With all the talks of contract extensions around the Dallas Cowboys, many thought the first to be signed would be either bell cow running back Ezekiel Elliott or darling quarterback Dak Prescott. Next in line may have been newcomer wide receiver Amari Cooper, or lockdown cornerback Byron Jones. However, Jerry Jones had different plans when he made the big-hitting inside linebacker Jaylon Smith an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Before we breakdown the contract, let’s look back at Jaylon’s interesting story as an NFL player. He finished junior season at Notre Dame by winning the Butkus Award (college football’s top linebacker) just before tearing his ACL & MCL with significant nerve damage in the Fiesta Bowl. A probable overall top 5 NFL draft choice, turned into a question mark of if he will ever be able to play the sport he grew up loving, ever again. Smith declared for the 2016 NFL Draft with scouts projecting him to go anywhere from the 2nd round to the 6th round with teams unsure how quick he could recover, if at all. The Dallas Cowboys selected him 34th overall. It was a gamble, but one that Jerry did not want to miss out on like he did with Randy Moss 18 years prior.
Once Jaylon became a Cowboy, he did everything he could to make it back on the football field. When he did, in 2017, he did not disappoint, recording 81 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and a sack. He only started 6 games, but played in all 16, a milestone in and of itself. The next season was a breakout year for both him and the Cowboys 1st round draft pick Leighton Vander Esch. They finished the season as one of the best linebacker duos in the NFL, all the while working as if they were given nothing and had to earn everything.
The overall numbers: $5 million signing bonus, $35.5 million guaranteed, for a total of $64 million over 6 years.
This seems to be a cap-friendly deal, Every. Single. Year. With the NFL salary cap steadily increasing $10 million a year since 2013, the $12-13 million cap hits from 2022-2025 will be a bargain for a quality starting linebacker and team leader, that wants to be a Dallas Cowboy for life.
Jaylon Smith’s goal was to allow his mom to retire, and he has definitely accomplished that. All the while, still giving the owner and team that took a chance on him 3 years ago, the ability to build a Super Bowl contending team around him.
Zeke and Dak did Jaylon a huge favor this preseason, by holding out and asking for a ridiculous $40 million/year deal, respectively. Zeke angered one of, if not the only person, that had his back through every personal issue on and off the field. Jerry Jones will treat a player he loves like family; but, turn on him, and he will do the same in return. It looks as if both agents will have to go back to the drawing board with the Cowboy’s front office, while Jaylon Smith slowly inches his way up the fan-favorite list in Cowboy Nation. Look to see a lot more #54 jerseys in the stands this year as Jaylon Smith just signed a contract to be in the Silver & Blue for at least 10 years.
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ALDS Game 1 Preview: Blue Jays @ Rangers
Well folks, that’s it… The 2016 MLB regular season is officially in the books, and for the second straight year the Texas Rangers will face off against the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series (ALDS). For those of you that somehow aren’t aware of the hostile, often violent relationship between the two clubs, you have a lot of catching up to do.
The Blue Jays advanced by defeating the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Wildcard game on Tuesday night, and if the rowdy crowd in attendance at the Rogers Centre was any indication of the type of theatrics to expect in the ALDS – get your popcorn ready. But before you bust out the Orville Redenbacher, let’s examine the pitching matchups and the keys to a Rangers’ victory in Game 1.
BLUE JAYS @ RANGERS
Thursday, 10/6, 3:38 PM – Globe Life Park, Arlington, TX – Television: TBS
STARTING PITCHERS
TEX: LH COLE HAMELS (15-5, 3.32 ERA)
Cole Hamels gets the nod for the Rangers on Thursday afternoon, facing off against the Jays for the first time in 2016. Hamels has been shaky over his last 6 appearances, going 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA – Not exactly the kind of momentum you’d like your ace to have heading into the post-season. However, Hamels touts a .267 opponent batting average when facing the Blue Jays current lineup and was strong against the Jays last year in the ALDS, with a 2.70 ERA. In the 2015 ALDS, Hamels led the Rangers to a game 1 victory, allowing only 2 earned runs. He would’ve also won game 5, but a string of errors by Elvis Andrus botched the game for the Rangers and ended the 2015 campaign.TOR: RH MARCO ESTRADA (9-9, 3.48 ERA)
For the Jays, the right-handed Marco Estrada will take the mound. Estrada had two no-decisions against the Rangers back in May, allowing 5 earned runs over 12 total innings pitched, but the Jays did pull out the win in each of his appearances. Similar to Hamels, Estrada didn’t exactly close out the 2016 regular season strong, going 1-3 with a 3.98 ERA over his last 6 appearences. However, in the 2015 ALDS, Estrada did pitch well against the Rangers, winning Game 3 by allowing only 1 earned run and 5 hits over 6.1 innings of work.RANGERS KEYS TO SUCCESS
- Hamels must overcome the control issues that have plagued his last few starts. The Blue Jays led the American League in Walks Taken with 3.92 per game, so they are disciplined enough to make Hamels work if they see him struggle with location early on. The Jays’ lineup doesn’t have a history of piling up the base-hits versus Hamels. If he can hit the corners and avoid allowing free base runners, the Rangers should be able to keep the Jays’ in check offensively.
- The bats need to get going early and often. Estrada is a momentum pitcher and will get hot or cold, depending on how the Rangers get going. Estrada did very well against the Rangers back in May, but the Rangers’ lineup looks significantly different today with several new bats thrown into the mix. If the new bats (Beltran, Lucroy, Gomez) can help spark the offense early and rattle Estrada, the Jays may be forced to look to a flawed bullpen with a 4.60 ERA over the last month of baseball.
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The Rangers need to focus on the ultimate goal, and not get caught up with in-game dramatics . With the media hype surrounding this ALDS matchup, game one will surely bring heightened emotions for both teams. There may be some bat flips or other old-world-baseball faux pas, but Odor has already granted vindication for the entire organization with one right hook that Jose Bautista will certainly never forget. The Rangers need to focus on the game, or even doing some bat flips themselves… Let the fans focus on the drama.
And on that note, I’ll leave you with this gem… GO RANGERS!
- Hamels must overcome the control issues that have plagued his last few starts. The Blue Jays led the American League in Walks Taken with 3.92 per game, so they are disciplined enough to make Hamels work if they see him struggle with location early on. The Jays’ lineup doesn’t have a history of piling up the base-hits versus Hamels. If he can hit the corners and avoid allowing free base runners, the Rangers should be able to keep the Jays’ in check offensively.
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Rio 2016: The *AsteRISK* Olympics
The top four golfers in the world are out. Five of the top twenty-five tennis players in the world said, “No thanks”. Fifteen NBA players from the USA alone are staying home for various reasons. And, if you think it’s just rich superstars from flourishing, developed countries, think again. Kenyan marathon runners Wilson Kipsang (who won bronze in 2012) and world record holder, Dennis Kimetto, are both refusing to compete due to ‘scheduling issues’.
Scheduling issues happen when someone asks you to come to their housewarming party next week, but you are going to be out of town for an annual work conference; not for one of the world’s biggest event that occurs every four years in August. When Russia, an Olympic powerhouse, almost being completely banned from the 2016 Olympic Games is a story that doesn’t command headlines, something big must be happening in Rio. And it is, it just isn’t anything positive. While the Zika virus is getting a lot of attention in the media, and many athletes are citing it as their excuse to stay home, there are so many reasons why the Olympics need a complete overhaul. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) needs to find a way to host the Olympic games, while providing safety and comfort to both athletes and fans. Before we get into the solution, let’s go over the biggest problems in Rio.
Olympic Village
For the second straight Olympic Games, the living conditions provided to the athletes in the Olympic Village are, in a word, unlivable. Everyone saw the horror photos from Sochi in 2014, but according to the teams from Australia, Sweden, Argentina, Belarus, and Kenya, Rio isn’t much better. I’m sorry, but if some Kenyan athletes are staying away, and the ones that actually come are complaining about the deplorable living conditions, you probably have an issue. Even the building inspectors have said that the Olympic Village is not passing basic safety codes. Not just one or two, but 19 of the 31 buildings have not been passed, less than two weeks before the opening ceremony. Several countries have decided to stay elsewhere until these problems are fixed.Super Bug
Hopefully, if you are competing in the Rio Games, you do not have an event that takes place in the open water, because there is a super bug to worry about now. No, not the Zika virus, it’s a drug-resistant bacteria that can affect the urinary tract, the bloodstream, and your lungs. Oh, you mean the things we breathe with? No big deal. Well, according to Dr. William Schaffner, and infectious disease specialist, there will not be an epidemic because of the low concentrations of the bacteria in the water. Also, if there were going to be an epidemic, the native Brazilians would have already been experiencing that. That’s like saying, “Sandy’s got herpes, but Johnny and Ricky both dated her and didn’t get it. So, you’re probably good”. Dr. Schaffner is also recommending the athletes in these events shower with soap and water immediately after leaving the open water. It’s always reassuring to ask your coach, “What’s my time?”, and be answered with, “YOUR TIME?!? Are you kidding me, go get in the shower and clean off that super bug!!!” I understand that the risk may be low, but I don’t think I would be voluntarily getting in those waters with the gravity of the possible diseases from the super bug.Social & Financial Collapse
As for the social side of Rio de Janeiro, they have recently declared a state of public calamity. Seriously, that’s a thing that can be declared? It’s not as if Rio announced that its ozone level orange today, try not to go outside. They’re basically saying that is has gotten so bad that they can’t even sugarcoat it anymore. When you’re beyond the point where politicians can cover up something bad by pointing the other way at something good, I guess you declare a state of public calamity. So Rio is on the edge of disaster less than two months before they host one of the biggest events in the world.Apparently, the IOC likes to go to struggling cities, who have these itty-bitty issues, such as feeding and educating their people, and tell them that maybe those problems will take care of themselves if they spend $12 billion on a two-week sporting event. It’s funny, because I was just thinking of telling a friend that has 4 kids, no job, and two mortgages to hurry up and buy another house before the market goes back up. The finances are getting so bad they can’t even afford to pay firefighters and police. Why were their salaries in the budget cuts before the politicians that got them into this mess? But, don’t worry too much, it’s not as if South America is a place where there’s a lot of crime, and tourists aren’t safe on the streets at night. Oh wait…shit.
The Next Step
The solution to this Olympics issue is quite simple. Have a five city rotation (10 total including winter) where the games are held. Pick cities that have a stable economy and have the means to accommodate millions of visitors for two to three weeks. This would eliminate the issue of cities building structures that are never going to be used again, because they will be used again. Of course there is a boost for the economy with all of the construction that goes on, but when that same area turns into a ghost town almost immediately after the closing ceremony, it feels as if all that work was done for nothing (not to mention all of the money spent).
These areas could be used for various other events as well, from other sporting events to conventions to concerts. I’m sure the IOC promises these struggling countries dreams of turning what was nothing into a new affluent area of their city, but a poor area isn’t going to be brought out of poverty from a two-week event. This would also help to eliminate the transportation issues of a city not used to so many extra visitors. Having done it in the past will allow for each Olympic Games to be more efficient, not to mention enjoyable, for everyone involved (raging cheers from anyone who went to Atlanta in 1996).
The only stories about the Olympics should involve the athletes, but each Games has turned into more and more of a political mess. Some of these athletes spend their entire lives training to compete in one, and only one, Olympic Games. Unfortunately, the ongoings in Rio may have taken that chance away from them. The medalists at these games will not be viewed as inferior to other years because of the number of competitors staying away, however, it’s sad that the world cannot see the best of the best. There is a business side to the Olympic Games, and revenue must be generated to run such a massive event, but not at the expense of general human needs. Especially, when the Olympic Games is a spectacle of the human body and what it can achieve at its highest level. One of these days, we will get rid of overbearing and greedy legislative bodies (IOC, NCAA, FIFA, etc.), so that sports can be pure again. Until then, cover yourself head-to-toe with OFF, swallow a few broad-spectrum antibiotics, and go grab your wallet chain from middle school before you jump on that flight to Rio.
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