CBS sacked the sports media bloggers by announcing today that J.J. Watt has been signed to a contract extension to remain the lead NFL analyst next to play-by-player Jim Nance. No one had this on their bingo card. If anything, most of the critics had Watt one-and-done, after this season. I break it down in the commentary.

Week No 7 of the NFL season has arrived and the Patriots and Bears hog the spotlight in the Thursday PRIME game. Which team will win? Plus my other Picks for Kicks.

Are you kidding me?

* It has come down to this in the betting world. Some bars, located around Dodger Stadium, believing it was a long shot the Dodgers could three-peat, pooled their resources and bet against the Dodgers to win the NLCS against Milwaukee. Turns out they were correct and the money they won more than recouped the potential losses they would have incurred, because the Dodgers were not going to a third straight World Series. Welcome to 2026.

* Add Kurt Suzuki to the list of managers out of a job. The LA Angels let it be known they would not pick up his option for 2027. You are not seeing many managerial or front office moves, because of the pending lockout by the owners of MLB players. The Angels, Astros and Mariners, all AL West teams, are among the few looking to fill managerial vacancies.

* See where NFL commissioner Roger Goodell welcomes an investigation of the Philadelphia Eagles over how the health situation of QB Jalen Hurts was handled. Initially, the Eagles were cleared of any wrong doing, but questions linger over how Hurts spent the night before Week 5’s game against the Jaguars in a London hospital and ordered not to sleep, then went out the next day and played. Hurts is now out for the season, after blood clots were found in his lungs.

* I am firmly convinced the media is obsessed with itself and is absorbed with creating content that the vast majority of the public could care less about. Case in point is this lingering story about Monday Night Football announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on ESPN. Buck has signed a new contract, while Aikman has not been offered one. The two, reportedly engaged in an off air argument before the Week 5 MNF game. Since then, the media has written countless stories about the Buck-Aikman feud. The reality? Most fans are not interested. Buck and Aikman could be replaced tomorrow by Frick and Frack and the fans would still tune in to the game. The game is the story, not the announcers. By the way, IMHO, Frack is the best commentator in the game.

Thank you for subscribing to the newsletter and have a terrific Thursday!

DAN

The New York Yankees held their season-ending press conferences today. Owner Hal Steinbrenner and GM Brian Cashman held one, followed by manager Aaron Boone on the other. Here are my take-aways.