7 Reasons to Get Excited about the NFL Draft

by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – April 22, 2020

Count me among the severely sports starved during the current period of self-isolation. And therefore, I’m excited – probably too excited – about the NFL Draft. 

Let’s take a moment to consider reasons why this Minnesota Vikings fan has been donning purple and gold each day in the home office this week, including Vikes jerseys, hats, sweatshirts, and tees. It’s largely about what I’ve been missing, but also what I can look forward to as a fan.

First, I know it sounds like typical baseball Spring Training optimism, but this Cincinnati Reds fan really was getting excited about the moves made over the offseason. This was supposed to be a big year for the Reds – and hopefully, it still will – but hope has been put on hold since spring baseball came to a halt on March 12.

Second, I’m one of those people who not only enjoys playing golf, but also watching it on television. Yes, I’ve been known to shout at the TV when a putt is sunk or missed. But the last PGA Tour stop was the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which finished up on March 8. And The Masters not being played in April was simply depressing.

Third, the last NBA game was played on March 11. Well, okay, I’m not a fan of the NBA, so I don’t really care. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I watched the NBA. But I’m sure that there are lots of people out there that miss the NBA, and they’re probably sad. So, there’s that.

Fourth, I do enjoy hockey, however, and the last time the puck was dropped in an NHL game also was on March 11. Though my own San Jose Sharks were destined this year for a rare postseason miss, playoff hockey always rocks, but we have no idea when or if that will now happen for the 2019-20 season.

Fifth, the NFL Draft always gains a degree of attention from this fan, varying year to year. But this draft could be major for my Vikings. The team has lost an assortment of players on the defensive side of the ball, including starting cornerbacks, who largely played lousy football last season anyway. In addition, trading Stefon Diggs to the Bills leaves a big vacancy at wide receiver. But the good news is that Vikes have 12 – count ‘em 12 – picks in this draft, including two first round picks. This jacks up the interest in the 2020 draft. 

Sixth, focusing on the draft means getting me focused on reasons to rant as a fan. When the hell are the Vikings going to win a Super Bowl? I know this is unpopular, but I’m not exactly enthralled with Coach Mike Zimmer. Everybody calls him a defensive guru, but I’m not seeing it. Zimmer has a great attitude as a coach, but quite frankly, he appears rather conventional and unable to adjust in terms of the Vikings defense. And as head coach, he ranks as a negative in terms of the offense. Zimmer has come up short in terms of fully utilizing the talent on the team, so what’s going to happen with an influx of draftees?

In contrast, unlike many, I like Kirk Cousins as our quarterback. He has the tools to get the job done, if he had consistency in terms of offensive coaches and schemes. 

That’s right, I’m pro-Cousins and skeptical on Zimmer. Come at me!

Seventh, the truly big deal with the NFL Draft 2020, of course, is that this is something that finally matters in the world of sports. There’s only so much streaming of non-sports viewing a sports fan can do. I look at my phone for scores, and there are none. But at least for this week, I’ve caught some draft analysis, and on Thursday night, Friday night, and much of the day on Saturday, I can take in the NFL Draft, and assess what my team and key opponents might look like in the 2020 season. Like I said, I’m excited.

What about after Sunday? Well, I’ll be back to waiting for sports, and perhaps turning to streaming. Maybe it’s finally time to catch up on years of television shows that I meant to watch but never got around to seeing. That’s a pretty long list – including Mad Men, Star Trek: Discovery, Lost, and all of those Marvel shows on Netflix (Daredevil (I did see season 1 and it was excellent), Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Punisher, Iron Fist, and Defenders). Actually, I love great storytelling via television and movie, but also via sports – and I miss the thrills, surprises, heartbreaks, drama, action, and joys of catching my teams in action.

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Ray Keating is a columnist, economist, podcaster and entrepreneur.  You can order his new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. Keating also is a novelist. His latest novels are  The Traitor: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which is the 12^th book in the series, and the second edition of Root of All Evil? A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel with a new Author Introduction. The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

Also, tune in to Ray Keating’s podcasts – the PRESS CLUB C Podcast and the Free Enterprise in Three Minutes Podcast  

Will the San Jose Sharks Actually Miss the Playoffs?

by Ray Keating

The Keating Files – January 28, 2020

The San Jose Sharks have had a rather incredible playoff run. The team has made the NHL postseason in 19 of the last 21 seasons. But San Jose currently sits outside a playoff spot. Do they have a shot to sneak in this year, once again?

Well, given the miracle season that the St. Louis Blues had last year – from last place in the entire league in early January to Stanley Cup champions – anything is possible in the NHL. But keep in mind, there’s a reason it’s called a “miracle season” – by definition, miracles are pretty rare.

Heading into last night’s game with the Anaheim Ducks, the Sharks had collected only 46 points in 50 games, and they sat 11 points out of a playoff spot with 32 games left. 

Impossible? No. Unlikely? Highly. To have a shot at this year’s postseason, the Sharks would have to win at least 22 of those last 32 games.

Last night, they started the post-All-Star-Game homestretch well by playing a nice game overall, beating the Ducks 4-2, with Patrick Marleau scoring twice.

But what’s been the Sharks’ problem this season?

It’s perplexing given that the team is not exactly lacking in talent, including such formidable players as forwards Tomas Hertl, Evander Kane, Timo Meier, and Kevin Labanc, and defensemen Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, with veteran contributions from the likes of Joe Thornton and Marleau.

Nonetheless, it hasn’t been happening. Again, heading into last night’s contest, the team ranked 15^thout of 18 Western Conference teams in goals scored, and dead last in goals against. That’s a painfully obvious recipe for a losing season.

Defense has been miserable, and that includes just dismal goaltending by Martin Jones. Aaron Dell has performed better in the net, though still handcuffed by a defense that falters far too often. Dell deserves to get the bulk of the starts for the rest of the season to see if he can spark something (and he played well last night vs. the Ducks).

The firing of head coach Pete DeBoer, replacing him with interim coach Bob Boughner, has failed, thus far, to provide any inspiration or energy, nor has it put an end to brain farts that have plagued Sharks play throughout the season. 

Of course, team captain Logan Couture being injured earlier this month was a big negative as well. But they weren’t exactly lighting the league on fire with Couture on the ice.

So, barring miracles, questions loom for all teams likely to miss the postseason, in particular with the NHL trade deadline approaching on February 24^th. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Sharks move defensemen Brendon Dillon and/or Tim Heed, or forward Melker Karlsson, given that they’ll be unrestricted free agents after the season. 

However, things might be a bit different in San Jose compared to other teams. The case can be made that the Sharks don’t need that many changes or additions to get back in the playoff picture. Topping the list is goaltending.

It’s hard to blame this season on the moves that GM Doug Wilson has made. The players still have to play, and the coaches have to coach. Get a leader behind the bench and a strong goalie, and the Sharks just might return to their seeming default setting of making the postseason in 2020-21. 

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Ray Keating is a columnist, a novelist (his latest novel is The Traitor: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel, which is the 12^thbook in the series), an economist, a nonfiction author (among his recent works is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know), a podcaster, and an entrepreneur. The views expressed here are his own.