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ESPN Has Removed Commenting From Its Website

Thursday, 05 July 2018 by Michael Hackmer
ESPN Has Removed Commenting From Its Website

While ESPN’s quality in reporting has been in decline, one of the ONLY reasons to “read the articles” was to get to the end and comment on the articles – either to offer insight, trash ESPN, or just go crazy with absurd trade suggestions or just have fun…

I had a bunch of comments that would pull in 60+ responses. Sometimes people would come after you / insult you… other times, people totally had your back. Once I summarized a long ESPN article in two sentences, and people loved it. Other times, I wrote really tough, but totally accurate comments trashing the author (a couple of those actually got deleted – bastards! lol!). A few times, I even saw comments from friends…

It was fun.

Unfortunately, a few days ago, ESPN decided to shut-off ALL Facebook commenting. There is no commenting allowed on ANY ESPN article.

Way to take the fun out of being a reader, ESPN!

More to the point… What makes sports an entertaining topic, and why sports talk radio is so popular, is because anyone can watch a game, follow a team, etc, and chime in. You get to talk about plays you saw, players you like, trades you want, complain about team management, and more. You can celebrate with people you don’t know, and share your frustration and pain when teams lose.

So… Why would a sports media website remove fan engagement?

It’s called: Brain-dead business! It is like talk radio without callers or.. talk… So… Way to go, ESPN. Way to find a new way to suck!

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  • Published in Media, Sports
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A Franchise Tag For Kirk Cousins Would Be A Bad Business Decision For The Washington Redskins

Sunday, 04 February 2018 by Michael Hackmer

If this article from ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Redskins consider tagging Kirk Cousins to trade him) is true, it only proves (as if we needed more proof) that the Redskins front office does not make good business decisions.

Let’s think about this.

If this article is true, then the Redskins, on the heels of trading for Kansas City’s QB Alex Smith, are considering using the NFL’s “Franchise Tag” on Kirk Cousins.

The team will not use the “Transition Tag” on Cousins, which would cost about $28 million. This is because that tag would allow another team to front-load a contract, use bonuses, cap, etc to out-bid the Redskins, and get Cousins without having to compensate them.

The Redskins instead would use the “Franchise Tag” on Cousins, which would cost them $34.5 million, and mean that the team NEEDS to trade him to recoup anything of value.

Keep in mind, if they do nothing and let Kirk go to another team in free agency, the Redskins get a 3rd round compensatory pick next year.

Click here for a good explanation of the difference between a “franchise tag” vs a “transition tag” as it related to Chicago.

Once they decide to put the Franchise Tag on Cousins, they will have 2 QBs on their roster – one for $23 million and another for $34.5 million (3 if you consider Colt a legitimate QB).

And what?

Teams are going to rush into a bidding war for Kirk Cousins?

They know the Redskins have an absurd situation, and cannot keep Cousins. To make matters worse, Cousins does not need to sign the contract right away. He can wait several weeks, sign, and bank $34.5 million – GUARANTEED. All the while, the Redskins don’t have that $34.5 million in cap space to sign free agents AND they cannot move Cousins until he signs, which effectively grinds their business operations to a halt.

Is that smart business?

Kirk Cousins of the Washington RedskinsNow, we know the Redskins front office has not handled the Kirk Cousins contract situation well. The reports are that a few years ago they could have signed Cousins for roughly $19, $21, and possibly $23 million, respectively, over the last few years, but refused. They then proceeded to OVERPAY him by tagging him. And now they are considering using this tag, which would bring the total over-payment to… what? $15 million+ over 3 years!

I ask again… Is that smart business?

And let’s not forget, to FIX the problem the Redskins created for themselves, they had to GIVE UP a rising slot corner and important part of their defense plus draft picks this year. A deal that most people say the Redskins OVERPAID to make happen.

So, do they REALLY think they are going to succeed by taking this risk?

When time and again you have a history of overpaying and under-performing, do you REALLY want to risk going into the season with 2 QBs at over $50 million on your payroll?

Let’s assume, for a moment, that Arizona, Buffalo, Denver, and the NY Jets are the only REAL suitors for Cousins.

I’ve seen some people write that Kirk is going to command $30+ million and get Matt Stafford money or more as a free agent. Now, that MAY happen if Kirk were a free agent. I doubt it. I think the tagging, which Kirk has maximized brilliantly for big-time cash, has inflated his value somewhat. But it could happen. Is it a chance you want to take? What if Kirk’s REAL market ceiling is $26 million? Or $28 million. The aforementioned teams have good draft picks. Some have decent QBs. And there other QBs are on the market (Let’s not forget that Minnesota has 2 free agent QBs that could become available).

What happens if all these other teams decide to pass and say that $34.5 million is too high of a price to pay?

The Redskins go into the season with 2 QBs. They would have their highest paid and starting QB a free agent at the end of the year, and the guy they just signed to a multi-year contract on the bench. Or… Do you bench the guy you signed for $34.5 million for one year, and start the guy you signed to the lower, multi-year contract?

I ask yet again… Is that smart business?

Of the other teams mentioned above as potential Kirk Cousins suitors, only the Jets have a ton of cap room ($74 million). Buffalo ($31 million), Denver ($28 million), and Arizona ($27 million) have space and can work some magic. But none of those teams are going to give up a first rounder for Kirk Cousins (Seriously, would they?).

NY and Denver are projected to draft QBs when the NFL Draft takes place in April, which means they have options. They could be fine with not over-paying for Cousins.

Buffalo and Arizona have QBs on their roster. Do they need an upgrade? Yes. At $34.5 million… Eh… Are they getting Tom Brady? Nope… Then probably not…

So, what does all of this mean?

Well, if we can think through all of this in a few minutes – WHY would this EVER be considered a legitimate / viable business option for the Redskins?

When you consider the risk vs reward – where is the reward? To get back a 3rd rounder that you LOST because you overpaid to make-up for the mistakes you made each of the last three years?

Are you REALLY willing to risk going into the season with 2 QBs, hamstring your entire off-season with no cap space to improve your roster – for the possibility of getting a 3rd round pick this year instead of one next year?

In my view, the Redskins need to learn that until they improve their front office, they are not going to out-smart other teams. They are liable to only out-smart themselves. They need to stop thinking they are great at negotiations and making deals, because they are not.

Let Kirk go in free agency, Washington. Get your 3rd round compensatory pick next year – and use your cap space to improve your team.

Kirk CousinsRedskinsWashington Redskins
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Fox Sports Puts Out Casting Call For LA Rams Fans

Sunday, 10 December 2017 by Michael Hackmer
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

I enjoyed the story from Daniel Craig (not relation to the actor that I am aware of) from the PhillyVoice about how Fox Sports, faced with one of the most appealing NFL games of the day (and the season given its playoff implications), is trying to avoid embarrassment during their pre-game show from the LA Memorial Coliseum.

The show is set at the Coliseum to showcase the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the LA Rams.

However, Fox Sports is worried that LA Rams fans won’t show.

Click here to read Craig’s story.

While the Rams have a stronger LA fan-base than say, the LA Chargers (formally the San Diego Chargers), Fox Sports, and undoubtedly the NFL, want to avoid what happened during the Eagles vs. Chargers game in LA earlier in the season, when Philly fans significantly out-numbers Chargers fans.

And they have good reason to be worried.

According to FiveThirtyEight, the Rams are suffering the worst NFL attendance decline in decades.

Their cross-town (if you can call them that) colleagues, the LA Chargers, who had been based in San Diego until this season, also have had problems. They have not been able to fill their temporary stadium, the StubHub Center.

Of course, not filling a stadium is typically not a big deal, as the average NFL stadium seats about 67,000. However, the StubHub Center is a soccer stadium that seats 27,000. Ouch!

Now, while the Chargers were 0-3 heading into the Philly game (a game they narrowly lost by the way), it was incredibly embarrassing for the NFL and the Chargers, because the Philly players felt like it was a home game for them – given the sizable crowd advantage they had.

So, in an effort to avoid a repeat – guess what Fox Sports is trying to do for their pre-game show?

They put out a casting call for LA Rams fans.

Now, Fox Sports has since issued a statement saying they are not looking for actors.

But in their casting call they do specify that people need to “audition” saying: “To audition for a role in the upcoming NFL Sunday pre-game show, check out the casting call breakdown below.”

The casting call specifically states they want people to be LA Rams fans, and wear “your best NFL gear” for the show.

So, maybe not actors pretending to be Rams fans, but it’s clear that Fox Sports, broadcasting from LA, does not want to embarrass either the NFL or the LA Rams by having their pre-game show dominated by Eagles fans.

That Fox Sports feels compelled to advertise for LA Rams fans is pretty pathetic.

One thing is for certain… You don’t need to worry about Patriots fans showing up for a pre-game show ahead of a major game.

LA RamsNFLNFL Attendance Decline
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  • Published in Media, Sports, Television
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Discussion About New England Patriots Signing Michael Floyd Has Been All Wrong

Thursday, 22 December 2016 by Michael Hackmer
There has been a lot of negative media attention surrounding the #NEPatriots signing of Michael Floyd given his arrest for drunk driving in Arizona, and his release by the Cardinals.
 
I recognize that the guy has a problem, and a past history of alcohol problems. I do not excuse it, or minimize the danger of what he has done in any way shape or form.
 
And yeah, I also recognize that the Pats need a receiver.
 
But does the fact that Floyd made a horrible decision that could have killed people, including himself mean he should never work again? Should the Pats be portrayed just as a greedy, heartless business hoping to use Michael Floyd for his talents and then discard him? Do we need to celebrate organizations or companies that cut players for mistakes they make?
 
In my view, there is another element to this story that has been missing: What is being done to help Michael Floyd succeed and turn his life around?
 
Photo Credit: John Wilcox - Wide receiver #14 Michael Floyd warms up for Patriots practice at Gillette.We all know the Patriots knew about his problems. They also signed him, because they want him to be successful. The Pats don’t sign people to join in their Super Bowl journey, because they want them to screw up MORE. So, instead of just writing or talking about what we ALL already know (the video, his BAH, possibly 45 days of jail time, etc), why not dive into what the Patriots are doing to help him?
 
This organization has a reputation of taking in all kinds of players, and using their system and culture to do things that no one else has done. People talk about “The Patriot Way” and following their model of success. In a league where athletes are dealing with drugs, alcohol, head injuries, etc – maybe there is something this team is doing to help Michael Floyd that would be reason to applaud? For other teams – other companies to learn from?
 
Alcoholism is a serious disease that affects many people – many of whom do not even realize they are alcoholics. It would be nice if we could turn our attention away from ridicule and indictment, and focus on how people and organizations are delivering treatment and support.
AlcoholismMichael FloydNew England Patriots
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  • Published in Sports
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