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pcwpolwrestling · 4 years

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Extreme Election Night 2020 Preview

(PCW 15th Year Celebration- Taped Earlier This Year)

The Scene: A meeting room inside a hotel. At the front of the room, PCW Owner Dawn McGill stand behind a podium with a sign in front that reads “PCW 15 years.” She’s dressed nicely for the occasion.

PCW Owner Dawn McGill

Dawn McGill: Welcome to the fifteenth year of Political Championship Wrestling.

The camera pans around the hall at the politicos from both sides – all whom played major roles in PCW over the past fifteen years – as they applaud.

There’s ‘The Mastermind’ Karl Rove who claps his hands and then points to his temple to make sure everyone knows he’s a *BLEEP*-ing genius.

The Clinton Political Pitbulls (James Carville, Terry McAuliffe, and Sidney Blumenthal).

’The Alaskan Pitbull’ Sarah Palin (AK-American Patriots).

Rahm Emanuel- he’s about the drop an F-Bomb but realizes he’s on camera so he doesn’t.

‘Screamin’ Howard Dean (VT-Progressive Alliance)…

Howard Dean: YEEEEEEEEEEEAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

…who’s sitting uncomfortably close to one Alan Simpson (WY-American Patriots)…

Alan Simpson: STOP YELLING IN MY *BLEEP*-DAMN EAR!

…Mitch McConnell (KY-American Patriots) stands and claps…

Mitch McConnell: Spending obscene amounts of cash in order to gain influence with our leaders is a First Amendment right!

…Nancy Pelosi (CA-Progressive Alliance). She hides behind of wall of bodyguards. Get it? Hiding behind a wall. A wall of bodyguards?

Then there’s a quick shot of the PCW Hall of Famers on hand: ‘Not Just Unbearable…Not Just Intolerable…He is…’ Justin Sufferable, PCW tag team legends The Flyin’ Martini Brothers (Independent), ‘No Frills’ Chris Escondido, and ‘The Original Rookie Sensation’ Starz N. Stripes (Kevin Scott)

Back to McGill up front.

Dawn McGill: Let’s now welcome the living former PCW CEO’s. First, Jimmy Carter.

John Denver’s ‘Thank God I’m a Country Boy’ heralds the entrance of 96 year old Jimmy Carter (GA-Progressive Alliance) as he’s wheeled into the hall.

Dawn McGill: Bill Clinton.

Clinton (AR-Progressive Alliance) strides out as a video plays of an old episode of ‘Bill Clinton’s Hot Tub’ plays…

VIDEO: Bill Clinton’s Hot Tub – November 2nd, 2010 episode of Extreme Political TV Clinton glumly sits in his hot tub…alone and flanked by two Secret Service men. Off to the side of the hot tub lies a ladybug costume that he had brought anticipating that Christine O’Donnell was going to be his guest on the show.

Bill Clinton: I don’t know what else I could have done. I even brought her a ladybug costume just so she’ll feel comfortable. *sigh*

Secret Service Agent 1: I don’t think Miss O’Donnell is coming sir.

Bill Clinton: This makes me profoundly sad. (bites lip) I feel my pain.

Dawn McGill: George W. Bush.

Dawn watches as George W. Bush’s (TX-American Patriots) perpetually off-key mariachi band leads former CEO George W. Bush to the ring with another horribly played, but rousing, rendition of “Hail to the Chief.”

Dawn’s face contorts and cringes every time the off-key mariachi band hits a particularly sour note.

Dawn McGill: Barack Obama.

*flute and clarinet flourish*

Two men come out and unroll a white carpet to the ring steps. Dancers then dance. Ballet dancers…ballet? Little children walk up the white carpet and drop rose petals. Someone lets loose some pigeons…we’re still not sure just how they’ll get out of the building. Former PCW CEO Barack Obama (IL-Progressive Alliance) appears with his former Aide de Camp Joe ‘the Big F-ing Deal’ Biden (DE-Progressive Alliance) by his side.

Dawn McGill: And our current CEO, Donald Trump.

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PCW CEO Donald Trump (NY-American Patriots) comes out on stage.

The supporters chant “TRUMP! TRUMP! TRUMP!” which merges with the melody of the Imperial March and becomes:

♫ TRUMP.

TRUMP.

TRUMP-TRUMP-TRUMP

TRUMP-TRUMP-TRUMMMMP♫

♫ TRUMP.

TRUMP.

TRUMP-TRUMP-TRUMP

TRUMP-TRUMP-TRUMMMMP♫

After Trump sits down at the dias with the rest of the other former CEO’s, McGill continues.

Dawn McGill: Tonight is not about politics as usual.

As she speaks, the caterers roll out a huge cake.

Dawn McGill: Tonight is about celebrating what we have in common and what binds us together.

Close up to the item sitting on top of said cake- it’s a giant briefcase with money overflowing from inside of it.

Dawn McGill: It’s about…all of us…

As the caterers situate where the cake is to go, one of them bumps into the cart. The giant briefcase starts to sway back and forth.

Dawn McGill: …It’s about the people…

Finally, the briefcase slides off the top and falls towards the floor.

Close up- Mitch McConnell. His eyes light up and drool forms on the edge of his mouth.

Dawn McGill: …because we may have our differences…

The briefcase hits the floor and opens up. There’s a lot of cash inside and some of it spills out onto the floor.

Close up- Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton: Ohhhh baby.

Everyone looks around at each other.

Dawn McGill: …in the end, we all share a common thread the binds us all together…

Silence…several seconds of silence.

Bill Clinton’s gaze meets up with James Carville. Clinton nods and winks. Carville smiles and then…

George W. Bush: Wait for it.

At once, Carville and everyone else shoot up from their chairs and dives towards the open briefcase. McConnell jumps in. Pelosi’s ‘wall’ of bodyguards barge in and try to plow a path to the cash.

Also wading in: John Boehner (OH-American Patriots), Harry Reid (NV-Progressive Alliance), and Paul Ryan (WI-American Patriots) and people from both sides of the aisle attempt to burrow their way through the pile of humanity.

Rahm Emanuel (IL-Progressive Alliance) runs down and starts dropping people left and right with F-Bombs.

Close up of Jimmy Carter’s reaction to the scramble for cash: disappointment and disgust.

Unidentifiable person in the middle of the scrum: OWWWWW! HE’S BITING! HE’S BITING!

Close up- it’s James Carville.

Close up of George W. Bush’s reaction: whimsical smile.

W taps Clinton on the shoulder.

George W. Bush: Not a whole lot of strat-tee-ger-ree goin’ on here.

Bill Clinton: Nope.

Another unidentifiable person in the middle of the scrum: OWWWWW! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!

Close up- it’s ‘The Alaskan Pitbull’ Sarah Palin. She’s not biting though. She’s using a power drill to get to the bottom of the pile.

Sarah Palin: DRILL BABY DRILL!

Another unidentifiable person in the middle of the scrum: AAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHH!

Close up of Barack Obama’s reaction: rising above the fray.

Barack Obama: *I* would not do that.

Obama turns to Biden.

Barack Obama: But *I* also know you’re just itching for a fight.

Joe Biden: You know it.

Barack Obama: Go for it.

Biden leaps over the table and literally cannonballs into the pile of humanity.

A third unidentifiable person in the middle of the scrum: OWWW! DAMMIT! WHO KEEPS BITING?

Close up- it’s Alan Simpson- Simpson’s not after the money, he’s just being his usual irascible and ornery self.

W leans in towards Bill Clinton.

George W. Bush: Where’s Hillary?

Close up of the pile. Two legs wearing white pants stick out of the huge pile.

George W. Bush: Oh. Never mind.

Trump shakes his head.

Close up- Dawn McGill at the podium. She rolls her eyes and takes a sip from her drink.

McGill’s POV: both sides scratch, claw, gouge, use steel folding chairs, regular chairs, and anything else that can be used as a weapon- all to get at the cash in the briefcase.

She sighs and rests her chin on her hand propped up by her elbow on the podium as the chaos continues…

Political Championship Wrestling Preview of Extreme Election Night 2020 Hack’s Rusty Nail Saloon Wauseon, Ohio Sunday December 27th, 2020

Johnny Suave (voiceover): “To say that the last year have been frustrating for Dawn McGill would be an understatement of epic proportion. Having her show taken off the air and having to endure the Star Chamber of Pelosi, Schiff, and Nadler and their investigation had been not only tough on her but the PCW talent as well. Yes, house shows continued to be run but PCW was off television. As 2019 came to a close, Dawn fired off a shot across the bow when a PCW Christmas show suddenly aired causing a few eyebrows to be raised. The show featured PCW mainstays Rah and Halitosis headlining against The Professional Bad Guys- Hans Grueber and Carl Vreski in a Nakotomi Towers Death Match.”

(REPLAY: PCW Christmas Show- December 2019) Grueber and Vreski send Rah over the top rope to the floor. Grueber slides out and pulls something out from underneath the ring. It’s an eight foot by four foot piece of glass.

Johnny Suave: What the hell is he doing?

What he’s doing is setting up the piece of glass in the corner and motioning Vreski to do something with it. Vreski doesn’t quite understand what Grueber wants him to do and shrugs.

Grueber again motions to the glass- Vreski still doesn’t know what he’s got in mind. He shrugs again.

Now agitated, Greuber makes an exaggerated motion pointing at the glass.

Again, Vreski doesn’t quite get it.

Finally…

Hans Grueber: SHOOT…THE GLASS!

Grueber positions Halitosis in front of the glass. Vreski finally gets it.

Carl Vreski: Ohhhhhhhh!

Vreski rushes forward and spears Halitosis right through it, sending glass flying all over the place.

Johnny Suave: Whoa!

Crowd: HOLY *BLEEP*…HOLY *BLEEP*

Johnny Suave: Hey, that’s Laura Bergman looking on. She’s Halitosis’s wife.

…

Rah hits a bulldog and drops ax handles on the back of Vreski. Then he takes Vreski’s chain and wraps it around his neck. Vreski frantically tries to get away. He tries to throw himself out of the ring but the chain catches and hangs him up.

Rah drags Vreski back to the ring and signals it time to sacrifice him to the Temple of the Sunshine God. He looks over at his faithful worshipers-

…and they’re not paying attention to what he’s doing.

Rolling his eyes, Rah looks over at McGill- she’s looking at her compact and redoing her lipstick that got mussed up when she Singapore caned Vreski.

Sighing, Rah then turns to the fans at ringside and finally receives the adulation he’s looking for. He places Vreski’s head between his legs and looks towards the heavens with arms stretched out soaking in the praise and worship of the fans. After receiving the necessary strength, Rah picks Vreski up and drives him down onto the canvas with the Eye of RAHHHHHH (jackknife powerbomb).

Rah walks with a deliberate gait over to Vreski. He should pin him right then and there but something catches the eyes of the Sunshine God. In the stands, he sees Hans Grueber with a firm grip on the hand of one Laura Bergman and dragging her up the steps towards the top with him. A few feet below, Halitosis, bloodied and just a mess, climbs up the steps a few feet behind them. Rah watches as Grueber reaches the top and sees Joe coming for him. He threatens to throw Laura off the back of the stands if he takes another step forward.

Laura stomps on Grueber’s foot. Halitosis lurches forward and unleashes his lethal breath of death on Grueber. Grueber clutches his throat at the stench and gets perilously close to the edge. Laura shoves Grueber over the edge but the German grabs on to Laura’s wrist as he topples over and begins to pull her down with him – Joe grabs Laura and holds on for dear life.

Grueber has a hold of her watch. He tries to reach up with his free hand as Laura feverishly loosens the watchband. It slips off her wrist and…

Grueber falls and crashes through two tables that’s been conveniently set up below him.

Johnny Suave: I wonder who put those tables up?

Quick cut to Dawn McGill, filing her nails behind the stands and nodding at her handiwork as Grueber lays in the wreckage of the tables.

* * *

Johnny Suave (voiceover): “So as 2020 arrived, McGill was ready to say the hell with it and pull the trigger. Then she was unceremoniously hauled before the Pelosi-Schiff-Nadler hearings again.”

* * *

(PCW Headquarters-Washington D.C. -February 2020)

Johnny Suave (voiceover): “The hearing with the express purpose of determining whether or not Dawn McGill would be removed as the Executive Director of Political Championship Wrestling. Now, you may be asking yourself: Wait a second. I thought she owned PCW. Well, let’s go back a few months to May of 2019.”

[REPLAY: 5/2/2019-Donald Trump (R-NY)] The CEO of Political Championship Wrestling Donald Trump explains why the Red Brand and Blue Brand went dark, shows were cancelled, and why PCW ran replays of shows from ten years ago over the past two weeks. Short and to the point, Trump states the current method of doing business with three brands wasn’t working so, he felt it was time to make a change.

Trump reaches under the podium and pulls out an Infinity Gauntlet (ie…the very same Infinity Gauntlet featured in the recent Avengers movie). He places said Infinity Gauntlet on his right hand. Trump raises his hand in the air.

Then he attaches a red stone to the gauntlet. Then he snaps his fingers and says Red Brand is no more. The press- except for most of the Fox News contingent – let out a loud cheer.

Trump then attaches a blue stone to the gauntlet and snaps his fingers and proclaims the Blue Brand. No more. The press- except for most of the Fox News contingent – groan.

Then Trump attaches a white and black stone with PCW written on it to the gauntlet. But this time he doesn’t snap his fingers. Trump announces he made PCW owner Dawn McGill a generous offer for PCW that sets her up for life and she accepted.

So what does that mean? McGill’s investment in trying to keep PCW alive just paid off for her in a big, big way. The Red and Blue Brand will consolidate under PCW. So, who will lead PCW going forward?

Dawn McGill comes out followed by PCW Hall of Famers “No Frills’ Chris Escondido and Justin Sufferable. McGill shakes Trump’s hand as does Escondido and Sufferable.

There’s a disturbance and male voice shouts out: “GET THAT GAUNTLET! THE FATE OF THE POLITICAL UNIVERSE DEPENDS ON IT!”

Suddenly, Captain America (aka Chris Evans dressed in costume), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.- in costume), and Captain Marvel (Brie Larson- in costume) rush towards Trump and his Infinity Gauntlet that’s made the Red Brand and Blue Brand specific shows disappear.

But before they can reach him: Escondido steps in to kick Evans in the balls. He then power slams Evans.

Sufferable chops Downey Jr. with an open hand and drives him to the floor with the Lou Thesz press.

McGill stops Larson in her tracks with a Spinning Heel kick and then follows with the McGill Bomb (sit-out powerbomb).

(END VIDEO)

Sitting at a table cutting a solitary figure with a glass of water placed next to her elbow, Executive Director Dawn McGill faced the stern glare of one Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA). She wasn’t happy to be there and made sure both Pelosi and Schiff knew it in her opening statement.

Dawn McGill: I said this before but let me make this clear to the Establishment…PCW is not here for you. PCW is here for…THEM…the fans.

Pelosi called the hearing to order following McGill’s opening remarks and Schiff announced that the minutes will be waived. He announced that he will proceed with questions towards the Executive Director of PCW.

Schiff doesn’t waste time cutting to the chase- he wants to know about the deal Donald Trump made with her in May 2019.

McGill responded directly that the deal was a basic business transaction to bring PCW back under the political universe umbrella while rewarding her for her hard work over the past five years trying to keep PCW alive.

Schiff fired back that he believed it’s easy to connect the dots. He demands to know if there was any quid pro pro- McGill sold PCW in return for Trump putting an end the Red and Blue Brand shows.

Brushing off Schiff’s challenging demeanor, McGill smiled and then recalled the intense reaction of the Progressive Alliance – most notably Jerry Nadler’s (D-NY) Oversight committee – to the deal made. Her description of the response was

“predictable.”

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McGill also made sure to recognize that the American Patriots didn’t take the news so well either.

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Schiff continued to press the issue and asked if McGill took into consideration that Trump could be breaking the law by making a deal with her.

With a bemused grin, McGill asked which particular law Schiff was referring to.

Schiff said that’s what they’re trying to find out.

Dawn McGill: Oh? Is that kind of like passing a bill just to see what exactly is in the bill?

Pelosi was not amused. She brought up the fact that McGill hired back Russian referee Corrina Romanov after previous PCW CEO Barack Obama had fired her after Extreme Election Night 2016 as a striking example of the ‘poor judgment’ McGill has.

McGill retorted she couldn’t help that elements remained inside the Progressive Alliance who still blamed Romanov for Trump defeating Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Before Pelosi can respond to that, McGill also threw in for good measure the fact that Pelosi also continued to be chapped at her because she refused to back down and give in to her demand that the 2020 CEO candidates return to the old way where their candidates would hire surrogate wrestlers to wrestle in their place- unlike in 2016.

Pelosi made sure to reference the match at 2008’s Extreme Election Night between then-champion Starz N. Stripes (now Kevin Scott) – representing John McCain- and challenger O’Beck Bahama- representing Barack Obama- perhaps one the greatest matches ever in PCW history. She implored McGill to be reasonable and allow a return to that very system.

McGill remained steadfast. She told Pelosi that both sides have allowed others to fight their battles for too long and maintained 2020 would have the same format of 2016.

Pelosi strenuously objected and called her a puppet- one more reason why she should be impeach- . . . er . . . removed as the Executive Director of PCW.

Nancy Pelosi: The people vying to become the next CEO of the Political Universe are not ‘ordinary’ men and women and should not be treated as such.

McGill fired back that regardless of what special privileges she feels they are owed, the fact remained that they are ‘people’ and should be subject to the same rules everyone else is.

Schiff responded it didn’t matter.

Adam Schiff: We’ve received two dozen reports of individual acts of perversion, so profound – and disgusting – that decorum prohibits listing them here.

Schiff declared there is a solution to this problem- the removal of Dawn McGill followed by strict oversight of PCW by Schiff’s and Nadler’s committee.

McGill’s response?

Dawn McGill: Yeah, that’s not happening.

Pelosi threatened McGill that oversight is coming whether she likes it or not and if need be they will personally take control of PCW to ensure that there’s appropriate oversight.

Dawn McGill: Oh? Like the one Joe Biden was proposing?

(VIDEO: 6/10/2019 PCW Extreme Political TV) Joe Biden’s voice: Perhaps I can be of assistance.

Joe Biden, former Aide de Camp to former PCW CEO Barack Obama (D-IL) and the twenty-second candidate to declare for the 2020 race, comes out.

He strolls out to the ring and stands behind McGill.

Joe Biden: If I become the next CEO of the Political Universe in 2020, I plan on taking a more ‘hands-on’ approach than Donald Trump has.

As he talks, Biden puts his hands on McGill’s shoulders- much to her surprise…and annoyance.

Joe Biden: Not to say that Ms. McGill-

Dawn McGill (pointedly): Miss!

Joe Biden: …has done a bad job of running PCW…

Biden rubs McGill’s shoulders.

Joe Biden: …but we need a different approach than the one offered by Donald Trump. I plan on bringing a new vision to bring us closer together…

His hands start moving down- much to McGill’s alarm. She finally turns around and whispers something in Biden’s ear.

Joe Biden: …huh?

McGill continues to whisper something to Biden.

Joe Biden: If I don’t stop doing that you’re going to do what?

McGill rolls her eyes and explains to him again what the problem is and what will happen if he doesn’t stop.

Joe Biden: I’m sorry but that seems physically impossible to do- to yourself.

Dawn McGill: How bad do you want to find out?

Biden wisely removes said hands from McGill’s person. (END VIDEO)

Dawn McGill: Yeah. Again, not happening.

Nadler accused her of ‘obstruction’ of his oversight.

Pelosi again threatened to take matters into her own hands if McGill did not acquiesce to her demand.

McGill called herself a businesswoman – an ordinary person trying to make ends meet in an increasingly toxic atmosphere by politicians just like Pelosi and Schiff.

Dawn McGill: Perhaps if Joe didn’t send Hunter Biden to try to buy my silence after he got all handsy on me-

Pelosi quickly cut her off.

Nancy Pelosi: Well, I think we’ve heard enough.

Jerry Nadler: I agree.

Adam Schiff: Let’s finish this damn thing right now!

Dawn McGill: Yes. Let’s finish this now.

McGill stood up from her chair.

Dawn McGill: We’re not going to sit here and take this from you anymore. If Dianne Feinstein can leave early, we’re going to leave too.

McGill turned and motioned to the PCW supporters in the hearing room who suddenly prepared to take their leave.

Dawn McGill: Ladies? Gentlemen? We’re done here.

And with that, they began to exit from the hearing room while humming ‘The Star Spangled Banner’- kind of like this…

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This, of course, pissed off Pelosi and Schiff to no end.

Nancy Pelosi: Where do you think you’re going? You’re not walking out on this one!

But they were. The PCW supporters continued to exit as Schiff banged the gavel on the table and tried to restore order.

Nancy Pelosi: You’ve bought it this time. You’re finished!

More supporters left while Schiff continued to bang the gavel down on the table.

Nancy Pelosi: I’m taking you down. I’m taking ALL of you down.

And more supporters streamed from the hearing room.

Nancy Pelosi: No more PCW.

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McGill bent down and furiously scribbled away on a sheet of paper. Finally she glanced up and faced Pelosi.

Dawn McGill: And just to clarify. When Trump ‘purchased’ PCW, he bought the right to air and produce the show. *I* still own the PCW name. *I* still own the shows and intellectual property. *I* still own the pay per views.

She held up the paper.

Dawn McGill: And with my signature right here on this sheet of paper, I just reclaimed my right to air and produce PCW shows as I see fit.

Pelosi and Schiff’s jaws dropped.

Dawn McGill: You can call this…a wres-xit.

Then she turned and left with the rest.

* * *

Johnny Suave (voiceover): “But then COVID happened and like many small businesses, McGill and PCW found themselves shut down while larger, corporate wrestling organizations continued to run. After running a few house shows in January and February, PCW went dark in 2020. But that didn’t mean there were forces in play intending to put on Extreme Election 2020 without her. George Moros and the Coke Brothers- big time billionaires with money to burn on political things- announced in September they planned to run an Extreme Election Night 2020 show in November 2020. There was just one problem- the nanosecond Dawn McGill caught wind of this scheme, she marched right into a courthouse and initiated legal action. Suffice to say, Moros and the Coke Brothers were not pleased with her response. You see, McGill, Moros, and the Coke Brothers had butted heads before…”

(VIDEO: February 2019-After PCW’s D.C. Armory Supershow) It’s late. The fans have left. The wrestlers have left. PCW Owner Dawn McGill finally walks out of the D.C. Armory two and a half hours after the show ends. She gets into her rental vehicle and pulls out of the parking lot.

Dawn heads north on 19th Street SE and stops at the light at East Capitol Street NE. Traffic is light and she’s the only one stopped at the intersection.

Her mind occupied, she did not see the pair of headlights coming up fast behind her.

But she felt the impact when the vehicle slammed into the back of her car. Dawn gets pitched forward but the airbag immediately deploys and the seat belt holds firm.

Four men exit the large SUV equipped with a heavy duty front bumper that easily absorbed the collision. One man rips open the driver’s door and another one helps him pull a dazed McGill out of the car. A third man swoops in and places a strip of duct tape over her mouth. The fourth yanks her arms behind her back and zipties her wrists together.

They drag her back to the SUV and throw her into the back seat. It’s there she finds out who’s behind this.

The Coke Brothers and George Moros. Financiers of both factions.

George Moros: We all need to have a little talk here.

Then a cloth hood is placed over her head.

Of course, McGill would respond at the next PCW Extreme Political TV show.

(VIDEO: 2/17/2019-PCW Extreme Political TV) Dawn McGill: I so did not expect to spend my Saturday night after the show ziptied in the back of a SUV.

The crowd boos. McGill tells them it’s okay. The Establishment got pissed off at her so she got to go for a little ride around Washington D.C. while Coke Brothers and George Moros tried to intimidate her.

More boos from the PCW fans.

McGill explains the Cokes and Moros were a little upset that PCW got to keep running while the Red and Blue shows were shut down…they impressed on her that PCW could be squashed like a little bug like many other small time, mom and pop, undercapitalized businesses are when they run up against the big boys.

Dawn McGill: They basically wanted me to back down and go away because I was ‘distracting’ people away from their ‘business’…their high priced wrestlers paid for by their high priced money masters. I told them they could kiss my ass. Oh…and I also told them they could go *BLEEP* themselves.

The PCW fans stand up and let out a loud, loud cheer,

McGill says that contrary to the spin and the media’s narratives, PCW is doing a lot better than anyone could have imagined. A lot better.

Dawn McGill: We’re proving that you don’t need corporate money to succeed. We’re proving that you don’t need a governmental bureaucracy to succeed. All we need is an equal playing field. All we want is for everyone to play under the same set of rules. No special dispensations. One set of rules for EVERYONE no matter WHO you are! We’re building PCW from the ground up and we’re doing it ourselves!

The crowd stands and cheers when McGill proclaims that ‘we ain’t going nowhere!’ and *BLEEP* the Establishment!

Johnny Suave (voiceover): “McGill prevailed over Moros and the Coke Brothers and she made sure PCW Extreme Election Night 2020 did in fact take place on November 3rd, 2020. How would it go? We’ll find out soon enough. Thursday December 31st. PCW presents Extreme Election Night 2020. Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden.”

PCW EXTREME ELECTION NIGHT 2020

MAIN EVENT: Donald Trump (American Patriots) vs. Joe Biden (Progressive Alliance)- winner becomes the CEO of PCW for the next four years.

PCW TITLE MATCH: ‘Starz N. Stripes’ Kevin Scott (American Patriots) vs. ‘Mr. Hollywood’ Kevin Daniels vs. ‘Prairie Populist’ William Daniels Bryan (American Heartland Coalition)

PCW WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH: Kathryn Randall Collins (Progressive Alliance) vs. ‘Alaskan Rogue’ Sierra Whalen (American Patriots) vs. ‘Extreme Pizza Delivery Girl’ Tessa Martin (American Heartland Coalition)

PCW TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: Jill Berg Enterprises: P.M.C. Banks and Kirk Walstreit (American Patriots) vs. The Green World Order: GreenPete and ‘Vengeful Vegan’ Brock Cole Lee (Progressive Alliance) vs. The Vice Squad: Al Cahall and Nic Koteen (American Heartland Coalition)

PLUS:

ARIZONA SENATE MEDALLION MATCH: Martha McSally (American Patriots) vs. Mark Kelly (Progressive Alliance)

MICHIGAN SENATE MEDALLION MATCH: Gary Peters (Progressive Alliance) vs. John James (American Patriots)

SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE MEDALLION MATCH: Lindsey Graham (American Patriots) vs. Jaime Harrison (Progressive Alliance)

#politics #political #conservative #liberal #moderate #independent #republican #democrat #election 2020 #2020 election #Donald Trump #joe biden

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leagueofawesomedudes · 4 years

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2020 LOAD Week 7 Preview

Alright boys, we’re friggen back. I sat at my computer watching a rant-filled groupme conversation as I flipped back and forth between the 37 tabs of the historical data LOAD spreadsheet when I came to the decision 6 weeks is long enough. No longer will you be deprived of my majestic, dare I say, God-like pen to paper fantasy football previews. That’s right, pucker up your buttholes and be ready to masturbate with your tears of joy, laughter, and distraught as I destroy each and every one of you. No Browns talk, no putting it lightly, no bullshit.

Before I start, TJ we appreciate your commissioning efforts in the 2020 season. This is not in spite, I just really missed the preview articles and is my push to somehow keep them around.

And now back to your regularly scheduled cheek spreading unadulterated fun.

“Jared, wait for this sick drop” The Injured Reserve (1-5) vs.

“Burg, I think these guys actually want to fuck me” Can’t Guard Mike (3-3)

If Jon’s not ferociously defeating the CoCo (Covid19) or nervously giggling as the Squad guys make questionable sexual advances on him, he’s putting together a solid team. I mean you can’t knock a guy with a 3-3 record when you’ve scored the most points in the LOAD. Buuut I’m going to anyway. Suck it Jon. Casey’s still recovering from drafting Joe Mixon in the first-round last year but I will say has elevated his strive for the playoffs. He even did a trade! Good job man someone had to respond to Dom eventually. Your participation in the Groupme on game days (mostly Monday nights) is welcomed and if you ever schedule a tee time at 7am that doesn’t also require a 2 hour commute I’m totally down. Unless Doug’s there I’m all set on my 401k. Unfortunately for Casey, Jon is returning Michael Thomas after his teammate altercation (HideYoWifeInNawlins?) and looks to earn a playoff spot the old-fashioned way with his record.

Jon > Cholly

“The Snowman” SheDiggsMyCobb (0-6) vs.

“Why’s the Snowman doing all my coke” Pelting Coopers (4-2)

Bennett as much as I appreciate you on my side of the Kicker argument your record is almost making me want you on the other side. We’ve all seen the “historical” data showing where you stand but you do realize you have to get W’s or you fall behind right? This is what you get for recklessly abandoning your strong stance on a roster full of white players only housing 4 on the roster? And to think we all depended on you. Dom I have to say we all enjoy you a lot more without the bullshit time advantage our previous waiver wire system afforded you. The FAAB system has given us all new found time and sleep on our hands but unfortunately for you has also opened the door to the testing facility every other Wednesday. No one blames you with the LA puh and that hair of yours. Speaking of trade rapes, no one talks enough about the Hunt for Edelman straight up during a tough Browns opener and an extremely intoxicated Chad. Well done sir, whether ethical or not, well done. Bennett stays as defeated as his meat on page 113 of XNXX and counting, and takes the L.

Salami > Benito

“What’d you say you use to slow balding? My friend was wondering” Dj Play Moore Drake (2-4) vs.

“Bro check it it’s River, like Rocky River, where I live, get it?!?!” jared donovan’s team

Man, I’ve seen few people more confident than Paul heading into the season. He had the mock drafts, the magazines, the insiders, hell even Reddit! And yet here we are. You all thought I was trade raped but yet here. we. are. Our loving Paul with the closest thing to an unbreakable spirit, almost broken. I do think there’s potential for a rebound this year, but Jared is totally trying now and never was before last year so it won’t happen this week. New house, new puppy, same Jared. Guy throws a moving party on my birthday weekend of all weekends. Just when you think Jared can’t surprise you any more, he gives me an entire day to show off how fucking big I am in front of all my friends. No ladies, your boyfriend is still not bigger than me. Thanks again dude it was the highlight of my 2020. Jared somehow gets one of the top QB’s in the league AND Darius Slayton for a rookie QB potentially on the rise and he’s in a spot to continue to do some damage in the LOAD. Paul, you’re going to need one of Jared’s 3 hour long showers to recover from this beatdown.

Jerry > Pav

“I’m not triggered but CEH’s game was undisputedly the 1st game of the year” 2 Younghoes 1 Kupp (4-2) vs.

“Wait I don’t have Wentz anymore?” Under the Influwentz (2-4)

A Mr. Douglas Yeckley is the latest to join the fiancé gang and I personally can’t wait until I hit my annual quota of 1 face to face hang out at the Secret Santa to congratulate him in person. I’m still trying to figure out if he checks his email more than the groupme and actually knows he’s the second-best fantasy manager in the LOAD. Yahoo favors the autodraft, can’t wait to see how he does without it next year :) Sam, Sam, Sam. Trying to determine how I feel about writing this on your birthday. I can hate on your dedication to Fantasy as much as I want, but gosh darnit do I have to respect it. Especially with Ashley calling all of your shots this year. We all know she’s been the brains behind this operation this year. Just wait bud, that spreads into all decisions you make real soon. The old “well her lease is up so it makes sense” is how it alllll starts my friend. Won’t be long until that hair of yours starts to look like mine and Pauls. And just because I always root against you, I’m sticking to my guns.

Fur > Sammy

“You said she’s 18? Nah too old for me” Street Charks (3-3) vs.

Dad (6-0)

Battle of the daddys. Chad out on the streets, and Shawn in the burb life. I’ve been sitting here trying to determine which one of their kids has a better chance of coming out with a bomber on. History repeats itself so I think we have the answer. It’s not often I’m called a trend setter, but this may be the start. Shawn needs to watch out as Chad’s newly shaved arms not only make him look more jacked, aerodynamic when he fights, but it also packs an extra punch in fantasy. Shawn’s the only remaining undefeated team left, but I feel the walls are closing in on him with some injuries to the roster. Even as he’s reading this Chad’s defending Shawn in his head, and giggling as he hears “Right Shawn?” “No, left Shawn”. Just hoping I can get one random, witty comment from Shawn in the groupme from this and I’ll feel accomplished. You’re upset of the week boys, you heard it here first.

Wardog > Carothers

***Game of Ze Week***

“It’s actually classified as hair-thinning, that’s all” Kickers & Defense (4-2) vs.

“Oh yeah? Well my friends all tell me I’m the best commish they’ve ever had” Tony Time (3-3)

If you thought I was going through all of this trouble to write this and not putting myself as the game of the week you’re dumber than Malik. And with that, I’ll lead into a fan favorite, story time:

It’s a brisk Fall morning amidst a global pandemic but more importantly, fantasy season. The squad members have begun to wake and start their days. It’s Friday, so Solden has already been trying to get the troops going as Chad frantically thinks of things to talk about. A small tickle from his mustache causes Tony to slowly open his eyes, taking in a deep breath as Petey licks his face. It’s a calm 8:45, so he still has time to drink his coffee outside before starting his day. As he scrolls among the 37 groupme notifications he figures, why not download the Yahoo app and see what’s going on. Notifications? Hmm I wonder what that could be. His eyes widen. Mouth drops. Sweat begins to pour as The Darth Vader coffee mug slips from his grasp. *Justin Herbert – Questionable (ribs)* *Dionte Johnson – Out (back)*

*Clyde Edwards-Helaire – Questionable (Ankle)*. This can’t be he says. I rallied them all yesterday it mustn’t be! These trades were fool proof! He frantically sprints over to the computer as Petey sits next to his empty food bowl. “At a time like this?!? Not now Petey!!!” He repeats in his head chant-like “The spreadsheet will have the answers, the spreadsheet will have the answers” as he frantically logs in. No… No it can’t be…. He had it saved to the desktop he’d just edited it the night before for 9 hours! Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!

“Tj wake up” He jumps. He checks his mustache to make sure it’s still there. It was just a dream. And all is right in the world again.

Solden > Tj

What’s that Jon? I can’t hear you with Trumps dick in your mouth. Boom Roasted.

Tj is your full-time job as a Commissioner or at Park Place? Boom Roasted.

Dom a 3 is still a 3 in LA we all see the snaps. Boom Roasted.

Shawn locked yourself out of your house lately? Boom Roasted.

Sam when’s the coronavirus peak coming? Boom Roasted.

Jared it’s going away right after the election, right? Boom Roasted.

Doug I’m not talking about work at Secret Santa. Boom Roasted.

Chad a 3 is still a 3 in Lakewood we all see the snaps. Boom Roasted.

Casey I miss driving you to O’Bleness. Boom Roasted.

Paul I’m writing this while I’m working from home at home. Boom Roasted.

Bennett I’m writing this while I’m working from home at home. Boom Roasted.

Malik you’re an idiot and can’t read this. Boom Roasted.

Damn that felt good. Until next time boys. Solden out.

0 notes

cementcornfield · 10 months

Note

What if tee comes back for MNF because he wants to show off in front of his old qb so they sign him next season 🫠

I know I’m imagining the worst 😅 It’s like Justin coming back to play against the Bengals (he’s still on IR I think)

hopefully the plan holds up for tee to come back on monday and he has a HUGE game!! he's had such an unfortunate season and it really sucks that it's a contract year for him. i need him to ball out for both his own sake and for us because he is such a joy to watch when he's doing well 🔥

and i do think he'll be extra motivated being back with his college guys. nacs, correct me if i'm wrong but we've got trevor of course and also travis, is there anyone else?? regardless that's a big clemson reunion! and that's gotta be fun for him.

IF we don't take him back (i still think we probably tag him for one more year) but if we don't extend him longterm, i actually wouldn't mind if he ends up on the jags! i have some dear friends who are big jags fan, so i'll be able to keep up with his career through them! and it would be nice Narrative-wise for tee to reconnect with his college friends like joe and ja'marr got to <3

as for the last part of your question, JUSTIN NEEDS TO COME BACK TO PLAY THE BENGALS OR AT THE VERY LEAST BE WELL ENOUGH TO TRAVEL WITH THE TEAM BECAUSE I SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY ON VIKINGS-BENGALS TICKETS AND I'LL BE SITTING THERE FOR 3+ HOURS IN THE FREEZING COLD AND IF I DON'T SEE JOE/JA'MARR/JUSTIN (AND TEE) HANGING OUT THEN WHAT WAS IT ALL FOR?!?!?!?!

#disclaimer: of course i care about the health of players above all things #but STILL

0 notes

packernet · 5 years

Photo

New Post has been published on https://www.packernet.com/blog/2020/01/23/2020-nfl-mock-draft-3-0-with-trades/

2020 NFL Mock Draft 3.0 - With Trades

This mock is done using the latest news and rumors as well as my very own proprietary consensus big board, which aggregates all the top big boards around the internet into one board. To see the board, sign up as a Patreon for as little as a dollar per month here.

Cincinatti Bengals Joe Burrow QB LSU

This is essentially already a done deal. The Bengals haven’t had meetings so discussions will take place but from everything I’ve heard, you can lock this in.

Washington Redskins Chase Young EDGE Ohio State

This is also essentially a forgone conclusion. Not much to really debate. Chase is the top prospect this year. We all saw what Bosa did for the 49ers. The Redskins are taking Young.

TRADE: Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa QB Alabama Lions receive Dolphins picks 5 and 26

There is a lot of talk that the Dolphins will want to load up and ensure they get their guy, Tua. The Lions are an ideal team to trade back just 2 spots. It ensures they still get an elite player and secures a 2nd 1st round pick.

As for Miami, they can ensure they get a QB and still have their 2nd 1st round pick to help build the team around Tua.

New York Giants Jeffrey Okudah CB Ohio State

As much as I’d love to go in another direction, our trio of Sam Beal, Corey Ballentine, and Deandre Baker might be the worst in all of football. All 3 are 1st year guys and Beal and Ballentine missed a combined 13 games so there could be some progress there but this unit is straight up garbage. We need help badly.

Detroit Lions (Via MIA) Derrick Brown DL Auburn

Picking up an additional 1st round pick means we can go BPA here and that would be Derrick Brown, a guy that will help out a struggling DL and a line that will likely lose Mike Daniels and possibly Damon Harrison who is said to be contemplating retirement.

LA Chargers Justin Herbert QB Oregon

Rivers has already packed his stuff and moved to Florida so a reunion with the Chargers is very close to 0. There is some talk they may sign a veteran like Cam or Mariota but that still wouldn’t rule out a QB pick here.

Carolina Panthers Andrew Thomas OT Georgia

Simmons makes some sense with Luke leaving but Thomas is being talked about as one of the best tackles in the last decade. This is a pure talent pick.

As a side note, if I had a QB in reach I would go QB, but I don’t.

Arizona Cardinals Jedrick Wills OT Alabama

Again I was looking hard at Simmons but we need to help our QB and the OL is sub par and aging. Let’s actually get a top tier blind side blocker.

Jacksonville Jaguars Isaiah Simmons LB Clemson

The Jaguars are the beneficiaries of the two tackles that went and can now get a top LB. Assuming they put him at LB… the guy does everything.

Cleveland Browns Tristan Wirfs OT Iowa

The Browns OL colapsed in on itself like a dying star in 2019. The right side of the line is the worst part of it which is exactly where Wirfs will slot in.

TRADE: Indianapolis Colts Jerry Jeudy WR Alabama Colts offer up Picks 112 (4th) and 171 (6th)

Tony Pauline said he expects the Jets to trade back. A likely partner, with Jeudy on the board, would be a WR hungry team that wants to jump the Raiders who 100% would take him.

TY Hilton is 30 as spent half the year hurt, Funchess is on the way out, and Chester Rodgers and Dontrell Inman are also free agents.

Las Vegas Raiders Ceedee Lamb WR Oklahoma

It might seem insignificant with the Raiders getting a WR anyway but I’m willing to bet the Raiders are seething. Happy, but seething.

New York Jets (Via IND) A.J. Epenesa EDGE Iowa

There’s some talk about an Epenesa slide due to him being a better 3-4 DE than 4-3 DE but 13 is slide enough and the Jets are a 3-4 defense so it works out however we choose to use him. Which is great cause we need some pass rush help.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Javon Kinlaw DL South Carolina

Suh will likely be a cap casualty for the Bucs and finding a replacement will be a high priority. They may look to QB like Eason later but not here and I would also keep my eye on RB if they don’t go after Lev Bell… but again not at 14 overall.

Denver Broncos Kristian Fulton CB LSU

Even if Chris Harris stays (unlikely) he’s beginning to fall off at 30 years old. Behind him is no real talent at all. Fangio needs his guy.

Atlanta Falcons K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE LSU

The Falcons have to find a way to get to the QB and Tak McKinley doesn’t seem to be the solution.

Dallas Cowboys Grant Delpit S LSU

The Cowboys have been scratching and clawing for safeties so I’m going to stay the course here. How FA goes for the Cowboys though makes a big difference, especially the guys they choose NOT to keep, but for the information I have now I’m going with Delpit.

Miami Dolphins (Via PIT) Mekhi Becton OT Louisville

I don’t know why they traded away their OT but now they need one to protect their new QB. Enter Becton who should be an upgrade over Davenport.

Las Vegas Raiders (Via CHI) Kenneth Murray LB Oklahoma

The linebackers are a mess in Oakland. We tried Burfict but that ended exactly how you would expect. We need to make an effort to get talent at LB.

TRADE: Green Bay Packers Henry Ruggs WR Alabama Jaguars receive picks 94 (3rd) and 172 (6th via Ty Montgomery)

I promise this isn’t just because I’m a Packers fan. The Jags have needs that fit much better later in the round so a trade back makes sense. Henry Ruggs is 13th on the board so the value is ridiculous. The Saints make sense but they have no draft capital. The Ravens already have a burner so Ruggs makes no sense, so the next logical team is the Packers who give up a 3rd and their extra 6th to move up and get a legit deep threat but one that’s also a talented receiver, unlike the Janis, MVS, and Davis squad.

Ruggs has legitimate Tyreek Hill upside.

Philadelphia Eagles Trevon Diggs CB Alabama

The eagles are going heavy after corners and are rumored to be looking in FA but until they actually pull the trigger, I’m looking for a corner in the draft.

Buffalo Bills Tyler Biadasz IOL Wisconsin

It’s a bit of a reach on my board which usually means I’m looking to trade back but I don’t want to lose Biadasz here. our OL needs help and Quinton Spain is a 28 year old free agent that I have no intention of paying to stick around.

New England Patriots Laviska Shenault WR Colorado

The Pats took a WR in the first round last year but still need help there. They were also the only team with the ability to make Cordarrelle Patterson look like a legitimate weapon and could probably do some special things with a guy like Shenault.

New Orleans Saints C.J. Henderson CB Florida

I would love to get a WR2 but we can get that later. Right now I’m looking at a CB group who, outside of Lattimore, are made up of 31 year old Janoris Jenkins, and 3 corners that are currently FAs (Apple, Williams, and Badermosi). The only other guy is Patrick Robinson who spent about as many weeks injured as he did on the field.

TRADE: Kansas City Chiefs D’Andre Swift RB Georgia Vikings receive pick 95 (3rd)

Trading up for a RB seems silly but think about the lack of talent at RB the Chiefs have, how good they would be with an elite RB, and the fact that Swift is our 19th overall player and it becomes somewhat of a no brainer.

The Vikings were pretty desperate to move back to be able to get a player of need at a better value.

Detroit Lions (Via MIA, via HOU) Xavier McKinney S Alabama

I wanted so badly for someone to trade up and take McKinney, who is an unbelievable talent, to make it to 26 but nobody could or would be willing. Instead the Lions let him fall. To think they turn their 1 pick in 2020 into Derrick Brown and Xavier McKinney is pretty remarkable.

They do have a decent pair in Walker and Wilson but Wilson is a 29 year old FA. We’ll probably keep him and look to use one of our safeties to help our garbage LBs.

If you still aren’t sold call him a Quandre Diggs replacement and know that several scouts now have him above Grant Delpit.

Seattle Seahawks Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE Penn State

Trading up for McKinney was a thought but we are on the verge of a pass rush crisis. Even if we can afford to keep Clowney; Ansah, Jackson, Watson, and Jefferson are all free agents in addition to Clowney and Jarran Reed on the interior is a FA.

Literally 7 of our 13 guys along the line are FAs, and 2 of the 6 remaining are only signed through 2020, leaving only Mone, Green, Christmas, and Collier.

Not great Bob.

Baltimore Ravens Tee Higgins WR Clemson

You wouldn’t know it based on offensive production but this WR group is actually kind of terrible. Outside of rookie Hollywood Brown, I’m not sure any of the other guys pass as even mediocre. Pairing Higgins with speedster Brown in this offense is just a horrifying thought.

Tennessee Titans Jordan Love QB Utah State

This isn’t meant to be a Tannehill replacement in year one but let’s face it, if we resign Tannehill it’s not so he can be our guy for 10 years. Love is said to be a little raw and in need of tutelage. Veteran Tannehill will be able to show the kid the ropes and let him take over in a year or so.

As for the lack of quarterbacks in the mock, just know that I am sticking to my board which, despite all the talk of a QB run, nobody seems to want to back it up by putting Love or any other QB’s in the top 25/32 of their boards.

Love is also having a rough start to his Senior Bowl which enhances the feeling he will need to sit which in turn will cause him to slide in the draft.

Jacksonville Jaguars (Via GB) Austin Jackson OT USC

The Jags drafted a stud RB and have let him die on an offense with no OL, no QB, and no WR’s. Supposedly he’s supposed to do everything himself.

With Chark and Minshew now adding a little something, let’s build up this OL and make this a balanced offensive attack in which Fournette can have the opportunity to be a Derrick Henry for the Jags.

Minnesota Vikings Bryce Hall CB Virginia

Giant reach but this is a no brainer. the Vikings need corner help. Maybe I would have budged on a lineman but none of those are available either. Hey, you win some and lose some on these trades, this wasn’t great for value but we still got extra picks.

San Francisco 49ers Jalen Reagor WR TCU

Ya we could pay to keep Emanuel Sanders as he’s about to turn 33 but how about we replace him in the draft with a much cheaper, younger, and faster Jalen Reagor?

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itkmoonknight · 4 years

Text

Episode 151 - LUNAR-PICK Modern Run Review: He Looks Like Raggedy Andy

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EPISODE 151:

High Priest of Khonshu Rey is joined by seasoned Loony, Josh 'Geronimo' Johnson to return to the next chapter of the seminal Charlie Huston run for our boy in white -

PHASE OF THE MOON: Waxing Crescent

SEGMENT: LUNAR-PICK Modern Run Review

AVENGERS VOL. 8, #33 - ‘THE AGE OF KHONSHU, PART ONE: MOON KNIGHT VS. THE AVENGERS’

Published January 2007

Writer - Charlie Huston

Penciler - David Finch

Inker - Danny Miki, Crimelab Studios

Colourist - Frank D'Armata

Letterer - Joe Caramagna

Editor - Cory Sedlmeier, Axel Alonso

BARE BONES:

(courtesy of Wiki)

Moon Knight goes out on a standard night's patrol. Spider-Man conveniently shows up just as Moon Knight apprehends a petty criminal. Spidey is shocked to see Moon Knight brutalizing the thug, and tries to calm him down. Moon Knight dismisses him however, and quickly leaves the scene.

Inside of his personal limo, Marc Spector is still haunted by images of Bushman. The dead mercenary appears to be sitting next to Marc whimsically chatting to him as Samuels drives Marc back to his estate.

Elsewhere, a mysterious dark-clad stranger converses with a woman in shadowy underground lair. The stranger speaks at length about gaining revenge against someone, and drops an alarm clock down into the depths of the cavern. The clock lands on a pile of similar broken timepieces, all of which are set for the same time – midnight.

Later, after a restless and painful night's sleep, Marc drives out to meet with Frenchie. He wants Frenchie to work with him again as mechanic and pilot of the Mooncopter. Frenchie has no interest in returning to his old lifestyle.

The two men go to Gena's diner, but Gena is not happy to see Marc. She still blames him for the death of her son. Marc speaks with Gena’s surviving son, who served as a pilot in Iraq.

Frenchie brings Marc back to the mansion and shows him a newspaper clipping. The headline reads, "Clock Killer Claims Third". Frenchie tells Marc to find Jeffrey Wilde, the cyborg once known as Midnight.

When Marc steps into his den, he finds Steve Rogers, the renegade hero known as Captain America waiting for him.

MOON RATING (out of phases of the Moon):

Josh: 🌖 6/10 - Waning Gibbous

Rey: 🌖 6.5/10 - Waning Gibbous

Get Set, Dial It Up to Eleven and Enjoy....IT'S TIME TO GET YOUR KHONSHU ON!

SHOW NOTES:

Moon Knight Vol. 5, issue #7

Sgt. Fury & His Howling Commandos (Essential Collection)

Invaders Collection Vol. 4

Daredevil Vol. 1 - The Man Without Fear (Epic Collection)

Thor #383-400 (1987) War of the Pantheons (Epic Collection)

Daniel Way’s Ghost Rider (2006) - The Complete Collection

Star Wars - The Old Republic Vol. 1 (Epic Collection)

DD Last Rites, #297-300

Judge Dredd v Predator;

Masters of the Universe Vol. 1 by James Robinson;

Captain America #332-336 (article from CBR)

Guardians of the Galaxy (90’s)

All-Star Superman

September solicitations reveal the cover to Avengers #36!

Rumour - Marvel casting deaf Native American hero for Disney+

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AFFILIATE SPONSORS:

Purchase your figures through our link to Entertainment Earth and help support the show!

CREDITS:

ITK Logo Graphic Design by

The High Priests of Khonshu

ITK Graphic Design produced and assisted by

Randolph Benoit

ITK Opening Sequence for video by

Chris Kelly

Music Written, Performed and generously provided by

Deleter

Co-Producers

Wayne Hunt

Josh Johnson

James Young

Anthony Sytko

Justin Osgood

Joey Agliata

Executive Producers

Dustin Kurtz

Produced by

Reynaldo Gesmundo

Proud Member of The Collective

The music for this episode contains excerpts from various songs and music copyrighted by Deleter and Brian Warshaw. The music agreed for use on Into the Knight - A Moon Knight Podcast is licensed under an Attribution License;

Check out this episode!

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xlewandowski · 4 years

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NFL Mock Draft — 2020

Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up, it’s mock draft time!

That’s right ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for my annual mock of the 1st Round in the 2020 NFL Draft.

I’m going to start off my article with a little additional information; I will be listing out my top players for each position.

Lets just jump in, shall we…

Quarterback 1. Tua Tagovailoa 2. Joe Burrow 3. Justin Herbert 4. Jalen Hurts 5. Jordan Love

Running Back 1. D’Andre Swift 2. Jonathan Taylor 3. Clyde Edwards-Helaire 4. J.K. Dobbins 5. Cam Akers

Wideout 1. Jerry Jeudy 2. CeeDee Lamb 3. Justin Jefferson 4. Henry Ruggs III 5. Tee Higgins

Tight End 1. Cole Kmet 2. Thaddeus Moss 3. Albert Okwuegbunam 4. Hunter Bryant 5. Harrison Bryant

Offensive Tackle 1. Tristan Wirfs 2. Jedrick Wills Jr. 3. Andrew Thomas 4. Mekhi Becton 5. Austin Jackson

Interior Offensive Lineman 1. Cesar Ruiz 2. Lloyd Cushenberry 3. Netane Muti 4.Nick Harris 5. Joan Jackson

Defensive Line 1. Chase Young 2. Derrick Brown 3. Javon Kinlaw 4. K’Lavon Chaisson 5. Yetur Gross-Matos

Linebacker 1. Isaiah Simmons 2. Patrick Queen 3. Kenneth Murray 4. Zack Baun 5. Willie Gay Jr.

Cornerback 1. Jeff Okudah 2. CJ Henderson 3. Kristian Fulton 4. Trevon Diggs 5. A.J. Terrell

Safety 1. Xavier McKinney 2. Grant Delpit 3. Antoine Winfield Jr. 4. Jeremy Chinn 5. Ashtyn Davis

And kickers and punters obviously don’t matter.

Now, before I jump into the actual picks I know that there are some debatable rankings, mainly at the quarterback and the wideout position.

I ranked Tagovailoa over Burrow because Tagovailoa is a more proven player; he had been a star with Alabama for a few years, while Burrow had one season of greatness, though yes, it may have been the greatest collegiate quarterback season ever it was still only one. It’s also worth noting that he (Burrow) transferred from Ohio State to be the starter at LSU, not compete for the starting position at Ohio State had he stayed. Lastly, is the age; Burrow will be 24 this year, while Tagovailoa has just turned 22.

The other ranking that may catch people off guard is the ranking of Ruggs III being my fourth wideout. To most there is a top tier at the position, that being Jeudy, Lamb and Ruggs III in whatever order. My top tier is Jeudy and Lamb and then the second tier would be Jefferson and Ruggs III. I have Jefferson ahead of Ruggs III solely because I trust the size of a player like Jefferson more than the speed from Ruggs III. Speed is sometimes deceptive; look around at the NFL landscape, how many of the fastest players (at their respective positions) are the best or at the top? Now of course that is an even bigger debate, but for me I’ll trust a guy who is only 0.1sec slower but is a bigger human being.

Now, now is the time!

Let’s get this baby rolling!

Please note, I will not be predicting trades in this mock. Trades are inevitable, though with everything going on in the world this time around I wouldn’t be surprised if there are less trades than typically. My prediction, because that’s what this article is all about, is 5 trades.

Cincinnati Bengals — Joe Burrow, Quarterback Remember what I said about the Tagovailoa comparison above? Forget it! Cincinnati is going all in on the former Heisman, National Champion. Burrow has the ideal size that you want in a quarterback, and though he may be a touch older than the front office would like, with age comes maturity, and Cincinnati needs that and a vocal leader to bring them back to relevancy.

Washington Redskins — Chase Young, Defensive End Arguably the best player in the draft, and if it wasn’t for his (questionable) suspension in the middle of the Buckeyes season he would have set the NCAA sack record. Young is a generational edge rusher and adding him to an already loaded front in Washington will give you 2019 San Francisco vibes when the 49ers added Nick Bosa.

Detroit Lions — Jeff Okudah, Cornerback How does Matt Patrica want to build his team? All signs point to him chasing the successes he had in New England, and though that hasn’t worked for him, he’ll still keep trying… It’s unfortunate for Okudah as he is head and shoulders the top cornerback in this years class with a good combination of length, speed and aggressiveness. Just pull a Jalen Ramsey in a few years, Jeff!

New York Giants — Tristan Wirfs, Offensive Tackle As badly as the Giants need defensive playmakers, taking Wirfs, the most complete offensive tackle in the draft as well as an Iowa alum, seriously, check the track record of Iowa offensive lineman - they are tremendous! Wirfs will help solidify the picks of Saquon and Daniel Jones in the previous two drafts, Dave Gettleman’s job depends on it.

Miami Dolphins — Tua Tagovailoa, Quarterback The last time Miami passed on a shorter quarterback with a major injury the year prior was Drew Brees. Not this time. Tagovailoa is the player that Miami essentially set their sights on WAY back in September when they were getting blown out. Tank for Tua exists solely because of Miami. This is their guy, and if you think some late chatter is going to change their minds then you are dead wrong. Tagovailoa brings excitement and hope back to a Dolphins franchise that hasn’t had it since another Dolphin dawned #13.

Los Angeles Chargers — Justin Herbert, Quarterback Herbert is a calm, cool and collective guy. He’s not a rah-rah guy. I guess what I’m trying to say is, he’s a California guy. He fits the LA market to a T and aside from quarterback, that is exactly what the Chargers need, a market(able franchise quarterback). Herbert has all the intangibles that you want in a quarterback; I would compare him to a more accurate Josh Allen.

Carolina Panthers — Isaiah Simmons, Linebacker Out is Kuechly. In is Simmons. I don’t want to say that Simmons can replace Kuechly right off the bat, but he brings the sideline-to-sideline and passion to the game that is eerily similar. On top of that Simmons has the athleticism to play both safety spots as well as slot corner. Simmons is one of the few can’t-miss-prospects in this years draft. But just to throw some doubt (shade?) in your mind, remember that Seattle thought linebacker Aaron Curry was a can’t-miss-prospect in ’09.

Arizona Cardinals — Derrick Brown, Defensive Tackle First surprise of the draft! Most, if not all, have Arizona taking an offensive tackle to further protect Kyler Murray. I believe that the current offensive line that Arizona has put together is average, but there have been plenty of great offences, Super Bowl winning offences that win with an average o-line. Kyler has the escapability to make an average line good, just look within their division, Russell Wilson has had (at best) an average o-line his entire career. I give the nod to Brown here as it’s the defence of Arizona that needs to step up; aside from Chandler Jones and Patrick Peterson, Arizona needs an infusion of talent on the defensive side to truly soar.

Jacksonville Jaguars — Xavier McKinney, Safety The Jags are an interesting team in this years draft, as they are clearly rebuilding though there are so many positions that need to be filled/upgraded. I want to go offensive tackle here, but going with a pick that makes sense isn’t Jacksonville’s style. Under the Caldwell/Marrone regime defence has been there go-to in the 1st round. McKinney has the ability to play both safety spots as well as corner, he’s a player that can be thrust into the starting lineup and would feel seamless.

Cleveland Browns — Jedrick Wills Jr., Offensive Tackle Cleveland is the biggest beneficiary of Arizona and Jacksonville going against the grain as it’s been no secret that they are in desperate need for o-line help. New head coach Kevin Stefanski knows the difference what a good offensive line can do for a quarterback - just ask Kirk Cousins when he was the OC for Minnesota. Wills Jr. provides Cleveland with a winners mentality and is in the mix for the best tackle in this years draft. It’s a no-brainer.

New York Jets — Henry Ruggs III, Wideout The most glaring needs for the Jets have been offensive tackle and wideout, I went with the latter on this one, but not necessarily the name you thought. Ruggs III gets the nod here as New York and Darnold need a game changer at the wideout position, a true home run hitter. Ruggs III is what Robby Anderson could never develop to be. Adam Gase has a tendency to take risks in the 1st round, he has to hit eventually, right?

Las Vegas Raiders — Jerry Jeudy, Wideout It’s almost poetic that Jon Gruden selects a true number one receiver from Alabama after having a true number one receiver from… Alabama. Look, Gruden just wants to a build a team his way… I don’t want to say that Jeudy is an Amari Cooper clone, but… This is what I wrote about Cooper in 2015 “…Cooper is the best wideout in the draft and has the better hands and route running…”, now I know that wasn’t groundbreaking stuff, but it still holds true for Jeudy.

San Francisco 49ers — CJ Henderson, Cornerback There’s a reason San Francisco made the trade for a premium pick, my guess is that they know how good their defensive line is (plus how expensive it’s getting) but also know how their corners were exposed in the Super Bowl. As good of a corner Richard Sherman is, he’s never been a fast guy and with his speed starting to slip it’s time to find a successor. Enter Henderson who is a well sized corner with the only real issue being his tackling, but on a 49ers defense with their GM being a former DB with impeccable tackling skills, I think he’ll pick it up just fine.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Mekhi Becton, Offensive Tackle Easy, easy pick. Tampa needs to protect Brady at all costs. With Becton they easily get the highest ceiling lineman in the draft. Brady has a knack for making his tackles look elite, but with Becton, I don’t think he’ll need to try very hard.

Denver Broncos — CeeDee Lamb, Wideout Denver has been a good landing spot for a wideout, and the chips fall in that direction as well. Lamb is arguably the best wideout in this years class with great hands, route running and body control. He’ll be added to an offensive that could be sneaky good with a ton of young talent; add in Lamb alongside Sutton, Fant and the big arm of Lock and they could be building something special in Denver.

Atlanta Falcons — Andrew Thomas, Offensive Tackle Atlanta is in limbo with this pick, do they go along the defensive line which they have swung and missed too many times, or do they go along the offensive line where they’ve dealt with injuries the last few seasons? Here I’m going with the local Georgia Bulldogs kid, Andrew Thomas. In him, Atlanta finally finds a bookend tackle to pair with Jake Matthews. Atlanta was at it’s best when they were scoring a ton of points, and signing Todd Gurley to a 1-year deal tells me that that is the direction they want to go.

Dallas Cowboys — Cesar Ruiz, Centre Even with a ton of defensive linemen still on the board, Dallas stays true to themselves and drafts the best centre in the draft to replace Travis Frederick to his shockingly but unsurprising retirement. Similar to Tyron Smith back in 2011, Ruiz is a young player at just 20, but with Dallas’ elite offensive line, Ruiz will fit right in and learn from some of the absolute best.

Miami Dolphins — Javon Kinlaw, Defensive Line Miami adds a gem at the 18th spot with Kinlaw, who has outstanding length, size and explosiveness for a man his size. For as bad as Miami was last year, they are building something special down there in South Beach. With the free agent acquisitions and adding game changer draft picks, maybe Flores was right in selling the farm last year to restock in this years draft.

Las Vegas Raiders — Yetur Gross-Matos, Defensive End Mike Mayock loves the potential and the versatility, Gross-Matos (underrated name) gets the nod as he has tremendous upside with the ability to add to his already 6’5 frame. Playing him opposite last years picks in Ferrell and Crosby, Oaklan…uhh Las Vegas starts to build depth along a defensive line that can match up against a trending upward division that is the AFC West.

Jacksonville Jaguars — Kenneth Murray, Linebacker Despite the addition of Joe Schobert, the Jags look to further strengthen their linebacking core. Murray needs development in coverage, though that is typically anchored by Myles Jack. Murray has the potential to develop into a hybrid of Schobert and Jack as he is the perfect blend of athleticism and instincts.

Philadelphia Eagles — Justin Jefferson, Wideout Philadelphia may have shown their hand a little bit in addressing the cornerback position through free agency and acquiring Slay, so it’s no secret (or surprise) that they target a wideout in the 1st round. Jefferson exploded this past year for LSU as he provides the perfect blend of speed, size and hands. He will finally provide Wentz with a reliable, healthy target that he has needed throughout his entire tenure of being an Eagle.

Minnesota Vikings — K’Lavon Chaisson, Defensive Line Out with the old and in with the new! Minnesota and Everson Griffen opted to mutually part ways this off-season and though corner and wideout may be a bigger priority, they are pleasantly surprised to see Chaisson still available this late in the draft. Chaisson already has the move and explosion to excel at the d-end position, the one thing he needs is a bit more mass. The challenge is accept by head coach Mike Zimmer who has a knack in getting the most out of his front seven.

New England Patriots — Zack Baun, Linebacker Baun is the typical do-everything-player that Belichick absolutely loves (though you’d never know). Baun plays best as an outside backer with experience rushing off the edge, think Mike Vrabel in his prime and to a lesser extent, Tedy Bruschi. I know some are thinking Jordan Love here, but I suspect that Belichick is holding on with his belief in Jarrett Stidham; I also believe that if Jalen Hurts is available in the second that’s when New England would give thoughts to upgrading their quarterback position.

New Orleans Saints — Jordan Love, Quarterback Drew Brees is done after this year, right? I mean, how much more heartbreak can this man sustain… Sean Payton finally finds the real successor to Brees (sorry Taysom) in Love. Love has the potential and the raw ability to be great in this league, though I do feel he needs a little seasoning, and who better to learn from then one of the all-time greats. Patrick Mahomes has been the lazy comparison for Love, to me I feel he fits more of a Cam Newton mold; time will tell.

Minnesota Vikings — Josh Jones, Offensive Tackle Minnesota has been trying to revamp their line for what feels like a few years now. Jones gives them a potential impact blocker for the future. The knock on him is that he is a raw player that needs to improve in the running game, which can be viewed as a knock as Minnesota loves to run the ball, but with an elusive back like Cook and a more statuesque quarterback in Cousins, Minnesota opts for improvement in the pass game.

Miami Dolphins — Lucas Niang, Offensive Tackle Miami wisely invests in an offensive tackle after securing their quarterback of the future in Tagovailoa. Niang is one of the most well-rounded tackle prospects in the draft, though he doesn’t have eye-popping measurements he has the ability to grow and be a day one starter for the Dolphins.

Seattle Seahawks — Trevon Diggs, Cornerback Seattle is always a hard team to predict, as they either, by an analysts standpoint, reach for a guy that would have been available in later rounds (see Bruce Irvin, James Carpenter, Rashaad Penny…) or they trade out of the spot all together. This year however they take a corner with a ton of upside and can be a bit of hothead and/or vocal (like his brother, Stefon). Diggs brings a ton of athleticism, which is perfect as sometimes his aggressiveness gets in the way.

Baltimore Ravens — Patrick Queen, Linebacker Baltimore missed more than they thought when CJ Mosley cashed in a year ago. Queen has a winning pedigree and will give Baltimore exactly what they were missing when they got gashed continuously by Derrick Henry in the playoffs. Queen isn’t at the Ray Lewis level of linebacker, though I can see him easily matching (if not passing) the level that was Mosley.

Tennessee Titans — Austin Jackson, Offensive Tackle Sometimes it’s as easy as addition from subtraction. Tennessee didn’t want to shell out top dollar for Jack Conklin who, in his own right is a very good tackle, but the price tag was out of reach. Jackson fills the void, and though he has some deficiencies; he has room to bulk and add strength, he won’t be asked to take the premier left tackle spot as Taylor Lewan has that position locked down.

Green Bay Packers — Tee Higgins, Wideout Aaron Rodgers needs another receiver. Aaron Rodgers can’t do it all himself. Aaron Rodgers expresses frustration with his receiving core… There are dozens of these statements and all showcase the same thing, Aaron Rodgers needs help, and that’s ok! Who doesn’t?! Higgins give Rodgers a big-bodied redzone threat that he has never had (at the wideout position). He won’t light you up with his speed, however his catch radius is phenomenal. He reminds me of another former Clemson Tiger, Mike Williams.

San Francisco 49ers — Jeremy Chinn, Safety It was a coin flip between Jeremy Chinn and Grant Delpit. Both are two of the bigger safeties in the draft, and both can play multiple positions, the difference is what those other positions are; where Delpit is more finesse, Chinn brings the hammer as he can play the hybrid safety/linebacker position. Infuse Chinn into a Robert Saleh defence and the potential is endless.

Kansas City Chiefs — Kristian Fulton, Cornerback The lone weakness working against Kansas City is their secondary, they have elite and depth at almost all positions aside from cornerback, nothing close to a lockdown corner. Fulton sticks to his receivers like glue; press coverage is unbelievable. His only real knock is he has above-average speed and was suspended for a year, que the Marcus Peters comparisons. Andy Reid has never been wavered by character issues.

Well there you have it!

Thank you for taking the time to read my prediction for the 1st Round in this years 2020 NFL Draft. If you have been reading since the start back in 2013, thank you for the support.

This year should definitely be an interesting year, as we will be witnessing the first every virtual draft. How will it go down? Will it get hacked? Did the NFL really need to announce that Roger Goodell will be making the picks from his basement which is probably a palace? Tune in!

Enjoy the draft next Thursday ladies and gentlemen! There is literally no excuse seeing as we are all locked inside, and unless Netflix releases Tiger King: The Exotic Return, we’ll all be tuning in #ratings

#NFL #NFL Draft #mock draft #writing

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junker-town · 4 years

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6 winners and 5 losers from Day 2 of the NFL Draft

AJ Epenesa, Jonathan Taylor, and Xavier McKinney were all Day 2 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Ravens’ running game got better, Carson Wentz is on notice, and Roger Goodell needs a nap.

Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft is over, and 74 more college stars saw their pro dreams come true. Players coming from programs ranging from LSU and Ohio State to Lenoir-Rhyne and Dayton heard NFL commissioner Roger Goodell call their names to shove them off on their NFL journeys.

The ripples of Friday night’s decisions won’t be fully understood for at least a decade as early-round picks fizzle and overlooked prospects rise to the top of the NFL. Even so, we can gather a pretty good idea of which players, teams, and college programs are celebrating a little bit harder than others as the draft nears its halfway point.

So who looks best after a quick glance in the rear view mirror? And which teams may need to stick their landing on Day 3?

Winner: Every team that got a first-round talent on Day 2

On Thursday night, 32 elite football players were welcomed into the NFL fraternity. But the amount of sheer talent that was still waiting to be drafted was incredible:

One personnel director calls this “the deepest second round in the last 25 years.” He believes there are 20 players available tonight that could have been first-round picks; there usually are 7-10. “There will be as many starters in this round that there are in the first round.”

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2020

So many names who were expected to be drafted in the first round — and might have been in any other year — remained on the board. Safety Xavier McKinney was a popular mock draft pick for the Cowboys or Dolphins. So was cornerback Kristian Fulton to the Raiders, edge A.J. Epenesa to the Patriots, cornerback Jaylon Johnson to the Vikings, OT Josh Jones to the Dolphins, and WR Denzel Mims to the Packers, among others.

Other players who could’ve sneaked into Round 1 included safety Antoine Winfield Jr, OT Ezra Cleveland, and even running backs D’Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor or J.K. Dobbins. (Please, no debates about the value of a first-round running back right now.)

All of those players were available heading into Day 2. Teams like the Colts (Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr.), Cowboys (Trevon Diggs, Neville Gallimore), Giants (McKinney), Bills (Epenesa), Jets (Mims), and Cardinals (Jones) were the ones to benefit most.

Winner: The scary as hell Ravens running game

No team had more rushing yards than the Ravens in 2019.

Lamar Jackson earned MVP honors by becoming the first NFL quarterback to ever eclipse 1,200 rushing yards. He was joined in the Baltimore backfield by Mark Ingram, who racked up 1,018 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Oh, and don’t forget about Gus Edwards, who averaged 5.3 yards per carry.

That unstoppable ground game somehow got even better Friday when the Ravens added J.K. Dobbins with the 55th pick.

Dobbins rushed for at least 1,000 yards in all three of his seasons at Ohio State. In 2019, he became the first Buckeyes running back ever to have a 2,000-yard season. That’s something Eddie George, Ezekiel Elliott, Archie Griffin, and many other great running backs didn’t accomplish.

Baltimore definitely didn’t need Dobbins’ help. Unfortunately for the entire AFC, he’ll make the Ravens — who are putting together an excellent draft — even harder to stop.

Loser: Carson Wentz

Aaron Rodgers landed on our list of Day 1 losers because the Packers drafted Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. But at least that pick made some sense. Yes, Green Bay could’ve provided Rodgers with the help he needs to win a Super Bowl, but he’s 36 and the Packers need to consider life after his retirement.

That logic can’t be applied to the Eagles’ pick, though.

Wentz is 27 and has five seasons left on his contract. It’s hard to figure out what exactly the team was thinking when it drafted Jalen Hurts in the middle of the second round. While Philadelphia knows all about the benefits of a quality backup quarterback, there were plenty of better ways to improve the roster.

Instead, there’s legitimate reason to question Wentz’s future with the franchise. A team doesn’t draft someone in the second round unless it foresees that player being a long-term fixture.

Winner: Drew Lock

The Broncos’ 2019 second-round pick gave them a lot of reason to be optimistic last year. Lock finished his rookie season 4-1 as a starter with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.

On Thursday, Denver gave him some help by picking Alabama receiver Jerry Jeudy with the No. 15 pick. Unsurprisingly, Lock was happy about it:

— Drew Lock (@DrewLock23) April 24, 2020

The Broncos didn’t stop there, though. In the second round, they Penn State receiver KJ Hamler with the 46th pick. Lock was excited about that too:

— Drew Lock (@DrewLock23) April 25, 2020

Suddenly, Lock has a quite the arsenal. Jeudy and Hamler are joining an offense that already had receiver Courtland Sutton and 2019 first-round tight end Noah Fant. Adding center Lloyd Cushenberry in the third round was just the icing on the cake.

Winner: Good dogs

A fully virtual NFL Draft promised us one very important thing: a lot of good dogs on TV. But the first day was a little bit disappointing. While Giants coach Joe Judge talked about how well-versed his golden retriever Abby is about the 2020 class, she didn’t make a single appearance.

Fortunately, there was a much larger dog presence in Day 2. Bill Belichick even turned into one:

No wonder the Patriots dominated the last two decades.

Loser: Tom Brady

Thursday was a great day for Touchdown Tom, with the Buccaneers moving up one spot in the draft order to secure Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs. It’s a good thing they did, because the rest of the NFC South spent Friday loading up on players to take Brady down.

First, the Panthers took Penn State edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos with the 38th pick. He made it clear what his immediate NFL goal is for the 2020 season.

Yetur Gross-Matos: I want to sack Tom Brady.

— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) April 25, 2020

The Atlanta Falcons were next when they picked Auburn pass rusher Marlon Davidson at 47th overall. The All-SEC defensive lineman will likely line up at defensive tackle in Dan Quinn’s defense, which added Dante Fowler Jr. earlier in the offseason.

New Orleans got in on the pass rush party too. After not picking in the second round, the Saints traded away a 2021 third-round pick to move up and take Wisconsin edge rusher Zack Baun at 74th overall.

Brady got some help of his own in Day 2. The Buccaneers added running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn in the third round (and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. in the second round, which probably only reminded Brady of how old he is). But that didn’t do much to change the fact that he’s clearly in the crosshairs of the other NFC South teams.

Loser: Aaron Rodgers, again

Rodgers didn’t get his first-round wideout. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing; borderline Day 1 talents like Tee Higgins, Laviska Shenault, Denzel Mims, and Michael Pittman Jr. were all on the board to begin Day 2. With a little luck or another trade up the draft board — like the club did to select Rodgers’ possible replacement, Jordan Love — one of those players would be the next big addition to the Packers’ receiving corps.

Green Bay got none of those players. It got a Boston College power back with 21 collegiate receptions to his name (AJ Dillon) and a third-round tight end out of Cincinnati who had 92 catches and 1,117 receiving yards ... in four years with the Bearcats (Josiah Deguara). Instead of getting an immediate boost to his passing game, Rodgers got a couple of lottery tickets who may not make his offense any better.

Winner: Matt Hennessy

The former Temple offensive lineman didn’t just get drafted with the 14th pick in the third round Friday night by the Falcons. As the 3.14 pick, he also won a shit load of pizza.

As the 78th pick, Matt Hennessy gets free @pizzahut for a year. As the 2020 Pizza Hut Pi Pick

— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) April 25, 2020

That’s an award that should only go to offensive linemen. Congrats on the pizza, Matt.

Loser: Roger Goodell’s gas tank

The commissioner’s doing more work than usual during the draft. In a typical year, Goodell would only announce the first-round picks. The other rounds have recently been handled by trash-talking NFL alumni (who could forget Drew Pearson roasting Philadelphia?), animals, and league representatives other than Goodell reading the picks.

But this year Goodell has to read off all the selections and it seems to be wearing him out. Just look at him by the time the back half of the third round rolled around.

Roger Goodell is exhausted pic.twitter.com/TYHRjV5F8A

— SB Nation (@SBNation) April 25, 2020

There’s another 149 draft picks coming Saturday. Is Goodell going to make it?

Loser: QB Jake Fromm

Fromm had to go through the first two nights of the draft without hearing his name called. What’s even worse is that there was a camera in his living room that captured him having to wait in agony:

We still don’t understand why Fromm declared for the NFL Draft this year. He had three OK seasons in Athens, but he was also coming off his least efficient year and failed to impress at the NFL Combine.

If he had returned in 2020, his team could’ve still won the SEC East division and he would’ve gotten a chance to his boost his NFL resume with a bounce-back year. Sure, maybe he didn’t want to come out in 2021, the same year as Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields (aka Fromm’s former backup). But he’s already seen five quarterbacks go ahead of him this year. Who knows how much longer he’ll be waiting alongside his generically handsome family.

Winner: Tight ends

There were six tight ends taken in the first rounds of the last three drafts. That streak ended this year, when zero tight ends went off the board on the first night of the draft. It wasn’t a shock, by any stretch. But it confirmed what many already thought about the positional group: It’s the weakest of the draft class.

The second night of the draft was another story. Now, as many tight ends (five) as quarterbacks have been selected through two nights of the draft.

Tight ends started making their comeback one-third of the way through the second round, when the Bears took Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet with the No. 43 overall pick. (Did the Bears need a tight end? Probably not.)

The third round is where things really started to pick up, though. Four different tight ends heard their name called by an increasingly sleepy Goodell: UCLA’s Devin Asiasi, Cincinnati’s Josiah Deguara, Virginia Tech’s Dalton Keene, and Dayton’s (yes, Dayton!) Adam Trautman.

Two of them, Asiasi and Keene, have been the Patriots’ only two offensive draftees so far. Belichick might not be done, either, with players like the highly athletic Albert Okwuegbunam and “Randy Moss is my dad” Thaddeus Moss still available on Day 3.

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rickhorrow · 5 years

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15+5+5 To Watch : 81919

15 TO WATCH/5 SPORTS TECH/POWER OF SPORTS 5: RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 19 with Jacob Aere

Jay-Z and the NFL partner on entertainment content and social activism. The NFL is partnering with Jay-Z in a deal that "will put him in charge of managing some entertainment options for the league and will tie into the sport's social justice endeavors," according to the Washington Post and other sources. Jay-Z’s Roc Nation agency will become a co-producer of the Super Bowl halftime show, but the deal "does not contain a provision for him to be the halftime performer." Roc Nation "will choose entertainers who will perform in NFL content throughout the season." Jay-Z said that he "believes that Roc Nation will have the freedom" to produce the "kind of entertainment that it wants." The community activism portion of the partnership "will be tied into the NFL’s existing 'Inspire Change' program with its players.” While Jay-Z faced many questions surrounding his alignment with the NFL while Colin Kaepernick – who Carter has supported quite vocally – remains unemployed, as Carter rightly pointed out, his involvement will likely direct a lot more money to social justice issues. This is a huge win for the NFL, and the potentially positive impact of Jay-Z being willing to join forces with the league — especially now — cannot be overstated.

Joe Tsai will pay Mikhail Prokhorov about $2.35 billion for the Nets – a record for a U.S. pro franchise – and nearly $1 billion for Barclays Center in a "separate transaction." The deal is "expected to be completed by the end of September and is subject to approval by the NBA’s Board of Governors," according to the Associated Press. The deal would put Tsai in "full control of the team by the time the Nets head to China to play two exhibition games" against the Lakers in October. Sports Illustrated, which led with the headline, "Mikhail Prokhorov Leaves A Complicated Legacy With The Nets,” added that the deal allows Prokhorov to "retain control of NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum." Prokhorov’s Onexim Sports & Entertainment also is "retaining its ownership stake" in the proposed $1.5 billion commercial and residential redevelopment plans at Nassau HUB. Sources said that a partnership between Tsai's BSE Global and Prokhorov's Onexim Sports & Entertainment will "remain in place, with some BSE Global employees expected to share responsibilities across both venues.” Tsai, a Taiwanese-Canadian businessman, is the co-founder and executive vice chairman of Alibaba Group.

CBS and Viacom announce deal for delayed merger. CBS and Viacom have formally agreed to merge, a deal the media companies "hope will put them on stronger footing to compete with larger rivals." The all-stock deal would create a "major entertainment player" valued at roughly $30 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal, "combining Viacom properties such as MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and the Paramount film and TV studio with CBS’ broadcast network and Showtime premium network." Shari Redstone will become Chair of the new entity. Bob Bakish would become CEO, while CBS Acting CEO Joseph Ianniello "would run CBS-branded assets.” Combined, the companies have 750 series ordered to production. They’ve spent a total of $13 billion on content during the past 12 months for programming across CBS’ local and national platforms, Showtime, Viacom’s cable and international networks, and Paramount Pictures. ViacomCBS will have a global reach of more than 4.3 billion cumulative TV subscribers in more than 180 countries. The combined company, finally, projects $500 million in synergy savings within two years by eliminating overlapping corporate operations and other initiatives.

The LPGA and Group1001 announce a new official LPGA Tour event coming to Boca Raton, Florida in January, 2020. The first edition of the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio will be held January 20-26 at Boca Rio Golf Club. The event will feature a 108-player field competing for a $2 million purse over 72 holes of stroke play. Boca Rio Golf Club, founded in 1967 and designed by Robert von Hagge, is situated four miles from the Atlantic Ocean on 200 acres of native Florida wilderness with no developed real estate. “We are thrilled to support women’s professional golf and to provide a platform for the sport’s best to compete and showcase their talents,” said Dan Towriss, Group1001 CEO. The new event will be one of two LPGA Tour tournaments held in Florida in January. The year will kick off with the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions January 15-19 in Lake Buena Vista, one week prior to the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio.

Tiger Woods considers next steps for Chicago golf course. Before Tiger Woods teed it up at last week's PGA Tour BMW Championship at Medinah, Chicago Alderman Leslie Hairston met with TGR Design President Byron Bell, course designer Beau Welling, course planner Mark Rolfing, and the golfer himself to "discuss next steps" on a Jackson Park/South Shore golf course project that "has stalled since Woods got involved" in late 2016, according to the Chicago Tribune. There was some speculation as to whether Woods would actually play in the BMW Championship, but tournament officials expected that he would play and planned for the crowds accordingly. The event ended Woods’ FedEx Cup Playoffs run – he tied for 37th in an event won by Justin Thomas, who is now in the lead to win the FedEx Cup Championship. Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee’s take on the scenario? Chamblee believed Woods had “significant sponsor-related incentives to 'show up and tee off.’”\

BMW is set to renew its title sponsorship of the second PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoff event for a further three years, according to the Chicago Tribune. It was reported earlier this year that the luxury carmaker was set to end its association with the BMW Championship after this year in order to reallocate its American golf sponsorship budget to the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. However, the Tribune report claims that the company has now reversed its decision and will pay $15-$18 million a year to extend the deal beyond 2019. The Tribune added that the new agreement will be announced in the coming days. If this deal moves forward, it would extend a partnership dating back to 2007. BMW also extended its partnership with USA Swimming through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, following an earlier extension with USA Bobsled & Skeleton through the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

The NFL struck a deal with Sportradar to expand their existing partnership, which will license the distribution of NFL official league data and content to more fans around the world. The renewal significantly expands upon the existing partnership, including exclusive distribution of real-time official play-by-play data and NGS data to sports betting operators in the U.S. and internationally where sports betting is legal and regulated. Official licensed data will improve the speed and accuracy of NFL data and enhance protections for consumers. In addition, Sportradar will now have the right to distribute live audio-visual game feeds to sportsbooks in select international markets. The NFL will also use Sportradar’s integrity services to monitor betting across all NFL games (preseason, regular season, and postseason). The NFL and its clubs will also have access to Sportradar’s integrity education workshops and products to ensure the continuation of the NFL’s high standard for integrity.

With television revenue rolling in, Power 5 schools are engaged in a new kind of arms race, paying significantly more money than ever before to coaches in so-called non-revenue sports. USA Today examined how much money each Power 5 public school paid its head coaches in 23 sports other than football and men's and women's basketball 2013-2018. In that five-year span, total compensation for those coaches grew 43%, almost the same rate of increase as that of football coaches (51%). In 2005, D-I schools spent more on scholarships than on coaches and administrative pay. Since then, the latter have pulled ahead. In 2005, $736 million was spent on scholarships, $721 million on coaches’ pay, and $686 million on administrative pay. By 2018, $1.92 billion was going to coaches’ pay, $1.72 billion to administrative pay, and $1.7 billion to athlete scholarships. That “compensation for coaches in lower-profile, money-losing sports has been growing at a similar rate to football raises red flags for some athletics directors worried about budget crunches.” It also raises red flags for NCAA critics, who look at skyrocketing salaries in non-revenue sports alongside unpaid student-athletes and see a broken system.

The completion of a $315 million renovation has transformed the 96-year-old Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from "ravaged to ravishing," according to the Los Angeles Times. The "wide concourse and new concession stands are welcome, and the views from the 1923 Club on the rooftop are dazzling." Every fan will "benefit from enhancements made during the two-year process." Every seat in the stadium is "new and wider and is equipped with a cupholder." Capacity will be 77,500, down from 92,348. Signs on the tunnels were "added to help fans find newly numbered seats, and new video boards and more than 600 TV screens will make it easy to follow games." There will be "more concession stands and the restrooms will continue to undergo improvement during the season." The Times noted 21 of 22 suites at the Coliseum have been sold at prices that ranged from $7.5-10 million with a "commitment of 20 years.” The renovated building will be a much more desirable destination for Trojans fans for years to come, and for Rams fans in their final season before the new Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park opens next year.

It’s back to school time, and in Washington DC, Monumental and EVERFI support STEM. As students across the nation are returning to the classroom, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Founder and Chairman Ted Leonsis is "spearheading a multipronged effort to improve schools and fuel economic growth in the impoverished neighborhoods" around Entertainment & Sports Arena in DC's Ward 8. According to the Washington Times, the initiative, called "Forward8," includes "pushing for the expansion of advanced science, technology, engineering and mathematics" programs in DC schools. Monumental’s Beltway neighbor, education technology leader EVERFI, is likewise proactive in community engagement, empowering more teachers, citizens, and students to get involved with game-based, incentive driven online education that fosters greater comprehension, retention, and behavior change. By bringing together the public and private sectors to change the way education is delivered, EVERFI is equipping today’s learners across the nation with the skills they need to become tomorrow’s leaders, while Monumental is leading the way toward helping improve education, the workforce of tomorrow, and the community in their own backyard.

Formula One has recorded a modest year-on-year rise in revenues for the second financial quarter of 2019, going from $585 million in 2018 to $620 million in its latest financial filing. Operating income rose from $14 million to $26 million over the same period, according to SportsPro. The global motor sport series’ ten teams also saw an increase in their combined payments between April and June from $307 million to $335 million, with the figure directly linked to the overall revenue increase. Formula One’s owners Liberty Media in a statement further explained the overall change in revenues: “Broadcast revenue increased primarily due to contractual rate increases. Advertising and sponsorship revenue increased due to revenue from new sponsorship agreements entered into beginning in the second half of 2018. Other Formula One revenue decreased in the second quarter primarily due to the mix of races, which resulted in lower TV production and Paddock Club revenue.” Formula One CEO Chase Carey also told investors that Liberty Media is making "good headway" in its moves to add a second race in the U.S. Miami and Las Vegas remain the two potential landing cities.

Nike launches first shoe subscription service, two years in the making. According to Fast Company, the retail giant launched the Nike Adventure Club, which sends a pair of Nike or Converse kicks to kids at regular intervals. Club members can receive them on a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly basis. Each pair of shoes works out to $50-$60 a pair — which puts the service on the higher end of the kids’ sneaker market. What’s more, when a child grows out of a pair or they get worn out, you can send shoes back — either in the Adventure Club box or by requesting a prepaid shoe bag — to the company, and even include non-Nike shoes you want to get rid of. If a shoe is in good condition, Nike will donate it to a nonprofit. But if it has reached the end of its life, Nike will recycle it through its Grind program, which breaks down athletic footwear to turn it into other products, including running tracks and playgrounds. Because of this, Nike is pitching the program as a way to make kid’s shoes sustainable.

The NBA sets earlier start times for televised doubleheaders. The NBA wants to cut down on cases of post-midnight dribbling. The league and its two national TV partners, ESPN and WarnerMedia, have struck a new arrangement for the times the media companies televise doubleheaders. In an effort to offer fans a wider variety of teams and to get East Coast viewers to bed before 1 a.m., the league is cutting the number of late doubleheaders on ESPN and TNT by 42%, cutting the total shown to 33 in the 2019-2020 season. The NBA made the new move realizing East Coast fans were being made to watch games that stretched into the wee hours of the morning and that only a handful of teams could be shown in games that started at 10:30 p.m. ET. ESPN and WarnerMedia’s Turner Sports were in favor of the move. Many of the game’s biggest starts and most popular teams are based on the West Coast, while most U.S. TV households are in the east. Another important consideration for the globally-minded league – the schedule adjustment expands the number of prime time games televised in Europe, to 48.

Louisiana state commission approves bond sale for Superdome upgrades. Louisiana's State Bond Commission has given the Mercedes-Benz Superdome's governing body the "go-ahead" to sell up to $350 million in bonds to "fund its stadium upgrade project," according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The approval is a "major step" for the venue's $450 million makeover. It comes after committee members quizzed Saints President Dennis Lauscha and SMG Executive Vice President of Stadiums and Arenas Doug Thornton about "why the spending was needed and how much the state of Louisiana would have to contribute." Thornton said that they "had studied alternatives for more than two years, including various renovations as well as building an entirely new stadium." Even though the Superdome received $336 million worth of upgrades in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and before it hosted Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, the new upgrades are needed to keep the building competitive based on NFL benchmarks and new stadiums nationwide competing for Super Bowls and other mega events. By 2025, the end of the Saints' current lease, the Superdome is projected to have a total fiscal impact of $19.9 billion.

Finally, as summer’s heat reaches its peak, The Original Chipwich completed a sponsorship agreement with the National Women’s Hockey League to serve as “The Official Ice Cream Sandwich of the NWHL” for the 2019-20 season. As an NWHL partner, Chipwich will sponsor select intermission activities during games and receive significant social media promotion, plus additional activations. As part of the NWHL-NWHL Players’ Association agreement, players under contract for the upcoming season receive a 50% split of revenue from all league-level sponsorship and media deals. Revenue from the partnership agreement with Chipwich will be banana split in half with NWHL players, resulting in additional income beyond their salaries for playing. The Chipwich deal, clearly, is the cherry on top of the NWHL’s successful summer sundae of deal making.

Top Five Tech

MLB, Little League, and ESPN broadcast VR Home Run Derby from Williamsport. According to PR Newswire, the 2019 Home Run Derby VR Little League Challenge will feature one player from each of the 16 U.S. and International teams participating in the 2019 Little League Baseball World Series and will be available free via live streams on the ESPN app and the official MLB channel on Twitch. Little League players competing in the challenge will use a special All-Star multiplayer edition of the award-winning VR video game featuring Progressive Field, the home of the Cleveland Indians, custom designed in a 360 degree hi-resolution visualization. Last year, MLB, Little League International, and ESPN held the first-ever video game competition as part of the Little League World Series experience in Williamsport. The highlight recap of last year’s VR Derby drew a sizeable 362,000 viewers – this is an avenue for MLB to make an entry into video games and eventually, esports.

MLB and FanDuel announced a multi-year agreement that makes the sportsbook operator an official gaming partner of the league. According to Hashtag Sports, the partnership provides FanDuel access to official MLB data, along with league and team marks and logos, across FanDuel’s online sports betting products and retail sportsbook locations. In-play wagering is a large part of the sports betting experience and accounts for more than 50% of FanDuel Sportsbook’s total business. MLB and FanDuel Group joining forces allows FanDuel to enhance the in-play and overall sports wagering and experience. It is MLB’s first partnership with FanDuel. The sports betting company already has similar agreements with the NBA and the Brooklyn Nets, as well as the NHL and the New Jersey Devils. MLB has previously partnered with MGM Resorts International and DraftKings. The move is the latest in a series of league partnerships with sportsbook operators, as regulated sports wagering spreads across the country. The NFL is currently the only major U.S. professional league not to have named an official sports betting partner.

The Atlanta Falcons add a new app and free preseason streaming. According to SportsPro, both the Falcons and their Mercedes-Benz Stadium have launched new apps ahead of the 2019 season. The team app will deliver news, transactions, player access, game day highlights, and more exclusive content. Daily editorial coverage will include videos, photos and podcasts, and even live streaming of the Falcons’ preseason games. On the other hand, the game day app will give fans access to their digital Ticketmaster account and the ability to easily and securely transfer tickets. In addition, the platform will house interactive stadium maps, concession and restaurant menus, and a 24/7 virtual concierge. Similar to the MLS’ LAFC, the Falcons have added new apps and more in-depth player coverage to bring fans closer to players than ever before – a route that has proved successful for other NFL franchises like the New York Jets and their social media team.

HBO gets ready to air four different Power Five football college programs as part of a “Hard Knocks”-style series. According to Sports Illustrated, the show will air this college football season and the four teams are Alabama, Arizona State, Penn State, and Washington State. Showtime had previously run three seasons of weekly behind-the-scenes programs and chronicled Notre Dame, Florida State, and Navy from 2015-2017. HBO is following the Raiders through the 2019 preseason; Episode 1 of the five-episode season aired August 6. Hard Knocks is now in its 14th season covering the NFL. Bringing more coverage to college football will be a competitive scene as more OTT programs such as DAZN and The Athletic are doing more in-depth programming of previously uncovered college sports teams.

“Mad Money” host Jim Cramer inks a three-year deal including helping to launch the NFL’s fantasy subscription service. According to the New York Post, digital publishing, advertising, and distribution platform Maven bought out Cramer’s financial news service, TheStreet, for $16.8 million. As part of the deal, Cramer has signed a three-year production deal comprising a new NFL fantasy football subscription service that includes a pre-weekend preview show on Thursdays and post-weekend show on Tuesdays. Separately, Maven has an agreement to manage the Sports Illustrated media properties for licensing behemoth Authentic Brands, which purchased SI from Meredith for $110 million earlier this year. Maven prepaid $45 million to Authentic Brands for rights to the SI media operation under a ten year deal. Seattle-based Maven was founded in July, 2016 by James Heckman, has attracted over 100 brands, and will now provide world-class exclusive content for NFL fantasy lovers.

Power of Sports Five

The Cleveland Browns open up training camp and help puppies find homes. According to The Athletic, more and more NFL teams are limiting public access to training camp, but the Browns are doing the opposite. The team has expanded camp over the past few years to make it more fan- and family-friendly and has added several sets of large bleachers, food trucks and beer stands, and games for kids and teens. The highlight of the training camp is Browns Puppy Pound, which adopts out puppies from the Northeast Ohio SPCA during every open practice. More than 110 dogs have been adopted thus far in training camp this year and more than 450 puppies have been adopted through the partnership since the Puppy Pound debuted in 2015. By bringing the dogs to a place where people are happy to be going, the Browns have helped nearly 500 dogs find homes.

The Houston Rockets’ James Harden gifts a mother fishing for food in the Bahamas $10,000. According to Complex, Harden and his friends vacationed in the Bahamas this summer. His group took a four-wheeler ATV ride through the island, where footage of Harden giving money to locals was shared around social media. The guard gave random amounts of money to local residents, and even gave a mother $10,000 when he saw that she and her family were fishing for food. This trip was a part of the world tour that Harden has been on since the season ended. Earlier in the summer, Harden took a trip to China to engage with his fans in a country that is hungry for more basketball. Harden and the Rockets are looking to make a push in the new Western Conference with the Warriors shaky, and Harden is striving for greatness on and off the court with his philanthropy.

The annual Gagne-Bergeron Pro-Am raised over $450,000 for children’s charities in the Boston area. The event took place on August 8 and featured 10,000 fans in attendance to watch the annual charity hockey game. Now in its 11th year, the event has funneled $2 million to charity since its inception. Notable names who participated in this year’s event includes Paul Stansy as a representative of Golden Knights on the ice. According to Le Journal de Quebec, Philippe Boucher Foundation, the Maurice Tanguay Foundation and the Simple Plan Foundation will benefit from the money raised at the event which included the participation of 21 NHL players and other amateur players at the Videotron Center in Quebec. Hockey is a close-knit community and by bringing together notable names in the off-season, fans stay engaged with players while also helping those in need.

Miami Dolphins former lineman Kendrick Norton suffers a partial missing arm but finds new purpose in charity. According to TMZ, the former NFL lineman lost half of his left arm in a July car crash but doctors told him he's a prime candidate for a state-of-the art prosthetic limb that he can control with his mind. Supposedly his new limb will allow him to control his new fingers as well as his old ones. Now that Norton is living with a missing arm, he says he's refocusing his priorities from football to starting a non-profit charity and wants to use his platform to inspire kids who are living without limbs.

Panini America teams with NASCAR driver Gray Gaulding to bring NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes and his charity into the spotlight. As part of a partnership, the Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback and 2019 Donruss Football cover athlete will be placed on the hood of Gaulding's No. 08 Chevrolet Camaro. According to PR Newswire, the autographed hood will be auctioned off to benefit Mahomes' “15 and the Mahomies Foundation” after the race. Fans and collectors who want to bid on the autographed Mahomes and Gaulding hood used during Friday's Food City 300 can do so by going to Panini America's official eBay page beginning Wednesday. Panini America, the world's largest licensed sports and entertainment collectibles company and the exclusive trading card manufacturer of the NFL, NFLPA, and NASCAR, has created a cross-sport mash-up to provide a starting point for cross-league charity events between NASCAR and the NFL.

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They say that iguanas in Florida are out of control. They burrow under roads and savage electrical boxes. They sometimes carry salmonella and there are so many of them. But all in all they are so damn cute that you just wanna forgive them. The locals have reportedly taken to offing them.

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Peoria native Betty Friedan now has a bench in her honor in the Illinois town. The bench looks out to her childhood home with the words, ‘Peoria native who changed the world.’

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Zac Efron, Haley Joel Osment, John Malkovitch and Kaya Delario are awesome in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.

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Sometimes I am late to the party but just saw The Most Hated Woman in America with Melissa Leo and Peter Fonda. We should have heard more about those great performances!

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Ringo joined pal Paul at Dodger Stadium for a swing at Sgt. Pepper and Helter Skelter in the July 13 encore. Joe Walsh also stepped in a bit for the 3 hour show.

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Baskets is over. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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CBS research analyst, David Poltrack has retired after 50 years. The professor at NYU and Steinhardt fought hard against the odds to bring us Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman which was an instant hit.

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Joe Crane, who was fired from Springfield’s WICS after criticizing the owners scare tactics has reached an” agreement “ with the station.

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The Yang Gang is growing. Andrew Yang is still in the running for President. Buy a MATH hat and support the Freedom dividend. Alaska already gets it and the program was introduced by a republican governor. It is great when we can work together.

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Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris are up about 10 points and Biden has dropped about 10.** Beto has rebooted again? This is getting a bit old. He seems to have worked himself into a frenzy this time as he jumps out onto the stage very excited. He is trying too hard but he should talk more about being a punk rocker in his youth, now that is interesting. As of this writing he is below Marianne Williamson. Ya know she makes a lot of sense, I think it is just the way she says it that comes off a little odd.**Tulsi Gabbard is suing Google after her campaign went offline after the debates.**

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The second debates came and went. Marianne Williamson gets more shit than she deserves. Pundits who often say ridiculous things love to belittle her. Pay attention, there are some inspiring thoughts in there. If the world continues to get stay angry and things get more violent, we may welcome a theme of love! Bernie was on fire and he and Warren came off with the best sound bites until night 2. Andrew Yang had his say which is becoming more confident. Inslee got no press from this debate. Tim Ryan caught Hell for not putting his hand over his heart like the rest of the crowd. He seems so sour anyway.. just go!! Nothing seems to be really resonating when it comes to Beto ,Bennett, Delaney, Klobuchar or Gillibrand, I think their time is up. Gillibrand did say she would Clorox the oval office which was cute. Biden did seem a bit out of it when self-advertising but I see that as a good thing but he needs to stop with the ‘malarkey line. . Harris and Biden clashed. Booker said “shithole” and they didn’t bleep it and he used the phrase ‘marijuana justice’. Gabbard took Williamson’s ‘sick care’ thing and Harris took Yang’s math thing so they are all somewhat on the same page.

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Animal Kingdom has been renewed for season 5.

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T-Mobile has taken over Sprint.

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Comedians in cars getting coffee was good this season. Seinfeld toured Big Lots and had some Arby’s and Twinkies to act like a regular guy. Jerry and a guest were bleeped when talking about a comic that Jerry seems to despise. Most agree that is was Bobcat Goldthwaite. There was some joking about other shows that could be interesting like Cougars in cars getting cosmos. I’m in.

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Thank you Stranger Things for another great season, well for the most part anyway.

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Speaking of comedians that seem adverse, David Spade seemed a bit put out at Conan for some reason when he was on Howard Stern.** Spade also has a new show, Lights Out which will be comics talking about events that are not political.

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Days Alert: Please, Please put Xander and Sarah together. The chemistry is palpable.** Please bring back Paul and give him a nice boy to love so that Will and Sonny are not the only game in town. Perhaps Joey could get out of prison and realize he is gay.** The Nicole and other mask and Susan showing up.. oh my..WTF??** Thaao is back!!

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It has been reported that 2.5 mil was diverted from the National park funds to pay for Trump’s July 4th extravaganza.** Mayor Bowser has asked the Federal Government to reimburse D.C. millions. The celebration drained the city of their security anti- terror fund.** Folks were not allowed to bring umbrellas for the rain soaked event. The President was in a box. Most of the big draws were cordoned off for the big donors. ** But really media, many say it but can we please quit going on and on about every little thing that Scary Clown does and run this country? How long should we let him keep kids in cages and fill the courts with his judges and lie about, well ..everything?** Rudy does his Trump lawyering for free.** The Supreme Court has decided to let Trump build his wall with 2.5 billion of the pentagon budget while litigation goes on in the lower courts. Just think what that money could do for our vets.

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Los Espookys is a fabulous new show!!

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Why does the world seem to be full of people with no self -esteem, no inkling to do the simplest research and would rather shoot first, ask questions later? Why are so many fine with letting the dictators take over the world?** TRUMP IS OVER if you want it –Mia Farrow by way of John and Yoko** I am sure even Scary Clown is surprised that he is still in charge what with all the law breaking and the ‘jumping on the plane excuses.’ When will there be accountability?** As Wanda Sykes says: Most Presidents really age fast in the WH. Trump does not seem to but we have.

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The whole Mueller thing did not seem to help. Bobby 3 sticks seems to be a slow and steady guy who buckled down, did his work and it should have been a done deal. Some say he was putting on a show, some found him confused and some called him a doddering fool in the hearings. He wasn’t being dramatic, he stuck to the truth and the rule of law. He tried for a year to get Trump to talk to them. People should have read the report, it should not have taken a spectacle to put it out there. I feel a little icky about a country that won’t read such an important document. The Dems say they wanted it all out there on the line so the American people who have the facts and they could move forward. Ok..whatever that means. The Office of Legal Council say they can’t indict a sitting President but isn’t that just an added on memo? They can indict a President after he leaves office. There were so many speaches. There was Republican showboating that would not even let him talk. Texan Louie Gomhert was an exceptional loon who does not seem to give a damn about this country. The shuffling of Mueller’s papers was maddening. Both sides had opinions, both sides put him down and both sides praised him. How can the parties come together if we can’t come together within the parties? There was a lot of “yes” and “no” and there is so much still under investigation that could be talked about.** We do know that Russia interfered, made contact with the campaign who welcomed it and then they lied to cover it up. If the men who lied have been charged and convicted then so should the President. ** less people watched than watched the Comey stuff and the Blasey Ford testimony but that is nt surprising. People who give a shit have read the report and know the answers, the haters only seem to listen to the President and others work or simply don’t care.** John Ratcliffe has been nominated for director of National intelligence.

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Kushner’s family real estate company has more than 170 code violations in Baltimore.

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Luke Perry’s son Jack is making a name for himself in wrestling as Jungle Boy.

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If you want to try a pre mixed old fashioned try Aisha Tyler’s own blend at Courage and Stone.com.

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The Intelligence Committee investigation concludes that Russia penetrated all 50 states election systems.** Scary Clown is giving 40 billion in foreign aid to wealthy investors overseas.** Why is Moscow Mitch giving so much support to Russia? He sees that we are at risk and he won’t protect us. It seems that Oleg Peripaska is going to build an aluminum plant in Kentucky.** In God we trust is a must now in Kentucky schools.** By the end of July, the Intel committee has asked to review secret grand jury materials. The impeachment investigation has begun.

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There has never been a democrat running the FBI in its 100 year history.

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The teen summit that Trump presided over was fucked with. Someone put up a fake presidential seal behind him that showed a Russian eagle symbol with golf clubs and cash that read 45 is a hoodlum in Spanish. Tee he he

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The DOJ will not prosecute Barr and Ross for contempt of congress.

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Boris Johnson will be the British Prime Minister for now. What the fuck is becoming of all of us?

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Justin Amash has left the Republican Party.

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Puerto Rico’s pig of a governor, Ricardo Rossello has finally resigned.

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NY Governor Cuomo has signed a bill allowing congress to get Trump’s state tax returns.

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My new favorite animal is the pocket shark. It is very small and glows in the dark. OOOEEE!!

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Avengers if now the highest grossing film of all time.

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Mad Magazine is essentially over. They will still release previous work and have year end special editions by mail and at comic book shops. I know so many people that Mad influenced, it’s a sad day.

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A 16 year old girl was raped by a 16 year old boy who filmed it and texted, ‘when your first time having sex was rape.’ The judge claimed it wasn’t rape and that the prosecutors should have explained to the girl and her family that the charges could destroy the boy’s life.

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Vogue magazine left out Marianne Williamson when they ran their story on women running for President. They claim it was only about elected officials but that seems a bit like BS.

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“Trump is the greatest President since Lincoln.” –Jon Voight** The average Trump WH staffer earns $99,000.** Let’s not forget that Scary Clown has lost more cabinet secretaries to corruption and ethics concern in his first term than any President in U.S. history.** I seem to remember that before he was our leader, he bitched more than anyone I can remember so why didn’t he leave per his own instructions to the Squad?? His family came from Germany which I seem to remember they denied for some time. ** The house has voted to condemn Trump for his racist comments.** “You might be a racist if”.. sounds like a new take on the Foxworthy routine that isn’t at all funny. A few days after I wrote this, Whoopi Goldberg mentioned the phrase herself. I guess we are all thinking it.** He is now attacking Cummings and Sharpton. Sometimes I think that he is just serving all this up on a silver platter because he wants out so badly. Perhaps he is just showing us how stupid we really are. ** “Trump tower is a crime infested urban hell hole.” –Greg Sargent** “Wear your racist like a badge of honor.” –Steve Bannon

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Now there are recordings of Nixon and Reagan talking some racist shit. Reagan called African delegates, “Monkeys “ that don’t wear shoes. If memory serves me he started his Presidential campaign at a racist college so not that surprising.

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People have started unfollowing Scary Clown on twitter. I’ve said it before.. ignore him and he’ll go away. Don’t ignore the money he is moving around and the way he is fucking up our democracy but ignore all the day to day bullshit cuz he thrives on it.** Some ancestor digging has apparently revealed that his family fortune began in Canada with a brothel.** Dan Coats is out.

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“Our horror only makes him stronger.” – Colbert** His LONG intros to his ‘Meanwhile’ segment are a bit ridic.** Chris Wallace and Colbert kind of got into it on his show, even the hosts are at each others throats. Colbert made fun of Mueller in the monologue but when Wallace said similar things in a serious matter, Stephen got his back up

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3 From Hell looks terrifying.

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The debt has grown from 19 trillion (the start of the Trump presidency) to 22 trillion in the here and now.** For only the second time in history, the house voted to hold William Barr and Wilbur Ross in contempt of congress.

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Biden says he’ll do push -ups to prove his stamina and Bernie has challenged Trump to a race. C’mon old white guys, quit the pissing contest let’s move forward or get out of the way.

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Pottery Barn is going to do a line of ‘Friends’ inspired furniture??**The Coffee Bean and Tea Leave co. will have Friends inspired drinks.

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Hooray for Danielle Reno who did her own detective work and stole her car back from the carnappers.

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How will I wait for the last season of Criminal minds?? They have really decided to keep us on tender hooks until 2020??

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The Emmy noms have been announced: Hooray for best comedy noms Barry, Veep, The Good Place, Russian Doll and (woo Hoo) Schitt’s Creek. For drama there is Better Call Saul, Killing Eve. Ozark, Pose and Succession. I’m thrilled for Jodie Comer, Sandra Oh, Viola Davis, Julia- Louis Dreyfus, Natasha Lyonne, Catherine O’Hara, Don Cheadle, Michael Douglas, Bill Hader and Eugene Levy. Some categories are so hard to route for because there so many talented people. Limited series has given us Hugh Grant, Niecy Nash and Patricia Arquette in lead and supporting. Other supporting and guest noms are Fiona Shaw, Jonathon Banks, Peter Dinklage, Giancarlo Esposito, Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Sarah Goldberg , Tony Shalhoub, Henry Winkler, Ben Whishaw, Laverne Cox, Jessica Lange, Pater Macnicol, Stephen Root , Rufus Sewell and Michael McKean. SNL has many nominations with Adam Sandler, Emma Thompson, Sandra Oh, Robert DeNiro, Kate McKinnon and John Mulaney. Variety shows include The Daily Show, Full Frontal, Jimmy Kimmell Live, Last Week Tonight. The late Late show and The Late Show. Structured reality is a good category with Drunk History, At Home with Amy Sedaris, Who Do You Think You Are?, Documentary Now and I Love You America. Informational will pit Comedians in Cars against My Next guest needs no introduction. Game of Thrones gets the most noms with 32.

*****

Good for Disney for their spotlight on real lions for their release of The Lion King. In the 25 years since the animated version, the lion population has dwindled by HALF.

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Storming Area 51? What? Civilians are not allowed to storm ANY military base. ** Budweiser is offering free Bud Light to any alien that makes it out.

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ICE is also picking up some American born Latinos. 18 year old Francisco Galicia was released after 3 weeks and while in custody he lost 26 lbs.

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Judy, the biopic of Judy Garland with Renee Zellweger, Finn Whitrock and Rufus Sewell looks promising!!

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A skull found in Europe shows us that homo sapiens were there 20,000 years ago.

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The top money makers in today’s thriving for profit prison industry are: Henry Cuellar, Marsha Blackburn, Charlie Crist, Marco Rubio, Lamar Alexander and Mitch McConnell. The Government pays them $250 a day to house the caged kids!

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Go Coco Gauff!

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Rand Paul tried to stop the 9-11 victims bill it went thru.** The GOP blocked election security and cyber security bills as the Mueller hearing played out.

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The 25 WEEK mug was on Seth’s desk again on the July 18 show.** Seth wonders why reporters are still asking Trump questions? It gets us nowhere. The Michael Moore appearance began the new phrase, ‘Orange Crush’ as a call to arms to beat Trump.

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In sexual predator news: The Jeff Epstein case is really heating up. It seems his fortune is sort of a mystery. He seems to have come by most it from Victoria’s Secret and Bath and Body works owner Les Wexner. ** The department of Justice has now shaved down the definition of domestic violence. It was sort of an all encompassing definition which included: patterns of deliberate behavior, dynamics of power and control, physical, sexual, emotional, economic and psychological abuse. But now they have trimmed that to be simply felony or misdemeanor crimes.** Epstein was found in his cell unconscious with neck injuries. Suicide?** New reports are saying that Epstein spoke to scientists about his plan to impregnate women in at a New Mexico ranch.

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Morton, Il. will ban the sale of legal marijuana when the state starts legal sales in January 2020.

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Dem presidential wanna be news: Swalwell is out. Tom Steyer is in.

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In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. – Martin Luther King

*****

Look for the impossible burger coming to Burger King next year. Testers are saying it tastes like the real thing. The inventors use a fake out of heme, the part of blood that gives meat its flavor. There are also some promising meat subs being grown in labs but they are still a ways away. We must evolve the meat biz. Why wouldn’t we want to stop killing animals if we could? Like coal, it should become a thing of the past. And let’s grow some trees while we are at it and have real solutions for climate change.

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UT Austin will now give free tuition to undergrads with family income below $65,000 in 2020.

*****

Federal executions are back.

*****

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was ranked #1 in Governing magazine of thriving Gov’s elected in 2018.

*****

Hooray for the US women’s soccer team. Let’s pay them what they are worth, they actually win. Megan Rapinoe deserved kudos for her fab speech about the diversity of her team.

*****

GOP candidate Robert Foster would not allow a female reporter access to the campaign ride along unless she was accompanied by a man.

*****

So, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood.. Sort of a mind blow and after digesting and thinking on it.. My favorite Tarantino film. I have read a few reviews, one saying it was such a film for the guys. I say wrong on that. My sister and I thought this was one for the ladies. To watch that eye candy of Kurt, Brad and Leo on the screen was a nice gift. This is my favorite kind of film even though I usually can’t put up with historical fiction. The vibrancy of the beautiful people, the old look of the western and the filth of Spahn Ranch made everything so clear. This so made sense for myself and my sibling’s particular life because of our Father and the respect he showed us about movies. If he were still with us, he would have loved the reverence for Sergio Leonne shown here. To show the progression of how somebody may end up at the ranch was real in this imagined scenario. All these things were really blending in 1969 and there was not a lot of shoe wearing. The best part was the new way to see some old songs which other reviewers mentioned and movies can be so great at. The words of Manson’s little ditty always get stuck in my head as they do here. I always wonder if it is the haunting acts or the song itself. Stepping into California in 1969 was also an exciting . For the first time, I actually felt I was on Cielo Drive and at the ranch. The driving sequences were long but that is what California is about. Many are going on about the ending which I won’t go into but I can see both sides. Hooray for the self- indulgent but brilliant Tarantino!!

R.I.P. Gene Gerdom, Luis Alvarez, Ross Perot, Martin Charnin, John Paul Stevens, victims of the Kyoto animation studio attack, Lane Lindstrom, Art Neville, Russi Taylor, the garlic fest victims, Rutger Hauer and Rip Torn.

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hamiltongolfcourses · 5 years

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Masters 2019: Tiger Woods caddie Joe LaCava on the advice he gave on the first tee, and nine others

AUGUSTA, Ga.—Tiger Woods is nowhere to be seen, it's starting to rain, Tony Finau's family waits for him, Justin Thomas comes out of the clubhouse and gets into his car. In the parking lot, the rear hatch of one of the Mercedes courtesy cars is up. It's Tiger's car, and Joe LaCava is sitting in the trunk. In the aftermath of Woods' historic win at Augusta National, his caddie paused to reflect on a wild final round, and the road that brought both here. 1. Francesco Molinari's water ball on 12 was a bit of a shock LaCava said that Tiger was all business after Molinari, inexplicably, put his tee ball in Rae's Creek. For LaCava, it wasn't something he saw coming. Molinari, who's so steady it's borderline infuriating, wasn't a player you'd peg as a candidate to drop a ball in the water on the back nine of a major. "[Molinari]’s one of those guys, he’s not going to go away," said Lacava. "I was a little surprised he hit it in there. I was thinking this is a perfect 8 iron for him, it’s probably a smash 9 iron for us. I actually thought he was going to hit not to two feet, but 15 feet left. I was very surprised. Things definitely changed." What didn't change was Woods' plan. LaCava thought there was a chance Tiger would switch 9 out for 8-iron, but he stuck with his plan, put his approach on the left side of the the green, and made par for a two-shot swing that changed the entire tournament. molinari 12th 2019 Masters 2. He's not ready to talk about Jack Nicklaus' record The big Woods conversation that's been on ice for the past decade is if he'll beat Nicklaus' record of 18-majors. What looked like an almost certainty became a certainly not. But now . . . maybe? "It’s nice to get to 15, 18 isn’t a thought," said LaCava. "Now 15’s here, let’s get to 16. Is it [the record] in play? Sure. The guy’s 43-years-old, a guy like him could win when they’re 50. Sixteen is the next mission." Still, this win feels good, even in the context of all of Tiger's great wins. "It’s been a long time, lot of question marks, lot of injuries," said LaCava. "I think 15 is, who knows, looking back 10 years from now, 15 may be the hardest one." 3. Coming down the stretch, Brooks Koepka was the biggest concern. The leader board was alarmingly stacked during the back nine on Sunday. Dustin Johnson, Molinari, Xander Schauffele, Jason Day, and others all had legitimate chances to win the Masters. But there was one name that was sticking out to LaCava: Brooks Kopeka. "You’re watching Brooks, because he’s probably going to be the guy who’s going to do something if anyone’s going to do something," said Lacava. "Brooks had made 5 at 12, but he was hitting everything to 10 feet, so I was thinking, this guy could come in at 14 (under)." 4. He, jokingly, denied Tiger a read on that 18-inch putt for birdie on 16. That 8-iron Tiger hit into the green on the par-3 16th was absolutely pure. It hit the green, and started rolling back towards the hole. Everyone, including Tiger, looked like they thought it was going in. But it missed the cup, leaving Tiger about 18-inches for birdie. "He said 'Take a look.' I said, 'Take a look? It's a foot and a half,'" said LaCava, laughing. "He said, 'Left center,' I said 'Go for it.'" The putt, obviously, went in. 5. Tiger knew this would happen. "He’s a very confident person so he always thought he could do it," said Lacava. 6. Tiger's scheduling so far this season was helpful Sunday. Much to the dismay of many Woods fans, he didn't play the Valspar or Bay Hill this year. Ultimately, it looks like taking some extra rest may have been a good idea for Tiger. "I’m not saying he skipped those because of this, but he’s fresh," explained LaCava. The caddie said that the 2018 season was about playing tournament golf again, trying to get a win. "This year, let's play a little less, I've won that tournament, I know I can do that, let's win a major." Plan, executed. 7. There are some similarities between this and the last time LaCava was on a winning bag at Augusta National. For over 20 years, LaCava caddied for Fred Couples. In 1992, Couples won the Masters with LaCava caddying for him. Both Couples and Woods both won with 13 under. "It's the same score," said LaCava. "Raymond was at 11 in the house, so it was a little easier. Fred made a par, so he had a two-stroke lead, just like Tiger did. You still have to finish it off. It was a little tougher with Fred, knowing that pin was in the back. Plus he was in a bunker. I knew Fred’s ball was a little to the right, it’s not that easy of a shot." LaCava wasn't willing to compare the two wins beyond the facts. 8. The advice he gave Tiger on the first tee played out throughout the round. "On the first tee I told him, 'Intense but loose,'" said LaCava. "Don't carry the weight of the world." It's a delicate balance, to make sure you're fired up enough to hit the big shots, but you don't want to be so overwhelmed by the moment that you tighten up and lose your ability to swing the golf club as you know how to. "I think he did that," said LaCava. "I thought he was pretty loose. But I didn't want him to lose the intensity. At the same time, this isn't the end all. Not ‘Let’s just have fun no matter what happens'—don’t get me wrong. But be loose." 9. One of the most important moments was on 9. Generally, most people wouldn't point to Tiger two-putting the ninth green as one of the biggest moments of the day. But for LaCava, that two-putt was huge. "He’s the best at the game, but people don’t realize how hard that was," explained LaCava. "That was big. Giving us momentum, shooting under par on the front nine. 10. There's a part of Joe that always knew this was going to happen. "I don't know if i dreamt about it, but I pictured it. I wouldn't have stuck around if I didn't think he was capable of pulling something like this off. He is Tiger Woods after all, right?"

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blogwonderwebsites · 6 years

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Nature Tiger Woods, Golf’s Dominant Force, Hoists a Trophy Once Again

Nature Tiger Woods, Golf’s Dominant Force, Hoists a Trophy Once Again Nature Tiger Woods, Golf’s Dominant Force, Hoists a Trophy Once Again http://www.nature-business.com/nature-tiger-woods-golfs-dominant-force-hoists-a-trophy-once-again/

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Tiger Woods on the first tee at East Lake Golf Club on Sunday for the last round of the Tour Championship, the PGA Tour’s season finale. Woods, 42, claimed his first tour victory since 2013.CreditCreditSam Greenwood/Getty Images

ATLANTA — Eighteen months ago, Tiger Woods needed help getting out of bed. Back injuries had derailed his golf career, and he was about to have his fourth operation, a last-resort effort to return to the links. His primary goal was to regain enough mobility to play with his two children, not against the best golfers in the world.

Yet on Sunday, Woods was fighting back tears on the final hole of the Tour Championship as he claimed his first victory in more than five years. The win completed one of the most remarkable comebacks in sports history and answered doubts about whether Woods could ever be himself again, the most dominant force golf has ever seen. He shared those doubts.

“I just can’t believe I pulled this off,” Woods, 42, said at the trophy presentation for his 80th PGA Tour win, two short of Sam Snead’s career record.

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Tiger Woods celebrated winning the Tour Championship on Sunday.CreditTim Bradbury/Getty Images

He had flirted with victory several times this year, mounting thrilling late charges that enraptured galleries but ultimately fizzled. Finally, Woods triumphed in vintage form, owning the course at East Lake Golf Club from Day 1 with a performance that was equal parts magical and methodical.

Small slips on the back nine Sunday provided extra drama, but Woods would not be denied. He shot one over par for the day and 11 under for the win, beating the runner-up, Billy Horschel, by two strokes.

David L. Cook, a sports psychology consultant who has worked with hundreds of professional athletes, including PGA Tour golfers, called Woods “one of the most mentally tough golfers of all time.”

“He was raised by a Green Beret dad, and it was important to Tiger that he be known as mentally tough,” Cook said. “Many years went into that, and emotionally, he still had it all together today.”

Fans stampeded after Woods as he walked up the last fairway, pressing closer and closer, his security detail barely able to contain the frenzy. Woods had always drawn huge crowds, but this was extraordinary. At one point, a small smile crossed his face as he peeked at the human sea lapping at his heels.

“I didn’t want to get run over,” Woods said later with a laugh.

Most of the day, he followed his longtime routine, blocking out any fuss from the gallery, fixing a steely stare forward and marching toward the hole. That focus has always been part of his strength. But on Sunday, almost everything felt different, even as Woods regained a big piece of his past.

The fans at East Lake threw their voices behind him with a fervor that came across as much more affectionate than the “You da Man” support he received when he was clinically destroying fields.

Terry Bradley, who drove from Louisville, Ky., with his wife, Rachel, to follow Woods over the weekend, said he had heard fans shouting encouragement like “C’mon, kid,” as if Woods had shed years, and not just rust, since returning to competition.

“I thought about it, and it’s the comeback story,” Bradley said. “Because nobody thought he would make it back to this level. And the way he’s been humbled. He’s human.”

Woods had been troubled over the last decade not just by injuries, but also by embarrassing revelations about his sex life that led to divorce, caused sponsors to flee and smudged the clean-cut image he had cultivated even before he left Stanford to turn professional. He kept winning, though, racking up five victories in 2013 before his back failed him.

Roughly a month after his fourth operation, a spinal fusion, Woods was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence near his Florida home. The toxicology reports found five drugs in his system, including two powerful painkillers and sleep-inducing medication. Woods sought inpatient addiction treatment after that episode.

But when Woods talks about the turning point, he speaks of the fusion surgery, which gave him back an active life and his career. He returned to golf in December ranked No. 1,199 in the world, and rose to No. 21 by the start of the Tour Championship, which had a 30-man field that included 18 of the top 20 golfers.

Woods entered Sunday’s round with a three-stroke lead over his nearest challengers, Justin Rose, the world No. 1, and Rory McIlroy, a former No. 1, and a 23-0 record when entering a final round leading by at least three strokes.

It is a measure of how dominant Woods was before the back operations that despite all the time he missed, he has now moved into a tie with Dustin Johnson for the most PGA Tour victories (19) among active players since the start of 2008.

The Tour Championship, the PGA Tour’s season finale, was Woods’s 18th official start in 2018, one more than he had made in the four previous years combined as he tried to relieve his debilitating pain.

“None of us will really know how deep and dark a rut he was in because he is such a private guy,” said Trevor Immelman, who in 2008 held off Woods to win the Masters.

On Sunday night, Woods alluded to how deep and dark it was. He remembered thinking: “Am I going to be able to sit, stand, walk, lay down without feeling the pain that I was in?”

And also: “This is how the rest of my life is going to be? This is going to be a tough rest of my life.”

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Tiger Woods with his caddie, Joe LaCava, celebrated after winning the Tour Championship.CreditSam Greenwood/Getty Images

After he finished on Sunday, Woods staged a hug-a-thon with other members of golf’s elite, including Rose, the winner of the FedEx Cup playoffs, and Justin Thomas. He also tightly embraced his caddie, Joe LaCava; his girlfriend, Erica Herman; and his agent, Mark Steinberg.

“The people who are close to me saw the struggles and what I was going through,” Woods said, “and some of the players that I’m pretty close to, they’ve really helped throughout this process and the last few years. Their support and some of those things that they said coming off that last green meant a lot to me.”

Woods also said “the fevered pitch” of the fan stampede behind him on the 18th fairway was something he had never experienced and would never forget.

“I guess it’s different now because the art of clapping is gone, right?” Woods said, smiling. “You can’t clap when you’ve got a cellphone in your hand, so people yell.”

At one point this year, Woods was asked in a news conference if a victory in 2018 would complete one of the greatest comebacks in all of sports.

It would not even be the greatest comeback in his sport, he answered, before delivering a history lesson on Ben Hogan’s return to the winner’s circle at the 1950 United States Open, 16 months after sustaining critical injuries when a Greyhound bus struck the car he was driving head-on.

Hogan won six of his nine majors after the crash. How many years, and major championship runs, does Woods realistically have left in him? That question may be driving the emotions exhibited by Woods’s fans this year.

“Eighteen months ago, we saw him being arrested,” Bradley, the fan from Kentucky, said. “Now he’s back and probably with three or four years left of being able to play at this level, and everyone wants to see him while we still can.”

Bill Pennington contributed reporting from New York.

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After 5 Painful Years, Woods Returns to Pinnacle

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Nature Tiger Woods, Golf’s Dominant Force, Hoists a Trophy Once Again, in 2018-09-24 03:48:27

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