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Weekend winners
› Freddie Freeman. Wow, what a moment in Game 1 when Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam. The former Braves first baseman homered in the Dodgers’ Game 2 win, too. He was always close, but Freddie Freeman punched his ticket to Cooperstown last weekend.
› UT and UGA fans. Man, nothing like a mid-fall off-week. Let the batteries recharge and watch everyone else stress.
› UTC and Rusty Wright. The Mocs have won five in a row. That’s not too shabby.
› Colin Farrell. Dude, who has been a Hollywood hotshot and bad boy, finished a marathon this weekend. Yes, lots of folks do that every week, but Farrell pushed a friend in a wheelchair for the 26-plus miles and raised more than $700K for charity while doing it.
› Jameis Winston. He’s a goof, of course, but dude has done nothing but win at every level. He did it again Sunday against Baltimore — one of the best teams in the NFL — in his first start with the Browns after Deshaun Watson’s season-ending injury.
Weekend losers
› The Bears. DB who was jawing with Washington fans before not being in position for the game-winning Hail Mary TD pass. Tyrique Stevenson apologized after being caught on video, which of course went viral. Something tells me that the film sessions this week are not going to be kind for Stevenson.
› Aaron Judge. Did Judge just strike out again? I think so. Spy, quit smiling at Judge’s struggles.
› McDonald’s. Yes, the Quarter Pounder is back, but all the conversation about the Golden Arches lately has been downright awful.
› TV commercials in which candidates tell me they approved this message. And while you’re at it, can you tell Kamala and Tim and Donald to quit sending emails and texts asking for donations. Thanks.
› The Tennessee Titans. Is this the worst team in the NFL? I think they are right there with all the stinky crews out there every Sunday.
› Aaron Rodgers. Yes, the Jets are cooked.
› Anthony Richardson. Sorry JTC (Florida alum) and Doug (Colts fan), but no true star QB asks to come out of the game because they are tired, like Richardson admitted to Sunday.
College football bubble
Missouri, good night.
Alabama, are you good?
Let’s start here: Oregon is in. A win over THE Ohio State and a resume like the Ducks’ makes them a dunk.
Wanna know who else is in? Notre Dame.
The Irish D is nasty. The win over Texas A&M is getting better by the week. And ND will be a double-digit favorite in its last four games.
Speaking of the Aggies, wow, does the A&M-Texas game look bigger than ever later this fall?
And speaking of Texas, man, Diego Pavia is worth the price of admission, right? Yes, Vandy lost and yes, they will fall out of the rankings, but the Commodores QB1 makes everyone better and makes everything interesting.
As for the rest of the college football landscape, one, BYU is a problem.
Two, Indiana now has a mulligan, and will be favored in three of its final four games. (The Hoosiers play THE OSU, so there’s that.)
In fact, IU would be better served NOT going to the Big Ten title game and finishing 11-1, which would almost assuredly get them in the dance.
This and that
› Hey friends, watching “Today” this morning saw a) Robin Wright, who is awesome and has been awesome since forever (and the “Princess Bride”) and b) they said we need to be wearing sunscreen year round. You’re welcome.
› So I know it was an exhibition, but John Calipari has some bona fide dudes in Fayetteville. Heard here first: The Wagner kid is going to edge Mark Sears for SEC POY, and the Hogs will make history as Coach Cal becomes the first to lead four programs to the Final Four.
› Dwyane Wade’s statue looks like, well, no one I know.
› You know the rules. Here’s Paschall’s SEC wrap-up column.
› Happy tight ends day on Sunday, everyone. Somewhere, Daisy Duke is smiling.
— We hosted our son’s band section group breakfast on Saturday morning. They took a polar plunge in our pool. The Signal Mountain cops got called. (Seriously.) More on this later.
— Yikes, FSU and Mike Norvell are having a rotten few months, no?
Today’s question
Weekend winners and losers. Go.
As for multiple choice Monday, which well-known coach should be avoiding calls from his AD this week:
› Mike Norvell
› Gus Malzahn
› Mark Stoops
› Other (and specify).
As for today, well, let’s review.
It’s my best bud growing up Brent Rhodes’ birthday today.
Rushmore of best TV best friends. Go.