I was a kid when Fouts started. He was a big guy with a beard, and my dad was a big guy with a beard. In my halcyon days of yore, that was reason enough. And yeah, I’ve pretty much given up too. I am in a draft this year because a friend begged and pleaded, but it isn’t getting a whole lot of my attention.

Oh, it’s more than that. Plus, who can explain the vagaries and whims of emotional neediness?

As someone who grew up as Chargers fan (from up here in the wilds of Canada), let me say Good. Fuck ‘em. They are dead to me, and I hope the ghost of Dan Fouts’ Beard haunts Spanos until he begs for help from Ryan Leaf.

“There,” not “their.” Going to have to punish myself.

Yeah, and of course we’ve come to expect it of Americans. The Brits? No so much, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.

Apparently Las Palmas players were wearing Spanish flag decals on their uniforms today. How that would have gone over if their had been fans in the stadium is a frightening thought experiment.

Filmed in Alberta. Near the mountains, I guess, where the oil actually isn’t. Also, what fucking small town in Canada has its own sheriff? I guess we’re back to foreign film and TV makers just making shit up about the country for the sake of Story.

Wrap your head around this:

My grandmother’s father died of the Spanish flu as well. I remember her and her sister telling me some stories from around then, but what has always stood out most of me is how quickly their mother remarried. Had to remarry, really, so they could live.

I was never lucky enough to see Husker Du, but a friend and I sat 5 feet away from Hart when Nova Mob played a small university club a couple decades ago. When the show was done he came and sat and chatted with us for a while. Great guy.

I had a dream a few years ago where someone shot me in the back of the head. All I remember from it is the sense of peace as I shifted from life to non-life. Just drifting into darkness and nothingness. I woke up feeling a bit more comfortable about my coming mortality (may it still be many years away).

Hoo boy, don’t get me started about soccer. Although Alphonso Davies is a sign that someone is doing something right, and someone else is sometimes willing to recognize it.

This is such a good (and not terribly long) listen about Memphis and the statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest.

We’ll neville surrender!

Clearly I didn’t hurry hard here to get in the first joke.

Can’t remember if I’ve told this before. In the late ‘80s (well before easy video and social media and shit like this going mad online), I was a photographer at a major Canadian daily. There was a charity bowling event (5 pin, because this was Canada) I was asked to grab a shot at. A cute kid was bowling so I kneeled…

The good news is, this is the internet, and there is always a pedant waiting to swoop.

Alex Ferguson: Just five minutes more.

He’s the same age as my son, who is off to play college (and that will be about it). Astonishing to see.

Chattel, not cartel. 99% for the brilliance, deduction for the tiny error.