Salma Hayek Is Officially Back, Let's Check In With Johnny Manziel & The Dogs Of The 2023 NFL Playoffs
It's official -- you guys love books
Needless to say, Indy Daryl was very impressed by the book recommendations sent in this week by Screencaps readers.
And the suggestions kept rolling in Wednesday to the point where I'll have to forward the suggestions to Daryl so he can update his Excel sheet that he created with all the suggestions.
Try this link. It should work:
https://www.outkick.com/wp-content/uploads/SC-Book-LIst1.xlsx
• Indy Daryl writes:
Good evening! I can't believe all of the book recommendations from SC readers, truly an incredible list. Speaking of lists, I couldn't keep everything straight and my mind works in spread sheets, so thus the attachment. I started with each reader, then the book or series (these are in quotes), the author, and then the type of book. Not a super sophisticated list, but thought others might enjoy it as much as I did. Also, you can sort by any of the columns!
As for other thoughts:
1. I have not actually read Atlas Shrugged, but it is definitely on the list
2. You will absolutely love The Boys in the Boat - even though the outcome is known, Brown does such an amazing job of placing you in Joe Rantz's shoes and making you feel every little detail. My heart was actually racing during each of the races! One of my favorites for sure.
And finally, if I were to recommend one book (right now anyway) it would be Endurance by Alfred Lansing. It tells the true story of Ernest Shacketon's ill-fated journey in 1914 to try and find the south pole. I maintain that if they turned this book into a movie and stated it was "based on the true story," followed it to the letter, not one change, no one would believe that is how it actually happened. Simply an amazing story.
Hope you are enjoying your evening!!
They're coming for your gas stove
How do I know Big Government is coming for your gas stove? Because now Big Government is now adamant they're NOT coming for your gas stove. Remember how Big Daddy Government in Dallas is trying to ban gas lawnmowers to protect Latino landscapers who inhale the fumes? Big Daddy Government has actually been testing the populace over a ban on gas stoves behind the scenes for quite a while.
Multiple cities have banned gas from new construction and the Big Daddy Consumer Protection Agency guy -- Richard Trumka Jr., whose father was the leader of the AFL-CIO -- has been hinting at what Big Daddy Gov. has planned.
"We need to be talking about regulating gas stoves, whether that's drastically improving emissions, or banning them entirely. We ought to keep the possibility of a ban in mind. It's a powerful tool in our toolbox. It's a real possibility," Trumka said in December.
Wednesday, Joe Biden's handlers claimed he wasn't down with what this independent agency -- keep in mind Trumka Jr. was appointed by Biden and Biden was friends with Jr's father for 30 years -- is saying about gas stoves.
LOL. Yeah, right.
They're coming for your gas lawn mower.
They're coming for your gas leaf blower.
They're coming for your gas stove.
They'd love to come for your beloved tackle football via an offensive by that scumbag Joy Behar.
Will Harbaugh leave Michigan?
• Brian in Tennessee writes:
Jim Harbaugh was the first jersey I ever owned. I wore it to the first day of school in 4th grade back when you wore your best outfit on that day. The first day of school was the equivalent of a runway show in Milan. You showed up and showed out! Glory days, right?
With that said, Harbaugh has been flirting with other jobs for a few years now. As someone born in Michigan and a lifelong fan, I have to say that at this point, I hope he finds that next mountain to climb. I know you're a big OSU guy so you'd welcome this as well. This is a great time for him to leave as there are some great coaches looking for jobs - Kliff would be my #1 pick. It's a match made in heaven. He had success in the NFL, but couldn't sustain it. His calling is college.
And the Chris B. email about investing in future potential earnings of athletes...I worked with a private equity company that sponsored upcoming golfers. The deal was funding their travel, entry fees, training, etc, in exchange for a certain percentage of their future earnings for the next XX years. Each deal was different. We did almost a dozen of these deals and only one panned out. But it paid for the entire investment in all the other guys and then some.
Kinsey:
I don't care if Harbaugh stays or leaves. His career record against Ohio State would be 2-6 if he put a team on the field against OSU in 2020. John Cooper was 2-10-1 against Michigan.
That said, the pressure is squarely on Ryan Day to flip the script back to where it was, but the 12-team playoff thing will have a huge impact on the importance of The Game moving forward. The Woody and Bo days are fading fast as are the fans who lived and died with this game. We're being replaced by a generation that will know nothing but the constant movement of players and less about bitter rivalries.
According to the community, selling stock in kids to fund their sports has been going on and some of us just haven't been paying attention
• John in SD writes:
Funding Travel Ball:
Chris B’s idea on starting to sell stock on your kids future earnings for sports (football, basketball, baseball, ect) isn’t a new idea. As much as I agree with not supporting all of the “fake” fundraisers, this has been going on for years with golf. Wealthy Country Club members regularly front (sponsor) talented kids with potential in the hopes making it on the PGA Tour. They get a payoff if/when the kid makes it.
Buckeyes, one defensive play and a kick away from being in the game and being National Champions!
The State of Travel Ball heading into 2023
• Greg B. writes:
Travel Ball once was a great opportunity to compete in an elite division of baseball or softball. Not anymore. Travel ball has been watered down by the vortex that sucks as many teams/kids/families in as possible. The more travel ball teams in a tournament the more moms, dads, grands, and siblings there are coming through the gate, hitting the concession stand and purchasing the Tournament T-shirt (the badge of honor).
We are a softball family and that is where my experience comes from. I have been involved with rec and travel softball for close to 15 years now. As dad's travel ball plays on our pride that is fueled by providing my little girl with every tool available to give her an opportunity to be successful. Because there is a large cost associated with it, it must be good right?
Because it's the elite Class A, B... or C the competition will challenge her to rise up right.... maybe. All to say "yeah little Jenny well we are playing TRAVEL BALL this year"- a smiling dad beaming with pride as those words grace his lips. The status!! Who do I right the check out to? ..
There are some pros but I'll leave them out and list the cons.
1) Travel ball has cost us a sense of community. We have our softball family down at the local recreational field for our summer league. We lose quite a few each year who long for that grand allure of the Travel ball hoodie for their kids to wear that reads "(insert trendy TB logo".
2) Kids are adaptable. Kids catch up fast. If there is a little bit of talent there and they play rec ball 3 or 4 months out of the year, as soon as they hit middle school they will catch up. Kids can tell if they are behind and they will adapt and respond. A valuable life lesson.
3) If travel ball was not a money game there would not be a need for the travel ball organizations that have 6U-16U programs that require your kid to practice with them 3 times a week and then have an individual lesson on their own with their recommended instructor.
The list goes on. I do know this is a broad generalization. There are some outliers out there I'm sure but generally speaking this is it.
I have 3 girls that all played or are currently playing softball. When we gather around the dinner table and start talking about memories it typically does not involve softball although that was the majority of our summers.. "Dad, remember this''? That conversation will bring up memories of camping, fishing, bike rides and vacations. We have made some memories on the softball fields together but they typically do not make the dinner table rankings. So make some memories, love your kids and take advantage of the times you have together. This is the only shot you get. Spend your time wisely.
Truck stickers!
• Daniel G. in Fairbanks, Alaska -- we have a few emailers from way up at the Arctic Circle -- writes:
Joe, Fairbanks is not a huge town, but it has at least two trucks decorated with this masterpiece.
• G. in Kansas writes:
Hey Joe, talking about truck stickers I've yet to make the "Calvin urinating on Calvin urinating" sticker I've always wanted, but here's what I did get done and slapped onto the bumper of my best-truck-ever-made-in-the-history-of-trucks 2006 Toyota Tundra. It makes me laugh, so that's all that matters right? Actually a couple of high Gen Z dudes stopped me on the street once to tell me they thought it was funny. So me and two random stoner kids.
Jim is back and he says China is collapsing
• Jim M. in West Lafayette, IN gets back into his routine of writing emails to me:
I have just gotten back into the swing of things after over a month of incredible business. So finally back into the daily screencaps routine.
A couple of things, one, thank you, thank you, thank you. Our Gauntlet league was a huge success. Everybody enjoyed it, and in a weird quirk the Buffalo Cincy cancellation actually played a role in clinching the title for our frontrunner, who had Philly, Cincy and Minnesota - which counteracted the Bears. I actually have a waiting list building for next year. Just one benefit of Screencaps; it makes me worried what I have missed for the last month and a half.
Two, the recommended book list. I enjoyed perusing the books people suggested, and I received a few books for Christmas, so I can use this list to build my next Christmas wish list. But a point that struck me with a specific recommendation was Ghost Fleet. I realize it is just fiction, interspersed with a bunch realism due to one of the author's background.
It is typical the US is in trouble and should be careful of the countries that are coming for us. While I would never suggest we take anything for granted, after reading that bit of "the pentagon wants more money" propaganda, I would suggest following that up with any of Peter Zeihan's books, who actually looks at real facts on the ground about all countries and the world we live in. His latest, The End of the World is Just the Beginning, would be a good one.
Russia is demonstrating to us just how far they have fallen with the Ukraine war performance, and China is actually yesterday's news. Both of our historic rivals are in seriously terrible shape, economically, demographically, and militarily. The chances for either of them to survive this century, let alone seriously challenging the US, in anything resembling their present form is remote.
China is collapsing even as I type, at least Russia can grow enough food and drill for their own energy. The US is blessed by some remarkable built-in advantages, which even our terrible national politicians cannot destroy. I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting a serious discussion of the opportunities and challenges the 21st century will bring.
That's a wrap.
I know one thing, it's a quiet time in sports right now, especially when we could theoretically be entering the final weekend of Tom Brady's NFL career. Get those chores done. Get those Costco runs done before the suburbanites do their thing on Saturday. Fire up those mowers in south Florida.
Let's go have a productive day.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com