MidValleySports.Com

By Joe Torosian

Kick it!

The Hall of Fame game…wasn’t boring.

I know we all got hungry eyes, but there’s nothing like football. Nothing.

I’m not going to say Carson Beck will be a star, big-time starter, or anything special…but Jacoby Brissett feels like a trade deadline candidate this morning.

Remember, the Arizona Cardinals don’t want to win. Beck gives them someone to look at, someone to think about, and easily move on from when considering a quarterback for 2027.

Larry Fitzgerald? Yes.
Roger Craig? Long overdue.
Adam Vinatieri? No argument there.
Drew Brees? Okay, but too soon.
Luke Kuechly? I guess…first ballot? I saw his whole career, I know he’s got the accolades, but I never think of Kuechly as someone who tilted the field and needed to be prepped for.

I think the NFL likes having inductees who can walk across or onto a stage under their own power.

Last Add Brees: NBC’s Melissa Stark channeled her inner Jim Nantz by asking Brees about Hurricane Katrina before his thoughts about winning the Super Bowl.

I’ve always said I’d root for the Dallas Cowboys when they played the Russians. Now, following a Katrina rehash, I’ve decided to root for the Cowboys when they play the Russians and the New Orleans Saints.

Will the Clippers ever get Kawhi Leonard to Toronto? It seems like the NBA doesn’t want it to happen. Could it be the NBA is no longer all in on having Steve Ballmer as an owner?

Myles Garrett saying, Hi.

Got to see the Rams yesterday at LMU. It was fun and interesting. The fun was being under the Clear Channel tent with nice people, and free food and drink– it felt like I was back to being credentialed.

The interesting was on the field. 

Some great coaches have that stoic reserve, and that’s not Sean McVay. In a football context, he’s hard to take your eyes off of. Dude’s not that tall, but he’s in full command on the field. 

McVay runs his own show, and you’d think that would be an automatic for every coach, but it’s not.
Matthew Stafford looked great, and Stetson Bennett is clearly QB2.

Myles Garrett looked enormous, and Keagen Trost was taking snaps with the ones.

Keeping everything in context, the Rams looked good.

Question: Have the Boston Red Sox peaked too early? They are 31-5 since late June, 17-3 since the MLB All-Star break.

As Chaka Kahn once sang, “Tell me something good.” I need a post-season alternative to the Dodgers, and am willing to bandwagon with the BoSox.

#88—May the San Francisco Giants rot and lie stinking in the earth. 

Last Add Hall of Fame Game: It was interesting NBC brought up Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini…only because there have been other things in the past regarding the NFL they haven’t touched on.

I think it serves as a good baseline to see what they decide to report on for the rest of the 2026 season.

Note: Mike Tomlin might be something special at the desk. I agree, he sounded great.

Finally, NFL HCs on the Hot Seat:
Washington—Dan Quinn: Weakest team in NFC East…Jayden Daniels has to prove he’s not “Robert Griffin IV”…if he doesn’t, Quinn is gone.

Tampa Bay—Todd Bowles: This team looks like it’s ready for a change.

New York Jets—Aaron Glenn: We’ve heard of Bridge Quarterbacks, Glenn is looking more and more like a Bridge Coach. When this team is ready to win, they’ll be winning for someone else.

Indianapolis—Shane Steichen: Indy’s been patient. Steichen needs a playoff appearance. 

Cincinnati—Zac Taylor: The Bengals haven’t fired a coach midseason since they canned Bruce Coslet in 2000. Taylor’s under contract through 2027…without a meltdown, and because of the Brown family, he might finish it out.

Philadelphia—Nick Siranni: Who takes the fall if there’s a meltdown? Saquon Barkley is older, A.J. Brown is gone, so a limited Jalen Hurts has fewer weapons. The O-line is aging. Siranni always feels like he could be fired or win a Super Bowl in the same season.

San Francisco—Kyle Shanahan: I don’t think this will be a firing, but if the 49ers go through a collapse, there could be a reset. Shanahan is under contract through 2027–could a bad 2026 lead to a mutual parting of ways? Could Shanahan be the next HC of the New York Jets?

The Dude abides…

1,335
Luke 5:20-22
jtbank1964@yahoo.com
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