Loads of stuff to get too, and not all of it is good.
Eagles fans gonna Eagles fans, I suppose. But please tell us — again — how this is not representative of Eagles fans. Let’s go Chiefs.
Justin Tucker has been accused by multiple massage therapists of sexual assault and misconduct. You can’t help but wonder if he knew these allegations were coming to a head since he just completed the worst season of his standout kicking career.
As for the good headlines, man, if you are a Texas fan, you have to — HAVE TO — love this level of humility from Arch Manning, right?
Finally, I’m a sucker for true stories of kindness like this one, where Matt Stafford sent an autographed Lions jersey to a Detroit fan who had sold an autographed Detroit Stafford jersey so he could buy playoff tickets for himself and his daughter. Way to go, Matt Stafford.
To the Rushmores:
› Rushmore of best “informal” nicknames of college basketball teams — Phi Slamma Jamma, Fab Five, The Unforgettable and Lethal Weapon 3 (personal fav, but if you wanted Rupp’s Runts or even the Bernie and Ernie Show here, on yours, that’s A-OK).
› Rushmore of A-listers identified by just one name — I should have put “currently” in there because all-timers have to include Elvis, Oprah, Madonna and likely Prince over Pele. Current, I’d go Oprah, Beyoncé, Tiger and Bono, maybe.
› Rushmore of Alan — Edgar Allan Poe, Alan Rickman (of course Hans Gruber makes it), Tim Allen and Alan Shepard; and sports version, Alan Page, Marcus Allen, Ray Allen and Allen Iverson with apologies to Mel Allen. Who didn’t love the “Baseball Bunch” growing up?
› Rushmore of Giants — LT, Willie Mays, Andre the Giant and “Little Giants,” which is tragically underrated.
Rules are rules. Here’s Paschall on the next head coach at ETSU, Chattanooga native Will Healy. Healy succeeds Calhoun native Tre Lamb, who went to Tulsa.
To the bag:
From Mark
Do you believe MLB’s response to the Astros cheating scandal to win the World Series would be different in today’s heightened gambling environment?
Mark
Great question.
I believe the Jontay Porter case — the former Nuggets player who has been banned from the NBA for betting against himself in certain prop categories — will get the weight of a 20-year sentence. And I think the NBA and the rest of the pro leagues — and the FanDuels and DraftKings of the world — will lobby hard for extreme punishment.
They all have a tremendous interest in it now, because in our already-conspiracy-filled world, allowing even a hint of “fix is in” will cost the leagues and its gambling partners millions if not billions.
But now that gambling is legalized and all so common, the Astros and several others are lucky to have gotten away with just tarnished reputations.
How much more common? Well, there was a $3.9 billion bet in 187 Las Vegas sports books in all of 2014, which was the lone state with legal sports-betting. In November and December of last year, there was $1.1 billion wagered on sports.
In Tennessee. Just Tennessee.
The Astros are a bit different in this prism — here’s betting (Spy, see what I did there?) Pete Rose, the Black Sox and Tim Donaghy would have been fitted for extended stays in the iron bar Hilton — because there was not any money on the line of which we were aware.
Those Astros — especially a guy like Jose Altuve — do overlap with another conversation we’ve had recently.
If you have a hard no against PED users because they cheated, would you vote for Altuve or any of those Houston players to get into the Hall?
From Spy
More memorable — the 10 on No. 2 at Augusta? Or the No. 2 on No. 2 at Lake Oconee?
My buddy knows Ansley Williams, who is a big time member of the Savannah Quarterback Club. Ansley was shepherding Coach O’Leary around in Dublin before the FSU game. If I recall correctly, Ansley was in your foursome there.
Is anyone else over the Kelce brothers — and the Mannings — at this point?
Spy,
Your memory never ceases to amaze.
So in the early 2000s, I attend the George O’Leary media event back when a) schools took local media members on swanky outings and b) papers could afford to have the staff big enough to allow folks to go on such outings.
We called it source building. It was two days of great golf and tremendous food at Reynolds Plantation.
I was starting to find my golf game back then, and could truly crush it off the tee. Our group won the scramble, and I hit a monster drive that one of the guys in our group holed out for a 2 on the par 5. (I did hole out on my own ball for an albatross on 6 at Black Creek at a media event before the then-Nationwide event out there. So it goes.)
At Reynolds Plantation, we won two Delta tickets anywhere in the continental U.S.
But the best thing I won at the O’Leary’s shindig was that night. They had a casino event with tickets, and the more you won, the more tickets you got entered in the raffle.
So the grand prize ticket is announced, and I was a bit in the sauce. I look down and I won. As I walk slowly to the podium, O’Leary offers me $500 for the ticket.
I’m not even sure what it is, so I say “No, thanks.”
Wes Durham, then the voice of the Jackets and the night’s MC, offered me $700. I decline.
When I get there, I won a putter, and at first I’m thinking, “You goof.”
But this putter — seen here and which is still in my bag — was hand-made and handed directly to me by Scotty Cameron himself.
I need to send it back to them, have them refurbish it and see what it’s worth. Considering it was made by the Michelangelo of putters himself, I bet it’s into five figures.
As for your other question, I too am getting some Manning fatigue, and the Manning-Cast feels kinda tiresome and forced these days.
But do not forget the Watts, other NFL Hall of Fame brothers who are just about everywhere.
Great memories.
From LP
Jay, I just started reading your column and I love it. How do you do this everyday?
Can I ask something for your Friday Q&A? If you could change one sports rule, what would it be?
LP
Thanks for the kind words and sharing your time in the mornings.
There are so many rules I would change, and I am growing more and more fond of the NBA going to 10-minute quarters if it could be used to leverage the end of “load management.” (Side note: “Load management” is a lot of things, and almost all of them are funny. But couldn’t you see a great sitcom called “Load Management” about a trash hauling company. Think “Taxi” meets “Barney Miller” but with trucks and stuff. Maybe we could get Larry David to swing the dispatcher role. Thoughts?)
In the NFL, well, I’ve been begging for the ball GPS chip for years.
College football, too many to start, but in terms of game rules, move the OT ball back to the 50 and make defensive P.I. a spot foul.
MLB, well, buckle up because baseball has actually been active and successful in addressing its glaring issues and bucking tradition. But the Golden AB rule is tragically dumb.
Maybe the one that has bubbled to the surface and is getting attention is PGA slow play.
Here are some of the ideas, including player shaming and adding rangefinders — and I’m OK with each.
Thoughts?
From Bob
Bet you won’t add my question Friday to your collection of (bleep) because I want to know why are you such a complete loser?
Bob
Guess you lost that bet, huh?
Have a great weekend, gang.