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 sharing all the random goofiness from this week. With maybe a music note and sometimes a "soap box" wrap at the end.
Here's to Football.
J
Random Shots is done each Wednesday but this Wednesday is Christmas so I thought I'd sneak in a couple of days early here. I wished you Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays last week but I'll gladly double up and do it again.
One thing I'm pretty sure of is it's tough to get too many well wishes.
Let's Go.
Oregon uniform reveal for the Ohio State game...
Oregon just released the Rose Bowl uniforms: pic.twitter.com/8HAJjVwFB1
— NATTYtimeDuck (@B1GtimeDuck) December 22, 2024
Just dropping this right here.
The trilogy pic.twitter.com/WVdRLl91hq
— Sooners Insider (@SoonersInsider) December 17, 2024
I think I'm with Kyler.
Kyler: I’ve played in cold weather before. How cold is it supposed to be?
— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) December 18, 2024
Reporter: 35
Kyler: …shit pic.twitter.com/liWhKaBtqb
Jets owner Woody Johnson reportedly puts a high value on a player's Madden Rating. Enough that he nixed a potential trade earlier this year for Jerry Jeudy.
Browns Fans:
Hey Woody Johnson check these Madden ratings pic.twitter.com/CTlp27bwIf
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) December 19, 2024
This NIL business is amazing.
With Jake Dickert leaving Wazzu for the Wake Forest HC job… the Cougars have been DECIMATED this off-season
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) December 18, 2024
They play Syracuse in the Holiday Bowl but don’t have a:
Head Coach
Offensive Coordinator
Defensive Coordinator
QB coach
RB coach
Starting QB
22 Players in Portal pic.twitter.com/xZe0hNTTGQ
This is the kind of hard hitting serious content you'll find with me and Random Shots.
vikings and patriots hat swap pic.twitter.com/azRn0hqq4W
— Jay Cuda (@JayCuda) December 18, 2024
Ok then.
NO WAY… THE #BILLS GOT A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR JOSH ALLEN THIS YEAR.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) December 20, 2024
“You have him for 6 hours.”
???
pic.twitter.com/daByEfplLv
Brock Purdy with a way better gift.
Brock Purdy took care of his offensive linemen for Christmas: pic.twitter.com/weEaZmqAIr
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 20, 2024
My buddy Frank knows things.
Here's what we've learned the past few years: Mike Tomlin is better than anyone on the planet at dealing with diva WRs. https://t.co/1rmdnhAwhB
— Frank Schwab (@YahooSchwab) December 20, 2024
This aged well.
"We don't just beat Top 25 teams, we beat the s--- out of them."
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 20, 2024
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti didn't hold back on the Hoosiers' success this season ? pic.twitter.com/M4FGhv6Xsy
Ok, then.
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) December 21, 2024
Nick Saban had thoughts.
Nick Saban tells Curt Cignetti the one thing he didn’t learn from coaching with him
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) December 20, 2024
“One thing you didn’t learn from me is talking all the shit you talk”
? pic.twitter.com/tqAWNBIYpI
Live look in on the Chargers...
What Ladd McConkey route running be like
— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) December 20, 2024
Patrick Surtain II ain’t got no answer for this ?
pic.twitter.com/44pLTVpKVp
We often miss the human side of coaching. At the core, these folks are teachers. And good teachers often are good humans.
WHOLESOME: After Devin Funchess had an altercation at practice, Ron Rivera pulled him & Funchess apologized & explained that he was shaken because his cousin had just been killed.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) December 20, 2024
Say what you will about Ron Rivera as a coach—he was a hell of a leader pic.twitter.com/2NURgW9ysU
So this happened.
On a more personal and serious note: To my "sisters" out there battling and beating Breast Cancer, rock on.
Ohio OL Parker Titsworth finishing his career fighting breast cancer in the Cure Bowl is enough to bring a tear to your eye. ? pic.twitter.com/mTxCzLTxdM
— College Sports Only (@CollegeSportsO) December 20, 2024
Undercover Aaron Rodgers.
"That's not Tom Brady, that's Braelon Allen... but close!" ?
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 20, 2024
New 'One Jets Drive' OUT NOW: https://t.co/ilgHhhBRzF pic.twitter.com/h8ToKLGScH
Jake Ferguson is a #Footballguy.
This is where we as fans knew he is our dude. pic.twitter.com/mRnyXXrt91
— Cowboys Due Diligence (@StevieJPTX) December 20, 2024
Who says the Bowl Games aren't fun?
449-POUND Florida lineman Desmond Watson hit the Heisman pose after getting a carry as an RB ??
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 21, 2024
ABSOLUTE LEGEND. pic.twitter.com/WZaDvkiIXx
Related:
America’s new favorite two way player pic.twitter.com/A2en9LtkkZ
— College Football Live (@CollegeFBonX) December 21, 2024
Saban and Belichick are rolling.
Saban and Belichick are THE BEST#CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/GJTKvRindn
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 20, 2024
I fully understand the experts think it's dumb to play in a bowl game and not put your business first.
But I still love this kind of thing and how it used to be.
Powerful message from Demetrius Knight Jr. on why he decided to play in the Citrus Bowl with @GamecockFB:
— Julia Westerman (@JuliaWesterman) December 20, 2024
"I have kids. I didn't want my daughter or son to ask me why I didn't play in the last game. I don't want to give them an excuse. If you start it, finish it." pic.twitter.com/s7hTG2oLyC
Shane Gillis casually dropped the Alabama Jones on Saban.
Incredible TV moment. Just when I didn’t think I could love Shane Gillis more - he went and called the GOAT “Alabama Jones” ??
— Jay Shell (@jjshell) December 21, 2024
Coach Saban answered it perfectly too ?? pic.twitter.com/MzUvup1XDO
This is a fun tradition for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame only allows players to add names to their jerseys during the postseason. Respect ??
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 21, 2024
(h/t @ethan_peppers) pic.twitter.com/30jZTfN653
Jeremiyah Love wasn't having it.
"Nah man, they trippin' it's cold out here."
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 20, 2024
Jeremiyah Love wasn't trying to be shirtless like his Notre Dame teammates ? pic.twitter.com/ypZlNlIWed
But I don't think anyone's doubting his toughness.
Jeremiyah Love is DISGUSTING.
— Notre Dame Fighting Irish (@Insidetheirish) December 21, 2024
My gosh. #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/yFXFAitQgj
SMU kids not used to the cheap seats.
Penn State has SMU’s Band watching the game from Pittsburgh today
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) December 21, 2024
pic.twitter.com/xj95TRPOsl
If the Browns played as good as they looked, they'd be undefeated.
unis looking slick ?? pic.twitter.com/Hf7wJ40T40
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 22, 2024
Guy shot his shot. (click the image to see the full effect)
Dudes rock pic.twitter.com/8TiJ0FplF8
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) December 22, 2024
Utah going with the "ugly sweaters". Love this.
These ugly sweaters look pretty sweet ? pic.twitter.com/hpjiavSXb3
— Utah Grizzlies (@UtahGrizzlies) December 22, 2024
Probably best we didn't have a mic'd up thing here.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson is the only guy whose trash talk is so nasty he can get punched in the face and the ref STILL flags him and not the guy doing the punching pic.twitter.com/UBB2JoJQZg
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) December 22, 2024
Of course, he had his own issues. But I'm shocked Daniel Jones struggled in New York...
Just watch the Giants OL ? pic.twitter.com/m8uxshlBck
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 22, 2024
Mack Hollins is a National Treasure.
Mack Hollins’ outfit of the week is as entertaining as ever
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) December 22, 2024
?: @BuffaloBills pic.twitter.com/x2ne1RzRna https://t.co/dZGeYosQTX
Ben Johnson auditioning for the Bears job?
Give the Lions an Oscar pic.twitter.com/xFNaTAQNpp
— #RingerNFL (@ringernfl) December 22, 2024
That Eagle fan you know... (NSFW)
https://t.co/7spLPTYVsU pic.twitter.com/RE1H0aV2Qr
— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) December 22, 2024
Karma often comes around.
COMMANDERS TAKE THE LEAD pic.twitter.com/rLAHVCQobz
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) December 22, 2024
Jordan Phillips took matters into his own hands.
Bills DT Jordan Phillips during pregame warmups ?
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) December 22, 2024
(via @danfetes, @BuffaloPlus) pic.twitter.com/tOuD0V7gJM
If Random Shots did tennis.
Dude hit the best tennis shot I’ve ever seen but it didn’t count ? pic.twitter.com/YJlMldri92
— Dudes Posting Their W’s (@DudespostingWs) December 23, 2024
Michael Penix Jr. with a sweet post-game interview.
"My heart is beating out of my chest right now...I worked all my life to get to this point."
— NFL on FOX Podcast (@NFLonFOXPod) December 22, 2024
Michael Penix Jr.. is with @LauraOkmin after his first career start and win for the @AtlantaFalcons ? pic.twitter.com/Ce0PsmRLM6
It's a beautiful game.
Fantastic color combo down in Miami. pic.twitter.com/RFjhr7Lwk0
— NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) December 22, 2024
In just 13 NFL starts, Cooper Rush of the @dallascowboys has already beaten:
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) December 23, 2024
Joe Burrow (9/18/2022)
Jayden Daniels (11/24/2024)
Bryce Young (12/15/2024)
Baker Mayfield (tonight)
No other QB has beaten 4 Heisman-winning opposing starting QBs within his first 13 career starts. pic.twitter.com/rmAFSVL5SE
Spot on.
Second round of the playoffs on the way. pic.twitter.com/ntqiVWvg02
— OKSTProbs (@OKSTProbs) December 22, 2024
I felt this one a little too much.
Anyone who started Cooper Kupp in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/cUCWy9gsyx
— Paul Charchian (@PaulCharchian) December 23, 2024
Music note this week:
Elvis sings my favorite Christmas song.
And for a picture of cool personified, he butchers the words but still kills it live.
Long live the King.
Nick Saban gave a Masterclass on handling criticism.
Coach couldn’t take it anymore ??#CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/K2ggI4hEal
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 20, 2024
Coach is spot on there. We all live in the digital world today. Our company at Footballguys lives exclusively in the digital world. And naturally, online criticism is part of life. I'm constantly telling our folks to focus on what we can control. Sure, we always listen to feedback and criticism. But the reality is we have to go out and perform a job. To the best of our ability. And dwelling on a mean comment isn't helping you perform to the best of your ability.
And this is true for all of us, right? Listen, learn and then go out and execute. It's by far the best way to operate in my opinion.
I'll wrap with what I said here last week. And also last year. This has been an awesome year for many folks. And it's been a challenging year for many people. Maybe you're in both those groups. I am.
For the challenging side, the Holidays can make it even tougher for some.
Shauna Niequist is a writer I enjoy. She wrote this a few years ago, but I think it applies now.
"My prayer is that what you've lost, and what I've lost this year, will fade a little bit in the beauty of the Christmas season, that for a few moments at least, what is right and good and worth believing will outshine all the darkness, within us and around us."
That's my hope for you. That the pain of what you've lost this year may fade a bit as we seek out and focus on what's right and good and worth believing. That the light outshines the dark. If it's tough for you, give yourself some grace. I'm with you.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours from all of us at Footballguys. Rock on.
That'll do it this week. Thank you for being with me on this goofy journey.
And thanks to Footballguys Keith Overton, Jake Bryant, Bob Harris, Matt Carey, Sigmund Bloom and Clayton Gray for the help. If you've got a Random Shot of your own, email me at bryant@footballguys.com.
Love your neighbor and stick together.
Peace and Grace to you.
J
