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Most recently published stories in Unbalanced.
Divisional Playoff Recap: The End of the Road?. Top Story - January 2022.
I do enjoy the Divisional Playoff round for three reasons. One, it's the last taste of Saturday football in the NFL season. Two, the bye week teams began their playoff road, and three, it's the final step before the home stretch in this destination. The NFL's Elite Eight kicked off in Nashville, as the top-ranked Tennessee Titans hosted the Cincinnati Bengals, but it started of badly for the Titans, as Ryan Tannehill threw an interception seven seconds into the game! The Bengals ended up with a field goal off that turnover, and a second field goal made it 6-0, however, Derrick Henry (who was playing his first game since Halloween) ran it in to the end zone to tie the game, but his two-point attempt fell short. I swear, Mike Vrabel is the only coach who is more obsessed with two-pointers than John Harbaugh is.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Super Wild Card Weekend Recap: Blowouts Galore
I love the NFL Playoffs with a passion. Ever since my childhood, I always loved that opening playoff Saturday, and seeing the kickoff and realizing, "It's here. The playoffs are really here." I had that same exact feeling when the opening game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Las Vegas Raiders, and I was expecting a good game between these two teams. Sure enough, I got just that. The first game of the 2021 NFL Playoffs was close and nail-biting, but also had what usually comes with playoff games: officiating controversy. In this case, it was a badly timed whistle that ended up leading to a Bengals touchdown in the first half.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: The Timeout Wasn't the Only Reason
The playoffs got underway, and many fans of the Los Angeles Chargers are still thinking, "If only Brandon Staley hadn't called that timeout." Yes, Brandon Staley's choice to call a timeout with 38 seconds left in overtime (and the game overall) was responsible for the Chargers' devastating loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in the final game of the regular season. However, what if I told you that it wasn't the only cause of their demise? What if I told you that the timeout was just the cherry on top of a proverbial banana split of blown opportunities that occurred during the final four weeks of the regular season? No, this isn't 30 For 30; this is just a brief look at the factors that resulted in the Chargers missing the playoffs.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Stating the Obvious: The NFL Has a Diversity Problem
On January 27, 2007, Michael Pettaway Tomlin became the 16th head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, replacing the retiring Bill Cowher, who led the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XL in the 2005 season. This current season is Tomlin's 15th as coach, and in that time, he led the Steelers to a win in Super Bowl XLIII, and returned to the big game two years later. He also has the impressive distinction of having never had a losing season. Not one. Why am I stating all of this? This past week, among the head coaches who were fired from their teams was Brian Flores (Miami Dolphins) and David Culley (Houston Texans), and as a result of this, Tomlin is the only Black head coach in the National Football League.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: The Colts Need a Quarterback
In a moment that would even make members of the 2003 Minnesota Vikings pull a Billy Madison and shout, "You blew it!", the Indianapolis Colts entered Week 17 of the 2021 season with a 90% chance of making the playoffs. In each of their final two weeks of the season, the Colts had the simplest clinching scenario: win and in. The most beautiful thing in the NFL is controlling your own destiny and not relying on other teams to help you, but even then, one has to capitalize on it. The Colts didn't do that. Now, I can understand losing to the Las Vegas Raiders; all of the negative stuff, that's off the field. On it, the Raiders are a good team, so the Colts losing to them in Week 17 isn't shameful. Week 18, however, that's another story.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
From Almost a Superhero to Completely a Supervillainess
Superheroes have gone to the dark side before. The X-Men's Jean Grey has been consumed by the Phoenix in various comic storylines, as well as in TV and film adaptations--including the live action film, Dark Phoenix. Even in WWE, The Hurricane ditched his mask and cape in 2005 and became a bad boy, which led him to capture the Cruiserweight Championship in 2006. So if full superheroes aren't vulnerable to the temptation of evil, "almost" superheroes certainly aren't, and the January 10, 2022 edition of Monday Night Raw proved that to be true in regards to Nikki A.S.H.'s heel turn.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
What Went Wrong: Quoth the (Baltimore) Ravens, "Playoffs?! Nevermore!"
Normally, my "What Went Wrong" stories are usually about teams who were eliminated during the playoffs, and I've done those stories regarding NHL and MLB teams. The NFL is interesting, as the short schedule allows for close races that make in-season eliminations quite gripping. This was definitely the case regarding the Baltimore Ravens, and it still mystifies me as a football fan. Two-thirds through the season, the Ravens were at the top of the entire American Football Conference after an ugly win over the Cleveland Browns, but as we would see in the weeks that followed, it would be their last. So how did this catastrophic collapse happen? Here's a look at Baltimore's last six games of their season.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Week 18 Recap: 70 Minutes and a LOT of Drama
Now I know why the NFL decided to extend the season and add an extra week: for insanity like this. Now I know why the NFL decided to add an extra playoff spot two years ago: for insanity like this. The sounds you heard during this final Sunday of the 2021 regular season were the owners counting their money, and also laughing at the fans whose hearts were racing. Some fans were vested in scenarios that had nothing to do with their favorite teams, adding more nerves to said fans. Yet in spite of all of the infuriatingly nail-biting moments that took place in this final week, this football fan drank in every bit of this.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Oil Spill: Analyzing the Edmonton Oilers' Skid
It always seems to be something with the Edmonton Oilers, especially in this current era. The Oilers are coming off finishing 2nd in the makeshift North Division last season, but it saw them swept out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs' opening round by the Winnipeg Jets, adding to their recent list of playoff disappointments. In what proved to be another blow against the "North Division sucks" narrative that plagued the previous season, the Oilers got off to a strong start, going 16-5-0 in their first 21 games, leaving many to suddenly believe that the team could contend for a Stanley Cup this season.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
A Look Back: New Year's Revolution 2005's Elimination Chamber Match
If there was ever an underrated regular pay-per-view, it was New Year's Revolution. I immensely remember WWE adding that PPV to their collection of events, and while I never read why it was added, I do have my theories. For one, New Year's Revolution made the wait for the Royal Rumble easier, as the gap between the December PPV (Armageddon) and the Rumble was very large--about six weeks! Secondly, Raw's last solo PPV was October's Taboo Tuesday, and their last participation in one was the dual-branded Survivor Series. So Raw needed another solo show on the road to WrestleMania, and that's where New Year's Revolution came in. The event only lasted three years, but the first one, taking place on January 9, 2005, gave us a very epic main event. But first, the backstory.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
It All Comes Down to This (Week 18)
This is it: the final week of the regular season. Everything is guaranteed to be settled on the NFL's season finale, which--for the first time in 17 years--is Week 18. Week 18 is now the regular final week of the season, but the story remains the same: the last pieces of that proverbial puzzle will be completed. Similar to the final week since 2003, there is no more Monday Night Football; though one of the six Wild Card Playoff games will actually air on Monday, January 17. It's two games on Saturday, while the rest will play on Sunday, with Sunday Night Football ending the regular season. Let's look at what's at stake entering the final week.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
Week 17 Recap: Boom
On December 28, 2021, the NFL and football fans overall (myself included) were deeply saddened by the sudden passing of former head coach turned legendary broadcaster, John Madden, at the age of 85. Born on April 10, 1936 in Austin, Minnesota, John Earl Madden actually played the game during his college years before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1958; however, a knee injury ended his playing career before it had the chance to begin. At only the age of 24, Madden's coaching career began, serving as an assistant at Allan Hancock College before becoming their head coach, and later working as a defensive coordinator at San Diego State.
By Clyde E. Dawkinsabout a year ago in Unbalanced
