Free-For-All Friday

July 21, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

STUPID

STUPID PEOPLE

Yesterday, Thursday, July 20th, was a really STUPID DAY!! I’m mad at myself for mentioning this story, but it infuriates me that it dominated SPORTS headlines ALL day (and this morning too). A criminal, who did heinous things, was approved for parole. And because this criminal happened to be a famous athlete 45 years ago, ESPN decided it would be appropriate to air their parole hearing. And then, they thought it would be a good idea to talk about this, and only this, for the next 18 hours and counting….

Talk about a pathetic money grab!!

And the part that pisses me off the most is Sports Talk Radio Hosts continue to pronounce that “WE were ALL watching. WE are ALL contributing to the relevancy of this story.” SPEAK FOR YOURSELF!! I did not and will not watch a single second of this garbage. I won’t lend a hand in allowing this criminal to prosper financially. Upon release, this individual will most likely sign a book deal or star in a reality TV show. And the IDIOTS in this world, who are sporting an IQ of 84, will tune in and be glued to the TV screen like hamsters on a freakin’ wheel. NOT ME!! NOT NOW!! NOT EVER!!

I’D RATHER BE GOLFING

The 1st round of the Open Championship was really fun to watch. Following Thursday’s action, the top of the leaderboard was being shared by 3 men, Jordan Spieth (my pick to win), Brooks Koepka, and Matt Kuchar. Kuchar is currently playing his 2nd round, and is even on the day thru 13 holes. Spieth will tee-off at 9:48 a.m., and Koepka will tee-off at 10:10 a.m. The rest of this tournament could get VERY interesting, because the forecast is calling for heavy rain and strong wind for Friday – Sunday. Having played an entire round of golf, in Scotland, through torrential downpour and 30 mph winds, it is challenging to say the least.

Now that, is good TV….

MEXICANS IN RUSSIA??

Mexicans must have so many questions for Russia. I know I do. That must be why they are playing so well in this year’s Gold Cup. See, the winner of the Gold Cup, along with the 2nd and 3rd place finishers, automatically qualify to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Mexico beat Honduras 1-0 in the Gold Cup Quarterfinal on Thursday in convincing fashion. Yes, a convincing 1-0 win. Mexico’s Rodolfo Pizarro scored in the 4th minute, and then Mexico coasted to victory. As for the United States, they will be in action this Saturday @ 10:00 p.m. against Costa Rica.

This is usually the part where the United States screws something up….

IT’S ABOUT TIME!!

The New York Jets’ 1st round pick, Jamal Adams, finally signed his rookie contract. Thursday night, the former LSU safety put pen to paper, reportedly signing a 4-year, $22.2 million contract (fully guaranteed). Adams will report to training camp on July 28th and will look to become the leader of a young, rebuilding franchise. As bad as the Jets are going to be this year, I’m really excited to watch Adams play. Everything about him screams NFL stud. As long as he can avoid the circus that is the Jets, and keep his mind focused on football, he should be a staple in the Jets’ secondary for the next decade.

Man..I’m excited for football!!

What were you watching on Thursday?? Tell me all about it in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page.

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Legendary Sportscaster Bob Wolff’s Unrivaled Legacy

July 18, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

Unmatched. Unparalleled. Unbelievable. The impact legendary sportscaster Bob Wolff made, not only on the sports world, but on society, will live on for generations. Wolff passed away Saturday night in his Nyack home, leaving behind a legacy that is second to none. The iconic sportscaster was 96 years old.

Wolff stood as the record holder for longest running broadcaster (78 years). His work dates back to 1939, when he was on WDNC Radio as a student at Duke University. His most recent work, in 2017, sports commentary for News 12 Long Island. Over the last 78 years, Wolff accomplished more than most could ever dream of, compiling the most impressive broadcasting resume in the history of sports.

Every accomplishment of Wolff’s is more impressive than the last, so I will list the major ones in no particular order:

Called the only perfect game in World Series history (Don Larsen in 1956)
Did TV play-by-play for both New York Knicks’ championships (1970 and 1973)
Called “The Greatest Game Ever Played” (1958 NFL Championship Game — Baltimore Colts vs. New York Giants)
Called Jackie Robinson’s last major league hit (game winning hit in Game 6 of the 1956 World Series)
Interviewed Babe Ruth

The list is endless, as Wolff seemingly did every broadcasting job known to man. He is the only sportscaster to call play-by-play of championships in all 4 major sports (MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL). Throughout his career, he even found time to become the TV play-by-play voice for 8 different teams across 5 sports:

Baltimore Colts, Washington Redskins, and Cleveland Browns
New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons
New York Rangers
Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins
Tampa Bay Rowdies (Soccer)

How is this even possible?? Broadcasters are fortunate to become the voice of 1 team, in 1 sport. Wolff managed to conquer multiple sports, in multiple cities, across the country. Wolff also served his country. He served as a supply officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

All of his hard work and dedication did not go unnoticed. Wolff was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995 as well as the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008, becoming only the 2nd sportscaster to be inducted into both Halls of Fame (Curt Gowdy). Bob Wolff’s life and career should be endlessly applauded. He was a pioneer, and without his efforts, it is unlikely you’d be reading this article right now. Thank you Bob Wolff, for paving the way.

What is your favorite Bob Wolff memory?? Please share it in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M EST.

I’ve Got Something To Say, So Open Your Ears And Listen!!

July 6, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

Why the hell are the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game held on a Monday and Tuesday night?? MLB All-Star Weekend has a much nicer ring to it. It’s no wonder baseball isn’t popular. Stupid!!

The Knicks have signed 0 players in free agency. No, Ron Baker doesn’t count. The Knicks are officially in Tank Mode!! Oh yeah, and their 1st round pick, Frank Ntilikina, has yet to play a game in the Summer League. I’m so glad he rushed back to France right after the draft just so he could get hurt….

Hey, psssttt, Daniil Medvedev — you can’t throw money at the chair referee (as pictured above). This is Wimbledon, not Jerry Springer. You lost, get over it!! My favorite part is he denied that he was implying the referee was paid off by his opponent. How stupid do you think we are Daniil?? Wait..don’t answer that.

Manny Pacquiao — I know you’re upset, but you’re not the same fighter you used to be. You’re not on the juice anymore. At this point you couldn’t knock out my grandma. It’s time to hang ’em up. Thanks for the memories.

The elephant enters the room….

Gordon Hayward signed with the Boston Celtics. I love how people think it’s appropriate to say, “hey look, another white guy in Boston.” I know people say Boston is a racist city, but not everything is about race. Imagine that.

Dan Gilbert, you are a freakin’ cheapskate!! You are worth 4.8 Billion Dollars. 4.8 BILLION DOLLARS!! Apparently that’s not enough to offer Chauncey Billups a reasonable amount to become the Cavalier’s General Manager. Allegedly Gilbert offered Billups 1.5 million dollars. Normally, a General Manager’s starting salary is a minimum of 4 million dollars. You stay classy Cleveland.

Dallas Cowboys’ linebacker Damien Wilson was arrested on Tuesday night for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Because nothing says ‘Happy 4th of July’ like waving a rifle in a lady’s face. As Jim Carrey said in Liar Liar, “Stop breaking the law asshole!!”

The Knicks reaching out to Rajon Rondo to be Frank Ntilikina’s mentor is like reaching out to Tiger Woods to be your marriage counselor….

How in the world is Alex Wood not on the All-Star Team?!?! The guy is 10-0 with a 1.67 era. Oh..we have 6 relief pitchers on the roster instead?? Makes sense.

The Tennessee Titans almost lit their stadium on fire on Tuesday night. What is it with the NFL and fireworks?? JPP knows what I’m talking about. High Fiv……I mean, ummm, High Four????

Thanks for reading!! Enjoy your day everybody!!

You can always speak your mind in the comment section below.

NFL Owners Approve Rule Change

May 23, 2017May 31, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Originally written on Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017 roger

I believe him. Don’t you?? YOU DON’T?! Yeah, me neither. Roger Goodell is a pawn for NFL owners. He opens his mouth and their words come out. Sooooo, NFL owners are now hiding behind heaping piles of bulls*** statements like the one pictured above. On Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017, NFL owners unanimously voted to change overtime in the regular season from 15-minutes to 10-minutes. This change will take place in the preseason as well. The claim is this was done out of concern for player’s safety. Yeahhhh..okayyyy..and my birthdate was May 22nd, 2017 (that would be yesterday for those paying attention).

First of all, NFL owners only care for their player’s safety as long as they are healthy enough to produce at a high level on the field. The rest, no matter what they say (or Goodell says), DOES NOT MATTER!! Shortening overtime games from 15 to 10-minutes reduces injury risk about as much as Jaywalking stops people from crossing the street in Midtown Manhattan whenever the hell they want.

Second, how many games will this actually affect? The answer is not a lot. Ties became less likely in 1974 when the NFL introduced an overtime period. Since then, only 22 games have ended in a tie. And in 2012, overtime rules were modified yet again. That change added a twist, ever so slightly breaking away from the sudden-death format. For a refresher of the 2012 rule change, click here. And today, NFL’s overtime period evolves even further.

Oh, you want the real reason for this inane modification?? Fair enough.

Here it is: as petty as this sounds..it’s all about the Benjamin’s baby. Because as they say, money makes the world go ’round. Just because it’s cliché, doesn’t mean it’s not true. Don’t they have enough money you ask?? HA! Yeah, because people with nine zero’s in their bank account don’t want more money. I bet Jim Irsay is still a ‘take a penny’ kind of guy. Even though in reality this rule change won’t actually change anything, NFL owners believe it will enhance their product. And yes, in turn enhance their bottom line. I go on tangents a lot. You must get used to them.

Here are the reasons NFL owners believe they are enhancing their product:

The 1st reason is already working. We are talking about this rule change. As they say, any publicity is good publicity.
They think overtimes will be more exciting because teams will play to win rather than tie.
They think there is less of a chance fans turn the TV off if the game is guaranteed to be shortened.
They actually think this makes their Thursday night product more watchable. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. But seriously, owners actually think getting players off the field faster on a Sunday will make them play better on a Thursday.

IF YOU ACTUALLY CARED ABOUT PLAYER’S SAFETY, THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL WOULDN’T EXIST!!

No matter how inconsequential, this rule change is stupid. It will inevitably cause more ties. It won’t improve player’s safety. It won’t enhance the overall NFL product. NFL owners collectively stomped their feet like a spoiled 4-year old, and they got their way.

How do you feel about this change? Do you like it? Do you hate it? Do you not care? Tell me in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. You can also follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

I Think We’ll Call This One….ConcussionGate

May 19, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 4 Comments

gisele

Apparently being a 5-time Super Bowl Champion, a multi-millionaire, and the best quarterback of all-time doesn’t qualify you to wear the pants in the family. Tom Brady is married to retired Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen. Oh yeah, she kept her maiden name. Despite having a net worth of approximately 180 million dollars, Brady is also NOT the bread winner in their household. Gisele’s net worth is an estimated 360 million dollars. Think they have enough money? Anyway, the point is, Tom couldn’t keep Gisele from ‘spilling the beans’ on national television.

On Wednesday, Gisele was interviewed on “CBS This Morning”. To see the cringe worthy portion of the interview, click here. Gisele blurted out that her husband had a concussion last year. She went on to say that he’s had multiple concussions in his career. Riiiigghhttt….Only problem there is Tom Brady has never been diagnosed with a concussion before, nor have the words head injury and Tom Brady ever collided on an injury report. If you follow the NFL or the New England Patriots, you know they are a big fan of filling up the injury report. Julian Edelman..you stubbed your toe? You’re on the injury report. Rob Gronkowski..you spiked a gallon of milk on ESPN again and some milk splattered on your thumb? You’re on the injury report. The Patriots have also been known to bend the rules from time-to-time, so this is a very intriguing revelation.

So, did Gisele just blow the doors off a concussion cover-up?! Yup, you guessed it, I’m going to tell you what I think. Here are the 3 possibilities for what this means:

1.) The most likely scenario is Gisele accidentally dropped the concussion bomb on live television. This will likely lead to a lengthy investigation by the NFL and could bring us flashbacks of ‘DeflateGate’ by introducing ‘ConcussionGate’. Yayy!!

2.) This next one is for all you conspiracy theorists out there. Is it possible that Tom and Gisele did this on purpose? Because the only thing better than attention….is more attention.

3.) And finally, there is the possibility that she just doesn’t know what she’s talking about. This is the least likely possibility (as well as the most insulting), but how could she possibly let the c-word fly?? That’s the holy grail of curse words in the NFL. Tom Brady probably saw that interview and was like, you gotta be kidding me….you don’t let me pee standing up, and now you do this?!?! ‘C’mon Man!

The initial question asked of Gisele was in response to Tom Brady’s ESPN interview earlier in the week. Brady said that Gisele wants him to retire, but he went on to say that he still feels great at 40 years old. And if he feels this good at 45 years old, why wouldn’t he still be playing football? Well Tom, nobody beats father time. And apparently neither Tom or father time will decide when it’s time to retire: “She makes decisions for our family that I’ve got to deal with. Hopefully she never says, ‘Look, this has to be it,'” Brady said “My wife and my kids, it’s a big investment of their time and energy too.”

Listen, I am a huge supporter of women’s rights, equal pay, and the empowerment of women. But, I also don’t believe relationships should be run or controlled by one person. That goes for men and women. Relationships and marriages only work if there is open communication and compromise. But I guess Tom Brady is living proof of ‘happy wife, happy life’.

Do you think Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are covering up concussions?? Tell me what you think in the comment section below.

2017 NFL Draft 1st-Round Review

April 28, 2017April 28, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

adams

Well that didn’t go as planned. Despite months of draft analysis from experts, and countless mock drafts, the 1st-round of the 2017 NFL Draft was as unpredictable as the weather (Mel Kiper and Todd McShay do look a lot like meteorologists today). In between the plethora of boos hurled at Roger Goodell, the 1st-round provided more twists and turns than the Taconic Parkway (New Yorkers know what I’m talking about). There were multiple trades and many players rose or fell from their projected draft spots.

No surprise at the top, as the Cleveland Browns selected Myles Garrett from Texas A&M with the 1st overall pick. The Browns evening didn’t end there. They traded the 12th pick to the Houston Texans for the 25th pick and the Texans 1st-round pick in 2018. The Texans drafted Deshaun Watson from Clemson at 12 while the Browns drafted Jabrill Peppers from Michigan at 25. I don’t love either pick, as I think Watson, despite his outstanding career at Clemson, is an undersized quarterback who lacks the arm strength to succeed in the NFL . Peppers is a ‘tweener’ (safety/linebacker) who comes with baggage after failing a drug test at the NFL combine. The Browns then traded back into the 1st-round by shipping the 33rd pick and a 4th-round pick to the Green Bay Packers for the 29th pick. The Browns selected David Njoku from Miami. Njoku was the 3rd tight end selected in the 1st-round, and while I like the player, I wonder who will be throwing him the football this year….

Of the many trades from Thursday night, my favorite was the 1st one (for the 49ers that is). New 49ers General Manager, John Lynch, swindled the Chicago Bears. There is no other way to put it. The Bears traded up 1 SPOT, from the 3rd to 2nd pick, giving up 3rd and 4th-round picks from this year as well as a 3rd-round pick in 2018. Only problem is, the Bears LITERALLY didn’t have to do that. How did that conversation go?

Lynch: Listen Chicago, we’re getting multiple offers for the #2 pick here. If you can’t give us 3 valuable draft picks to move up only 1 spot, I’m afraid you’re going to miss out on your guy.

Ryan Pace (Bears GM): That sounds extremely fair. Now we can get Mitch Trubisky! You want me to throw in my 1st-born child too?

Yes, you heard that right. The Bears gave away the farm, to move up 1 spot, to draft a guy that was going to fall to them anyway. Even if Trubisky ends up being good, he simply is not worth such a high draft pick. He has only started 13 games at the collegiate level! The 49ers then drafted Solomon Thomas from Stanford, who yup you guessed it, is the guy they wanted anyway! Nice work Chicago. The 49ers, like the Browns, weren’t done for the evening. They moved back into the 1st-round by sending Seattle their 2nd and 4th-round picks in exchange for the 31st pick. John Lynch continued to impress in his 1st draft as the 49ers selected Reuben Foster of Alabama, who despite off-field issues, is regarded as one of the most talented players in the draft. The other major trade from last night saw the Kansas City Chiefs trade the 27th pick, a 3rd-round pick, and their 1st-round pick in 2018 to the Buffalo Bills to move up to the 10th pick. They selected Alex Smith’s potential successor in Patrick Mahomes II from Texas Tech. Mahomes has an absolute cannon for an arm, which often leads to risky throws. Only time will tell if Andy Reid can mold Mahomes into a successful NFL quarterback.

And last but not least, let’s talk about New York. We’ll quickly brush over that New York team that wears blue or purple or whatever color that is, so we can get to my New York Jets. The Giants gave Eli Manning another safety valve and drafted Evan Engram out of Ole Miss. Engram is an undersized tight end who will bring playmaking ability to an already talented receiving core for the Giants.

And then there were the New York Jets. As I like to call them, My New York Jets. With tank mode in full-effect, it was imperative that the Jets did not draft a quarterback on Thursday night. And thanks to the Chicago Bears, they didn’t even get that chance. The top 5 picks saw 3 offensive players fall off the board, leaving the Jets with the pick of the defensive litter. And even though the suspense was cut short when ESPN camera’s accidentally showed LSU safety Jamal Adams receiving his call of a lifetime, Jets fans have to be ecstatic that he fell into their laps. With the Jets’ secondary in shambles, they just picked up, according to some experts, the best player in the draft. Personally, I love the pick, and I love Adams already. First of all, CHECK OUT THE SUIT!! And talk about passion. His interview immediately following the selection was filled with raw emotion and the promise to “work his butt off”. Jets General Manager Mike Mccagnan has stuck to the motto ‘draft the best player available’ in the 1st-round. As for the 2nd-round, eh………not so much. So, let us collectively hold our breath until we reach the Jets next pick (39).

How do you feel about the Jets 1st-round draft pick? How do you feel about your teams draft pick? Tell me in the comment section below.

T-Minus 8 Days and Counting….

April 19, 2017April 21, 2017 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

Jets

The fate of the whole world hangs in the balance. In just 8 shorts days, on April 27th, 2017, the world you’ve come to know and love could change forever. That’s right, the NFL Draft is nearly upon us!! It’s time to warm up those vocal chords and practice those boos, because whether you like it or not your team will undoubtedly draft someone you don’t want. On a personal level, I am anticipating being one of those booing (possibly crying) fans. Since you read my About page, ahem, you know I’ve been a New York Jets fan my entire life.

The Jets underachieved their way to the #6 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. That’s a solid pick, so why am I preemptively planning tears?? I’ll tell you why…….enter very long-winded deep breath here ——> .

For those who have been Jets fans for more than 10 years, like myself, you already understand everything I’m about to say, but for the rest of you, I am going to give you a peak behind the systematically dysfunctional curtain. The Jets are a circus, which technically makes Jets’ owner Woody Johnson the ringmaster. Johnson, also known as Robert Wood Johnson IV, purchased the Jets at the turn of the century for a whopping $635 million. This purchase was made possible by the hard work of his great-grandfather Robert Wood Johnson I, also known as the co-founder of Johnson and Johnson. Anyway…….

The mess that is the Jets starts and ends with Woody Johnson. He needs to go, but unless billionaires all of a sudden stop loving money, I don’t see that happening. Enter the current state of the Jets. They fumbled and stumbled their way to a 5-11 record last season, earning the #6 pick in this year’s NFL Draft. So far this off-season, the Jets have done ALL the right things. They cut anyone older than me (30), they cut anyone making more than me (….), and they’ve set the wheels in motion for a spectacular tanking. Again, you’re probably wondering why the apprehension, well, here it is.

The Jets give you hope. They set you up with an amazing trailer, they put out the best advertisements and commercials to get you into the movie theater, and then they show you Gigli (no offense Batman, but ‘C’Mon Man!’). In today’s NFL, you can not win without a franchise quarterback. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the last 10 quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl. The worst you’ll find is Joe Flacco or Eli Manning. So while I am hopefully optimistic that the Jets won’t chase the ‘carrot on a stick’, I am realistically pessimistic that they will draft another flawed quarterback at #6. Subsequently, I will lose my freakin’ mind!! None of the quarterbacks in this draft are worth the #6 pick. With such a valuable draft pick, the process is simple: DRAFT THE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE. With countless holes to fill, the Jets need to build a roster, while tanking, and set themselves up for the 2018 NFL Draft. College and NFL experts have unanimously stated that the 3 quarterbacks coming out next year will likely be the top 3 overall picks. That sounds a lot like music to my ears. The question is: Will they follow this plan?

I certainly hope so. This would set up their 3-5 year plan, which coincidentally is approximately when that schlub Brady up in Foxborough will finally be retiring. Everything Jets General Manager Mike Maccagnan has done since the end of last season has been perfect, so I will reserve judgment for at least 8 more days. Until then I say tank on Josh McCown, Bryce Petty, and Christian Hackenberg.

Holy Hail Mary!

December 4, 2015December 4, 2015 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

hail mary

Week 13 in the NFL kicked off Thursday Night with an NFC North battle between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. The Lions were looking to sweep the season series against the Packers for the first time since 1991 and looked to build on their 3-game winning streak. If you turned the game on anytime around halftime, you probably turned it right off. If you did, I feel sorry for you because you missed one of the greatest finishes to a football game we’ve seen in years. Yes, the Lions were winning 20-0 in the 3rd quarter, but the Aaron Rodgers led Packers stormed back into the game in the 2nd half. And with 6 seconds left in the game, the Packers were down by 2 (23-21), on their own 21-yard line, and had time for seemingly one more play. Rodgers threw a 19-yard pass that got laterelled back and forth a few times until the ball ended up back in his hands. A Lions defender caught up to Rodgers and brought him down with no time left on the clock. But wait, what is this?! That’s right a penalty flag for a facemask against the defense. Devin Taylor was called for an EXTREMELY QUESTIONABLE facemask penalty while bringing Rodgers down to the ground. This allowed the Packers to run one last, untimed play from their own 39-yard line.

If you haven’t seen this unbelieveable play yet, follow the link below to YouTube to watch it.

As you can see, Aaron Rodgers ran around to avoid tacklers and launched a pass from his 35-yard line. This Hail Mary landed in the hands of his brother from another mother Richard Rodgers for a game winning, 61-yard touchdown. Obviously, allowing a Hail Mary is inexcusable, but there is always more than one play that contributes to blowing a 20-point lead in the 2nd half.

The Lions defense fell apart in the 2nd half. The Packers four scoring drives only took a combined 9 minutes and 6 seconds. That may not sound impressive, but if you think about it, that’s 4 pretty quick touchdowns. And, in my opinion, the turning point in the game was the Matthew Stafford fumble in the 3rd quarter. The Packers had just scored a touchdown and then you hand all the momentum over to the Packers with a costly turnover. You can’t do that Mr. Stafford!

In the end, the Rodgers-to-Rodgers connection was the difference, and the Packers’ NFC North title chances remain alive and well (standing at 8-4). As for the Lions, well they look a lot like the Lions.

Was this the craziest ending to a football game you’ve ever seen?? Let me know in the comment section below.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

Corruption in the NFL….Never!!

September 11, 2014 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

I want to preface this article with a statement on Domestic Violence. Domestic Violence is a horrible crime. Domestic Violence is a serious issue that should not be taken lightly by any one at any time. What Ray Rice did is reprehensible. Domestic Violence is not limited to men abusing women, but in this case that is what happened. I believe that any offense, whether it be a first time offense or not, should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Any REAL man would NEVER, no matter what, hit a woman!!! This issue is prevalent not only in the NFL, but in society, and something needs to be done about it immediately.

You know that book that they forced you to read back in high school? You know, the one you finished reading and then needed a translator to come and explain it to you. Yeah, that’s what it’s like trying to figure out the world of sports. For instance, this Ray Rice/Roger Goodell/NFL situation. This is a tough story to fully comprehend. This story has been part of the headlines for the better part of 7 months now, and even to this current day, it feels like we’re rats in a maze and we can’t find our way out. Doesn’t it?? No, just me? Okay, anyway, you’re in luck, because I am going to ‘translate’ this situation for you in plain English. Yes!!

For those of you who don’t know by now and live under that proverbial rock, Ray Rice knocked his then fiancé unconscious in an elevator in The Revel Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City in February. Rice’s fiancé, Janay Palmer, then married Ray Rice so she couldn’t be forced to testify against her husband if this case ever landed in court. From there, Roger Goodell and the NFL decided to suspend Ray Rice for 2 games without pay for his actions, which were aired publicly for all the world to see, thanks to the video footage from just outside the elevator. Rice is seen dragging Palmer from the elevator before being confronted by hotel security. When the NFL brought about this 2 game suspension, the public was outraged. Not outraged the way they are now, but outraged that he would only receive a 2 game suspension for allegedly punching his fiancé in the face, while NFL players who are caught smoking marijuana are handed stiffer punishments.

In the past few days, TMZ obtained and released the footage of the actual attack from inside the elevator. Again, for those of you who somehow haven’t seen the video, Rice is seen striking Palmer right in the face with his left fist. Palmer then knocks her head against the railing on the side of the elevator and falls to the ground unconscious. The footage is extremely difficult to watch and has sent the public into a frenzy. Rice was then suspended indefinitely, and his contract was terminated by the Baltimore Ravens. And finally, Roger Goodell is sticking with his initial response. He is claiming that he was unable to obtain the video footage from inside the elevator.

Enter translator….

Ray Rice is a bad guy, who did a very bad thing. Yes, there are good people who lose their cool and do something wrong, but that’s not what this is. Ray Rice, as seen in the infamous video, shows no remorse for his actions (as if he has done this before) as he knocks his fiancé unconscious and then continues to drag her along the floor. His actions are despicable, and he belongs in jail. Rice’s fiancé is obviously a money hungry, idiot, who looks in the mirror and sees a pile of garbage. No self respecting human being would go crawling back to a low life like Ray Rice just for the money. As for Roger Goodell and the NFL, they are idiots too. Now, this situation could have gone down a few different ways. Either Goodell saw the video from inside the elevator and then decided to give Rice only a 2 game suspension or he actively tried not to see the video hoping that he wouldn’t have to deal with the ugly truth of the situation. Which is worse? Now, I know some of you naïve, born yesterday, suckers believe every word that comes out of a person’s mouth, but trust me, Roger Goodell and the NFL could have seen that video the day after it happened. With the power the NFL possesses, you have to be the dumbest person in the world to believe Goodell’s line about not being able to obtain the video or even knowing that such a tape existed. HELLOOOOOOOO, this happened in a casino, you know a place where every inch of every room is covered by security cameras. Roger Goodell lied to you. Numerous times. My favorite part of all this is the public’s reaction to this situation. People act as if Ray Rice is the first person to ever hit a woman. They act like this hasn’t been a serious problem since the dawn of time. They also act like they’re surprised that the all mighty NFL shield could be corrupt. News Flash: The NFL has been corrupt forever, just like the NCAA. This shouldn’t be breaking news to anyone. Also, I love how the punishment and the reaction changed once we saw the video. Did anything change between the release of the 1st video and the 2nd? Nope. We all knew that Ray Rice punched his fiancé in the face and dragged her out of that elevator. Sure, the severity of what we saw on the tape could have varied, but the reaction to the 2nd tape should have been the reaction the entire time. The Ravens organization and the NFL really showed their incompetence throughout this entire ordeal. And now, we must wait for more of this story to unfold. In the coming days I’m sure we’ll find out that Goodell saw the video from day one, and was dumb enough to think that it wouldn’t get out. But for now, I guess we all have to stay tuned.

If you enjoy my writing, follow me over to intheneutralzone.com where I am a contributing author there as well. Also you can follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

One-Liner Fridays

July 18, 2014 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

Helllllooooo sports fans!! It’s Friday again. I know you thought it would never get here, but the weekend is right around the corner. I will get your weekend started a little early with a weekly segment I like to call: One-Liner Fridays. You know how it goes. Today, I will wrap up the past week in sports in One Line and One Line only. Enjoy!!

You know the dog days of summer have hit you square in the face when GOLF is the most exciting thing on TV.

Oh no wait, I forgot, you can always turn on some WNBA action……

So I heard some clown on ESPN radio last night talking about how betting on the Mets to win the World Series this year (at 200 to 1 odds) wouldn’t be the dumbest thing that has ever happened before…….NO????

I mean I’m no rocket scientist, but I’m pretty sure laying that bet would put you in the running for dumbest person ever.

So Chad Johnson (yes Ochocinco), is playing in the CFL now, and he just scored his first touchdown the other day, but if you haven’t seen it check out the ref who is clearly not the hugger Derek Jeter is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EGDt07j7sA

I know I know, everybody just LOVES Lebron James again, but as you know from my article I know everyone read (https://davetalkssports.com/2014/07/11/lebron-james-returns-to-cleveland/), I’m not buying the bullcrap salad that he’s selling.

But seriously, Lebron just placed first in the Harris Poll, which determines the most popular athlete in the United States, I bet The Joker wishes he could figure out how to go from the villain to everyone’s hero in just 1 year.

Which brings me to another basketball player, Carmelo Anthony, also known as the most generous and most selfless man in the world.

He’s not in it for the money man, he’s all about pay cuts.

This man took $7 million less on a 5-year, $129 million contract, if that is not a sacrifice that screams TEAM than I don’t know what is.

More basketball??

Okay.

I only have one thing to say to the Los Angeles Lakers: “HAHAHAHAHAHA….Carlos Boozer….HAHAHAHAHAHA….Jeremy Lin….HAHAHAHAHAHA….okay maybe that was more than one thing, but you get the point.

When Tracy McGrady got signed by the Sugar Land Skeeters (insert immature laughter here), I figured he would have a long, illustrious career….and I was right, he pitched 6 and 2/3 innings, recorded 1 strikeout, and then said I think I’ve had enough.

So he retired.

Major League Baseball definitely handled Derek Jeter’s final All-Star Game very tastefully, but man is that game terrible.

If it wasn’t for Derek Jeter, I think there would have been 4 viewers of that game (yea, I said 4).

The only thing worse than the All-Star Game itself is the Home Run Derby, that right there is 4 hours of my life that I can NEVER get back again.

Here is a simple formula of how to fix the Home Run Derby: you give Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa a bunch of steroids and give them each their own personalized club (you know like a caveman club) and watch them bash 600 foot home runs for an hour, this way everyone’s happy and these clowns get 15 more minutes of fame….oh, and feel free to throw Jose Canseco in there if you want.

Tiger Tiger Woods y’all is back, it’s crazy how much one man can effect an entire sport.

So now that the worst time of the year in sports is upon us is it too early to ask everyone’s favorite question: ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!?!

This has been another edition of One-Liner Fridays. I hope you enjoyed it, and if you have a One-Liner of your own please post it in the comment section below.

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