Behind the Line

Shannon Sharpe Goes Woke on Cowboys Coach Mike McCarthy

Just when it seemed things were returning to normal in the sports world and woke politics were gone...Shannon Sharpe decides to celebrate Thanksgiving by proving he's woke.

Shannon Sharpe criticized Mike McCarthy earlier this week for using watermelons as a motivational tool for the Dallas Cowboys.

We share the comments made by Shannon Sharpe...and explain why this is another case of phony outrage by a sports media personality. We also commend Cowboys players for not using this situation as an opportunity to get Mike McCarthy fired.

Bruce Arians Doesn't Have the Pedigree to Publicly Criticize Tom Brady

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost their fourth game of the season Monday night...and head coach Bruce Arians publicly blasted Tom Brady once again. Seems every time the Bucs lose...Arians lays the bulk of the blame on his legendary quarterback.

The constant public criticism does nothing to help the obvious lack of chemistry with the Tampa offense. It also creates speculation that there's issues between Tom Brady and Bruce Arians.

We explain why Tom Brady isn't the only problem in Tampa...and why poor coaching could be the reason for some of his struggles. Could Bruce Arians be the problem in Tampa...not Tom Brady?

Are the Bucs legitimate Superbowl contenders?

Baker Mayfield is Not a Franchise Quarterback

There's a lot of excitement surrounding Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns. For the first time in nearly 20 years...the Browns are in the playoff conversation heading into the month of December.

However...being overlooked in the Browns success is the fact that Baker Mayfield is underperforming. If the Browns weren't 7-3...it's possible Kevin Stefanski would've already made the decision to bench Baker Mayfield.

We analyze his numbers...and explain why Baker Mayfield is NOT a franchise quarterback. We also outline what the future could look like between Mayfield and the Browns.

Saints Best Team in NFC; Benching Tua Major Mistake; Should Eagles Bench Carson Wentz

Sean Payton's risky move of starting Taysom Hill over Jameis Winston was a resounding success. Hill was phenomenal against the Falcons on Sunday...with the Saints offense not missing a beat in Drew Brees absence.

We explain why the Saints are the best team in the NFC...and why the defense is the key to their success.

Also...this week in our What's Real/What's Fake segment.

Did Brian Flores make a mistake benching Tua Tagovailoa?

Should Doug Pederson bench Carson Wentz for Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia?

Are Philip Rivers and the Indianapolis Colts Superbowl contenders?

Is it panic time for Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens?

Did Sean Payton Make Right Decision Starting Taysom Hill Over Jameis Winston

When Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints gave Taysom Hill a $21 million contract over the offseason...we knew it was only a matter of time before Hill became the Saints starting quarterback. Most of us figured that decision would be made in 2021.

However...with the injury to Drew Brees...Sean Payton has made the controversial decision to start Taysom Hill this week against the Atlanta Falcons instead of Jameis Winston. 

Is Sean Payton making the right decision? We look at both sides of the argument...and determine whether or not starting Taysom Hill is the right call.

Klay Thompson NBA Career Over? Could Steph Curry End Career Outside Golden State?

The achilles injury to Klay Thompson officially put an end to the Golden State Warriors 5-6 year dynasty. With five straight appearances in the NBA Finals and three championships...the Warriors dynasty will go down as one of the best in the history of sports.

We look at past achilles injuries to NBA players...and explain why this specific injury is usually career ending for an NBA player. With a torn ACL in one leg and ruptured achilles on the other...could the career of Klay Thompson be over?

We also explain why the end of the dynasty in Golden State could provide the opportunity for Steph Curry to request a trade...and chase another NBA title with another team.

Drew Brees: Injury a Blessing in Disguise?

For the second year in a row...Drew Brees is injured and is expected to miss several weeks. Certain talking heads on ESPN are claiming this could be the end of his career...and he might not return this season.

We're confident Brees will be back on the field this season...and give several reasons as to why. We also explain why the timing of this injury could be a blessing in disguise for Brees and the Saints.

Also...we look at both Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill...and explain who should be the starting quarterback in Drew Brees' absence.

James Harden to Brooklyn Unlikely; Giannis Still Leaving Milwaukee

The NBA finally finds themselves leading the national headlines for something other than being woke. The rumor mill was in full force Monday and Tuesday...with stories of James Harden heading to Brooklyn...and Russell Westbrook heading...well...nowhere.

We explain why it's unlikely James Harden will be playing for the Brooklyn Nets this season...and why Russell Westbrook is more likely to be playing in Houston than anywhere else.

We also look into what's going on in Milwaukee...and explain why acquiring Jrue Holiday isn't going to be enough to keep Giannis in a Bucks uniform. We blast the Bucks for giving up so many future draft picks in what will be a failed attempt at keeping Giannis...and explain how they'll also lose Jrue Holiday.

New York Giants Best Team in NFC East; Russell Wilson Not the Problem in Seattle

This week on What's Real/What's Fake:

We explain why the New York Giants are the best team in the NFC East.

Are things as bad as they seem for Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks?

Does Kevin Stefanski trust Baker Mayfield to run the Browns offense?

We also look into Lamar Jackson's comments last week on the Rich Eisen show. He claimed the Baltimore Ravens offensive struggles are due to the fact that they're too predictable and defenses know the plays they're running. We explain why Lamar Jackson is 100% wrong...and give the REAL reason the Ravens are struggling offensively.

Woke Dan Le Batard at War with Woke ESPN; Could ESPN Eventually Cease to Exist?

It was only a matter of time before the members of Club Woke began to turn on each other. The ongoing war between Dan Le Batard and ESPN reached its peak this past week...with rumors swirling that Le Batard could be on his way out at ESPN.

We look into Le Batard's public comments...and explain why we believe this is phony outrage about producer Chris Cote's layoff. We explain why Le Batard is using this as a reason to get out of his contract with ESPN early.

We also detail the precarious situation ESPN is in...and how there is a shift happening in media. We outline a scenario in which ESPN could eventually cease to exist.