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THE UFL HAS LANDED THEMSELVES A MONEY MAN

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After the 2023 season when the USFL and XFL completed their entire season in two different spring football leagues, it was time to merge them. The spring fling has seen many football leagues implode for multiple reasons. No way two spring leagues would survive multiple seasons. They ended up merging the XFL and USFL into one football spring league in 2024 and now call themselves the UFL United Football League. In 2024 the launch of the UFL took place with 8 teams, 4 from each league. The UFL had a nice rookie season as the merger had high hopes for 2025 to be better. This year they had the same 8 teams hoping to build on each franchise city and grow the fan bases. This year the numbers were not bad but they did take a step backwards. In comes an entrepreneur, a billionaire a new investor. Not a silent partner. An investor that has a business plan for the UFL and how to grow it. The billionaire is Mike Repole who has full authority over the UFL business operations. He is the money man and has some ideas already brewing for the league in 2026.

Who is Mike Repole? He made his money off bottleD water beverages. In 1999 he was the co-founder of Vitamin Water with a company called Glaceau. It was company that made energy drinks and Smart Water. Repole was credited with launching these waters and netting a huge profit & then made even more money selling these products to Coca Cola. Repole had the Smart Water along with Vitamin Water reaching over billion dollars in sales by 2007. Then sold it to Coke for 4.1 Billion. Then he was involved in some sports drinks as he helped launch Body Armour. Which has done very well the last few years. In 2019 Repole co-starred in the Barstool sports investment. Which they have grown very quickly. In sports he has always loved horseracing. One of his best horses named Mo Donegal won the Belmont Stakes back in 2022. He even has his own company in horse racing called Repole Stables where they buy and train racehorses.

How many times have we seen in spring football games where the stadiums looked like they are empty during most games? This has been going on since the 1980’s when the original USFL launched. Back in the 1980’s, a game between the Houston Gamblers and the LA Express was coined the greatest game no one ever saw.

It was a game that featured two young Hall of Fame quarterbacks before they played in the NFL. Jim Kelly versus Steve Young & each QB lit up the scoreboard that day. They may have had 10,000 people. In the LA Coliseum, it looked like ten people as you can hear a pin drop in express games. Mike Repole wants the UFL to scrap the oversized stadiums of college or pro ball that the capacities are 40 to 50,000 seats. He believes it creates a poor atmosphere and compares it to watching games during the pandemic of 2020. With smaller stadiums that seat 20,000 fans, it looks much better on television with 10,000 seats filled up. Going smaller will create the vibrant energetic environment that the UFL is seeking.

Right now the UFL has multiple stadiums that don’t fit his criteria. In the XFL Conference, the St.Louis BattleHawks at the Dome of America Center has 67,277 seating. You would be crazy to change the BattleHawks venue because they average the most attendance in the UFL at 30,000 fans per game. The Brahmas play in the Alamo Dome that holds 64,000 fans. In the USFL conference, the Stallions play at Protective Field which holds 47,100 fans, The Panthers play at Ford Field and that stadium home to the Detroit Lions holds 65,000 fans. The Panthers were the only team last season where their attendance increased. They averaged 11,681 fans which was a 30.4 % increase from 2024. The Roughnecks played their games in TD ECU Stadium which holds 40,000. The Showboats play in Memphis at Simmons Liberty Field which holds 58,325. That is six teams as the only two stadiums that fits what Mike Repole wants to do include the DC Defenders who were the champs this season. They also are home of the beer snake which Audi Field seats 20,000 fans. Then UFL headquarters is located is in Arlington, Texas. The Renegades play Choctaw Stadium which seats 20,000 fans.The UFL averaged 12,162 fans per game last season which is only a 5% drop from 2024. In the business world this could be catastrophic.

They say the most important part about opening up a business is location, location, and location. In 2026 we may seek re-location, re-location, and re-location. How many teams will relocate next season is the million dollar question. It could be 1 to 4 teams that will be on the move. The UFL has already said one team will be moving to Columbus, Ohio. They will play at the historical Crew Stadium that used to host MLS games. Crew stadium seats 20,000 fans. Other cities that may get a re-located team is Boise, Orlando, and somewhere in Kentucky either Louisville or Lexington. Which teams are rumored to be relocated? It seems like the entire USFL conference: Birmingham, Michigan, Houston and Memphis. In the XFL they are safe right now because St.Louis draws the most fans. The Defenders and Renegades have the smaller venues in place. The Brahmas are questionable. I think they stay because of “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson who is still a partner in this league. The Brahmas name came from the former wrestler, now Hollywood actor. You wonder if any of the cities that currently have a team can find a stadium in the area that has that 20,000 seating? Perhaps a few cities like Memphis and Houston, they have given up on. They would be the two I would relocate. The Stallions have been three time champions with two USFL titles and one UFL title. Their attendance seems like it is decreasing every season even though they have a championship team almost every year. The Michigan Panthers should not move because they are growing. That would be like a knife in the back to that franchise if they are relocated. Because of the increase in fans last year, they should at least get another year.

Mike Repole plans to have 10-12 teams within 5 years in the UFL. He wants 16 teams within ten years. The UFL has all the major media markets covering this league. The entire league including players along with operations are based in Arlington, Texas. This is where all the teams practice, game plan, sleep, and eat. The UFL headquarters is established there. Last few year the teams would fly to their city right before game day. The day before the game is my guess. . Repole likes how this has been working but wants these teams to fly in a few days earlier to meet and greet their fan base. The original USFL had some great seasons where fans showed up and they did all kinds of cool things to entertain the crowd. More fans in the seats means the more stuff you can do to install that electric atmosphere we see in many sports. More fans in the seats mean more money for the league. It also would improve ratings on the television and give people the idea in their heads that they would like to go see a game.

Everything sounds great with the new guy with a business plan and money to fund his ideas. I hope they keep the tradition of the two conferences where they separate the USFL and XFL teams. In the old USFL, the Breakers played in Boston, New Orleans, and Portland. If the Columbus team is going to the USFL conference, will they take a former name from their league history from the 1980’s or the reboot? Some former XFL teams I would like to see resurface as well. Is Repole the kind of person to give a new city a new team name? Houston in 2023 had three football teams the Texans in the NFL, the Roughnecks in the XFL & the Gamblers in the USFL. Now Houston has a problem as they may only have the Texans. Why does the UFL need so many teams in the state of Texas? The state of Texas has three teams in Arlington, Houston, and San Antonio. If you keep Michigan, now you have Columbus which gives you two teams in the Midwest that have a team. I like the return of the Chicago Blitz. They have a stadium in the south suburbs that seats 20,000. My favorite team in these spring flings is the Pittsburgh Maulers. That is a team that needs to be back in action. They made the reboot & then were left out in the merger. Overall great ideas by the new money man. I like to keep the traditions alive. I’m glad they are bringing in someone that cares and wants to grow the league or he’ll call himself a failure if he does not achieve his goal. Like any Richie Rich we will wait and see if he can achieve his goal.

MARV LEVY TURNS 100

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Sometimes in life we get stuck in a rut hearing about people dropping like flies. Recently we lost the Godfather of Heavy Metal, Ozzy Osbourne, at the age of 76 to his fight with Parkinson’s. Hulk Hogan went into cardiac arrest and died on the way to the hospital at the age of 71. Then we lost Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg to cancer at the age of 65.

Yesterday the news came out that we lost the beautiful actress Loni Anderson at the age of 79. She played the character Jennifer Marlowe on one of the funniest comedies of all-time, WKRP in Cincinnati. Losing people in their 60’s or 70’s in my opinion is way too early in life. Over the weekend in Canton. Ohio for the NFL football Hall of Fame festivities, you could witness something extraordinary in life. The Buffalo Bills legendary head coach Marv Levy turned 100 on Sunday and many who were wearing the yellow coats on Saturday, including some of his former players, sang Happy Birthday to the Chicago native.

Marv Levy was enshrined in Canton in 2001 for his 17 years of coaching in the NFL. He left Harvard law school to become a football coach. When he broke the news to his father who was a former military man, there was a long pause after Marv told his dad what he wanted to do. Finally his father said, “Be a good one.”

Marv Levy’s journey started with being recruited to the University of Wyoming as a defensive back. The coach then left and so did Marv, as he transferred to Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There he played football, basketball, and ran track. He landed a degree in literature and he was a member of the Phi Kappa society as well as belonging to the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Then he went on to Harvard where he earned a Master of Arts in English History degree. Before he coached in the NFL, he started his journey in the college game. From 1973-1977 he was head coach of the Montreal Alouettes where he won 2 Grey Cups. In 1978 he landed the head coaching job with the Kansas City Chiefs where he coached 5 seasons there until he was let go. He left Kansas City with a losing record of 31-42.

His next coaching gig was in the USFL with the Chicago Blitz in 1984. Levy’s lone season where he grew up he had a 5-13 record with the Blitz which was 5th place in the Central division. Then he found his next gig in Buffalo in 1986. With the Bills he brought Buffalo back from the land of the dead where he coached 12 seasons. In 12 seasons in Buffalo, his regular season record was 112-70, went 11-8 in post-season, and brought the Bills to 4 straight Superbowls. He won 4 AFC Championships and six division titles along with 8 playoff berths from 1986-1997. Unfortunately the Bills lost all those Superbowls and the first one from a wide right kick heard around the world that would have won it if it had went through the golden up rights. His NFL regular season record all-time was 143-112. His record as a professional football head coach, he went 191-156 in regular season. The post-season combined he went 18-11. In 1988 he won SN coach of the year. He’s also a 2x winner of the UPI Coach of the Year award.

Born in 1925, Marv Levy right now is the oldest living member of the NFL Hall of Fame. Being from Chicago, he did root for the wrong team in baseball. Not many people can say that they saw the last two World Series for the Chicago Cubs. In 1945 he was in the Army Air Corps and had a furlough that allowed him to see game 7 of that series versus the Tigers. The Tigers won that World Series. In 2016, Levy was able to go to game 7 of that Cubs World Series versus the Cleveland Indians at which they won it all and broke over a 100 year drought. Levy has written multiple books including a children’s book about the “Go Go Cubs” in 2016 breaking that 108 year drought they had. Levy used that Harvard Master of Arts in English History degree with some epic game speeches throughout his coaching career. His famous Pregame huddle speech asked: “Where else would you rather be than right here, right now?”

Marv Levy had some of his former players on hand during the Canton festivities that included Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, and James Lofton leading the charge for the famous birthday song. Even the crowd on hand could not help singing along for Levy’s 100th year on this earth still sharp as a tack. All the sadness in the world today makes things like this story about one of the good guys in coaching and just in life, make your day witnessing that moment at that time. I wished the Bills could have won at least one of those Superbowls in the 1990’s. The coaching, the plan, the plotting, the motivation to pick up this team after a bad Superbowl loss and march them right back there the following year is amazing work itself. Many teams that lose the big game suffer through a hangover the next season and most of the time they miss the post-season. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARV!!!

MILLER LITE

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The old advertising campaign for the beer Miller Lite asked if it ‘tasted great or was less filling.’ Once upon a time ago, Von Miller did not taste great to opposing quarterbacks. Von was a one man wrecking machine on the football field causing havoc on the opposing team’s offensive game plan. Miller in his career has won two Superbowls and you’d think he was the one that invented the strip sack in the NFL. At the age of 36, Von is maybe less filling on offensive linemen in the NFL as injuries have mounted up. This off-season the Buffalo Bills released him as he is a big chunk of the salary cap and not worth the money they would pay him. Miller time will try to resurrect his NFL career with the Washington Commanders. Does he have any suds left in the can to help the Commanders defense?

Von Miller has 13 seasons under his belt in the NFL. In 2011 he was drafted 2nd overall by the Denver Broncos where he played parts of ten seasons there. In Superbowl 50 he was the MVP, as he exposed the soft play of quarterback Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers.

Miller was like a fly on a piece of shit in that Superbowl game. Years later the Broncos as a team went through rough times not winning and they traded their legend to the LA Rams in 2021. Miller’s presence with Aaron Donald, the stud of that Rams defense, made that unit even better and they won the Superbowl. Miller became a free agent and the Bills came knocking on his door with a pile of cash in a hefty contract. The last few seasons for Miller have not been Miller-like in Buffalo. In 2022 he racked up 8 sacks as he would miss 5 games tearing his ACL in his knee. In 2023, he did come back from that injury and registered zero sacks for the season. Last season he missed 4 games as he was suspended by the NFL for violating the personal conduct policy. Last year in 13 regular season games for the Bills, he had 6 sacks and 17 tackles. Miller is the active leader in sacks with 129.5 of them he has had during regular season. His football resume in his career is impressive as he made 8 Pro-Bowl games and is a 3x All-Pro. In 2011, his rookie season, he won defensive rookie of the year honors. He is a staple on the all HOF 2010’s decade team.

The Washington Commanders are an up and coming team as they made it all the way to the NFC Championship game last season. It was the play of their rookie quarterback that infused life in this dormant franchise called the Commanders. The name Commanders seemed dreadful at first as it replaced the original name Redskins. Now Jayden Daniels behind center is making that offense a well-oiled machine and stacking up victories it seems the Commanders name just rolls off your tongue. Were the Commanders just lucky last year playing a easier schedule? The Commanders won 9 one score games. Six of those games, the Commanders had the final possession of the game. The Commanders have now 22 players on their roster who are 30 or older. Daniels is on a rookie contract, so you can stockpile your roster with veterans. The Commanders need to get younger but for now they are chasing the ring. You can blame the front office for bad drafts for many years as this may be the best path to take for the Commanders. It worked well last year with the Commanders adding linebacker Bobby Wagner to the mix. He became an instant leader for that Commanders defense.

What do the Commanders expect from Von Miller? This is an interesting move by signing Miller. When Dan Quinn was head coach of the Atlanta Falcons the year they went to the Superbowl and blew that halftime lead to the Patriots, they made a signing that year like Miller. The Falcons added defensive lineman, Dwight Freeney, a former Colt and he was like Miller at that time in his late 30’s on his last leg. The Commanders last season were ranked number 11 in sacks in the NFL. On crucial 3rd downs, they always have problems generating pressure and could not get off the field. The Commanders have a few guys that tallied up 6-8 sacks last season. Frankie Luvu had 99 tackles and 8 sacks. Bobby Wagner was the heart and soul of the Commanders defense because he had 156 tackles and two sacks. Wagner goes back to the legion of Doom defense back in the Seattle days with head coach Quinn. Can Miller become the Commanders closer? He has torn 2 ACLs in the same knee. He has missed the entire 2020 season as he dislocated a tendon in his foot. The Commanders could keep Miller fresh most of the game and unleash him in the 4th quarter. Miller will bring some more leadership to their defense. He will also bring some extra attention from opposing offenses and that could free other defenders. He would help your offensive linemen, especially younger guys dealing with Miller in practices. All his savvy moves being on display every week. It’s only a one year deal which includes some incentives that can motivate a player. He will be playing with a chip on his shoulder, out to prove he is a better player than his few seasons in Buffalo. Not sure he will taste great to opposing teams. As he may just be less filling at his age and not be the Miller from his Broncos days being a one man Army.

CAN SHOW ME THE MONEY, BACKFIRE ON A NFL HOLD OUT?

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As always, the NFL has a few players at this time holding out from their current contract wanting to get PAID. The three big names are Trey Hendrickson, Terry McLaurin, and TJ Watt. Hendrickson, a defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals had led the entire league in sacks the last two seasons. Scary Terry McLaurin helped his rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels become the offensive rookie of the year for the Washington Commanders as they went all the way to the NFC championship game versus the Eagles. Then Watt is the heart and soul of the Steelers defense. Can the Commanders, Bengals, and Steelers win the Superbowl without these guys? Back in 1985, the Chicago Bears had two studs on their defense hold out due to their contract dispute. The Bears ended up winning their only Superbowl while these two guys stayed at home twiddling their thumbs and watched all of this unfold from their couch at home.

The 1985 Chicago Bears some would say had the best defense ever in the history of the game. They were one of the scariest defenses of all-time without two of their key players. Todd Bell was a pro-bowl safety in 1984 as he felt after that year was a great time to talk about his contract. Bell was drafted by Chicago in the 4th round of the NFL draft in 1981 from Ohio State University. The other Bear that skipped out on the Superbowl shuffle was linebacker defensive lineman Al Harris who was a first round pick of Chicago in the 1979 NFL draft from Arizona State. Bell would play 8 NFL seasons for 103 games with the Bears and Eagles. He had 7 interceptions in his career along with 10 sacks. In 1984 he had 4 of those 7 interceptions and one of them was a pick six. He forced two fumbles as well and racked up 4.5 sacks. Al Harris in 1984 played in all 16 games and racked up 2 sacks with an interception. Harris would play 11 seasons in the NFL 9 with the Bears and two with the Eagles as he racked up 149 games. He retired with 23.5 career sacks. Both Bell and Harris would return to Bears in the 1986 season. You would have thought with the talent the Bears had on that defense and Walter Payton the best running back of all-time, they would have had a dynasty like the New England Patriots. In 1987, the Washington Redskins knocked out the Bears in the Divisional round. That group would never get back to the Superbowl.

All three current hold outs are important to their team’s success this upcoming season. Right now even without TJ Watt, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the weakest link of the three teams. Watt played in all 17 games last year for the Steelers and racked up 11.5 sacks. The Steelers are trying to go beyond one and out in the post-season with an aging Aaron Rodgers at QB. Rodgers was a cancer in the Jets locker room last season and is not the same guy that played for the Green Bay Packers a few years ago. Last year Pittsburgh’s defense was not the Steel Curtain of old times. Without Watt and the cancer at the QB position, I don’t see the Steelers going all the way. Last year the Bengals defense was horrific. If Trey Hendrickson was not playing for the striped cats, it could have gone worse for them. The Bengals have Joe Burrow. They have one of the best wide receivers in the league in Ja’Marr Chase. Then on the other side of the field we can not forget about Tee Higgins. The Bengals dug themselves a hole as always in the beginning of the season. They lost games in shoot outs. Then they turned things around and were red hot in the second half of the season. In the last game of the season, the Chiefs rested their top star players as Denver rolled in that game and made the playoff that kept the Bengals out. When the Bengals get red hot on offense, they could be a team that could win it all. They could do without their top defender in Hendrickson. The Commanders were amazing last season, and Jayden Daniels looks legit as a star quarterback. Can this Commanders team win without Scary Terry McLaurin? He caught 82 balls last season for over 1,000 receiving yards. Most importantly he caught 13 touchdown passes. McLaurin is not a one year wonder – he has had great success with bums as his quarterbacks. The Commanders acquired another top receiver in the league, Deebo Samuel, from the 49ers. Deebo by himself without McLaurin is not going to get the numbers that Scary Terry got. It just sounds better to have Deebo and Scary Terry as your wide outs for a 2nd year quarterback. Out of these three hold outs, I think McLaurin is the most important guy. With Watt or without Watt, the Steelers may not even get to the post-season. The Bengals could do the Bears imitation with their offense and leave their sack artist at home. Only thing in the NFL is great offenses can become ordinary coming up against a solid defense in big playoff games.

I’m sure guys like Al Harris and Todd Bell would say they have no regrets sitting out the entire 1985 season. The Bears had their own hit song called the Superbowl Shuffle out before they even got to New Orleans for the big game. The Bears would lose only one regular season game that year, to the Miami Dolphins. They destroyed the Patriots in the Superbowl. All the names & all those personalities on the roster & the coaching staff meshed perfectly in that season as they had one magical year. No regrets. I’m not buying what those two are selling. Did they not read the room of their teammates when coming up with the idea of holding out? The Bears line backing crew had Mike Singletary, a Hall of Famer. Then Wilbur Marshall who blew up opponents from his devastating hits.Then Otis Wilson was a solid player. In the secondary, the Bears had Gary Fencik and Dave Duerson as their starting safeties. I can see why the Bears did not give into the demands of Harris and Bell. Harris and Bell were solid defenders but expendable at the same time. Still to this day in Chicago, those ’85 Bears players get free drinks when they come to town. When they won it all Bearmania was crazy in Chicago. Everyone was swept up into it during that entire season. I think Bearsmania went all around the world. Remember this was before Michael Jordan won six NBA titles. Those two guys came back the following season to watch all their teammates get a ring. I get that NFL players put their bodies on the line to play every Sunday and they should get paid. It’s not like they get chump change for what they do. That would be hard to swallow sitting out and seeing your team win it all without you. I’d rather they show me the ring than show me the money.

KENZIE MORRISON FOLLOWING HIS FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS, SORT OF

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Like father like son, in the ole Morrison household. The father was Tommy Morrison, former heavyweight champion of the world in the boxing ring. Nicknamed the Duke, the Machine was also a martial arts expert. Tommy’s son is Kenzie Morrison who is also in the fighting world. His full name is James McKenzie Morrison who uses most of his middle name as his primary name in the ring. Kenzie Morrison is 34 years of age and left the boxing ring along with the gloves to fight in a new league with the same ring that Conor McGregor is part owner of, the BKFC. The BKFC is the Bare Knuckles Fighting Championship. It’s boxing without the gloves. Kenzie who is nicknamed TCB, Taking Care of Business, who won his first match in his debut knocking out Alex Davis in an impressive 63 second bout.

Tommy Morrison was once the WBO World’s Heavyweight Champion of the World when he beat boxing legend George Foreman. He won the match with a unanimous decision in 1993. Later in the year of 1993, Tommy would lose the belt to Michael Bentt. Morrison did win the first title defense fight after beating Foreman. The Duke had 52 professional fights and had a record of 48-3-1 in the ring. Tommy had 42 of those wins come by knock out. Former boxer Pinklon Thomas said Morrison hit like a baseball bat. Tommy did have a strong left hook. He made the list of the 100 best punchers over the last 100 years. Morrison’s career took him to Hollywood as he worked with Sly Stallone and landed a part in the Rocky series. It was Rocky V and he went by the name Tommy Gunn, a boxer who needed Rocky’s help to better his career. Most people will say Rocky V was the worst movie in the Rocky saga. It was still entertaining, but I do agree it was the worst one. Tommy tragically passed away at the age of 44 as he died from AIDS in 2013. He retired from boxing in 1996. Tommy would have a brief comeback from 2007 & ’08. In 2009 Tommy would step in to the cage for his only MMA fight as a favor for a friend who was the promoter. He had a first round knock out which would be his last fight of his career beating the Wyoming state heavyweight champion Corey Williams.

Bare Knuckles boxing style has been around since the 17th Century where it roots back to England. It’s same rules as boxing with no gloves, but you can wrap your hands. The wraps can not extend over the knuckles. Maybe Kenzie Morrison has found his niche with the BKFC. I know it is only one fight, but with MMA being so popular in present days and boxing seems like it is becoming a dying sport. Bare knuckles could get some traction and become a sport on the rise especially with big names having stakes in the game. Morrison had a solid record as a regular boxer. In 23 fights, his record was 20-1-2. He had 18 wins by knock out. In one of his wins, he beat Hasim Rahman Jr. who is the son of a former heavyweight champion in the boxing world, Hasim Rahman. Kenzie made the transition to Bare Knuckles to create his own legacy. In his debut versus Alex Davis, he controlled the fight right from the start getting a long jab early on & then just coming after his opponent. While Davis was staggering, Kenzie dialed up a series of punches that made his opponent collapse on the canvas. The ref counted to ten as Davis knew enough was enough after that punishment was served up to him by Morrison. Now Kenzie wants to fight Jake Paul, who was a MMA fighter who transitioned over to the boxing world and leads the league in You Tube videos. That could be a fight that may bring in some money. Do they fight with gloves on or gloves off? That is the million dollar question. Will the BKFC gain legs with names like Morrison on the fight card? It was an impressive debut for Kenzie in the BKFC. I’m curious to see how far Kenzie will go in the BKFC? Can he become the champ in the BKFC? Could he make it big time and find his way into the next Rocky movie or Creed flick? Probably not. He is sort of living the same story of his father’s character, Tommy Gunn in Rocky V. Tommy Gunn was in the shadow of his coach Rocky Balboa and wanted to get out and at the same time beat the champion for the glory and money. Kenzie is living in Tommy Morrison’s shadow and trying to get out making his own legacy and wanting to make the big score versus a guy like Jake Paul. Who would have thought the fighting world comes with so much drama?

DUNCAN KEITH MAKES THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME IN FIRST BALLOT

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Duncan Keith did not get all the glory of the recent Chicago Blackhawks dynasty like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. He was part of the big three on those 3 Stanley Cups the Blackhawks hoisted from 2010 through 2015. You’ve heard of the saying, “flip the script.” Keith flipped the ice on defense not only to clear the puck but to set up the offense and all the weapons the Blackhawks had back then. He was an iron man, a pillar each game & he hardly ever left the ice. He ran the power play like a quarterback. He killed off penalties like a bomb technician. Most importantly he was the last line of defense for the goalie throwing himself in front of 1,896 shots from a puck that can hit speeds of 90 MPH. When you lose ten teeth in a Stanley Cup finals game, most players would call it a night. Keith got back on the ice after looking like he spit out his teeth like spitting out a bad box of Chiclets. He earned the nickname Duncan “Teeth” and throughout 17 seasons he showed the hockey world why he was one of the best defensemen in the game.

Duncan Keith was originally drafted in the second round of the 2002 NHL draft 54th overall by the Blackhawks. He played 16 seasons wearing the Indian Head sweater. He closed out his career in Canada, the lone season he played for the Edmonton Oilers. He scored 106 goals and dished out 540 assists for 646 points in regular season. He played in 1,192 NHL regular season games which came out to 33,495 minutes and 55 seconds. That tells you he hardly came off the ice. He only missed a handful of games in his entire career. Keith was a 3x All-Star. He was a 2x winner of the Norris trophy which is for the league’s top notch defenseman of the year. He won the Conn Smythe trophy in 2014 & ’15 which was MVP in the playoffs those years. He helped his native country of Canada win two gold medals as well. He was named one of the 100 greatest players on the 100th year anniversary of the NHL in 2017. Keith has made his mark as one of the best all-time defensemen with the Blackhawks. He is first with most games played in regular season. He is number two all-time in Blackhawks history with assists and points by a defenseman. He is number three in goals as a defender. His post-season stats were solid. Keith leads all Blackhawks defensemen in 135 post-season games played all-time and 68 assists and 86 points. He is 4th all-time in Blackhawks history with 18 post-season goals as a defender.

Duncan Keith had the hockey smile of missing teeth. His parade speech in 2010 will always be a memory for me when he came up to the microphone and asked the Blackhawks nation: “Anybody know a good dentist?”

Duncan Keith is from Winnipeg, Manitoba & will be the 48th player wearing the Indian Head sweater to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Keith was only 6’1″ tall but he played defense like he was much bigger. He always showed physical dominance around the net. He established his territory on the ice which was between the red and blue line on the ice. He was a master at steering the opponents to the outside because he had quick feet along with a quick stick. He prevented breakaways which have haunted most goalies in their career. He may have been playing on a half a tank his last few years in the NHL. Most of his career he was a guy that you can count on as he showed he was one of the main engine parts of that Blackhawks dynasty. Keith becomes the second player from that dynasty to be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Marian Hossa was the first as he played a pivotal role on that dynasty, but he had a decorated career when he signed with Chicago as a free agent. Keith was drafted around the same time as Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews as the Blackhawks were assembling a young core of superstars. Before these guys were drafted, the Blackhawks were one of the worst franchises in sports. The front office and more importantly the ownership got their act together and rode the coat tails of all the young talent they got from being very bad for years and years. Seems like the black clouds are back following one of the original six franchises which the Blackhawks are, but things have been looking up. In the meantime how time goes by like a blur, it seems like yesterday Chicago was spoiled with playoff hockey every year and this core getting this team deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs. During questionable times, we get to reflect on remembering all the good memories guys like Duncan Keith gave the city of Chicago and the Blackhawks nation. It’s on my bucket list to go see the Hockey Hall of Fame as I have done both baseball and football. To see all those great Blackhawks players enshrined would be something special. Right now we have to congratulate number 2, Duncan Keith. I’m sure the jersey retirement is being scheduled sometime soon with more to come from others from that dynasty where more celebrations will be had. In Chicago we always love our defenses. Duncan Keith was a guy that brought his lunch pail to the job everyday. He practiced his craft everyday and showed his talent for denying the opposing teams from lighting the lamp. He did it night after night against the best in the game. His play will always be priceless for what he did on the ice and being a solid guy off the ice. That’s why he is a first ballot hockey hall of famer.

JUST DUCKY IN ANAHEIM WITH JOEL QUENNEVILLE SO FAR

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Can Joel Quenneville make the Anaheim Ducks mighty once again? The Ducks have not been to the post-season since 2018 when the San Jose Sharks knocked them out in round one with a sweep. The Ducks had a 35-37-10 record that led to the firing of Greg Cronin in April. The Ducks finished 6th in the Pacific division which was 16 points behind the St.Louis Blues for the second wild card. The Ducks did improve by 21 points this season over the season before, because of the young talent they have assembled. Suddenly a few trades and fans are thinking what the duck is going on here. When Quenneville replaced Dennis Savard as head coach for the Blackhawks in 2008, I thought it was strange firing somebody after three games. I did not like the direction the team was going at the time. The Ducks roster is starting to get Quenneville’s fingerprints on it.

The last time we saw Joel Quenneville coaching was back in October 27, 2021 with the Florida Panthers. Quenneville had to resign from the game because his past caught up to him. He was part of that cover up in Chicago in 2010 where the Blackhawks brass swept under the rug video coach Brad Aldrich’s sexual allegations from two players of theirs, One was Kyle Beach & the other may never come forward. The Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman was out and Al Macisaac who was Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. In 2024 NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reinstated all three guys. Bowman moved on to Edmonton & now Quenneville is back in the saddle again in Anaheim. The Ducks are getting the second winiest head coach in NHL history. Quenneville has a regular season record of 969-572-77, only behind Scotty Bowman who left his mark with1,244 wins. Quenneville helped the Blackhawks break a post-season drought when he arrived. He guided that team with young superstars like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Duncan Keith to three Stanley Cup titles. Quenneville also coached in St.Louis as he always had the Blues in the post-season. He also coached in Colorado which he managed to get the Avalanche to the playoffs half the years he was there. You have to give Quenneville some credit in Florida as that team was starting to climb before he resigned. Now the Panthers have won back to back Stanley Cups.

The Anaheim Ducks have a roster filled with guys in their 20’s. They have gathered some nice young roster pieces at the forward position with Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Mason McTavish.

The Switzerland native McTavish had 22 goals last season in his 4th season in Anaheim at the age of 22. The Ducks traded a young piece in Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers for 45th overall draft pick this season and 2026 4th round pick, and a veteran center Ryan Poehling. Zegras has had back-to-back years of 20 goal seasons racking up 60 points or better. He has had a hard time the last two seasons staying healthy. The Ducks also landed a veteran wing from the New York Rangers in Chris Kreider who can provide this Quenneville team leadership on the ice as he did in the Big Apple for the last 13 seasons. On defense the Ducks have more young studs ready to take their game to the next level. They have Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, and Jackson LaCombe. Let’s not forget in the net, Lukas Dostral. The Czech goalie had his best season in the net with a record 23-23-7 with a .903 save %.

It seems like Joel Quenneville has plenty of interesting pieces for this roster in Anaheim. Now he has the front office adding some veteran pieces to a roster filled with young talent. This Ducks team may be ready next season to make the Stanley Cup playoffs. When the Blackhawks added veteran Marion Hossa to their young roster, suddenly the dynasty was born. Chris Kreider may not be a good comparison to Hossa. The Blackhawks sprinkled in the Kreiders of the NHL world as well, guys that had a set of skills to help a young team and show them how the next level looks like and take them there. Quenneville has been a winner everywhere he has gone. These trades look baffling right now, but by the time the season starts the Ducks will load up on more younger talent from the draft. They’ll just add enough veteran guys to bring the Mighty Ducks back into the conversation when we talk Stanley Cup playoffs. Joe Quenneville will change these Anaheim teams of old.

They will be prepared and fundamentally strong. He will put his players in the best spot to succeed. They still need to land that Hossa which will be hard to find. They may have the money to spend on a big name as well as Chris Kreider is not exactly cheap. I think the Ducks will be a sneaky sleeper team next season who may miss the playoffs, but they will have a winning record and will come close.

CAPTAIN TOEWS WILL BE FLYING JETS FOR WINNIPEG AIRLINES

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The Captain, Jonathan Toews, comes back to the NHL & will land him home with the Winnipeg Jets. Toews stepped away from the game for two seasons dealing with health issues. The last two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, he was limited to so many games dealing with effects of chronic inflammatory response syndrome. He also dealt with Covid in long stretches. The last time the Captain was on the ice was the 2022-23 season where he played in 53 games. After a 5 week healing journey to India and several months of training, he’s ready to make a comeback at 37 years of age. The Captain had a few suitors, but the Jets who are a playoff team and they play in his home town, would be hard to refuse as he signs a one year deal worth 2 million.

Nicknamed Captain Serious, Jonathan Toews’ 15 year career in the NHL he is decorated like a 20 star General. He played all 15 seasons with the Blackhawks and helped them hoist three Stanley Cups. In 2017 at the NHL Centennial Celebration, he made the list of the best 100 players of all-time. His former teammates, Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane, also made the list. Toews was the number 3 pick overall in the 2006 NHL draft. He is an all around center who shoots the puck from the left side. He has played in 1,067 NHL games and has racked up 883 points. He has scored 372 goals and dished out 511 assists. His home town of Winnipeg will remember the Captains playing in the Olympics for Canada as they won back to back Gold metals in 2010 then again in 2014.

The Winnipeg Jets won the President’s Cup last season. The Jets made it to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and were knocked out by the Dallas Stars. I really like this move by both parties here. The Jets add a talented piece to the roster with a ton of playoff experience. Jonathan Toews will be playing for a playoff team and not some bottom feeder team trying to put fannies in the seats by signing a has-been player. Is Toews a has-been? The Jets will not be getting the super star version of Toews. His last season in Chicago he had 15 goals and 16 assists in those 53 games. He was dealing with his health issues. If he is healed and perfectly healthy, the Jets should get better numbers from the Captain. Even if he is not the Captain, it is always good to have that experience he has in the general locker room which could help this already talented Jets team. Look at the Florida Panthers trading for 37 year old Brad Marchand during the reason and the results they got in the post-season. Toews will be playing with a chip on his shoulder because his former team irked him after his 8 year contract expired that season in 2023. You never want to see guys like Toews leave your team as he should always be wearing the Indian head sweater, especially after 15 seasons. That will be an exciting game when Toews comes back to play at the United Center in Chicago. It certainly was exciting when Patrick Kane back in the enemy sweater his first trip home to Chicago. I would like to see the Captain hit the 400 goals milestone before he hangs up the skates for good. He needs 28 more goals and doing that in the uniform and team he grew up watching, is a cool ending to a great career for him. The thing about this move is Toews will not be expected to do all the stuff he did with the Blackhawks. He will just play the game and being away from the game for two seasons, you miss playing. The body should be rested and the juices should be flowing and I believe this savvy move here will be worth it. The Jets may need another savvy move or two after this one if they are serious about a Stanley Cup. You know Captain Serious is surely serious about winning another cup.

HENRY RUGGS III WANTS TO RIDE AGAIN IN THE NFL

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In 2020, Henry Ruggs III was drafted 12th overall in the first round of the NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. He was the first ever pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in their first season in Sin Town after leaving Oakland. He was a talented wide receiver coming out of a big college football program at the University of Alabama. He would now be making millions and more millions of dollars living out his dream playing the game he loved his entire life. Being in Las Vegas could be naturally a distraction with loose women, fast cars, drugs and alcohol along with gambling which could be the whammy of hexes. No young man should ride that line as the ending is always no good. Young people are stupid and we have all been there ourselves. In his second year in the NFL, it was the fast car with the girl in the passenger seat going at an unbelievable high speed which ended killing a woman named Tina Tintor and her dog. Ruggs and his girlfriend at the time would survive that horrific night on November 2nd, 2021. Ruggs would end up going to jail as he was sentenced to 3-10 years charged with a felony DUI and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. In 2026, he will have his first parole meeting and he says he wants to still play football in the NFL and once again for the Raiders.

As a rookie, Henry Ruggs III’s first year in the NFL was decent. He played in 13 games, he was targeted 43 times, and caught 26 balls. He had racked up 452 receiving yards with two touchdowns. In his second year in the NFL, Ruggs played in 7 games before he got his Corvette up to a speed close to 160 MPH on a Las Vegas highway. In 7 games he was targeted in year two, 36 times. He caught 24 balls. In year two he already had the same amount of catches, yards, and touchdowns he did his rookie season. He racked up 452 receiving yards with another two touchdown catches. In 20 NFL games, Ruggs III had 50 catches for 921 receiving yards and hauled in 4 touchdown catches. By his numbers alone, he was starting to adapt and understand the NFL game while playing at a higher level. The NFL now plays 17 games per season so Ruggs III was on his way in year two to murder his rookie season numbers. If he played 9 more games, the standard 16 at the time, he should have had over 1,000 receiving yards and close to 100 catches and lets say 6 to 7 touchdowns. Now he’s starting to sound like a number 1 guy on a NFL team. If Ruggs III made the right decisions and not have drove his car while intoxicated with his girlfriend in the passenger seat. Who he had a kid with. He would have certainly made millions more dollars after playing out his rookie contract. Obviously if he stayed healthy on the field.

Henry Ruggs III spoke publicly for the first time about the tragic accident he caused to kill Tina Tintor and her dog on that night speeding to get to another party. It was at the Hope for Prisoners group held in Las Vegas where he spoke and wished he could go back to make things right. He would need a time machine to go back in time to save the girl he killed, who was 23 years of age. He is saying all the right things and apologized to the Tintor family. Not just for killing their daughter but bringing up the memories of the horrific accident when his face appears in the papers or his story goes on social media. He never addressed the family of the girl he killed face to face. He says he would like to apologize to them face to face to show them the real Henry Ruggs III. He admitted he was trying to escape the pressure of being a first round pick on a NFL team with stunts like living in the fast lane. He would like to play football again and even stay in Vegas where he is being incarcerated and play for the Raiders. He has had time to reflect about the situation and improve his mind set spiritually talking about it while praying and finding the Lord is my guess.

How do you get so intoxicated at a Top Golf place earlier in the evening, where Henry Ruggs III and his girlfriend were at before racing over to their next place? His alcohol limit was off the charts after he plowed into Tintor’s car. His girlfriend, Je’nai Kilgo Washington, needed arm surgery after the crash. Ruggs III was sentenced in May of 2023 as he took a plea agreement over the reckless driving charge. He also had a loaded hand gun and being intoxicated while possessing a gun is another law he broke. He has transferred to a transitional housing unit as his life seems to being closer to getting back to normal. His parole date is August 6th of 2026 and if he gets out, he will only be 27 years old. If he makes it back into professional football, his name would be in the headlines for the Tintor family to read about. Do you trust guys like Henry Ruggs III to have a second chance in life for being so stupid? This story will not stop future young men in their 20’s from driving like assholes. The more money they’ve got, the faster the car. We see it every day if you take a drive on a highway. People driving whatever car beyond it’s speed with no turn signals and cutting people off. No wonder we have road rage in life. Guys will say whatever they think the other person wants to hear to get what they want. Will the Tintor family be there to try to close the door on Ruggs III for longer time served? I know after Top Golf, he was not driving that fast wanting to kill somebody that night. Accidents can happen & that’s why they are accidents. I hope the Tintor family does have a say in the matter because losing somebody at 23 years of age in something like that is heartbreak for the rest of their life. If Ruggs III gets out and makes it back to the NFL, how is he going to escape the pressure the next time with the ghost of Tina and her dog on his shoulder when he’s on the field? Being only 27 years old does not mean you have all the answers. Serving time could improve a man’s mindset but for how long? What team will take a chance on a guy with this heavy load on his shoulders bringing this to your team’s locker room? I know lots of things have to happen before we do see Ruggs III back on the NFL gridiron. With that type of money, these guys in professional sports could afford the best car services to take these guys out to paint the town red. Not sure why they don’t use them because this guy may have been a number one receiver right now for somebody getting the bigger money. It’s the Tintor family we have to back, regarding their decision on anything to do with Ruggs III getting out early.

THE STEELERS ARE LANDING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CRUSH 23 YEARS LATER

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I feel the Pittsburgh Steelers is like that guy that gets his high school dream gal decades later, who is now divorced and has a litter of kids. Even though we knew the hook up was going to happen at some point, finally the wait is over. Yes, Steel City finally gets that Hall of Fame QB they dreamed about after Big Ben Roethlisberger hung up the spikes for good. The Steelers will get Aaron Rodgers at the age of 41 years old, a guy who blew up the New York Jets franchise in the last two seasons with his own personality. Rodgers will get a one year deal from Pittsburgh worth 13.65 million. It’s a relationship between both parties that was neither one’s first choice. In the end they were stuck together like liver sausage and peanut butter. Trying to work out a combo that will not mix well together, like oil and water.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ first choice was trying to convince the LA Rams to give them their starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford. Multiple teams inquired about the availability this season on Stafford. In the end, the Rams were not giving up on the veteran quarterback who helped the Rams win a Superbowl a few seasons back. Then the Steelers tried to re-sign one of their own guys in Justin Fields, who they landed from the Chicago Bears in a trade in the off-season. The Steelers decided Fields was not enough and signed Russell Wilson as well. The 2024 regular season started off with Fields as the starter for the Steelers. Only reason he was the starter was because Wilson was dealing with an injury. After six games, Fields was 4-2 as the Steelers starter. He was looking good behind center. Wilson returned and Fields then was holding the clip board for the rest of the season. The Steelers then low balled Fields, who was a free agent with their offer. Fields took the better offer with the Jets and he will not have to look over his back as he has the keys to the car for the starting job with New York. The Steelers QB room was looking pathetic. They had a Miami Dolphins castoff, back up Skylar Thompson. They re-signed their former back up QB Mason Rudolf who left the Steelers for the Titans for one season. Then they drafted Will Howard in the 6th round in the 2025 NFL draft. Howard was the winning QB for Ohio State, who beat Notre Dame in the National Championship.

Aaron Rodgers’ first season with the Jets, in the very first game of the season, in the 1st quarter in 2023, suffered a season ending injury. On a sack by the Buffalo Bills defensive lineman, Leonard Floyd tackled Rodgers to the ground. He snapped his Achilles tendon and would miss the entire season. In his second season, Rodgers got the Jets head coach fired and the general manager. The Jets were so desperate for a quarterback, they gave into all of Rodgers’ demands while getting his guys on the team. The Jets front office brought in Rodgers’ receivers he has played with and coaches. In year two with the Jets, Rodgers had a 5-12 record as the Jets starter. He completed 63% of his passes for 3,897 passing yards with 28 touchdown passes to 11 interceptions. Rodgers was a cancer to the Jets organization, who once had one of the best defenses in the league and had some play-makers for the offense assembled. All they needed was a quarterback and they got Mr. Darkness, who never blamed himself for anything he did wrong. It was a mess in New York as they are still picking up the pieces right now.

Why did it take the Steelers and Aaron Rodgers to hook up when it was obvious? Some Steelers players thought Rodgers was holding the team hostage and leading them on until he found something better. Rodgers had been interested in playing for the Minnesota Vikings. If Rodgers did suit up for the Vikings, he would have followed in the same footsteps as Brett Farve did when he left the Packers for a bad year with the New York Jets then & helped the Vikings to the playoffs. The Vikings had a great record last year with Sam Darnold having his best year as a starting QB. He replaced the injured rookie, JJ McCarthy, who was injured in preseason and done for the entire year. Rodgers may have felt the Vikings would be a team he could help and at the same time get revenge against the Packers. The Vikings instead are giving the job to McCarthy, who they drafted in the first round in 2024. Rodgers said he did not sign with the Steelers until now for personal reasons. He has said he recently got secretly married and has not mentioned the woman’s name.

Maybe Aaron Rodgers met and married his new woman in the forest in one of his darkness retreats. Terry Bradshaw chimed in that Rodgers should stay in California where he is from, eat tree bark, and whisper to the Gods. Bradshaw, a former Steelers legend quarterback, thinks his former team is making a huge mistake by signing Rodgers. You’re not getting the Rodgers who won the Superbowl a very long time ago for the Packers. You’re not getting the guy who is a 10x Pro-Bowler. Rodgers has won multiple awards for one hell of a football career as he played 20 seasons already. Some think teaming up with Mike Tomlin, the Steelers legendary head coach, would prevent Rodgers becoming a cancer to the locker room. They think Tomlin would not allow Rodgers to ruin his team like the antics he pulled as a Jet the last two seasons. Rodgers is making mandatory practices for the Steelers wearing number 8.

He is in camp with his excuse of his new marriage. He already complained about his new helmet. Safety is sometimes uncomfortable. The Steelers have a solid defense. The Steelers can protect Rodgers better than the Jets. Besides from D.K Metcalf who the Steelers got from Seattle in a trade, who are his play-makers? The Steelers traded their nutcase wide receiver, George Pickens, to Dallas. Pickens had talent and Rodgers could have used him. The Steelers play in the same division as the Bengals and Ravens with top QBs like Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. The Browns have a defense and have a guy named Myles Garret who wants to add Rodgers to his Halloween cemetery. All the QBs he sacked over his career. That is a tough division Rodgers will be in. The Steelers have made the post-season the last few years, but they are one and done. What changes for the Steelers here? How are they going to get through the AFC gauntlet in general with teams like the Chiefs, Bills, Texans, and Broncos. First you have to find a way through the division before taking on one of those other teams in the AFC. Rodgers will break Brett Farve’s touchdown pass record this season, but the Steelers are probably not going anywhere. Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season. That time may come this season when you picked your poison and it’s Aaron Rodgers. The guy that didn’t know who you were at the prom. The Steelers crush will find out the hard way as Rodgers has been around the block. He may be infected from eating bad tree bark in the forest. They will learn you can not fire up the old 1980’s Camaro and expect a spin with that high school sweetheart in that angel stage. The Steelers are not getting that Packers star QB from back in the day. What’s left of that guy is a broken down old quarterback who gives off bad vibes and will take you down with him. Good luck Steelers, because you will need it this season.