Let’s Play One More

The Rams and Saints met in Week 9, with New Orleans winning a high-scoring affair. It was more of the same in Sunday’s NFC championship game as the Rams took down the Saints, 26 to 23 to advance to Super Bowl 53 to face the Patriots. (Butch Dill | AP Photo)

Will Satler | wsatler@msudenver.edu | January 22nd, 2019

Two things are certain in sports today; Uncertainty and Hypotheticals

There is no questioning that the outcome of Sunday’s NFC Championship game was directly affected by a penalty late in the fourth quarter on Los Angeles Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman; or lack thereof a penalty that resulted in the New Orleans Saints settling for just a field goal with 1:49 left on the clock.

I’m not a believer that a single play, penalty, or call can determine the fate of athletic competition, let alone a modern-day NFL game. Saints’ coach Sean Payton could have decided to run with Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara, who rushed for, get this, 31 yards, against the likes of former DPOY Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh. Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees could have tucked the ball down and avoided a game-breaking interception on the first possession of overtime that led to Greg Zuerlein or ‘Legatron’ to knock in a 48-yard field goal to clinch the NFC.

Greg Zuerlein #4 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates after kicking the game-winning field goal in overtime against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC championship game at the Mercedez-Benz Superdome on January 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Los Angeles Rams defeated the New Orleans Saints with a score of 26 to 23. (Jonathan Bachman | Getty Images)

Then there’s the Rams’ side of this case. On a third and goal play from the Saints’ five yard line, Saints’ defender, Alex Okafor gets a grasp on Rams’ quarterback Jared Goff’s facemask as he tried to cross the goal line and take the lead. Instead, the Rams were forced to tie the game with a field goal.

Without a doubt, the NFC championship brought us one of the best games all year with performances from both teams which were nothing short of remarkable. Goff led his team on consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter. Brees was Brees, the future Hall of Famer who does things quarterbacks everywhere dream of at night.

So, who wouldn’t want to see these teams battle it out for one more quarter? Surely, a replay of just the fourth could decide a true and fair winner.

It’s not so easy.

At least not for the NFL.

Since I’m not the NFL, let’s hypothesize if the NFL really did a replay (I really did learn something in science in high school.)

To make matters fairer and relatively more interesting, let’s start things over at the beginning of the fourth quarter just like the ended the third in the actual game. Saints 20, Rams, 17. Fifteen minutes.

Eliminate the great drives from Goff and Co. Eliminate the pass interference (or lack thereof). Eliminate the legs of both great kickers. Keep the officials.

Something that makes all sports events one of the best things on Earth is the uncertainty. A sixteen seed in the March Madness bracket can upset the one seed. Sorry, Virginia fans.

We can’t have Wes McCauley officiate every game in the NHL unfortunately, but even he too, misses a call or two sometimes.

Both teams play with the same officials officiating and despite what some conspiracy theorists think, neither team is paying the zebras.

Who knows. Maybe Goff will shock the world again and enlighten us with his insane clutch gene and lead another three scoring drives to take down Brees. Then again, maybe he throws a pick-six to Marcus Lattimore on the next play to seal the game.

Who could be against this format, I mean, more great football? Play the game as a primetime game on FOX after the Pro Bowl. Rams and Saints players can be replaced by more prolific players who had excellent seasons.

Can you imagine the ratings for the NFL, FOX, and all the sports platforms leading up and after?

What about more ticket sales? Concession sales? Local and national restaurants sales? Talk about a boost for the economy (maybe I should reopen the government with these ideas).

The NFL is about their money and after a couple years has passed with the Kaepernick saga, there is no doubting that one bit. This ‘replay’ would be a match made in heaven for the NFL and $$$.

That’s what makes this hypothetical perfect and horrific at the same time for the NFL. So many questions:

What if someone gets injured?

When will the game be played?

Does this give Brady and Belichick an unfair advantage?

Plenty could go wrong, and that’s why the NFL won’t do it. Among other reasons, of course. Travel plans for teams would need to be rerouted which isn’t necessarily an easy thing to do (despite bringing in more revenue for airlines).

Injuries are as common as ever in the NFL in today’s game and a player’s career could be ended in the blink of an eye in a replay.

And simple as it might be, if the NFL revisits Rule 17, Section 2, Article 1 and replays the game, it would cause an uproar among the community on other games that should be replayed due to missed calls (see Dallas v. Green Bay in the 2014 NFC divisional round , Seattle v. Green Bay during the NFL referee lockout, or ironically, Patriots v. Raiders In 2001).

It was ruled that Dez Bryant didn’t hold on to the ball throughout the process of going to the ground during a 2014 NFC playoff game against Green Bay. 
(Andrew Weber | USA TODAY Sports)

The team who would win the rematch would be left a week short in their preparation and recovery which for the current losing team, would be a consequence they would enjoy if it meant a trip to Atlanta next week instead of their couch at home.

In the meantime, while I sit here and hope to see the rematch, Los Angeles and New England will prepare in Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta and sports writers, fans, and people everywhere will debate the call that wasn’t called Sunday.

Maybe this is my Critical Thinking class talking but the sheer thought of an event like this happening is exciting.

To avoid my heart being crushed, I’ll move on. Like LA and New England have, like the Saints must, and like life has done time after time.

Don’t question me when I’m replaying the fourth quarter of these two teams on Madden later.

ATHLETES SHOULD USE THEIR PLATFORM TO TRY AND CREATE CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES

On July 13th, 2016, NBA basketball players Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James, from left, speak onstage at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles. The four gave an anti-violence speech and expressed their support of the values behind the Black Lives Matter movement. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Will Satler | wsatler@msudenver.edu | December 12th, 2018

COLORADO — There is no debating that athletes can affect what happens within their current communities and in some cases, an entire country, for the better or the worse. Yet, the everso rise of athletes speaking out to the media or through their political actions on the field has caused controversy on whether athletes should continue to speak out or as Laura Ingraham of Fox News said: “shut up and dribble.”

When the clip of Ingraham attacking LeBron James and Kevin Durant for their comments on president Donald Trump surfaced last year, the entire sports world went into an uproar on whether athletes should suppress their thoughts or rightfully speak out and be an active part of their democracy. Seems like an easy choice right? 

It’s cases like the one involving Colin Kaepernick recently that make the decision on whether to speak up or not a little more difficult. After deciding to stand up and speak up against the racial injustice and police brutality in America, Kaepernick took a knee for the anthem (previously he sat) and sparked outrage in a nation that oozes liberty and freedom off it’s red, white, and blue flag.

Kaepernick drew criticism behind his actions, despite meeting with Nate Boyer, a veteran who suggested Kaepernick kneel instead of sit for the playing for the national anthem. Today, Kaepernick sits at home and watches as the 2018 NFL season continues without him after he was cut from his team, the San Fransisco 49ers, in 2017.

Kaepernick did what he felt was right and tried to create change in his country. Too many African American people were being unjust-fully murdered in America and he felt it was time to make a change. Unfortunately, in his case, he chose the wrong way to protest. By protesting one of America’s greatest pastimes, the National Anthem, he caught the wrong attention of NFL general managers, passionate fans, and maybe most importantly, the President.

Kaepernick isn’t the first player to field criticism for his protests and more ironically, not the first to protest during a national anthem.

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf played in the NBA from 1990-1998 (and a mini stint in 01′ with the Grizzlies) and spent the majority of his team here in Denver for the Nuggets. Abdul-Rauf is perhaps best known for the controversy created when he refused to stand for anthem before games. 

He stated that the flag was a symbol of oppression and that the United States had a long history of tyranny. After being suspended without pay by the league for not standing, he worked out a compromise with the league, whereby he would stand during the playing of the national anthem but could close his eyes and look downward. 

Just like Kaepernick, Abdul-Rauf was out of the league shortly after he started to protest for something he believed in.

Despite the troubles that Kaepernick and Abdul-Rauf faced when they stood for change (or vise-versa), there has most definitely been players in our world today who stand for change and make their communities a better place.

LeBron James, one of the most famous athletes in all of sport ever, is one of the most outspoken athletes in the game. James has fired back at current president Trump for comments towards athletes including fellow NBA star Stephen Curry. James led a speech in 2016 at the ESPYs speaking out for the Black Lives Matter movement which sparked conversation within the sports community. 

More recently, James opened a public school in his hometown of Akron, Ohio called the “I Promise School” where he provided a long list of resources that range from free, healthy lunches to bicycles for students to get to and from school. Despite creating something so great for his community, James drew feedback from Trump during an interview where he criticized the president over policy involved with the current administration.

The two had recently gotten into it before when James and Curry fired back at Trump for ‘rescinding’ a White House visit to the winning team of the NBA Finals. Curry’s team, the Golden State Warriors, didn’t attend.

After Hurricane Harvey last year in Houston, Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt raised over $41.6 million for efforts to support those who were affected by the hurricane.

Players throughout the NBA wore shirts that said ‘ENOUGH’ and had the 12 victims of the recent Thousand Oaks shooting on the back to protest against gun violence. 

Milwaukee Brewers MVP centerfielder Christian Yelich has supported his hometown in California after it was destroyed by recent wildfires, by providing meals and resources for those who need it.

I could go on and on about how athletes are serving and improving their communities every day creating change by using their platform. From athletes like Muhammad Ali and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during the Civil Rights Movement to athletes today like James and Curry, these players are creating better places for those who need the help.

In the end, we need these athletes to be active parts of our democracy for no more important reason other than that it is their right as citizens of the United States. You can argue whether Kaepernick and Abdul-Raaf’s protests were inappropriate when protesting during the national anthem. You can argue that LeBron James and Kevin Durant should ‘shut up and dribble.’ But there is one thing you can’t argue.

Athletes should use their platforms to try and create change in their communities

Sources in this article used include: TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, ESPN, The LA Crosse Tribune, ‘Shut Up And Dribble’ on SHOWTime, and Fox News. 

The Ever-Pressing Issue of Social Change Created By Professional African American Athletes

Former San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid (35) and quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) kneel during the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Santa Clara, Calif. in 2016. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo

By Will Satler | wsatler@msudenver.edu | December 3rd, 2018

COLORADO — Day after day, we see more and more African-American professional athletes stand up and speak for change. In what feels like an eternity ago, Colin Kaepernick stood up for change when he sat and eventually nealed for the National Anthem during his team’s NFL game. Since then, many athletes have spoken out about many different issues, including racial injustice.

More recently, players around the league sported black shirts with “ENOUGH.” across the chest in support of the victims of the Thousands Oaks shooting in California just days before. The face of the movement is an African-American basketball star, LeBron James, an outspoken activist in our nation.

LeBron James speaks at the opening ceremony for the I Promise School in Akron. Phil Long/AP Photo

James is the recent producer of the Showtime TV series, “Shut Up And Dribble,” a series that documents the struggles that African-American athletes like Muhammad Ali, Lewis Alcindor (also known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Allen Iverson faced over the last two centuries. The documentary is a direct result of the spark of change created by Kaepernick in 2016 when he protested racial inequality, police brutality, and a number of other social issues.

The first player to kneel alongside Kaepernick was Eric Reid, who recently debuted with his new team. Kaepernick was a player in the NFL who has had success as a quarterback but has been sidelined since the end of the 2016 season, arguably mostly because of his protests.

Reid, reaffirmed his political position Sunday as he began the next chapter in his NFL career. None of Reid’s teammates joined him in demonstrating during the national anthem and, without great question, many in the crowd at Bank of America Stadium objected to his form of protest. No matter, Reid remained authentic to and for his activism. For Reid, just because he is now on a different team in a different city, won’t change anything.

“Everybody in this [locker room], everybody who watches this game [and] everybody in this country knows what we’re talking about. It’s the truth. You can’t deny it. We’ve just got to do more to make this better,” Reid said. “People who don’t want things to change, people who want to maintain the status quo … they have to subvert. They have to distract. They have to redirect from what we’re trying to accomplish. We have to stay strong. We have to stay diligent.”

Eric Reid (25) took a knee before his debut with the Carolina Panthers. Mike McCarn/Associated Press

Kaepernick’s teammate, Reid became a free agent when his contract expired in March. He then went unsigned throughout the offseason, training camp, the preseason and the first few weeks of the regular season until recently being signed by the Carolina Panthers.

Reid was further inspired by current events in his most recent protest, including the confirmation of controversial judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court and the hiring of the police officer who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland four years ago by another police department in Ohio.

“I can’t close my eyes and go to sleep at night without feeling like I did something to try to make this place better,” Reid said. “It’s bittersweet. I won the game, but Colin is at home with my kids. He should be playing.”

Some content from this article was provided by Jason Reid of The Undefeated.

My Early Season Award Winners for the 2018-2019 NBA Season

Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after knocking down a three-pointer in route to his team, the Golden State Warriors’, 144-122 win over the Washington Wizards Wednesday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. Curry knocked down 11 3-pointers and pouring in 51 points. Photo courtesy of Yahoo Sports UK

WE’RE A WEEK INTO THE 2018-2019 NBA SEASON WHICH HAS THE NUGGETS AT UNDEFEATED, AND THE LAKERS AT 1-3. SO, WHO WINS THE MVP? I BREAK DOWN THAT AND MUCH MORE.

By Will Satler | wsatler@msudenver.edu | October 24th, 2018

DENVER— The Toronto Raptors are 5-0 and sit at the top of the Eastern Conference. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 0-4 and sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. You could’ve guessed that before the start of the season. But would have you of guessed that the Los Angeles Lakers, with newly acquired all-time great, LeBron James, would be 1-3 sitting in the bottom of the Western Conference with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets who were both playoff teams last year and predicted to finish in the top 4 again this year?

If you did, you should be getting paid a lot more for your predictions. Denver, New Orleans, Detriot, and Milwaukee join Toronto as teams still to lose a game in 2018. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still early. We’re barely in the first month of basketball, and everything will fall back to earth soon enough. So when that happens and the season is all set and done and the Golden State Warriors complete the three-peat, taking down Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics in 7 games in the NBA Finals, here’s who will take home the hardware at the NBA Honors show in June.

Coach of the Year: Mike Malone, Denver Nuggets

Mike Malone, head coach of the Denver Nuggets, (center) talks to his team during a timeout. Malone led the Nuggets to 9th place in the Western Conference last year, falling just a game short of the playoffs for the second straight year. Photo Courtesy of The Denver Post

Malone’s Nuggets are off to a flaming hot start, going 4-0 and dethroning the Golden State Warriors on a last-second block by Juancho Hernangomez Saturday night. Despite his 119-127 record in three seasons in Denver, Malone recently signed an extension with the Nuggets, although the details of the extension still haven’t been released by the club.

Malone’s team, led by all-star center Nikola Jokíc and young guards Jamal Murray and Gary Harris, look to build on a hot start and finish in the top of the Western Conference come April. If they’re hopes come true, Mike Malone will be the Coach of the Year in the NBA.

Comeback Player of the Year: Zach Lavine, Chicago Bulls

Zach Lavine (8) airs up for a dunk during a game against the Toronto Raptors at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Lavine is known for his great leaping ability and is always ready to put on a show for the crowd with a spectacular dunk. Photo courtesy of The Chicago Tribune

While his time in Minnesota was like a rollercoaster, Zach Lavine showed much promise after being a 13th overall pick of the club back in 2014. Last year after being traded to Chicago in the blockbuster trade that brought Jimmy Butler to Minnesota, Lavine only ended up playing 24 games while battling a knee injury. He averaged 16.7 points a game as well as almost 4 rebounds and 4 assists.

To start the year, Lavine is averaging close to 32 points per game as well as holding up his 4 rebounds and 4 assists. If he can stay healthy and work either his rebounds or assists into the 6 range, he will finish the Comeback Player of the Year in the NBA.

Defensive Player of the Year: Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors

Draymond Green (23) celebrates with his hometown crowd in Oakland, California at Oracle Arena for the Golden State Warriors after winning game 2 of the NBA Finals. Photo Courtesy of Detriot Free Press

The most underrated Warrior and one of the most controversial players of all time; Draymond ‘Money’ Green. After a year where he was left off the 1st team All-Defense, Green took offense to being snubbed.

“I was second-team all-defense (last season). That’s crazy.”

When asked a follow-up question of “Was that on you or the voters?”

Green said, “Probably a little bit on me, but I don’t think any voter can tell me, five defensive players, better than me…I’ll wait.” via Complex

This year, even after adding fellow front-court all-star Demarcus Cousins, Green will have an especially big year defensively for the Warriors. Anyone who has watched Green play or talk with the media the last few years knows he gets motivated easily. With a fire lit up under him, Draymond Green will be the Defensive Player of the Year in the NBA.

Most Improved Player: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dribbles around all-star guard Kyrie Irving (11) in a game for the Milwaukee Bucks against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo Courtesy of Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Yes, I know Giannis Antetokounmpo won this award just two years ago. No, I didn’t spell his name wrong. And yes, I think he’ll win it again this year. Most people believed Antetokounmpo will finish the Most Valuable Player in the NBA in 2019, although I think he will be overshadowed by a certain player in the Western Conference.

Any bump up from Antetokounmpo in points is a huge plus but if he continues to put up Russell Westbrook like numbers averaging almost a triple-double while being a force on the defensive end? Phew, watch out for the Bucks. Also, look out for Giannis Antetokounmpo as the Most Improved Player in the NBA.

Rookie of the Year: Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta Hawks rookie guard Trae Young (11) defends Dallas Mavericks point forward Luka Doncic (77) in a game in Atlanta, Georgia at State Farm Arena during the first week of the season. The players swapped teams on draft night as they were both first round picks. Photo Courtesy of AberdeenNews.com

Man, have I wished that this would be Micheal Porter Jr. for the Nuggets in 2019. While that won’t be the case just because Porter Jr. won’t play enough games in 2019 if he plays at all, another one-and-done player out East will take home the award.

Trae Young was one of the most polarizing players coming out of Oklahoma last year due to the gaudy numbers he put up for the Sooners. There were many concerns about whether Young shot too much or didn’t value the ball enough. So far, those concerns have been absent for Young.

Although the Stephen Curry comparison for Young is a tad unfair, their games share many great similarities. On a team that isn’t set to go anywhere anytime soon, Young will put up those same gaudy numbers in a weak Eastern Conference. I expect Dallas Mavericks point forward Luka Doncic to give Young a challenge, but ultimately if Young can keep his team out of the 12th spot in the East, this is his award to lose. In the end, Trae Young will be the Rookie of the Year in the NBA.

 

Most Valuable Player: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Steph Curry (30) smiles during a game against the Clevland Cavilers in the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Curry’s team would go onto sweep the Cavs and win back to back titles. Photo courtesy of USA Today

While I truly think that LeBron James is the most valuable player in the league still to this day, we are just a few years away from that being a different name; Steph Curry. After winning the MVP back-to-back years, one unanimously, Curry has exchanged NBA championships for individual awards. The addition of all-star Kevin Durant has deflated Curry’s number (as well as Klay Thompson’s) and dimmed his MVP light.

This year will change that. Curry brings something that no other player in NBA history has ever brought to the table, and there are many people who consider him the best player in the NBA today. It’ll be hard for Curry to replicate his 2014 numbers, but he will very well put up MVP caliber numbers once again, and be rewarded with a 3rd MVP award. There will be much controversy around this award this year, but when the fat lady sings, Stephen Curry will be the Most Valuable Player in the NBA.

The MVP Award Is, And Always Will Be A Team Award

 

Los Angeles Angels outfield and superstar Mike Trout (27) waves to the crowd after he accepted the AL MVP award in 2016 at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, California. Photo by Angels/ MLB

IT’S BEEN YEARS SINCE THE BASEBALL AWARD FOR THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER IN EACH LEAGUE HAS BEEN AWARDED TO THE BEST PLAYER. SO THEN WHO GETS IT?

By Will Satler | wsatler@msudenver.edu | September 26th, 2018

COLORADO — As the MLB regular season winds to a blinding end, it’s about that time to start we talk about the end of season awards. When the 60 voters from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s (BBWAA) get together this offseason, they’ll have quite the time deciding who is each league’s most valuable player, as seems usually is the case (excluding the marvelous Mike Trout.) 

The BBWAA first awarded the modern MVP after the 1931 season, adopting the format the National League used to distribute its league award. The number of votes has fluctuated over the years, but each city with a team receives 2 votes from critically-acclaimed writers from that area.

Players of the likes of Barry Bonds and Miguel Cabrera have dominated the league in past years and were rewarded for it with the plaque that says MVP on it. So what about this year? While the list could go on for days, there is only a couple of candidates that have a real shot.

There are many reasons why a player is/isn’t named an MVP. Their amount of national attention depending on geography, the ballpark in which they play their home games (coors) and probably the most important one is whether or not the team they play for is any good.

If you look realistically in the NL, the race has been narrowed down to two players, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich or Chicago Cubs infielder, Javier Báez. Yelich has put up the statistically better numbers but he also plays in a much smaller market than a very popular Cubs team that Báez plays for.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder and BBWAA NL MVP candidate Christian Yelich (22) waits for a pitch during a game at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Yelich and Javier Báez of the Chicago Cubs are front-runners for the NL award. Photo by Brewers/MLB

Another important thing to keep in mind is that currently, both Báez and Yelich’s teams have the same record. When game 162 comes and passes, you could very well make the argument that whichever players’ team finish first in the NL Central, will win the MVP award for the NL.

Players of the likes of Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Jacob DeGrom of the New York Mets made strong cases statistically, but down the stretch their teams became irrelevant (the Diamondbacks more recently than the Mets).

If you look to the AL, the 107-51 Red Sox boast both Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez with superb years. Yet, 2-time MVP award winner Mike Trout has had a very similar statistically season as those two, but warrants much less attention because of his team’s poor record (77-81). Trout put on one of the more historically amazing seasons, but it looks as if the writers of BBWAA will vote a Red Sox.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts (50) takes a swing during a game at Suntrust Park in Atlanta, Georgia. Betts is a favorite to win the 2018 BBWAA AL MVP as he battles his teammate J.D. Martinez for the award. Photo by USA Today

While there are many outsiders and odd cases for this argument, it is very clear that for not only just the MVP award but all awards come with a certain perception that your team must be successful.

I’ll leave you with one thing that always comes to my mind as MVP talks heat up and the argument if the team’s success matters. How could a player be the so-called ‘most valuable’ if their team wasn’t successful? Take that player away from that team, and they would be just as bad. There is something about a player that not only puts up good numbers but makes their team better.

I’ll say this for sure; I’m glad I don’t have to make a decision for the MVP in 2018 or anytime soon. Maybe one day, but until then, I’ll leave that to the trained professionals.