Russell Varner's Avatar

Russell Varner

@whyalwaysrv.bsky.social

I used to know sports stats for a living. Now I know them for no good reason. 2x Elon University alum. Dad. Ex-Opta stat guy. Animal lover. Overall nerd, but you’ll catch onto that quickly enough.

520 Followers  |  514 Following  |  1,502 Posts  |  Joined: 28.09.2023  |  1.7568

Latest posts by whyalwaysrv.bsky.social on Bluesky

The NFL will own 10% of ESPN, which licenses its name to a sportsbook.

The NFL will directly profit from sports gambling.

Goodell said in 2017, “We still strongly oppose legalized sports gambling. The integrity of our game is No. 1. We will not compromise on that.”

06.08.2025 01:15 — 👍 74    🔁 24    💬 1    📌 2
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a cartoon character in a yellow raincoat is holding a microphone and says it 's raining sideways .. ALT: a cartoon character in a yellow raincoat is holding a microphone and says it 's raining sideways ..

*opens the door to check the weather*

06.08.2025 11:28 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

The millennial mindset

04.08.2025 20:43 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
04.08.2025 20:30 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

That makes it even more shocking

03.08.2025 20:58 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

TIL Wil Wheaton is an emotionless robot, which is absolutely stunning and saddening to learn.

03.08.2025 20:43 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

I am convinced that the only way to not like the new #Superman is to be a bot.

There is no way any human being walks out of that movie feeling anything but happy and hopeful.

03.08.2025 20:14 — 👍 6    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

That’s amazing! It really is a small world.

03.08.2025 12:30 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

I have no idea, it’s been more than decade since I was there.

But what I would give to know his reaction…

03.08.2025 12:05 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

When I worked at the Hickory Daily Record, I’d add soccer scores or MLS standings to the agate page. The editor at the time never liked it, because he didn’t like soccer and never thought it’d make it in the US.

So I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t watching this like 🐸 ☕️

03.08.2025 12:01 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Video thumbnail

NEW: A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to unfreeze federal funds.

Then the harassment began.

Pizzas sent to his home in the name of Judge Esther Salas’s murdered son, Daniel.

Six credible threats to his life.

More than 400 “vile” calls to his chambers—including this voicemail:

01.08.2025 03:05 — 👍 6505    🔁 3219    💬 404    📌 417

Thank you!

Surprised he didn’t rank higher. TIL

31.07.2025 14:23 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Could you share 2023, just so I could see where Derrick Brown ranks?

31.07.2025 13:47 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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Mint City Soccer Show Soccer Podcast · Updated Biweekly · A Charlotte FC podcast. We love Charlotte. We love soccer. We love Charlotte soccer. Listen for Charlotte FC and MLS news, the history of the beautiful game in C...

🔥 Four straight wins for Charlotte FC heading into Leagues Cup but is it for realz?

We are joined w/ @whyalwaysrv.bsky.social & @vipollman.bsky.social to break it down, including:
⚽️ Zaha’s form
💎 Toklomati’s ceiling
🔁 Transfer window buzz
🎧 Listener Qs answered!
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...

31.07.2025 01:23 — 👍 5    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 1

Alternate headline: Man who unretired after spending a month with his family can’t understand why someone would prioritize family.

30.07.2025 15:58 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Reddit post on r/technology about young people and AI: "I recently heard about a teacher who instead of trying to circumvent students using AI, which is impossible, she made assignments by going "ask ChatGPT to write a report on this subject, and then research how and why it's wrong".

Not only did the students discover that ChatGPT is extremely wrong a lot of the time, it also lead them to realise that they should not use it as a primary source".

Reddit post on r/technology about young people and AI: "I recently heard about a teacher who instead of trying to circumvent students using AI, which is impossible, she made assignments by going "ask ChatGPT to write a report on this subject, and then research how and why it's wrong". Not only did the students discover that ChatGPT is extremely wrong a lot of the time, it also lead them to realise that they should not use it as a primary source".

This is one of the best ideas I've heard in ages.

30.07.2025 06:45 — 👍 5753    🔁 2084    💬 61    📌 141
Episode 162: We back (for realz this time?) | Charlotte FC 2 – Toronto FC 0
YouTube video by Mint City Soccer Show Episode 162: We back (for realz this time?) | Charlotte FC 2 – Toronto FC 0

For those who like visuals better than audio
youtu.be/2_s7oPkmpWE?...

30.07.2025 14:40 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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162. We back (for realz this time?) | Charlotte FC 2 – Toronto FC 0 Podcast Episode · Mint City Soccer Show · 07/30/2025 · 1h 27m

Thanks as always to the guys at the @mintcitysoccershow.com for having me on to talk Charlotte FC’s hot streak, summer plans and more.

I would’ve gone with a play on “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” for an episode title, but that’s just me.
#ForTheCrown

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...

30.07.2025 14:37 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

Good morning.

Don’t let any Eagles fan tell you Cam Newton wasn’t great in 2015.

#KeepPounding

30.07.2025 11:52 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

I’m counting down the seconds until then.

It’s not going well.

28.07.2025 12:31 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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a baby in a green shirt with the word help on it ALT: a baby in a green shirt with the word help on it

Also, on behalf of my wallet

28.07.2025 12:01 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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a man with a beard and mustache is smiling and says not ok ALT: a man with a beard and mustache is smiling and says not ok

Today was the first day dropping both kids off at day care and when did they get this old?

28.07.2025 12:01 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

We do not deserve Ichiro.

28.07.2025 02:20 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
But it might work for us!
YouTube video by Jesse Clark But it might work for us!

youtu.be/Po4adxJxqZk?...

25.07.2025 21:05 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

My toddler when the slightest thing goes wrong

25.07.2025 19:03 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Go ahead and pick that fight with South Park. Matt and Trey are going to have free material for the next foreseeable future, and I'd bet they are laughing their asses off right now brainstorming the next episode. Ask Kanye how well it went for him.

25.07.2025 17:28 — 👍 4    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

People will still turn up to watch him, but for the most part the way MLS has handled Messi being in the league has just annoyed fans of other MLS teams.

25.07.2025 16:41 — 👍 33    🔁 1    💬 2    📌 1

Ahead of tonight's MLS All-Star Game, we've put together a starter pack to help you join the American soccer conversation here on Bluesky! ⚽

Any other accounts we should add? Let us know 👇

23.07.2025 19:06 — 👍 1308    🔁 178    💬 110    📌 43

Messi and Zlatan may not take the MLS All-Star game seriously but Pep Guardiola tried to fight Caleb Porter over it and that’s all that matters

23.07.2025 17:08 — 👍 99    🔁 15    💬 2    📌 0
22.07.2025 20:44 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

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