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Hi Folks,
We do a ton of insightful, thoughtful and serious features here at Footballguys with smart people thinking deeply for you. This is not one of those features.
This is Random Shots and it's a few pages of me downloading my goofy and dysfunctional mental hard drive that gets stuffed with way too many random items from too many hours watching, reading about and listening to football every weekend and throughout the week. It's the only way I manage. Here's hoping it has some value for you.
We'll see. Now let's get to it.
J
Here's some context for you.
This is Los Angeles coach Sean McVay the last time the Rams made the playoffs...
Someone just hit "rewind" in the Matrix at the of this Zay Jones play...
For Real.
I'm a simple guy. You want to shoot to the top of my favorite players list? Make someone's day.
Like Leonard Fournette here.
Rock on, 27.
Thanks to Footballguy John Quinlan for that one.
The College Football Playoffs are shaping up.
Todd McShay knows a ton about College Players. He's one of my favorite Draft Analysts.
But if he thinks Alabama fans are rooting for Auburn AGAINST ANYONE, he doesn't know about Alabama and Auburn Football...
One of the few bright spots for the Giants this year...
You know me, always trying to put a smile on things...
This is why coaches don't fake punt more often...
Just when you thought Bills Mafia couldn't get "better"...
I don't want to know about "Step 1". Or if there are any more steps after this one...
Thanks to Footballguy Thomas Gore for this one.
Jamal Adams is not a fan of Cam Newton's Superman Celebration. I get it. There's some truth on both sides here. But this almost always goes back to the age-old wisdom of "If you don't like the TD celebration, keep them out of the end zone".
NBA Note. You may not like Steph Curry. But you can't say he doesn't pay off a bet. Rocking the Fanny Pack here.
Jets WR Robby Anderson looked to the TV Camera Sunday and asked for Pro Bowl votes. Chris Spielman wasn't having it.
I see both sides of this one too. I get it, it's a team game and Anderson's focus should be on helping the Jets win. Period. For Anderson's side, he's been the brightest spot in a not so bright season and he's been delivering in a big way. The Jets were 4-6 going into Sunday. Spielman's right. And he's an old-school guy. And I'm mostly with him. But I'm not burying Anderson for this.
As if the Bears don't have enough problems. They returned to work after Thanksgiving to the smell of rotten fish.
From the Chicago Tribune:
"Coach John Fox indicated the source of the stench was spoiled sushi that was served late last week. Quite apparently, it was not disposed of sufficiently while Halas Hall was quiet over the Thanksgiving holiday."
Perfect.
Chris Myers: "He's burping the baby. I love these celebrations".
Note to self: Don't let Chris Myers babysit my kids...
Looks like some Bears fans are Random Shots readers...
In the Titans Huddle:
Delanie Walker: "Marcus, they've got four guys on me."
Marcus Mariota: "Run your route. I got this".
Thanks to Footballguy Brian Jensen for that one.
Commissioner Roger Goodell weighs in on the Michael Crabtree - Aqib Talib fight.
The more I think about it, let's just cancel the Pro Bowl.
Music Note. Tom Waits is an American treasure. He's one of the most unique voices and characters anywhere.
If you're a fan of Heath Ledger's Joker character, you have Tom Waits to thank.
NOTE - Slightly NSFW language there. For those that don't know Waits, the interview is not a skit. That's him. You can see the full version here.
When Bill Belichick dreams of post-game press conferences, they look like this:
I'm not sure what ESPN is doing with the graphics but I think I want way more of it...
I love Wade Phillips. Guy knows exactly who he is.
What is it with the NBA and synchronicity?...
I like Chuck Pagano but I'm kind of worried about him.
Carson Wentz does look like Prince Harry. Even the Eagles were confused...
Thanks to Footballguy David Dodds for that one.
My takeaway from the Talib - Crabtree fight: You don't realize how good professional fighters are until you see non-professional fighters try to fight.
Later in the game, we got this from the TV Graphics Stat Guy. Savage.
Not to be outdone, CBS countered with the "Days Since Browns Last Win" Clock.
Move over Stephen Ross...
Julio Jones is nasty.
Thought from an old guy. Everyone's enamored with athleticism. Me too. I get it. But more and more I'm seeing it's the smart teams that win. They're all athletic. But the spread of Football IQ from top to bottom is wider than many think.
Kenjon Barner with a good example Sunday.
I love Mike Leach.
Think Auburn was excited about beating Alabama?
When I'm done with the store selling nothing but Plastic Tables in Buffalo, I'm going to open an outlet offering Toilet Paper by the case in Auburn.
Wrapping with this classy move from Eli Manning. The Giants have decided to bench Manning in order to see what they have in Geno Smith and Davis Webb. Most people know what they have in Geno Smith and Davis Webb but that's another story.
Manning, as you probably know, has a 210 game streak of consecutive starts.
Manning was given the option to preserve the streak and start and then turn the game over to Smith.
“Coach McAdoo told me I could continue to start while Geno and Davis are given an opportunity to play,” Manning said. “My feeling is that if you are going to play the other guys, play them. Starting just to keep the streak going and knowing you won’t finish the game and have a chance to win it is pointless to me, and it tarnishes the streak. Like I always have, I will be ready to play if and when I am needed. I will help Geno and Davis prepare to play as well as they possibly can.”
Eli Manning is no comparison to Ted Williams but this made me think of one of my favorite sports stories. And one I tell here often.
History lesson time. Heading into the last day, a doubleheader, of the 1941 season, 23-year-old Ted Williams' batting average was .39955. He could have sat out the meaningless last two games of the last day and his average would have rounded to the hallowed .400 mark.
From the sabr.org article: "In his autobiography, My Turn At Bat, Williams recalls Joe Cronin telling him, 'You don’t have to be put in if you don’t want to. You’re officially .400.' Ted reports his reaction: 'Well, God, that hit me like a ***damn lightning bolt! What do you mean I don’t have to play today?'"
But you probably know the story. Williams put his .400 mark at risk and played. Both games. And went 6 for 8 finishing the year at .406.
That's badass.
How that applies to you and me is simple. I feel pretty safe in saying we're not going to hit .400 in the majors. But we all get to walk to the plate every day and take some swings. Take yours.
That'll do it for this week, Folks. Thanks to Footballguys Doug Drinen, Clayton Gray, Keith Overton, Thomas Gore, Brian Jensen, John Quinlan and David Dodds for the help on this one. If you've got a Random Shot of your own, shoot me an e-mail at bryant@footballguys.com.
Thanks for playing along. I hope you make the most of whatever you're doing in your life. Love your neighbor and stick together.
Peace and Grace to you. And Happy Thanksgiving.
J
