NEW YORK, NY – Casually cruising down Al Gore’s Sports Information Superhighway, there are many things that can catch the eye. On this particular day the billboards that had this pundit rubber-necking were Shohei Ohtani’s Agent, Brian Daboll, Mets Super Bowl Commercial.
Let’s discuss.
Shohei Ohtani’s Agent
We know that Arte Moreno is now staying aboard the California Angels of Los Angeles in Orange County’s sinking ship. Not since Captain Ahab has there been a more polarizing skipper of a vessel in duress. Reality can often be blurred in the fog of war and kooky already seems to think he has a shot at retaining shohei ohtani, one of the world’s best baseball players. but that’s not what caught my eye in this Jon Heyman story. “Ohtani’s agent Nez Balelo didn’t return a text.” Heymen Hey man, way to aggressively pursue your trumped-up, click-bait non-story. Whatever you do, don’t call the agent. That might cut into your cellphone minutes. How’s that Aaron Judge to the Giants story going? I wouldn’t text you back either.
Speaking of the Giants…
Brian Daboll
As a Giants fan, you have to be happy with the results of this year. Certainly the first half of the season was an utter shock. There were feel good themes galore, as Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley and head coach Brian Daboll all presented themselves as legitimate forces in the National Football League. Some of the luster did wear off, however, in the last part of the season. That’s when the team struggled to get wins and we saw the rookie coach explode a few times on the sideline. Us tortured hopefuls wrote it off as a welcomed fiery approach, one that we haven’t seen since Bill Parcells. All good. And the NFL agrees, as Daboll won Coach of the Year for getting this team into the playoffs.
BUT... The cynic in me says that maybe this guy is too tightly-wound. Perhaps – just perhaps – what we don’t see is a quick temper that may undo him in the long run. Today’s athletes aren’t the thickest skinned, after all. Moreover, we know the guy doesn’t sleep. HE HAS SIX KIDS. The NFL coaching grind doesn’t normally make for a solid family life to begin with, but when your wife has to raise six kids, basically on her own, because you’re always coaching football? Stay tuned.
Mets Super Bowl Commercial
Fans of the New York Mets have been living in the shadow of the New York Yankees for their entire lives. Collectively, we are not used to big spending. We are not used to the glitz and the schmaltz. No, we are used to the shitz and the small. When it comes to wealth, we’re the nouveau riche kids in at the MLB cocktail parties. Enter Steve Cohen. After spending like a drunken sailor on his favorite baseball team, he is now throwing $1.5 million to run a Super Bowl commercial about.. the Metsies! This has me feeling both uncomfortable and giddy at the same time. I’ve always plotted the figurative death of the Yankees in a kind of Batman over a vat of boiling chocolate way, but this has me wondering if I am complicit in walking in step with a madman. In the meantime, however, I will continue to drink the Cohen Kool-Aid and do mental cartwheels in front of stunned Stankee fans everywhere.
Oh, and salutations to Joe Klecko for getting into the Hall of Fame. It was long overdue. An absolute beast of a player and a Pro Bowler at nose guard, tackel and end. All done on bad knees… Sorry, Junoir Blaber – Revis doesn’t count, as he was a Patriot.
