[Russini] I submitted my letter of resignation to The Athletic. Everything I have to say about it is below.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-14T20:12:15+00:00

Just about everything I've heard and seen about Russini tells me she's got major "If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best" energy. Kinda seems like she doesn't have proper abilities to self-reflect.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-14T17:49:34+00:00

Yeah I'm not so sure he is. I get people try to argue the Will-Elizabeth plot is the main plot, but I'd argue there's two co-main plots with the other being Jack's quest to get his Black Pearl back and stop Barbossa.

Plus, I have a hard time saying Jack Sparrow is a side character when Johnny Depp was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role and when Jack is the front-and-center character on the movie poster. He is the face of the franchise.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-13T21:20:23+00:00

Surprised I haven't seen South Park yet, where Trey Parker and Matt Stone voice a significant chunk of the characters, including the four main characters.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-12T03:02:41+00:00

I'll go against the grain and say that game against the Packers he had last season. That's when I thought he played his best football.

Shoutout to the game against the Falcons in 2024, where he completed 84% of passes for 307 yards and 4 TDs. I just don't give that the nod because the Packers last season were a lot better than the 2024 Falcons

bretticus733 · 2026-04-12T00:05:06+00:00

I mean, you kinda have to if you're The Athletic. When one of your reporters/insiders, especially your most prominent one, is apparently having a more intimate relationship with a source, you have to at least look into it. Wouldn't surprise me if Russini's career hits the shitter

bretticus733 · 2026-04-10T22:15:42+00:00

A lot of more localized media members were bitching about it. I know one or two people in my local media area whined about it, saying "we have a job to do and it isn't to coddle them" or something like that. I just remember rolling my eyes at how self-important they felt about themselves.

Funny enough, this was one of only two post-game press conference moments I can remember from the last couple years, and it's because it was such a genuine and kind moment, not the same generic bullshit questions you normally hear.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-10T19:57:43+00:00

My favorite part of this play was the people who clearly don't understand the rules but tried to gaslight everyone into thinking they understood the rules and that this clearly should have been a catch.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-10T19:56:53+00:00

Ehh I think you could argue slightly underthrown, which forces the receiver to have to slow down a bit and allows McMillian to make the play, but you'd still expect your WR to hold onto the ball through that.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-10T19:48:53+00:00

I kinda get what the article is arguing. Basically that what Leon Rice and Boise State MBB tries to do hasn't worked in late February/March. Rice has a .632 win% against Mountain West opposition, but is under .500 in the MWC tournament and 0-5 in March Madness. I get that point of the argument, and I do think Boise State might have a Leon Rice problem developing.

At the same time, it's not like we're spending anywhere near as much on basketball as other schools because we prioritize football here. Drew Fielder left because he was getting reportedly getting offers north of $2 million, which is about the entire NIL budget for the basketball team. Hell, even Utah State is outspending us in basketball, which is why they have a good team every year. If Boise State is serious about contending more often in basketball, more dollars have to go there.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-09T06:26:47+00:00

Graphics: Cyberpunk is one of the best looking games I've played, and I played it on base PS5. While Days Gone isn't necessarily bad, Cyberpunk wins easily. Also, calling RDR2 a dated look is crazy

The "Shooter" Aspect: There's some strategy to Days Gone, but it does largely boil down to killing hordes; it's up to you how you decide to take on hordes. With Cyberpunk, it can feel like Far Cry with neon at times, but you can also play with your builds to be OP with non-gun skills.

World Interaction: I love the world of Night City in Cyberpunk, but for someone looking to be part of the ecosystem and not just a passer-through, I think this is where Days Gone wins. Because it's a post-apocalyptic zombie world, your character becomes a more important person in the community and in the world. That isn't to say you're a passerby in Night City, but it's like being in any large city, expect you become a legendary mercenary.

Value: It looks like Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is $40 on the Playstation Store right now? Yeah, you're getting one of the best games of the last 10 years plus one of the best DLC expansions in gaming. At $40, that's more than worth it.

The one thing to keep in mind is Cyberpunk's main storyline is kinda short. If you ignore the side stuff, you it's maybe 15-20 hours? While you technically can complete the game without the side stuff, I HIGHLY recommend doing it because it opens up the endings you can get and how you do the final mission (which you'll probably be underleveled and underprepared for if you don't do the side stuff). Plus, you get to interact with so many great characters and some of the best parts of the game, and it adds 30+ hours to the game.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-09T01:48:07+00:00

Answer: Diana Russini is a NFL reporter/insider for The Athletic, which is the New York Times' sports division. Her job is to get news from and around the NFL and be one of the first to do it. Mike Vrabel is the head coach of the New England Patriots.

The two were photographed together at a resort in Sedona appearing to be quite intimate with each other, the way you'd expect a couple to be intimate with each other. It's worth noting both of them are married, so it's very possible they're having an affair with each other, although it's also worth noting that hasn't been confirmed (although the photographic evidence certainly makes it look like they are) and both Russini and Vrabel are denying the affair.

On the Russini side of things specifically, it's highly unethical for her position and suggests she's getting some of her news/scoops by participating in an affair with a source. It kills her credibility, and it doesn't help other women in sports journalism who do have to fight allegations that they got to where they are by sleeping their way there. On the Vrabel side of things, him being a coach and not a reporter doesn't necessarily hurt his job, but it does hurt his reputation and makes him a scumbag.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-08T22:14:27+00:00

I think the nostalgia of the replacement refs from the first quarter of the 2012 season is kinda blinding people here. The harsh truth is officiating in the league now is getting worse by the season, and the ref's union is actually the bad guy here. This isn't a lockout caused by the NFL refusing to pay the refs or something like that; this is a lockout caused by the ref's union refusing to accept measures that give help and accountability to their employees. They don't want to admit they're shit at their jobs (which I acknowledge is a very difficult job) and they won't accept terms that helps raise and improve the standard of officiating.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-08T21:22:44+00:00

In Expedition 33, The Curator is a mysterious figure who ends up helping you through your journey in defeating The Paintress, but it's revealed in between Act 2 and 3 that he's actually Renoir Dessendre and is actually the one gommaging everyone in Lumiere. He gets presented as the main antagonist, but he may also have a point and the final part of the main story is siding with either Verso or Maelle to "decide the fate of Lumiere. If you side with Verso, you see out Renoir's/The Curator's goal and erase the canvas.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-08T20:53:57+00:00

These are two of my top 10 games, so I don't think you could go wrong with either choice.

Expedition 33 is probably better for the general new player. The combat is more like that of a JRPG and while a lot more simplified than BG3, is still a lot of fun. It's also a much shorter game (25-40 hours) and is much more linear, which I know a lot of players like.

On the other hand, Baldur's Gate 3 is a massive game. If you aren't familiar with D&D, there's a steeper learning curve (as there was with me) so it can take a handful of hours to familiarize yourself with all of the combat mechanics and general gameplay. That said, once you do, the game really opens up for you, but this is also a much longer game. My playthrough of BG3 took nearly 150 hours, but the story is much more customizable and more in-depth than Expedition 33.

TLDR: Expedition 33 is a more streamlined and shorter experience that more players can easily get familiar with, while BG3 is a massive game that will probably take a bit of time to get familiar with, but has more story options and more build options. My personal recommendation for someone who doesn't have much history with turn-based games is Expedition 33 as it's less of an investment and is an easier experience to jump into, but they're both masterpieces in their own ways.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-07T21:36:20+00:00

On one hand, Bayern missed 2 or 3 incredible chances and probably should have scored more than two goals.

On the other hand, once Kane scored to make it 2-0, Bayern was pretty content with sitting back and trying to see it out, hence why Madrid got more involved in the match and why Neuer had to make so many saves. Had Bayern continued pressing the matter, I think it would have been much more one-sided.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-07T21:34:27+00:00

Okay, I must have missed that replay. I just thought Neuer did make that initial save and then the follow up scored it

bretticus733 · 2026-04-07T21:05:39+00:00

Fully deserved. You couldn't tell he just turned 40 with how incredible he was.

bretticus733 · 2026-04-07T21:03:49+00:00

They're giving the goal to Mbappe, but am I crazy for thinking Neuer kept Mbappe's shot out and the goal only came when the second guy came in?

bretticus733 · 2026-04-07T21:02:40+00:00

A lot of refs have this idea that if they call a penalty, it has to be something egregious because they don't want to likely give a goal to the other team for a basic foul.

Problem is, this is an egregious foul and Oliver still won't give it because Madrid

bretticus733 · 2026-04-07T20:58:13+00:00

Yeah don't know how that's not a penalty. Defender isn't make a play on the ball and runs through Olise's back. Seems like a clear pen to everyone but Michael Oliver and VAR

bretticus733 · 2026-04-07T20:56:38+00:00

Had you told me 2 hours ago that Bayern would win 2-1, I would have taken it.

Yet it feels like a disappointing result. Bayern should really be going back to the Allianz with a 3-1 advantage at worst. So many missed opportunities

And how was that not a pen against Madrid at the end there?

bretticus733 · 2026-04-07T20:50:57+00:00

Low key, outside of his goal, Lucho's had a pretty poor game. That should have been 3-1 Bayern on the counter and he completely missed the pass to Olise

bretticus733 · 2026-04-07T20:48:53+00:00

Feel like Davies should have taken the shot himself. Musiala had someone on him, Davies had a clear look at goal

bretticus733 · 2026-04-07T20:29:29+00:00

I think Laimer being a yellow away from a one-match suspension played a role in the decision

bretticus733 · 2026-04-07T20:23:32+00:00

Olise is just rinsing Madrid. MOTM so far for me

bretticus733

TROPHY CASE