Let’s handle our business with visors tipped.
Steve Sarkisian dropped some numbers in terms of roster costs this week. Before an alumni event in Houston, the Texas coach told reporters that every team in the SEC spends at least $30 million on its football roster. It surprises few, but any coach talking hard numbers gets my attention. May pod on this later today. And inside that story, his detailing Arch Manning taking “a team discount” in terms of money from Texas because he has so many other endorsements is also interesting.
Stephen Colbert delivered his final “Late Night” show Thursday. Gotta be honest, can’t remember ever watching one of his shows. That’s not political as much as it is a time-frame, lifestyle thing. My workdays start rather early these days. Here’s more on his 11 years in late night.
Surreal story here that a Tennessee execution was halted — and the inmate got a one-year reprieve — because administrators could not find a suitable second vein for the lethal injection procedure.
Let’s Rushmore.
Rushmore of sports movies villains (non-“Rocky” division): Shooter McGavin, Big Ern McCracken, Roy Turner from the original “Bad News Bears” and the sensei from “Karate Kid.” Yes, the sensei more than Johnny Lawrence, but William Zabka deserves special mention in this category for his turn putting them in a body bag as Johnny and as Chas in the sports documentary that is “Back to School.”
What’s the Rushmore of “Jean” in popular culture — “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson, “The Legend of Billie Jean,” the Neil Diamond classic “Forever in Blue Jeans” and Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Rushmore of NBC — “SNL,” “Meet the Press,” Carson’s “The Tonight Show” and a hodgepodge of Thursday night comedy, but likely Jerry Seinfeld because that took a great thing and made it an all-time thing.
Rushmore of best, random, all-time pop culture tandems in the same genre with the same first name — George Strait and Jones in country music, John Lennon and Jon Bon Jovi in rock, Robert De Niro and Duvall in acting, Ice Cube and Ice-T in the rapping transition to acting moves.
Let’s bag the ‘bag.
From J-Mac
Hey Jay,
I did have some mailbag stuff I was thinking about. Wanted to ask about the cockfighting jockeys and Dodgers player. Maybe an IRS question or so.
I have spent the evening listening to the Sirius app listening to NASCAR radio. Man, that is sad. I watched after he won last week’s truck race at Dover. The reporter asked him about winning 69 races in the truck series; he said, you never know when it is going to be your last one.
On a positive note, your plays are rolling.
J-Mac
The second part first.
NASCAR great Kyle Busch died Thursday. He was 41. Here’s more, including several of his peers mourning his death. Man, I did not know Busch was NASCAR’s all-time wins leader across its three national series with 234.
Wow, those are livable — and sadly prophetic — words from Busch after his final victory recently.
He was better than you knew and right there with Tony Stewart as the best pure drivers of a race vehicle of the 2000s, in my view. He finished top 10 all-time in wins on the Cup Series and won the most races on NOAPS and truck levels.
Sad day.
As for the cockfighting story, here’s the link just so Clint doesn’t think I’m trying to pull a fast one in terms of word choice. Or diction in this case.
It involves Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz and two jockeys in the activity in Puerto Rico. This is the first I am hearing of this, to be honest, and when I first read J-Mac’s email I thought, “Wow, they are now putting jockeys on the birds they use in cockfighting? Hmmmm, they think of everything these days. Do they do a little joust kinda thing?”
First, being involved in stuff like this is never good. Second, when you have an eight-figure income — like Diaz — you have a lot to lose. And third, if reports are true that Diaz was actually in his Dodgers uniform to promote said fights (with or without jockeys, of course), it’s not a good look.
Granted, it’s a legal activity in Puerto Rico, and according to the story, Diaz has “followed the sport since he was a child” and his family raises fighting birds.
The optics are less than stellar.
Yes, the Plays have played out quite swimmingly of late.
From SportsFan
I’m watching Game 2 of the SEC tourney. I’ve had this conversation in the past with Mrs. SportsFan, and I thought I would get your opinion. Do you think Vandy baseball fans like/appreciate the Whistler? If I was a season ticket holder sitting near the guy, I’m pretty sure it would wear thin in just a couple innings of the first game of the season. I don’t object to fans supporting the team, but it seems like he may be crossing the line of fan decorum. Similar to foul language, only different.
Congrats on the graduation and the softball season. The little SportsFans are grown and gone, but we’ve got a 3 YO GrandSportsFan now, which is awesome in its awesomeness. Change is difficult, but often times leads to very good things. As Jason and the Scorchers say, “Good Things Come to Those Who Wait.”
Have a great summer!
SportsFan
Man, that dude is forever annoying. He’s right there with the “Mashed Potatoes” screamers behind every tee box at every non-Masters PGA event everywhere.
And I completely agree with your assessment of being irked as a Vandy fan by the Whistler. I’m sure they embrace it when it actually seems to be having an impact, but man, that’s forever noticeable and impossible to ignore.
Heck, it’s hard to block out during a TV broadcast, so I can’t imagine being a season-ticket holder in his section.
Thanks for the kind words, and I hope everyone prays for patience. I know I need more. Of both — prayers and patience — these days.
And we had our first travel softball practice this week, and these young ladies could be pretty good as long as the head coach doesn’t mess things up.
From DME
Good afternoon Jay:
What are your thoughts regarding where the USA stands on the Ryder Cup after the PGA? I know we’re 16 months away, but the PGA was a little more of the same. Players from the European team seem to rise to the occasion better than we do.
You may be thinking it’s still early, but there are only seven more chances to play in a really big pressure cooker, the four majors and the Players Championship. In any sport and in life, we all have to learn how to win, and in sports the more you have been there the better your chances.
In the PGA, the Euros had five regulars in the top 14, plus the winner in Aaron Rai and 4th place Matti Schmid. Throw in Shane Lowry and the Hojgaard twins; that’s 10 really good players. We had three in the top 14. I didn’t include Patrick Reed (no one wants to be his partner), nor Bryson, who can’t seem to get out of his own way. I do think Cameron Young will be there, and it was good to see J.T. be near the top.
To me, it looks bleak right now. Throw in the fact that with Luke Donald (he played all four days), the Euros have the best captain, hands down, and the R & A have a much better game plan going forward than the PGA. It just doesn’t feel good.
Again, it’s early, but we seem to be stalled with Scottie, Xander, J.T., and Cameron.
Have a great day, and hit em straight. Best always.
DME
It’s a dire situation for sure, across every measure.
The 2027 Ryder Cup will be over there. And after the Blowout at Bethpage and all the fans’ antics and asshattery, it will be a pressure cooker and an emotional cauldron.
Luke Donald > anyone the U.S. can find.
The Euros are deeper, as you well-documented.
And maybe the most important part of their run — now and throughout history — is the way they completely embrace the totality and the spirit of the entire Ryder experience.
That, as much as all the others, will always give Team Europe the advantage. Simply put, it feels like the Rorys and the Lowrys and the Fitzpatricks and the Hovlands dream of those moments, where the current collection of Americans dread them.
Other than Cameron Young, that is. Dude is going to be a Ryder-die pick for at least a decade.
From Cal
Jay, I love your column and read it every chance I can. Your Aaron Rodgers post made me think about his career and where he ranks.
I agree with you that top-five seems like a bit much, but it’s tough not to think he’s a top-10 guy all-time.
My question for you would be the Rushmore of QB1s over the 2000s?
Thanks, and keep up the good work.
Cal
So 1-2 are easy. Brady-Manning. Manning-Brady. One has the most titles. One has the most MVPs. Book those in whatever order you like. (Side question: How big of a sports split personality does the Peyton Manning experience present for MocsColts, who clearly loves the Colts, where Manning became an all-timer, and clearly hates the Vols, where Manning is the face of the program? Discuss.)
I think Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes finish it out.
Better than Drew Brees (an all-time compiler) and Eli and Big Ben and all the rest.
One that could push for Rodgers’ spot could be Matthew Stafford. If Stafford — who just signed a two year, nine-figure extension — finishes his career with a second Super Bowl as he continues to ascend up the stats rankings, he could make a hard charge.
Thoughts?
From Spy
Just as you were lamenting yesterday the lack of a captivating moment in these here NBA playoffs, Mr Wemb … Wembnaby … that tall French dude says, “Hold my Perrier.”
(I seriously could not think of a French beer. The Germans have many good beers. So do the Belgians and Dutch. Peroni, an Italian beer, is a very good beer. But the French? They may not know what beer is.)
Spy
Oui.
Have a great weekend, friends.