It is time to make a column with sports information, because the start of this 2022 promises, as young people now say, to get hairy. I understand that there are those who consider sports as inconsequential and unimportant, but no activity that concentrates the attention, and more than anything, the passion of millions and millions of humans, can be considered superfluous.
The postseason of a strange year in the NFL begins this Saturday. For the first time, teams played 17 games instead of 16. Collegiate selection rules, and the salary caps that teams are subject to, ensure very even competitiveness. There are no more dynasties, players are highly mobile, and player contracts are already mostly multimillionaire. But no one can buy a title. Salary caps are responsible for preventing this.
The big stars keep shining. In the play-offs Tom Brady and his Tampa Buccaneers are already in, Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs, and Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers as big favorites, although not without surprises. Back in week 12, it emerged that Rodgers would not play a game for violating the league’s COVID policy. Rodgers refused to be vaccinated, and was subjected to a regimen of frequent tests for COVID, with a commitment not to disclose the arrangement. Someone gasped, and Rodgers was furious. Since he is in his last year of his contract with Green Bay, there were suspicions that it was the team that leaked the note, to put pressure on Rodgers. It was never known, and now they will have a bye week, for being the highest ranked team.
The finals kick off on Saturday when the Las Vegas Raiders visit the Cincinnati Bengals. Raiders had a very bumpy year. John Gruden, his head coach, had to resign after emails were posted in which he spoke in a racist way about African Americans. In addition, their star wide receiver, Henry Ruggs, took a casualty after crashing at high speed while under the influence of alcohol, killing a woman. After week 13, no one gave a peanut for them. They had won six and lost seven. But they closed with four wins in a row, and sneaked into the play-off.
Also on Saturday, Buffalo vs. Patriots. I sympathize with New England, but Buffalo will beat them.
On Sunday, Brady and the Buccaneers will have no problem crushing Philadelphia. Then Dallas travels to San Francisco, and I think the 49s will win. On Sunday night, Kansas City will end the dream of thousands of Pittsburgh fans, and incidentally, it will be the last game in Ben Rothlisberg’s career. A big one is going, with Big Ben.
Finally, on Monday night, the Los Angeles Rams go to Arizona, to face some erratic Cardinals. They were the last team to lose undefeated, but ended up losing six games, by 11 wins. I lean towards Rams. Depending on the results, it will be known which teams survive and play next week.
You may have noticed that I was not a favorite at Raiders-Cincinnati. I did not, because I wish with all my soul that Las Vegas win, and neither want nor can I be objective in that game.
* * *
Also this month the Australian Tennis Open is played, the first of the four Grand Slam tournaments of the year. The champion, Serbian Novak Djokovic, is an anti-vaxer. He refuses to get the COVID vaccine, and the Australian authorities do not want to let him play like that. Djokovic has a medical certificate that allows him not to be vaccinated, and with this, according to the ATP regulations, he could play, but the Australian authorities do not want to make the exception. Djokovic sued, a judge granted him permission to stay in Australia, but it is not yet known whether he will be allowed to play.
In February, Winter Olympics. And this column returns to the international political scene, next Thursday.
.
