By: J. Daniel Pearson
For Positively Osceola
I read a recent Facebook post that lauded the playing comeback of FSU quarterback McKenzie Milton, calling it a “Rudy 2.0” moment. I found that comparison an incredible insult to Milton, whose real-left story is 100,000 times more important than that of “inspirational” gasbag speaker Rudy Ruettiger, who had his “life story” glorified by a mostly fictional movie. Rudy decided to hang out and be a practice tackling dummy at Notre Dame for a couple of seasons, having absolutely nothing to do with the success or failure of “his” team.
Milton was a great quarterback at UCF who led his team to untold heights before a horrific injury — which required numerous surgeries — almost cost him his leg. He would then spend two years rehabbing — all the while supporting his UCF teammates on the sidelines — before transferring to FSU. Two weeks ago, he came all the way back, making play after play that mattered against a ranked team. It’s totally ridiculous to compare his story to Rudy, a “walk-on,” whose entire career was based around one meaningless end of game play where he may or may not have made a tackle. I had the “pleasure” of listening to the real Rudy speak one time. His “inspirational” talk that night, in front of professional athletes, centered on the theme “I make more money than you, so I have accomplished so much more than you.” McKenzie Milton’s life story would make for a much better movie in my opinion, and you certainly would not need to fictionalize in any way, shape or form…
Why are unicorns considered mythical while giraffes are not? I mean what’s more believable, a horse with a horn or a leopard-camel-moose hybrid with a 15-foot long neck?….
Not sure why this continues to bother me but it does. The PGA Tour Championship wrapped up last weekend and once again the Tour Championship “winner” (Patrick Cantlay) did not shoot the best score in the four-day event. Cantlay finished the tournament by shooting 66-67-70-65-269, which would have finished in a tie for fourth behind Jon Rahm (266), Kevin Na (266) and Xander Schauffele (268). But under the tournament format, Cantlay started the event with an artificial 10-shot lead, which he earned as the Fed Ex Cup “Points leader.” This staggered start was adopted a few years ago because the PGA Tour did not like the idea of having to hand out two trophies at the event (the Tour Championship Trophy and the FED EX Cup Trophy) and I get that, but I still believe there is something wrong in a professional golf when the lowest actual score doesn’t win. After all, the top seed in the Super Bowl does not start with a 10-0 lead before kickoff. It also makes no sense that Cantlay gets credit for a “career victory” by finishing fourth. Here’s a thought. Keep your point system and start the playoffs with your top 50 players. That will preserve the integrity of the regular season. Cut down after the first two rounds of the playoffs to 30 players based on the cumulative scores from the first two rounds of the playoffs. Everyone starts the tour championship with their two playoff scores carrying over. It would essentially be a 12-round, 216-hole tournament played on three different courses over three weekends. By the way, under this format John Rahm (266-270-266) would have finished in a tie for first place with Cantlay (272-261-269) with identical 802 totals, resulting in a sudden death playoff. What better way of determine true Tour Champion then over three tournaments on three different courses, low man wins with no artificial head starts?…
Observation: Thinking those fans who said “EVERYONE” was going to quit watching the NFL over social justice demonstrations by players may want to rethink that opinion based on the monstrous 15.9 rating NBC got Thursday night from Bucs – Cowboys game. For comparison, this rating is higher than a lot of college national championship football games in recent years and also blows most NBA and World Series game ratings away…
The first NFL Weekend is over and here’s the thing, Week 1 means something but it’s not everything. Jags fan may think Trevor Lawrence (3 INT,55% completion %) was not the best choice at #1. I would remind them that Peyton Manning was 21-of-37 for 302 passing yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions in his NFL debut and he turned out pretty good. Relax Cleveland fans, your team lost to the best September quarterback in history (Patrick Mahomes in now 11-0 with 35 TD’s and no interceptions in September). The Browns have a loaded roster and will be fine. Houston fans, although you were picked to finish with the worst record in the NFL by many pundits, don’t get too excited about beating the Jags. Like you did on Sunday, a year ago Jacksonville won its first game against a playoff team but finished 1-15. Saints fans, I’m no Nostradamus but I am willing to go on a limb and predict Jameis Winston will not finish with 85 touchdowns and no pick – even if that is his current pace. Buffalo fans, your team is going to be fine too. Pittsburgh is still a decent team that always seems to play well at the beginning of the year, so a Week 1 loss to a perennial playoff team – even at home – is not a season killer. Finally to the Buc fans, good win but I would point out that no team has repeated as Super Bowl champs in a long time and your quarterback is 44 years old. Again, everything is Week One means something, but something seldom means everything…
Getting Offensive: After beating the Baltimore Orioles 11-10 in game one of a doubleheader this past Saturday, Toronto got up to bat in the seventh and final inning of game two, trailing 1-0 and was being no-hit in the process. They responded by banging out 11 hits and 11 runs in the inning to win 11-2. “I’m going to quote Jack Buck. ‘I don’t believe what I just saw,’” said Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo of the comeback. For good measure they completed the sweep on Sunday by scoring 22 runs.
Not sure whether you should feel bad or not, but your shadow is confirmation that sunlight has traveled unobstructed for more than 93 MILLION MILES only to be deprived of reaching the ground in the final few feet because of YOU…
Y’All Have a Good Week
