Fact-checking an ESPN yeller is like fact-checking a Presidential candidate, or firing a photon torpedo at an energy cloud (that consumes the torpedo, making it stronger).

With any luck and with the speed they comply with public information directives, you’ll get a response from President Trump*

Hey, purer-than-thou civil libertarians! Bothe sidez R tha sayme! I voted for a cinder block! (write-in candidate)

It’s no snooker.

It’s always good to remember that the Rockets’ signature highlight since winning the two championships was the huge comeback against the Clippers a few years ago, accomplished while Harden was on the bench.

(gets a “My Boss is an 80-year-old Jewish Real Estate Developer” bumper-sticker)

Last word from me on this: (1) no way I wouldn’t take Mike Trout #1 or #2 overall if starting a baseball team from scratch (2) if the Angels were even in the playoff hunt as opposed to 15 games out, he’d get my vote even over another candidate on a 95-win team, (3) you can’t be valuable if the team you’re on is…

Or maybe he doesn’t get to steal bases to minimize risk before Ortiz or Correa bats, or the RBIs he gets to knock in for the Angels (because of a cruddy #1/#2 hitters missed their opportunity) are knocked in by George Springer or Xander Bogaerts instead. Alls I’m saying is that if the WARs are close, surely there’s…

Well, there’s a reason ALtuve/Betts were on better teams, they had better teammates. But valuable implies you’re of value to something, and that value is enhanced by your being on a playoff or near-playoff team vs. a valueless also-ran like the ‘16 Angels.

He’s got electric stuff, but more often than not he’ll be through 5 innings and is at 100 pitches. Now if they slot Devenski to be the next Andrew Miller and clean up with 3 innings of relief, fine, but in the playoffs that sort of high-traffic, high-K start could kill you.

If they get a real #2 starter sometime in July, then I’m on board. McCullers, Morton, Musgrove, and the injured McHugh (!) are alliterative and middling, and Dumpster Fiers might as well be pitching batting practice. I am glad to see that all they had to do to make Deadspin was beat the Yankees, previous 23-11 record…

Like I said, if valuability is the same whether your 10 WAR gets your team from 64 to 74 wins and obscurity or from 83 to 93 wins and the playoffs, then call it the Cy Young Award For Position Players, eliminate voting and just check the advanced statistic.

The only problem I have with Mike Trout as MVP is that they’re treating the MVP like the Cy Young; say Betts has a WAR of 9 and his team is in the playoffs, Altuve has a WAR of 7 and his team is in the playoff hunt, Trout has a WAR of 10 and the Angels miss the playoffs by fifteen games. Maybe Trout doesn’t have the…

“What’s an NBA final?” “Did that coach just ask what was an NBA final?” “No, he just wondered if the new Run the Jewels was on vinyl.” “Oh, because I heard final.”

I’m actually looking forward to James Harden choking away Game 7 (not 6) so I can turn off the TV from any further playoffs, including a 4- or 5-game series beat-down, courtesy of the Warriors.

I hear it said in a voice that used to say INDIGESTION in Pepto-Bismol commercials, or is printed in drippy Halloween-horror font.

Potential headlines: “Banned, Rested and Ready” “Brownout” “Gordon, Wayward” “He Put That In His Pipe and Smoked It”

I remember when it was pitched as: Higher Learning: The Series.

“Apparently, sir, you didn’t pay attention to our 2016 campaign slogan: We Hate You and Want You To Die. It was the anti-slogan. It was refreshing, and what got us 3 million fewer Presidential votes even after hacking and voter suppression shenanigans (additional boos) (blows kisses to the crowd like a wrestling…

At least Buffalo got to the Super Bowl four times, as opposed to zero/losing in the Wild Card game after winning the AFC East year after year.