Giants QB Campaigns For Trump

I discuss the controversy arising from the Giants' QB introducing Trump at a campaign event. Trump is bad, the Giants don't need the drama, and they already had Epstein drama. No handwaving. The criticism of DART is appropriate. Meanwhile, Mets suck again.

NFL Divisional Round

The Ravens missing a FG led to a fired head coach, who eventually was hired by the NY Giants. There is hope! OTOH, overall, bummer weekend. The usual suspects won, the usual suspects (including the Bills) screwed up. Plus, the Denver QB got hurt, tainting next week, which will also include (yawn) Rams/Seattle: Part III. 

NY Giants Find a Way to Lose (Again)

 

Blow a 4Q lead (59 yd FG) late. Lose to Lions in OT. 

Football Update

The 8-9 Falcons decided to hire the interim head coach of the Jets. Good luck with that. 

The Commanders/Bucs game was the only fully competitive Wild Card Round game. The Bucs made a key mistake and the Commanders won by three. 

The Commanders had the one upset in the Divisional Round, outscoring a mistake-prone Lions team. I'm sorry I missed it. Kansas City did the usual -- got calls going their way, the other team had a messy game, etc. Net result: won game but other team had shot.

Washington has to play the Eagles again [the two split the season series] because the Rams (in the snow) fumbled twice in back-to-back series, providing the two field goal difference. They drove to the Eagles 13 in the final minute but with two yards to gain, that is as far as they got.  The former Giants guy was key to the victory with two long runs scoring two TDs. 

That left the Ravens and Bills to decide who would (hopefully) successfully beat Kansas City—who I'm so tired of. My first concern is beating Kansas City. Either team probably could do it. I like the Bills, but if the Ravens can beat KC, I'll be okay with that, too. Hopefully, though the Eagles will be favored, the winner will face the Commanders in the Super Bowl. 

[ETA: The Bills won. The Ravens had too many turnovers. Still, they could have tied the game late if they had kicked the XP twice instead of trying for two earlier to tie. They didn't make it. They missed it again. So, they lost by two points.] 

The college championship game is on Monday night, which seems a bit late. For those who care, and I don't, enjoy the game.  

Odds and Ends

2024 Elections and Beyond

I provided some more election thoughts, including what the Democrats should do in the future. A major concern is not the Democrats. 

It is how non-Democrats (we can toss in media institutions) accept Trump as credible. Once you do that, it's like he wins half the battle. 

Democrats should not rest on nail-biters. Any long-term solution includes obtaining some additional support in red states and a more than trivial non-Democratic contingent. The added bit about an Obama speech, which partially talks about coalitions with those we disagree with, factors in.

Mets

The current big story is a battle to see who will sign Juan Soto, who is asking some ridiculous amount of money. I realize that is how it goes. Studs get the big bucks. Figure the Yankees need him to stay more. 

My thought has always been that I am fine with him staying with the Yankees. The team needs too many parts to focus too much on a gigantic long-term contract. Plus, philosophically, such contracts bother me. I grant for the billionaire owner it is "only money," but I hold to that. 

Meanwhile, they are filling in details ala 2023/4 with two reclamation project type starters, one who is a reliever that they plan to convert to a starter. The latest Yankee cast-off with Severino going to the As.  

Last season's results suggest we should trust the process. I'm betting they sign a reliable starter, find a good reliever or two, and the betting man (woman) would say Alonso stays. They signed a reliable outfielder who is a cheaper version of another they have. If Soto isn't signed, figure they find a more reasonable big bat, which would be my preference. 

Jets/Giants 

The NY/NJ teams have a combined 5-21 record. 

They both had a shot to at least go into overtime today in the final seconds. The Giants' comeback was stopped when a mid-range field goal was blocked. 

The Jets for the second time at the end of a half screwed up and set up a chance for Miami to get a long FG. The Dolphins won the toss and scored the touchdown.  The Jets' defense failed when it mattered.

The first time, Rodgers failed on a third down throw, leaving time on the clock for the FG. The big blemish the second time was a special team's failure. 

I'm at the point where I basically want both teams to lose. I am actively negative about the Jets and Rodgers. It would be nice, I guess if the Giants and their backup QB (Tommy Cutlets is not playing now) have a mercy win. They had a shot today. 

The postgame report for the Giants game was sympathetic. They don't have much talent on the field with their injuries. The defense played well. The backup (Drew Lock) started slow but kicked into gear late. He might be "the best shot to win," but he is not showing too much really for Tommy Cutlets fans. 

The Jets also had various good things happen but they keep on finding ways to lose. Okay. So, Rodgers played well overall (with key questionable plays) today. Finally. Who cares? 

He showed he is not the long-term answer. Put in the backup and show a message to the team that they are not just doing the same old, same old. They might even win a game or two still. The Jaguars, for instance, are not good. But, that's not the point. 

The team has the talent, I guess, that they might have won a handful of more games if they played better. The Giants are more of a mess. Someone flew a plane over the stadium with a message saying just that.  

Both lost a lot this season.  

Sports Sunday

Long football day with another London game that was played in the morning. 

New York fans had games in the three football windows afterward. The Giants were overmatched (the backup QB came in for much of the fourth quarter), not scoring a TD. A star player that went to the Eagles shined in a 28-3 domination.

It was a close game in the first half of the Titans/Bills game. Then, the Bills scored 27 unanswered in the second half. Talk about one-sided adjustments.

Jets had the Sunday Night game with Russell Wilson coming back from injury for the Steelers. Somber moment mid-third quarter with a serious Jets injury that delayed things. Wilson eventually got going. The Jets kicker again missed an easy field goal (blocked). 

The Jets stopped scoring -- I think it was karma for a dubious earlier call that gave them two points. Well, fans could switch to watching the Mets. Maybe not. 

Aaron Rodgers had a couple good drives and also parts of drives (ending on turnovers or stops). They scored 15 points; none in the second half. They gave up 37. 

Not good, Bob. 

Maybe, Jets/Mets fans should have checked on the Mets. There was no magical ending. But, a four-game losing streak is pretty sad, and this one wasn't close.

Mr. M. didn't have it and had to be pulled out early. The bullpen gave up a few. The closer was in the game in the fourth inning. No shame to falter against the #1 seed in Game 6 of the NCLS. 

(The Guardians fell to the Yanks in 5.)

It still was a respectable 7-4 (with many people left on base) in the seventh inning. Dodgers had a bullpen game but they have a tough bullpen. The Mets went with Senga over Buttó. That worked for an inning.

Mets turned into a pumpkin. Oh well. 

Bonus: New York Liberty wins first WNBA championship. Don't watch, but congrats. 

Odds and Ends

Johnson Amendment

The Johnson Amendment is named after Lyndon Baines Johnson, who supported it as a senator. Charities and religious institutions can get a tax break. 

Nonetheless, they cannot endorse a specific political candidate. Some people oppose this as a threat to religious liberty. A lawsuit pushes that mantra.

It is really a fair trade, including allowing political speech and engagements in many ways. More here. 

Supreme Court News 

A SCOTUS history entry led me to find out that Dorothy Beasley, who argued the Georgia side in Doe v. Bolton, died in May. 

She argued multiple SCOTUS cases and later became the first woman to become a Georgia appellate judge. When notice of the loss in Doe arrived, she allegedly refused to pay the fee to accept the message.

Jets News 

After another disappointing loss, where Aaron Rodgers again failed to do what he is there to do, the head coach was fired. Robert Saleh was good on the defensive side. Not so good on offense, if repeatedly with subpar material. Ownership was not pleased.

I am not shocked or anything. I did think without more there is a shade of scapegoating there.

Maybe, there was some internal understanding of just that. For instance, Nathan Hackett, the offensive coordinator whose product was somewhat offensive (but Rodgers likes him) was demoted.  

The overall substandard play in the division, helped by injury to the QB in Miami, has kept the Jets in the hunt. So, the season is far from done.  

NY Weekend Sports: Up and Down

It was a mixed New York sports weekend.

Helped by some dubious calls, the Yanks won a close one. Detroit had a horrid first inning and lost its opener. Dodgers up 1-0 so far. (Now, it's 1-1.)

The Mets fought through some bad calls to win late with their ace Senga (who pitched one game during the season) serving as an "opener." He went two innings. Blew a lead and a two-run homer that tied it in the 9th in Game Two. Big sigh. Citifield next. 

The optimistic take -- which is sort of fake -- is that you would have taken a 1-1 split when you came to Philly. But, that changes when you are ahead mid-game and your closer lays an egg.  And, then you come back to tie, and you lose it a strike away from the 10th. Just my take. I don't find this "fun."

Jets played mediocre but still had a chance late against one of their old QBs. Aaron Rodgers is here to win games like this. He didn't. I didn't want him here and haven't changed my mind. If the supporting staff around him is raw, well, you should be playing for the future.  He's a win-now sort of player.

Bills lost at the buzzer via a 59-yard field goal. The Giants, after being bitten by a 101/2 fumble return earlier, decided not to be the "same old Giants," down to blocking a FG and taking it in for basically the clincher. It was the second time a blocked FG was returned in the NFL today.  

So on Sunday, to summarize: Bills and Jets lost. Giants won. Mets lost. Giants beat one of their old QBs (who also played for the Jets/Geno Smith). Seattle is a team "good enough" to make the playoffs. 

The Giants played well enough today. 

NY Sports Weekend

A hurricane postponed two Mets/Braves games to Monday. The Mets lost the first game, and they lost the first two over the weekend against the Brewers. The Diamondbacks lost two. 

The net result: the playoffs hinged on them winning one of the two games of the Monday DH. A sweep would earn them the #2 seed (Padres), while a split would earn them the #3 seed (Brewers).  

The Giants played Dallas on Thursday. If you remember, they lost to the Commanders (whose rookie QB is now putting on a show) because their kicker got hurt and they didn't have a backup. Their new kicker showed up. Unfortunately, they needed more TDs to beat Dallas.  

While the Mets finally won a game over the weekend, Jets fans (who overlap with Mets fans) watched them lose 10-9. Denver and the Jets exchanged 50-yard field goal misses in the last two minutes.  The Bills lost the evening game. 

The 1962 Mets, their first year, only won 42 games. The Chicago White Sox won 41 this season though they won five of their last six.  They ended up 80 games under .500 (41-121).  

The Guardians were rained out. The game didn't matter since the Yanks had the tiebreaker and a win would have at most resulted in a tie. 

The Yanks, who struggled in the second half, ended up as the #1 seed. The Orioles, who once were at the top of the division, did end the season on a promising note. Meanwhile, the Twins choked, and the Tigers were the surprise wild card. They are my AL team now. The Orioles are my backup.

ETA: Via a crazy back-and-forth last two innings (0-3, 6-3, 7-6, 8-7), the Mets won Game One & a playoff spot. GM2: Joey Lucchesi came & gave them six innings of one-run ball, but the bats were in "let's get this over with" mode. Braves in too.  Be nice if they were eliminated for past aggravation, but so be it. 

Fall Baseball Begins: NY Teams Win

Sunday was the first day of fall. The New York teams redeemed themselves over the weekend (Th-Sunday). 

The Mets had a four game series. They had another mini-laugher (Phils scored some runs late), had a stinker, but then won the next two. This includes a Sunday Night Game with Megill v. Wheeler.

The Jets took care of business against the Patriots, now with a credible QB. Then, the Giants won against the Browns, who have their own problems, particularly an albatross of a QB. 

The Giants quickly were down 7-0. Then, they scored 21 unanswered. The offense decided to take a rest for the rest of the game. The defense -- except for one score -- did the rest. The Giants aren't quite dead.

The Yanks did okay, especially since the Orioles slipped while the Yanks did not, making the division race a bit of a joke. The Tigers and Mariners  (less likely) also sneaked into the Wild Card race. 

If the Mets win the series at Atlanta (at least 2-1), they are in. They are two ahead of the Braves (the series is currently tied) and tied with the tiebreaker now with the Diamondbacks. So, with six left, they are the #2 wild card seed. Oh, so close. 

The Mets beating the Phils three out of four also allowed the Mets to avoid the Phils celebrating winning the division at Citi Field. It would be nice for the Mets to seal the deal at Atlanta. 

ETA: Bills have a good Monday Night. 

Playoffs or Same Old Mets

 

The Mets came into the first of two (7 games) series versus the Phillies, part of a tough final two weeks, up by one. They started with a laugher, the Phils getting three in the 9th after being down 11-0. 

For some reason, Maton, one of the top relievers, pitched the 8th.  This came to mind in Game 2 when a "B" reliever came into a 4-3 game (the Mets scored early and stopped), and eventually (with Garrett's help) blew the lead. 6-4 loss. 

Braves beat Dodgers again so now the two teams were tied for the third wild card. Then, Peterson shut the Phils down for seven. Let's try eight! Nope. Tied game (1-1). Early, Lindor (who didn't play on Saturday) left the game, clearly hurting.  

I checked the score and checked in late but grant I did not watch the game. I am not a masochist. I am not just an "enjoy the team regardless" sort of person. I'm most comfortable when the games don't really matter. Others can give them a participation trophy if they -- yet again -- blow it late. 

Diaz blew the hold on a 0-2 pitch. Home run. Two very winnable games were lost. Not a great start to the two-week series of games versus the Phils, Nats, Braves, and Brewers. Get in or GTFA.

Meanwhile, the Giants lost their game because their kicker (who they knew was hurting) left the game right away and there was no backup. 

The punter tried an XP and missed. The Commanders won on seven field goals, the last one after the Giants didn't go for the field goal. They also repeatedly could not convert two-point conversions. Lost 21-18.

The Giants' kicker situation arguably cost them six points (missed XP, not attempting two tries, not going for a makable FG late).  Simply unforgivable. 

The Jets, meanwhile, did what they had to do. The Titans kept on making mistakes but made it close. They were stopped after making it to 1st and Goal in their final drive. Jets won 24-17.  

Today's game was one of those times the Giants had a real chance of winning. Likewise, the Jets really had to beat the Titans, not a good team, even if it has talent. One team stepped up while the other aimed for another lost year. 

Week 18: Jets Win/Rodgers Is An Asshole

Jets/Giants Follies 

I did not expect much from the NY Jets last season. Joe Flacco stole one from the Browns (an onside kick was involved). If they simply beat the Pats (they surely had a shot; the Pats were not good) once, I probably would have been satisfied. Didn't happen. 

The NY Giants had a misleading record. They got to the playoffs and even had an upset (they were due) versus the Vikings. Nonetheless, they didn't win much after a promising start. They then ended with an embarrassing (was not going to win, but it was embarrassing) playoff loss to the Eagles. 

Both teams seemed to have a shot this season, especially with Aaron Rodgers. You saw how things went though there were some nice moments, including "not Danny DeVito's son" Tommy Cutlets doing his things. 

The Giants also managed to win multiple games (including against the Jets) they should have won. A possible upset last week was excruciating for those who actually cared. They made so many mistakes down to stupid decisions late that basically assumed an old replacement kicker (who already missed an XP) would make a 50+ yard field goal.  

Aaron Rodgers famously got hurt after a few plays. Let me note that the fact "everybody cheered" when they got him is bullshit. The fact Mike Lupica tosses in how "everybody" was "hopeful" a 39-year-old going on 40, whose team was eliminated (after a mediocre season) by an already eliminated team would still have magic is telling.

I didn't want the guy. I worried he was too old. I worried he would get injured. I saw that when years back the Jets signed Brett Favre, another dubious off-the-field guy.  

I thought the Jets had a great defense. The thing to do would be to sign a younger journeyman. Meanwhile, sooner than later, try to draft a QB of the future. Plus, with the anti-vax bullshit, the guy poisoned the well.

I was not the only one who felt that way. Plus, if you DO sign the guy, make sure you have a decent backup. Not the guy you sat with last season since he didn't have what it took (even if he teased you at times). 

They did not. I did not blame them for avoiding Joe "off the couch, into the playoffs" Flacco. He surely didn't thrive when he was on the Jets. But, get someone like that. A career player who you can trust. Something like the guy playing backup for the Giants. Though he has been a mixed bag. 

Aaron Rodgers (who some spun as having some remarkable recovery but in the end seemed not somehow a Superman on that front and was given the "most inspirational" award by his teammates ... okay) continued to shoot off his mouth. A line was crossed when he "playfully" accused Jimmy Kimmel of being on the latest Jeff Epstein (the sex offender) list.

"Dear (expletive): for the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein," Kimmel responded, "nor will you find my name on any 'list' other than the clearly phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality. Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court."

The USA Today analysis (including linking an article reporting he was paid millions for being on the ESPN talk show involved) provides helpful details. This includes Rodgers' tendency to hold grudges and how Kimmel has been on him for a while, particularly because of the anti-vax bit. Kimmel has a personal reason to care about good health care. 

I don't want this asshole to QB the Jets in 2024. They signed a lousy offense coordinator because he was "Aaron's guy" and it showed in 2024. I saw Brett Favre have a good half-plus season and then freefall at the end. What if Rodgers even has a good season?  He's over 40 years old. 

The Jets need to look long-term. Not aim for the short-term shiny glass  "everybody" supposedly wanted.  At the very least, the Jets need to find a decent backup. The NFL is filled with starting back-ups, sometimes teams are on second or third back-ups now. Or even fourth. The Jets played three. 

The Giants don't even have the "well we have Rodgers for a season" line to take in 2024. Their supposed post-Eli Manning QB repeatedly scuffled, had injuries, or teased with just enough good play to build hope. They need to find a new QB. Tommy DeVito? Tad too early to tell. It would not be out of the range of possibility that he will start in 2024. 

Week 18

Anyway. I'm not sure what the extra week does other than maybe give more fodder for games on Thursday to Saturday or on NFL Network / whatever platform that I don't have playing them. The Pro Game (dubiously placed after the season) was never great. Now it is a bit of a joke.

There was a lot of parity this season, for good or ill, including elite teams playing dubious football. The Bills shuffled along. San Francisco decided to lose a few games straight. Dallas and the Eagles didn't show up for various games. The Eagles managed to lose to the Jets and the Cardinals.  

I wonder if there ever was more backup play, including on playoff or playoff wannabes. After twenty years and multiple mediocre non-Tom Brady years, there also was truly a bloom off the hoodie. And, even with a dubious bit of officiating hurting Detroit, the last set of games counted for many teams. That is basically the aim.  

This excitement level was shown in the Saturday Night game with playoff implications. The evening game was one of multiple games with "winner gets in" or "winner gets the division" implications. 

The Houston Texans, with an exciting rookie, beat the Colts (with a backup that is on lists for a backup QB for the Jets in 2024) with a fourth down stop with about a minute left. The Colts opted with the encroachment maneuver to get the first down. It failed. The time-out robbed them of forty seconds of the clock -- the Texans literally left a second on the clock. 

Houston then hoped for an upset of the Jags (flawed) by a lowly team with some ability to do that. The Steelers won a close one on a wet field against the Ravens, who were just trying to get ready for the playoffs (they have a first-round bye). Now, they had to hope for one of various scenarios (two fairly possible) to sneak into the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Steelers' win means the Jaguars have to win or be eliminated.  

You can check all the end results here.  

For now, my playoff cheers will go to the (thanks to a Jags loss) division-winning Houston Texans. Winning the final game last season (it took a lot, by the way; it was basically given to them), didn't hurt in the end! Steelers got in too. They are nice underdogs to root for too. 

The Bills? Figure they will find a way to be eliminated. But, even if they don't beat the Dolphins tonight to get the division, that Jags loss meant they too are in as a wildcard. So, I'll end here. 

Oh, yes. Jets and Giants.

It looked iffy with an "oh no, not again" flub late, but the Jets did finally end that long losing streak versus the Pats. They grinded out a game in the snow (at home) and went ahead 17-3 late, even getting that two-point conversion play to really seal the deal. You can move on now, hoodie.  

Giants up 24-0 vs. the Eagles. I better not have to update this.  Should have been at least 27-0, but they traded interceptions with one minute left in the half. The Eagles QB is hurt. Might have been hurt already, but he's out as of this writing. Again, I better not have to update this.  

Weekend Watching

Football 

The expansion of football to a Friday game after Thanksgiving (Jets) shows how networks and the sport want to stretch things. After all, last season, an additional game was added to the schedule. We also have the Thursday game not on regular television. This is also the case for many baseball games these days.

The usual schedule (at least for some time now) was that in December there were more Saturday games. I'm unsure if it came this early, but this weekend had three Saturday games on NFL Network. One (between the back-ups of the Vikings and Bengals) was even competitive!

There are some good back-ups in the NFL. Many teams now are playing back-ups. There is a mixture of talent. The Jets have a backup (who had a dubious game, somewhat mercifully shortened by injury) who teases you with occasional good games. 

The Giants' backup is a replacement-level sort that seemed safe but was mediocre in the limited time he played. The third string guy is a nice story. Came back to earth versus the Saints. The Giants are about to begin a killer final run with two games against the Eagles. 

The Jets are eliminated (no more fraction of a percent chance).  They were not going to beat the Dolphins, but the hope was that it would have been a tad more competitive than THAT. They have two more very realistic shots at a win versus the lowly Commanders (who show enough fight that it's no gimme) and the Pats (who the Jets have yet to beat for a long long time).  

San Franciso (after a mid-season three-game losing streak) has the division sewed up already. And, many races will likely go to the final week.

Christmas Films 

Last Sunday, I referenced a collection of holiday novellas, including one by Debbie Macomber. 

Macomber's book Trading Christmas was made into a Hallmark Channel film. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it so much that I watched it for at least the third time this weekend.  

One thing I enjoy about it is the multiple storylines including one with Faith Ford (then in her late 40s) which feels more mature than many Hallmark Channel films. The multiple kissing also is rather risque for that channel.

The cast is also made up of various people who are known for other more serious or quirky works than Hallmark Channel films. Tom Cavanagh and Gabrielle Miller played the second couple in this house swap film (2011). They add to making the film not feel much like a Hallmark Channel film as such. I didn't see it on television so borrowed it from the library. Check it out if you can.

===

Friends & Family Christmas has a Sunday night premiere. It has a somewhat generic title. "Family" does play an important role, including the POC retired parents of one love interest who was a college roommate and the father of another love interest. 

The parents do play an important role. One couple has significant air time. The bits about a long-married couple engaging with each other are handled nicely.  I did not catch what happened to the mother of one of the love interests unless I missed it. The ending wrap-up was rather forced.

The special hook here is that the film is a full-fledged lesbian love story. That is, the lesbians are not just one subplot, but the main story. The familiar face is Ali Liebert (who played a lesbian in the Canadian television series Bomb Girls; she is openly gay), who has also done some directing.  

(I have noted in the past that Hallmark has actively tried to be more diverse in recent years. Multiple films have had gay and lesbian content, including in the primary storylines.) 

The film as a whole was pleasant. Ali Liebert's performance just seemed off to me. I suppose her emotionally restrained performance fits the character's story arc of someone who has yet to get over a failed relationship. Nonetheless, she seems rather stiff and made up in an unattractive way.  

The couple does have some chemistry. I don't think the film gives them enough interaction to underline that they are falling in love. Maybe, it is a question of too many things happening, including a somewhat overbearing supporting character getting more air time than you might expect. 

Overall, I was somewhat disappointed with the whole thing though it was watchable and overall flowed fairly well. Plus, again, the parents (less so Ali's father) were interesting characters in their own light. The additional touches there made the film interesting. There are so many of these films out there. If a film has interesting touches, they stand out. 

Also, the film actually took place in New York City (though we didn't see much of it). Most of these films take place in small towns or something.  

===

Catchy TV instead of the usual "binge" had a bunch of Christmas-related content, including Fonzie getting a present from his long-lost dad.  

Coming soon: a re-watch of the charming The Muppet Christmas Carol. 

==

To keep things up, the Blondie film was Blondie In The Dough, which is a fitting title (often they are bland and not very plot specific) since she started a cookie business. 

I saw parts of it, after seeing a bit of it when it ran once before. It has the usual aspects, including a collection of storylines that come together. Decent entry.  

New York Jets Continue to Be a National Embarrassment

I did not want the New York Jets to sign Aaron Rodgers. The Jets already signed an aging Green Bay Packers QB. Brett Favre had a good run and then ran into a wall. He was soon gone and finished elsewhere. Then, he had other problems. But, that is another story.

The Jets have a playoff (maybe more) caliber defense. The defense that will win games for you. The team needed a decent QB of a reasonable age. There are multiple QBs of that caliber available. The team could have been a very good team for years. 

The team went another way. Aaron "vax opponent" Rodgers rubbed our noses in it by getting injured after a few plays. Nonetheless, I think it would have been a bad move regardless. And, at his age, turf or no turf (talk about scapegoating), an injury was a reasonable likelihood. Also, at his age, how long would he last? In a couple years, the Jets could be back to square one. Furthermore, if he did well, draft-wise it would be harder to get a QB.

Rodgers also brought another albatross: Nathaniel Hacket. He has a prime excuse now with a bunch of injuries. But, teams have injuries. Yes, the Jets have A LOT. He still stinks. We knew this coming in. The only reason to get him was because Rodgers likes him. What happens if he is not playing? Was there no other way to get Rodgers? It all reeks of desperation.

The NY Jets set themselves to fail. They refused to face up to the situation. They showed how little trust Zack Wilson had by benching him last season. Fine. You had to have a reliable backup. Team after team in the NFL had quarterbacks going down. A reliable backup with the Jets' defense could carry the team. It would at the very least result in credible play.  

The Jets, helped by Buffalo's own issues, managed to win the first game. The Jets battled with two teams (Denver and the Giants) to see who could lose the games. Somehow they managed to score enough points to beat the Eagles. Still, the team is lucky to have four wins. 

Easy could have two or three. And, schedule makers expected Rodgers. So, the Jets can embarrass themselves in prime time or nationwide (the first Black Friday game) situations. This time, they somehow managed to have a "pick six" on an end-of-the-half Hail Mary. 

The defense gave the team two turnovers (one a pick-six; the other mid-field with two seconds to play as Miami rushed to score three) and the team came out of it -1 (they missed an XP, so the touchdowns didn't offset). Since Hail Marys have been recorded as a state (2006 by one account), no one remembers this happening. Impressive. 

There will be a limited number of opportunities. Hail Marys often occur at the end of games where a runback would make limited sense. Some have little chance of being caught. The usual situation is a fight for the ball with the defense batting the ball away or knocking the person down in the end zone. A defender going 100 yards with the ball is not very likely.  

The problem here is not just Aaron Rodgers. The team has been a mess for too long to put it in the hands of any one person. The fans have a reason to be pissed off. Other teams struggling have fired people, including coordinators or head coaches. This is sometimes just something you do. There is a cause to suggest someone is being made a scapegoat.

Not quite true here. Nathaniel Hackett being fired would gain some justifiable positivity from the fans. Tim Boyle, no savior (he isn't meant to be; he's a third-string QB), was cheered by the fans happy to see an unqualified QB (even if he teases with good play here or there) gone. What? Aaron Rodgers will refuse to play the second year of his contract if Hackett is fired? Maybe tell him that NH is vaxxed or something.

The NY Giants received a scheduling gift by having the Commanders (the Jets have them too) come in. Tommy "not Danny's son" DeVito actually had a chance. Now people are talking of him being a possible QB of the future. Calm down, guys. Miami was going to be a loss. Still, they had a shot at a reasonable score. At least, a 10-6 half.

They went another way. Time for a change. And, they should not have signed Rodgers. I said so before the season. 

Sports Update

In the 1990s, the Yanks' championship seasons included a swing starter named Ramiro Mendoza. They had a bench coach named Carlos Mendoza. He is now the new Mets manager after Craig Counsell (a friend of the new director of baseball operators) got an overpaid (8M a year?) gig for the Cubs. The talk is that Mendoza (43) is good with player development.

It is unclear how he will do as a manager. He filled in for the Yankees manager for some games (Aaron Boone was ejected sometimes and maybe he missed a few games). But, he never had real major league managerial experience. But, we had the vet in Buck, and he was fired. We will see how it goes. The idea is he will grow with the team.

Local football fans had less to cheer about over the weekend. Daniel Jones came back from injury but got hurt again not too long into the game. He's now out for the year. They hired someone basically off the street since the backup is out for a few games. He wasn't ready, apparently, so Tommy DeVito (no relation to the actor as far as I know) again was in to have no offense (six points). The Raiders, who just fired their coach and had a new QB in too, won 30-6.  So, the Giants didn't even have much defense. 

The Jets had a promising chance of winning for their Monday Night Football game. (The Bills lost on Sunday night.)  The 3-4 Chargers have been struggling. The Charges offense didn't do much tonight but when the Jets can only score six points, that was enough. They had fourteen points on a punt return for a QB and a turnover that basically was another TD. 

The defense basically held them to 13 points but last week's Giants game suggested that might be enough if the other team didn't really choke. A special team breakdown and multiple turnovers iced the deal. The Jets are 4-4 and their three-game winning streak was already a bit of a mirage. Still, rather embarrassing. Both NY teams need a credible QB.  

Stop Second Guessing the Mets Season

"Bill Madden: Diamondbacks in the World Series proof that Mets gave up too early on season"

No, it isn't. Might want to look up what "proof" means.

The Orioles were eliminated right away. I'm unsure what special energy the Mets had to ride the storm here.

Arizona led the division early. This isn't some total shock. The Mets had a chance to show they had something in July. They played listless .500 ball [if that] after a short good stretch (helped by beating up Arizona, in the midst of a drop-off at that point of the season). 

When did the Mets EVER lead like Arizona? Yes, they had a shot at the playoffs, but it was a shot on top of a shot that they would get far. Take the Padres. They were two or so games (including a hard-luck loss late) away. They had a September run. Mets, even if they got help at the break, had about as much of a chance as them. Especially with Scherzer hurt. 

In 2015, the Mets had a single team to beat (flawed Washington), and kept around .500. They needed a special push to make it. And, even then, again, they needed the Nationals to blow it. Much harder this season. Far, far bigger hole to catch up to Atlanta.  Had a hole in the wild card race. Some teams that didn't make it had as much of a chance or more than them. 

The Mets played for the future. That made sense. Stop it.

ETA: A rather embarrassing New York clash this weekend. 

The Giants had to play with their third-stringer (not a relative of Danny DeVito, as far as I know), but the Jets defense gifted them a 10-7 lead. Both teams with multiple key in-game injuries. 

It easily could have ended there but with under a half minute left, helped by the Giants runner giving himself up instead of just trying to get one more yard, a mid-range FG was missed. A longer one was missed earlier. 

The Jets' offense suddenly came alive again and got a FG. Then, after the Giants did nothing in OT, the Jets (helped by a Giants pass interference) got another to win the game. Not pretty. 

The Jets somehow is alive after beating multiple good teams (and Denver, who should be better than they are, though they upset KC today, to make Taylor Swift sad). The Giants won two games on their defense and the other teams making mistakes. 

Almost got a third.

Sports Update

A brief sports update. The Jaguars like playing in London (or as Joey on Friends might say IN LONDON!), including beating the Bills today. The Bills seemed jet lagged. The Jags was refreshed and already played in London last week.

One entertaining game today was the continuing rivalry game between the Ravens and Steelers (with a young QB). Somehow, the Steelers managed to have enough offense, the theme constantly being defensive stops with no offense. Five points basically arose from a safety and free kick. Scored late and enough.

Giants had Miami and a loss. Who knew that even with Rodgers out after four plays, the Giants would be the worse team? The Jets won against the Broncos, who are a mess themselves. The Orioles are 0-2 in a five-game series. A few baseball analysts are pushing the Twins. Well, that's better than the Rangers/Astros!

First Monday In October (Not the Film)

After the NY Jets cruelly gave fans hope only to have their QB make a mistake and have KC not give the ball back again, icing the game, we have the beginning of the new Supreme Court term.

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ETA: Regarding the last term, all of the opinions have been assigned a volume, with a preliminary version posted on the website. 

First is a long clean-up Order List. The biggest news might be that Clarence Thomas, for the first time in a 1/6 related case, recused himself. It involved pal John Eastman (also close to his wife, it seems) and maybe you would think that would factor in as does the fact Ginny Thomas also was questioned by the 1/6 Committee. But, Fix the Court notes that he didn't recuse in the past in cases involving the committee.

Thomas not explaining why he did not take part is not unique. Kagan in recent months a few times (two or three) noted basically the category of reasons she checked off when recusing. No other justice explained their decision. Alito (as a few did in recent decades) noted why he did not recuse. This is not a great policy.  

(The Supreme Court also didn't drop a press release or media advisory noting that they went back to live audio during oral arguments. It would be a simple act of clarity and openness to do so. It only noted it on the calendar, which is a more hidden location.)

Thomas did take part in the decision not to preliminary intervene in a 14A, sec. 3 case. Many think there is an appearance of impropriety to him taking part in any 2020 election dispute, especially involving the insurrection, after it came out that Ginni Thomas was a strong election denier. 

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The first oral argument was a statutory case that came off as a somewhat absurd law office hypothetical. Barrett dropped the term "Calvinball." But, we should not forget that the case ultimately involves the reach of a criminal justice provision that is of some importance.   

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Meanwhile: The soon-to-be new senator from California sounds like a promising choice, checking boxes like forty-something, black woman, labor advocate, women's candidate supporter (EMILY's List), lesbian, and more.  

Strict Scrutiny Podcast dropped the news that the mother involved in a tragic atypical case involving a truly late-term abortion was sentenced to two years in prison for her crimes. 

I think that is probably too much, but a summary about some woman who gave abortion pills to her teenage daughter and flagging it as the danger of post-Dobbs is rather misleading.  The facts here could be (and should be) deemed illegal under Roe v. Wade and is not a run-of-the-mill case. 

I agree with President Biden's statement on the budget. 

Sunday Night Quickie

NY Jets need a new QB ("back-up" if you wish). They got Rodgers since they didn't trust the guy they have now. One good series doesn't change it. They again lost to the Patriots, the final (aside from the desperation toss at the end) drive underlining the simple inability for this guy to do anything. It was embarassing. As is Dallas' loss to Arizona.

The Astros being swept by the Royals is too, less so the Mets being swept by the Phillies. But, Seattle is struggling too, now 1/2 game out of wild card contention. The last slot now is held by the Astros, who would lose a tiebreaker with Seattle.

Chris Geidner's latest on the Supreme Court has an updated paragraph that is especially useful link-wise. Decent YA book on chocolate.

Odds and Ends

I re-read The Cabinet about George Washington's creation of that institution. I plan to write a longer review for another website. It covers the usual ground (a bit redundant at times; some stuff is standard history, not really Cabinet focused) but also stuff more focused to the topic. Overall, it is a good, but not great book.

Penny Singleton again is the best thing in Blondie Goes To College, but there is really not enough plot. Early on, almost gratutiously it seems, she tells Mr. Dithers that she is pregnant. It is a curious bit of news since it doesn't really affect the plot much at all. Mr. Dithers is mad Dagwood wants to stay in college, firing him, but then decides he wants him back. Basically to drive the plot to a conclusion. Eh. Blondie has some amusing bits.

NY Giants lost on Thursday. Mets keep on losing but still have a shot to spoil the Marlins' still alive playoff hopes. The Phils are basically set, the Mets helping them with three losses so far. Toronto keeps blowing it but Orioles finally eked out a 2-1 win today. Texas actually is the division leader now. Tough schedule though so not sure if Astros will blow it. One hopes so.