NFL News:

• Jay Cutler wasted no time putting his scent all over the Hard Rock Stadium litter box by purchasing the #6 from previous owner Brandon Doughty.
  • Terms weren’t disclosed, but amongst teammates I’m guessing Doughty won’t be paying for meal upgrades above the per diem on the road this season.

• The NFL has hired 24 full-time game officials for the 2017 season. The chosen will be selected from the current crop of 124 total officials.
  • A theory comes in that because of the looming Vegas move and legalization of sports gaming means having full-time employees can offset the complaint that part-timers are affecting game (and thus betting) outcomes.

• Roger Goodell has now officially put on record that he wants a shorter pre-season.
  • He accepts that changes would have to come through collective bargaining.
  • No doubt he’s observed the CFL’s 18-2 game season structure, and lusts to charge regular-season prices for otherwise garbage games.

Attention to all of you living in the western Canada Costco distribution area:

Game Preview: Texans vs. Panthers

1. No Cam Newton. But yes to Christian McCaffrey.
2. Probably no J.J. Watt. No word on delicate flower Jadeveon Clowney.
3. The Texans’ depth chart at QB is
   1. Tom Savage
   2. Brandon Weeden
   3. DeShaun Watson

So, I wouldn’t expect to see Watson tonight, unless Weeden is a whole new form of horrible.

(Ron Howard voice: “Brandon Weeden discovered a whole new level of horrible”.)

They’ll start Savage & let him go for a quarter at least. Same for Carolina, with Derek Anderson starting and then both Joe Webb & Garrett Gilbert getting game time so Riverboat Ron can see who his #3 will be this season.

I wonder which Texan is going to see if McCaffrey runs routes with his head down?

It might be passably watchable for the first half, but by the 4th quarter you’ll be seeing guys who’ll be starting in Hamilton by October 1 out on the field. I expect energetic late-evening comments about quality of play.

Hat tips to the Battle Red Blog & Cat Scratch Reader for confirming what I already knew.

Tonight’s sports:

• Football:
  • Texans at Panthers – 7:30PM | NFL Network
• Beisbol:
  • MLB:
    • Red Sox at Rays – 7:00PM | ESPN / TSN2
    • Yankees at Blue Jays – 7:00PM | Sportsnet
  • Little League Baseball:
    • Southwest Regional final – 7:00PM | ESPN2

Finally, a shout-out to commentist , whom I met at Nat Bailey last night. Delightful to meet him; hates Australians almost as much as me. He was confused by the “spilled” free beers he was receiving. To steal his line – WEIRDEST TINDER DATE EVAR!