Just as we did last week, here is a collection some of the coldest takes related to events from last week…
- The Los Angeles Lakers announced Wednesday that a bronze statue of legend, and three time NBA championship winner with the Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal will be created and unveiled in front of the STAPLES Center in 2017. Here’s then Charlotte Hornets coach Allan Bristow back in 1992:
I have to ask whether he is a winner…I have to wonder, if he’s as great as I think he is, how come LSU didn’t win a national title?
- In September, Syracuse University basketball coach Jim Boeheim boasted about this year’s squad to ESPN’s Andy Katz:
We’ve got everything…We’ve got depth. We’ve got shooters. We’ve got size. This is the best team we’ve had in a long time.
They also have a lot of losses. Five to be exact, and it’s only December. Among them, a humiliating 30 point home loss last Wednesday night to a 5-7 St. Johns team who, coming into the game, only had one win against a team with a winning record.
- Thursday’s news that the “small market” Cleveland Indians signed high priced free agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion must have surprised ESPN’s Buster Olney. After all, earlier in the month Olney calculated the Indians chance at signing the 1st baseman at .15%, described any discussion between the parties as polite conversation, and thought that the mere idea that Encarnacion would actually sign with Cleveland deserved a “hearty laugh.“
- Speaking of MLB free agency heeeeeere’s Jim Bowden…
"#Yankees are going to get either Encarnacion or Cespedes. They may get both, and that wouldn't surprise me." – @JimBowden_ESPN
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) November 20, 2016
The Yankees did not sign either player.
- In October, The Sporting News college basketball writer Mike DeCourcy wrote a piece announcing that Junior Duke guard Grayson Allen “is ready to dive into the hearts of college basketball fans, like it or not,” and that its “going to be hard not to love a player who goes this hard.” Well, its going to be hard for fans not to dislike Allen after he intentionally tripped an Elon College player as he drove to the basket during a game Wednesday night. This is Allen’s third tripping incident within the past year. On Thursday, Duke suspended Allen indefinitely.
- The Minnesota Vikings’ record fell to 7-8 after losing to the Packers on Saturday 35-20. The loss officially eliminated Minnesota from playoff contention. A huge letdown for a team that was once 5-0 and the heir apparent to the NFC North division crown…
The Packers are done winning the NFC North #vikings
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) October 9, 2016
And one that had a historically significant defense…
The 2016 Vikings defense could go down as one of the greatest in NFL history.
— @ClayTravis. https://t.co/EsSgOLtuRm pic.twitter.com/asqzDS7T38— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) September 26, 2016
- Condolences to whomever read or heard this before their fantasy football drafts…
"Jordy Nelson is on my do not draft list." – @BaseballGuys
— Fantasy Sports Radio (@SiriusXMFantasy) August 29, 2016
Nelson currently has 1,191 receiving yards receiving and 14 TDs on the season.
- This was kicker Randy Bullock two weeks ago when he was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals:
I need to come in here and make my kicks. That’s my job description, and that’s what I plan to do.
Things didn’t go quite as planned. On Friday night, Bullock had a chance to be a hero and blew it. The Bengals were down 13-12 to the Houston Texans (Bullock’s former team) with seconds left in the game and Bullock lined up a 43-yard field goal attempt to try and give his team the win. Houston Chronicle reporter John McClain was prepared for a storybook ending…
Randy Bullock, drafted and cut by the Texans, is going to beat his former team with a field goal. You watch!
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) December 25, 2016
It wasn’t meant to be…
Texans win division when Randy Bullock misses 43 yard field goal with no time left. Amazing!
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) December 25, 2016
- Local Denver radio personality and writer Will Petersen was probably expecting a sluggish performance from Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce Christmas night against Denver. On Friday, Petersen tweeted out grainy cell phone pictures of the 27 year-old tight end from the previous evening apparently “partying” until at least the wee hours of 1:30am in a local Kansas City establishment…
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce clearly isn't taking the Broncos real seriously. Partied all night in KC. Pics from about 1:30 this morning. pic.twitter.com/pfg07nVndP
— Will Petersen (@PetersenWill) December 24, 2016
Safe to say Kelce recuperated, as he mustered up an 11 catch 160 yard performance which included an 80 yard touchdown reception in the 2nd quarter to help the Chiefs smash the Broncos 33-10.
- Denver’s loss to the Chiefs officially eliminated them from playoff contention. Looks like few listened to Ex-NFL QB Chris Simms’ warning to all of the Broncos “haters” back in October…
Broncos are 4-0 and still don't get the respect they deserve. @CSimmsQB has a warning to the haters: fear the champs pic.twitter.com/c5nauhhXSh
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) October 3, 2016
- The Broncos loss also clinched a playoff spot for the Miami Dolphins who beat the Bills 34-31 in Buffalo in an overtime thriller which saw the Dolphins blow a two touchdown lead in the 4th quarter only to kick a game tying 55-yard FG with no time left on the clock to tie the game in regulation and send it to overtime where they eventually won after Jay Ajayi’s 57-yard run put them in position to kick the game winner. This all happened after Miami-based AP writer Tim Reynolds’ 1st quarter tweet when the Dolphins were up 14-0…
All the drama left in this Bills game is whether some fan antics show up on Deadspin.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) December 24, 2016
The Dolphins will go to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 despite The Miami Herald’s Manny Navarro’s “RIP 2016 Miami Dolphins season” tweet and Adam Beasley (also from The Miami Herald) declaring the season lost back in October. To be fair, the Dolphins were 1-4 at the time and looked like the worst team in football.
- Christmas Day also saw great NBA action, especially the Cavs coming back from 14 down in the 4th quarter to beat the Warriors 109-108 on a Kyrie Irving fadeaway jumper. The game did not turn out the way NBA writer Shane Young thought it would…
Speaking of Kyrie Irving, the Cavs guard has been nothing short of spectacular since he was supposedly hurting LeBron’s chances to win a championship with Cleveland according to ESPN’s Jeremias Engelmann six days before LeBron won a championship with Cleveland.
- In December 2013, when Bob Diaco was hired as the the new head football coach at UConn he proclaimed that it was “not a rebuilding job.” That mantra seemed to have fizzled by the following November when the Huskies were a mere 2-6…
Diaco excited for the future as young talent develops. "Imagine in 2 1/2 years what we're going to look like." #UConn.
— Patrick Eaton-Robb (@peatonrobb) November 4, 2014
Unfortunately, Diaco will not get to see what they look like from the sidelines, as he was fired Monday after UConn posted a 3-9 record this season. The Huskies went 11-26 in the three seasons Diaco was in charge.
- On Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills announced that backup EJ Manuel will start at quarterback over regular starter Tyrod Taylor. Manuel, who was the Bills first round draft pick in 2013, has performed poorly throughout his first three years in the league and is widely considered a draft bust. It seems like a long long time ago when Manuel excelled during the preseason of his rookie year. Check out these rather amusing tweets from August 2013…
- Prior to Tuesday’s Holiday Bowl, local Minneapolis sports radio personality Dan Barreiro did not have high hopes for the Minnesota Golden Gophers…
The Gophers ended up defeating Washington State 17-12 holding the Cougars to 264 passing yards.
HONOR ROLL
- Props to local Philadelphia sports radio host Chris Carlin who, in January 2015, was spot on about Rex Ryan’s impending tenure as Buffalo Bills head coach…
Just read the entire transcript of Rex's press conference. 2 years. Max.
— Chris Carlin (@ChrisCarlin) January 14, 2015
- Kudos to former NFL standout wide receiver Chad Johnson who was probably the only person in all of society to remain high on the Miami Dolphins after their 1-4 start this season…
Dolphins will surprise you, don't be fooled by the slow start..
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) October 9, 2016
The Dolphins miraculously won 9 out of their last 10 games and clinched a playoff birth on Sunday.
That’s just about it for this week’s report. Here’s one more Cold Take for the road…
George Karl finally will give HOPE to Kings fans – He is a WINNER! Great hire! http://t.co/MD5AiRrH9n
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) February 12, 2015
See ya next week.
