Desmond Howard has once again questioned Jeremiah Smith’s impact in major games, and Ohio State fans have plenty of reasons to push back. Howard asked on ESPN when Smith had been the difference in a big game over the past two seasons. The question sounded less like neutral analysis and more like another chance to needle the Buckeyes.
Smith had eight catches for 164 yards and a touchdown against Texas this season. He followed that with 11 receptions for 206 yards and two scores on the road against then-No. 14 Iowa. Last year, he caught the go-ahead touchdown at Michigan, then had eight catches for 144 yards in the Big Ten championship game and seven for 157 yards and a score against Miami in the playoffs.
Howard’s latest comments also bring back memories of the 2021 Heisman ceremony. It should have been a proud night for Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, but Howard made him the target of a joke while praising Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson. After Tim Tebow mentioned Kenny Pickett helping keep things friendly between Stroud and Hutchinson onstage, Howard quipped that Pickett was better than Stroud’s offensive linemen.
Michigan, meanwhile, is 22-13 since Jim Harbaugh and several of his assistants left amid NCAA scrutiny and legal troubles. And when Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel hired Kyle Whittingham, Howard offered glowing praise, calling him exactly what the program needed and a coach widely respected across college football. That was nearly a year ago. Things look a little different now.
There was also plenty of backlash over Kirk Herbstreit feeding his dog steak at a high-end New York City restaurant. Some readers thought the criticism was overblown. One argued that dogs’ mouths are cleaner than people’s and noted that several restaurants in Fredericksburg, Virginia, welcome dogs in outdoor dining areas. Another said they regularly share steak with their golden retrievers and didn’t see why anyone else should care.
Other readers were less sympathetic. One called the criticism misplaced, while another said dogs are better than people and deserve whatever their owners can provide. A different reader suggested there were more important things to worry about.
One reader said dogs should not be eating in restaurants, citing health-code concerns. That view came from a bad experience at an outdoor breakfast in Miami: a dog at the next table put its head on the reader’s wife’s plate and took a bite. The owner laughed it off, the reader said, and neither the owner nor the restaurant offered much help. The couple left without finishing breakfast and never returned to the restaurant. The reader blamed inconsiderate owners, not the dogs themselves.
A Florida reader responded to a discussion about air conditioning by listing a few other inventions Floridians appreciate, including the microwave, the hot-water heater and the early proposal for the World Wide Web. The message was essentially: yes, air conditioning is great, but it isn’t the only thing worth appreciating.
The same reader also urged people to be kind to Midwesterners, while sharing concerns about newcomers changing Florida. The writer, who is married to someone from Wisconsin, said they enjoy the Midwest and have visited four of the five Great Lakes. But they argued that population growth after the pandemic has crowded roads, replaced open land with development and shifted politics in some cities. The writer also claimed that Texas had turned blue and said Florida’s recent governor’s race was much closer than expected, warning that the state could face similar changes.
Another reader sent an angry message filled with profanity. The language had to be edited before it could be published.
A swimsuit worn by Melania Trump during a British GQ photo shoot is being offered at auction, with bidding starting at $5,000. That seems steep, though collectors can be optimistic about memorabilia. The writer also mentioned owning Cam Newton’s signed pants from a BCS championship game and hoping they gain value.
One local reader shared advice for a runner preparing for the Churchills half-marathon: take it easy early, especially before crossing the Waterville bridge, and save energy for the hills near the finish. The reader said they began running for basketball training, took a 37-year break from distance running, and now have an eighth marathon coming up in Philadelphia.
The runner has recently completed training runs of up to 10 miles, including one at an average pace of 7:41 per mile on flat terrain. The half-marathon course will bring rolling hills and a different kind of challenge. Family and friends plan to cheer along the way, and the Waterville bridge will be one point to check in. At that point, it will mostly come down to determination.
Have a good weekend. Enjoy the games, the quiet corners of home, the races—and whatever else gets you out living a little.
