Hi Folks,
We do a ton of insightful, thoughtful and serious features here at Footballguys with smart people thinking deeply for you.
This is not one of those features.
This is Random Shots and it's a few pages of me downloading my goofy and dysfunctional mental hard drive that gets stuffed with way too many random items from too many hours watching, reading about and listening to football every weekend and throughout the week. It's the only way I manage. Here's hoping it has some value for you.
We'll see. Now let's get to it.
J
Riddle me this, Batman.
How does a guy like Keelan Cole possess the hand-eye coordination to make this catch...
Then miss a low-five this epically?
And when I say "epically", watch what he does to himself after the miss.
Yeah, I'm twelve.
Gardner Minshew is the official QB of Random Shots.
Check this story from The Athletic last year where Jayson Jenks interviewed some of Minshew's Washington State teammates looking for stories. They're all worth reading but Hunter Dale's story with Menshew commentating is a good one.
9. Safety Hunter Dale is at the far end of the table. All night his teammates have flipped him crap for having a bad attitude (even though his attitude is perfectly cordial).
Now he’s on the spot. He must share a Minshew story.
Dale: “He has these bands that he does arm stretches with after practice. And it never fails, he’ll come in and just strip naked and start doing them.”
Minshew: “Usually I end up in my jockstrap, not all the way naked.”
Dale: “There’s been a couple naked ones.”
Minshew, nodding: “Yeah, there’s been a couple nakeds.”
Steve Spurrier knows about the bands. His son, Steve Spurrier Jr., is the Cougars’ receivers coach, and after a win this season, the Head Ball Coach wanted to talk to Minshew.
Minshew: “He came in the locker room looking for me, and I’m doing my bands in the jockstrap and I’ve got my shades on and my headband still on and he just comes in, looks and says, ‘Steve, just tell him I said good game.’ ”
It's not surprising Minshew's college head coach is the Official Coach of Random Shots.
Minshew was buried on the depth chart in Alabama when Washington State's Mike Leach asked him: “Do you want to be a backup at Alabama, or lead the nation in passing?”
And if you're not sold on Minshew, Leach wants to know if you (or the scouts he's so fond of) have watched the film...
I think my friend John might have been joking here but I'm completely serious. If I'm Bruce Arians, I'm having Winston's vision checked. Florida State fans will tell you this is not new.
I'll boot Minshew this week and move Winston to Random Shots QB1 if he gets a pair of Ricky Vaughns.
Thanks to Footballguy @brewpython27 for the help with that one.
While I'm talking about Winston. He'll not be buying Peyton Barber a Jet-Ski anytime soon...
I'm going to take White Jersey #1 over Black Jersey #1.
On the other end of the "How To Tackle" spectrum, I submit to you, Colorado State.
This referee went from "I thought he blew his knee out" to "Ninja Warrior" in three seconds.
He's no Jimmy Murphy though...
Side note. You do the flip AFTER you do something good.
Which brings us to our MMA Note.
You'll be shocked to know Cartwheel Roundoff Guy here lost.
In Texas, we call that, "All Hat. No Cattle".
It was interesting to see the NFL carrying water for Patriots owner Robert Kraft with the obvious "plausible deniability" shtick.
Mr. Wilson with the logical reply.
Trust or stupidity?
Leaning pretty hard towards "stupidity".
Georgia's like that really good looking guy you sort of want to hate but then you find out he's super nice and also likes Stevie Ray Vaughn too.
Georgia hosted Arkansas State last Saturday. State's coach Blake Anderson's wife, Wendy died last month after a long battle with breast cancer.
Georgia fans paid their respect with a "pink out". Well done, Bulldogs.
Mike Fiers with a nice illustration paraphrasing the Jurassic Park line: "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should".
Rice's football team may not be great. But their band is savage.
It's a game of inches.
I like Josh Allen more every week. Allen was asked after the game by a reporter: "You had a chance to end up in New York..."
Allen quickly said, "I am in New York".
You know I'm no fan of Antonio Brown.
Also not a big fan of pulling the "I'm a doctor" card.
Thinking a bit more about what I said earlier where I'd boot Gardner Minshew from Random Shots QB1 if Jameis Winston rocked a pair of Ricky Vaughns.
They'd have to be real Ricky Vaughns with the skull and crossbones.
Because I'm not going to lie, Minshew's spot is pretty secure...
Do you ever have a weird feeling about someone and you can't quite put a finger on what it is or why you feel that way?
I feel that way about Kirk Cousins. He seems like a good guy and a capable QB. But something doesn't feel right.
And when I see stats like these that don't make sense, it makes perfect sense with Cousins.
In Week 1, Dallas QB Dak Prescott completed 25 of 32 passes for 405 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-17 win against the Giants. His passer rating was a perfect 158.3.
Before the Week 2 game against Dallas, Washington's Josh Norman was asked about Prescott's Week 1 performance.
"You stand back there in the pocket all day and go through your first, second and third reads and come back to your first one, OK, cool. Anybody can do that," Norman told reporters.
"At the end of the day, he's been playing well. As you can see, he's evolved. He's growing in the system. He's just taking his keys and picking his targets."
Prescott skipped the words and chose to reply with actions:
I'm just going to leave this one right here...
First two weeks of the season for New England: Patriots 76 Opponents 3
First two weeks of the season for Miami: Dolphins 10, Opponents 102
Thanks to Trey Wingo for that one.
Patrick Mahomes II from dirt to literal paydirt.
I tend to doubt we'll ever see another multi-sport stadium with the NFL again so this may be the last time this ever happens at this level.
For perspective, here's how the A's field overlays the Raider's field.
And if you're into the "how they do this" angle, this video is interesting.
When Kansas City started rolling, they really started rolling.
Recap of the Rams-Saints game from last year:
Ferris was right.
Did you know this? I did not know this.
I've watched a lot of football and I'm not sure I've seen a tackle quite like this one.
This was my thinking as well.
A live look in on Dak Prescott and Jerry Jones...
Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur getting to know each other...
Rodgers said, via Matt Schneidman of TheAthletic.com. “It wasn’t a big deal... I can’t say we were yelling how much we love each other, but we definitely weren’t MF’ing each other.”
Rarely seen in the wild, the rushing Philip Rivers is as elusive as it is beautiful.
Sometimes a GIF is way better than words. For Donte Moncrief's season so far, this is one of those times.
What is happening here?
How to win a bar bet?
Ask: "Who has more rushing touchdowns, Tom Brady or Lamar Jackson?"
But you'd better hurry...
Kerryon Johnson is a video game.
George Kittle is a full-grown man. Showing off the ambidextrous stiff arms here.
Odell Beckham: Not down with the Espanol.
Dallas exposing a Glitch In The Matrix:
The many faces of Bill Belichick.
Fun moment in the Tennessee game Sunday.
The Titans fooled everyone with this play where offensive lineman David Quessenberry caught the touchdown pass.
Quessenberry is a fantastic story. He was a sixth-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2013 but was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014 and didn’t make his NFL debut until 2017. This was actually just his fourth NFL game.
In some cancer hospitals, they have a bell for patients to ring when they complete their chemotherapy treatment.
I love the caption he wrote for this:
cancer did NOT make me strong.cancer did NOT make my family strong.cancer did NOT galvanize my community.cancer did NOT bring rival team Head Coaches and players together to support me.cancer did NOT bring people together.cancer did NOT make people travel hundreds of miles to help me and my family in our time of need.cancer did NOT make people pray for me.cancer did NOT bring me my Angel.cancer did NOT make me thankful for my life.cancer did NOT make me a believer that there is more to this world than just our eyes can see.cancer did NOT shape me into the man I am today.Love did.It has Been more than 1000 days since my fight began. Yesterday I received my last infusion of chemo therapy. The things I have seen and the things I felt through my fight I could never forget and last night after a full day at MD Anderson I watched a video that @meeeglit put together for me. It was filled with short clips of the people I hold most dear to me that lasted for more than an hour and every second of It was absolutely incredible. I don't know what to say to every one other than Thank You, I Love you, and I will never forget you and the kindness and Love you showed me. -DQ "Love backed by Faith is unstoppable"P.S. this bell just like cancer never stood a chance...
Rock on, David Quessenberry.
The league released this week the official method in which it's acceptable to sack Tom Brady without drawing a roughing the passer flag.
Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams was listed as questionable for last Sunday's game.
I can't wait to see him healthy.
Doug Farrar nailed this one. Josh Norman with the new Bail, Trail, Fail technique here.
Cam Jordan went there.
Garrett Shrader was launched.
What a great photo.
The background guys may be even better:
ESPN is a major network. Can we not get Booger some AC?
Someone at CBS is not a Steelers fan. But I don't doubt Tomlin made a face like this after Roethlisberger's injury.
In some outstanding Non-Football news, cnet.com reports the Far Side cartoon is coming back.
Hit me up with your favorite.
The life of a Jets fans in one graphic.
Thanks to Footballguy David Dodds for that one.
Even with a healthy Sam Darnold, I want to know who thought Browns at Jets On Monday Night Football was a good idea?
Odell Beckham with the smelling salts ready.
I'm still amazed the league lets players hit these in plain view of the cameras.
Good to see Jimmy Fallon getting some extra work.
This one needs no explanation.
On a serious note, Dolphins CB Xavien Howard’s with the perfect reaction to Miami trading Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Music Note Of The Week. This is an old one and one I include at the end of every version of Random Shots in the "love your neighbor and stick together" link.
This week I wanted to call it out on its own.
Disclaimer: I know it's not "cool" to like a megaband like Mumford and Sons.
Reality: I care about what's cool as much as Jay Cutler cares. Which is not at all.
And yeah, that was mostly a gratuitous way to include Random Shots Hall of Famer and former QB1 Jay Cutler. I miss that guy.
Back to the song. Timshel is not one of Mumford and Sons most popular songs but it's easily my favorite. And this version in the alleyway with the woman applauding at the end is easily my favorite take on the song.
I loved Mumford and Sons early on for lots of reasons. Mostly because they felt like "one of us". None of the guys are amazingly talented. But together the pieces create something special. And the writing hits me where I live. Especially this song.
Cold is the waterIt freezes your already cold mindAlready cold, cold mindAnd death is at your doorstepAnd it will steal your innocenceBut it will not steal your substance
But you are not alone in thisAnd you are not alone in thisAs brothers we will stand and we'll hold your handHold your hand
If you know me, you know one of my favorite things to say is the Ram Dass line, "We're all just walking each other home at night".
So true.
In a world where it seems individual achievement is valued above all else, I think we're missing the point. It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about us.
And you are not alone in this. You are not alone in this.
And that leads me to what I'm wrapping with.
September 10 was World Suicide Prevention Day. You may have seen in the news the suicide of prominent pastor and mental health advocate Jarrid Wilson. His story is sadly not unique. A great many people struggle with this issue, regardless of how they present themselves outwardly.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, talk to someone. Talk to a friend, talk to someone. Talk to me if you don't have anyone. You can reach me at bryant@footballguys.com.
You can also contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “home” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Just know this one true fact: You don't have to do this alone. Know and believe that truth. You have value and the world would absolutely miss you if you weren't here.
Plus, you have excellent taste in your reading material.
Rock on.
Thanks to Footballguys Keith Overton, Clayton Gray, @brewpython27 and David Dodds for the help on this one. If you've got a Random Shot of your own, send me an e-mail at bryant@footballguys.com.
Thanks for playing along and I hope you make the most of whatever you're doing in your life. Love your neighbor and stick together.
Peace and Grace to you.
J
