BARRY LAMINACK
Hard Knocks: It's become easy to root for Baker Mayfield
Aug 30, 2018, 7:57 am
Baker Mayfield is becoming a star on Hard Knocks. Joe Robbins/Getty Images
To borrow a phrase from my grandfather:
“DADGUMMIT”!
Dadgummit Hard Knocks! Stop making me like players/coaches that I don't want to like!
In 2015 it was Bill O’Brien.
Last year it was Jameis Winston.
This year?
Baker Mayfield.
Before I watched this season’s Hard Knocks, Training Camp with the Cleveland Browns I wasn’t a big Baker Mayfield guy. Maybe it was because he reminded me (almost too much) of Johnny Manziel, both on and off the field. Maybe I was letting my Aggie fandom, and thus my dislike for OU, cloud my judgment? Whatever the reason, I have never felt invested enough to see him succeed...until now.
I have to admit that after seeing him on Hard Knocks these past few weeks, and getting a peek into what he’s like on and off the field, I’m actually rooting for the guy to succeed. Sure it might be the magic of editing, but to me he's checking all the boxes of a guy you would root for.
Wants to win, no matter what? Check.
Plays the game “the right way”? Check.
Tough, smart and ultra-competitive? Check, check, and check.
So, will this love affair last?
Probably not.
I'm already back to not caring about Jameis Winston, and if you’ve listened to my show at all you know I’m not the biggest fan of Bill O’Brien (especially when it comes to him dealing with reporters).
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go press my orange and white number 6 jersey.
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Critical levers Astros can pull as health concerns, deadline pressures grow
Jul 10, 2025, 3:46 pm
Jake Meyers is the latest Astro to be rushed back from injury too soon. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Houston center fielder Jake Meyers was removed from Wednesday night’s game against Cleveland during pregame warmups because of right calf tightness.
Meyers, who had missed the last two games with a right calf injury, jogged onto the field before the game but soon summoned the training staff, who joined him on the field to tend to him. He remained on the field on one knee as manager Joe Espada joined the group. After a couple minutes, Meyers got up and was helped off the field and to the tunnel in right field by a trainer.
Mauricio Dubón moved from shortstop to center field and Zack Short entered the game to replace Dubón at shortstop.
Meyers is batting .308 with three homers and 21 RBIs this season.
After the game, Meyers met with the media and spoke about the injury. Meyers declined to answer when asked if the latest injury feels worse than the one he sustained Sunday. Wow, that is not a good sign.
Asked if this calf injury feels worse than the one he sustained on Sunday, Jake Meyers looked toward a team spokesman and asked "do I have to answer that?" He did not and then politely ended the interview.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 10, 2025
Lack of imaging strikes again!
The Athletic's Chandler Rome reported on Thursday that the Astros didn't do any imaging on Meyers after the initial injury. You can't make this stuff up. This is exactly the kind of thing that has the Astros return-to-play policy under constant scrutiny.
The All-Star break is right around the corner, why take the risk in playing Meyers after missing just two games with calf discomfort? The guy literally fell to the ground running out to his position before the game started. The people that make these risk vs. reward assessments clearly are making some serious mistakes.
The question remains: will the Astros finally do something about it?