- 07:58 AM
- 01/08/26
John Harbaugh is gone.
It's not a huge surprise, but I think enough of him to hope that he doesn't go from one of the better owners in Bisciotti to someone like Mark Davis, Strunk, or Mara.
In a sane world, he would surely attract more interest as a HC than the likes of Joe Brady or Kliff Kingsbury.
If I were Harbaugh, I would take a big deep breath and let out a sigh of relief with the realization that I no longer had to try to figure out how to win deep into the postseason with Lamar Jackson.
posted by beaverboard at 05:59 PM on January 06, 2026
Matt was probably at Lowe's buying moving boxes the day after Jerry traded Micah Parsons.
posted by beaverboard at 12:24 PM on January 06, 2026
Do owners of dysfunctional teams care if they win or not?
They don't have to.
When the Giants ownership began packing the front office with family members 12 years ago, the franchise was worth $2.1 billion.
Today, it is worth over $7.3 billion despite all the misery the Giants have inflicted on their fans.
Winning and losing doesn't matter. Net worth skyrockets no matter what.
No one has been better at making money while disregarding the realities of the struggle for competitiveness than Jerry Jones.
posted by beaverboard at 10:32 PM on January 05, 2026
I think the economics of being a HC or coordinator have risen to the point where guys out of a job can afford to pick their spots, be selective, and not rush headlong to the next gig no matter how flawed.
I feel bad for minority coaches who may feel an obligation to take a job to continue the push for greater opportunity around the league even though they know it's not a good situation. How many guys wanted to work for Dan Snyder when Ron Rivera took the Washington job? Or Stephen Ross when Flores took the Dolphins job? Or Woody Johnson when the Jets hired Aaron Glenn? Etc., etc.
What I'm hoping to see is more Liam Coen action. "I've never been a HC and I want to be one real bad, but I'm sure as hell not working for Trent Baalke. You get him gone, then we can talk". Some owners (like Khan) have to be led to the water.
When two or three good HC candidates tell John Mara they can't work with Joe Schoen under any circumstances, maybe he'll get his head out of the cotton candy machine and get a decent GM.
The Titans are going to end up with a string of more Mularkeys the way they're going. Who would want to work for that organization at this point?
All told, there are around 9 teams in the league that should consider themselves lucky if someone like Mike McCarthy even took their phone call.
posted by beaverboard at 10:19 PM on January 05, 2026
I think we've reached the point where Sir Anthony Hopkins could play Pat Riley.
Fava beans and Chianti optional.
posted by beaverboard at 08:31 PM on January 02, 2026
There's nothing like having the face of your program sitting in front of a wall of security system logos with beeps going off every few seconds.
posted by beaverboard at 02:08 PM on January 01, 2026
Now that Eli Manning is under consideration for the HOF, I wish the folks making the decision would go way back into the SpoFi archives, where we discussed in depth and ad nauseum whether or not Eli was elite.
All the points of argument are there, pro and con. Hall voters don't have to do any soul searching; they can just read what we opinionated blowhards said on the subject back when Eli was still in the league and hadn't started getting comfortable with tacos and Toyotas.
posted by beaverboard at 07:38 PM on December 31, 2025
No Conference For Old Men.
That would be the NFC. Rivers, Flacco and Rodgers are all in the AFC.
I'll be using a bedside commode before any of them are eligible for a Hall vote.
They will all get congressional medals if they end up inspiring Tom Brady to leave the broadcast booth and go suit up for the Dolphins.
posted by beaverboard at 01:20 PM on December 23, 2025
Bobby Petrino, coming soon to a Bojangles near you.
posted by beaverboard at 01:43 PM on December 22, 2025
Jags know how to go to Denver and break hearts. December, January, don't matter.
There are some mile high parents who still haven't told their kids about 1997.
posted by beaverboard at 10:31 PM on December 21, 2025
Lost in the hubbub over Bama's big comeback win last night was NCSU's domination of Memphis in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Too bad the Tigers were playing under an interim HC. Might have been more of a contest otherwise.
posted by beaverboard at 12:50 PM on December 20, 2025
Tonight, Lord, please let Oklahoma smoke Alabama so we can watch true mayhem unfold among the college coaching ranks in the aftermath.
As if there hasn't been enough craziness already.
The goal is for Kiffin to jump ship and go to Bama without ever coaching a game for LSU. The range war that would ensue would be without precedent.
Kiffin and his family would have to seek political asylum in the Saudi Arabian Embassy.
Pundits don't call this year in college coaching a "carousel" or a "cycle" anymore. They haven't come up with a good word for it yet. If Stanley Kubrick was alive, he'd think of something.
Somewhere out there, someone in need of a coach is trying to put a call in to Lou Holtz.
posted by beaverboard at 12:34 PM on December 19, 2025
State's two titles were more epic than Dean Smith's two titles at UNC.
Coach Smith was the beneficiary of two of the most incredible crunch time mental blunders in the history of the tournament.
State first awed the world and then shocked the world.
State also didn't pervert the game to the point where the NCAA had to put in a shot clock.
posted by beaverboard at 02:22 AM on December 19, 2025
Sounds like they have a bona fide Sgt. Hartman coaching up NoMich's college hoops team in Raleigh.
posted by beaverboard at 05:48 PM on December 18, 2025
The blossoming of Darnold and renaissance of Rodgers led some to think that there's an ex-Jets QB improvement syndrome and that Zach Wilson will have a career surge in Miami with the benching of Tua.
But that ain't happening. Zach is backing up Quinn Ewers this week.
Someday, Zach is going to do well as the new face of Wheel Of Fortune.
He wants to start hosting the show before Vanna retires.
posted by beaverboard at 12:33 PM on December 18, 2025
Sort of like the call letters of the radio station at the University of North Texas being KNTU, when a lot of folks think the letters should be placed in the correct order.
Don't worry about such things harming rcade's innocence. For decades, Jacksonville has had a radio station with the call letters WAPE.
The station uses a gorilla logo to accentuate the "APE" part of the call sign, but still...
In the 70's, they had a big billboard visible from I-95 somewhere up around Golfair Blvd. The call letters were much bigger than the monkey.
posted by beaverboard at 10:30 PM on December 12, 2025
Andrew Luck to Tom Brady: "Stop fiddling around with pumpkin head Mark Davis and go back and take charge of that Michigan football program".
posted by beaverboard at 07:09 PM on December 11, 2025
Some folks who think it's fun to rub shoulders with a noxious current cult idol don't realize that the stench of the association will last for decades, maybe even a lifetime.
posted by beaverboard at 06:38 PM on December 11, 2025
After watching last night's Eagles-Chargers game, my only thought was to go back to this.
posted by beaverboard at 02:21 PM on December 09, 2025
With their sudden emergency at QB, the Colts are bringing in retired grandfather Philip Rivers for a workout.
If he isn't able to pass his physical, Howard and I are the next men up.
posted by beaverboard at 09:28 PM on December 08, 2025
And Duke continues to make itself unwelcome and unwanted.
And Tulane is apparently now Forlane.
As the son of an Indiana alum, I can't begin to describe the state of disbelief that now orbits around the IU football program.
I wish I could tell Penn State fans how much more enjoyable life is when you don't consider your team anointed, don't harbor exalted aspirations, and don't go around in a state of despair when your team loses a game here and there.
posted by beaverboard at 11:50 AM on December 07, 2025
UAB has made post-Dilfer interim head coach Alex Mortensen the permanent HC.
Seems like there's good and bad to that.
Mortensen is deserving of opportunity. But should it happen at a place like UAB?
I was hoping he'd move on to a better program in a better place as an OC or in other position rather than have to shovel all the Dilfer manure out of the room to find the pony in there somewhere.
posted by beaverboard at 12:57 PM on December 05, 2025
RIP Elden Campbell, noteworthy college and NBA big man.
Sorry to say, my most indelible memory of him was as a Clemson player trying to defend UConn Husky Tate George's iconic buzzer beater in the 1990 NCAA Tournament.
There was almost no chance for UConn to score with the amount of time remaining on the clock.
Yet score and win they did, and the look on Campbell's face after George's shot went in was one of utter shock and disbelief.
Happy for Campbell that he eventually won a NBA title with the Pistons.
posted by beaverboard at 01:13 PM on December 03, 2025
Both traditional Thanksgiving Day host teams, the Lions and Cowboys, are playing tomorrow night.
Two Thursday games in a row for both.
The league did this to the Lions last year. They played again the following Thursday, but last year, the Cowboys' next game after Thanksgiving was a Monday night game, so they had a lot more time off than the Lions.
Seems like two Thursday games in a row is a bit much. Also, I thought that a team that played on a Thursday would get a home game (or a bye) the following week, but the Cowboys are on the road against the Lions.
All in all, it seems like suck scheduling. And the Lions need all the breaks they can get right now.
posted by beaverboard at 11:14 AM on December 03, 2025
I was glad when the Pats changed to the color blue, because - why would upstart colonists want to be seen in bright British Army red? It never made sense to me.
Notice that in the classic old logo, Pat Patriot is wearing a blue coat as he should be.
They made a mistake when they got rid of the great Pat Patriot logo and went to the Flying Elvis, which I always thought looked like John Kerry.
The proper thing to do would be to keep the blue colors and go back to the old Pat Patriot logo.
posted by beaverboard at 10:57 AM on December 02, 2025
Seeing the Bears atop one conference and the Patriots atop the other with the Pats playing in their red throwback unis is enough to give still-traumatized New Englanders Super Bowl flashbacks.
posted by beaverboard at 12:57 AM on December 02, 2025
Palmieri was skating like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz when he stole the puck. He could barely move. He maxed out his ability and effectiveness in the moment.
The whole thing was great, the awareness, puck handling, the following leave off assist and the scoring shot. So glad it resulted in a goal.
posted by beaverboard at 06:04 PM on November 30, 2025
Unreal. Doesn't matter that it's not even the year yet.
posted by beaverboard at 08:49 PM on November 29, 2025
The Athletic has an intriguing (paywall protected) article on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and the rivalry between Packers fans and Lions fans.
It seems serious. NoMich would know. Today will tell a tale.
posted by beaverboard at 09:20 AM on November 27, 2025
You know how some families are at the holidays. People not talking to each other at Thanksgiving.
It might happen here because OK State has just hired Eric Morris away from North Texas.
Y'all try to get along with each other, please.
posted by beaverboard at 11:37 AM on November 26, 2025
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).
posted by beaverboard at 12:31 PM on November 25, 2025
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
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle
RIP Glenn Hall. A rock on ice.