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Articles by Mark J. Burns
Spooky Season Has Arrived: NFL Players, WAGs Show Off Their Halloween Costumes
Whether it’s attending an invite-only party or dressing up with family at home, NFLers didn’t disappoint in their recent Halloween-themed costumes as Spooky Season is upon us at Sport & State. I’ll admit I’m not the biggest fan of Halloween season. Maybe that’s because I associate the holiday with 35-degree weather, gray skies, and having to wear a coat that literally covered up half of my costume.
Sophie Cunningham ‘Proud To Be American Citizen’, Wants Commish With ‘A Backbone’
Sophie Cunningham isn’t afraid to voice her admiration and love for the United States. If only some of her fellow WNBA counterparts exhibited that same level of patriotism, which for the Indiana Fever forward means standing for the country’s national anthem and supporting our veterans.
‘Inside The NBA’ Made Ernie Johnson Jr. A Television Star. It Was Never His Whole Story
(Credit: @TNTSportsUS on X, @Ernie.Johnson on Instagram) “He’s the best. The best. Just the absolute best.” I first heard the remarks in November 2014 during an in-person interview for an entry-level gig with what’s now called CSE Talent, an-Atlanta-based sports representation agency. Color me a little skeptical when three agents, who all work for the same media client, deliver what sounds like a pretty rehearsed response. Were they going to say he wasn’t the best? Of course not.
It’s All Your Fault! Atlanta Dream Pass Buck To WNBA On Lunchtime Finals Game 6, While Ticket Prices Plummet
Don’t come for the Atlanta Dream with your pitchforks and targeted complaints in the WNBA’s recent scheduling fiasco. Save those for outgoing Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, whose leadership can only be described as a cross between ineptitude and incompetence where she’s failed to protect women’s sports, market the league’s most valuable stars like Caitlin Clark, and enforce protocols for the National Anthem, among other issues.
Pat McAfee’s Thin-Skinned Tirade At Utah Shouldn’t Surprise; We’ve Seen It Before
Pat McAfee has gone to war with ESPN executives. He’s publicly taken shots at College GameDay producers and traded online barbs with other media types. When college students call him “corny” or tell the former Indianapolis Colts punter to, gasp, keep his ever-loving t-shirt on, and it leads to a temper tantrum, well, that’s right on brand for the ESPN personality.
WNBA Might Crown Its Champ Before Noon PT Thursday And The Clownshow Continues
If you’re on the east coast, this season’s WNBA champion might be crowned before dinner time on a weekday. No, we haven’t been hacked — it’s a real possibility. It appears the WNBA Finals really snuck up on the league office and the Atlanta Dream, which are tied two games apiece against the Golden State Valkyries.
What A Weekend For Holly Rowe! Stinkfaces Arch Manning On Saturday, Solves WNBA Finals Schedule Problem On Sunday
Holly Rowe found herself in the middle of two very different sports conversations this weekend, thanks to Texas quarterback Arch Manning and the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream — it didn’t go well in either for the ESPN sideline reporter. Let’s start with the Longhorns. On Saturday night, Rowe, who has some well-documented history with Texas in 2026, and Manning continued their recurring postgame meetups.
Brandi Kruse Forcibly Removed From NWSL Game In Portland; Video Captures Fan Vitriol
CulturePoliticsSports (Credit: @BrandiKruse on X) Portland Thorns’ stadium security forcibly removed Seattle-based political commentator Brandi Kruse from Providence Park on Friday night for what appears to be simply wearing an XX-XY t-shirt in an effort to protect women’s sports. “We are here in Portland to take a stand,” wrote the pro-women’s sports advocate on X as she attended the NWSL match between the Thorns and Courage. “Women are women. We cannot be erased.
CFB Kickoff: Friday Night Walkoff, GameDay Heads To Salt Lake, And Kicking Is Still Easy
It’s Week 8 of the college football season, meaning we’re in the heart of conference play and teams’ College Football Playoff fates are soon going to be determined on a weekly basis. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, wouldn’t you agree? Well, unless you’re Northern Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe, the last two winless teams in the FBS. OK, let’s get into it.
Are Football Fans Getting Motion Sick From All The Various Alt-Casts ESPN Keeps Trying?
If you are having a hard time keeping up with all of ESPN’s alternative broadcasts, you’re not alone. The network’s dizzying amount of ways to watch live sports, most notably football, hasn’t tabled off. If anything, ESPN’s own imagination might need to be curtailed as it stretches the different format to the brink of fan exhaustion.
ESPN Maintains Finebaum Was Not Banned From Its Airwaves Despite His Confirmation
A year after Sport & State founder Clay Travis reported that ESPN college football commentator Paul Finebaum had been sidelined by the network for expressing interest in a Senate seat as a Republican, Alabama’s most famous media personality delivered his own confirmation of the news. “Of course, I was sidelined,” said Finebaum in a recent podcast appearance with Awful Announcing.
The (Un)lucky Five: How One Creator Turned Losing CFB Coaches Into Viral AI R&B Stars
Stop me if you’re heard this before. What do you get when five losing college football coaches join forces in an AI-generated R&B band? A new viral, smash hit capable of eliciting more LOL reactions than the eye can see. No one is immune to the creativity and ingenuity of the internet. Not even what I’m calling The (Un)lucky Five, whose next great musical performance could be coming to er, uh, an NPR “Tiny Desk” concert near you. Let me explain.
No Time To Lament Bryce Underwood. Indiana Awaits For Michigan QB1 Tommy Carr
Two years ago, Bryce Underwood traded in Death Valley for The Big House, though the end result arguably might have been the same for the top high school recruit in 2025. Maybe offensive-mind Lane Kiffin, whose arrival in Baton Rouge, La., came a year after Underwood’s decommitment, could have prevented the five star’s subpar performance thus far in college.
Not-So-Accidental Celebrities: How TV Crews Engineer Viral Sports Moments With Fans
Two decades ago, Florida State co-ed Jenn Sterger was another 20-something undergraduate student attending a college football game. But a 10-second camera shot of Sterger, combined with a one-liner from ABC sports broadcaster Brent Musburger, sent team message boards into a frenzy as her popularity exploded across Facebook and MySpace, effectively becoming one of the Internet’s first viral sensations in college football.
WNBA Rules Enes Kanter Freedom, Royce White Ineligible Because They’re ‘Both Men,’ While New NBA ChatBot Can’t Define ‘Woman’
PoliticsSports (Credit: @EnesFreedom, @AtlantaDream on Instagram) The WNBA and embattled Commissioner Cathy Engelbert have decided that ex-NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White are ineligible to compete because they are “both men.” That’s according to an official WNBA response to a congressional inquiry from five House Republicans, led by Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind.
One Week After Blowing OT Win, Dan Quinn Tries To Kick Field Goal On 5th Down In Loss
It really could not get any worse for the Washington Commanders after coach Dan Quinn had a clock management snafu for the ages last week against the New York Giants I mean, right? Truly not worse than blowing what could have been an overtime win? Wrong. Quinn, with the NFL universe watching ever so closely, appeared to make another diabolical blunder on Monday Night Football, where one can only imagine the state of his job status after the 23-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers (6-0).
Is College Football’s No. 1 Cursed? Auburn Deals Georgia Heartbreaking Blow In Athens
(Credit: @AuburnFootball on X) Bear Golesh asked his dad ahead of Saturday’s game against No. 1 Georgia if could he get on the field in Athens when the Tigers win. Well, Bear got his wish as he joined dad Alex Golesh, Auburn’s first-year coach, on the field at Sanford Stadium after Tigers kicker Alex McPherson hit a last-second 34-yarder to beat the top-ranked Bulldogs 27-24.
Early CFB Recap: OSU Survives Vs. Indiana, Gators Score Massive Upset Against Texas
We’re still trying to catch our breath after the ending to Ohio State-Indiana and Florida-Texas. Good news, though. We have of quick recap of what happened during the first few hours of your College Football Saturday. Here’s what transpired in the noon kickoff window. The Buckeyes survived in Bloomington by a paper-thin margin. Not literally, but close to it.
Nick Saban: ‘There’s Not 24 Teams In The Country That Deserve To Be’ In Expanded CFP
(Credit: @BCrawford247 on X) ESPN’s College GameDay crew didn’t mince words Saturday morning about the reported 24-team College Football Playoff expansion, which would begin in 2027. No one voiced their displeasure or concerns more than seven-time national champion Nick Saban. “There’s not 24 teams in the country that deserve to be in the playoffs,” he said. “I don’t think there’s 24 teams in the country that can win the championship.” Tell us what you really think, Mr. Saban.
CFB Saturday AM: Six Top-25 Matchups, Rocky Top Blockbuster, And One Big Fig
Folks, we have six top-25 matchups on the docket Saturday. Need I say more? It’s Great To Be A College Football Fan, ain’t it? I’m still recovering after watching the Washington-Purdue seven-turnover slugfest, which saw the Huskies cough up the ball five times but still win 38-26 in West Lafayette. Sounds like some #MACtion if you ask me. Anyways, the Sport & State crew is dispatched all around the country for some of college football’s biggest contests in Week 7.
Boats And Booze: Inside Tennessee Football’s Sailgating Party Outside Neyland Stadium
There’s a special kind of smoke Tennessee football fans such as Gregg “Admiral Greggie” Boles and our fearless leader Clay Travis would love to see this weekend at Neyland Stadium.
I Win, Google Me: The Ripple Effects Of Curt Cignetti’s Championship Takeover At Indiana
A “Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers” chant broke out across the street as Jeremy Gray traveled with the Indiana women’s volleyball program in late May. Except the senior associate athletic director wasn’t in Bloomington, Ind. He wasn’t even in the Hoosier State or the United States for that matter. No, Gray, his staff, and players were walking in — drum roll, please — Istanbul, Turkey, of all places through a multi-country exhibition trip.
Grateful Dead Helmets And 1990s-Themed Unis: College Football Is In Its Throwback Era
Dust off the denim, throw on a graphic t-shirt, and break out your brightest colors. Perhaps even ask Dad for a vintage teal Starter jacket while you’re at it if you don’t mind sweating in the name of throwback fashion. That’s the message from Coastal Carolina football as it dropped its fluorescent, 1990s-themed jerseys ahead of Friday night’s nationally-televised home matchup against Appalachian State at Brooks Stadium.
Johnny Manziel Has Advice For Billy Liucci After Mike Elko Calls TexAgs A Cesspool
Who knew that Heisman winner Johnny Manziel — yes, that same Scooby Doo costume-wearing college student — could stand to be the voice of reason for Aggies insider Billy Liucci? Following Missouri’s 27-6 beatdown of Texas A&M on Saturday, coach Mike Elko casually took a drive-by shot at the “cesspool” known as TexAgs, which is the sports website co-owned by Liucci.
Gameday Is Payday: The Madness And Math Behind 6-Figure Saturdays For College Bars
CultureSports (Credit: @RaftersOxford, @HorseshoeColumbus, @FredsBar on Instagram) Ask a bar owner in Tuscaloosa, Columbus, or Oxford about a college football Saturday, and there’s a common refrain in their answer and tone: it’s all freakin’ gas, baby, all the time. “What we do here is a little bit like lighting a rocket and just holding on,” said Ryan Prodesky, Owner of The Swamp Restaurant in Gainesville.
Jerry Jones Calls Cowboys’ Loss To Previously Winless Bucs ‘Extraordinarily Disappointing’
Amazon Prime Video NFL analyst Tony Gonzalez told the Dallas Cowboys “to get your head out of your butt” during halftime of Thursday Night Football. “Do not look at [the Tampa Bay Buccaneers] like they’re just going to lay down,” said Gonzalez as the Cowboys held a narrow 10-7 lead on the winless NFC South franchise in a penalty-ridden first half at AT&T Stadium.
Seminole Tribe Of Florida Files Suit Vs. DraftKings Alleging Illegal Sports Betting
The Seminole Tribe of Florida announced on Thursday that it filed a complaint in a Florida state court against DraftKings and CEO Jason Robins alleging that the gaming company is operating an illegal sports betting business in the state. The 72-page complaint, which was filed in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Broward County, alleges DraftKings violated state law and a 2021 gaming agreement between Florida and the Seminole Tribe.
Attorney Of Fired Play-by-Play Announcer Puts Pressure On Blazers, NBA Commish
Hours after publicly asking the Portland Trail Blazers to reinstate his client, attorney Arnie Herz is still in a holding pattern waiting for an official legal response from the NBA franchise, which hired and fired 29-year-old TV play by play announcer Braiden Bell last week. Herz said to Sport & State on Tuesday that he is waiting to hear the team’s legal grounds for terminating Bell over insensitive Tweets he posted as a teenager. Bell has since apologized on X for the remarks.
Clay Travis: ‘Hell To Pay’ For ESPN Opting Not To Put Bama-Tennessee In Evening Time Slot
(Credit: X @Vol_Football, @AlabamaFTBL) Clay Travis is fired up about how the ABC/ESPN college football schedule makers are treating the best games in the Southeastern Conference — and rightfully so. On Monday, news broke that Alabama–Tennessee at Neyland Stadium on Oct. 17 has been scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, putting the Tide and Volunteers in the afternoon time slot against other marquee SEC matchups, including Missouri at Ole Miss, which is another top-15 game, and Auburn at Georgia.
The WNBA’s Crash Course In Sports Fandom: Dealing With Crazy Fans Is Part Of The Job
Years ago, a popular t-shirt read like this: ‘Everyone Watches Women’s Sports.’ It should have also included the eye-opening fine print, ‘And Fans Behave Like Fans.’ Imagine that. In 2026, the WNBA is finally learning what every other professional sports league in the world has known for decades. Fans — short for fanatic — are loud, passionate, crazed, spirited individuals who, for three to four hours on gameday, become a different version of themselves as they cheer on their favorite team.
The SEC Is Winning The Battle For College Football Fans’ TV Remotes But It’s Still Early
The Southeastern Conference and Big Ten have combined to win seven straight College Football Playoff Championships. Still, in 2026, the ongoing battle between the two heavyweight conferences has naturally created a different scoreboard, one measured not in wins, losses, and titles but viewership numbers — so far, the war is being won by the SEC. “It’s a religion” I’ve heard time and time again from college football fans in the South.
Check Your Inbox: Inside The Six-Figure Sports Newsletter Business Paying The Bills
(Credit: Grok / AI) Get Ethan Strauss alone at a cocktail party or a kid’s birthday function with other parents, and he’ll likely be somewhat uneasy about a harmless question. What do you do for a living? All of the more traditional professions — nurse, teacher, lawyer, accountant — are clearly defined and typically don’t elicit any eyebrow raise.
Browns’ Watson Asked The Dawg Pound For Support. He Gave Fans A Third Straight Win
Deshaun Watson didn’t appreciate the boo birds from the Dawg Pound during an August preseason blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills, calling them “disrespectful.” On Thursday Night Football, the Browns quarterback gave them a second-straight home win to cheer, leading Cleveland to a dramatic 27-24 victory against Pittsburgh at Huntington Bank Field and putting the team atop the AFC North. It’s the first time the Browns have started the season with a 3-1 record since 2021.
NBA And Auburn Legend Charles Barkley: ‘I Hate Where College Sports Is Right Now’
Sir Charles Barkley has never been shy about expressing his unfiltered opinion about sports, politics, and pop culture. He did it again Wednesday on The Next Round, which is part of the Sport & State podcast and digital network. “I hate where college sports is right now where you just go to the highest bidder,” said Barkley in a response to a question about his opinion on the Protect College Sports Act, which passed through the U.S. Senate this week. “There’s no loyalty.
Texas A&M Teases A New End Zone Design On Social Media; The 12th Man’s Response: LOL
(Credit: @armor_cosatal on X, @MitchTweets) Texas A&M football teased a new end zone design on social media for Saturday’s home tilt against Arkansas. Imagine the look on the social media administrator’s face when “stay tuned” quickly turned into “ohhh, shit.” “The replies here could fuel the sun for another 10,000 years,” wrote Adam Kramer on X Twitter. Our fearless leader Clay Travis also provided some much-needed advice for the digital staff given the program’s current state in 2026.
Male Fever Fan Has The Audacity To Point At A’ja Wilson And WNBA Star Loses Her Mind
Stop me if I’m wrong, but don’t sports fans point their fingers at athletes all of the time during games? Yeah, I thought so. Apparently, Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson doesn’t think it’s normal behavior. During Game 2 of the first round of the WNBA playoffs against the Indiana Fever, Wilson got tied up with Sophie Cunningham late in the fourth quarter, leading to a foul called on the Fever forward.
Georgia Senior Survives Eighth Floor Fall After Postgame Couch-Dancing Accident
Georgia senior student Kristin Sargent is lucky to be alive after falling out of an eighth floor window of an apartment in Athens, Ga. The 21-year-old Sargent, whose accident came after the Bulldogs defeated the Sooners 41-13 on Saturday at Sanford Stadium, is currently recovering in the intensive care unit with several broken bones, according to remarks made by her father, Richard, to WSB Channel 2 Action News. She is awake and talking, he says.
Humorless NFL Requests DHS Remove Video Of Brian Dawkins Mauling Dudes; DHS: Nah
The Department of Homeland Security published a greatest hits montage from former Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Brian Dawkins. However, both the NFL and Pro Football Hall of Famer didn’t admire the video compilation. On Sunday evening, DHS posted a 39-second video on X Twitter with the text copy “Our time has come” in response to a news report from the account Leading Report, which wrote that a huge migrant caravan was nearing the southern border of the United States.
Michigan Survived In Week 1, But Iowa Broke Its Heart At The Big House In Week 4
College football indeed has a sense of humor. Hand up, this Wolverine fan isn’t quite laughing. Three weeks ago, No. 18 Michigan needed a controversial extra second against WMU to secure a Week 1 victory at The Big House. On Saturday, the Wolverines were on the other end of last-second heroics as Iowa senior transfer quarterback Hank Brown hit a back-shoulder, walk-off touchdown to wide receiver Reece Vander Zee, shocking the 100,000-plus fans in attendance sporting the maize and blue.
Top-Ranked Longhorns Escape Against Vols In Chaotic Finish At Neyland Stadium
Sometimes there are wins where you play like the top-rated college football team in America. Other times, you’re just happy to get out of a hostile environment with a “W.” For the Longhorns, the latter is exactly what happened in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday as the nation’s No. 1 program escaped with a narrow 20-17 victory against the Volunteers after seemingly being in control for much of the game, only to make it a tension convention late in East Tennessee.
President Trump Addresses Pending MLB Work Stoppage, Other Sports Topics In Clay Travis Interview
President Donald Trump has a busy sports weekend as he first attends Texas-Tennessee on Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn. followed by the Presidents Cup on Sunday in Chicago. Sports & State founder Clay Travis used the opportunity to ask a handful of hot topic questions with the Sports Fan In Chief during halftime at Neyland Stadium.
Exclusive: Clay Travis Interviews President Donald Trump During Tennessee-Texas Game
Forget the postgame interviews. The biggest conversation that took place during Texas-Tennessee happened between Sport & State founder Clay Travis and President Donald Trump inside Neyland Stadium. Travis interviewed Trump during halftime of Saturday’s game between the Battle of the UTs with the Longhorns up 10-3 on the Volunteers. Full interview with President @realDonaldTrump from Neyland Stadium.
Quick Hits: Vols’ Rude Chant For Nick Saban, Josh Heupel’s $100K Throw, A $1.5M Kick
(Credit: Sport & State) Nick Saban didn’t make any new friends in Knoxville, Tenn. this morning. The former Alabama coach casually dropped his 16-1 all-time record against the Tennessee Volunteers during a segment on ESPN College GameDay. The reaction was, well, what you would expect.
College Football Kickoff: Top-25 Showdowns, Friday Night Reactions, And What’s On Tap
If your Saturday doesn’t have your butt firmly planted on the couch for the Week 4 slate, you don’t have anyone else to blame but yourself on this one. LSU tries to get back in the win column and avoid two very early losses in the Lane Kiffin era, while Clemson and coach Dabo Swinney silenced some critics — for at least another week. Meanwhile, some members of our team at Sport & State arrived in Knoxville, Tenn.
The Most Interesting CFB Personality Is A 28-Year-Old Aussie Punter With 100+ Tattoos
Daniel Hughes thought he was one tryout away from an NFL career. Instead, the Australian punter found himself actually auditioning for a four-year college experience. Talk about a change of plans, which now included a future for the high school dropout filled with study halls and exams, only making it that much more complicated to obtain a F1 student visa. And he’s 28.
Rising Media Star Taylor McGregor Departs Marquee Sports, Joins ESPN Full Time
If ESPN is part of your regular sports rotation, then expect to see more of rising sports reporter Taylor McGregor on your TV screen in the future as she joins the network in a full-time capacity. On Thursday afternoon, McGregor announced her departure from Marquee Sports Network, where she worked since 2020 as a sideline reporter for Chicago Cubs broadcasts. “I took this job in Chicago having zero clue what would lay ahead,” she wrote in her goodbye announcement.
The ‘Real UT’ Debate — Texas Or Tennessee — Could Result In This Writer Being Fired
“I might fire you for it.” Those might be the last words uttered to me by Sport & State founder Clay Travis. Hey, I didn’t choose the UT debate. The UT debate chose me. And as the resident Big Ten alumnus on the editorial team at the Next Great Sports Media Company, it’s my unbiased duty to set the record straight. In case you need a reminder, the ‘Battle of the UTs’ is Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn.
Ted Cruz Got Booed On ESPN, But College GameDay’s Audience Didn’t Flinch Amid Media Outrage
Two weeks ago, Sen. Ted Cruz used the ESPN College GameDay megaphone to trumpet the Protect College Sports Act, much to the chagrin of the collective sports media. But, apparently, the Republican’s nearly 10-minute segment about the bipartisan bill didn’t bother the millions of college football fans sitting on their couches.
Texas Expects ‘No Issues’ Ahead Of Reunion With ESPN’s Holly Rowe For Longhorns-Vols
Texas football and ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe meet again this Saturday. Hopefully, the reunion, for both parties’ sake at least, doesn’t turn into more viral Internet clips and a multi-day news cycle as the top-ranked Longhorns visit the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium.
Free Beer And Broken Bobbleheads: Oxford’s Bars Are Ready For The Ole Miss-LSU Party
Lane Kiffin is bringing the eyeballs. LSU fans are bringing the passion. And Oxford’s bars and restaurants are bringing the party, creativity, and maybe even a little more security, for the most in-demand Ole Miss home game ever for secondary ticketing platform SeatGeek.
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