NFL Archives | Candy A. Westbrook

This Too Shall Pass

October 27, 2020 by Candy A. Westbrook

Dear Football Mom,

Not sure you can answer this question, but going to give it a shot. Our son signed as free agent with NFL a few years ago. He was cut before he played a down. My question to you: isn’t the team franchise responsible for paying travel back home? As his dad, I’ve been miffed that they didn’t pay a cent toward his travel expense home. He hasn’t wanted me to step in, and his agent won’t return phone calls. It’s not about the money—it’s the principle of the matter.

Dear Reader,

Well, let it never be said that those NFL-ers don’t have an over-active amount of gall and guts. Or the slightest lick-a-sense.

My initial inkling is there are no hard and fast rules to release players and pay for the return trip back home. I would think it depends on the circumstances of the cut and how generous the franchise feels at the moment. As with the signees, the owner often pulls a lot of weight as to who is signed and who is expendable.

But since I do my best to be accurate and research what I can as “The Heart Behind the Gridiron,” I phoned an NFL franchise to pose your question. Turns out, my thoughts were purdy-much right on and correct to a point.

Depends on the circumstances all right. If a player was highly paid guy, one of the Queen Anne black-eyed variety, then there should be no problem returning home to sign with another team. But the smaller, plain ole garden peas gets the shaft! That’s what ya call, a pea-pickin-shame. It boils down to what was in their contract. Shame on your agent for not at least calling you back and splaining things.

A loaded question for sure and one I’m glad you shared with us.

Dear Football Mom,

Our state is closed to playing any football right now. Covid, the culprit. We have a peewee player rounding his last year playing for our county team. Given the statistics moving forward, what do you suppose is going to happen to the game? Be honest. Given the untold injuries like broken bones, heat exhaustion, and the dangerous traumatic concussion issues that may go unreported, yet continues to plague football and its safty. How can this game survive?

Dear Reader,

Since your state is not open to playing the game, you can rule out heat exhaustion at this point … It will take more than this crazy Covid to bring down football. That said, I get where you’re coming from. I really do.

Playing football for youths far out-weighs any risk involved with the game. The benefits are stacked in favor of football, not against it. Most certainly many fellers would do themselves a favor to sign-up and play instead of joining a gang, for insistence. Guys want to be part of a club—it’s within their natural DNA to be part of something. Ask most any high-risk youth why they joined up with a gang in the first place. The answer is not only the environment in which they lived, but because they wanted to feel like they “belonged.” This is my opinion, but many experts agree, and the stats are sadly true.

Regrettably, I don’t see many treehouses anymore where boys could gather and hang out with a no-girls or members-only sign on the door. That once-upon-a-time freedom to climb a tree, play kick the can, run the neighborhood till dark, camp out in a friend’s pasture, and even let your best buddy hunt for snipe holding a bag. All gone to putt, seems like. But those kind of things kept boys out of real trouble and gave them a sense of belonging just the same. Like a football team does.

In football, a fella can run off steam, release some emotions, throw off pent-up anger, and stick it to the other team all without repercussions. Football teaches teamwork and creates that sense of belonging to the club. Football is a good thang for guys.

No one can answer your underlying question, should my son continue to play? That could possibly be your real question and my answer to that is, only if he wants to play.

A parent can encourage playing a sport, but never force-feed it upon a child. In my opinion again, that is where most injuries come from. A fella has to play full throttle, and if he doesn’t really want to play, then he’s not all in. That is a huge problem. If a kid has a lackadaisical attitude, that sets him up for injury quicker than a sneeze.

No ma’am, I don’t believe football is going anywhere anytime soon. So, breakout the team colors, put your concern away, and hike up those bleachers as the proud mama you are!

Where’s the Loyalty?

March 11, 2020 by Candy A. Westbrook

Dear Football Mom,

Most of our families, including extended family, are LSU fans. Not all of them are in our newspaper’s reading area, but I gave them your website so they could read the recent column you wrote about the feud between next-door neighbors LSU and Clemson fans. You can’t control what some fans do, or their nasty antics. The rant about the eggs thrown was justifiable. I am, however, so proud of our LSU Tigers!

LSU was the clear winner and reigning National Champions. But we are upset with all the coaches leaving LSU right after the win. Who are really the winners? Yes, we hold the title, but when most coaches leave instantly after a winning season, come on. Begs the question, wouldn’t those coaches likely had to have been making those deals before the game? To us, that is disgusting. What say you?

Dear Reader,

Oh, my sweet Purple Tiger Fan. Where have you been all my life? I agree it is disgusting!

That dirty little back room has cleaned the clocks of many football programs, their fans, boosters, and alum. LSU is, sadly, no different from many other universities that get peppered for a spell. Where is that Louisiana Hot Sauce when you need it …

These dudes, the coaches, scream loyalty with gobs of powdered sugar piled high on their beignets when it comes to making those deals. They most certainly want those sweet loyalty clauses in their contracts, which really don’t exist. What does exist is the green and purple King Cake called paperbacks. Most contracts protect the universities from going into bankruptcy. The baby’s in the buyout portion. These are safety nets included in the contracts. In other words, if an athletic director from another program steals say, a head coach from a winning program, the AD agrees to buy out the contract of the coach he wishes to hire. Forget Mardi Gras and take the mask off. It’s musical chairs, plain and simple. Programs have paid millions in fees just to hire the new eye candy they think is the answer to their woes. Too often, that sugar high melts like butter and turns into gooey jambalaya. The program paid millions for nothing.

But LSU didn’t just lose some coaches, they lost key players too. Tremendous players. Now that’s what I call a mushy mess! The poor ole fellers who are left will have to start from scratch to make their red beans and rice. But, your Coach O is like a roux to the gumbo and he’s recruited some awesome players. He is one of the best in the business and he’ll flavor that pot with just the right ingredients. He’s born and bred Louisianan and he’s not going anywhere except back to business in Tiger Stadium.

I dare say some of those players who did leave for the NFL will never make it in the NFL for various reasons. Not trying to be Negative Nelly here, just can’t help but call the cups of sugar as I’ve seen them for a few years. What you think might be a good deal turns out not such a great deal after all. Just like a double hot-fudge Sunday, it looks good … taste good … but come Monday morning stepping on the scales, and they tilt forward. Ouch.

This kind of stuff happens every year to programs across the country. It’s not very nice. And back to the loyalty thing … it hurts. But remember when y’all LSU folks thought you’d never recover from the loss of a guy named Nick Sabin who threw off he’s beads for the NFL?

Nike vs. Betsy

August 26, 2019 by Candy A. Westbrook

Dear Football Mom,

We don’t have a son in football anymore, but we do love the game and support the high school team that our son once played for. In fact, we are nearly lifelong members of the football booster club, active with different projects, and help with fundraising. I say all that to qualify ourselves so you’ll answer a quick question for us. I know you don’t usually answer questions from people who don’t have sons in football, but what about those of us who are football enthusiasts? We do have a question. Do you think Nike was right to pull the Betsy Ross flag off their shoes?

Dear Reader,

Oh, swell. I get it. This is a bait and switch question if I ever saw one. You just want to hear this football mom go berserk, guns-a-blazin’ about everyone’s favorite quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. I guess you knew it would be hard for me to resist posting this question. Good guess. Saddle up cowboys. I’m game. Caution … for those with soft skin—saddle sores likely.

The dude can’t get a job with NFL, whines about the NFL via his recent Twitter remark, so exactly what is his job these days? Looks to me like his job is the never-ending story of degrading a country that affords him a lifestyle only few could dream of. Poor ole Colin, he’s cornbread ain’t done in the middle. Bless his heart.

If my recollection is right, the backlash was all about slave owners during the Betsy Ross days. Good heavens, if anybody has a gripe to whip on the forefathers it would be the Native Americans. The trail of tears history still stabs at my heart. We took their land, took their culture, and literally took their lives. And if you think for one minute that was right, you’d be wrong. All down through history, there has never been a group of folks, who have been a perfect bunch of people. Never.

But feeling sorry for yourself is downright ugly, and constantly claiming the race card borders on ridiculous in this day and age. Lots of folks have been hoodwinked and tons of money made off this one issue. What a shame. Those efforts could be put to good use. If you can’t come up with something more intelligent that adds to society, then shut up and sit down. Or, better yet, go volunteer and help someone who may be in a tough spot. I’ve seen nothing so far proving that anyone is any better off from protesting the American flag, whether it’s Betsy’s or not.

Makes you wonder why Nike put Betsy’s flag on their shoes in the first place, given their spokesman’s disdain for America. The guy hired a year or so ago was certainly not indicative of the All-American spirit, which you might think makes up most of the company’s customers. They chose the wrong knee-bender. There was another knee-bender who may have represented Nike’s target audience better, who also doesn’t have a job in the NFL. Tim Tebow would have done America proud. Would have done Nike proud. That boy isn’t whining, he’s taking chances and exemplifies class. The guy Nike got belly-aches and has done no favors for the company. Really begs the question, where do Nike’s loyalties lie in the first place? I would think, in their bank account.

Americans have bought their share of Nike products through the years. I have always heard the old cliché, “don’t bite the hand that feeds ya.” But, boy howdy, Nike blew that premise up without so much as a jog through the park in tennis shoes. You reckon Nike gives a rip about its consumers, (that’s you and me), what we think, or how we react to negative rhetoric about our country? Bologna! Of course not. They don’t give a hoot or holler about American patriotism.
What a farce this company turned out to be. If everyone stopped buying their products, I suppose they’d change the error of their ways. Those Betsy flags would be back on them shoes lickety split.

Then again, just every once in a while, good things come out of controversial chaos. Thanks to Rush Limbaugh and his Betsy Ross flag T-shirt, many lives have been made better with the 3 million dollars donated to the 100% not-for-profit Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Due to the sales of the T-shirts, injured service members, first responders, and gold star families who’ve paid the supreme sacrifice for our flag, country, and freedom were helped in a big way. Check it out: www.tunnel2towers.org.

Now, I would say that’s putting your energy to good use. If you want a Betsy Ross flag T-Shirt, be sure to go to Rush’s site www.rushlimbaugh.com as he’s the only ticket in town donating all proceeds to Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Not all copycat outlets are. Make sure you get the real deal.

Personally, I liked the Betsy Ross tennis shoes. Almost thought Nike had grown a brain and decided to invoke patriotism. But guess not. Betsy, if you can hear me, I am one who is grateful for your flag. It will always represent the sacrifice of thousands from every nationality, race, tribe, and creed, and the hardships they went through to bring our country to freedom. Heck, without those willing to lay it on the line in 1776, we could be playing football with that little round black and white ball.

Yup, the Refs Made A Bad Call.

February 12, 2019 by Candy A. Westbrook

Dear Football Mom,

Like your opinion about the New Orleans Saints robbed of playing in Super Bowl 2019. I’m a Saints fan, season ticket holder, and I’m mad as $#%% over the missed call! Suing the refs, NFL, or Roger Goodell is too good for them. They should lose their jobs, every one of them, never to step foot on an NFL field or be associated with pro teams again. Enough stupidity already.

Dear Reader,

Had one of my guys been on the Saints team, I would be answering this note from behind jail bars. Oh, trust me—I’m almost sure of it. But since they weren’t on the team, my new black isn’t orange. I’m wondering though, if we can blow off steam without swatting somebody upside the head, or landing in the jailhouse for being brainless.

I get it, I do. Not too sure, you really want to know my opinion. In truth, you really don’t. But since you asked, remember this: opinions are like a duck’s derrière … everyone has one.

It’s not like the refs don’t bring home some serious bacon. Most folks would be tickled pink as a pig for the high, six-figure, annual income these dudes make for half a year’s work. Not that they don’t deserve it; I’m almost sure they do.

In one sense, they are the most hated guys in America for doing their jobs—sort of like President Trump. In another sense, they are (after all) human, and just as none of us do a perfect job every day in our profession, they make mistakes. The problem isn’t necessarily the refs. It’s the replay rulings.

Of course, our powderpuff friend, Roger Dodger is used to ducking controversy. Just a few months back, the taking-a-knee thang resulted in most of us boycotting the games and lowered the NFL-ers paycheck, not a word from him until he saw his bottom line shrinking. I’m still not watching too much NFL. Poor ole Roger, just can’t get ahead of any hullabaloo storm brewing before it blows up in his face. You’d think he’d learn a thing or two by now.

Football is an emotional game, and anybody says different is a nincompoop. But emotion doesn’t win games as much as I would like to think it can. Neither does suing anyone. It should just never come down to one play, one mistake, one goof-up.

So, the remaining time on the clock was 1:45 at the time of the screw-up. Score tied at 20, third down, Saints in possession of ball. Yes, I agree, had the penalty been called, the Saints would have been given a new set of downs and a chance, notice “a chance” to run the clock down before attempting a short field goal, or even a touchdown. Game over. Saints win.

Maybe the ball would have gone through the uprights—maybe it wouldn’t have. Maybe it would have been blocked, or maybe it could have been intercepted. The should-a, could-a, would-a game plan was the call here. It just shouldn’t come down to a missed penalty call, especially in the NFL. They are, after all, pros … told ya … you didn’t want my opinion.

The debate over bad calls for refs, or “favoring” one team over another is nothing new. How many college, high school, middle school, or even Pee Wee games have been wiggled out of winning due to missed calls or wrong calls by the refs? We’ve all seen it. It happens.

Thing is—pass interference is not a reviewable play in the NFL. Neither is holding calls on Offense or Defense. This debate will live on until the rules change. No suing needed.

By the time, you see our column in print; Super Bowl LII will be in the history books to be chewed over like a dog’s bone. If you really want to argue, advocate to get the reviewable NFL rules changed and start lobbying to do just that. Now is your chance.

Ol’ Saint Nick ~ Not so Quick!!!

December 1, 2013 by Candy A. Westbrook

Nick Sabin is the best college coach in all of college football. Just mark it down y’all, he really is. Whether you’re an Alabama fan or you cringe at the word “Tide” and can’t even bring yourself to use the laundry detergent, one cannot deny his record! Anyone in his or her right mind would be hard pressed to dispute a record like Sabin’s. Period. Take LSU for example, he resurrected their program from the dead, “who” by the way, is still going strong.

This Football Mama is never without a theory. I believe the success of Coach Sabin is mostly because Sabin himself just won’t tolerate monkey business. If a player gets caught with his pants down-meaning in trouble for under-age drinking, drunkenness, rowdiness, scrapes with law-dogs or shady behavior, or maybe literally with his pants down in the wrong place, he’s outta his program. Coach Sabin simply will not give his players any room for screw-ups.

Then again, his players are disciplined to the crux. They eat, sleep, live by the Sabin rules. Even snafus on the field are not stomached by Sabin & Company. Ouch. That’s purdy hard-core for college boys.

Still the record stands and this year was no different, the Tide lost 2 key players and then more to the NFL and yet he pulls off a winning record? Not too shabby!

So, let’s take Georgia for insistence. Why don’t the Dawgs win more? Bring home more championships? Win a national title? Heck, anybody seen one national title in the last ten years under the Richt tutelage? Georgia can compete with Alabama on any given day as far as recruiting, facilities, education, player amenities you name it there is no reason why Georgia cannot compete! You want the real truth? Can you handle the truth?? Answer: Mark Richt coddles his players. Yep, I know, y’all gonna hate me, but the simple truth is, he does. He loves his players and is a stand-up guy for doing so, setting a Christian atmosphere is not a bad thing at all, y’all. It’s quite a great thing if you ask me. But, Georgia has had its chance, and if you really see it from an unbiased perspective, you’ll find that Richt’s players are really not all that well disciplined. Just sayin’. Let’s give ’em the hurrah however, for winning over Tech in double overtime last night. Yet again, they should’ve eaten Tech alive. Poor Tech.

My real complaint however, stops at Sabin’s throne. Admit it y’all, there was a tinge in those of us who are not die-hard Bama fans who wanted the King’s crown rolled off his head, even if, ever so slightly. Then it happened. Not that Auburn won over Alabama in such a freakish way but in the after game interview with Sabin. To me, it spoke volumes. I do so wish he had had the moral fortitude to give the Tigers the recognition they so deserved instead of recapping what went wrong with Alabama. As if Alabama were the Untouchables!? Helloooo!

Sorry Mister Sabin, that was not your most shining moment. It really comes down to how you conduct yourself after a loss. After adversity. With class? Without class? He should have given Auburn credit, he’d have come off looking like the champion king he really is.

And, Georgia? I’m not advocating that it’s either a Christian atmosphere or not. Remember a guy by the name of Tony Dungy?? You can have both. A winning program and Christian influence. Here’s to all the hard working, saintly coaches who do both!

This Too Shall Pass

Where’s the Loyalty?

Nike vs. Betsy

Yup, the Refs Made A Bad Call.

Ol’ Saint Nick ~ Not so Quick!!!

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