Sports ‘n Stuff, 8/3/21

Men’s Journal college quarterbacks to watch this year

The 2021 NCAA Football season is less than a month away. This year, eight high-profile schools will the introducing new arms. Football writer Alex Kirshner, from Mens Journal, has undertaken the daunting task of ranking them all based on how he views their chances of success.

1. D.J. Uiagalelei (Clemson) – He joined the team in 2020 and has nine appearances and two starts while then starter Trevor Lawrence recovered from COVID. His o-line is stout, and his receivers are solid.
2. C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) – This will be his first chance to see action, and that’s the only reason he’s at number two.
3. Bryce Young (Alabama) – ‘Bama is always solid, but Young will be walking in with a new offensive coordinator and have a few new bodies at wide receiver.
4. Haynes King/Zach Calzada (Texas A&M) – Either one could land the starting gig, the supporting cast they’ll get gives every chance for success.
5. Casey Thompson/Hudson Card (Texas) – A new coach and decent o-line, running back, and receiver corps should help whoever gets the starting gig flourish, but it’ll take some “heavy lifting” to bring it all together on a championship level.
6. Emory Jones (Florida) – He’s got the profile of a Tim Tebow, but with a better arm. The receivers need to step up to help him shine.
7. Jack Coan (Notre Dame) – The Wisconsin transfer will have his hands full behind an offensive line that lost four players and a wide receiver corps looking for a stand-out star.
8. Jaren Hall (BYU) – It could be a rough year with three linemen gone and a new offensive coordinator in place.

Source: Mens Journal

Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” had an easy voyage to the top of the domestic box office this weekend. The Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt-starring movie made $34-point-two-million for its debut, making it the third-largest pandemic opening.

The flick was a streaming hit, too, making over $30-million worldwide as a Disney+ Premier Access release. Meanwhile, it had no problem dominating its competition “The Green Knight,” which made the second spot at the domestic box office with $6-point-eight-million.

Here’s this weekend’s top 10 movies:

1. “Jungle Cruise” – $34.2-million
2. “The Green Knight” – $6.8-million
3. “Old” – $6.8-million
4. “Black Widow” – $6.4-million
5. “Stillwater” – $5.1-million
6. “Space Jam: A New Legacy” – $4.3-million
7. “Snake Eyes” – $4-million
8. “F9: The Fast Saga” – $2.7-million
9. “Escape Room: Tournament of Champions” – $2.2-million
10. “The Boss Baby: Family Business” – $1.3-million

• Here’s What Actors In The “Marvel Universe” are paid.
• Chris Pratt reportedly only got $300 thousand for 2011’s “Captain America: The First Avenger.” But Forbes said in 2019 that he got around $15 million for “Avengers: Endgame.”
• Mark Ruffalo got between $2 and $3 million for playing The Incredible Hulk in 2012’s “The Avengers.” While it’s not known what his most recent salaries have been, the assumption is that he got the same thing his “Endgame” co-stars.
• Jeremy Renner reportedly got the same $2 to $3 million that Mark got when he played Hawkeye in “The Avengers.”
• Chris Pratt reportedly received around $1-point-5 million for “Guardians of the Galaxy.” But word on the street was that he got $5 million for his brief “Avengers: Infinity War” appearance.
• Brie Larson came into the franchise as the highest-paid first-movie hero with a $5 million salary for “Captain Marvel.”
• Tom Holland started off in 2017 raking in $500 thousand – plus bonuses – for “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” His salary for more recent films is unknown.
• And let’s just call Robert Downey Jr. “Marvel Moneybags.” He allegedly received just shy of $75 million for his work in the most recent film. His starting salary for playing Iron Man was reportedly $500 thousand.

This might be the greatest life hack ever. TikTok user Orlando Johnson shared a video, at McDonalds where he sends his friend to the counter with an empty box of large fries and the friend simply asks for a refill – that’s it! 

Evidently there is a McDonald’s policy to refill large size fries and it’s been confirmed by numerous people that it really works.

On top of that, Johnson has posted another video testing the policy at Wendy’s and it could reveal that other fast-food chains are doing the same thing so it could be worth a try at your favorite place.

Over the weekend, LeBron James got some negative social media attention. While at an Usher performance, a fan allegedly approached him asking for a picture. In the posted video, James can be seen pushing the fan away while walking towards what looks to be the exit. It’s not known how polite or rude the request was, how James was approached, or if anything led up to the encounter. Overwhelmingly, the social media peanut gallery said people should respect a celebrity’s privacy while he’s having a night out with his wife. 

Molson Coors Retiring 11 Economy Brands: If you’re into Keystone Ice, Icehouse Edge or Milwaukee’s Best Premium, it’s time to find something else as CEO Molson Coors CEO Gavin Hattersley said in an earnings call that the company will retire 11 economy brands. That includes Miller High Life Light (though Miller High Life will remain), Hamm’s Special Light and Steel Reserve 211, too. Hattersley noted the move will help “improve supply chain flexibility” for their priority brands.

The Idaho man known for breaking records is at it again. David Rush set a new record by balancing 19 drinking glasses on a wooden stick held in his mouth…Because, that’s what they do in Idaho.

Bill and Melinda Gates’ divorce is final, each will walk with basically $76 Billion. Speaking of Billionaire’s Jeff Bezos has lost the title (for now anyway) of World’s Richest man. Bezos lost close to $14-billion when Amazon shares fell nearly eight percent Friday after the e-commerce giant reported second quarter earnings.

Sitting at the top of the heap now? French businessman Bernard Arnault has taken the title of world’s richest man. Don’t feel to sorry for Bezos howeve, he’s still worth an estimated 196-billion dollars.

Today is Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Today in Sports History

1936 – Jesse Owens won the first of his four olympic gold medals. 

1949 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) was formed. The league was formed by the merger between the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League. 

1984 – Mary Lou Retton won a gold medal at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics. 

In pop culture, One of the Greatest Rock Albums of all time was released:

1987 – Def Leppard released the album Hysteria – It is Def Leppard’s best-selling album to date, selling over 20 million copies worldwide, including 12 million in the US. Included the Singles “Animal, Pour Some Sugar on Me, Hysteria, Armageddon it, Love Bites & Rocket.” 

“Joe Elliot still Rocks!”

Celebrating Birthday’s today:

• Tony Bennett is 95
• Metallica’s James Hetfield is 58
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady is 44