Level LXXXV
- Thursday Night Football
- NY Yankees & Jets Banter
- Critiquing the Critics: Red Eye
- YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Thursday’s Banter tune is Levels by Avicii. If you ever find something funny on the internet, have a story to share, or some insight on your favorite team, you can always send over a text, direct message on social media, or email WeekToWeekNotes@gmail.com. Thanks!
The vocal sample to this tune comes from Etta James’ “Something’s Got a Hold on Me”, originally sung in 1962.
Thursday Night Football
Week 5 of the NFL kicks off with a Thursday Night Football matchup of the NFC West rivals. The banged-up San Francisco 49ers head down to Los Angeles to play the Rams. The LA Rams have won the last 3 times they’ve faced off head-to-head, but Niners’ HC Kyle Shanahan holds a 10-6 advantage over Rams’ HC Sean McVay. The two coaches have been close friends ever since they both served as offensive assistants under Kyle’s father, Mike Shanahan, with the Washington Redskins from 2010 to 2013. Both head coaches debuted with their respective teams in 2017 and are credited with having innovative offensive minds.
Kyle Shanahan and the Niners may be off to a 3-1 start to their season, but they’re already being put to the test early as they deal with a boatload of injuries. San Francisco has lost DE Nick Bosa for the season, hasn’t had TE George Kittle since Week 1, and has ruled out QB Brock Purdy + WRs Ricky Pearsall & Jauan Jennings for Thursday night. 49ers backup QB Mac Jones will get the start and throw to a hodgepodge of castoff WRs, such as Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kendrick Bourne, and Demarcus Robinson. I would say to expect Christian McCaffrey to get fed plenty, but he’s coming off 50 touches in the past two weeks, and it’s a short week, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Shanahan features more of his backups in Brian Robinson Jr. and Issac Guerendo as a way to keep CMC fresh long-term.
We’re four games into the season and Puka Nacua already has 42 receptions this year. That ties the Rams’ star WR with Cooper Kupp (2022) and Michael Thomas (2018) for the most receptions in the season's first four games. If Nacua catches eight passes tonight, he’ll surpass Kupp’s 49 receptions in 5 games, setting a new record. Not only does Nacua lead the NFL in catches, but his 503 receiving yards are already 100 yards more than his next closest competition (JSN’s 402 receiving yards). Another thing the Rams have going for them is that Sean McVay is 8-2 on Thursday Night Football. With that and Puka’s potential record in mind, LA should beat the banged up Niners.
Prediction: 29-22 LAR (-5.5 LAR & Over 46.5)
NY Yankees & Jets Banter
The large font in italics is my Uncle Robby and Cousin Drew.
The small font is me.
9/25 ‘25
Robby: I saw something last night that said if the guy Cal Raleigh had like 150 consecutive walks - Judge would still have a higher on-base %. And how many more home runs do you think Judge would have if he weren’t the single-season intentional walk leader in the AL all-time? Fugeddabouit !!
It should be his 4th MVP.
Robby: Bern Baby Bern
Sounded so clean off the bat
Robby: Line drive that never stopped.
Robby: Not a good look for Gary here btw.
Yup, I’m sure Keith Hernandez let him hear it.
Robby: From my friend Kris (Shmeddy) - big Alabama fan “In Newark airport hangin at the sky club swillin free beers while my flight is delayed 3hrs at least... I was getting some food and a guy says Roll Tide... I said hell yeah. Then he says, ‘Hold on, I got somethin for you.’ Goes into his backpack, pulls out a 2009 National Championship ring... Turns out to be Chris Rogers DB... The pic tells the rest of the story.”
That’s awesome! Never know who you’ll meet having an airport beer.
9/27 ‘25
Robby: This might wind up being a really big deal long term for the Yanks.
Hopefully, he’s the first of many good pitchers in the farm system.
9/28 ‘25
Drew: Tampa keeps getting multiple guys on and then not scoring!
Robby: Need them to break through
Drew: Not gonna happen. We’re playing on Tuesday. Yankees Red Sox.
Robby: Grass would be better for the players and so much cooler to watch…Also did the Mets not make the playoffs?
Drew: Nope!
Such a shame, they were great in May.
Robby: lol. What a joke.
Drew: Hilarious
Robby: Pettiest guy in broadcasting. But he loved this one today.
9/29 ‘25
I get they traded for Austin Slater to hit lefties, but he’s batted .120 as a Yankee, .170 this 2nd half, and is 0-3 against Crochet with 3 Ks. Probably shouldn’t even make the roster, much less start in a playoff game.
Drew: Yup. It would make no sense to play him, but I don’t trust Boone not to.
Robby: We have better options. He should not play unless somebody gets hurt (if he’s on the roster).
Drew: It feels like a classic move we would do… this is our “secret weapon”. And Boston is like “ok great”
Only a finite number of at-bats in the playoffs. Go with what got you here. Trent and Jazz. Rosario at 3B (good #s against Crochet) and Caballero or Volpe is a toss-up.
Drew: I’ve missed the whole game so far. Have we been a disaster?
First drive: The Jets ran it down Miami’s throats, dominated the line of scrimmage all the way to the goal line, and then Allen fumbled at the one-yard line trying to score.
Drew: Ugh
Robby: And Fields just fumbled.
Drew: This is so bad.
Robby: This team stinks.
Drew: AG legitimately might be one and done as a coach. They are a sloppy mess.
Robby: Nah, he’ll get another shot- unless some superstar HC becomes available and wants the job because of a high draft pick. But I doubt anyone wants to come here.
I still believe in AG, but yes, this team stinks.
Robby: 40-year-old Folk with a big FG to keep them in the game.
Nice kick
Drew: This is a mockery
Robby: It’s as bad as I’ve seen in a while.
Drew: This guy is the best player on the team.
Robby: Tyreek leg did not very good.
Nope, brutal.
Robby: 17-3. Not sure how many W’s are on the schedule. Their tight end has 2 TDs. Do we have a TE? I'm not so sure.
Robby: Facts
Robby: Wow, Fields TD
Drew: Wow, what a play
Made it look so easy.
Robby: The defense is so bad and the offense has so many stupid penalties.
Drew: That’s an insane flag to throw.
Unbelievable
Robby: No other team’s best player would have them called against them.
Yup, no other elite WR gets flagged on that, and the ref is giving the benefit of the doubt, calling that a TD, not out of bounds.
Robby: Fair catch at 2-yard line. Dumb team.
After he fumbled earlier today, cut him.
Drew: That guy is TERRIBLE. Literally on the team only for kick and punt returns and can’t do it.
Robby: The talent level of this team is bad. We have a couple of good to very good players. Everyone else stinks. Jets have no takeaways this year? None?
Drew: Of course, the Dolphins fumble and Miami immediately fall on top of it 😂
Robby: How is that not a flag on the late hit to Ruckert?
Because it’s the lol Jets.
Drew: The refs have been a disaster.
Robby: Pathetic.
Drew: Poor Garrett Wilson. Imagine we had a real team? How great would he be?
Robby: Touchdown!
He’s a special player and he needs the ball more.
9/30 ‘25
Robby: Post-game was rough. Breece is done - basically said when he first got here, losing really got to him - now it’s pretty much expected. And he said he’ll enjoy whatever time he has left here. Garrett and Sauce basically said they don’t want their legacy to be about losing. I know they can all play better, but they are not why we are losing. With 3 turnovers and 14 penalties, they have to look around and think, “Why doesn’t anyone know how to play football here?”
Robby: Maybe the only good thing that comes out of last night’s disaster. I hope they cut some guys
I feel bad for Breece Hall. The Jets have absolutely wasted his prime running back years. As far as AG, there’s really no reason for a team to have so many pre-snap penalties at the rate they run the ball. If they want to establish an identity of ground and pound, just bring in the fullback, motion a TE, and have the high draft pick offensive line go crazy. Maybe coaches need to simplify things.
Robby: This is exactly right. Playoffs would have been great. But a smart team that played hard and lost because the other teams were better would have been ok to watch. Losing because you stink is hard to watch. 14 games to go.
Robby: Yowza
Drew: That almost seems impossible.
Robby: Jets
Pretty, pretty bad, especially when you consider there was no way Evans was catching that ball.
Robby: Very bad. I think Sauce was prob right - it’s their own fault that they don’t get the calls.
Drew: Very nervous
Robby: I feel like if Judge doesn’t hit a HR in 1st inning, everyone’s gonna say it sucks. We need Fried to be a beast.
Robby: Yanks won this game, so busting out the pics for good luck….Anthony Volpe is awesome?
Drew: Never doubted him!!!
Robby: He will start every game next year.
Drew: Great start. Should keep Fried in!
*Aaron Boone takes Fried out and puts in Luke Weaver.*
Drew: Get him out of the game.
Robby: Damn it
Drew: He had nothing.
They were always going to need to score more than 1.
Robby: Yup
Drew: They’ve gone into give-up mode.
Robby: Gonna be a painful loss.
Drew: Fried should have stayed in the game.
Robby: I can’t believe they took him out.
I can, it’s Boone.
Drew: Cora managed circles around us again. Ben Rice (second-best hitter on the team?) will not get an at-bat tonight
Robby: We’re done.
Yup
Drew: Gotta pray Rodon has it tomorrow.
Robby: Bad loss
Terrible
Robby: Stanton's 9th-inning at-bat was a killer.
Drew: Just a terrible AB. Horrible. It’s just never happening for this team.
Robby: Nope. Tomorrow could be ugly.
Drew: He is 100% right
Robby: He is not wrong.
That’s Portnoy’s 12th Sox game he’s watched this year. He can’t even name their starting 2B. Now he’s Mr. Boston Baseball.
Drew: That is also very true
Drew: I was going to mention that. His whole point was having Rosario in against the tough lefties, then taking him out of the game. Jazz should have come in for Cabellaro. Cabby is fun but he can’t hit, had 0% chance against Chapman in the 8th. I’d rather Jazz up in that spot, then you give another shot to Rosario in the 9th.
10/1 ‘25
Yikes.
Robby: This guy probably should be managing - seems he’s has a better view of how to use the roster.
The Jazz defensive sub in a game you’re losing made no sense. That felt like he didn’t plan that out at all. I don’t even mind Jazz being pissed off after the game. At least he cares.
Robby: He should have played and should be pissed off. We took two of our best bats out of the lineup. I don’t care who’s pitching.
I can’t wait to hear the same “anything can happen in a short series, playoffs are a crapshoot” story, but it’s all nonsense. Wasted another year of Judge’s prime and at the hands of the worst Red Sox team to make the playoffs in decades.
Robby: They should not have been a short series. No reason not to win the division - regardless of injuries, etc.
Robby: Yup, as demoralizing a loss as I can remember (sorry - other than all the World Series losses last year). I thought they were gonna win 1-0. Then I thought they were gonna win on a walk-off. I have zero energy for tonight’s game.
Drew: Yup. Gonna feel like a funeral.
Robby: Sox players and fans have no fear going into tonight. They know that if they keep the games close - the Yankee manager will make a bad decision and they’ll win one of the next two games. And I think Boone’s buddy in the other dugout knows the same.
Yup, if the Yankees don’t score first, I could definitely see the lineup mailing it in.
Drew: Coulda used that guy last night! 🍚
Need a zero from Rodon here and the bottom half of the lineup needs to make Bello work.
Drew: Yes. Need to work the counts more. As soon as he squared to bunt u knew we were screwed.
Typical playoff at-bats.
Drew: It’s just insane. They literally forget how to hit.
They won’t get another guy on base until Boston scores.
Never mind, we’ll take it!
Drew: We’re allergic to momentum.
Drew: Off the bat I thought that ball was 600ft…Their innings last 2 hours and ours are like 45 seconds. Gotta have better at-bats there.
Their pitchers attack and our lineup isn’t used to it. Sox will dare the Yankees to hit, 2 walks in 16 innings.
Robby: Yup
Drew: G is lost and so is Jazz. Trying to swing 130% instead of 70%.
Drew: Is he safe?
Gotta be
Drew: Yes! Hell of a throw by the right fielder. And now Judge leads off the bottom 9. Sucks.
Robby: Hopefully, he doesn’t get up….Oh man !!
Robby: Thought that was gone. Let’s go !!!!
Wow
Drew: Phew! Me too
Robby: Wind blowing out and all
With Karl Ravech and Eduardo Perez throwing out a different jinx in between every pitch.
Drew: It’s like they were trying to put a spell on the game to make us lose.
Robby: Terrible…“This guy has never hit a homerun in this stadium”. F-outta here.
Drew: God knows what kind of tricks Cora has up his sleeve tomorrow. We need Schlittler to have it and go deep.
Yup, doesn’t have Crochet, Bello, or Whitlock. They went for it tonight, pulling Bello that early. I’m sure they plan on using Chapman for at least two innings, no matter the situation.
Robby: I fear Schlittler pitches well but Boone takes him out after 4. Then it’s the bullpen for 5.
Drew: If it’s the bullpen for 5 innings I will not survive the game.
I think the Sox might go with a rookie lefty. Hopefully, they don’t overthink it, play Jazz and Rice. Rosario over McMahon to start and have Caballero as a pinch runner late.
Drew: Yes. What scares me is the Yankees SUCK against these random guys that they haven’t seen before and don’t have a scouting report on.
True, but Schlittler hasn’t faced the Sox either, and he is from Boston. His childhood favorite team passed up on him 7 times in the MLB Draft.
Drew: Fair point
Robby: They’ve seen two lefties now, they are gonna get a 99 mph righty. We have a shot.
Robby: Awesome
Imagine getting smoked by Jazz Chisholm at MLB The Show on Xbox Live after Game 1. That’s hilarious.
Robby: This is awesome - the guy video’s Judge picking pitches. Brilliant.
Drew: It’s great. We need to get more dudes on 2nd base tomorrow!
This week’s Critiquing the Critics is Red Eye. I had to pick a short film with all the sports going on, and this one’s on TUBI for free. The 86-minute 2005 psychological thriller was just like I remembered it—a solid flick that does its job. Wes Craven’s Red Eye had a budget of $26 million and brought back $96.2 million at the box office, so pretty successful for some quick straightforward action.
There aren’t too many facts about this film, so I’ll wing it. Rachel McAdams is incredible. Her mid-2000s run is way too underrated. I’ll warn you if you haven’t seen this movie in twenty years: Cillian Murphy and Bryan Cox have American accents in this. They’re both good, but it takes some getting used to since they don’t sound like Tommy Fookin’ Shelby and Logan Roy.
Here’s what the critics had to say…
At this point, Rachel McAdams had already made Hot Chick (2002), Mean Girls (2004), The Notebook (2004), and this came out the same year as Wedding Crashers (2005). Before Red Eye, Cillian Murphy was in loads of Irish films, 28 Days Later (2002), Cold Mountain (2003), and was about to be in Batman Begins.
Very lean film, perfect for a weeknight.
I disagree, but commensurate is a nice vocabulary word choice.
October calls for more Wes Craven.
