Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Dan Wetzel on NCAA college eligibility. We are entering a strange new world.

- From the archives: Sahil Bloom's most powerful life hacks.

- More on the Jon Gruden lawsuit against the NFL. The gears of justice are grinding slow on this one.

- Funny because its true.

Who Said It Best?

Yeah those are Joe Biden's words not Jon Gruden's. Difference is Joe Biden got to keep his job. If I used some of Hunter Biden's racial quotes with Jon Gruden's likeness I'd probably be banned from social media. Just saying.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- RIP attorney Ted Olson. Perhaps the greatest Supreme Court attorney of his generation.

- Rays to play 2025 season at Tampa's Steinbrenner Field. I had wondered about this very thing yesterday.

-  I want this. (HT Some Its Just as Well)

- Jon Gruden joins Barstool Sports. Get the popcorn ready.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- VDH: Try a little honesty about Israel.

- Keep saying the Gruden case against the NFL is worth keeping an eye on.

- Tesla Semi exceeds expectations in 3,000 mile trial with DHL

- Trump unveils new tax proposal. It goes over quite well.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Michael Cohen looking worse and worse as a witness and better and better as an ad for the RNC.

- Nevada court orders Jon Gruden lawsuit against NFL to go to arbitration. Bad news for Gruden.

- AT&T inks long term deal for satellite to cell phone service.

- Harrison Butker, Harbinger? The NFL doesn't want you to say Catholic things at Catholic school commencement.

Dan Snyder and Washington

The Washington Football Team has new owners and hopefully soon a new name.

Everyone involved, even Dan Snyder with his $6 billion payday, are happy with the results. Probably none more so than Jon Gruden.

As always please Subscribe (paid if you can afford it, hit the Like button, and share the Link. Thanks in advance.

More Linky Links

More stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Interesting backstory to the Gruden vs NFL (and Goodell) lawsuit.

- How to be an animal: an antidote to our self-expatriation from nature. (HT Harvey Morrel)

- Have to admit - Rand Paul was right about Christopher Wray and the FBI

- Meet the psychedelic boom's first responders (HT Tim Ferriss) 

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

-  Reminder that Jon Gruden is still looking to burn the NFL and Roger Goodell to the ground. Rooting for Jon Gruden for the first time in my life.

- Costco gives Bud Light the Death Star treatment. Very bad news for Bud Light. Felling this may not be the last major company who would just rather not be involved.

- Interesting - the formation of xAI is announced headed up by Elon Musk. A direct competitor to ChatGPT - it is an AI for understanding the universe how it really works.

- UN reports says global climate hasn't raised it 15-years. This despite all the scare claims. Climate change is a sham - a pure money grab.

Jon Gruden's Lawsuit Against the NFL

Unless the NFL has a successful appeal, a judge has ruled that Jon Gruden's lawsuit against the NFL may proceed. This means, "Documents and other information will be requested by Gruden. Depositions of key individuals, such as [Roger] Goodell and Commanders owner Daniel Snyder, will be arranged."

This is the last thing either the NFL or Daniel Snyder need right now. Here's hoping that Gruden follows through on this lawsuit and doesn't settle for the millions the NFL will surely offer to prevent their secret dealings from being revealed to the public.

Tom Brady and Gronk to the Raiders?

Looks like there was a deal in place to send Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski to the Raiders but Jon Gruden put the kibosh on it.

Think the deal worked out best for all involved - except Jon Gruden because the one franchise that may have had his back in his lawsuit against the NFL now may be thinking, "That SOB cost us Tom Brady!" Gronk in Vegas would have been, to quote Dicky V, "Awesome baby!"

Kudos to Dana White for being able to keep a secret.

NFL Chickens Coming Home to Roost

Have long said that the NFL's "handling" of the Jon Gruden's emails was going to come back to bite them in the ass. Between sending the clear message to the Raiders that the league won't tolerate racist coaches and the NFL's sham racial fairness process of hiring those same coaches we're going to have the NFL front office under Roger Goodell exposed as hypocrites for all to see.  

Why the need for the two orders Colonel Commissioner? 

The NFL Scandal That's Not Going Away

Ex-Washington Football Team employees' letter hand delivered at owners meeting, urging the NFL to release their investigation report. "The NFL should not be allowed to encourage employees to come forward at great personal risk to speak to investigators, only to sweep the results of that investigation under the rug." So very true. Why would anyone associated with the NFL trust Roger Goodell at this point?

The NFL offices released reports in the Bountygate and Deflategate investigations. No matter how flawed those reports were - they were released. Why no release of the report in this situation? It stinks of a cover-up. How can Jon Gruden be the only person to lose their job here?

And speaking of Gruden - his potential legal action against the league keeps looking better and better by the day.  

Who Said It Better Part Deux?

Waiting on the memes of Snoop Dogg and Eminem lyrics next to a photo of Roger Goodell.

 (Image Via)

Who Said It Best?

Yeah those are Joe Biden's words not Jon Gruden's. Difference is Joe Biden gets to keep his job. If I used some of Hunter Biden's racial quotes with Jon Gruden's likeness I'd probably be banned from social media.

Who is going to play the role of Charlton Heston reading out the lyrics of the rappers the NFL has hired to play the Super Bowl halftime show?  Again not defending Gruden or his private views but the hypocrisy of the NFL is stunning.

(Image Via)

The Jon Gruden Email Saga

Have a new article up at Substack where  I try to explain why this is happening now.

And where I may have completely buried the lead on what will happen next. This has the feel of Roger Goodell's NFL Offices wanting their own HBO drama.

This was the sort of longer pieces I've stopped writing here over the years but also the type of writing that I think stretches and strengthens the writing muscles.

As always if you enjoy the piece please hit the like button and subscribe. Most importantly if you enjoyed the writing or the argument made - please share it with others.

NFL Sunday - Week 10

Jerry Jones doesn't want Roger Goodell's contract extended and he's willing to sue the NFL to keep this from happening. The other owners probably don't realize it but Jones is doing them a large favor. Extending Roger Goodell's contract is a horrible idea. Goodell has been a huge failure as Commissioner. Fixing what's wrong with the NFL starts with acknowledging that Roger Goodell has to go.

The next step to fixing the NFL would be to hire Condoleezza Rice as his replacement. Domestic abuse? You just hired a woman commissioner. Black lives matter? You just hired an African-American as the top person in the NFL. Problem with the NFL's optics as disrespecting of the US military? You just hired a person whose popularity among the military is among the highest there is. Pretty much all of the problems facing the NFL would immediately be lessened by her hiring. Extending Goodell would just exacerbate the problems.

Jones is trying to save the NFL owners from themselves. Maybe if a large advertiser like Budweiser stepped up and said unequivocally - extend Roger Goodell and we are all done advertising with the NFL would be the kick the other owners need to avoid this disaster. Ad prices are down 6.7% all of these controversies. Extending Goodell's contract isn't going to help that either.

Another NFL owner making news is Colts owner Jim Irsay who is a fraud of a human being. Potentially Irsay could be facing a fraud class action suit because of the way he strung season ticket holders along with misleading information about star QB Andrew Luck. Irsay is maybe the most unlikable person in the NFL. And that's saying something.

One of the best examples of ESPN losing their way was Jon Gruden's "Turkey Hole". How did cutting away from the live action during a key turnover to show a pre-produced "skit" align with ESPN's mission statement of "To serve sports fans,. Anytime. Anywhere."? Hint - it doesn't. I just hope the folks at the Urban Dictionary come up with a suitable definition for "Jon Gruden's Turkey Hole".

Anyway - on to the picks. Once again let me remind you that I'm just 5-15-1 on the season so you'd probably be better off throwing a dart against the wall then listening to me.

Dallas +3.5 at Atlanta - feel that the Cowboys are just the better overall team.

Two team moneyline parley - Patriots and Rams risking $200 to win $100

Good luck

ESPN and the Presidential Election

ESPN just announced that Chris Berman will be interviewing both President Obama and Mitt Romney during the November 6th Monday Night Football telecast. I would much rather see ESPN use this opportunity to have Jon Gruden break down film from their debate performances.

How great would be it to have Gruden refer to the President as "this guy" with Obama sitting right next to him?

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

- If Obama has lost liberal Hollywood - he's got no chance at re-election.

- I've long suspected that Siri was launched before it was ready just so Apple could have the release before Steve Jobs passed away. I don't blame them if that was the case.

- Banishing consciousness: the mystery of anaesthesia. Long article but interesting. In short - we don't know why anaesthesia actually works or how.

- 10 Worst Celebrity Business Ventures of All Time

- Slavery in the US ended on this date in 1865.

- For Dr. Who fans - 11 Functional Homemade TARDISes

- Really inappropriate holiday decorations

- Interesting - Jon Gruden and how MNF has replaced coaching for him. Like a junkie going from heroin to methadone.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I haven't seen any of the Royal Wedding but I have caught some of the snark about it on Twitter. I can't help but be reminded of Alexis de Tocqueville who was shocked by how just any guy would be referred to as "Sir" in American society... The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if the NFL made the Vikings take Christian Ponder at 12 to insure nobody would collect that $10 million for having the first round correct... I still think Two and a Half Men should replace Charlie Sheen with Ellen DeGeneres and just pretend nothing happened just like they did with the Darren's in Bewitched... John Elway is a fan of traditional type QB's so I have to wonder if the Jaguars took Blaine Gabbert because a deal is in place to trade him to the Broncos for Tim Tebow once NFL allows player trades... Derek Lowe was arrested for DUI last night... If you played the Jon Gruden "This Guy" drinking game - you would have been hammered before Jacksonville picked Gabbert. He must have had between 75 and 100 "This Guys" last night... ABC should re-make the TV show Barney Miller with Dave Attell playing the lead role and with Abe Vigoda reprising his role as Fish... Kansas City should have a Royals Weddings promotion for rest of season. Renting out the boxes/suites next to dugouts has to be about the same price as renting a hall. Allow a 15 minute ceremony on the field before the game. This would be a winner if the PR person in charge had thought ahead... In my mind I pictured Jeff Fisher watching the NFL Draft at home with beer shooting through his nose learning of the Jake Locker to the Titans pick... Knock knock. Who's there? Control freak. Now, this is the point where you say "Control freak who?"... I think the Cleveland Browns really got the best of that trade that landed the Falcons Julio Jones. The Falcons gave up the 27th, 59th, and 124th 2011 picks plus a 2012 1st and a 2012 4th round pick for a WR with health questions... I know my ass from my elbow but I honestly couldn’t tell you the difference between a castle and a keep... I think one thing that really could have helped the NFL Draft last night would have been ESPN getting comments from a guy dressed as a giant Mr. Potato-head and pretending to be Mike Holmgren... Back in 1978 Robin Yount held out from Spring training because he needed to decide if he wanted to be a pro baseball player or a pro golfer... Over / under for Cam Newton interceptions next season has to be around 20 - right?... Sick bastard... There should be a word to describe the act of drinking the milk straight from the bowl after you have eaten the cereal... As a symbolic gesture - whatever NFL team wins the Super Bowl this year should vote Judge Nelson a full playoff share... Bobcat on a Saguaro!... The things you learn on the Internet (via Mental Floss): "The wife of Atlanta Hawks GM Pat Williams had a baby on draft day in 1974. To celebrate, Williams drafted his son in the 10th round."

Gruden Fired

Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden and GM Bruce Allen have been fired. This leads to three immediate questions.

1. Why was Gruden fired? I think it was a combination of things. Gruden was supposed to be an offensive genius but the offense in Tampa Bay has not really done anything under his leadership. The argument can be made that Gruden did what he could with the players he was given which is why Bruce Allen also got the axe. I can't help but think that Brian Billick was also supposed to be an offensive genius when he took the Baltimore job after leading Minnesota to huge points totals as offensive coordinator. Like Billick - Gruden's success was due more to a suffocating defense than anything the "genius" did with the offense. Like Billick - Gruden won a Super Bowl but then his act grew tiresome. Both were fired 7 seasons after winning the ultimate prize. Billick was 60-52 after winning the Super Bowl for the Ravens while Gruden was 45-51 after beating Oakland in the Super Bowl. With Monte Kiffin the leader of the Bucs defense moving on to coach with his son at Tennessee - it was time for a change.

2. Where will Gruden coach next? Brian Billick still hasn't gotten a job since being let go by Baltimore. I wonder if the same fate is in store for Gruden? Gruden has a couple more years on his contract so it would make sense for him to hang loose for a while and maybe sit out a year as a TV analyst (his Chucky shtick should be amusing for 15 minutes or so). Gruden's name will be attached to any current opening and also to many major college openings starting next season. Personally - I'm not sold on Gruden as a coach. He seem to generate more light than heat.

3. Who will replace Gruden? My guess is Bill Cowher. It is said that Cowher's big issue with the Jets job was not being able to name his own GM / personnel director to work with. With Bruce Allen out of the way - the GM job is open.