The Sunday Sundown Rundown (formerly in the format of "3 Up and 3 Down") is where I share thoughts on three topics that piqued my interest, along with my favorite photo from the week.
COVID Rehashing
Obviously, Dr. Anthony Fauci was a huge talking point this week. With that, was the rehashing of COVID and everything that came with it... or something like that.
Look, I'm not getting particularly political on Fauci, as it is very easy to fall into one of the dueling political sides on this. My truth is, I'm not educated enough on the reasons why Fauci was called before Congress. And much of the rhetoric and narratives that are out there - on both sides - don't make sense to me. Not the political kind of sense where the narrative fits the talking point of the party, but more so just truth. All of the narratives from every article and opinion section that I've reviewed make no sense in factual and logical terms.
If I had to take a political stance and respond, it would be this: it says so much about the current state of our national politics when we're focused on this rather than on current issues. Insanely disappointing. But you know, midterm elections, so....
The Dodgers and The Rest of Baseball
Mannnn, that Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers alert felt so inevitable. So much so that when it hit, it was just a shake of the head and a toss of the phone. Pshhh whatever!
Look, any other team could have also given up the prospects for Skubal. They didn't. But the bigger picture here is what is looming beyond this 2026 season, and you just know that Owners were secretly high-fiving as they chase a salary cap.
At this point, it has to be the Dodgers vs. the rest of baseball moving toward the World Series, no?
Pro Wrestling Storytelling in 2026
Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins at SummerSlam was a thing of beauty. I had a few more thoughts in my review of SummerSlam weekend.
Reigns and Rollins were a thing of magic, grounded in long-term storytelling. Not rushed. In an age of expanded writing teams, tons of content opportunities and weekly hours of television, I truly wonder if pro wrestling is in a place where it can evolve.
Have we gone through all of the tropes? Are there fresh minds out there?
Without having to "protect the business," what is now possible? And will we allow evolution?
Cover Photo
Revellers in cowboy attire dance to country music during International Cowboy Day celebrations at Ngong racecourse (Nairobi, Kenya). Observed annually on the fourth Saturday of July, International Cowboy Day celebrates the history, culture and enduring legacy of cowboys and cowgirls around the world.
Photograph: Luis Tato/AFP/Getty Images