* Pick sick: Thanks, as it were, to unvaccinated, Joe Rogan fan Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers for reminding us that elite, marquee athletes can also be arrogant, disingenuous and stupid. Hall of Fame quarterbacking doesn’t make one a role model outside the NFL’s parallel universe. There is no requirement that they use their high-profile platform responsibly. Ultimately, of course, there’s no immunity from reality. And, seemingly, none from fools. Rodgers isn’t Bart Starr.
* The world’s top-ranked female golfer, 23-year-old Nelly Kora, is a Bradenton native.
* Yo, Gators: The University of Florida has been making the kind of headlines no prominent university welcomes. The academic freedom issue has been beyond concerning and embarrassing, and the Gator football fortunes that can be welcome distractions only added to the humiliation after one-sided losses to Georgia and South Carolina and giving up 52 points to Samford. Samford!
* The Bucs disappointing loss to Washington was a reminder of NFL parity. Where else in football can you win a championship and have, say, five losses as the Bucs did last season?
* Contentious rivals. “We fiercely dislike Mexico’s soccer team.”–USA coach Gregg Berhalter after the U.S. defeated Mexico, 2-0, in a World Cup Qualifying match.