Author: boom booms room staff

Poof!

Posted on by boom booms room staff

Want to see a quick magic act?  Watch closely as three letters (NIL) will make four letters (NCAA) disappear.

Abracadabra alakazam!  And so it is, and so it will be.

Name, Image, and Likeness is a money-making opportunity for NCAA “student-athletes” that is monetizing rather quickly.  The possibilities are endless and the money plentiful.

For the NCAA, it’s too many holes in the dam to keep the water out.  So, early this week NCAA President Mark Emmert stated publicly that he thinks that the individual conferences should self-monitor the do’s and dont’s of the new frontier.

Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban responded to an SEC media days question Wednesday by announcing that his 2021 first time starter to be Bryce Young has inked deals that approach a total of seven figures.

And, the rich are about to get richer.  Texas and Oklahoma are chatting with the SEC about joining and expanding the conference to sixteen heavyweights.  More super teams in a super conference mean much more TV money.

In college tennis, all of the above would be called game, set, and match.  In NCAA football, the real moneymaker, all of that is called a game-changer.

Eighteen-year-olds from coast to coast who might be “taking their talents” to this university or that one, are also now increasingly verbalizing that they are “working on their brand.”  The truth is they aren’t a brand.  But the best ones, or the ones who go to the college that can best exploit/promote them, can resemble an ATM.

And last evening ESPN ran a story about high schooler Mickael Williams (the next Michael Jordan?) inking a NIL deal or three as he and his marketing team “work on his brand.”

You might be wondering, where does it stop?  The answer is that it doesn’t really.  It will seek its level much like under the table money does.

If you’re that good, you’ll get paid.  If you’re not, the money will go away eventually.

For every Air Jordan “brand” there are thousands of air balls.

Five-star yesterday, NIL money today, and not drafted tomorrow is always a possibility.

But for the current makeup of the NCAA it’s here today, and gone tomorrow.

 

Let The Games……

Posted on by boom booms room staff

There’s no time like the present unless you want to wait a year.  And, time heals all wounds unless it doesn’t.  And so it goes for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics as they will officially open in 24 hours.  It’s 2021, but better late than never.

And for many, the Olympics is about to start(maybe), or is over, or started and nearly over before it officially starts.  Got that?

For one the Olympics were over before they started. American Sha’Carri Richardson qualified for the women’s 100-meter dash and was expected to be on the 4×100 meter relay team as well.  She failed a drug test for marijuana and will watch(or not) from the U.S.

Her error seems awfully insignificant compared to what follows.

For one it ended right before it started. Organizing committee president Seiko Hashimoto said a day ahead of the opening ceremony that its opening ceremony director, Kentaro Kobayashi, has been dismissed. Kobayashi used a joke about the Holocaust in his 1998 comedy act, including the phrase “Let’s play Holocaust.”  1998 is a long time ago, but some things should never be forgotten or trivialized.

Out goes the music composer for the opening as well.  Earlier this week, composer Keigo Oyamada, whose music was to be used at the ceremony, was forced to resign because of past bullying of his classmates, which he boasted about in magazine interviews. The segment of his music will not be used.

For the fans, it’s must-see TV because it’s must stay away due to the latest pandemic concerns.  The ceremony will be held without spectators as a measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections, although some officials, guests, and media will attend.  Maybe some officials, guests, and media types don’t spread the disease?

On Thursday(Japan is 12 hours ahead of the US) the positive Covid cases in Japan soared to heights not seen since January 15th with nearly 2000 cases.  The country’s population is 126 million.  if you are wondering what 2000/126,000,000 is, it’s 1.5 people per 100,000.  Extrapolated over a week and it’s 1 in 10,000.  Better safe than sorry “they” say.

For the USWNT (United States Women’s National Soccer Team) the games have started before the opening ceremony.  And, after kneeling before the start of the opener, their 3-0 loss to Sweden in match one has the team with 44 wins in a row prior in a must-win situation.  They’ll most likely need to win out to advance to the medal round.

Politically charged player Megan Rapinoe called it “do or die mode.”  Maybe she should have visited the White House four years ago when she and her teammates won gold and were invited to.

Meanwhile.  “We are going to have the opening ceremony tomorrow, and yes, I am sure there are a lot of people who are not feeling easy about the opening of the Games,” Organizing Committee President Seiko Hashimoto said.

Let the games(Olympic or otherwise) begin, continue, or end.

It’s 2021, but is it better never than late?

 

 

Six(?) Piece Nuggets-Random

Posted on by boom booms room staff

Let’s make a deal.  We’ll feed you as many nuggets as we can cook up by 8:30 CDT.  We’re late against the deadline. So, hopefully, you’re not too ravaged this fine summer Friday morning.

  1.  LA County has reinstituted face masks as mandatory due to a barely discernable blip on their new cases tracking graph.  Too soon?  Time will tell.  Cali was the first to declare a state-wide emergency when the pandemic spread across the US last March.  One wonders why they are waiting five days prior to instituting it if it’s that dire, however.
  2. After ripping his driver and then getting ripped right back by a representative from Cobra Golf, Bryson DeChambeau issued an apology Thursday, saying he was “unprofessional” and that his emotions got the best of him after a bad first round at The Open.  Mr. Physics needs a Mr. Psych.  His brain operates on a plane that is either way ahead or way behind most of ours.  You pick.
  3. The Biden Administration openly admitted that they were working closely with Facebook to eliminate negative or contrary views to the vaccine.  Big government and Big Tech can do wonderful things together.  This isn’t one of them.  Big Tech is a bunch of companies that can control messaging to the degree that their posters tolerate.  When government helps, it’s not helping.  Boil it down to one word-censorship.
  4. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for more transparency from the Chinese Communist dictatorship, admitting getting access to raw data had been a challenge for the W.H.O. team that traveled to China earlier this year to investigate the source of the virus.    It’s weird that a year ago he ripped Donald Trump’s speech asking for an investigation. That’s an Olympic-sized flip.  Comforting.  Rip, then flip.  Bonus points for any reader that pronounces his name correctly the first time.  We’ll wait.
  5. A judge ordered free-agent cornerback Richard Sherman be released from jail without bail Thursday following his arrest on suspicion of trying to break into his in-laws’ home northeast of Seattle.  King County District Court Judge Fa’amomoi Masaniai found probable cause that Sherman committed four offenses: misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass in the second degree, malicious mischief in the third degree — both carrying domestic violence designations — and misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and driving under the influence.   Where’s the #metoo outrage?  The race to the bottom is hotly contested between Portland, Seattle, and the Big Apple.
  6. “We stand in solidarity with the Cuban people and condemn the suppression of the media, speech, and protest. We also call for an end to the U.S. embargo and additional Trump-era restrictions that are profoundly contributing to the suffering of Cubans.”  That was AOC’s tweet yesterday.  Is there a lick of doubt that the DNC has polling data that shows that blaming anything on Donald J. Trump plays well with the Democrat’s base?

We asked if someone could call the weatherman in the South last week to get the rain to stop.  Consider this a second request.

 

This….Is…..CNN

Posted on by boom booms room staff

CNN is at it again.  Haven’t you noticed?  That’s understandable if you haven’t yet returned to the gym or been through an airport post-Covid.

Yesterday, treadmill humming along, one of our staff members noticed the dreaded Covid new cases reported box firmly entrenched on the right side of their broadcast all over again.  In font normally reserved for DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN, the readout showed 17,149 new cases of Covid last week in total and its fast-growing sidekick the Delta variant as the root cause.

The weekly total (17,149) represents a whopping 49% increase week over last week per the second CNN graphic.

“They” say that numbers don’t lie.  And, if you take “they” at their word it breaks down as follows.  Forty-nine percent sounds explosive.  Dog bites man isn’t a story.  Man bites dog is.

However, here is another way of looking at 17,149 new cases.  If you divide the cases into the population in America that we can count (approx 330 mil) your abacas will soon show that it’s about 1 new case for every 20,000 people living on American soil.  Numbers, even small ones, don’t lie.

Then the story took a turn.  Instead of blaming Trump for his poor leadership during the pandemic (he’s no longer in office in case you’ve been away for a bit), the announcers took turns slamming Republicans and Independents for being far less vaccinated than Democrats.   It’s not Biden’s fault now, but it was Trump’s fault then.

But, the funny/sad/confusing/outrageous thing is that the World Health Organization is recommending that all vaccinated adults continue to wear a face mask to minimize the spread.  Hmm.

This all may be news to you as CNN’s ratings, low v. MSNBC and FOX for years, have fallen even further post-election.

For example, 8 pm EST host Chis Cuomo garners only 15% of the three cable news networks’ total viewership.  You remember Cuomo.  He is the self-aggrandizing guy who emerged from his own basement to hug his family on live TV when he had heroically fought off the virus last year.  Fifteen percent viewership is an even deeper basement to climb out of.

But never let facts get in the way of a good narrative.  Enter Dr. Fauci, everyone’s favorite disease specialist.  Yesterday, the good doctor went on national tv and highly recommended that all children unvaccinated, but over the age of two, should wear a mask.  Two.   Good luck.

Fauci is 80 years old.  He may not remember how active two-year-olds were 78 years ago.  Or, today.

With no vaccine approval for ages 2-12 yet, doesn’t this set up well (if you like the narrative) or poorly(if you don’t) for a back-to-school fiasco?

If a teacher’s union or three refused to reenter the classrooms this fall Biden and Co. could fully support them and blame those lousy unvaccinated Republicans.

CNN likely is prepping the story now.

If you’re working out or flying you might even see it.

 

 

The Spirit of St. Louis

Posted on by boom booms room staff

In 1903 the Wright brothers’ first flight ever went about 300 yards .  Twenty-four years later Charles Lindbergh flew The Spirit of St. Louis 3600 miles nonstop across the Atlantic from New York to Paris.  America applauded and St. Louis roared.

In 1995 the NFL Los Angeles Rams relocated to St. Louis.  Twenty years later the St. Louis Rams completed the round trip relocating to Los Angeles from St. Louis.  America sighed and St. Louis cried.

St. Louis contends that once Stan Groenke fully bought out his previous partners it was all but wheels up for the franchise to head west.  And after a series of legal steps and missteps, a lawsuit hit the NFL yesterday like the Rams’ Fearsome Foursome used to hit Archie Manning.

The massive lawsuit filed by St. Louis against the NFL over the relocation of the Rams will (barring a settlement) culminate with a full-blown trial, which is due to begin just as the Rams prepare to host a Super Bowl in their new stadium.

In short, the Rams felt that they had every right to break their agreements and stadium lease in St Louis in 2015, while St. Louis did and still does not.  The Rams cited serious deficiencies in their then existing stadium, serious revenue shortages in their proposed riverfront new one, population stagnation, and lack of predicted future growth as legal and otherwise reasons to take flight.

The Rams took their case to the NFL heavyweights to ask for permission to log a flight plan.

The NFL publicly granted that permission while knowing that Groenke had purchased a massive amount of land in LA to relocate the team there and surround it with a multi-billion dollar entertainment and housing complex.

This became known in a phone call between the Rams owner, a few other owners, and none other than the Commissioner who presides over wrongdoings and punishment in NFL matters,

Roger Goodell.  During the conversation, Kroenke said, “I’m going to buy two parcels of land and build a stadium in L.A.,” and that he’s trying very hard to stay under the radar screen and keep it hidden. Goodell said, “We will respect your confidentiality.”

The judge, who made the ruling from the bench (which means the evidence pointing to it was clear), concluded that clear and convincing proof exists to support a finding that those individuals operated fraudulently.

At the heart of it, Rams COO Kevin Demoff gave Goodell talking points regarding the land purchase for his pre-Super Bowl press conference in 2014. Here’s part of what he said, “Stan is a very successful developer. He has billions of dollars of projects that are going on around the country in real estate development. So I think instead of overreacting, we should make sure we do what’s necessary to continue to support the team locally as the fans have done in St. Louis.  There are no plans to my knowledge of a stadium development.”

And, soon thereafter St. Louis’ heart was broken.

And, now the plaintiffs in the litigation shall have access to information regarding the financial worth of Commissioner Roger Goodell and five NFL owners: Rams owner Stan Kroenke, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Giants owner John Mara, and former Panthers owner Jerry Richardson.

The financial info is necessary as a barometer to determine the punitive damages if the defendants are ruled guilty and restoration is to be paid.

The old saying is “money talks.”  But, old people with money don’t like others talking about their money.

The city of St. Louis, which feels like their community was harshly and unfairly criticized, won a game yesterday v. the entire NFL.

But, they should remember that the entire USFL once won an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL and got treble the damages caused by the heinous NFL actions.

The damage awarded by a jury was exactly one U.S. dollar.

The lawyers got rich.  The NFL got richer and richer.  And, the USFL got three dollars to fold into their wallet before they folded their league.

So, stay tuned.  If nothing else, one should admire the spirit of St. Louis.

Ten (Five) Piece Nuggets-Random

Posted on by boom booms room staff

Today we continue with our lighter summer menu.  If you’re a swimmer digesting five nuggets cuts your out-of-water time down as well.  Enjoy.

  1.  The nation’s VP was at it again.  On Thursday’s “CBS This Morning” Harris responded on whether she’d compromise by agreeing to voter ID provisions to pass voting legislation by stating that we shouldn’t downplay the impact voter ID laws could have. Because to some, voter ID means, “you’re going to have to Xerox or photocopy your ID to send it in to prove that you are who you are.” And many people live where “there’s no Kinko’s, there’s no OfficeMax near them.”  We wonder if 1) you could show up at the polling place with your ID, or, 2) take a photo of it with your phone, or, 3) go to any local library, DMV, or post office and get a $0.10 copy made, or 4) use your in-home printer to make one?  Also, she failed to mention Office Depot, but we digress.
  2. Here comes Pfizer to the rescue.  Pfizer is ready to seek U.S. authorization for a third dose of its coronavirus vaccine, outlining Thursday a top-up shot within 12 months could dramatically boost immunity and maybe help ward off any virus mutant.  The Delta variant cometh.  Pfizer’s Dr. Mikael Dolsten told the Associated Press early data from the company’s booster study suggests people’s antibody levels rise five- to 10-fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier.  This could mean that Biden’s house-to-house calls will need three trips to “get er dun.”   Will Moderna recommend four shots?  The inoculation race is on.
  3.  The husband of our Speaker of the House, Paul Pelosi perfectly timed the market again. Mr. Pelosi bought Amazon call options just six weeks before the Pentagon announced it was canceling a multi-billion dollar contract with Microsoft and starting a new one that opened a door for Amazon’s participation.  On Tuesday, the Biden Pentagon abruptly announced it was canceling its multi-billion JEDI cloud services contract with Microsoft and starting a new one that Amazon could compete for.  Amazon zoomed to an all-time high the day of the announcement.  On May 21, 2021, Pelosi purchased more Amazon call options worth as much as $1,000,000.  It was his second timely market move in the last three years on government contracts and cloud computing.  Nothing to see here.
  4. Moving on.  In Paris for Fashion Week, James Harden was stopped by police on Thursday but not arrested, the city prosecutor’s office said.  French media reports said that the Brooklyn Nets star, who has been seen around Paris with rappers Kanye West and Lil Baby, was on the street when a car was stopped after police smelled cannabis.  To be clear, Harden was not in the car, just a concerned visiting citizen. After accepting an Olympic invite, Harden had to withdraw due to a lingering hamstring injury.  Did the Nets’ team doctor prescribe traipsing around Europe as part of his rehab? Sounds good.  Maybe the weed in the car was nothing but a medicinal delivery.
  5. Halfway through the Major League Baseball season, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the +125 betting favorites to represent the NL in the 2021 World Series?  Who is the favorite in the AL?  It’s the Houston Astros at +175.  The San Diego Padres are the second choice in the NL at +330 while the Chicago White Sox are second in the AL at +250.  Can you imagine a repeat of the 2017 WS pitting the Dodgers vs. the then cheating Astros?  To quote Vin Scully, ” you can almost taste the pressure” if that matchup were to happen.

It rains quite a bit(too much) in the south this time of the year.

Knock, Knock. Who’s There?

Posted on by boom booms room staff

Police Chief Martin Brody, played quite well by accomplished actor Roy Scheider, warned us in Jaws way back on July 4th, 1975 that it might not be safe to go back in the water yet.  And, he was right.

Now, as fireworks were lighting up America from coast to coast, the Delta variant swam ashore.  Is it the next great white, or is it just a piece of the Covid wave?

The percentages indicate that it’s rapidly becoming a bigger part of the problem, but the overall problem isn’t becoming bigger.  At least, it isn’t yet.

The Delta strain is even infecting vaccinated individuals at a rate that seems headed to the “troublesome” quadrant.  What to do?

Another accomplished actor Joe Biden, er, Mr. President, and his team are pushing the (take your pick-Moderna, Pfizer, or J and J) vaccine.  It’s the only bullet in the shark gun, isn’t it?

Or, we could wear a mask again.  The World Health Organization (WHO) is recommending that vaccinated individuals do just that because of the Delta noise.  But, is anyone listening?

What about social distancing?  If six feet was good, twelve feet should be better.

Biden meanwhile is doubling down.  He said Tuesday that he would be sending officials out to knock on people’s doors across America to pressure them to take the coronavirus vaccine.  “Now we need to go community by community, neighborhood by neighborhood, and often times door by door – literally knocking on doors to get help to the remaining people,” Biden said during his speech about coronavirus.

“Get help to the remaining people,” sounds so empathetic, doesn’t it?  Or, pathetic?

So, we should get the vaccine that doesn’t work on the Delta variant, and wear a mask that didn’t stop the virus the first time?  Got it.  No wonder, for the most part, that America is ignoring this and swimming in the supposedly infested waters of gyms, planes, hotels, bars, and restaurants.

Before you know it some imbecile like NY Mayor Bill de Blasio will recommend that we wear two masks all over again.

The government is always trying to help, aren’t they?  Or, they are at least trying to control, aren’t they? Or, they are at least wanting to have that power, aren’t they?

You wonder if the US Postal Service could kick in too.  They’re already going door to door daily.

In fact, they even deliver the mail down into the Grand Canyon via pack mule three times a week.  True story.

The government helps the mail carrier business every year or two by giving them tens of billions of dollars (they’ve been insolvent for decades) to continue to go door to door.

It’s an ongoing public service that’s as beneficial as a knock on your door vaccine reminder (or coercion).

Did you know that most shark attacks occur in three feet of water or less?  A government public service announcement said it was so.

 

 

Limit-Five Nuggets per Reader

Posted on by boom booms room staff

Happy Fourth of July soon enough!  BBR starts its midyear conference tomorrow through 7/6.  It will be replete with sand, sun (hopefully), food, adult beverages, and fireworks.

Our intent today, getaway day, was to bring you a serving of Ten Piece Nuggets.  But, with inflation the way it is trending, and labor and commodity shortages what they are, we are forced to limit the product much like toilet paper of a year gone by.

So, as they say-eat slowly.  You’ll get filled up unless you’re looking for gasoline.

Five nuggets follow.

  1. Gas prices across the United States are at their highest level since late 2014 with shortages predicted in the run-up to the Fourth of July holiday weekend.  According to AAA, the national average on Tuesday is about $3.11 per gallon and by this weekend, that figure may rise another nickel. Gas station signs in LA yesterday showed $5.29 a gallon, while prices topped off at $5.95 a gallon in NY to top it off.  The Yankees might be fourth in MLB’s NL East, but they’re first in price per gallon. Tell the last person leaving NY to turn out the lights.

  2. The World Health Organization (W.H.O.), warned Monday that the pandemic is not over and said it is not yet time to return to normal and “encourage a lot of social mixing.”   Good luck with that.  Last week, W.H.O. officials began urging vaccinated individuals to wear masks again over variant concerns.  Good luck with that as well.  According to CNN, the rise of the Delta variant could have Biden administration officials rethinking public health measures.  Didn’t they just pat themselves on the back with the nation’s vaccination milestones?  Enter the Delta variant.

  3. The old and successful tactic of doing one thing and blaming/accusing the other side of doing it was on full display earlier this week.  When the latest city homicide figures splashed across the various mediums, the Dems went on the offensive.  The trigger(pun intended)?  The year-over-year death totals spiked dramatically.  The Democrats then took to the airwaves blaming the Republicans for wanting to defund the police.  What’s scarier than soaring homicide rates?  People believing the Democrat’s line is what is scarier.  Most interesting of all is that nearly all of the cities with runaway percentages are run ship to stern by the party whose mascot is a donkey.
  4.  Turning to sports-the Indianapolis Colts received approval Tuesday to host full capacity crowds at their home games this season, becoming the final NFL team to receive approval from their local government.  We’d have bet money that one of the left coast or NY teams would have been the last.  Maybe that’s why they’re referred to as progressive after all?  We’ll soon see if one or more of the 32 teams craters to the big variant scare.
  5. And, in the dog days of summer, the Mississippi St. Bulldogs have an opportunity tonight to accomplish a first in school history.  Moo St. has never won a major college title in any of the big-time sports.  Never.  After getting walloped by Vanderbilt in the College Baseball World Series game one (8-2), the Bulldogs growled last evening.  They evened the series at one apiece with a 13-2 blowout of the Commodores.  Errors and walks have dominated both lopsided scores.  Tonight, both teams throw their aces on short rest.  We can’t envision a blowout tonight.  But, we could see a third straight rain-delayed start.  Vandy has a chance to go back to back as they won it all in 2019.  The 2020 season, like Democrats’ cries to defund the police, never happened.

Enjoy the fireworks.  And, enjoy not wearing a mask at least for now.

 

 

 

Can Lightning Strike Thrice?

Posted on by boom booms room staff

Has any city ever held more than one major championship trophy in the same year?  Yes.  In fact, when you consider the four major sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL) it has happened twelve times.  “It” is owning two titles at the same time.

The city of New York dominates with half(6) of these occurrences.  Los Angeles, Boston, and Detroit share the other six times with two for each city.

The most recent is actually current.  In 2020 the Lakers and the Dodgers each took home the trophy.  Six of the years were prior to 1953, or over 68 years ago when far fewer cities had professional franchises.

But has any city ever held more than two major championships in a year(note year, not concurrently)?  No.

But, could it happen in 2021?  Say hello to the Bay Area.  Nope, don’t wave at San Franciso.  It’s the Tampa Bay area.

With one down, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady beat Kansas City in Super Bowl LV,  the city of Tampa needs two more to get there.

Last evening the Tampa Bay Lightning skated around, through, and faster in a game one rout of the Montreal Canadiens in the Lord Stanley’s NHL Finals. Winning a hockey game by a score of 5-1 is like winning an NFL playoff game by four touchdowns.  It was a beatdown.  Ah, but one game does not fill the old beat-up trophy with champagne, at least not yet.

Enter the Tampa Bay Rays into the conversation, please.  As the MLB 2021 season is very near the halfway mark in the regular season Tampa Bay owns the second-best record in the American League while trailing division leader Boston by one game in the standings.

The Rays do it on a shoestring budget and they do it with a lot of talent and heart.  Fluke?  Hardly.  The Rays lost in the ALDS in 2019 and in the World Series last year.  They have youth, enough experience, enthusiasm, super talent, and a very game manager.

The Bucs did it.  That’s one.

The Lightning look like a really good bet to do it.  They were 3-1 favorites to win the Stanley Cup prior to the game one dismantling of the Canadiens.  They quite likely will be two.

The Rays have a ways to go.  And, the National League is loaded with good to great teams such as the Dodgers, Padres, and Giants.

Alas, the dog days of summer are here.  And, in Tampa lightning is about to strike twice.

Can the Rays light up the sky over the bay a third time come fall?

 

 

Commitment to This Space

Posted on by boom booms room staff

One of our staff writers is feeling a bit salty today.

Maybe it’s because he (or she-not sure about their pronouns) went saltwater fishing yesterday.  Or, more likely, it’s not.

The sports world giveth, and then sometimes the sports world taketh.

On Monday, Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib became the first active NFL player to come out as gay.  To this, we say, no worries.

His sexual orientation is his own business and that he chose to make it our business was “no biggie.”  It’s very well known that a percentage of NFL players past and present are gay.

But, this is just another important step you say?  After all, he’s the first to announce this while an active player.

What would be an important step is if this wasn’t an important step, rather if it was just another day.   “I’m a pretty private person so I hope you guys know that I’m not doing this for attention. I just think that representation and visibility are so important. I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole coming out process are not necessary.”

Boom, we think he nailed it.

But, well, the timing has us a bit puzzled.  It’s smack in the middle of Pride Month.  Coincidence?  Not likely.  Still, it takes confidence, so we guess there’s that.

He also announced a $100K donation to the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth.  That sounds like a very worthy cause.  The “I’m a pretty private person” comment and this public donation seem to collide a bit.  But, we’ll still give the benefit of the doubt.

Then, there’s the NFL.

The league announced Tuesday it too is donating $100,000 to The Trevor Project, which is the leading national organization centered on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth.

“The NFL is committed to year-long efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion,” the league said in a statement. “We proudly support the LGBQT+ community and will continue to work alongside the Trevor Project and our other community partners to further enhance our collective work and commitment to this space.”

How many times do you think that the NFL PR Department and Commish Goodell read over that release before its release?  Plenty.  But, not nearly enough.

“Commitment to this space?” Good lord!  It sounds more like an investment a venture capitalist makes to the burgeoning space known as artificial intelligence or cloud computing, etc.

We submit that the NFL just can’t help itself these days.  Sure, its business model is somewhere between great and otherworldly.  But, it’s been behind and further behind the entirety of its own woke movement.  Transparency in the workplace is a desired process.  That’s a good thing for the NFL because you can see right through it.

They will “continue to work alongside the Trevor Project.”  Continue means doing what you’ve been doing before, doesn’t it?  A search of the NFL’s affiliation with the project prior to Monday came up empty.

It came up as empty as the PR release came up empty.

The 28-year-old defensive end was a third-round pick in the 2016 draft, previously played for the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before signing a three-year, $25 million deal with Las Vegas in 2020.

His on-field performance last year fell WAY short of expectations for an $8 million a year player.  Oakland had better get their PR department working now on a release that they may need to drop if/when he becomes a training camp salary cap casualty.

But, if they’re smart they won’t ask the NFL to help with the wording.