Taunting penalties are tough call in NFL
Give the NFL credit for trying to cut down on taunting, but the league loses a lot of fans because of the perceived subjectivity of the penalty. It’s similar to the judgment calls for pass interference. There’s too much room for interpretation, which can fuel suspicions that the refs aren’t on the up and up. It doesn’t take much, after all, to feed conspiracy theories.
Ponderings: Mike Tomlin, whose Steelers have not been called for a taunting penalty this season, contends that the increased emphasis on the violation is important because of the message it sends to kids coming up in the game. Solid point. But switching tracks, what message is received by high school players when they see Odell Beckham
Jr. quit his team because he’s unhappy?
Comedown: He’s only part of the problem impacting a WFT defense that’s giving up 28 points per game, but a year ago, edge rusher Chase Young was a terror for opposing quarterbacks. This season, he’s been credited with 1.5 sacks in eight games.
Nashville now: With his team rising to 7-2 after a five-game winning streak, nobody’s doing a better job at the season’s halfway point than Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel.
Idle thought: Until we see a vaccine-avoiding athlete in a lab coat and huddled over a microscope, the phrase “I want to do my own research” is this year’s best punch line.
In a hurry: Once again, college basketball mavens are getting a jump on things by projecting the field for the NCAA Tournament still four months away. Because that’s what they do.
Progress report: Whether you want to call it parity or mediocrity, there’s a lot of it going around the NFL, especially in the AFC.
Sinking: NFL fortunes are
promised to nobody. Kyle Shanahan was anointed a young genius while coaching the 49ers to the Super Bowl two years ago. Since, San Francisco has gone
9-15.
In the air: Cam Newton taking over at quarterback again for the Carolina Panthers is an intriguing proposition. It’s easy to forget that Newton is only 32.
Hoop du jour: With age comes more injuries — except for Tom Brady — something LeBron James is discovering. But even before an abdominal strain sidelined James for what could be up to another few weeks, the Lakers showed their age by blowing big fourth-quarter leads. If that’s happening in November, L.A.’s collection of creaky veterans won’t make it to May.
New emphasis: NBA’s officials aren’t falling as easily for flopping, foul-hunting fakery. Fewer phantom fouls drawn by
the James Hardens of the world are reducing the number of free throws, a good thing for the flow of games. Last season, 21 teams averaged more than
20 free-throw attempts per game. For now, that’s been cut to 10 teams.
Early returns: The Golden State Warriors’
10-1 start is something to behold, but in need of investigation are the traditionally forlorn Washington Wizards, who at 8-3 share the top spot in the Eastern Conference with the Chicago Bulls.
In the works: The proposal for an eight-team College Football Playoff was put to rest recently when conference commissioners introduced a new 12-team model, details to be ironed out after more haggling. It was always going to be 12, which for me is too many.
Game watch: I understand that ACC adherents are itching to move on to basketball, but 7-2 North Carolina State at 8-1 Wake Forest on the ACC Network and Notre Dame at Virginia on ABC, both Saturday night, qualify as pretty good football attractions as far as the conference goes.