Day 511

• I see I have at least one ESPN-talking-head (thanks, let's discredit my theory a bit) now saying to get a look at the Patriots in the AFC.  I'd be daring for another story in the NFL this year than Brady vs. Belichick.
• It appears as if Financial Fair Play has had it's desired effect.  Leonardi Messi, if he plays at all next season, will be moving from Barcelona due to FFP negating the contract Barca and Messi agreed to.
• Jimmy Graham of the Bears aired his frustrations on social media today -- feeling forced to take the COVID-19 vaccine and having issues with the new 17-game NFL season.
• An interesting statistic showing the Trashtros love drinking tears of opposing fans:  Batting average at home for the Trashtros?  .252.  Away??  .262!!  14 games over .500 at home, 8 over away.
• Forbes (limited paywall, be advised) has come out with it's annual report on at least the value of NFL franchises.  
• The formula:  Equity + Net Debt + Revenue of the NFL use of the stadium and any non-NFL use which goes to the ownership -- but not the real estate value of the land itself.
• The new media deals have increased the league's value at least 14%, the highest rise in the last five years, even with the shit ratings, etc.  Dallas leads with $6.5 billion in valuation.  New England second at $5 billion.  The Giants, The Rams, and the Football Team round out the top five.  49ers, Bears, Jets, Eagles, and Broncos the next five.
• The bottom five??  The Titans, Browns, Lions, Bengals, and Bills.  The Bills, the least-valued NFL franchise, are still somehow valued at over two and a quarter billion dollars.
• The average NFL franchise?  $3,500,000,000.
• The Cowboys made about $280 million in operating income last year, the Patriots, about half that.  None of the other teams came close.
• In fact, 20 teams had negative operating income last year.
• The SEC has extended it's conference commissioner's contract for five more years.
• Conversely, the Big XII, preparing to lose Texas and Oklahoma, has been forced to reshuffle it's spots on the CFP Committee.