The Washington Malaise

I rarely talk about my line of work, but sometimes it’s appropriate, as in the case of two diseases infecting our nation’s capital.  The chief Washington malaise that most people refer to is one I see every weekday.  I see the posturing, the politicking, and the primping all firsthand.  And I love it…the DC dysfunction makes every day something new, exciting, and unexpected.

And yet, the residents of DC have recently griped about another problem that lies far beyond the vaunted halls of power: the Washington Redskins.  The chief question that I continue to encounter is how a team that played well last year is so bad now, having been officially mathematically eliminated from the playoffs this week.  Chiefly, why is Robert Griffin III so bad?  This single query has prompted many heartbreaks and frustrated vents than any I’ve seen in my time as a DC resident.  We all knew previous teams and players were bad…no one called for the coach’s head when Patrick Ramsey didn’t work out.  We might’ve when Donovan McNabb played poorly, or when Albert Haynesworth refused to even look at one of his teammates.  But the success bred high expectations, which has in turn caused another Washington Malaise: the messianic cult surrounding Kirk Cousins.

Before I go to great lengths, I will fully accept that it may be time to give him some playing time now that we have lost any chance of the playoffs.  I also will say that Cousins strikes me as a great guy and one that has provided an admirable amount of insurance for a backup quarterback.  He’s been thrown into games with no warning, his arm resembling a popsicle, and has played alright.

Yet, Cousins is not the answer.

Many of you might be wondering why I would take the time to write what will in the end look like a fairly common sense piece.  Truthfully, it’s because tons of people are seriously telling the sports world that Cousins should play.  I’ve heard the term “fluke” applied to Griffin recently, and Jon Gruden said he thought Cousins should absolutely play before the season’s end.  Ravens lineman Chris Canty said the same thing this past week.  That’s all well and good, and I have to admit that I will gladly accept the argument that Cousins should play at some time in order to keep Griffin healthy.  But there are much better arguments for Griffin to not only play, but to play the entire season:

1.      We bet the farm on him

Many are now pointing out that our trade with St. Louis is likely not going to work out in our favor.  That’s likely true, but Griffin proved last year that he is worth the investment.  Ultimately, the entire question should rest on whether Average Fan believes Griffin is worth what the team paid for him.  Seeing as he won the division title last year and the NFC East shows no sign of improving, the case is open and shut.  He deserves more than 29 regular season games before being told that Washington “wants to see what we have” in Kirk Cousins.  We made the gamble, and it’s time to see if it plays out.

2.      He needs the reps

We all saw what happened when Griffin returned with no preseason.  We have noticed his inability to read coverages, elude pressure, and make good decisions.  He often overthrows receivers, and throws into triple coverage a fair amount.  Having been the starting quarterback for almost a full two seasons, it’s not that he needs to study the playbook.  We are talking about execution, and keeping Cousins in games hinders Griffin from making the proper adjustments.

3.      The team cannot afford to poison its relationship with RGIII

Before putting up deceptively bad numbers in Arizona, Carson Palmer told the Bengals he wanted no part of their organization.  Cincy recovered, but he had led them to the playoffs and to serious contention in the AFC North.  But a bad relationship poisoned that team’s potential success.  Every Redskin fan should worry about RGIII in this regard.  He’s young, impressionable, and new to the cutthroat dynamics of the NFL locker room.  I fully agree that he needs to jettison his father from the picture, but the team should not do anything that might cause Griffin to think he doesn’t have the full organization behind him.  His personality is such that he will view events in that light, as was apparently felt  during the lead-up to the season opener, in which he rushed back to save his job from the evil clutches of Cousins.  The young man needs to work on that, but let’s not give him extra reason to think he isn’t welcome.

4.      Good young quarterbacks take time

Especially for those quarterbacks with a large running portion of their game, it’s necessary to give them a little time.  No one is discussing Cam Newton, but his quarterback rating in his second season was right where Griffin’s is right now (83.3).  Or Drew Brees, who in his second year of starting games threw more picks than touchdowns and had a rating of 76.9 with a 2-9 record before being hurt!  (Before you O-line people bring that up, Brees only was sacked 24 times his first year…Griffin has already been downed 33 times this season).  In Michael Vick’s second full season as a starter, he threw 14 touchdows and 12 picks while sporting a rating of 78.1, and that was a playoff team.  I am not, of course, saying Griffin will be like either Newton or Brees, but let’s not act as if we “need to see” what the backup has only two seasons into the great experiment.  While the NFL has plenty of examples where sophomores didn’t pan out, the potential upside is worth the trouble.  We all hope we have a Tom Brady or even a Tony Romo on our bench, but let’s not get crazy here, which brings me to my final point…

5.      Cousins is not good

Bill Barnwell wrote an excellent piece on why the Skins have failed this year.  I’m going to parrot one of his stats: Cousins has thrown five picks on 57 pass attempts, which would equate to 48 interceptions in a full season.  I also watched his game against the Ravens last year in which he showed great flashes of brilliance, but his win against the Browns continues to be ballyhooed beyond all recognition:  Cousins threw an admittedly very impressive 329 yards against a Browns defense that gave up the 8^th most passing yards in the league last season.  While he deserves credit for leading the team to a comeback victory in that game, any honest football fan should not take the performance in one game as any kind of guarantee.  Ask the Seahawks and Raiders how that worked out with Matt Flynn.  Are we really going to sit a guy that led us to the division title last year in favor of a possible Matt Flynn impersonator?  While I realize his numbers were good in spot action, the eye test does not tell me that we have a Kurt Warner currently riding the pine.  Frank Reich and Ty Detmer played great games during their careers, but were perennial backups who couldn’t land a starting job.  I’m not about to recommend that Cousins play considering how good RGIII was last year…the talent levels aren’t even close.

That’s my case…five points in all.  I actually suggest that those who want Cousins to start promptly shut it and focus on Christmas shopping.  This team, while terrible, does not need a quarterback controversy and, truthfully, the situation doesn’t merit one.  According to stats from last Sunday night, the Redskins have spent the largest percentage of their gameplay while trailing.  The season has been miserable and represents a giant step backward for the organization, but the calls for a quarterback change, even for a little bit, are supremely misguided and, frankly, idiotic.

In Defense of Fighting

The meetings of the NHL general managers happened earlier this month in Toronto and, much to the surprise of your dog, fighting was discussed.  Lightning GM Steve Yzerman, himself a former great player who belongs in the top 20 of the game, has proposed a ban on fighting whereby players engaging in fights will receive a match penalty.  This would throw them out of the current game and keeps them out of further games until the NHL brass schedules a disciplinary hearing.

This debate has raged for years, without anything truly changing.  But, an announced lawsuit by former NHL players about concussions, the hot-button issue when trying to shake down the game that gave you a fairly good livelihood, could actually precipitate some significant changes in the sport.

Based on the title above, you know where I’m going, but I think it fair to point out a large group of peons in this debate.  I refer to those who steadfastly utter the following: “Because it’s been done that way for years!”  I won’t accept that.  The large number of head injuries and our growing sense of concussions require a more creative response than that.  Hockey has a very proud tradition, having been played since the very early 1900s, but in the modern game the reformers have some decently compelling arguments that need to be addressed.

An ideal policy about fighting will try to achieve the following objectives; (1) reduce all-around injuries in hockey; and (2) properly penalize players that engage in violent behaviors and break the rules.  Those are not tough objectives and the current policy meets them.

Many reformers now point to some truly vicious injuries suffered at the fists of other players.  George Parros slammed his head on the ice this season and Nick Kypreos was knocked out on his feet and broke a cheekbone when he collided with the ice.  There are dozens of these incidents, and with each new installment the chorus grows.  But these are exceptionally unique scenarios, and the majority of concussions suffered in the NHL result not from fights but from incidental (or intentional) blows to the head.  Those are plays that truly need to be weeded out from the game, and fighting plays a part in doing so.  Here’s why:

A lot happens in a hockey game.  Sticks, gloves, skates, pads, and a small rubber biscuit all move at the same time.  And for all those nuances, only two men can call penalties.  For eleven men on the ice, two referees.  In the NFL, there are seven.  Those NHL referees must also do what many NFL referees do not: they have to stay out of the way.  With no sidelines, hockey often tangles its zebras in a herd of lions, forcing some fancy footwork and pirouettes to escape the carnage.  There are a multitude of factors contributing to hockey referees missing not just penalties, but dirty hits.

There are many good examples of this.  Three come particularly to mind: Tie Domi’s elbow on Scott Niedermayer in the 2001 playoffs, Claude Lemieux’s vicious hit on Kris Draper in 1999, and Raffi Torres’ missile act on Marian Hossa in 2012.  Those were missed on the ice, resulting in bad injuries for everyone and huge playoff ramifications.  While we can discuss the state of officiating all we want, there is one truth: Domi would never have attempted such tomfoolery had Scott Stevens not been in the penalty box already.  What happened to Lemieux the next year?  Darren McCarty gave him what the NHL should have given him…an early exit to the dressing room.

Jarome Iginla, former Calgary great and waffling trade participant, recently told SI.com that fighting cuts down on dirty play because it acts as a deterrent.  If you play dirty, says Iginla, you will pay for it.  While the question of deterrents and incentives largely dominates the political world, the confined space of a rink allows for real deterrents.  A dirty player’s actions are seen by all.  We see this writ small in our nightlife: would you antagonize a guy who has a friend much bigger than you?  No, unless you’re stupid (and there are definitely very idiotic NHLers out there).

Many point to the aforementioned Parros injury as the need to eliminate “stage fights” in which two tough guys square off.  They say these are examples of barbarism in sports and the NHL should do more to make these die.

Forgive me, but what is barbaric about two grown men, knowing the stakes and risks, dropping their gloves and having a bare-fisted thumping match.  If that’s barbaric, then what is boxing?  An import from Candyland?  NHL enforcers that square off in this manner do not dive around the issue of contention, but rather they face each other, man to man.  I see no difference between this and boxing except for the ice and three inches of glove padding.  For that matter, the NFL has until recently been fine with running at a receiver and hitting him as hard as you can.  That causes way more head injuries than fighting, so which sport is truly barbaric?

The larger point about the NHL not doing enough is similarly misguided.  The institution of the “third man in” rule provides an ejection to any third player who joins a fight with two combatants.  Players receive ten game suspensions for jumping off the bench into a fracas, and their coach is fined.  As of this year, all players must keep their helmets on when fighting or risk ejection.  In short, the NHL has provided proper incentives to keep fighting contained.  Sure, there will be sucker punches and similar moments, but that’s where the pugnacious teammates come in.  There are fewer injuries because overall there is less dirty play, and those players who might try to push the envelope are always penalized in some fashion.

This of course does not prevent dullards like Chris Simon and Todd Bertuzzi from really hurting people unnecessarily.  The plays of those two caused bad injuries, but just because fighters engage in that behavior sometimes does not immediately imply that fighting needs to be eliminated.  In both those cases, the NHL handed down large suspensions (25 to Simon, Bertuzzi missed about 20 games) which, in a sport full of so much intensity, made a conscious effort to brand the behavior as improper.

There are a few other objections that are raised.  In no particular order, some say fighting would be illegal on the streets.  The stage fights might get you a one night stay in jail, but the true street assault is the sucker punch or stick slash.  Those are illegal in the NHL too, and they penalize them heavily.  Others believe it is just a fan gimmick and that the sport should stop the “brutality for the sake of fans” attitude.  While fans enjoy fighting, they care about winning more.  Red Wings fans have been plenty happy with their team not fighting and yet competing every year for the Cup under Mike Babcock.  I will also point out that a little fun for fans is not unheard of.  The IOC allows beach volleyball players to wear bikinis, so where’s your indignation about that?  You are probably too busy watching Sweden vs. Greece on NBC, so I’ll check back later.  Selling violence and selling sex appeal are not the same thing of course, but don’t raise your hackles about the barbarism of one sport when another very clearly feeds on our most primal instinct.

There are others. But, it’s time to accept that hockey has a great policy currently that achieves real objectives while not stifling the intensity of the sport.  I will also point out a ban on fighting is completely unnecessary, as the “goon” is dying out.  There’s no need to add a bureaucratic layer when the teams and GMs of the NHL are already on that train.  Let them go their way, and we’ll enjoy the game as is.

The Rush to Conclusions

I realized this past weekend that I neglected a huge sports story during my short sabbatical from Dibbles and Bits.  Namely, I said nothing about Jonathan Martin and the Miami Dolphins Bullying saga.  I kept waiting for more information, and eventually kept waiting for anything remotely interesting to emerge.  For me, it was a boring story that got overblown.

But, in trying to be a little more proactive, I think it time to confront what will certainly be a huge story in the coming two weeks.  That is the unfolding ordeal surrounding Jameis Winston in Tallahassee.

Winston is leading the Heisman race and, thanks to some really terrible performances by Manziel, Petty, and Mariota this past weekend, will likely take home the bacon in December.  But, that storyline will soon collide with the image of Winston as a potential assailant, a man who forced himself upon a young woman a year ago.

Details are still Broncos-defense sketchy, but the known facts are the following:  the accuser filed a police report in December of last year against Winston for rape, the complaint lay dormant for much of the intervening time, and the circus started once media outlets made public records requests for documents related to the complaint.  Winston submitted DNA last week and the results leaked to the press showed that he engaged in contact with his accuser.  I realize that’s very little, but those are the extent of “known” facts.  Right now, there really isn’t anything else we can truly hammer down.

I am not in the business of deciding guilt…the system thankfully believes in innocent until proven guilty, and legal officials conduct themselves as such.  But, in today’s world, and particularly in the media-hungry market of college football, public perception matters.  The ESPN, Fox Sports, SI, and Bleacher Report journalists follow these stories like hawks, and universities have their revenue numbers to think about when it comes to any possible brouhaha surrounding the football program, so winning the PR battle matters.  And, to that end, it’s a one-sided affair.

There is very little chance that a college female, even with legal help, has against a star college quarterback in these matters, especially when that quarterback can point to over 90,000 people who, I bet, are in his corner.  What’s unfortunate about this is that FSU currently sits in the title game hunt, and any charges against Winston will, by team rules, automatically suspend him from play.  Some Ohio State fans might silently rejoice, but for the rest of us, it would be a tough way for a promising season to end for one of college football’s traditional powers.  (For my money, it also guarantees the most unlikable man in the world a third straight national championship).

And yet, if Winston actually did rape someone, he deserves the scrutiny and punishment tenfold.  To figure out the nuances of that question, however, requires a deep eye and the willingness to listen to both sides.

What it decidedly does not require, need, or even tolerate is the vitriol that has been displayed towards the accuser by many Florida State fans.  None of these people were there when this rape occurred, so I find the comments by many Florida State fans that the accuser is either a “gold-digger,” a “slut”, or a “whore”, supremely misguided.  (On that note, posters like the one found here need to be retired at once).

The parallels to the Kobe Bryant and Ben Roethlisberger cases are understandable…they are recent cases that bear some similarities.  What’s less understandable is the culture of denial whenever a high profile athlete is accused by a woman that no one has ever heard of.  No matter what, the woman is looking for attention, trying desperately to squeeze some cash out of the whole thing right?  Maybe a nice settlement suit right?  Perhaps looking to affect the awards race?  Wrong.

Those two guys might not have been found guilty or indicted, but we should remember Mike Tyson’s rape conviction in 1992, just when the world slowly began to realize the importance of his daily medication dosage.  He sat on top of the world.  This also has occurred at Florida State before, including this very season.  Above all else, we should not immediately dismiss these accusations.  The sad reality: many people are raped on college campuses.  One in four to five women are raped on college campuses, according to almost every study you can dig up.  (A nice gathering of stats seen here).

And yet, when sports figures are involved, the accuser clearly wants attention.  I am not buying that argument here…the accuser submitted the report back when EJ Manuel was still quarterbacking this team, and she has not been parading her case to the media since season’s open.  The image of an attention grabber would, you would think, likely tell many people about her case as Winston’s popularity rose.  Intellectual honesty says she certainly could have leaked the story to the press initially.  Even so, despite the fact that journalists really started this whole mess and won’t release their sources, this “gold-digger” seems to be receiving a large brunt of the attention.

I am similarly not impressed by the argument that Jameis just “can’t be that kind of guy.”  Some base that impression on his media personality and general demeanor.  I will be the first to admit, I was shocked when this all emerged.  He has a masterful way with people, perfectly blending humility and confidence in a way that Manziel only dreams of.  But, if memory serves, many referred to Jerry Sandusky as a lovable grandfather figure.

Please do not read this and assume I am coming out in support of the accuser here.  While I admit I am more inclined to believe accusers than alleged perpetrators, the accuser’s story has a very serious hole.  The interim police chief told the Tallahassee Democrat that the accuser stopped cooperating with police, at which point the case went inactive.  It seems that someone who has a true story would continue pushing that story to the very end.  There are reports that Tallahassee police informally advised her against pushing such a claim in “a football town,” in which case the accuser may have felt her complaints might not be taken seriously by law enforcement. If the police did give such a warning, I can’t say I blame her for feeling that way, but that she made no other movements afterwards certainly raises some eyebrows. 

There is plenty more to figure out in this case, and too many questions remain unanswered for a conclusive finish.  In writing this post I merely want to raise a finger against the prevailing wind to say that rape accusations against anyone are serious business and I find it hard to fathom someone undertaking the resultant media circus willingly unless they firmly believed an actual rape took place.  That subjectivity obviously doesn’t mean much, and the motivations of us humans are hard to decipher, but we should all cease from jumping to conclusions.

Wanted: Coaching Staff in Washington?

It’s been a crazy last month for me, meaning my attention to this space has faltered.  But, today, I am driven to write a post that I thought up about two weeks ago and have steadily been ruminating on ever since.

Everyone should know I try not to be a doomsday machine.  When the Caps started last season with the force of kittens, I did not call for Adam Oates’ head.  One division title later, I’d say he’s worked out well enough to deserve our confidence.

The same cannot be said, however, for any coach on the Redskins.  Don’t be cheeky and tell me how great the linebacker coach is…you know what I mean.  Those men who have the most familiarity with the three major areas of football have let us down this year.  Don’t get me wrong…execution on the field has been terrible as well.  The Skins also have the problem of turnovers, in which they picked up their own fumbles last year.  This season, that run of grace reversed itself, bringing everyone back down to earth.

There’s one coach in particular that I think deserves the most criticism: offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.  To illustrate my point, let’s rewind to the Denver game nigh on three weeks ago.

At the 11:25 mark, the Skins had a 21-7 lead on the most prolific offense in the NFL.  The defense was getting stops and scored a touchdown!  At that point, I admit, my heart fluttered and I felt a nauseous sense.  “If only we can notch a huge win and start stringing victories together, we might be back where we need to be…”  Denver, of course, remained in the game and benefited greatly by a neutral zone infraction call on Ryan Kerrigan that I truthfully want to see again.  Anyway, it seemed that all of a sudden, the game remained tied at 21-21.

But, much like the playoff game against the Seahawks, Washington should not panic.  Especially when playing a defense that, coming into this game, was a bottom-5 defense!  Alfred Morris, by that time in the game (just at the start of the fourth quarter), had racked up 74 yards and a touchdown on the ground.  While he might not possess quick speed, he is the best option this team has when Robert Griffin doesn’t appear to have the necessary stuff in the pocket.  With only 91 yards through the air until then, it makes sense to slow the tempo down, give the ball to Morris, and utilize the play-action pass.  Makes sense, doesn’t it?  Especially with such middling receivers, there’s no need to revert to the circus performance complete with acrobatic hula hoops and trapeze artists.

Makes sense to all except Kyle Shanahan.

Obviously, I don’t call football plays for a living.  Just as obviously, it’s easier to poke holes in a plan rather than create your own.  But, after being tied for 21-21, Shanahan dialed up three plays, which look like this on the Pro Football Reference play-by-play:

Robert Griffin III pass incomplete deep middle intended for Josh Morgan

Robert Griffin III pass incomplete deep middle intended for Pierre Garcon

Robert Griffin III pass incomplete deep middle intended for Aldrick Robinson

 

Lovely to behold isn’t it?  Three deep passes in a tie game after your team has given up two straight touchdowns to a great offense and, dare I say it, needs some fricking rest.  That “drive” (should you choose to give a meager possession such a positive spin) finished with a 15 yard punt by Sav Rocca, which effectively ended the game.  Knowshon Moreno scored one play later.  What’s better is the whole sequence wasted only 20 seconds of game clock.

In short, Kyle made the same mistake he made during the playoffs against Seattle: keeping the rock from Alfred and instead putting the weight on the quarterback.  One of RGIII’s best qualities is that, despite being a miserable long-ball thrower, he rarely underthrows when trying to hit Aldrick Robinson’s token Go Route once per half. 

Shanahan himself has pinpointed the third series when, down by 10, the Skins went pass, sack, pass.  He’s obviously right, there should be a running play in there, but the first series matters more.  The team is tied and the game still salvageable.  Good enthusiasts will tell me that RGIII threw behind Josh Morgan on first down and Aldrick Robinson dropped the third down pass, but these are very deep passes.  When presented with the opportunity to sustain a drive, Shanahan opted for the home run play.

My problem is that this continues to be a problem.  While RGIII played really well last season and is great when on all cylinders, he has not done well enough to justify the trust Kyle places in him.  But, for some reason, Alfred Morris receives lots of touches in the first half, and then sits on the sideline for the majority of the second half.  He had four carries in the second half last week.  You will remember the same problem plagued the Skins when playing Seattle in the playoffs last January.

This has now happened enough in big games that perhaps someone else should be calling the offensive plays.  Kyle has not proven that he can call plays in big spots, and I continue to place some blame for RGIII’s poor play early on Kyle Shanahan.  He believed in big plays and waited until way too late in games before asking Griffin to utilize three-step instead of five-step drops.

I know the counter-arguments, and they are somewhat valid.  The defense is the real problem here, Kyle has a good track record with previous teams, and our offense ranks sixth in yards gained.  All granted points, but there’s no evidence that Kyle can get the most out of his offensive unit.  His work in last year’s postseason and in big games this year gives me no confidence that he will lead this offense to the proverbial promised land.

There are many other changes the Skins can make, and truthfully I bet the Shanahans are back next year.  The salary cap penalties should be considered, as I do think they are affecting the team’s personnel moves.  Above all else, the defensive coaching staff needs to be replaced.  Besides Jim Haslett, none of the current assistants had any experience with a 3-4 defense prior to joining DC.  That’s inexcusable, and ridiculous for many reasons.  If that side of the ball can be revamped somehow, it will pay dividends.  Shanahan has one year left on his contract, and I’m okay with another year of their reign.  He’s only one year removed from playing meaningful football in December, and we’ve seen too many starts and stops in DC.  Dan Snyder always said he wanted to stay out of the think of it until he was needed…I don’t think he’s needed until next year.

That said, this offense stinks.  I am not buying the stats about our yardage gained, mainly because we certainly haven’t led enough in games, meaning lots and lots of garbage time.  I fully admit that I have no numbers to back this up, but the eye test doesn’t lie.  Wins matter, and right now, the entire team hasn’t done enough to get them.  But, after the great offensive output last year, we all expected better.

Again, I don’t think the Shanahans will be fired and I’m not really rooting for that route, but it might be time to bring in offensive “advisors” and, possibly, fire Bruce Allen in favor of a real general manager that will take personnel decisions away from Mike Shanahan.

 

The Spirit of Business

We live in interesting times.  The recent showdown over the shutdown and the subsequent deal making, braking, and faking concluded on Wednesday night.  Despite being technically furloughed, I worked every day except two during the shuttering of the government, and truthfully it felt good to see something positive after so much effort.

Many will opine about the eventual deal reached at the 11^th hour, but I believe another settlement deserves our attention today.  I didn’t know about the story I’m about to spin until Wednesday night, but boy it’s a good one.  (For those who watched the documentary “Free Spirits,” I appreciate your clicking this link…you may proceed to the Bits if you like).  The story conveniently ends with what might arguably be the greatest business deal ever, and should be common knowledge to today’s sports aficionados.

Let’s turn back to 1974.  The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a professional league that somewhat competed with the NBA, but added its own specific brand to the sport.  The league pioneered the idea of mass marketing and running a team purely for entertainment value.  Teams played in big-time arenas and thus, being something of Little Brother to the NBA, worked to put butts in the seats through promotions and outrageous halftime shows.  But, we owe a little more to the ABA than Bobblehead Night.  The ABA first used the three point line, adopting it a full ten years before the NBA.  Imagine basketball now without the trey…it would be a different game, with lead swings coming only after much concerted effort.  Scoring totals for players like Kobe or Michael would be reduced.  The three-point field goal revolutionized basketball and created a new kind of player, the 3-point specialist.

The other thing we owe to the ABA is the slam dunk.  Another marketing strategy pushed playing above the rim to bring a more exciting brand of basketball.  While the NBA also had its share of slammers, the ABA looked to take it a step further.  The first Dunk Contest occurred at the 1976 ABA All-Star Game, a historical footnote that only adds to the legacy of a league that played with a red-white-and-blue ball.

Anyway, the league is significant for a lot of reasons, but was unable to keep itself going.  Eleven teams began the ABA in 1967, but only two of those eleven stayed in one city during the league’s existence.  Bob Costas has described it as a chance for people with “some money” to get in on the game of basketball by owning a professional franchise.  The league struggled from the get-go, with many different owners hawking teams and moving them to different markets.  As a brief aside, this led to some excellent team nicknames: Minnesota Muskies, Denver Larks, Louisiana Buccaneers, Baltimore Hustlers, Oakland Oaks, San Diego Conquistadors, and Washington Capitals to name a few.

But, another great nickname came to the team in St. Louis.  The Carolina Cougars, based mainly in Greensboro, were bought by two brothers, Ozzie and Dan Silna.  Looking to take advantage of a potential ABA-NBA merger, the Silnas moved to St. Louis, the biggest market then without an NBA franchise.  The team was dubbed the Spirits of St. Louis, another fantastic nickname from a league too often thrown to the historical dogs.

The Silnas brought in tons of players, leveraging another ABA innovation, drafting players early.  Moses Malone never went to college, moving right to the ABA’s Utah Stars.  The main get for these Spirits was Marvin Barnes, a player out of Providence who had been drafted number two overall in the NBA.  He chose the Spirits, adding another feather to the ABA’s cap.

And Barnes dominated the court, averaging 24 PPG in each season he played for the team.  In that first season, in which Barnes won ABA Rookie of the Year, he also averaged 15 rebounds per game.  While there isn’t a whole lot of tape from those days, his prodigious talent looks fairly evident on the small amount that I’ve seen.  Behind Barnes’ leadership, the Spirits beat the defending champion New York Nets in the playoffs, triumphing over Dr. J in his heyday.  Things looked up, but everything came to a halt one year later.

And that’s where this whole thing becomes important.  The ABA sought a merger with the NBA, a proposition that the leagues both took seriously.  After a series of negotiations, the NBA agreed to subsume four ABA teams: the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, and the Nets.  That left, by then, two teams on the outside looking in: the Kentucky Colonels and the Spirits.  Kentucky’s owners received $3.3 million in exchange for shutting the team down.  The Silna brothers had no intention of going quietly, and looked for some alternative deal to compensate their losses.

The resulting business settlement sounds not only prescient and genius now…it sounds like theft.  The Silnas agreed to a deal in which 1/7 of the TV revenue from each of the four merged teams would go directly into their pockets.  One-seventh from the Nuggets, Pacers, Spurs, and Nets…those were the terms.  And there was no term limit on this clause, as the contract granted this money “in perpetuity” to the Silnas.  As the literacy level of Americans seems to be decreasing precipitously, I feel compelled to reiterate that “perpetuity” means forever.

The Spurs’ success speaks for itself.  They have been a powerhouse in the West despite playing a supremely anti-ABA brand of basketball under mastermind Gregg Popovich.  The Nets reached their pinnacle in the Jason Kidd era, but have remained a viable franchise since the merger.  The Pacers are perhaps the second-best small market team in the NBA, doing well during the Reggie Miller years and enduring the tough Artest years before the current team of young studs (for my money, Indiana wins the championship in ’04 if the Malice at the Palace doesn’t happen).  The Nuggets aren’t as great a success story, but they continue to gain playoff berths.

So, how much TV revenue do you think those franchises have made since the ink dried in 1976?  As of last year, according to the New York Times, the Silna brothers have collected $255 million from the ABA merger.  All that after owning a team for two years that barely made a dent in the hierarchy of the ABA.  At the time of the deal, CBS paid the NBA a very modest amount for its games.  Now…the NBA receives about $930 million from all its TV contracts.  The same Times article pinpoints the Silna’s yearly earnings at $14.57 million presently.  Really not bad at all 35 years from the last whistle in St. Louis.

The Spirits, despite being forgotten, are an exceptionally compelling team for other reasons.  Their coach during that second season was Rod Thorn, the gentleman who drafted Michael Jordan in Chicago and helped build the Nets in the Jason Kidd era.  Of similar significance is the man who has been Thorn’s periodic boss, David Stern.  The current commissioner served as Outside Counsel to the NBA during the merger discussions, and generally receives credit for pushing both sides to reach an agreement on which teams would be collected.

The St. Louis players had mixed success going forward.  Barnes played four seasons in the NBA for four different teams and has admitted to doing drugs before, after, and during games while playing with the Celtics.  He wound up homeless in the early 90s and continues to work his way back to sustainability.  Moses Malone played in St. Louis during the second season, and he now sits firmly in the Hall and is one of the 30 (at least) best players ever.  Don Chaney went on to be a vaunted sixth man for the Celtics, Ron Boone held the record for consecutive pro games played for many years, and Mike D’Antoni has forgotten defense as a pro coach.

And yet, perhaps the best footnote on this team is their broadcaster: Bob Costas.  He has achieved the kind of cultural notoriety held by only a few broadcasters in the era of sports, allowing him to insert his own opinions without ridicule or shame.  His calls for Spirits games are, from what I’ve heard, not especially invigorating, but the associations with this short-lived team continue to amaze me.

There you have it, a team that has provided us with one of the best business deals ever and a mish-mash of associations too coincidental to not be mentioned.  For all of the discussions about how well sports does, it’s refreshing to hear that it wasn’t always the case.

Bit #1: Goodness these people need to shut up

I respect Jim Irsay’s honesty, but he needs to can it.  Irsay said he was “disappointed” that the Colts didn’t win more Super Bowls under Manning.  Technically speaking, I understand his sentiments.  The Colts won at least 12 games for seven straight years, yet only made two Super Bowls, winning one.  Yes, Manning could have won more championships, but Irsay’s comments are particularly idiotic.  Since his family moved the franchise from Baltimore in the dead of night, Irsay can only point to Peyton Manning for the team’s success.  I wrote an inaugural blog post almost two years ago laying out the unbelievable effect Manning had on the Colts prospects.  Yeah, he didn’t bring home enough rings, but expressing any kind of reservation about the man who singlehandedly resurrected the franchise is insulting.  I hope Peyton kills Indy this weekend by throwing it all over the yard and putting up a 56-0 sinning score.

The other guy who should shut it is Dwight Howard.  This past week, Dwight said he would like to see Orlando retire his #12.  Howard, in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel, said he was “a little upset” that the team allowed Tobias Harris to wear 12.  He elaborated by saying that the team did some “special” things while he was there.  Of course, he’s right.  Howard led the team to the NBA Finals, eliminating LeBron James in the process.  But, is he serious?  We are only two years removed from Howard’s attempts to fire his coach and general manager.  Howard’s antics put the basketball world onto his scent as being an immature star who could really use a dose of better judgment.  Eventually, I’d predict the number will be retired.  But, the wounds are still too raw (have you seen how the Magic are doing recently?) for Howard to expect that or to even express frustration about it.

Bit #2: What’s Wrong with the Caps?

I realize the season is young, but the Caps have a 2-5 record.  That’s unacceptable for a team that has tons of talent on its roster and has proven it during the past two seasons.  The big guns are firing.  Ovie has six goals, Backstrom has seven assists.  But, the problem remains (as it has for the last four years, Mr. McPhee) on the defensive end.  The injury to Jack Hillen, causing him to miss 4-6 months threw our defensive alignment awry.  John Erskine missing games also doesn’t help one bit, as he took a giant step forward last season with his play.  But, even with them on the ice, the team gives up too many goals.  Their 24 goals allowed are six above the league average.  No Caps player has a positive plus/minus rating, and the defensemen who have played are a combined -23.  Some of this also goes on the goalies, Neuvirth and Holtby, who both have save percentages beneath 90% and have goals-against-averages above three.

It comes down to needing to beat teams that we should beat.  Dallas and Carolina beat us in past weeks, and these are teams that ranked in the bottom half of the league last season.  The Caps also need to pick it up in order to deal with the new divisions, which make it tougher for them.

Bit #3: NFL Power Rankings

1.      Broncos (6-0)

See my comments about Manning above

 

2.      Chiefs (6-0)

Lots of folks looking forward to Week 11 when this team takes on Peyton.  Expect the two to be at 9-0 and looking forward to the playoffs.  I’m still not sold on this team deep into the playoffs, but stranger things have happened.

 

3.      Saints (5-1)

Tough loss for New Orleans, especially in a game where they fairly outplayed the Pats in many aspects.  The injury to Jimmy Graham, however, could be trouble after the upcoming bye week.  Of larger concern is the ineffectiveness of Graham on Sunday to catch a ball, which might be a blueprint for opponents going forward.

 

4.      Seahawks (5-1)

For a team that started as an elite squad, I’m not entirely sure how to read this year’s version.  Such a middling win over the Titans isn’t exactly cause for uproarious rejoicing, but the defense will keep them in games going forward.  Their opponents before the bye week: Arizona, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and Minnesota.  They should be up here by then.

 

5.      Patriots (5-1)

I don’t know what you can say about Tom Brady.  He’s not been overwhelming this season, but my goodness he looked good on that final drive.  I will be in attendance during his game this weekend, and I bet the team defense continues.

 

6.      Colts (4-2)

Huge game this weekend against Denver as Andrew Luck gets his second straight primetime game.  The loss to the Chargers has to be put on the defense, who gave up a fair chunk of yardage to Ryan Mathews.

 

7.      49ers (4-2)

A team running under the radar the past two weeks, with their two games before the bye week against Tennessee and Jacksonville.  I have Vernon Davis on my fantasy team, boo-yah.

 

8.      Bengals (4-2)

They’ve won four of their last five, but sustainability is the real question.  Can Andy Dalton win enough games while not airing it out too much?  The defense is gross.

 

9.      Packers (3-2)

Everybody knows I love this team as a contender not being discussed right now, but the injuries to Randall Cobb and James Jones are problematic.  Rodgers has a great plug-and-chug mentality, but it bears watching as to what he’ll do.

 

10.  Bears (4-2)

Not sure I like putting them here, but the possible replacement is the Lions, who aren’t consistent enough.  Jay has a juicy matchup this week against Washington and Brandon Marshall looks to be sufficiently placated.

Week 5 Power Rankings

1.      Broncos (5-0)

Under adversity for the first time this season, Peyton Manning played up to the challenge.  Rather than reading the 2013 Book of Eli, Peyton marshaled an impressive two drives. He completed 78 percent of his passes with four touchdowns.  Some questions on defense, but very few people are giving Danny Trevathan props for a great pick. 

 

2.      Saints (5-0)

It’s tough to believe the stats pointed to a third place finish for the Saints prior to the season.  Drew Brees trails only Peyton in passing offense, but the real story should be the defense.  The Saints held the Bears to 18 points on the road, after holding the Dolphins to 17 the week before.  I just want to see Broncos-Saints at this point.

 

3.      Chiefs (5-0)

Alex Smith was toiling with an injury this time last season, and now look at him.  He’s throwing 30+ passes a game, and doing surprisingly well for always being called a “game manager.”  But, the defense won on Sunday, and has 21 sacks thus far.  Defense travels and anchors much better than a wide open aerial attack, so I give credit to Any Reid.  This team has a new swagger. (As a note, I am still not picking these guys to go far in the playoffs…think 2008 Titans under Kerry Collins and that’s how I’m looking at KC).

 

4.      Colts (4-1)

As statement wins go, beating the Seahawks at home one week after winning in SFO represents one heck of a two week stretch.  Andrew Luck might not be prolific, but he is winning games when needed.  He isn’t throwing picks either, with only two thus far.  Their Monday night game in San Diego might be a trap game, but Luck has answered the questions this season.

 

5.      Seahawks (4-1)

Still ran for 218 yards in a loss, and Russell Wilson gashed the Colts defense.  A 13-3 start remains likely, but I am looking to that Saints at Seahawks game on December 2^nd.  At this stage, that game will be for home-field advantage.

 

6.      49ers (3-2)

A new commitment to the running game looks to be bearing fruit.  177 yards last week and have run for 396 over these past two games.  Kaepernick had thrown for 45 yards at halftime against Houston, but the team remained up 21-0!  Don’t count them out yet.

 

7.      Patriots (4-1)

Ugly, ugly, ugly.  The Pats didn’t even play defense poorly in their game against Cincinnati.  Andy Dalton threw for less than 200 yards and looked terrible.  But, so did Mr. Brady, who snapped his streak of games with a touchdown pass.  His receivers don’t look great, and the Patriots remain the power of the AFC East, but can anyone look at them with the same kind of confidence as we have in years past?  A big home game against the Saints this weekend will help us figure out the identity of this team.

 

8.      Bengals (3-2)

Really a strong victory, and one that Cincy has not gotten in recent years.  That said, any improvement by this team needs to come from Andy Dalton, who seems to have lost the decisiveness he brought to the first two weeks of the season.  As a side note, anybody noticed Terence Newman has given up a 14 percent completion rate?

 

9.      Packers (2-2)

When Aaron Rodgers throws downfield like he did against Detroit, the Pack is tough to beat.  He went 5-for-7 on throws more than 20 yards downfield.  The injuries are racking up regrettably, as Clay Matthews’ thumb will certainly leave a large hole for this team.  But, the last time the Pack had tons of injuries, they won the Super Bowl.

 

10.  Bears (3-2)

A lot of the good things people were saying about the Bears weren’t there this past weekend.  Cutler got hit seven times and was sacked three times.  The run defense, suffering under the loss of Henry Melton, lost Melton’s replacement for the year.  Two straight losses, albeit to good teams, doesn’t work well going into a short week.  Great showing by Alshon Jeffery though.

Bit #1: Condoleeza Rice shouldn’t be part of panel

I am starting to have a tough time remembering my previous positions on Dibbles and Bits, but I really despise the idea of a committee for the college football playoff.  We have the BCS rubric, so why not let that be the judge of the top four teams.

The committee looks like an even worse idea when celebrities have a spot on it.  Look, Condoleeza Rice is arguably one of the smartest Americans around.  Like her or not politically, it’s tough to be both National Security Adviser and Secretary of State in the span of eight years.  She’s an admitted fan, and there’s a good case to be made that a woman used to high stakes decisions can do just fine in looking at college football teams.

And yet, I think this is a sham attempt to gain glamor.  I bet she knows football well, in much the same way a psychologist might know the Civil War through books.  All Average Joe fans engage the game through a medium, usually television, and Condoleeza Rice is no different.  Like you or I, she probably can’t design plays or analyze game tape.  She, like you and I, can make general observations that every once in a while might dig into some deeper points or conclusions.  I mince no words when I say that having a fan on the panel has some really good consequences.  That Ms. Rice demands and deserves respect from her peers adds a lot to her potential inclusion.  Whereas an athletic director or former coach might get bogged down in stats, the average fan uses the eye-test (the same eye-test that gave VCU a chance two years ago despite the numbers…and that worked out).

But, at least for now, the BCS needs to get it right with this format.  There need to be as few questions as possible lest calls begin for an expanded eight-team format.  To that end, the ones who will not mess up live and breathe the game.  It’s the same reason celebrity basketball fans aren’t on the March Madness panel.  Admittedly, that requires a deeper knowledge, but the idea still stands…those who are closest to the game are the best qualified to make decisions.  Condoleeza Rice is qualified, but she’s not the best qualified person for that job.

Bit #2: No Hope for the A’s

I so wanted the Athletics, a team long bereft of any success past the first round, to beat the Tigers last night.  But, with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth, Max Scherzer retired the next three batters to keep Detroit up one.  It was one of those moments in baseball where you can palpably feel the importance of the moment.  Despite having another chance to beat the Tigers in Oakland, there’s almost no way the A’s do it after squandering a golden opportunity.  Justin Verlander, the Game 5 starter for Detroit, has not been his typical dominant self this season, but he rolled Oakland 6-0 in the deciding game last year.  Throw in the A’s miserable ability to close series (1-10 in series closing games recently) and there should be no question that Scherzer, the presumptive and deserving AL Cy Young Award winner, saved the Tiger season on Tuesday night.