My thoughts on sports and life

It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Cincinnati Bengals were seconds away from their first playoff win in more than two decades mere months ago. With most of the team returning for 2016, it seemed like this season would see them pick up where they left off. Unfortunately that didn't happen.  So far, 2016 has been devastating to fans expecting another shot at a playoff run. The offense has been inconsistent, while the defense has been a sieve, and fans are ready to revolt. What's the problem? Well, maybe "what's not the problem" should be the question. Here's a look at it. Quarterback:  At this point, it's important to understand that Andy Dalton is what he is. He's a smart player who can succeed when given the right conditions. His arm has gotten stronger, but his deep balls are often off-target throws that rely on AJ Green to make a great play, which he usually does. Dalton also struggles when there's pressure, and can be forced into ...

A few years ago, college football was broken, with controversy a yearly and inevitable occurrence. I laid out a plan ( http://vancelotsrandomthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/12/mutiny-on-bcs-boat.html ) that would save the system, and ensure fairness, limit contention over the championship, and bring an overall better atmosphere for fans and players. Now, the NFL is in trouble, with sagging ratings, diminishing interest, and fan disapproval that stretches from sea to shining sea. Ever at the ready, I'm stepping in, once again, to fix a sport that needs help before it suffers a fate worse than death. It could, gulp, fall behind baseball again, and we can't have that. So, I've sat down with my two-year old son, my dog, and a box of pencils to create a plan to save the NFL. Buckle up. 1. Once again, we start with re-alignment. I don't care about existing rivalries. Make new rivalries. Dallas is closer to the West than the East, and others were just grouped so that they made ...