The curious case of the quarterback who sued the NCAA -- so that he could stay. (Makes more $$$ that way.) Welcome to NIL 2026 markkreidler.substack.com/p/stay-in-sc...

When Mike Tomlin told the Steelers he was stepping down, a number of players were in tears, including Aaron Rodgers. We tend to minimize how hard most teams really do strive to win. When they fall short, as Steve Young used to say, "It's a train wreck." markkreidler.substack.com/p/pardon-the...

Four of the six QBs who survived Wild Card weekend are part of the new-new: Caleb Williams, Brock Purdy, Drake Maye, C.J. Stroud. A fifth, Bo Nix, awaits the Bills in Denver. Maybe the NFL isn't running out of future stars after all? markkreidler.substack.com/p/wait-the-y...

The Steelers have had three head coaches since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon in 1969.

They're still playing college football. Why? A guy had a 16-team playoff system proposed decades ago that got us a national champion by New Year's Day. It was so perfect and efficient that it has never come close to being enacted. markkreidler.substack.com/p/college-fo...

Experts are watching to see which of California's new laws will effectively protect immigrant rights *and* withstand Trumpian legal challenge -- no sure thing. My column for Capital & Main: capitalandmain.com/can-californ...

For those keeping score, Bellingcat, The New York Times Visual Investigation Team, & Washington Post's Visual Forensic team have all published analysis showing the ICE shooter wasn't in the path of Renee Nicole Good’s vehicle when he shot her, contradicting statements by the President & his cronies

A little about Tyler Loop, the Baltimore kicker who missed a field goal as time expired last night that would've put the Ravens in the playoffs. The hate posts and death wishes commenced almost immediately. markkreidler.substack.com/p/heartbreak...

I had the great pleasure of spending time with Gary Gerould, the voice of the Sacramento Kings since day one in California, for this Q&A at Sactown Magazine. As you would expect, Gary was honest, funny and true to his heart. www.sactownmag.com/kings-announ...

Local 11 members at Disneyland got 5 years of back wages in 2025 as part of Disney's $233 MILLION settlement in the #MeasureL living wage case—the largest class-action #wagetheft case in California history. Read more from Mark Kreidler at Capital and Main: https://bit.ly/3YboQkc

Even assuming Mahomes A-plusses his recovery, the team he rejoins in K.C. won't be it. The Chiefs' run just ended -- time to stand back and admire the work. markkreidler.substack.com/p/it-was-a-c...

One of Rob Reiner's passions was learning and sharing the science and research into children's critical early development - the first five years of their lives. He left a massive legacy for California, well beyond Hollywood. capitalandmain.com/beyond-holly...

once again everyone would have been happier, Trump included, if we just Truman Showed him and let him play pretend president on the teevee

In which I try to explain the weird hold that sports seem to still have on me. As Daniel Stern's character in "City Slickers" might say, I guess it is childish. But it can come in pretty handy. These last few days, say. markkreidler.substack.com/p/it-keeps-m...

Michael C. Rockefeller got shipwrecked in 1963, washed up on an island, and was promptly eaten by cannibals.

At this rate, Philip Rivers could work his way backwards into some serious NIL money. Just a thought. markkreidler.substack.com/p/never-too-...

According to The Athletic, a number of NFL scouts are convinced most of the top crop of college QBs should stay in school another year. The goofy but lucrative NIL landscape, of all things, might encourage that. A rare win-win. markkreidler.substack.com/p/nfl-to-qbs...

It won't be Trump Stadium, no. But, look, it's gotta be *something.* (* = unserious suggestions only) Free read. markkreidler.substack.com/p/my-buildin...

Went a week without ESPN. Came out just fine. This has to be ESPN's nightmare scenario. markkreidler.substack.com/p/a-week-wit...

Lost in the SNAP conversation: We have the ability to get millions and millions of people off food stamps: Pay them a decent wage. capitalandmain.com/congress-cou...

Raiders' last six seasons in Oakland: 39-57. Raiders' first six seasons in Vegas: 38-55. But, hey -- profit. @chrislhayes.bsky.social markkreidler.substack.com/p/ill-take-g...

All you have to do is ask the sports books: The bill *always* comes due. The NBA's magical thinking won't make it otherwise. You don't get to scrape gambling profits without taking on gambling problems. markkreidler.substack.com/p/the-call-i...

One-year deal for Kurt Suzuki in Anaheim. I guess I understand why the @angels.com couldn't come to terms with Albert Pujols.

So it's a Giants rebuild. But you knew that! Buster Posey told you at the trade deadline.

Oldheads win. Fine week for so many. markkreidler.substack.com/p/solid-week...

Penn State is paying its football coach upward of $50 million to be fired, while spending about $700 million to renovate its stadium. Thank goodness! For a minute there, I thought NCAA schools said they're worried about paying their athletes. markkreidler.substack.com/p/dont-ever-...

The NLRB is paralyzed in Washington. However, California appears poised to become one of the first states in the nation to take over the job of protecting workers — a role the Trump administration has essentially abdicated. New column by @markkreidler.bsky.social capitalandmain.com/california-j...

Give Jerry Jones this: He's figured out that in the current climate, blatantly lying about something that everyone can see with their own eyes is strategy, not buffoonery. (I'm only partially sure about that last part.)

Harvey Dent in "The Dark Knight:" You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain." Bill Belichick is making that trip. (P.S. UNC just backed out of the much-touted Hulu documentary on the program this season.) markkreidler.substack.com/p/everybody-...

The ABS system *can* address the kind of terrible miss on strike 3 to Bogaerts that wrecked the Padres in the 9th vs. Cubs. But ABS isn't some perfect solution. No matter how critical the call, no matter how late, your team won't be able to appeal if it's already used up its challenges. #nextyear

Nobody can hit in MLB. It's just too hard. Oh! Also: We're about to see home run history. Don't yell at me, I only work here. markkreidler.substack.com/p/baseballs-...

Check out the incredible #RSV package from @sciam.bsky.social. Articles from me, @lizszabo.bsky.social @markkreidler.bsky.social, Suzette Brewer & editing frm @emilybazar.bsky.social. All editorially independent reporting. www.scientificamerican.com/report/innov... (we didn't know who sponsors were)

MLB games with huge playoff implications tonight --Rays at Blue Jays, Tigers at Red Sox -- safely locked away behind Apple TV+ paywall. But, hey, thanks so much for your season-long MLB.TV payments! Tough one about the potential Friday clinchers

So Anthropic paying a $1.5 billion settlement for illegally pirating writers' original works to train Claude is just a speed bump. Maybe buy the books next time www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/a...

Robert Redford made some really good sports movies. (They weren't about sports.) They constitute a small part of the larger body of his work, but they resonate all the same. markkreidler.substack.com/p/natural

The Kawhi Leonard story is so old school! This is a very 1970s flavor of side-stepping the rules (allegedly). No-show job -- such a throwback. markkreidler.substack.com/p/the-pro-ga...

Across the country, union representation has been falling for decades. But in California, it remains at 16.3%—five points higher than the national average. It shows that the labor movement remains strong in the state. From @markkreidler.bsky.social‬ for ‪@capitalandmain.bsky.social‬:

This piece by @markkreidler.bsky.social in @capitalandmain.bsky.social does a great job of putting our State of the Unions report in context. A must read as we enter Labor Day weekend. capitalandmain.com/unions-are-s...

Roger Clemens played golf with Donald Trump, after which Trump demanded that Clemens be inducted into the Hall of Fame. *After* which, Clemens posted their foursome's scorecard. (DJT dead last.) That's just plain solid strategy right there. markkreidler.substack.com/p/roger-clem...

Auburn deciding to retroactively claim seven football titles might strike you as a little...stupid. But we're in the post-intelligence era! The truth is what I say it is! Who are you to deny me my truth? So...yeah. Stupid. markkreidler.substack.com/p/how-to-win...

Cal Raleigh is on pace for 61* homers, the kind of solid, understandable number that we can enjoy extrapolating with a clean conscience. Fun with stats! (*Not a Maris asterisk, but a rounding down. It's actually 61.26.) markkreidler.substack.com/p/youre-on-p...

Thirty bucks for an ESPN app that contains everything they own, including (now) the NFL Network. Thirty bucks to see sports and nothing but, with none of that pesky news or current events to distract you. Pay up. markkreidler.substack.com/p/coming-to-...

Here's to the teams in mid-level hell, close enough to that third wild-card to want to stay in, but ultimately deciding they can't. These are the MLB trade deadline surprises -- teams with talent that nevertheless pull the plug. markkreidler.substack.com/p/the-dark-a...

An MLB player did something really cool Monday night. Like career-defining cool. Rare-air cool. Don't worry -- you barely know him. markkreidler.substack.com/p/joses-almo...

With its 'ghost runner on second' rule, MLB announced some time ago that extra innings aren't real baseball -- so why stop there? They just decided the All-Star Game with a HR derby in the 10th. Why not use that method all the time? Are you not entertained? markkreidler.substack.com/p/we-could-l...

Kid from 504 population town draws No. 1 MLB draft! (Not that simple.) Small towns unite! (If you've got connections.) Oklahoma stand up! (It did -- check the comments after the story.) markkreidler.substack.com/p/if-youre-g...

RIP Lee Elia. There's so much more to the back-story of his epic rant, and it's remarkable how right he turned out to be (about some of it). Free read! Maybe don't play the audio at work. markkreidler.substack.com/p/all-hail-t...

Robot* umps at the All-Star Game!** Danger!*** (* not really robots) (** just the one game) (*** only danger is a bad call gets fixed) markkreidler.substack.com/p/the-bots-a...

Another gambling scandal in the NBA (allegedly). But, hey, FanDuel and DraftKings still feel great about the direction of the league! markkreidler.substack.com/p/uh-oh-697