Football is like life – it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority. – Vince Lombardi

Welcome to “Thursday Numbers!” In case you’re a first-time visitor, this is the weekly column where I take a look at the numbers that are in the news (in descending order) and provide commentary sometimes sprinkled with sarcasm.

This week’s topics include Nike & Colin Kaepernick, unemployment, NFL regular season, Orioles & Red Sox, John Kyle, Brett Kavanaugh & protestors, September 11, Donald Trump & golf, Tom Brady, Matt Rosendale & the U.S. Constitution, plus much more!

43,000,000

In less than 24 hours since Colin Kaepernick first revealed the Nike spot on Twitter, Nike received more than $43 million worth of media exposure, the vast majority of it neutral to positive, according to Apex Marketing Group. But, the company’s shares fell as much as 3.9 percent in New York Tuesday. (Bloomberg)

Nike and Kaepernick will be OK…

203,000

That’s how many people filed new claims for unemployment last week. (USDOL)

256

Tonight is the first of 256 NFL regular season football games. (CBS Sports)

Enjoy yourself! Remember – we are all undefeated! Go Chiefs!

100

The Baltimore Orioles have lost 99 games, making them the worst team in Major League Baseball (MLB). The Boston Red Sox have won 97 games, making them the best team in MLB. (ESPN)

Which team will make it to 100 first?

76

That’s the age of John Kyle, who was chosen to fill the vacant seat of the late John McCain. Kyle has pledged to serve through this current session of Congress but could stay until a replacement is chosen in November 2020. (LA Times)

Kyle gives the Republicans a reliable vote.

70

Capitol Hill police say they arrested 70 protesters who disrupted Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing on Tuesday. (Politico)

Roll Call reports that 73 people were arrested on Wednesday during the second day of the hearing.

They should let the audience view the hearing via closed-circuit television to prevent people from disrupting it.

17

President Donald Trump will mark the solemn 17th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks by participating in a ceremony at the 9/11 memorial in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, the White House said. First lady Melania Trump will accompany the president to the remembrance in Shanksville. (AP)

Wow…17 years.

6

At least half a dozen people, from Samuel L. Jackson to Alice Cooper to Oscar de la Hoya, have accused Donald Trump of cheating on the golf course in one way or another. (Yahoo Sports)

Oh my, who would have thought that Donald Trump cheats. Now there will be a book about it…

5

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says he would love to play football five more years. Brady turned 41 on August 31. (Yahoo Sports)

Go, Tommy…

2

Montana Republican U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale released a statewide campaign ad in which he confuses Article II of the U.S. Constitution with the Second Amendment.

The Montana Democrats sent Rosendale a pocket Constitution so he can brush up on the U.S. Constitution.

That’s what I like about Montana politics – people help each other…

 

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