Chip Shots: And Then There Were Two. It’s Usually Just Two
September 10, 2022 at 3:06 a.m.
Chip Shots: And Then There Were Two. It’s Usually Just Two
By Chip Davenport-
This begs the question, am I too lazy to edit the lengthier-than-expected discussions to add more topics, or were the two topics I chose sharing the same wavelength with you this morning?
Readers likely found it strange to run an article about Warsaw’s football game last weekend, a 70-0 win over Plymouth, without quotes from the oh-so-very-quotable Tiger head coach Bart Curtis. Sometimes print deadlines, copy space limits and other factors will contribute to the absence of quotes in rare cases. Last weekend’s convincing win was chock-full of additional contributors to the contest bucking for copy space.
It’s not unusual for Curtis’s post-game feedback to shift the angle I’ll take on an article’s lead, or even its overall tone. However, with 650 words of copy space, I used it for laundry-listing the contributions among the athletes - especially those you don’t read much about - and I was locked and loaded on the coincidental future of Tiger football showcased on and off the field.
While I’m on the topic, Tiger fans should peruse your rosters on Friday nights to take note of numerous seniors who don’t start either due to the unexpected rapid development of their younger teammates, injuries/illness, or from the intense competition for limited openings. Be assured when these hardworking Tigers get minutes this season, they’ll pour every ounce of passion and effort into their time on the field. I’m looking forward to reporting more names when I cover the next two Tiger home games September 23, and October 7.
I’ll be covering other area gridders on football Fridays for the Times-Union when Fisher Field is dark. I covered Triton last night, and I shall cover them again this coming Friday. I’m also eager to cover one of two games featuring matchups between two area teams September 30 (Warsaw at Wawasee, or Manchester at Whitko).
College football went into full launch last weekend, and now the NFL’s opening week will also occupy many fans’ football real estate tomorrow.
Almost every fan brings the hope of going 17-0 into the first week of the season. Here are my picks for the finishes by division for 2022:
AFC North – Cincinnati, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland. The Browns will feel the sting from missing their starting quarterback, and Cincinnati won’t make the Super Bowl this season, but they won’t suffer a Super Bowl hangover either.
AFC South – Tennessee, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Houston. This is not a great division, but I strongly believe the Jaguars have settled down from the 2021 shake-up, and they have winnable opportunities against Houston and a few other 2021 cellar dwellers on the schedule.
AFC East – Buffalo, Miami, New England, NY Jets. A lot of questions about Belichick’s move (floundering former Lions head coach Matt Patricia to offensive coordinator), so the edge goes to the Dolphins who’ve added Tyreek Hill to an already improving roster.
AFC West – Kansas City, LA Chargers, Denver, Las Vegas. The division has evolved into the AFC’s strongest, and the Raiders might finish fourth but still earn a winning record. The division clearly has the narrowest gaps in talent among its four starting QBs.
NFC North – Minnesota, Green Bay, Detroit, Chicago. Probably my hottest takes among the eight divisions are my projected finishes for the Vikings and the Lions. Bears fans who are embracing the aforementioned hope of finishing 17-0? Your optimism is commendable. Green Bay’s runner-up projection could backfire on me if Aaron Rogers is finished puking up the rest of his hallucinogen-laden tea in time to have greater faith in his limited receiving corps.
NFC South – Tampa Bay, Atlanta, New Orleans, Carolina. Baker Mayfield is the Panthers’ starting signal caller who can rely on Christian McCaffery when the latter isn’t injured. Frankly, the homework required to further research the three teams not located in Tampa Bay was not worth my time, so I surmised the 2022 finish among this weak division’s other three squads.
NFC East – Philadelphia, Dallas, Washington, NY Giants. The NFC’s bottom feeders seem to be as bad as its top-tier teams are good. This is the season the “Iggles” will take advantage of a Dallas squad whose QB, Dak Prescott, continues to lose his supporting cast from previous seasons.
NFC West – LA Rams, Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle. Seattle surrendered the one person, Russell Wilson, who made almost every skill position player on the Seahawks’ roster look better than they really were. The ‘Niners could move ahead of the Cardinals if Shanahan’s strong running attack gets more breathing room by Trey Lance throwing more accurately.
I’m eager to share my accuracy two months from this weekend when most of the NFL teams will have completed eight or nine games. In the meantime, I hope fans enjoy less than three hours Sunday clutching to the hope your team goes 17-0 before harsh reality sets in for 2022.
This begs the question, am I too lazy to edit the lengthier-than-expected discussions to add more topics, or were the two topics I chose sharing the same wavelength with you this morning?
Readers likely found it strange to run an article about Warsaw’s football game last weekend, a 70-0 win over Plymouth, without quotes from the oh-so-very-quotable Tiger head coach Bart Curtis. Sometimes print deadlines, copy space limits and other factors will contribute to the absence of quotes in rare cases. Last weekend’s convincing win was chock-full of additional contributors to the contest bucking for copy space.
It’s not unusual for Curtis’s post-game feedback to shift the angle I’ll take on an article’s lead, or even its overall tone. However, with 650 words of copy space, I used it for laundry-listing the contributions among the athletes - especially those you don’t read much about - and I was locked and loaded on the coincidental future of Tiger football showcased on and off the field.
While I’m on the topic, Tiger fans should peruse your rosters on Friday nights to take note of numerous seniors who don’t start either due to the unexpected rapid development of their younger teammates, injuries/illness, or from the intense competition for limited openings. Be assured when these hardworking Tigers get minutes this season, they’ll pour every ounce of passion and effort into their time on the field. I’m looking forward to reporting more names when I cover the next two Tiger home games September 23, and October 7.
I’ll be covering other area gridders on football Fridays for the Times-Union when Fisher Field is dark. I covered Triton last night, and I shall cover them again this coming Friday. I’m also eager to cover one of two games featuring matchups between two area teams September 30 (Warsaw at Wawasee, or Manchester at Whitko).
College football went into full launch last weekend, and now the NFL’s opening week will also occupy many fans’ football real estate tomorrow.
Almost every fan brings the hope of going 17-0 into the first week of the season. Here are my picks for the finishes by division for 2022:
AFC North – Cincinnati, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland. The Browns will feel the sting from missing their starting quarterback, and Cincinnati won’t make the Super Bowl this season, but they won’t suffer a Super Bowl hangover either.
AFC South – Tennessee, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Houston. This is not a great division, but I strongly believe the Jaguars have settled down from the 2021 shake-up, and they have winnable opportunities against Houston and a few other 2021 cellar dwellers on the schedule.
AFC East – Buffalo, Miami, New England, NY Jets. A lot of questions about Belichick’s move (floundering former Lions head coach Matt Patricia to offensive coordinator), so the edge goes to the Dolphins who’ve added Tyreek Hill to an already improving roster.
AFC West – Kansas City, LA Chargers, Denver, Las Vegas. The division has evolved into the AFC’s strongest, and the Raiders might finish fourth but still earn a winning record. The division clearly has the narrowest gaps in talent among its four starting QBs.
NFC North – Minnesota, Green Bay, Detroit, Chicago. Probably my hottest takes among the eight divisions are my projected finishes for the Vikings and the Lions. Bears fans who are embracing the aforementioned hope of finishing 17-0? Your optimism is commendable. Green Bay’s runner-up projection could backfire on me if Aaron Rogers is finished puking up the rest of his hallucinogen-laden tea in time to have greater faith in his limited receiving corps.
NFC South – Tampa Bay, Atlanta, New Orleans, Carolina. Baker Mayfield is the Panthers’ starting signal caller who can rely on Christian McCaffery when the latter isn’t injured. Frankly, the homework required to further research the three teams not located in Tampa Bay was not worth my time, so I surmised the 2022 finish among this weak division’s other three squads.
NFC East – Philadelphia, Dallas, Washington, NY Giants. The NFC’s bottom feeders seem to be as bad as its top-tier teams are good. This is the season the “Iggles” will take advantage of a Dallas squad whose QB, Dak Prescott, continues to lose his supporting cast from previous seasons.
NFC West – LA Rams, Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle. Seattle surrendered the one person, Russell Wilson, who made almost every skill position player on the Seahawks’ roster look better than they really were. The ‘Niners could move ahead of the Cardinals if Shanahan’s strong running attack gets more breathing room by Trey Lance throwing more accurately.
I’m eager to share my accuracy two months from this weekend when most of the NFL teams will have completed eight or nine games. In the meantime, I hope fans enjoy less than three hours Sunday clutching to the hope your team goes 17-0 before harsh reality sets in for 2022.
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