NFL Noise:

• It looks like Cam Newton is staying in Carolina.  
  • Rapoport reports that new head coach Matt Rhule would prefer to start the season with Newton under center.
  • There may be a strategy to draft Newton’s eventual replacement, but for right now it’s better for the organization to keep Newton & avoid the dead-cap hit by offloading him.

• Because nothing makes sense anymore, the Giants are “open” to trading their first-round, 4th-overall pick.
  • The working theory is that because the Giants already have a QB & RB, they can trade with someone who desperately wants one of either & needs to move up in the draft.
  • But because it’s the Giants, the fear is that they will end up picking whomever Peter King most recently had chili with.

• If the league eventually adds a 17th game to the schedule, it will likely be an interconference game.
  • A likely conversation to come up at today’s next CBA session in New York on Wednesday.
  • Using the NFL’s scheduling formula, that game would probably be a team from one of the other three divisions in the opposing conference that finished in the same position during the prior year.

Don’t forget – there’s another Democratic debate tonight! 8:00PM ET on all your CBS stations.

https://gfycat.com/viciouscookedamericanindianhorse-television-animation-special-1080p

There are seven qualified candidates:

• Former Vice President Joe Biden
• Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg
• Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg
• Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar
• Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren
• Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders
• Businessman Tom Steyer

Based on how the last one went, the opponents have been pre-determined:

1. Warren vs. Bloomberg
2. Buttigieg vs. Klobuchar
3. Sanders vs. Bloomberg
4. Bloomberg vs. Steyer
5. Joe Biden vs. Joe Biden

The over/under at Trump tweets about the debate is 16.

Tonight’s sports:

• NHL: (all Canadian teams games are regionally blocked)
  • Blackhawks at Blues – 8:00PM | NBCSN
  • Florida at Arizona – 9:00PM | Sportsnet
• NBA:
  • Hornets at pacers – 7:00Pm | Sportsnet1
  • Bucks at Raptors – 7:30PM | TNT / TSN
  • Pelicans at Lakers – 10:00PM | TNT / TSN3
  • Kings at Warriors – 10:30PM | Sportsnet1
• NCAA:
  • Kentucky at Texas A&M – 7:00PM | ESPN
  • Iowa at Michigan State – 7:00PM | ESPN2
  • NC State at UNCheat – 9:00PM | ESPN
  • Texas Tech at Oklahoma – 9:00PM | ESPN2
• Futbol:
  • CONCACAF Champions League Soccer:
    • Atlanta United vs. Motagua – 8:00PM | FS1

If y’all haven’t killed yourselves over the election yet, I’ll see you again tomorrow night.