The vast majority of the time when I hear a politician talking about sports, my thought is that someone on their staff handed them some talking points to try to make them sound relatable. It rarely comes off as genuine.

🇳🇱 I believe there’s a website for this… only for farmers.

🇳🇱 Duolingo’s always good for one that’s wonderfully on-brand on a Monday morning.

⚾️ Back-to-back nights at RVA’s new home for baseball. We did it, @gosquirrels.bsky.social!

🎶 @wfuv.bsky.social at my desk each morning remains a true joy in my daily routine.

✈️ ☕️ Airports: All I ask for in 2026 is an express lane at the coffee shop for people ordering drip coffee.

Some things in here I agree with and others I don't, but an overarching idea that's spot on: A large percentage of D1 is trying to keep up with the P4 in a way that's detrimental to their departments and institutions. And something needs to change for the sustainability of the majority.

Prince is No. 1 on this list in the way that Katie Ledecky is No. 1 in an Olympic swimming event and they have to zoom out to get her lapping everyone.

The story of the first two weeks of the college lacrosse season is the cold. So. Very. Cold. And so many postponements, too. A look at what could be done about early February (and late January!) lacrosse, for USA Lacrosse Magazine. www.usalacrosse.com/magazine/col...

📚 Book No. 6 of 2026: @johngasaway.bsky.social's "Miracles on the Hardwood." Instant recommendation to my Holy Cross alum father-in-law, some coaches who attended Catholic institutions, and the Providence fans in my life.

Great story... and a great reminder of why quality writing like this is still so valuable.

⚾ The memes about guys just naming random baseball players with their friends? They're true. I just made a Todd Hundley comp about a friend's five-day-old baby.

🏀 The schedule-makers around women's college basketball should get free coffee on Monday. Seven ranked vs. ranked matchups on the first Sunday of the year that doesn't go up against the NFL. 21 national TV games. Turn on a game or three. 📺

🥍 There’s a really simple answer to the number of early-season lacrosse games that wind up being played indoors without fans and/or a broadcast: The season starts too early.

🇵🇹 These are the people who give Jon Rothstein nightmares.

Lost the AFC Championship by three points in a blizzard with a QB who hadn't played in two years. 2026: A time when everyone fires coaches like they're 70s/80s George Steinbrenner.

🏐 At a hotel bar last night. Guy next to me asks for "sports, any sports". Bartender picks the first game on the guide, Mich St-Rutgers MBB. Guy looks at me and says "better than women's volleyball, I guess." I smiled and suggested he learn how many volleyball matches outdraw the game on the TV. 🤷‍♂️

The selective outrage on inducting/not inducting people into Halls of Fame has greatly devalued the whole thing, and it's a shame. And if the voters want to make it about themselves, publicize their selections.

🏀 Amid a stretch of six college basketball games in 11 days — in six different arenas around the region — to close out January. Last week: URI-Richmond; QU-Mount; Richmond-GW. This week: DePaul-Georgetown; Loyola Chicago-VCU; Campbell-W&M. Truly a life of luxury.

Men’s college team rosters are like dating apps: If he claims he’s 6’0”, there’s about a 97% chance he’s <5’10”.

🏀 A long overdue first visit to GW for the Spiders and Revolutionaries. The 8th A10 arena where I’ve attended a game, but only the 6th with the home team participating.

⚽️ Truly massive. I am happy to contribute some of my 🎟️💵 to this effort, @washingtonspirit.com.

🏀 After an Amazing Race-like trip up from RVA on a weekday evening, finally in Emmitsburg to see the alma mater at The Mount.

🧠 I would love to read a research study on how social media algorithms push anonymous and inaccurate severe weather forecasts over professionals who responsibly report them to the public. It's an issue that's ripe for alarming the public and driving distrust in traditional media.

I think they should call the second edition of the Sphere the... Sphere 360.

Sports decision-making is deeply short-term and reactionary. Emotional people with lots of money making emotional decisions that cost lots of money.

Punting was a choice there.

There are times I wish they built a dome in Foxboro 25 years ago that could host Final Fours and things like that. Then there's nights like tonight.

17,228 watching the PWHL takeover game in DC! It’s a new record for a women’s hockey game in the US!!

The last place team in the B1G/SEC will get: - 1.6x the best ACC team - 1.75x the best Big 12 team - 11.7x the best G5 team *That's* the problem, not Notre Dame's carveout.

🎷 The Alexa in my bedroom started playing jazz music at 5 AM on a Sunday. While I do enjoy streaming @wbgojazz.bsky.social while I'm awake, that device is getting relocated before sunrise like it's the Baltimore Colts.

Most reliable offense in the NFL is to underthrow a deep ball.

I root for chaos whenever a conference does a bracket like this.

Nice to see Iggy Suarez's coaching career progress after he was a multiple time All-Star for me in MVP Baseball.

There are a lot of challenges in the world right now. But if you're in a job that enables your fellow humans to find an escape of joy, make positive memories, and/or gain knowledge for even 2-3 hours of an otherwise chaotic 168 in a given week... Embrace what a special opportunity that is.

2025 Red Sox: Build the whole team out of outfielders 2026 Red Sox: Build the whole team out of starting pitchers

🥍 Easily the highlight of my day. This is so great for lacrosse in Rhode Island and for the new stadium in Pawtucket.

A couple thoughts from someone who wishes he took the survey: - McDonough/McElroy booth is fantastic. - I consistently end up with a CW game on the antenna TV in my house instead of bouncing between apps. - The pregame shows have become a great time for laundry and an audiobook before noon kicks.

My greatest musical regret is that I was disinterested in the acts coming through the venue where my dad worked when I was a kid. The year I turned six, they had Blue Öyster Cult, DMB, Oasis, Radiohead, and Foo Fighters (twice, including once as an opener) ... at a small venue in Providence.

We have all the technology of the modern world, but the extra-safe helmets in the NFL look like ill-fitting grill covers. Would I still wear one? 100%.

I feel like this shouldn't need to be said, but... Don't take tax advice from a costumed person lifting a giant bag of cash over their head.

🥛 Me, trying to follow the new food pyramid:

🏀 Another Saturday when I beg of the powers that be: Give us a few of these games at 11 AM ET/10 AM CT. For the people who wake up with the sun on Saturday mornings.

10 points to Sean McDonough for working a Saint Francis Red Flash mention into a CFP Semifinal. 🔴⚡️

If your car might have played an All-American Rejects CD when it was new, it should not be eligible for historic vehicle plates.

A reduction in # of games is the only good idea from this. Adding two teams at the end of the decade is the perfect excuse for a complete overhaul. I would love to see 4 divisions of 8, a 140-150 game schedule, and old-school NHL-style divisional playoffs with the top 4 from each division, 3/5/7/7.

🏀 Love that one of my favorite "let's try something different" ideas from my time in sports lives on: The CAA's free weekly game on YouTube. Give your second screen the joy of midday college basketball. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fax8...

🌉 @danmcgowan.bsky.social's @globeri.bsky.social Rhode Map today brought great joy to a RI native in Virginia. When my brother was 3-4 years old (mid-90s), my dad would get him to guess "is the bridge up today?" as we went east on 195 to his house in EP. The bridge is always up, Sam. It still is.

🏀 VCU and Saint Louis in RVA. Maybe the most meaningful game in the country tonight. Give me 3OT.

Why the matchups are kinda worthless: When the 4:25 games are picked for ratings first and the quality of the matchup second, the result is self-fulfilling. KC-DEN over SEA-LAR and PIT-DET over JAX-DEN weren't better matchups; they were ratings calculations.