Zach Bigalke (he/him/his)
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zbigalke.bsky.social
Zach Bigalke (he/him/his)
@zbigalke.bsky.social
Husband
Puppy papa
Former pro cook
Unapologetically profane sport historian

Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor
Penn State Kinesiology

Secretary
Society for American Soccer History

Book Review Editor
Sport History Review

NSHOF voter
Pinned
I am publishing the full rankings of all 265 Division I teams here each week, if you wish to see where everyone ranks (and give me shit about where your favorite team landed this week): sites.psu.edu/zbigalke/col...

I'll be updating the rankings each Sunday through the regular season.
So I dusted this off this week and set it up for the 2025 season.

Here's how things rank out after last weekend's games. The ranking uses game results from all games between Division I teams, dropping any games against D-II, D-III, and NAIA competition.

More details in this thread...

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Reposted by Zach Bigalke (he/him/his)
Very curious what the long-term ripple effects of this ICE occupation will be. Many very privileged people have stepped up to prevent their own government from disappearing their non-white neighbors and have now confronted inequalities and social problems they never would have experienced firsthand.
January 17, 2026 at 3:22 PM
The two cavities I had filled each took longer than the extraction. Tooth was already broken and had previously had a crown that sheared off, so it was long overdue to come out. Was a bit out of it yesterday, but not too sore today.
January 17, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Reposted by Zach Bigalke (he/him/his)
crazy that the website that I randomly decided to put together at 10AM yesterday has had over 25k unique visitors in 24 hours.

please keep sharing with your networks.
Stand With Minnesota
A directory of places to give to as Minnesota defends itself from ICE occupation
www.standwithminnesota.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Just had an extraction yesterday, hope yours goes well.

My condolences as well for the passing in your family.
January 17, 2026 at 3:04 PM
Everyone famously knows that, before ChatGPT, films only had a maximum of seven characters per script.
January 17, 2026 at 12:07 PM
They didn't put me on anything stronger than novocaine or whatever they used to numb me up, but I was apparently a bit out of it after that dentist appointment yesterday. Completely forgot to send something out to students.

Well, looks like that deadline is getting extended, since it was my fault!
January 17, 2026 at 12:04 PM
Reposted by Zach Bigalke (he/him/his)
I can't trust politicians who are anti-trans. Not because I'm "only searching for perfection" which is what centrists will be accusing me of for the rest of my life, it's because if you're not pro-trans you'll be garbage on lots of other issues too. Being anti-trans NEVER exists in a vacuum.
January 17, 2026 at 9:42 AM
Yes, the reason the left hates Newsom is because he memes too hard.

Sherman would slap you upside the head for saying something so goddamn stupid and rooted in delusion.
January 17, 2026 at 11:10 AM
Coddled fascists on his podcast, of course! /s
January 17, 2026 at 11:08 AM
Only a chickenshit hiding behind anonymity would think Newsom stands for change.
January 17, 2026 at 11:05 AM
Of a chickenshit like you who hides behind anonymity?

Seems like you're the one who is scared by your very actions, hypocrite.
January 17, 2026 at 11:04 AM
Not sure why you'd support just another MAGA chud bedecked in blue clothing, but the fact that you'd echo the Blue MAGA claim that anyone who would call out Newsom is MAGA explains a shitload about how your mind works.
January 17, 2026 at 11:03 AM
If you think people warning you about Newsom from California are just echoing Trump talking points, you are the most inobservant fucker I've ever met, just saying whatever makes you feel better about your shitty choices in life. Just all-out Blue MAGA brainrot.
January 17, 2026 at 10:57 AM
Bill (and Aaron) just want THEIR fascist in power.
January 17, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Paying someone else to prompt plagiarism machines to make memes for him.

That's the bigot's entire plan.
January 17, 2026 at 10:54 AM
What plan? Mocking Trump on social media & then platforming all of Trump's favorite far-right buddies on his shitty podcast, all while trying to throw the trans community and homeless people under every possible Trumpian bus?!

If you think that's action, you're a gullible rube and a bigot to boot.
January 17, 2026 at 10:49 AM
And that's why the DNC loses... maybe Democrats need to stop trying to out-Republican the GOP and stand on some actual goddamn bedrock principles come election time.

Which means yeeting Newsom out past the Golden Gate and leaving him there.
January 17, 2026 at 10:30 AM
The worst part of a tooth extraction is always the point when you start to get hungry but don't want to put anything in your mouth.
January 17, 2026 at 1:17 AM
This is precisely why I teach sport history -- you cannot divorce sports from the societies that play the games.

And boy, will this be something to teach down the road...
Minneapolis Parks and Recreation has canceled youth sports because ICE is terrorizing our community
January 17, 2026 at 12:52 AM
Reposted by Zach Bigalke (he/him/his)
They are canceling youth sports across the city in Minneapolis this weekend because lawless masked armed federal paramilitaries are targeting the children and families.
Minneapolis Parks and Recreation has canceled youth sports because ICE is terrorizing our community
January 16, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by Zach Bigalke (he/him/his)
If you punch a bully in the mouth, he backs down. If you cower and try to pretend things are ok, he’ll keep taking your lunch money.

Just in case anyone needs to hear this.
January 17, 2026 at 12:20 AM
I love this George Woodbridge interpretation of Andy Griffith's "What it Was, Was Football" in MAD #40 (July 1958, p. 44-47)
January 17, 2026 at 12:38 AM
Just a simple yank.
January 16, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Just had the tooth right below my left eye extracted a few hours ago, and my face, well... it doesn't hurt, per se, but boy does it feel weird as hell.
January 16, 2026 at 6:55 PM
An extraction and a couple of fillings.
January 16, 2026 at 1:17 PM