Michael Irvin has joined the parade of sports figures posting dog content, sharing a photo of himself in bed with his pit bull, who was wearing a diaper. One commenter joked about the internet’s strange mix of stories, while another urged Irvin to get a sleep evaluation, suggesting his dogs might be checking on him for a reason beyond wanting cuddles.
It’s hard to tell whether we’ve hit peak dog content. I like dogs—we have two—but the posts do seem to be multiplying. Kirk Herbstreit recently said he was getting another Golden Retriever, and now Irvin has entered the conversation too. Somehow, the internet always finds a new direction to take things.
One reader sent a furious email objecting to coverage of the WNBA and accusing media outlets of giving too much attention to its players. The message was packed with personal insults. The response was essentially: if he dislikes the subject so much, why did he click on a story featuring Sophie Cunningham?
The reader said he had only a little time each week to catch up on news and was frustrated by headlines about women athletes. He also accused publications of chasing clicks. That sort of complaint comes in from time to time; people have strong views, and sometimes they clearly just want to get them off their chest.
Another reader criticized a recent story about Inés García, the girlfriend of soccer star Lamine Yamal, after García spoke publicly about a herpes outbreak near her nose. The reader argued that the headline should have used García’s name rather than defining her through her relationship, and said the story framed a personal health disclosure as gossip.
She also noted that a facial outbreak does not establish whether someone has genital herpes or how they contracted the virus. Oral herpes can be acquired through nonsexual contact, including during childhood, she wrote, adding that people with genital herpes deserve respect as well. Her view was that the story could have offered useful medical context instead of reinforcing stigma, and that García was owed an apology.
A reader in Virginia shared details about the Secretaries Cup, a Division III football rivalry between the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. The game had been scheduled for a soccer stadium in Washington, D.C. Last year, the Merchant Marine team won 39–38 at Fenway Park.
There was a scheduling change, though: the game was postponed because of a women’s soccer league playoff match, and ticket holders had not yet been given a new kickoff time.
Another reader sent along a story about Toyota considering small “kei” pickup trucks for the U.S. market. The compact trucks are popular in Japan and have a devoted following among American auto enthusiasts. Even President Trump is said to be a fan.
That’s it for this morning. Snow flurries are on the way, and winter weather is expected this weekend, with wind chills dropping into the 20s. I’d be happy to stay in the man cave, but my son is running his first half-marathon on Saturday. He recently averaged 7:41 per mile over 10 miles, which Gemini tells me is pretty good. So we’ll be out in the cold cheering him on.
Time to get after another day of work.
