Good morning! It’s a beautiful day to dive into some hot takes on football, celebrate a personal record for Screencaps Jr., share my recent trip to Detroit to meet a former Super Bowl QB, and whatever else is on my mind. After all, I created this column and I’m here to share my thoughts with you.
Let’s kick things off with some quick football notes:
• Many of you know I’ve been vocal about the NFL’s chain gang situation for the past couple of years. Yesterday, I saw the NFL rolling out a virtual measurement system that seems quite similar to MLB’s automatic ball-strike system. During the Packers-Vikings game, there was a moment when Jordan Love took a quarterback keeper into a clustered group, and the line judges hurried over to determine where to place the ball.
A human spots the ball, but the head referee declared it was too close to call, so they resorted to the NFL’s method. Turns out the ball was six inches short of the first down. Seriously, isn’t this a bit ridiculous? We have artificial intelligence developing all around us, yet we can’t figure out how to pinpoint where a football is down? The league’s been putting chips in the balls since 2016, so what’s the holdup? Shaking my head.
• Now, how did JJ Watt do in Tony Romo’s place? He’s safe—definitely not revolutionary in his analysis, but he doesn’t drag the broadcast down either. At times, I felt he was a bit too reserved. I’m not asking for a loud personality, but he was really playing it safe, almost too carefully finding his footing in the role.
• Is it really something we want to see if the Bears rack up 59 points? Doesn’t anyone miss the days of tough defensive battles?
• Speaking of defense… I had an enjoyable Sunday at the golf course with Screencaps Jr. and Screencaps III. We were in a golf cart, Jr. and I played nine holes while The III kept up with the Bengals game on my phone, bringing us snacks in between. It was such a great guys’ day. Meanwhile, the Bengals were doing really well with turnovers. Jr. even overcame a water hazard he thought was impossible to clear. It’s amazing watching my kids grow. What a fantastic day for our family and the Bengals. Is it too much to say they looked like a playoff-worthy defense? The best part was not having to see those blue checkmarks criticize our team for once.
• The NFL is definitely putting some focus on Madison Beer. They might be seeking a replacement for Taylor Swift, and honestly, I can’t really argue with that choice.
Here’s the kicker for the NFL: The Chargers might be heading for disaster. Did you catch their offensive line’s performance? Jacoby Brissett actually outshined Justin Herbert. Let that sink in for a moment. A team that appears to be tanking went to LA and dominated the Chargers. If Beer is to take Swift’s place, the NFL better get the Chargers in shape, and fast.
• On another note, I was in Detroit for the Black Footwear Forum conference on Saturday, where Colin Kaepernick was a speaker. I finally met Bobby Burack from OutKick, and as we approached the auditorium, an off-duty cop halted us at the metal detectors. He told us they were full and denied us entry, despite having tickets.
Fifteen minutes later, Burack went back to inquire about seating capacity, and miraculously, one of the event organizers unearthed a badge for us. Turns out the whole Kaepernick speech was rather lackluster—no Q&A or audience involvement, just the usual rhetoric we’ve heard countless times. Afterward, he took a photo with the event team and left.
• I finally caved and bought the NFL Ticket— $240 through Verizon doesn’t seem too bad, I guess.
– Mike T. from Idaho writes: I was watching the Big 10 network and couldn’t believe the number of political ads? Living in Idaho, where it’s solidly red, I feel for those in battleground states.
Kinsey: Believe me, it’s brutal. Ohio’s loaded with races that overwhelm our screens with ads. Even saw a barber advertising for Vivek while Amy Acton, looking to appeal to voters, is reminding us of her past struggles with homelessness.
Screencaps Jr. has a new personal record in cross country
At the Tiffin Carnival meet on Saturday, Jr. finished with an impressive time of 11:32.5, placing 11th out of 287 runners. He actually beat his previous record by 13 seconds as his team cruised to victory in the varsity race, finishing with an astounding 110-point lead. The boys really nailed it.
Odds and ends from Screencaps readers
• Eric P. from the PNW emails: Season’s over. No sense in playing any more games. It’ll just be Baltimore and Chicago in the Super Bowl featuring dual MVP quarterbacks and coaches of the year. But with their defenses, they wouldn’t be able to stop a scoring spree.
• Caleb says shame on Midas.
• Dennis endured the NASCAR race: The highlight was Sophie Cunningham. The race was mediocre and the broadcast by USA was subpar. Why is an Australian covering NASCAR? One of my closest friends is from Australia, and even he would agree the USA broadcasts are dreadful. But Sophie, total standout!
• Ralph suspects some funny business during the Ohio State-Texas game: I watched Texas’ performance and it seemed so poor that I questioned if there was point shaving involved. It was unbelievable how they played. Could the Mexican Mafia be involved? Arch Manning seemed uninvolved, but still, those mistakes were too glaring. Do you anticipate an investigation?
Kinsey: The only investigation needed is why Ryan Day keeps making questionable decisions in crucial games. Let the defense allow a score with just 1:36 left on the clock! They even called a timeout without letting Texas score. Talk about malpractice.
Alright then, let’s kick off the week. It’s about 55 degrees out this morning, which is a bit annoying. The trees are already changing and summer is clearly winding down. Let’s finish it out strong—get outside, play some golf, or do something fun.
Wishing you all a great day!
