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NFL playoff puzzle
There are some strong beliefs heading into these playoffs I'd like to share. Yes, I am that convinced.
First, I think Sunday night's Baltimore at Buffalo game has the chance to be special. This feels like a one-on-one duel between the two best QBs currently drawing breath. It has all the potential for Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson playing "can you top THAT" and lifting the other 52 dudes on their rosters to a forever-level game.
Second, Washington, which goes to Detroit, is playing with house money in year one of the Dan Quinn-Jayden Daniels regime. Actually, should that be the Jayden Daniels-whoever the head coach is regime? And considering the next three years of extremely cheap QB1 excellence, if Washington is not already exploring the target rich WR free agent market of Tee Higgins, Chris Godwin and Amari Cooper among others, well, then that's a them problem.
Third, the Chiefs roll. Great Googly Moogly.
Finally, the Lions host the Washington Jaydens as the NFC 1 seed, and Philly welcomes the L.A. Rams. Two of the final eight teams left will be linked for the next generation.
(Side note: Get ready for an avalanche of L.A. wildfire stories during NFL previews this weekend because there is a transitive property in journalism. News reporters love to use sports writers' prose; sports reporters love to move out of the "toy department" and cover big-deal issues.)
Anywell, Detroit-L.A. will be linked because of one of the best win-win mega-trades in sports I can recall.
The Rams got Matt Stafford, and turned that into their first Super Bowl title since a young Kurt Warner took the world by storm.
The Lions got QB Jared Goff and picks and flexibility that became the following roster mainstays: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, TE Sam LaPorta, WR Jameson Williams, DB Ifeatu Melifonwu, DL Brodric Martin, and DE Josh Paschal (no relation to David).
Who got the better end of that deal?
College football capper
Man, we still have one college football game left, and I already miss it.
ESPN released its All-America team. It's here. Again, I have thoughts.
> I'm ready for the voting for all-league, All-Pro, All-American and all-everything-else teams to include postseason play. Yes, that means you too, NFL. If Lamar hoses Josh this weekend in Buffalo yet Allen wins the MVP, can't wait to hear the pearl-clutching from the ESPN talking heads about lack of respect for a Black QB.
> Also, while we are here, sitting out a bowl game — Cam Ward — is assuredly NOT All-America behavior. Or is it, since it is the smart play in the capitalism realm? Discuss.
> Nick Nash is the best player you have never heard of.
> Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is a dude, and he also was a redshirt senior. That last fact surprised me because he has "declared" for the NFL draft. There used to be a day not that long ago that fifth-year athletes went pro automatically, be that in sports or selling cars at the local Chevy dealership.
Musically inclined
So Billboard Magazine ranked the top musical things of the first quarter-century of the 2000s.
First, how in the name of Spy's Chevy pick-up he bought used from a young Lee Iacocca did we get into the 25th year of the 21st century? Dude, not only did I expect flying cars by now, I firmly remember partying like it was 1999.
Second, the "artist" of the last quarter-century is hardly a surprise, and for my dollar, it's impossible to debate.
It's Taylor Swift, of course, followed by Drake at 2, Eminem at 5 and Beyoncé at 7. Yes, surprised Beyoncé was that low. Chattanooga-born artist Usher came in No. 10.
But the big shocker to me was the top album of the last 25 years. Wanna guess?
Billboard ranked Morgan Wallen's "Dangerous" as the top album across all genres. The stats back it up.
Debuting Jan. 23, 2021, "Dangerous" debuted at No. 1 and spent 10 iof its first 10 weeks at 1. It was the longest stretch debuting at 1 since "Whitney" from Whitney Houston in 1987.
When it passed its 86th week in the top 10, "Dangerous" grabbed the record for most time in the top 10 for an album from an individual act.
It finished with 158 weeks in the top 10, the most since the original cast recording of the soundtrack to "My Fair Lady" spent 173 weeks in the top 10 from 1956-60.
But like all things, this does not come without some level of controversy.
The album dropped in late January, and it was not long after its release that Wallen was caught on video in a drunken profanity-laced rant that included using the N-word.
American radio stations dropped him from their rotations for months, meaning that fans who wanted to hear his music had to download it or buy his record.
Man, there is no such thing as bad publicity, I suppose.
This and that
› Rocky couple of days for Jay's Plays: a 1-2 mark, with UT's second-half blitzkrieg pummeling UGA and UTC failing to cover a modest line at home in a two-point OT win over Wofford. So it goes.
› The leaked social media videos LeBron James recalling his 16-year-old self playing in NBA pick-up games with a then-38-year-old MJ are captivating. Here's another from Metta World Peace, who also was in the gym for that event.
› One more LeBron item from his stop on the Kelce Brothers podcast: He considered jumping to the NFL during the 2011 lockout. I firmly believe that LeBron as a 6-9, 270-pound WR (who at that time was clocked in the 4.5s) would have been a simply unguardable WR.
› Man, I hope Ja Morant can keep out of his own way. This is 6-4 over 7-4 at the rim and with authority.
› Jack Hoffman, the little kid with cancer who swept America by storm with his spring football video of running a long TD against a full-hearted/half-hearted Nebraska D to the delight of millions, died of brain cancer this week. He was 19. Rest easy.
› We have been consistent on transgender athletes playing female sports. I wonder if the national supporters of what appears to be a clear Title IX violation — to me — will change their tune when it comes to basketball. Here's a California transgender player dominating an opposing team. It's fine to support a swimmer, but let some 6-foot-2 naturally born dude who is transitioning lead Podunk State to the Final Four, and let's see who says what.
— So the SEC is suing Elon Musk for security reasons. Hey, Greg Sankey, you're a big deal and all, but this fish may be too large for your pond. Right, Spy?
Today's questions
Anything goes Thursday starts this way: Yes, I know Quinn Ewers declared for the draft, but we got some mailbag stuff on that.
Deal? Deal.
As for questions: If LeBron had turned to the NFL in 2011 — he would have been 26ish — what would have been your expectation: All-Pro, Pro Bowl, starter, laughingstock?
Should all-star/All-American teams be picked on regular season performance only?
Who won the Rams-Lions trade: a) Rams, who got a Hall of Fame QB and a Super Bowl or b) Lions, who got enough in =return to truly rebuild and become among the NFL's elite?
Answer some AGT, ask some AGT.
As for today, Jan. 16, let's review:
› Albert Pujols is 45 today. Will he be a unanimous Hall of Fame pick in the next few years?
› The first edition of Don Quixote was published on this day in 1605. Spy, do you still have that signed copy from that first book tour with Cervantes?
› Rushmore of "Don" — and have a little fun. Oh, and remember the mailbag.