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.
2x Elon University alum. Dad. Ex-Opta stat guy. Animal lover. Overall nerd, but you’ll catch onto that quickly enough.
Reposted by Russell Varner
The people in the industry that helped develop, introduce, and popularise this stuff are now being priced out of it.
Losing FBref is going to only further hamper independent soccer media (and industry media too!) because no one can afford a Wyscout or StatsBomb account on a newsletter/blog/podcast salary.
January 20, 2026 at 11:17 PM
The people in the industry that helped develop, introduce, and popularise this stuff are now being priced out of it.
Reposted by Russell Varner
This is bad for everyone except for the money makers at the top. No one can afford these data packages. Absolutely absurd behavior.
January 20, 2026 at 11:21 PM
This is bad for everyone except for the money makers at the top. No one can afford these data packages. Absolutely absurd behavior.
Reposted by Russell Varner
Utterly disastrous news for public access to soccer data and statistics.
www.sports-reference.com/blog/2026/01...
www.sports-reference.com/blog/2026/01...
January 20, 2026 at 10:13 PM
Utterly disastrous news for public access to soccer data and statistics.
www.sports-reference.com/blog/2026/01...
www.sports-reference.com/blog/2026/01...
Reposted by Russell Varner
NFL franchise operate under Game of Thrones rules. If you can't win the Super Bowl, you better win the backroom political battle.
January 19, 2026 at 3:01 PM
NFL franchise operate under Game of Thrones rules. If you can't win the Super Bowl, you better win the backroom political battle.
I’ll give the President this - he finds new ways for the United States of America to become an international embarrassment.
And all this to try to make people forget the Epstein Files.
And all this to try to make people forget the Epstein Files.
January 19, 2026 at 2:21 PM
I’ll give the President this - he finds new ways for the United States of America to become an international embarrassment.
And all this to try to make people forget the Epstein Files.
And all this to try to make people forget the Epstein Files.
Reposted by Russell Varner
the most powerful man on earth is basically one of those guys who repeatedly yells at a sports team's social media account as if the head coach of the team is the one hitting send on every post
NORWAY PM: I HAVE REPEATEDLY CLEARLY EXPLAINED TO TRUMP THAT IT IS AN INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE THAT AWARDS THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
January 19, 2026 at 2:03 PM
the most powerful man on earth is basically one of those guys who repeatedly yells at a sports team's social media account as if the head coach of the team is the one hitting send on every post
Reposted by Russell Varner
People here are outside patrolling their neighborhoods in this, trying to keep their neighbors safe from lawless armed masked goons. Armed with whistles and vests, they are essentially fighting a war against their own government and its ethnic cleansing campaign.
January 19, 2026 at 12:43 PM
People here are outside patrolling their neighborhoods in this, trying to keep their neighbors safe from lawless armed masked goons. Armed with whistles and vests, they are essentially fighting a war against their own government and its ethnic cleansing campaign.
Reposted by Russell Varner
low taxes are a public health menace
Gabriel Zucman on the shocking concentration of extreme wealth in the United States….
gzucman.substack.com?r=nle0&utm_c...
gzucman.substack.com?r=nle0&utm_c...
January 19, 2026 at 12:54 PM
low taxes are a public health menace
Reposted by Russell Varner
Quite a quote from Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair, who was asked about his STOP THE GENOCIDE eye black after today’s game
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
January 19, 2026 at 4:13 AM
Quite a quote from Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair, who was asked about his STOP THE GENOCIDE eye black after today’s game
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
Reposted by Russell Varner
Dear Sports,
Thank you for taking my mind off Politics for just a couple of hours. Now back to the real battle at hand…
And release the Epstein files, cowards!
Love,
Lisa
Thank you for taking my mind off Politics for just a couple of hours. Now back to the real battle at hand…
And release the Epstein files, cowards!
Love,
Lisa
January 19, 2026 at 3:10 AM
Dear Sports,
Thank you for taking my mind off Politics for just a couple of hours. Now back to the real battle at hand…
And release the Epstein files, cowards!
Love,
Lisa
Thank you for taking my mind off Politics for just a couple of hours. Now back to the real battle at hand…
And release the Epstein files, cowards!
Love,
Lisa
Reposted by Russell Varner
Probably the most precise moment we’ve ever been able to collectively pinpoint from the other side of the world that a Pope is cussing
January 19, 2026 at 3:05 AM
Probably the most precise moment we’ve ever been able to collectively pinpoint from the other side of the world that a Pope is cussing
Even Tim Tebow looking at Caleb Williams like “dude what”
January 19, 2026 at 2:39 AM
Even Tim Tebow looking at Caleb Williams like “dude what”
Reposted by Russell Varner
To catch everyone up: Senegal had the ball in the net but called off which was questionable, Morocco get a softttt penalty so Senegal protest to the point of leaving the pitch, finally come back & Diaz does the worst attempt at a panenka that Mendy saves after talking shit directly in his ear first
AFCONbelievable
The Paneka miss for Morocco
The Paneka miss for Morocco
January 18, 2026 at 9:25 PM
To catch everyone up: Senegal had the ball in the net but called off which was questionable, Morocco get a softttt penalty so Senegal protest to the point of leaving the pitch, finally come back & Diaz does the worst attempt at a panenka that Mendy saves after talking shit directly in his ear first
Reposted by Russell Varner
AFCON out-Concacf'ing Concacaf.
January 18, 2026 at 9:16 PM
AFCON out-Concacf'ing Concacaf.
STOP WATCHING CJ STROUD BE BAD AT FOOTBALL AND WATCH THE AFCON FINAL INSTEAD
After all that, Morocco's Brahim Diaz tries a Panenka with the penalty kick, and Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy stands his ground and catches the ball with ease.
January 18, 2026 at 9:19 PM
STOP WATCHING CJ STROUD BE BAD AT FOOTBALL AND WATCH THE AFCON FINAL INSTEAD
Look, the NFL Playoffs are great and all but we HAVE to talk about the AFCON Final right now because PLAYERS ARE WALKING OFF THE FIELD BECAUSE THEY DISAGREE WITH A GAME-DECIDING CALL THE DRAMA IS IMPECCABLE
January 18, 2026 at 9:11 PM
Look, the NFL Playoffs are great and all but we HAVE to talk about the AFCON Final right now because PLAYERS ARE WALKING OFF THE FIELD BECAUSE THEY DISAGREE WITH A GAME-DECIDING CALL THE DRAMA IS IMPECCABLE
I need a video of the AFCON penalty, please and thank you.
January 18, 2026 at 9:07 PM
I need a video of the AFCON penalty, please and thank you.
Reposted by Russell Varner
This is such a cool illustration of how the Mercator map distorts the size of Greenland, which looks as big as the whole continent of Africa on that map but is actually the size of Mexico.
January 18, 2026 at 7:43 PM
This is such a cool illustration of how the Mercator map distorts the size of Greenland, which looks as big as the whole continent of Africa on that map but is actually the size of Mexico.
Reposted by Russell Varner
this is the same message without the ambiguity of "abolish" on what the next steps are
Arizona’s @gallego.senate.gov : "I think ICE needs to be totally torn down… People want immigration enforcement that goes after criminals, not the goon squad that has come from Stephen Miller and Trump."
January 18, 2026 at 5:29 PM
this is the same message without the ambiguity of "abolish" on what the next steps are
Reposted by Russell Varner
The committee should put the Bills in by the laws of Jordan Travis.
BREAKING: Bo Nix will miss the rest of the season after suffering a broken bone in his ankle on the second-to-last play of the game, coach Sean Payton said.
January 18, 2026 at 2:31 AM
The committee should put the Bills in by the laws of Jordan Travis.
Reposted by Russell Varner
People who caught it:
3. Dez
2. Brandin Cooks
1. Jerricho Cotchery
3. Dez
2. Brandin Cooks
1. Jerricho Cotchery
January 18, 2026 at 1:54 PM
People who caught it:
3. Dez
2. Brandin Cooks
1. Jerricho Cotchery
3. Dez
2. Brandin Cooks
1. Jerricho Cotchery
Reposted by Russell Varner
treating a man who is angry that occupiers are murdering his citizens like he's committed some kind of grave dishonor while the President Of The United States is flipping the bird to regular Americans and telling them to go fuck themselves
KARL: In the hours after the shooting of Renee Good, you went on national TV and said to ICE, 'get the F out of Minneapolis.' Do you regret that language? That doesn't sound like turning the temperature down
JACOB FREY: I don't regret it at all. If I seemed like I was angry and frustrated, I was.
JACOB FREY: I don't regret it at all. If I seemed like I was angry and frustrated, I was.
January 18, 2026 at 4:41 PM
treating a man who is angry that occupiers are murdering his citizens like he's committed some kind of grave dishonor while the President Of The United States is flipping the bird to regular Americans and telling them to go fuck themselves
I watched a replay of the last few minutes of the Panthers-Rams this morning, just to hear the crowd again.
It does my soul good to know BofA can still get that loud for a Panthers game. #KeepPounding
It does my soul good to know BofA can still get that loud for a Panthers game. #KeepPounding
a man in a suit and tie is making a sad face in front of a window with blinds .
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is making a sad face in front of a window with blinds .
media.tenor.com
January 18, 2026 at 3:58 PM
I watched a replay of the last few minutes of the Panthers-Rams this morning, just to hear the crowd again.
It does my soul good to know BofA can still get that loud for a Panthers game. #KeepPounding
It does my soul good to know BofA can still get that loud for a Panthers game. #KeepPounding
Reposted by Russell Varner
The images and stories coming out of Minneapolis are extraordinary. We can't say we did not know what was happening. Lots of people are putting their bodies on the line to make sure we do.
January 17, 2026 at 2:20 PM
The images and stories coming out of Minneapolis are extraordinary. We can't say we did not know what was happening. Lots of people are putting their bodies on the line to make sure we do.
I am genuinely curious to see how the USMNT fan boys will react if/when Patrick Agyemang gets another call-up.
January 17, 2026 at 7:01 PM
I am genuinely curious to see how the USMNT fan boys will react if/when Patrick Agyemang gets another call-up.