Belichick's Folly; Warriors Pull Through

I've never liked Bill Belichick.

Maybe it's the condescending way he treats the media. Maybe it's how he often dresses like a slob in a gray hoodie. Maybe it's his well-practiced crudeness, grumpiness and dismissiveness. 

Or maybe it's the fact that he is something of a cheat. Over the years his Patriots were outed for spying, videotaping, deflating footballs, and bugging locker rooms.

But the latest Belichick drama, involving a 24-year old girlfriend, has taken him to depths that call to mind an episode of the Kardashians.

Previously, the six-time Super Bowl championship coach was mostly known as an extremely successful, extremely unlikable coach.

Now, he's become an embarrassment.

The University of North Carolina is paying the 73-year old Belichick $10 million per year to be its head coach and hopefully build the "33rd NFL team" in Chapel Hill.

They're also employing two of his sons on the coaching staff.

But they've gotten an added bonus. Belichick's girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, 49 years his junior, has inserted herself into the mix.

Hudson, a former cheerleader and beauty pageant contestant whose mother reportedly runs a sex shop, apparently fancies herself as some kind of public relations guru. Belichick has insisted she be copied on all emails from North Carolina. 

She sits in on his press interviews. She sends recommendations to the Tar Heels PR staff, including one that insisted Belichick's son, Steve, be accorded the "upmost" respect in all media releases.

Last week Belichick showed up for a softball interview with CBS Morning News in a ripped Navy sweatshirt, with no one from North Carolina in sight, and Hudson looming over the proceedings.

When the interviewer asked Belichick how he and Hudson met, she immediately announced, "we're not answering that."

A few days after the interview, Belichick released a statement claiming CBS strayed from the agreed-upon focus of the interview--his new book--and that "after this occurred several times, Jordon, with whom I share both a personal and professional relationship, stepped in to help refocus the discussion. She was...simply doing her job to ensure the interview stayed on track."

Her job?

CBS immediately refuted Belichick's claim. "When we agreed to speak with Mr. Belichick, it was for a wide-ranging interview. There were no preconditions or limitations to this conversation."

In his book's acknowledgments, Belichick refers to Hudson as his "idea mill" and "creative muse." I can think of a few other descriptions.

Hudson identifies herself as "Chief Operating Officer of Belichick Productions." Recent news reports have revealed that she has amassed an $8 million real estate portfolio in the months since meeting her new sugar daddy.

According to the Athletic, Hudson's involvement was the reason NFL Films pulled out of a planned "Hard Knocks" series centered on Belichick's transition to college football.

After the CBS debacle, Hudson went on a social media boomlet, retweeting Belichick's defenders and promoting his upcoming book.

Previously, she had posted photos of the old coach on his back, legs stretched upward, holding Hudson in various poses.

They both looked ridiculous, if not pathetic.

We Belichick haters are going to enjoy his tenure at North Carolina. It's not going to end well.

Warriors Come Through: I didn't expect to be writing about Buddy Hield this morning.

Actually, I was among many who believed that starting him at shooting guard last night, after he had scored a total of four points in the Warriors' two previous playoff games, both losses, was a mistake.

Boy was I wrong. Buddy exploded for 33 points, 22 in the first half, in a performance that will forever be etched in Warriors' lore, to lead them to a game 7 win over Houston, 103-89. He made nine of 12 from 3-point range, tying the NBA record for most ever in a game 7.

He wasn't the whole story, of course. The Warriors' defense, led by the irrepressible Draymond Green and "Playoff Jimmy" Butler, along with key contributions from unsung Kevon Looney, Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody, held Houston in check the entire game. The under-sized Warriors blocked eight shots and had six steals.

Thanks to Hield, Golden State was ahead by 12 at halftime despite only three points from Curry.

But you knew it was only a matter of time before the best shooter in the world got unleashed. Curry scored 19 in the second half, including 14 in the fourth quarter, adding 10 rebounds and 7 assists in a gutty, winning performance.

Butler had 20 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists and Green, along with his incredible defense, had 16.

But maybe the biggest stat of the game, was the fact that the Warriors turned the ball over only seven times. When they don't turn it over, they usually win.

On to Minnesota!