First off, a belated hat’s off to The Maestro and his Redblacks for their victory in last Sunday’s Grey Cup, a victory 40 years in the making, and in the same spot as their last one. Both involve a pretty memorable touchdown too.

In an 8/9 team league, hopefully it doesn’t take as long again. If it were a 7/9 team league, Jeff Fisher would move here.

FYI, the Tom Clements throwing that pass through a concussion is the same Tom Clements Mike McCarthy took the play calling away from in Green Bay in 2015. After his playing career he went back to school and got his law degree, graduating magna cum laude from Notre Dame Law School in 1986, and practiced law for 5 years before going into coaching in 1992.

NFL Notes:

• Jim Caldwell is trying to deflect credit from him and to his players for their 7-4 record. After all, he points out, they are the ones actually making the comebacks, not him.
  • He feels the praise given him for his demeanour is wasted, since you don’t know how he feels.
• A more emotional coach is Bruce Arians, who is mad at some of his players for pumping their stats rather than pursuing team goals.
  • a problem that doesn’t seem to be afflicting Carson Palmer, who is doing all he can to force Fitty to retire.
• Apparently, having a good kicker leads to making crazy requests at League meetings. The Ravens are proposing a single-point (a “rouge”, if you will) for kickoffs that go through the uprights.
  • Hey Harbaugh – you wanna play by CFL rules, you play in the CFL!
• Get ready for this shit to start Thursday: the Cowboys can become the first team to clinch a playoff spot this Sunday. Bandwagons ho!
• So, Jeff Fisher has the stones to ban Eric Dickerson from the facility? I don’t know if that’s a 12-4 move or a 4-12 move, but it sure seems extreme for a career 7-9 guy.
• In case you didn’t see it last night, Aaron Rodgers had himself a little alone time on the sidelines during the third quarter. Ostensibly to allow him privacy to tape up a sore hamstring, speculation ran rampant about what he might actually be doing. The words “Olivia Munn” were never brought up.
• Darren Sharper: 20 years for rape, 10 served in-custody, in a Los Angeles case. To run concurrent with a previous sentence of 18 years from a New Orleans court.
  • That should give Peter King enough time to craft an iron-clad Hall of Fame argument.
• Future former future Oregon coach Chip Kelly got upset when reporters credited the 49ers with not giving up in Miami.
  • Meanwhile, off the tracks just outside of Santa Fe, Jim Tomsula roasts a possum over a fire, smiling brightly at his good fortune.
• Speaking of hot beefs:
  • On the Josh Norman “Trolls & Clowns” front:
    • Dez Bryant has let it go, probably because they won. Josh Norman, however, is still going strong – probably because that “Washington should ask for their money back” line actually stung.
    • Norman and Patrick Peterson have started up, in advance of the Cardinals – Washington game this Sunday. This dates back to summer, when Peterson made fun of Norman getting schooled during training camp.
  • This concludes “Trolls & Clowns”, brought to you by Prestige Worldwide

Finally, today’s recommended long-form read is about former Steeler Will J. Allen and the constant mistaken-identity he faces every time convicted former Giants 2001 first-round pick Will D. Allen is in the news. Sharing the same name with my tax & bill avoiding father means people come at me when they can’t find him, so I can sympathize with his hassle. At least I’m not on twitter and don’t run a charity; I just get to swear at people on the phone and occasionally get paid-days to show up in court and point out I don’t live in Palm Springs and have never run a mining company.

Speaking of twitter, I kinda want to start a spoof site related to Trump’s first 200 days, since that’s what he’s bragged about his agenda’s timeline being. Topics like:

• Day 1: Pull out of the Trans PP, because Mike Pence says China can’t tell us which bathroom to use.
• Day 16: Announce increased economic sanctions on Cuba, to force change after Castro’s death & make Marco stop calling.
• Day 37: Force Mattel to rename Hulk Gloves “Trump Hands”.
• Day 42: Announce Trump Hotel Havana as part of an aid package to help Cuba transform into a capitalist democracy as a result of Castro’s death.
• Day 55: Propose legislation to force US auto manufacturers to recall manufacturing production to Michigan from foreign operations in Mexico, Brazil and Tennessee.
• Day 68: Check Melania’s “life clock”. Get Sandmen to send her to Carrousel.
• Day 69: Contact Vladimir. Tell him I need another “gift”, blonde preferably.
• Day 100: Offer Ted Cruz back to Canada. Sweeten deal with parts of Maine that didn’t vote Trump in the election.

Suggestions welcomed in the comments.

I don’t care if it’s a couple of days old, I love this gif:

Good form off the line, but poor tackling results in the breakthrough. Man, the Lions defence just isn’t the same since Suh left.

Tonight’s sports: a big night for JV hoops

• NHL:
  • Bruins at Flyers – 7:30 PM | NBCSN / Sportsnet
  • Maple Leafs at Oilers – 10:00 PM | NBCSN
• NBA: Cavs at Bucks – 8:00 | Sportsnet1
• NCAA:
  • Georgia Tech at Penn State – 7:00 PM | ESPNU
  • Pittsburgh at Maryland – 7:00 PM | ESPN2 / TSN1
  • Syracuse at Wisconsin – 7:30 PM | ESPN / TSN2
  • Iowa at Notre Dame – 9:00 PM | ESPN2
  • North Carolina State at Illinois – 9:00 PM | ESPNU
  • Michigan State at Duke – 9:30 PM | ESPN / TSN2

Also, “Ink Master” (SPIKE, 10:00) is down to their Final Four, so tonight is a tattoo-off to see who goes to the grand finale next week. As usual, the show is a combination of “Damn, that’s pretty cool,” and “DEAR GOD, why would you get that?!” They have a mini-marathon of episodes starting at 4:00 (ET), if you are so inclined.

BEATS WATCHING THE CANUCKS!