Boycott the 2022 Games entirely.

Until today, I thought the Administration's idea of a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics would be a good response to the communist thugs in Beijing.

That was before the corrupt oafs at the International Olympic Committee pronounced themselves "relieved" by their staged "one-on-one" discussion with the imprisoned Peng Shuai. 

Now? 

To metaphorical hell with the Games.

Yes, I know it punishes innocent foreign athletes for the misdeeds of the host nation. But really, to even be seen in events stage-managed by Xi's New Maoist State...is it worth it?

If they go ahead and send American athletes, I think the rest of us should express our displeasure by making sure NBC has the lowest-ever Olympics TV ratings. Who knows--maybe the advertisers will take a hint or two?

And in other news: Sport.

The NFL starts up this weekend, and the newest iteration of "Wait'll Next Year!" is here.

And its central skill players are injured.

I'll be my incorrigible optimist self and project that the Lions finish 4-13. 

I'll be even more optimistic and say that the Lions' playoff victory drought (last victory in 1991) will end before it hits 30 years.

Neither of these two predictions is grounded in anything resembling objective data.

The less I say about the pit-toilet that Wolverines football has become, the better.

One playoff win in my 51 years on the orb.

So the two newest passengers on the Detroit Lions' Carousel of Derp (a/k/a "the Hell-Ride Without a Paddle!") have boarded.

 

Any assessment is nearly pure speculation, but there are a few scraps of info which suggest a direction, if nothing yet about the quality of the leadership.

First, new GM Brad Holmes was full of praise for Matthew Stafford, if non-committal. That is good, given that there are teams who need a veteran QB and the Lions are short of draft picks thanks to the previous regime. He deserves better than yet another rebuild and his value will never be higher.

And yes, I said "rebuild" despite Holmes expressly disclaiming the term "rebuild." Because in the next breath he recogized that the defense is atrocious. Because it is--historically so. That ensures that some level of rebuild is in the offing. 

You want additional proof that the team is resigned to a rebuild, whatever else they want to call it?

Campbell has a six year contract. That's a roll-up-your-sleeves-for-the-handyman-special kind of deal. 

So, here we go. 

Again. But I am so very, very, very slightly pleased with the fact that the necessity has been recognized.

And now to Sports.

So Michigan's annual beatdown at the hands of Ohio State was cancelled this year because of the spread of coronavirus. 40 players wouldn't have been able to play on Saturday, which tends to do things to your depth chart.

This was truly for the best. Michigan has never looked so disjointed, out of whack and badly-coached as it has in 2020. Why Harbaugh was so eager to play this year is impossible to understand. It looked good against Minnesota...but the Golden Gophers turned out to be a shell of last year's superb team. Other than that, Michigan's play has been error-riddled, perfunctory, lifeless and bad on fundamentals.

Hard to watch, so I haven't much.

The overall body of work still looks good, but if you focus on the last three years, not so much. He has the 9th rated recruiting class in the wings, but if you can't develop them--and he sure hasn't developed a quarterback during his tenure--then it's just an empty power ranking. It would be nice to give him a dignity-saving parachute out of A2, which brings me to...

Our tragic farce of an NFL team dispatched its coach and general manager after a lifeless performance on Thanksgiving. I don't like seeing people lose their jobs as a general rule--work is essential to keeping mind and body together. And I didn't dance in the streets when Patricia and Quinn got their pink slips. But yeesh--it was deserved. Patricia's post-game conferences were the same word salad of "gonna look at the film gotta work harder at our end gotta coach better focused on the next game" -- lather, rinse, repeat for every loss. And Quinn's drafting decisions were not stellar, apart from the offensive line and finding Golladay in the third round.

Patricia's kids' summer camp version of the "Patriot Way" left the locker room grumble free, but also listless. That can be seen in last week's miracle win over Chicago: the Lions still made mistakes, but they played with energy and enthusiasm. 

The odds that Darrell Bevell is the next head coach are really low, unless the team runs the table. Not going to happen, but it least it shows that the current collection of players has some fight in them.

So, as to the long-term replacement? Mutterings about Harbaugh heading east along the I-94 are out there. And his tenure in SF was stellar, bringing a storied franchise up from the depths.

I doubt that this is likely, but it would help both, and in one fell swoop.

A guy can dream.

I haven't watched a live down of Lions football this season.

But I have been watching the third season of Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia's live-action role-play as Real NFL GM and Head Coach from afar.

It's nice to not squander three hours of my lifespan on Sundays in autumn.

But even from afar, I am growing more surprised by the Ford family's inertia when it comes to this festival of incompetence.

I haven't been listening to much sports radio, either, but when I do, the sentiment is clear.

Remember when Frodo claims the Ring after Sam urges him to cast it into the fires of Mount Doom? The film version.

Poor Sam cries out in anguish: "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!"

Then Frodo smiles his possessed smile and keeps the Ring.

The Ring is Quinntricia.

Sam is the fanbase.

Frodo is the Fords. 

Apparently Gollum won't appear for another five losses, minimum.
 

An active NFLer answers DeSean Jackson.

That would be Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, who offers to accompany Jackson on visits to DC's Museum of African American History and Culture and the Holocaust Museum.

Followed by some "uncomfortable conversations."

Which, in a world of that respects legitimate, frank, factual and honest dialogue, would be likely be productive.

From what I can tell, the nearest such world where that could occur is no closer than Polaris.

Anyway, if you're keeping track, that makes a total of one (1) player who's called Jackson out.

Watching the League go the way of chariot racing isn't going to hurt at all.

Who needs the NFL?

After watching Drew Brees verbally blasted by players across the League (and from other sports) for polite disagreement with kneeling and DeSean Jackson greeted with crickets by the same players for posting quotes attributed to Hitler...goodbye to the entire thing.

The kneeling issue was overblown by all sides, and social activism is every American’s right to pursue (within the law, of course). Criticism can be met with criticism, and that’s also part of the great value within free speech. The criticism isn’t the problem, or at least it’s not the real problem — it’s the reeking condescension and hypocrisy of these elite athletes and their leagues.

On one hand, they plan to roll out a season of lectures for its fans on racism and hate, and cast those who might have different points of view as quasi-racists or enemies. On the other hand, when another player engages in outright declarations of anti-Semitism — especially in regurgitating idiotic hoaxes and cheering on pseudo-Hitler — these same players are not only silent, they occasionally cheer it on. And the league itself, which has spent the last several years negotiating on just how much money they want to pour into the players’ social-justice causes, doesn’t even issue a peep about it. And let’s not forget about the NBA’s cowardly surrender to China on speaking truth to power, too.

“Anybody else feeling a loss of interest in the NFL as an institution? I know I am,” Smith concludes. So am I. When the league and its players want to address all forms of hate and intolerance, they can call me. As long as they’re giving a pass or actively cheering anti-Semitism, though, I have better uses of my time and money. See you in 2021 … maybe.

The "what if someone else said it" card can be overplayed, but let's be honest. If a white player on the Eagles had posted a quote associated with Hitler and offered praise for David Duke, his ass would be unemployed and unemployable.

And it's interesting that all of the white sports columnists who "bravely" joined the Brees pile-on are utterly mute towards Jackson's foray into Hitler-Meets-The-Black-Israelites.

Lest we forget, two people devoted to the Black Israelite thesis murdered Jews last year, making Jackson's citation of such sources much less than benign "oopsie" material.

And with the NFL's announcement of the two national anthems this year...Jason Whitlock points out the obvious problems with that.

If the NFL starts out its season with everyone standing for "Lift Every Voice" and sing the black national anthem, and then virtually everyone on the field taking a knee when the Star Spangled Banner plays, I think it's going to be -- if you remember the show "Happy Days," the jump the shark moment when it's like, okay, happy days is over. The NFL will run off a nice fat chunk of its audience, and will never be seen the same again, because of the failure of leadership throughout the NFL.

There will undoubtedly be a lot of people who will be so starved for team sports that they will muscle their way past their misgivings on all of that. But there will be quite a few who won't. And the odds of them coming back will be small.

Hey, I live in Metro Detroit. Our pro team is the butt of jokes...when it rises to mention at all. It has managed all of one playoff win in my 51 years on this planet.

I will have nothing to miss.

Yeah, Matt Patricia has that effect on a lot of players.

Robert Ayers was a Detroit Lion for a day.

"Philosophical differences" ensued, and Ayers remains classy about it despite retiring from the sport:

"Let's just say me and the head coach didn't agree," Ayers said of Lions coach Matt Patricia. "There were some things he wanted me to do that I didn't feel comfortable with. We just weren't on the same page and it didn't work out. He's a tremendous coach, a brilliant mind, there's a lot of things that was great about the Detroit Lions organization, but it was just something that we didn't agree on."

I admire someone who takes the high road, so good on Mr. Ayers.

But let's just say that the brilliance and greatness have been very effectively disguised during the tenure of Misters Quinn and Patricia.

Baseball just might have another scandal on its hands.

Former Met and Philly stalwart Lenny Dykstra claims he dug up dirt on umpires to shrink his strike zone. Dykstra's had a few brushes with the law, he says delicately. If it's just his word alone, I dunno. Presumably he has something to back it up?

Note to the already-suffering Paul Zummo: he allegedly started blackmailing umpires whilst in Philadelphia.

This will bear watching.

That was a heartbreaker.

Up by 2 with 10 seconds left...only to lose on the last play of the game, leaving the hard-charging team with a 5-2 record.

Hmm?

Oh, I'm talking about my eldest son's football team losing yesterday evening after a furious comeback, 37-33.

Yes, weekend sports hell.

Oh, and Michigan fans: give it a rest. Our punter is going to be torturing himself for the rest of his life over the ending of that game. He's not playing for money, jerks.

Piling on is a personal foul in life, too.

At least the Lions aren't going to treat us to 0-16 II: Now Even Suckier.

So I got that going for me, which is nice. 

And, once again, I'm glad I ditched Facebook. I imagine people behaved as expected Saturday night. 

Not as much as the rest of us do, Mike...

Michigan running back Mike Hart regrets "little brother" knock on MSU.

Talk about badly-timed...right before Michigan started getting owned by the Spartans. 

And by "us," I mean the segment of M-fandom that has taken the opportunity to develop something like humility over the last decade. 

We'd have a hard time trying to fill Wendler Arena, but there you go.

God created the Detroit Lions to teach Michiganders detachment from the things of this world.

Can't think of a better explanation.






 

Ladies and Gentlemen, your Detroit Lions.

Looking forward to the draft after Week Three.

At least I have the Wolverines.

Saddest Three Word Poem, Michigan Edition.

Same/
Old/
Lions...

The Cubs of the NFL, and the reason I'm relieved to have other things to do on Sundays.

On the other hand, I have cause for hope down the I-94 in Ann Arbor, which is more than welcome. Still, the Wolverines will exceed my expectations if they win 8 games this year, so realism is the order of the day.

 

M is for "Mortifying."

So Shane Morris did have a "probable mild concussion," and AD Dave Brandon decided to drop this little tidbit at 1:30am on a Tuesday.

The third iteration of the story in as many days.

Aaaaaaaaand...he hung his coach out to dry in the process.

[By the way, please scroll down that post and say a prayer for Chad Carr, former coach Lloyd Carr's grandson, who has an inoperable brain tumor. Unspeakably tragic. I cannot imagine--rather, do not want to.]

Barring some miracle by which the Wolverines run the table (hint: WILL. NOT. HAPPEN.), Hoke is gone, but with that press release stunt, I feel a little more sympathy for him. 

Brandon, on the other hand...he has to go. Period, you're just going to have to eat his ridiculous contract, Ann Arbor.

You can't have an athletic director who is all about the athletic director. 

Time for the Cromwell address to the Rump Parliament:

It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, 

which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice.

Ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government.

Ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.

Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess?

Ye have no more religion than my horse. Gold is your God. Which of you have not bartered your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?

Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defiled this sacred place, and turned the Lord's temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices?

Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation. You were deputed here by the people to get grievances redressed, are yourselves become the greatest grievance. 

Your country therefore calls upon me to cleanse this Augean stable, by putting a final period to your iniquitous proceedings in this House; and which by God's help, and the strength he has given me, I am now come to do.

I command ye therefore, upon the peril of your lives, to depart immediately out of this place.

Go, get you out! Make haste! Ye venal slaves be gone! So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors. 

In the name of God, go!

The nadir of Michigan football.

I bleed Maize and Blue, and what happened to Shane Morris on Saturday is inexcusable. 

You can credit Hoke's claim to have been watching the pass when Morris was hit. Sure--makes sense. OK, fine.

What you cannot credit is the ignorance of the aftermath, including the lack of specific knowledge of whether a concussion check had been done on Morris. 

No. That is bad coaching. It is his responsibility to know. And he didn't. That is bad leadership of the young men entrusted to you by their parents.

No. He has to go, and the Athletic Director has to go with him. 

No more. This isn't about wins and losses--this is about the well-being of the student-athletes who play the game. Enough.
 

Bzzzt! I'm sorry, that's crap.

The Big Ten announces its new Divisional alignments: Legends and Leaders.

My thoughts:



Dear Lord. That pretentious bongload of self-regard is the best you can do?

Dumb. Terminally stupid.

Reboot and try again.

I'm saying Season 2, Week 4--at the latest.

That will be the first sign we see that Jim "The Schwartz" Schwartz, Head Lamb Prepared For The Slau--er, Coach, of the Detroit Lions, is developing "Lions Coach Look."

The Lions have had many coaches during the disastrous ownership tenure of William Clay Ford, but all of them since Don McCafferty died in the offseason of 1974 share one thing in common: they all acquire Lions Coach Look.

It doesn't matter what talent level or resume they bring with them, from good (Steve Mariucci, Bobby Ross) to passable (Wayne Fontes, the late Monte Clark, God rest his soul) to out of his depth (Rick Forzano, Darryl Rogers) to epic-godawful-FAILFAILFAIL-a-deceased-parakeet-is-better-with-Xs-and-Os-not-to-mention-a-cannier-judge-of-talent (Rod Marinelli). They all get The Look.

It's kinda like the 1000 yard stare meets Who activated the Infinite Improbability Drive?

Imagine the look on the face of a coach who is trying to calmly process the fact that a touchdown was negated by a zeppelin landing at the 50 yard line and disgorging a couple dozen midgets dressed like the Village People who then proceed to play air guitar to Space Truckin'.

That's what Lions Coach Look is like. It's watching the same stupid mistakes over and over, coupled with fresh-hell ways of losing. It's watching the game plan come apart in new and varied ways. It's the dawning realization that the job of coaching this hopeless few (regardless of the names on the backs of the jerseys0, this band of strangers, is a Sisyphean, not Herculean, task.

So, I'm saying next season, barring dramatic improvement. But I'll move it up to this season if they can't beat the Rams.

On the other hand, the Wolverines are roaring toward respectability at a gratifying clip, so I have that going for me.

Anybody else every see Joe Theisman's injury on Monday Night Football?

For some reason that keeps coming to mind.

Dude's got more finales than Cher or Return of the King.

Enough already.

Finally, some good news on the job front.

Commenter Ed the Roman has a new job--delighted for you, Ed!

As does my neighbor Brian, who was called back to work unexpectedly by his former employer. Which, given the unemployment rate in Michigan right now, could be used in support of a beatification cause.

Thanks for the condolences on the Wings. First, congrats to the Penguins and their fans.

Yeah, it stung/stings. Saturday, I went to my kids' recital and Sunday I helped bear a canopy in the Corpus Christi procession. Oh, and I also did some productive lawn work, gardening and grilling. Rachel and I later hunted unsuccessfully for a pink platypus Webkins. We found one, but no tag to activate it online. The quest will continue today.

In other words, life went on, as I expected it eventually would.