On Dec. 22, 2019, the Bengals lost at Miami to win Joe Burrow. Being the Bengals, they almost screwed that up.
Remember?
If the 1-13 Bengals beat the 3-11 Dolphins that day, Miami would still be in the running for the Saint Joe Sweepstakes, by virtue of getting the top pick in the draft. When Cincinnati trailed 35-12 midway through the 4th quarter, that looked impossible. We pondered how Burrow might look in orange.
Then Andy Dalton’s Men scored 23 points in six minutes. They recovered an onside kick, they converted a 2-pointer at the gun to send the game to extras.
Are you kidding me?
Thank goodness Miami won on the last play in OT, on a 37-yard FG, and here we are today. There’s a decent chance the Bengals wouldn’t have ridden the arm of Tua Tagovailoa to Los Angeles.
This comes up now in the wake of the massively important class-action lawsuit filed Tuesday by former Dolphins coach Brian Flores, accusing the NFL of racist hiring practices. Among the gems alleged in the suit is this one:
CJ Uzomah injury update:Will tight end play in Super Bowl 56? Bengals coach Zac Taylor gives an update.
He accused Dolphins owner Stephen Ross of offering him $100,000 for every loss in an effort to tank during the 2019 season.
If this is true, can you imagine Ross, watching the game that day? For 3-plus quarters, Ross is pacing the floor, ready to fire Flores for insubordination. For half a quarter, he’s heaving big sighs of relief. Then. . . WTF?
Paul Daugherty: Do you believe? The Bengals are going to the Super Bowl. Really.
Instead of taking seriously the charge that an owner wanted to pay off his head coach to lose football games, the NFL denied Flores’ allegation almost before the ink had dried on the lawsuit. “Without merit,’’ the arrogant men in suits on Park Avenue decided.
Really? Did the league do an investigation in a couple hours? Wow. Impressive.
Very likely, that slice of Flores’ action will go away. The deeper intent of the suit will not.
Brian Flores committed Kaepernick-esque career suicide, most likely. He threw himself on the sword of a cause that the league has ignored. There is no way, none, that Black coaches have gotten a fair shake when it comes to NFL head coaching jobs.
Bengals depth chart:Is rookie Jackson Carman the Bengals answer at right guard for the Super Bowl?
It’s not just unfortunate. It’s embarrassing. A league whose players are 70 percent Black currently has one Black head coach, Mike Tomlin. The Dolphins fired Flores after he finished the year 8-1.
You can suggest that a team owner can hire and fire whomever he pleases. You could say it should be about hiring the best person for the job. You could call me “woke,’’ whatever that means. Have at it, but Flores is right. His cause has been right forever.
Think of all the unproven white coaches who’ve gotten jobs. Start with Zac Taylor. What about his resume screamed “very experienced NFL head coach’’?
Think about recycled white coaches who keep getting jobs, even as they weren’t successful in their previous ones. I’ll see your Josh McDaniels and raise you a Doug Marrone.
Think about Eric Bieniemy, KC’s offensive coordinator, still offensive coordinating despite orchestrating one of the league’s best offense for the past four seasons.
It’s a joke. Teams flagrantly mock the Rooney Rule by bringing in Black coaches for sham interviews. In the lawsuit Flores alleges that his former boss, Bill Belichick, texted him that the Giants already had hired Brian Daboll – three days before they were scheduled to interview Flores.
"I understand that I may be risking coaching the game that I love and that has done so much for my family and me," Flores wrote in a statement. "My sincere hope is that by standing up against systemic racism in the NFL, others will join me to ensure that positive change is made for generations to come."
Maybe this will shake the starch out of all the NFL’s old-boy shirts. Maybe the Stephen Rosses of the world will be held to account. Rich guys suffering consequences is an oxymoron in the NFL. Maybe this will change that. If it does, we’ll all owe a debt of gratitude to Brian Flores and his singular courage.
Now, then . . .
TAKE US OUT OF THE BALLGAME . . . Rome burns, Nero fiddles. MLB is getting close to not opening spring training on time. Why we should care, beyond sentimentality, I’m not sure. Players and owners are digging their own graves, one day at a time.
More:Predicting which Cincinnati Reds prospects could make their MLB debuts in 2022
ESPN.com:
The collective bargaining meeting between the Major League Baseball Players Association and MLB on Tuesday afternoon led to no significant progress, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN, almost ensuring a delay to spring training.
If the lockout ends in the next seven days, players under contract should have enough time to get to camp as scheduled, according to one team executive, while a free-agent frenzy would take place for the remaining unsigned players.
Would everyone arrive on time? Probably not, especially those coming from outside the country. But camps could open, pitchers could start throwing and spring routines could commence.
In conversations with people in the game, the consensus is that players need a bare minimum of seven days to prepare for game action. It means camps have to be up and running by around Feb. 19 if spring schedules are to be adhered to.
"I'm telling my starting pitchers to be ready to pitch three innings on Day 1," one agent said last week.
Camps need to open by March 3, approximately. It doesn't mean the sides can't agree on a shorter spring -- just like they did two years ago -- to keep Opening Day on March 31.
WHY I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE SPECIFICS. From a story on Yahoo!:
In 2021, the CBT was $210 million. Penalties started at a 20% tax on overages. Repeat offenders would be taxed at 30% in their second year and 50% in their third year. There are surcharges (an additional 12% and then an additional 42.5% or 45% on top of that) for clubs that surpass subsequent thresholds at $230 million and $250 million, and clubs that sail past $250 million will have their first or second draft pick moved back 10 spots.
I’m sorry but . . . what?
The LUX TAX doesn’t help low-spending teams, who are never going to compete with the big spenders no matter the taxes levied. A salary floor would be of more use, making loser-owners like the Pirates Bob Nutting stop using their teams as ATMs. Or sell to someone interested in competing.
More:Predicting which Cincinnati Reds prospects could make their MLB debuts in 2022
UC MADE IT OFFICIAL, bringing Kerry Coombs onto the football staff as CBs coach, special teams coordinator and, unofficially, head cheerleader and recruiting superstar. Good for him. Better for UC.
More:It's official. Luke Fickell welcomes Kerry Coombs to Cincinnati Bearcats coaching staff
WHERE WILL YOU BE ON THIS PENULTIMATE SUPER SUNDAY? I’ll be in front of big screen, watching sunshine from Pebble Beach while putting on the rug. I love the winter leg of the Tour. Monterey Peninsula, Scottsdale, Riviera, Palm Beach Gardens, Sawgrass. Hope looks like sunshine and feels like 75 degrees.
IF YOU READ ONE THING TODAY. . . Make it this hilarious piece in the NYTimes. Pigs are taking over in California. First mudslides, drought, fires and earthquakes. Now, pigs.
"They are tearing up lawns, ripping through golf course fairways, threatening the drinking water and disturbing the harvests at Napa vineyards. Many Californians want them dead.''
I think I'd like a little bacon with my Chardonnay. How 'bout you?
AND NOW. . . FunMaster David skates to Big Ash Brewing.
It feels like my intro paragraphs have all been about the Bengals. Maybe this is a good thing. I become the FunMaster and then the Bengals go to the Super Bowl. It's almost poetic. I wonder who will play me in the movie when the Bengals win …
Friday night, Fountain Square will be lit up as DJ Diamond hosts the Olympic Skate Party. With the winter Olympics set to open Friday, there will be two 90-minute skating sessions available (6:00pm and 8:00pm). All of the opening ceremony action will be available on the Fountain Square LED board, and snacks/beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased via peek.com.
On Saturday, Big Ash Brewing will be hosting their Valentine's Day Market from 12:00pm-5:00pm. Crafts, baked goods, jewelry, spices, and much more will be available for purchase from some of Cincinnati's best craft vendors. Of course, Big Ash will have pizza and beer for purchase as well. The event itself is free to attend.
TUNE O’ THE DAY. My former favorite football team is now the Commanders. Dumb name, which is in keeping with the dumb stewardship of the once-great franchise. Herewith, the good old days. My dad, the estimable Jim Daugherty, had a doorbell that chimed this tune, I swear. God love him.
Source link
