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Hi Folks,
We do a ton of insightful, thoughtful and serious features here at Footballguys with smart people thinking deeply for you. This is not one of those features.
This is Random Shots and it's a few pages of me downloading my goofy and dysfunctional mental hard drive that gets stuffed with way too many random items from too many hours watching, reading about and listening to football every weekend and throughout the week. It's the only way I manage. Here's hoping it has some value for you.
We'll see. Now let's get to it.
J
Opening this one with Marshawn Lynch doing Marshawn Lynch things during his suspension week.
Thanks to Footballguy Thomas Gore for that one.
A live look in on A.J. McCarron who was almost traded to the Browns.
The internet, of course, exploded with memes of relief for McCarron avoiding the step down in teams.
McCarron plays for the Bengals.
Let that sink in.
Poor Eric Ebron. Poor Lions Fans.
Recency bias for the Music Note this week. I caught one of my favorite artists, Bon Iver, at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Sunday night with my son and son in law. It was special just being with them. If you've never been to the Ryman, put it on your bucket list if you're at all interested in music. It feels more like a church inside than a music venue. Partly because all the seating is actual church pews. But more because it feels almost sacred. It's not fancy. There are tons of theatres way more ornate and decorative. The Ryman is more basic and pure and deeper and special. And the acoustics are so sweet that sometimes you get moments like this clip. This was Bon Iver at the Ryman a few years ago. I was fortunate to be there for this one too.
Sometimes music is way more than just the sound. This is one of those times.
I've often wondered if Joe Flacco might be better at quarterback if he'd stop spending so much time on that boat with Deadliest Catch...
Thanks to Footballguy Chris Pullis for that one.
Synchronicity in sports. This one from the NBA.
Here's the NFL version this week.
Thanks to Footballguys Jeff Blasbalg and Brian Gluntz for that one.
This World Series has been fun. Maybe my favorite video of the week was these Astros fans catching a home run by the Dodgers' Yasiel Puig.
The rest of the story was fun too. As Yahoo reported, the guy who took the ball from the woman was her brother in law. She claims she knew he was going to throw it back. The video tells a different story but whatever.
The brother in law was informed by Yahoo Sports that he’d been turned into a villain on the internet and then asked to defend himself.
His response, "#### the Dodgers".
Good to know there are still some true fans out there for World Series games and not a bunch of luxury box corporate stiffs.
NFL Memes with an exclusive transcript of the telephone call between the Eagles and Dolphins for the Jay Ajayi deal.
That's pretty funny.
My favorite Halloween tweet. Like most good jokes, it's funny because it's true.
I don't think Steve Smith was amused here.
There's an old saying, "If you can't be good, at least be lucky".
Here's what that looks like in Football.
Thanks to Footballguy Keith Overton for that one.
I don't know the story here but if this guy's from London, the Vikings need to get him to Minnesota. Stat.
Bills linebacker Preston Brown was undercover before the game...
Thanks to Footballguy Clayton Gray for that one.
Vikings WR Adam Thielen made some friends in London with this Soccer celebration.
For the first time in a long time, Joe Thomas stayed home and watched his team play without him Sunday.
It went about as you'd expect from him.
Ivy League Football is intense. A Dartmouth coach was ejected after breaking a window in the coaches box.
Get this guy into the SEC.
Saints coach Sean Payton promised his players free pedicures if they wore the longer and more uncomfortable cleats last week.
Sean Payton is a man of his word.
I think I'm with Scott here. I don't know what this is. But I like it. I bet one of you guys know - hit me up at bryant@footballguys.com
Pittsburgh continues to win the touchdown celebration game.
Thanks to Footballguy David Dodds for that one.
Jersey Of The Day goes to another fan from the London game representing Minneapolis.
Coach to Travis Benjamin after this play: "Son, you're not on the Browns anymore."
The "Life Moves Pretty Fast" moment this week goes to Jimmy Garoppolo.
He woke up as a Patriot with a 6-2 record and went to bed 0-8.
For a team that recently sent a questionnaire to fans asking how important winning was to their game day experience.
Every fan not in San Francisco or Los Angeles was...
Do not miss that. The 49ers asked their fans, "IN TERMS OF GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT YOUR TEAM WINS?"
That's incredible.
It's November which means it's Movember. Time to grow that mustache and raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide.
Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid is this week's offering.
Truth be told, it's a thinly veiled excuse for me to post one of the best scenes from one of the best movies ever made. Enjoy.
Have at it Fellas. Grow that mustache.
Bill Belichick doing Bill Belichick things.
A reporter asked him if his team preferred a lower scoring game.
Belichick replied, "We prefer to win."
The video is classic.
Bill Belichick might be the single best thing about the NFL right now. Don't miss it.
Have there ever been two wide receiver teammates that seem more opposite than Martavis Bryant and JuJu Smith-Schuster? Bryant acts like he's trying to be traded while Smith-Schuster continues to win fans everywhere.
From finding his stolen bike with #TeamFindJuJusBike to Dragon Ball Z and Hide and Seek touchdown celebrations to talking smack about NFL Scouts saying he couldn't separate, he's on fire.
His best move might have been one he didn't make. Former adult film star turned sports personality Mia Khalifa seems to revel in luring in then exposing athletes who can't control themselves. Smith-Schuster, the youngest player in the NFL, handled this one well.
Khalifa set the trap with:
Smith-Schuster was having none of it.
I love these World Series baseballs.
Washington coach Jay Gruden said this week if he had to guess, TE Jordan Reed would not play this week due to injury.
That feels like a pretty safe guess every week.
Kirk Cousins when he realized he may be stuck in Washington after the Jimmy Garoppolo trade...
The struggling Carolina offense traded away WR Kelvin Benjamin.
Not to worry, Cam Newton has a plan.
I know people complain about the NFL officiating. I get it. It's not perfect. But be glad it's not college officiating...
Deion Sanders would have never made it with these rules.
Russell Wilson easily with the best impersonation for Halloween this year. Doing his "young, charming, darker skinned, gum chewing" Pete Carroll for kids at the hospital.
Wrapping with this. One of the things I love most about America is how different parts of the country are more into different things.
Not to get all Kumbaya on you but I love the diversity. Most of the country recognized the passing of Fats Domino last week. But for the Saints, his death was deemed worthy of a helmet tribute. Because it was that important to New Orleans. That's pretty cool.
Bottom line: You be you.
That'll do it for this week, Folks. Thanks to Footballguys Clayton Gray, Brian Painter, Keith Overton, Thomas Gore, David Dodds, Chris Pullis, Jeff Blasbalg and Brian Gluntz for the help on this one. If you've got a Random Shot of your own, shoot me an e-mail at bryant@footballguys.com.
Thanks for playing along. I hope you make the most of whatever you're doing in your life. Love your neighbor and stick together.
Peace and Grace to you.
J
