Nancy Mace Gets Stuffed Into A Strapless Black Dress For Christmas, Balionis In A Bow & Dan Campbell's Dogs
Yes, I'm working a long day at OutKick, but you won't see me for most of the day
Due to some scheduling changes for the holidays, yours truly will be in control of the homepage of OutKick from 11-3 ET today. That means I'll be organizing the look and feel of the homepage when you guys hammer OutKick.com.
Let me know if there are problems between those hours.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
It's a long day of work on Christmas Eve with a bunch of stuff to accomplish after work, but we have guys who need to travel, and I'm sitting here at home, so why not help out on a cloudy, cold day in December.
Also, yes, there will be a Christmas edition of Screencaps. I will re-run Bradon C.'s legendary email of when he attended a Russian defense contractor show. It's easily the most-requested email of the year.
Have a great holiday and enjoy the time off. You deserve it after a long year of working hard.
OutKick will be here to keep you entertained while you're in the recliner. If you see something, say something. I'm here all day. Let me know if there's something going on in the world we need to write about.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
The state of the College Football Playoff
- Ryan Z. asks:
What is with these people who are now saying the college football playoff has "too many teams" at 12 and believe they should go back to 4? There are 134 teams in the FBS. If 12 is too many, then there is a serious problem.
Kinsey:
We're not going back to four teams. The contracts are signed. ESPN just filled another weekend before Christmas with content that had millions of people watching.
Can the 12-team seeding be tweaked for better matchups? Yes. Will a blue blood like Alabama be left out again? That's going to change, especially in that 11 & 12 spot.
That said, it is it nice to have teams from all across the country playing meaningful college football on New Year's Eve/Day. The sport needed a redistribution of opportunity in order to bring in audiences that have been forgotten about.
NFL sticking it to the NBA on Christmas
- John in Milford, MI emails:
Did you happen to catch the MNF exchange when the Saints CB took a dive on the Packers first TD catch?
Buck - "Man I haven’t seen a flop quite like that in the NFL"
Aikman - "No, not in this sport."
Buck - "Christmas is coming up, NBA is going to be all over the tube."
Made me think of your recent "The NBA is Unwatchable" article. It is incredible how far the NBA has fallen. How great is it that the NFL has games on Christmas this year? It’s like Roger Goodell walked up and asked Adam Silver, "You mind if we dance with yo dates?"
Praise Jesus for college basketball. I went to the University of Michigan game this Saturday. What a treat to watch basketball with big guys in the paint, team defense, pick and rolls, etc. Keep an eye on the Wolverines this year. There is a lot of talent on that team. They have three losses, but they were by a combined five points. I think Dusty May is going to make a run with this group come tournament time.
Kinsey:
The days of the NBA owning Christmas Day ends this year, and it's been a long time coming.
Here's how Christmas Day falls the next four years:
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Monday
The NFL plants its flag tomorrow and there's no going back. In fact, next year, you'll probably get three games.
The NBA will counter with five games that sports fans couldn't care less about. We're talking five worthless basketball games for a season where the athletes don't even care about playoff seeding until April.
Goodell knows it's time to throw dirt on this grave.
The loss of Rickey Henderson & the ‘fluidity of a ballet dancer’
- Brandon C., who gave us the legendary Russian defense contractor email, puts the loss of Henderson in perspective:
The Rickey Henderson passing hit me kind of hard as someone who grew up in the 1980s and was a big baseball fan. The Rickey rookie Topps card was the gold standard / Lost Ark of the Covenant for card collecting kids.. those who had an uncle or cousin that gifted one to a younger family member felt like it was the equivalent to Grandpa's vintage mustang in the garage.
I also played a LOT of Strat-o-matic baseball in the day and the annual question from 1982 - 1990 was who was going to get the covered "aaaa" stealing rating, Rickey or Vince Coleman. The Rickey Henderson cards from the mid 80s when he was stealing 100+ bases and hitting 20+ HRs were basically a cheat code for the game. If you got on base, you were going to be on third base and possibly scoring on a steal from home because it was essentially a 85-90% probability you were going to be safe.
Watching him in real life was amazing. I got to see him play at Tiger Stadium for the As and Yankees against good Tigers teams. He was one of the most surreal players I ever saw- everything he did was just like watching the fluidity of a ballet dancer BUT FAST. This Week In Baseball was essentially a Rocky-training-montage highlight real of Rickey v Vince Coleman for the league base stealing crown. You could debate who was better, Gooden or Clemens, Mattingly or Boggs, Ripken or Trammell, Whitaker or Sandberg, but no one ever argued that Rickey was second to anyone. (Unless you were one of those nutjob Cardinals fans, but we excuse their mental illness). You don't have Willie Mays Hayes without Rickey Henderson.
And growing older when I started to hear the Rickey Henderson audio clips of his interviews and the obviously historic Hall of Fame speech, just made me actually like the guy more. He was just a baseball player, the game's "bonus baby" of the post-WW2 baseball generation to whom school was just a way to get more at bats. But he, as far as I could remember, never came across as a Lebron-like holier than thou a**w***. He was just Rickey being Rickey.
Overall, I think it also hit me because that era was when I remember baseball being as perfect a game as there was. It wasn't all analytics and roided up dudes just hitting hr's or striking out because that's what the numbers say to do. AL teams played AL teams and the only time you saw an NL team was on WGN/TBS, TWiB, the glorious All Star game, or if you were lucky the World Series.
You had speed, and bunting that meant something, and situational hitting, and both flame throwing pitchers and crafty veterans (Roger Clemens vs. Frank Tanana was a gold medal pitching duel- and both tried their damnedest to go 8 innings), and yeah homers too (the league leader was a struggle to get to 40 HRs and those guys earned every single one).
Didn't need special rules to keep the game under 2.5 hours because the starting pitchers wouldn't allow that. Didn't need to "shift" your infield because if you did, then Rickey or Tony Gwynn, or even Tom Brookens could hit to the opposite field like a slap hitter in a beer league. That's gone. (thanks Travel Ball Hardo's)
A Christmas Eve moment from Cadiz, Spain
- Mike T. writes:
Beer delivery guy.
http://traftonseuropeantour20242025.com/2024/12/24/12-24-2024-merry-christmas-from-cadiz-spain/
The Chris Y vs. David in Illinois BEEF HEATS UP on Christmas Eve!
- Chris Y has fired back at David in Illinois as these two trade barbs over the Big Bird taking a dump on a tortilla shell drama that has BOILED OVER:
While I have no qualms with you, Joe seems intent on throwing us into Thunderdome, not unlike that foxy Tina Turner did to Mel Gibson and that big guy who grunts a lot. I shall play the part of Mel. So, here we are. When in Rome. Or Thunderdome. Whatever.
Yes, your burrito left a lot to be desired. I am sure it was delicious, however, your fatal flaw was unwrapping it...and taking a picture of it...and sending it into a national media service. I guess that’s three? Some Mexican foods need to be unwrapped. Tamales, for example. Unwrap that sucker. Burritos? Burrito is Spanish for, "Don’t look inside. Just eat it."* As The Beatles so eloquently said, "Let it be." Just slather that bad boy in your Mild Pace Picante Sauce and get to eating.
As it pertains to libations, if I were ever curious as to the social norms of cultural mores of an international** culture, I would think to ask a lot of people, including random ones, before getting to my good buddy Dave. If, however, I was looking for the perfect vintage of Fireball to make that Hot Pocket pop, I would look no further.
*Not true.
**Canada does not count.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the Screencaps Community!
The Best Place You Ever Sucked Down A Beer
- Rod in Freeport, IL shares:
Merry Christmas Joe,
Been a while, but I wanted to pass along my story for the best beer I ever had.
It was my wedding day, and it had been a long day. Our reception had been going strong all night, but I may have been the only sober person in the building, as my wife and I kept getting pulled for different pictures, different conversations, cutting the cake, etc.
I started a lot of glasses of beer, never getting to finish any of them. Finally, there is an hour left of the reception, and nobody was bothering me. I went to the bar and had the bartender give me a glass of beer, a cold Miller Lite.
As I sat drinking my beer, watching the party on the dance floor, my dad came back and asked what I was doing. I told him I was enjoying the first full glass of beer of the entire night. He asked to join me, and we just stood by the bar, talking about the day, the future and life in general, drinking glasses of beer, determined to stay until that last keg went dry.
My brother joined about 20 minutes later, and the three of us stayed until my brother pulled the last beer from that keg, an hour of just sitting with my dad, then my brother, enjoying some cold beers and each other's company. That moment always comes up as a great moment of having a beer in my mind.
- Gary E. remembers a beer and a time in his life:
There is a bar in Sidney British Columbia (on Vancouver Island) called "Rumrunners". The first time I went there to have a Labatt’s Blue, I discovered it was a place where yacht captains would go to find crew (sailors) to help deliver yachts for private owners or yacht sales companies. You could strike up a conversation with the bar staff and
they would direct you to the captains hiring.
Plus, you could enjoy a beautiful view of the inland coastal sea and the boats coming to the Sidney Marina nearby!
The town of Sidney BC is a true gem.
- Chris A. remembers a rural England pub:
The best beer I ever had was a hand-pulled Bass from a cask in the cellar of a pub somewhere in rural England during our honeymoon 31 years ago. And the food in this pub was outstanding too.
Sadly, Bass Ale is no more, cancelled by the InBev devils. Someone needs to bring it back.
Why does U.S. Guinness taste different?
- Kevin has a theory that he heard on a beer tour:
Different beer but did a NYC brewery tour and one of the stops was the only brewer outside of Germany licensed with Paulaners original recipe from hundreds of years ago. The owner said that international beers go through major temperature changes while sitting for potentially over a year in warehouses then being agitated as they are cargo shipped across the Atlantic, all of which according to him impacts flavor.
A reader mentioned about the Irish saying getting drunk is an accomplishment … reminded me they also refer to old guys who sit at the pub all day and crush dozens of beers not as ‘degenerates’ but ‘pintsmen’ - totally epic
https://www.facebook.com/irishtv/videos/great-pintman-paddy-losty/10157614338568452/
- Patrick D. writes:
My buddy and I went to Dublin (the one in Ireland, not the county seat of Laurens County) for the Georgia Tech-Florida State game. We did the Guinness experience and learned how to pour the perfect Guinness.
All the Tech and FSU fans in Dublin agreed the Guinness in Ireland tastes better than the Guinness in the states.
The evening before we went home, an English couple sat next to us at the bar. They wondered why so many Yanks were in Dublin that weekend. And they insisted the Guinness in England tastes better than the Guinness in Ireland.
Also, we had an Irish breakfast a couple of times - it's close to the English breakfast that has been debated in Screencaps - and it was outstanding. I love pancakes and bacon and French toast as much as anybody, but I enjoyed the different breakfast over there.
Best place I've had a beer? Probably some bar at RAF Mildenhall before singing "Mama Tried" at karaoke as we waited for our plane to get fixed. It never got fixed but we got back on it anyway.
- Chris Y. has a great line about Guinness:
Guinness tastes like Guinness tastes. It's like pasta in Italy or sushi in Japan. The feels get to you (the low ceiling, the dim lighting, the gaelic music, the barely understandable accents) and that's what makes it taste better.
Anyway, me and my cousin in Cong, Ireland enjoying a pint circa 2009.
Side note, The Quiet Man was filmed in Cong (John Wayne, John Ford, Director). The entire village is an homage to the film. Everywhere you go "John Wayne sat here. John Wayne ate here. John Wayne slept here". The bar in the photo? The Quiet Man Bar.
If you go to Ireland, don't waste your time in Dublin. I'm sure it's delightful but it's a metropolis. If you want Starbucks, go to Dublin. If you want Ireland, start in Cork and make your way along the Western Coast.
Kinsey:
Chris Y. went a 150X150px photo. You get what you get.
Why are more and more women driving men around?
- Anonymous Millennial Somewhere on the West Coast reports:
I drive, momma rides shotgun….unless Ive been drinking. I remember when the kids got old enough to ask "why is mom driving?" like it was wrong…..I didnt have a good response (not running on all cylinders) and momma just laughed. Wife is a great driver, its just my job when Im there (and sober).
I remember being 13 or so and offering to drive dad home from the old saturday night multi-family get togethers after he had a few too many Coors Lights. Dad wasnt perfect but Im sure Im not alone on this topic with the Cappers…. He never took me up on the offer ("oh hell Im fine") but he had taught my brothers and I to drive on logging roads starting at 10 so I couldve pulled it off. Learning to drive at that age was just a lot of dad cussing, "slow down…watch out! Holy Sh!t watch out!". Great memories in an old Jeep Cherokee.
My kids start driving the side by side in the pasture at 8 and my 11 year old son drove the old Dodge pickup hooked up to the gooseneck flatbed for hauling hay this summer (in the pasture). He ended up driving my buddy’s truck when we picked up his hay too. Proud boy, prouder dad. Alan Jackson sang it best…. "Daddy let me drive…."
Let's run a test: Did you laugh?
This is just more incredible script writing from SEC Shorts, the best sports comedy group on the Internet. And to think they put this all together in 24 hours to have it ready to go on Monday morning.
Well done, SEC Shorts.
Screencaps readers who loved Weather Channel's Local on the 8s
- Brian in New Jersey remembers:
At 55, think I’m too young to be your grandad, Joe, but it wasn’t just the old timers tuned to Local on the 8’s on TWC. Watched it religiously when there wasn’t a sporting event competing against it. The chick in the video nails the vibe. I can still hum that music based on the season.
And if you want to take a REALLY deep dive into the Local on the 8’s catalog, take a looky here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXGJ6qhkzBc
and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnkjvKv5R84.
Bettin’ it’ll make you think of your grandpa even more. Now excuse me while I go check out my local conditions and radar…
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And that's it for this Christmas Eve. I have to get ready for a Zoom, then get ready for the rest of my shift working the homepage.
Safe travels. Good luck at the airports. I see American Airlines flights are grounded. I'm firmly grounded here all the way through New Year's.
Enjoy your day.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com