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As Darnold’s play cools off, the Hot Seat for Todd Bowles just gets hotter

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Todd Bowles was on the hot seat coming into this season and it’s only gotten hotter as Sam Darnold has regressed in recent weeks. On top of that Bowles made some questionable decisions in Miami such as keeping center Spencer Long in the game despite multiple bad snaps and then calling out his defense after the game despite giving up only six points.

Check out this episode as I explain what Bowles has to do to keep his job and what coaching candidate I think the Jets should target for their next head coach.

The Connecticut Rams? How the Rams almost moved to Hartford

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On January 12th 2016, the NFL owners voted 30-2 in favor of moving the Rams back to Los Angeles after moving to St. Louis in 1995. It had been nearly two decades since the Rams called Los Angeles home with plans to build a state of the art facility in the coming years. However, what many people don’t realize is that before the move back to L.A. the Rams were in an intriguing position in the mid 90s. Back then they were a fledgling franchise that was desperate for a new stadium which led to their move to St. Louis.  Did you know that their multiple cities bidding for the Rams including a city that many people couldn’t imagine hosting an NFL franchise.

In the early 90s the Rams popularity in L.A. had been waning. From 1990-1994 the Rams struggled on the field going 19 and 45 over that span. Like a lot of franchises in the 90s across the sports world, the Rams felt that they needed a state of the art facility to be competitive and claimed that Anaheim stadium in orange county needed to be addressed. By this time team owner Georgia Frontierre began looking for a new home for her franchise and began looking at potential destinations. While the front-runner and eventual winner was St. Louis, there were other cities that looked to lure the Rams including a surprising contender. Who was that contender?
Hartford, Connecticut.

Hartford was one of the cities courting the Rams in the early 90s.

At the time the city of Hartford and the state of Connecticut were looking to become major players in the sports world. After acquiring the New England Whalers and re-branding them to the Hartford Whalers, the city now had a professional hockey franchise since the late 70s. Despite average attendance for the NHL franchise the city began looking for another professional franchise, specifically the NFL. St. Louis remained the favorite offering a brand new state of the art indoor facility with the cities of Baltimore and Hartford offering their own stadium plans to lure the Rams. Baltimore had approved plans for a new stadium and were looking to add a franchise since the Colts famously left for Indianapolis.

Artist rendering of the over $200 Million proposed stadium modeled after the L.A. Coliseum north of Interstate 84

In the early 90s, the Governor of Connecticut Lowell Weicker had developed a plan that would invest in a $252 Million dollar state of the art football stadium in the northern neighborhood of Hartford, just north of Interstate 84. The stadium was designed after the Los Angeles coliseum which could have been directly influenced to bring one of the two L.A. franchises to Connecticut.

Keep in mind in the early 90s both the Raiders and Rams were looking for either a new stadium in Los Angeles or a new market with a new stadium. The Raiders considered multiple locations in California before settling for Oakland with the Rams exploring new out-of-state potential markets. While this may seem like a pipe dream by state officials in Connecticut to lure a team to a the 27th television market in the country, the idea of moving football to Hartford did have serious backers.

Walter Payton and Paul Newman were both in a group that wanted to bring the NFL to Connecticut

Who would want football in Connecticut? Surprisingly, a strong group was lobbying for this idea. Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton was a member of this group and even visited the state to talk to governor Weicker at the capital about the project. Other members of the party included author Tom Clancy, and actors Tom Selleck and Paul Newman. Interestingly enough it was Newman who wanted professional football in his home state and he even tried to purchase the New England Patriots in 1994 before Robert Kraft purchased the team. There were skeptics, but Connecticut was the largest untapped market in the country without an NFL franchise and the city had agreed to fully finance a state of the art facility.

So why did the deal fall through? There were multiple reasons why the Rams to Hartford didn’t happen. First, St. Louis was the favorite and offered a larger market that had an NFL history. It also offered a brand new facility and despite relocation, the Rams wouldn’t need to change conferences or division. Moving to Hartford would have meant realignment for the entire NFL in order for the move to work.

In 1995 the Rams officially moved to St. Louis

Second, it was hard for the Rams to even get to St. Louis. The league’s owners originally voted down the move to St. Louis and only relented after the Rams ownership said they would sue the league. After long legal battles with the other Los Angeles franchise, the Raiders, and their efforts to relocate, the league didn’t want to go through another legal battle and relented despite opposition from multiple owners.

Third, if St. Louis hadn’t worked Baltimore was a better option for the league offering a larger market, another new stadium plan, and a history of NFL football. In 1996 they would get the Cleveland Browns after Art Modell moved the team after 1995 season forming the Baltimore Ravens.

Finally, the league just wasn’t interested in a smaller market like Hartford. I  will elaborate on this more when I talk about the New England Patriots planned move to Hartford in 1998.  While the state was serious about luring the NFL with two consecutive governors offering lucrative stadium deals, it just wasn’t going to lure and NFL franchise given the market size and proximity to larger markets in Boston and New York.  This push for the NFL is a key contributor to why Hartford may have lost it’s NHL franchise, the Hartford Whalers but that will be discussed at a later date.

The Stadium’s original site is now a baseball team for the city’s Double A franchise.

Today the site for the proposed stadium has become a sports stadium two decades later. The site is now home to Dunkin Donuts Park, a 6,000 seat stadium that’s home of the city’s minor league baseball team, the Hartford Yard Goats.  Still  Connecticut football fans can only imagine what could have been if Hartford has connected on a Hail Mary pass to bring professional football to Connecticut’s capital.

Will the NHL cash in on expansion plan after Vegas success?

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Who could have predicted this? When the National Hockey League announced that they would be putting the leagues thirty-first franchise in the desert of Las Vegas there were plenty of cynics. Not only was the NHL trying to put another team in the desert then a traditional hockey market, but many saw this as another expansion franchise that it would take years to reach relevancy. Less than a calendar year after the first puck was dropped in Sin City the Vegas Golden Knights and the NHL have hit the jackpot.

The Golden Knights proved that the new NHL expansion format could create a competitive franchise.

It’s fitting to see the Vegas Golden Knights as the team that defied all the odds in their inaugural season. Taking advantage of the new expansion draft the roster was filled with young talent and solid veterans that turned Vegas into the storyline of the season. Even with the early hardships with an injury bug that decimated the team’s goaltending depth the team still finished with one of the league’s best records at 51-24-7. Even with the team falling in five games in the Stanley Cup Finals, it’s clear that this team has a bright future.

What people aren’t talking about is what the success in Vegas means for the league’s aggressive expansion plan. Don’t forget that Gary Bettman said he could imagine a 34 team league back in 2017 and the NHL has set a fee for cities looking for an expansion franchise. In fact the league is closing in on team number 32 in Seattle has an ownership group has already started a season ticket drive and the franchise is hoping to hit the ice for the 2020-2021 season.

Gary Bettman has said he could envision a 34 team league and has been pushing for league expansion.

For a city that wants a major league franchise or looking to add another team the success in Vegas and the generous expansion draft could give a team the opportunity to be competitive from day one. With other league’s not looking into expansion and with expansion teams in the NBA, NFL, and MLB toiling in obscurity for years it makes the NHL a more enticing investment for a city that wants a major league team. Even with a $650 Million expansion fee for a new franchise, it still cheaper to get a NHL franchise then getting and NBA and NFL franchise where recent sales of franchises in those leagues have been valued in the billion dollar range.

Seattle has already had a season ticket drive and is looking to be the NHL’s 32nd franchise by 2020.

Meanwhile, the expansion would be beneficial for the owners in the league. The would receive an expansion fee from these new teams, as they would split up the expansion fees from these cities. With Seattle closing in on a team, it will be interesting to see if there will be any other movement in the NHL whether through expansion or relocation. There have been cities that have expressed interest in both the United States and Canada for potential franchises. These include cities like Quebec, Hamilton, Kansas City, and Hartford who have expressed interest in hosting a hockey franchise.

The success of the Vegas Golden Knights has been huge for the NHL. Not only do they have a successful franchise in a new market, but the league’s new expansion format has set the league up for the potential for the next wave of expansion franchises. No matter how you look at it, it’s clear the Vegas experiment has been a resounding success.

 

New buyer for XL Center the first step for the NHL in Hartford again?

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Is their hope for the NHL in Hartford on the horizon? One of the biggest obstacles preventing a team playing in Connecticut’s capital is the lack of a state of the art arena, however that soon may no longer be a problem.

Formerly the Hartford Civic Center, the XL Center is now one of the oldest active arenas in the United States

The Hartford Courant has reported that Oak Street Real Estate Capital, a Chicago firm, will submit a proposal to purchase and renovate the city’s arena later this month. The XL Center, formerly the Hartford Civic Center, is one of the oldest facilities in the country and needs a major overhaul. Currently, the arena hosts concerts is home to UConn Basketball, UConn Ice Hockey, and the AHL’s Hartford WolfPack.

The offer to the city of Hartford did outline the plan to renovate the building and planned to put in over $250 Million with the intention of making it a state of the art facility. The state has proposed two options in recent years, one of which was a $250 Million dollar proposal to bring the current property up to a state of the art facility through renovation.The other, and more expensive option, was to completely tear down the existing structure and build a new arena which would have cost $500 Million.

Artist rendering of what the $250 Million renovation could look like

The outline of the deal would be $50 Million upfront from the group to the state, but the state would pay 7.5% of the renovation costs and would be subject to annual increases of two percent. This would mean at the minimum the state would invest roughly $19 Million for the reconstruction. Just to tear down the existing structure would cost $40 Million

The following is a statement from the Oak Street Group on their interest in acquiring the XL Center.

“Our interest in the XL Center stems from our larger goal of revitalizing the Hartford area. We believe that the transformation of the aging arena into a state-of-the art sports and entertainment venue can be the focal point of the city’s redevelopment and spur economic growth.”

Included in this statement, Oak Street it is ready to close on the acquisition of the building in the coming month and would send its proposal to the state for the upcoming request for proposals.

Could an upgraded arena bring back the NHL? Seattle gives Hartford a glimmer of hope.

If the XL Center is upgraded to a state of the art facility it could put the city of Hartford in the discussion for a potential NHL team. The good news for hockey fans in Hartford is there are two encouraging trends in the National Hockey League that could eventually help the city land a franchise.

The first is the league’s expansion plan. The league is already looking to add a 32nd franchise in Seattle and after a successful ticket drive, Seattle is inching closer to professional hockey. After the success of hockey in Las Vegas due to a new expansion draft that has given the Golden Knights the quality talent to earn a sweep in the first round the NHL playoffs. With the new expansion plan working it is possible that Hartford could land an expansion franchise rather than relocating an existing team.

Renderings of Key Arena in Seattle after it is upgraded into a state of the art facility to hold an NHL franchise

The second factor is that Seattle is setting a new arena precedent for attracting an NHL franchise. It was believed that the only way to attract an NHL franchise with a brand new arena. However, if Seattle is awarded an official franchise, it proves that a city can update a pre-existing arena to a modern standard rather than building a new arena. In Seattle, the plan is to extensively remodel Key Arena into a state of the art facility. If the NHL does put a team in Seattle for the 2020 season, it shows that they are willing to put a team in a state of the art facility even if it is not a brand new facility.

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Andre the Giant’s impact on modern Hollywood

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Andre Roussimoff better know as “Andre the Giant” has become a legend in the wrestling community. However, one of his biggest impacts has been on Hollywood. 

Andre the Giant. Those three simple words conjure up the almost mythological legend that the professional wrestler has become in common folklore. It’s been over two decades since Andre Roussimoff passed away, but the stories about his life have become legends in their own right.

Andre helped turned wrestling from a local promotion to a billion dollar entertainment industry

Many remember Andre putting professional wrestling on the map and kickstarting the WWF/WWE into what is now a billion dollar industry. There is no question about his impact of on the wrestling industry. He was the industry’s first bankable star and was the turning point for wrestling becoming local promotions to a billion dollar industry. During the 70’s and 80’s Andre was arguably the world’s most recognizable sports icon and had arguably the most seminal match in wrestling history at Wrestlemania 3 where he put over the sport’s  biggest rising star, Hulk Hogan.

His feats of strength in the ring are second in legend only to the stories about his drinking. Andre is recognized as the greatest drinker of all-time with hundreds of stories about the man’s capacity for drink. Still, one thing that he isn’t recognized for is his impact on the current Hollywood landscape.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has become one of the biggest and most influential stars on the planet after starting his career in the WWE.

This past week Dwayne the Rock Johnson’s latest movie, Rampage, was number one at the box office. Today, Johnson is one of, if not the most recognized actor on the planet. His movies have brought in billions of dollars with Johnson consistently being one of the best movie draws of the past decade. Not to be outdone, John Cena has also been making an impact in multiple films in recent years and Dave Batista has played multiple roles in Hollywood and found a home in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the character Drax.

With the Rock being one of the biggest stars of the planet and other wrestlers making their mark in the entertainment industry, it’s important to remember the Andre was the wrestler who allowed wrestlers to make the move to the big screen. True, Hulk Hogan did have a guest appearance in Rocky III but his role was a brief cameo that while enjoyable, wasn’t a huge part of the movie’s plot.

Andre was the first wrestler to appear in multiple movies starting in 1976 as he played the role of Sasquatch in The Six Million Dollar Man.  In an age without special effects, he was the only person who could play the role. Many people don’t know is that for the next decade he would have multiple roles in both television and film. Even with all of these credits it wasn’t until the most pivotal for Andre as the giant Fezzik in The Princess Pride that he would truly open the door to acting for his fellow wrestlers.

Andre’s first role was as the Sasquatch in The Six Million Dollar Man in 1976.

Not only was this the first role in a major successful motion picture for a wrestler, and established that professional wrestlers could have pivotal roles in a movie. The film is one of the most beloved fairytale stories of all-time and has been inducted into the National Film Registry. In fact, the author of the Princess Bride Novel based the character of Fezzik on Andre the Giant. It was the perfect role for a real life gentle giant and even though Andre had trouble physically doing the movie due to chronic back problems, he was still able to pull of a memorable performance.

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Andre’s role in the Princess Bride as the gentle giant was not only crucial to the film, but for future wrestlers making an impact in Hollywood

His pivotal role in the film as the gentle giant, not only cemented Andre in one of the most memorable movies, but more importantly proved that professional wrestlers had the ability with their entertainment background could have exceptional performances on the silver screen.  One of the biggest what ifs would be what if he didn’t play the role in the movie? His back was so bad that he couldn’t hold Robin Wright’s character Buttercup in the film. In fact cables were used to help Andre in the scenes where he had to carry things and he had a stunt double in the famous fight scene when Cary Elwes jumps on the giant’s back. Despite these setbacks, he was able to complete the roll and more importantly open the doors for wrestlers in Hollywood.

Without his role in  Princess Bride, professional wrestlers might not have gotten the opportunities to star in films. Can you imagine Hollywood today without Dwayne Johnson or the Marvel cinematic universe without Dave Batista as Drax?

Wrestlers have become invaluable assets in entertainment outside the ring. However, they might not have had this opportunity without Andre Roussimoff’s crucial early contributions and by his standout role in one of the most beloved movies in the past 40 years.

New York Jets 7 Round Mock Draft

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With the NFL Draft approaching let’s take a look at the New York Jets. Here is our full seven round mock draft for the New York Jets 

 

Round 1: Josh Allen: QB Wyoming 

At three the Jets hope they find their franchise quarterback in Josh Allen.

The Jets paid a hefty price to move up to the third pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. In my mock draft I have the Cleveland Browns picking Sam Darnold with the first pick and the Denver Broncos selecting Josh Rosen with the second after trading up with the New York Giants.

Physically, There may not be a more intriguing prospect than Allen who displayed his big arm at the Wyoming pro day and has the size and mobility reminiscent of a young Big Ben. The big drawback for Allen was a completion percentage of under 60% but he did show better accuracy in the Wyoming bowl game and in workouts.

Allen would be in an ideal situation with the Jets where he wouldn’t have to play right away and develop behind Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater. Another big plus for Allen is that he is coming out of the same pro style in college that Carson Wentz had which could make the transition to the pros easier.

Allen has the highest ceiling of all the quarterback prospects. However, he will need to work on his accuracy but the good news is the Jets can develop next season while McCown or Bridgewater starts until Allen is ready.

 

Round 3: Josh Sweat: Edge: Florida State

The Jets need to add pass rushers on the edge.

Josh Sweat could fall in the draft because of past knee issues. If his knee checks out, the Jets should look to draft Sweat who is a speed rusher off the edge that they desperately need. With 5.5 sacks last season, if healthy Sweat has the speed to be an edge rusher and while he could use some work on his technique, has the physical traits you look for in a rush outside linebacker.

Even if he cannot be an every down linebacker, Sweat would be valuable in pass rushing situations especially with New York no longer having Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson on the defensive line. The Jets don’t have a true speed rusher off the edge and could be a compliment with Darron Lee giving the Jets two speed linebackers that could drive offensive coordinators crazy.

Even if he is only on the field in passing situations, Sweat could be the pass rushing specialist off the edge that New York has been looking for.

Round 4: Shaquem Griffin: LB: UCF

Griffin is one of the most inspiring stories in this year’s draft, but the truth is he can play.

Shaquem Griffin was the feel good story of the NFL combine. Despite only having one hand, he lost his left hand due to a prenatal condition, he impressed with a 4.38 forty yard dash and 20 bench reps. Griffin can play inside and outside linebacker and was a playmaker with UCF 74 tackles and 7.5 sacks in 2017.

Griffin would be a versatile roll player in the Jets defense that could line up both inside and outside. Don’t forget the team has had issues with former first round pick Darron Lee, who was suspended for a game after missing a team meeting last season. Griffin would give the linebacking core some much-needed depth and with his speed would be a valuable member of the special teams. A pick that adds depth, versatility, and speed to the defense. It makes too much sense for the Jets to draft Griffin.

 

Round 5: Dalton Schultz: TE: Stanford

PALO ALTO, CA – NOVEMBER 28: Dalton Schultz #9 of the Stanford Cardinal makes a reception during their game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Stanford Stadium on November 28, 2015 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

With the Jets unable to sign Austin Seferian-Jenkins they have a big hole at tight end. While the front office is high on Jordan Leggett, it wouldn’t hurt to have another tight end in the fold.

Schultz was limited in school with catches and despite not being a blocking tight end, is no slouch when it comes to the running game. The lack of passing numbers is without question a result of Stanford’s dominating run game last season. However, the skillset and athleticism bode well for Schultz to be a productive tight end at the next level.

Stanford head coach David Shaw, who is one of the most respected coaches in college football has gone on the record to say that Schultz was the most complete tight end the program has ever had. A well-rounded tight end that could compete for the starting role in the fourth round makes too much sense for the Jets to pass up here.

Round 6: Amari Coleman: CB: Central Michigan

With Buster Skrine’s large cap number for a slot corner, the Jets could look to bolster the secondary in the later rounds

The Jets made a splash in free agency signing Trumaine Johnson and bring back Morris Claiborne as the team’s starting cornerbacks. While the Jets have a few corners on the depth chart, the could still use some depth which would also allow them to cut Buster Skrine and his large cap fit.

The Jets have already had Coleman for a workout and at 5’10 and 190 pounds, he has the skill set to be a slot corner in the NFL. The Jets have been known to look at small schools in the late rounds and could add depth with Coleman at corner and on special teams. He has the ability to make plays on the ball, eight picks in his collegiate career, but more importantly can make plays with the ball returning three of those picks for touchdowns.

With his ability to make plays the Jets could be looking at turning Coleman into a returner as well. The Jets did invest two picks in last year’s draft at corner, but in today’s NFL you can never have enough productive corners and Coleman could be a nice late round addition for next season.

 

Round 7: Bilal Nichols: DE/DT: Delaware

What was once the Jets strength, now needs help.

How things have changed so quickly. Last year during the draft the Jets strongest and deepest unit was its defensive line. Twelve months later, the Jets have moved on from Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad WIlkerson and what was once their strength has now become a big question mark for the defensive unit. The Jets could add a veteran or two for depth before the start of the season, but experts have noted the Jets have strong interest in the draft specifically in Delaware’s Bilal Nichols.

At 6’4 and 306 pounds, Nichols has the size to play a 3-4 end or inside at defensive tackle. At Delaware he flashed the ability to get after the quarterback with 5.5 sacks, four passes deflected, and a blocked kick. At the very least Nichols gives the Jets depth at both the end and defensive tackle position. This unit lacks depth and will need to add some in the draft. Finding an athletic 306 pounder in the seventh round is a good flier for the Jets to take. Even he doesn’t become a starter, Nichols at the very least would be a backup to a unit that is lacking bodies.