3 & Out - Massive Mailbag

What’s up, my people—happy Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight week; today it’s a big football mailbag, and with the owners meetings down the street we’ll have a flood of stories next week, so make sure you’re subscribed and set your alerts.

On drafting a kicker in round one: I wouldn’t do it, period; the hit rate is shaky, undrafted guys often become stars, and the pressure now is brutal, so another Janikowski at pick seventeen feels like a once-ever thing we’ll never see again.

Your MLB weekend-series idea is creative and would raise per-game value, but owners won’t give up home dates and the union won’t torch starting-pitcher jobs; big-inventory leagues protect inventory, even when coaches beg for fewer games.

On college hoops tradition vs NIL: history doesn’t recruit anymore—budgets do; being a top seed at a football school can be the best gig because they mostly let you cook, while bluebloods live in your kitchen every day.

Rookie QBs usually inherit bad rosters; Mendoza’s setup is better than most with a left tackle, a top tight end, a high pick at running back, and an offensive head coach, so he’s got a shot to function out of the gate.

If a team lands the number one pick after a rough year, you almost always take the quarterback; I’m cautious on early hype about all-time QB classes because trajectories swing wildly and late risers pop every season.

Mel Kiper deserves Canton as a contributor—he basically built the modern draft conversation—though you obviously don’t induct him before Belichick.

How a big board gets made: scouts build summer and in-season grades, cross-check all fall, set a tentative stack before the combine, and then weigh medical and character; avoid combine overreactions, and know that powerful coaches can nudge names up or down.

Why the Chiefs are favored over Denver: odds are about balancing action, not who you or I think is better; if books hung a long price on Kansas City, they’d get buried in one-sided bets.

SLO shoutout: Firestone and Dog House have the best tri-tip sandwich I’ve ever had, and yes, life with a newborn means I’m running on fumes; the Merlin sleep suit tip is noted.

Golf check-in: on paper I’m a two but playing like a five; I hit it far, short game’s streaky, and I walk whenever I can—less time now with the little guy.

Chargers O-line: your tackles are your anchors, so upgrade the interior through the draft; the bigger unknown is replacing a top-tier defensive coordinator and keeping that standard.

Bucket-list events I still want: the Kentucky Derby, the Masters, a raucous SEC Saturday—think The Grove at Ole Miss—and a Duke home game; I’d love to hit a Final Four and CFP, too.

On Will Howard: the résumé at Kansas State and Ohio State is real, and he should get a fair shot; winning at Ohio State doesn’t buy you much credit publicly, but he’s got tools.

Names for listeners and live shows: I’m open to a community name, but “podcoffs” isn’t it; live shows are fun but costly—our digital reach has been the engine, though I won’t rule out a few smart stops.

Would the Bengals trade Burrow for a mountain of firsts and a Mendoza shot? No chance; proven elite beats draft-theory value when your window is open now.

Breaking into sports media today: start creating and posting everywhere—YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, podcasts; use social as a work tool and reps will compound.

Bills and Joe Brady: I loved his poise handling the transition and the offense took off; with hires like Jim Leonhard, Pete Carmichael, and John Fox, there’ll be a learning curve on game ops, but I’m bullish enough to pick Buffalo to win it all if Josh stays healthy.

Stafford and McVay: this could be Stafford’s last ride, and if he walks, McVay will chase another big-time QB before he signs up for a deep rebuild; TV will always be there for him, but players who can still sling it usually keep playing.

Derek Carr’s market: he’s not a free agent and the contract muddies trades, so unless the perfect spot opens or injuries hit, he may stay retired for now.

That’s the show—enjoy the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, and we’ll be back with owners-meetings juice soon; peace.