- 07:30 AM
- 11/26/25
Add Cal to the list of college jobs that would be possible good landing spots for Pete Carroll.
They have fired Justin Wilcox.
posted by beaverboard at 10:14 AM on November 24, 2025
This morning, I find myself wanting to say something I've mostly said in jest in the past:
How 'bout them Cowboys?
That was impressive.
posted by beaverboard at 09:54 AM on November 24, 2025
A note for Penn State fans, whose football team has perhaps the plainest uniforms of any major program and few variations of them.
I wondered how much Oregon spent on their dazzling and ever changing uniforms per season.
If they enter the 2025-26 CFP bracket without a bye and get all the way to the championship game, using a rough estimate of uniform cost per player and a count of their current roster size, regardless of who pays for the uniforms, the total cost would be around $1.1 million.
posted by beaverboard at 12:25 PM on November 23, 2025
Damn. Hang in there, glad you're getting good treatment and care.
From what I know, great medical community in the Triangle and thereabouts.
Take things easy with the upcoming holiday. Hope you're home by then.
posted by beaverboard at 11:47 AM on November 22, 2025
Media isn't paying enough notice to tonight's FSU - NCSU game.
A lot has been wagered on this one.
rcade to NoMich: "I'll see your sausage biscuits and raise you a Camel Rider Combo".
posted by beaverboard at 10:18 PM on November 21, 2025
The 16th at Augusta has provided its share of memories that one was thankful to be able to see live.
Tiger's moon putt from the fringe.
Greg Norman's drive into the water.
Only one way to recover from that sort of wetdown.
Hook up with the crown prince of a desert kingdom.
posted by beaverboard at 01:37 PM on November 20, 2025
Bored in class with a notebook and the kid sitting next to him was Luis Suarez.
I'm surprised the name of the team hasn't been changed by now. I never have a positive association when I see or hear it.
Maybe I should pay less attention to the news.
There are a ton of things about Nashville you could name a team after.
Even if they just switched to the Nashville Cats to reference the Lovin Spoonful tune, that would be a step in the right direction.
A band that included Canadians no less.
posted by beaverboard at 12:07 PM on November 20, 2025
Pete Carroll might have enough bubble gum and attababy left in the tank to make some AD a perfectly decent and fun college coach once again.
But not at a high stress program with "this is my whole life" cult worshippers (Penn State), an idiot state governor (LSU), or delusions of grandeur (Florida).
Carroll can do what Spurrier did when he left the pros and went to South Carolina. Go down a notch and still compete.
Oregon State. Stanford. UCLA.
posted by beaverboard at 10:44 PM on November 18, 2025
- North Texas is ranked for the first time since I was 6 years old.
- Inside the great edifice of Khan along the river bank in the kingdom of the cat gods, Tuten is uncommon.
posted by beaverboard at 11:16 AM on November 17, 2025
If the NFL's strategy is to send teams to Europe to run the ball, trade field goals and keep the score low, they really ought to hire Herm Edwards as an advisor at large.
He would know better than most how to win the hearts of international fans without any undue excitement.
posted by beaverboard at 01:07 PM on November 16, 2025
The Colorado U. AD is retiring. Not sure how many top flight people would want to take the job with Deion Sanders still entrenched as the high profile FB coach. And brand of his own. If he continues to struggle, then what?
If his health declines, that may be the decision maker.
Meanwhile Coach Sanders is being mentioned in regard to jobs like FSU, SMU, and Clemson if they open up. And LSU. That seems like pure nonsense.
posted by beaverboard at 01:23 PM on November 14, 2025
Get ready for the first time alternate Patriots unis tonight.
Should fun to see. Maybe the Jets'll surprise everyone and beat 'em like the Dolphins beat the Bills.
Thank goodness Rich Eisen doesn't have the game call.
posted by beaverboard at 05:21 PM on November 13, 2025
Great read. Wonder if they take any friendlies at Henningsvaer.
(Option: disregard the accompanying tabloid hysteria)
posted by beaverboard at 01:24 PM on November 13, 2025
How many pro sports teams have gone through anything like the Luka trade, lottery luck and Nico firing in a year?
Here's a five and dime version, I'm sure there are others:
The old Boston Patriots traded stalwart beast Nick Buoniconti to the Dolphins, then lucked out in the draft by picking Phil Olsen (Merlin's brother) instead of AJ Cowlings, (who would go on to become the driver of OJ's white Bronco). And then coach Clive Rush (a poor fit if there ever was one) resigned midseason after going 1-6.
posted by beaverboard at 01:39 PM on November 12, 2025
But if Luka hadn't been traded, would he be the "new look Luka" today?
posted by beaverboard at 05:03 PM on November 11, 2025
"Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing - after all other possibilities have been exhausted".
- Winston Churchill
posted by beaverboard at 11:38 AM on November 11, 2025
When the anointed duo of Daboll and Schoen arrived in NYC from Buffalo, a supposed bastion of pigskin excellence at the time, it was seen as a major coup.
If you couldn't get a smart, young GM like Brandon Beane, getting his protege was the next best thing.
Beane, it turns out, has not been a paragon of roster building brilliance, and might be in the buyout bread line himself if he worked for different ownership.
Hope no one lost their mortgage betting on the Bills and the spread against the Dolphins yesterday.
posted by beaverboard at 10:21 PM on November 10, 2025
Disheartening news for Giants fans: GM Joe Schoen will lead the search for the next coach.
If Schoen hadn't drafted Dart and Skattebo, maybe he (Schoen) would be gone too.
Add up Schoen's prior poor picks and the way that ex-Giants have excelled with other teams and any decisive owner would have canned him along with the coach.
Schoen seems to have namby-pamby John Mara's ear as other crafty GM's like Grier and Baalke have had the ear of their teams' ownership in the past. Saving their jobs while terminating others'.
This is where NoMich gets a biscuit and gravy and starts to work on his ultimate achievement: transitioning Belichick from UNC to the Giants job.
Belichick would drop his GF off at Fraternity Row and crawl on his hands and knees to the Jersey swamps to coach the G-Men.
Meanwhile, Daboll will hit the Wegovy so he can embark on his next career as Bill Burr's stunt double.
posted by beaverboard at 09:57 PM on November 10, 2025
From the Zero Dark 80 desk:
Filed away for future use at Belichick Blue Ops HQ
posted by beaverboard at 06:12 PM on November 08, 2025
April Fools Day is roughly 5 months away, but in the meantime, there's no harm in celebrating the real world with actual headlines like this one from The Athletic:
"Antonio Brown Captured In Dubai By U.S. Marshals On Attempted Murder Charge"
I'm hoping for a follow up news item along these lines:
"Dog Cloning Advocate Tom Brady Says He'll Pay Brown's Bail, Claims Antonio Is Misunderstood"
And maybe another follow up:
"Michael Vick Says Tom Brady Is Misunderstood"
posted by beaverboard at 09:40 PM on November 06, 2025
Ja, die Steichenarbeitspferde! Sieben und zwei! Stolz auf Coltstadt!
Trevor Lawrence, eingefleischt Jagermeister!
posted by beaverboard at 06:59 PM on November 06, 2025
Another Texas pro sports town goes on the hook for a new arena financed in substantial part by public spending and municipal debt.
This time it's San Antonio, having seen the Spurs previously leave the HemisFair and the Alamodome, now will see the Spurs leave the Frost Bank Center for a new facility in the next decade.
When the current arena was built, the sale of the naming rights paid in almost a quarter of the cost of construction. That was a 175 million dollar project.
Frost Bank is currently paying around 9 million a year for naming rights. The new project will cost over a billion. Either the naming rights for that project will increase substantially, or the ratio of naming rights revenue to project cost will decrease substantially.
San Antonio's public transit isn't as neglected or nonexistent as the system in Arlington, TX has been, but it's still underfunded and unreliable.
It's all voter approved. Go priorities, you rock.
posted by beaverboard at 12:57 PM on November 05, 2025
Tonight's Cardinals-Cowboys offensive numbers are remarkably even, regardless of the score.
Except for one thing: Jacoby Brissett makes 40 million dollars a year less than Dak Prescott.
posted by beaverboard at 11:41 PM on November 03, 2025
As if it wasn't painful enough, then I found out that Carney apologized to Trump.
posted by beaverboard at 12:16 PM on November 02, 2025
I know that NoMich is not pro-Duke, but he might make an exception when they beat Dabo.
posted by beaverboard at 06:40 PM on November 01, 2025
The Dolphins finally "parted ways" with GM Chris Grier but kept coach McDaniel (for now).
The way Grier had been able to hang onto his job despite all the failures over many years, I figured McDaniel would go first, or they'd both go at once.
Florida is now a league leader in coaches having leverage over GM's. Jags coach Liam Coen conditionally said no to the Jax job at first, which triggered the long overdue departure of GM Trent Baalke.
It's the pro franchise corollary of what Churchill said about Americans in general: eventually doing the right thing after exhausting all other options.
posted by beaverboard at 03:34 PM on October 31, 2025
LSU and AD Scott Woodward are parting ways in the wake of the Brian Kelly firing, according to reports.
I cannot understand why Woodward isn't staying put at LSU on the heels of what the Mensa fellow governor of Louisiana said at a press conference yesterday that was called to address questions about hunger in the Bayou State amid the ongoing government shutdown.
posted by beaverboard at 09:36 PM on October 30, 2025
I wondered if there would ever be an antivenom for coach Tommy Tuberville getting into politics.
Up stepped Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who was asked about the LSU Athletic Director and the selection of the Tigers next football coach.
"I can tell you right now, Scott Woodward is not selecting the next coach," Landry said. "Hell, I'll let Donald Trump select it before I let him do it."
posted by beaverboard at 07:29 PM on October 29, 2025
The Jays continue to make me go "my goodness".
And maybe it wasn't such a great thing for LA that Ohtani reached base 9 times the night before.
posted by beaverboard at 01:51 PM on October 29, 2025
I clung to hope, feeling that under the circumstances, the Jays really had to win that game.
Worried that the Dodgers have more they can draw on as the teams try to recover from last night.
Wouldn't surprise me if Ohtani went out and threw a landmark game tonight.
posted by beaverboard at 05:38 PM on October 28, 2025
I thought Penn State maybe should hire Kelly. He's a better fit there than in LA.
A funny thing would be PSU paying Kelly short money with him being funded by the LSU buyout.
Then someone else would pay Franklin short money due to the PSU buyout.
It could all end up being a relative wash.
I don't think LSU would hire Franklin though. The Tigers being beaten by Franklin's former Vanderbilt squad would be intolerable, and would be a real possibility if Vandy keeps their current coach.
posted by beaverboard at 01:57 PM on October 27, 2025
This morning I was thinking about the sudden silence about the Mike Gundy, James Franklin and Billy Napier buyouts and figured maybe it was because folks were murmuring about the possibility of a Brian Kelly buyout.
Murmur no more - LSU just fired him.
I think about the calls and messages that might go back and forth on a Saturday night like last night after a back breaking bad loss. Calls between people with the money behind the scenes.
"Do we have enough on hand to be able to fire the guy? If not, can we get it pledged in? Let's call his agent in the morning and work out a deal".
The amount of money LSU will need to spend to buy out Kelly and his staff and hire a new coach and staff isn't as much as the GDP of the country with the smallest economy in the world.
But it's close.
posted by beaverboard at 08:58 PM on October 26, 2025
I used to be able to speak semi-okay passable French, but when I listened to the French language broadcast of last night's Dodgers-Jays sixth inning, I couldn't understand a word those guys were screaming.
If I had listened to their call of tonight's Game 2, it probably would have been more decipherable.
posted by beaverboard at 11:49 PM on October 25, 2025
A bit of early holiday cheer:
Good King Carson Wentz is lost
Harried by the defense
All around, his line laid low
Made of patchwork pieces
All the other football teams
Wait for a retool
Bring on the McCarthy boy
We'll take him to school
posted by beaverboard at 02:09 PM on October 24, 2025
"The fraud is mindboggling," FBI Director Kash Patel said at a news conference in Brooklyn announcing the charges. "We're talking about tens of millions of dollars in theft, in fraud, in robbery."
Gonna give Patel a pass on calling tens of millions in fraud mind boggling. He's only been part of the current adminstration for a few months. He's not used to the scale yet.
posted by beaverboard at 07:33 PM on October 23, 2025
On a Seattle linguistic note, isn't it great that a company started by two young men was named Micro and Soft, and that a stadium whose naming rights are owned by a seller of handheld devices was built by a contractor called The Erection Company.
posted by beaverboard at 04:46 PM on October 21, 2025
I was torn but really wanted to see the Mariners make their first WS.
But now I'm all for the Jays. Among other things, I hope they win so they can be received at Parliament Hill instead of the White House.
Although if it had been Dodgers - Mariners, there was a guarantee that either team having a victory parade would cause ICE and federalized troops an untold amount of well deserved anxiety.
posted by beaverboard at 04:37 PM on October 21, 2025
Someone loaded recent Shohei Ohtani and Bijan Robinson highlights onto a burner phone and left it in front of Christian McCaffrey's locker yesterday.
posted by beaverboard at 12:35 PM on October 20, 2025
That one loss was to NC State, fellow ACC-founding team.
NC State was the best team Franklin ever beat at Vanderbilt. The rest of his resume was mostly softies.
Virginia is winning with a QB who wanted to play for Belichick at UNC but Heels GM Mike Lombardi said hell no.
I should have held off on mentioning Napier until after the Gators GM finished his Sunday breakfast.
The Gators were smart to announce the Napier firing when they did on a Sunshine State media timeline, because it looks and feels like Tua, Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier are going to be given travel vouchers in Cleveland and told to find their own way back to Miami. What wheels there were have just totally come off that team. Lake Erie weather conditions or not.
posted by beaverboard at 03:52 PM on October 19, 2025
Fire the coach - UCLA wins its third straight game after going 0-4 and letting De Shaun Foster go
Fire the coach - lowly UAB upsets #22 Memphis after canning Trent Dilfer *
Fire the coach - Oregon State wins its first game of the season after dumping Trent Bray
Fire the coach - Arkansas damn near beats #11 Tennessee and #4 TAMU after ditching Sam Pittman **
Fire the coach - Penn State damn near beats Iowa with a backup QB after ousting James Franklin
Thinking of firing the coach - Billy Napier's gruesome Gators beat Miss. State, making it a bit tougher to pull the plug
Thinking of firing the coach - Luke Fickell's 2-5 beleaguered Badgers get humiliated by Ohio State, making it a lot easier to pull the plug
Rent a coach - Temporary HC Frank Reich's Stanford group beat national enigma Florida State
Don't hire our coach - Clark Lea's Vanderbilt squad beat #10 LSU, a bigger win than James Franklin ever had at Vandy
Don't hire our coach - Eric Morris' UNT team is bowl eligible two weeks before Halloween
*Former Bama whiz kid and UAB interim Alex Mortensen has a bright future in the coaching profession
** National scoundrel and Arkansas interim Bobby Petrino has an assured future in the coaching profession (leaving a trail of broken hearts and promises in his wake)
posted by beaverboard at 12:35 PM on October 19, 2025
I remember being fed up with MLB in the early 1990's when the average player salary hit 1 million.
But after last night, all I could think of was: how can you even put a dollar amount on a guy like that?
posted by beaverboard at 11:25 PM on October 18, 2025
Last night's Steelers-Bengals game was a hoot.
No wonder Mike Tomlin got his undies bunched up when Cincy traded for Flacco.
Only thing missing was that tahoe didn't lock the Bengals to win. He should get an honorary lock just for picking them.
Flacco will probably come back to earth before long, but it's still fun to see the unexpected momentary magic show up now and then.
The Siberian Tiger white unis are great, as always. Flacco just needed a break from orange helmets for a minute.
Flacco's soft touch on the ball is unreal. It's like watching Scott McGregor or Jamie Moyer pitch. Flac should mentor Bazooka Joe Milton and show him how to vary his ball velocity.
Looks like the Browns GM is in the James Franklin zone of scorn, getting roasted for trading Flacco, especially within the division.
posted by beaverboard at 04:35 PM on October 17, 2025
Got to love this headline in The Athletic:
"UNC football GM Michael Lombardi met with Saudi Arabia about potential investment".
Way to go, boys. Name, Image, Likeness and Bone Saw.
Burnish the image of the school and the program.
(didn't link to the article due to the NYT paywall)
Initial reporting was done by Pablo Torre, who is seemingly a tireless digger into all sorts of juicy topics.
posted by beaverboard at 10:02 PM on October 16, 2025
What? When? Where did you hear that?
Penn State could do what the Buccaneers did when they hit a ceiling under Dungy.
Bring in Gruden to finish the job.
posted by beaverboard at 05:32 PM on October 15, 2025
The Titans are hell bent on regarding the Vrabel coaching tenure as a blip and continuing their commitment to Whisenhunt / Mularkey - based mediocrity after firing Brian Callahan by naming Mike McCoy the interim coach, while the pool of possible successors includes names like Matt Nagy and Arthur Smith.
No word on the availability of Adam Gase or Norv Turner as yet.
I don't know what a "splash hire" for the Titans would be. Bobby Petrino? Dan Hawkins? Lord help Nashville.
posted by beaverboard at 02:18 PM on October 14, 2025
I can't believe that almost 3 million people are squeezed into Qatar, with Iceland being almost 10 times larger in size.
posted by beaverboard at 01:03 PM on October 14, 2025
Mariners score 10 despite Blue Jays pitchers striking out 14.
posted by beaverboard at 10:37 PM on October 13, 2025
Someone in Howard's family may have lit an extra votive candle this morning.
James Franklin is gone at Penn State.
posted by beaverboard at 02:55 PM on October 12, 2025
NFL offices to traveling teams:
"Now when you get to London, don't try to generate positive passing yards or score touchdowns.
Offense can suck all day long, it doesn't matter.
Just focus on the kicking game. That's what they understand."
posted by beaverboard at 01:01 PM on October 12, 2025
Hard to believe that Joe Judge, who wrecked Mac Jones in New England, is on Lane Kiffin's staff at Ole Miss as a QB coach and has helped turn Jaxson Dart and Trinidad Chambliss into killers.
posted by beaverboard at 02:18 PM on October 11, 2025
Me: I don't know anyone who would run through a brick wall for Brian Daboll
Cam Skattebo: Did you watch last night's game?
posted by beaverboard at 02:05 PM on October 10, 2025
Oh man, RIP. What a player.
posted by beaverboard at 05:26 PM on October 09, 2025
Unmentioned critical ripple effects of this episode:
- Indianapolis will have to ditch the Naptown nickname, as it is currently associated with far too much excitement
- Rex Ryan will have to get a tattoo removed
- The federalized Oregon National Guard will be ordered to help restore order in the lawless midwest metropolis, now seen as far more dangerous than Portland
- The Irsay Sisters will hire a spiritual medium to conduct a seance in an effort to make sure their late father never finds out about the incident
posted by beaverboard at 01:43 PM on October 09, 2025
For multiple reasons, thank you Toronto.
posted by beaverboard at 12:42 PM on October 09, 2025
I don't know what to think about the NCAA allowing college athletes to bet on pro sports.
The approval language includes blather about "encouraging healthy habits for student-athletes who choose to engage in betting activities".
Sort of like a liquor ad that urges folks to drink responsibly. Cross your fingers and hope.
Doesn't take much imagination to think of the potential for greater harm and abuse than is already happening, with college and pro players getting death threats when bettors aren't happy with what happened to the spread or the props.
posted by beaverboard at 04:35 PM on October 08, 2025
Remarkable win last night on the heels of the Pats beating the Bills and the Broncos beating the Eagles, both on the road. And the Texans crushing the Lamar-less Ravens.
Might as well add the remaining non-injured players on the Niners roster beating the Rams.
Things are pretty wide open right now. There are a lot of possibilities. I'm glad that the teams that were rated as slam dunks pre-season are anything but inevitable now.
posted by beaverboard at 11:43 AM on October 07, 2025
Waiting for camera closeups of rcade during the Chiefs-Jags game at EverBank Stadium now that the producers have learned that Taylor Swift won't be there.
posted by beaverboard at 09:30 PM on October 06, 2025
Wondering if the contract contains a proviso about the goaltending.
posted by beaverboard at 09:26 PM on October 06, 2025
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle
The last time a Cleveland QB did what Shedeur Sanders just did - win his first game as a rookie starter - the Browns were owned by Art Modell and Bill Belichick was the coach. The Ravens didn't even exist yet (but soon would).