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Where do I start this morning? Did the NFL know that Jimmy Carter was going to die Sunday?

– John W. writes: 

Wild that the NFL scripted to have Jimmy Carter pass on a day featuring a primetime game between the two cities that he had the most connection with.

Of note, when they told us that my wife was going to be entering hospice (reminder, we had dark sense of humor at this point), they told us probably ‘about two weeks.’

She wanted to know why it was not the ‘Jimmy Carter length?’  Was totally annoyed that Jimmy was going to out live her. 

Plus in the Summer of ‘15, on a Ferris Bueller-type day, she saw the US Women’s Soccer World Cup ticker tape parade and stumbled upon a Jimmy Carter book signing coming up in a few minutes. She waited 20 minutes to meet him and got signed books. 

Annoyed her also that she would never see any appreciation in resale value. The book is priceless to me just for the memories.

Random thoughts on this Monday

  • Between the Bengals and Ohio State, maybe Saban is right, I’m going to need therapy. I have Ryan Day running his offense like a huge pussy against Michigan and I have Joe Burrow diving into the end zone when he just needed to dive into the middle of the field to line up a possible game-winning field goal that would’ve left :20 on the clock for the Broncos and no timeouts.
  • Yes, it’s going to take an absolute miracle for the Bengals to make the playoffs, but at least they’ll play a critical game on the last weekend of the season, which will make it feel like a playoff game in January. I’ll take it, especially when it’s a Saturday night game on Screencaps the III’s birthday.
  • Since when did hotels start charging a “Parking recapture fee” that’s cooked into your bill? We’re not talking about a downtown hotel. This was a hotel in the middle of a field.

I’ll admit I never look at Google hotel listing pages. Turns out the place I booked lists parking as an “extra charge.” 

That’s something to remember if you Uber into a hotel. Make sure they don’t hit you with the parking fee. Lesson learned. 

  • I drove to Dayton, OH on Sunday to visit family and purposely took some roads through parts of town I haven’t visited in at least a decade. It is absolutely pathetic to see what has happened to northwest Dayton from Salem Ave. to North Main Street and all the way to Trotwood, OH. My family has ties to this part of Dayton going back to the early 1900s. It’s hard to see that area look like a war zone with homes burnt out, boarded up and “gas off” spray-painted on the front of the houses so the squatters don’t bother. Areas where I would shop, work and visit 25 years ago are absolute no-go areas. It’s mind-blowing to see the destruction from drugs, gangbangers and complete scumbags. 
  • I think my wireless mouse died today after about a decade. This could throw me off this week. 
  • Am I out of my mind or are more people driving around with their tail lights turned off? Then, I’ll pull in front of them and they have some sort of headlight on. One of you must know what’s going on with the tail light industry. 

Email: joekinsey@gmail.com

OutKick is keeping the lights on as others slack off

– Jon D. recognizes how much work OutKick has put in over the holidays: 

I second BS in Lake Orion. With all the radio/podcast guys off for the holidays, it’s a content desert out here—except for OutKick. I appreciate your efforts up and down the page.

(And since you mentioned the other columns, shout to Amber who has toughed her way through her precious pup’s illness. I really enjoy her writing and wish her and Lucy the best.)

I also second your sentiments on Coach Saban’s OSU comments. The 12-team playoff already diluted the meaning of the regular season for the elite teams. But Saban also seems to have forgotten that that horrendous game plan and shoddy execution cost the Buckeyes a shot at a Big Ten title. Again. I thought championships were what it was about. Throw in the four-year hapless streak against UM and I’d say Day’s hot seat was/is warranted.

Finally, I awoke this morning not conceiving that I would so enjoy a bagpipe performance in an empty stadium. Way to find that talent, Joe. Beautiful, obviously, but also so joyful and so earnest. Respectfully, Ally the Piper has earned a spot in the SC rotation. (Check out her “Crazy Train” cover video on her website.)

Kinsey: 

Full disclosure: I might not work Thursday after working long shifts on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. I’d like to do something with the kids before they go back to school. 

But the point stands, OutKick has been humming along this month and it looks like we could break our November numbers, which was a MASSIVE month for the company. 

A Screencaps reader checks in from the beach

– Jeff E. writes: 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Won’t ever stop saying thanks for your work and words of sanity.  

The Mrs. And I are on a four-year tradition of flying to a beach the day after Christmas.  

This used to be so out of character for me.  I was go, go, go.  Now a recharge on a beach for a few days is awesome.

A few questions for the SC community:

1) Since we are vacationing in a lotto state (not like UT – where we are from) we purchased three tickets (big spender) for the 1.2.  I let my mind wander for a minute about what it would be like to win.  It wouldn’t all be wonderful – but wouldn’t mind giving it a go.   Here’s the question:  has anyone in SC community hit a big winning and if they are willing to share – how did it affect their life?  My plan would be total silence.  Tell no one.  Possible?  I don’t know – but I’ve worked for some very rich people and they had their own set of problems that come with a train load of money.

2) I traveled all but one month in 2024. A few of those months were double trip months.  I was thinking- and hoping not to jinx myself here – I’ve never seen a cabin fight or someone get sick on the plane.  Wonder what SC experience is there.  Maybe traveling all Delta skews the numbers.  

3). The Mrs. twisted my arm for a cruise in Feb.  Not my first cruise and I’m only partially excited.  In my new old man ways, I’ve become crowd (and stupid people) adverse.  But she really wanted to go and I am willing to try.  Any cruise enjoyment tips form SC?

4) Our rental car this trip was a Mustang EV.  My first experience with EV.  It’s a rocket – fun to drive.  However, we like to take off and go wherever the wind takes us and an EV requires planning and waiting.  If your hotel didn’t have a charger or the chargers are full – it would be a pain.  My initial vote – no thanks.  Any SC insight?

Here’s my list of things that 2024 got wrong:

1 – XX-XY sports

2 – Free speech / Open discussions

3 – Pets everywhere (I saw a cat in Crumbl cookie for hell’s sake; Why do you need to take your cat into a cookie store?)

4- Prices

5 – Movies

Here’s what 2024 got right:

1 – Trump (hoping for good)

2 – College football playoffs

3 – Northern Lights

4 – NBA ratings

5 – Outkick / Screencaps

Have a great day – and let’s beat the Chinese to the moon.

Kinsey: 

I had the same reaction to the EVs after Canoe Kirk rented on for our Masters trip in April. Too much constant planning on where to charge up. We had to drive across town to charge, which was a pain in the ass. Yes, we made the best of it, but still, it wasn’t ideal. 

‘Does loyalty get me a TNML sticker?’

– Mike writes: 

As you can tell from my IP address, I’m a loyal reader from Cincinnati.  Also, a MACtion fan having matriculated at Miami U.  Forever a Redskin.

Now that we’re almost through the Holidays, I’m looking forward to pitchers and catchers reporting and firing up the mower on the first Thursday in April.

Kinsey: 

Mike, if I had any stickers left, you’d get one. I had a stack of like 30 stickers on my desk that I took to the Two-Club Invitational back in August and came home with ZERO stickers. They were gone. That was the end of about 2,000 stickers that have been dispersed. 

I need to make another purchase. 

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That’s it this morning. Two more days of working our asses off before we turn that calendar. Let’s keep the pedal down as we finish STRONG. 

And those of you who are retired or on vacation, enjoy it. I saw people in Ohio enjoying golf over the weekend. Congrats. 

Let’s get after it. 

Email: joekinsey@gmail.com

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