First, here’s a good article that is similar to points I’ve made here before (you’ve seen it if you click on the links I tweet).  Basically, it’s a lot easier to avoid stupid decisions than it is to make consistently smart decisions, and the impact of each is comparable.  (I.E. you can be “smart” by just NOT being stupid)

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Something absolutely crazy may or may not be happening with Aaron Hernandez right now.

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I usually ignore things like this, and there have already been a couple Lombardi takedowns, but I simply can’t let this pass without comment.  Read this, or just look at the italicized excerpt below:

Cleveland Browns general manager Mike Lombardi recently spoke about the team’s focus on building first-half leads. 

“If you can’t effectively throw the ball, if you can’t get the lead … early in the game, if you can’t rush the passer, then you’re going to have a hard time winning,” Lombardi told The Plain Dealer. “One of the most critical statistics in football today is first-half point differential. The top five teams that lead at halftime … typically are always going to be playoff-caliber type of teams.”

Utterly astonishing.  This man is an NFL GM (Sorry Cleveland!).  You know what’s also a “critical statistic”?   Full-game point differential.  Just wait till Lombardi realizes that; there’s no telling what crazy strategies the Browns will come up with.

This of course begs the question: What the hell were the Browns trying to do last year?  Not take the lead in the first half?

In any case, it appears as though the Browns have finally realized that the key to winning is outscoring your opponents.  This is surely the end of Browns futility.  I hope Chip Kelly is taking notes…

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In yesterday’s post, I forgot to include the Wildcat/Ronnie Brown effect when describing the Dolphins dramatic turnaround.  This has obvious relevance for Eagles fans.  A novel/creative offensive approach takes the league by storm and helps a previously inept team reach the playoffs?  Nice…

Also, Tom Brady was injured that year and the team committed the fewest turnovers in the league. (Thanks to Tommy Lawlor for pointing that out).

Again, the recipe for the Eagles this year is:  mean-revert in turnovers, take advantage of the new coach boost, be LESS terrible in the defensive secondary (hard not to) and Special Teams (near impossible not to), and capitalize on a weaker schedule.

If the team does that, playoffs are a completely reasonable goal.

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Hopefully you took my advice and have been watching the NBA finals.  Already a historically great series.  It is now a close game 7 away from one of the top 5 EVER (not hyperbole).

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Oh yeah, the Stanley Cup finals are now tied at 2-2 after an OT win by the Blackhawks.

Somebody needs to create the sports equivalent of a step-down drug to help fans adjust from the NBA/NHL playoffs and some football news to Just Baseball….