- Oakland Raiders: Daryl Worley, 4 games for a DUI conviction.
- Vadal Alexander, a second Oakland suspension, was waived August 1. By the rules, since he was suspended in May, it counts. Alexander is based on lost salary of $152,755, Worley loses $148,736. The Raiders, to date, will be fined, as a result of the Club Remittance Policy, $45,098.
- The Raiders are the sixth team to be penalized under the Club Remittance Policy for multiple suspensions.
Friday, August 31, 2018
Fine and Suspension Blotter: Was that pickup a good idea, Oakland?
Will be checking over the weekend for any Week 3 Preseason fines, but a suspension that will probably make it through appeals to report, and a resultant fine...
Thursday, August 30, 2018
And that makes this post #2,500.
Good God. Two thousand, five hundred posts.
Seven years, ten months, five days.
As I said almost nineteen months ago, five hundred posts ago, the evils I have witnessed have turned this blog directions I had never intended it to. My original intent was NFL-centric, and a series of how most of the Super Bowls have been rigged, or at the least contaminated.
We now have seen the open-faced necessity of abuse (of women, gays, etc.) in the name of entertainment and sport. And since no one wants to slaughter the sacred cow, it's allowed to continue.
And fester.
And increase.
I've seen the increase in head injuries and the desire of many Americans to see athletes who don't swear fealty to go away and quite literally fuck off and die.
I've seen places I used to think were against the grain of the traditional sports media bow and knuckle to the abuse and pedophilia and violence toward women and all the other things which have made sports impossible to feasibly support.
Knowing football season as I do, 2,750 probably comes around January 1.
3,000? Some point in 2019, depending on insanity and circumstances.
But, to the chagrin of many in power, I'm still here. And those who don't like that can fuck off.
Seven years, ten months, five days.
As I said almost nineteen months ago, five hundred posts ago, the evils I have witnessed have turned this blog directions I had never intended it to. My original intent was NFL-centric, and a series of how most of the Super Bowls have been rigged, or at the least contaminated.
We now have seen the open-faced necessity of abuse (of women, gays, etc.) in the name of entertainment and sport. And since no one wants to slaughter the sacred cow, it's allowed to continue.
And fester.
And increase.
I've seen the increase in head injuries and the desire of many Americans to see athletes who don't swear fealty to go away and quite literally fuck off and die.
I've seen places I used to think were against the grain of the traditional sports media bow and knuckle to the abuse and pedophilia and violence toward women and all the other things which have made sports impossible to feasibly support.
Knowing football season as I do, 2,750 probably comes around January 1.
3,000? Some point in 2019, depending on insanity and circumstances.
But, to the chagrin of many in power, I'm still here. And those who don't like that can fuck off.
Love ya, little one, but HOO BOY...
I resolved to get around to this one after seeing the main moments on Sunday.
I've been waning in my fandom of professional wrestling, but one of the people who's helped reinforce it from time to time is 11 year-old Izzy Silyagi of central Florida.
WWE fans might recall her as the Bayley Superfan, who was made part of the canon surrounding Bayley's reign as NXT Champion and up to and including Bayley's "promotion" (your mileage may vary, as she has quite struggled on Raw) to the main roster.
After that promotion, Izzy got the wild idea to actually dream to become a professional wrestler!!
And her parents openly support her, so they got in touch with local wrestling schools and, very carefully, started treading the water.
Soon, Izzy began popping up as a mascot/manager/heel interference little shit in the matches of a wrestler named "Psycho Stan" in Mid-Florida Wrestling.
What would strike almost anybody who's followed the situation (especially those of us frustrated with the apparent spinning wheels all over pro wrestling these days!) is Izzy's abilities to talk on the microphone. They seem to come very naturally, and seem to blend (when she's a heel) a bit of Jim Cornette with a bit of Bobby Heenan.
Well, after Sunday, she will never be allowed to meet the former. He's too pissed off with her and her family.
Why?
Because, on Sunday in Central Florida, Izzy (booked as "Izzymania") had her first actual professional wrestling match.
At eleven years old.
Izzy, for a portion of this last several months, was taking gym sessions at the local UFC Gym, as well as weekly professional wrestling training courses with independent wrestling stars Santana Garrett and Tessa Blanchard (Tully's daughter) at Pro Wrestling 2.0.
It is why that gym is called "Pro Wrestling 2.0" that is one of the major concerns surrounding Sunday's event.
I mentioned this in June surrounding the Kenny Omega situation -- there was actually at least an open house (no one is saying how many more, but the family vehemently denies any further contact) with known child molester/wrestling school head Chasyn Rance.
There is, in fact, a purported Tweet out there claiming Rance attempted to contact Izzy's father Cody to train her privately, with a mention of the spot that's getting most of the rest of the attention with respect to this event.
(I'll let you hold for the Squick Factor on that one.)
The original iteration of the school at which Izzy was training was run by Rance, but, apparently motivated by learning of Rance's conviction for underage sex, a number of the trainers broke from Rance and created Pro Wrestling 2.0, where Izzy trained.
In fact, I would openly suggest that you get a download of the IndyKast podcast where Izzy and her parents Cody and Jenny are interviewed. Rance is brought up, and no punches are pulled: She apparently attended ONE seminar at the school Rance owns -- Rance then revealed his criminal record to Cody, and got the quite predictable response.
Had it been left at that, no harm nor foul. But apparently Rance had a few choice words on several different subjects as it relates to Cody, Izzy, etc. -- and Cody is, justifiably, not pleased.
You can download the IndyKast podcast of hers here (of course, iTunes, etc. are options). The discussion on Rance begins at about 22:45, if you want to skip to that part of it.
Well, anyway, apparently behind PW 2.0's back, the substantial promo skills of Izzy caught the attention of EFFY, an LGBTQ (EFFY thinks pansexual is the closest) independent wrestler of some repute in the area.
The two got together and started a pretty good Twitter feud, and they decided to pay it off in the form of an actual match, held last Sunday at Punk Pro Wrestling's "Can't Be Saved" supercard.
In the interests of protecting Izzy a bit, the two decided to add former "Blue Pants" Leva Bates to the match as a technical tag team partner for the 11 year-old girl, although the match was for EFFY's Internet Championship.
Well, during the match, this is the spot which got the most attention:
And I'll be the first to admit, even as a wrestling fan of 40+ years -- and even knowing this was a protected environment (not unlike 80-something Mae Young getting powerbombed (more like "along for the ride", as Bubba/Bully Ray took extreme care) off the stage on a Monday Night Raw), my reaction was "DEAR JESUS GOD!!!"
Izzy has had scoliosis. All of the concerns about the "bump card" every wrestler has, and how many punches you get on it, are valid. But she and her family are quick to point out EFFY's taking out most of the shock of the chokeslam, but not enough to lose the visual and audio.
The pro wrestling world, up to and including trainers like Lance Storm (and others), is condemning everyone involved. Jim Cornette, who has made the last several years of ranting against new PWI 500 #1 Kenny Omega for his match with a nine year old girl in the comedy DDT promotion in Japan, gave five minutes of similar rant on one of his podcasts. Zack Ryder has condemned the situation, as has Bayley's fiance, independent wrestler Aaron Solow. (And, though Solow has said he understands Izzy's position, he believes the adults involved wanted, simply, the viral moment.)
It has also materially cost Izzy her spot at Pro Wrestling 2.0. PW 2.0 trainer Chelsea Green joined the argument against the chokeslam on Twitter, and chose not to confront Izzy about it personally, drawing the ire of mother Jenny. This led to the cryptic tweet: "All good things come to an end!"
On the IndyKast podcast, the family revealed that she no longer affiliates with PW 2.0 -- and I can see that argument. That, basically, "if you're going to pull that shit, you can do it elsewhere!". The family has noted she has a couple offers.
But the family also is noting that the wrong viral moment came out of that match. Obviously (to anyone with knowledge of pro wrestling), Izzy won and is the Internet Champion. So, Izzy is 11 and female, EFFY is LGBTQ/pansexual.
So Izzy took to the mic and cut a promo, which I will close this post with, saying #WrestlingIsForEveryone. (Her father is one of the early fans in WWE/NXT of Finn Balor, who has latched onto a fundraising campaign for his rainbow gear for GLAAD.)
I've been waning in my fandom of professional wrestling, but one of the people who's helped reinforce it from time to time is 11 year-old Izzy Silyagi of central Florida.
WWE fans might recall her as the Bayley Superfan, who was made part of the canon surrounding Bayley's reign as NXT Champion and up to and including Bayley's "promotion" (your mileage may vary, as she has quite struggled on Raw) to the main roster.
After that promotion, Izzy got the wild idea to actually dream to become a professional wrestler!!
And her parents openly support her, so they got in touch with local wrestling schools and, very carefully, started treading the water.
Soon, Izzy began popping up as a mascot/manager/heel interference little shit in the matches of a wrestler named "Psycho Stan" in Mid-Florida Wrestling.
What would strike almost anybody who's followed the situation (especially those of us frustrated with the apparent spinning wheels all over pro wrestling these days!) is Izzy's abilities to talk on the microphone. They seem to come very naturally, and seem to blend (when she's a heel) a bit of Jim Cornette with a bit of Bobby Heenan.
Well, after Sunday, she will never be allowed to meet the former. He's too pissed off with her and her family.
Why?
Because, on Sunday in Central Florida, Izzy (booked as "Izzymania") had her first actual professional wrestling match.
At eleven years old.
Izzy, for a portion of this last several months, was taking gym sessions at the local UFC Gym, as well as weekly professional wrestling training courses with independent wrestling stars Santana Garrett and Tessa Blanchard (Tully's daughter) at Pro Wrestling 2.0.
It is why that gym is called "Pro Wrestling 2.0" that is one of the major concerns surrounding Sunday's event.
I mentioned this in June surrounding the Kenny Omega situation -- there was actually at least an open house (no one is saying how many more, but the family vehemently denies any further contact) with known child molester/wrestling school head Chasyn Rance.
There is, in fact, a purported Tweet out there claiming Rance attempted to contact Izzy's father Cody to train her privately, with a mention of the spot that's getting most of the rest of the attention with respect to this event.
(I'll let you hold for the Squick Factor on that one.)
The original iteration of the school at which Izzy was training was run by Rance, but, apparently motivated by learning of Rance's conviction for underage sex, a number of the trainers broke from Rance and created Pro Wrestling 2.0, where Izzy trained.
In fact, I would openly suggest that you get a download of the IndyKast podcast where Izzy and her parents Cody and Jenny are interviewed. Rance is brought up, and no punches are pulled: She apparently attended ONE seminar at the school Rance owns -- Rance then revealed his criminal record to Cody, and got the quite predictable response.
Had it been left at that, no harm nor foul. But apparently Rance had a few choice words on several different subjects as it relates to Cody, Izzy, etc. -- and Cody is, justifiably, not pleased.
You can download the IndyKast podcast of hers here (of course, iTunes, etc. are options). The discussion on Rance begins at about 22:45, if you want to skip to that part of it.
Well, anyway, apparently behind PW 2.0's back, the substantial promo skills of Izzy caught the attention of EFFY, an LGBTQ (EFFY thinks pansexual is the closest) independent wrestler of some repute in the area.
The two got together and started a pretty good Twitter feud, and they decided to pay it off in the form of an actual match, held last Sunday at Punk Pro Wrestling's "Can't Be Saved" supercard.
In the interests of protecting Izzy a bit, the two decided to add former "Blue Pants" Leva Bates to the match as a technical tag team partner for the 11 year-old girl, although the match was for EFFY's Internet Championship.
Well, during the match, this is the spot which got the most attention:
And I'll be the first to admit, even as a wrestling fan of 40+ years -- and even knowing this was a protected environment (not unlike 80-something Mae Young getting powerbombed (more like "along for the ride", as Bubba/Bully Ray took extreme care) off the stage on a Monday Night Raw), my reaction was "DEAR JESUS GOD!!!"
Izzy has had scoliosis. All of the concerns about the "bump card" every wrestler has, and how many punches you get on it, are valid. But she and her family are quick to point out EFFY's taking out most of the shock of the chokeslam, but not enough to lose the visual and audio.
The pro wrestling world, up to and including trainers like Lance Storm (and others), is condemning everyone involved. Jim Cornette, who has made the last several years of ranting against new PWI 500 #1 Kenny Omega for his match with a nine year old girl in the comedy DDT promotion in Japan, gave five minutes of similar rant on one of his podcasts. Zack Ryder has condemned the situation, as has Bayley's fiance, independent wrestler Aaron Solow. (And, though Solow has said he understands Izzy's position, he believes the adults involved wanted, simply, the viral moment.)
It has also materially cost Izzy her spot at Pro Wrestling 2.0. PW 2.0 trainer Chelsea Green joined the argument against the chokeslam on Twitter, and chose not to confront Izzy about it personally, drawing the ire of mother Jenny. This led to the cryptic tweet: "All good things come to an end!"
On the IndyKast podcast, the family revealed that she no longer affiliates with PW 2.0 -- and I can see that argument. That, basically, "if you're going to pull that shit, you can do it elsewhere!". The family has noted she has a couple offers.
But the family also is noting that the wrong viral moment came out of that match. Obviously (to anyone with knowledge of pro wrestling), Izzy won and is the Internet Champion. So, Izzy is 11 and female, EFFY is LGBTQ/pansexual.
So Izzy took to the mic and cut a promo, which I will close this post with, saying #WrestlingIsForEveryone. (Her father is one of the early fans in WWE/NXT of Finn Balor, who has latched onto a fundraising campaign for his rainbow gear for GLAAD.)
It was more than my first match....It was more than winning a title....it was more than a wrestling a match! It was a statement that #WrestlingIsForEveryone pic.twitter.com/kxHocsudrw— Izzy (@ItsIzzyMania) August 26, 2018
A number of updates as we turn the page to near September, and scream past post #2,500...
- The collusion case of Colin Kaepernick vs. the NFL and it's owners will go to trial, it was decided today. It appears as if the main case will be whether the owners acted in actual collusion vs. acting separately to blackball Kaepernick from the league for his National Anthem protests. (A similar lawsuit by Eric Reid is in progress -- and, should both succeed, someone needs to get a hold of Michael Sam!)
- All of the qualifiers for the Madden 19 Madden Classic have been cancelled by Electronic Arts, in response to the Jacksonville shooting. It is not clear, pending a security review, whether EA can hold the main Madden Classic in October in Las Vegas.
- However, EA will donate $1,000,000 to the families of the deceased and otherwise injured, as well as setting up a fund where Madden players can donate to add to that total. A tribute/fundraising stream is being scheduled for one week from tonight, ironically the opening night of the NFL season.
- It does appear that the shooter was on psychiatric medications and had been hospitalized as a danger at least twice.
- The NCAA, the National Child Assault Allowers, has cleared Michigan State of any institutional wrongdoing with respect to Dr. Nassar.
- Shyeah and FUCKING RIGHT!!! Are you too damn scared to admit that your sports are out of fucking control, you have no desire to actually govern them, and the fact is we are now up to... what? FOUR Big Ten Universities (on top of Rape-lor) who are literally getting away with damn near, if not, murder???
- And that doesn't count the wide receiver from Wisconsin (seen as a possible CFP darkhorse this year) who's facing two rape charges now...
- Start really watching these umpires in September -- for certain teams and against certain teams. I saw one game last night where the umps squelched any real attempt to come back on Arizona with four quite-questionable strike calls.
- And that's on top of the balls being juiced to the extent that we already have a record for a season in Major League Baseball with a month to go -- 81 walk-off home runs...
OK, chair umpire, you've got some questions on this one...
Anyone who follows match-fixing knows that, at best, tennis is a close second to soccer in the amount of match-fixing going on in the sport.
So someone, I think, has some explaining to do.
One of the biggest bad boys in tennis is Nick Kyrgios, and he has been sanctioned several times for his conduct, including, if I recall correctly, a rather lengthy suspension.
Fast forward to today's second-round match, where the 30th-seeded Kyrgios is struggling in the heat, apparently... He is down a set and a break -- during the changeover at 4-6, 0-3 down, the chair umpire, Mohamed Lahyani, came off the chair to speak to Kyrgios.
Original belief was that Lahyani was ready to invoke the "best effort" clause of the rules against Kyrgios (and it wouldn't be the first time)...
But Ben Rothenburg, a tennis writer for the New York Times, thought he heard something... quite suspicious.
Rothenburg is right, as were a number of his respondents: Lahyani should've been removed -- and the rest of the match investigated for match-fixing on the part of the umpire...
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE KYRGIOS WON.
He rallied from 0-3 down to win the second set in a tiebreak. Won the next two sets 6-3, 6-0 for the 4-6, 7-6, 6-3, 6-0 win.
So someone, I think, has some explaining to do.
One of the biggest bad boys in tennis is Nick Kyrgios, and he has been sanctioned several times for his conduct, including, if I recall correctly, a rather lengthy suspension.
Fast forward to today's second-round match, where the 30th-seeded Kyrgios is struggling in the heat, apparently... He is down a set and a break -- during the changeover at 4-6, 0-3 down, the chair umpire, Mohamed Lahyani, came off the chair to speak to Kyrgios.
Original belief was that Lahyani was ready to invoke the "best effort" clause of the rules against Kyrgios (and it wouldn't be the first time)...
But Ben Rothenburg, a tennis writer for the New York Times, thought he heard something... quite suspicious.
As you see, Rothenburg does not believe this was a situation where Kyrgios was an active situation within it.Among things Lahyani can be heard saying:— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 30, 2018
"I want to help you, I want to help you."
"I've seen your matches: you're great for tennis."
"I can see that; I know this is not you."
An umpire giving a pep talk that correlates to a reversal in a match is *insane*, even for tennis.
Rothenburg is right, as were a number of his respondents: Lahyani should've been removed -- and the rest of the match investigated for match-fixing on the part of the umpire...
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE KYRGIOS WON.
He rallied from 0-3 down to win the second set in a tiebreak. Won the next two sets 6-3, 6-0 for the 4-6, 7-6, 6-3, 6-0 win.
Opening kickoff of the damn season... One kickoff, one stretcher...
Connecticut vs. Central Florida, first game of the season, opening kickoff.
Received in the end zone, brought out by Keion Dixon of Connecticut, and he's flipped ass over tea-kettle by Aaron Robinson of Central Florida -- eight minutes later, still on the ground, he has to be stretchered off...
What a start. One play, one stretcher...
(Deadspin, including a video)
Received in the end zone, brought out by Keion Dixon of Connecticut, and he's flipped ass over tea-kettle by Aaron Robinson of Central Florida -- eight minutes later, still on the ground, he has to be stretchered off...
What a start. One play, one stretcher...
(Deadspin, including a video)
Sunday, August 26, 2018
E-Sports. Shut it down. Shut it ALL down.
Updated 4:50 PM PDT -- more coming.
Two cases of The ULTIMATE Rage Quit.
This country is not even remotely mature enough to handle the explosion of professional gaming (and it's offshoots), and, as of the last several days, we have a YouTube asshole, a Florida asshole and four other people who have been killed as part of this demimonde.
The first of two such stories on this was a YouTube asshole who Darwined himself and probably was trying to take as many people with him as possible.
Trevor Heitmann was 18 when he murdered two people and killed himself on a San Diego freeway last week.
Heitmann was a Counterstrike: Global Offensive player. He became involved, and opened a casino in, the lucrative illegal RMT "skin" trade, where he could, for a fee, have any player attempt to win lucrative rare items from his inventory in a casino setting.
Well, Valve, the makers of Counterstrike: Global Offensive, caught wind of his scheme and banned him, instantaneously ending his casino, and his money-making ability -- and the basis for his YouTube channel that had about 870,000 subscribers until he stopped posting last March.
How much money was involved? He had bought a McLaren 650S sports car -- six figures easily.
It is unclear on the timing between the ban and the actions, but Heitmann decided to take said sports car and start ramming it into as much as he could find. He rammed an elementary school gate and nearly killed two people there about 4 PM Thursday. This after his father, according to another report, had called the police, forecasting these events.
At that point, he took the sports car and starting doing 100+ MPH on the wrong side of the freeway on the 805 near San Diego. By 4:30, he had caused a seven-car melee which killed a 43 year-old woman and her 12 year-old daughter, and caused a fairly significant fire, in an area of the country where such a fire could get out of hand really quickly!
That's bad enough that people should've started having real question as to the future of the e-sports/pro-gaming/YouTube-gaming situation.
Then we get to the latest American mass shooting. Three killed, 9 wounded (latest official count) at a Madden 19 tournament in Jacksonville, FL today.
And this was no small tournament: It was a national qualifier for a live tournament. The top two players would be seeded into the final 16 players of the Las Vegas October live tournament, each receive at least $3,750 -- with $25,000 to the champion of the October tournament.
The shooting was actually captured on a video stream of the tournament. Just before the bullets start, the two players in the match, after a score, are seen on part of the screen, nothing going on here -- at least one is even smiling.
And then all Hell breaks loose.
One of the first commenters noted (and you can see it on the clip, which I will not link, but the Kotaku article does), that just before the shooting starts, you see a laser-sight being trained on the African-American player of the pair.
That player was one of two murdered. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Department has confirmed, as of about 1:40 PM PDT, the lone shooter was White.
At 4:30 PM PDT, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Department announced they believed the suspect to be David Katz, 24, of Baltimore, and the FBI was raiding his South Baltimore home.
Katz was the Buffalo Bills champion of Madden 17, and one of the final eight players in a $25,000 first prize tournament for Club Champions.
The person on the game who was killed was one of the final 32 players in the 2016-17 Madden season-ending tournament.
At least two of the potential victims were members of one of the larger-scale American e-sports outfits, Complexity Gaming. Both were injured, one was grazed in the head.
Latest report from Reuters/LA Times: Eliminated player from the tournament raged and opened fire.
The only real remaining question is whether the Black player had actually eliminated the shooter or whether the shooter was earlier eliminated and decided to go "Florida Man".
These little shits and the entire culture around them (I still recall, early days of Madden, an ESPN show on the finals of a major tournament, where it seemed that both players were surrounded by their smack-talking posses) must be dealt with.
I've seen Twitch and Amazon running a bit away from video-gaming, with an increasing emphasis on other content. It's time (and far past) for relevant parties to put an end to the mass expansion of e-sports in this country, because this, women being groomed by YouTube "stars" for sex, and other frauds, bigotries, and deceits (looking at you, League of Legends) IS the "normal".
Or is it all "thoughts and prayers", "thoughts and prayers", "thoughts and prayers"...
"Because American gamers -- the attitude that they purport as a culture (not necessarily all individuals, but the culture) is all about "ME!!", "pwnage", "1337", and what can I get for myself???"
I said that TEN YEARS AGO!!!
As a video game fan since the age of about seven -- E -- FUCKING -- NOUGH!!!
Two cases of The ULTIMATE Rage Quit.
This country is not even remotely mature enough to handle the explosion of professional gaming (and it's offshoots), and, as of the last several days, we have a YouTube asshole, a Florida asshole and four other people who have been killed as part of this demimonde.
The first of two such stories on this was a YouTube asshole who Darwined himself and probably was trying to take as many people with him as possible.
Trevor Heitmann was 18 when he murdered two people and killed himself on a San Diego freeway last week.
Heitmann was a Counterstrike: Global Offensive player. He became involved, and opened a casino in, the lucrative illegal RMT "skin" trade, where he could, for a fee, have any player attempt to win lucrative rare items from his inventory in a casino setting.
Well, Valve, the makers of Counterstrike: Global Offensive, caught wind of his scheme and banned him, instantaneously ending his casino, and his money-making ability -- and the basis for his YouTube channel that had about 870,000 subscribers until he stopped posting last March.
How much money was involved? He had bought a McLaren 650S sports car -- six figures easily.
It is unclear on the timing between the ban and the actions, but Heitmann decided to take said sports car and start ramming it into as much as he could find. He rammed an elementary school gate and nearly killed two people there about 4 PM Thursday. This after his father, according to another report, had called the police, forecasting these events.
At that point, he took the sports car and starting doing 100+ MPH on the wrong side of the freeway on the 805 near San Diego. By 4:30, he had caused a seven-car melee which killed a 43 year-old woman and her 12 year-old daughter, and caused a fairly significant fire, in an area of the country where such a fire could get out of hand really quickly!
That's bad enough that people should've started having real question as to the future of the e-sports/pro-gaming/YouTube-gaming situation.
Then we get to the latest American mass shooting. Three killed, 9 wounded (latest official count) at a Madden 19 tournament in Jacksonville, FL today.
And this was no small tournament: It was a national qualifier for a live tournament. The top two players would be seeded into the final 16 players of the Las Vegas October live tournament, each receive at least $3,750 -- with $25,000 to the champion of the October tournament.
The shooting was actually captured on a video stream of the tournament. Just before the bullets start, the two players in the match, after a score, are seen on part of the screen, nothing going on here -- at least one is even smiling.
And then all Hell breaks loose.
One of the first commenters noted (and you can see it on the clip, which I will not link, but the Kotaku article does), that just before the shooting starts, you see a laser-sight being trained on the African-American player of the pair.
That player was one of two murdered. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Department has confirmed, as of about 1:40 PM PDT, the lone shooter was White.
At 4:30 PM PDT, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Department announced they believed the suspect to be David Katz, 24, of Baltimore, and the FBI was raiding his South Baltimore home.
Katz was the Buffalo Bills champion of Madden 17, and one of the final eight players in a $25,000 first prize tournament for Club Champions.
The person on the game who was killed was one of the final 32 players in the 2016-17 Madden season-ending tournament.
At least two of the potential victims were members of one of the larger-scale American e-sports outfits, Complexity Gaming. Both were injured, one was grazed in the head.
Latest report from Reuters/LA Times: Eliminated player from the tournament raged and opened fire.
The only real remaining question is whether the Black player had actually eliminated the shooter or whether the shooter was earlier eliminated and decided to go "Florida Man".
These little shits and the entire culture around them (I still recall, early days of Madden, an ESPN show on the finals of a major tournament, where it seemed that both players were surrounded by their smack-talking posses) must be dealt with.
I've seen Twitch and Amazon running a bit away from video-gaming, with an increasing emphasis on other content. It's time (and far past) for relevant parties to put an end to the mass expansion of e-sports in this country, because this, women being groomed by YouTube "stars" for sex, and other frauds, bigotries, and deceits (looking at you, League of Legends) IS the "normal".
Or is it all "thoughts and prayers", "thoughts and prayers", "thoughts and prayers"...
"Because American gamers -- the attitude that they purport as a culture (not necessarily all individuals, but the culture) is all about "ME!!", "pwnage", "1337", and what can I get for myself???"
I said that TEN YEARS AGO!!!
As a video game fan since the age of about seven -- E -- FUCKING -- NOUGH!!!
Thursday, August 23, 2018
(Added more Friday)Pre-season Week 2 2018 Fine Blotter: THEY... DIDN'T!!!!!
As I said when I reported on this when I discovered it, I've railed on all the dirty hits and the shit I can find.
I am about to report to you about the most unbelievable fine I can ever recall in the history of this Blotter...
You remember that hit that Antwione Williams gave that was called Roughing the Passer??
And now more from Friday:
I am about to report to you about the most unbelievable fine I can ever recall in the history of this Blotter...
You remember that hit that Antwione Williams gave that was called Roughing the Passer??
- Minnesota Vikings: Antwoine Williams: Fined $20,054 for THIS...
(Williams reported the fine on his Twitter. He did not say the amount, but the amount is taken from the 2018 Fine Schedule. $20,054 is the new number for Roughing the Passer.)Roughing the passer!! Welcome to 2018. pic.twitter.com/oIIrVplQAO— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) August 18, 2018
And now more from Friday:
- Denver Broncos: Jerrol Garcia-Williams: $20,054 for Roughing the Passer
- Oakland Raiders: Antonio Hamilton: $10,026
- Oakland Raiders: and Fadol Brown: $10,026, both for Unnecessary Roughness
- New York Giants: Sterling Shepherd: $26,739 for a blindside block.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Yannick Ngakoue: $13,369 -- for what we all should've seen coming. Pelvic thrust celebration. He was also flagged for it.
- New York Jets: Jordan Jenkins
- New York Jets: Darron Lee
- New York Jets: and Frankie Luvu: All $20,054 -- Jenkins and Luvu for Roughing the Passer, Lee for a horse-collar tackle.
When is someone going to publicly admit violence against women has become a necessity unto sport?
(... if not much of everything else, but I'll keep it endemic to sports.)
Any woman who supports the sports hierarchy of this country should have her head examined.
Part 2 billion of this statement is the three-game suspension that Urban Meyer was handed for covering up the domestic violence of one of his assistants.
Rape, pedophilia, murder, domestic violence, and other forms of violence against all lessers are a necessity of American sport and a pre-condition for it's existence.
In case you think I stuttered:
Rape, pedophilia, murder, domestic violence, and other forms of violence against all lessers are a necessity of American sport and a pre-condition for it's existence.
Any woman who supports the sports hierarchy of this country should have her head examined.
Part 2 billion of this statement is the three-game suspension that Urban Meyer was handed for covering up the domestic violence of one of his assistants.
Rape, pedophilia, murder, domestic violence, and other forms of violence against all lessers are a necessity of American sport and a pre-condition for it's existence.
In case you think I stuttered:
Rape, pedophilia, murder, domestic violence, and other forms of violence against all lessers are a necessity of American sport and a pre-condition for it's existence.
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
The NFL has to distance itself from it's violent past...
Former ESPN idiot Colin Cowherd had his people on his current show (forget where, don't care) do a study on the new NFL rules.
They found, through computer analysis, that Dick Butkus would get flagged for over 650 penalty yards A GAME.
Meaning: Butkus committed a major 15-yard penalty on BASICALLY EVERY PLAY HE MADE.
The NFL is going to have to distance itself from this.
They found, through computer analysis, that Dick Butkus would get flagged for over 650 penalty yards A GAME.
Meaning: Butkus committed a major 15-yard penalty on BASICALLY EVERY PLAY HE MADE.
The NFL is going to have to distance itself from this.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Something tells me Gizmodo Media/Univision is trying to take up for the NFL here...
(Sorry for the length.)
Of course, some of that might have to do with some of the statements lauding Penn State and the like -- which have been coming up with more frequency since it became apparent that Univision is trying to turn Deadspin in dEadSPiN...
(And that will get it's own article eventually.)
But I am getting the impression that Univision is trying to beat the drums to get the headhunting fans of the NFL riled up -- as Gizmodo was somehow able to compile an article of every helmet foul in the first two weeks of the preseason.
Again, as was made very clear in the initial discussion, if you lower your head to make contact, it's a foul.
So Deadspin compiled all FIFTY helmet fouls in the first two weeks of the pre-season (plus the Hall of Fame Game)...
Of the 49 videos (which did NOT apparently include the one that was an ejection!), I counted 28 that should've been ejections by the NFL's own wording!
No wonder they're going to try to mea culpa this shit. If this is happening when the only thing on the line is roster spots...
Of course, some of that might have to do with some of the statements lauding Penn State and the like -- which have been coming up with more frequency since it became apparent that Univision is trying to turn Deadspin in dEadSPiN...
(And that will get it's own article eventually.)
But I am getting the impression that Univision is trying to beat the drums to get the headhunting fans of the NFL riled up -- as Gizmodo was somehow able to compile an article of every helmet foul in the first two weeks of the preseason.
Again, as was made very clear in the initial discussion, if you lower your head to make contact, it's a foul.
So Deadspin compiled all FIFTY helmet fouls in the first two weeks of the pre-season (plus the Hall of Fame Game)...
- Only six games have been played so far with no helmet fouls -- less than 20%.
- 80% of the fouls have been on the defense, only two on running backs.
- Patrick Onwasor of the Ravens, less than five minutes into the Hall of Fame game, went helmet-to-helmet with a Chicago Bear, probably should've been ejected under the wording of the rule. Not only that, but it was a clear "teed up and teed off" situation -- #41 of the Ravens was downing the ball-carrier. He wasn't even fined for the incident.
- Later in the game, Kamalei Correa of the Ravens, same thing. Should've been tossed, even more blatantly than Onwasor. That was a textbook example of lowering head, lining up, and having other options -- and NBC showed that on the telestrator. No fine.
- James Carter of Carolina -- how in Hell was that not an ejection when the NFL showed a very similar situation (the Trevathan hit) being an ejection?
- Julian Stanford of the Bills (same game as Carter) battering-ram headbutts a Carolina ball-carrier being tackled by another player. Not only no ejection, no fine either.
- Demarcus Ayers of the Bears... That's definitely a foul, and should be almost an ejection, more for the complete unnecessary nature of the hit -- the guy's already going down and Ayers is adding a headbutt into the mix!
- Clayton Fejedelem of the Steelers (same game as Ayers): Should've been tossed for a clear tee-off job on the Bears ball-carrier here. Lines him up, butts him, and unnecessary for a being-downed ball-carrier.
- Maurice Smith of the Dolphins lined up and pole-axed a Buccaneer receiver with his helmet in their Week 1 preseason game. Not tossed, not fined.
- Orson Charles of the Browns should've been tossed for lowering and intentionally leading his head to block with other options against the Giants. He comes across the line, bottom to top of screen, and helmets the Giant defender. No post-game penalty.
- Sidney Jones (Philadelphia): Probably the first case I can make of "it's a foul, but not an ejection" in this entire list. His head's in there, so it qualifies under the rule.
- Marqui Christian of the Rams... Another completely unnecessary hit -- and if this is what players are going to start doing in response to this new rule, the league needs to be wise to this. About the fourth of the first ten that was on a player being downed by someone else.
- Blake Countess of the Rams: First bad call of the lot. Helmet foul was on the wrong player (should've been on the Ravens). Unless you're telling me his helmet hit the Ravens' ballcarrier's hip... That said, appearing to line him up four yards out for a possible head-shot probably drew the flag here.
- Robert Spillane of the Titans: Another thing they need to look out for more: Helmets to places other than the head. The Packer receiver gets a helmet shot right in the ribs.
- DeMontre Hurst of the Titans got screwed! The Packer running-back should've gotten the 15 for that one!
- Dylan Dawkins, the third Tennessee Titan to be flagged for the Helmet Rule against the Pack: One of the two running-backs so flagged. Be that as it is, the ref or the umpire would've had to throw that one -- you can't see it in the camera angle.
- Akeem King of Seattle: Looks like that's off a fumble or something, so that's more on the "careless" level. (See Sidney Jones)
- Elijah Lee of the 49ers: That one's a no. This is one of the reasons they need to review these like the college rule, and expand the ejectability. A review of this play would've negated the call, because Lee did not appear to be the initiator of the contact. The helmet did go into the shoulder, but #36 of Dallas did that!
- Buster Skrine of the Jets: Though the angle is not clear, the only question I have is whether both him and the ball-carrier helmet-fouled!
- Ito Smith of the Falcons: Offensive block, clear headbutt, should've been tossed!
- Damontae Kazee of the Falcons (same game with the Jets): Textbook of the wording of the ejection clause of the rule, yet was not tossed.
- Karl Joseph of the Raiders: Saw this and said this in Las Vegas -- goes double now on the replay. Textbook ejection helmet foul.
- Kyle Emanuel of the Chargers: Hmmm... Need another angle to be convinced of any helmet-to-helmet (which is the only way that one could've gone down)... Looks bad call from here.
- Travon Dixon of the Cardinals (same game): Sounds like helmet to shoulder there, and Dixon might've been hurt on that play.
- Deatrick Nichols of the Cardinals (same game): Should've been tossed, and unnecessary on top of it.
- Rodney McLeod of the Eagles: Again, what's going to become an additional point of emphasis if they're smart: Helmets to other parts of the body.
- Nigel Bregham of the Eagles: The camera angle tries to do a coverup, but it does appear that it was helmet-to-helmet on a player already being downed by someone else. Thumb him!!!
- Jeremy Reaves of the Eagles (the third Eagle to be called for one against the Patriots): This is where the rule comes into play. If Reaves' head is lowered and makes contact with the shoulder of the ballcarrier, it's still a foul. What the Patriot ballcarrier does to make it helmet-to-helmet is not relevant to the discussion - and does not *initiate* helmet contact.
- Jordan Richards of the Patriots (the fourth such call in that game): "If you lower your helmet and initiate contact, it's a foul." No one said there had to be that much contact.
- Coty Sensabaugh of the Steelers: Looks like another helmet to the ribs.
- Frankie Luvu of the Jets should've been tossed for helmet-to-helmet, as well as unnecessary.
- Fish Smithson of the Redskins, same thing. Players are going to have to get their heads out of there!
- Keanu Neal of the Falcons: That's one of those that's either an ejection or nothing at all. Can't 100% tell which.
- Mark Herzlich of the Giants: Helmet down, clear path, other options as a blitzing pass-rusher. Should've been thumbed.
- Charles Washington of the Lions (same game): I guess he nominally lowered his head, but that one should already have been a foul under previous rules!
- Da'Norris Searcy of Carolina: Should've gotten the gate for that one. Lowers helmet, helmet-to-helmet, and not necessary to the play in any respect.
- Dezmen Southward of Carolina (same game): How did the ref not toss that deliberate knock to the noggin?
- Vontarrius Dora of the Cardinals: The only question for ejection under the wording would've been "other options". Otherwise, all the marks are checked for that uppercut headbutt.
- AJ Bouye of the Jaguars: If you lower your head like that, the assumption is going to be you're going to butt somebody. That's not the first one of those on this list.
- Niles Paul of the Jaguars on a kick return: About two thirds of the way up toward the hashmarks. Lowers head and leads with head to try to come forward.
- Taureon Nixon of the Rams: Did they call him for a headbutt to the receiver's hands??? Sounds like that's about the only option there!
- Raheem Mostert of the 49ers: Again, the helmet is going to have to get completely outside the body frame, or it's a foul.
- Jeremiah Attaochu of the 49ers: See Herzlich, same reaction. Thumb him.
- Kenny Vaccaro of the Titans: Cuts at the instant of contact, but enough is there you can see it. That's a thumb.
- Nick Williams of the Titans: Should also have been tossed for a battering-ram attempt to take down the kick returner. He missed and lost his helmet as a result.
- Issac Yiadom of the Broncos: Only letter he should get from the league is an apology!! Not that there wasn't a helmet foul on the play (about the third or fourth of THESE), but it was on the offensive player!!
- Kyle Fuller of the Bears: If they called that one in the game as one on the new rules, it shouldn't be. It was 15 for a shot to the head, but NOT under the new rules.
- Kevin Tolliver of the Bears: Bye-bye Kevin, see you next week! The NFL really needs to re-read their own ejection criteria here.
- Jaylen Watkins of the Chargers: That's a Trevathan -- should've been an ejection LAST YEAR.
- Denico Autry of the Colts: Ditto. Completely unnecessary, lowered his head, didn't even need to be in the play.
- Nate Hairston of the Colts: By the wording of the ejection clause, bye!!!
- There was one that the cameras didn't get: Richard Rodgers of the Eagles.
Of the 49 videos (which did NOT apparently include the one that was an ejection!), I counted 28 that should've been ejections by the NFL's own wording!
No wonder they're going to try to mea culpa this shit. If this is happening when the only thing on the line is roster spots...
Suspension Blotter: Why is this fucker still in the league, Baltimore???
You said you wouldn't let anyone on the team with a domestic-violence history...
- Baltimore Ravens: Jimmy Smith, after serving four games for PEDs to end last season, is banned the first four of this season under the domestic violence policy -- evidence of threatening behavior.
Monday, August 20, 2018
Suspension Blotter: At least one round of it for this Free Agent...
- Free Agent: Cut by the Seahawks after a domestic-violence claim by a then-girlfriend in March, Trevone Boykin has been suspended the first game of the 2018 season. It appears this is probably from a 2017 car crash in which he was arrested for marijuana possession and under the influence -- eight people were injured in the crash.
The Campaign For NFL Head-Hunting continues. That said, Zimmer may be already right!
Two weeks into the pre-season, and it's now clear that the biggest story in the NFL is the Helmet Rule.
The NFL is tweaking the video after the pre-season to aid teams and refs in seeing what is and is not a foul.
But Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, whose team was probably the recipient of one of the larger "Hit 'em. Hurt 'em. Put 'em out. Win." situations last year, is basically saying both that it will decide games and cost people jobs.
He's right. And he may already be right on the basis of word out of Cincinnati today, if you believe a Pittsburgh Steeler fan on Twitter...
He'd only been fined once (last year), according to Spotrac. But the thing is, it's appearing that defense is going to be illegal this year. And it's no freaking surprise, given that the NFL has glorified head-hunting since ESPN got on the Ronnie Lott fetish about 30 years ago.
Last year's full storyline was identifying key players, hurting them, and hence eliminating their teams from the champion discussion. Zimmer should know: His player's hit on Aaron Rodgers changed the rules so much that Richard Sherman has basically openly admitted that the only way to tackle is to headhunt, and shows a rugby tackle later in his Twitter to indicate a textbook rugby tackle would be 15 yards in the NFL.
(He's right. It would, under the Rodgers Rule. In fact, most rugby tackles would be illegal. You can lift a player and take him to his back in some cases. That kind of slam would be completely illegal in the NFL, and probably already was. (Take him past horizontal, though, and you can be thrown out for a spear or tip tackle.))
But an ESPN study indicates that, already in the pre-season, it's getting messy out there.
The NFL is tweaking the video after the pre-season to aid teams and refs in seeing what is and is not a foul.
But Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, whose team was probably the recipient of one of the larger "Hit 'em. Hurt 'em. Put 'em out. Win." situations last year, is basically saying both that it will decide games and cost people jobs.
He's right. And he may already be right on the basis of word out of Cincinnati today, if you believe a Pittsburgh Steeler fan on Twitter...
They cut him because he’s a big hitter! coming from a Steeler fan this dude plays hard, it’s a financial decision because they know how soft the @NFL is getting and don’t want him getting fined every week or worse suspended over a completely legal hit. https://t.co/OdnYH2v6lN— Brandon Kline (@BrandonKline24) August 20, 2018
Mr. Kline, you're right.
He'd only been fined once (last year), according to Spotrac. But the thing is, it's appearing that defense is going to be illegal this year. And it's no freaking surprise, given that the NFL has glorified head-hunting since ESPN got on the Ronnie Lott fetish about 30 years ago.
Last year's full storyline was identifying key players, hurting them, and hence eliminating their teams from the champion discussion. Zimmer should know: His player's hit on Aaron Rodgers changed the rules so much that Richard Sherman has basically openly admitted that the only way to tackle is to headhunt, and shows a rugby tackle later in his Twitter to indicate a textbook rugby tackle would be 15 yards in the NFL.
(He's right. It would, under the Rodgers Rule. In fact, most rugby tackles would be illegal. You can lift a player and take him to his back in some cases. That kind of slam would be completely illegal in the NFL, and probably already was. (Take him past horizontal, though, and you can be thrown out for a spear or tip tackle.))
But an ESPN study indicates that, already in the pre-season, it's getting messy out there.
- Only six teams have gone two pre-season games without being flagged for this rule. Indianapolis would've been a seventh, but was flagged tonight for it.
- The Titans and Eagles have been flagged five times apiece for this rule. The Cardinals, Falcons, Bears, Rams, 49ers, and Panthers, three times apiece.
- Only the one player has been ejected.
Saturday, August 18, 2018
I usually rail on cheap shots and 15 yard penalties and fines and all...
... but I saw a call on Twitter today that indicates one of the reasons that I think there are way too many variables to make any degree of pre-season predictions this year. I laid off making ANY futures bets (though I have a ton of information I will go through in the next 2-3 weeks for you) on the 2018 NFL season while I was in Las Vegas.
One example of a reason why: THIS was called "Roughing the Passer"...
The only thing I could even CONSIDER is if the Viking player drove his arm up into the QB's face, but that's even a large stretch!!!
According to CBS, this is the new "Aaron Rodgers Rule" -- hearkening back to the play which injured Rodgers (against the Vikings) last year.
Basically, you can't drive him into the ground. You can't slam him unnecessarily in any manner. (But hasn't that always been a penalty???
So back to the hit, with that knowledge.
No. To me, you'd have to apply the same standard as the helmet rule (at least the ejection portion) -- the defensive player would have to have another option. That was a textbook sack, and he had to at least take him to the ground to complete the legal hit.
Sorry, NFL. But keep an eye on this one too.
You already have a number of people talking in terms of "Bet The Over!!!" big for Week 1.
And the Packers and Steelers have already had an 85-point preseason game this year. Had 19 penalties, six gave the other team a first down.
One example of a reason why: THIS was called "Roughing the Passer"...
No. Not only that, but the helmet was completely outside the body frame. The quarterback had the ball -- the hit was not late.Roughing the passer!! Welcome to 2018. pic.twitter.com/oIIrVplQAO— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) August 18, 2018
The only thing I could even CONSIDER is if the Viking player drove his arm up into the QB's face, but that's even a large stretch!!!
According to CBS, this is the new "Aaron Rodgers Rule" -- hearkening back to the play which injured Rodgers (against the Vikings) last year.
Basically, you can't drive him into the ground. You can't slam him unnecessarily in any manner. (But hasn't that always been a penalty???
So back to the hit, with that knowledge.
No. To me, you'd have to apply the same standard as the helmet rule (at least the ejection portion) -- the defensive player would have to have another option. That was a textbook sack, and he had to at least take him to the ground to complete the legal hit.
Sorry, NFL. But keep an eye on this one too.
You already have a number of people talking in terms of "Bet The Over!!!" big for Week 1.
And the Packers and Steelers have already had an 85-point preseason game this year. Had 19 penalties, six gave the other team a first down.
Preseason Fine Blotter: Yes, they count against the Club Remittance numbers...
- Cleveland Browns: Denzel Ward, $10,026 for taunting.
- Cleveland Browns: Jarvis Landry, $13,369 for unsportsmanlike conduct.
- Atlanta Falcons: Ito Smith, $26,739 for lowering his helmet to initiate contact (blocking).
- Indianapolis Colts: Yes, this counts, even though the player was cut after the game. Shamarko Thomas is the answer to a trivia question: Thomas is the first player to be ejected from an NFL game for the new helmet rule. He was seen as one of the first cuts the Colts were going to make, and they did just that after Week 1 of the pre-season. He's also fined $26,739 for the hit. Thomas was picked up by the Denver Broncos (the fine still counts against Indianapolis, as the NFL made clear when it announced the Club Remittance policy).
- But Denver did have a fine, and it was also Helmet Rule: Justin Simmons, $26,739.
Perhaps a more important number, and the question being whether these are fined as well: As of the first three Week 2 preseason games (20 in all), there have been 32 penalties for the new helmet rule. (When I was in Las Vegas last weekend, I saw four Friday night alone in just two games.)
---------
And we have the new 2018 Club Remittance Policy (NFL PDF file). And several more teams are going to have to cut a check, because of the multi-suspension rule.
I don't know if it was this year or last, but the new policy puts the penalty in at two suspensions, and graduates the maximum penalty for suspensions.
- Two suspensions is 15% of the lost salary, capped at $150,000.
- Three is 25%, capped at $250,000.
- Four or more is 33%, capped at $500,000.
- Phase Two kicks in at $140,395 -- team is fined $50,000 at that point.
- Phase Three kicks in at $210,587 -- team is fined $25,000 at that point, but then all fines after that are dollar-for-dollar.
- New York Jets: Already covered, but the wrong percentage applied in the previous post (as noted there, the previous rule was used). Their Club Remittance hit on lost salaries of $157,500, $74,066, and $88,235 is a fine of $79,800.
- Carolina Panthers (who now have to be declared the winners of the "first suspension fine" pool, 10 days before the Vikings got their second): Thomas Davis, in receiving his second suspension (a 4-gamer for drugs), forfeited over a million dollars in salary, so Carolina's hit is at the capped number unless they get two more. They are fined $150,000 as of this point -- the fine goes to $250,000 automatically if they get a third. Kent Taylor was also suspended -- was cut shortly thereafter.
- Minnesota Vikings: Kentrell Brothers will lose $148,235. Cayleb Jones will lose $112,591 -- so the Vikings will be fined (so far) $39,123.
- A correction: The New York Giants have only one player under the rule. Akeem Ayers was signed to a one-year contract last year, and is a Free Agent at this time.
- New Orleans Saints: Capped out at $150,000 because Mark Ingram forfeits over $1.2 million in salary. Josh Huff: $82,941.
- San Francisco 49ers: Victor Bolden loses $130,588. Reuben Foster loses $241,586. So the 49ers are fined $55,826. Foster, however, is also facing a domestic violence claim, and, if proven, he's gone.
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Once again, Manfred wants war.
Six games.
That's all that Marlins piece of shit got for premeditated first-pitch plunking.
And then Yasiel Puig gets two games for what HE did????
"Of course you realize... this means WAH!!!" -- Bugs Bunny
For the record, Braves vs. Miami:
Four in Miami next weekend -- if Urena serves the six now, he's eligible for that series.
And that's it between the two teams this year.
That's all that Marlins piece of shit got for premeditated first-pitch plunking.
And then Yasiel Puig gets two games for what HE did????
"Of course you realize... this means WAH!!!" -- Bugs Bunny
For the record, Braves vs. Miami:
Four in Miami next weekend -- if Urena serves the six now, he's eligible for that series.
And that's it between the two teams this year.
And here we go again with Rob Manfred's clarion call: FIGHT!!!! (Maybe White Fight???)
As the baseball races (what few there are, because of the blatant biases toward the Yankees and Red Sox -- as well as the Cubs and the like) heat up, three disturbing stories of baseball so far this week:
Really, Hundley? All Puig did was exactly what the announcers said he did: He thought the pitcher had missed and he didn't capitalize!
But THAT'S RIGHT -- Baseball doesn't want the fucking Dodgers. It's clear as day to anyone paying attention -- baseball's biggest negative rig-job is trying to get rid of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Why? Because they are the ONE TEAM that can get in the way of Preferred Teams.
And don't be surprised if one those Preferred Teams is becoming the Braves again! There's a disturbing reason we'll get to in a second, but last night should be a long ban...
First pitch of the game: Fuck you, right in the hip, take first.
Acuna is leading off in their game tonight, no word yet on Urena.
But a more disturbing story out of Atlanta which hearkens back to why some of us who are paying attention are now calling them the "Cobb County Braves".
Yahoo! picked up on this and dovetailed it into a discussion that baseball is still a White Man's game.
And then the Braves have doubled down. The Braves are a sponsor to a racist, xenophobic, anti-immigration Rethuglipig hack trying to be the Governor of the state of Georgia.
Brian Kemp says he "got a big truck, just in case I need to round up criminal illegals and take them home myself". (Hell, why stop there, bitch??)
The Braves have no problems sponsoring this idiot to the tune of $13,200.
This is the same Braves organization who fled to Cobb County because Atlanta was too Black.
- The Giants are trying to pile on Baseball's wish to get rid of the Dodgers.
Really, Hundley? All Puig did was exactly what the announcers said he did: He thought the pitcher had missed and he didn't capitalize!
But THAT'S RIGHT -- Baseball doesn't want the fucking Dodgers. It's clear as day to anyone paying attention -- baseball's biggest negative rig-job is trying to get rid of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Why? Because they are the ONE TEAM that can get in the way of Preferred Teams.
And don't be surprised if one those Preferred Teams is becoming the Braves again! There's a disturbing reason we'll get to in a second, but last night should be a long ban...
- For Jose Urena of the Miami Marlins. Ronald Acuna was becoming one of the biggest stories in baseball for homering in five straight games and I believe three straight in which he led off with a homer. Urena decided that shit wasn't going to fly!
First pitch of the game: Fuck you, right in the hip, take first.
Acuna is leading off in their game tonight, no word yet on Urena.
But a more disturbing story out of Atlanta which hearkens back to why some of us who are paying attention are now calling them the "Cobb County Braves".
- Two racial incidents involving the Braves organization have come to light.
Yahoo! picked up on this and dovetailed it into a discussion that baseball is still a White Man's game.
And then the Braves have doubled down. The Braves are a sponsor to a racist, xenophobic, anti-immigration Rethuglipig hack trying to be the Governor of the state of Georgia.
Brian Kemp says he "got a big truck, just in case I need to round up criminal illegals and take them home myself". (Hell, why stop there, bitch??)
The Braves have no problems sponsoring this idiot to the tune of $13,200.
This is the same Braves organization who fled to Cobb County because Atlanta was too Black.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Suspension Blotter: As training camps heat up, more to add to the list...
- Denver Broncos: Carlos Henderson: 1 game for marijuana.
Henderson is the 30th player suspended -- the Broncos the 19th team with at least one player suspended.
Suspension Blotter: And the first Club Remittance check has to be written by...
(EDIT: See August 18, 2018 post on the 2018 Club Remittance policies.)
If you had the New York Jets in your pool of the first team to be forced to pay a team fine for three or more suspensions:
If you had the New York Jets in your pool of the first team to be forced to pay a team fine for three or more suspensions:
- I want to know what you were smoking.
- You are correct!!
- New York Jets: Kevin Pierre-Louis: 1 game for substances of abuse.
- Rashard Robinson: Will lose $157,500 of salary for his 4-game suspension. The Jets will have to pay a fine, based on previous seasons' rules, of $31,500.
- ArDarius Stewart: Will lose $74,066 of salary for his 2-game suspension. The Jets will be fined $14,813.
- Kevin Pierre-Louis: Will lose $88,235 of salary for his 1-game suspension. The fine for the Jets will be $17,647.
- Meaning, as of right now, barring any more suspensions, the Jets are fined $63,960.
Saturday, August 11, 2018
What the fuck is it with the goddamn Big Ten? Murder???
I had a hard time feeling we'd ever top the sexual assault doctor at Michigan State or the Paterno/Sandusky fiasco at Pedophile State or the exploding multi-faceted fiasco at Ohio State...
But we now have a murder case. At the University of Maryland, it appears as if the coaching staff at the University has committed no less than murder in the name of weeding out lesser players on the football team.
No one will ever confuse the Terrapins with a college football power. Last year they finished in the Top 10 was 2005. Last year they won a bowl game: 2005.
That's why it appears that, in late May of 2018, head coach DJ Durkin attempted to run lesser players out of the program in an off-season workout situation which included humiliation, bullying, abuse, the exceeding of limits...
... and the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair in June -- heatstroke leading to liver failure.
Ladies and gentlemen, DJ Durkin, Wes Robinson (the head trainer, who routinely demanded players in McNair's condition be routinely dragged through sprints), and the Maryland football program conspired to murder Jordan McNair as a lesser player.
Durkin and others stated openly they felt a number of "thieves" were "stealing" scholarships from the program and were not qualified to play football. Reports of failing players being forced into tug of war competitions against their entire position group were commonplace.
It was clear that killing or maiming lesser players was the desired result -- as a means to cull the lessers and steel the greaters into being non-human machines which might, for the first time in years, make Maryland a relevant football program.
Same as the schools with traditions of camps with sodomy.
Same with some NFL training camps and their beatdown gauntlets...
But make NO mistake -- this was what they wanted. Jordan McNair killed to get a better machine to plug in.
But we now have a murder case. At the University of Maryland, it appears as if the coaching staff at the University has committed no less than murder in the name of weeding out lesser players on the football team.
No one will ever confuse the Terrapins with a college football power. Last year they finished in the Top 10 was 2005. Last year they won a bowl game: 2005.
That's why it appears that, in late May of 2018, head coach DJ Durkin attempted to run lesser players out of the program in an off-season workout situation which included humiliation, bullying, abuse, the exceeding of limits...
... and the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair in June -- heatstroke leading to liver failure.
Ladies and gentlemen, DJ Durkin, Wes Robinson (the head trainer, who routinely demanded players in McNair's condition be routinely dragged through sprints), and the Maryland football program conspired to murder Jordan McNair as a lesser player.
Durkin and others stated openly they felt a number of "thieves" were "stealing" scholarships from the program and were not qualified to play football. Reports of failing players being forced into tug of war competitions against their entire position group were commonplace.
It was clear that killing or maiming lesser players was the desired result -- as a means to cull the lessers and steel the greaters into being non-human machines which might, for the first time in years, make Maryland a relevant football program.
Same as the schools with traditions of camps with sodomy.
Same with some NFL training camps and their beatdown gauntlets...
But make NO mistake -- this was what they wanted. Jordan McNair killed to get a better machine to plug in.
Monday, August 6, 2018
Vegas Adventures 2018: NBA Win Totals Released
My annual August Vegas trip will be far shorter than in past years -- thank real life.
And I probably won't be posting Thursday or Friday from Vegas -- in fact, the only reason I MIGHT take my computer is to have some place to charge my phone that won't cost me one arm and one leg.
But I will have my usual compliment of Vegas numbers to look at.
And today, the new Mike Greenberg show "Wake Up" actually listed seven interesting NBA over-under totals that the Westgate is opening their season with.
Here they are, with a couple thoughts:
The real question you have to ask, though, is whether Golden State is going to care enough to bother to get to 63 wins.
At best, there are five semi-relevant teams, six if LeBron can get the Balls out of Los Angeles before LaVar blows it all up! A lot of people think the East, past #4 or 5, is as abysmal, if not worse. The only way all three of these hit, though, is if everyone past #3 tanks. Toronto won 59 last year, Boston 55, Philly 52.
And then there's this:
And I probably won't be posting Thursday or Friday from Vegas -- in fact, the only reason I MIGHT take my computer is to have some place to charge my phone that won't cost me one arm and one leg.
But I will have my usual compliment of Vegas numbers to look at.
And today, the new Mike Greenberg show "Wake Up" actually listed seven interesting NBA over-under totals that the Westgate is opening their season with.
Here they are, with a couple thoughts:
- Warriors: 62.5
The real question you have to ask, though, is whether Golden State is going to care enough to bother to get to 63 wins.
- Boston: 57.5
- Philadelphia: 54.5
- Toronto: 54.5
At best, there are five semi-relevant teams, six if LeBron can get the Balls out of Los Angeles before LaVar blows it all up! A lot of people think the East, past #4 or 5, is as abysmal, if not worse. The only way all three of these hit, though, is if everyone past #3 tanks. Toronto won 59 last year, Boston 55, Philly 52.
- Houston: 54.5
- Oklahoma City: 50.5
And then there's this:
- Los Angeles: 48.5
The 2018 Hall of Shame...
Not a banner weekend for Canton last weekend.
Among the inductees are a number of "men" who have soiled the game of football and Canton's museum...
Among the inductees are a number of "men" who have soiled the game of football and Canton's museum...
- "Murderer" Ray Lewis, involved in the murders of Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar, got all parties out of it by lying to the police about it, and still was allowed to play and star in the NFL. He used his murderer reputation to bolster his defensive reputation on the field, and two Super Bowl championships for his teams, including one of the most manipulated games in history: His final game, Super Bowl XLVII.
- Randy Moss, a character issue which drove him all the way down to Marshall University in college, a 2002 incident where he bumped or attempted to run over a traffic officer in Minneapolis, and a 2008 dating violence incident which appears to have been covered up in the name of Moss' celebrity.
- Terrell Owens, who made a complete mockery of football unto himself, both during his time on the field and in his induction into Canton, which should've been nullified the instant he decided not to show up.
Keep feeding the Red Hats, NFL Players -- this will end VERY WELL... /s
Several disturbing NFL stories converge on the weekend of one of the most disturbing Hall of Fame classes in history...
That's about the LAST THING you should be saying right now. Unless you want to admit to the world that you are nothing short of a head-hunter.
And then that's REALLY the last thing you should be saying.
Football's already got enough of a problem with conservative America:
- Andrew Sendejo of the Vikings sent a picture with a Trump-esque hat reading "Make Football Violent Again", in protest of the new helmet rules.
That's about the LAST THING you should be saying right now. Unless you want to admit to the world that you are nothing short of a head-hunter.
And then that's REALLY the last thing you should be saying.
Football's already got enough of a problem with conservative America:
- Urban Meyer covering up for a domestic-violent assistant coach, and sounds like he has since about 2009. (He was put on administrative leave this week -- can't see him lasting much longer, especially with the admission today that he "failed" in his denial that he didn't know what was going on.
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