Ivanka Trump Rides The Red Wave In A Blue Bikini, Herbstreit Under Fire & ESPN's Taylor McGregor Draws A Crowd
Over the hump and into 2025 we go! All gas, no brakes, boys and girls. Let's go have a big day (year).
Yes, it's still a weird day around here. For starters – and I warned you this was coming last week – I'm not really even sure how to approach today. I'll be honest with you, I thought yesterday was Saturday until, like, 4 p.m. True story. Imagine my disappointment when I figured it out around my fifth beer at the bar.
The two weeks between Christmas and New Year's Day are an absolute abyss. Time is a flat circle. Days get lost. There's football on all the time. Work is still happening, but is it? No idea. I'm here, though, and that's all that matters.
Of course, we also had a terrorist attack in this country yesterday, which also makes today and the rest of this week feel odd. The show obviously goes on, and it will later today in the Sugar Bowl, but there's a balance to strike between serious and fun.
It's a delicate one, of course, but that's why they pay me the medium bucks. Let's toe the line and get to work!
Welcome to a Thursday Nightcaps – the one where we say goodbye to 2024 with Ivanka Trump, and welcome in a new year with the same woke BS coming from the Washington Post. Shocking.
What else? I've got Kirk Herbstreit under absolute attack from all directions right now – including OutKick's Ian Miller! – and I won't stand for it any longer. Sure, Kirk's dog annoys me, but I will be damned if I let him take on fire without me tossing him a lifeline on this Thursday afternoon.
Hang on, Kirk! Help is on the way, dear! (If you know, you know. RIP Robin Williams)
I've also got Gia Duddy starting 2025 in Costa Rica, if that interests anyone …
… it does?! Great! Welcome back to class, Gia. Let's have a big year.
Grab you something from your nearest buffet to celebrate National Buffet Day, and settle in for a Thursday 'Cap!
What a headline here from the totally unbiased Washington Post
God, I love a good buffet. Back in the day – and I'm talking waaaaaaay back – Ruby Tuesday had a great buffet. Do Ruby Tuesdays even exist anymore? Last time I was in one, I was so disappointed in the smell and the decor that I had to leave – and that's saying something given how low my standards already are in life.
Anyway, Mount Rushmore of buffet items? Sure, why the hell not?
1. Pasta salad
2. Vanilla/chocolate pudding at the very end of the line
3. Beets (big beet guy)
4. The dark brown, soft croutons at the end (an RT special)
We have a BBQ restaurant right down the road that still has a functioning salad bar in it. Hell, it didn't even close down during the plandemic. They gave out gloves, but nobody used them. We're in Florida. We're normal down here. What a place.
Anyway, love a good salad bar. Long live.
Speaking of old and outdated things that used to be good, but now nobody respects them, let's check in on the Washington Post!
Leave Herbie alone, you monsters
Democracy dies in darkness.
God, you don't hate legacy media enough. It's not possible. They're the absolute worst. Evil, vile, despicable people with absolutely no shame.
I've worked in the newspaper business. I know how it works. This headline wasn't an accident. Trust me. They even acknowledge it was a terrorist attack RIGHT BELOW IT. Why not just say that in the main headline? Idiots.
If Bezos is serious about cleaning that Lib rag up, he'd fire every single person who had a hand in this disgrace.
The worst of the worst.
Speaking of awful people … hey, folks – leave Kirk Herbstreit alone!
I'm with Herbie, Ivanka Trump & Gia Duddy!
So, here's Herbie's actual quote:
"I’m not going to sit here and say why was Indiana in, but Indiana with what you guys like to talk about, they have 11 wins, they gotta be one of the best teams. Indiana was outclassed in that game … It was not a team that should have been on that field when you consider other teams that could have been there.
It’s no knock on Indiana, they had a great year. But we’ve got to move forward with the playoff and hope that the committee does a better job of weighing who the best 12 are vs. who’s the most deserving, because by golly, they've got 11 wins, they didn't beat anybody but they've got 11 wins. That's a bunch of BS. We need to find the best teams. And last night it was incredibly evident just standing on that field and watching the game the way it played out."
Guess what? He was 100 percent right, and Bama losing to Michigan doesn't change anything. I would have a million percent rather have had Alabama take a shot at Notre Dame than a stinky Indiana team that didn't beat anyone all season.
I would have taken South Carolina over Indiana. I would have taken Ole Miss. I would have taken MIAMI, for you folks out there accusing me and Herbie of being pro-SEC.
I am pro-SEC. There, I said it. Duh. I live in Florida. I grew up in SEC country. And you know what? Herbie probably is, too. His network literally paid billions for the SEC. I would assume he is pro-SEC.
But that doesn't make what he said wrong. You can't sit there with a straight face and tell me any of those three teams I just mentioned wouldn't have been better than Indiana.
And by the way, I've called out lunatic Ohio State fans for weeks now. You guys are nuts, too. You want Ryan Day fired … because he can't beat Michigan? Really? OSU is a wagon right now! See, I'm not anti-Big Ten! There. I said it. The Buckeyes are nasty. Happy?
Now leave Herbie alone!
Rapid-fire time because I have a new Traeger smoker to play with!
Look at that bad boy! Just came in today. What a beaut. Anyone have one? By all means, pass along any tips and tricks you have. Any and all advice is welcome. She's probably going live on her maiden voyage on Saturday. Let's get it.
OK, now it's rapid-fire time! First up? Ivanka's year-in-review includes a blue bikini that has all the patriots in this country FIRED UP today:
Big year for Ivanka incoming. I know everyone thinks she's taking a backseat to her daddy's presidency this time around, but I'm not so sure. She's a content machine, and the White House can be a hell of a drug.
Just ask Hunter! (fine, that one was too easy. Whatever. It's called taking the damn layup)
Next? Big year for Ivanka, and a big day yesterday for ESPN's Taylor McGregor:
Welcome to class, Taylor! Cubs reporter during the spring, college football in the fall, play time in the summer. That's called being versatile. Love it.
Let's have a big 2025, Taylor!
From a class newbie to a class vet, let's end the day with Nightcaps OG Gia Duddy in Costa Rica.
And let's have a big 'ol night.
See you tomorrow.
OutKick Nightcaps is a daily column set to run Monday through Friday at 4 p.m. (roughly, we’re not robots).
You with Herbie and me? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.