Gang, we're halfway through. Yep, that weekend is right around the corner.
From the "Talks too much" studios, it's a parking lot, Wang, enough with the pictures.
Daily fantasy sports
If you have watched any sports - golf, baseball, and especially football - in the last month, you have assuredly seen a plethora of commercials for one of the daily fantasy website.
In truth, the explosion has been seismic. Five years ago, daily fantasy sites paid out less than $5 million total. In the last month, they have spent $31 million in advertising.
In this Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015, photo, Devlin D'Zmura, a tending news manager at DraftKings, a daily fantasy sports company, works on his laptop at the company's offices in Boston. The daily fantasy sports industry is eyeing a breakout season as NFL games begin. And its two dominant companies, DraftKings and FanDuel, are touting lucrative opening week prizes to try to draw more customers as more competitors pop up. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia) It's such a meteoric rise that we wish we had been an investor. It's staggering really.
That roughly $5 million in prize money five years ago has become close to $2 million today.
That rise though faces two very real and potentially deadly speed bumps.
First, as to be expected, the government has become intrigued by this phenomenon. Sadly, a Democrat from New Jersey is asking Congress to look into this.
Dude, either legalize gambling and tax it so we're all in on the gain or get out of the way and let private commerce provide the service and tax it accordingly.
And to tell you the truth with the traffic jam that is national politics, do we really need the House or the Senate to be weighing in on somebody's fantasy football team.
"Let's recognize the good Senator from Pennsylvania."
"Thank you Mr. Speaker. I say we need hearings on the non-TD call that cost Jordan Matthews - and my fantasy team - a sure touchdown. Think of the children."
Hogwash.
The second pitfall is way more serious because it's way more direct and pertinent.
This story from Deadspin is a direct and clear message for people who think they can play to win on these sites.
If you are doing it for fun, great, have at it. If you are hoping to be Millionaire Matt, well, here's the money (or the non-money) paragraph from the Deadspin article:
"[T]he top 100 ranked players enter 330 winning lineups per day, and the top 10 players combine to win an average of 873 times daily. The remaining field of approximately 20,000 players tracked by Rotogrinders wins just 13 times per day, on average."
That revelation is according to Bloomberg News Service.
Talk about shark-infested waters.
Bingo.
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Baseball rundown
OK, for most of us in these parts the Braves have all-but ended the baseball season. Atlanta stinks, and even with last night's walk-off win over Toronto, the Braves are 15-46 since hitting the .500 mark at 42-42 around the All-Star break.
But the Braves overall stinkitude does not mean the baseball season just up and R-U-N-N-O-F-T.
Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz reacts as he crosses the plate after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park, Wednesday, June 24, 2015, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) No, there have been a few interesting developments.
First David Ortiz now has 500 homers. Ortiz, Hall of Famer or no? Dude has been linked to some PEDs, so it may be a tough climb.
Second, the playoff races are tightening in some areas and widening in others. Here are the standings.
The most interesting reversal of fortune belongs to the Texas Rangers, who are 26-14 since acquiring Cole Hamels in a deadline deal with Philly. Texas has passed Houston in the AL West standings, something that seemed impossible six weeks ago.
(Plus, with Hamels, Yovani Gallardo and Colby Lewis - plus Derek Holland as needed - the Rangers have a salty and experienced postseason rotation.)
Speaking of rotations, the Dodgers, who had stretched out over their skis and have a 7.5-game lead on the Giants, have a chance to pull of a rare pitching feat. Co-aces Clayton Kershaw and Zach Grienke had a chance to join some elite company and finish 1-2 in the Cy Young voting.
Chicago Cubs' Jake Arrieta pitches during the fifth inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, Sept. 11, 2015, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Kershaw leads the free world in strikeouts. Grienke leads the free world in ERA. Yes, Cubs young gun Jake Arrieta will make a push, but if the Dodgers duo pulls it off it would be just the fifth time teammates went 1-2 for the league's top pitching award.
Arizona aces Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling went 1-2 for the Cy Young in 2001 and 2002. Los Angeles had it happen two previous times with Don Newcombe edging teammate Sal Maglie in 1956 and Mike Marshall over Andy Messersmith in 1974.
And yes, we're stunned the Braves in the 1990s did not have a 1-2 finish from Hall of Famers Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz. (Maddux-Glavine finished 1-2 in that order in 1992 when Maddux was still in Chicago. Maddux-Glavine finished 1-3 in '93 and '95; Maddux-Denny Neagle finished 2-3 in '97; Glavine-Maddux-Smoltz went 1-4-4 in '98.)
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Texas overhaul
Texas fired AD Steve Patterson mainly because he was a jackwagon.
The AD role has been completely changed in a generation.
FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2013, file photo, University of Texas athletic director Steve Patterson discusses the search for a new head football coach during a news conference in Austin, Texas. A person with direct knowledge of the decision says Texas athletic director Steve Patterson has been fired. The person spoke Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, on condition of anonymity because the school had not announced the move. (AP Photo/Jack Plunkett, File) It used to be the top guy in the athletic department. Now it's a CEO who has to be comfortable negotiating million-dollar deals and kissing babies and making everyone feel included.
It's a tough gig to be sure, especially in the next stratosphere that is a Texas, which has a nine-figure operation and an internal image bigger than that.
So his lack of charisma and ability to communicate on a personal level was his ongoing.
It also could mean the end for Charlie Strong, who was hired by Patterson and is off to a less than impressive start.
So let the rumors start - as long as we don't have to hear over and over that Texas is Nick Saban's dream job.
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This and that
- OK, if/when we ever throw out the ceremonial first pitch (which would be cool), we are going to make sure we are ready. We're not talking about running one up there low-80s with a little movement. But we'll throw a strike and it won't look like a slow-pitch softball toss. Bubba Watson? Not so much.
- If you are the home-run firework guy at a big-league ball park, you pretty much have one golden rule to follow: When your team hits a homer, you set off the fireworks. You also pretty much have one forbidden scenario: Never set off fireworks for an opposing dinger. Yep, tough day at the office for this guy in Cleveland.
Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma speaks during the first half of the NCAA Women's Final Four tournament college basketball semifinal game against Maryland, Sunday, April 5, 2015, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson ) - UConn coach Geno Auriemma and his women's basketball team visited the White House for the 10th time. He's the best - and he and the defending champs will be in Chattanooga on Nov. 30 to face the Mocs - and he knows it. As Geno was leaving Barack Obama's house, he calmly said, "See you next year." Anyone want to bet against them?
- Tough couple of days for the New York football Giants.
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Today's question
Legalized gambling, yeah or nay?
Also, for the Rushmore, B.B. King would have been 90 today. Who makes the list of double-letter names? Are there enough to have double-letter names with the same letter like B.B. King or D.D. Lewis?
Thanks as always for playing along, and remember the mailbag.