If you’re reading this in the midwest, you’re likely experiencing apocalyptic snow. Grab a blanket, stay inside, and enjoy this week’s SSM.
A blockbuster trade in the NFL A rare sight indeed, a cold day in hell Jared Goff and Matt Stafford, a quarterback swap The Rams on their way to the NFC’s hilltop
Another big name on the move this week Nolan Arenado to Cardinals, Card fans freak Nolan does have an opt out option after 2021 The NL Central hoping he’s one and done
The Brooklyn Nets have won four in a row After a slightly slow start, the big three on a roll They’re scoring 126 points per game during this recent hot streak Unless you’re Philly or Milwaukee, in the East it looks bleak
This week, the NFL announced that inaugural poet laureate Amanda Gorman would be performing an original poem before the Super Bowl. According to HuffPost, Gorman will “perform a poem honoring the three people tapped by the league to serve as honorary captains for the Super Bowl this year…[t]he trio consists of nurse Suzie Dorner, educator Trimaine Davis and Marine Corps veteran James Martin.”
Now, no matter which way you lean, it’s hard to downplay how great Ms. Gorman’s poem, and the reading of said poem, was on Inauguration Day. Even if you didn’t like it, our poet laureate has the resumé to shut pretty much any of us down. According to her website, theamandagorman.com, Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, graduated cum laude from Harvard, and has performed for the White House and Lin Manuel Miranda.
Great move by Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL here, incorporating poetry with the sports.
But wait a minute…hasn’t someone else been doing this for a while now? Bringing prose and pros together to spin a story involving athletics is one dynamic idea. Where did the NFL get this idea? That’s right…
FROM US.
Whether you’ve been rocking with UDS from day one or just started checking us out a week ago, you would have noticed our weekly recurring series, Sunday State of Mind. We take the week that was in sports and recap it with truly, truly awful rhyme schemes and wording that would make real poets like Amanda Gorman question the art form of poetry itself. You can read some examples of our exemplary work here, here, and here.
This has nothing to do with Amanda Gorman, who has more talent in per pinky finger than most other writers today. Totally innocent in all of this; who wouldn’t want to perform at the Super Bowl?
All I’m saying is…we’ve been on this sports poetry tip for a while. All of the sudden the NFL comes barging in and totally jocking our schtick by incorporating one of the country’s best poets into the biggest game of the year? I’m calling shenanigans. I see through it, Goodell, and I just want you to know that.
NFL Championship Sunday is done, and the Super Bowl is set. We recap and look forward to Super Bowl LV in this week’s SSM.
Tampa and Green, the battle of the Bays Tom Brady just wins in so many ways Bucs are heading to their second Super Bowl One more win and they’ll accomplish their goal
The Kansas City Chiefs, what more can you say Andy Reid heading to another Super Bowl Sunday In today’s NFL, so hard to repeat Hard to imagine right now, the Chiefs getting beat
So the big game is set, Tampa Bay and Kansas City This match up, my God, the opposite of a pity TB12 and Mahomes, makes a fan feel alive Only two weeks away from Super Bowl 55
On Thursday, the Detroit Lions officially announced the hiring of their new head coach, Dan Campbell. The new leader of the Lions inked a six year deal to become the next man in a long line of coaches attempting to bring the Lions out of proverbial irrelevancy. Campbell is tasked with improving a franchise that hasn’t won their division since 1993, and won their last playoff game a year before that, in 1992.
A tall task indeed, but Campbell may just be crazy enough to get the job done. This man is an absolute character. A total meathead in the most sincere form of the word. Let’s learn a few fun facts about the man, the myth, the legend…Dan Campbell.
He Loves Metallica
Campbell took over for Joe Philbin as the interim coach for the Miami Dolphins in 2015. In one of his first press conferences, “Dantallica” provided some insight on his musical preferences:
“I’m a big country/Metallica fan. That’s kind of who I am…I like classic rock, too, but that was something…I really wanted to see them. So I stayed up and I knew the ticket box was going to be open at 8 and it was probably going to be packed, so I just decided to stay up. Anyway, I got there, I think I was fourth in line. So it worked out.”
Dantallica is a man of passion. That passion might just be enough to get the Lions to the promised land.
His Power Stance is an All-Timer
Raw power.
How anyone could think they could line up against the man responsible for putting out these kind of vibes?
If I were Dan Campbell, my interview strategy would be to come in the room, slap this picture down on the desk, and as whoever I’m talking to how much they’re willing to pay me.
I can only assume this man is keeping this amount of space betwixt his legs for all of the Super Bowl trophies he’s planning on bringing to Detroit.
He is an Supercharged Electric Quote Factory
The entire internet rarely agrees on anything; but we are all in agreement that Dan Campbell won his introductory press conference; a few examples:
“[W]e’re going to kick you in the teeth, all right, and when you punch us back, we’re going to smile at you and when you knock us down, we’re going to get up, and on the way up, we’re going to bite a knee cap off.“
“[W]hen you come into Detroit, you’re going to leave beat up. And I’m talking about as a team. I’m not saying we get – the tourists come in. People want to come in.”
Now, hopefully Dantallica meant all of these things metaphorically, as I don’t think these ideas are going to work too well in terms of a game plan when the Lions take the field next season. What I can say, though, is that Detroit seems to have their guy. This is such an insane hire that Detroit may have just struck gold.
Super Bowl LVI is scheduled for February 6, 2022 in Los Angeles….just sayin’.
NFL Divisional Playoff weekend has come and gone. We’re here to wax poetic about it in this week’s SSM.
First game of the weekend, hosted by Green Bay The Packers really took it to the Rams of LA Aaron Rodgers continued his MVP run The Rams are headed home, back to the California sun
The Bills and Ravens in upstate New York Buffalo’s in the AFC Championship, pop the cork The Ravens fall again in the second round Someday soon Lamar will be Super Bowl bound
The Cleveland Browns had a nice playoff run But they met the Chiefs, and now they’re done Patrick Mahomes continues to roll If he beats the Bills, he’s off to another Super Bowl
Bucs and Saints, Tom Brady again Went down to New Orleans, came out with a win Brady vs. Rodgers next week, up in Lambeau All time QB matchup, who says no?
Baker Mayfield had himself a day Four touchdowns, 334 yards, to the Titans’ dismay The Browns moved to 9-3 on the year Once in a blue moon the Dawg Pound can cheer
A few big name changes, on Chicago’s North Side Kyle Schwarber is gone, and Len Kasper has gone for a ride To The White Sox radio both, Cubs fans were surprised What’s going on with the Cubs? It’s hard to surmise
A big name trade in the NBA John Wall for Russell Westbrook, what the hey?! A few bad contracts, who both wanted to change teams This trade will only change things in Wizards & Rockets fan’s dreams
Alabama football rolled their rival LSU The Crimson Tide won by 38, Tigers didn’t have a clue In this weird COVID season, one thing remains the same Alabama is good, and they’ll probably win every game
We took some time to give thanks this week, and ignored the blog while doing so. But we’re back, and ready to review what we missed in the past seven days in this week’s Sunday State of Mind.
The Match3 went down, teeing off on Friday Phil, Chuck, Peyton, and Steph were excited to play In a big upset, Charles Barkley played well Chuck and Phil won 4 & 3, Peyton and Steph fell
Some more random sports, Mike Tyson is back! He fought Roy Jones Jr., but the excitement lacked It wasn’t a full match, only an exhibition spar The “fight” was a draw, and was as slow as tar
Moving on to real sports, college basketball A little behind schedule, still started in late fall It’s great to see action back on the hardwood A small step towards things feeling more like they should
Hate to beat a dead horse, but COVID’s still here Ravished the Ravens, a realized fear The MVP Lamar Jackson had a positive test Ravens/Steelers delayed six days, not the best
Another weekend come and gone…let’s reflect on the week that was in this weeks SSM.
The Miami Marlins, shattering the ceiling The team has hired the first female GM, an absolute awesome feeling Kim Ng has been hired to run the show for the Marlins Here’s hoping it all goes well, and she leads the team to many wins
The 2020 Masters was as always a treat Dustin Johnson, simply could not be beat Yes DJ took home his first green jacket He’s the #1 golfer in the world, in his own bracket
The Bills and Cardinals, holy shit Kyler to DeAndre, Cards didn’t quit On the last extra point, the Cards took a knee An incredible cover, for those who had Buffalo +3
The Tompa Bay Bucs got back on track TB12 with four touchdowns, put the team on his back Ronald Jones went yard with a 98-yard score The Buccaneers are gelling more and more
It’s Sunday. The weekend is slipping away from us. Let’s enjoy this week’s SSM while we still can.
Dalvin Cook just keeps going and going Last week and this week, after his injured groin He’s topped 200 yards two games in a row What a gift for the Vikings, wrap that man in a bow
Notre Dame bested Clemson in a top five battle The Golden Domers now sit in college football’s saddle Students rushed the field, said “we can’t stop” like Miley Cyrus Here’s hoping this scene doesn’t lead to a spread of the Coronavirus
Not a sports topic, but what the heck We want to pay tribute to Alex Trebek The GOAT game show host, his memory won’t cease All the best to his loves ones, may he rest in peace
We took a bit of a break from SSM last week. We couldn’t be more excited to return, please enjoy.
Dodgers and Rays, not even here To talk about tonight’s game, because Saturday was so weird Game Four ended with two errors and a slip It was so insane, an absolute trip
A sentence I thought I would never say Things aren’t going great with the Patriot Way Three picks for Cam, and a loss to San Francisco After all their success, hard to feel bad for New England Massholes
Big 10 Football is back, and we had a wild one Indiana beat Penn State on a last second run The call was so close, and was impossible to call How can you not love college football?
On the flip side of college football, Jaylen Waddle Sadly fractured his ankle while going full throttle Another week one star, Badger QB Graham Mertz Tested positive for COVID, both injuries must hurt
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