Delay of game caused by … game?
A good-sized bull moose jogged onto a soccer field in Jackson, Wyoming, where 6- and 7-year-old girls were playing, sending parents scurrying with their kids while a man on a bicycle calmly herded the intruder away.
“I don’t know if I would want to get behind a bull moose on an e-bike,” parent Barbara Allen told the Cowboy State Daily, “but I give him a lot of credit for what he did helping to get the moose away from the children.”
Headlines
• At TheOnion.com: “Kyle Schwarber stands back to admire Bryce Harper.”
• At Fark.com: “Let’s ride … to the injury report.”
Wanna get away?
While Broncos players were sleeping (or trying to) during their eight-hour flight to London, QB Russell Wilson spent half of it doing high knees and stretching exercises in the aisle.
On the plus side, his teammates will never complain about colicky babies again.
Philadelphia freedom
The Astros’ postseason reign of terror continues: 3-0 against the Mariners, 4-0 against the Yankees and now 1-0 against Elton John.
Sir Elton had to cancel the Houston stop on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour because it was scheduled for this Friday — a possible Game 6 of the World Series against the Phillies.
Political football
Counting down the days until those nonstop political attack ads disappear from football telecasts, and I couldn’t be happier.
(I’m Sideline Chatter, and I approve of this message.)
Pardon my German
“Marshawn Takes Munich,” a five-part series on YouTube, will debut this week in advance of Seattle’s game in Germany on Nov. 13.
(Reports say Lynch has already perfected @$*#$& and %@#&$ in perfect German.)
Kicking .200
Weber State set an FCS record by surrendering four safeties, all on bad punt snaps, in losing to Montana State, 43-38, in a battle of unbeaten teams.
Punter Jack Burgess did get one kick away, for 38 yards, but the four safeties resulted in eight decisive points, not to mention losses of 33, 30, 19 and 34 yards.
Bad connection
Canadiens forward Arber Xhekaj has an unusual nickname.
“Wifi,” reported B.C. blogger Gregg Drinnan, “because his surname looks like a computer password.”
Paging Nostradamus
If you predicted before the NFL season that the only Week 8 matchup pairing winning teams would be the Seahawks and Giants, step forward and claim your prize.
And slip us the next winning Powerball numbers while you’re at it.
Some markup
Northwestern freshman Michael Cole couldn’t find a taker for one of the $8.50 tickets he bought to the Oct. 26, 1984 Chicago Bulls game, so he kept it.
And finally sold it this year — for $468,000. Seems there’s still a market for the NBA debut of Michael Jordan.
Draining the Lakers
The Lakers have started the NBA season 0-4, three of the losses by double digits.
Looks like Showtime needs a “no” in front of it, at least for the time being.
Talking the talk
• Eagles center Jason Kelce, on his podcast, on critics of what he wears to the stadium on game day: “I don’t like to play dress-up, I like to play football.”
• Golden Knights forward Phil Kessel, to ESPN, on the secret to playing an NHL-record 990 consecutive games: “I’ve played a long time and I’m getting old.”
• Mike Bianchi of the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel, on his daughter wanting a very scary Halloween costume: “So I told her to dress up as the Miami Hurricanes’ turnover ratio.”
Roll the video
Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster credits teaming up with Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to play video games for the K.C. offense’s newfound rhythm.
“See?” said Kyler Murray.
Quote, end quote
• Jack Finarelli of SportsCurmudgeon.com, on Sunday’s Broncos-Jaguars game in London: “The people in the UK have lost their queen and their prime minister in the last two months; the pound sterling has tanked to its lowest level since WWII; and now the NFL sends them that game? Haven’t those people suffered enough?”
• Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim, to reporters, after saying he needs just two weeks to teach players his 2-3 zone: “I can probably teach it to you guys in three weeks.”
• Brian Grubb of Uproxx.com, on the Phillies hosting their first World Series home game since 2009 on Halloween night in south Philadelphia: “Sounds like the premise of a horror movie.”
Not so fast, my friend
Serena Williams, who strongly hinted at retirement during the U.S. Open, now says odds are “very high” she’ll play again.
“Copycat,” said Brett Favre.
Quote marks
• Janice Hough of LeftCoastSportsBabe.com, with a scary thought nearing the NFL season’s halfway point: “The New Orleans Saints are 2-5. If they win on Sunday they could be tied for the NFL South lead.”
• Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, via Twitter, with a hint of more video games with teammates: “New Call of Duty drops tonight? And it’s bye week.”
• RJ Currie of SportsDeke.com, after Texans coach Lovie Smith said his team is being built based on a specific plan: “If memory serves, so was the Titanic.”