Doyel: Three columns and a wedding – starring Caitlin Clark, Dave Portnoy and Daniel Jones

Indianapolis Star

20 hours ago

My last few weeks:
Got married. Honeymooned. Came off vacation with two columns in my first four hours back. By dinner time was being attacked on Twitter by those idiots at Barstool Sports.
How you doing?
Let's Mailbagg™!
What does it look like in my IndyStar text message group – free for readers, whether you subscribe or not – when I send a text? (Close to 3,000 people have signed up. Join us at the link below any of my columns, or click that sucker right here.)
It looks like this:
From: Me to the group, Monday morning
Good morning guys. Welcome back! Well, please welcome me back. I return to you after two weeks away as a newly married man (!!), and now I'm ready to write.
I need to tell my boss that I'm writing an unbudgeted column today about the WNBA without Caitlin Clark. I figured I'd do that two-birds, one-stone thing and tell you instead – because he's in our group chat too! As I tell him always: Love my bosses. As I hope I've made clear: Love this group, too.
I'll share the column here first, later today.
From: Me to the group, two hours later
Here it is, peeps, and I had a BLAST writing it. As I wrote:
The Indiana Fever and WNBA TV ratings are surviving without injured Caitlin Clark. Are people clicking that? No?
OK, try this:
'Minnesota man who found car while fishing probably solved 1967 cold case'
My latest:
Doyel: Despite Caitlin Clark's absence, WNBA and Fever are doing well. You click that?
Here came the responses. I see them all. Readers see only what I share with the group.
From: Dan K.
Every case here in Minnesota is a cold case.
Funny, Dan. You know I wrote about actual sports, right? Including Caitlin Clark?
From: David M.
That Minnesota man went missing just 10 months before Caitlin Clark's mom was born. Coincidence?!??
Maybe I should've written about Kelsey Mitchell.
From: Jim G.
I get your point about Kelsey Mitchell, but I would be interested in her numbers without Caitlin last year vs. this year.
Oh that's right – I did write about Kelsey Mitchell! And it's a great question. As I wrote, Mitchell has taken off in Clark's absence this season:
Mitchell in 13 games this season with Clark: 19.2 ppg, 2.2 apg.
Mitchell in 22 games without Clark: 21.3 ppg, 4.1 apg.
As for 2024? I can't do it. Clark (and Mitchell) played all 40 games last season, when Mitchell averaged 19.2 ppg and 1.8 apg. She's a pure scorer with Clark at the point, and but something else when the ball is in her hands more. In six seasons before Clark arrived, Mitchell averaged 16.4 ppg and 3.0 apg.
From: David S.
I've enjoyed being in this group, but have never contributed a text reply until now:
I can't tell you how glad I was to read this column and how you particularly call out the daily flood of clickbait, er, "BREAKING sports news." My browser noted earlier this year my increased interest in the Fever, and for a few weeks or so I took their bait until realizing the chum it is. My refusal to click on their bait for months notwithstanding, they continue to swarm my entire news portal pages.
Online tracking algorithms are awful, maybe even evil, and I don't use that word lightly. And the average person – me, on occasion – falls for it. We get these crap headlines and think, 'Well, it must be true.'
No. It's not.
As for me, I'll keep writing the way I write, occasionally going against the grain not to be contrarian but to be honest, fair and decent. The world needs more honesty, fairness and decency. Let's all do our part.
From: Me to the group again Monday, a few hours later
OK, so I got frisky and wrote a second column. Hey, I've been off for 17 days and am ready to go.
The Department of Homeland Security has turned Speedway, Indiana, into a punch line – the Speedway Slammer, really? – and today IndyCar embraced far-right cretin Dave Portnoy.
Revolting.
My latest:
Doyel: IndyCar hops into bed with Barstool's Dave Portnoy? That's not Penske Perfect
From: Tom B.
My family lives in Nantucket in the summer. Every morning I get coffee and some food at Nantucket Meat & Fish Market when I am in ACK. Every morning, I see Dave Portnoy getting coffee there.
By the way, Roger Penske belongs to my family's golf club in Nantucket. Might be their connection.
That's the three-letter IATA code for Nantucket Memorial Airport? "ACK"?
That's also my reaction to your text, and this whole story. Ack.
Unless there's an airport called UGH.
From: Sandra L.
OMG. I had no idea Roger Penske was far-right. Why can't he stick to business at hand? Thanks for sharing this info.
History will remember whose side everyone chose. That's all I'm saying about this, for now.
From: Sally M.
I've been an IndyCar fan my entire life. I may be boycotting the final two races.
You've chosen wisely.
From: Kris S.
Couldn't agree more, and that's coming from a lifetime Republican.
As I wrote in the column: The problem is not 'conservatives' or 'Republicans.' I've voted that way several times over the years. The problem is the hate being passed off as patriotism, and the blind support for it. And that's all I'm saying about this, for now!
From: Alan M.
I'm a Hoosier-born, lifelong Indy 500 fan (75 years so far). Thanks for your column on IndyCar, Penske, concentration camps and the knuckle-draggers who like them. Thank you very much for opening my eyes to who Penske is. Well, in this country, I should've guessed that a really rich guy is probably a (jerk).
What's baffling is the rush to love rich people because, and only because, they're rich. Nothing else explains the popularity of Elon Musk.
From: Mark P.
I've criticized you in the past for voicing political views, but I agree that politicians should stick to politics. In this case, when politics intersects with sports, I can't blame you for joining the fray. However, in a better world I just wish to God we could keep them apart!
I'd love to write only about sports! I was a lot more popular with readers who don't know me – to know me is to love me (ahem) – before populist politicians began using sports for insincere and nefarious reasons. I could sit it out, like a coward, but won't do it. Can't watch what's happening without writing what I think.
If people don't like it, see ya.
From: David D., Monday at 1 pm
Congrats Gregg!!!
Thanks David! You've been so good to me here, with your texts over the last few … hang on. My phone is pinging again. Just got another text. Let me check it.
From: David D., Monday at 5 pm
We are done. You can delete me. I reread the Portnoy article. You are so far off-base it's ridiculous.
Let me see if I understand: You're choosing Dave Portnoy over me? Deleting you will be my honor.
See ya.
From: Me to the group, Tuesday
Daniel Jones has beaten out Anthony Richardson for the Colts' QB job. That's a disaster for the team in every way.
Jones is a Colts newcomer with a career 24-44-1 record as a starter. Richardson, in Year 3, can't beat him out? That suggests AR5 is a bust. Or the Colts failed him. Or both.
My latest:
Doyel: Daniel Jones over Anthony Richardson? Here comes another franchise overhaul
From: Kekoa C.
I guess the next move is to trade Alec Pierce, since he won't be needed as a deep threat.
And people call me a downer?
From: Jeff D.
The floor for a Colts/Daniel Jones season is 8-9? Yeah, you're still on a honeymoon high.
And I called that last dude a downer?
From: Tim S.
This is my first time reaching out to you. Most times I'm on board, but I have to disagree with you here. With a better offensive line and better receivers, why can't Jones be the second coming of Jared Goff?
Not a bad thought, Tim. Jones has never played with as much talent as RB Jonathan Taylor, TE Tyler Warren and WR's Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and Alec Pierce. If the offensive line holds up, maybe I'm selling him short.
Maybe.
From: Sara S.
Omg thank you for writing that. I watched Daniel Jones' interview and had the exact same reaction about his demeanor. Like how does he act when he's NOT excited about something? Ugh.
Maybe he's inspirational somewhere.
Maybe.
From: Steve B.
You lose the old English teacher in me anytime you sprinkle a jigger of politics with the sports.
What does a jigger of politics have to do with your background as an English teacher? It would be different, I guess, if you taught political science. And anyway, if I'm going to lose an old English teacher, it oughta be for the way I break spelling and grammar rules. When I feel like it. For effect.
From: D. Wright
I put it back in the back.
Wrong number, my friend. But what did you put in the back? Was it dark chocolate? I'll be right over to get it.
Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Threads, or on BlueSky and Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar, or at www.facebook.com/greggdoyelstar. Subscribe to the free weekly Doyel on Demand newsletter.