Champs and Chumps of the Weekend

(KWMN)-This past weekend in the sports world is certainly highlighted by the Chumps, as we see the Born-Again Bayou Man Lose (again), The Bears do the thing the Bears do, and the NBA refs make an appearance on this weekend’s Champs and Chumps.

Also introducing an addition to the segment this Monday. The top spot for each, a bonified Chump and Champ of the Weekend. Who did it the best, in other words.

Chumps

NBA Refs

If you missed it over the weekend. There was some good basketball in the NBA. I know, shocking, it’s only November! But with the Emirates NBA Cup underway (Don’t forget to give that oil money a shoutout!), teams try a bit harder than usual this early in the season–because they can win money. But what better way to ruin some good professional basketball than having horrific referees! The Hornets managed to beat the Bucks, thanks to Lamelo Ball making two free throws in the final seconds. The only issue there, is Lamelo Ball tripped on the hardwood, and the Refs called it a foul. Unreviewable! Then, Jayson Tatum DAZZELED in overtime with a game winning three-ball against the Raptors. But wait, hold the phone! Tatum CLEARLY traveled moments before this game winner. Not to worry though, the NBA Ref report was released for both of these games–after the fact. Declaring that both calls were missed! And that the refs made a mistake. Oh well, nothing in the game changes regardless. So now, the NBA just flat out tells us ‘Our refs stink!’ I am begging to know what the purpose of these reports are. The game is lost. It’s over. What does this solve? Nothing.

Brian Kelly

Is that three straight weeks? Blissful. The Born-Again Bayou Man has suffered his third straight loss at the helm of the LSU program, and I can’t stop smiling. You can lose to Texas A&M on the road, that’s a tough place to play. Hell, you can lose to Bama in the fashion that you did, getting routed on your home field. Those are excusable. But Billy Napier and Florida? You lost to Billy Napier and Florida?? I use the term Rock-Bottom a lot, but to see rock bottom for the LSU Program you have to dig a little deeper. The guy couldn’t win with a Heisman QB (Shoutout Jayden Daniels), and now without that Heisman QB, well, his team stinks. Digging even deeper, Brian Kelly’s contract states that he is guaranteed 90% of his salary if fired without cause. That means, if they do want to fire this clown, they would owe him $51 million next year, then $42 million, then $33.1, $23.4 and $13.5 million. Remember kids, there’s just. Not. Enough. Money. Good luck to LSU, and the worst of luck to Brian Kelly.

Jaguars and Doug Pederson

If there was ever a perfect example of a game to get someone fired, losing 52-6 would be it. Embarrassing in every way you look at it for the Jags. I’m shocked Doug Pederson made it to the morning. I’d be shocked if I’m not talking about him being fired on Tuesday’s show. Pederson is treading towards scary territory for a soon-to-be-former NFL Head coach. Territory that when people think of Doug Pederson, they think to themselves ‘How the hell did that dude win a super bowl?’ What’s even funnier, is he beat Tom Brady and Patriots with NICK FOLES. Could go down as the most unlikely ring in history. The reason I rope the Jaguars in here, is because they may be just as cursed as the next guy. You’d think this would be their Super Bowl window. But Trevor Lawrence, so called the guy for Jax, spent his entire rookie contract stinking it up. So now you have to pay him hundreds of millions. In the past 16 years, the Jags have had a top ten pick 14 times. Just debilitating for that fanbase. You know the phrase people use in the NFL, JAG? Just Another Guy? Ironically enough that fits perfectly for the JAGs.

NFL Kickers

What happened to the kickers, man? Just a month ago we were talking about how it’s too easy to kick in the NFL. Yesterday, that notion changed. Justin Tucker, the previous owner of the best FG percentage in NFL history, missed two FGs and the Ravens lose by two points. Dustin Hopkins, kicker for the Browns, he missed THREE. Cairo Santos missed a game winner for the Bears (was blocked, we’ll get to that in a bit), and then Evan Mcpherson capped off NFL Sunday by missing two FGs. Virtually ending the Bengals season. Poor Joe Burrow. I will say, I think it’s better for the game when kickers stink. Makes it more fun!

Chump of the Weekend: The Chicago Bears and Matt Eberflus

Boy oh boy. What is there to even say. Last week I said that losing to the Patriots in that fashion was rock bottom. Somehow, someway, the Bears have dug deeper. They’ve gotten lower. Let’s look at the last four weeks for the Bears. They come off the bye-week, lose to the Commanders on a hail Mary (shoutout Jayden Daniels), then they got stomped by the Cardinals, they follow that up with an embarrassment to the Pats, and finally, they fire their offensive coordinator, look like a real offense, and are in position to beat the Green Bay Packers for the first time in 11 tries. And the kick is blocked. Pack wins 20-19. If you’re a Bears fan I commend you. I don’t know how you do it. It’s also the second time in the last four weeks that the opposing team has been so stunned about a decision from Eberflus, they laughed about it afterwards. The free 15 yards before the Commanders hail Mary (Shoutout Jayden Daniels), and then yesterday, instead of trying to get closer for the game winner, he just runs the clock down. It’s the little things. And the little things have cost ‘Flus’ his job.

Champs

Miami (The U)

I really don’t have a lot of champs from the weekend. I didn’t feel like many earned the label, but a segment is a segment, and we power through. I put Miami in here, even though they were on a bye. I think they had the best weekend possible from a CFP standpoint while not actually playing. BYU lost, Tennessee lost, and SMU struggled vs. Boston College. Assuming Miami will still manage to make the ACC title game where they will probably face SMU, it still feels like that’s their only path to getting into the playoff. BUT, with last weekend’s results, they gave themselves a hint of a chance to potentially make the dance even with two losses, however unlikely.

Colorado

The only team to have a better week in my eyes is Colorado. BYU losing created a tie at the top of the Big 12. All Colorado needs to do now is beat Kansas on the road, and Oklahoma State at home to close out their season, and they’re in the Big 12 title game with a chance to punch their ticket to the playoff. For everyone crushing the Buffs in the media over the last two years, it’s hard not to see this season as a smashing success. This program had ONE WIN two years ago. Deion comes in and now look at them. Schedule aside, and they really haven’t beaten anyone worthwhile, it’s an impressively quick turnaround. And love or hate Deion, it would be great to have Colorado in the Playoffs.

Julius Randle

Welcome to Minnesota Julius Randle. A buzzer-beating triple gave the Wolves the win over the Suns yesterday, 120-117. It was a big game for Randle, scoring 35 including the winner. For the Wolves, a big win, and a win I think they needed. They’re still figuring out how to play defense with the new pieces they have, they’re still trying to build chemistry offensively. A win like this could potentially catapult a team to the next level. Or they just fall flat on Thursday night and it’s back to square one. Let’s be positive, though!

Champ of the Weekend: Los Angeles Super Chargers

Sunday night football provided yet another fantastic football game. Take that ‘NFL Product is bad’ losers. That’s not the story though. The story is the Chargers. The immediate change in culture thanks to Jim Harbaugh. The Chargers of yesteryear lose that game 10 out of 10 times, there’s no doubt in mind. But not this version of the Chargers. Not the Jim Harbaugh led Chargers. In perfect super charger fashion, the team blew a 24-6 lead before there was 10 minutes to play in the football game. Every Charger fan (like five of them), quickly thought ‘here we go again.’ Enter Evan Mcpherson. Finally, the Chargers are on the right side of disappointment, and it’s the Bengals who sink deeper in the AFC standings. I’m not saying that this Chargers team is ready for something special just yet, but with Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh, it feels like that window is WIDE open.