A month later, many in the state are battling an NFL Draft hangover.

          They shouldn’t be.

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          As noted here a little afterward, it was still a positive weekend for Atlanta, even if there are questions about how they handled that first pick, from not telling Kirk Cousins until they were on the clock to the breathlessness joy they had for picking a backup.

          If they knee-jerk and overreact, yeah, they will have completely screwed it up. If players can’t completely get behind Cousins because they may like Michael Penix Jr., it’ll be a mess.

          If (mis)management isn’t firm that Cousins is the man unless he started channeling Desmond Ridder or Doug Johnson or Bobby Hebert, it may get shaky.

          No matter how many nice passes Penix throws in camp – and breaking news, EVERYBODY HAS GOOD MOMENTS IN CAMP – they have to shut down talk from players, to the point of discipline.

          If they can’t rebuild trust from Cousins, who we really know probably wouldn’t have signed if he knew they were going to mislead him and the rest of us, it could all be moot.

          But here’s a possibility.

          Let’s go against tradition, and the whining expectations of “fans”.

          Let’s say Cousins does what he’s paid to do, in conjunction with many other players doing what they’re paid to do, and the coaching staff being moderately bright while blocking out everything, including an owner.

          Let’s say the Falcons go 12-5 the next two years, like they should’ve been – and as somebody predicted – last year. And that they win a playoff game in 2024, and maybe a couple in 2025.

          Let’s say Atlanta is a legit player for a 2026 Super Bowl run after the 2025 season, and Cousins remains healthy.

          Trade Penix.

          Boom. Trade Penix for some quality bodies, because Atlanta will need quality bodies, somewhere. Automatically, offensive line.

          Even if they get a couple players with some age on them who are still productive for a few years and bring some maturity and experience and chemistry, it’s a win.

          Under no circumstances do you yank a winning quarterback, a quarterback who has improved your team and led that team to where it’s wanted to go, or at least was a huge reason of progress.

          No, if Cousins delivers, you don’t make a QB change. If Cousins keeps delivering, even if there’s a slight slip in year 3 and/or 4, you don’t change what’s working.

          Say this scenario develops. Maybe Atlanta starts looking for a trade even before that. Maybe – and people in charge being as generally short-sighted as the are – some team makes the Falcons an offer they can’t refuse.

          While planning on a trade for Penix, Atlanta is eyeballing college quarterbacks as well as a journeyman stopgap. See, if your team has everything in place, you don’t need a sexy quarterback, you need a competent quarterback.

          No, he needn’t be your long-term QB, because this year is basically the only year that counts, whatever year that is. Yes, a game manager is what wins big games. Look around.

          In two years, Penix will be still a rookie basically, if Cousins does as expected/hoped for. And he’ll be 26, with a lot of questions and a lot of potential. But he’ll need to play. Somewhere that doesn’t have a winning quarterback room.

          He could end up at a playoff contender. So what? Where he goes has nothing to do with Atlanta, even if that team plays the Falcons.

          This is a fairly young team, and in a couple years, there’ll be a little cap room as Cousins plays. Shoot, maybe it goes well enough for him to rework the contract for more room.

          Make no mistake. Every year, no matter how solid or settled a cap situation is, every team has decisions to make, projecting the draft as well as veterans, and where those older guys will be health-wise and efficiency-wise in two years.

          It’s more complicated than many realize while pondering situations between burps.

          But, yes, the Falcons could benefit greatly from drafting Penix even if he’s never their starter.

 

Catching up: Women’s hoops

          On the resume is a few women’s Final Fours, a number of regionals, all sorts of girls high school state championship events, features galore, etc. You know, the job, in Louisiana, West Virginia, and Georgia.

          Covering female sports, for those capable of open-mindedness and all that stuff, is more enjoyable in most ways than covering guys. Nicer, smarter, more appreciative, more emotional about the games, more unselfish as teammates.

          Yeah, it kind of means more.

          To see this recent surge of attention and money and coverage of women’s sports, the explosion the last few years in women’s college hoops? Wasn’t sure I’d be around for it.

          Quite certain I never predicted that the women’s Final Four would outdraw the men on TV. Very certain.

          Absolutely certain that I wouldn’t have some of the conversations I’ve had about women’s basketball with some of the people I’ve had those conversations with.

          Stunned, and gratified.

          The new blood up top has been needed. Up in hoops Heaven, Pat Summitt may be prouder of  Dawn Staley’s accomplishments – on the court and as a remarkable stateswoman for the game and its people – than anything that’s happened in Knoxville in a long time.

          Plus, she’s happy anytime Geno isn’t on top.

          A high-five to Iowa’s Lisa Bluder for allowing Caitlin Clark to be Caitlin Clark, on the court and off, and let’s thank God Clark was able to handle all of that.

          Huge high five to Iowa’s players, able to handle all of that, too. Nice to see players like each other and be about winning, no matter how it happens.

          For all the stereotypes, can you imagine male college players giving up all that attention without getting whiny and petty? Not too often.

          Included in this progression is, of course, some weak media/”media” coverage, some exaggeration and hyperbole amongst some players/coaches/teams – some more colorful than others – and some of the crap.

          Here’s hoping Paige Bueckers comes out of her shell a little bit as she takes over atop the player mountain. Here’s hoping media doesn’t re-hide simply because nobody’s shooting 30-footers or their mouths off.

And here’s hoping for some sudden rivalries to continue and new ones emerge.

 

Loughdmouthings

          The catching up for a couple weeks begins.

          Catching up: Thank you, Chicago Bulls fans for the January reminder that classlessness and stupidity is increasing, with your booing of late GM Jerry Krause at a ring of honor ceremony recently while his widow sat on the court.

          “We didn’t know she was there.”

          Doesn’t make dumb any less dumb.

          Yo, morons, he was the GM of your city’s only major-sport championships for a stretch, and of one of major pro sports’ best runs in history.

          Y’all, and Michael Jordan, need to grow up and get over yourselves a little bit.

          People need to remember a few things:

          Just because you like somebody doesn’t mean they’re competent.

          Just because you like somebody doesn’t mean they’re a good person.

          Just because you don’t like somebody doesn’t mean they’re not good at their job.

          And there’s always more to situations than what outsiders know. Always. Especially when outsiders don’t seek knowledge or information or context. …

          A reminder for folks, that you’re welcome to grab a rule book, spend a few weeks getting in shape, get your eyes checked, and give some officiating a try. …

          (A little dated this calendar year, but forever relevant) From Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel:

          “Tweet of the Week comes from former NFL player Ross Tucker, who lampooned the ridiculousness of the NFL media speculation heading into the draft: “BREAKING: Just found out there’s a team open to trading down YET looking to trade up BUT don’t be surprised if they just stand pat and make a pick.”