Misplaced Pugilist

Nate Robinson stepped into the ring yesterday versus YouTube star Jake Paul. Now, when I was in fifth grade, the Paul brothers, Jake and Logan, used to be great music stars, I watched them and hummed their music until they began being weird.

Later, the two of them had an interest in hand-to-hand combat and then they dropped off the top music leader boards. After being submerged in other music and better boxers, Nate made a professional appearance yesterday that I just had to be watched on “Legends Only” boxing – Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. was the main event.

When I saw that Paul was going to tango with Nate Robinson, the Leonardo Da Vinci of sports, I had to stop everything and watch. This blog is definitely not about a washed YouTube star, this is about the Da Vinci of sports. Nate Robinson stepped into the spotlight as a point guard mainly for the New York Knicks during his not really eventful NBA career.

The most he ever averaged in a season was 17.2 PPG, but, he played basketball professionally, only about 0.000006% of people can say that right now. For a sub-par NBA career – a 42.3% FG% is good, but when I find something good on this guy, I find something worse than the last bad thing, he was a reallllllllly bad ball-hog – as a PG, he had 4.5 assists one year, and that was his career-high – one word – rough.

After he retired from the NBA, he decided to switch to another physical sport – football. The 5’ 9” guy would make a killer running back, and that’s about it, not even cornerback. He’s my height, as an adult and he played in the NBA - *spark of hope flashes.*

He tried to join the Seattle Seahawks, on a tryout, and the Seahawks never gave him a chance. The ‘hawks should’ve picked him up, with speed and amazing change of direction, he could’ve solved their RB woes that they are suffering now.

He also played flag football – with retired NFL players – and also never thrived there. As a multi-sport athlete in high school, playing both sides of the ball in football and thriving in basketball, because, you know, he did play in the NBA. He was also a track star in high school, your usual Tyreek Hill there, and probably doing the high jump as well, being a 5’ 9” guy who made it to the dunk contest, Kemba Walker, who’s 6’ hasn’t dunked yet, just to put that into perspective for you.

Not being dejected as he is one of the most athletic people to step onto the face of the earth, he decides to go to virtually the only sport he hasn’t tried, boxing. If you look at footage of Nate Robinson, like his life story and his story traveling from sport to sport, you can see one or two clips of him boxing. He has a great story, he’s always wanting more, has an underdog mentality (literally) and he’s intimidating his opponents, even if he’s looking up to them (again, literally).

Robinson stepped into the ring yesterday, but sadly, it was as big as a mismatch as Vita Vea on Tyreek Hill on a streak. Jake Paul – who’s an absolute unit, versus tiny Nate Robinson, that’s so unfair.

In the first round, Paul brought the same energy as he did a few years ago, he came out swinging. Robinson’s energy was nowhere near it as he was lost after the two-minute round. The second round calmed Paul’s wildness but Robinson held on after falling twice. After they started hugging and wearing each other down, they released and Paul hit once and Robinson hit the deck like a sack of potatoes.

The winner was announced and Robinson was just starting to come to, Jake Paul was being interviewed while Robinson was still wiping his lip and thinking that he’s late for school in his hometown. Robinson should’ve gotten a warm-up fight with someone his own height and weight, and thennnnn fight Paul. I want to follow this guy’s career, only to see him get dropped again.

Fantasy coverage coming next. 

Baseball Awards have been Handed Out

The awards for baseball are out, and surprisingly, the brain dead voters didn’t make too many mistakes here, but I have a few things to say.

Except for MLB Network staff and the people who actually win it, the Manager of the Year is completely irrelevant. The good managers have good teams, the bad managers have bad teams and don’t stay long and the irrelevant managers have good or bad teams. Rarely are there bad teams who stick it out and get into the playoffs, except in Major League, the movie. So, managers don’t have a role unless they shift their team a little higher. Except for Kevin Cash, who actually won the award, he took a bunch of underpaid guys and sent them to a World Series, they lost, but hey.

Devin Williams made history, being a reliever to get the Rookie of the Year? The chances of that are like being eaten by a shark while being struck by lightning while looking at the blue moon, and then you win the lottery. One word: slim. He posted a microscopic ERA, 0.33, and 53% of the batters faced were sent back when he was on the mound. Great pitcher, a great career ahead of him.

Kyle Lewis, future star, a future hitter that pitchers will cower in fear from. He’s so scary, a five-tool player, and he can really do everything. Speed is something he can work on but you can’t teach speed, but, with 1.23 million prospects ready to go, the Mariners have a lot of brightness ahead of them. Future MVP by the way, check back to this blog.

Shane Bieber won the AL Cy Young, Gerrit Cole didn’t impress, and no one else really stood out, prompting a unanimous decision by the voters. He had a 41.1% strikeout rate (what is it with these pitchers nowadays? Like Doc Gooden couldn’t do that…) and a 1.63 ERA, remember, this is a truncated season, so the batter’s stats are atrocious while the pitchers are flourishing. If the Indians somehow pick up Trevor Bauer in the offseason (who I hope the Mets will get), then the other team should just forfeit a week in advance.

Shifting gears to Trevor Bauer, I completely disagree with his selection to be the Cy Young Winner, totally not because I’m a Mets fan and think that Jacob DeGrom should’ve won. DeGrom should’ve gotten it because, well, because, it would’ve made him get it three years in a row, now Trevor Bauer, who probably smells like rotten milk mixed with gouda cheese (no offense, please come to New York, Mr. Bauer), broke Jake’s streak. Bauer led the NL in ERA, lowest hits per 9 IP; but Jacob Degrom has four reasons: Most strikeouts in NL, lower HR per 9 IP than Bauer, feeling sorry for the Mets, because we’re the Mets and because he just should’ve won. MOVING ON!

Freddie Freeman won NL MVP, finally, well deserved; Buzz from Home Alone won an MVP after just barely losing it in years past. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItUECpFi9_s

He was commanding in every game he played, 51 runs and 23 doubles (both leading the NL) and had 13 homers, just to put that into perspective: that would lead many teams, like the Mariners, and he placed 14^th in the NL. I really have no idea why he would win, like, why now? His averages were plain amazing, .341/.462/.640, that’s amazing, on paper, he’s the best in the NL, and that’s what this is about right? But there are players that deserved the award with stats that aren’t on paper, Manny Machado, is one with incredible swag on and off the field, he also has the stats to prove it. Mookie Betts as well, one of the happiest players in baseball, also one of the most respectable. He put them through the playoffs as well as a World Series win, helped by the rest of the offense on the Dodgers, but Betts was the main catalyst.

Another first-time winner that wasn’t a runaway, Jose Abreu in the AL. He had even more paper than Freeman, leading the AL in RBIs, second in homers, and fourth in average. I would be looking forever for a team that didn’t want him because he’s amazing, imagine if the moons and the planets and the orbiting baseballs hit by Barry Bonds and Giancarlo Stanton aligned and Abreu paired up with a team that would actually use him. The Sox stepped into the playoffs for the first time in 12 years, led by Abreu, but he should see a chiropractor after how much he carried their offense. He also led all of baseball in hits and total bases. DJ LeMahieu didn’t deserve it, one of the main columns of the Yankees, but just not MVP stuff. Jose Ramirez, one of the most unseen players in baseball, falls under the radar yet again, MVP stuff, 100%, he should’ve gotten the award, he is a five tool player at third base, ever seen one of those? Me neither.

Congrats to Kim Ng, the first female MLB GM. It’s really great to see the MLB be so progressive, hiring her, and she paved the way for many more female GMs. First challenge: Rebuilding that pigsty. 

Finally, get well soon, Tommy Lasorda!

Grid Iron – Real and Fantasy

(Back after several intensive weeks preparing for a high school entrance exam.)

Breaking News: The team that got into Super Bowl switches places with its doppelgangers but from a JV Team. Not going to lie, that could quite possibly be a newspaper title on Friday. The 49ers were absolutely putrid against the Packers. Aaron Rodgers definitely doesn’t need any more help, anywhere, and the Packers run game fools us all again. Devante Adams (who I just got in fantasy) went crazy, again, and the unknown receivers on the Packers actually had good going against the JV team. Aaron Rodgers had 4 touchdowns and no interceptions (he is just a glitch, no interceptions? Again?) and the run game was just bad. Nick Mullens, hahaha, had a completely average game, completely average. 291 yards, and one touchdown, interception, and loss on his starter record. But, they mostly lost because half the team was on the sidelines, aided by the trainer the whole week (aka they are injured). George Kittle (best tight in the game), Jimmy Garoppolo (better than Nick Mullens but still trash), Tevin Coleman (they could do without him), Deebo Samuel (number one wide receiver on their team), and Jaquiski Tartt (the most underrated player on the team) were all out, so, maybe they weren’t that bad; but, 21-3 in the first half? Yikes.

Cue the hype up music, cue the football primetime music. The best Running Back in the NFL is back after countless (that’s what it felt like) weeks. HE DELIVERED. Christian McCaffrey had two total touchdowns and more than 150 yards. The NFL is back to being electric, absolutely electric. Teddy Bridgewater went absolutely amazing, with three total touchdowns and 310 yards. Obviously, the Panthers don’t require a good quarterback, and obviously, the Panthers lost because the Chiefs are the Chiefs. The Chiefs have a very underrated O-Line, and don’t tell me the Panthers don’t have a bad D-Line because all teams have a good D-Line – 250 Lbs. to 300 Lbs. sprinting like an average wide receiver and the pudgy O-Line doesn’t know what going on, YOUR quarterback is on the ground. I’m not surprised that Patrick Mahomes had a great game, 372 yards and four touchdowns, how?? He’s just so good, and he has a lot of weapons, give him anyone – ANYONE – and Mr. Mahomes will deliver. Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill are his one and two options and they are just safety nets and Mahomes will place it so perfectly, that they don’t even have to change direction, just stand in place or keep running, ball will hit your hands.

The Seahawks and the Bills had the game that I would love to have any day of the week, electric. After Sports Illustrated printed an article on Josh Allen, this game – 415 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and a running touchdown – just probably prompted every magazine to make another article on him. Barely any mention of the run game needed, rookie Zack Moss had 18 yards and a touchdown, rough. Stefon Diggs (who I’m hounding, and I mean hounding to get in fantasy) amazed again, he had 118 yards and John Brown got 99 yards. Russell Wilson is really great, like really great, but this game might’ve just blemished his MVP case, he got 390 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, the two picks man, that’s so rough for him. That’s sad man, I’ll gladly see Mahomes win MVP, but Russ needs to pray that Mahomes gets an off game, but it’s looking like Mahomes right now. I thought about starting DeeJay Dallas but I quickly shot down that idea because I saw Chase Edmonds was projected 18 points, he didn’t do great, but I still – ha, read lower. Dallas had 31 yards and a touchdown and then the Seahawks receiving corps, which is just amazing, popped off again. DK Metcalf had a great game and David Moore had a great game, and Tyler Lockett had an off game (he’s so hit or miss, one game he goes off for 50 points and then he gets 8, like please explain Tyler)

Well, this week in fantasy, was bad for me in general but good for my team in which most GMs/coaches are active and it’s good. If Cam Newton pops off tonight, and that makes someone lose, then I solidified a spot in the playoffs for myself. This week my team had 141 points, 78 or so of them came from Kyler Murray and Christian McCaffrey. Again, Terry Mclaruin acts as a safety net for my team, bolstering my team’s points. From a guy that’s not playing, me and the other contender, fleeced that guy clean, I came away with Devante Adams, Travis Kelce and like 985469294502 receivers. I’m going to try and flip that for Nick Chubb and then my team would be unstoppable. For next week, considering that I get Chubb without flipping Adams or Kelce, it would loosely look something like this:

QB: Kyler Murray

RB: Christian McCaffrey

RB: Waiver guy or I’ll make a move

WR: Devante Adams

WR: Terry McLaurin

TE: Travis Kelce

FLEX: Some waiver guy or Allen Robinson

D/ST: Waiver Defense projected Number One

K: Harrison Butker or Justin Tucker

I ask you – who is going to stop that?

The only other competitor is chasing down Derrick Henry and already has Dalvin Cook so I’m just silently praying that he doesn’t get him.

Breaking News (more): I might be flipping Devante Adams and a PTBNL for James Robinson and Julio Jones.

In my other leagues, I’m barely holding on to a late playoff spot, but this is the league I’m focusing on because I have a good team, and I can communicate with the other players.