5-at-10: Quarterback tiers, Harbaughs barking, Big Cat means big audience, Rushmore of five-tool celebrities

Election, vote, voting tile
Election, vote, voting tile

Voting day

Yes, the state of Georgia is headed to the polls today.

For those of interested in voting of a far more important nature, ESPN polled 50 NFL insiders on quarterback rankings.

Yes, this is 100 percent a late-July topic of discussion. (That said, the lead story on "Get Up" this morning was a New York Yankees catcher not hustling to first base in a one-run loss to Tampa. Yep, that's a late July lead.)

Still, the balloting of true insiders and wording of the rankings of all 32 projected starting quarterbacks make it intriguing.

The tiers are classified by ability to win, and for example, Tier 1 (T1) is for the quarterbacks that need the least amount of help to win consistently in this league.

There were four guys in T1, highlighted by Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, who were put in T1 on all 50 ballots.

Matt Ryan was the top T2 guy at No. 5, a spot ahead of Russell Wilson. There's a log jam of familiar names in T3, including Jimmy Garoppolo, who somehow has made news in the last week for a) dating a porn star and b) saying he believed he was better than Tom Brady. (On the first one, well, you go Jimmy G. On the second, how is that news? Do we not want a QB1 who believes he's the best on the field? Of course we do.)

Thoughts?

photo Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh watches the first half of a preseason NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)


Harbaughs sound-off

The Harbaugh brothers have had a load of success as football coaches. John has a Super Bowl. Jim has one of the best college resumes this side of Tuscaloosa and Columbus around.

Good for them. Their parents are likely really proud.

Each took to the mic on Monday and offered a couple of sound bites worth discussing.

At the preseason Big Ten media event, Jim was quick to answer the critical questions about his performance against his rivals and when Michigan folks can expect to see the full turn-around they expected when Harbaugh was hired.

His lightning rod comment though was an even quicker response to the very Media Day-esque question about the college football playoff.

"More would be more," Jim said as only a football coach can, in the 2 + 2 = 4 is philosophy style. "More would be better."

Jim wants the system to go from four to eight to 16 as soon as possible. To that, we beg the committee to just say no to this idea and remember that of course the Big Ten wants expansion because the Big Ten was left on the curb last year.

(And yes, we had Mr. Hancock on Press Row last week, and the head of the college football playoff gave very little indication that expansion was anywhere close, thankfully.)

As for his brother, when asked about NFL rookies, the Baltimore Ravens coach said the following:

"One thing I've noticed: Guys coming out of college aren't as callused up as they used to be. We used to practice twice a day in full pads. And those players know -- I'm talking to you out there who know, who've played in the National Football League or played in college 10, 15 years ago -- [that] it's not even close to the same thing.

"There's a certain type of 'in shape,' certain type of football fitness, certain type of callusness -- muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments -- that kind of toughen up. They callus up a little bit, and you can practice all day and run all day. Then our guys coming in right now, most of them don't have that."

OK, and while he's not a doctor, maybe John stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Jim is not the first jilted professional wanting more inclusion to help his company and job profession.

John is certainly not the first boss to say kids today are not as tough as previous generations.

We hope Jim's moaning falls on deaf ears; we think John has a blind spot while we can see his point of view.

Yes, kids today may be coddled and softer than players of previous generations.

But some of that has been by design when you consider that practice times have been culled back, medical safeguards have been widen, and the precautions are as important if not more important than a lot of preparations.

photo Tiger Woods reads the green on the seventh hole at Muirfield Village Golf Club during the final round of the Memorial Tournament on Sunday in Dublin, Ohio. Woods was in the mix over the weekend at the PGA Tour event but wound up 23rd, six shots behind the trio who went to a playoff before Bryson DeChambeau won.


Tiger effect


OK, we know we all were stoked to watch Tiger contend at the British Open. Sorry, THE Open.

And we were not alone. (Side note: Congrats to Ernie H. for his win in THE Open for BID-ness challenge. Well-played, sir. Well-played indeed.

Anyhoo, how big of a bounce did Tiger provide an already attention-worthy event?

Try this on for size:

Sunday's overnight ratings matched the highest since 2000. The 5.0 rating - which matched the 2005 and 06 Open won by some dude named after a fierce feline - was only better by the 2000 event at St. Andrew's, which also was won by Tiger as he completed his first career grand slam.

Now one more:

Other than Tiger, who is the biggest star in golf right now? We could make a hard argument that it is Jordan Spieth. Spieth won the 2017 Open Championship and did so in thrilling and dramatic fashion, rallying from a potential heartbreak to go 5 under on the final five holes to beat Matt Kuchar.

It was a great tournament with a popular champion and a thrilling finish.

And Tiger's presence two days ago created an increase in TV audience of 38 percent.

All hail the Big Cat.

This and that

- Braves' bats battered the Marlins on Monday in a 12-1 win. Every Atlanta position player save catcher Kurt Suzuki got a hit and six of the eight regulars knocked in at least one run. Seven of Atlanta's 16 hits were for extra bases. That'll do friends. That'll do.

- Year 2 of the Tom Arth era appears to be starting the same as Year 1 for UTC, only worse. Last year Alejandro Bennifield was suspended for four games for some academic irregularities. Monday we learned that quarterback Cole Copeland, who started the final six games last year, will miss the 2018 season because he's academic ineligible. So there's that. Here's the report from Mean Gene Henley, the TFP UTC ace.

- THE Ohio State receivers coach Zach Smith tossing Twitter bombs at Tennessee: "I bet their faces a lot like they have been for 3 years when the 5-Stars you signed didn't do anything... #TooReal ?" Not certain what jumpstarted Smith's angst, but rest assured, the Vols Twitter Navy has set sail.

- We referenced the Yankees catcher not hustling, well Gary Sanchez is going to have a rough couple of days. The Daily News headline was "Gary Maniloaf" and that was pretty spot on.

- Here's TFP sports editor Stephen Hargis' annual prep tour. Good times.

- We'll continue to link TFP SEC ace David Paschall's SEC series around these parts. Good stuff here on Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who we think will have a big year and be a good pro.

- Julio Jones is reportedly planning to not report to training camp when the Falcons open Wednesday. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

- Saints punter Thomas Morstead did 418 pull-ups in an hour for charity. Just typing that made my triceps ache.

Today's questions

Hey, it's a Tuesday. That is true.

Today is national tequila day. True or false, tequila is the only drink served by the devil. (And yes, the only food is cole slaw.)

True or false, Tiger Woods is the biggest needle-moving athlete of the last 20 years.

True or false, Matt Ryan is a Tier 1 quarterback.

True or false, Dwight Howard, who was introduced as a Washington Wizard on Monday, is an NBA Hall of Famer.

As for today, other than the filth swill that is tequila, well, let's take a look.

July 24 is National Tell an Old Joke Day. (Hey if the comments are working today - fingers crossed - feel free to leave an old joke while remembering that we're a family-oriented, interweb-based discussion.)

Bill the Butcher of Gangs of New York fame was born today in 1821. Amelia Earhart was born today in 1897. Barry Bonds is 53 today

Kosmo Kramer is 69 today. Wow, he's older than I would have guessed. And Jennifer Lopez is 49.

In honor of J-Lo, who is dating A-Rod, who makes the Rushmore of five-tool celebrities (i.e., folks who can sing, dance, act, you name it and they can do it)?

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