It seems like you can blink and an entire year goes by sometimes. I remember exactly where I was when the calendar flipped and that was 365 days ago! How bout that! Hope everybody has an enjoyable final day of the year, in today’s Stump we’re going to talk about all of the usual suspects as well as the oh-so-talked-about ‘Meaningless Game’. Thanks for ending the year here with us at The Daily Stump!

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Today’s Trivia🧠

(answer at the bottom of the Stump)

On This Day…

🏈 On this day in 1988, an extremely heavy and dense fog rolls into Soldier Field in Chicago during the second quarter of the Bears vs Eagles NFC Divisional Playoff Game.

The fog cut visibility down to 15-20 yards, making for some of the craziest pictures in NFL history and limiting player sight to almost none. The game is known today as “The Fog Bowl”, and the Bears ended up on top 20-12.

Today’s Stump Story…

🏈 The Meaning Behind the ‘Meaningless Game’?

Scrolling on X, I saw the comment that yesterday’s game was a meaningless game. But what really is a meaningless game?

When you look at the grand scheme of the NFC Playoff picture, there was not much that could happen in yesterday’s game. The 49ers had already been eliminated from playoff contention and the Lions have the table set in their matchup next week against the Vikings (which will be absolute cinema by the way).

So playoff-wise, it didn’t matter, but does that make it meaningless?

I don’t know much, but I do know that the Lions beating the team that beat them in last year’s NFC Championship game meant something. I do know that Ricky Pearsall coming in and playing in his best game as a pro just a year after getting shot meant something. I do know that Brock Purdy going out there with ‘nothing to play for’ to show his team the heart that he has when many people are saying he is not the answer in San Fran meant something. I do know that Dan Campbell keeping his guys out there to assert a certain standard in the fourth quarter meant something.

I mean I do know that thousands and thousands of people were SWEATING their fantasy football Super Bowl last night.

What the hell is a meaningless game? The equipment staff still set up the locker room. The trainers still helped the players with treatment all week. The strength staff still prepared the fellas all week. The event staff still showed up to the stadium because they had to.

There’s no such thing as a meaningless game. There’s no such thing as a meaningless snap. There’s no such thing as a meaningless day.

As we turn the page to 2025, you will hear cliches from us and everywhere about social media about having great days, waking up with juice, and attacking the day with a sense of urgency. Just remember that no day doesn’t matter. No meeting or conversation is a waste. No act of kindness doesn’t go a long way. Nothing is ‘meaningless’.

Appreciate you loyal stump followers for reading to the end of this Stump Story, and here’s to a 2025 filled with MEANING, for all of us!

Quick Hitters

🏈 MNF: Some people will call this a meaningless game…But tell that to every fantasy owner in their Championship SHOWDOWN SWEATING BULLETS! So many players you could’ve had in this contest, and many of them showed up! If you won your league off some Gibbs or Kittle heroics, congrats! High scoring showdown of an NFL Championship rematch from last year. The Lions made sure to avenge their loss a year ago. Lions 40, 49ers 34.

🏈 In the only bowl game yesterday, (19) Missouri faced off against Iowa in the Music City Bowl. After being up 24-14 midway into the third (which is very unlike the Hawkeyes), Iowa ended up allowing three straight scores to the Tigers who ended up winning with game, 27-24! QB Brady Cook and his dual-threat nature helped lead the boys to victory!

🏀 Once again, in case you haven’t been fully locked in, the Cleveland Cavs are a good basketball team! A really good team! Last night they got another defiant road win against the Warriors, 113-95! The backcourt showed up with Garland dropping 25 and D Mitch with 23 of his own! The Cavs now move to an impressive 28-4 while the Warriors have come back to earth and fall to .500 (16-16).

Other News:

• 🏀 Russ makes history with perfect night!

• 🏈 Here are all the playoff scenarios!

• 🏀 Could the Lakers be in the running for another trade? Maybe for a big man?

Top Performers:

• 🏈 Ricky Pearsall (SF): 8 rec, 141 yards, 1 TD

• 🏈 Jared Goff (DET): 303 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT

• 🏈 Jahmyr Gibbs (DET): 117 rush yards, 46 rec yards, 1 TD

• 🏀 Nuggets (NBA): Jokic and Russ EACH with a Triple-Double!

Stump Favorites

🏀 Guess who’s 40th BDAY was yesterday!

🏀 RUSS goes PERFECT!

🏈 This LIONS stat is CRAZY!!

🏈 Joshua Dobbs. Was there ever a doubt?

💯 Full Scoreboards: MLB, Soccer, PGA, NFL, WNBA, NCAAF, NHL

Today’s Slate

*All times are ET*

🏈 NCAAF: ReliaQuest Bowl: Alabama vs Michigan (12:00 PM on CBS) ; Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: Louisville vs Washington (2:00 PM on CBS) ; Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: South Carolina vs Illinois (3:00 PM on ABC) ; Texas Bowl: Texas Bowl: 3:30 PM on ESPN ; Fiesta Bowl: No. 6 Penn State vs No. 3 Boise State (7:30 PM on ESPN)

🏀 NBA: Timberwolves @ Thunder (8:00 PM on NBAtv), full schedule

🏀 NCAAM: West Virginia @ (7) Kansas (2:00 PM), Brown @ (10) Kentucky (2:00 PM on ESPNU), (8) Marquette @ Providence (6:00 PM on FS1), full schedule

🏀 NCAAW: No action for the ladies today, full schedule

🏒 NHL: Stadium Series: Blues @ Blackhawks (5:00 PM on TNT) at Wrigley Field in Chicago, full schedule

Trivia Answer:

D. January 1st, 2024. Alabama and Michigan will meet in college football on the first day of the year and today, the last day of the year! Talk about full-circle moment.

Can’t thank you enough for sticking to the end of this thing we call The Daily Stump. If you know anybody who might want this bit of daily sports news in their life, send them this link, it would go a long way. Appreciate the hell out of you all…

Trees get chopped. Stumps hold strong 💪