iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Bill

Great piece that has me worried about what milking as much money as possible out of fans who view Penn State football as a community effort is going to do long-term www.nytimes.com/athletic/769...

nytimes.com

Penn State has more than 90,000 season ticket holders. The real story’s in the empty seats (Gift Article)

There is a broader conversation going on in Happy Valley about the price of championships in college football and who should pay it.

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Craig Calcaterra @craigcalcaterra.bsky.social · 3h

Today's newsletter is free. Anyone can read it. In response to a reader question, I talked about the upcoming lockout, it's basis, and how I think events will play out. www.cupofcoffeenews.com/cup-of-coffe...

First off, do not believe for one moment that Rob Manfred's and the owners' position on anything will change if the lower-revenue Brewers, Rays, or Guardians win it all instead of the crazy-revenue Dodgers three-peating. Yes, the owners have long been characterizing the need for a salary cap and their willingness to do whatever it takes to get it as necessary because baseball is an allegedly unfair game in which only the rich teams have a chance. Yes, a lot of pretty bright people seem to think that the outcome of the World Series will impact the CBA talks. But Rob Manfred and the owners neither believe it themselves nor do they particularly care about who wins the World Series, regardless of what they're saying.

Baseball's owners want what every CEO in America wants: they want to limit their labor costs as much as possible while making profit margins as predictable as possible. That's it. That's what they want. That's what nearly every single company, from Amazon to Starbucks to the big tech firms, and everyone in between seeks to do. That's why corporate and tech executives and business-aligned politicians have aggressively promoted AI. It's all about cracking down on labor, organized or not, in an effort to limit wages, limit benefits, and to otherwise render the line items related to workers as predictable and invariable as possible which, in turn, allows one to more accurately predict future profits. These efforts have only accelerated in the wake of the pandemic, when workers obtained a modest and temporary measure of leverage and independence. It's worth noting that peasants in post-Black Death Europe experienced the same sort of thing! Those poor sods got a poll tax and a violent crackdown in response to their assertion of rights. Coders and customer service reps at Amazon get AI-driven redundancy and wage and benefit pressure apart from all the killing and everyone being covered in mud and shit all the time, it's basically the same thing.

Major League baseball owners aren't dealing with peasants or coders, but they want the same thing because they've always wanted that thing. In some ways they're even more desperate for it because they see how their peers in the NFL, NBA, and NHL got that thing and are incrementally more rich than they would've been without it. And no, it doesn't matter if the extra money would be rounding error for these billionaires. When there's another boy with a balloon these spoiled children want a balloon as well and if they don't get it you'll never stop hearing about it.

Except Rob Manfred and the baseball owners can't come out and say that. They need a P.R. spin, so that they can justify to fans why they need to imperil the 2027 baseball season for it. "Because that other boy has a balloon" won't fly, but "because only the Dodgers can win the World Series anymore" plays well with a lot of sports fans and talk radio hosts and reporters. So that's the line. But if events don't cooperate – such as the Guardians or Rays beating the Brewers in the World Series – they'll just dismiss it by saying it was the exception that proves the rule or otherwise tweak their rhetoric to explain why the Dodgers not winning again doesn't change anything.

Will there be considerable hypocritical inconsistency tied up in all of that? Obviously! But, in the Age of Trump, liars and assholes have figured out that there is no penalty to be paid for hypocrisy anymore. Indeed, the only people who get into trouble these days are the people who admit fault or let on that they know that they had been dishonest. Only losers care about intellectual consistency in the Warring Twenties. Mendacity and nihilism is all the rage!

So, however fun it may be to say that the Brewers, Guardians, or Rays beating L.A. will impact the CBA talks or stick one to ol' Rob Manfred and the owners, know that they do not care. It will not affect their strategy or their desires. They'd be gearing up for this exact same fight an

All of that aside, here's what I think will happen:

The CBA expires on December 1 at 11:59PM. The owners will lock out the players effective at midnight, December 2;
There will be increasingly acrimonious and unfruitful negotiations from before then until everyone breaks for Christmas. This will be the time when the sides do their best to explain, publicly, how unreasonable the other side is being;
Things will quiet down a great deal in January, and from then until well into February it will seem like an agreement will never be reached;
In early March, the owners will begin to experience revenue loss. No one will be buying tickets, no one will be going to spring training games with just minor leaguers playing, and none of the counter-programming the league set up over a year prior will be particularly successful;
The owners – many of whom are leveraged like crazy and have debt payments to make – will be staring at serious, serious revenue loss in a matter of weeks. And no, it doesn't matter that most of them are billionaires and can cover the debts of the holding companies which own their teams with personal funds. Billionaires DO NOT pay money out of their own pockets if there is even the slightest chance that it can be avoided. It's simply not the done thing. To do so will get you disinvited to all the good billionaire parties and orgies and stuff;
By mid-to-late March great movement will be made, primarily because the owners will drop their demand for a salary cap. A new CBA will then be hammered out relatively quickly and an extremely abbreviated spring training will be held. That may not happen in quite enough time for Opening Night on March 24, but they'll race to get as close to it as possible. They may very will figure out how to squeeze in a 162-game season like they did in 2022, in fact, but at worst they'll do a 144-154-game season like 1995.

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Rodger Sherman @rodger.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

President Deals. the Economy Understander. finally someone in charge who understands Business and Money

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Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

theonion.com/man-who-drin...

Business Insider: AI
Palantir CTO says some AI researchers are taking up smoking because they expect AI to cure cancer

The Onion in 2013: Man Who Drinks 5 Diet Cokes Per Day Hoping Doctors Working On Cure For Whatever He’s Getting

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Joe Sheehan @sheehannewsletter.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

The people who run MLB think baseball fans are so, so stupid.

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Patrick Wyman @patrickwyman.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

There is absolutely no viable path forward for this country that doesn’t hinge on extreme accountability for everyone involved in this administration. They’re going to whine about politicization and credulous media types will echo them, but the thing is, they’ve committed tons of obvious crimes!

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Bill @williambones.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

exhausting but also lol, here we go steelers

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Ryan Nanni @celebrityhottub.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

The Cowboys have basically had 20 years of excellent quarterback play from one guy who went undrafted and another who they took with a 4th rounder and in return they have FOUR playoff wins to show for it

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Matt Brown @mattbrown.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Marc is 100% right about this. It's one of (several IMO) good reasons to oppose the PCSA.

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Bill @williambones.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Don't they have to consider putting becht on the bench?

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

This is not something you say if you actually like education or children

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mtsw @mtsw.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

not an accident or a fuck up — part of the conservative plot to destroy universities and higher education generally

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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

NYT has now independently corroborated all the major allegations against Susan Collins in the ProPublica report, including that investigators were prepared to move against her and then Trump intervened to shut it down. This put Trump in a position of exceptional and extortionate leverage over her.

nytimes.com

F.B.I. Shut Down Inquiry Into Top Ally of Senator Susan Collins

The inquiry was closed last year because senior bureau officials questioned the veracity of a campaign donor’s account, according to current and former officials.

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Reposted by Bill

The Onion @theonion.com · 15/09/2026

Financial Advisors Recommend Throwing Away Unopened Bills theonion.com/financial-advisors-rec…

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Rodger Sherman @rodger.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

thinking about how Akron tried something bold and new with the OC For A Drive promotion, got buy-in from the coach, got unprecedented attention for Akron football, picked the perfect guy to do it, he took the job seriously, he called a fine set of plays, and then they fumbled anyway. Eat Arby's

a man in an Arbys coaching outfit with an Arbys playsheet

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Bill @williambones.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I think about this often; people don't believe me. Born in 1981, they've had only 6 playoff seasons in my life but more than that, only 3-4 other years where they've even been DECENT and two of those, I was a baby. Tons of lost summers with these guys.

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The Rooster @rooster.info · 09/09/2026

We now have a first-hand account of Conman’s batting cage debacle. It doesn’t disappoint.

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Todd Vaziri @tvaziri.com · 07/09/2026

happy labor day

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Bill @williambones.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

nothing small about 12 rocks rolling downhill at you, go lions

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Tea Pain @teapainusa.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Food so good you grow an extra finger!

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public health guy @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

cc journalist friends, this is a story ⬇️

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Kelcie Moseley-Morris @kelciemmorris.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Is that...is that supposed to be an argument against healthcare

Darline Graham, new Republican candidate for Senate in South Carolina, told a crowd last night that government-run health care is a terrible idea and then told everyone her parents had to work at their liquor store even if they were sick, and her mother and father died when she was 11 and 12, respectively. Apparently as an argument against healthcare.

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Reposted by Bill

Garrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

One way you know Dolly Parton lived life the right way: I don’t think anyone’s going to get fired for accurately quoting Dolly Parton today.

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Reposted by Bill

Rodger Sherman @rodger.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

any time you can chase off one of your starters by recruiting a player from the country that threw the greatest player you ever coached in prison, you simply have to do it

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Reposted by Bill

Dan of the Year @downwithdan.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

"this edible ain't shit" two hours later:

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Brent Maguire @bmags94.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Carson Benge threw out runners at home on consecutive plays in the first inning. He was clocked at 99.9 mph on the first one and 103.9 mph (!) on the second assist.

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Reposted by Bill

Magnum, T.I.(M.) @hydrationchimp.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

incredible things are happening at fox news

CUT OFF BY YOUR ADULT CHILD EXPERT REVEALS WHAT PARENTS
SHOULD DO NEXT

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Reposted by Bill

Craig Calcaterra @craigcalcaterra.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Commenter today kinda nails the whole Blake Snell experience. He's easily the most miserable legitimately great pitcher to watch pitch.

Comment from Colin: "Is Blake Snell the perfect exemplar of starting pitching in this era? 11th year in the majors and still well short of 100 wins. Has had two full healthy seasons, in both of which he won the Cy Young and averaged <6 IP per start. Over 11 K/9IP but has averaged barely over 5 innings per start for his career. About 4 of every 9 batters faced draw a Three True outcome, so he's kind of boring to watch."

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public health guy @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

like i said earlier, chances are good this will get stopped in court, but i'd imagine families don't want to take chances with their children's lives. make sure to contact congress today. tell them to fight this with everything they've got: (202) 224-3121

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Jason Song Quinn (Comms Open) @hulkhoquinn.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Jim Henson didn’t muppeteer a tiny green frog that was singing and playing the banjo, with rubber gloves while totally submerged underwater in a airtight aluminum tank just so you could tell me that AI is “inevitable”.

Comic page depicting how the did the scene in the Muppets Movie with Kermit playing the banjo in a swamp

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Reposted by Bill

The Onion @theonion.com · 07/08/2026

Man Came To Funeral Straight From Work

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The Onion @theonion.com · 02/08/2026

Moment Of Silence Followed By Hot Dog Race

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James Smyth @jamessmyth621.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Tigers are about to be 2.5 games out of a playoff spot and have the 3rd-best run differential in the American League at +50 (Yankees +86, Red Sox +56, and considering Detroit’s up 8-2 in the 8th in Sacramento they could be 2nd by the end of the night) They still gave up

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Scott Lemieux @lemieuxlgm.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

And especially with Judge's health status in question you'll never get more than a chip-and-a-chair playoff year than this. For this underwhelming package of prospects? Revolting, and a vivid reminder that the demands for a salary cap have nothing to do with owners wanting more competition

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Ben Collins @bencollins.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

We've gotta make the Monorail Simpsons episode required viewing for every city councilor in the country. Every single thing he says here is a lie. A Potemkin Village Imaginarium.

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Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

The Trump admin had a real theory of war: Put on a show of toughness, tell people how manly you are, disdain law, do war crimes, and you win. Earlier losses came from leaders too "weak" to do that. It was a very stupid theory. But they espoused it a lot, really seem to believe it, and acted on it.

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Eric Umansky @ericumansky.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

GOP House member--and fmr Trump advance man--allegedly -threw boiling water on his then-wife -held a gun to her head -broke his daughter's collarbone. She's 2 -abused abuse a fmr Trump WHer too When a reporter asked him about it , he threatened to block their # www.nytimes.com/2026/07/28/u...

nytimes.com

Domestic Abuse Allegations Rock Max Miller’s Ohio House Race

Representative Max Miller, a Republican, is facing accusations of abuse from his ex-wife in a bitter family feud that might put his otherwise safe seat in play.

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Døn of the Dead @rowdiestuncle.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Best I could do but I can’t tell if audio is coming through

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Casey Drottar @caseydrottar.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Detroit Squirrel update: The Tigers' entire grounds crew went out on the field to try to get that thing out of there and all that's missing is the Benny Hill theme

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David A. Graham @dgraham.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Great story by @themhartman.bsky.social on a topic I've long been obsessed with: Why are so many of the movers and shakers in conservative politics right now Duke alumni? www.theassemblync.com/news/educati...

theassemblync.com

Dukes in Trump’s Court

Duke University alumni have played high-profile roles in the Trump administration. A 2000s culture clash helps explain why.

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Every Film Now @everyfilmnow.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Final trailer for ‘COYOTE VS. ACME’ has been released. In theaters August 28. #CoyoteVsAcme

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