The Way I See It

In this The Way I See It, Coach Prime movin’ on up, Baker Mayfield once again resets, and RIP to boxing legend Mills Lane.

Coach Prime Movin’ On Up

NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders has a new job. “Coach Prime” is the new head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes after three seasons as Jackson State’s head man.

I’m happy for Sanders, as I’ve grown to admire him a great deal since his retirement from the NFL. Many “purists” hated Sanders during his NFL career due to his flashy style and braggadocio. Of course, those “purists” overlooked key parts of Sanders’ game off the field: his intelligence, work ethic, and character. To anyone paying attention, those traits screamed “Future head coach”; it was just a matter of whether Sanders wanted to be a head coach.

Using the same approach towards coaching that he used as a player, “Coach Prime” turned around the Jackson State program. Coach Prime not only produced a 27-5 record in three seasons (including 12-0 in 2022), he uplifted the entire HBCU profile. With his outspoken personality, high media profile, and overall swagger, Coach Prime attracted increased funding and five-star recruits.

Coach Prime’s success at JSU meant that he was heading for bigger and better opportunities. Coach Prime himself acknowledged as much during a recent 60 Minutes piece, saying he’d be a “fool” not to accept the right offer from a bigger program.

Why the Outrage?

So why the outrage from the woke corners of the football world? Apparently, a black man getting a high-profile job in a largely white field is only viewed as a positive action if it’s done via an affirmative action program. While some accuse Coach Prime of hypocrisy (he said it was a “calling” to coach JSU) I don’t think that’s the main reason for the outrage. The outrage is that Coach Prime preaches accountability to his players. Accountability to their school, their families, society, and most importantly, to themselves. This doesn’t align with the Woke religion, whose main commandment is “Thou shall not accept accountability for any of thine own actions”.

A football coach becomes a surrogate father to his players, especially at the high school and college levels. I’d be proud to have Coach Prime be my son’s coach. As a father, that’s the highest praise I can give any other man.

SPORTS GRUMBLINGS SPOTLIGHT

Breaking News – Brittney Griner, WNBA Superstar, Released! (sportsgrumblings.com)

Griner, the NBA subsidized star, comments on her release from a Russian gulag and coming home. Furthermore, she believes it’s about time!

Baker Mayfield Redux

Baker Mayfield gets another career reset. After requesting (and getting) his release from the Panthers, Mayfield was claimed by the Rams yesterday. Interestingly, the Rams were the only team to put in a claim.

To be clear: Mayfield is not a franchise quarterback. He is not in the category of guys like Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes. As a matter of fact Mayfield is probably in the mold of another recent Rams’ QB, Jared Goff. Mayfield, like Goff, is a former #1 overall pick who is good enough to lead a talented team deep into the playoffs. Mayfield, like Goff, isn’t good enough to carry a team to a Super Bowl trophy.

It’s a smart move on the Rams’ part, for a couple of reasons:

• Matthew Stafford’s injury isn’t just season-ending; it may be career-ending
• If Stafford retires, the Rams have no viable starting QBs on their roster
• Mayfield comes cheap for this season ($1.35 million)
• The Rams have no first-round pick in 2023
• Mayfield may end up as a serviceable QB until the opportunity to acquire a franchise QB presents itself
• If Mayfield signs with another team in 2023, the Rams would likely receive a compensatory pick

The Rams are in a bad situation in terms of their roster, probably through at least 2024. Not only did they trade away a lot of picks to build their 2021 championship team, but they’re also tight up against the salary cap. They need a few low risk, high reward gambles to hit if they hope to be a playoff team next season. Claiming Mayfield is a step in that direction.

RIP Mills Lane

Boxing legend Mills Lane has passed way. He was 85.

Lane achieved fame not as a boxer, despite sporting a 10-1 record as a pro. Lane became famous for his 27 year run as one of boxing’s best, and most recognizable, referees. With a unique, gravely voice reminiscent of a 1930s gangster, Mills’ popularity was such that he was cast as the referee in MTV’s Celebrity Death Match, a top show during the network’s heyday.

Many would be surprised to learn that Mills was district attorney and a District Judge, but that somehow seemed to fit Lane’s personality. It seemed he was born to maintain a sense of order and fair play.

RIP Mills Lane, you can be proud of a living a good life.