Latest Articles

• Gene Therapy: USFL, Adapt or Die!

  May 10, 2022 Gene Clemons 0 Comments

  

   

  by Gene Clemons

   

  The USFL is weeks into their return to action after 37 years of inactivity. Through the first few weeks the USFL has shown video technology and camera angles not seen on an NFL broadcast. That innovation is nice but it's adding questionable tech to a product that everybody else already enjoys. The real innovations that could separate them from the established game have not really been taken advantage of so far in the young season. Only one three-point conversion has been made this season. Nobody has tried the new onside kick and there are other little gameplay innovations that we have not seen used.

   

  Outside of the players there are so many people who want the USFL to succeed. They know that there is room for football that is not the NFL that football fans will consume. But there is a quote from the movie Moneyball that applies perfectly to the USFL, the XFL and every other league that decides it wants to dip its toe in the water. Billy Beane is talking to his scouting department as they try to put a game plan in place to replace their three most influential players and he knows they can't keep doing things the way they have always done it. He announces their new direction, and all of the scouts think he's crazy. After dropping an expletive in response to Grady Fuson's answer, he bangs his fist on the table and says:

   

  "If we try to play like the Yankees in here, we will lose to the Yankees out there."

   

  If these leagues try to do what the NFL does or even try to garner affiliation with the NFL, their product will without a doubt flounder and fail. In other words, "lose" to the NFL. So the innovation can't simply be in the first down technology, these leagues can't be afraid to embrace playing offense and defense differently. The rules can't be afraid to go completely away from formatting that we have become accustomed to with the NFL and college football. One of the reasons Canadian football has been able to survive is that the game is played differently than the American game. 12 men, forward motion, three downs, and many other smaller modifications allows them to create a lane all their own. So much that success in the NFL does not automatically mean success in Canada.

   

  In the first week of the USFL season, kickers blamed the new ball that was being used for all the missed kicks. The real question was why were there so many kicks attempted? Why were the offenses so conservative? Yes there is a new three-point conversion but why not promote scoring by making field goals more difficult? Reduce the field goal width to the size of an arena league field goal. That may make teams think three times about playing for a field goal. Back up the extra point to 35 yards so that teams understand the added value of the two and three-point conversions. Nobody comes to a football game to watch the four or five field goal performances seen regularly in the NFL. They want to see scoring or they want to see teams die trying. 

   

  The offensive end is where it is easiest to put in stipulations that reward aggressive offenses. Possibly changing the hash marks or even widening the field could encourage more offensive innovation. You can give an offense an extra 10 yards if they get a first down on a first down play. This would encourage offenses to abandon conservative play calling on third down. If the offense decides to punt beyond the 50 yard line or kick a field goal, the team should be penalized 10 yards. This would also encourage more people to go for it on fourth down once they get beyond midfield. Penalizing the conservative forces these coaches to innovate and adapt to a modernized game.

   

  Another innovation that the USFL needs to make is to speed the game up. Traditional play clocks allow for slower play from teams which in turn bores fans who have the attention span of a garden fly. If the play clock was set at 20 seconds, it would force all teams into up-tempo play which means that teams have a better chance of making mistakes that lead to more scoring. A faster game also keeps the fan engaged because things are moving quickly. Football is a game of mistakes and the team who makes the least mistakes usually wins the game. Force the teams into a situation where mistakes are critical. Don’t pause the game to allow defenses to substitute when offenses substitute. The pace of the game would ultimately result in the clock running consistently and a faster overall game time.

   

  Fans love scoring! The Arena League was one of the most popular professional football entities because they were a fast-paced league built on scoring. The USFL would be wise to bottle some of that excitement as they transition from Birmingham where all of the teams are currently playing, to their actual cities in year two of the league. That is when they can really make the league more personal like the AFL was able to do for years. The USFL has been consistently pulling ratings that rival or beat other professional leagues and with that it has proven it is a viable business. To grow in the right direction it will take foresight. The Arena League was able to tap into the community by offering an affordable experience for the family to come and attend. Many minor league baseball teams use similar models to draw in fans. The fan experience needs to be personal, much more personal than they get from the NFL and even big time college football. 

   

  The ability to innovate is there for the USFL, not just in technology used to broadcast the game, but on social media, in their game play and in their fan interaction. They need to adapt, to be open to constantly evolving as they explore various avenues. That willingness makes them unique and can make this league unique if they really want to be around forever.

   

   

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  Gene Clemons is a Sports Analyst and Contributor to CWN Sports. His weekly column and podcast - Gene Therapy focuses on Sports, Politics and Social/Urban issues.

   

   

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• Gene Therapy - NFL Draft 2022 Thoughts | Everybody's a GM

  May 3, 2022 Gene Clemons 0 Comments

  

   

  by Gene Clemons

   

  The 2022 NFL Draft is officially in the books and, as always, it was great to watch so many young men realize their dream. They got to hear their name called and see their faces flash in front of the shield and a team logo. Then they quickly introduced to their new reality, scrutiny at every turn. Draft pundits either rifling through papers or scrolling through iPads to check their evaluations on the paper and make snap judgements on whether that young man was a good or bad selection. The players learn that fans are only fans if they believe in what you can do for their team, not because they believe in you. They get poked, prodded, and evaluated for what they did in games, only to have those performances usurped by what they do in t-shirts and shorts, then have the things they accomplished in both pushed aside because of where they played, the position the played, or the unrealized potential of another. The draft is wild, and we are here for it all. But why? Well, the answer is fairly simple, we all believe we could be the general manager of our favorite teams.

   

  The truth is that there are so many variables that go into doing the job of a GM that drafting talent is probably not the top priority. Between managing the players that are on the team and dealing with their personal expectations, trying to fulfill the needs of the coaching staff and what they feel is necessary to put a winning product on the field the job is difficult enough. That is before you have to deal with the owner and their agenda, which could be completely different than that of the players and the coaching staff. Mix that with your own professional desires and philosophies that you believe in and the gumbo that most general managers have to mix is almost impossible for everyone to find tasty. Despite all of that, the most public job of the general manager is the draft. Even more than free agency, the draft is where GMs are asked to explain the vision without giving up any legitimate details about the plan. They have to address the issues that the fan base feels exist while also stating a purpose that they cannot fully reveal. Most people would crumble underneath so much pressure and scrutiny and still it does not stop the average fan from believing they could do a better job. We have to blame someone for these reckless assumptions, but who?

   

  Start with Mel Kiper Jr. The oldest and most recognizable draft analyst in the game, created this space that so many others live in. He birthed a nation of draft followers and future draft analysts and writers because he is the “every man.” A guy who does not come from a legit football background who was able to turn his obsession with player evaluations and rankings into a lucrative sports career. Well, we all know that imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and with the explosion of digital media, and the easy access it provided, everybody, it was simple for others to follow Kiper's footsteps. The results are what we see today. Countless amounts of sites dedicated to the draft. Hundreds of draft guides produced and distributed, and millions of dollars pumped into draft content in order to make billions. By the way, many of us should thank Mel Kiper for his contribution to the culture. He was the north star.

   

  You can also blame these NFL front offices. If you are given millions of dollars and a team of 50 to scout, analyze, and draft players, your hit percentage has to be higher than 50-60% or the average Joe at home watching the team every Sunday is going to believe they can do your job. After all, how can you get it wrong when you have had at least three seasons to build a file on these prospects? Why would you need a combine for anything other than medical evaluations? Why would you ever reach for unproven talent? Why would you need to project out talent when there are so many proven commodities? 

   

  Many times, people don’t understand that this is an inexact science, but it is a science. There are markers that usually point to success. Sometimes the players that a fan or a recruiting publication likes, is not even placed on the board for an NFL team. Those reasons can be as simple as a player’s medical history or as complicated as a size/athleticism ratio that the scouting department came up with those points to previous NFL success. We don’t account for the fact that sometimes the players we believe are good, an NFL team sees them as average players at best. Sometimes both sides believe a player is a quality football player, but the team does not see the player as an immediate need on the team and devalues them in the draft. Whatever the reason, these inconsistencies and unknown variables further open up the possibility for question by those who patronize a team and the NFL at large.

   

  And once the draft is over, before a player has a chance to prove a GM right or wrong, fans and media outlets are already on to the next year. The draft and all of its tentacles have for better or worse become its own competition. Every year we award grades to the winners and losers of the draft. We give them imaginary accolades and before they have the chance to bask in their success, there is always a mock draft released pinpointing another need for the team next season. Someone equated giving a draft a grade is the equivalent of grading someone on a test before they ever take it. As ridiculous as it sounds when explained so simply, words could never be truer. That is a part of the intrigue, that is the reason why so many people feel they can do the job. Not only does it not take skill to guess, but what is the backlash when they get their choices wrong. fans never have to assume any of the responsibility when they choose a player that is a bust. 

   

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  Gene Clemons is a Sports Analyst and Contributor to CWN Sports. His weekly column and podcast - Gene Therapy focuses on Sports, Politics and Social/Urban issues.

   

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• Gene Therapy: What Should A Coach Do?

  Apr 15, 2022 Gene Clemons 0 Comments

  

   

  by Gene Clemons

   

  When I first read the headline that the head volleyball coach at Grambling dismissed the entire volleyball team, I thought it was a joke or that there was something more to the story that I was missing. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the new coach did in fact cut every young lady off her team. My first reaction was, "Damn! That’s cold-blooded!” The other people I talk to regularly all felt that this coach was wrong for what she was doing. I began to feel a weird duality at the time. As a player and a human being, I felt like this was the wrong thing to do but as a coach, I could understand the move. Ultimately, I don’t believe that I would have the ability to do that to players, but I can’t pretend that I don’t understand. So in an effort to explore this from the other side I wanted to explain why this may not be the last time you see a drastic move like this made.

   

  I know how coaches who take over bad jobs get treated when they don’t win. They are treated as if they are failures, like it is their fault the team has not won. If it is their first opportunity as a head coach, they may never get another job. Every time they interview for a job, they must explain why they were not successful in their first stint. Most of the time we all know the real reason but we just don’t want to admit it. The players were not good enough and the coach was not given enough time to recruit better, implement or change a culture, and get the team going in a winning direction. But if a coach goes into an interview and blames a lack of talent, then it is received as if he is shifting the blame off himself. So coaches are almost forced to admit to shortcomings that they don’t really believe they possess in order to show that they have grown from their first opportunity. 

   

  Meanwhile the players rarely receive the scrutiny associated with losing. There is usually some accountability piece they are missing. So many players get to college and feel like the job is over. They have reached their goal and now is the time to reap the rewards of their hard work throughout the prep ranks. So they go to college and never improve beyond what they were in high school. Some believe they are being disrespected when they are not playing and they transfer but others don’t really care about playing as long as they are getting that scholarship money. That has a negative effect on the players who do play. They don’t feel the pressure coming from the players behind them and therefore don’t rise to the level they need to be in order to elevate the team. Rinse, wash, repeat and you end up in a situation that a lot of the non-revenue generating sports find themselves in, especially at HBCU’s. 

   

  Chelsey Lucas seems to know HBCU women’s volleyball very well. Before being named the head coach at Grambling, she was the head coach at Arkansas Pine Bluff for three seasons and before that she spent three seasons at Alcorn State. At both stops her overall record was under .500 and she had to make due with small victories. She improved both of the programs she took over and now she gets a chance to return to her Alma Mater which makes this story take an ever more interesting turn. Who knows the culture of Grambling volleyball better than a woman who had personal success representing the university on the court. She was a first team All-SWAC performer and defensive player of the year in 2006 for the Tigers. I am sure she could attest to the skill level and accountability inside the locker room. As someone from the outside looking in, if a coach felt this was what she needed to do in order for the team to have success, her experience would say that if anyone had an understanding of what to do it would be her. 

   

  Let’s not pretend as if this has not been done in some capacity before. Over the years coaches have found creative ways to separate players from a program. They have done everything from lowering scholarships to the bare minimum, to creating expectations that are impossible to meet. Every time you see a player enter the transfer portal you can't possibly believe it is because they want to, sometimes they feel they have no other choice. The writings on the wall. When Taulia Tagovailoa watched his brother Tua rise to superstar status at Alabama so he naturally thought he would follow in his big brother's footsteps. He quickly learned that it would not be the case and he transferred to Maryland. That may have been the best thing for him. It humbled him and probably made him work even harder to prove the people at Bama wrong or to live up to his own expectations. What Lucas did was cut out the histrionics that come with these moves or at least she thought she did. 

   

  Looking at this from a coach's perspective I bet she felt she was doing the best thing for the school, for those players, and definitely for herself. For the school, it's an opportunity to build a winning culture and a team that alumni and donors want to invest in. For the players it is a chance to possibly find a school better built for their skills or maybe it is the motivation necessary to raise their abilities and expectations. For her, it is a chance to create a legacy at the place she called home. An opportunity to help thousands of young ladies reach their full potential as players and as women why winning at a high level.

   

  The one thing that we are not sure of but would absolutely be a necessity in this case is what is she doing to help those displaced young ladies find another home. We don't know how much scholarship money these ladies were on. We know it is volleyball and it is at an HBCU so it would not be irresponsible to say they probably don't have the same amounts of equivalencies as Penn State. Currently there is push back and outrage over the coach's decision and campaigns are in place to try and reinstate the players but ultimately who does that truly serve. If it is about playing the game the relationship is probably forever fractured.  The only hope is that Lucas is helping those players find other homes to finish their careers and more importantly their degrees because that is still the main goal.

   

  I'm sure all of the discourse and media attention surrounding this decision doesn't make the job easier. The old saying, "You have to crack some eggs to make an omelet" never tells you what happens when the shells get in the food. However, this episode plays out, if it doesn't end with winning Lucas will undoubtedly pay a steep price. If they win, it will cover up the stench of this decision and the fallout from it. She could go on to have a fruitful career and so many more women than she hurt with this decision but that is a big if. The team is 81-207 since 2011. That is a lot to turn around and as of now, the clock is ticking. I wish those young ladies nothing but the best, and I hope Lucas wins.

   

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  Gene Clemons is a Sports Analyst and Contributor to CWN Sports. His weekly column and podcast - Gene Therapy focuses on Sports, Politics and Social/Urban issues.

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• Mambacita First, Mamba Forever.

  Apr 3, 2022 Andrew Williams 0 Comments

  

   

  by Andrew Williams

   

  It was almost a year ago when the news that rattled the sneaker world and the NBA community hit the newsfeeds and timelines. Nike announced that all Kobe- related footwear and apparel will cease production. At this time the deal that Kobe locked in after his retirement in 2016 was coming to an end, and with the recent passing (at the time) of the late great player it seemed like we would never see another Nike Kobe shoe. It felt like we would have to look Devin Booker or Demar Derozan to open an eBay store before we see another Kobe shoe.  We can’t say we were aware of the reasons the deal fell through, but the Bryant camp was looking for the rare lifetime Nike deal which is currently only held by only by athletes like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Cristiano Ronaldo solely.  So this was going to be a tough sell for the Bryant camp and at that time the deal stalled out. 

   

     Oh happy day sneaker-heads on March 24 2022, Nike officially announced they will be partnering with Vanessa Bryant and the Bryant family on championing a new generation of fans focusing on youth sports.  So what that means is the first release we can expect to see will pay homage to Kobe and Gigi with the focus on Gigi Bryant.  

   

   Nike is expected to release the first shoe from this new partnership with the Bryant family. Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16” which will be releasing on what would have been Gigi Bryant’s 16th birthday May 1,2022. All proceeds from the shoe will benefit the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. 

   

   So I feel it would only be right in celebration of the new future of Nike/ Bryant partnership in my first let’s kick it, shoe review I will review the Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16”.

   

   Some of us already took a peak at these shoes back in May when some photos were leaked prior to the Bryant family having a deal in place.  The Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16” dresses the famous Kobe 6 silhouette in a white and textured black matching the late Gigi Bryant’s Mamba Academy uniform. The Kobe 6 silhouette is also adorned with both father and daughter name on the heel tucked right under the Mamba Academy logo. The  inside is  lined with black and white patterned fabric to give that true Mamba like feel to it. Definitely a must have shoe.  With the understated color way these Kobe 6 will be a hit on and off the court. I can see the sleek, elegant design this shoe can be dressed up from anything from a sports coat to a full tuxedo and still be the element that pops the outfit. The most impressive part was the shoe was completely designed by Vanessa Bryant to pay homage to her late husband and daughter. 

      With release dates appearing to be around the beginning of May we can be sure to find these as a summer staple for 2022 and years to come. So as I prep to devise a plan to obtain a pair of size 12  Kobe 6 Protro a part of me thinks back to that cold December night of 2020 scoping out a way to get the elusive final Grinch Kobe’s I quietly whisper to myself Mamba Forever. 

  

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  Andrew Williams is a Sports Analyst and Host of BallCourt - The World of Basketball with Coach Drew and Let's Kick It - Courtside.

   

   

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• Gene Therapy - NCAA 2022 |The Final Four: Coaches Are Everything!

  Apr 1, 2022 Gene Clemons 0 Comments

  

   

  by Gene Clemons

   

  The men's and women's final four are both epic this year. On the women's side you have South Carolina trying to ascend to UConn like levels. You have UConn fighting to stave off the oncoming Lady Gamecocks and the other women's teams who keep improving yearly. Stanford is still lurking, ready to prove that they are still one of the elites in the women's game, and of course you have Louisville who keeps knocking on the door to announce themselves as a perennial women's hoop power.

   

  On the men's side you have a couple matchups that may never be topped again. Villanova will face Kansas as the two powerhouse programs duel to see who will get to add another championship to their trophy case. The other matchup is about as epic as you can get in a final four. North Carolina takes on Duke for the first time in the final four. It is a storyline that writes itself. In fact, both are. And it is rare that you get this good of a matchup without their being chalk everywhere but that is the case. Kansas is a one seed, but Duke and Nova are two seeds and UNC is an eight seed.

   

  With all due respect to the Cinderella's and upstarts, these are the matchups that we want to see in the final four. It's not just the top seeds, these are teams that have become a part of what we love about the sport. Causes being pushed and agendas driven which always makes more great storylines. Whenever someone doesn't seem to get there fairly it is news. Stars are being stars and there is always a chance for a new breakout. 

   

  

   

  The coaches are so good!

   

  On the women’s side what can be said about Geno Auriemma that has not already been said in triplicate. The UConn general has established himself as the greatest coach in the history of the women’s game. Not only has he been able to find immense success as a college coach, but he has been a dominant figure in the international game. He’s created a standard at UConn that all other coaches are continuously chasing. But as good as Auriemma is, he is not on top of the all-time wins list, that distinction belongs to Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer who has been a staple in the women’s game for 42 seasons. Her squad is also the reigning national champions. Last year she was able to best manage the bubble and lead her squad to the championship. Jeff Walz is a name that does not get enough publicity in the women’s game, but he has been great for the Cardinal bringing that team to prominence.

   

  Before Walz took over the team only had four NCAA tourney wins. In his 15 seasons, he has 37 wins in the tournament and has advanced to the final four, four times. He has also made it to the championship game twice. He has won a remarkable five straight ACC regular season titles. South Carolina’s Dawn Staley is a legend in the women’s game as a player and is quickly becoming legendary as a coach. In just 14 seasons on the job as a Gamecock she has made four, final four appearances in the last seven years and cut down the nets in 2017. All she knows is gold as a coach of Team USA and she has fiercely fought for women to be appreciated in athletics at the same level as the men. Her recruiting classes keep getting better and better as she produces top 10 WNBA picks almost yearly now.

   

  Bill Self has put together a resume envious of all who have coached the game. Over the last 24 years of his career (18 at KU) He has won over 73% of his games at every stop and that includes an over 82% winning percentage as the Jayhawks leader. He has more accolades that anyone would care to write about, and he is already a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He led the Jayhawks to the national title in 2008. Jay Wright is one of the newest members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and in his 21 years as the head coach at Villanova, he has built a monster. His squad has won two national titles. In 2016 when they cut the heart out of Tar Heel fans with a last second buzzer beater and in 2018 when they dashed the hopes of the Michigan faithful. He has found success zigging when others were zagging in recruiting by not targeting potential one and done talent but focusing on the talent that fit the style they wanted to play.

   

  With all due respect to Hubert Davis (and he deserves respect) nobody outside of Chapel Hill will be talking about him in the final four. It is worth noting that not many coaches follow a legend and have immediate success. Not many coaches go to the final four in their first season as a head coach. Most first-time coaches don’t make adjustments that change the trajectory of the team not only in the present but possibly for years to come. What Davis has done at UNC this year is applause worthy. With that being said, all eyes will be fixated on the modern era GOAT of the college coaching world Coach K as he tries to cap off an incredible career with one more national title win. Like many of the other coaches, we could run down all of his accolades but what really matters is five national titles. If he wins it again this season, he will go out with a national championship in four different decades. That level of excellence is mind blowing.

   

  This weekend is filled with storylines. Geno is looking for his 11th championship, and Coach K is zeroing in on six. VanDerveer hopes to win her fourth and Wright is trying to win his third. Self and Staley will hope to double up while Walz and Davis hope that they get to cut down the nets for the first time as coaches. Will UConn have enough to get by Stanford in a pick 'em game? Can anyone stop the freight train that is South Carolina? Can Louisville break through? Can UNC end Coach K’s career? What an epic weekend. Take a seat, grab a drink and your favorite game time snacks, and watch it all unfold.

   

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  Gene Clemons is a Sports Analyst and Contributor to CWN Sports. His weekly column and podcast - Gene Therapy focuses on Sports, Politics and Social/Urban issues.

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