The Woke NFL’s new policy on COVID whereby players aren’t constantly tested unless they are showing symptoms is a bow to reality and to the narrative.
The NFL embraced the whole Biden Admin you MUST get the vac business but the sight of games cancelled because of fully vaxed players still coming down with COVID is not only a danger to the bottom line and to player relations but it looks really bad for the Vax Nazis when fully vaxed players with little or no symptoms are missing games while at the same time trying to push said vax on the working public.
Of course the players who will not be tested can still catch the virus, carry the virus and even pass it on, but as long as they do so without causing a game to be delayed or cancelled it’s OK with the league.
The obvious question is: Do I have a better plan? Given what we’ve seen and know, yes.
Drop all testing. If a player is sick he doesn’t play. If he is not he does.
No charge
The Patriots winning streak ended in Indy as all winning streaks eventually do. the QB Mac Jones was rather subdued about it as several rookie mistakes on his part (combined with some horrible undisciplined penalties) cost them what was a very winnible game.
How he comes back from this next week vs Buffalo will say a lot about his future but with three weak opponents out of the final four games it’s pretty safe to say that Jones will be starting at least one playoff game as a rookie.
The other question is will the people who’ve been lionizing him for a month now jump off the bandwagon? I suspect that will depend on Buffalo.
Ironically one of the best things to give Jones perspective was Tom Brady’s and the Tampa Bay Bucs humiliating 9-0 shutout by the Saints.
“Just a tough night,” Brady said after the first home shutout of his 23-year career and first anywhere since a 21-0 loss at Miami on December 10, 2006, when Nick Saban was still coaching the Dolphins.
No current member of the Saints was in the NFL at the time. Defensive end Cam Jordan, who had two of the four sacks of Brady, was in high school in Chandler, Arizona.
Brady was clearly losing his temper on the sidelines but to me that’s a good thing. Great players expect a lot from themselves and if they fail to deliver as spectacularly as Tom did last week they should be angry.
But Mac Jones can get perspective here. If the best of all time can have a game like this during an MVP caliber season then he sure can have a bad game took.
BTW Watch for the media to go full on “Brady is finished” narrative to start up again.
The Baseball lockout is a great example of insanity.
You have a sport whose fanbase like me is aging and is in declining popularity. A sport that needs a spark and what do you get? Players making 6-10 figures arguing with owners making even more. This type of incompetence give the Biden Administration a run for its money.
The proof that baseball is the worlds most perfect sport is that it manages to survive time and again the regular idiocy of those in charge of it.
Pitching Wins Hermanson Mon 29, ERA Hermanson Mon 1.82, IP Soto Cin 285 1/3, K’s Soto Cin 347, Avg against Soto Cin .196 WHIP Hermanson Mon 1.00 HR/9 Berenyi Cin, Anderson Pit 0.33, Saves Urbina Mon 35.
NL Playoff results
Wild card 2009 Nationals over 1993 Mets
Division Series 1982 Reds over 2000 Phillies 4 games to 2
Division Series 2009 Nationals over 1998 Expos 4 games to 3
League Championship series 2009 Nats over 1982 Reds 4 games to 1
World Series
2009 Nationals over 1970 Royals 4 games to 3
The SD Jones memorial .500 teams league is a league (all teams were no better than 2 games over .500 or no worse than 2 games under) Initial season . Games are scheduled for Tuesdays. AM Only 2 series are left to play in the entire league
Avg Carew Min .356, OBP Trout LAA .432, SLUG Trout LAA .616, Runs Trout LAA 138, Hits Carew Min 235, 2B Cabrera Det 55, 3B Durham ChW, 20, SB Carew Min 65 BB Trout LAA 119 HR Trout LAA, Howard Wash Cabrera Det 45, RBI Cabrera Det 148
Pitching
Wins Verlander Det 24, ERA Clemens Bos 2.31, IP Blyleven Minn 313, K’s Blyleven Min 297 , Avg against Cahill Oak .204, WHIP Darwin Bos 0.97, HR/9 Bibby Cle 0.30, Saves Knowles Wash Lyle NYY 33
AVG Clemente Pit .362, OBP Mitchell Cin .439, Slug Helton Col .614 Runs Larkin Cin 134, Hits Clemente Pit 234, 2B Cirillo Col 67, 3B Clemente Pit 23, SB Pierre LAD 82 BB Ashburn Phil 122, HR Helton Col 37, RBI Helton Col 141
Pitching Wins Scherzer Wash 23 ERA Scherzer Wash 2.38, IP Scherzer Wash 302, K’s Scherzer Wash 367, Avg Against Scherzer Wash .208, WHIP Scherzer Wash 0.95, HR/9 Reed StL 0.28 , Saves Face Pitt 37
3rd League All time any time Great Teams League (3rd season) Games scheduled Friday evenings. Two teams have been picked up since the last posting (oddly not the Orioles)
Avg McGee StL .365, OBP Morgan Cin .457, Slug Kendrick Wash .611, Runs Morgan Cin 114, Hits McGee Stl 186, 2B Rizzo Cubs16 40, 3B McGee StL 19, SB Morgan Cin 71, BB Morgan Cin 106, HR Ga;arraga Atl, Aaron Mil 37, RBI Foster 117
Pitching Wins Maddux Atl 18, ERA Tudor StL 1.75, IP Maddux Atl 231, K’s Johnson Arizona 295, Avg against Tudor StL .181, WHIP Tudor StL 0.82 HR/9 Buhl Mil 0.34, Saves Chapman Cubs16 32
If you are interested in taking over the management of any of the online leagues teams contact me in comments.
As a bonus here are the standings of our face to face draft league which first began playing in 1987 in Fitchburg Massachusetts. We have two divisions with 4 teams each playing a 60 game season every other Saturday at Zeda’s Pizza in Fitchburg MA. The individual leagues are named for deceased members of the league. Five teams make the playoffs, the best record gets home field throughout and 2nd best record of the division leaders gets a home series against the best non-division winner while the final two teams play a one game playin for the right to face the best division winner in the playoffs.
New players are always welcome
Lynn Division
W
L
PCT
GB
WCGB
Tampa Bay Rays (x)
41
19
.683
—-
n/a
San Francisco Giants(w)
35
25
.583
6
Bye
St. Louis Cardinals(w)
32
28
.533
7
Home
Colorado Rockies
24
36
.400
17
2
w clinched at least wildcard game x clinched playoff spot
Dan Division
W
L
PCT
GB
WCGB
New York Yankees (XY)
39
21
.650
—-
n/a
Washington Nationals
28
33
.459
11 1/2
_____
Seattle Mariners
27
34
.442
12 1/2
E
San Diego Padres
17
43
.283
22
E
Playoff results
Wild card playin StL over Washington
Playoffs round 1 NYY over SF 4 games to 2
Tampa over Stl 4 games to 3
World Series Tampa over NYY 4 games to 3
The 1969 Draft league is a continual draft league in its first season (1969) All teams drafted full rosters (max 35) while being allowed to keep one player from the teams picked. In subsequent season (next year 1970) teams will retain rights to new rookies plus 4-12 currently held players based on their finish. There are no wildcards and 1969 rules are in play.
AL
East
W
L
PCT
GB
Baltimore Orioles
12
8
.600
—–
Cleveland Indians
11
11
.500
2
Washington Senators
10
10
.500
2
NY Highlanders (Yankees)
9
13
.409
4
West
W
L
PCT
GB
Minnesota Maul of America (Twins)
13
9
.591
—–
Oakland A’s
13
9
.591
—–
Chicago White Sox
9
13
.409
4
Seattle Pilots
9
13
.409
4
AL Leaders
Avg Billy Williams balt .444, OBP Harmon Killebrew Cle .516, Slug Frank Howard Wash .768, Runs Jimmy Wynn Cle 19 , Hits Billy Williams Balt 36, 2B Dick Green Oak, Johnny Callison Wash 8, 3B Billy Williams Balt , Ron Fairly NYY, Johnny Callison Wash 4, BB Mike Fiore Sea 26, HR Frank Howard Wash 10 , RBI Harmon Killebrew Cle 27
Pitching Wins Andy Messersmith Balt 4, ERA Mel Stottlemyre Cle 1.83 , IP Larry Dieker NYY 41, K’s Sam McDowell Cle 49, Avg Against Jerry Koosman Oak .152, WHIP Jerry Koosman Oak 0.82, HR/9 , Wally Bunker Oak, Mike McCormick Sea 0.00 , Saves Tug McGraw Twins, Moe Drabowski Wash 6
NL
East
W
L
PCT
GB
New York Metropolitans (Mets)
17
8
.680
—–
Pittsburgh Pirates
12
10
.545
3 1/2
Montreal Nos Amours (Expos)
8
12
.400
6 1/2
Atlanta Braves
7
13
.350
7 1/2
West
W
L
PCT
GB
Los Angeles Dodgers
14
8
.636
—–
Cincinnati Cin City (Reds)
13
9
.591
1
St. Louis Cardinals
14
11
.560
1 1/2
San Francisco Seals (Giants)
4
18
.182
10
Leaders NL
Avg Bobby Tolan Mets .376, OBP Rusty Staub Mon .485, Slug Reggie Smith LAD .761, Runs Reggie Smith LAD 21, Hits Bobby Tolan Mets 41, 2B Curt Flood StL 9, 3B Sal Bando Mets, Jerry Grote Pit, Tim McCarver mets, Bobby Murcer SF, Reggie Smith LAD, Doug Rader Pitt, Rich Reese Stl, Maury Wills Stl 2, BB Willie McCovery LAD 21 SB Cesar Tovar mets 7, HR Dick Allen Reds 8, RBI Bobby Tolan Mets Hank Aaron Atl 21
Pitching Wins Tom Seaver Mets 5, ERA Nelson Briles StL 1.50, IP Bob Gibson Mets 50 1/3, K’s Bob Gibson StL 46, Avg against Jim Palmer SF .170, WHIP Jim Palmer 0.84, HP/9 Dave McNalley SF 0.00 Saves Ron Taylor Mets 7
We Expect to expand by at least 2 teams next season
Jerry Koosman is the AL player of the week for his key 4 hit 9 inning game vs LA for his 2nd win putting his A’s a mere half game out of first place in the AL west.
Bob Humphreys is the NL player of the week for coming in for an injured Chuck Dobson. Going into the game he had no appearance longer than 2/3 of an inning with batters hitting .500 against him and a WHIP of 2.00. He threw 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball facing 17 hitters and giving up but a single hit to earn his 1st win of the season.
Here are the winners of the player of the week award in the Dynasty 1969 Draft League as voted on by me.
American League Luis Tiant Twins
El Tiante did not get a win or a save but was key to the Twins 5-2 victory against division rival Seattle. In the Top of the 2nd Tiant came in to replace an injured Gary Peters who had come in to replace starter Gene Brabender who came out with a stiff shoulder in the 1st. In the 3rd inning walks leader Mike Fiore walked as did Dick McAuliffe. Hits leader Pete Rose singled and it looked like the Twins 2-1 lead would be short lived with RBI Leader Ed Kirpatrick, Tommy Harper and Tommie Agee due up. and but a ground ball needed to tie the game. It was not to be Tiant would strike out Kirpatrick looking and Harper and Agee swinging the highlight of 5 2/3 innings of 2 hit 9 K shutout ball
How Tiant doesn’t get the win is beyond me
National League Jim Palmer Giants
There is nothing more painful for a team than to start the season with a long losing streak and the San Francisco Giants had. Having lost their first eight and their previous game on a 2-1 heartbreaker 1st round Jim Palmer took is 0-1 record the mound for the 0-8 Giants vs the 5-3 Cardinals Jim Bunning who had won his 1st start.
With two outs in the top of the seventh Palmer had given up a solo shot to Clete Boyer tying the game. Now in the bottom of the inning he came to bat with one out and Jose Cardinial who had doubled on 2nd. Mgr Guy Desrosiers let Palmer bat and he drove a 2-2 fastball into the gap in left center giving the Giants the lead and after advancing to 3rd on a grounder scored on a single by Sandy Alomar Sr.
He would end the game retiring the next six Cardinals striking out 3 to complete the game and consign San Francisco’s losing streak to history.
Palmer hutting only .200 but he made that hit count!
Note that franchise owners have the right to change their teams names.
Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog 