Trash Talk: Monday Night Bites

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[NB: check the byline, thanks. /~Rayne]

Hey. Golf widow here. I survived another quiet weekend, this time with dogs added for company.

This weekend was a good one – not only did I get to pet dogs on loan but the entire family was here. They made up a foursome and kicked some ass in their respective flight.

And I got my cut of the winnings without having to swing a club.

If only Monday Night Football was as promising.

~ ~ ~

We’re wrapping up Week 5 of the NFL football season with Oakland Raiders (1-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (3-1) – kickoff was at 8:15 p.m. ET this evening.

Gee whiz, I wonder who will win? The suspense is killing me. Not.

I dare you to go to Google News → Sports → NFL and scan the coverage for Tua Tagovailoa’s name. It’s almost as if he doesn’t exist. Tagovailoa is still out because of his injuries. The NFL and the NFL Players’ Association, however, have modified the concussion protocol since Tagovailoa’s last game.

Under the new protocol, the Dolphin’s backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater ended up out of yesterday’s game after an injury in the first play of the game. Bridgewater showed signs of ataxia after the hit; Tagovailoa displayed ataxia after his first injury in Week 3 but was put back into the game instead of being pulled out for further observation.

The new concussion protocol may leave the Dolphins down to their rookie QB Skylar Thompson with head coach leaving the line up for next Sunday up in the air.

But not strictly observing the concussion protocol to avoid unnecessary closed brain injury could lead to retired football players being used like toilet tissue by crooked old white men even off the field:

while completely unaware how pathetic their lives have become.

~ ~ ~

Speaking of abusive situations, we learned late this past week that U.S. National figure skater Bridget Namiotka died this July. She was a victim of sexual abuse by her pairs partner John Coughlin for two years.

Namiotka’s parents told USA Today in an interview that their daughter died on July 25, having “succumbed to her long struggles with addiction after several very difficult years of dealing with the trauma of sexual abuse.”

Coughlin committed suicide in 2019 after he was suspended from the sport during investigation into allegations of abuse.

Namiotka was not the only skater who came forward to accuse Coughlin of assault; like Namiotka, some were minors at the time.

This feels too much like other sports where minors were abused and adults failed to detect the problem when it happened and as it continued. Should we have more oversight of sports when minors are athletes?

Sadly, the GOP only seems to be able to regulate women and girls’ athletes’ fertility and not their personal safety. Surveys completed by Florida girls’ doctors for clearance to play ask about girls’ menstrual history; while not yet mandatory, this is grooming girls to expect compulsory disclosure for eligibility.

That’s horse shit misogynist repression which does nothing to ensure healthy athletes.

~ ~ ~

Major League Baseball’s playoffs have begun, with the first game of the 2022 World Series set hard and fast for November 1. Geez…that leaves a whopping 19 days until Thanksgiving.

League division championship series continues tomorrow with NY Yankees, Cleveland Guardians, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners in the American League, and LA Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, and Philadelphia Phillies in the National League remaining.

Baseball fans in Toronto, Tampa Bay, and St. Louis may not be following along after their teams were eliminated this past weekend. I’m following no teams into the playoffs since the Detroit Tigers haven’t been in it at all.

By the way, if you’re dogsitting a particularly spoiled dog who won’t settle in their crate for the night, try playing live or recorded MLB games for them on low. Worked like a charm.

~ ~ ~

It’s kind of a theme around here, losing at sports. Our family cheers for Michigan State football and they were obliterated by Ohio State this weekend. Detroit Lions also got beat up again and badly. Tigers aren’t in the playoffs.

I should be thankful being a golf widow paid off better than betting on other Michigan teams.

Yes, I know, U of M won this weekend again. It may be Marcy’s alma mater but this particular household goes Green and White, not Blue.

Treat this as an open thread. It will be used for other topics unrelated to the House January 6 Committee hearing currently scheduled this Wednesday.

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54 replies
  1. Rayne says:

    I forgot to wish my fellow indigenous Americans a Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

    It’s a good day to recall whose land you’re on.

    I live on the land of the Council of Three Fires – that of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. My father’s people are Kānaka maoli of Hawaii.

  2. Overshire says:

    Calvinball’s a sport, right? All the talk of it here, brought on by Judge Cannon’s legal shenanigans, provoked me to idly mention to my better half how much I missed some comic strips. As a direct effect, apparently, last week I got a birthday gift of the complete, three-volume, hard-bound, boxed set of Calvin & Hobbes. It’s massive and wonderful and difficult to put down. Thanks on all y’all for the inspiration!

    • Rayne says:

      I love Calvin and Hobbes so much, I’m surprised I don’t own a compilation like that. Maybe I’ll ask for one for Christmas since I’m so hard to buy for.
      Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson, December 25, 1993

    • Legonaut says:

      I have (I believe) all of the C&H softcover collections that were published back in the day. They’re dog-eared and well-worn, but I’m saving my collectible comics/graphic novel budget to round out my Sandman collection.

      The C&H collection is a beautiful artifact and a joy to read — you have my envy, sir!

        • Wajim says:

          That is indeed a difficult evaluation; however, I’ll choose Far Side by a nose at the wire, a trite phrase that Larson has played off (or on) for years. When he’s on the nose (see what I did there?) it doesn’t get better

  3. Lawnboy says:

    Rayne, I love the idea of playing MLB games to the problem K9, but you should provide a disclaimer !!!

    If Pavlov had used this method rather than the bell, and the recording was of Toronto’s last effort this week at the hands of the Mariners,,,,,

    Your Dog might end up crapping in the Kitchen!
    There’s going to be Ketchup on the walls of that dressing room I tell ya.

    Love this site.
    LB

  4. posaune says:

    Just hit me when I read your post, Rayne:
    the World Series in in November! I can’t get my head around that!

    Whatever happened to Mr. October?

    • P J Evans says:

      MLB keeps trying to emulate the NFL, without ever shortening the season so they don’t risk being snowed out (or in!) at both ends. Too many playoff games, it’s not fun.

      • punaise says:

        As I recall this season got a late start (and injury-inducing shortened spring training) due to greedy owners and their threat of a lockout.

        • posaune says:

          Ron Guidry, Ron Darling, Bucky Dent, Goose Gossage, Sparky Lyle, and Mr. October. Poor Sparky Lyle, traded to Seattle a few days after the series b/c he was old (39yo).
          Next season, NY had a 3-game series in Seattle. It was a rout for NY the first two games. The 3rd game was headed that way, with the starting pitcher out by the 4th inning. Sparky came in and finished the game, and Seattle won. Red Smith’s headline the next day: Ancient Mariner stops one of three.

    • goatrodeo says:

      One of the better World Series, ever, definitely in this century, played the final 3 games in November, and I love me any World Series that plays out like that one did! Go DBacks! (and go away DBack ownership!)
      2001

  5. Blaze Trailer says:

    Thanks for this Rayne.
    I want to vent about the investigation by Sally Yates of abuse in the National Women’s Soccer League. Of no surprise to anyone – last year alone 5 male coaches were forced out – she found zero accountability for player safety, and a culture of abuse.
    Most glaring is Paul Riley, a known sexual abuser permitted to continue coaching for years in spite of repeated warnings, including to USSF by the renowned Alex Morgan.
    On the other side are players from all over the world, and from our excellent collegiate programs. They play, if not on the national team roster, for pennies. Their living expenses or free housing have to be added to even make it possible to play in many circumstances. And then some **** decides he has anger issues, or feels lucky, whatever.
    Perhaps most sad and compelling, Ms. Yates found that there is a pervasive environment of verbal abuse (at least) starting in the children’s programs. A stain on our soccer glory.
    To the more mundane, CBS splits coverage so you’d have to purchase two streaming services to watch the NWSL playoffs that begin this weekend. So big armpit fart to CBS for that pointless money grab.
    Concluding, these women play with strength and determination, and especially fearlessness, maybe in part because of what they have been through.
    Reminder: The NWSL Final will air on CBS October 29th at 8 Eastern.

  6. sand says:

    Happy Monday Rayne (Edit: I always check the byline, but there’s really no confusing the styles here). Apologies in advance, but I have to say this:

    E – A – G – L – E – S

    Happy Indigenous Peoples Day. Remember, there were eagles here long before there were cowboys.

    See you Sunday.

  7. Blaze Trailer says:

    Soccer fans: WC2022
    If you’ve cut the cord, the Spanish TV station Telemundo is on most digital antennas. For wall to wall World Cup 2022 coverage, early hours in the USA, free!
    Fox will carry games too, not as many as they’ll go to their sports networks.
    40 days!!

  9. Tech Support says:

    Although I don’t follow baseball at all, I am temporarily a Mariners fan to show solidarity with my community. Emotionally they are playing with house money at this point. The M’s could get curb stomped in the next in the next round and people mostly will not mind.

    Further south, two executives of the Thorns/Timbers have been fired following disclosures in the NWSL report that highlighted the complicity of the team’s leadership. The major fan clubs have in unison called for Merritt Paulson (son of former T. Sec. & G. Sachs greybeard Henry Paulson) to sell the teams. That probably won’t happen unless the sponsors run for the exits. Aside from a couple of local companies, the only major move has been from Alaska Airlines, which is redirecting their sponsorship funds for this quarter to the NWSLPA. A few others have issued public statements which hint that their future participation is conditional on a change in ownership.

    Some Portland fans are also currently chewing their arms off regarding early looks at this season’s Blazers, who have stunk it up in preseason. While those games don’t matter in any fundamental way, the level of heartburn around the coaching of 2nd year Head Coach and alleged rapist Chauncey Billups (instead of his runner up for the job, WNBA Championship Head Coach Becky Hammon) is palpable. While the firing of the guy who hired Chauncey brought some grim satisfaction last season, his spectacular error continues to patrol the sidelines.

      • Tech Support says:

        A lot of us were hyped at the opportunity to bring Becky on. When they passed her over we were disappointed but not salty. When the FO partially defended the decision by leaking some negative comments to the media, THEN we were salty. Then she got hired by the Aces and took them on that huge run.

        Hiring Becky would have been the right move for basketball reasons AND for the simple justice of it. Whiffing on this may not end up being as bad as drafting Bowie over Jordan, but it will go up on the Wall of Stupidity.

  10. punaise says:

    In a strange sports zone: not interested in MLB playoffs (my Giants scuffled to a .500 season), don’t give a shit about football (go Cal Bears, maybe?), waiting on Warriors and NBA hoops. I’m done with Draymond Green.

  11. punaise says:

    Tonight we are writing get out the vote postcards to some place in Texas, a world away. It’s a good outlet for the nervous energy leading up to the election.
    Totally flooded by fundraising texts and emails from various candidates.

  12. Tommy D Cosmology says:

    Not much F1 talk around here anymore? I just moved to Austin with my wife and our youngest. She’s been an F1 fan since she turned 12 and the unicorn posters came off the walls and muscle cars went up. One comment about the last race—very troubling that an equipment crane was on track. Reminiscent of the fatal Bianchi tragedy a few years ago.

    • bmaz says:

      It was eerie as to Jules Bianchi. And at the same track in similar wet conditions. That simply cannot happen. I’ll get back to F1 posting one of these days. This season of the circus has turned out to not be that interesting.

    • Alan Charbonneau says:

      I also live in Austin—if you missed the summer, it can be brutal. It was around the high 90’s when I got out my infrared thermometer and found the deck in the sun was 140* and the handrail 148*! In the shade, the deck was a mere 110* 😁 Now we are in the best part of the year, weather-wise.

      I saw this morning that Beto showed up for a debate last night but Abbott was a no-show. Shocking (not). Abbott attended the first debate but wouldn’t allow an audience, they debated in an empty bldg.

      Welcome to Texas. We need people who can think and feel, Abbott does neither.

      • Tommy D Cosmetology says:

        Thanks for the warm welcome! The heat doesn’t bother me. We have friends already visiting us, Austin City Limits this weekend! My wife and I just got our voter registrations back. A blue Texas is a ways off, but I hope it’s coming!

      • Tommy D Cosmology says:

        Thanks for the warm welcome! The heat doesn’t bother us, or our midwestern friends who are already coming to visit—Austin City Limits this weekend! My wife and I just received our voter registrations! A blue Texas is a ways off, but it’s coming!

      • earlofhuntingdon says:

        A bargain at 7.5 – 9.5 million Swiss Francs. I assume that’s shipping, insurance, and duty paid to Arizona. Otherwise, the deal’s off.

        • bmaz says:

          I have sat in Niki Lauda’s Ferrari, but never Schumacher’s. Donations appreciated, send them to Marcy!

  14. hollywood says:

    The Chiefs-Raiders matchup featured a very questionable call to protect Raiders QB Carr. This followed up a Sunday call that was allegedly to protect Brady the GOAT. The NFL is going through some changes resulting in overcorrection in terms of flags thrown. Meanwhile, whither Tua?

  15. Benji says:

    Hey Rayne – so from Sparty being ‘bedecked’ (for lack of a better euphemism) and scarved in the 70’s & 80’s to scarfing midnight tacos at El Azteco yeah, Michigan State is THE University of Michigan.

  16. Cosmo Le Cat says:

    Like Marcy, I was a comparative literature major at the University of Michigan. So I’m obliged to cheer for this year’s undefeated football squad. Looking forward to the Penn State game this weekend, a battle between two great programs. BTW Rayne, it’s maize and blue, but we say “Go Blue!” Since they don’t teach indigenous history in public schools, fewer and fewer Americans even know what maize is (and no, Columbus didn’t discover America, so can someone explain why are we celebrating him?).

    • Rayne says:

      I know you UofM people shout “Go Blue!” because we have other family members who are graduates from that school. Unfortunately, we’re on the outs with them and it doesn’t even matter whether maize is mentioned or not.

      I’m not celebrating the racist rapist and murderer Columbus. That’s why I specifically wished indigenous Americans a Happy Indigenous Peoples day because indigenous people and their heirs more than deserve a day of recognition considering the genocidal losses they suffered under colonialism.

      • FLwolverine says:

        Have you ever read Pastwatch by Orson Scott Card? It’s about creating an alternate history where Columbus prevented from returning to Spain, which discourages the Spanish from further exploration and conquest in the “New” World. I found it fascinating. There are various speculative side trips: one character discusses a theory of how the story of the Great Flood arose (does not involve the Black Sea).

  17. Willis Warren says:

    It’s amazing how the Chiefs can’t make a field goal when the betting line moves their way. Oh, and how about that roughing the passer call that was a ten point swing. At least they didn’t gift wrap a win for the Raiders, but they made a lot of money in Vegas last night. Thought we didn’t notice, but we did.

    • Peterr says:

      After starting kicker Harrison Butker was knocked out in the first half of game one, the Chiefs kicking game has been spotty at best. Of the three folks who have been filling in, the best has been Justin Reed, the #1 safety and backup kicker. The two last-minute signings have shown why they were cut by other teams. I don’t think you can connect the kicking problems with the betting line.

  18. !![!?]?? says:

    This is might be o/t…
    “Valeriy Tarasenko is an entrepreneur of Russian-speaking Ukrainian origin who holds assets in several companies, notably in Quebec and Florida, Radio-Canada reports.

    He is known for having ties to Inna Yashchyshyn, a Russian-speaking Ukrainian who recently made headlines for infiltrating the Mar-a-Lago estate and the entourage of former U.S. president Donald Trump by posing as a member of the Rothschild banking dynasty.”
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/3-people-shot-laurentians-1.6610145

    Anyone have any background on these fine folks? A quick EW search came up empty.

    [Welcome back to emptywheel. Please use a more differentiated username when you comment next, using a unique name with a minimum of 8 *letters*. While I know you have preferred an approximation of an interrobang and wish to stick with an expansion on that, the future comment system will not accept all punctuation marks. Thanks. /~Rayne]

  20. Tom-1812 says:

    Just thinking about Donald Trump’s apparent anxiety about going down flights of stairs, as well as that public occasion when he was observed walking down a ramp very slowly and with visible trepidation. And that’s exactly how Ivana died back in July, falling down a flight of stairs at her home in New York.

  21. Doug_Fir says:

    Using this open thread to update my user name. Thanks!

    [Thanks for updating your username to meet the 8 letter minimum. /~Rayne]

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