Hanging out “Where The Turf Meets the Surf” this weekend. The summer racing season at Del Mar is always one of my favorite past times and it’s a nice bridge from the doldrums of Summer to football season. Please root for me to hit a sizable Pick 4 this weekend…
-On Tuesday’s episode of “Morning Fanatics” with Bauer and Fouhy, I was asked if I thought Kirk Cousins made sense for the Cardinals at QB in 2018 and beyond. My short answer: NO! Is it worth paying a quarterback who has as many playoff wins as you and I nearly $30 million a year?? That’s crazy talk.
Listen to the full interview here
-Don’t get me wrong…Cousins is probably a top-15 QB in the league. But if you think he’s worth 20-25% of the entire team’s salary cap, you’re drinking the kool-aid.
-In case you’re wondering, the other top unrestricted free agent QBs in 2018 are: Matthew Stafford (Lions), Drew Brees (Saints), Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford (Vikings), Jimmy Garoppolo (Patriots).
-Stafford, like Cousins, would cost a ton and has never won a playoff game. Brees will be 39 at the start of the 2018 season if he decides to play another year after this one. Bridgewater is coming off a major knee injury and still isn’t healthy while Bradford is known for having a glass body (also known as being injury-prone). Finally, name the last Patriots QB to leave New England under Bill Belichick and be successful elsewhere. Exactly…none. I’d pass on Garoppolo.
-Face it Cardinals fans, you’re going to be rebuilding after 2017. My solution: draft a 1st or 2nd round guy like 2016 Heisman Trophy winner, Lamar Jackson (Louisville) and let him develop.
-Here’s a 2017 prediction that I left out of Wednesday’s column: The Dallas Cowboys will not make the playoffs. Look for a bit of a sophomore slump from Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott just can’t keep his nose clean. I’m not sure I’d be jumping to draft either player in my fantasy football leagues.
-I know the Tigers are out of the race and all…but the D-Backs got J.D. Martinez for peanuts! His defense may not be great but his bat will be a huge asset to an Arizona lineup that needed some additional right-handed power in its lineup (as long as he avoids getting hit by pitches in the hand). Now if they could only firm up the back end of that bullpen…#FernandoRodneyProblems
-The NL East leading Washington Nationals come to town this weekend and happen to be throwing both of their aces, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg against the Diamondbacks. If AZ avoids a sweep, I’d call the series a success.
-While I hate to admit when I’m wrong…here’s one time I’m HAPPY to be wildly off-base. I wrote the Cubs off before the All-Star break two weeks ago. Since then they’re 6-0 with a +25 run differential, all on the road! The Brewers are fading fast while the Pirates are rolling. Talk about an inner-division flip-flop within a week’s time!
-Doesn’t really matter though because let’s be honest, who is beating the Dodgers in the National League this year? They’re an absolute machine that can’t be stopped!
-Suns owner Robert Sarver told the Arizona Republic on Wednesday that in lieu of a shared arena with the Coyotes (as I suggested on Monday), he plans to renovate Talking Stick Resort Arena. Fine, well and good for the Suns. But it’s not good news for the Coyotes who I’m not sure will ever get another new hockey arena built for them in the Phoenix-area. The Seattle or Kansas City Coyotes in 2018-19 might be more realistic than you’d think at the moment.
-Speaking of the Suns, good move for them to bring on the recently retired James Jones as VP of Player Operations. By all accounts he’s a smart basketball man…after all he’s been with LeBron James in the last seven NBA Finals. Any chance he can lure his buddy LBJ to Phoenix next offseason??
-That idea isn’t as crazy as you’d think. See this column from The Big Lead.
-My favorite troll job of the week: Jay Cutler, the recently deposed (and retired) Bears QB has been assigned by FOX to call the opener against the Falcons at Soldier Field. Considering the relentless bashing he’s endured from Bears fans over the years, his opening game commentary will be a MUST LISTEN!
-Regardless of your opinion regarding O.J. Simpson’s parole hearing on Thursday (and I’m not a fan of him ever seeing the light of day), how can anyone take this Parole Commissioner seriously with that Kansas City Chiefs tie??
-Last Friday I wrote about how I needed Marin Cilic to beat Roger Federer and win Wimbledon. Instead he breaks down crying in the middle of the second set while getting crushed. Not a good look.
-Finally, I’m fortunate to have the chance to see the world’s greatest active race horse, Arrogate, race in person this weekend at Del Mar Racetrack. In his last three times against foes on the track, he’s won the Breeders Cup Classic, the Pegasus World Cup, and the Dubai World Cup. Oh yeah – those happen to be the three richest dirt races in the world. If you’re inclined to see how good this horse is…check out how he started the race in Dubai and how he finished it. Arrogate might go down as the best horse of my lifetime thus far.
Cohen's Corner 
Some thoughts on your quick hitters this time.
I believe the Cardinals are all in this year and this is the last year for Palmer, Fitzgerald and Arians and the team will play smart and hard, minus the last two games of the regular season as I mentioned the other day. But even with those guys leaving, the defense will still be good and have good young talent so making another run before David Johnson takes a step back due to age and wear & tear. There are five pretty good quarterbacks coming into the league next year but I think there are three tiers of those five guys.
Darnold
Allen
Rosen
Jackson
Faulk
I would trade multiple first rounders to move up for Darnold or Allen. I would trade multiple picks in the 2018 draft to move up for Rosen. I would take Jackson or Faulk with the first round pick assuming one of them is available still no matter who else is on the board if the others are taken when the Cardinals pick. There are enough young guys that makes the trading of multiple picks for some of those guys worth it.
JD Martinez was a steal and with that and some recent struggles of bullpen guys like Rodney and Bradley, Diamondbacks NEED to go all in for another reliable bullpen pitcher who is controlled through next year. Hand or Watson would work as well if someone who is controlled next year isn’t available.
Also for the Diamondbacks winning series are what is important but this weekend will be tough with the pitching matchups especially after Walker went on paternity leave. Maybe Koch will step up for a start this weekend. he was pretty good last year when he pitched but has struggled in the minors this year. Saturday with Godley looked like the advantage game for the Diamondbacks originally with the matchups but now Godley is going tonight vs Max. Sunday will be a solid matchup with Strasburg vs Ray.
As a tax paying citizen of the City of Phoenix, Maricopa County and the State of Arizona I will be furious if the Suns get a dime for Talking Stick Resort Arena renovations if it isn’t being renovated to also be able to house the Coyotes. In terms of James Jones, I think there is less than a 2% chance LeBron comes to Phoenix but this is a good move to give the Suns a better impression in the eyes of current players. Good hire even if LeBron doesn’t sign with the Suns.
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One other comment, I am 100% sold on the Dodgers having the best record in the NL in the regular season and all of MLB now with Correa out until just before the playoffs, but I am not sold on the Dodgers making the World Series. Kershaw is one of the best pitchers of the last ten years if not the best but he is just an average pitcher come post season. Wood has never made a start in the post season. Hill is old and only had one good post season game. All other starters are average for the Dodgers. Dodgers should still be the favorite to make the World Series but it by no means is a done deal.
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