NFL News:

• Well, this is interesting:
  • OBJ says he won’t play without a contract extension.
  • Giants co-owner John Mara said Sunday, “I wouldn’t say that anyone is untouchable.”
  • As we saw last season, Eli doesn’t play well if all his toys aren’t in the sandbox with him.

• It’s “hurt feelings” day.
  • Jordy Nelson, on being cut by the Packers.
  • Pete Carroll, on Richard Sherman setting fires on his way out.

• The list of coaching names for the proposed Ebersol-organized Alliance of American Football has some interesting names on it.
  • They include Steve Spurrier, Mike Singletary, Rick Neuheisel, Jeff Fisher, Mike Martz, Rob Ryan, Pepper Johnson and Jim Fassel.
  • The idea that it will be a developmental league meaning hiring experienced coaches, and Jeff Fisher, to legitimize the teams isn’t wholly an insane idea.

• After the Jets pulled their offer, the Rams are considered the frontrunners to land Ndamukong Suh. have offered Ndamukong Suh a one-year, $14 million contract.
  • The deal was pulled by the owner after the GM proposed it. As Christopher Johnson put it, in what sounds like an actual strategy:
    • “I don’t want to be a flash in the pan,” Johnson said, speaking of his team-building approach. “I don’t want to load up on people who can get you there but can’t keep you there. This is about building something great long-term.”

Given how slow it is today, what with the Flacco Eight hangover and such…

World War I Centenary:

March 26, 1918 – The Doullens Agreement

In sum, The Doullens Conference led to an Anglo-French agreement to appoint French Marshall Ferdinand Foch Supreme Allied Commander of their forces along the Western Front. In reality, this event will be noted as one of the key reasons for German defeat in the West, and ultimately the war.

In response to the German “Spring Offensive”, launched on March 21 with “Operation Michael” (see below), a result of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk & fighting finally ceasing along the Russian front, the British & French met to discuss a coordinated response to the German assault. Highlighting the ridiculousness of their efforts up to this point, the British & French had been fighting separate, uncoordinated conflicts with the Germans, which exacerbated the breadth & length of the trench-warfare stalemate in the West since 1915.

—————————————

Operation Michael,

launched on March 21, was an attempt to drive northwest through France, dividing the British & French armies, and hopefully forcing the British to retreat to the coast & back to England. Since the end of conflict along their eastern front, the Germans had been re-positioning forces into the West in hopes of one final barrage that would force either the capitulation of France or the removal of Britain from the field of conflict.

Haste was of necessity for the Germans, as the Americans had yet to commit any real forces to Europe, but Pershing’s armt was expected to arrive in April. By turning the conflict in their favour before the US arrived, it was hoped that the war could be concluded before the Americans – unwilling participants as their politicians were – felt it necessary to begin shooting.

Only in 1918, and in desperation at the post-Brest-Litovsk German one-front strategy, had the idea to coordinate their forces entered their collective government’s minds. The launch of Operation Michael led British Commander-in-France General Haig to force a conference to finally decide to coordinate strategy against an enemy with only one-front in focus at this point. The politicians quickly agreed to this proposal.

It was decided that a French general would be in charge of the coordination, as it would be awkward for a British general or politician to rationalize military decisions in and for France. Marshall Foch was preferred by the British over Petain, who would instead lead the French army. On April 3rd, the Agreement was cemented at Beauvais – the Anglo-French forces would operate under Foch, and the increasing nimbers of arriving Americans would operate in France under Pershing but coordinate with Foch.

Operation Michael was stalled on April 4 outside Amiens (British textbooks) in a village named Villers-Bretonneux (French textbooks). The combined British-French armies under Foch had made their last stand here, because a German victory would have cut train lines to both Paris and the coast. They were able to hold the town and force a German retreat. A German counter-offensive April 24-25 to attempt taking the town was unsuccessful, but is notable for being the first tank-versus-tank battle in history, the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux.

To that point, the British had had 178,000 men killed, injured, or captured. The French totals were 77,000, and the Germans 239,000. The difference was the British & French were able to supplement their forces with the arrival of the US Army, whereas the Germans had used their remaining general forces.

One year earlier, on April 6, 1917, when the United States declared war against Germany, the nation had a standing army of 127,500 officers and soldiers. The failure of Operation Michael would mark the start of the German decline in the West, an event hastened by the arrival of the US army’s American Expeditionary Force, who had one million troops in France by May 1918, leading to their eventual surrender in November 1918. In the end, around 4,000,000 soldiers were mobilized and 116,708 American military personnel died during World War 1 from all causes (influenza, combat and wounds), and over 264,000 were wounded.

As important, but unknown at the time, the Doullens & Beauvais Agreements would set precedent for Eisenhower’s “Supreme Allied Commander” status when the Allies were planning their western front in World War Two. Because, why would they think they’d have to do this again in 20 years?

Tonight’s sports: (* = tentatively scheduled broadcast)

• NHL:
  • Capitals at Rangers – 7:30PM | NBCSN
  • Colorado at Vegas – 10:00PM | Sportsnet1
• NBA:
  • Lakers vs. Pistons – 7:00PM | TSN
  • Nuggets at 76ers – 7:00PM | Sportsnet1 / NBATV
  • Celtics at Suns – 10:00PM | NBATV
• NCAA:
  • Women’s Basketball Tournament:
    • Connecticut vs. South Carolina – 7:00PM | ESPN / TSN*
    • Notre Dame vs. Oregon – 9:00PM | ESPN / TSN*
• WWE:
  • Monday Night Raw – 8:00PM | USA / Sportsnet360
  • Former Colts punter Pat McAfee has signed a WWE contract. No word if it’s just announcing or as in-ring talent.

There’s pre-season baseball all over the schedule, and the Blue Jays are playing the Cardinals in Montreal, but if it’s not regular season, I DON’T CARE!