what he will do being a regular starter in the NFL. Justin Fields playing well should heal all of the wounds that Bears fans have suffered from the last regime. The terrible regimes before pills and alcohol still work.

The rebirth of the USFL rolled out their league last week in a grand fashion in their safe pace in the state of Alabama. The quarterback play, as we expected, was weak. The play on the field in general was worth watching. Interesting rules. Flying drones. On the field interviews. The announcers drawn out by the coaches’ play calling in the headsets that are heard on the television. Universal cheerleaders. Every team had a nightmarish-looking mascot. Hide the kids & put your mom in the trunk when they take the field. Chicken Salad or Pizza?

You know food can be a touchy subject. Stay away from the politics and you have yourself a deal.

WEEK TWO USFL POWER RANKINGS ROLLING OUT

#1.

NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS (1-0) UP 1 SPOT

The Breakers really impressed me week one with a top notch defense. They are a two-headed monster backfield and a quarterback that is going to get better. Even the Breakers special teams blocked a punt. First the defense front seven led by former University Georgia Bulldog Davin Bellamy had three sacks. Bellamy may be the best defensive player in the league.

In the NFL the Bills and Cowboys have themselves a Diggs. With the last name Diggs, you must be expected to make big plays. The Breakers’ Diggs did that.

Vontae Diggs stole the show with 7 solo tackles and an interception pick six. The running game was electric for the Breakers. Both running backs had a touchdown. Jordan Ellis averaged 4.9 yards a carry as he rushed for 89 yards. TJ Logan Jr. had 56 yards on the ground and also chipped in on a two point conversion that went through the hands of a Philadelphia Stars defender. He caught it and converted. In his first professional coaching debut, Breakers Head Coach Larry Fedora’s team gets the win.

#2.

TAMPA BAY BANDITS UP 1 SPOT

Tampa Bay seems to be the sports landscape capital of the World. The Lightning in the NHL have won two Stanley Cups. Tom Brady’s Buccaneers won the Superbowl in his first season in Tampa Bay. The Rays are a great team but lost in the World Series two seasons ago. Last year the Rays were knocked off early in the MLB post-season. So now the experts have the Tampa Bay Bandits as the best team in the rebirth of the USFL. I think the Bandits have the best quarterback in the entire USFL league, named Jordan Ta’amu.

Is Ta’amu the best quarterback in the league? The Bandits played a great first half versus the Maulers last Monday night. In the second half, the Bandits did nothing. Maulers quarterback play was not very good as the eye test tells me that and on the scoreboard they put up 3 points. Maulers had 3 more points than the Bandits in the second half. Jordan Ta’amu had a great day mostly in the first half as he finished 20-32 for 185 passing yards with 1 touchdown pass. Ta’amu however had two interceptions. Not crowning the Bandits the championship automatically, because they are from Tampa Bay and have a quarterback that threw two interceptions and disappeared in the second half. I need to see more from the Bandits, but they should be one of the better teams in the league. Right now they are behind the Breakers.

#3.

BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS UP 1 SPOT

The Birmingham Stallions coming in, we know have the home field advantage as all games of the USFL are being played in Alabama. Stallions being the first game on the docket drew the biggest crowd on Saturday night. Stallions made it interesting as they had to fight back and made a comeback and secured the win at the last minute. Stallions had the dueling quarterbacks to find out that perhaps the second one was better than the first one. Alex McGough looked good early on as he threw a touchdown pass. Early on J’mar Smith looked bad and got better during the game filling in for perhaps an injured McGough. Smith led the comeback as he finished off the Generals going 11-21 for 156 yards with one touchdown pass. Quarterback controversy? Maybe. I like the Stallions defense as one of the better units in the league. Scooby Wright lived up to the hype.

Scooby forced a turnover as he forced a fumble in a key situation of the game. This was a turning point for the Stallions. The Stallions uniforms look very similar to the ESU Timberwolves in the movie The Program.

#4.

HOUSTON GAMBLERS UP 3 SPOTS

I was not really impressed with the Gamblers. Offensively the Gamblers quarterback situation was not very good. I thought former Northwestern star quarterback Clayton Thorson would have gave me more. Thorson started off well with a touchdown pass to wide receiver Isaiah Zuber. Thorson, a duel threat, only had 4 yards with his legs. Thorson finished his Houston debut hitting 9-17 passes for 73 yards with the touchdown pass and an interception. Houston still won the game because….

Jeff Fisher and the Panthers gave the Gamblers an early Christmas gift. Gamblers found the scoreboard with a defensive score with the ole scoop and run on a fumble. Maybe Fisher’s team had the chicken instead of the pizza as the Panthers quarterback could not grasp the ball on a shot gun formation as he fumbled more than once. Thought it was finger licking good. Gamblers scored all their points in the first half. Panthers fumbled the ball on a chance at a game winning drive at the end. A special mention is Donald Payne Jr., the heart and soul of the Gamblers defense, had 15.5 tackles with 13 of them solo. He’s just a beast on the Houston’s defense.

#5.

MICHIGAN PANTHERS Down 4 spots

The Michigan Panthers were unlike any of the coached teams of Jeff Fisher of the past. Panthers showed no discipline on the field as they were fighting each other.

I thought from the beginning the Panthers would be one of the best teams in the USFL as I had them number one in the power rankings coming in.

I thought the quarterbacks for Michigan would be their strength. Former number one draft pick for the Denver Broncos, Paxton Lynch, was hot garbage. The Panthers gave him a series or two. Lynch completed 2 passed out 5 attempts for 1 yard with an interception. Then Shea Patterson, who will and should be a top quarterback in this league, completed 68% of his passes. He had a 104.1 rating as he passed for 192 yards while throwing one touchdown pass. However Patterson had chicken grease on his fingers or something, fumbling three snaps in shot gun formation. Plus took three sacks. The Gamblers to me were waiting to give the game to the Panthers but they would not accept the win.

#6.

PHILADELPHIA STARS Same

The Philadelphia Stars played well in their first game. The Stars did some great stuff in all phases of the game. Bryan Scott behind center is definitely one of the better quarterbacks in the league as he finished 25-26 for 202 passing yards throwing 1 touchdown pass with one interception. Stars generated a nice running game to go along with Scott at quarterback. Chris Rowland was a nice security blanket for Bryan Scott as he caught seven balls for 74 yards doing his best Wes Welker imitation.

The Stars defense played well and are no slouch as New Orleans earned their points in the first week against them. I think when I see more, the Stars will be in the top half of the league.

#7.

NEW JERSEY GENERALS (0-1) UP 1 SPOT

I thought the Generals should have won on Opening night of the USFL as the team led the entire game only to lose to the Stallions in the last minute. The Generals were using dueling quarterbacks in the opener. That and the kicking game cost them a victory. Luis Perez may be the best bowler quarterback behind center all-time in any Spring football league ever established. Head Coach Mike Riley did not need to give De’Andre Johnson playing time when Perez was doing well as he finished the day going 13-18 for 143 yards & two touchdown passes. Perez had a nice thing going on with with his wide receiver Randy Satterfield who had 5 catches 100 yards and a score. Back up De’Andre Johnson had a rushing touchdown and had 98 yards on the ground. I think the Generals should ride with the hotter hand instead of mixing and matching. Generals defense can be scored on as the Stallions mounted a comeback in the first ever game of the rebirth of the USFL. Shalom Luani, one defender from that Generals defensive, stood out with 8 solo tackles and an interception.

If the USFL has an All-Madden team of some kind, Luani is one of my guys.

#8.

PITTSBURGH MAULERS (0-1) Down 3 spots

Maulers running back De’Veon Smith wanted pizza over the team’s choice of chicken salad at the team dinner.

Smith may have pulled a Jeff Spicoli in the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Spicoli’s teacher Mr. Hand did not like it. Head Coach Kirby Wilson of the Maulers did not like Smith’s pizza idea either.

De’Veon Smith would end up being cut from the Maulers after that incident. I think Head Coach Kirby Wilson needs to pick one man behind center. Either Josh Love or Kyle Lauletta. One has to be pizza and the other chicken salad. The Maulers were committed to the run. With dueling quarterbacks, it kills drives and any kind of momentum waiting for a guy to knock off the rust. Kyle Lauletta went 2-11 in passing attempts for 8 yards. Why Lauletta get 11 pass attempts is baffling. Maulers have a nice defense as Bandits scored only 17 points in the game; all in the first half of the contest.

I remember playing football in the front yard of the house as a little lad. Those words, “Go deep I hit you,” as I break out of the blocks like track star after hearing the word hike like a starter’s pistol. I’d be sprinting on a go route, a fly pattern grammar school football called it in the play book. My father, brother, or one of my friends would heave the ball in the air trying to hit me in stride. Sometimes it looked the way it was drawn up in the dirt of the grass or diagramming the play from the quarterback’s fingers on his shirt. Sometimes the ball would be off or a dropped pass occurred. Even running into a tree may have ended the afternoon of fun. As a kid I’d be watching the Bears’ Jim McMahon on a broken play chuck the ball down the field hitting wide receiver Willie Gault, who had blazing speed on a big play. Before the 1980’s, and probably still the best in the business at throwing the bomb maybe of all-time in the professional football game, was quarterback Daryle Lamonica who wore the Raiders bonnet and played in the 1960’s early 1970’s.

Daryle Lamonica played college ball at the University of Notre Dame who was Fresno, California native. In 1963, Lamonica was drafted by two teams to play professional football. The Green Bay Packers of the NFL (National Football League) and the Buffalo Bills of the AFL (American Football League.) Lamonica chose Buffalo out of the two coldest places to play in both leagues. This was before the NFL and AFL merged in 1970. Lamonica played in the cold for the fighting Irish so he would adapt. In Buffalo, Lamonica’s talents were wasted as the back-up QB to one of the Bills greats in Jack Kemp. In 4 seasons, Lamonica would go 4-0 as a starter for the Bills as he did play in 56 games and threw 16 touchdown passes but had 23 interceptions. Bills would eventually trade Lamonica to the Oakland Raiders in 1967. After 4 games in the black and silver in 196,7 Lamonica would earn the nickname of the Mad Bomber.

The Raiders would use Daryle Lamonica’s strength which was his arm in their offense to create a passing attack style instead mostly running the ball while relying on the defense. The Mad Bomber would strike on 30 touchdown passes in 1967. Daryle Lamonica’s powerful arm would lead the Raiders to a 13-1 regular season record as he completed 220 passes out of 425 attempts for 3,228 yards which earned him his first MVP award. In 1969 Lamonica threw 34 touchdown passes which today is still a Raider record. In the same year, the Mad Bomber led the league in every notable quarterback stat category and earned his second MVP award. The Mad Bomber led the Raiders to their first ever Superbowl when the NFL and AFL emerged into one league. Lamonica would face the team he did not pick in 1963 as the Raiders would lose to the Green Bay Packers in Superbowl II, 33-14. The Mad Bomber would never make it back to another Superbowl. The Mad Bomber did have the Raiders making the playoffs 7 out of the 8 seasons behind center in Oakland. Five of those seasons for Head Coach John Madden.

Everyone will remember the famous Heidi game that Daryle Lamonica was a part of. Many would not see the Heidi game. In 1968 the Mad Bomber led one of the best comebacks at the time as he threw 4 touchdown passes versus the Jets. The game went longer than expected, and NBC switched over to the movie, Heidi, with one minute remaining in the game. The Raiders and Lamonica would win that game and many viewers would not able to see the ending. Like a cliff hanger, ‘tune into the same time next week same bat channel same bat television’ for the conclusion of the Mad Bomber and the caped crusader.

Daryle Lamonica would play in 151 games behind center for the Bills and Raiders in 12 seasons. The Mad Bomber played when you could hit the quarterback without drawing a flag. During the time where defenders could clothesline you to bring you down. Hit you high & hit you low. Lamonica only completed 49% of his passes for his entire career which these days of the NFL would be frowned upon. The Mad Bomber was a gunslinger. No question about that as he threw 164 touchdown passes while getting intercepted 138 times. The Mad Bomber passed for 19,154 yards during those 12 seasons. Lamonica can be compared to Justin Herbert because both can throw the deep ball well. These days in the NFL it’s yards after the catch hitting receiver in stride and hoping he breaks it for a big gainer. The Mad Bomber would launch a pass in the air that went 30 to 40 yards before hitting the target down the sideline in stride. Former Bengal Jeff Blake threw a nice long ball in his days playing for the Bengals.

“Go deep, I hit you,” is not done very often any more in the game of football. Many quarterbacks don’t even attempt that kind of pass in present times. The Mad Bomber perfected this pass play. Lamonica did win games so you can compare him to Jimmy Garoppolo as a guy who found a way to win the games at the end of regulation. Lamonica’s winning percentage behind center was very Garoppolo-like as he finished with a 66-16-6 record as a starter. Maybe not always pretty, but effective. I was not alive to watch Daryle Lamonica play. Only when watching the highlights and reading about him did I become a fan. The Mad Bomber unfortunately passed away this week at the age of 80. Daryle Lamonica may have one of the best nicknames of all-time in the sports world as the Mad Bomber. Just a perfect nickname for a guy who wore the silver and black most of his career. I think the Mad Bomber’s stats would have been better if he played during present times. I like the fact that he stayed on the field during the time where defenses were out for blood. Daryle Lamonica will always be a legend as fathers and son’s to this day still say, “Go deep, I hit you” in the front yard on a brisk autumn day with the leaves changing colors.

Here we go again as we welcome another Spring Football league into already a crowded sports mix. It is football, so like a flaming car wreck found on the highway we have to watch. The USFL has resurrected and they will be playing their first week on Easter weekend… how fitting. We have seen the Covid-19 Virus invasion shut down the XFL part two in the middle of their season. Part two of the XFL was way better than part one in the 1990’s. Then the American Alliance (AAF) ran out of money in 2019 and that league folded like a house of cards being put up in a windstorm. All’s the USFL has to do is complete the regular season just to do better than these leagues from the past. I will get invested and perhaps the USFL can have post-season play with a championship, which sounds like a novel idea. This USFL has money. This USFL has their games on television just like the others. This USFL has a green glowing football.

It’s Fox, who brought you the glowing puck in their NHL games, what do you expect? The USFL has no Donald Trump in this go around. This league may work. It was a fun league to watch in the 1990’s and gave the NFL a run for their money. The NFL took a lot of genius ideas from the original USFL. We expect the NFL to be watching once again to take the new genius ideas this USFL will impose. I will throw out my first edition of the USFL power rankings. This is before the season even begins so I’m expecting to be wrong on most things. Maybe once I warm up by week 4 like the quarterbacks of the USFL, I should be able to razzle and dazzle you with my weekly power rankings.

#1.MICHIGAN PANTHERS

They say history intends to repeat itself so the Panthers get my number 1 ranking coming in because in the original USFL they won the very first championship. Head Coach Jeff Fisher always has a pretty good defense backing him in all those teams he was head coach of in the NFL. Fisher has assembled a nice defensive unit from experienced players of Spring leagues past. The Panthers could use soft Cam Newton, former Carolina Panther, as their quarterback. Panthers of the USFL and Panthers of the NFL had very similar uniforms and pretty much the same helmet logo. Fisher has his quarterback room looking good which is the biggest key. Shea Patterson, a 25 year old former Wolverine, has plenty of experience in the CFL. Patterson clung on to multiple NFL camps before Canada, soaking in intelligence. Back up quarterback has the Panthers signing Paxton Lynch former Bronco of the NFL.

Fisher has himself a 1-2 punch behind center if needed. Paxton Lynch could actually find out if this quarterback thing is worthwhile in years to come.

#2. NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS

The Breakers have assembled a nice defensive front to KILL THE QUARTERBACK!!! Breakers have former Bulldog Davin Bellamy with a nice front seven on the defensive front, including a rag tag bunch with names like Andre Saint-Amour, Christopher Okoye and James Folston Jr. Breakers might have found a group like the Ukraine Red Dawn unit giving the Russian military fits.

At quarterback the Breakers have Kyle Sloter from Northern Colorado. Sloter may not be the best quarterback in this Spring football league, but the man has some big weapons to throw to. Johnnie Dixon and Shawn Poindexter, to me, might be the best 1-2 point in the entire league at the wide receiver position.

#3.TAMPA BAY BANDITS

When the Bandits played back in the 1980’s, Burt Reynolds was part owner of the team. Bandits need a celebrity mustache in present times.

I nominate Mr. Blue Bloods, the original Magnum PI, Tom Selleck. The Bandits have some NFL experience on the defensive side of the ball. The Bandits probably on paper have the best quarterback in the league. Jordan Ta’amu is a duel threat who was impressive for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the XFL remake in 2020. My only problem is Todd Haley is the head coach and gets my vote for biggest dirt bag in the entire league. Can Todd Haley manage his big ego and keep it in check before he arrives at the field.

#4. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS

The Stallions have the home field advantage the entire year as all the games in the USFL will be played on-site in Alabama. The Stallions have built one of the best defenses in the entire USFL. I think defense will be able to take advantage of bad quarterback play for at least the first few weeks of play. The Stallions are very Scappy-like and may have the best linebacker in the league.

Dish out the Scooby snacks in the stands in Birmingham. Scooby Wright has played in the NFL. Scooby has been a raving dog unleashed in Spring Leagues of the past such as the AAF and the XFL.

#5. PITTSBURGH MAULERS

Maulers by far have the best logo in the entire USFL reboot.

Maulers have somewhat of a quarterback controversy brewing. Josh Love or Kyle Lauletta?

Kyle Lauletta has the NFL experience playing for the New York Giants. I love the WAC Conference in College sports. Josh Love showed me the love at San Jose State University, a young gunslinger just lighting up the skies with missiles, hitting his receivers in stride. Maulers have that insurance policy if something goes wrong with one of their guys.

#6. PHILADELPHIA STARS

The Stars, back in the 1980’s, was the best franchise if you are counting victories and championships of which they won two of those. Stars made some great finds back then.

Short and stout linebacker Sam Mills wrecked havoc on opposing teams in the USFL. Mills then went on to the NFL and did the same thing for the Saints and the Panthers. Could the Stars quarterback Bryan Scott be that next Sam Mills to show the world his talent behind center?

Bryan Scott was tabbed the name of Aaron Rodgers of the division three of College Football. Scott could be the sleeper quarterback in this years USFL.

#7. HOUSTON GAMBLERS

No Jim Kelly and the run and shoot offense this go around in the USFL for the Gamblers. Houston will rely on instead a duel threat quarterback, former Big Ten star from Northwestern, Clayton Thorson.

Thorson has been in the huddles in the dreaded NFC East with the Eagles, Cowboys and Giants. Thorson is the only Big Ten quarterback ever in history to throw for over 10,000 yards while rushing for 20 touchdowns. Maybe the Josh Allen of the USFL. Gamblers wide receiver Isaiah Zuber caught some passes for the Patriots’ Evil Empire.

At least I did not think of all those Stormtroopers for the Evil Empire being Wes Welker look-a-likes.

#8. NEW JERSEY GENERALS

The Generals are X-EL-Presidente Donald Trump’s former team back in the 1980’s. Generals have the worst odds in the entire USFL. Maybe Las Vegas Nevada is a Blue State.

I thought Randall Flagg was still Mayor of Las Vegas. The Generals in my opinion have the best head coach of this Spring Football league in Mike Riley, just because of all the experience he brings from the Canada league and other Spring leagues past. The Generals had to settle on Luis Perez as their starting quarterback, former professional bowler and a guy who resurrects from all these last few Spring leagues, such as the AAF and XFL. Perez has never been the guy from the start either; a guy that learned the quarterback position from watching YouTube videos. I like Perez and his story, but he may not be the guy to lead the Generals to the promised land.

On Friday night, the St. Peters Peacocks became the first ever 15th seed to advance to the elite 8 in the Men’s NCAA March Madness Tournament. Out of all the tournaments that have been played throughout the years and turn of the century, it took a 15th seed this long to get this far. In 2018 we saw UMBC, a number 16 seed, win their first tournament game in the history of the March Madness Tournament versus University of Virginia. Many thought a 16th seed would never be able to win as the odds were so much stacked against them. I had never even heard of UMBC, which stands for University of Maryland Baltimore County. It sounds like the local DMV or local government offices. Have you ever heard of St. Peter’s until this year? Maybe a local grammar school. Every year this tournament has schools I have to look up. St. Peter’s is the definition of a Cinderella team in this tournament. The underdog Peacocks have taken out bigger Universities as they started with the University of Kentucky, a number two seed, in the very first round. Beating that slime-bag head coach, John Calipari, who would be a used car salesmen or selling snake oil out the trunk of his car if not coaching hoops. Then the Peacocks took out number 7, Murray State, to move into the Sweet 16. Friday night Daryl Banks III led all Peacocks in scoring as St. Peter’s would knock off the final big ten team in the tournament beating Purdue, a number 3 seed, with a score of 67-64 in a classic game.

St. Peters is located in the state of New Jersey. Across the Hudson River from the University is lower Manhattan, New York. St. Peter’s is a commuter college with religious aspects of the Jesuits. St. Peter’s is a school that has been on the fringes of Division 1 sports for years. Last time St. Peter’s made the NCAA tournament in March, was in 2011. This is the Peacocks’ 4th tournament appearance. Their first was in 1991, then 1995, 2011, and this year. The Peacocks have played in the consolation tournament, the NIT, 12 times. This season the Peacocks went 22-11 which was good enough to earn the 15th seed in the tournament. It’s been a great year as you go back to the Peacocks home opener that only had 434 fans show up in their own building, which they call Run Baby Run Arena, to see them play LIU. It did not look like that in Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia where many Peacocks fans made the trip to see history unveil by the thousands.

Last night, Duke advanced to the final four for the millionth time as we’ve been there done that. Before that, another powerhouse school, Villanova, would prevail over Houston. Can St. Peter’s knock off another god of the basketball hardwood floors in North Carolina who’s standing in their way for the final four? Then the other game features University of Miami and University of Kansas. You suddenly sense how this will all play out as North Carolina will end St. Peter’s magnificent run. Then the Jayhawks led by Billy Selfish will once again find a way to the final 4. The networks will want North Carolina versus Duke, an instant hard on for them. Since it is Mike Krzyzewski’s last season coaching the Tar Heels, it spoiled his last home game earlier this month. The story lines are just too much too pass up with old rivalries meeting in the final 4. Then Villanova versus Kansas, the other match up, would set everything back to the norm in these March Madness tournaments that had a bracket-buster team like St. Peter’s disrupt everything except at the very end.

If St. Peter’s Peacocks do prevail over North Carolina, this will be one of the best stories in sports history. Even though they have not won the entire thing, the final 4 would be even a greater story line. It would have that feel like USA beating the Russians in the early 1980’s Olympics in Ice Hockey. Perhaps you could compare St. Peter’s to Ukraine hanging in there versus one of the world’s greatest militaries in Russia in that horrific conflict. Imagine the school budgets St. Peter’s has in their basketball program over all these other schools. St. Peter’s has some volunteers on their coaching staff. The leaky roofs that can’t be fixed immediately that have flooded the gymnasium or the coaches’ offices. The gym is used for bake sales and other things beside the basketball team having full reign. St. Peter’s visiting locker room is a joke. I remember playing basketball in grammar school in an old old bomb shelter, and that is what I picture. Schools like St. Peter’s getting to the Elite 8 is a magic season. Head Coach for St. Peter’s, Shaheen Holloway, building a nice team with an inspired defense and playing with the eye of the tiger. You like to see Coach Holloway and the Peacocks advance now because there is no tomorrow as all the other schools in the nation are watching. They want to poach Holloway away from the Peacocks like the vultures they are when this story book ends. Then it would be like thieves leaving a stolen car in the middle of nowhere on blocks. They’d be just skeletons of their former self. Look at Loyola of Chicago. They are a smaller school, Oklahoma, and they pried Porter Moser from the Ramblers last season. Moser coached Loyola to the final 4 in 2018 and his team knocked out number one seed University of Illinois last season. Despite Moser taking his coaching talents to a new level in the basketball world, Loyola did make the tournament this year without him. What about guys like Richard Rinaldi? The former St. Peter’s alum and player for the Peacocks went on to the NBA to play for the Baltimore Bullets and New Jersey Nets. He is watching & hoping to see his ole stomping grounds prevail against all the odds. It’s now or never for St. Peter’s. You would think a small school if they could just ride it out playing red hot sizzling basketball, would win the entire thing at some point. I hope the Peacocks do it. The ending could be it was a great try and great season just falling short. Then we will all wait until that next magical ride from yet another small school we never heard of. If the Cubs can win the World Series in 2016, why not St. Peters? It is in the back of my mind. Cross your fingers and toes. I’ve had enough of these big monopoly schools winning the entire thing every single year. It’s the Peacocks turn. I believe in miracles.

The Indianapolis Colts’ search for their Spock behind center has them turning over every stone in the entire league. Their horrible ending of a regular season taking a loss to the bottom of the barrel of a team called the Jacksonville Jaguars, have set things in motion for Indianapolis. The Colts should have been in the playoffs, but they lost their final two games of the season. One more win & they would have been in. The Colts scapegoat was Carson Wentz as they dealt him to the Washington Commanders. The Colts brass had balls to call up division rival Houston Texans to see what the asking price on Deshaun Watson was. I think we know what Houston said as the phone disconnected without saying goodbye. The Colts found a stone to overturn with another team that was going hot and heavy in their pursuit of Deshaun Watson, the Atlanta Falcons. The Colts get Matt Ryan an upgrade at the quarterback position while the Falcons are left scratching their heads over what happened.

Matt Ryan will be 37 years old in the month of May, but is still a bonafide starter in the NFL. Last year Matt Ryan went 7-10 as the starter of the Falcons while completing 67 % of his passes for 3,968 yards with 20 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. It was a season when Ryan saw the Falcons trade his favorite guy, Julio Jones, to Tennessee and then his other favorite receiver, Calvin Ridley, had personal issues. Ridley had to step away from the game and then turned to gambling as he bet on football. Ryan, nicknamed Matty Ice, plays the game of football cool, calm, and collected in all situations, & was former MVP of the league and 4 time Pro-bowler. Ryan led the Falcons to a Superbowl only to see the 28-3 lead at halftime evaporate quickly as Tom Brady and the Patriots had a historical comeback win in that one. Ryan was the 3rd overall pick in 2008. He played 14 seasons in Hot Atlanta & had a regular season record of 120-102 while in post-season he had a 4-6 record. Ryan in a Falcon uniform passed for 59,735 yards with 367 touchdowns and 120 interceptions. In the end, the Falcons only get a 2022 3rd round pick from the Colts for Matt Ryan and end up paying 40.5 in dead money from his contract that will be on the team’s salary cap.

The Falcons have been in salary cap hell the last few seasons. Most of the money the Falcons had invested was on the offensive side of the ball. The defense was like a turnstile as opposing offenses had their way with those units like whores in a whorehouse giving out free stuff. Not sure what the Falcons had planned if they did get a trade done with the Houston Texans to bring Deshaun Watson to Atlanta. Paying Watson 230 guaranteed money would mean every player on the Falcons roster would have had to rework their contracts. I think when the Falcons could not get the deal done to go back to their old reliable gal as was not in the cards, Matt Ryan had to go. Seattle Seahawks show some interest in Matt Ryan, but their offer was not revealed. Now the Falcons brought in veteran Marcus Mariota, the former Titan who been running some wild cat formations the last few seasons in Vegas. Mariota probably just bridges the gap behind center for now as the Falcons might find their next Matty Ice in the upcoming NFL draft. The Falcons should have hit the reset button years ago. They would have gotten more than a 3rd round pick for the face of their franchise.

Meanwhile the Colts have been trying to find the solution for years at the quarterback position. Things unraveled when Andrew Luck called it a career early and stepped away from the game years ago. The Colts had tried Jacoby Brissett which started off good but fizzled quickly. Then the Colts turned to Phillip Rivers in free agency. Rivers would only play one season as he guided the Colts to the playoffs and loss in first round to Buffalo. Rivers was needed at home to drive the Partridge family bus with all the kids he has assembled over the years. Last season the Colts thought they had their answer at quarterback, trading for Carson Wentz from the Eagles as that experiment went bad at the end of regular season. Colts would have Matt Ryan for two seasons at 54 million total. About the same type of money they would have paid Wentz. Colts have a solid team in place. Jonathan Taylor emerged as one of the best running backs in the league last year. The Colts defense is one of the top ten units in the game. I think this is a great trade for the Colts. The Colts can’t suddenly go Falcon like. The Colts lost some offensive linemen to retirement and free agency. Colts need to solidify the line even though Ryan has been mainly healthy his entire career, but to keep him protected while making holes for Taylor. Colts need to add some more play-makers in the receiving cores for Ryan. Maybe Julio Jones, they may get him on the cheap side as the Titans cut ties with one of the best receivers in the league until last season. . The AFC is a loaded conference of power houses and this move by the Colts bringing in Ryan, I have them at the top of the AFC South. Ryan is better than the Ryan in Tennessee. Ryan Tannehill relies heavily on the play action pass in Tennessee. Matt Ryan can win games with his arm alone if needed. Even with Ryan in the middle of his 30’s, he still has plenty in the gasoline tank to take the Colts, an established team, to the playoffs. This is a move that gives the Colts two years with their team’s window open to do something in the playoffs. Let’s not forget the tough schedule the Colts started off with last season. They lost some close games to very good teams and dug themselves a hole early on in the standings. The Colts had a streak towards the end of the season when they looked like one of the scariest teams to play if they made it to the post-season. Then the bottom of the car fell out for the Colts as their roll came to a sudden halt.