Your “Opening Night Beer Night!” Tuesday Evening Open Thread

NFL notes:

• In a statement that strains both human credibility and the “bullshit” test, Roger Goodell says “my friendship with Robert [Kraft] was never strained.”
  • He says he still plans to attend the Patriots season opener in September.
• Learning a new meaning for the term “veteran talent”, Jets fans have found out their team has signed former Bears WR Marquess Wilson.
• ¡Hola Crimebeat! Lawrence Taylor has pleaded guilty to DUI.
  • He got probation, a fine, community service and an ignition device.
  • Shockingly, the substance was alcohol. I would have guessed cocaine and/or peyote.
• Warren Sapp says he suffers from memory loss, and will donate his brain to science upon death. Someone ghost wrote a very touching post at The Players Tribune about it for him.
  • That’s why he doesn’t remember hiring any hookers. It’s also probably why he keeps going broke.
• Beastmode is really doing the Oakland thing right. He’s offering free haircuts to kids who show him a report card with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Cool thing about @MoneyLynch: Kids can bring good report cards to his BeastMode store in Oakland, get free haircut! pic.twitter.com/Ca5WUpXHEQ

— Jarrett Bell (@JarrettBell) June 15, 2017

Finally, in a post I’m 100% sure is related to June being Pride month, former Patriot & Chief Ryan O’Callaghan has announced he is gay.

• In a lengthy article for SB Nation’s Outsports site, he called football his “beard”, because its physicality and his size would provide the perfect cover for a kid who wasn’t comfortable in his own skin.
  • In college, he let his body ‘dad bod’ a bit so he wouldn’t look like a gay stereotype, and he would always make sure his teammates saw him leave the bar or party with a girl.
  • He said he always intended to kill himself once his career ended.
    • But after completing IR & therapy with the Chiefs, before being released he came out to Scott Pioli, who gave him a resounding “who cares?”, which set his mind at ease about admitting that fact to others, and led him to change his mind about suicide.
• In a note that’s sure to fan the flames of ‘those’ rumours, he was part of the line blocking for Aaron Rodgers at Cal.

Having worked in alternative & adult education for 20 years, reading the parts about how he covered his secret brought back memories of kids who trusted me enough to come out to me, as well as kids who chose different paths rather than admit the secret that was eating them alive. Scott Pioli handled it best – just listen and remember that the person across the table is trusting you with their vulnerability. It’s a kind of rare privilege.

Forgive my enthusiasm, but it’s Opening Night at the Nat tonight, so yours truly will be off doing the Lord’s work – selling beer in the stands.

Fortunately, beer prices are still $7.00, so it guarantees a tip almost every beer. Plus, I don’t have to carry quarters, which are a pain in the ass. Nooners are the best, because it brings out the bikinis and the corporate accounts. But it’s a delightful three-hour stairmaster, usually $80-100 per night, and it’s the only summer job I have this year.

Tonight’s sports:

• Beisbol:
  • MLB:
    • Blue Jays at Rangers – 8:00PM | Sportsnet
    • Mets at Dodgers – 10:00PM | ESPN / TSN
  • NCAA:
    • Florida vs. Louisville – 7:00PM | ESPN
• WWE:
  • Smackdown – 8:00PM | USA / Sportsnet360
• 30for30
  • Best of Enemies: Celtics-Lakers – Parts 2&3 – 7:00PM | TSN2

Coming home tonight smelling like sweat & beer? LOOK OUT ROADBLOCK!