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THE JETS ARE DOOMED WITH RODGERS

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For the last few seasons the New York Jets had that ferocious defense, one of the top units in the league. It was a defense that could suffocate a running game. In the air their defenses were Maverick-like in the danger zone. With that defense in place if only they had a quarterback, then the sky was the limit for their future contention window. This franchise has tried developing their franchise quarterback through the draft. The team has high picks over the years and have swung and missed with guys like Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson. He was bad on the field along with bringing that toxic feeling to the gang green’s locker room. Then the Jets front office finally landed their answer at QB, the man the legend former Packers star & future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers who has a Superbowl ring. In two seasons of which one Rodgers was hurt the entire year after leaving the first quarter with an injury, he has single handily taken this Jets team two steps backwards instead of forward.

In Aaron Rodger’s second season with the Jets, the team is off to a 2-5 start after the first 7 games of the season. Maybe it’s time he looked himself in the mirror or got some more quality time at his darkness retreat. Rodgers has 10 touchdown passes compared to 7 interceptions. The Jets are averaging 18.3 points per game. The Jets offense is ranked 24th in the NFL in scoring this season. Whose fault is that? The great Rodgers is 40 years old, has played football for decades, and has been on plenty of winning teams in his NFL career. Many great quarterbacks will take the blame themselves. Rodgers will point fingers at the other guys. The Jets loss to Buffalo when the Bills sealed the win off with an interception, Rodgers blamed the veteran wide receiver Mike Williams for running the wrong route. The ball looked like it was under thrown as well. Not Rodgers’ fault as he pointed that out after the game in the press conference. Williams played with the Chargers last year & was a nice weapon for Justin Herbert. He signed with the Jets this off season as a free agent. Williams has been working himself back from an injury that occurred last season. The Jets just made a trade for one of Rodgers’ disciples back in the Green Bay days, Devante Adams. More on him in a little bit. Now Williams appears to be on the Jets trading block.

My biggest beef with this Jets team is how the owner Woody Johnson fired a promising head coach in Robert Saleh. Only six games into the season, Rodgers and Saleh bumped heads on a few things.

Did Aaron Rodgers orchestrate his frustrations with the Jets owner making this move happen? Saleh is a former defensive coordinator from the San Francisco 49ers and the problems with these Jets teams have been the offense. The Jets would promote their defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to the interim head coach. Ulbrich is known as a positive guy, a former disciple of Pete Carol’s staff. Could he be the yes man for Rodgers the rest of the way? The Jets have brought in Rodgers’ former head coach last year Nathaniel Hackett who once upon a time ago was Rodgers’ offensive coordinator in Green Bay. Hackett landed a head coaching job in Denver and fizzled out with the Broncos and did not even last a full season. If you remember what Sean Payton said about the Broncos team when he took over. “One of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.”

The Jets also said after the firing of Saleh and promoting Ulbrich to interim head coach, they will have Todd Downing call the plays on offense. Hackett will still be Rodgers’ right hand man but the team is going with some younger blood on the play calls in hope to spice things up.

After the Bills lost, the Jets made a trade and landed Devante Adams from the Raiders. Adams was fed up with the Raiders. He demanded a trade and got his wish as he lands with the old quarterback from their Green Bay days. The Jets have surrounded Rodgers with guys he is familiar with like Randal Cobb and Allen Lazard now Adams. With Adams in the fold, could it hurt the Jets young receiver Garrett Wilson who is the team’s number one guy? Then you wonder about if the Jets now become pass happy and abandon the run as they have a solid running back in Breece Hall. Does Rodgers use another wish from his genie the Jets front office and find himself another back he has worked with back in Green Bay? It’s the Packers East coast team they are building in the AFC.

Can Aaron Rodgers and the Jets dig themselves out the hole they have dug this season out of the gates at 2-5? The Jets defense use to be stout versus the run. I noticed opposing teams have gashed this defense for big chunks of yards. This Jets team still has some missing pieces like the offensive line has needs. I’m all about Rodgers getting creamed back there by defenses. This Jets team has to clean up the penalties in which they shoot themselves in the foot many times. Rodgers will point the finger at the referees for those mistakes. To me this Jets team feels like the nut job is in charge of the asylum. Which my middle finger is pointed to Rodgers on that guy. Last Sunday night even with Roger’s new toy Adams, the Steelers killed the Jets with Russell Wilson at quarterback. Rodgers is not a top ten QB in the NFL anymore. You saw that in Green Bay & you see it this season. Look at Jordan Love now in Green Bay. Rodgers could not even hold his jock strap the way Love is playing. For years Rodgers held the Packers hostage not letting the organization know if he was playing or not the following year. It took kicking and screaming to get Rodgers out of the door to Green Bay. I’m sorry but New York is where X-Packers QB’s go to die. Brett Favre did not do well as a Jet. At least Favre moved on from New York and had a few productive seasons with Minnesota. How long is the leash that the Jets owner will keep Rodgers on after this season? Sooner or later this Jets defense contention window will close. They will age or move on seeking riches from other teams. Then you’re left with an aging quarterback that will need prunes and will not play like Tom Brady in his 40’s. When it is all done Rodgers will point that finger to blame Woody Johnson for not getting it right to surround Mr. Darkness Retreat with the proper weapons to run a well-oiled machine offense. The Jets are doomed and will go back to the drawing board looking for a quarterback. While Rodgers will slink away thinking it was not his fault.

NFL WEEK 7: WEEKLY PREDICTIONS DONE THE WILD SHAMROCK WAY

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LAST WEEK’S RECORD FOR WEEK 6: (11-3)

THURSDAY NIGHT RECORD:(4-2)

FRIDAY NIGHT GAMES(0-1)

MONDAY NIGHT RECORD:(5-2)

NFL WEEK 7 STRAIGHT PICK-EM

THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

DENVER BRONCOS(3-3) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS(2-4)

The Saints and the Broncos have screwed me all year with their shenanigans. The Saints injury list reads out like a Santa Clause list. Including without their starting QB Derek Carr. The Saints have lost 4 straight games. The Broncos are going through growing pains with their rookie QB, Bo Nix. I like the Broncos defense who are one of the top units in the league. The Saints defense has gone to complete shambles giving up 51 points to Tampa Bay last week.

My X-factor is the return of Sean Payton to New Orleans. Plus factor in that Broncos have won 3 out their last 4 games.

OUR PICK: BRONCOS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS(1-5) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS(1-5)

This is a pair of 1-5 teams battling on a neutral site. The Jaguars played in London last week and have stayed there while New England flew over the pond. The Patriots unleashed their rookie quarterback, Drake Maye, who played well in his first start for the Patriots. These are two bad teams, but I expect Maye to play well in his second start. I like Trevor Lawrence better in this match up as he has been getting better each week. The victories are not there yet for the Jaguars. Maye and the Patriots will score points off a leaky Jacksonville defense. I suspect this game to be an offensive shoot out with the Jaguars saying Cheerio to the Patriots at the end.

OUR PICK: JAGS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS(3-3) AT ATLANTA FALCONS(4-2)

The Seahawks and the Falcons are heading in opposite directions. Seattle has lost three straight games. The Falcons have won 3 straight games. Another long flight across the country for Seattle. The Falcons offense is rolling like a well-oiled machine and the Seahawks defense is easier than a whorehouse in a bad neighborhood. Captain Kirk Cousins is playing well. I like the Falcons at home and they have the better defense to make this decision rather easy.

OUR PICK: FALCONS

TENNESSEE TITANS(1-4) AT BUFFALO BILLS(4-2)

The good news for the Titans is Mason Rudolf, former Steelers QB, gets the start. The Bills are finally at home after three straight road games where they won only one game. Rudolf filled in for Will Levis once this season and the outcome turned into the Titans’ only victory. I expect a better offensive performance for the Titans. I expect a better offensive performance from the Bills who will be on high after escaping New York with a victory on Monday night.

Even though the Jets technically play in Jersey. The Bills defense is getting healthier with guys returning. Then Buffalo made a trade landing the Browns’ top receiver, Amari Cooper, could be a nice jump start to that Bills offense we saw in the first three weeks of the season. Cooper will draw attention and Josh Allen will find someone open for the winning score.

OUR PICK: BILLS

CINCINNATI BENGALS(2-4) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS(1-5)

The battle of Ohio with two bad teams. The Bengals are trying to dig themselves out of an early season gigantic hole they dug themselves. The Browns’ season has been horrific. The Yankees just wiped out the Guardians in the baseball world. You know every Cleveland sports fan has awaken seeing this in a drunk stupor.

The thoughts of it seemed like a good idea at the time. Now these Cleveland fans are left with Deshaun Watson. Back to the drunk stupor because life was better. The Bengals have a solid offense. Watson is bad, Joe Burrow is better. The Browns are already waving the white flag dealing Amari Cooper to Buffalo. I like the Bengals in this state rivalry.

OUR PICK: BENGALS

HOUSTON TEXANS(5-1) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS(4-2)

Jordan Love versus CJ Stroud may be a great game here. The Texans, that sexy pick from experts, being a AFC heavy weight is panning off. Meanwhile the Packers in that loaded NFC North division is something you can’t sneeze at. On paper this looks like a shoot out. Both teams have a pretty good defensive unit. This will be a close game. Going with the home team on this pick as Love will just do a tad more than Stroud for a victory dance at Lambeau field. As Packers keep pace with the Lions, Vikings, and Bears… Oh my!!!

OUR PICK: PACKERS

MIAMI DOLPHINS(2-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS(3-3)

If the Dolphins can hover around the 500 mark as they await the return of Tua Tagovailoa to save their season, you never know. The Colts are the better team with Joe Flacco behind center. It’s that simple. The Dolphins have former Ravens QB Tyler Huntley starting behind center. I like Flacco better. The Colts have won without their number one running back, Jonathan Taylor. Both teams will score points because their defenses are terrible. Flacco gets the last laugh.

OUR PICK: COLTS

DETROIT LIONS(4-1) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS(5-0)

I believe any NFC North match up this season may be must see television. The Lions visiting Viking-land will be epic. The Lions have won three straight. The Vikings have not lost yet. Jarred Goff and Sam Darnold have had solid seasons so far. The Lions in that blow out win over the Cowboys lost their best defensive player in Aidan Hutchinson.

The Vikings are well rested and at home sounds like a recipe for winning. I like the Lions head coach, Dan Campbell, pushing all the right buttons with his team by losing Hutchinson and overcoming the Vikings. Sometimes when you’re playing well and too well like the Vikings, a bye week can hurt you more than help. I like Lions overcoming this hurdle, taking over first, and giving the Vikings their first lost of the year.

OUR PICK: LIONS

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES(3-2) AT NEW YORK GIANTS(2-4)

The Giants and Eagles have played bad football, but combined they are 5-6 so they are finding ways to win games. Eagles barely won against a bad visiting Browns team at home. The Giants offense was a no-show versus the Bengals on Sunday night. Looks like the G-Men will get one of their play makers back in wide receiver Malik Nabors. This is one game I would not want to watch on the docket. Is Jalen Hurts due for a big game for the Eagles? Do you trust a pretty good Giants defense? I don’t trust Daniel Jones for the Giants behind center.

OUR PICK: EAGLES

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS(2-4) AT LA RAMS(1-4)

This game is a clunker. The Raiders traded away Davante Adams, first of all. What kind of message are you sending to this Raiders team? The Rams have played in some close games but have only one win to show for it. The Rams were a playoff team last year. The Raiders defense was solid last year. My pick will be based off the QB. The Raiders are probably riding with Aidan O’Connell over Gardner Minshew, which is not a huge upgrade. The Rams are at home and still have Matthew Stafford who should be able to get it done.

OUR PICK: RAMS

CAROLINA PANTHERS(1-5) AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS(4-2)

The Commanders got a true measuring stick of this Jayden Daniels-led team versus the Ravens last week. Even with a loss the Commanders hung with one of the top AFC teams for 4 quarters. Meanwhile the Panthers. Bad defense. Andy Dalton and that Panthers offense will score some points. Not enough to compete with the Commanders. I like Washington getting the easy rebound and reestablishing themselves with a W.

OUR PICK: COMMANDERS

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS(5-0) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS(3-3)

The rematch of the Superbowl!!! The Chiefs have not lost a pep in their step as they are 5-0 out of the gates this season. The 49ers are a different story. They have piled up a ton of injuries. They have ridden the struggle bus to a 500 record. The Chiefs are coming off a bye week. Andy Reid’s teams historically have dominated coming off the bye week. The Chiefs defense is plying well. The 49ers defense is not playing well. Everything seems to favor the Chiefs. This should be an easy go with Kansas City. This is the NFL, nothing right now is set in stone. We know the script will have the Chiefs winning it all at the end. The script needs dramatic scenes. The 49ers win a big game for that dramatic flare and gives the Chiefs their first loss of the year. They can’t win them all.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

NEW YORK JETS(2-4) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS(4-2)

The Steelers are making a move at their quarterback position benching Justin Fields for a healthy Russell Wilson. Confused? I certainly am. Then the Jets are getting the band back together as they are forming the Packers east coast team. The Jets land one of Aaron Rodgers’ old weapons from Green Bay by getting Davante Adams from the Raiders. Rodgers had his best game in a Jets uniform in a loss on Monday night to the Bills. How will Wilson do in his debut in the black and gold? Will the Steelers get Wilson from the Seahawks days or the Broncos days? Will the Steelers fans will be up in arms? Both teams have good defenses. The Steelers are better coached than the Jets team who shoot themselves in the foot regularly. Is the Jets owner relying too heavy on Rodgers with the firing of their head coach before the Bills game and now getting Adams? This Jets team seems like a house of cards ready to be blown down by the Steelers defense. I just don’t trust Rodgers. I don’t trust Wilson either. Mike Tomlin has gotten a 4-2 record with Fields as the starter. Watch Wilson play better than that Denver Wilson, but not his old Seattle self as the Steelers pull off a close one.

OUR PICK: STEELERS

TWO MONDAY NIGHT GAMES

BALTIMORE RAVENS(4-2) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS(4-2)

This will be an interesting game between the Ravens and Buccaneers. Baker Mayfield lit up the Saints as the Buccaneers put 51 points on the scoreboard. The Ravens dealt with the rookie sensation Jayden Daniels and the Commanders for a victory. The Ravens have won 4 straight after losing the first two games out of the gates. Who has the better defense? The Buccaneers did give up a ton of points to back up quarterback last week. The Ravens are not that stout unit they were last season. You have to give the Ravens defense the nod. This should be a great game. At the end I stand by Lamar Jackson who has a career record of 22-1 against NFC teams. I go Ravens.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

LA CHARGERS(3-2) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS(2-4)

Every time you look at the scoreboard, it seems the Chargers get a win somehow. The Chargers are very quietly a 3-2 team. The Cardinals’ 2 wins have come against teams in their own division. I like Justin Herbert having a successful game over the Cardinals’ bad defense. Kyler Murray is too up and down for my taste. I like Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers defense that can keep Murray in check. This is not a very exciting game, but I like another quiet Chargers victory to end week 7.

OUR PICK: CHARGERS

HANGING OUT WITH MR. COOPER

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For the Buffalo Bills, life without Stefon Diggs has had its up and downs. The first three games of the seasons the Bills offense was rolling like a well-oiled machine. It was an offense where everyone feasts as Josh Allen spread the ball around. It was working when the team was averaging over 30 points per game and started out of the gates 3-0. It was Diggs who? Then the next two games the Bills struggled on offense losing two conference games to teams they most likely will meet in the playoffs. The Ravens and Diggs’ new team, the Texans. Suddenly Diggs was being missed as the Bills had no top receiver to take double coverage. They did not have a guy that would step up in crucial situations to keep the chains moving. The Bills only averaged 15 points in the next two losses. On Monday the Bills found a way to get back in the win column beating the Jets. Bills only scored 23 points which was better than what they did in two straight losses. This offense was missing Diggs, but not Diggs as a person and his mentality of me, me, me, and me. The Bills at 4-2 are in first place in the east and want to stay there. They struck a deal with the Cleveland Browns adding a true number 1 receiver to this team by landing veteran wide out, Amari Cooper.

Amari Cooper is 30 years old and was a former 1st round pick of the Oakland Raiders back in 2015, 4th overall in the NFL draft. Since the Browns are handcuffed by Deshaun Watson’s contract and starting 1-5 out of the gates, the front office feels it’s time to sell off a few pieces in Cleveland. The Bills will land Cooper and receive a 2025 6th round draft pick from the Browns. The Browns will get the Bills 3rd round pick in 2025 and their 7th round pick in 2026. Cooper’s salary, because his deal was reworked, fits perfectly under the Bills salary cap. The Bills General Manager Brandon Beane did not have to give up a ton of draft capital or find ways to fit a higher priced receiver in the team’s cap. Cooper gives Josh Allen a true number one receiver again to really give this aerial attack the Bills have a big boost.

This is the 10th year in the NFL for Amari Cooper, who came out of Alabama University. The Bills will be his 4th team he has suited up for. He started with Oakland & then was traded to Dallas. He has been on the Browns for the last three seasons. Any time he has started for a new team, he has come out of the gates strong and has had big years tallying up 1,000 or more yards for each new team he has played for. Last year Cooper and Joe Flacco had a nice connection on the field in Cleveland. The Browns went to the playoffs. Cooper had 72 catches for 1,250 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. Some of that was with Deshaun Watson earlier in the season. Cooper’s game got better with Flacco. This year Cleveland’s offense has really struggled and Cooper had only 24 catches for 250 yards with two touchdowns in six games. Cooper would need 750 yards in a Buffalo uniform to notch his third straight season reaching 1,000 or more yards. Cooper’s career in 146 games he has hauled in 691 passes for 9,736 yards with 62 touchdowns. Stefon Diggs arrived, also in 2015, and has played ten seasons in the NFL. Diggs has more catches, yards, and touchdowns. Diggs has hauled in 847 catches for 10,387 yards and 70 touchdowns. As you can see, career-wise Cooper is not that far off from Diggs, maybe except catches.

The Bills leading receiver to this point of the season for the Bills is Khalil Shakir, who has 20 grabs for 249 yards with two touchdowns. Shakir is a slot receiver who will benefit with the presence of Amari Cooper. Shakir should not be your number 2 guy. He’s a very nice number 2. The Bills have been developing a rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman, who has 20 grabs for 201 yards with two touchdowns. The Bills have two solid tight ends in Dalton Kincaid, who has 21 grabs for 217 yards with a touchdown catch. The other tight end is Dawson Knox who scored his first touchdown of the year on Monday night versus the Jets. Everyone eats in the Bills offense as veteran big body wide out, Mack Hollins, even has two touchdowns this season. The Bills cut two time Superbowl winner veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling, who had only caught two balls so far for 26 yards to make room on the roster for their big trade acquisition.

After the loss to the Bills, it did not take the Jets long to pull the trigger and land Devante Adams from the Raiders. Adams reunites with his former quarterback from Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers. Adams wanted out of Vegas. Adams is one of the best receivers in the NFL. Suddenly the AFC has an arms race for aerial weapons. Rumors have it that Buffalo kicked the tires on Adams, but Vegas had a higher price. Maybe too steep for the Bills salary cap. It did not seem that long after sending Adams to the Jets, the news came out of Cooper heading to Buffalo. Will Adams resurrect this Jets team that has far more problems than just Rodgers? Rodgers probably played his best game with the Jets versus the Bills in that Monday night game. The Jets have dug themselves a hole early on, but they have plenty of time to get back in the playoff talk. The Bills could be 5-1 as they shot themselves in the foot in the game versus the Texans. The Bills head coach Sean McDermott blamed himself for poor clock management that could have sent that game to overtime. The Bills are getting people back from their injuries as well. Hanging with Mr. Cooper may be the ace card this Bills team needs. A good locker room guy. Amari Cooper is a great route runner. Now the Bills have a deep threat for Josh Allen. With Cooper in the fold, other guys will get open. I like the Bills running game. This move keeps defenses guessing. The Jets may turn things around with Adams. The Bills can now be talked about with the top tier teams in the AFC, the Ravens and Chiefs, with Cooper now in the mix.

NFL WEEK SIX: WEEKLY PREDICTIONS DONE THE WILD SHAMROCK WAY

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LAST WEEK’S RECORD WEEK 5:(9-5)

THURSDAY NIGHT RECORD: (3-2)

FRIDAY NIGHT RECORD:(0-1)

SEASON RECORD:(45-33)

NFL WEEK 6 – STRAIGHT PICK’EM

THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS(2-3) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS(3-2)

Both the Seahawks and the 49ers have played poorly the last few weeks. The 49ers lost to the Cardinals last Sunday. The Seahawks lost a home game to the visiting Giants. Both teams have taken on injuries in the first 5 weeks of the season. It’s a short week for both teams. The Seahawks defense worries me the most in this match up as injuries have taken a toll on this unit. I like Brock Purdy having a big game doing his thing with a 49ers well-balanced attack with the run and pass and tackling while taking this game rather easily.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

THE LONDON GAME

LONDON JAGUARS(1-4) AT CHICAGO BEARS(3-2)

The guards at the tower of London look like a marching band at a high school football game. I say London Jaguars because every year Jacksonville plays a game or more in England. The Bears will be the home team which is not really a home field advantage in this one. It seems Bears fans travel well so they might be in town. Caleb Williams had his best game last Sunday as a rookie quarterback in this league. Williams feasted on a bad Panthers team. The Jaguars had themselves a nice week notching their first win they needed to stay afloat. I like the experience of Trevor Lawrence as he has been here, done this game, and he right now is finding his groove. The Bears defense keeps this game close. I can see the Bears looking lethargic in the first half with the flight and getting used to the surroundings. The Jaguars will overcome any jet lag and take care of business in their home away from home.

OUR PICK: JAGUARS

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS(4-1) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS(3-2)

Lamar Jackson versus Jayden Daniels sounds like the Clash of the Titans movie. The Commanders have won 4 straight games. The Ravens have won 3 straight. The Ravens defense is not the same unit from last year as the Commanders will score points. The Ravens obviously will get their share of points as Jackson and Derrick Henry have created a dominating run game. Can Daniels be stopped? Can Daniels be contained? I think the Commanders will hit a speed bump in this one on the road. The Ravens will prevail late with a go ahead score and slow down the rookie just enough to put this game on ice.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

ARIZONA CARDINALS(2-3) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS(3-2)

Jordan Love earned his first victory back from his injury that took him out in the first game in Brazil on opening weekend versus the Eagles. The Cardinals found a way to upend the 49ers last Sunday in an upset. Love and the Packers offense should be able to feast on the Cardinals weak defensive line. The Cardinals have only beat the teams in their own division as their other win was against the Rams. Kyle Murray has had a decent season so far but I like the Packers being able to make stops on defense. I don’t see the Cardinals offense being able to score another 40 points on this Packers defense in Green Bay. I have the Packers prevailing in this one at home.

OUR PICK: PACKERS

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS(2-3) AT TENNESSEE TITANS(1-3)

If either team wants to win this game, they should turn to their back up quarterbacks.

Joe Flacco has done very well over the second year quarterback Anthony Richardson who may be able to play this week coming back from an injury. The Titans had a bye week last week and are well-rested.

It was the play of Mason Rudolf that came into the game for Will Levis in week 4 to secure the Titans’ first victory of the season. If this game is Levis vs Richardson, you have to lean Titans. Even if Flacco gets the start the Titans have the better defense as the Colts can’t stop anyone. The Colts will not have Jonathan Taylor for this one. I like the Titans rested up and putting their divisional rival away in this match-up.

OUR PICK: TITANS

HOUSTON TEXANS(4-1) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS(1-4)

The New England Patriots will hand the keys to their rookie quarterback Drake Maye after only winning one game in the first 5 weeks of the season. The Texans, everyone’s darlings to be the new power house in the AFC, should have no problem with this Patriots team. I’m sure Maye will have growing pains in his first ever start in the NFL. Everyone in New England wants this kid right away slinging the football like the great Tom Brady. With Caleb Williams finding his game after a few bad performances, the Patriots will have to have patience with a rookie. We know the Patriot fans will want Maye to come out like Jayden Daniels blazing. It “Maye” take some time. I like Houston winning this game on the road by double digits.

OUR PICK: TEXANS

TAMPA BAY(3-2) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS(2-3)

Last time we saw the Buccaneers, they lost a game on Thursday night in an epic shoot out that went to overtime versus Kirk Cousins and the Falcons. The Saints opened up the season winning their first two games and putting over 40 points on the score board in each of them. The Saints have come back down to earth in a fatal crash as they lost three straight. Derek Carr is out.

Now the Saints will launch their secret weapon. Spencer Rattler is a rookie quarterback. Rattler was drafted out of South Carolina University and he is fearless. I like the Buccaneers chances better in this one with Bake Mayfield playing well. The Saints O-line is banged up. The Buccaneers are rested up.

OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS

PITTSBURGH STEELERS(3-2) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS(2-3)

The Steelers have lost two straight games after winning their first three. The Raiders are having QB issues. Will the Raiders bench Gardner Minshew and go with Aidan O’Connell? He was the starter for the silver and black last season. Looks like Russell Wilson will be back from his injury but the Steelers will stick with Justin Fields. The Raiders are without their star wide receiver Davante Adams who wants to be traded. I think O’Connell will give the Raiders a spark but not enough to light up the Steelers talented defense. I like Fields being able to match up against this Raiders defense that is still banged up.

OUR PICK: STEELERS

CLEVELAND BROWNS(1-4) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES(2-2)

These Browns are a natural disaster right now. How many more weeks will the Browns continue to trot out Deshaun Watson before pulling the plug on the 230 million dollar QB?

The Eagles needed a bye week and they are well rested after being off in week 5. The Eagles have been festering with their bad loss to the Buccaneers two weeks ago. I like Jalen Hurts out-dueling anything Watson has. I think the locker room will be an issue for Cleveland which may already be dividing. My gut feeling is the Eagles have their best game of the season in front of the home crowd against a team that is in total disarray right now.

OUR PICK: EAGLES

ATLANTA FALCONS(3-2) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS(1-4)

The Atlanta Falcons have to be licking their chops right now heading to Carolina to feast on Panthers meat. Kirk Cousins and that offense rolled over a pretty good Tampa Bay defense. The Panthers were shell-shocked playing the Bears on the road. Andy Dalton will keep this game close during the first half. The Falcons have a well balanced attack and the way Cousins has already adapted to his new team means look for Atlanta to light up the score board against a bad Panthers team. They can’t stop it but know it’s coming.

OUR PICK: FALCONS

DETROIT LIONS(3-1) AT DALLAS COWBOYS(3-2)

Both the Lions and Cowboys have won two straight games. The Lions are well rested coming off their bye week. The Cowboys last two wins have come against the Raiders and the Giants which does not give a confidence boost that they can take down the visiting Lions. The Cowboys may be without their star defender Micah Parsons who missed last week with an injury. I like the Lions offensive line man handling the Cowboys defensive front giving Detroit big holes to run through. Dak Prescott should keep this game close most of the game, but Lions will prevail late in the 4th to escape Dallas with another road victory.

OUR PICK: LIONS

LA CHARGERS(2-2) AT DENVER BRONCOS(3-2)

The Broncos are surging as they have won three straight games as you ask yourselves how. The Chargers have lost two straight and they are coming off their bye week. It seems like both teams play better defense right now than putting points on the board. The Broncos defense has been playing lights out. Bo Nix versus Justin Herbert could be the beginning of these two quarterbacks playing against each other for years to come. Herbert has been bothered by a ankle issue. Nix, the rookie quarterback, has been quietly improving each week as the Broncos have been tip toeing around the NFL. This while quietly stringing together victories. Jim Harbaugh coached teams are always a thorn in the side for opposing teams. Sean Payton had the Broncos playing well last year when his team looked like the worst team ever in football history. I like the Broncos in this one to continue quietly to gallop to another victory.

OUR PICK: BRONCOS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

CINCINNATI BENGALS(1-4) AT NEW YORK GIANTS(2-3)

The Giants had an upset last week over Seattle on the road. The Bengals had it. They missed a field goal versus the Ravens and ended up losing their 4th game of the season. This may be the biggest hole the Bengals early on into a season dug themselves. Joe Burrow is one of the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL right now as him and his receivers Lamar Chase and Tee Higgins are on the field together and on the same page. Daniel Jones has struggled this season. Jones and the Giants offense should be able to generate points off a bad Bengals defense. In the end Burrow should beat Jones. That Bengals offense will be a huge challenge against that Giants defense, which will break.

OUR PICK: BENGALS

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

BUFFALO BILLS(3-2) AT NEW YORK JETS(2-3)

This game has all the drama going on by both teams. The Jets fired their head coach this week, Robert Saleh. You may say Aaron Rodgers may have something to do with it. The Jets defensive coordinator will take over the head coach duties. Last Sunday it was the Bills head coach Sean McDermott who cost his team a W versus the Texans with bad clock management. The Bills have lost two games in a row. Josh Allen got banged up last week pretty good versus the Texans. Speaking of Rodgers, he has struggled in the last two weeks throwing lots of interceptions. The Jets also demoted their offensive coordinator. Nathan Hackett may be on coffee duty. This will be the Bills’ third straight road game. The Jets made the long trip back from England where they lost last week. Injuries for the Bills is a factor. Their offense averaged over 30 points per game in the first three games & now have averaged just 15 points per game in those two losses. Last year when the Jets opened up at home in Rodgers’ first game wearing the dark green, he was injured early on and was out for the season on a sack by Leonard Floyd. I like Allen having a big game here. I like the Bills defense finding a way to irk Rodgers as he makes a few critical mistakes to give the Bills a victory they need.

OUR PICK: BILLS

BLOSSOMING YOUNG ROSE WILTED BUT SURVIVED 15 YEARS IN THE NBA

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After the Michael Jordan era in the 1990′,s Chicago hoops turned very sour. The Bulls were the ultimate disgrace and a bottom feeder in the NBA for several years. To this day after the Jordan retired, the Bulls had a few moments of glory, but mostly black clouds have lingered up above the United Center. Before the 2008-09 season, the Bulls found some luck in the basketball world getting the lottery number one pick as the ball bounced their way. The Bulls’ chances to get the number one pick were very slim. The Bulls used that number one pick on local Chicago kid Derrick Rose, who played hoops at Simeon High School and was one best basketball players in the city and the state. Rose played his college ball out of Memphis University and he was looking to be the savior of Bulls basketball. It started out with a bang but ended up as what if, as that is the Chicago way in this city’s sports landscape. The smell of roses led to a wilted flower in need of water as he had to go elsewhere for that. Many thought his career was done but he survived although he was never the same player. Had moments of the old Derrick Rose. Some say he is a future Hall of Famer. Did he do enough on the court to get selected to that prestigious honor?

Derrick Rose, obviously drafted by his home team the Bulls, ended his career in the town he played his college ball in – the Memphis Grizzlies. Rose would play 15 seasons in the NBA with six different teams and some of those years he played for more than one team. Rose played seven seasons in Chicago. He would suit up for the Knicks for 4 seasons, Pistons 2 seasons, Timber wolves 2 seasons, 1 season with Cavaliers, and the Grizzlies. Rose came into the league like gang busters as he was quick and could beat you to the lane. He had a sniper shot that could hit from anywhere. He could dazzle you with a nice feed to any one of his teammates on the floor for an easy bucket. His first season in a Bulls uniform he was Rookie of the Year and awarded a spot on the All Rookie NBA team in 2008-09 season. In his third season, the 2010-11 season was magical as the Bulls had the best record in the league at 62-20 and almost made you forget about Michael Jordan. Just for a second. This Rose-led Bulls team stormed themselves all the way to the Eastern Conference finals and fell victim to that dream team of the Miami Heat. If you hate Lebron James with his decision to take his talents to South Beach where he assembled the big three which included Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosch. The Heat dispatched the Bulls in 5 games. What if Lebron stayed in Cleveland? Could the Bulls have gotten by him and that Cavaliers team he abandoned or perhaps another team? That was the year when Rose was the youngest ever player to win an MVP award in the NBA at 22 years of age. He made the All-NBA team as well in that 2010-2011 season.

Then the Bulls the following season would once again be playoff bound in the 2011-2012 season. They opened up against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. They blame head coach Tom Thibodeau for having Derrick Rose in the game as the Bulls were up by double digit points. Rose would injure his left knee as he tore his ACL. You could add another “What If” to this situation. Rose would miss the entire 2012-2013 season to recover. Many fans and the Bulls front office blamed Thibodeau, whose philosophy as a coach is when you have a lead keep your foot on the gas pedal. If Rose blamed his coach for the injury, why then did he play for him years later in New York and Minnesota. Rose had that explosiveness to the net which is a blessing but a curse for some players as the grind on the knees can easily snap that ACL. It could happen any given day at any given time. Rose would recover but was not the same player as he once was. Unfortunately that ACL in his left knee was only the beginning for his issues on his basketball legs. In 2013, Rose had a pair of tears to his meniscus in his right knee. In 2015 another tear to the meniscus, this time back to his left knee. Rose definitely lost more than a few steps from being that MVP at the age of 22.

You have to respect Derrick Rose to continue to overcome these injuries and still play a significant role for an NBA team. Rose had to change his game no doubt. He would become a weapon with his below the rim style over making the splashy dunk as he did not have that explosiveness due to the knee issues. He played a different role coming off the bench mostly, Teams would look from him as a quick spark. On October 31st of 2018 in Minnesota, wearing a Timber Wolves uniform Rose scored 50 points against the Utah Jazz. In 2020-2021 he was important to the Knicks team playing solid basketball off the bench as the 6th man which he almost won that award. Who was Rose playing for in 2020-2021? His old coach from the Bulls, good ole Tom Thibodeau who the Bulls front office marched out of town back in the days.

At the end, Derrick Rose averaged 17.4 points per game in the NBA. Rose averaged 3.2 rebounds per game while dishing out at least 5.2 assists per game. Those are not bad numbers. Rose is only 36 years old. In basketball years are like dog years so his frame is much older as the work to get into shape to play in the NBA have to be excruciating at that age. Rose would end up being 3 x all-star. His numbers don’t jump off the page at you but the Basketball Hall of Fame have guys with less credentials than Rose had. I was not a fan of Rose when on one media day right before one of those NBA seasons was about to start, he was talking about his contract instead of giving insight to the reporters on how the Bulls were going to do that particular season. When athletes cry they need more money to feed the family or give to their entourage, it just makes people like Johnny Lunch Pail spit out venomous words against these primadonnas making millions. Of course you can defend Rose and others mouthing off like that at a young age. Young and stupid… we have all been there. Overall my opinion is that Rose is worthy of the Basketball Hall of Fame. I like his work ethic to overcome those injuries. I don’t think he did enough in his entire career to get that honor. I think if he had two more seasons healthier under his belt before the first major knee surgery, then you can put him in. If I was the Bulls, I would not retire his number. Not sure if the Bulls have their own Hall of Fame of sorts like many franchises do. Definitely they should have a spot for a Chicago kid playing for the home crowd winning an MVP award. Derrick Rose still brings the Chicago Bulls fans the best memories of any other small amount of them we have after the Michael Jordan era. What if the Rose did not wilt in that playoff game versus the 76ers? Maybe the Bulls could have had another title. Let’s not forget about the people behind the scenes. Dumb, Dumber, Dumbest – the owner and the front office at the time. The Chicago’s sports landscape has never had the sharpest tools in the shed when it comes to the owners and their henchmen.

NFL WEEK 5: WEEKLY PREDICTIONS DONE THE WILD SHAMROCK WAY

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In week 5 we remember the great Greg Landry who played quarterback for the Lions for 11 seasons in the 1960’s & 70’s. Landry passed away at the age of 77 this week. Landry played 15 years in the NFL. After the Lions he played for the Colts and Bears. He also did two years in the USFL in the 1980’s with the Arizona Wranglers and Chicago Blitz. He was 44-51-3 as a starter in the NFL throwing 98 touchdowns and had 103 interceptions.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:(10-6)

THURSDAY NIGHT RECORD:(3-1)

FRIDAY NIGHT RECORD:(0-1)

MONDAY NIGHT RECORD:(4-2)

SEASON RECORD:(36-28)

NFL STRAIGHT PICK-EM WEEK 5

THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS(3-1) AT ATLANTA FALCONS(2-2)

This match up is too close to call. A coin flip will do. I have bet against Baker Mayfield so far this season and it has cost me. The Falcons have been hard to figure out as well. Can Captain Kirk Cousins ditch those losing ways on prime time games? Which is a fair question. The Buccaneers and the Falcons coming off wins from last week. This is a division game which means these teams know each other. Even though Cousins is new to the division this will be a shoot out. I bet on Mayfield because he has shown me up every week. I like Cousins making it a close affair, but Buccaneers prevail at the end.

OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

THE LONDON, ENGLAND GAME

The NFL is always scoring points with the Queen of England. Is that the Commissioner Roger Goodell on top?

NEW YORK JETS(2-2) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS(4-0)

Aaron Rodgers will face a familiar team from his past in the Vikings. While Sam Darnold might want to settle the score with the team that drafted him in the New York J-E-T-S. Vikings are surprisingly 4-0 as Darnold suddenly is showing something to explain why he was drafted in the first round in the first place. This game is on neutral ground over the pond in England in where anything can happen. The Jets had a bad week at home losing to the Broncos in bad weather. Rodgers all-time is 17-12 against the Vikings which was done in a Green Bay uniform. Rodgers struggled last week and was mouthing off as he always does when he shows he’s incapable of producing every game like the old days. The Vikings are well-balanced on offense and that defense has been mostly lights out even though they let Green Bay back into that game last Sunday. The Jets line has not played that well for Rodgers. The Jets wins have come from the Titans and Patriots while the Vikings have beaten the Packers and the 49ers who New York lost too. The Vikings are sailing hot right now and I’m riding them over the Jets who have mostly been grounded this season for malfunctions behind center mostly.

OUR PICK: VIKINGS

CAROLINA PANTHERS(1-3) AT CHICAGO BEARS(2-2)

Andy Dalton failed to beat the team that drafted him last Sunday. Can Dalton rebound and beat one his other X-teams? The Bears rookie quarterback I thought played his best game of the season last Sunday with a win over the Rams. The Panthers are a better team with Dalton behind center, but they still overall are a bad team. I like the Bears being at home. I like D’Andre Swift having his best game last week as a Bear.

The Bears should be able to score points anytime versus the Panther defense. The Bears defense has done well all year and should be able to hold Dalton and this Panthers offense in check.

OUR PICK: DA BEARS

MIAMI DOLPHINS(1-3) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS(1-3)

The poor Dolphins and the Patriots have lost three straight games after they opened up with a victory on the opening week. The Cheetah Tyreek Hill is getting restless as they have no quarterback behind center right now to get him the ball. When is the question. Will the Patriots give their rookie quarterback Drake Maye the keys to the car?

Both teams have had troubles on the offensive side of the ball. You can say the Patriots have played better at home. I think Miami runs the ball down the Patriots throat in this one and escapes New England with a victory. This as they find a few plays to get their caged animal Hill involved which will pay off.

OUR PICK: DOLPHINS

BALTIMORE RAVENS(2-2) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS(1-3)

The Bengals finally won their first game of the season last week. Whoopee!!! They played the Panthers. The Ravens gave Buffalo their first loss of the year as they rode the Derrick Henry steamroller to victory.

The Bengals and Ravens will always be worth watching. This Bengals team is 2-8 all-time versus Lamar Jackson. Joe Burrow beat the Bengals easily when Jackson was hurt and is 3-4 all-time versus the Ravens. The Ravens will score points off a bad Bengal defense that has suffered some injuries. They are not the same unit when the Bengals were in the playoffs two seasons ago. The Ravens defense seems to finally be finding their 2023 groove in last week’s performance. Bengals usually dig themselves out of the hole they dug early in the season. This match up is not what this Bengals team needs right now. These teams don’t like each other as it will be close but Ravens prevail.

OUR PICK: RAVENS

BUFFALO BILLS(3-1) AT HOUSTON TEXANS(3-1)

The revenge of Stefon Diggs part 2!! The former Bill will face him & get his chance to stick it to Josh Allen and the front office. The Bills come off an embarrassing loss to the Ravens on Sunday night just getting steamrolled by Derrick Henry. The Texans rebounded from a loss to the Vikings in Diggs’ first revenge game of the season. The Texans pulled off a W over the Jaguars. The Texans are this team that experts like in the AFC to go deep into the playoffs because of CJ Stroud and all the weapons he has. The Bills defense is ailing right now as this could be a shoot out. Allen without Diggs has been successful dishing the ball out to all his guys as you can’t zone in on one guy facing the Bills. The Texans will be without their starting running back, Joe Mixon. I like the Bills running back James Cook having a big game here to spoil the Diggs plot. The Bills defense will bend plenty, but they will capitalize on a mistake made by the Texans to get the Bills back on track.

OUR PICK: BILLS

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS(2-2) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS(0-4)

Last week we had a Joe Flacco sighting in Indianapolis. The recipe for winning in Indianapolis. Make sure that Anthony Richardson plays and gets hurt, then replace him with an established veteran. The Colts did this last year with Gradner Minshew. They did it last week versus the Steelers bringing in Flacco. Colts win. Do you think the Browns fans are happy seeing the guy they had last year take them to the playoffs, win a game? The Jaguars may have played their best game of the year last week in a loss versus Houston. Is this the week the Jags get that first W in the win column? The Colts have not won in Jacksonville since 2014. The Colts will be without their star running back, Jonathan Taylor, who has an ankle injury. The Colts coaching staff is still trying to figure out who they should start. It will be either Flacco, the guy that will win games, or Richardson who’s looking like a bust every week. While they kick around ideas, Jaguars find a way at home to get a win against a team they know and own at home.

OUR PICK: JAGUARS

CLEVELAND BROWNS(1-3) AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS(3-1)

The big question in Cleveland is: When to pull the plug on Deshaun Watson? The Commanders have won three straight with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels taking the league by storm. Watson gives another lackluster performance as the Brownies have lost two straight. The Commanders offense looks legit and may be one of the better scoring machines in the league. Watson’s offensive line is in shambles and he is too busy yelling at his own players on the sideline. I would let the defense have at it if I was a Browns offensive lineman. My QB is a douche bag. It’s getting uglier by the week in Cleveland as this team is about to blow up. Not in a good way. I like the Commanders and they protect Daniels. They have a strong running game behind him. He’s a duel threat. His passing is pin pointed. The Commanders defense should be able to rattle Watson’s cage enough for Daniels to put the Commanders up by double digits.

OUR PICK: COMMANDERS

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS(2-2) AT DENVER BRONCOS(2-2)

The Raiders put up their second W of the season in handling the dysfunctional Cleveland Browns squad. Everyone just assumed the Broncos were going to be one of the worst teams in the league with a rookie quarterback. As Denver has quietly won two straight games. Bo Nix is still developing as the Broncos have shown they have a defense out in Colorado. The Raiders are fighting through injuries and trade talk as their star wide receiver Devante Adams wants out of Vegas.

For the game I think Bo Nix will be able to generate points off the Raiders defense. Gardner Minshew has mostly struggled this season for the Raiders and I thought him coming to Vegas was great move. The Broncos are at home and when I pick against them they screw me. I’m jumping on the Broncos horse for this week at least.

OUR PICK: BRONCOS

ARIZONA CARDINALS(1-3) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS(2-2)

The Cardinals are pretenders. They blew up the Rams for their only victory of the year. They had a solid game versus Buffalo in week one. Last week they were blown up by the Commanders. They have lost two straight. Really not a good team to face a week later a road game in San Francisco when you are on a losing streak. The 49ers handled their business with a lay up over the visiting Patriots. The Cardinals defense will not be able to stop this 49ers offense. Even with the injuries, the 49ers replacements have kept this well-oiled machine able to still score points. The Cardinals will give the 49ers a better battle than the Patriots, but the score should still be one sided in favor of San Francisco.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

GREEN BAY PACKERS(2-2) AT LA RAMS(1-3)

Jordan Love returned last week and had a tale of two halves versus the Vikings. The Rams are kicking more field goals than scoring touchdowns. Caleb Williams, the Bears rookie quarterback, had his best game of his short NFL career so far against that Rams defense. I like Love having a big game since he knocked the rust off in his return last Sunday. Matthew Stafford will keep things close for most of the game. I like the Packers pulling away late in this one as Stafford makes a mistake that cements this one for Green Bay.

OUR PICK: PACKERS

NEW YORK GIANTS(1-3) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS(3-1)

The Giants best receiver ruled out rookie Malik Nabors who was sidelined with a concussion last week. The Seahawks lost their first game on the season being on the road playing the Lions. Seattle gave the Lions a run for their money putting up a ton of points. The Giants have been improving since the horrific start they had out of the gates of the season. Seattle’s defense has some injuries so the Giants should generate some points and keep this a close affair. In the long run, I like Seattle winning this at home as their offense is rolling right now.

OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS

SUNDAY NIGHT

DALLAS COWBOYS(2-2) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS(3-1)

The Steelers came back down to earth as the Colts gave Pittsburgh their first loss of the year. The Cowboys will be without their sack master, Micah Parsons. The Cowboys still found the win column over the G-Men last Thursday. Justin Fields’ career has been rejuvenated this season with the Steelers after years losing with the Bears. The Cowboys offense will face a solid defense versus the Steelers but I like Dak Prescott’s chances of having a big game despite the challenge. The Cowboys have had success putting up points on the scoreboard against AFC North teams. The Browns in week one. Then they came back in the second half versus the Ravens but fell short in that one. Fields will cave in this prime time affair is my gut feeling.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS(2-2) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS(4-0)

Everyone will think this Monday match up is a lock for the Chiefs. The Saints came out like gang busters out of the gates scoring over 40 points in the first two contests winning both games. Now Derek Carr looks like Derek Carr. The Chiefs have walked a fine line getting the lucky breaks through basically all their games. The Chargers defense held Patrick Mahomes to 17 points. The Chiefs have been racking up the injuries as Mahomes’ play makers are now being serviced in the MASH unit. The Saints defense has played solidly all year. Can that Saints offense wake up? That is the biggest question. After losing two straight now seeing the Falcons and the Buccaneers ahead of you in the standings, this game could be a turning point of the season. A win & the Saints are back baby. A loss means the Saints may march into a losing season. I like the Saints defense doing to Mahomes what the Chargers did collapsing the pocket and giving Houdini no escape routes. The Saints offense uses Alvin Kamara’s legs to pull off the upset as Mahomes’ luck finally runs out for at least one week.

OUR PICK: SAINTS

RIP: MUNTUMBO THE BASKETBALL FLY SWATTER

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The NBA was the shit back in the 1980’s and 1990’s. It was a different game on the hardwood than in today’s game. Many players pride their selves on the defensive side of the ball. It was game where if you dared make a drive up the middle of the basket, you were going to get hit hard on defense. Nowadays if a player sneezes on the other side of the court, they get called for a foul. Stats like rebounds and blocked shot meant something doing the dirty work. The man in the middle from the Democratic Republic of the Congo located in Africa specialized in the block shot for18 seasons in the NBA. Played his college ball at Georgetown and was selected in the first round of the 1991 NBA draft 4th overall by the Denver Nuggets. Dikembe Mutumbo made a living clearing the middle and swatting down weak ass shots that people tried to get away with. He even had a finger wag warning you after he blocked the shot – don’t let him see you do it again or their will be consequences. Mutumbo was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. After basketball, he became a Global Ambassador for the game. He created his own foundation to give back to the community in Africa where he grew up. A gentle giant off the court but a guy who patrolled the middle of the floor like a moat with swimming gators. He played hard, he gave back, and unfortunately he passed away far too young this week at the age of 58 dealing with brain cancer.

Dikembe Mutumbo played for six teams in his NBA career. He played five seasons with three teams that started with the Nuggets who drafted him. He also played 5 seasons with the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets. Mutumbo played one season with the 3 other teams that include stops in Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey. He will remember mostly for the two teams that retired his jersey in Denver and Atlanta. Mutumbo made his mark in the game as he stood 7’2″ tall – a skyscraper on the courts with giants. From the start of his NBA career, he was selected all rookie in 1991-92 season. He was an 8x all-star. He won the top defensive player of the year 4 times. He was selected All NBA 3 times. He had the most blocked shots in the NBA three times. He was a 3x total rebound champion. He was selected to six all-defensive teams. Mutumbo is ranked number 20 all-time in NBA history with 12,359 total rebounds. Mutumbo loved to block shots as he ranks number two all-time in NBA history with 3,289 swats. Number one in blocks is another NBA Hall of Famer, another former Rockets center, Hakeem Olajuwon who had 3,830 blocked shots.

Many athletes will not give back to the community they came from. Dikembe Mutumbo gave back when he played basketball and after he retired from the hardwood courts for good. Mutumbo retired from the NBA in the 2008-09 season. In 1997 he formed his own charity organization called the Dikembe Mutumbo foundation. The money would help his community in the Congo with health, education, and quality of living. His foundation helped build a 170 bed hospital in the capital city called Kinshasa. That hospital has treated a half a million people and counting. When he retired from the NBA, he worked charitable and humanitarian causes. He became the first NBA Global Ambassador. Mutumbo worked hard on a development of the African Basketball League. Which could be another pipeline of players to the NBA. It also keeps players’ dreams alive playing the game in an organized league back at home.

I loved Dikembe Mutumbo’s Geico commercial where he swats a box of sugared cereal a kid tries to put in the parent’s shopping cart. Then he says…

That’s how he played defense like an enforcer at the front door of that sophisticated night club keeping the riff raff out and away from the net. I remember watching all those great Bulls teams with Michael Jordan and those 1990’s six titles.

I remember Mutumbo facing off against Dennis Rodman the time he played for the Bulls. Two of the best defensive players of all-time locked in an epic battle below the rim. Mutumbo played solid against the Bulls in the 1990’s like every team in the league. Mutumbo only averaged 9.8 points per contest. But he averaged 10.3 rebounds a game. He would give his team extra shots on offense and stops on defense. I remember In 1994 he was still playing for the Nuggets and they were the 8th seed in the Western Conference. They were facing the number one seed at the time; it was the Seattle Supersonics. The Nuggets were the first ever 8th seed to knock off a number one seed in NBA post-season history as Mutumbo contributed in that post-season series. I learned recently reading that King Lebron James when he first entered the NBA with the Cavaliers he drove through the middle and took a elbow to the face by Mutumbo. The King had a fractured face. Now that is priceless.

Dikeembe Mutumbo was in Atlanta undergoing a treatment on a brain tumor. They lost him. Another case of how cancer can spread and just eat a human’s body like rust to a car. Way too young at the age of 58. He had that humbling smile. That deep throated laugh. The accent with the right index finger wagging is imprinted in many NBA fans for life. He was never kicked out of a game wagging his finger at another player. Mutumbo would find some referees give him a technical for the wagging as the opposing team got some free throws out of the deal. This guy was a giant and that’s most of the battle to play basketball. He still came to America and competed with some of the world’s best basketball players in college and at the pro level. To move to a foreign country for college and standing out with an accent and being so tall is not easy to get use to. He was smart as he spoke 9 different languages. He defined his skills to play college ball and beyond like the NBA. He put the work in day and night to perfect his craft so he could play 18 seasons at a high level. Off the court he helped people throughout the world. Plus he was a family man with a son, Ryan. Ryan followed his father’s footsteps to Georgetown and played basketball there. Now he’s transferring to Georgia Tech to play hoops as Ryan was born in Atlanta. Mutumbo has touched many people in only 58 years. His life should be celebrated and I bet it will be. I’m sure God will draft him in the first round as one of his angels.