When The Pretenders performed “Talk of the Town,” I don’t think Chrissie Hynde was crooning about Baker Mayfield, but here we are. He was all over the airwaves and floating in the ether, passing through the lips of every talking head with a microphone that seemingly overloads the brains of bored sadists. This was the disposed-of young man from the Sooner State (aka Texas’ little brother) always seemingly pointing west in perpetuity, beating the team from the desert with a pirate logo (hardly intimidating, half-asleep and with a butt-chin) and a glorious past flooded with modern-day mediocrity, 17-16.
Popular consensus told us that Baker was washed-up and relegated to a career clipboard holder, whispering into the head coach’s ear when he didn’t have his thumb up his butt. He was a complex melange of overrated talent and immature assholism. I’ve been told that Americans love a comeback story, but the only problem is they also love to knock a success story off its pedestal in a uniquely self-centered American way of subconscious competitiveness and jealousy. One of the hardest things in life is trying to retain your own definition of success when so many people around you are feeding you their definition bit by bit. If you’re not careful, it’s going to chip away at your definition until it’s completely replaced by theirs.
Jim Everett Table Toss 
Thanks for the Chrissie Hynde clip, Gary. Now, that’s a talent.
Speaking of Rams quarterbacks, one who deserves to be remembered is John Hadl. He died Nov. 30, 2022, at 82. He also was a talent _ and a winner.
After 11 seasons with the San Diego Chargers, teaming with receiver Lance Alworth in leading them to three AFL title games and one AFL championship, Hadl was acquired by the Rams to replace Roman Gabriel for the 1973 season.
Under head coach Chuck Knox, Hadl, 33, led the 1973 Rams to a 12-2 regular-season record. He threw 22 TD passes in 14 games, including 4 to Harold Jackson in a win over the Cowboys. Dallas, however, beat the Rams in the first round of the playoffs.
The next year, Hadl was traded to the Packers for five high-round draft choices.
Hadl was offensive coordinator of the 1982 Rams and head coach of the USFL’s Los Angeles Express in 1984 and 1985.
Hadl threw for 33,503 yards and 244 touchdowns in his pro career _ and got far less hype and far fewer TV commercials than Baker Mayfield has received for doing much less.
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Thanks for this, Mark. Do you mind if I re-post it? It would be cool to have something on here in the “Retro Simba” style rather than just the ramblings of a maniac. It is supposed to be a football blog after all. You would get full credit, of course.
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Thanks, Gary. Feel free to re-post. or, if you prefer, I could research a little about Hadl and the 1973 Rams and, by tomorrow afternoon, send you a 400- to 500-word piece with quotes you could post here. I’m good either way.
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Damn, that would be cool….but please don’t feel obligated. You’re a goddamn saint, Mark.
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Such a good point you make Gary in staying true to our own definitions of success. Your words come at a perfect time in my life as I’ve begun a new job and there’s a boss and some tinkering attempts to mold us in their image as I raise my closed right fist up above my head and/or flip the boss the birdie, in secret.
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Yikes. I hope things work out for you Steve. Never let that “inner punk rocker” go away.
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Thanks Gary. I’m gonna have what you said – “inner punk rocker” in my mind for the rest of my stay at this job and for the rest of my freaking life too!! I stayed at my previous job for nine years. That’s my record so far. I guess I like changing scenes…new subway ride and new walking stuff to see on the way from the subway to the work to the new job, but then the newness is no longer new and all gets boring. I find that happens more often as I get older. Things get boring and then I get a negative head. So then for me it’s onto a new job, but finding a new job is harder and harder, year after year. I guess I got lucky with this latest new job because I’m freaking 52. They say they don’t discriminate about age, but it’s bullshit. They do. They are the bosses. They can hire whoever the hell they want. One thing I hate about organizations and companies are the pep rally circle jerks where everyone sings the praises of the organization. I try to keep in mind that I’m not the only one who hates being at these rallies, but sometimes it’s hard or impossible to think this with everyone smiling and clapping. There are the danishes and coffee and that’s good because free food and coffee is always good.
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Hey dude…send me your address via email. I got some shit to send you.
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Gary, great post (and song). Nice to see some positive vibes around Baker. I always wanted him to do well and make it in the NFL, and perhaps this is the start of good things for the young man. And certainly, Matthew Stafford isn’t a lock to continue his career further. This could be the intersection where opportunity meets luck, and a star could be born in L.A. Stranger things have happened, for sure. Saw Mark’s note about Hadl. I remember as a youngster watching him sling the ball all over the field.
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This shit is getting interesting! Thanks for stopping by…I appreciate you.
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Enjoyed this Gary and I did so enjoy the Thursday night comeback. As a born and bred Okie and longtime Sooners fan, I’ve always liked the guy. Of course when you win a Heisman Trophy and tons of games for a school you love then it’s easy to cheer on a guy like this with biased glasses. He has done and said some dumb things that haven’t set well with opponents, coaches, and even his own teammates at times, and I think many longtime “Baker fans” were like me – beginning to give up hope on anything but a very average NFL career for the guy. And NFL average may just be who he is, but Sooner fans will always love this guy no matter how his NFL career eventually pans out. And one thing is for certain – for as many games as Baker starts or even plays for the Rams, you can count on an increase in Rams support and gear in the state of Oklahoma no matter how bad the Rams may be.
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I’ll give the guy one thing…he has amped up the excitement level because to be honest the Rams were boring as shit this year!
Thanks for the great comment. I’m very interested to see how this all pans out for the guy.
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