It's graduation time across the country. I've done this post the past two years running, and I don't see new college grads getting any less annoying. So we'd best do it again. As you know, this time of year brings any number of asshole celebrities and dipshit politicians to college campuses to regale you outgoing seniors with sage advice and plug some fucking book they just had someone else ghostwrite. Nothing they tell you will be worth a shit. And you know why? Because they aren't really there for YOU. They're there because they get their rocks off on being considered inspirational enough to merit a celebrity grad speaker gig. OOOH, LOOGIT ME! I'M OPRAH WINFREY AND MY LIFE EXPERIENCE PROVIDES ME WITH GREAT WISDOM! I've been to these graduation c…
data-mm-id=”_wpvir7cvp”>The Carolina Panthers started the season 0-2 with Cam Newton as their starting quarterback. Newton had zero touchdowns and one interception before he was shut down with a foot injury. Since then the Panthers have gone 4-0 with Kyle Allen starting at quarterback. There has been speculation that Cam's time in Carolina could be over for a month now, but on Get Up this morning, Adam Schefter revived the rumors by saying that the Panthers could trade Newton in the offseason.Obviously, this is not a report, but it still makes sense that Newton won't be in Carolina next year. If Allen keeps winning and playing decent football, he makes the most financial sense to be their quarterback next season. There should be plenty of willing trade partners. Predicting Ne…
data-mm-id=”_cmyzi6lzk”>Holiday season is here in full force. We here at The Big Lead were so inspired by the transparency on display from Vogue that we've decided to share our plans for the season with the you, our dear readers. Here's some highlights from their survey, which certainly revealed a certain lifestyle. Absolutely losing it at this incredibly relatable feature with the Vogue editors https://t.co/UVEVErKZGn pic.twitter.com/WnhkFAok0Z— Benjamin Tassie (@benjamintassie) December 21, 2019Without further ceremony, here are the chestnuts and bolts:Liam McKeoneI will not be spending Christmas with any family members, and will instead be traversing the various youth hockey rinks of suburban Massachusetts to observe Hockey Dads in their natural habitats as they scream a…
data-mm-id=”_fekrwm1vf”>The NFL's salary-cap system is confusing, to say the least. Guaranteed at signing, total guaranteed, cap hit, total salary, signing bonus; they're all different, important and convoluted. Yet, one thing we all can wrap our heads around is cash. Cold hard cash makes sense and for the most expensive position in the NFL (QB), it's a big number. It's also proof/a reminder that some quarterbacks are woefully overpaid. Top 10 2020 QB Cash 1. Russell Wilson, $53M2. Kirk Cousins, $40M3. Carson Wentz, $39.3M4. Ryan Tannehill, $37.5M5. Jared Goff, $31M6. Dak Prescott, $30M7. Jimmy Garoppolo, $25.2M8. Brady/Brees/Rivers, $25M9. Teddy Bridgewater, $24M10. Ben Roethlisberger, $21M— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 22, 2020With the exception of Russell Wilson an…
data-mm-id=”_jfh1rasqf”>Chris Dufresne, who worked in the Los Angeles Times sports department for over 30 years, passed away on Monday. Christopher Gabriel first reported the news. Dufresne was 62 years old. No cause of death has been released, but the last story he wrote, which captured his ability to mix in humor with information and educated opinion, was questioning whether he would ever attend another live sporting event. According to the story, he had a relapse of childhood asthma last year. He wrote about the dangers people like him faced in this pandemic and how he felt like they were being used as sacrificial lambs. He never did get to see another live sporting event. I am a 62 year old sportswriter with a history of asthma wondering: will I ever attend another live sporting …
data-mm-id=”_cr4pum2kg”>The daily routine of rising and firing up some KBO has become quite comfortable and ESPN has done solid work putting together compelling broadcasts half a world away focusing on a league most people knew nothing about only months ago. Part of the proven calculus has been to stack guests upon each other to discuss baseball and baseball-adjacent things. One could argue that a more conversational and collaborative approach would work for the network's Sunday night broadcast, but that's a topic for a follow-up post when the content well really dries up. Of all the personalities who have passed through the camera lens, few have been as engaging and provided as much added value as Sin Young (Tiffany) Park, who hopped on this morning to provide a unique voice…
data-mm-id=”_8tlvbgoj8″>Against all odds, the NBA successfully created a bubble to host the 2020 playoffs. It's a remarkable achievement that will not fade as time goes on. But that's only the first step in trying to right the basketball ship after the season was postponed for four months. It will probably be at least a year, if not more, before we go back to the October-June schedule that we've all gotten used to over the decades. The first priority will be ensuring the bubble comes to a close with no further issues, with the last possible NBA Finals game set to take place in the second week of October. Then the arduous process of scheduling the 2020-21 season will begin. Initially, the NBA wanted to have the next season start up in December, but that plan fell apart as…
data-mm-id=”_h5k5kj294″>After Everson Griffin was traded to the Detroit Lions by the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday evening, NFL trade deadline szn was officially underway. There was much consternation from Seattle fans after Griffin went to the Lions and the Seahawks did not appear interested. They desperately need … well, any help at all on defense, but especially with their pass rush. Wednesday gave an indication that the Seahawks were merely biding their time (or got outbid and settled on their second option, depending on how positive a person you are) as they sent a seventh-round pick and a backup center for longtime Bengals pass-rusher Carlos Dunlap. Dunlap has been extremely displeased with his lack of playing time this season and has made that very clear via social media posts. He…
data-mm-id=”_9fj8lwvw4″>This ain't your grandpa's Steelers, but maybe they're trying to be. A report emerged today in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the Steelers are set to draft a running back, "likely in the first round, no later than the second." They reportedly want a "dynamic" running back who can be what Le'Veon Bell once was. This is part of an offseason spent overhauling their approach to the rushing game in an attempt to not be the worst running team in the league, as they were in 2020. Seems like a smart plan with injury-prone Ben Roethlisberger back under center in 2021. The top two draft prospects who fit that criteria are Alabama running back Najee Harris and Clemson running back Travis Etienne. Harris is expected to be picked in t…
data-mm-id=”_4y8e17tk7″>Syracuse beat Wake Forest in their regular season finale on Sunday, 72-63. After finishing the regular season with a 17-14 record, they will now face Wake Forest again in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday. It hasn't been a great season for the Orange. Most of them haven't been in the twilight of coach Jim Boeheim's career. Despite the win, Boeheim kept true to his ornery self by getting mad at people who call in to radio shows in a bizarre rant about who buys season tickets. “The fans here, they’re not the ones calling the radio show. Not one fan that was here tonight calls any radio show. The people that call the radio shows do not come to games. They don’t have season tickets. The only way they come is if someone gives th…