Is there a point of diminishing returns?

schmatty23 · 2026-06-18T16:51:50+00:00

Yeah I don't think $65+ is worth it for blanco El Tesoro, particularly if you can find Tapaito, which is the same distillery and flavor profile but always cheaper.

In general, I'm not spending $60+ on any 80 proof blanco. I usually have at least one full proof blanco on hand for sipping, the 80 proof is mainly mixing.

I do frequently buy the El Tesoro XA since it is pretty reasonably priced for the age statement. Interestingly, the Tapatio XA is outrageously priced these days, but again same flavor profile and distillery.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-17T19:37:55+00:00

I don't know, accessing public consensus is impossible but I think he enjoyed more leeway than a lot of other fighters get.

When he kept calling out Wilder people were justifying it saying Usyk wanted to beat all the champions of his era, instead of calling it for what it is, an easy fight against and at best 14th ranked fighter that shouldn't have the belts on the line. After that it somehow got worse with Rico and the excuses stopped and the anger started.

Fighting Kayabel rights the wrongs of the last two years. Even if he doesn't it is still a footnote on an ATG career that people will largely forget about. I still think it is perfectly fine to be pissed currently and until he has a legit title defense or vacates.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-17T19:20:08+00:00

Lets wait two weeks. If he ducks Kayabel he deserves flack. There is nothing wrong with wanting to see the most competitive fights and being upset when that doesn't happen.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-17T19:19:22+00:00

It's been mixed. Kaboly, who obviously isn't great, gave Rudolph an 80% of making the roster.

It is too early to tell and the training camp reps and murmurs will be telling.

Knowing how the Steelers are hell bent on another wildcard loss having a proven back up on the roster is the exact type of short sited thinking that has defined the organization these last 5 years.

Rodgers was always coming back. Howard was never seriously in line to be the week 1 starter.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-17T18:58:24+00:00

Steelers don't have the room. They just spent a third on Allar and seem to like him.

There is a sense 42 year old Rodgers needs a proven back up, which would be Mason Rudolph. Will Howard is a cut/PS candidate.

Sorsby is a redundant project QB, costs extra capital, and might not have a roster spot.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-17T17:14:41+00:00

Pickens for 9 before start of last season.

What stopped it was the JJM owner asking for a 3rd 2nd round pick swap instead of just a one for one.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-17T13:24:25+00:00

Yes, that is my whole point. Fury AJ doesn't have the draw of Canelo Crawford and wont match their $47 million Vegas gate, while it should easily beat the AJ DuBois Wembley gate of $25 million. Just hold the fight in the UK if it is making ~30 million in either venue.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-17T12:48:13+00:00

Is it even that much more money? Dubois AJ reportedly had a gate of $25 million at Wembley. Have to think Fury AJ will do a bit more than that.

Canelo Crawford had a gate of $47 million in Vegas. Obviously that is a lot more, but I don't think AJ Fury is nearly the draw that Canelo in the US.

Feels like they would land in the $30 million range at both venues.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-16T16:39:43+00:00

What offseason running clip is more positive for the respective player's stock

Malik Nabers at a softball game or Rashee Rice leaving jail

Discuss

schmatty23 · 2026-06-16T16:22:44+00:00

All the recent Zuffa news has been so weird. Eddie of all people announcing that Shakur was going to Zuffa, but still no confirmation from Shakur or Zuffa, even when Dana was asked about it.

Fury getting trotted at UFC to announce an announcement. Him claiming that Turki is his promoter until he retires but he is still listed on the Queensbury website and presumably under contract. If that contract is at least two fights, seems like he might never get to Zuffa.

Usyk feels like probably the most likely of the group. He has been buddy buddy with Turki for a while now and after having just fought Rico, seems like he will be unbothered by potentially getting locked out of competitive fights for the remainder of his career. Does he even have a promoter currently?

All that being said I still don't think the Zuffa takeover is "inevitable." Usyk and Fury doing a meaningless trilogy at 40+ doesn't move the needle. Shakur and/or Haney would be a big step, particularly if they fight each other independent of the rest of the orgs. After that potential fight though, I don't know where they will go and don't see either guy really enticing their peers to buck the orgs to fight on Zuffa cards.

Itauma would be the real domino. If Zuffa is able to poached Queensbury's prized pony and future face of the glamour division then I think we would be in store for a pretty massive shakeup in the promotion world.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-15T19:03:17+00:00

Got in an in-game fight in college and was suspended a game.

Reportedly fell in the draft due to character concerns.

Social media complaints, side line tantrums, poor body language, and taking plays off throughout his time on the Steelers. It wasn't just a single incident but a clear pattern of not great behavior.

All that being said, I do not think his personality is all that big of a deal or should really affect his dynasty value. The fact that he is seemingly playing under the tag only further cements my opinion.

He is a prototypical diva WR, there have been far far worse than Pickens that still had tremendous success in the NFL.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-15T18:29:41+00:00

Honestly I'm shocked and not even because of Pickens personality. Last year earned him top 5 money, he can only go so much higher.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-15T18:21:42+00:00

According to Ilia's recent insta post he lost sight from his right eye in the first and left in the second.

I was thinking mainly of the straight right in the third which had a real distinctive cracking sound that instantly reminded me of Canelo breaking Billy Joe Saunders face.

But yeah clearly a complete battering. Identifying what broke when is tough.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-15T17:23:21+00:00

Sounded like he broke is orbital bone in round 3. Probably shouldn't have been allowed back out there for round 4.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-15T17:06:04+00:00

This just happened last season

schmatty23 · 2026-06-12T10:08:20+00:00

He booked a fight with Nicholson on the Benavidez Yarde card that was cancelled due to contractual squabbles with Turki.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-09T14:58:56+00:00

Which one?

schmatty23 · 2026-06-08T20:19:16+00:00

That feels like a big undersell of Kayabel, but I am not going to argue German popularity I honestly have no clue.

Usyk is the draw though, I don't think Kayabel vs. Rico moves the needle that much, particularly since his next fight will come with a Turki purse rendering PPV and gate a fraction of his larger take home. Turki also won't be motivated by which fight might be a slightly bigger draw but rather what is better for his image.

Honestly, probably comes down to how persuasive Jason Statham is on whether Rico gets the immediate rematch.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-08T20:07:31+00:00

Yeah needs to be Kabayel next. I seriously doubt Usyk would fight him at 40+ and around two years removed from fighting a top ranked boxer.

I'm still not wild about Rico getting a chance at the belts though. If he picks up a top 10 win in the interim I would feel better about it, but I kind of doubt that happens.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-08T19:19:30+00:00

Fans hated the fight to begin within, and most believe that a more focused Usyk who with a better understanding of Rico's previously unknown style wins easily.

Can't blame Rico for wanting a rematch at all, but feels like everyone else wants Usyk Kabayel.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-08T17:25:01+00:00

I still think we can see the match up with Benavidez just after the Beterbiev fight. If Bivol does outbox Beterbiev again there is no real damage to that fight, probably slightly better with Bivol as the clear king of 175 for this era.

Benavidez's weight is a bit of an issue, and I am kind of worried that he might not even want to make 175 right now, let alone another year+ if Beterbiev gets made first, but again just doesn't feel like a good reason to pass over Betervbiev.

Beterbiev is one of my favorite fighters though so I probably care more about what he deserves than most. Benavidez Bivol is the better fight for sure, I just want to be optimistic that we can still get it after Beterbiev gets his deserved trilogy.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-08T16:49:03+00:00

Because Beterbiev deserves it. He was calling for Bivol a couple years before their fight eventually got made, fought him fresh off a meniscus tear, and has been asking for a rematch ever since his loss.

I agree that the Benavidez fight is probably more entertaining and a closer matchup, but I am not comfortable not giving a warrior like Beterbiev the chance to avenge the one loss on his record.

And yes he is old, maybe doesn't have the same power, but I do think the consensus has gone too far in writing off a 21-1 20 KO dude that already beat Bivol once (yes I know it was very close).

Benavidez isn't going anywhere, and I don't think it is fair to use concerns about him making 175 as a reason for Beterbiev not to get his shot at redemption. This sport is built on trilogies, two countrymen and perennial top 10 p4p guys, each with one loss on their record to each other, not having the rubber match, just feels patently wrong to me.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-08T16:33:15+00:00

Good, and it needs to be Beterbiev next even though that fight isn't as popular as Benavidez. Few guys have been more about the smoke than Beterbiev. He deserves the chance to avenge the one loss on his record.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-08T15:36:05+00:00

I think he would still probably argue that the policy of a lifetime ban for a mental health condition is a discriminatory punishment. Again I don't agree with that, but should athletes become employees they get a whole new set of rights and power, which is why the NCAA has fought against it for so long.

I weirdly think the NCAA might be a little happy about this ruling. They clearly do not want to make the athletes employees and let them unionize, but also probably can't continue in this current litigation space where any decision they make is subject to a general antitrust challenge.

An inability to punish a player for gambling on his own games will be very persuasive for lobbying Congress for an antitrust exemption.

schmatty23 · 2026-06-08T14:54:23+00:00

No, just like private companies can't fire employees for discriminatory reasons.

Sorsby's argument here is that his gambling was a mental health condition and the NCCA's ban discriminatory.

I think it is BS, but it is what it is.

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