Sam Bradford Trade

I know it's old news by now but I thought that I'd give my opinion on the Vikings trade for Sam Bradford.  I know they paid a steep price but I fully support the trade. Let me break it down.

First of all, I was shocked and saddened by Teddy Bridgewater's injury, I had seen steady progress out of him going back to his first start and I fully believe that he was ready to take that next step this upcoming season.  At this point, I'm just hoping that it's a one season setback and not a career threatening injury.  Fact is, he had extensive damage to his knee, this was not just a torn ACL/MCL, he also had a dislocated knee cap, that's some serious damage and I personally would be shocked if he is ready to go start next season either.

Secondly, even though I'm fine with Shaun Hill as the backup QB, I'm not fine with him being the long term starter.  His role, at most, should be to come in and fill in for a game or two if needed, not to start 16+ games.  There is no doubt in my mind that going with him as the starter this season would have been a recipe for disaster.  He's old, he's slow, he doesn't have the greatest arm.  The idea that Hill just holds onto the position until Taylor Heinicke get's healthy at which point Heinicke becomes the starter is fool-hearty too.  As much as I was impressed with Heinicke in last years training camp, the fact is that he has never thrown an NFL pass let alone taken an NFL snap and he just missed the entire training camp this year, he's nowhere ready to be an NFL starter.

Third, I think that Sam Bradford is every bit the QB that Teddy Bridgewater is, some may even say he is a vastly superior QB than Teddy Bridgewater.  I know that last years statistics may not back that up (at least the vastly superior part), but don't forget that Bradford was badly miscast in Chip Kelly's offense last year too, I think the Vikings system is a much better fit for his abilities.  Anyone who's watched the two play have to admit that Bradford has a much better arm than Bridgewater and his ability to stretch the field could benefit Adrian Peterson too.  And don't forget that the Vikings won 11 games last year with Teddy Bridgewater as QB, that should certainly be possible for Bradford too.

As to the price tag, yes it was high, but given the talent that is assembled on this team I really don't think they had much choice.  They have arguably a top 5 NFL defense, they have a small window of Adrian Peterson, they have a billion+ dollar new stadium, they have had 9 first round draft picks in the last five years, they have a nice crop of receivers, it all adds up to being aggressive and taking a chance on Bradford.  And don't think for a moment that trader Rick Spielman won't trade back into round one of next years draft either if the opportunity presents itself.  Anyone who thinks they could survive just fine with Hill/Heinicke learned absolutely nothing from the Arizona Cardinals and Ryan Lindley debacle from a couple of seasons ago.

One last note, I think the Vikings are absolutely right to start Shaun Hill in week one.  One week is not nearly enough time for any QB to pick up enough of an NFL system to implement it (the thought of it gives me flashbacks to Josh Freeman).   Give him a week or two, let him learn enough of the system and then unleash him.  

New Most Interesting Man in the World

The saga of the Most Interesting Man in the World never gets boring.

Arizona State 68, Texas Tech 55

The Sun Devils knocked off Texas Tech 68-55 tonight in Tempe to move to 2-0 on the season.  It was an interesting game if you like offense, not so much if you are a fan of defense though, although the Sun Devils did tighten up some in the second half.  Kalen Ballage was the true story of this game though as he accounted for a NCAA record 8 touchdowns.  I feel a little bit better about the team now than I did after last weeks game, they do need to tighten up on defense though.

Observations:

• There were a lot of points scored in this game. 
• Kalen Ballage was a monster at RB for Arizona State. 
• Manny Wilkens looks like he is going to be a serviceable QB for ASU. 
• That 3 man pass rush by Arizona State wasn't too impressive.  
• Kody Kohl averaged 33.5 yards on his two catches. 
• Arizona State gave up way too many big plays once again. 
• N'Keal Harry is one big freaking WR. 
• Manny Wilkens may need to try out for the ASU track & field team. 
• Chip Lindsey seems like a good fit as Offensive Coordinator for Arizona State. 
• Arizona State's pass protection was pretty good tonight. 
• Total Yards:  Arizona State 652, Texas Tech 612
• Time of Possession:  Arizona State 34:30, Texas Tech 26:46
• Turnovers:  Texas Tech 2, Arizona State 0 
• Rushing Yards:  Arizona State 301, Texas Tech 72
• I had no idea that Manny Wilkens could also punt. 
• ASU's other RB Demario Richard had himself a nice game too. 
• Zane Gonzales continues to close in on the NCAA All Time Field Goal record. 
• I don't think that ASU will see a better QB than Patrick Mahomes II this season. 
• The Sun Devils looked pretty good out of the "Wildcat" formation. 
• Up next?  @ Texas-San Antonio on Friday night.   

Minnesota 58, Indiana St 28

The Gophers moved to 2-0 today with a 58-28 win over Indiana State in Minneapolis.  I don't think the score was as close as it looks either, Indiana State scored 21 points once the Gophers eased up and started getting their backups some playing time.  I liked what I saw, they beat up on an inferior opponent like they are suppose to do, Mitch Leidner had perhaps his best game, the running game was rolling and the defense was stout when it needed to be.  Nice start to the season for the Gophers.

Observations:

• This is what non-conference FCS games are suppose to look like.  
• I really liked the look of the Gophers "new" offense today.  
• The Gophers have been money in the red zone so far this season. 
• I don't recall Mitch Leidner ever looking better than today.  
• Kobe McCrary aquitted himself quite nicely in his first bit of extended action. 
• I love it when former walk-ons work themselves into the rotation. 
• It was nice to see the Gophers backups get some game action today. 
• Emmit Carpenter was solid on field goals today. 
• Drew Wolitarsky had himself a really nice day! 
• Gophers LB Jack Lynn was all over the field on the defensive side. 
• I'm beginning to think that KiAnte Hardin is a bit of a knucklehead. 
• It was nice to see TE Brandon Lingen back on the field. 
• The Gophers Empire Class is already paying huge dividends.  
• I love the aggressiveness by the Gophers to close the first half. 
• When you are out-manned I guess it's wise to try some trickery. 
• If there is going to be a targeting rule it needs to be called consistently. 
• The Gophers may want to reconsider not using Ryan Santoso on kickoffs. 
• Who would have thought that Kamal Martin would take to LB so quickly. 
• Robert Tonyon Jr looks like a nice weapon for Indiana State. 
• Up next?  Colorado State @ Minnesota 2 weeks from today.  

Fade

I'm not sure about the song, but the video is top notch.

Matt Lauer Debacle

Did you catch the "Commander In Chief Forum" the other day?  What a debacle thanks to Matt Lauer.  The corporate owned media is failing us bigtime this election season.

Ken Tucker @ Yahoo summed it up quite well:

"In a notable departure during this political season, NBC actually gave over an hour of primetime, forsaking a precious edition of America’s Got Talent, to let the country hear from presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The setting was what was billed a “Commander-in-Chief Forum,” hosted by Matt Lauer and airing on both NBC and MSNBC. Clinton and Trump appeared in separate half-hours.

Clinton lost the coin toss, so she went first. Lauer asked her to tell us what qualities she possessed to lead the country “without attacking” her opponent; Lauer promised to ask Trump “the same question.” Clinton played by that rule. Yet when Trump’s half-hour began, Lauer rephrased that question, asking Trump to “keep attacks to a minimum.” Which of course opened the door for Trump to criticize Clinton, which he did repeatedly, egregiously, throughout his time. Lauer allowed this to happen. 

Lauer’s second question was about Clinton’s old email server. Think about it: In the context of was supposed to be an exploration of each candidate’s ability to become commander in chief, the second question out of Lauer’s mouth was about emails, not about military strategy or leadership goals or policy positions. It was an appalling example of the way the TV media persists in following cable-news ratings-teases, asking about controversy for controversy’s sake. 

During Trump’s half of the show, no such questions were asked about any extraneous controversy Trump has been involved in, and of course, he’s been involved in many. Instead, Lauer asked questions like, “What in your life [has] prepared you” to be commander in chief?” (Trump managed to work in a Clinton criticism there.) And a softball such as “Will you be prepared on Day One?” (Trump worked in multiple criticisms of Clinton there as well.) Trump’s responses were marked by meaningless phrases (“she has a happy trigger” Huh?), and sentences begun but never finished. (One response, in its entirety: “The vets are waiting six days, seven days, eight days.” Uh-huh; for what?) 

Lauer is by no means the only TV news person who falls into an apparent coma in the face of Trump’s repetitive patter, while fixating to an obsessive degree on Clinton’s email server. But his lapse this evening was especially notable, given how rare it is for network television to spend any amount of primetime with the candidates." 

Full article here. 

Further, Tucker doesn't even touch on the fact that Lauer constantly interrupted Hillary Clinton and also allowed Donald Trump to once again lie about his position on Iraq and didn't push further when Trump heaped praise on Vladimir Putin.  It was quite a mess, hopefully the upcoming debate moderators were watching.  

AZ Tidbits

• Arizona Marijuana legalization favored by majority in state. 
• John McCain holds off Kelli Ward in Senate Primary race. 
• Arizona Rattlers fall short in 2016 ArenaBowl.  
• Donald Trump & Hillary Clinton are in a dead heat in Arizona. 
• Arizona is the home to 18 different hate groups. 
• I had no idea that McDonalds first drive-thru was in Arizona. 
• Arizona voter registration database hacked by Russia.  
• A.J. Pollock has finally returned to the Diamondbacks lineup.  
• Sorry Kyrsten Sinema but you didn't get my vote. 
• Arizona abortion doctors no longer have to lie to their patients. 
• Diamondbacks trade Michael Bourn to the Orioles. 
• Push remains for MLS expansion team in the Valley. 
• Did John McCain learn nothing from Gabrielle Giffords? 
• I doubt that I will ever vote for Jeff Flake but I do respect him. 
• Tempe ranked as one of the 25 Best Cities to Live in. 
• You know your state is in trouble when Joe Arpaio wins a primary. 
• Pinetop/Lakeside oust Tea Party leadership from city council.   
• Arizona Cardinals continue in their quest for QB of the future. 
• The University of Arizona baskeball team lands DeAndre Ayton. 
• Arizona ranked among the Least Successful states. 

Clinton Vs Trump Scandals

Seth Meyers nails it on the media's treatment of 'scandals'.

TPSG NFL Predictions

The NFL season kicks off tomorrow night.  It seems like a good time for some predictions.

NFC East
1-Washington Redskins
2-New York Giants
3-Dallas Cowboys
4-Philadelphia Eagles

NFC North
1-Green Bay Packers
2-Minnesota Vikings ***
3-Chicago Bears
4-Detroit Lions

NFC South 
1-Carolina Panthers
2-Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3-Atlanta Falcons
4-New Orleans Saints

NFC West
1-Arizona Cardinals
2-Seattle Seahawks ***
3-San Francisco 49ers
4-Los Angeles Rams

AFC East
1-New England Patiots
2-New York Jets
3-Miami Dolphins
4-Buffalo Bills

AFC North
1-Cincinnati Bengals
2-Pittsburgh Steelers  ***
3-Baltimore Ravens
4-Cleveland Browns

AFC South
1-Houston Texans
2-Indianapolis Colts
3-Jacksonville Jaguars
4-Tennessee Titans

AFC West
1-Kansas City Chiefs
2-Denver Broncos ***
3-Oakland Raiders
4-San Diego Chargers

*** = Wildcards

NFC Championship = Carolina Panthers over Minnesota Vikings
AFC Championship = New England Patriots over Cincinnati Bengals
Super Bowl = Carolina Panthers over New England Patriots

MVP = Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Rookie of the Year = Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

Trump Immigration Pivot

Seth Meyers did a great job of looking at Donald Trump's so-called immigration pivot.

POTpourri

• Minnesota Vikings trade for Eagles QB Sam Bradford. 
• On the bright side, Mylan could push us closer to Universal Healthcare. 
• Why isn't every weekend a three day weekend? 
• Why the different standards for Clinton Foundation and foundations for Trump & Powell.
• It was about time Hillary Clinton called out Donald Trump and the Alt-Right. 
• Brazilian divers should have gotten style points at the Olympics. 
• Please don't fall for the Libertarian Party scam.  
• Do people still want to fly into space with SpaceX?  
• What kind of work did Melanie Trump have before she married Donald Trump? 
• David Duke was very excited about Donald Trump's Steve Bannon hire. 
• I'm not a big fan of the song, but I love the video for Kanye West's Fade. 
• Nobody should be comfortable with the rigging of the U.S. House of Representatives. 
• Michele Bachmann should not be advising anyone on foreign policy. 
• Why does MTV still have a Video Music Awards show?  
• I really hope the DNC can find a way to keep Donna Brazille as chair.  
• It always amuses me when Republicans try to re-write history on race. 
• Great news about a possible Alzheimer's breakthrough!
• Are you aware that more people are fleeing America than crossing into it? 
• A tax holiday to repatriate funds is just another scam to benefit the wealthy.
• I'm still waiting for the GOP to call out Colin Powell for his email practices. 

Arizona State 44, Northern Arizona 13

The Sun Devils opened their 2016 season last night in newly renovated Sun Devil Stadium with a 44-13 win over Norther Arizona.  I had forgotten how frustrating it can be to watch the Sun Devil football team.  This game didn't seem anywhere near as close as the final score indicates, it was 10-6 midway through the 3rd quarter, against a lower division team before they blew it open late.  There is plenty of room for improvement moving forward.

Observations:

• Manny Wilkens looked good on his opening drive as ASU starting QB. 
• Lots of young and inexperienced talent on the Sun Devils this season. 
• Manny Wilkens is a much better runner than passer at this point. 
• It was good to see Cameron Smith back on the field for the Sun Devils. 
• Mark it down, N'Keal Harry is ASU's next great WR. 
• Nobody on the Arizona State defense really stood out to me. 
• Christian Sam in a walking boot is not a positive sign. 
• First Half Scoring:  Arizona State 10, Northern Arizona 3
• Second Half Scoring:  Arizona State 34, Northern Arizona 10
• Total Yards:  Arizona State 456, Northern Arizona 425
• Time of Possession:  Arizona State 26:26, Northern Arizona 33:34
• Turnovers:  Arizona State 2, Northern Arizona 0
• Not a complaint, but where were all the blitzes from the ASU defense?    
• I can see Tim White succeed at the next level even if on special teams alone. 
• ASU kicker Zane Gonzales closes in on the NCAA record for field goals. 
• It was a rough day for Arizona State punter Matt Haack.  
• Is it worth noting that Ray Anderson did NOT hire Todd Graham? 
• How is it possible that the PAC12 Network & Directv still haven't come to an agreement? 
• Ring that bell DJ Calhoun. A win is a win.  Just ask Washington State. 
• Up next?  Texas Tech next Saturday night @ Sun Devil Stadium. 

TPSG Top 20 College Football Coaches

College football is back and I couldn't be happier!   Here are my Top 20 College Football Coaches:

1. Nick Saban - Alabama 
2. Urban Meyer - Ohio State
3. Jim Harbaugh - Michigan 
4. Gary Patterson - TCU 
5. Bob Stoopes - Oklahoma 
6. Mark Dantonio - Michigan State 
7. Jimbo Fisher - Florida State
8. David Shaw - Stanford 
9. Brian Kelly - Notre Dame
10. Dabo Swinney - Clemson 
11. Chris Petersen - Washington 
12. David Cutcliffe - Duke 
13. Bill Snyder - Kansas State 
14. Kirk Ferentz - Iowa 
15. Mike Gundy - Oklahoma State 
16. Kyle Wittingham - Utah
17. Hugh Freeze - Ole Mis 
18. Les Miles - LSU 
19. Gus Malzahn - Auburn 
20. Mark Richt - Miami

Minnesota 31, Oregon State 23

The Gophers started their 2016 season off with a 31-23 win over Oregon State last night in Minneapolis to start the season 1-0.  5 wins from bowl eligibility!  It was a sloppy game from the Gophers, they have a lot to clean up moving forward, but I guess you take a P5 win any way you can get one.  There were a lot of positives too, Mitch Leidner looked good, Rodney Smith had a nice game, they were generating a pass rush and Ryan Santoso looks like a fabulous punter.  Once they iron some of the wrinkles, they will be fine.

Observations:

• Gophers true freshman DE Tai'yon Devers was a terror. 
• Ballsy call by Tracy Claeys to go for 2 late in the game. 
• It doesn't appear that the Gophers will miss Peter Mortell. 
• Rodney Smith had a nice game running the ball for the Gophers. 
• Gopher center Tyler Moore needs lots of work on his snapping. 
• Oregon State killed the Gophers with screen passes. 
• Not a smart decision by Gopher LB Cody Poock early in the game.
• Gophers true freshman WR Tyler Johnson is going to be great one. 
• I'm not feeling too good about this new targeting rule. 
• Gophers Kicker Emmit Carpenter did a very nice job on kickoffs. 
• The Gophers true freshman really rose to the occasion in this game. 
• Mitch Leidner still has a nose for the end zone.  
• Turnovers:  Oregon State 2, Minnesota 1 
• That was definitely a missed pass interference on OSU in the 3rd quarter. 
• The Gophers will need to clean up on the penalties.  
• Oregon State RB Ryan Nall is a load to bring down. 
• Darrell Garretson is a quality QB for Oregon State. 
• That was a very questionable call by Gary Anderson to end the first half. 
• It was nice to see David Plummer get some recognition. 
• Up next?  Indiana State in Minneapolis next Saturday.  

2016-17 Minnesota Vikings

I was so excited for the Minnesota Vikings season before Teddy Bridgewater's injury.  On the bright side, they've still got Mike Zimmer and Adrian Peterson and a great defense and a brand spanking new stadium.  Skol Vikings!