The NFL season is over. And the Super Bowl is upon us. The two best teams from both conferences will be picked after a grueling season and playoffs loaded with wildcards. As the football season comes to an end the race to pick presidential candidates is just starting. Both Democrats and Republicans have kicked off the race to the White House with primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire.

With the season over, NFL teams have a chance to reflect back on how they fared. Some teams have been abysmal. Eight teams have fired their head coaches. The Washington Commanders shucked off their old name several seasons ago, and now it appears if they are shucking their whole front office and coaching staff. It is a team in desperate need of a compass.

The Seattle Seahawks decided it was time to part ways with the guy who was holding their compass, Pete Carroll. After 14 years and a Super Bowl win, Jody Allen, Chair of the Seattle Seahawks, twitted, “After thoughtful meetings and careful consideration for the best interest of the franchise, we have amicably agreed with Pete Carroll that his role will evolve from Head Coach to remain with the organization as an advisor.”

Jumping over to the other coast. The majordomo of New England football was shown the door. After 24 years the New England Patriots have set aside Bill Belichick. Belichick, the second winningest coach of all time, and as head coach of the Patriots he has won six Super Bowls. But he has struggled of late. And well, like all good things it was time “to move on.”

According to ESPN, team owner, Robert Kraft, he and Belichick had numerous conversations on how to break nearly a quarter century relationship amicably, which resulted in “no conflict, no disagreement and in the end, productive talks resulted in a mutual decision that left both sides comfortable and at ease.”

“Sources familiar with those conversations, there was said to be no conflict, no disagreement, and in the end, productive talks resulted in a mutual decision that left both sides comfortable and at ease.”

It is hard to say if both Carroll and Belichick could have turned next season around. “Wait till next year” was not in the interest of management. Both coaches had good runs but “it was time to move on.”

But unlike NFL coaches moving on, wait till next year is not a phrase catching on in this presidential election cycle of politics. Both Donald Trump and Joe Biden have had good runs, both have been president and both should be planning their presidential libraries, writing their memoirs. Biden should amicably be shown the door and Trump should be barred from the door.

I am not a pollster but I would bet that if most voters were asked if they want different people running for president, except for the hard-core extremest on team Trump, most people would say yes, Please! The country needs to go in a different direction. Hopefully one that advances the principles of democracy and not mired down in the ridiculous religion of political zealots. But here we are, stuck streaming reruns of the NFL’s greatest games.

Here is the problem. The Republicans lack a game plan. It is whatever Trump is bloviating at any given minute. The Democrats have a game plan. But neither party has a bench capable of taking the place of their aging candidates to either make a game plan or move it towards the goal line.

Most veteran GOPers are too afraid to suit up against Trump. Just look how quick the GOP B Team left the field. There wasn’t a wildcard amongst them. They could not even get to the line of scrimmage let alone get a first down, which would be the South Carolina primary. Only one, Nikki Haley, is still on the GOP sideline with Trump. I think there has to be more candidates out there without misguided fears of Trump. There has to be someone who can straps on a helmet and say “put me in.”

On the Democrat side no one wants to challenge the reigning leader. It is always considered a negative political move to take a run at unseating your party’s already sitting president. And it is the incumbent’s prerogative to step down–unless there is a term limit.

The Democrats, like the GOP, are looking at a thin bench, too. I get it. What political party or coach wants to go into the big game with players with limited playing experience at the pro level. Look how Florida Governor Ron DeSantis fumbled the political play calling and is now back on the Suwannee River fishing with the old folks at home and rekindling his feud with Mickey Mouse. DeSantis never faced an A Team of political operatives. He was playing against second stringers.

What is lacking in today’s politics is the old cigar chomping, backroom politicos, the head coach who filled out the party’s slate. The party hack who could make or break a politician’s career. Somebody who could tell Biden and Trump, amicably: It is time to move on.