Let’s handle our business.
To the mountains:
› Rushmore of 55 – Derrick Brooks, Dikembe Mutombo, Orel Hershiser (that 1988 season was an all-timer) and “I can’t drive 55” from Sammy Hagar.
› Rushmore of the A-T-L – Coke, traffic, Hartsfield International Airport and Turner Broadcasting.
› Rushmore of Willie – Nelson, Mays, Joe Willie Namath and Willie Shoemaker (the most accomplished jockey of all-time); the alternate spelling version includes “Get the willies,” Willy Wonka, Willy Loman and Chilly Willy the Penguin.
› Rushmore of Beast – Beauty and the Beast, Beast Mode, Mr Beast and the Beastie Boys. Man, License to Ill has aged like a fine wine, friends.
From today’s TFP, an important story about the Hamilton County school budget decisions.
And show fav Keith Mitchell has sprinted to the top of the PGA leaderboard after Thursday’s first round. Not sure if it’s in this article or not, but during the broadcast Thursday, they said the Baylor School alum and former UGA star has a scoring average right around 66 in his first rounds this year. Wow. Kid can golf his ball.
To a loaded bag that you guys and gals crushed.
From Andy M
I’m not sure what is more boring to me in sports today – Shedeur Sanders or the NBA.
Do you even know a diehard NBA fan?
Andy
That’s an interesting question. I know a few, but they are long-distance friends from previous lives.
The closest thing in Chattanooga I know to a true NBA fan loves the Pistons, but I’d call him more a Detroit sports fan than an NBA fan. (Yes, he moved here from Michigan.)
As for Shedeur Sanders, I am going to try to avoid the topic for a hot minute because he’s already the most famous fifth-round pick of all time.
Let’s treat Deion’s boy like those OSHA safety signs.
“It’s been zero days since we’ve 5-at-10’d without mentioning Shedeur Sanders.”
Deal? Deal.
From Mr. B
Son, your “too early to tell” 2025 SEC football rankings glaringly omitted the TN Vols from any mention. Did I read you correctly?? I know they lost Nico, but putting Auburn and Ole Miss before the Vols just ain’t Christian and maybe even communist. But it’s your column …
The Baltimore Ravens made a football move in releasing Justin Tucker who frequents massage parlors, apparently. Since football is life, and now life is disrupted by his unwanted scrutiny, get rid of such a guy. Plus, his production is fading some? Better-run NFL orgs get rid of the distractions and dump the troublemakers. LV Raiders will sign Tucker, you watch …
Mr. B
That was someone else’s rankings, but I should have caught the Tennessee omission.
(Side note: In my back and forth with Mr. B, he readily admitted he was just funning with me a bit, which is always appreciated. Which leads to a side question on the side note: Where should UT be ranked in the preseason? Discuss.)
Your sentiment about Tucker and distractions is fair, but production in sports buys forgiveness.
If either Deshaun Watson or Tucker were producing at 2019 levels, teams would be lined up to have those distractions as long as they had legal cover.
From SteelerFan
Thanks for the shout-out on Wednesday. It was fun to watch the NFL pundits (over)react to the George Pickens trade. The consensus is that the Steelers got fleeced, Pickens will be League MVP and Man of the Year in Dallas, and Aaron Rodgers must be fuming over the news and will decide to retire. My take: Rodgers probably OK’d the trade, the Steelers are resigned to a 7-10 mark this year and a 15th over-all pick in the 2026 draft. Then they bundle draft picks in a trade to move up to 8th or 9th (remember the draft is in the “Burg next year, and the Steelers will have 12 picks including three third rounders and three fifth rounders) and they pick Nico Iamaleava of UCLA (3rd QB taken), who piles up stats this fall in the Big 10. This leaves Vols fans fuming that they didn’t offer Nico a million dollars more to stay in Knoxville. Moral of the story: Conventional wisdom is often flawed. Feel free to check my work next April.
SteelerFan
Another thing that the national pundits chose to ignore is the math of the salary cap era.
If the Steelers have no intention of giving George Pickens – an amazing talent with million-dollar skills and a 5-cent head – the monster extension, dealing him now for a third-round pick is the best play.
If you don’t deal him now, he holds out, plays with a disgruntled attitude and walks after a blah-tactic 2025.
Yes, conventional wisdom is always flawed, especially when the Shriners are involved. “What? Well, how’d you get that big motor sickle up there on the high dive, Coy?“
From E-Money
Jay, you may have answered this before, but now the stakes are getting higher, and while I love hearing your reports on Lil Miss’ pitching, and I’m really impressed, I wonder what you are like in game? Where do you sit and how vocal?
Having graduated from an intense spectator/coach as a father to a more laid-back but every bit as interested grandfather watching my own kids’ intensity as they spectate/coach my grandchildren, I’m wondering how you’re handling it?
Big fan of 5-10 and picks.
E-Money,
Such a great question.
Big one with the sectionals this weekend. Let’s go.
I was much more vocal when I coached than I am now.
In fact, one of my friends this week commented how much more calm I am compared to previous versions.
I also realized that being critical of the ump behind the plate only hurts the one on the mound, and she’s the one I’m there to support.
I’m very superstitious when it comes to my parental positioning. If she has a clean inning, I will return to that spot, and I normally try to find a place where I can look over the fence because I hate looking through the chain link.
When she’s pitching, I choose to be by myself most of the time.
Short story long, I’ve been blessed that I very, very rarely get nervous, but I truly get butterflies – way more than she does because she never changes expression; she’s stone-cold like that – when she pitches.
I never got them when I played. I get them when she does.
I guess that’s parenting, huh?
Have a great weekend gang, and let’s go Screamin’ Eagles.