Your “Those Guys Are A Couple of Master Debaters” Tuesday Evening Open Thread

NFL News:

• It begins: up to eight Titans players & personnel have tested positive for Corona virus.
  • It’s three new positive tests for players and five new positive tests for personnel.
    • Outside linebackers coach and defensive playcaller Shane Bowen missed Sunday’s game due to COVID protocols.
    • They now have to confirm the results.
  • All in-person activities have now been suspended until Saturday.
    • Minnesota is also being tested since they just played the Titans.
      • They say they’re clean.
      • League contact tracing identified 48 close contacts with the eight members of the Titans who tested positive.
  • All players who test positive must be cleared by the team’s physician and undergo cardiac testing.
    • Maybe that’s the real reason the Chargers’ doctor shanked Tyrod Taylor.
  • FYI – the Titans host the Steelers this Sunday, while the Vikings play at Houston.

It’s “Debate Night In America”!

Tonight is the first of the three scheduled debates between Biden & Trump. Tonight’s topics will concentrate on the political records of Trump and Biden records, the Supreme Court, the coronavirus pandemic, race and violence in cities, election integrity, and the economy. While most networks are trying to imply an image of fairness in the face of battle,

FOX already has their banner image prepared,

That starts at 9:00PM ET. People want these to be knock-down, drag-out affairs, but in reality it’s just ninety minutes of this:

followed by three-hours of talking heads making POINTS! and deciding a victor based upon pre-existing political biases. I can’t wait!

Baseball playoffs:

One sport ends; another begins.

Look! If you don’t want to watch the debate, then this is all you’ve got.

Because of the ‘rona, the baseball playoffs are being played inside a bubble. The play-in round is being held in the top-seed’s park, followed by select bubble locations for the remainder of the playoffs. The hope is that, by the time they get to the actual Series, they will be able to have 25% attendance. Here’s what’s what:

• NLDS: Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas and Minute Maid Park in Houston.
• ALDS: Petco Park in San Diego and Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
• NLCS: Globe Life Field.
• ALCS: Petco Park.
• World Series: Globe Life Field.

Globe Life Field is the new stadium in Texas, built right next to their “antiquated”, 25-year-old old Arlington Ballpark.

In short, here are the first-round matchups. Each series is only three games; first to two wins. The seedings are based on division winner, then divisional second place based on record, and then two wild-card team based on record. The 4-5 seeds are two second-place teams.

National League:

• Dodgers (1) vs. Brewers (8)
• Braves (2) vs. Reds (7)
• Cubs (3) vs. Marlins (6)
• Padres (4) vs. Cardinals (5)

American League:

• Rays (1) vs. Blue Jays (8)
• Athletics (2) vs. White Sox (7)
• Twins (3) vs. Astros (6)
• Cleveland (4) vs. Yankees (5)

Now, I don’t want to speak for everyone, but I think fact makes us root against the Astros, Yankees & Cardinals, and emotion for the Padres & Cleveland. The Astros are cheaters who deserve nothing but scorn, and the Yankees & Cardinals have the worst fans and inflated senses of their own importance. The Padres have never won, and Cleveland has the longest Series losing streak.

But, as always, you do you.

Tonight’s sports:

• MLB:
  • Yankees vs. Cleveland – 7:00PM | ESPN / Sportsnet
• WNBA Playoffs:
  • Semifinals – Sun vs. Aces – Game 5 – 7:30PM | ESPN2 / TSN

And I will try to remember to put the 506 maps up this Saturday. Geez, you people are so picky.