- 04:25 AM
- 11/05/25
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
Wondering if the Men o' NoMich just put the final nail in the McDaniel coaching coffin.
His Wikipedia page currently says he's the former coach of the Dolphins.
posted by beaverboard at 06:12 PM on October 05, 2025
Petrino to Belichick: Get one more win, then ditch UNC and come join me in Arkansas.
Don't bring your son. But bring your girlfriend.
posted by beaverboard at 01:16 PM on October 05, 2025
Air Force - Navy was wildly entertaining.
They went toe to toe trading scores. Two dynamic QB's getting it done.
I don't know why Horvath of Navy isn't in the Heisman discussion. C'mon.
posted by beaverboard at 05:23 PM on October 04, 2025
Nice to see Mac Jones do well against the Rams on Thurs.
Always glad to see a player do well elsewhere after being put in a bad situation at a previous stop.
After wrecking the Pats, Belichick seems to have picked up right where he left off in Chapel Hill.
Although I'm tired of Dabo and quietly hope that UNC handles Clemson today.
posted by beaverboard at 11:46 AM on October 04, 2025
Not being a bettor myself, I'm in agreement.
I don't like how many online sports articles have a wagering angle buried in them somewhere.
The Athletic seems to have gone hard for wagering chit chat. I wave it off.
I'm lucky to be able to just look at sports as an endeavor that brings out all sorts of things in people across a wide spectrum, without any consideration whatsoever for fantasy leagues, merchandising, or betting.
I do try to follow the financial part of it, since such an insane amount of wealth and asset valuation is embedded in leagues, franchises, college programs, and conferences.
posted by beaverboard at 05:52 PM on October 02, 2025
Canada to the EU is a thought.
Someday, I hope the US rejoins North America.
posted by beaverboard at 01:15 AM on September 30, 2025
Only thing missing was ICE Barbie leading the chant.
posted by beaverboard at 03:47 PM on September 29, 2025
If you like special teams highlights as much as I do, give thanks for the surge of blocked kicks and returns we seem to be experiencing at the moment.
Not sure how long it will last, but it'll be fun while it does.
posted by beaverboard at 11:43 AM on September 29, 2025
Always a fun one from a fashion sense. The guys who got their togs from the superhero shop on Rodeo Drive versus the kids whose moms got their back to school clothes at JC Penney.
posted by beaverboard at 11:48 AM on September 28, 2025
Never mind who was actually at Woodstock and who wasn't.
Ten years from now, 100,000 people will say they rushed the field at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville last night after Virginia beat Florida State...and they'll be telling the truth.
posted by beaverboard at 05:11 PM on September 27, 2025
When Steichen and Gannon left the Eagles to become HC of the Colts and Cardinals, for a while, I thought Gannon got the better gig. But not no more.
Kyler is never going to live up to the payday he got from the foolish Cards. He should be making Aaron Rodgers, Daniel Jones or Russ Wilson money at best.
posted by beaverboard at 01:43 PM on September 26, 2025
So great, thanks.
posted by beaverboard at 01:20 PM on September 26, 2025
Why hasn't the CFLPA weighed in on this?
posted by beaverboard at 01:06 AM on September 25, 2025
How bout them Lions. Kudos to the OL and DL coaches. Those units ruled.
And how bout that ground game, showing a team with a feared rushing attack how the deed is done.
Hard to believe that with an extra day to prepare, Ravens OC Monken put in a game plan with a bit of clunky stuff and such shaky pass pro.
Wish the Lions would go to a shade of gray instead of their whites. Like the Giants white unis, the Lions' sets look like dirty laundry on TV.
Loved seeing the Ravens in all black against the turf under the lights. Made it much easier to see how the D was positioned and how it responded to each play.
posted by beaverboard at 02:26 PM on September 23, 2025
If you think the US has cut back on its diet of anger and hatred, don't read the comments section that follows the article in The Athletic about Bruce Pearl's retirement.
posted by beaverboard at 06:10 PM on September 22, 2025
Ending of the Eagles game was a hell of a scene.
Panthers game was a shocker. The game stats are insane compared to the outcome.
Sorry, Fox -- Cowboys-Bears is not America's game of the week.
posted by beaverboard at 04:29 PM on September 21, 2025
UNT could be bowl eligible by Indigenous People's Day.
posted by beaverboard at 12:52 PM on September 21, 2025
Speaking on behalf of a non-profit public interest group in Dade County, former NFL coach Urban Meyer has advised Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel not to fly back to Miami with the team after tonight's game in Buffalo.
posted by beaverboard at 01:15 PM on September 18, 2025
In the current moment, conflict of interest is the soup du jour.
Not sure why Tom wanted to buy into that team to begin with. There must be better ownership opportunities elsewhere.
The time to buy a piece of the Raiders was before they moved to Vegas, when their franchise valuation and operating revenue were rock bottom. Then let the Nevada tide lift your boat like it did Mark Davis'.
posted by beaverboard at 10:23 AM on September 17, 2025
I spent a good bit of my adolescence watching that guy play. RIP.
posted by beaverboard at 10:26 PM on September 15, 2025
The clinical name for it is Minnesota Syndrome.
Latrell Sprewell did the same thing when the Timberwolves offered him a contract because he "had a family to feed". When he couldn't sign elsewhere, he lost the entire value of that contract offer.
Then there's the Curse of Joe Smith on the Wolves, which is the reverse: agreeing to play for below market money in exchange for an illegally engineered future mega payday. The league found out, the team got burned. And so did Joe.
If I owned a pro sports team in MN and had a player I was uncertain of, regardless of the sport, I'd try to see if the Knicks would take him. Heck, they took Towns, it's at least worth a call or a text.
posted by beaverboard at 09:53 PM on September 10, 2025
It's too early to tell, but folks who were calling the NFC North "stacked" were maybe a bit premature.
Jared Goff may wish he still had Ben Johnson, and Johnson will surely wish he didn't have Caleb Williams.
I don't know if JJ McCarthy will become another Brock Purdy, but Caleb seems like he could easily become another Jeff George.
posted by beaverboard at 01:03 PM on September 10, 2025
For the Clips to be "bleeped", they first have to be "bleeped up", which it seems they are.
Ballmer way overpaid when he bought into the league. Donald Sterling was massively rewarded for being Donald Sterling. Ballmer paid an unprecedented premium in a compulsory divestment situation. Franchise sale prices had been cooking along at around the 500-600 million dollar mark and Ballmer comes in at 2 billion - to a seller with zero leverage. That blew the doors open and now franchise values are up beyond earth's atmosphere.
It's hard to part a fool from his money in a meaningful way when the fool has as much money as Ballmer does.
I wouldn't be disappointed if the NBA forced Ballmer to sell. If he does, he'll be rewarded the same way Sterling was.
posted by beaverboard at 09:41 PM on September 09, 2025
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle
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.