OK, buckle up, because we have a lot to get to today.
A lot.
First, this week’s Rushmores.
Rushmore of sports “Willies” — Mays (of course), Stargell (Pops), Free Willy (swimming) and Willie Mays Hays (“Major League”).
Rushmore of “Van” — Vincent Van Gogh, Eddie Van Halen, Vans (the shoes) and “Living in a VAN down by the river.”
Rushmore of best MLB trade deadline moves — Cubs getting Rick Sutcliffe, who won the NL Cy Young AFTER coming over at the deadline; Braves dealing Doyle Alexander for John Smoltz, which worked for both teams since the Tigers contended and the Braves got a Hall of Famer; Milwaukee getting CC Sabathia (look it up) and Arizona getting Curt Schilling before the 2000 title run. Side note: Also, the Braves deals in 2021 to get Joc Pederson, Adam Duvall, Jorge Whosehispants and Eddie Rosario were every bit as good as the Fred McGriff trade.
Rushmore of Jordan — MJ, Air Jordan (yes, he gets two), Michael B. Jordan (so technically he gets three) and the homer pick of Chattanooga’s own Leslie Jordan. Although the River Jordan has a strong argument here.
And now for last week’s Rushmores, which I deprived you of last week because this has been the most torturous month of my life.
Rushmore of worst movies ever — “Disorderlies” (trust me), “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” (which, to be honest, I have never seen, but the title alone makes it offensive), “Howard the Duck” and, of course, “Showgirls,” which is so bad it’s almost decent. And yes, I left off all sequels, because that is a much tougher endeavor.
Rushmore of TV sit-com sidekicks: Barney Fife, George Costanza (who was clearly the sidekick on “Seinfeld”), Edith Bunker and Barney Rubble. No, I was not expecting two Barneys here, but remember the “ensemble cast” limits sidekicks. Side question: Could Gilligan truly be a sidekick since it was actually his show? Discuss.
Rushmore of best all-time MLB starting pitching duos — Koufax and Drysdale, Maddux and Glacine, Spahn and Sain (and pray for rain — and yes, I included them to use their old-school nickname), and Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton. Apologies to the short time Seaver and Ryan were on the Mets together.
Rushmore of most beloved play-by-play guys — I should have divided this because I can make a hard argument that the list is Larry Munson, Cawood Ledford, John Ward and a slew of others connected with college sports. But big picture, Keith Jackson, Vin Scully, Hoard Cosell.
News to know.
UTC has made a softball hire to replace Frank Reed. Here’s more from Mean Gene Henley.
Calhoun’s QB1 picked Clemson over LSU Thursday as Patrick MacCoon reports here.
As for the rules, away we go.
Here’s Paschall with some UT football goodness.
Let’s bag the ‘bag.
From more of you than I can count
What happened at the TFP (Thursday)?
Gang
It was an emotional day.
It was a sad day, which is to be understood and expected when folks like Alison Gerber and Lindsey Young — people I have worked side-by-side with for almost a quarter century — lose their jobs.
It was a fearful day. That is understood, too, because change — major change — in life comes with a level of unknown and unexpected that is scary for even the toughest among us. (Side note: That word “tough” when describing people, especially Southern men, is such a confusing term. Think about it. Tough guys don’t cry. Well, my toughest moments are covered in tears. Tough guys don’t flinch. Lord, I wish I had been “tough” enough to ask for help when I needed it or even realize I needed help long before I ever thought to ask for it. Where were we?)
It also was a hopeful day in a lot of ways.
First, starting with the support all of you offered — either in the comments or through other forms of communication. It was much-needed, and I’m not sure I can ever express how much it was appreciated.
As for the transition, here’s more from TFP business ace Daniel Dassow — who is a true asset to the fish wrapper, folks — which leads me to a few things I believe after an emotional Thursday.
> I had no idea the TFP was losing that kind ion coin. I had no idea the TFP subscriber base had dwindled that low. Heck, the loyalty of you cats makes up a larger percentage of our readers than I realized. And one of the reasons for hope is that new CEO Craig Fuller has pledged transparency.
> They talked enthusiastically about personalities in the product. And let’s face it, who has more personality in their product than this guy? Spy, cue Fozzy Bear, “Wocka, Wocka, Wocka.”
> It was clear WEHCO was going to sell, and I am much more hopeful with a local entrepreneur than a national chain giving this place its best chance to right our ship. I mean that, not just because this is my first day for Montague Jetson LLC, which is the new name of our company, and yes, it is named after a member of the family from “The Jetsons.”
And if anyone can respect that, it has to be the guy who does daily Rushmores and quotes “Bull Durham” and “Animal House” twice a week, right?
“My advice to you is to start drinking heavily.”
“I’d listen to him, Flounder. He’s pre-med.”
From Grape Juice
NCAA suspends Tennessee LB over $427 flight. Everyone seems to agree there need to be rules regarding compensation in college football. What that looks like, no one knows right now. But with the lawless wild west that is NIL compensation, how does the NCAA pick this $427 perk to try to enforce? This seems like a small number compared to the millions being thrown around right now, or am I missing something?
GJ
Such a great point, and the truth here is that it points us to some sort of federal regulatory process.
That is the need and the want of the SEC and the Big Ten to even consider the idea of things such as the “Protect College Sports Act.”
But not at the nine-figure cost of sharing media revenue.
But in a world where there are eighth-year tight ends and judge shopping and the obscene stat that more than 20 college football QBs will make more than $2 million in 2026 to play the game, how Arion Carter got a two-game suspension for a plane ticket is stunning.
But it is perfect hypocrisy for an NCAA that in truth not only can’t see the forest because of the trees but is cutting down all the trees to get a get better view of the forest.
From Chas
DraftKings, FanDuel and other online sports betting companies have ramped up election spending on the U.S. midterms to at least $72 million so far. The industry has become the third-largest corporate donor in the U.S. midterms behind crypto and technology, pushing to get candidates elected to office who it hopes will be sympathetic to its issues. The audaciously named Win for America is a so-called super political action committee in this high-stakes game. Question for Friday’s bag: Is this massive cash flow a “win for America,” or are we headed for “trouble in River City”?
Chas
I was stunned to read that gambling sites were that big into the lobbying efforts, but it makes a ton of sense.
As we have discussed around these parts of late, the two biggest and quickest fixes to our political fractures would deal with campaign donations and terms. But that’s been discussed.
My answer to your query is somewhere in between.
The truth about legalized gambling is a) more people are doing it, and b) it’s more stable and upfront and non-corrupt than ever before.
Doing it through the DraftKings and FanDuels has regulations and safeguards, and no one named Vinny Knuckles is letting you get into a five-figure hole before you have to sell your car or worry about using a keyboard with two broken thumbs.
It also allows for more protection for the leagues and an added caution/hurdle for players and those inside the games trying to bet on said games.
Yes, we are more aware of the scandals now, but to pretend there were not folks inside the games betting on games before now?
I am pleased it is being taxed. I am pleased it is being regulated — which makes all the sense in the world for the lobbying dollars — but I can see the “trouble in River City”consternation.
From Spy
I’ll make this Braves specific because I: a) have said all I ever want to say on the WNBA, and 2) am just over the whole “future of college football landscape” stuff.
Chris Sale for Cy Young? Book it, Danno. While Elvis had the Jordanaires behind him (and his Memphis Mafia), Sale has the future St. Paul Saints starting rotation behind him right now. And not the Saints who are currently Minnesota’s AAA team. I mean the St. Paul Saints of the Independent League.
The Braves also may just wanna go up to Austin Riley and say, “Sorry about your big toe that’s got you on the IL.”
“Wait, what big toe are you talking about … OUCH!!!!” as an anvil falls on his foot.
Because on the cusp of August, he’s still under .220 with 12 homers. Time for an “injury,” and let Dubon play third.
They also should put Sale in bubble wrap between starts. He’s more injury prone than the Black Knight from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
(Hey, if you’re gonna go nerd in a reference, go full nerd).
Spy
Chris Sale is putting a strong final chapter on what looks like a Hall of Fame career to me.
And yes, if you are going to go nerd, go full nerd. And that is true in most everything, I suppose.
Have a great weekend, friends.