Random Shots From Week 13

Joe Bryant's Random Shots From Week 13 Joe Bryant Published 12/06/2023

Hi Folks,

We do a ton of insightful, thoughtful, and serious features here at Footballguys with 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 brain 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 manage. Here's hoping it has some value for you.

We'll see. Now, let's get to it.

J

I'll start with an apology as this week's edition of Random Shots is a little more scattered than normal. I had some not-great real-life stuff happen this week - you can cut to the chase and scroll to the bottom for the details if you like.

Thanks for bearing with me. I know it's just fantasy football, and I know it's just a goofy feature I do each week, but I feel a bit like we're all in this thing together at Footballguys. This week especially.

Peace and Grace to you.

Hmmm.

I (and most everyone else) gave Diontae Johnson a hard time last week for the "effort" here.

Not great, Diontae.

On Wednesday, he did what pros do and owned the mistake and seemed ready to move forward.

This thread with Artificial intelligence-generated renderings of a future Miami Dolphins stadium gets progressively trippier as you go.

Click on the image, and the whole thread will open on Twitter in a new window.

Thanks to Jake Bryant for that one.

How bare is the Patriots roster? Amazon Prime couldn't find a player to use for the Thursday Night Football promo.

Guy took disrespect on a basketball court to a new level.

Winning or Losing, the Patriots are remarkable.

I'm sure they could do without this one, though.

Today's Truth.

Here's what that looks like in the Alabama locker room before the SEC Championship game.

They keep telling me Nick Saban has lost his fastball. Not sure I'm buying it.

Patrick Mahomes II is my favorite current QB. But I need the in-game fun to match the pre-game fun.

Jaylen Waddle, you're kind of ridiculous.

Ok then.

For my New Orleans Peeps.

I don't know how far they'll go. But the Dolphins are fun.

Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the planning.

Thanks to Jake Bryant for that one.

I'd like to report a murder from Indianapolis.

If making the most of what you have is how one measures a coach (and I think that's the right way), DeMeco Ryans has to be on the shortlist for Coach Of The Year.

Still Elite.

Jets fans should file a malpractice suit against their front office.

Terry McLaurin is a pro.

And this feels accurate.

Thanks to Jeff Grobaski for that one.

Lions fans, y'all deserve good things like this.

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz making a strong push to break into the Random Shots big league for coaches.

I felt this one a bit too much.

Dre Greenlaw was ejected for booping the Eagles' security guy.

One. Of. Us.

C.J. Stroud said he was "Gonna stand on business" after Alex Singleton gave him a two-hand touch tag lighter than your family gives on the backyard Thanksgiving game.

Ok then.

Singleton was not impressed.

Have the Packers found their guy? Starting to look that way.

This helps, too.

Brutal.

Tom Brady has gone full-on "Back In My Day" mode. He ripped the league for quarterback play a couple of weeks ago, and then Tuesday started spouting off how "Today's Rules" make things so much easier on the offense. Replying to Chad Johnson's post talking about a Pro Bowl Game, Brady said, "With today's rules? Give me Chad and Randy on the outside, and we're putting up 35 next week."

"Today's Rules"? Does Brady not remember going 8-9 in 2022?

No words necessary.

Thanks to Jake Bryant for that one.

The guys may battle fiercely, but the respect seems clear. Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson trying to help Lawrence and then taking a knee and presumably praying for him got me.

Because I'm twelve years old inside sometimes.

Joey Mulinaro/Jim Harbaugh with some insight into Gen Z terms.

I miss Mike Leach.

As usual, he was ahead of his time back in 2017 explaining the absurdity of a four-team playoff.

Plus, this classic lamenting if only we had some examples of football playoffs from other levels.

Joe Burrow's the Bengals QB. But I love to see a guy like Jake Browning make the most of an opportunity. Hope he keeps rolling.

Thanks to Jake Bryant for that one.

Green Bay cornerback Carrington Valentine looked like he fouled Kansas City's Marquez Valdes-Scantling here.

Carrington after the game:

Trevor Lawrence is the best and most valuable person on the Jaguars team.

Would it be too much to use the cart to help him off the field?

The answer there apparently was, "Yes, it would be."

In fact, they made him walk all the way to the locker room with only a staffer and a security guard.

Sometimes, commercials are more than commercials. This one is a short story about family and memories. And a sweet classic Suburban.

Be warned, you might find the room suddenly gets a little dusty.

Music Note of the Week. This one feels personal.

If you know me, you know I love the Avett Brothers. And there's no song I'm feeling more this week than "Salvation Song".

Wrapping with this one, please forgive me if I get personal.

It's a sad but grateful note.

I'm okay here and don't need a thing, but I'm sorry to let you know that my Dad died Sunday.

A picture from not long ago.

He was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Spindle Cell Sarcoma a couple of weeks ago, and it spread to his lungs. The upside is he did not suffer for a long time. He just became weaker and would get short of breath. Last week, it began to progress rapidly, and he faded quickly.

He was 100% good mentally all the way up to the end and understood and accepted how this would go. He died peacefully at home.

Late last week, I was fortunate to be able to clearly let him know how much I love and appreciate the things he's done for me and my family. It was three pages of some of the things I hoped he already knew. Being able to share that with him and leave a written copy was a true gift. He fully understood and appreciated what I was able to tell him.

And it was very good.

An example of him being good mentally last week was when I asked if I could read to him the list of things I was thankful for. He said, "Of course."

I had a hard time starting and was choked up. He joked, "You're not doing this very good."

That was about as critical a thing as he ever said to me. That's just how he was. An encourager.

He had a very strong faith, and he was ready to go. He told me he was much more fearful of this dragging out a long time than he was afraid of dying. He's reunited with my little brother Rich today and his beloved Mother and his Father he barely knew as he died when my Dad was just a boy. I can only imagine the joy.

I knew him and loved him longer than any other person on Earth. He was my business partner for 22 years at Bryant Boats, and we worked together every day. And my close friend for my whole life. After we sold Bryant Boats, we'd still have lunch at least once a week. He was fiercely proud of his family. To hear his friends talk, you'd think I owned ESPN.

And I'm crushed not to have him here.

But one of the things I told him was if I could draw up a script for a fantastic story with a father and son, I couldn't do better than the story we actually lived out together. So, while I'm sad. I'm super grateful.

I was able to tell him how much of who I am and how so many of the good things I'm able to do and have are connected to him. I learned so much from him and received so much opportunity from him.

I knew without a doubt that he was always "for me." So I'm forever thankful. What a gift.

As Forrest Gump said, he "didn't lead no hum-drum life."

Rock on, Jim Bryant. Rock on, Dad.

Thank you for being part of this goofy journey with us.

And thanks to Footballguys Keith Overton, Jake Bryant, Jeff Grobaski, and Clayton Gray for the help. If you've got a Random Shot of your own, email me at bryant@footballguys.com.

Thanks for playing along, and 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

Photos provided by Imagn Images
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