Thursday morning buffet

A little noshfest from around the world of football:

• Which wide receivers emerge as starters for Clemson?
• It’s funny how coaches and ADs are suddenly finding religion when it comes to college athletes’ NIL rights legislation.  I wonder why.  (Radakovich says that having an NIL law in place in South Carolina would “make sure we have the ability to be on the same ground as some of the other states.”)  Okay, not really.
• It turns out that Jay Graham’s resignation from the Alabama staff was more serious than we thought.  Here’s hoping he gets the kind of help he needs.
• This is some teaching moment you got here, people.
• I’ve noticed Tykee Smith’s entrance into the transfer portal.  So has Zamir White.
• Stingtalk’s reaction to the Pickens injury is every bit the classy response you’d expect it to be from those folks.
• Ed Orgeron speaks highly of his new defensive coordinator.

The stadium ate my field goal, mom.

One byproduct of spring football is that the bad calls come earlier, and this one’s a doozy.

Appears that a FG in the Eastern Washington game was ruled no good even though it clearly went through the uprights.

The ref didn’t watch it, thought it went off the upright, but it bounced off another object pic.twitter.com/12GdDBxWNT

— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) February 28, 2021

Believe it or not, the call was upheld on review, because, why not.  Eastern Washington lost the game, naturally, although not on the ensuing series, which left the Big Sky with a little egg on its face.  And, boy, did the conference double down on it.

Big Sky Conference Statement on Eastern Washington-Idaho Football Game pic.twitter.com/xU57c0wjCD

— Big Sky Football (@BigSkyFB) March 1, 2021

“Sorry, but it’s the stadium’s fault” has to go down as one of the more outstanding blame shifts of the decade.  Sounds like we’ve got some officials who are ready to move up and join the Pac 12.  Very well played, fellas.

Sunday reader bleg

Reader Alex sent me an email this week asking for a discussion on this:

An Oklahoma football player picked a fight with two brothers who are trained MMA fighters. That's honestly just rotten luck. pic.twitter.com/lwzuVI8CmB

— The Artist Formerly Known as @DanWeiner (@ReallyDanWeiner) February 21, 2021

Me, I watch that and see typical college kid dumbassery not worth a discussion, but Alex disagreeed with me:  “… I’d be interesting in seeing what the lawyers and wannabe lawyers think happens with the lawsuit”.

So, be my guest and have at it in the comments.

Pay no attention to the fine print!

That's a lot of Super Bowls…#MadeInHappyValley#WeAre pic.twitter.com/4k2OyXuvEM

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) February 5, 2021

It’s amazing to think there’s a well-paid PR staffer who was convinced that was a good idea.

My 2020 Florida highlight clip

You know, a friend of mine mentioned this moment to me the other day, and upon reflection, I’m not sure we’ve given it the fair consideration it’s due.

Wilson’s display of stupidity is awesome, of course, but what really makes the whole thing is the referee’s “20 yards down the field” touch.  Chef’s kiss, baby.

Molder of young men

I really don’t know what goes through some people’s brains sometimes.

IN OUR INBOX: We’ve heard that @UTChattanooga assistant football coach, Chris Malone, deleted his account after posting this vile comment. Parents and students are outraged. pic.twitter.com/0bNJ1HYgPx

— Chattanooga Holler (@NoogaHoller) January 7, 2021

Dude’s been fired, to no one’s surprise.

There’s always a hot take when you need one.

And this one’s… something.

If you voted for Barack Obama or Donald Trump I do not want to hear about how Shane Beamer has no experience. You literally gave the nuclear codes to a one term senator and a guy that had zero experience in government.

— JC Shurburtt (@jcshurburtt) December 6, 2020

You know, there’s no rule that says once you type something moronic you have to click on “Tweet”.

Weakest analogy of 2020

This one’s cringeworthy, but, considering the source, hardly surprising.

Hancock told me: “We’re asking players and coaches to travel every week. The least we can do is ask the selection committee members to travel.”

— Heather Dinich (@CFBHeather) November 20, 2020

No, Bill, that’s not even in the same zip code as the least you can do.

The triumphant return of Mudcat’s car

All Is Well

— Richard LeCounte III (@LilEasy_35) November 3, 2020

I’m very glad that’s the case, but, shit, if this doesn’t sound familiar.

According to Athens-Clarke County Police, LeCounte was unresponsive when first responders arrived at the scene. He was traveling west on Macon Highway at an unknown rate of speed on an unregistered off-road motorcycle that was not equipped with lights or turn signals. Police estimate the accident occurred at 6:49 p.m., which would have been after sunset.  [Emphasis added.]

A 2019 Mazda 3 sedan driven by a 76-year-old man was traveling west on the same road and attempting to turn left into a convenience store. He did not see LeCounte coming.

That’s so Georgia.  All he needed to complete the trifecta was to have done that emerging from an alley.

“I have a lot of trust to build back.”

No shit, Sherlock.

I don’t care where you personally stand on BLM, if you’re an athletic director, doing an “all lives matter” take on anything these days is a galactically empty headed move.  Well played, genius.