MidValleySports.Com

By Joe Torosian

Kick it!

Los Angeles Dodgers fans have to hope that Mark Walter’s woes end with his Lakers deal and don’t reach the Ravine. 

Uncle Stan Kroenke’s purchase of the Los Angeles Angels could change the MLB world in SoCal.

The elation Angels fans must be feeling has to be akin to the day they announced the signing of Don Baylor, Joe Rudi, and Bobby Grich in the first free agency class in November of 1976.

(I know they won a World Series, but ever since I almost got into a fight with a vendor back in the 80s at the Big A, I’ve despised them.)

And, if possible, I hope Uncle Stan name’s them the California Angels.

This isn’t a knock on Robert Griffin III, but knowing he came into the league at the same time, on the same team, as Kirk Cousins is a great lesson in continuing to grind.

Griffin appeared in 28 games his first two years, but from 2014 to 2020 he appeared in just 28 games. Yes, he had the knee injury, and this is not meant to be a slam on him.

But Cousins, a fourth-round pick, who appeared in just eight games those first two seasons, was named the starting quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders today.

Think about how many times Cousins was dismissed early in his career? And then think about how he kept going forward when things weren’t going his way? What an example of continuing to grind when others doubt you.

I don’t think it’s a hot take to say that LA fans are the worst in sports…they are. I’ve known that since I was a kid. I’ve seen them arrive late, leave early, boo their teams, boo their icons—Fernando Valenzuela was booed at Dodger Stadium in 1988.

I get it, almost everyone is from someplace else…and the franchises—for financial reasons, I understand—cater to the posers on the west side because they’ve got the bread to spend.

I don’t know why attendance at USC’s opener is a debate…Uncommon humidity, the foolishness of kickoff at high noon, and the opponent being San Jose State…who in their right mind thinks that’s a priority?

Last Add Cousins: Top Five Quarterback Career Earnings.
Matthew Stafford — $408 million
Aaron Rodgers — $395.8 million
Kirk Cousins — $331.5 million
Tom Brady — $317.6 million
Russell Wilson — $315.8 million

Saw the Vince Young doc on Netflix. I thought the person who came off best was his wife. It wasn’t a great look for either Young or Jeff Fisher.

We’re all built different, but I grew up without a dad. In fact, on the street I grew up on, there was one dad. It was all single moms and older folk whose kids had grown up and moved away.

…And that one dad—while being a nice guy—was a drunk. So I struggle with guys who complain about not having a dad. There are things you lose out on, but the truth thrown into your face at an early age—fairly/unfairly—is that life will be good if you don’t repeat the life your dad lived.

(Note: Losing your dad early in life to death, that’s a different story. I’m talking about dads who bailed when things got tough.)

On the football side, the dude was young (no pun intended), and he did what young people do with a lot of cash on hand. And if you were watching football then, you knew VY would struggle passing in the NFL.

Last Add Halos: Since we’re talking money, these are the contracts Baylor, Rudi, and Grich got from Gene Autry.
Don Baylor (six years, $1.6 million)
Joe Rudi (five years, $2.01 million)
Bobby Grich (five years, $1.55 million)

#102—May the San Francisco Giants rot and lie stinking in the earth…

The Dude abides…

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