Hold off on the Chiefs’ coronation — for now
Thinking out loud … while wondering if whoever put the “s” in fast food is really a marketing genius.
Dynasty? And what does that word really mean?
The dictionary tells us that a dynasty is “a line of hereditary rulers of a country.” Or, perhaps, “a succession of people from the same family who play a prominent role in business, politics or another field.”
Like pro football? Sure. We tend to throw words and superlatives around (dynasty, GOAT, best-ever, greatest, etc.) like so much trash. When something truly prominent occurs, we fire off without regard to what history has taught us.
And what has pro football history taught us? Within the confines of the National Football League, “dynasties” aren’t as prevalent as the word itself. In the modern era, generally considered to be the post-AFL/NFL merger of 1970, it’s easy to point out the league’s ruling class.
Over a half-century, it’s been the Packers, Steelers, Cowboys, maybe the 49ers, and Patriots. Were they dynastic? And now, the Chiefs make their case. Three championships in five years and back-to-back trophies (matching New England)?
Yup. By our own exaggerated, modern-day standards, KC has its dynasty. But it’s no Han or Roman, Persian, or even British dynasty, to be sure. Or even a Patriots dynasty — yet.
And for anyone — outside of KC, of course — who believes Patrick Mahomes is the “GOAT” (Greatest Of All Time) over TB12, check your brain into the local library. Or just hit the Google machine. Too much thinking is done with the heart over the head these days, especially in our sports world.
But Mahomes is really, really good. He’s on pace to be in the pantheon of great ones, certainly. That his accomplishments and talents come so soon following Tom Brady’s career is as remarkable as his talent itself. We’re
lucky, as fans, to see these guys in a single lifetime.
But check back in another 10 years or so, and when he matches and perhaps surpasses the extraordinary numbers TB12 compiled, he’ll earn his due. Or his GOAT tag.
Let’s sit back, enjoy it, and watch him, and others, play. Let time and history judge greatness, not some overly joyed, emotional knucklehead from Missouri, or anywhere else for that matter.
● Let there be no doubt, even in this day of thousands of TV channels and choices, the Super Bowl is still King of the Hill. CBS-TV coverage had an audience of more than 120 million viewers (123 million counting streaming), up 7% from a year ago, and the largest audience ever for a single network.
● Was anyone else surprised that Taylor Swift’s boyfriend got a little heated, and physical, with his head coach during the game? WWBD? Seriously, do you need a translation (What Would Bill Do?)
● X post of the Week I, from @Thomas_Carrieri: “Whatever Malcolm Butler did was definitely not as bad as what Travis Kelce [just] did in front of 100 million people.”
● Love the fact that, no matter how you approach things, there’s always a Rhode Island angle to big stories and superstars. Kind of like the seven degrees of separation for every human on the planet from actor Kevin Bacon. From the Super Bowl — Taylor Swift: Has a home in Watch Hill. Christian McCaffrey, 49ers running back: Former Miss USA winner, Cranston’s Olivia Culpo, is his fiancée.
● X post of the Week II, from @pdmcleod: “My Massachusetts friend stood with his hand over his heart like it was the national anthem during the Dunkin Donuts commercial.” Maybe to the rest of America, meh. But the DunKings spot from DD was creative, goofy, funny and “must watch” all at once. Why? Because Affleck, Damon and TB12 are our goofballs. J-Lo just adds the panache.
● I need one of those warmup suits … straight fire.
v And the Friars? What about Josh Oduro? Have a week, Josh. He had 32 points and 12 rebounds against 17thranked Creighton. Wife gives birth to a son on Saturday. Comes back to light up St. John’s for 28 more on Tuesday. Preparing for change, and changing diapers, obviously agrees with him.
● What’s a little snow? Good grief. Every event now is “snowmageddon.” Nice work by the state and the City of Providence to clear the roads for the Red Storm on Tuesday, but really. How hard is it to clear the roads when we’ve had so much practice?
v And I love our TV weather people. Like Little Red Riding Hood, they love crying “wolf!” Or in this case, crying “bombogenesis!” It’s the only job in America, other than being a professional baseball player, where batting .300 lifetime can land you in the Hall of Fame.
● My buddy, Big E, says some of us learn from the mistakes of others. The rest of us have to be the others.
● Around the Big East: Cumberland’s Tyler Kolek was (again) named as the conference Player of the Week. Against St. John’s, Kolek had 27 points, seven rebounds and 13 assists — just the third player in Division I to hit those numbers in a single game over the last 20 seasons.
● Kolek followed that up with 27, seven and five at Butler. There’s a reason the Golden Eagles have risen in the rankings — back up to No. 4 in the AP poll this week. It’s Kolek.
● But a quick word about the officiating. Nah, my mom always told me if I can’t say anything nice to zip it. It’s the Big East, and “reffing” is a tough gig made even tougher in a brutal league. Oh, and hit your free throws. Just sayin’.
● My broadcast partner Joe Hassett feels there’s a simple solution to the officiating “inconsistencies.” Less work = better results. Some officials work four, five or even six games in a week. And we worry about college kids getting enough rest between their two or three games per week? What about the 40- and 50year-old referees?
● Like it or not — and I’m in the mostly-not corner — the NCAA Tournament is going to change. Power conference commissioners (including Brett Yormark of the over-inflated, 16-team Big 12) are continuing to push for an expanded field to get more of their middling teams in the mix — for the notoriety and the cash, of course.
● Which is ironic for the Big 12, of course, because it annually puts six or seven teams into the Big Dance. Guess that’s not enough.
● NCAA Grand Poobah Charlie Baker has quite the conundrum on his hands. Keeping the month-long, single-best sporting event in America intact and keeping the money and power-grubbing football leagues and schools happy enough to stay NCAA members.
v Best guess: There is a contract in place with TV partners through 2032. But the NCAA Tournament’s Field of 68 eventually will morph into The Sea of 90 — or about 25% of the present 362 Division I schools across the country.
Grin and bear it. And be one of the 90.
● Brown offensive line coach Michael McCarthy has been hired by the Patriots to be an offensive assistant for Jerod Mayo. He had previous NFL experience working in Detroit and Cleveland.
● Back to hoops: Bryant can still be
“the one” from America East this season to go dancing. The Bulldogs are in second place, one game behind leagueleading Vermont with five games left. Then, the conference tourney to determine possession of the dance ticket. First-year head coach Phil Martelli Jr. has them positioned well.
● Current Friars guard Devin Carter was named to the Naismith midseason team as a finalist for National Player of the Year. Former PC star guard and Providence native David Duke just turned a triple-double (again, double figures in points, rebounds, assists) this week for his NBA G League Austin Spurs.
● Hey, Edward in East Providence, this Caitlin Clark kid at Iowa can play for my team any day. That includes the guys’ teams. She’s averaging 32 points per game, shoots the lights out every chance she gets and can set the career NCAA Division I scoring record this weekend.
Not for nothin’, but Clark has 52 career 30-point games, 11 40-point games (most by any player of any gender in the last 25 years) and 15 triple-doubles.
● Pitchers and catchers reported to Red Sox camp on Wednesday and Red Sox PR immediately announced Alex Cora — on the final year of his present contract — would not be speaking after the team’s first official workout due to a stomach illness.
● Shout out to friend and one-time workmate at the Brine Shrine on the Wampanoag Trail in East Providence, RI Radio/TV Hall of Famer Dan “Giovanni” Centofanti, who announced last week he’ll be retiring in April from 92 PRO-FM after 50 years! Think Salty would approve of your name, Gio, right beside his on that building.
● The late Bill Reynolds, the longtime columnist at The Journal, had his name officially attached to the Media Room inside the Amica Mutual Pavilion this week. Covering the Friars, or any other event in that building, really, will never be the same without Bunky.
Interested in having your questions on Rhode Island sports (and, yes, that includes the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Think out loud and send your questions, comments and local stories to jrbroadcaster@gmail.com. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/threads right here! Join me on Twitter/X, @JRbroadcaster … on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke, and on Instagram and Threads @JRbroadcaster.