BAD THINGS HAPPENED TO FREEZE, DANIELS, AND HAMLIN

Eight months ago Auburn football coach HUGH 

FREEZE was diagnosed with cancer of the prostate but 

chose to wait until 2025 season’s end to have surgery. 

Sunday, Freeze, who came to Auburn from Lynchburg’s 

Liberty U., learned he won’t have to put it off that long 

after all.

In his third season attempting to resuscitate a program 

that hasn’t had a 10-win season since 2017, Freeze was 

fired with a 15-19 record overall including 4-5 this year 

following a 10-3 loss to underdog Kentucky Saturday 

night.

He joins other coaches at high-profile programs such as

 BRIAN KELLY (LSU), JAMES FRANKLIN (Penn 

State) and BILLY NAPIER (Florida) to get a pink slip 

this year. Freeze’s buyout reportedly will be $15.4 million 

… bringing the total of those excused this year – 11 in all 

--- to more than $180M … and that doesn’t include the 

all-time high of $77M paid JIMBO FISHERby Texas 

A&M.

DID YOU see what happened to JAYDEN DANIELS

 Sunday? Unless you have a strong stomach, don’t bother. 

The Commanders’ QB suffered a horrific elbow injury 

while being tackled. 

Check it out – if you dare. Trying to cushion the fall by 

planting his left fist on the ground ... from the elbow 

down, the arm gives way, turning 180 degrees ... the 

wrong way.

So, naturally, the comparison with ROBERT GRIFFIN 

III, whose short-lived career as Washington QB was cut 

left short by injuries following a brilliant rookie 

campaign, surfaced immediately. You can count on RGIII 

to weigh in himself with more than a few words.

Seattle led 31-7 (en route to 38-14) in the fourth quarter 

when Daniels went down. The burning question for 

Commanders’ coach PAT QUINN was: WHY IN GOD’S 

GOOD GREEN EARTH WAS DANIELS STILL IN THE 

GAME?

ON CNBC’s Squawk Box yesterday morning, the CEO of 

a major betting and gaming company downplayed the 

seriousness of the NBA’s current gambling scandal. Of 

course, he did. The last thing he needs is for bettors to be 

scared off and stop betting.

BY NOW you would think DENNY HAMLIN had 

gotten the message … he isn’t destined to win a 

NASCAR Cup championship. The Chesterfield County 

native once again came oh-so-close Sunday (cliché alert) 

but no cigar.

This time Hamlin dominated, starting on the pole and 

leading 208 of the 319 laps … only to be undone by poor 

pit strategy in the 2025 finale held at Phoenix Raceway.

Taking on four tires with two laps to go in overtime while

 KYLE LARSON settled for two. Hamlin, who entered 

the pits as race leader, left in 10^th. Larson was fifth, 

finished third (to Hamlin’s sixth) and made off with his 

second title.

“You have to feel [badly] for Denny,” said race winner

 RYAN BLANEY, “but that’s racing … and sometimes it 

sucks.”

FINALLY … the non-sports take of the week … Tuesday 

is Election Day … and here we thought it would never 

come. Those endless political commercials, for the most 

part twisting the truth if not downright lies, will drive you 

batty. To think they have spent millions of dollars on that 

junk … that, in many cases, could/should have the 

opposite, from the intended, effect … makes you question 

(even more than usual) the candidates’ smarts, not to 

mention their sanity. Surely both parties could find 

something better to do with the money… like (oh, I don’t 

know) help the really needy and disenfranchised… like 

they’re always bragging they do.

Here’s an idea: For every dollar spent on worthless waste 

of time TV, make them set aside an equal amount for 

good. To be determined … I know, I know. The result 

could be predictable but at least we won’t be burdened 

with non-stop “I’m so-and-so, and I sponsor this 

message."

Yuk, and double yuk.

Until next time ...