NFL News:

• Ezekiel Elliott’s appeal is scheduled for August 29th.
  • And he may have something more credible than the “crazy bitch” defence first alluded to yesterday:
    • Texts involving using a sex tape as blackmail.
    • Separate texts involving false accusations about domestic violence.
  • Harold Henderson, the arbiter who also handled the Greg Hardy & Adrian Peterson appeals, has been appointed to hear the appeal.
    • This gives Goodell the appearance of being “hands-off”, but also getting a “rubber stamp”, since Henderson has the reputation of agreeing to League stances.

• Lucky Whitehead – he of the false accusation & Cowboys waiver – has had his moniker further besmirched by breaking a foot in Jets practice.
  • He’ll be out 4-6 weeks.

• Saints CB Delvin Breaux is out 4-6 weeks with a fractured fibula.
  • The more interesting story is that the Saints have fired the doctors who initially labeled the injury a bone bruise.
    • They were looking to trade the oft-injured Breaux, but the misdiagnosis prevented a deal from happening. Since he now can’t be moved, they got rid of the people they could.

Game Preview: Bills at Eagles

Hoo-boy. The trip through the SBNation was pretty rough on this one, highlighted by the Darby-for-Matthews trade that’s sure to be mentioned about 93 times this evening.

The poorly-named Buffalo Rumblings is still mostly shell-shocked about the Sammy Watkins trade, with one post going so far as to say the trade is all about playing to Tyrod Taylor’s strengths, backhandedly blaming him for it in the process. There’s also a story about how the GM never told the coach about the move, less a hand be tipped. Trust issues: It’s the Bills way!

Bleeding Green Nation, meanwhile, is almost full-Jonestown in their belief that this season will be the bestest, most glorious season EVAR:

• Former Washington [*Redacted] s general manager would rather have Carson Wentz than Dak Prescott
• Ronald Darby is worth what the Eagles traded to get him
• Eagles trading Jordan Matthews for Ronald Darby was the right move

Yet, if you look closely enough, you can find the stab wounds in the facade:

• How many losses will this brutal schedule cost the Eagles this year?

Prediction: 6-3 Eagles. More importantly: Eagles fans versus Bills fans – WHO YA GOT?!

Tonight’s sports:

• NFL: Bills at Eagles – 7:00PM | NFL Network
• MLB:
  • Yankees at Mets – 7:00PM | ESPN / TSN2
  • Rays at Jays – 7:00PM | Sportsnet
• MLS:
  • Montreal vs Chicago – 7:30PM | TSN
• Rugby:
  • 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup:
    • Canada vs. New Zealand – 6:45AM | TSN

I shan’t be joining you this evening, as I am taking my mother to see k.d.lang at The Orpheum Theatre. Mom enjoys her music, and I get to buy her a birthday present without too much effort involved. We are sitting kind of high, as the lesbians bought all the good tickets. NOW THERE’S A CONSPIRACY!