By Joe Torosian —
“Madden’s on the field. He wants to know if it’s real. They said yes, get your big butt outta here. He does.”—Bill King
Kick it!
When compassion ignores the truth, it becomes a pseudo-compassion. We live in a culture that declares it wrong to judge anything, but in the end, judges everything. And when it wants to high-road someone about judging, they throw out a lousy, social media-inspired reference from the Bible.
(Bad theology)
But the fear of being judged and/or judgmental causes people to opt out on telling the truth.
And if you had to tag this weekend in football, it was “Opt-Out Weekend.” First in college with the players dropping out of bowl games to get ready for the NFL Draft. Then the opting out by folks in the NFL when it comes to sharing the truth about Antonio Brown.
We all saw on Sunday AB strip and walk-off the field. But maybe you didn’t see the CBS studio crew of Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason, Nate Burelson, and James Brown. And the chains of fear they live in of “judging” somebody.
The crew was hesitant to give an opinion of AB’s actions. So they opted out. Burleson said that none of them were here to judge AB. It’s not their place to judge. But Burleson forwarded an alternate theory that maybe AB was upset because he was on the bench and missing out on earning a million-dollar bonus.
(Burleson is the definition of hipster-doofus.)
A million bucks to the NFL is like a c-note to you and me. It’s less than a drop in the bucket.
CBS Host James Brown, the only one who chose not to opt-out, said it’s clear AB has issues and solicited Esiason’s opinion. Esiason opts out, doesn’t disagree with Burleson, and then goes into a rant about AB’s fake vaccination card. A story that is a month old.
(If Esiason’s going after AB’s past, why the low-hanging fruit of the vax-card and not the sexual assault allegations? Fear, fear, fear, and fear.)
James Brown goes to Cowher, who doesn’t disagree with Burleson, and opts out with some mumbling about this is who AB has always been.
(Being gutless and virtue-signaling is what Cowher has been all about as a studio host. Cowher’s the white guy who explains to the black guy what racism is.)
Outside of James Brown, I wouldn’t trust any of those guys to have my back in a foxhole because they wouldn’t—at least not until they got Twitter permission.
You see AB’s antics on the field, and it’s obvious he’s got mental/emotional issues. At a minimum, a narcissistic personality disorder. But he’ll never get help because, just like the CBS studio crew, everyone’s opting out (except for NBC’s Tony Dungy). Opting out because they live in fear of being declared judgmental.
Make a judgment…AB is a mess emotionally. It would be liberating for AB…and liberating for our culture. Instead, the people paid to give an opinion are too enslaved by the culture to share a truthful opinion.
But…speaking of diva receivers.
Oh, I’ve always been an OBJ fan!
When I watch my favorite team play—in any sport—I never want to see a good game. I always want to see a blowout. I seldom get that, but the next best thing other than a blowout—when it’s all over—is the ugly win.
The ugly win brings such satisfaction. Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I was a Dodgers fan, one of my favorite games was Fernando Valenzuela’s imperfect Game Three win in the 1981 World Series over the Yankees. The Rams’ 14-12 playoff win in Dallas in 1976 when they couldn’t even punt the ball because the Cowboys so outmatched their special teams.
Those games were tense, uncomfortable in the moment, but profoundly satisfying in the end. The Rams win on Sunday over the Ravens felt just like that.
These are the games I always attempt to construct a deal with God on a critical third down. I offer some dirty rag to the Creator of all things and then beg, “…And please just don’t let him be sacked. And don’t let him fumble. And don’t let him throw a pick. And don’t let there be a penalty…but I’m okay with everything else.”
Everyone is worried about Matt Stafford, but I’m not. He threw two picks, but one of them came on third & ten and was essentially an arm-punt. The pick-six was terrible, but I thought the fumble was worse.
Two things are essential when it comes to Stafford. One, Sean McVay doesn’t ever seem to lose confidence in him (Think Jared Goff and hitch passes on third and 17). Second, Stafford has a bit of the KMA in him. (And that doesn’t mean kiss my Achilles or my ankle bone.) He’s tough.
It’s been a John Madden week, and rightfully so, and it was Madden who once said that Ken Stabler wasn’t always great and almost bored during a game. But when it was all on the line, he was great. Stafford’s mistakes always seem to come during something OTHER than the game’s most critical drives or moments.
I can’t see ever opting out on him. He’s worth two number ones, Goff, his salary, and the dead-cap money.
Finally, OBJ, Odell Beckham Jr.’s two catches down the stretch were a clinic on catching the ball with your hands. He made Dale “Handsdrade” Andrade proud. It was beautiful.
Defensively, in the context of the game, I’m okay with Jalen Ramsey punching Taylor Rapp. Ramsey was only giving Rams fans what they’ve wanted all season. The reality is Ramsey, Rapp, and the defense cares. They’re bought in, they’re invested, and it’s exciting to see.
And listen, nobody wants to see Raheem Morris get another HC gig in the NFL more than me.
Speaking of Ramsey, Von Miller, Leonard Floyd, and Aaron Donald…where would the Rams be without A’Shawn Robinson and Greg Gaines on the defensive front?
One of my least favorite movies of all time is “The Sound of Music.” But that song…How do you solve a problem…? It sticks in your head.
That’s Troy Reeder’s song. How do you solve a problem like Troy Reeder? He’s a glorified special teamer who makes just enough plays to stay in the lineup. He’s frustrating, but what are you going to do?
I don’t know, but can I suggest to DC Morris that he pull Reeder and leave Travin Howard in the game on obvious passing downs?
Great win, but it means nothing—the season will amount to nothing—without a victory over the San Francisco 49ers next week. If the Rams lose that game, McVay should change his name to Sean Shanahan and move to the bay area.
Even though the Rams could have wrapped up the division with an Arizona loss, I was good with the Cardinals’ victory. First, the Cowboys lost, which always makes for a great day. And the Rams took the second spot in the conference, which means the only road game they may have to play will be in Lambeau.
First & Last Ravens Add: Tyler Huntley is a perfect backup for Lamar Jackson. They have to find the dough and lock him up to be that number two for a long time. Make him their Frank Reich, Don Strock, or Gary Kubiak. He’s a perfect fit for a Baltimore team beginning to discover that its starting quarterback is merely mortal despite the “S” on his chest.
Opting out—I will never look at you the same again.
“Team, team, team, brotherhood, brothers…Who’s got my back. I got your back!”
Well, not really.
Players can make a choice, but so can their teammates. And I know I would never look the same at a player on my team who opts out at a critical moment. They’ll still be my friend, but I would no longer call them my brother. Because when we were all in the foxhole when one of the most intense, crucial moments of our careers was about to take place—they opted out.
I won’t lose any sleep over it. They’ll still be my friend, but they can’t continue to be my brother. Because when I yelled, “Who’s got my back?”
They were nowhere to be found.
And think about the tangible these players traded out for the hope of NFL glory? The Music City Bowl, the Rose Bowl, and the players that opted? Think of the memories they missed out on? Think of the shared experiences, the bonding moments, with their teammates that they lost?
Will they have the kind of NFL success to equal the moments they missed?
Doubtful.
And all because someone got in their ear and encouraged them to forget about today and fantasize about tomorrow.
Clip me off some Matt Corral who said, “It never even entered my mind.”
I know Corral got hurt in the Sugar Bowl, but I don’t think he’s going to have any regrets. And to his teammates, he will always be their brother.
As a low-end athlete with zero athletic success outside of a few three-on-three moments in a church gym and a junior high flag football field…I miss the locker room and the practices more than I miss the game.
When I think of the opt-outs, I hear the modified voice of William Wallace…
“And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin’ to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and…be with your teammates.”
Tangent Dreams: A High School Football Novel (Available thru Amazon–click on pic)
The Dude abides…
1,204
Colossians 1:13-17
Joe T. is the author of “Tangent Dreams: A High School Football Novel” … “Temple City & The Company of The Ages” … “The Dead Bug Tales” … “The Dark Norm” & “FaithViews for Storm Riders”…and, the recently released, “Sin Virus.” All six available through Amazon.com.
www.JoeTorosian.com
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