Emily Johnson Wins Miss Hooters International, Robin Ventura-Nolan Ryan 30th Anniversary & Nick Saban Is Smiling
Let's start with some housekeeping this morning
No, I haven't been fired. I'll predict the messages start rolling in by Tuesday at noon ET.
"Hey, where are you at? I'm worried you've been fired because you haven't worked the last two days."
Guys, this is scheduled time off. I promise. That was part of the deal when I signed a contract with Fox News Corp. -- actual vacation time. Real vacation time.
No, SeanJo isn't replacing me on a permanent basis. Yes, he'll be covering the column for the next nine days. The company isn't conspiring to eliminate me. Relax.
"Will you be checking emails?"
No.
"Will you be checking your Twitter DMs?"
Absolutely not.
"What if I text you?"
There's a good chance I'm blocking your ability to send those SMS text messages via my email that some of you send.
Save the TNML emails, the tweets, and the DMs until I get back because I'm going dark. Outside of the two weeks off from when I left my career at Busted Coverage for OutKick, this will be the longest period of time I've had off during my working career.
Let's see how this goes.
Yes, it's been a big week for Hooters content
"Hey Joe, what's up with the Hooters content all week? Are they sponsoring this column?"
As an old-school Internet guy, when the Internet dweebs act like a certain genre of content is beneath them, I lean into that content HARD. The Internet has been stripped of most of its old-school fun that Hooters stands for and so when you have a relationship with Hooters, you lean into it HARD.
No, they're not sponsoring the column, but they're a great content partner to have on speed dial. Great people to work with, communicate with and they understand the Screencaps' mission.
I'll leave it at that.
Screencaps readers aren't happy to be losing the Pac-12
• John from SD explains his feelings:
PAC 12: It isn’t good to be losing the PAC 12; this conference has history and tradition unlike the ACC & Big 12. We’re throwing out the 100+ year history of the Rose Bowl. The PAC 12 is a victim of poor commissioner leadership (Larry Scott) and another commissioner walking into a non-recoverable situation. The Big X is taking the steps it needs to stay ahead of the SEC; survival!
Hall of Fame Game: missed the first quarter due to work, likely the best quarter to miss. We all know it’s back-ups but the game got more competitive as it went on. Full disclosure, I watched as a lifelong Browns fan being from NE Ohio. DTR looked more impressive than he did in 5 years at UCLA.
Being a preseason game, I was hoping we’d have preseason announcers and not Collinsworth. Regardless, it’s great to have some form of football back! Melissa Stark can still bring it and had good interviews.
Kinsey:
Quick hitters from the HOF Game:
• Tom G. doesn't like the death of the Pac-12:
Love the site, love the screencaps.
But I don't love the glee with which Outkick takes over the Pac-12's -- not PAC-12; it's not an acronym -- impending demise.
I am an Arizona State fan. I have been since 1968 when my family moved to Tempe.
I am not the least bit happy at the prospect of joining a conference that stretches to the East Coast.
I prefer a conference of regional foes to some jerry-rigged mess that gives hard-ons to sports writers and TV execs.
It is not just distance. For example, Tempe is closer to Houston than to Seattle. But we have connections; we work with their grads, and our friends and relatives go to school in Oregon or Washington.
I don't think I have ever met a Baylor grad.
College football was great the way it was and didn't need improvement.
All this realignment reminds me of business mergers that are supposed to have a bunch of synergies, but fail to deliver long-term value to shareholders, cost consumers more, and destroy a bunch of jobs.
I don't mean that these changes will cost jobs, but they won't make the product better.
Travel ball hardos asking others to financially support their lifestyles makes me sick
Folks, it's time we start making tough decisions. How would these people react if you asked them to buy NFL squares so you could go to Florida for a month in February?
Maybe I'm doing things all wrong. Perhaps I should be running square pools to finance winter blogging vacations.
From Jason:
Floridians do Western Michigan
• Warren M. is back with a report from his trip north:
My wife and I returned to South Florida from our Western Michigan vacation. I actually feel quite refreshed because the weather was so nice and pleasant. Going for a run in upper 50s or lower 60s at 10 AM is a lot better than the heat index of 95 with 85% humidity at 7 AM in Florida.
My wife was very happy to visit with her family and friends, we had a lot of great Michigan beer and food. The people are beyond friendly. And we are talking about going back next summer, but maybe adding in a side trip to see Metallica and Pantera in Chicago.
Kinsey:
Let's keep it kinda quiet down there about how refreshing it was, Warren. I don't need South Florida overrunning my golf destinations in the summer.
More trouble for San Francisco...what's up with the turf?
• Jason R. from the TNML in Far Nor Cal writes:
Hey Joe. Was just finishing up watching my Giants and I noticed some questionable turf at best in the outfield. They recently came off a season-long 11-game road trip. Not knocking the grounds crew, but why the dead spots on a big-league field?
My first memory of a big league game was when my Uncle took me to an A’s game in the Smash Bros era. I walked up the steps and saw the field for the first time. It was immaculate. I had never seen anything as beautiful at the time.
I’ll never forget it. I watched that same field destroyed by Soundgarden/Faith No More/Queensryche/Metallica fans at ‘Day on the Green’ a few years later. Literally throwing turf into the upper seats while garbage was being thrown down.
I guess my question is, are there any Screencappers who have field maintenance stories? I would love to see a documentary. Smells like a future #TNML road report. Enjoy your well-deserved vacation.
Screencaps theme song?
Mike N. suggests this one.
That's it.
I'll see you guys soon.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com