Friday, October 30, 2020

Day 231

  • At least two players, one for the Broncos and one for the Vikings, have tested positive so far in this week's pre-game round of testing.  I'm just waiting for when one of these pops another outbreak...    
  • As has Will Hernandez of the New York Giants, which has caused there now to be only four available non-quarantined offensive linemen.  That's going to end well...
  • Brett Favre has joined Jack Nicklaus in the cast of idiots who are pro-Trump.
  • And Bobby Orr, Chris Jericho, Tony Khan, and Greg Norman...
  • Olbermann:

  • The Ontario Hockey League, long seen as one of the most violent junior hockey leagues in Canada, is actually going to try to play a no-check league because of COVID-19.  People have long talked, mocking the NFL player-safety rules as a move to flag football.  One has to wonder...     

 

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Day 230

  • And the disaster which is college football continues:  Trevor Lawrence, consensus Heisman front-runner and #1 NFL pick, positive for the virus.
  • Olbermann's back after a one-day health scare.  Got tested for the virus, came back negative, so he's back swinging:


Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Day 229

  • The Wisconsin-Nebraska game is off and will not be played.  Per Big Ten policy, the game is a no-contest.
  • Wisconsin is suspending all football activities for a week and hoping that calms things down.  Can't see it happening with the state being one of the new hotspots.   
  • Widespread speculation that Rob Manfred was not well last night.  I know I said he was probably pissed, but there is a lot of belief he was not well at all.    

 

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Day 228

  • The Dodgers are finally World Champions...
  • ... but just minutes after the final out, it was announced that Justin Turner was pulled from tonight's game -- for a positive coronavirus test.
  • And Rob Manfred is the only one on the stage sans mask.
  • Olbermann:

  • The Dodger owner Mark Walter's words ring quite ironic with Justin Turner's positive...

Monday, October 26, 2020

Day 227

  • Big trouble in the University of Wisconsin football program -- now not only is the starting QB COVID-positive, so is his backup!  Gee, what a shock.  Wisconsin is one of the major hotspots for the flare-up of this virus the last month or so!     
  • Lane Kiffin got fined $25,000 by the SEC for blasting the refs after his team lost -- and the SEC admitted that Kiffin was right!  But that's right, they were playing Auburn!
  • The NBA is admitting they may be in financial trouble -- they would LIKE to start the 2020-21 season as soon as humanly possible as a result.  Might want to check that election result first!     
  • Speaking of, here's Olbermann:


2020 NFL Week 6 Fine Blotter

  • The final verdict for the Tennessee Titans COVID outbreak is in -- they're fined $350,000.  Really...  Just that after all that..     
  • Washington Football Team fined Dwayne Haskins $4,833 for breaking their COVID protocols.
  • But NOTHING for on the field stuff, at least not publicized, at this point (and this is MONDAY NIGHT when I'm posting this).  Might mean a double-week post later on.  Had one this year already for Weeks 1 and 2.

2020 NFL Week 7 Score Report

  • Interesting week.  But the NFL's penchant for scoring continues.  Average for the 14 games this week was 50.57, leaving the season average for 105 games at 50.572 points per game.
  • Record watch:  Most points in a season (average 46.727 in 2018):  4,904 points in 105 games.
  • Highest average per game (47.2):  4,956.
  • 2020 so far:  5,329, or 425 ahead of 2018 and 373 ahead of the record average.
  • Home teams did not do well this week.  Only 6-8.  53-51-1 for the year.
  • Home teams with fans:
  1. Philly did (7,500 Thurs night):   Won.
  2. Washington did not (will have 3,500 November 8th)
  3. Jets not until further notice.  Not that anyone would come to that dumpster fire anyway.     
  4. New Orleans did (3,000 -- first time this season):  Won.
  5. Houston did (20%):  Lost.
  6. Cincinnati did (12,000):  Lost.
  7. Tennessee did (1/8 capacity):  Lost.
  8. Raiders won't for the season.  UNLV, however, at some point, will allow 2000 in the new stadium.
  9. Patriots didn't.
  10. Chargers don't.
  11. Rams don't.
  12. Denver did (5,700):  Lost
  13. Arizona did (only 1,200 though):  Won.
  14. Atlanta did (at an unnamed limited capacity):  Lost.
  • So 3-5 for the week.  25-16 for them.
  • Over was 6-6-2 (yes, two pushes according to the numbers I found -- GB-HOU (35-20) pushed at 55, and PIT-TEN (27-24) pushed at 51.
  • Bad week for the favorites.  Another game kicked a pick em (DAL-WAS)  Against the number, 4-9 for 45-57-1 for the year.  Straight up, 9-4 for 68-34-1 for the year.
  • Team with more penalties was 4-9 for 41-51 for the year.
  • 159 penalties this week (11.35 pen per game), 1196 for the year (11.4)
  • Big week for Cliffhangers.  5 games had at least a tying or winning score in the last two minutes or overtime (21 for the year).
  • Three games had two:  Atlanta scored in the last two minutes to lead Detroit, but Detroit won the game at the gun.  Similarly, Carolina scored in the last two minutes to lead New Orleans, but New Orleans won it at two seconds left.  I'll get to the third one in a second.
  • 7 games within 8 points final margin, 53 for the year.
  • 5 non-competitive games for 34 for the year.
  • and 3 games with Last Chance Misses for 33 for the year.
  • One of them may be one of the longest sets of notes I've ever done on the subject -- the Sunday nighter, Seattle-Arizona.  Appeared headed for ANOTHER SNF tie between the teams.  Arizona started the honors with a Cliffhanger touchdown to tie the game at 2 seconds and send it to overtime.  Then they Last Chance Missed a field goal at about 2:45 of the OT, at which point Seattle got the ball, and they scored a touchdown...  BUT WAIT:  Last Chance Miss!  Called back for offensive holding!  (Isn't it ironic!)  Next play, they get picked off and the Cardinals get the game winner for a Double Cliffhanger Double Last Chance Miss.

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Day 228 (So what have I missed since I got a new toy?)

  • The Dodgers are causing heart attacks all over the Southland, but they are up 3-2 as Clayton Kershaw defeats the memes twice with two stellar starts.
  • Khabib Nurmagedov has retired after a Fight Island PPV win.  Really nothing else to accomplish!   
  • Very interesting NFL Week 7.  Wild one too.  Will mention that tomorrow night.
  • And the college football hits keep coming:  After one game Friday night, Graham Mertz, the quarterback of Wisconsin, tests positive for the coronavirus.  Oof.   
  • Cam Newton has been benched.  Beckham Jr. is out again with a knee.  And if the Cowboys don't fire Mike McCarthy now...

Day 226

  • Now the Buccaneers for Antonio Brown.  FUCK...  HIM.    
  • FUCK!!!!  They just signed him.  He'll play, pending coronavirus considerations, next week.
  • Emmanuel Sanders of the Saints has tested positive for the coronavirus.
  • Latest word from the NBA now has the season starting before Christmas and trying for 72 games.  Good fucking luck...    
  • Dwayne Haskins has been fined by the Redskins for breaking their coronavirus protocols.

 

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Day 225

  • Ronaldo has tested positive AGAIN for the coronavirus.  Second positive test in nine days.
  • And now the Raider outbreak has put the offensive line and a safety on the official COVID list as high-risk contact-tracing.  Conglaturation -- not that we didn't see it coming!    
  • Olbermann, before tonight's final debate:


Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Day 224

  • Odell Beckham Jr. has been banned from LSU for 2 years for handing out money after the National Championship Game last year...  And if you think that is the first time...    
  • The Tank For Tua means Tua Tavaglioa will start for Miami in Week 7.

Week 7 Ratings:

  • FOX National:  11.9, down about 20%.
  • CBS Single:  9.0
  • CBS Regional:  6.75, down about 20%
  • SNF:  12.6 million viewers, 7.1 rating:  Down about 40% viewers and over 40% ratings. 

The White bigots are sick of watching Black sports, people -- it's time to get with reality in that regard.  

  • And this will only help the bigots' case:  Antonio Brown comes off suspension next week, and reports abound that multiple teams, led by the Seahawks, want the fucker.

  • Now the Las Vegas Raiders finally have at least one possible case -- Trent Brown, an offensive lineman, so the whole O-line is sent home because of contact tracing.

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Day 223, starting with Olbermann reality...

 

  • You know what's happening here...  "Pandemic fatigue" is basically jargon for "Kill them all and let OUR GOD sort them out!"   


Monday, October 19, 2020

2020 NFL Week 6 Score Report

  • A more normal scoring week this week, finally.  47.36 points per game for the week, lowest average of the season and STILL above the record average of 47.2 or the 256-game record average of 46.727.
  • Season average now "down" to 50.78 points per game for the first 91 games of the year.
  • The 4,621 points in 91 games is 369 points ahead of the season record for the same number of games.
  • And the average of 47.2 is 326 ahead.
  • Home teams were 7-7 this week for 47-43-1.
  • Home teams with fans:  6-3 for 22-11.  Meaning fanless home teams are now 25-32-1.
  • With scoring down to about the lowest level of the season, no surprise the Over went 4-10.  47-43-1 for the year.
  • Favorites were 5-9 against the spread this week, 8-6 straight up.  Season:  41-48-1 against the spread, 59-30-1 straight up.
  • Team with more penalties was actually 9-4 this week for 38-42-1.
  • How's it feel, Green Bay, to face a team the refs won't throw a flag on?  The Bucs got no penalties called on them this week -- the second time that's happened this year.  And New England had one and Denver had 2.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....
  • 160 penalties this week (11.4 per game).  1037 for the season (11.3).
  • One Cliffhanger, and it was a double.  Tennessee tied Houston with nine seconds left, then won it in OT with a TD drive.  16 for the year....
  • ... Tennessee is 5-0.  Only the win against Buffalo has not been a Cliffhanger.  They've had FOUR.
  • Half the games (7) were decided within one score.  46 of the 91 games have this season -- and that's just enough for just over half the games.
  • Six non-competitive games never got to within a score in the fourth quarter.  29 for the year.
  • And five Last Chance Misses for 30 of those for the year.

Day 222

  • Best vs. Best for the World Series.  Tampa Bay vs. Los Angeles.
  • Looks like all the COVID stuff in Tennessee will only result in a fine.  Nothing's changing on any level until there are forfeits, guys...  COVID, Player Safety, etc.     
  • Kyle Larson will be reinstated to race next year if some NASCAR team at some level wants him.
  • It's Confirmed:  "The Match 3", Thanksgiving Weekend.  2 on 1, Steph Curry and Peyton Manning vs. Phil Mickelson.  Yes, Mickelson gets Charles Barkley, kinda...
  • The Speed Gamers out of Texas finished a Halloween Resident Evil Marathon and raised $3,000 for Direct Relief.
  • Olbermann:

  • To Donald Trump:  FINE!  If you even get that far, say hello to President Kamala Harris through the 20th Amendment!!  

Saturday, October 17, 2020

2020 NFL Week 5 Fine Blotter

  • Jacksonville Jaguars:  Josh Jones:  $4,852 for unnecessary roughness.
  • San Francisco 49ers:  Brian Allen:  $4,412 for a horse-collar tackle
  • Seattle Seahawks:  Tre Flowers:  $4,852 for unnecessary roughness.

And that, as of right now, is it.

Some Week 4 catchup from Spotrac:

  • Minnesota Vikings:  Harrison Smith:  $15,000 for defenseless player violation.
  • Washington Football Team:  Montez Sweat:  $15,000 for a horse-collar tackle.

Day 220

  • Brandon Williams of the Ravens is now on the COVID-19 Reserve List.  Contact tracing.
  • So are three members of the Patriots.
  • So are 12 members of the practice squad for the Jaguars and one regular player.  One practice-squad player tested positive yesterday.
  • And the coach of the Florida Gators tested positive, as Nick Saban, with a third negative test, can now coach against Georgia.
  • More allegations in the Washington Football Team cheerleader situation, including threats from Dan Snyder to the director of the squad.  Anyone still not want to believe me yet about the "purpose" of such groups?    

 And as for NFL Week 6 games with fans:

  1. Tennessee still increasing their allotment of fans -- starting with 12.5% capacity last week.
  2. Baltimore, 7500.
  3. Pittsburgh, 7500.
  4. Jacksonville at 25% capacity.
  5. Tampa Bay at the same figure.
  6. Indianapolis, 12500 if the game takes place.
  7. Carolina, at an unstated limited capacity.
  8. Miami, 13000 -- though the stupids in Florida are actually giving clearance to the Dolphins, should they so elect, to go FULL CAPACITY.
  9. Dallas, 25000.
  • Minnesota is doing a family test.
  • Giants aren't until further notice.
  • Patriots, 49ers, and Bills aren't at this point.

Friday, October 16, 2020

Day 219

  • Another positive test for the Patriots.
  • Several positive tests for the Colts organization.
  • ... but Odell Beckham Jr., for now, is testing negative but still not practicing.
  • Possible false negative in Alabama for Nick Saban (kinda doubt it with all the cases in the student body there), may be allowed to coach tomorrow.
  • Olbermann:

 


Thursday, October 15, 2020

Day 218

  • We're not sure yet whether this one is another COVID problem, but Odell Beckham Jr. has been sent home from the Cleveland Browns due to an "unknown illness".
  • This Sunday is the first rematch of the Browns and Steelers with Myles Garrett back on the field since that incident last year.
  • Multiple SEC schools will be fined $100,000 each for failing to comply with coronavirus protocols, ESPN reports today -- at least two games, and possibly three, are off in the conference this weekend as a result of outbreaks.
  • Cincinnati vs. Tulsa is also off for this weekend due to the virus.
  • An additional coronavirus positive for the Falcons -- non-player staffer.
  • Olbermann:


Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Marist/Deadspin poll: The sports viewing problems are about what you expect...

Was just toodling through stuff and found this at Deadspin.

It is a survey, commissioned by the article's author, Jane McManus, the head of the Marist College Center For Sports Communication.

And the results cannot be taken as particularly surprising:

  • 70% of Republicans in the survey say it's because players are speaking out about social issues.
  • About a quarter (27%) of Black viewers are saying they are watching more sports, for the same reason...
  • ... though about half (46%) of all in the survey say they are watching less sports.
  • Two in five women are saying the coronavirus itself is the main reason they're watching less sports.
  • 44% of NASCAR fans are saying they're basically done with other sports because of (Blacks) speaking out about social issues.

Here is the raw article, though nowhere does it state margins of error, size of polling base, etc.

Day 217 (including the Successful End of the Botball Season)

  • Melvin Gordon, busted for DUI as leading rusher of the Broncos.  One MAY have to start wondering if the NFL Boycott may actually release many of the cops to actually do their jobs on a lot of these players -- with "interesting" results...    
  • A member of the US Men's National Soccer Team and a member of the Atlanta Falcons have both tested positive for the coronavirus -- so the last opponents of the Falcons are now in enhanced protocols.
  • And now Florida-LSU has been moved to December 12 because of the University of Florida outbreak.
  • And the Pro Bowl will be "reimagined" this year.  No game will be played, but the teams will still be selected and a virtual exercise will replace it, honoring those players.

Week 5 ratings numbers for the NFL:

  • 15 million saw Buccaneers-Bears Thursday night on CBS -- THREE TIMES the amount of the NFL Network game the week before.
  • CBS Regional:  14 million viewers, 8.0 rating
  • CBS National (Cowboys-Giants):  23 million viewers and a 12 rating.
  • FOX Single:  12.5 million viewers.
  • SNF:  15.08 million viewers, 5.4 rating.
  • Comparatives not provided in this Pro Football Network article.

More stuff, including another big SEC probable cancellation:

  • Nick Saban and the athletic director of Alabama:  Positive for the coronavirus.  DO YOU COCKSUCKERS WANT TO BELIEVE US...  NOW???????????????    
  • And after an immense amount of work and over 2300 hours of Twitch content, the Botball channel and all of the announcers, GM's, etc. have successfully completed an entire 162 game season and playoffs -- the Minnesota Twins, the best team in Botball with 112 regular seasons, finished the job and won the Botball World Series four games to one over the Dodgers with a 3-1 win.

And the MLBotball Award winners, done previously in a 30-second clip video, starting with the National League...

  1. NL Cy Young:  Clayton Kershaw, LA Dodgers
  2. NL MVP:  Jorge Soler, LA Dodgers
  3. NL Batting Title:  David Peralta, Arizona Diamondbacks, .328
  4. Trevor Hoffman Award (Best NL Reliever):  Dan Winkler, Chicago Cubs
  5. Hank Aaron Award:  Jorge Soler, LA Dodgers/Kansas City Royals, 68 home runs
  6. NL Rookie of the Year:  Gavin Lux, LA Dodgers

 National League Gold Gloves:

  1. Pitcher:  Mike Soroka, Cobb County
  2. Catcher:  Kurt Suzuki, Washington Nationals
  3. First Base:  Freddie Freeman, Cobb County
  4. Second Base:  Ozzie Albes, Cobb County
  5. Third Base:  Scott Kingery, Philadelphia (he of what Botball announcers called the "Kingery Dingery")
  6. Shortstop:  Didi Gregorius, Philadelphia
  7. Left Field:  Kyle Schwarber, Chicago Cubs
  8. Center Field:  Harrison Bader, St. Louis
  9. Right Field:  Brian Anderson, Miami Marlins

They also did Silver Slugger (best batting, combined metrics in the game) by position:

  1. Pitcher:  Soroka
  2. Catcher:  Will Smith, LA Dodgers
  3. First Base:  Freeman
  4. Second Base:  Ketel Marte:  Arizona Diamondbacks
  5. Third Base:  Eugenio Suarez, Cincinnati Reds
  6. Shortstop:  Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs
  7. Left Field:  Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers
  8. Center Field:  Ronald Acuna Jr., Cobb County
  9. Right Field:  Soler

American League:

  1. AL MVP:  Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros
  2. AL Cy Young:  Kenta Maeda and his 1.80 ERA.
  3. AL Batting Title:  Alvarez, .340.
  4. Mariano Rivera Award (Best AL Reliever):  Brad Hand, Cleveland Indians
  5. AL Rookie of the Year:  Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, Tampa Bay Rays
  6. Hank Aaron Award:  Alvarez, 62 home runs 

AL Gold Gloves:

  1. Pitcher:  Zack Greinke, Houston Astros
  2. Catcher:  Yasmani Grandal, Chicago White Sox
  3. First Base:  Mitch Moreland, Boston Red Sox
  4. Second Base:  DJ Lemahieu, New York Yankees
  5. Third Base:  Rio Ruiz, Baltimore Orioles
  6. Shortstop:  Jose Iglesias, Baltimore Orioles
  7. Left Field:  Anthony Santander, Baltimore Orioles
  8. Center Field:  Brett Gardner, New York Yankees
  9. Right Field: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

Silver Sluggers:

  1. DH:  Alvarez.
  2. Catcher:  Mitch Garver, Minnesota Twins
  3. First Base:  Carlos Santana:  Cleveland Indians 
  4. Second Base:  Lemahieu
  5. Third Base:  Alex Bregman, Houston Astros
  6. Shortstop:  Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees
  7. Left Field:  Eddie Rosario, Minnesota Twins
  8. Center Field:  Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
  9. Right Field:  Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins
  • Olbermann goes off again, as well he should....

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

2020 NFL Week 5 Score Report

 And now with it finally in the books...

  • Through the first 8 games of the week, scoring actually looked to normalize a bit -- to that point, the average for the week was 46.38
  • And then:  60, 55, 71, 53, 57, 58 -- and the Tuesday nighter would've had more if Buffalo had some concept of the clock!
  • So the average for the week broke 50 for the fourth consecutive week:  51.79
  • For a 51.403 average for the week.  In 77 games, 3958 points are scored.
  • That means, over the average for the record season two years ago of 46.727 (meaning the current season is now almost 4.7 points a game over the full season record) and total of 11,962 points -- a season with this average (and assuming 256 games get played!!) totals 13,159, a full 1,197 points above the record.  That record would get broken in the early afternoon games...  of WEEK SIXTEEN.
  • And the all-time average of 47.2 is being beaten by 1,076, would be broken late afternoon of Week 16.
  • Home teams were 9-5 for 40-36-1.
  • Home teams with fans:  Pittsburgh won, KC lost (!), Houston won, Atlanta lost, Dallas, Cleveland, and Tennessee all won -- 5-2 for the week, 16-8 for the year.  Meaning fanless games are now 24-28-1 for the home team.
  • Over was 9-5, including the last five games finished.  44-33-1 for the year.
  • Favorites were 6-8 against the spread, 9-5 straight up for the week.  For the year:  36-39-1 ATS, 51-24-1 SU.
  • Team with more penalties was 5-8 for the week, 29-38-1 for the year.
  • 164 penalties for the week (11.7 per game), 885 for the year (11.5).  Last year's first 77 games had 1,172 penalties.  So penalties are down almost a quarter year over year.
  • 4 Cliffhangers this week, including the main Sunday national game (Cowboys-Giants), the Sunday nighter, and the Monday nighter.  15 for the year.
  • Only six of the 14 games this week were within one score.  That means, now, 39 out of the 77 played games finished 8 points margin or within.
  • 5 non-competitive games this week for 23 overall.
  • 2 Last Chance Misses for 25 overall.

 

Day 216

  • NFL is considering LA and Dallas as two potential hub sites for a bubble playoffs...
  • ... but are still insisting on a 17-week season if possible.
  • Clayton Kershaw's back is acting up -- he's out of Game 2 of the NLCS.
  • Olbermann:

  • World #1 golfer Dustin Johnson tests positive for the coronavirus.
  • And the Florida Gators are the next major coronavirus college football outbreak -- nineteen cases on the team, including five today.  All football activities paused.

If you are a sports fan, you had BETTER hope Biden wins.

Because, if the present ratings are any indication, sports as you know them are FINISHED if Trump wins a second term.

Over the course of the last 3-6 months, there has been an explosion of anti-Black anti-athlete sentiment, that now a movement of White Nationalism has ordered the takedown of the American Sports Machine.

If they're gonna do it, they better do it on all levels, high school on up.

But the evidence is utterly inescapable.  We'll start with the NFL and how I've been compiling year over year results on the ratings:

  • Week 1:
  1. Thursday Night Opener:  -16%, and that was with Patrick Mahomes
  2. Sunday National:  +8% to the highest for any regular season window since 2016.  Tom Brady's first game in Tampa.
  3. Sunday Night:  -15%  Lowest Week 1 in 12 years for SNF.
  4. Sunday Single:  -12%
  5. Sunday Regional:  +7%
  6. MNF Game 1:  -21%
  7. MNF Game 2:  -38%
  • Week 2: 
  1. Sunday Single:  +6%
  2. Sunday Regional:  Under 10 million viewers.
  3. Sunday National:  Just short of 19 million.
  4. SNF:  Lost about 5 million viewers vs. last year.
  5. MNF had a dualcast stunt, so it did gain a quarter of viewers, but that was because the game was on both ABC and ESPN.
  • Week 3: 
  1. Sunday National:  +1%, largely because it had both Tom Brady and the Cowboys.
  2. MNF:  30%+ increases, but it took the Game of the Year (KC-Baltimore) to get it.
  3. SNF:  -7% ratings, -4% viewers to the worst SNF Week 3 in 14 years.
  4. Sunday Single:  -11%
  5. Sunday Regional:  -15% ratings, -23% viewers 
  • Week 4:  
  1. SNF:  Down about 40% year over year.
  2. MNF:  Regular game was down about 17% to the worst MNF Week 4 rating in 15 years
  3. Sunday Regional:  Down about a third.
  4. Sunday National:  -12% ratings, -6% viewers.
  5. Sunday Single:  -7% ratings, +2% viewers, Cowboys game prominent.
  6. Some conservative media outlets are reporting upwards of 70% viewer losses for that week, but, even though several of these numbers are concerning, these are the numbers from the sources I'm getting.
  • Week 5 (most Sunday numbers not yet available): 
  1.  SNF:  Early numbers indicate about 11 1/2 million for the Sunday Night game (ShowBuzzDaily)
  2. The last 45 minutes of the Sunday National block drew about 19 1/2 million (ShowBuzzDaily)

But that might not compare to the NBA Finals:

  1. Game 4:  4.4 rating, 7.54 million viewers.  (Only the second non-NFL sporting event since "Day One" (March 11) to even get to 7.5M.  Last year, March 11-October 11, 17 made it to ten million, 30 made it to 7.5M.
  2. Game 3:  5.94 million viewers (where Game 3 last year got 13.35M.)
  3. Game 2:  6.61 million viewers (last year:  13.89M)
  4. Game 1:  7.41 million viewers (last year:  13.38M)  (Those numbers from Sports Media Watch)
  5. And Game 5, from ShowBuzzDaily?  About 5.9 million.  (Last year, Game 5 got 18.6 million!)

Still don't wanna believe me about a White Nationalist movement in this country targeting sports?

Let's try college football, from Sports Media Watch:

  1. ABC is reporting routine 40-50% drops for their lesser-scheduled Saturday Night prime-time games.
  2. FOX and ESPN have reported small increases for Saturday afternoon action
  3. And the SEC action has shown some return to normalcy...
  4. ... but 36 of the 48 so far national broadcast windows for college football are behind. 

Major League Baseball is also feeling the heat:

  • The first 14 games of the Division Series (which would be all but the last game of Yankees-Rays) are down 37% over the first 14 games of the Division Series last year. 

And if you think this isn't an anti-Black racist sentiment, I got one more for you from Sports Media Watch:

  • Though well down year over year, there has been one sport which outdrew every hockey playoff game and all of the postseason baseball:  NASCAR!  Even though Talladega's "ROVAL" playoff race) was well down from previous years, it held well with the rest of their 2020 schedule.

A lot of White people have been taunting, "Get Woke, Go Broke."

If you believe that shit, then you are openly endorsing silence over all of the things which White People are allowed to get away with (up to and including rape, murder, etc. -- both within the scope of sports and outside it!).

But you best understand, especially if you are NOT one of the Conservative preferred, that there could be a very real chance those stadium palaces could be converted into something akin to the Roman Colosseum if the Insane Orange Bastard wins a second term.

Monday, October 12, 2020

Day 215

  • Vanderbilt does not have enough non-quarantined healthy football players to continue the season, so this week's game with Missouri is the first SEC game to be postponed.
  • Joe Morgan has become the sixth member of the Baseball Hall of Fame to die during this accursed year.
  • Lonnie Norman of Manchester, TN, the mayor of that city, has died to the coronavirus.  Jusdaflu, right, fuckers??    
  • Speaking of Covidiots, here's Olbermann talking about King Covidiot:

  • Small reminder.  There is a Tuesday night game this week, so the Score Report comes after that.
  • RL:  Cobb County gets the first game on the Dodgers as the one advantage the Braves have comes into play.  Tampa is up 2-0 on the Trashcans.
  • Botball World Series:  The first two games were streamed today, split by the two teams (Twins won G1, Dodgers G2).  So two more games tomorrow and at least one on Wednesday.

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Day 214

  • Broncos-Patriots is off for this week -- they'll play next week -- another positive player test.
  • No idea WHAT they're going to do in Tennessee.  Yet ANOTHER staff positive and the facilities are, again, closed.
  • Death threats for the Lakers' Danny Green after missing a three-pointer which might well have won them the NBA Championship Friday night.  OK, you fucking Lakers fans can fuck right off!    
  • And here's the count for fans for Week 5:
  1. Steelers will have 7500.
  2. Chiefs, 16,000.
  3. Texans, up to 13,300.
  4. Falcons, first time this season at an unnamed limited capacity.
  5. Cowboys, about 21,000.
  6. Browns, about 12,000.
  7. Titans MIGHT, depending on if the game gets played. 
  • Washington is not for the season on fans, may re-evaluate.
  • Chicago, Jets, San Francisco, Seattle until further notice.
  • New Orleans tried to get a 25% capacity approved, but did not. 
  • And Baltimore is running the test with families of the team.
  • Game 1 of the ALCS (Tampa vs. Houston) tonight.  NLCS (Cobb County/Atlanta vs. Los Angeles) starts tomorrow.  And why am I getting the gut feeling it's Houston/LA with fans in Texas for the World Series??    
  • Game 6 of the NBA Finals tonight.  The late-game audit of the calls did show a couple calls going toward the Heat Friday night -- no surprise given the amount of pimping tonight's broadcast got on Friday night.
  • Lost a game show legend today:  Tom Kennedy.  He was 93.
  • And there it is.  The Los Angeles Lakers are NBA Champions, four games to two over the Heat.  Congratulations to Adam Silver and the NBA for another successful bubble playoffs.
  • And, in the celebrations, one we can all agree on:  ZERO NBA positives in the bubble.
  • To give you an idea of how ridiculous the "POINTS!!!" NFL has been this year:  Halftime of the Sunday nighter was 10-0 Minnesota.  7:08 to go in the 4th, and it's 26-21 Minnesota now.
  • After an early day which actually portended some normalcy in scoring in the NFL, the three late games went totals of 60, 55, and 71 -- with a 53 for the Sunday nighter.  The average for Week 5 is now 50.83 per game for the week, with two to go.
  • Games with fans, home team is 4-2 this week so far.
  • From my anonymous friend:  There were 12 men on the 1989 USC depth chart for linebackers.  Five of them have been sacrificed to football in one form or another, including Junior Seau.  Sports Illustrated has their story.

 

Saturday, October 10, 2020

2020 NFL Week 4 Fine Blotter

  • Los Angeles Rams:  Jalen Ramsay got $15,625 for fighting.
  • Golden Tate skated scot-free for the same fight.
  • San Francisco 49ers:  Jared McKinnon:  $9,857 for offensive player helmet rule.  (Lowering head to initiate contact)
  • New York Jets:  Quinnen Williams:  A total of $25,000 for two penalties.  One for roughing the passer, one for a separate unnecessary roughness.
  • New York Jets:  Steve McClendon:  $15,000 for roughing the passer...
  • But slamming Jets quarterback Sam Darnold to the turf is OK.
  • Los Angeles Rams:  Aaron Donald:  $10,500 for unnecessary roughness.
  • New York Giants:  Nick Gates:  $6,922 for unnecessary roughness.
  • Chicago Bears:  Robert Quinn:  $15,000 for a horse-collar tackle.
  • Chicago Bears:  Cordarrelle Patterson:  $12,500 for a verbal altercation with an official.

Suspension Blotter:

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers Practice Squad:  Kenjon Barner:  4 games for PEDs. 

More possibly to come.

And you mean to tell me nobody caught that?  :)

Day 213

  • And after an entire season of simming, the National League Botball pennant was won by the LA Dodgers, four games to two over the Washington Nationals.
  • And the American League Botball pennant by the league-leading Minnesota Twins, four games to two over the New York Yankees.
  • The Botball-ers will do two games of the World Series per day til a winner:  1 and 2 Monday, 3 and 4 Tuesday, Wednesday and a Game 7 Thursday if necessary.
  • Three MLS matches have been postponed for the weekend due to positive coronavirus tests.  This includes the fourth Colorado Rapids match to be scrapped, as THEY now have a large-scale outbreak.  17 cases in the team, including five players.  They haven't played in nearly three weeks!
  • A large-scale hockey tournament in Alaska is believed to be one hot-spot.
  • Another appears to be a good part of the state of Wisconsin.  One anecdotal Reddit poster noted that this person believes half the local high school football team is symptomatic, but won't test because, once they pop positive, whoops, no more game -- and, hence, no more relevancy!!

Friday, October 9, 2020

Day 212

  • They retested the player, and we'll know that later today, but the Jets now have a probable coronavirus positive.
  • The retest has been announced negative.
  • Though the NFL will now make it unsportsmanlike conduct to approach a referee without being masked if you are a coach.
  • Lost another Hall of Famer today:  Whitey Ford.
  • Latest Broadway estimate to re-open:   June 2021.
  • Clint Bowyer has retired from NASCAR and will join FOX Sports' coverage of same.
  • The US Supreme Court will continue all hearings by phone until at least the end of the calendar year.
  • And, as some of us thought, at least two of the 13 arrested in the plot against the governor of Michigan were, in fact, photographed with their guns in the Michigan State Capitol intimidation attempt several months ago.
  • The host of the Seahawks pregame and postgame shows has been tossed for transphobic tweets.  Big surprise, given the NFL...    
  • Olbermann:

  • And thank you to my anonymous friend to getting me this from the video-game podcast of Pat the NES Punk, talking about a UK study about the saturation of e-sports gambling into Twitch streams and the new generation of video-game gamblers (some as young as 11 and FIFTY THOUSAND problem gamblers in the UK between the ages of 11 and 16!!!!) it is spawning:

  • Ian Rapoport has been suspended from NFL Network for two weeks for posting information without proper clearance.
  • Several interesting calls both ways in the NBA Finals Game 5 tonight -- but ABC pimped Game 6 way too hard for an "If Necessary" game, frankly, for my liking.  Well, it's necessary.  Miami won by three to get the Laker lead to 3-2.

No Holds Barred, No Quarter

I have heard the first two Olbermann political commentaries which he started on YouTube earlier this week.

To say that they are inspiring in Olbermann's righteous anger would be an understatement.  I have had to take into account, from readers of this blog, the fact that we are too fucking stupid as a NATION to separate that which we have proven and that which is more salacious that these meathead red hats are lapping up.

President Trump can not simply be defeated on the election which is scheduled to complete on Election Day, November the third of 2020.  That's going to have to be the beginning of a process where this country imposes the human rights of ALL OF IT'S CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS on these red hats, up to and including ENDING THEIRS.

Every day, I am more and more struggling not to be in direct and absolute violation of certain Federal laws -- but it is getting more difficult to picture a future-- for me personally, for my friends and family, and for this nation at large -- unless, at some point, the brand of STUPIDITY which has been allowed to flourish under this orange Oompa-Loompa and his pro-rape brigade IS made illegal and is punishable to the maximum extent of the law.

Because it is NOT one's actions which run one afoul -- it's what is believed to be what many call one's "legitimate purpose".

As I said, I still have a story I've been sitting on several months now -- and it involves a widely-respected public entity in this country (apolitical).  But that story, and many others, appear to indicate that many people, in the eyes of these incurable MORONS, have only the "legitimate purpose" of being beaten, and eventually discarded.

I am reminded of the "Originalist" way of thinking:  A Constitutionalist which would kill anybody in the way of a person or government's Manifest Destiny from God Himself, because that entity isn't even human -- for being Black, Indian, female, or things they dare not speak of back then like the LGBT Community.

You do NOT have the right of liberty or to pursue happiness in this country except on a very limited form that the state provides.  Why?  Look at the 13 motherfuckers they just locked up in Michigan yesterday.  Understand that they are probably some of the one and the same people who, back in April, took up arms against the government of the state of Michigan, went to the State Capitol in Lansing, and implied a threat to shoot the place up because of "our FREE-DUMBS" or "our freedom to disseminate a lethal virus".

One's very life violates their "liberty", their "freedom", their "happiness" or any hopelessly-misguided pursuit of it!  Because, eventually, at it's core, it violates the right they felt God gave them to be Lord over the rest of us -- including the classical droit du seigneur.

I believe we need to eliminate this and put it six feet under the ground while we still have a legal framework under which to do so.  There is a saying that "Stupidity is not against the law."  Well, as many felt my brand of stupidity was for the better of at least 12 years, so is this brand.

We have an Aryan Supremacist President, if not a new brand of the Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.  And the worst thing for him is:  He's not only sick with his own virus which he and his allowed to spread to the desired-result deaths of over 200,000 "Useless Eaters", as he and his would claim they are and me with them!!!, even his own Republican polling now has him, as a result of his virus, down 12 points (Rasmussen) in the Federal election.

(Side comment:  For the relevant discussion, you can pretty much halve that lead.  A good 3-4 points of the national total of victory margin will come from California.  Another point or two from New York.  So take no solace.)

And that's even if we get that far to even COUNT the votes.  There are already nationwide reports of the theft of polling machines and ballots (both mail-in and otherwise) criss-crossing America.  If the word you read from any Republican-laced message board in sight is any indication, a mass unsheathing of weapons is about to take place on and around November 3rd.

Well, if you motherfuckers are froggy, JUMP.  Even though my state is sending a mail-in ballot to every last voting citizen of this state -- if I am required to vote in-person, I am coming with an equalizer.

It will be hidden and concealed, and it will not interfere with anyone's process of voting.  It is to ensure that I get in and out safely and that if there are any Donald Trump supporters who are in violation of not only the state's electioneeering laws, but trying to obstruct the building and grounds -- they WILL BE DEALT WITH.  If there is no such interference, I'll be the only person who would know I have it.

If you fuckers wanna "go", this ain't my first rodeo...  I HAVE heard shots fired in anger...  And I almost hope one of you thinks I only go after female Broadway singers now about a third of my size.

If not for friends of mine counting on me, I would almost make a goal out of getting shot at in the next about 3 1/2 weeks by a person I would call a "Rethuglipig".

And then we gotta clean up the mess after we get Biden and/or Harris in.  That's going to be even harder.

And now, to resume our normal programming...

Thursday, October 8, 2020

Day 211

  • Will be continuing the 10-year retrospective in the next few days.  Have to finish up the rest of the re-look, then probably going to research some updates.
  • Two NFL games are being moved already this week.  Broncos-Patriots to Monday, Titans-Bills to Tuesday.
  • And a Week 6 change:  As of right now, there will be no Week 6 Thursday Night game, because the Bills and Chiefs were supposed to play -- that game now goes to Sunday.
  • And something to keep an eye on, especially with the Astros eliminating the A's this afternoon:  Manfred says he wants fans in the stands for the World Series...  in Arlington...
  • The NFL is beginning to theorize they are going to have to use win percentage as playoff determinant.  This, more, is basically an admission they may have to throw in the towel on a 256-game total season.
  • And so it begins:  Division III NESCAC -- the New England Small College Athletic Association, has announced that most of their schools won't even try in-person instruction until at least February, 2021 now, so winter sports are kaput.
  • Kansas head coach Les Miles has tested positive for the coronavirus.
  • As has enough people around the Baylor football program that they've suspended football operations.  Their next game of the season, their third, is October 18 -- for now.
  • On the other end of the scale, ESPN is going to cover the University of Houston's football opener tonight with Tulane -- it has finally kicked off.  Houston's FOURTH ATTEMPT to get the season started.
  • Olbermann, and his look at the armed attempt to seize the governor the state of Michigan, and how that plays into the next month or two:


Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Day (2)10: A Decade of SuperFraud, Part 2

We pick it up starting 2015, in a retrospective (though clearly NOT exhaustive) of the ridiculousness of sports and everything surrounding it the last ten years:

Day (2)10 (Part 1): A Decade

You are not going to believe this, but, yes I did check...

TODAY is the TENTH ANNIVERSARY of the beginning of Super Fraud.

October 7, 2010 was the first post on this blog.

And this blog has basically gone completely off the rails I had originally intended it.  I'm not even sure I meant this as a long-term project.  My ORIGINAL INTENT was to use this blog as a case study of the then-44 Super Bowls to establish how many of them were fixed, rigged, manipulated, tampered, whatever have you.

Well, I never really got there.

Why?

If you had told me the kinds of things we would find out in the last 10 years about sports and the true machineries behind it, I would look at you and wonder why we even watch another sporting event, whether that level be professional or our nephew's youth basketball league.

I don't know when I finally openly converted the blog to a running commentary on match-fixing, game-rigging, the politics (both literal and simply sports-related) behind sports, etc.  It may have always had that bent (my second post was from no less than Brent Musberger commenting on the effectiveness of steroids in sports -- and even if he hadn't meant it as an endorsement, it WAS a material endorsement of same!)

Now, I make no warranty that I ever break stories around here.  I don't have the "secret sources" around to break that final chain that's going to cause the entire house of cards to come down for any one sports league specifically with respect to game-rigging, or to the American Sports Machine.

That doesn't mean I haven't seen some awful zingers in ten years:

And that's just about the first four years.  More to come...

Day 210 (Regular Part)

 Putting together a couple longer-form posts for today for a specific reason, but there is bigger news:

  • It now appears the New England Patriots have a coronavirus outbreak.  Stephon Gilmore has tested positive.  Patriots will not practice today.
  • And the Titans plans for Week 5 are on hold -- ANOTHER PLAYER POSITIVE.  That makes NINE.
  • Make that TEN.  Another Titans positive reported this morning by ESPN.
  • Hurricane Delta (yes, the hurricane season this year has gone all the way through the alphabet and is now in the Greek letters) may move Monday Night Football (should we make it that far -- see above!) to Indianapolis from New Orleans.  It would still be New Orleans vs. the Chargers.

NFL Week 4 Ratings:

  • Sunday Night Football was down about 40% in both ratings and viewers vs. last year.  8.4 rating (-39%) and 15.08 million viewers (-37%) 
  • The better Monday Night Football matchup was on CBS, and ESPN paid for it:  While CBS nearly matched Sunday Night Football for their highest rated show since January, ESPN lost 17% to about 8.65 million viewers and the smallest Week 4 MNF since 2005!
  • CBS National:  -12% ratings, -6% viewers (mostly what was left over, Raiders-Bills)  Lowest non-week 17 National window in exactly three years.
  • CBS Regional:  Lost about a third, year over year, both ratings and viewers (Chargers-Buccaneers mainly, only three games in the window, and even Tom Brady couldn't save it!)
  • FOX Single: -7 ratings, but +2% viewers.  And, whaddya know, Browns-Cowboys was one of two major games in the window.

Other:

  • Keith Olbermann has resigned from ESPN to resume online political commentary.   Starting with this:


Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Day 209

  • If the Raiders continue to fuck around like this, they'll be 2-14.  TEN Las Vegas Raiders were fined for violating league COVID-19 protocols.
  • Darren Waller held a charity event where players were unmasked.  $30,000 fine for him
  • David Carr
  • Nate Peterman
  • Jason Witten
  • Foster Moreau
  • Derek Carrier
  • Hunter Renfrow
  • Zay Jones
  • Nevin Lawson
  • and Erik Magnuson, all $15,000 each.
  • You do realize, Las Vegas, that, just for COVID-19 stuff, in one of the biggest tourist cities in the country (and hence, a potential hot-spot waiting to happen), that's now $565,000 and we're only at Week Five.

IF YOU GUYS DON'T WANT TO START DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THIS SEASON HAPPENS, YOU CAN GET OFF THE GODDAMN FIELD RIGHT NOW.

  • Addendum to the Score Report:  ESPN confirms.  It's a record scoring pace for per game for four weeks.  Record was in 2018 at 48.095 for 63 games (3030 points).  2020?  51.317 (over a field goal a game more, total of 3233 points (203 more than the previous record)).  Not only is offensive holding way down, but, over the average of the last 20 seasons before it, defensive pass interference penalties for the first four weeks are UP from an average of almost 76 to 93 this year!
  • With Green Bay, WI now one of the nation's coronavirus hotspots, the Packers have now joined several other NFL teams in announcing that no fans will attend their home games until further notice.
  • The rape trial of soccer star Ronaldo in the United States has been given the green light to proceed.
  • The Trump administration has to my exact zero amount of surprise that no further coronavirus Federal relief efforts will be made before the election.
  • Both Botball League Championship Series are now 1-1 -- between the Yankees and Rays and between the Nationals and Dodgers.
  • And don't look now, but the Trashcans are five wins from the World Series -- 2-0 up on Oakland in Dodger Stadium in real life.  Atlanta won the first game of it's series, the Yankees and Rays (yes, in real life they're in the DS) have split two, and the Dodgers and Padres have just started.
  • And the San Diego pitching has a no-hitter on the Dodgers through five -- except, for some odd reason, the Dodgers have a run on the board and had two on with two out in the fifth.  The game is 1-1 entering the sixth.
  • Tonight was the NHL Draft, with Commissioner Bettman announcing current plans for the 2021 NHL season to start January 1, 2021.

 

And another example of the NFL protecting it's narratives, we got REFBALL!!!

But, no, shockingly -- unlike last year, it appears that the only real benefits the 4-0 Packers are getting are the same benefits most of the league is getting with respect to the lack of offensive holding and the like.

Nope, I'm talking the other MNF game on Monday.  Now, the NFL wouldn't let me play any of their footage on the site anyway, even if their own (they'd force you to click through to YouTube), but ESPN put a video up on the play in question.

Kansas City up 6-3, midway through the second.  Mahomes back to pass on a third down , wrapped up, and beginning to go down.

At this point, stating "control", Tony Corrente blows the play dead, just as Mahomes flips the ball and Shilique Calhoun picks it off.  He probably would've been tackled, but the ball would've been on the KC 30 rather than a punt for the Chiefs.

Now, the thing is not that call is incorrect.  The call is correct, and, especially in the era of quarterback safety, should be called.

The refball in this moment is that we all know it is NOT consistently called.  That is a textbook interception in that kind of a case.  But, since the league is pushing Kansas City and Mahomes, the skids are greased and 26-10 (one of the lower totals of the first four weeks of the year) was the result for Kansas City to go 4-0.

Monday, October 5, 2020

NFL 2020 Week 4 Score Report

  • The Monday nighters took a bit off the number, but not enough that it wasn't well over another 50 a game for the week.  52.47 for the week, 51.32 for the season.
  • There have been 3233 points in the first 61 NFL games.  At that average, the NFL will score 13,137 points for the season.  That would be 1,165 points more than the record for an NFL season (two years ago).  At the current rate, the NFL would break the record about halfway through Week 16!
  • The highest per-game average is 47.2 points per game in 1948.  The league would still be about 1,050 points above that, a record they would surpass during the late games of Week 16.
  • Home teams clawed back to 6-9 for the week, but 31-31-1 for the year.
  • For games with fans:  Tampa won, Miami lost, Houston lost, Cincy won, Carolina won, the Chiefs won, and Dallas lost.  4-3 for 11-6 for the year.  Fanless games are 20-25-1 for the home team.
  • The over was 8-7-1 for 37-26-1 for the year.  This, with an an average Vegas total of 49.6 for the week.  Highest NFL average Vegas total in 35 years.  Probably ever, but that's as far as ESPN Chalk could find.
  • Early Week 5 totals of some interest (Vegas Insider, through the Westgate Superbook except for one case):  
  1. Giants-Dallas 54. 
  2. SNF:  Minnesota-Dallas 58  (which would be the new high for the year -- two 57's jointly hold that, each going one way)
  3. MNF:  Chargers-New Orleans 52  
  4. Jacksonville-Houston:  54 1/2
  5. And the William Hill has just put the Atlanta-Carolina total at 55 after the Monday nighter.
  • The favorites were 7-7-1 against the number for 30-31-1 for the year.  Straight up:  10-5 for 42-19-1.
  • The story of the year is the lack of penalties, and only 154 were called this week (only 10.3 a game).  Season total is 721 (11.4, almost 11.5 a game)
  • Team with more penalties was 5-7, for 24-30-1 for the year.
  • No Cliffhangers this week, but SEVEN Last Chance Misses for 23 of those for the year.  4 missed onside chances, an interception in the last minute, a failed fourth down inside 10 seconds, and a ball in the air at the gun.
  • Nine games were within one score.  Meaning out of the last 47 games, 26 of them were within a margin of 8 or less for a total of 33 for the year.
  • Three non-competitive games for 18 for the year.  

And some early ratings numbers:

  • Preliminary from ShowBuzzDaily has Sunday Night Football off about a third from last year in the ratings department for Week 4.

Day 208

  • Oh, forgot the Heat won Game 3 of the NBA Finals to at least extend the series for some more ABC revenue.

More NFL fun, some of this from NFL Communications:

  • The NFL has had FIVE comebacks of at least 2 TD+2's, 16 points, in the first four weeks.  It is the first time in the history of the league there has been at least one 2 TD+2 comeback in each of the first four weeks.
  • Russell Wilson has 16 touchdown passes this year -- typing Peyton Manning in 2013 for the record through four games.  Seattle is 4-0.
  • And partially thanks to this:  (Remember to check:  Who has the ball here?)
  • Joe Burrow of Cincinnati is the first rookie quarterback in history with three consecutive 300 yard passing games.  Cincinnati won one of those games and tied another.
  • Dak Prescott has 1690 yards through four games, an NFL record for the statistic.  Too bad his team sucks AND is getting screwed.  They're 1-3 in a division in which the four teams have each played four games and the teams have totalled THREE wins and a tie.  And of those three, one of them was intradivisional.
  • Tom Brady was the winning player on his 222nd NFL regular-season game, a new record.
  • He also became the 3rd NFL quarterback with 30 or more 4-touchdown games.  (Drew Brees has 36, Peyton Manning 35)
  • Odell Beckham Jr. had three touchdowns today against the Cowboys -- 2 receiving, and a 50 yard rushing TD.  4th WR in the last 21 years to have that stat (2 rec TD, 1 rushing).
  • Highest known average for a week I could find was 53.69 -- the 859 point week (Week 14 2013).  We're over half a point above THAT for the week.  And Kansas City and a Green Bay-Atlanta game with a Vegas line total of 57 still to play!
  • The 57, if it holds, matches the highest Vegas total of the year (last week with Seattle vs. Dallas, which went over).
  • One of the largest post-game NFL brawls in years marred the Rams-Giants aftermath yesterday, as a personal beef between Jalen Ramsey of the Rams and Golden Tate of the Giants degenerated into a post-game melee, including Ramsey waiting for Tate outside the locker room area.  Neither player is expected to be suspended (WHY???  Given the COVID-19 protocols, this can't have been good for anybody!).  Apparently, the fight is a FAMILY SQUABBLE -- Ramsey's the father of two of Tate's nieces, but Ramsey dumped Tate's sister for a Las Vegas dancer.

Some more important news:

  • Two more Sunday positives for the Titans -- meaning 18 in this outbreak, another player and another coach (9 players, 9 staff in this outbreak).  None today, however.
  • And it appears that New England and Kansas City are clean enough that they will play tonight.  The Pats will travel to Kansas City today, separated by those close to Newton in one plane and the rest of the team in another, leaving from different airports. 
  • Conor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers has tested positive for the coronavirus, it was revealed Monday night.

Other stuff:

  • ESPN, for this year, has cancelled two of it's "O&O" bowls, the Bahamas Bowl and the Hawaii Bowl.  The Redbox Bowl in San Francisco was previously called off this summer.

Sunday, October 4, 2020

Day 207 (NFL Week 4, NBA Finals Game 3, etc.)

  • The NFL's retest of the practice squad running back for the Saints who tested positive for the coronavirus came back negative, so the Saints-Lions game is on as scheduled (ETA:  And was played as scheduled, New Orleans winning).  Additionally, all relevant players contact-traced for results also came back negative.
  • This now leaves Tennessee-Pittsburgh (Week 7, after at least 16 tests have come back positive for the Titans -- and the NFL wants to know why (if there's any real violation of protocols, the only relevant penalty should be forfeiture of the contest)) and New England-Kansas City (Monday night early on CBS).
  • Former MLB pitcher Charles Haeger apparently murder-suicided with an ex-girlfriend.  Being sought for the murder of his ex-girlfriend in Arizona, Haeger was found with a self-inflicted gunshot on a desert trail.

NFL post-Week 4 stuff:

  • Great, reference sites for sports:  Now all of those searches that I used to be able to do on Pro Football Reference are, as of this season, behind an $8/month PAYWALL.  I don't do enough of those, even for this site, to justify that.  So any future stuff I can find is going to either have to be in the media first, or in the NFL record book.
  • To wit:  The Seattle-Miami game had only three penalties today, none on Seattle.  First time since Dec. 22, 2019 that a team has had no penalties called on them.  (Yes, Seattle won.)  Four times in the history of the NFL, but none in 80 years, have no penalties been called in a game at all.
  • Cleveland and Dallas totaled 87 today, the most points scored in an NFL game since San Francisco beat New Orleans 48-46 in Week 14 last year.
  • No Cliffhangers, but SEVEN Sunday Last Chance Misses.
  • Over-under for the scheduled Monday nighter, the back half of a now-doubleheader as now New England and Kansas City are an early game on CBS, is at 57!
  • Only 140 penalties so far this week in 13 games.  Not even 11 a game.
  • And, to no one's surprise as a result:  Even with a 26 and a 30 total on the board for two of the games this week, the NFL average is well over 50 a game again!  54.23!
  • The season average is now 51.66!
  • Home teams are 4-9 so far, but the bigger stat is that, with most of the games fanless, home teams are now sub-.500 for the year!
  • The Over is 8-5 -- on a week, as of Friday, that Field Yates of ESPN's The Chalk noted had the highest average Vegas total in 35 years at 49.8.  According to ESPN, the 13 games so far have averaged a Vegas total of 49.07.  That number will probably end up in the high 49s with Green Bay/Atlanta's total.
  • This is NOT a 16-game week because of the postponement of TEN-PIT, but, if it were, the NFL would be a point a game ahead of the record total for a 16 game season had it been played and it was a 54 total.

Saturday, October 3, 2020

And if you want to see the stupidity of some in Foobaw Nation America, here you go. No further comment needed....

 

NFL Week 3 Fine Blotter

  • Oakland Raiders:  Fined another $50,000 for the locker room access violations of the coronavirus protocol, bringing the team COVID-19 total to $400,000.
  • Dallas Cowboys:  Trysten Hill:  $13,044 for two separate incidents ($6,522 each -- for roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness) in the Week 3 loss to the Seahawks.
  • Baltimore Ravens:  Patrick Queen:  $13,044 for a horse-collar tackle.
  • For those asking on Twitter:  I have a feeling, once the conferences see some of this video, the coaches who aren't masking properly will be fined, suspended, or both.
  • Chicago Bears:  Akiem Hicks:  $15,000 for roughing the passer.
  • Chicago Bears:  Mario Edwards:  $9,412 for roughing the passer.
  • Tennessee Titans:  Jadaevon Clowney at it again.  $35,000 for two unnecessary roughness penalties, one a blindside block. 
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  William Gholston:  $15,000 for roughing the passer.

And one for the Suspension Blotter so far:

  • San Francisco 49ers (Practice Squad):  Chase Harrell:  6 games for PED's 

Almost certainly more on the Fine Blotter coming -- but anyone else think these fines are even more of a joke than previous years?

(COVID-19) This fucking country needs a punch in the goddamn jaw. NOW.

Everything's gone kinda pear-shaped in the last 48 hours.

You now have two Week 4 NFL games impacted by the coronavirus -- and, oh, let's not forget, the President of the United States of America not only has it but has been near the center of a superspreader event.

What is it going to take for this country to understand that this serious?

The cancellation of the NFL?

Cam Newton's death (or a player of similar stature)?

The death of Donald Trump??

Some of us who were watching this in international news back in January knew this was going to be something serious if (and eventually WHEN) it got over here.  We'd dodged several previous bullets with the likes of the breakouts in China of the H1N1 bird flu and in Africa of the Ebola virus and all of that -- with the fear of what would happen if that ever somehow traveled over here.

Well, someone -- SOMEHOW -- got a virus over here which appears to propagate extremely well in social situations and in large groups.

Like the Sturgis motorcycle rally -- CHRIS!

Like the announcement of Amy Coney Barrett as Supreme Court nominee -- a Mrs. Barrett who has had the virus and probably was suffering from lingering pink eye from it, meaning she was probably still shedding the virus.

Like football!!!  At ANY LEVEL...

Anyone who thinks we get anywhere CLOSE to normal, anytime soon, without a working, effective, and safe vaccine is FOOLING THEMSELVES.

And those conspiracy theorists out there who believe this virus is a hoax (and many did, even when it was just in China back in January!!!) need to remember one thing:

If this was a government operation hoax, you'd have to understand, on a certain level, that China would probably be doing this as a first eliminative operation on low social credit scores.

If the United States then joined in as a concept of "covering up the imminent and unavoidable financial destruction of this country", as many deniers allege, then would that not mean that the over 200,000 already killed by the virus would literally have been picked from a list of comorbities and existing conditions under which they would be killed anyway, useless eaters, and all that kind of garbage?

If you want to believe that, and you've consistent with that line of thinking, I may not be the happiest with you (given my probable comorbities and the like), but I will at least tip my cap that you are being consistent -- because, on some level, the level of population would have to be significantly reduced to bring America into any degree of economic balance (forget Agenda 21 or any environmental considerations -- I'm just talking the dollars and cents, national debts and deficits, of it all).

This country needs a punch to the jaw.  It needs someone who has this virus of a significant level of importance to go to reinstitute the concept we are nowhere CLOSE to where we need to be to beat this thing -- and that's if a significant portion of this country even WANTS TO beat this thing!

Is it going to take Cam Newton?  Chris Christie?  Donald Trump???

Or a mass outbreak like at the University of Georgia, who shit the bed with it's fans tonight not masking and properly distancing?

It's time for America to Get Right or Be Made Right.

Day 206

  • And it's all coming apart for the NFL.  Three more Tennessee Titans club members have tested positive for the coronavirus...  Another player (up to 8 now) and two more staffers.
  • As, sources report, has New England's CAM NEWTON!!  Latest word is they will try to play Chiefs-Patriots on Tuesday if he's the only one.  It is confirmed that there is a positive for the virus on the Patriots, it's "sources" that are saying it's Cam.
  • So has Kansas City's Jordan Ta'amu -- their practice squad scout quarterback, who, ironically, simulated Newton all week.
  • As of about 7:30 PM Pacific, the NFL has announced that all other New England Patriot coronavirus tests have, for the time being, come back negative.  We'll see if that holds up over the next week or so.    
  • The police at SMU have expelled the entire student section from the stadium tonight -- for not wearing masks nor social-distancing!  And, ironically, they were playing Memphis -- a school widely impacted by the coronavirus. 
  • Pregame coronavirus testing has now nailed at least one member of the Saints with a positive while they're in Detroit, preparing to face the Lions.  The player was on the team flight, so the entire team is exposed....
  • So, just in the last 24 hours or so:  The Titans, Patriots, Saints, and Chiefs...
  • Ron Johnson is now the fourth Republican US Senator to test positive for the coronavirus.  A Trump personal "Body Guy" aide has also announced he is positive.
  • And very late news, less than 12 hours before kickoff for Week 4:

If the games are played, fan breakdown:

  • Tennessee WAS to have 7000 at the game before all Hell broke loose.
  • Tampa Bay will, for an undetermined number of people who have had season tickets since 1998 or before.  25% planned for October 18, if we get that far.  (their first fans of the season this week)
  • Miami will allow 13000.
  • So will Houston (their first fans of the season). 
  • Cincinnati will allow 6000 (their first fans of the season).
  • Carolina will have an undetermined number.  (their first fans of the season)
  • Chiefs will have 16000 if/when the New England game is played, unless that changes due to Newton's positive.
  • Dallas is actually planning more than the 21000 who showed up for their first home game.

As for the rest:

  • Washington and Las Vegas are still saying no fans for the season.
  • The Jets didn't (not that anybody wants to watch that train wreck!).
  • Detroit, Chicago, and Green Bay not for this week, at least.
  • The Rams are still Until Further Notice, but the word is no fans for 2020.
  • And the 49ers aren't either.

Friday, October 2, 2020

Day 205, Part Two

  • News keeps getting worse for the Republicans.  RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday.
  • And the situation is going completely postal at the White House.  Donald Trump is being flown on an emergency basis to Walter Reed Medical Center.  Melania is NOT with him.  No surprise.  Co-morbidities and all that stuff...
  • A number of reporters have now tested positive for the coronavirus...
  • ... as has Kayleigh McEnany, the press secretary.
  • As of about 6 PM Pacific, according to a conservative economic website, two Republican senators, three reporters, and the President of Notre Dame are also positive, along with a reported two dozen governors and other officials across the country.
  • Three officials have reported that Amy Coney Barrett, the new conservative nominee for the Supreme Court, HAD the coronavirus this summer, but recovered.  The problem being:  Could she, either from that case or a second one, still been a carrier and basically infected a good part of conservative Washington, DC?
  • She has tested negative today.
  • But now make it three Republican senators to test positive.  Mike Lee of Utah joins Thom Tillis of North Carolina and a third unnamed Senator to test positive.
  • And add Kellyanne Conway to the list.
  • And his campaign manager, Bill Stepian.
  • Late word as of 9 PM Pacific is that Trump is resting comfortably at Walter Reed Medical Center, but he's now on Remdesivir after an experimental drug cocktail.  Remdesivir, for those not recalling, was seen earlier on as a "last resort".  There is report Trump is short of breath as well.
  • NBC reporting about 9:05 Pacific that Chris Christie has also tested positive.

-----------------

Gonna separate all the sports stuff down to here.  Thinking this could get stupid and stupid FAST...

  • The Miami Marlins became the third road team in the Wild Card playoffs to sweep their higher-seeded rivals when they eliminated the Cubs today. 
  • At least six New Orleans Saints starters will not play in the next game.  No virus -- all injuries.
  • The man who played the Los Angeles Kings mascot has finally been fired for sexual harassment after an investigation following a lawsuit against him.  He had been with the team 13 years, and had another groping incident in 2017 "settled between the parties" in 2018.
  • Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson passed away tonight due to cancer.  He was 84.
  • The rumored schedule change for the Titans outbreak has been confirmed:  Week 7 for this week's game, Steelers-Ravens Week 8, Ravens bye week moves to Week 7.
  • Appalachian State has to postpone tomorrow's game to December for positive tests.  On top of that, at least one App State student has died to the virus.
  • And the University of Buffalo has stopped the football program and two other sports due to problems at it's campus as well.

Day 205, Part One: Strap In, It's About To Get UGLY

Dovetailing off last night's big news...

I think we COULD be the weekend from a new President and a dynamic change in this country.  (And I'm not necessarily saying a good one.  Mr. Mayonnaise Dominionist is a very dangerous man -- he's also been announced as testing negative this morning.)

But that's not what I want to talk about.  I want to explain why I said what I just said.

There are two major reasons I think Trump is far further down the road toward the end that I think anyone will care to admit:

First, I do not, in any way, believe this is his first positive for the coronavirus.  I recall immediately back in February, when this was still over "on the other side of the world".  Trump had gone to wallow with some supporters in India -- and, within a couple of days of that event, if I recall correctly, that part of India had announced cases of the coronavirus.  I also recall several speeches where he sounded like he had either a cold-level case of the sniffles or was snorting cocaine just before them.

I recall watching various reports in the seven months since that Trump had this aide or that person he had visited, etc. test positive for the virus -- and kept wondering every day and week as to how he, with all his co-morbidities and everything else, could even think of keeping a clean bill of health with his travel, his ignorance, that of his supporters (including positive virus cases surrounding almost every event this son of a bitch actually has had...), many people in his employ and in his constituency believing this virus is nothing but a false sham...

Look, I liked to go out and about.  I would spend hours a day on a walk to get cans and bottles to help myself get from one month to the next.  And that I can't walk like that because of this virus has probably resulted that, even if we ever DO get a vaccine, I won't be able to do it again.  Aging and sciatica are no joke.

The amount I have foregone to do the right thing isn't as much as others, and I am thankful I, nor anyone close to me, has been infected with this shit.  But I will be DAMNED if you want to tell me this is a fake -- because, frankly, if it were, you don't want to KNOW what comes next on that kind of a governmental situation.

Back to my point:  The second reason that I believe Trump is far further down the road than anyone will admit is because of his arrogance, his bully nature, all of this that makes people like the "We can finally fuck them up" Proud Boys want to support this pig:  He sees, like many of his friends, including Vince McMahon, any sickness or the like as a structural weakness to be exploited and damned for.

It is inconceivable to believe that Donald Trump would announce himself that he is positive for the coronavirus except under one of two cases:

1) He wishes to SHOW it's fake.

or 2) He's dying from it and he knows it.

The man is over 70.  He's fat and almost certainly has the co-morbidities which come with that fact.  I'm pushing 300 pounds at 51 and he makes me look TINY, in all three dimensions.

He is the poster child for the type of person who, even if all the taunts of "Boomer Remover" and the desires this virus removes the irresponsible from the equation, should be in lethal trouble from this virus on at least a 1 in 10 basis.

And now, word leaking out this morning that:

a) he is not only symptomatic

but b) word is coming that his advisers and handlers have seen him as symptomatic since at least Wednesday!

This is not a man who suffers weakness and illness well.  He beats the shit out of those he considers "lessers".  Why would he admit to be one of "them" if it weren't serious enough that there's a very real chance we get President Mayonnaise? 

Many days, and this does have a lot to do with sports as well, I do begin to wonder if this virus (whatever bioweapon manmade or similar situation made it) came from God as a point of Him saying "I gave you an opportunity to clean your own house from the rape, pedophilia, sexual abuse, etc. endemic in your culture and you refused.  So now I kill your sacred cows because they must go."

Strap in, people.  This ride is about to get sickeningly fast.

Thursday, October 1, 2020

Day 204

  • Two of the American League's four best teams in this season, the Indians and the Central Division Champion Twins (though it sounds like the Yankees are finally hitting stride, so Your Mileage May Vary on Cleveland), were swept out of the best-of-three format Wild Card round yesterday.  Home teams are an aggregate 5-7 through Day Two.
  • And all the huge talk on San Diego will now need two in a row.  They lost 7-4 in Game 1 to St. Louis.
  • Even the Eastern Division Champion Braves needed 13 innings to plate a single run to beat Cincinnati.  Miami has Central Division Champion Chicago up against the wall with a Game 1 win.
  • Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has announced XFL V. 3 will start in 2022.
  • The NFL has now officially postponed the Pittsburgh-Tennessee game.  This after ANOTHER player and another staff member tested positive for the virus -- bringing the number of Titan positives to eleven.  Five players, six staff.
  • And the total tonight:  Another 60+ Thursday night -- and Adam Gase is not long for the Jets.  Six fine-able defensive personal fouls.
  • And ABC just decided to bone the fish on this celebrity season of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.  Something happens that ABC saw fit to spoil in their commercials that not only hasn't happened to a celebrity yet in any celebrity version, but has not naturally happened in any American version of the show since May, 2003 and hasn't happened at all since 2009.  Thank you ABC.  Boo.    

--------------------------

And now it's all change:

As much as this has all been this and that and the other the last six and a half months, MAYBE NOW FINALLY WE CAN TAKE THIS SHIT SERIOUSLY.

The President of the United States AND The First Lady HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS. 

CAN WE FINALLY, AS A NATION AND CULTURE, TAKE THIS SHIT SERIOUSLY????