January 17, 2023 News and Notes

• The bloodletting has begun with the Chargers.  The offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach were both fired before 8 AM this morning.  If they were smart, the head coach and GM would go with them -- that is a FRANCHISE-KILLING loss, especially for one with very little future going forward because they have no fans to speak of.   
• The Australian Open tennis tournament has begun, and so has the Russian controversy.  It was basically understood that the Russian flag would be allowed to fly at the tournament, as long as there were no incidents.  That took the first day, when a Ukranian player on an outer court had the Russian flag in his view on a fence from an antagonistic fan.  So the Russian and Belurussian flags will no longer be allowed on the Australian Open grounds.
• The Nevada State Athletic Commission has banned UFC flyweight Jeff Molina for investigation into involvement into the gambling scandal about his coach James Krause.  Nothing has been confirmed, but Molina is now an official suspect in the probe.  Molina was considered one of MMA's top under-25 prospects.
• Darrick Minner was thrown out of the UFC and banned by the NSAC after a suspicious fight, which triggered the probe, in early November.  Suspicious betting patterns appear to indicate Minner threw the fight in the first round.
• The UFC then gave all fighters at Krause's gym two options:  Get another coach and train somewhere else, or also be thrown out of the UFC.
• One of the greatest tag teams of the modern era has been broken up due to a fatal car crash.  Jay Briscoe, gone at 38.  One half of the tag team The Briscoes, their wars with FTR were no less than legendary, and their unapologetic style made them impalatable for mainstream channels and distribution -- but they were so good and their matches, with the right opponent, so classic, that they were undeniable forces until today's tragedy.
• They were defending Crockett Cup champions (yes, the Billy Corgan NWA has resurfaced the Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup), former IWGP, Ring of Honor (actually, they were the current ROH World Champions, I've researched...), Game Changer Wrestling, Impact...  Basically anywhere they could handle the Briscoes, they were tag team champions and deserved in every sense of the term in the ring.
• A Michigan offensive coordinator has been placed on leave due to investigation of on-campus "computer access crimes" at Schembechler Hall around Christmas.  I'm guessing two words:  Child porn.  I hope I'm wrong and they publish what it is if it is not.