Well, that about wraps up yet another shitty year of the new millennium. I don't know about you, but I personally can't wait to see what future shitty years have in store: rising water prices, a sharp growth in armed RoHoWa militias, a new Pitbull album … everything shitty is on the table, people. But if there was one glaring, constant theme of American life in 2011, it was this: 2011 was officially the year we became a fully realized nation of trolls. We now live in a country where it pays to be hated far more than it pays to be loved, where pissing people off is somehow viewed as a valuable commodity. We've been building to this shit for a while now, ever since Slate Magazine was founded and Sarah Palin pulled her first shotgun out of her pussy. 2011 has represented …

data-mm-id=”_6k6mv8ayr”>Finally, some zesty games with big names and intrigue. About damn time. Season Records: Koster 35-23; Giuffra 30-28; Phillips 29-29; McKeone 30-28Alabama (-17.5) at Texas A&MKoster: Jimbo Fisher wanted to compete for a national championship. This will be the third legitimate national title the Aggies have played this year. All will show just how much far off TAMU is from realizing that dream. Two big problems here: Alabama's offense can't be stopped and its defense is going to feast on the home team. Alabama 48, Texas A&M 10McKeone: I'd really like to imagine A&M covering the spread, but I just can't. Alabama 45, Texas A&M 21Giuffra: Texas A&M has two games against ranked opponents this year and has averaged 15 PPG in thos…

data-mm-id=”_fbhp8uwaq”>The news of Ron Rivera's firing by the Carolina Panthers came as a bit of a shock. The Panthers were indeed spiraling and lost, at home, to the ever-hapless Washington Redskins this past Sunday. But Rivera didn't exactly have the easiest time of it this year after losing his superstar quarterback and face of the franchise, Cam Newton, only two weeks into the season. But with new ownership in town, a change was made. While Rivera didn't really get a fair shake of it in 2019, this is probably for the best after the Panthers failed to build upon their NFC Championship-winning 2015. Argue all you want about the merits of this decision by the franchise, one thing is for certain- Rivera won't be out of a job for long, if he wants to keep coaching. …

data-mm-id=”_pmewbzeej”>The hot-take artist is a relatively new species in the sports media landscape. Long before it roamed the Earth, there was only a single living organism capable of surviving in such sweltering conditions. It was born in the jungle and survived by going all Lord of the Flies in a battle for the father of all smack's approval. Only the fittest survived and flourished. Primitive clones built a civilization out of trash talk and meritocracy.Over 25 years, the world has had access to the mind of the Jim Rome caller. And it's a been a wild ride as the Hall-of-Fame radio host has built an empire that embraces conversation over monologue. What follows is an attempt to study it from a safe distance by speaking to those closest to the action with the 26th edition…

data-mm-id=”_7wgti2wdt”>Cam Newton has proven himself as a starting quarterback in the NFL, something people with extremely short attention spans forgot after watching a few injury-plagued games last year. The former MVP is almost inexplicably still looking for work in a league that values nothing more than a signal-caller who can win football games. At the center of the debate his attitude, or perhaps his perceived attitude. Is he a guy who would accept a backup role? Does he need to humble himself?And that's how the game is played in the NFL. The unique nail gets hammered down so it is dull like all the rest. Like it or not — and I assuredly do not care for it — this is the situation Newton now finds himself trying to make the best of with a happy face.The rumor mill has conne…

data-mm-id=”_j0ee0wpxw”>The NBA is currently preparing for a return to action at Disney World. As more details emerge, more people involved seem to be voicing completely reasonable concerns, including 40 to 50 players who are already considering staying home. On Thursday, the NBA started leaking exact timelines for each team as if to say, "don't worry, most of you will be home within eight weeks!" Still, the length of time the players will be in the Disney bubble isn't the most troublesome aspect of the current plan. Some people have noticed that the league is planning to do this in the state of Florida. It might as well still be April in Florida because they're actual worse off than they were two months ago. Via NBC Sports:”The numbers coming out of central Fl…

data-mm-id=”_33a2di9hz”>Former All-Pro cornerback Aqib Talib announced his retirement from the NFL today and the start of his career in podcasting in only a way he could: by turning down Bill Belichick. Much love to everybody who played a part in my career. Sorry I couldn’t join you in New England Bill! You’re welcome to come on the show! ⁣⁣Get the full details with the link in my bio and follow @calltothebooth for more. pic.twitter.com/cuUuQVkzQm— AqibTalib21 (@AqibTalib21) September 9, 2020If you didn't watch the clip, you should. I'll wait. Take your time. It's a great story told by a natural storyteller. And that's why I can't wait for Talib's "Call to the Booth" podcast. He has stories out the wazoo. Ripping Michael Crabtree's…