The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Ex-NFL Player: ‘Average White Guys’ Shouldn’t Be Talking About Football

Rashard Mendenhall kicked a hornet’s nest this week, and even after getting ratio’d into oblivion, refused to apologize: Let us stipulate that we don’t know what set him off. Something must have provoked him to say these offensive things, and his willingness to maintain his defense suggests that either (a) the provocation was great, or […]

‘The Patriot Way’ Has Turned Toxic

Tonight, the New England Patriots play in prime time against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and bid fair to set an unwelcome NFL record: The betting over/under total on the “Thursday Night Football” game between the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers is testing a 30-year low, and weather isn’t even a factor. The total on the […]

An Unusual Consensus

Tyson Bagent — remember that name, because some people who know a lot about football agree that he’ll be the starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears before this season is over. Remember what I told you last month about Trey Lance? In the 2021 NFL draft, five quarterbacks were first-round picks: 1. Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) […]

Is There Any Hope for the Patriots?

Football is a team sport, but I became a New England Patriots fan in 2021 because of one player. When the Patriots drafted Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, they also acquired me as a fan: Roll Tide. Jones had led the Crimson Tide to an undefeated season and the National Championship after spending three years on […]

No Hope in New York

Excuse me for returning so soon to the NFL theme, but what happened on Monday Night Football is dominating ESPN coverage, and also will have a direct impact on the fortunes of the New England Patriots. The Aaron Rodgers Era in New York lasted exactly four plays, as he limped off the field after getting […]

Disappointed, But Not Discouraged

The New England Patriots lost their season-opener to the Philadelphia Eagles, 25-20, and this result was in many ways discouraging. As in several close games over the psst couple of years, the Patriots made stupid mistakes and failed in crucial situations late in the game. A loss is a loss, and any effort to find […]

It Has Been 207 Days …

Labor Day is fading in the rearview mirror. The leaves on the poplar tree down at the corner are already turning yellow, and the cornfields nearby have turned from green to gold, which can only mean . . . FOOTBALL TIME! Nearly 30 weeks have elapsed since Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles in […]

‘Coach Prime’ Silences Critics as Colorado Upsets TCU in Season-Opening Shocker

The Colorado Buffaloes were three-touchdown underdogs Saturday, playing on the road against a team ranked in the Top 20. Last year, Texas Christian University went 13-2, winning the Big 12 championship, then defeated Michigan in the semifinals of the national championship playoffs before losing the title game to Georgia. Meanwhile, Colorado was 1-11 in the […]

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