Guice laments demise of kickoffs, Jordan Palmer is QB whisperer
Derrius Guice, likely No. 2. running back in Thursday draft, laments the demise of kickoffs
LSU’s Derrius Guice hopes to be the second running back selected – behind Penn State’s Saquon Barkley – in the NFL Draft that begins Thursday night in Arlington. Guice has rushing stats similar to Barkley’s, but the Penn State player is bigger (230 pounds to 212) and has been more productive in the passing game. So Guice is declaring his enthusiasm for return duty – a dangerous task shunned by most of his cohorts, especially those who could be first-round draft picks. With that in mind, Guice isn’t happy to see the NFL phasing out kickoff returns. The subject will be explored at the Player Safety Summit next week at NFL Headquarters in Manhattan. The kickoff appears doomed, but tradionalists see it as integral to the sport. “It’s going to be very awkward to start the game without a kickoff,” Gruice said on Pro Football Talk. “That’s what sets the tone for the whole game.”
Dear Derrius: The kickoff has the highest casualty rate of all plays. Chances are it will stay, for traditional purposes to open each half. Probably a role for running backs who aren’t productive on third down.
Josh Allen finds Jordan Palmer to be a quarterback whisperer
Every young QB looks for a mentor. Josh Allen, who could be the first player chosen in Thursday’s NFL Draft in Arlington, points to a coaching specialist who helped him prior to the Senior Bowl: Jordan Palmer, younger brother of Arizona’s recently retired Pro Bowl QB Carson Palmer. Allen, who is 6-foot-5, has the same problem as Brock Osweiler and other long-legged quarterbacks: they overstride. Speaking on NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk, Allen said: “Jordan has a really good eye. He sees mechanics, can tell you what’s going on. I was a big over-stride guy. . . . My left leg would be way out, and it threw off my sequencing. My elbow would drop after that, and the ball would be in on me.” He said Palmer strapped a band to his ankles to restrict the separation. “Jordan has helped me get my feet right. The ball is coming out easier, and it’s where it’s supposed to be.” Allen completed only 56% of his passes in college, but that was before he worked with Palmer. After three weeks with Palmer, Allen showed improved mechanics at the Senior Bowl. He completed 9 of 13 for 158 yards, 2 TDs, no picks. He outpassed Baker Mayfield and the other QBs who played.
Between the Lines: Palmer worked with Deshaun Watson prior to last year’s draft. He’s also tutoring Sam Darnold, who’s competing with Allen to be No. 1 Overall on Thursday night.
Mayfield admits he spent little time studying Chargers’ playbook
After Baker Mayfield visited the Los Angeles Chargers, he was asked how the session went. “I didn’t look at their playbook the way I should have,” Mayfield admitted. He expects to be drafted higher than the Chargers’ pick at No. 17. “I’m prioritizing which playbooks I’m going to learn,” he told Sports Illustrated. “No offense to them, but I’ve got a lot on my plate.”
Dear Baker: Your critics will say this another sign of immaturity. Given that you were arrested last year for driving while impaired and resisting arrest and given several other disturbing actions on your part, you didn’t need to say you were blowing off the Chargers. Who by the way, could trade up. For somebody else.
Mora reverses himself on Rosen: he’s as dedicated to winning as Darnold is
Belatedly as possible, coach Jim Mora Jr., threw his unequivocal support to Josh Rosen, who played for him at UCLA. Mora tweeted: “He’s the real deal, he has it all, he will be a great one, he will win championships.” A month ago, Mora created a media sensation by saying the Cleveland Browns would be better off taking USC’s Sam Darnold at No. 1 instead of Rosen. Mora suggested that Darnold had more “grit” and that Rosen required coddling by a coach, that “he’s a millennial and you have to tell him why.” Personality is hurting Rosen’s draft prospects. He’s too candid for his own good. While Baker Mayfield raised red flags by taunting opponents, Rosen taunted the President, wearing an anti-Trump cap to a Trump-owned golf course. NFL teams worry that Rosen might be an anthem-kneeler, that he will be a constant distraction. And that he might have a toxic effect on a locker room. Rosen himself alluded to that in an interview with Mike Silver of NFL.com. “What hurts me on the inside is when people will meet me and I talk to them, and they’ll be like, ‘God, you’re not a dick.’ Or, ‘From what I understood, you’re kind of an A-hole.’ . . . I don’t know what to say to that.”
Dear Josh: In the NFL, the less said the better.
Romney taunts Westbrook, who gets rattled by the Jazz
Russell Westbrook is one of basketball’s greats – back to back seasons averaging a triple double and reigning Most Valuable Player of the NBA. But the whirling point guard of the Oklahoma City Thunder has a 2-7 playoff record. The Utah Jazz humiliated him Monday night in taking a 3-1 lead in their playoff series. Westbrook lacked focus throughout, obsessed with shutting down Ricky Rubio, who had a triple double the game before, encroaching on Westbrook domain. After promising to “shut that (expletive) down,” Westbrook in Monday’s game ignored other responsibilities. He had 3 assists, 5 turnovers, complained about calls and sulked much of he time. Not only that, he lost a smack-down with Mitt Romney. When Westbrook was tagged for his fourth foul in the first half, the Utah senatorial candidate theatrically raised four fingers. He stirred the home crowd into delirium as only Mitt can do when wearing a custom-made Jazz jersey with his name on it.
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Knicks in a ‘class’ by themselves, unload on Hornacek after firing him as coach
Protocol in the NBA for firing a coach is be as decent as possible. No need to enumerate the man’s faults as you’re shoving him out the door. But James Dolan of the New York Knicks does not operate the way most NBA owners do. He recently announced that Franchise Player Kristaps Porzingis may miss all of next season with a knee injury – unusual way to sell season tickets. Dolan showed that same PR savvy when he publicly criticized the departing Jeff Hornacek for not relating well to his players: “I think Hornacek had the same kind of issue that Phil (Jackson) did,” Dolan told the New York Post. “He didn’t grasp how different the players are now in the way they think and deal with management and coaches. . . . The old-style coaching doesn’t work. A coach who tries to do everything himself isn’t going to be successful.” Not only did Dolan kick a man when he was down, his subordinates piled on. Knicks president Steve Mills said Hornacek “could have done a better job” at “attention to detail” and forcing “player accountability.” General manager Scott Perry chimed in: “We could have been a little better in situational basketball.”
Dear Jimmy: This could not be more Knicks. You hire the wrong coach, then tell the planet all the things he did wrong that you never expected.
Mets send Matt Harvey to the bullpen
The New York Mets assigned ex-ace Matt Harvey to the bullpen. After a series of disappointing starts by the Dark Knight – and little self-awareness — Mets manager Mickey Callaway made the sort of tactical move that worked well for him when he was a pitching coach in Cleveland. He saw starters Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer and Danny Duffy improve after taking a brief stint at relief. “They can concentrate in the moment,” Callaway said. “They’re not worried about what will happen five, six innings later.” Harvey did not take the transfer well. “On a scale of 1 to 10,” he said, “I’m at 10 for being pissed off.” But he admitted he’s not pitching well, that “the best thing I can do is go to the bullpen, get my stuff ready, and ultimately get back into the rotation.” Former Mets pitcher Bob Ojeda told the New York Post: “His stuff has changed, it’s not what it was. And I 100% believe he doesn’t know how to pitch.”
Between the Lines: This move had to happen. In each of his last three starts Harvey has allowed at least 4 runs and 8 hits. Since pitching in the World Series in 2015, Harvey’s ERA, in more than 200 innings, is 5.80. His fastball has slowed from an average of 97 mph in 2015 to 93 this year.