Behind the Line

Last summer...LeBron James led the NBA down the path of social justice and woke politics. NBA commissioner Adam Silver endorsed it as well. As a result...we saw a massive decrease in television ratings for the NBA playoffs and NBA Finals. 

Fast forward to the opening week of the 2020-21 NBA regular season...and the ratings have seen substantial increases. Opening week of the 2020 regular season saw some of the best numbers the NBA has seen in years.

Have LeBron James and the NBA been forgiven for going woke last summer? We take a look at two potential reasons the NBA saw an increase in ratings...and explain why the league could see a resurgence in popularity this season.

Vanderbilt kicker Sarah Fuller's 15 minutes of fame has been extended. USA Today has named her one of 2020's breakout sports stars...and the NCAA has placed her jersey into the college football Hall-of-Fame.

We explain why Sarah Fuller hasn't done anything to be included in either of those honors. It's disrespectful to players like DJ Metcalf and Tyler Herro...who were also included on USA Today's list...but were included because of their accomplishments...not a media agenda.

We also explain why it's an embarrassment to the Hall-of-Fame for Sarah Fuller to be included. We believe she is being used by the media to promote their woke agenda...and once someone else comes along to further that agenda...Sarah Fuller will be forgotten.

Big Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers appeared to have resurrected their season Sunday in their comeback win against the Colts. Although they clinched the AFC North with the win...and the comeback is a feel good story...the Steelers still have major problems going into the playoffs.

We explain why the Steelers aren't a great team...and outline numerous problems that will derail them in January. We explain how the Steelers caught the Colts defense by surprise in the second half...and how opposing teams won't allow that to happen again.

This week in our What's Real/What's Fake segment:

Are Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs beatable heading into the playoffs?

Baker Mayfield choked away his opportunity to prove he's capable of being a franchise QB.

Was the Washington Football Team loss against Carolina the fault of Dwayne Haskins?

Is Jared Goff the Jameis Winston of the West Coast?

We have been saying on this channel for weeks that Tua Tagovailoa isn't ready to lead a team into the playoffs. The rest of the country saw firsthand Saturday night against the Raiders why Tua isn't ready.

We explain why Ryan Fitzpatrick should be the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins the rest of this season...and why it was a mistake for Brian Flores to bench him for Tua in the first place.

We compare Tua to Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert...and how his situation is different. Burrow and Herbert were starting for teams with no chance to make the playoffs. The Dolphins have a Superbowl caliber defense...and the second youngest roster in the NFL.

This Dolphins team needs to make the playoffs to get experience...and Tua isn't the right quarterback at this point to lead them into the postseason.

I've speculated for the past year that Giannis Antetokounmpo had one foot out the door in Milwaukee. After back-to-back disappointing losses in the playoffs...and with the Bucks seemingly unable to build a title contending roster around him...I figured he would leave Milwaukee be the trade deadline.

Seems I was wrong...for now. Giannis signed a supermax extension with the Bucks before the season...meaning he should remain in Milwaukee for a minimum of the next five years.

However...we've seen in the past that contracts in the NBA are meaningless. Just because Giannis agreed to an extension with the Bucks doesn't mean he will remain in Milwaukee the next five years.

We explain why Giannis is unlikely to finish this contract with the Bucks...and the reasons he could end up leaving Milwaukee.

The Houston Rockets opening game of the regular season against the Oklahoma City Thunder was canceled Wednesday night...due to the Rockets not having enough players to compete. At the same time...James Harden is being criticized for violating the NBA's Health and Safety policy.

Although Harden hasn't handled his imminent exit from Houston professionally...the criticism he is receiving is unfair. He is being criticized for not being the leader in Houston...and being selfish for attending a private party.

We explain why the NBA's own ridiculous COVID protocols are to blame for the game being canceled...and why it's unfair to criticize James Harden for not leading the Rockets by example. We outline why the Rockets are stuck with James Harden for the time being...and how this situation in Houston will get worse.

For the first 10 or 11 weeks of this season...many considered the Pittsburgh Steelers to be the best team in the NFL. When you begin a season 11-0...your weaknesses tend to get overlooked. Those weaknesses have been exposed the last four weeks.

We analyze the Steelers season...and pinpoint when the areas of concern began to surface. We explain why Big Ben Roethlisberger is the main problem in Pittsburgh...and how his issues can't be resolved before the playoffs.

Big Ben has stated publicly that he wants to return next season. Will the Steelers want him back?

This week in our What's Real/What's Fake segment:

Were the New Orleans Saints outmatched by the Kansas City Chiefs?

Are Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playoff ready?

Is Jon Gruden the reason the Raiders won't make the playoffs?

Should the Chicago Bears re-sign Mitchell Trubisky?

Both Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts are receiving praise for their performances last week. Many feel Tua proved himself a legitimate NFL quarterback with his fourth quarter performance against the Kansas City Chiefs...and fans in Philadelphia believe Jalen Hurts has proven he can be the replacement for Carson Wentz.

We analyze the performances of both rookie quarterbacks...and explain why both still have a lot to prove. We compare Tua to Dak Prescott...and explain why his fourth quarter performance isn't what it seems. 

Jalen Hurts performance was the product of the Saints defense not knowing how to defend against him...and his real test comes today against the Arizona Cardinals.