Hi Folks,
We do a lot of really insightful, thoughtful and serious features here at Footballguys with some very smart people thinking deeply for you. This is not one of those features.
This is Random Shots and it's a few pages of me downloading my goofy and dysfunctional mental hard drive that gets stuffed with way too many random items from too many hours watching, reading about and listening to football every weekend and throughout the week. It's the only way I keep relatively sane. Here's hoping it has some value for you.
We'll see. Now let's get to it.
J
Oakland punter Marquette King won the internet with his dancing...
How can you not love that?
Thanks to Footballguy JR Embry for that one.
At what point do they give up on Blake Bortles? This has to be close to it, right?
Still with Joe Biden
The DailySnark.com with a live look into public tryouts the Bears held asking for a replacement for Jay Cutler...
Cutler's response.
Ouch.
Remember when Mike Wallace failed his conditioning test for Training Camp this summer?
Apparently "Can You Run Away And Hide From Steeler DBs?" wasn't on the test...
Because who doesn't like a 300 pound defensive player hurdling guys after an interception...
Rock on, Jordan Phillips.
College Football Note. Sweet Band Routine from Ohio State.
Thanks to Footballguy Brian Sumner for that one.
Here's where things are for Case Keenum. Fans are chanting for Tim Tebow.
These guys are tough. Chargers offensive lineman DJ Fluker suffered some sort of bug bite near his eye during the game. And never missed a play.
God Bless Saints fans.
A week after Halloween...
When running backs dream...
Magnum P.I. says it's Movember.
Movember is basically guys sporting a mustache to remind men to take care of their health. Prostate and testicular cancer are big issues for men and one way to help there is with regular prostate checks.
On that topic, Nephew Tommy from the Steve Harvey show has one of the all time great prank calls. It's safe for work and trust me, worth the five minutes...
Two thoughts on this.
#1 - How are they not taking the rest of the season off after this performance?
#2 - The guys work one day a week for the NFL. And they get a week off during the season?
If we ever launch CricketGuys.com, I'm putting Liam Thomas on the front page. From the article, "Thomas, 22, dived for a ball during England Physical Disabilities team's game against Pakistan on October 24 when his artificial leg became lose and went flying."
"It just happened, really. I was sprinting for the ball, put my hand out, hit the deck hard and the next thing I know I stood up and had no leg," Thomas said. "I didn't know whether to grab the leg or get the ball in. I decided to go for the ball."
Well played, Sir.
Thanks to Footballguy Simon Shepherd for that one.
Raiders with a Glitch In The Matrix hung up on 3's...
If DeAndre Washington (#33) had rushed for a touchdown on the next play, the internet might have broken. Thanks to Footbalguy Matthew Oaks for that one.
Music Note Of The Week. If you're looking for a super chill cool vibe, Chet Faker's your guy. Check it out here.
The running back drought in Green Bay continues.
NASCAR Note. Footballguys favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. was pulled over this week. And his fiancee captured the moment.
You know I've been encouraging you guys to get out and vote. Apparently, Colin Kaepernick is not a Random Shots Reader.
Can't win them all I guess.
I was going to leave it at that. Stephen A. Smith was just getting started.
Dang, Stephen A.
Kicker Chris Boswell illustrates why simpler is sometimes better.
He's not crazy though. Here's how it's supposed work.
On the upside, we got a Riverdance reference out of it.
Jeff Fisher: "Todd (Gurley) is not getting enough carries."
Every Gurley Owner:
Newsflash. Andrew Luck is still pretty dang good...
This is not news to anyone in Green Bay.
Oakland QB Derek Carr is everyone's favorite player these days. He's up for a contract and people are talking about "Luckish" type numbers.
If you're in the Raiders front office and in charge of negotiating Carr's new contract, I can't imagine this is what you like to see your coaches publicly saying.
Meanwhile, a live look in on Carr's agent...
More Antonio Brown Cleat action.
I know they're friends and I know he's a star but Muhammad Ali, Arnold Palmer and DJ Khaled?
I know. I sound like Grandpa Simpson there...
I'll take Odell Beckham's kicks from last week though. In the Salute To Service theme.
But mostly because they're from my favorite shoe artist, Kickasso like Picasso.
My friend Adam Schefter with a solid effort here. Running the Dodgeball challenge with two former NFL quarterbacks and Randy Moss and Charles Woodson gunning for him.
I think we can safely say Ray Lewis isn't getting the Madden NFL 18 spokesman gig...
Whether it's footballs or salmon, Randy Moss shows he still has it...
Pittsburgh's James Harrison made waves a while about for not being a fan of "participation trophies". Further proof here he wasn't kidding.
Oh that James Harrison. Here's the real one.
For what it's worth, the Detroit - Minnesota game Sunday was the NFL equivalent of speed dating.
Overheard Sunday on the Vikings broadcast: “Sam Bradford with 7 completions to 6 different receivers. Including himself”
Note to Ronnie Brown: Sorry, Buddy.
I asked this question on Twitter before the Steelers game:
My favorite reply from Footballguy Matt Galante:
Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, they looked completely out of synch. I'm with ESPN's Steve Braband on this one.
Travis Kelce didn't like the call so he threw his towel at the official.
Andy Reid had this after the game. “Common sense needs to step in there,” Reid said. “You can’t do things that are ridiculous.”
That's fair.
Throwing the towel, had me thinking of Austin Powers. Truthfully, most things have me thinking of Austin Powers. But especially this.
"Who throws a shoe? Honestly."
Thanks to Footballguy Martyn Patterson for that one.
Soccer Note. At least it was Kelce just throwing a towel and not this.
The last minute before halftime of the Buffalo at Seattle game was like...
At least we can dismiss Richard Sherman's whining about the officials now...
And of course, ESPN had the "Clickbait Ref Complaint" template ready to go.
Wrapping with a long bit on the Election. Feel free to skip over this and I'll catch you next week with Football stuff.
But this Election was a big deal I think. And I put together some words Wednesday morning. Probably more for myself than anyone else.
Here goes.
A few thoughts this morning after the Election:
1. We’ll be OK.
2. Try to see things from the “other” side.
3. Relationships matter more than politics.
4. Really, I think we’ll be OK.
Longer version.
I wrote this Monday. “My wish for us. If your candidate wins tomorrow, please show some grace in victory. This has been a painful election season. And real damage has been done I feel. But it’s damage that can be healed. If, and that’s a real “if”, the side who wins initiates that healing. And it has to come from the winner. That’s just how things work. God willing, we’re going to have a new President-elect tomorrow. If it’s the person you’ve wanted to win, consider how the “other” side might be feeling. And don’t rub it in. It’s the only way I think we can move forward.”
I’ll be honest, I had in mind Clinton supporters as the target audience asking they be gracious in victory. But the message works both ways. It has to work both ways. Healing and compassion and understanding the “other” side are not political traits. They’re human traits.
I’m fortunate to have an extraordinarily wide range of friends from the political spectrum. I have friends who I love that are right of Rush Limbaugh and friends who I love that are left of Michael Moore. It makes social media interesting. And my life more interesting. And I think, better.
For my friends who are Clinton supporters. And I have many.
Try to consider the “other” side and assume the best of them
Trump voters don’t agree with everything he says. They, like you, were repulsed by the Billy Bush video and many disliked the outrageous things he’s said. I believe a great many supported him primarily as a statement against politics as usual with a desire to change the direction they felt the country was going. And a huge number I believe voted for him incredibly reluctantly. My guess is there is way more common ground here than we might think.
For my friends who are Trump supporters. And I have many.
Try to consider the “other” side and assume the best of them.
That “other” side was expressed well last night by Van Jones where he spoke of fear and concern.
If you think his fears are irrational or overblown, I believe you have two choices:
1. Listen and accept the person is fearful or hurt. Acknowledge their situation. And show some empathy. You can accept the fact you disagree, try to understand the person and figure out how we’re going to move forward. Together.
or
2. Discard the person who thinks differently than you and tell them to toughen up or get over it.
I’m hoping and praying we choose option #1.
As I said Monday, I think graciousness in victory is going to be the key to moving forward.
Grace looks a lot like the words from Donald Trump’s victory speech last night. We’ll of course see if the actions match the words, but the words were on point last night.
Grace is not mocking the losers. Or making fun of a magazine preemptively preparing a cover for each candidate’s victory. It’s showing some class and acting like you’ve won something before. And realizing we’re all citizens of this country and we’re all in this together.
And lastly, I hope we can value relationships over politics. People are complicated. Friendships and relationships are messy. I’m not going to tell you who to be friends with, but I’ll say true friendships can withstand some stress. And many times, the intentional valuing of the friendship over the politics is what keeps it together. Sometimes it takes being intentional and saying out loud the words, “Our friendship is my top priority here. Everything else is second.” Trust me, that changes the discussion and that works.
One of my Young Guns, Michael Jenkins reminded me of this quote today:
"I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."
Abraham Lincoln
First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861
I'm not sure what Lincoln meant exactly by the "better angels of our nature". What I think and hope he meant, and what I mean today as this applies to us, is that we look inward and allow our best selves to shine. For a Christian person, we would use words like hoping and praying we reflect God and Jesus to others. And that we represent them well. People of other faiths or non faiths would have similar words. For many of us, those words are exemplified by how we relate to each other. Especially those we don't always agree with.
One of my favorite lines ever is Ram Dass’ “We’re all just walking each other home”. So much truth there. We’re not saving each other. We’re not doing anything dramatic. We’re just walking each other home. My wish for you and me and us is that we live that out.
We're in Week 10 now so this isn't like our first date and I think I can safely say this: Much love for your Folks.
If you wanted to share the Election Thought, you can see it here on Medium.
Thanks to Footballguys Keith Overton, Clayton Gray, David Dodds, Matthew Oaks, Brian Sumner, Simon Shepherd, Martyn Patterson and JR Embry for the help on this one. If you've got a Random Shot of your own, shoot me an e-mail at bryant@footballguys.com.
Thanks for playing along. I hope you make the most of whatever you're doing in your life. Love your neighbor and stick together.
Peace and Grace to you.
J