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Wudup doe! Its #DaRundown Sports coming for the first time this week. For the Super Bowl we have at least 3 shows this week. Slim (@Eazyslife) and I kick it plenty today. For starters, Slim gave his takes from the NFL Championship Weekend and the inordinate quantity of Richard Sherman overreactions. From there he offers up his “Bridesmaids Theories” on the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL and the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.

These three QBs have one thing in common.

To sum it up, you have the 49ers who have been to three straight NFC Championship games. He drew a comparison to Buffalo Bills of the early 90’s. They won four straight AFC titles and lost in the Super Bowl every time. I float toward the idea they more resemble the Donovan McNabb and Brian Dawkins’ lead Eagles in the 2000’s. They went to four straight NFC title games and went the Super Bowl the last time in the run. They lost to Tom Brady’s New England Patriots. With either you can see the similarities of going deep through the playoffs and couldn’t close on a championship. The 49ers are trending in an interesting direction and it will be something to watch as a (everyone’s favorite word!) narrative builds up over the years.

The other is a flashback featuring the Indiana Pacers. Late 90’s into the 2000’s the Pacers had a run but couldn’t get past Michael Jordan and foes like the Knicks. Fast forward into the present and the Indiana Pacers can’t get past LeBron James. In both cases, a transcendent player is in their way. This year the Miami Heat look vulnerable with Dwayne Wade in and out of the lineup. Couple X – factors on both teams are Luis Scola for the Pacers and Greg Oden for the Heat. Getting quality minutes in the playoffs from these two can give someone the plus side upfront around the basketball. Oden gives the Heat much needed size. Scola, is a player who has played in starting lineups. He’s shown he is more than capable of handling major minutes if needed for injury or foul trouble.

Afterwards, we fall in on the coaching moves around the NFL. NFL teams did their due diligence and hired head coaches to lead their teams. Overall the most interesting one we discussed was the Jim Caldwell to the Detroit Lions. For one even though I am a Saints fan, I am partial to the Lions because of the hometown connection. I root for them to do well except against New Orleans.

Caldwell and his coordinators

I can’t say this hire had me jumping on the coach with the hire but I am intrigued by the choices of coordinators. Caldwell picked Teryl Austin to be his defensive coordinator. He will be a first time play caller in the NFL as he was with Caldwell in Baltimore as the secondary coach. The new Lions coach doubles down on first time play callers by picking Joe Lombardi who was the Quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints. Neither have coaching accolades of note but the pedigree of the programs from where they ascended. I will say this speaking on Lombardi’s time in New Orleans. 2009 was his first year when the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl and Drew Brees had his peak year completing 70% of his passes that year.

It does show how much of a Tony Dungy disciple he is by his picks. Dungy is notable for bringing up coaches and giving them opportunities to shine under him. People don’t rectify his coaching tree but it includes Mike Tomlin, Lovie Smith, Leslie Frazier, and Jim Caldwell. It’s an impressive lineup since these are men of color and help head coaching jobs. As you can see Lovie Smith didn’t hesitate to bring Frazier on as his defensive coordinator. So yeah it’s something of a brother hood.

We’ll be doing one big Super bowl late next week where I will get a fan from both sides to say why their team will win. We’ll make our picks and an early on peek for a NBA podcast in the week to hold you. Stay locked in to #DaRundown Sports is in growing and evolving.

You can reach us @ (385)-98-LEGGO (385-985-3446) voice or text Extended thought? E-mail us @ darundownsports@gmail.com

CL The Main Event @Clthemainevent

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