As we near the end of the disaster that is and soon to be, was 2020, there are a few things I am ready to be “over” as well. Situations that have been diagnosed, dissected but yet continued to be asked. Topics that have been discussed so much that I’d like to get the vaccine to not have to discuss anymore. Some of these situations still have no obvious answer, others are so obvious that I shake my head as to why we are we still talking about this?
For starters, I’m done with the NCAA for not requiring a “Rooney Rule” type directive when these programs look to hire new football leadership. The numbers of minority head coaches at Power 5 programs is embarrassing. This is a systematic failure of not only the NCAA leadership but of school presidents and athletic directors. Of the 130 FBS programs only 14 employee black head coaches. Derek Mason, at Vandy and Kevin Sumlin at Arizona have been fired so we are down to a dozen. We have got to refine the process by which the candidates populate the pool we hire from. There are obviously qualified minorities out there. To do that we need some kind of merit-based promotion process. Maybe the NFL should or could work with the NCAA on a program that identifies candidates at the NFL level to be recommended to the NCAA? I’m done hearing the excuses, we can do more.
I’m over the Kirk Cousins talk. The Vikings, once again have shown in 2020 that the position of QB needs to be upgraded before they can move forward. We all know how he is the model citizen, a solid leader, a game manager who has perfected the “business of football” by making so much money that it’s insane. Unfortunately, he’s just not good enough to raise the level of anyone around him and yes, the Vikings can win-with-him but they just can’t win-because-of-him. His cap value is crazy-high and his skill level has polarized this franchise long enough. I’m done with it.
I’m over the NFC East- in general. It’s all fool’s gold and the team that wins the division will actually be in worse shape than those that don’t as they plan for 2021. The Cowboys are so bad that a couple wins now make them feel as if they are on the right track and actually good. The Giants still have big issues on offense and with managing their team in general, the WFT have no QB on the roster that they can build around going forward and still have plenty of baggage/culture to clean up from 20 years of toxicity. If the Eagles can actually look in the mirror and be honest with themselves as to how they have fell this low, they stand a chance to add an impact player and start a retool, picking in the top 10. Who am I kidding- I’m done with the division.
I’m done with the Mitchell Trubisky talk. I actually think he’s the least of the Bears problems. His play has been elevated now that the coach has finally taken himself out of the play calling-play designing- QB evaluating business and guess what? The kid has flashed some of the skill that had him as a first round pick on almost every NFL teams draft board the year he came out. Don’t get me wrong, coaching is very much an issue here but so is the task of evaluating players and team building at the highest level in the organization. They need help and must refine their process of valuing players so unless that changes, I’m done with the Bears.
I’m done with people, including the media, saying that the draft is a “crap shoot”. Nothing could be further from the truth. That statement comes from people who have no idea what they are looking at when it comes to evaluating players. OR, have misjudged talent, and have been wrong, so many times that they are just throwing up their hands. Most mistakes are made in the NFL, when projecting collegiate talent to the next level, because the players skill set didn’t fit the scheme or the player (for whatever reason and there are several) couldn’t be developed at the NFL level.
I’m done with the Denver Bronco’s ability to find a QB to build around. There has to be a systematic change here, just for accountability sake. How many swings and misses is one franchise allowed? It’s well documented, since Peyton Manning the Broncos have deemed no less than five QB’s the heir to the throne. They misjudged Brock Osweiler (2nd round pick) and Paxton Lynch ( 1st round pick) along weith Trevor Siemian (college free agent). Over paid Case Keenum (2 yrs 36 million) and Joe Flacco (gave a 4th round pick to the Ravens). The jury is still out on current QB Drew Lock (2nd round 2019) but the reviews are not good. The biggest whiff of all, in my opinion, was passing on Wyoming QB Josh Allen, who was there for the taking with the fifth pick in 2018. Nothing against DE Bradley Chubb but……Im done with the Broncos process to fill this chair.
We can’t get to 2021 fast enough. Here’s hoping it comes with enough change so that we don’t have to invoke the definition of INSANITY- again.