ONLY WAY TO KEEP YOUR SANITY: IGNORE COMMANDERS

 First, let’s hear it for Pat Chun, Washington State AD … for not taking the party line but, instead, telling it like it is: “College athletics is beyond repair,” he said.

DID YOU SEE your Washington Football Team quit right before your 

aching eyes Thursday in Dallas? Sorry about that … Let the high-

volume scolding of coach Ron Rivera begin – again … as though it 

ever stopped.

Maybe local radio talk jocks should ignore the Commanders, at least 

until season’s end … to keep a small measure of their sanity (such as it 

is) … 45-10 final after a terrible, two-play sequence from the 

Cowboys’ 41 with the score 21-10. Third and one, QB Sam Howell 

goes deep. Incomplete. Fourth and one, the Commanders run right … 

for a two-yard loss. 

They also went for it on fourth down from their 31 with about 12 

minutes remaining, trailing by 13 points. All they needed was 36 

inches (or less). So much for a quarterback sneak and potential “Tush 

Push” when Howell lined up in shot-gun formation. The Cowboys 

blitzed (why not … against that O-line?) and the second-year pro from 

North Carolina was sacked, leading to another Dallas score … So 

much for the genius of OC Eric Bieniemy.

From there things got out of hand. A 25-point fourth quarter … with 

the final TD a 63-yard pick-six after intended receiver Johan Dotson, 

making no attempt to deter the thief, DaRon Bland, didn’t try to run 

him down either.

(Still running rampant in our octogenarian mind was last Sunday’s loss 

to the nine-point underdog NY Football Giants … when a key second-

half fumble should have been an easy recovery for Washington 

linebacker Kahleke Hudson … except the 2020 fifth-round draft 

choice from the University of Michigan tried to pick up the ball in a 

crowd instead of falling on it … as most middle-schoolers know is the 

best (only) way … and the Giants presently scored another 

touchdown.)

“The Cowboys’ offense has changed a lot,” said Phil Simms on CBS’ 

post-game show … Too bad one of the other “experts” on the panel 

didn’t ask how he could tell … against that alleged defense? Say good-

bye to DC Jack Del Rio who was fired Friday … along with the 

assistant in charge of defensive backs. Next?

FINALLY … what’s next for James Madison U., which decided not 

to pursue its grievance against the NCAA in court after all? Offer to 

pay a team that barely qualifies for a post-season berth to replace it?

Chances are, that wouldn’t fly … but not to worry, Dukes and 

Dukettes, odds remain good that you will play another game because 

the bowl picture is so crowded that there won’t be enough teams to 

win at least six games to fill them.

Until next time ...

First, let’s hear it for Pat Chun, Washington State AD … for not taking the party line but, instead, telling it like it is: “College athletics is beyond repair,” he said.

DID YOU SEE your Washington Football Team quit right before your aching eyes Thursday in Dallas? Sorry about that … Let the high-volume scolding of coach Ron Rivera begin – again … as though it ever stopped.

Maybe local radio talk jocks should ignore the Commanders, at least until season’s end … to keep a small measure of their sanity (such as it is) … 45-10 final after a terrible, two-play sequence from the Cowboys’ 41 with the score 21-10. Third and one, QB Sam Howell goes deep. Incomplete. Fourth and one, the Commanders run right … for a two-yard loss. 

They also went for it on fourth down from their 31 with about 12 minutes remaining, trailing by 13 points. All they needed was 36 inches (or less). So much for a quarterback sneak and potential “Tush Push” when Howell lined up in shot-gun formation. The Cowboys blitzed (why not … against that O-line?) and the second-year pro from North Carolina was sacked, leading to another Dallas score … So much for the genius of OC Eric Bieniemy.

From there things got out of hand. A 25-point fourth quarter … with the final TD a 63-yard pick-six after intended receiver Johan Dotson, making no attempt to deter the thief, DaRon Bland, didn’t try to run him down either.

Still running rampant in our octogenarian mind was last Sunday’s loss to the nine-point underdog NY Football Giants … when a key second-half fumble should have been an easy recovery for Washington linebacker Kahleke Hudson … except the 2020 fifth-round draft choice from the University of Michigan tried to pick up the ball in a crowd instead of falling on it … as most middle-schoolers know is the best (only) way … and the Giants presently scored another touchdown.

“The Cowboys’ offense has changed a lot,” said Phil Simms on CBS’ post-game show … Too bad one of the other “experts” on the panel didn’t ask how he could tell … against that alleged defense? Say good-bye to DC Jack Del Rio who was fired Friday … along with the assistant in charge of defensive backs. Next?

FINALLY … what’s next for James Madison U., which decided not to pursue its grievance against the NCAA in court after all? Offer to pay a team that barely qualifies for a post-season berth to replace it?

Chances are, that wouldn’t fly … but not to worry, Dukes and Dukettes, odds remain good that you will play another game because the bowl picture is so crowded that there won’t be enough teams to win at least six games to fill them.

Until next time ...