Photo by Kathleen Greeson / The moon cuts a red reflection along the Gulf of Mexico earlier this week.
Morning, from the Cape San Blas satellite offices of the 5-at-10, there's a lot to get to, so like the morning precipitation, let's dew this.
(Side note: The photo above was taken the first night here. Yes, the Mrs. 5-at-10 has skills. Also of note, the two brightest lights to the left of the setting moon are Jupiter and Saturn. So there's that.)
Gru-Bye
Jon Gruden is out as the Raiders coach.
A litany of inappropriate and offensive emails - some dated a decade ago - started to circle and poof, the dude who was the most popular post-Madden, pre-Romo announcer and the most desirable name-drop in coaching searches will never be part of anything NFL-related again.
Like that. And, ironically, on a Monday night.
So, is this cancel culture or consequence culture?
My answer: Yes.
As for consequences, simply put, leaders of multibillion-dollar organizations should be held to higher standards of inclusion, intelligence and dignity.
This would have severely hindered Gruden's ability to lead a multi-raced, orientated and gendered operation in terms of trust and respect. Yes, even sentiments from 10 years ago.
Yes, we have all said something inappropriate. Yes, we all have made a comment, joke or whatever that through the modern prism would be viewed with disdain and potentially outrage.
But none of us - other than Vader - are working on a 10-year, nine-figure contract leading an organization with the potential resale value of what Disney paid for the Marvel Universe about the time Gruden fired off those emails.
But there's more than a shovel full of cancel in this, too.
And it deals with the simple double standards and clarity that the NFL puts appearances above actions.
Because Deshaun Watson is still gainfully employed and Gruden likely will never work in football again.
Yes, Watson persists in his protestations of innocence despite there being close to two dozen allegations of sexual misconduct against him. And allegations are just that. And Gruden's words are clearly his own.
But Watson is not alone. There's Kareem Hunt and Antonio Brown and Greg Hardy and good Lord Tyreek Hill and so many others who were either accused or admitted to awful acts against women and society.
And then on the level above Gruden, what about the accusations through the years against Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft and Daniel Snyder?
In truth, the three people who have faced and paid the consequences of the cancel culture transformation are Gruden, Kaepernick and Ray Rice.
The latter, of course, committed his crime on video. The other two committed no crime and have been and will be banished.
Why? Because, for whatever inexplicable reason in these cancel-culture times, words and hateful thoughts are way more impactful on the bottom line than actions and hateful deeds.
(Side question: And while we're here, as a dear friend of the show reminded me this morning, how do we know more about Jon Gruden's personal emails 10 years ago than we do about Hillary's, Donald's or Hunter Biden's? Asking for a few hundred million Americans.)
Braves bopper
Man, if Joc Pederson is going to continue to launch key three-run homers at critical junctures in the back half of the season, he can walk to the plate in his Aunt Edna's garter belt and his sister Sloan's charm bracelet for all I care.
Pederson's latest pearl was a three-run jack - with Anthony Rizzo's bat, of all things - that provided all the offense Ian Anderson and the new and improved postseason version of Will Smith and other relievers needed in an all-important 3-0 Game 3 win for your Atlanta Braves.
Egad, Braves up 2-1
And with the Dodgers a loss away from elimination, well, could this be the year for many in the Peach State that the Tampa fans enjoyed last year?
Hmmmmmmmm.
Side question: Uh, can we tell Will Smith that every month is October? A perfect - and stress-free ninth - in which he threw eight strikes on 12 pitches? Yes, please. Three October innings, one walk, one hit and two Ks. That's it.
NFL power poll
Seriously, I almost forgot. (In fact, I had another Gruden riff here that we may have to hold a day. So it goes.)
The takeaway from Week 5 is not the unbeaten Cardinals (although that's important) or the badness of the Jags and some other really downtrodden franchises (although that's true, too) or even the fact that Jonathan Taylor scored the game's first TD last night and was at plus-650 to do that (although that's cool, as well).
It's injuries.
And to magnify this even more, it's the growing number of injuries in a season that has an extra game and in a sport in which the owners want 18 games sooner rather than later.
Like Sergey Bubka headed to practice, let's get to the poll.
Powerful
1. Arizona. Unbeaten is as unbeaten does. And for all the crafty offensive chats Kyler Murray and that four-deep pool of receivers can generate, the Cardinals won Sunday with defense. And with JJ Watt playing his initials off. With Watt and Chandler Jones, there's a new Desert Swarm for QBs in this year's NFL.
2. Buffalo. Josh Allen continues to shine. The ever-underrated Stefon Diggs continues to star. The offense-defense corollary is better than the rest of the 4-1 teams in the league, too. Buffalo Bills, AFC frontrunner. Is it 1992 again?
3. Green Bay. If MJ and Scottie are considered the best duo ever, where would you rank Aaron and Devonte? Better than Jerry and Joe? Better than Peyton and Marvin or Peyton and Reggie? Better than Brady and Gronk? Not sure, but the Packers' duo is downright balling right now.
4. Tampa Bay. Yeah, Tom Brady. Yep. Father Time may be undefeated, but the old booger needs to make some halftime adjustments in his showdown with Brady because at 45 - and coming off 400-plus passing yards with five TDs - Father Time is going to need a comeback.
5. L.A. Yes, Rams and Chargers. Lots to like in both of these crews. Excellent QB play. Excellent WR depth. Two young and visionary head coaches. Two of the best defensive backs in the game, both via FSU - Rams Jalen Ramsey, Chargers Derwin James. (Side note: College football was more fun when FSU was relevant. Discuss.) Side question on the side note: If you're in the ACC central office, aren't you ticked at the extended blah-tactic performances of FSU and Miami? "Hello. Guys, we brought y'all in to give us football street cred." I love L.A.
Powerless
28/29. New York. Welcome back to the big messes in the Big Apple. On Sunday, we learned that every meaningful Giant this side of Buster Posey is now injured and that the Jets have scored one first-half TD this year. Good times.
30. Detroit. Yes, Detroit is winless, but Houston's one win was over Jacksonville, so should it count? Discuss.
31. Houston. Has Deshaun been traded yet? Seriously, if you are a Texans player right now, do you not go full-blown Rodney Dangerfield when the ball ricochets off the tree and hits him? "My arm. It's broken." Also, when the Titans are 3-2 in the AFC South - with 17 dudes on IR and a loss to the Jets - and still have a two-game lead, that makes that the worst division since Ralph Wiggum thought 6/2 = 4.
32. Jacksonville. Has Urban quit yet? Side question: Urban is tickled about the Gruden story, right?
This and that
- Well, should we call this school socialism? In NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last week his plan to eliminate gifted programs for students. In the academic version of everyone gets a trophy, accelerated learning will be made accessible to all students. Which then means it's not accelerated, especially if some kid (and his parents) think he's ready for college math when he can't count to 18 by 2s. Teaching everyone through is not fair to the advanced - or the remedial, for that matter. It just strives to pull everyone into the middle and check the equitable box for the masses.
- Our most-recent "Jeopardy!" juggernaut has been bounced. Matt Amodio won 38 games in a row and more than $1.5 million in cash.
- JR Smith is now my favorite college golfer, and I'm not sure it's close. Love this story. Could only be better if he played without his shirt on.
- OK, gang, fire up your keyboard and vote along with the third installment of the 5-at-10 Bracket Challenge. Go and vote on the most entertaining college football rivalry.
- You know the rules. Here's Paschall on the newly minted No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs.
- And the standoff continues. Kyrie Irving continues to say no to the vaccine and will not play in home games for the Brooklyn Nets.
Today's questions
True or false, it's Tuesday.
True or false, every Tennessee fan you know sighed "Thank God we didn't hire Gruden" at some point in the last 24 hours.
True or false, the Braves should retain Joc Pederson over Jorge Soler.
True or false, the Titans are the safest bet for a division winner after five games in the NFL.
True or false, Gruden should have resigned and/or been fired.
You know the drill, answer some T or Fs, leave some T or Fs.
As for today, Oct. 12, let's review.
On this day in 1492, Columbus made landfall.
On this day in 1979, the NBA was saved as Larry Legend and Magic Johnson made their professional debuts.
On this day in 1989, the Cowboys remade themselves with the deal that sent Herschel Walker to Minnesota for five players and six draft picks.
Rushmore of the most famous trades in sports history. Go.