Hot Button: Former NFL exec Brandt makes 'disgraceful' comments about Haskins ... Buxton hits missile into third deck ... Mets, Nationals benches clear after Lindor takes pitch to face

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BRANDT HAS AWFUL TAKES ON
HASKINS FOLLOWING TRAGIC DEATH

Saturday, April 9: In a radio interview, former Cowboys executive Gil Brandt made inaccurate and insensitive comments about Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who died early Saturday morning when he was hit by a dump truck while walking on a Florida interstate.

Appearing on Sirius XM's NFL Radio, Brandt said of Haskins, "He was a guy living to be dead," then later said "There was always something with Haskins," before finishing with, “Maybe if he stayed in school a year he wouldn’t do silly things, jogging on a highway.”

Brandt was roundly criticized on social media following the interview, with Steelers captain Cam Hayward tweeting " ... please don't speak on my friend ... your words are disgraceful." ESPN analyst, Pitt alum, and prospective Steelers general manager Louis Riddick wrote, "I really hope you didn't mean what you said." The mother of Haskins' former Ohio State teammate and Giants cornerback Eli Apple had the harshest words for Brandt, calling him a “gutless garbage pile of skin”. 

Brandt later apologized on Twitter:

My take: "Poor choice of words." Right. Completely unacceptable and an apology that will ring hollow. Not sure why they would have kept interviewing this dinosaur after his first comment, which is not based in reality. Haskins had some documented maturity issues in Washington, but none of them were self destructive. Of course, Brandt is not alone in his ghoulish comments. Shortly after initial reports of Haskins' tragic death, several Twitter trolls thought it would be funny to joke that Mitch Trubisky was probably driving the car. Sickening. — Bob

BUXTON HITS MONSTER
SHOT AT TARGET FIELD

Saturday, April 9: Nothing will improve the fortunes of the Twins over their below-average 2021 than having a healthy Byron Buxton all season. He certainly looked hale on this blast Saturday: 

Buxton's home run was measured at 436 feet, had an exit velocity of 129 feet high at it's apex and reached an exit velocity of 112 miles per hour.

My take: One of the really fun players to watch in MLB. Makes that whole offense go. — Bob

LINDOR IN FACE BY PITCH,
BOTH BENCHES CLEAR

Friday, April 8: The NL East rivalry between the Mets and Nationals is in high gear after just two games this season, as their benches cleared when Washington deliver Steve Cishek hit New York shortstop Francisco Lindor with a high pitch as Lindor squared to bunt in the fifth inning:

Tempers were already high in the Mets dugout as three batters had been hit by Nationals pitches through the first 13 innings of the season before Lindor was hit. Lindor was forced to leave the game. He was cleared in concussion protocol and X-rays were negative for facial fractures and Showalter said postgame he is day-to-day.  Cishek was ejected, as was Washington third-base coach Gary Disarcina. 

The Mets won 7-3, to improve to 2-0 on the year.

My take: That's rough for Lindor. He's lucky not to be hurt worse, though it doesn't appear Cishek threw at him — that guy can be wild at any time. We'll see Saturday if this carries over. Showalter's old school. He'll expect his players to stand up for each other. — Bob

BALKOVEC GETS FIRST 
WIN IN TARPONS OPENER

Friday, April 8: When Rachel Balkovec was hired by the Yankees organization in January to coach their Low Class-A affiliate in Tampa, she became the first female manager in the history of affiliated baseball. However, it wasn't official until she had her team, the Tampa Tarpons take the field Friday night against the Lakeland Flying Tigers (Tigers) at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland. 

According to MLB.com's Dawn Klemish, Lakeland fans even chanted Balkovec's name during the game.

Coaching third base, Balkovec got to watch nine Tarpons run past her en route to a 9-6 win, making more history baseball history in her first official game at the helm. Each of her players offered hugs and high fives to her as they left the field.

My take: This is just the first stop for Balkovec, who's held in high regard inside the organization and received raves for her work developing players in her previous role as a minor-league hitting coach. Best of luck to her. — Bob

GRAMBLING COACH CUTS NEARLY
EVERY PLAYER AFTER HIRE

Friday, April 8: Getting a new head coach can be an unsettling time for a college athlete, but nothing compares to the women's volleyball team at Grambling State, where all 19 members of the team were cut by new head coach Chelsey Lucas, canceling all scholarships. All scholarship offers to incoming freshmen were also rescinded. 

In an email to scholarship players and their parents, Lucas wrote, " ...While student-athletes are granted athletic scholarships, a scholarship is not guaranteed and not binding, per NCAA rules and regulations.”

Lucas was hired after allegedly met with each student athlete individually after being hired in February and told them she would be making some changes, but none anticipated this.  

Thursday, Grambling State's athletic director Trayvean Scott gave his full support to Lucas for the decision, saying in an interview with KSLA News, in Shreveport, Louisiana, that the coach actually kept five players from the previous roster and has full autonomy over the team's roster. He added that Lucas already is bringing in "14 to 15 (new) girls." All cut players are now in the transfer portal, though some are meeting to consider legal action.

My take: They should call this move the "reverse Capel." Never really heard anything like it, but I don't think those cut student-athletes have any recourse. Might be tough to get commitments from future recruits, but the school is behind the coach ... so far. — Bob

HORTON, WILKS CLAIM DISCRIMINATION,
JOIN FLORES SUIT

Thursday, April 7: Former Steelers secondary coach Ray Horton and former Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks have joined Brian Flores in his class-action hiring-discrimination lawsuit against the National Football League. 

Horton's complaint documents an incident from 2016 when he was interviewed by the Titans for their head-coaching position. Horton, at the time the assistant head coach and secondary coach for the Panthers, alleges the interview was only done to comply with the Rooney Rule. He cites an interview by Mike Mularkey, who was hired by Tennessee, in which Mularkey said the Titans "told me I was going to be the head coach in 2016, before they went through the Rooney rule. And so I sat there knowing I was the head coach ... as they went through this fake hiring process ..."

Wilks alleges the Cardinals hired him as a "bridge" head coach in 2018, saying he was not given a fair opportunity to keep his job after a 3-13 campaign, stating he was not given "any meaningful chance to succeed" and could have been as successful as Kliff Kingsbury, his successor, with Kyler Murray at quarterback. Kingsbury went 5-10-1 in 2019 but was not terminated.

Flores' original complaint alleges the Dolphins fired him without cause after consecutive winning seasons in 2020 and 2021, adding that owner Stephen Ross attempted to bribe him to tank a season for improved draft position and that Ross attempted to get him to tamper during a dead period in free agency.

Wilks is the current passing game coordinator and secondary coach with the Panthers. Horton has not coached in the NFL since 2019, when he was defensive backs coach in Washington.

My take: Horton's case is gross, if Mularkey is telling the truth — though I'm still not certain it's illegal for a team to inform a person they are hiring them before completing the interview process. For the labor lawyers out there, is it fraudulent to allow a candidate to believe they are interviewing for a position when a decision to hire someone else has already been made? Wilks has less of a case, in my mind. Going 3-13 seems like he had a fair shot to show what he could do, and he was given a top draft pick in Josh Rosen at quarterback. — Bob

MLB, PEACOCK ANNOUNCE 18
SUNDAY MORNING GAMES

Thursday, April 7: Major League Baseball and Peacock, NBC's streaming service, have announced Sunday Morning Baseball, a slate of 18 game with start times of 11:30 a.m. Eastern for the first six weeks, beginning May 8, and moving to Noon start times on June 19. There will be pregame and postgame shows on the streaming service. Only the first game will be simulcast on NBC, while all the others will be exclusive to Peacock.

23 of the league's 30 teams will be featured, while the Blue Jays, Guardians and Tigers each appear three times. The Pirates will play twice, both at PNC Park — May 22 against the Cardinals, and the last Sunday morning game on September 4 against the Blue Jays.

My take: Why not. Baseball for Bruch. Bust out the cold brew and the Bloody Marys and have some fruit with your pancakes while enjoying a ballgame. Of course, it will cost you a Peacock subscription ($4.99/month minimum) to catch 'em all. — Bob

DIGGS DIGGIN' BIG, NEW 
EXTENSION FROM BILLS

Wednesday, April 6: Stefon Diggs wants to retire as a Buffalo Bill and it's looking like he just might after the franchise gave him a new four-year, $104-million extension Wednesday, with $70 million guaranteed. The guaranteed money is just $200,000 less than Tyreek Hill's from the Dolphins, the most ever for a wide receiver.

Diggs, 28, is under contract for two more seasons and the extension will take effect for the 2024 season. He is coming off consecutive Pro Bowl seasons in Buffalo, catching 230 passes combined in 2020 and 2021 for 2,760 yards and 18 touchdowns, forging an immediate connection with quarterback Josh Allen after five productive seasons with the Vikings.

My take: The receiver market is getting expensive. Terrible time for the Steelers with Diontae Johnson entering the last year of his rookie deal. Keep drafting them — it's the best way to get production and save on the cap. — Bob

ALL-STAR RAMIREZ GETS NEW 
FIVE-YEAR DEAL FROM CLEVELAND

Wednesday, April 6: Three-time All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez has agreed to a contract extension with the Guardians for a reported five years and $124 million. The contract takes effect in 2024 and carries a full no-trade clause. The Guardians picked up Ramirez's club options for 2022 and 2023 at $12 million and $16 million, respectively.

Ramirez, 29, has performed at an All-Star level in five of his last six seasons, and 2021 saw him have second-best career numbers in home runs (36) and RBIs (103). He has a career slash of .278/.354/.501 with 163 home runs, 504 RBIs and 154 stolen bases in 980 career games.

My take: The 20-25 million per year range seems about what it will take to get Bryan Reynolds on long-term deals. Reynolds has consistently performed at or above that value in his two 162-game campaigns. 

WATSON MUST ANSWER 
QUESTIONS IN 30 DAYS

Wednesday, April 6: A Harris County District Court judge has ruled that Deshaun Watson must admit in writing whether or not he had sexual encounters with 18 massage therapists, but in a twist it is not information on his accusers but the massage therapists who supported him after the civil suits were filed. The plaintiffs are attempting to establish that Watson has a pattern of behavior in attempting to have sex with his massage therapists — in this case, potentially 40 different women.

The judge also ordered Watson to provide specific language from his Texans contract regarding the parameters of seeking physical therapies outside the team.

Watson has 30 days to comply with those questions and others yet to be contested in the the discovery phase of the civil suits.

My take: This is a crucial question as it relates to pattern. If he did have sexual encounters with a number of the therapists who supported him, it's going to be hard to convince a jury that he did not attempt to do so with his 22 accusers. That said, 40 massage therapists is just a really bad number when reasonable doubt is not the legal threshold. — Bob

DEVICE TO PREVENT SIGN
STEALING APPROVED

Tuesday, April 5: Major League Baseball has approved the use of PitchCom, a device worn on a catcher's arm that can send signs to the pitcher and assorted fielders by pressing buttons on the device.

Anyone who watched the Pirates towards the end of spring training may have seen Roberto Perez and Michael Perez using the device. The device is attached to a black arm band worn on the catching hand and the catcher can signal the pitch and location. Up to three fielders can wear audio receiving devices, too, so they know what is coming. In one Pirates game, center fielder Bryan Reynolds and the middle infielders wore the receiving device, along with the pitcher.

MLB will allow teams to use the technology or traditional hand signals.

My take: As a hitter, this might be easier to diagnose a pitch than trying to steal a sign. If fielders reposition based on the sign, then one could better guess what's coming. 

FORMER DODGERS STAR, 
BATTING CHAMP DAVIS DIES

Tuesday, April 5: Outfielder Tommy Davis, who won consecutive national League batting titles in 1962 and 63, has died at age 83, according to the Dodgers organization. Cause of death was not disclosed.

The three-time All-Star made his debut in one at-bat with the Dodgers in 1959, then became the regular center fielder in 1960. He lead the National League in hitting with .346 and .326 averages in '62 and '63 respectively, and his 153 RBIs in 1962 remains Dodgers franchise record.

Davis was traded to the Mets in 1967 and played for them and eight other franchises — White Sox, Pilots, Colt 45's/Astros, Athletics, Cubs, Orioles, Angels and Royals before retiring after the 1976 season.

He had a career slash of .296/.329/.405 with 2,121 hits, 153 home runs and 1,025 RBIs in 1,999 career games. 

My take: David was a superstar until injuries began to bite him, but he was one of the best players in the National League from 1960-66. Usually had a huge smile on his baseball card, too, if memory serves. Rest In Peace. — Bob

TIGERS ACQUIRE SLUGGER
MEADOWS FROM RAYS

Tuesday, April 5: The Rays have traded outfield Austin Meadows to the Tigers in exchange for infielder Isaac Paredes and a competitive balance round B pick in the 2022 draft. The Rays are making room for top prospect Josh Lowe in the outfield.

Meadows, 26, the Pirates' former top prospect who was part of the infamous Chris Archer trade, which sent him to Tampa Bay with Tyler Glasnow and prospect Shane Baz, has spent parts of four seasons in the major leagues, appearing in 375 games — 49 in Pittsburgh — with a career .260/.333/.489 slash with 70 home runs and 225 runs batted in, primarily out of the Rays' top two spots in the order. He's coming off his first 100+ RBI season in 2022 (106). 

Paredes is a light-hitting utility infielder with upside, playing 57 games with the Tigers over the last two seasons. The 23-year-old has shown better offensive numbers in the minor leagues. He was assigned to Triple-A Toledo.

My take: The pipeline continues for the Rays. Good when a player like Meadows is expendable. They must really like Paredes because the draft pick is going to be in the 70s range, so it doesn't look like much return considering Meadows doesn't reach free agency until 2025, though he does hit arbitration next year. The Tigers have an intriguing lineup, including Miguel Cabrera, newly acquired Javier Baez, and top prospect Spencer Torkelson cracking the opening-day roster. — Bob

SAINTS TRADE PICKS TO EAGLES 
TO GET EXTRA FIRST-ROUNDER

Monday, April 4: Everyone re-run your mock drafts, the Saints made a bold move Monday, trading their No. 18 pick in the upcoming draft, their 2022 third- and seventh-round picks, their first-round pick in 2023 and their second-round pick in 2024 to acquire the Eagles' No. 16 and No. 19 picks and Philly's sixth-round pick this April. 

The Eagles still have two first-round selections this year, No. 15 and now No. 18, while picking up much-needed draft capital as they look to improve quickly in the NFC East. The Saints were expected to draft a quarterback at No. 18, and have holes to fill with limited cap space entering free agency. Their primary needs are on offense, particularly quarterback, wide receiver and o-line.

My take: This draft is going be unreal. Five teams — Jets, Giants, Chiefs, Saints and Eagles — now have two first-round picks. No one's sure which teams have first-round grades on QBs (or which ones). Whether teams stand pat or trade, it will change the complexion of what's available, particularly at the back end of the top 32 picks. Wild. — Bob

BOSSY ENTERS PALLIATIVE
CARE WITH LUNG CANCER

Monday, April 4: Multiple reports say Hall of Fame Islanders winger Mike Bossy has entered palliative care in his battle with lung cancer, ending treatment to return home and spend his remaining days with family. However, Bossy's family has told TVN Sports that he is resting peacefully at home while continuing his cancer battle and asked for privacy. Last October, the 65-year-old published an open letter announcing his diagnosis in hopes of raising awareness. 

Bossy is unquestioned as one of the greatest players of all-time — Wayne Gretzky once said of him, "If I had to make one pass in a game for all the money, it would be on the stick of Mike Bossy." — despite playing only 10 National Hockey League seasons. He scored at least 60 goals five times and at least 50 in each but his injury-shortened last, forced into retirement because of a lower-back injury. He registered 573 goals and 553 assists in 752 games, had 85 goals and 75 assists in 129 playoff games, won four consecutive Stanley Cups and was a three-time Lady Byng Trophy winner. 

My take: My best to Bossy and his family in this difficult time. As a child, Guy LaFleur and Bossy were the first players to awaken me to the sport and Bossy became a favorite because I got to watch him on television the most when I learned to love the game. — Bob

TROTZ SAYS SUBBAN
'LUCKY' TO BE EJECTED

Sunday, April 3: Devils defenseman P.K. Subban jumped Islanders forward Oliver Wahlstrom and punched him to the ice after Wahlstrom hit Devils forward Jack Hughes along the boards:

There was some disagreement on whether Wahlstrom's hit was cheap, as he kneed Hughes while making a check. Islanders head coach Barry Trotz backed Wahlstrom, calling the hit clean and saying Hughes turned as Wahlstrom was in the process of checking him. 

Subban was issued 27 minutes in penalties: two minutes for instigating, five minutes for fighting and a 10 minute misconduct, which in combination mandated a 10-minute game misconduct. Trotz took offense to Subban;s actions and said he was lucky to be ejected, saying,"P.K., he was lucky he got thrown out," implying retribution if Subban had remained in the game.

My take: Wahlstrom looks like he wants to hit Hughes on the side as Hughes tries to skate out of the hit. Can't know Wahlstrom's intent, but it resulted in an ugly hit. Not shocked by Subban's response ... or Trotz's. Clean hit or dirty? Was Subban's response over the top, jumping Wahlstrom without giving him the chance at a fair fight? Had enough of "hockey justice" in general? Let's hear it. — Bob

BELTRAN REGRETS ACTIONS
OF SIGN-STEALING ASTROS 

Sunday, April 3: Former Major League Baseball outfielder Carlos Beltran, the only player identified by name in the MLB report documenting illegal sign-stealing by the 2017 world champion Astros, told YES Network host and Yankees broadcast announcer Michael Kay, "Yeah, there is, because you know what we did and we all have taken responsibility," when asked if there was "a stain" on that championship.

A partial transcript of Beltran's exchange with Kay was discovered ahead of a scheduled broadcast Monday of YES Network's "Centerstage," in which the two discuss Beltran's time with that Astros team in greater detail. Beltran also admitted "we did cross the line," and, “Looking back today, we were wrong. I wish I would've asked more questions about what we were doing."

Beltran, when challenged about why he didn't stop the cheating said the players didn't think they were doing anything wrong, that they were just smarter than other teams, adding, "I didn’t stop it the same way no one stopped it. This is working for us. Why you gonna stop something that is working for you? So, if the organization would’ve said something to us, we would’ve stopped it for sure.”

Beltran, who played for the Yankees from 2014-2016 in his storied 20-year career, has recently been hired as an analyst for YES Network and Yankees broadcasts.

My take: I wonder how much of this is making nice with the home fans, considering those Astros eliminated the Yankees in the ALCS. Beltran's assertion that all the players on that team have taken responsibility and shown remorse is revisionist, at best — he didn't stop because management didn't tell them to? Hmm. The players knew they were cheating. No one seemed to care until they got blown in by Mike Fiers. Beltran once explicitly denied the accusation. That's hardly taking responsibility. — Bob