Daily Hai-Poo: National Signing Day Edition

Jacoby Mathews

Shemar Stewart is now home

Brian Kelly sucks

Madden 22 Live Update Center

Welcome, friends and colleagues, to the first perennial Madden 22 Live Update Center! At the request of the millions of neurons that make up my vast fanbase, I will be posting regular live updates on my various Franchises in the globally-renowned Madden NFL 22 Xbox One Edition, starting with my most recent session. Please enjoy.

February 1, 2022 - The Legion of Boom Pt. 2

In today's fantasy draft, 33-year-old HC Kam Chancellor assembled a fearsome roster for the Seattle Seahawks, the starters of which are listed below:

• QB: Colin Kaepernick

• HB: Leonard Fournette

• 3DRB: Melvin Gordon

• WR1: Cordarrelle Patterson

• WR2: Emmanuel Sanders

• SLWR: Rondale Moore (R)

• TE1: AJ Green

• TE2: Jared Cook

• LT: Duane Brown

• LG: Tyrell Crosby

• C: Lloyd Cushenberry

• RG: Ethan Pocic

• RT: Kelvin Beachum

• LE: Robert Quinn

• SLE: Jason Pierre-Paul

• RE: Yetur Gross-Matos

• SRE: Trevis Gipson

• DT1: Akiem Hicks

• DT2: Jarran Reed

• SDT: Ndamukong Suh

• ROLB: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (R)

• MLB: Bobby Wagner

• LOLB: Cole Holcomb

• SLB1: Kareem Jackson

• SLB2: Malcolm Jenkins

• CB1: Stephon Gilmore

• CB2: Trevon Diggs

• SLCB: Greg Newsome (R)

• FS: Micah Hyde

• SS: Derwin James

• 3S: Jevon Holland (R)

• K: Evan McPherson (R)

• P: Jack Fox

And, after a preseason injury took away Melvin Gordon for the opening two weeks, Jerick McKinnon was elevated to 3DRB, and the Seahawks traveled to Indianapolis to take on the Trey Lance-led Colts in Lucas Oil Stadium. Despite a shoddy performance by the linebackers in pass coverage and abysmal debuts for Colin Kaepernick (~50% Comp Pct., 0 TDs and 2 INT) and rookie Rondale Moore (4 Targets, 1 Rec, 1 Drop), the Seahawks were able to grind out a 28-20 victory on the shoulders of Leonard Fournette (4 rushing TD), Micah Hyde (game-sealing INT with less than 2 minutes to go), and the Seahawks run defense (held star RB Antonio Gibson to 0 TDs, <2 yards per attempt and <0 yards per catch). The Seahawks' defense also reeled in 3 interceptions, including a near-pick-six by edge-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul. After the game, defensive captain Stephon Gilmore and Coach Chancellor discussed the defense's success at stopping the run in front of the team, leading to increased morale and experience for the defensive line.

🚨BREAKING: Tom Brady Did Not Mention Patriots Fans In His Retirement Announcement🚨

Tom Brady, Noted Hater of Patriots Fans Everywhere

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Tom Brady announced his retirement from the NFL earlier this morning with a couple lengthy Instagram and Twitter posts thanking several people who helped to make him what he is today. In the hours since the announcement, some fans/amateur sleuths have noticed that he made an interesting omission from giving thanks to the organization he spent most of his career playing for: The New England Patriots and their fans.

The Ringer's Bill Simmons (whose podcast I actually really enjoy), a lifelong Boston sports fan who clearly has no bias or favoritism in any direction whatsoever when it comes to this situation, was quickly on top of Brady's obviously deliberate attempt to twist the knife in the hearts of Boston sports fans: easily the least-spoiled group of fans in the country for the past two decades.

Some argue that the fact that Brady has profusely thanked the organization and fans in the past (particularly in the year immediately following his departure from the franchise) is enough recognition for the accomplishments of the people he relied on so much that he immediately won another Super Bowl the instant he left them. Other, more cynical Patriots fans are less convinced.

Twitter User lguggee, a crucial contributor to no less than all of Brady's Super Bowl wins in New England, summed up what undoubtedly a plurality of the inhabitants of Boston are thinking right now:

Harsh, but fair criticism. Reading the tweet in a Boston accent brings out an even deeper level of emotional resonance as well.

Brady's posts and Patriots' fans responses to them (which I can't share because none of their replies would be coherent in any way if I censored the vulgarities out) raise an important sports history question:

Is winning a franchise and its fans six Super Bowls over the course of twenty years enough to be given the benefit of the doubt when you don't make your retirement announcement primarily about what those people did for you?

I can see arguments being made both ways.