After four AFC West titles and a 49-22 record, the Ponies of Denver have bucked off John Fox. Really? Because the Broncos could not beat another team with an equine mascot, the Indianapolis Colts? A younger, friskier bunch, these Colts forced general manager John Elway to part ways in the saddle with one of their most successful coaches in their mountaintop football history.
If it hasn’t been announced already, you can bet that John Fox will have another head job somewhere. He’s too good to be an unemployed horse whisperer! After all, isn’t that what professional football teams do, recycle the old coaches? Jumpin’ Jehosaphat! Look no further than the curious case of Rex Ryan who didn’t get it done with the New York Jets but has already garnered a new multi-year deal with the Buffalo Bills. I’ve always suspected that New York folks have poor judgement. This weird hire confirms it. At least they are keeping the exhibitionist Ryan in New York and away from the rest of the country! Old coaches don’t go away. They recycle.
Let’s face it, the Broncos were not the team in December that they had been the rest of the year and a lot of that can be laid to the injuries of Peyton Manning. Though Denver was 3-1 in December, Manning was,.....well, un-Peyton like: 173 yards and two interceptions against Buffalo, 233 yards against San Diego, four interceptions against Cincinnati, and 273 yards and just a 56 percent completion rate against Oakland.
Last Sunday Manning looked injured. He looked tired. He looked old. The thought lingers that we might have seen the last of one of the all-time great quarterbacks. Manning is not one to “hang on.” He has too much pride. If he can’t perform like he expects, Manning will hang it up and move on to the Hall of Fame.
The point is, none of that is John Fox’s fault. Fox is not much of a quarterback. He is a coach and a good one. He would have looked silly trying to quarterback the Broncos last Sunday. Let’s hope John Elway doesn’t end up looking silly for getting rid of John Fox.
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CHALK TALK:………………………………………Kudos to the Larned Indian Boys basketball team. They are the surprise of the Central Kansas League so far in this season, despite a close road loss to the Lyons Lions Tuesday evening. They are winning not by being the tallest, not by being the best shooters and not by being the fastest. They are winning on hustle and being unselfish. They share the ball and fight for every rebound. A lot of coaches would benefit by filming this bunch and showing their teams that “this is how I want you to play”.                                                                   ………………………………………
Is there anything that sounds sillier than a tv announcer saying, “it depends on the spot?” Is that not a foregone conclusion when the football is being spotted?
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Congratulations to Ellinwood’s Lyle Lashley. A former Larned track coach, Barton County  track coach, and now the head man at Ellinwood, Lashley was recently inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame for Track and Field and Cross Country
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When did the practice of the free-throw shooter having to shake hands with teammates after every shot attempt, make or miss?  Maybe I could buy into a shake after a MADE shot but after a MISS?
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Congratulations to Ohio State for their championship of the four-team football playoff. I refuse to call it a National Championship because it isn’t. The Buckeyes had a great turnaround after losing early to Virginia Tech.
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British actor Alan Cox had this to say about making predictions: “I figure lots of predictions is best. People will forget the ones I get wrong and marvel over the rest.” Uh Alan, some of my readers don’t forget!