4 Hard Downs: Airport Delays, A Baby & Non-QB Draft Teams Are More Interesting

I love New York, Meet Your Friends' Babies, What Do The Bears Do and a very personal newsletter that is a day late.

I just got back from New York City and whew, buddy, I dig that place. Going back for the NFL Draft to do some work but it was nice going to see Game Theory get taped, catch up with my buddy Bomani Jones and getting to see some old friends. There is something about the hustle of the city that always squares with me.

I even went to Brooklyn, a thing I don’t ever do. But I had to meet a special new addition.

I also watched “Cool Hand Luke” for the 300th time and that movie just moves me.

Him with his mom. How Dragline treats him. How he will not let anyone tell him what to do regardless of consequences. His spirit not being broken. It is one of my favorite movies of all time.

And Paul Newman is a snack!!

So let’s get into it…SPOT THE BALL!!!

1st Down: Seeing your friends become moms and dads is very cool

I got to meet my good friend’s baby this weekend. Got to watch him with his baby and see how he just is invested and has ported his professionalism from the job we did together into his parenting. This weekend I will get to see another friend and former co-worker because she is coming to my kid’s birthday party.

Watching your friends become parents is dope.

Like people you did some dumb stuff with and were just a kid with and then they are now responsible, keep this human alive people, is cool.

Seeing my gang grow up, my tribe have kids and some of the trials of both trying to have kids and having kids keeps me young. Reminds me of what I’ve gone through, what we went through, and so just wanted to put some positive out there to anyone reading this.

2nd Down: Bears are in a wild spot

The Chicago Bears are a team that, my good friend, Stephen Nelson loves. They gave up their draft a few years ago to get Mitch Trubisky.

He was infuriated.

Unlike the Eagles who have since that draft won and been to two Super Bowls the Trubisky move ever paid off.

They have to hit on this one. It seems like they have the QB in Justin Fields. Now, where do you spend your resources?

OL to protect him?

WR to help him?

RB to make a Baltimore or Eagles style dual threat attack?

Pass rusher?

Suffocating secondary with shut down guys?

And you pick behind some other teams we will get to, but goodness there will be desirable pieces off the board when they pick at Pick 9.

This is going to be insane for the Bears. They have created more wrong answers for themselves and that is going to be fascinating to see the answer to the question. How wrong fans think it is on draft day, but also how wrong it might be in 5 years.

3rd Down: I am more excited for the non-QB part of the draft

Obviously, I live in Charlotte. Quarterback is the big talk. Same for the Colts, Texans, Falcons as we know. But man, the Bears and everyone above or around them who doesn’t want or need a QB is the most interesting part of the draft.

Cardinals will get their pick of the litter, but do they pick right?

Seahawks get another one and then the Raiders have a choice and then the aforementioned Bears. Throw in the Jets who, apparently are going to have a tough decision between going with a pass rusher, a weapon at WR or OL.

These teams all need a lot.

There is no right answer, it is purely the idea of “Best Player Available” or “Which weakness do we address?”

That is interesting and exciting.

We know we’re going to see QBs overdrafted and pushed up into the Top 10 while having Day 2 talent. But these teams are going to be the ones who have to make a selection where quarterbacks aren’t on the table, and you better hit on this pick.

I’m doing the draft again this year and while I’m ready to talk QBs, I am more excited to talk not them.

4th Down: 5.5 Days from a 5 Year Old Birthday Party

We got a bounce house.

We got helium for balloons.

We got cupcakes.

We got pizza.

We also might have rain.

We also, more importantly, might have rain.

We are not rescheduling.

So, what does Saturday look like?

No rain and good temps we are outside with kid drinks in the cooler and adult drinks in the storage room fridge.

No rain and cold temps we are outside with kid drinks in the cooler, pizza inside and adult drinks in the storage room fridge.

Rain and good temps, go get muddy but you can come in the house on the bottom level and the cooler inside and adult drinks.

Rain and bad temps, I guess we are all in my house.

We are not rescheduling, there is no, ironically, rain check, and you don’t have to come.

The bounce house is going to be here no matter what, so will the Bojangles Hard Tea and if you make it, you make it.

Will update when we do it but this is not an event where rescheduling is an option.

On God.

Cheers!