A Frankfort, Illinois, mother accused of killing her 2-year-old son had been discussing the high-profile Lindsay Clancy murder trial with friends just hours before the boy was found dead, court documents allege, and has hired one of Casey Anthony's former attorneys to defend her.

Corie A. Walsh, 38, later told officers she killed her son because she believed he was the "devil" and the "anti-Christ," a petition seeking to deny her pretrial release obtained by Fox 32 in Chicago states.

Walsh has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the death of her son, Barrett Walsh. The filing mentions her interest in the Clancy case but does not allege that it was connected to Barrett’s death.

ILLINOIS MOTHER CHARGED WITH MURDER IN DEATH OF 2-YEAR-OLD SON IN CASE DRAWING COMPARISONS TO LINDSAY CLANCY

Walsh’s attorney, Andrea Lyon, said she was "psychotic" and rejected any connection between her client’s interest in the Clancy case and the alleged killing.

"They are not correlated at all. It’s just accidental," Lyon said, calling speculation that Walsh’s actions were a copycat crime "baseless and cruel."

Court documents show Frankfort police officers were called to a home in the 22700 block of Brook Stone Court just after 4 p.m. Sept. 1 for a report of an injured child.

Upon arrival, officers found a neighbor performing CPR on Barrett after she reportedly discovered the toddler hanging from a basement rafter with his feet off the ground.

SUBURBAN ILLINOIS BOY DIES IN SUSPECTED DOMESTIC HOMICIDE AS NEIGHBORS FEAR ANOTHER LINDSAY CLANCY CASE

The neighbor brought Barrett down, laid him on the floor and attempted CPR while calling 911, later telling police the boy was cold and had no pulse. Barrett was pronounced dead at the scene, and a preliminary autopsy determined he died of asphyxia caused by strangulation, according to the filing.

Walsh’s three other children were unharmed, including an infant who was in the house at the time and two school-aged children who returned home around the time Barrett was found. Her husband was traveling out of state when the incident occurred and flew home that evening.

While officers were at the house, they were directed to an upstairs master bathroom where Walsh was reportedly trying to harm herself.

LINDSAY CLANCY MISTRIAL DECLARED AFTER JURY DEADLOCKS IN KILLINGS OF HER THREE CHILDREN

The petition states Walsh was lying fully dressed in a bathtub surrounded by bloody water while a neighbor held a towel against her left inner thigh. The neighbor told investigators she had disarmed Walsh of a knife and thrown it into a sink.

Police recovered the knife into evidence while documenting cuts on Walsh’s wrists and thighs, court documents state.

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The neighbor told investigators that Walsh asked why she had taken the knife from her because she was trying to kill herself. Walsh then said "Bear" was in the basement – referencing a known nickname for Barrett, the petition notes.

LINDSAY CLANCY DESCRIBED A MALE VOICE ORDERING HER TO ‘KILL HER CHILDREN AND KILL HERSELF’: TESTIMONY

While hospitalized, Walsh made additional statements to investigators describing how she killed the toddler, which prosecutors noted were consistent with the physical evidence.

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Witnesses told investigators Walsh had recently become "very invested" in the Clancy murder trial, which involved a Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three children.

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Walsh allegedly discussed the Clancy case in a group text message with friends as recently as 12:30 p.m. Sept. 1 – roughly three and a half hours before Barrett was found. Her cellphone was recovered from the bathroom, and forensic analysis of the device was ongoing as of Sept. 3.

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Prosecutors are asking a judge to deny Walsh pretrial release, arguing that she poses a real and present threat to her husband and her three surviving children.

Walsh faces three counts of first-degree murder, with prosecutors outlining different legal theories regarding her intent. Because Barrett was 2 years old, a conviction carries a mandatory sentence of 60 to 100 years in prison without the possibility of early release.

Walsh remains hospitalized at Silver Cross Hospital and is expected to be transferred to the Will County Adult Detention Facility once medically released.

ACCUSED NC KILLER MOM PLANS INSANITY DEFENSE — AS RETIRED JUDGE SAYS MORE MAY FOLLOW LINDSAY CLANCY STRATEGY

Walsh’s defense team includes attorney Lyon, who previously represented Anthony. In 2011, Anthony was acquitted in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, whose death remains unsolved. 

A jury found Anthony guilty of lying to law enforcement but not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter or aggravated child abuse.

The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

At a detention hearing Tuesday, a judge denied Walsh’s request for pretrial release to a locked hospital setting. Lyon said the defense was disappointed but would continue investigating the case while Walsh recovers from her wounds.

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Lyon said the defense will argue that Walsh was psychotic and that the charges do not amount to first-degree murder.

"She was psychotic. And this is not a first-degree murder," she told reporters.

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The defense may seek pretrial release again, Lyon said.

The case remains pending in Will County Circuit Court.

An Indiana family farm facing backlash over a massive corn maze honoring Charlie Kirk says it has no regrets about the tribute and would "absolutely" do it again, telling Fox News Digital that critics began hammering the business with one-star reviews almost immediately after the design was unveiled.

Jeremy Goebel, a manager at family-owned Global Farms, said the farm never intended for the maze to be divisive, but wanted to remember Kirk and his advocacy for open debate and free speech.

"Absolutely, we would absolutely do it again," Goebel said. "And although, you know, this is just pushback and negative commentary on us, I don't really feel like it's directed at us. I mean, sure, people are saying. It's about us, but it's really about Charlie. They have the issue with what he stood for."

HOW CHARLIE KIRK INSPIRED HIS MENTOR'S FIGHT TO DEFEND REALITY

The Turning Point USA was assassinated Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University during his "American Comeback Tour."

Goebel said the backlash began the same day the farm announced the maze, with some people, including previous customers, leaving one-star reviews because they opposed the tribute.

BUFFALO MUSIC VENUE BANS DJ AFTER 'WE ARE CHARLIE KIRK' SONG PLAYED IN JEST

"Unfortunately, the first day that we had announced it, people began giving us one-star reviews, even some previous customers, because they posted their photos with their one-star review, simply because they disagreed with the corn maze," Goebel said. "And so we got a message from Google saying that someone had said that we were doing deceptive practices, and so they closed the profile, at least temporarily until we have a chance to appeal it."

For Goebel, the backlash has been hard to understand.

HE FLED COMMUNISM. NOW THIS CALIFORNIA MAYOR IS HONORING CHARLIE KIRK AND REFUSING TO BACK DOWN

"I just think it's very hard to wrap my mind around the fact that there's been so much hate over this, we were just trying to remember a man who lost his life promoting freedom of speech," Goebel said. "I know not everybody agrees with him, and I'm not saying that we agreed with everything, and I'm not saying that we disagreed with everything, but, we just wanted to remember someone who lost their life for the cause of free speech and to get people educated."

But the response has not been all negative, Goebel said.

ERIKA KIRK URGES CONSERVATIVE STUDENTS NOT TO BACK DOWN IN FIRST SCHOOL YEAR SINCE CHARLIE'S ASSASSINATION

"We've received a lot of backlash over the last few days, but especially that first day, the last 24 hours, I would say the majority is positive, actually," Goebel said. "Actually, I've heard from people all over the world, from Cape Town, South Africa, and even Australia, actually, in support of it. So I think it was never intended to be divisive. It was only just to remember Charlie, because obviously he lost his life."

He said the country would do better to listen more to each other.

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"I think part of what makes America great is that we can challenge each other’s ideas and disagree," Goebel told Fox News Digital. "No one side has all the answers, and I think a lot of our best ideas and progress come from people with different perspectives pushing each other to think differently. We probably accomplish more as a society when we’re willing to listen to each other instead of just assuming the other side is wrong."

Fox News Digital reached out to Google for comment.

'Nightcaps' is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday–Friday on OutKick.com.

"The Week 1 college football schedule stinks, the NCAA needs to try a little harder next time!"

Idiot. Goodness, I was an IDIOT Friday. That was my big gripe going into this glorious first weekend of college football.

The schedule wasn't great. On paper, it wasn't.

CLOCK CONTROVERSY ALLOWS MICHIGAN WOLVERINES TO AVOID MASSIVE UPSET AGAINST WESTERN MICHIGAN

Of course, college football games are played on the field, and they never, ever disappoint. Simpletons like myself look at the paper and see "Western Michigan-Michigan" and think we're in for a snoozer.

And then the Big Ten refs slap you across the face and tell you to SNAP OUT OF IT. What a game! What a weekend. And how about the Ole Miss-Louisville shootout from last night?

How lucky are we? How great is college football. Welcome back, old friend. Let's have a season.

Welcome to a Labor Day Nightcaps — the one where Olivia Dunne serves up booze while Lane Kiffin serves up an a–kicking to Clemson and poor Dabo Swinney.

Lordy, what a mismatch.

What else? I've got the Florida Gators reviving a lib-triggering chant, the field for last night's game in Nashville was disgraceful, and how great is the ESPN broadcasting team of Sean McDonough and Greg McIlroy?

I said it last year, and I'll say it again today: If those two are on a call, expect fireworks. Every time. It never fails.

OK, grab you one final summer beer before the unofficial calendar tuns to fall at 12 a.m., and settle in for a special holiday 'Cap!

Look, it's a holiday. You're all (hopefully) grilling/drinking/both right now, and paying very little attention to this class.

Trust me, I don't take it personally.

Because of that, we're gonna keep it short and simple. We all have things to do and more football to watch. Lord knows I do.

So, let's go ahead and get this Labor Day party started with Olivia Dunne returning to her roots and pouring some ice cold Miller Lites for the Tiger faithful before LSU absolutely annihilated Clemson on Saturday:

OutKick pointed this out months ago, but it's worth repeating today: Miller Lite partnering with Livvy Dunne to promote their beer was the smartest move a beer company has made in quite some time.

Look at the Bud Light fiasco from a few years back. I'm pretty sure Bud is still trying to recover. I'm not sure they ever fully will.

Miller saw that, took some notes, used their brains, and decided to bring in Olivia Dunne this year instead. It worked out perfectly with Lane Kiffin going to LSU, too.

Talk about a 1-2 punch!

Speaking of Lane at LSU ... those with good hearing caught this little remark during his halftime interview of Saturday's blowout win against Clemson:

Amazing.

Look, I'm no longer the biggest Lane Kiffin fan. I used to be, but the way he left Ole Miss last fall really turned me away. At this point, the proof is sort of in the pudding.

He will, inevitably, leave things in terrible shape. Tennessee. USC. Oakland. Ole Miss. There will always be drama.

That being said, he's still a #content machine.

Fair is fair, and that was a funny little one-liner at the end. Sure, it's a little silly given he's the one choosing to create all this NFL-college drama, but if his team's gonna go into the locker room up 31-3 at the half, he's welcome to talk all the crap he'd like.

And I'll eat it up.

OK, let's rapid-fire this quick holiday class into a big Labor Day night. First?

You know who is also a #content machine in the world of college football? New Florida coach Jon Sumrall.

Look at what this DEMON brought back to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday:

Goodness, did I miss that song! I grew up going to Gators games during the glory years ('98-2011), and that song was such a banger every time.

For those confused as to why the left deemed it racist ...

The former UF president canceled it back in 2020 because of what he deemed racist imagery and literature from way back in the early 1900s.

That imagery? Black children being used as bait to catch alligators. Yeah, disgusting. Not good.

Also, not at all associated with the Gator Bait chant. Literally no correlation!

"While I know of no evidence of racism associated with our ‘Gator Bait’ cheer at UF sporting events, there is horrific historic racist imagery associated with the phrase," former UF president Kent Fuchs wrote in a letter in June 2020.

Still, he bent the knee because the world went absolutely crazy during that horrible summer, and the Gator Bait chant had been locked away ever since.

Until this past weekend, when the fine folks in Gainesville dusted it off and unleashed it for the first time in six years.

Perfection. Sanity wins again!

Next? How great was Sean McDonough last night? I know Fowler and Herbie get all the shine, but I maintain that any time Sean McDonough is on the call for a college football game, it's destined to be electric:

Sean McDonough, by the way, is the only announcer I can think of who excels in not one, not two, but THREE sports.

He's a great baseball guy. I grew up listening to him call Red Sox games for WEEI, and he still does occasionally during the summer. Amazing.

He's also ESPN's hockey guy, and he nails it.

Obviously, he's done both college and the NFL. Don't forget, he took over for Tirico on Monday Night Football during a pretty down time for ESPN in terms of games. They used to get some pretty awful MNF games. That, of course, changed when Joe Buck and Troy Aikman came in a few years ago.

Weird!

My point? Sean McDonough probably deserves more praise than he gets. I'd put him up there with the best of the best. In terms of college football, there is no one better at the moment.

Frankly, it's not close.

OK, that's it for today. Good start to the week. Let's enjoy some football tonight. And Wednesday. And Thursday. And Friday. And Saturday. And Sunday.

And again, next Monday!

I just hope the fields don't look like this abomination from Tennessee last night:

Where does McDonough rank for you? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.

John Cena’s in-ring career may have come to a close, but WWE star Cody Rhodes is still dealing with him virtually.

Rhodes, Cena and several other WWE stars are a part of a second innovative crossover with Clash of Clans, the beloved mobile game that the "American Nightmare" has been playing for a decade. In this iteration, Rhodes and the rest of the Clash of Clans community are tasked with finding Cena’s base in the game.

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The "Search for Cena" is officially on and lasts through Sept. 30.

"We've got millions of players on Clash of Clans globally, global chat being back to millions of players," Rhodes told OutKick Dropkick hours before Sunday Night’s Main Event. "And when I was in a clan, that was how I got in Clash of Clans in the first place — John Cena on the road, all of us finding a game that we wanted to play and could bond over, and it was Clash. He had the O’Leary Klan (OLK) and he was a pretty good clan leader. He was until he wasn't -- real, real, real tyrant behavior, I would say, from the record-breaking John Cena.

"And now we have the opportunity to get our receipt back, all of us, the entire Clash community, because we can get out there, find his base, raid it, get a three-star 100 on it. But probably the most pinch-yourself thing for me, and so much fun stuff happens working at WWE, so many fun moments and crossovers and things that we do, partnerships and things of this nature, to be able to open the game and see the Clash app logo with me against a barbarian, and then to get in there and see a new barbarian skin like the ‘Barbarian King’ skin, this is the second one, and now he's got the shades on and the music has been added. That's a trip."

Rhodes previously told OutKick Dropkick that it was Cena who first got him into Clash of Clans. He was a part of the OLK before the group booted Cena. Rhodes and others then started the Nicky Clan, which still runs to this day.

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"The American Nightmare" explained that what Cena was doing was akin to going to an NFL game and everyone is only kicking field goals.

"I want to give him his due because he brings us all into the game. He certainly brings us all in. I think he was gemming a great amount — maybe too much gemming going on that not everyone wanted to do that.

"I think he also was notorious for what we'd call the 99% one-star, which is, man, that is not good. That's like going to an NFL football game and them just doing field goals the whole game and nobody actually scoring a touchdown. You got to get the town hall. The fact that you're getting 99% one-stars is bringing the clan down. Very notorious for it, and I'd say pretty hard on the clan in general, but also a good clan leader because he was giving the good troops. He really was. Wasn't as easy back then, but he was giving the good troops."

Cena said in a press release that his rivalry with Rhodes really began in Clash of Clans.

"People think this started in the ring with Cody. It didn’t. It started when I out-raided him in the game and he threw me off his team," Cena said. "Ten years later he still needs help. This time he’s asking millions of you to take on my base. That’s fine. As I have always said - if you want some, come get some."

Rhodes said it’s still a bit surreal to be featured in a game he had been playing for so long.

It’s a little bit different than being in a pro wrestling video game, which most fans expect Rhodes to be in because he’s at the pinnacle of the sport.

Rhodes has his own character as the "Barbarian King," which debuted last year.

"I got a couple of great memories from the fact that I get to do this and the ‘Search for Cena,’ and he's the one who brought us into the game and finding his base. But also, to do the commercial for all this with one of the greatest of all time, that being Shawn Michaels as the wise Clash player, Clash brings us as a group together, and for the guys, some of the OG's, some of the luminaries, some of the legends who don't know Clash," he said.

"Undertaker, for example. I remember texting him right away, ‘Hey, Clash of Clans, Supercell, this amazing company,’ and he's all in on it now, and he's on board, and this is his second time as the ‘Grand Warden.’ So, it's been a really good synergy that I don't think you would have ever expected, right? It doesn't seem like something that would happen. And maybe that's why it's so kind of at a loss for words almost over how cool this collaboration is."

Rhodes is not the only WWE star featured in the game.

Hero characters include Alexa Bliss as "Archer Queen," The Undertaker as "Grand Warden," Iyo Sky as "Royal Champion," Jey Uso as "Minion Prince" and Kane as "Dragon Duke."

Clash of Clans has been downloaded more than 2 billion times and is considered one of the best mobile games of all time.

The White House on Sunday amplified President Donald Trump's call to rebrand New Mexico as "New America," reposting an image from the president's Truth Social account showing the state's name crossed out and replaced with "America."

Trump's original post featured a map of the Southwestern state with the word "Mexico" crossed out in bright red and replaced with "America," effectively depicting it as "New America."

TRUMP RENAMES LAKE ONTARIO ‘LAKE AMERICA’ AMID INTENSIFYING US-CANADA TRADE DISPUTE

The White House later shared the image on its verified X account. Neither post included an explanation or indicated whether it reflected an actual policy proposal.

The post comes just days after Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario "Lake America" for U.S. federal use. The executive order followed a series of tariff disputes between Washington and Ottawa.

Trump said he directed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and the department to update the Geographic Names Information System to reflect the name change. Google and Apple later updated their maps for U.S. users to reflect the change.

MAJORITY OF AMERICANS REJECT TRUMP'S RENAMING OF LAKE ONTARIO TO 'LAKE AMERICA,' POLL FINDS

Trump also signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America" early in his second term.

Unlike lakes and other geographic features that can be renamed for federal use through executive action, a president cannot unilaterally rename a U.S. state. Trump and the White House have not announced any formal effort to change New Mexico's name.

The name "New Mexico" predates the state by centuries. Spanish explorers began using "Nuevo México" in the late 1500s. The territory kept the name after becoming part of the United States in 1848 and later achieved statehood on Jan. 6, 1912.

The White House and the Office of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

Spencer Pratt is taking aim at George Clooney.

The former reality star, who delved into politics this year with a run for mayor of Los Angeles, pulled no punches when he took to social media Friday to criticize Clooney and his wife, Amal.

"$500M net worth George Clooney could’ve permanently housed 8 homeless people for the rest of their lives with the money he spent on a single-use dress for his wife at a 4 hour event," Pratt claimed on X.

SPENCER PRATT'S UNEXPECTED POLITICAL RISE FROM MTV VILLAIN TO KAREN BASS' CHALLENGER

He added, "I will never tolerate a woke scold lecture from these people. Just be an ostentatious celebrity and own it."

Along with his post, he shared a Page Six article detailing a look Amal wore to the Venice Film Festival, where the Clooneys have been spotted several times this week. According to the outlet, she wore a custom look by Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford, as well as a pair of earrings from Cartier that cost $149,000 and a Cartier diamond bracelet that runs for $225,000.

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In addition to walking red carpets in Venice, Clooney has spoken publicly multiple times at the festival, including at the opening night ceremony, when he accepted the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement award.

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During his speech, he said in part, per People, "We’re living through a moment in time where people in charge, the people with the most money, are telling us to fear one another. But we know better than that, don’t we? Because history does teach us a lesson. It teaches us something. The first people that authoritarians tried to shut down are not politicians. They’re journalists who ask questions. They’re the artists who refuse simple answers; the filmmakers, writers, actors, and musicians who insist that someone you never met is deserving of your empathy."

WATCH: DANA PERINO DISSES GEORGE CLOONEY'S ‘SMUG POLITICAL SERMON’

He added, "Stories are always dangerous to people who peddle in fear, the people who are afraid of books and music and stories are never the heroes in history. So, yes, movies don’t stop wars, they don’t lower inflation, they don’t fix elections, but they do something remarkable. They remind us that a stranger is never a stranger, and that he might just be the hero in somebody else’s story."

Ahead of the ceremony, the actor spoke during a press conference, where he touched on the state of politics in the U.S.

"I’m always very optimistic about things," he said, per Deadline. "We’re at a moment in time that’s unfortunate… that’s an understatement. I do believe that we’re going to get through all of this. I’m old enough to have been through 1968 in the States when every city in the United States was set on fire, and we lost Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy in the same year. There was tons of violence. The capital was surrounded with tanks. We’ve had some other difficult times, but this is one of them."

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Going on about the topic, Clooney said, "There’s a great word, kakistocracy, which is a country run by the least qualified people. I think maybe we have a kakistocracy right now, but we’ll get through it, and we will have an election in November that should be a check and balance, and then in 2028, with any luck, we’ll have some restoration into some normalcy."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Clooney for comment on Pratt's criticism.

When reached for comment on Clooney's take on the current administration, a White House spokesperson responded, "Nobody cares."

'Nightcaps' is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday–Friday on OutKick.com.

I know all eyes are on the Commonwealth today (sickening, by the way), but let's all just take a step back for a second and enjoy the simpler things in life.

We're here. An actual college football Friday. Labor Day weekend. One of the most underrated weekends of the entire calendar year.

WEEK ONE UPSET SPECIAL: THESE THREE COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAMS SHOULD BE ON UPSET ALERT THIS WEEKEND

Football last night. Football tonight. And tomorrow. And the next day. And the day AFTER that! But wait, there's more!

After Monday, we take a full 48 hours off before the NFL season kicks off on Wednesday.

Lordy. She's here, and she's just as beautiful as I imagined. How lucky are we? What a blessing.

Let's roll.

Welcome to a Friday Nightcaps — the one where Sophie Cunningham supports the vets like a patriot, and then gets us fired up for football season ... again, like a patriot.

What else? I've got a poor woman getting trucked on the sidelines in Piscataway last night, an absolute UNIT in the high school football ranks, and the Buffaloes were FEELING it after upsetting Georgia Tech.

What a scene!

OK, grab you whatever you'd like on this first Friday of September — dealer's choice today! — and settle in for a Friday 'Cap!

There she is — your Week 1 viewing schedule. It's perfect.

Honestly, though? Not the greatest Week 1 the sport has given us. LSU-Clemson is obviously the headliner tomorrow, but there's not a ton of great games before it.

The early games are a slog (except for North Texas-Indiana on FOX, of course!). The 3:30 hour gives us Baylor-Auburn and Boise State-Oregon, for those pining for the old SEC on CBS theme song.

CLEMSON'S DABO SWINNEY THROWS SHADE AT LANE KIFFIN, LSU OVER BRINGING IN NFL PLAYERS: 'IT'S EMBARRASSING'

Not a ton of competition for LSU-Clemson in the late hour. I don't care, though. It's back. We're back. Thank God.

No more WNBA talk ...

... Unless, of course, it involves Sophie Cunningham!

She leads us off today.

"Spicy Sophie tapping in."

She just refuses to miss. Let's put Sophie in the juror pool up in the Commonwealth and see how things play out!

"It's the start of a new football season. We are hyped. We're excited. We're about to kick some butt this year. Come out, be loud, and show your Mizzou pride."

Sophie gets it. She's just as tired as we are from all the WNBA nonsense. She's ready to get this season started.

PS: Sophie welcomed veterans to Gainbridge Fieldhouse all season? Lordy. Absolute patriot. Between that and the return of college football, the left is in shambles today.

OK, let's keep this class moving right along. It's a Football Friday, after all.

Anyone catch the end of the Colorado-Ga. Tech game last night? I'm not talking about the blocked field goal.

I'm talking about what happened after the blocked field goal:

Look at those maniacs! Big win, and they let the Georgia Tech student section HAVE it. Look at the one player who actually attempts to jump into the stands.

Risky little move. He got swatted away like a bug. Probably for the best. I've seen that movie end poorly far too many times.

Speaking of last night's appetizer, let's rapid-fire this Friday class into our first BIG weekend of the year.

First up? Let's go ahead and check in with the fans up in New Jersey!

Incredible. What a game for the UMass Minutemen! First win over an FBS team since 2023! Do you know how much Rutgers paid for that shellacking?

$1.5 million. It was the second largest paycheck for a LOSS in college football history:

Goodness gracious. The accounts in Piscataway are pulling their hair out today. Just a stunning upset.

That wasn't even my favorite part of the game. Anyone here stick around for the postgame fireworks?!

Amazing. The obvious question is, why not just cancel the show? I don't know. Can you do that? Can you just cancel a fireworks show because the home team lost? I assume you can just roll them over to the next home game, right?

Yikes. Never mind. USC comes to town next. I don't see that first home 'dub coming until Howard the following week.

Put those fireworks on ice, fellas!

Next? Let's get to some reader mail on the way out. I have a loaded mailbox and it needs a good Labor Day cleaning before we start the fall season.

Yesterday, we all mocked Ryan Reynolds for his absolutely baffling comments on how tough the 1980s were to live through ... because of the Cuban Missile Crisis (which ended in the '60s).

I asked y'all if there was any truth to it.

From Jeff D:

As a kid in the 80s , I can’t say that the Cuban Missile Crisis was anywhere at the top of our minds. I do remember a couple of events that were at the top of our minds — the Challenger explosion and baby Jessica being rescued from a well.

Baby Jessica was a crazy story of a little girl falling down a well and eventually being rescued, the event really brought the country together and her rescue was a joyous moment for the country.

All in all, most memories from that period were positive and I’m pretty sure the Cuban Missile Crisis never crossed our minds.

Thanks, Jeff! Would you look at that? A child was in peril in the 1980s and the entire country rallied around her. Weird. Surely that would happen in today's world, right?

... Right?

Next? From Brian S:

Ryan Reynolds went a bit overboard with the hyperbole, but it wasn’t all fun and games in the 80’s. We 80’s kids lived under the cloud of potential nuclear war for much of the decade. There was a TV movie in 1983 called "The Day After" that terrified the nation. Truly.

I think that nuclear war "threat" fed into our, "F–k it, let’s just enjoy ourselves and have a great time" attitude. There was no Cuban Missile Crisis hangover. Vietnam though? Hell yes. Just look at all the movies about that war released during the 80’s.

Now, having said all that, I’d give anything to go back there. You often write, "What a time to be alive." Well the 80’s truly embodied that.

Thanks, Brian! I may have to look up "The Day After" this weekend. Those things always fascinate me.

Finally ... From Eric P:

The 80’s was one of the best decades in history. The best music; Cars still had a little style and nothing woke about sports. Oh, and I managed to hit a 3-pointer to win a game at the buzzer over Mark Langston in an alumni game at my college against a team of Mariners.

This Reynolds idiot was 8-9 years old and there was no strife. Won’t watch his piece of s–t movie on general principles.

Thanks, Eric! I do love the cars from the '80s. One of these day, I want an old 1980s pickup truck. It's a weird dream of mine. Just to drive around town.

One of these days.

STAY "FEARLESS" ON THE GO! TAKE TOMI LAHREN WITH YOU. DOWNLOAD THE TLIF PODCAST NOW!

OK, that's it for today — and this week! It's a High School Football Friday, so let's end class with an absolute UNIT out of Alabama.

See y'all Monday.

Fine. Anymore '80s nostalgia? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.