Month: January 2018

Stipe vs. DC: What else is there?

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UFC 226 will be headlined by a superfight of dominate champions. Heavyweight Champion Stipe Moicic(18-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC) will take on Light Heavyweight Champion and former Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion Daniel Cormier(20-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC).

Some superfights take place after years of build and fan interest. This one seemed to be birthed and pushed over a matter of days. The two men have no connection and thus this matchup feels a bit forced and desperate.While this fight will create great headlines, it really is the only option for these two champions. The UFC have found themselves in an unfamiliar situation, they have no other options.

After dispatching of Francis Ngannou, Moicic has put togther the most dominate heavyweight championship run in UFC history. Moicic has defeated every fighter that has any claim to the championship that still remains in the UFC. Stipe sits in a tough position as he really doesn’t have as much to gain in this situation.  He will be a huge favorite against a much smaller Cormier that hasn’t fought at heavyweight since 2014. If he loses it will not only hurt his legacy but it will portray negatively in an already thin heavyweight division.

Daniel Cormier enters UFC 226 with a chance to cement himself as only the second fighter ever to hold the title in two divisions at once.  Cormier sits in a similar situation as Miocic, he currently sits at the top of a division that has no clear contender that he has not already dispatched.  Dana White placing Cormier in this fight allows him to hope that a true light heavyweight contender will emerge.  For Cormier this is a win-win situation, no one expects him to win this fight, if he does he will have to be considered the best light heavyweight in UFC history(Not named Jon Jones).

Cormier has notable wins at heavyweight, (Frank Mir , Antonio Silva, Roy Nelson and Josh Barnett), but those were a younger version of Cormier. Cormier will enter the octagon with the legitimate best heavyweight in the world.  The UFC has seen a drop in pay-per view ratings as well as a loss of notable marketable names.  Conor McGregor is more focused on his personal brand than defending his title, Rhonda Rousey is now a professional wrestler, Anderson Silva has gotten old, Jon Jones can’t stay clean. The UFC was forced into this fight due to lack of star power to sell. As intriguing as a superfight can be, they can also leave a division in shambles. The fighter moving up is less likely to return to their division. In this case, it seems fairly certain Cormier would be done at 205. I mentioned the positive possibilities for the light heavyweight division without Cormier, but there are a few bad scenarios.

This fight will be huge for the UFC as they continue to lose the momentum they had in the early 2000’s.  But even if this is a success for the UFC and they get millions of pay-per view buys, what is next for MMA’s elite organization?  Where do they go from here?

 

Out with the old in with the new:Get to know Dejounte Murray

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Great franchises stay great by making decisions for the team.  On January 23rd the Spurs announced that Dejounte Murray would replace 17-year NBA veteran Tony Parker in the starting lineup. The Spurs have responded to the change, winning 3 of 4.  Murray has put up decent numbers since the lineup change. In 29 minutes per game, he has averaged 12 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.8 steals and 2.8 turnovers on a 50.6 true shooting percentage.

The 2nd year guard out of Washington is not a finished product, a clear lack of any long range shooting will hinder his progression into stardom.  Murray though brings a swiss army knife of other attributes, rebounding, play making, court vision and length.  Defensively, San Antonio has an absolute stalwart in its 6-5 bundle of energy. Murray is all limbs with great lateral quickness and plenty of hops. He’s starting to realize the advantages those physical attributes give him. The physical attributes of Murray are a welcomed addition to a starting lineup that is currently missing arguably the best two way player in the game Kawhi Leonard.  Leonard’s intangibles covered up the defensive struggles of Tony Parker and Patty Mills, both of which are offensive oriented point guards.

Murray has shown that despite his shooting issues he can be an effective force on the offensive end as well. Murray is becoming adept at making the right pass in pick-and-roll situations, whether that’s a pocket dish to a big or a kickout to a spot-up shooter.  He collapses the defense pretty well, even though he often can’t take advantage of it. Murray also has the ability to work in transition, never afraid of turning on the afterburners after grabbing a defensive rebound, which he grabs a lot of.

The Spurs go about their business so quietly that most of the league has failed to notice that they have successfully drafted and developed some very promising prospects.  Kyle Anderson, Davis Bertans, Bryn Forbes and Murray have filled in roles while better known players like Manu Ginobli, Rudy Gay and Tony Parker have spent time on the injured list or have been ineffective.

At 21 years old, Murray’s offensive game needs a bunch of work, but as he continues to stuff the stat sheets Murray will establish himself as the next great Spur. Great franchises know how to stay relevant at the game evolves. The San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich have transitioned from the Tim Duncan era and begin to march forward with young talent.

 

Weekend Picks: Jan. 27 2018: Big Matchup and Big12/SEC Challenge

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Football betting season will take a break this week as the masses will turn their attention to college basketball.  This weekend is full of great matchups highlighted by the Big12/Sec Challenge and a showdown of top 4 ACC teams.  We have picked out a few games that should be special this weekend. Enjoy!

Fighting Trae Young’s @ Alabama

In a battle of freshman studs.  Trae Young will lead the 12th ranked Sooners into Tuscaloosa on Saturday for a matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Oklahoma’s super rookie is averaging mind-numbing figures of 30.5 points and 9.7 assists per game –both best in the nation. After showing signs of mortality, Young had an lead and efficient offensive effort Tuesday against the Kansas Jayhawks scoring 26point on 7/9  shooting. That said, the Sooners can’t just ride too hard on the shoulders of Young, who needs the likes of Christian James (11.9 points) and Brady Manek (11.1 points) to play a bigger role.

The Sooners are not up against Alabama football team’s stop unit, but the Crimson Tide basketball team’s defense is not something Trae Young and company should underestimate.  Alabama has the length and athleticisim to disrupt Young and force him to be perimeter oriented. The Crimson Tide are protected by a fantastic interior defense, as evidenced by their 6.3 blocks per game — good for fifth nationally. Like most SEC teams the Crimson Tide have been hard to figure out gaining wins over Texas A&M, Auburn and South Carolina but losing to bottom dwelling Ole Miss by double digits.

While the teams are both intriguing the best reason to watch will be the matchup of potential lottery picks Trae Young  and Colin Sexton.  Sexton quietly has been making his own mark on the college basketball scene.

I think Alabama come shuts down Young and pulls off the upset victory.  But I have been wrong about Oklahoma before.

 James Caldwell: Alabama      Matt Boeding: Oklahoma

Kentucky at West Virginia

The battle of the struggling hall of fame coaches takes place Saturday when John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats travel to  Morgantown to face off with Bob Huggins #7West Virginia Moutaineers .Unless you have been under a rock you may have heard that the Kentucky Wildcats have fallen out of the top 25 rankings for the first time since 2014.   What has flown under the radar is that West Virginia has now lost 3 of 4 in the ultra competitive Big12, showing little to no effort Tuesday night against TCU.

Kentucky ranks 55th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and 27th in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com. They’re a team that is no longer considered part of the national title conversation, which is troubling (and an outlier) when it comes to UK basketball. Calipari put together a team of positionless players that are having trouble figuring out their roles.  They will have to figure out who they are in a game that can factor into positioning in March.  Kentucky will have to find a toughness physically and mentally to pull off this upset.  Kentucky has more talent, West Virgnia has more experience.

James Caldwell: Kentucky   Matt Boeding: West Virginia

Virginia vs Duke

The matchup of the weekend takes place at Cameron Indoor on Saturday when the #2 Virginia Cavaliers meet #4 Duke Blue Devils.  Two top ranked teams battle for ACC supremecy, the immovable object meets the unstoppable force.

The Cavaliers have the best defense in the nation with opposing teams bleeding for just 52.4 points per game. Teams seem to shoot at a moving basket when they are up against Virginia, which limits opponents to only 36.6 field goal shooting percentage. Duke is going to be a tough assignment for the Cavs, but its not like Virginia has not dealt with a top-tier offensive team and came out successful. Virginia has already taken down North Carolina and NC State, both rank in the top four in ACC offensively.

As much we like to talk about how scary good the Cavaliers’ defense is, the truth is, it has not prevented Duke from beating the Cavaliers over the past few seasons. In fact, Duke has won eight of its last 10 dates with Virginia and it’s vaunted pack line defense, though they covered the spread in only three of those meetings. Duke Blue Devils come in riding a three game win streak in which they have woken up for long range.  Gary Trent Jr, Grayson Allen and Trevon Duval have seemed to find their stroke from deep, Trent most notably hitting an astounding 19 threes over the last four games.  Virginia is going to be forced to deal with the NBA froncourt of Marvin Bagley and Wendell Carter.  If Virginia can limit the offensive rebounding of the Blue Devils they can effectively control the tempo.

Duke’s home court advantage will play a role in this one as the young Devils seemed to feed off the energy.  It would take a gargantuan effort for Virginia to limit Bagley, let alone Grayson Allen and the other Blue Devils’ gifted scorers.

James Caldwell: Duke   Matt Boeding: Duke

 

 

 

This is the Cavs

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The Cleveland Cavaliers took a loss to the shorthanded San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night dropping their 6th game of the last 7. Cavaliers Coach Tyronn Lue announced after the game that there will be lineup changes coming for the Cavaliers.  While Lue can change the lineup he cannot change the culture that’s been created.

Miami Heat Lebron James was hungry for a title, he was able to take his team to the level they needed to be on a nightly basis. James was able to bring veterans like Shane Battier and Mike Miller, guys that shared his hunger to win while keeping their mouth shut. They were “team” guys, accepting their minutes and playing their hardest when they got their chance.  The Cavaliers have brought in big personalities that can’t look past their personal goals.  Jeff Green, Derrick Rose and Isaiah Thomas are dynamic talents that will never work with Lebron James.  They are not the guys that can accept the reserve role, they are ball oriented players that care more about stat lines then team accomplishments.

The Cavaliers compounded their problems by not moving roles players like Tristan Thompson and to a degree Dwayne Wade back into the starting lineup.  These are players that thrive off of the little things.  Hustle plays like setting screens, making the extra pass and taking charges is what can make a difference for a team loaded with talent. Right now the Cavaliers spend more time pointing fingers then playing defense, they talk more about former teams then current.

The Cavaliers players are showing the same panic as management.  There is a desperation in every game, they know that Lebron can take his talents where he chooses at the end of the season.  The pressure to win now is so prevalent that anything less is unacceptable.  The Cavaliers will get by because they have the best player in the world on their roster, but when playoff time hits they have to figure out some type of chemistry.  For now though they are a dysfunctional family, everyone thinks its someone else’s fault. This is the Cavs in 2018.

San Francisco (Giant)s Mistakes?

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The San Francisco Giants decided to lit a flame to reignite the major league baseball hot stove by acquiring former National League MVP Andrew McCutchen.  McCutchen joins Evan Longoria in a new look middle of the Giants lineup.  The Giants have thrown down the gauntlet in potentially the most stacked division the Major League Baseball’s senior circuit.  While the moves are attention grabbing, does it really put the giants in a place to contend?

McCutchen joins a lineup that has found it a struggle to find offense in the outfield.  With the addition of the 5 time all-star the Giants will be able to move injury machine Hunter Pence into left field solving a problem that has plagued the team for years.  The new problem moves to center field as normal Denard Span was part of the Longoria deal. Early projections show Gorkys Hernandez as the potential starting center fielder, the Giants could shock us all by potentially moving defensive gem Brandon Belt to the outfield and play Buster Posey over at first.  Posey’s move to first is inevitable due to his growing concussions issues as well as the overall wear and tear of playing the position. A move of Belt to the outfield would shift the aging McCutchen to one of the biggest and funkiest center fields in Major League Baseball.

While the outfield has questions the Giants infield has could rival any team defensively. The acquisition of Even Longoria made a strength even stronger, the 2017 Gold Glover joins fellow 2017 Gold Glover Brandon Crawford and defensive standout Joe Panik.  While the move for Longoria shocked most in the baseball world, it was justified when the Giants made the second move to pick up McCutchen.  The Giants are telling their fanbase that they are all in for the 2018 season…at least they have forced themselves all in.

The Giants traded away their most promising prospect Christian Arroyo in order to pick up Longoria. While Longoria is still a viable player moving your top infield prospect to get him was questions by many baseball writers. Giants general manager Bobby Evans and executive vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean have addressed this, but to summarize, the Giants wanted to improve upon the production they received from third base last season. San Francisco’s third basemen finished last in the Majors in batting average (.216), OPS (.568), home runs (nine) and RBIs (51) in 2017. Despite Longoria’s dip in production in ’17, Giants management believes he has enough left to provide respectable offense for at least a couple of years.  A couple of years may be all the Giants have left as their current farm system ranks in the bottom five and their is no one on the way.  A team that has a lot of older players seems to not have a plan if those players breakdown.

The Giants are going to go into the 2018 season with a lot to be excited about.  Their pitching staff will have a full year of Madison Bumgarner back , assuming he stays off the dirt bike.  They have Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardjia, Mark Melancon, Sam Dyson, so many established major league players. The Giants just seemed to have forgotten that the Dodgers, D-Backs and Rockies are younger and better.  The Giants won’t lose 98 games in 2018 but this team has not improved themselves enough to beat the teams in their own division.  The will battle for a wild card spot but most likely be looking to unload some vets at the trade deadline.  They showed the fanbase they are trying, but I think a rebuild would have made more sense.

But it is an even year.

 

Key to success: Gary Trent Jr.

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The Duke Blue Devils pulled off a miraculous comeback Monday night against the Miami Hurricanes.  While multiple factors lead to the Miami meltdown, it was freshman Shooting Guard Gary Trent Jr.  that provided the consistency and leadership normally seen by upperclassman.

The Apple Valley, Minnesota native carried the Blue Devils scoring 30 points while shooting 6 of 9 from three point range.  Trent Jr.’s sharpshooting was the lone highlight offensively for the first 30 minutes of the Monday’s ACC showdown. While fellow freshman phenom’s like Marvin Bagley and Wendall Carter tend to steal the headlines it has been Trent Jr.’s consistent play that has been the backbone of the Duke frontline.  Grayson Allen and Trevon Duvall continue to be inconsistent on both ends of the court, while Trent Jr. continues to be the most reliable guard option for Coach K. Trent  Jr. brings the skill and poise of a veteran, with 1:23 left in the game Miami down 73-70 Trent Jr. was the one that stepped into a top of the key three and sealed the deal for the Blue Devils.  His ability to sink a shot of that magnitude without a second thought was a defining moment in the still young season.  It is time for Duke to utilize their dynamic shooting guard in new roles.

As ACC play continues to intensify Duke will have to have better guard play, with Grayson Allen’s jumper a complete mess and Trevon Duvall’s poor decision making, Trent Jr. will have to be the player Duke relies on in clutch situations.  When Duvall gets in his own head Coach K has to move Trent Jr. to the point if he wants this young team to make a real impact in March.  While Trent Jr. may be more effective play the contrary role in the offense, his level headed decision making can be an asset when things begin to unravel.  The movement to the point can allow fellow shooters freshman Alex O’Connell and Grayson Allen play their more familiar roles.

Gary Trent Jr. won’t be the highest draft pick on this Duke team, he may not have the best career, but he brings so much intelligence to the game of basketball.  In today’s basketball sharpshooters with length have become the new blue print of success, he may not stay at Duke for as long as he should but if he does give the fans a chance to watch him develop we could see a guy that becomes one of the best Duke players of all time.

 

 

NFL Playoff Picks: Divisional Rounds

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Atlanta Falcons -3 at Philadelphia Eagles

The Atlanta Falcons proved last week that experience does play a factor in the playoffs. This week they head into Philly with a chance to take down the NFC’s top seed.  Betting lines opened favoring the the 6th seeded Falcons.

The main reason the Falcons will be favored this weekend is the Quarterback position.  The evolution of the Quarterback position puts the Eagles at a disadvantage. Over the past half-decade the NFL has seen deliberate, slow-twitch pocket passers virtually disappear from the landscape. Over the last two weeks of the regular season Nick Foles showed no confidence in his pre-snap decision making.  The evolution of the play extending Quarterback has changed the way the game is played.  While Foles is a serviceable backup his inability to adjust at the line and extend plays has caused a change in the offense for Philly.  The Eagles have been unable to adjust their style of play from the Carson Wentz style to the Nick Foles style. With the emergence of the Falcons Dieon Jones and the tanacity of pass rusher Vic Beasley Nick Foles will be forced to make quick decisions that will not pay off.

Matt Ryan’s confidence has grown over the last three weeks of play, the reigning MVP will head into Saturday’s matchup on his hottest streak of the season.  Multiple offensive weapons will be at Ryan’s disposal which will spread a suspect Eagles secondary very thin.  The best chance the Eagles defense will have will be to put as much pressure as possible on Ryan.  Dynamic backfield playmakers Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman will give Ryan the ability to bootleg and make short passing plays, eventually leading to openings downfield.

 James Caldwell: Falcons    Matt Boeding: Falcons (Take Falcons to cover)

Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots -13.5

Tennessee shocked the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round setting up a matchup with the #1 seeded New England Patriots.  The Titans enter this game with all the momentum in the world, Derrick Henry and Marcus Mariotta showed up in the second half last week while the defense shut down rookie of the year candidate Kareem Hunt.  The problem that faces the Titans on Saturday is the Patriots have a bit of a different playoff history then the losers in Kansas City.

While Tom Brady gets most of the credit for the Patriots success, the defense has been playing very well, they have allowed a stingy 11.8 PPG over the last 5 home games. While the Patriots lack depth on the defensive front, the secondary has played at an elite level. Matt Patricia has schemed his way around the pass rushing depth masterfully.  The biggest factor in this game will be Pro Bowl Tightend Rob Gronkowski.  The Titans were being dominated by Travis Kelce last week giving up 66yards and a touchdown before Kelce left the game with a concussion.

The Titans strength is stopping the run, but Tom Brady has shown throughout his career the ability to make the right adjustments, even if the Titans find a way to get pressure New England has multiple playmakers that an be matchup problems.

James Caldwell: Patriots (Titans Cover)  Matt Boeding: Patriots (Pats Cover)

Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers -7.5

Sunday features the two most intriguing games of the weekend.  The first will see the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field.  The Steelers will have revenge on their mind as they were embarrassed by the Jacksonville at home 30-9 in week five. Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin stated the team has “evolved” since the beatdown.

The Steelers evolution will have to based around stopping the run as Jacksonville will look to run early and often.  Leonard Fournette torched the Steelers defense for over 160 yards and two touchdowns in their early season showdown.  The Steelers will continue to be without defensive leader Ryan Shazier which will impact he middle for Pittsburgh.  Look for Pittsburgh to do everything they can to clog up the running lanes and force Blake Bortles to beat them through the air. Bortles has dynamic young receivers on the outside but he has not shown the ability to takeover the game.

The Steelers will have to protect their franchise Quarterback on Sunday.  Antonio Brown’s calf injury will slow him no matter what he is telling people.  Big Ben will have to be given time to find his dynamic playmakers.  Le’Veon Bell is the key to success for this game, if he goes for 100 on the ground the Steelers will roll. Take into account that it will be very cold on Sunday in Pittsburgh.  Florida teams traditionally don’t play well in those type of conditions.

James Caldwell: Steelers       Matt Boeding: Steelers (Steelers cover)

New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings -5

Their may be no two teams in this league that have changed more from what they were week one then the Saints and Vikings.  Adrian Peterson was pouting on the sideline, Sam Bradford and Dalvin Cook had use of both of their knees and Case Keenum was a perennial backup. Fast-forward to the playoffs and now Keenum has a legitimate MVP case, Alvin Kamara is a lock for Offensive Rookie of the Year and the biggest shock of all, the Saints pass defense is competent.

Sam Bradford torched the Saints for 346 yards in week one.  Case Keenum hasn’t thrown for 300 yards since week 3.  The Vikings will have to run the ball effectively to open up the passing game for Keenum.  The Saints have been much improved defense but over the last two weeks they have been giving up a lot of yards to a terrible Tampa Bay team and an at the time struggling Carolina team.  Keenum has shown he has the ability to make the throws down the stretch.

Drew Brees is a hall of famer, Kamara and Ingram are dynamic.  Most of the money is going to go towards the better QB. I love Drew Brees but the Minnesota defense makes the difference.  I see a close game here.

James Caldwell: Vikings     Matt Boeding: Saints   (Saints Cover)

Who Can Close? Cards Free Agent Options

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The St. Louis Cardinals entered the offseason with a few glaring holes.  The need that caught most fans attention is the lack of the middle of the order bat.  Cardinals management took an obsessive approach in filling that hole, eventually landing slugger Marcel Ozuna from the Marlins.  Cardinals fans have turned their complaints to a new place, the bullpen, more prominently the closer position.  Relievers have become a commodity in the MLB garnering contracts that just a few years ago would have been laughable.  If we assume that the Cardinals don’t use one of their current relievers as a closer what options are left on the open market?….and what will it cost?

With the biggest free agent reliever on the market signing 3year/52million dollar contract with the Colorado Rockies, many believe the market is set.  What direction should the Cardinals go in?  Let’s rank the options.

3. Tyler Clippard, 32, Career Saves 61

Tyler Clippard is coming off of arguably his worst season in the major leagues, most probably don’t even realize he was actually on the World Series Champion Astros roster at the close of the MLB season.

Clippard is not your prototypical closer, he doesn’t throw 100 every pitch he relies on deception, movement and a plus changeup in order to get outs.  Clippard has performed well as a closer, 2012 with the Nationals Clippard posted 32 saves for a team that walked into the playoffs. While Clippard has not been able to repeat those numbers he does bring an intriguing element to his game, he is a fly ball pitchers.  50% of Clippard outs are recorded through the air.  The Cardinals have one of the most athletic outfields in baseball entering the 2018 season.  With the addition of gold glover Marcell Ozuna in the outfield and the further development of Tommy Pham to center field Clippard can have more confidence in pounding the strike zone.  The spacious Busch Stadium outfield can also give Clippard the confidence to pound the strike zone.

While Clippard isn’t the sexy pick for closer, his veteran presence can be a nice stop gap to help young relievers like John Brebbia and Tyler Lyons develop more confidence to one day take the job.

 

2. Greg Holland, 32, Career Save 189

Greg Holland is going to be a closer somewhere in 2018. Holland established himself as a true star pitching in the confines of Coors Field finishing the season with an astounding 41 saves.

Holland’s negatives are the fact their is a health risk.  Missing the entire 2016 season and parts of the 2017 really hurt Holland’s value leading into 2018 free agency.  His experience and ability are unquestionable, but the injury risk and high cost that Holland will command may turn off the Cardinals.  Their is also the lingering question of why Holland’s former team would decide to shell out the money to Wade Davis when they have the connection to Holland.

Statistics are always in Hollands favor but the fact that he sits atop of the current available reliever pull could demand multiple years and a lot of money.  While the Cardinals have stated that money is not a problem a projected $15million a year for a guy with a recent injury history could be to much of a gamble for an organization that tends to be cautious in these situations.

1. Addison Reed, 28, Career Saves 125

Addison Reed entered the 2018 free agent market as an after thought as his Reed role changed mid-way through the season after being dealt to the Boston Red Sox.  Before he was Craig Kimbrel’s setup man, Addison Reed was recording saves for a pretty pathetic Mets team. One of the best things about Reed is his low walk rate. His career walk rate is 2.3 per nine innings, and over the last two years it’s even better, 1.6 per nine innings, to go along with a 9.8 per nine strikeout rate. His WHIP of 0.996 over the last two seasons (total of 153⅔ innings over 157 appearances) is outstanding.

Reed will enter 2018 in his age 28 season with very little recent injury history.  A pitcher in his prime playing for a contending team is the right mixture to equal success for the Cardinals and Addison Reed.  The Cardinals can get a quality reliever that is ready to close now for $8million per season. Picking up Reed could be the move that solidifies the Redbirds bullpen for years to come at an extremely affordable rate.

 

Honorable Mention:

Huston Street: Career Saves 304

Too old and to Injury prone.  Worth a look if its cheap.

 

 

The Chiefs are Losers

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While writing this I first want to say that I respect Chiefs fans, they are loyal.  Arrowhead is one of the coolest places in the world to watch a football game and the fanbase knows how to tailgate.  But it’s that time of the year again where the inevitable has happened, it is time for the fanbase to realize that the Chiefs are losers.

Over the last 23 years the Chiefs have lost an astounding 10 of 11 playoff games, the single victory coming against a Houston Texans team the was playing their practice squad offense due to massive injury issues.  This team has become infamous for breaking down in the most crucial moments.

Saturday, the Chiefs entered the second half of a home playoff game with commanding 21-3 lead  against a lackluster Titans team.  As I watched along side multiple Chiefs fans whom had already begun preparation for next weeks playoff party, I couldn’t help myself but to quietly laugh, knowing what was to come over the next two quarters.  The game was not over, the game is never over when it is crunch time for a team that seems to live for disappointment.  Slowly as the trainwreck was taking place in front of me I saw a familiar look on the fans faces.  Their once bright dream of a playoff run was fading away and in the back of their heads they knew if was going to happen. When the clock finally struck 0 and the game ended their wasn’t shock in the room, their was just a realization that their team had done it again.  Their was no anger their was acceptance.  When a fanbase has acceptance of a meltdown, it has accepted that they are losers.

Alex Smith played well, the defense was sound for most of the game, the coaching staff made the right calls. When you look at a game as a fan you try and find the reason that your team has lost.  What could have been done to avoid this defeat.  Questions loomed: How can a player catch his own pass for a touchdown?  What if Travis Kelce doesn’t get concussed?  What if the sack of Marcus Mariota is called a fumble?  What Demarco Murray doesn’t get hurt and Derrick Henry is watching this game from the sideline?  If any one of these questions had a different answer maybe the Chiefs somehow win, but thats not the world we live in.  We live in a world where the Kansas City Chiefs are losers.

We head into an off-season where the Kansas City Chiefs have to figure out how to lost their stigma of just good enough to be in the playoffs.  Historic franchises have found ways to reverse what seems to be a curse, the Red Sox and Cubs found a way to reverse their curses and bring home World Series titles with the prophet that is Theo Epstein.  The Cleveland Cavaliers found a king to break their curse.  Is their a mythical way for the Chiefs to overcome what has become a curse.  The stench of losing is one that can take years to wash away.  The first step is to understand that their is a stench.

I have gotten used to hearing Chiefs fans say their is always next year…Do you really believe that?

No….you really don’t.