Merry Christmas Eve, friends.
Thank you so much for sharing your daily time - your most precious gift - with me, be it a random Tuesday or every morning at a regular time.
We're going to handle our business first, and then I'm going to check my local Christmas list - among the regulars here as well as the regular names and face in the region and around it - for the names that have been naughty or nice. Deal? Deal.
First order of business is the sad announcement that tonight's Hawaii Bowl has been canceled. Crud. That now makes tonight right there in the conversation with the days right after the MLB All-Star Game as the most barren on the sports calendar.
Next, let's ponder a serious Christmas-time topic: Best Santa alias? Go.
Rushmore of 'ears' - (Sent from Spy) "the ears lent by friends, Romans and countrymen," Ear of corn, Ear to the ground, and Van Gogh's famous ear over a tempting Lake Ear-e.
Rushmore of Christmas candy - as mentioned by the crew, candy canes is far left. And I'm not a really big fan of them to be honest. The festively wrapped Hershey's Kisses are here too, whether it's the red, green and silver traditional or the gold and silver almond-stuffed. Reese's shaped like Christmas trees and, again, while I am assuredly not a fan, the individual wrapped hard candies with the colors and and the decorations have a spot.
Rushmore of Kiefer Sutherland - "Stand by Me," "Lost Boys," "24" and "A Few Good Men."
Rushmore of all-time GMs - General Motors, Branch Rickey, M-'GM' and Red Auerbach.
Here's Paschall's prose on the Vols waiting on players' decisions and hearing that Cedric Tillman will return for 2022.
On the prep scene, here's TFP sports editor and high school sports home-run hitter Stephen Hargis on the Best of Preps basketball tournament. Gotta say, I'm really proud of what that event has grown to be over through the years.
To the bag.
From Brent
Jay, love your morning writings and I hope you have a great Christmas.
Me and my brother have been watching Yellowstone from the start and we agree with you that this season is slow. I also agree with with you that 1883 has been awesome.
Which made us try to wonder who was the best singer turned actor out there and we thought you'd be perfect to decide that?
Brent -
Thanks for the kind words and the Christmas wishes. Hope you and yours have a great Christmas too.
"1883" has been aces. We've discussed this. And the numbers portray that.
First, did you know that the season four premier of "Yellowstone" drew 14.7 million viewers. Seriously.
In a time when linear TV numbers are free-falling - even in most non-NFL sports - that's a monster number that compares favorable to the Bears-Vikings on Monday Night Football, which was on ABC and ESPN and drew 15.8 million viewers.
And Variety.com reported that "1883" drew the most viewers for a cable premiere since 2015's "Fear the Walking Dead."
Wow, as for singers-turned-actors, that's interesting.
First, there seems to be way more female options than male options in the last several decades.
Someone like a Dolly or a Bette Midler back in the day, or even a Beyoncé or J-Lo currently, have a lot of street cred and impressive credentials.
It also leads us to a different question, as in do you consider rappers singers because if that's the case, I believe we start with Will Smith and stop at Marky Mark, right? I mean dude had a No. 1 rap song with that C'mon, C'mon thingy. Plus, there's Ice Cube, Queen Latifah and LL and a lot of others too.
Of course all-time the question must include Elvis, and we can't discount Elvis actually playing Elvis in everyone of his movies. Personal fav Sam Elliott plays Sam Elliott in almost every role, and he's far from alone. Owen Wilson pretty much plays Owen Wilson in every flick, as do Ben Stiller, modern Al Pacino and a slew of others.
And the old-school conversation would also include Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bing Crosby among others as well.
But current singers, huh? Couple of ground rules. First, I don't playing a singer in a movie - no matter how good Jennifer Hudson or Lady Gaga were in those roles as singers - should count as much. But that's me, and you asked me so there's that.
I think Cher is pretty amazing. Tim McGraw has played enough characters that are widely diverse that he gets serious consideration. Dwight Yoakam is pretty excellent too.
My winner in the non-rap division is probably Justin Timberlake, but his movie career does not compare to Will Smith's or Mark Wahlberg's if we count rappers too. Great question.
From Patrick
I am not as down on Yellowstone. Yeah, it is a much slower paced show this season. I get the feeling the last two episodes are going to have something good. And the look on Jamie's face (great job by Wes Bentley) as Gov Perry announces her endorsement of John was terrific. Brutal ending to the last episode.
And why haven't John or Beth or Kayce pressed Jamie on finding out who set up the end of season 3 hit?
One game back in our fantasy league. Have a 3 point lead on the league leaders. Need a big week to finish. Brady or Herbert as my starting QB this weekend?
Patrick -
I know "Yellowstone" has not been "Joni Loves Chachi" kind of bad. I'm not saying that.
And maybe my through-the-roof expectations are partly to blame. But I am having a hard time how the Duttons can figure out and find the White Supremacists who took Kayce's kid and annihilate the whole crew in an episode and a half, but they are dragging their feet on a Don Barzini-style hit on the whole family.
I'm surprised John has not settled all the family business, and now that he's running for governor, that becomes even more dicey.
The other thing, and this may sound petty or even prudish, but we get it writers, you can cuss on Paramount. Yippee.
But, like dribbling behind your back or making Patrick Mahomes' accurate left-handed passes, just because you can do it does not mean you have to do it in every bleepin' sentence. Egad.
As for your QB questions, I am so here for those. I have missed the daily distractions of fantasy football research and analysis. I am willing to be that the Weston Wamp league that was in - two-time defending champ, mind you - has had nowhere close to the random trade offers though the season this year compared to the last two when I peppered everyone for anyone.
Alas.
Brady's lack of weapons gives me serious pause. Godwin's done for the year. Evans is slowed. Fournette is out for the rest of the regular season, although that's good and bad for Brady's stats. (Side note: If Breshard Perriman is out of the COVID protocol, he will be a viable option for Brady and the Bucs Sunday.)
Herbert is a dude's dude by every measure, and he's sneaky valuable in the run game.
The opponents for both are less than difficult: Brady faces the free-falling Panthers; Herbert sees the terrible Texans. With that in mind I go Herbert, because he still has big-play dudes around him that maybe they run it up early and he generates the type of numbers you need this late in the year.
From JoeDon
Your prose today made me wonder.
When Ralphie beat up that kid in A Christmas Story, was that a Farkus Fracas?
Have a blessed Christmas, my fellow husky friend!
JoeDon -
Absolutely, the Farkus Fracas is a thing, even if a fracas is, at least in my mind, way more balanced than the one-sided whipping Ralphie handed out.
The Scott Farkus Fracas made me think of the best school-age kid fights in our movie lifetime - post 1980, per se.
Ralphie waylaying Farkus is a surefire contender. (Side note: Waylay is underused too.)
Does Daniel's showing in the All-Valley tournament qualify? I'd have to say yes. It also makes you wonder how many years would Mr. Miyagi get in the clink considering that he's an attendant at a crummy apartment complex and he assaulted five teenage boys with wicked rich parents?
George McFly's one-punch win over Biff Tanner that saved the McFly clan in "Back to the Future" deserves consideration too, right?
Not sure how many saw i, but there was a movie in the 1980s called "My Bodyguard" which certainly would qualify.
And then there is "The Outsiders" to consider. Discuss.
As for some of the regulars in and around these parts, be them commenters or emailers - and emailers are far better than blackmailers, so there's that - let's hand out some Christmas wishes, huh?
To Chas, may the Wildcats keep Stoops till the Bluegrass fades and may Coach Cal's crew cast a Final Four finish.
To Fat Vader, an extra serving of yeast roles, a Brian Kelly extended honeymoon and Arch Manning's commitment.
For JTC, well, that Emory Jones finds a happy home anywhere outside of the 352. Wow, that was rough last night. And how about this stat: The last three Gators football coaches have had a losing season. From 1980-2012, Florida did not have a losing season.
For Jules and Alejandro and Dawg 7497 and Bearddawg the Mrs. 5-at-10 and all the other 'Hunker Down, you Hairy Dogs' folks, may the next two weeks be what you're wishing for. Truly. Even from an Auburn fan.
For DD, a weekend in which every SEC loses in every game they play. In every sport.
For Don Jr., RKowens and the rest of conservative commentators, may we find a champion for the causes we know are important and needed to make our country better rather than the causes that are important for the candidates to make the candidates' lives better. Our party has put 'self-service' ahead of public service and we need to take it back.
JoeDon, Bicycle Bob, Ernie, Intern Scott, Ted, HGLIII, John M and the rest of my regular email crew, thanks so much for all the exchanges. You guys and gals are funnier than you know and as clever as cat burglars.
To our Floridian J-Mac - and to everyone really - a safe space that is Omicron-free. Please be safe friends, and get vaccinated gang. It's not political in my mind; it's preventative. But for J-Mac and Tom (both the one in Ooltewah and TC) may your balanced views remain and stay strong in our ever-polarized populace.
To Spy, may they fire Geoff Collins before Santa comes to your house and drops off your coal and switches.
To the random contributors who love me and the regular readers who assuredly do not love me, Merry Christmas.
To those not mentioned by name, may you have the grace to forgive me - like you do with my spelling miscues as I move entirely too quickly and always push deadline on these morning ramblings.
Also, to the folks back at the ranch who make this copy better - and so much cleaner - every single day.
For all of you, my heartfelt gratitude for your time and for contributions and for making this little corner of the TFP fun and functional. It's a part of the Greeson family now and that's what Christmas should be about first and foremost.
Jay Greeson