David Hale
@adavidhalejoint.bsky.social
ESPN college sports reporter. Raconteur, gadfly, man about town. David.Hale@espn.com // Links: https://linktr.ee/ADavidHaleJoint
1) any talk of a labor cap should include this (which won’t happen) 2) that schools overpay coaches and extend them at the first hint of success or another job opening explains the irrational marketplace those same people are blaming on agents, judges & athletes.
Sly Clydesdale 🦫🏳️🌈@slyclydesdale.gobeavs.app · 2d agoSalary caps for coaches, too.
Newsletter: Overlooked in all the handwringing about the state of college football: The games are better than ever, the sport is fairer than ever, and every previous attempt to control the market has backfired on the NCAA. We need to think differently. davidhale.substack.com/p/were-from-...
We're from the government. We're here to help.
The PCSA rose from the dead like The Undertaker at Wrestlemania this week, but even if it becomes law, it's not addressing the real problems -- or seeing the real successes of the modern era.
davidhale.substack.com
I had a dream last night that Alabama fired Kalen DeBoer and hired Lane Kiffin and LSU fans were really mad. I think I’m ready for the season to start.
The Big Ten has 7 of the 9 teams with the fewest passing TDs among P4/5 over the last 3 years and averaged 55.5 pass TD/game played -- 9 fewer than SEC average in that span. And has 3 national championships by 3 different teams.
As a side note: Trinidad Chambliss almost certainly would've done this, too, but he played in 2 games he didn't start. But he was awesome, so don't yell at me Ole Miss fans.
David Hale@adavidhalejoint.bsky.social · last wk.Stat No. 38: Malik Washington was 1 of 2 P4 QBs to account for 200+ yards in every game last year.* Washington & Taulia Tagovailoa (in 2023 as a RSSr) are the only Terps QBs to do that in last 20 years. Washington was a true freshman. *the other? FSU's Tommy Castellanos!
Sir you’ve just been pouring barley wine into your gravy…
Arun@fatmango.bsky.social · last wk.Fine, but where's the Thanksgiving Turkey Ale?
Nope. No no no. Go home and we can reconvene on Sept 1.
Preseason ACC media picks for order of finish… can’t believe we got ‘em all exactly right.
Newsletter: My all-sec ballot and predicted order of finish + lots of media days notes including what Pete Golding said about getting other coaches into tampering investigations if he’s punished for the Luke Ferrelli move. davidhale.substack.com/p/guessin-se...
Guessin' Season, Part II: Kiffin's Revenge
A second straight week of media days -- this time in Tampa for the SEC -- means I need to take some serious time off from high end dining and hotel bar cocktails.
davidhale.substack.com
“Gen Z thinks oxygen is overrated. They may be right.”
Asked Collin Simmons if Texas had been able to squeak into the playoff last year, would they have won it all: "Hell yeah, of course. If we would've made the playoffs, I definitely feel like that chip that we had on our shoulders, we would have took it, and we would've ran with it."
Pete Golding said yesterday he think Lane Kiffin didn't handle allowing assistants to coach in the playoff at Ole Miss well. I asked Lane if there was another way he could've handled it. "I could have not let anyone go."
Pete Golding’s pitch to Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy to stay at Ole Miss: “Google Lane Kiffin, the dude they would’ve built a statue of 3 days ago. Now they wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire.” Stick around, preserve a legacy.
Few players more physically imposing than Gamecocks' Nyck Harbor. He's gone 245👉231 lbs by "cutting out Bojangles & Popeyes" but added muscle. Worked out w/DEs & took ju jitsu classes to perfect handwork. "I'm not emulating smaller receivers & being cute. Let's get down and dirty and get physical."
SEC has tater tots in the media dining room. If this is what self governance looks like, I’m all in.
Forensic Files never misses a chance to reenact a shower scene.
Emo band album names based on current NYT headlines: Shadow Fleet Tanker Manual for Judges Oysterman with a Lumberjack A Billion Eyes Run Through the Sewer Swan Lake Extra
Newsletter: My full ballot for preseason All-ACC and order of finish… tons of notes from ACC kickoff… a mystery surrounding a bottle of cheap bourbon… and Tavita Pritchard’s masterful challah baking. davidhale.substack.com/p/guessin-se...
Guessin' season
After a week at ACC media days, the big takeaway is that everyone has great chemistry, the team is like a family, and boy those workout numbers are good.
davidhale.substack.com
VT’s Kamari Copeland put on 20 lbs this offseason. How? 200 grams of protein a day. Last night at dinner he ate 3 steaks.
Fran Brown says Calvin Russell should be on the field in October. Said he’s already running hitch routes in sneakers. Also said Melo was pushing for Russell to get serious playing time for hoops team last year. Brown also says Demetres Samuels will have a sizable role on offense this year.
Which cultural icon has the better pic at Thirsty Beaver — Mick Jagger or Andrea?
When his 12-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer, DJ Eliot wanted to quit coaching. Instead, her 6 year battle against a terminal disease motivated him to keep going & brought his family closer together. www.espn.com/college-foot...
How DJ Eliot's daughter continues to inspire him and his family
NC State's defensive coordinator continues to find ways to honor his daughter after she died of cancer.
espn.com
For six years, NC State coordianator DJ Eliot balanced life as a football coach with a daughter battling cancer. "I had a purpose," he said. When Drue died last September, he had to reconsider why he was still coaching. www.espn.com/college-foot...
How DJ Eliot's daughter continues to inspire him and his family
NC State's defensive coordinator continues to find ways to honor his daughter after she died of cancer.
espn.com
This is BS. “IKEAing” (verb): The act of attempting to buy a cheap bookshelf and instead getting lost in a maze of halogen lamps while your wife vows to murder you in your sleep and your stomach revolts against an onslaught of Swedish meatballs.
Visited two MLB parks I’d never been to before this summer. I’ve got 26/29 current ones done now (TBD on the A’s). Here’s my official rankings: davidhale.substack.com/p/out-to-the...
Out to the ballgame
Checking off a couple more ballparks in my quest to see them all. Plus: Best rock songs, America's real Mt. Rushmore, eligibility chaos from years ago and lots more.
davidhale.substack.com
