Happy Sunday everybody…you ready for some football?
This is always a bittersweet day, Super Bowl Sunday, when football season officially ends. Will miss the games but looking forward to filling my Sunday afternoons with other activities (like watching college basketball:)
OBTW…I like the Chiefs today. Just can’t bet against Pat Mahomes.
Today’s list features articles on how much Americans love to gamble, Tom Brady’s draft class, how the web destroyed one family’s reputation and a feature on one of the most influential sports media figures of the 20th century.
Let’s proceed with The Six.
The Draft Class of 2000: Tom Brady And The Baseball Dads
For NFL writers, finding new material on Tom Brady is next to impossible. But this Yahoo reporter discovers an interesting angle—where are they know for the draft class of 2000. That was the year Brady was selected in the sixth round by the New England Patriots. As for the other players drafted that year? They are 40-something dads, running businesses, doing normal things 40-year-olds do. The only one still playing football is Brady.
This is a harrowing read from the NY Times on an average English family that woke up one day only to find the family name smeared all over the internet. A nightmarish story about the far-reaching powers of the web.
An American Success Story, On The Rocks
I remember Pete Axthelm when he was on the NFL pre-game shows back in the 1980’s. He was funny, irreverent and a bit of a ham on the air. Three decades after his death, Sports Illustrated looks back on the life and times of a trailblazing American media figure who lived hard and died way too early.
The Echo Chamber Era Of Journalism
If alive, Axthelm certainly would not have been lumped in with other mainstream media by writer Matt Tiabbi in this excellent essay. Why is trust in MSM at an all-time low? Tiabbi, who wrote for Rolling Stone for long time before starting his own newsletter, explains.
Half Of All Americans Will Gamble On The Super Bowl
As more states legalize gambling and technology makes it so much easier, it should come as no surprise that hundreds of millions of Americans are expected to bet on today’s game. I use the FanDuel app myself and man, is it fun to use. I still do an old-fashioned squares game, but it’s a blast to scroll through the dozens and dozens of prop bets that are now available on betting apps—who will win the coin flip? Over/Under on National Anthem? How many Gisele cutaways? It’s endless.
Brace For The Oncoming Insect Swarm
This is a bit misleading…we are in no immediate danger here. But, depending on where you live, Brood X could be invading your neighborhood. That’s the latest generation of cicadas. I’m fascinated by this insect species—13-to-17 years underground feasting off tree sap—then when the soil gets moist enough, they emerge from hibernation, millions of them. Cicadas are noisy (peak 100 decibels) but basically harmless. This spring, Brood X is coming to states along the east coast and in the Midwest.
Have a great rest of your weekend everybody. Thanks for reading as always. Enjoy the Super Bowl.
Have a suggestion for the Sunday Six? Send email to jon@jonjkerr.com.