OF MANY THINGS

 Wow! CURT CIGNETTI made quite a first impression as new 

football coach at Indiana U. All bad … The former James Madison U., 

boss apparently didn’t kiss up to reporters … and immediately became 

the subject of a scathing column after he apparently became .. ahh, 

impatient at a press conference. How dare he? 

We don’t know Cignetti, nor do we know what prompted him to be so 

snarky so soon … but we do know he was spoiled in Virginia … and 

shouldn’t expect such a fawning media anywhere else … What 

Cignetti, 61, needs is a BOB HAMMEL, IU houseman/sportswriter, 

who treated BOBBY KNIGHT like he could do no wrong.

In Bloomington they’re writing Cignetti is “a villain in Harrisonburg” 

for flipping five high school players who committed to JMU … Might 

be a good idea he stays away – permanently – after announcing 

Sunday seven more Dukes would follow him (making it nine and still 

counting) to the midwest … among them leading tackler (108) 

AIDON FISHER, a linebacker, and top rusher KOELON BLACK, 

both juniors in eligibility … Cignetti also persuaded last year’s leading 

Hoosier receiver, among 20 members of the 2023 team who opted for 

the transfer portal, to stay … Responding to criticism from his former 

fans, Cignetti said, “I feel sorta bad for them.”

How in the world can you pen a fairly-informative piece on Liberty 

KAIDON SALTER … and totally ignore the fact he was told to hit 

the road by Tennessee after being arrested twice in sixth months? 

Drugs, mostly.

IF YOU didn’t know better, you would think the Washington Football 

Team placed a very large bet on itself to lose to the New York Jets 

Sunday ...  And almost couldn't get THAT right.   

How else to explain dropped passes on the first two plays, the second 

resulting in an interception; would-be receiver falling down on a pass 

over the middle; an O-lineman playing ole, leading to a sack; an illegal 

formation; false start; blocked punt when another Jet came 

through untouched, leading to a short touchdown pass when the only 

DB anywhere near the receiver appeared to pull up rather than make 

contact; all in the opening 4:34. Jets 10-0 … “I don’t think I’ve ever 

seen this poor a start,” said CBS game analyst ADAM 

ARCHULETA. You think? 

Halftime: 27-7, NY. But then, they were playing the Jets, who have been 

so awful most of the interest has centered on a quarterback who lasted

a few plays in the opener and won’t play again until 2024.  …JACOBY 

BRISSETT, a journeyman QB, replaced SAM HOWELL … and 

Dotson suddenly wasn’t falling. Well-covered, Thomas caught a 

touchdown pass after the only player to touch Brissett 

was a bloated O-linman who was shoved into him … OC ERIC 

BIENEMY started calling a smart, short passing game … after 

Archuleta noted his receivers were running 15-20-yard routes on 3d-

and-7, 3d-and-8, meaning Howell deserved better… With 9:23 to go, it 

was 27-21 when fumble-fingers TONY GIBSON ran it in from close 

range.

Hmmm. The Jets were three-point favorites. Could it be they were in on 

the scam? Keep it close … What a ludicrous idea! … Then again … 

When Gibson scored again with 4:53 remaining, the Commanders led 

by 28-27. So help me ...you could hear the screaming from angry bettors 

all the way from the Big Apple … The officials got into the act, too, 

missing pass interference at the Washington 37, on the ensuing series. 

“The way they’ve been calling it against the Jets, you would think they 

would have called that one as well,” said Archuleta, silencing claims he 

was for the Commanders … after going on and on ... and on .. about 

Brissett, in effect, joining the chorus … “Fire Rivera … Fire Rivera.”

Consider it done. New York got the ball with 1:53 left. Against the 

coach RON RIVERA-led defense, the Jets got to the Washington 44 

where a 52-yard field goal barely made over the crossbar… JETS WIN, 

JETS WIN, JETS WIN … Say good-bye to R. Rivera… By the way ... 

only kidding about throwing the game. Neither team is talented enough 

to pull that off … This was two bad teams playing bad football … but it 

was exciting in the second half … wasn’t it?

Watching the Philadelphia Flyers’ broadcast crew on ESPN+, I can’t 

help but wonder what ex-Richmond Robin BILL BARBER must be 

thinking … seeing analyst BRIAN BOUCHER, the former goaltender 

who led the mutiny in against then-Flyers coach Barber. It got the NHL 

Hall of Fame forward fired when then-GM BOBBY CLARKE turned 

on his ex-linemate from the glory days of back-to-back Stanley Cups 

(1974-1975). I know, I know … Barber told us earlier this year that he 

doesn’t hold a grudge against anyone, that … “looking back, they did 

what they had to do.” Always a class act, he took the high road. Still, 

Barber is only human. At the time, it had to hurt him deeply.

Another ex-Robin, STEVE COATES, in his first year of retirement, 

after calling Flyers’s games on radio and TV for almost 40 years, said it 

was news to him … that Boucher was among those instrumental in 

Barber’s ouster. “Bouch wouldn’t do that,” Coates said Friday. “He’s a 

good guy. That isn’t like him at all.”

Very outgoing, always upbeat, Coates is pretty much a friend to all … 

including Barber. “I see him two/three times a week,” the man they call 

“Coatsey” said, adding, “I guess you know he lost the locker room.” … 

Yeah, he mentioned it.

Until next time ...