The Counter with JP Rosales

The Patriots had a 10-point lead, a backup quarterback on the other sideline and a chance to tie the game. Somehow, they still lost.

On today's episode of The Counter, I break down Seattle's wild 13-10 comeback win over New England. Sam Darnold left on the opening possession with a hip injury, Drew Lock came off the bench, Jaxon Smith-Njigba exploded for 122 yards and a touchdown, and A.J. Brown left with an ankle injury. But the story of the night was Drake Maye, who threw three fourth-quarter interceptions, including a brutal game-ending pick in the end zone with New England already in position to potentially force overtime.

Then, we head to Melbourne, Australia, where the 49ers and Rams will play the first regular-season NFL game in Australia. San Francisco still has Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Trent Williams, but Purdy's receiving corps looks very different with Mike Evans, the return of Deebo Samuel and rookie De'Zhaun Stribling. On the other side, Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and Kyren Williams are back for Los Angeles, while Myles Garrett makes his Rams debut. Aaron Donald will not play as the Rams give him additional time to ramp up for his return.

Finally, one year ago today, Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University. I look back at where I was when the news broke, what I witnessed in the days that followed in Arizona, the vigil at Desert Financial Arena and the memorial at State Farm Stadium. I also revisit an unpublished essay I wrote in the immediate aftermath and reflect on how differently I see some of my own words one year later.

A lot can change in a year.

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The NFL is back, and we're opening the New England-Seattle Files.

On today's special deep-dive episode of The Counter, I preview the 2026 NFL season opener between the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.

Seven months after Seattle beat New England 29-13 in Super Bowl LX, Drake Maye gets another shot at Sam Darnold, Mike Vrabel meets Mike Macdonald again, and both teams enter the rematch with some major changes.

But to understand why Patriots-Seahawks has so much history behind it, we're going back nearly 30 years.

We begin in 1997, when Pete Carroll became head coach of the Patriots. From Drew Bledsoe and Carroll's three-year run in Foxborough to Bill Belichick replacing him in 2000, I trace the beginning of the Patriots dynasty, the Mo Lewis hit that opened the door for Tom Brady, and Carroll's move to USC, where Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and a loaded Trojans roster turned Southern California into the center of the college football world.

Then, we head to Seattle. Carroll and general manager John Schneider assemble one of the great roster-building runs in NFL history, drafting Earl Thomas, Golden Tate, Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson before building the Legion of Boom. Along the way, we revisit Brady's first meeting with the new-look Seahawks in 2012, Richard Sherman's infamous "U MAD BRO?" moment and Seattle's demolition of Peyton Manning's record-setting Denver Broncos, 43-8, in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Finally, the two stories collide in Glendale at Super Bowl XLIX. Tom Brady is trying to end a 10-year championship drought. Seattle is trying to become the first repeat champion in a decade. I revisit Chris Matthews' breakout performance, New England's fourth-quarter comeback, Jermaine Kearse's unbelievable catch and the decision at the one-yard line that changed NFL history.

Eleven years later, the coaches are different. The quarterbacks are different. The stars are different.

But the teams have found each other again.

And tonight, the next chapter gets written.

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Week 1 did not disappoint.

On today's episode of The Counter, I break down everything that made the opening weekend of college football one of the most entertaining starts to a season in recent memory. I begin in Tallahassee, where SMU walked into Doak Campbell Stadium at night and defeated Florida State despite committing four turnovers. I explain how the Seminoles forced takeaway after takeaway but managed to score just three points off those extra possessions, why Kevin Jennings deserves more credit than the box score might suggest, and why this SMU team is much better than the one many fans still remember from the 2024 College Football Playoff debate.

From there, we head to Death Valley, where Lane Kiffin and LSU embarrassed Clemson 51-10 before Kiffin once again stole the headlines. We revisit his halftime interview with Holly Rowe, discuss the viral leaked halftime speech that surfaced on Monday, and talk about why Kiffin's relentless coaching style continues to make him one of the most fascinating personalities in college football.

We also take a look at Miami's dominant win over Stanford and why the Hurricanes may actually be even more dangerous this season. Darian Mensah looked outstanding, Malachi Toney reminded everyone why he's one of the best playmakers in the country, and Miami accomplished exactly what elite teams are supposed to do when they're heavily favored on the road.

Elsewhere around college football, we discuss Louisville's heartbreaking loss to Ole Miss and why Jeff Brohm's Cardinals may be much better than their record suggests, Boise State's near-upset of No. 2 Oregon at Autzen Stadium, and why the Broncos proved they belong in the conversation with some of the nation's best teams.

Finally, I wrap things up in Ann Arbor, where Michigan survived Western Michigan in one of the strangest endings of Week 1. We break down Bryce Underwood's difficult afternoon, the controversial final second that was put back on the clock, the game-winning Hail Mary, the Wolverines rushing the field afterward, and why the Big House continues to produce some of the most unforgettable moments in college football history.

Week 1 answered a few questions, but it also created plenty of new ones. If the opening weekend is any indication, this season is going to be an unforgettable ride.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK!

One of the biggest games of opening weekend is taking us to Death Valley. On today's episode of The Counter, I break down Clemson's trip to Baton Rouge for Lane Kiffin's first game as head coach of LSU, the enormous expectations surrounding his arrival and what both teams have to prove under the lights Saturday night.

But to understand what Lane Kiffin is inheriting, I'm going back more than two decades. I revisit how Nick Saban helped build modern LSU into a national powerhouse, from the 2003 championship team that defeated Heisman winner Jason White and Oklahoma to Saban's eventual departure for the NFL.

Then, I enter the absolute chaos of the 2007 college football season, when Les Miles and LSU somehow survived two triple-overtime losses, watched the national championship picture collapse around them and became the first two-loss team to reach and win a BCS National Championship.

From there, I revisit LSU's years battling the dynasty its former coach built at Alabama, including the legendary 9-6 Game of the Century in 2011 and Alabama's revenge in the national championship game. Then comes Ed Orgeron, Joe Burrow and one of the greatest college football teams ever assembled.

Then, I open the Lane Kiffin files. From becoming one of the youngest head coaches in NFL history and his infamous fallout with the Raiders to Tennessee, USC, getting fired at the airport, rebuilding his career under Nick Saban, winning at FAU and eventually turning Ole Miss into a College Football Playoff team, Kiffin's road to LSU has been anything but normal.

Finally, I break down the team Kiffin is taking into Saturday night, including Sam Leavitt, LSU's offensive weapons, Ed Orgeron's return to the program, and the latest ruling in the Dae'Quan Wright eligibility fight.

Ultimately, Saturday night begins a new chapter in one of college football's most fascinating programs. Nick Saban won at LSU. Les Miles won at LSU. Ed Orgeron won at LSU. Can Lane Kiffin become the fourth?

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The NBA has dropped the hammer on the Los Angeles Clippers.

On today's special deep-dive episode of The Counter, I break down the NBA investigation into the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard, the league's findings of salary-cap circumvention, and an enormous punishment that includes a $30 million fine, five forfeited first-round draft picks and a one-year suspension for owner Steve Ballmer. Kawhi has also been ordered to pay $700,000, while multiple Clippers executives and Leonard's former business manager face sanctions of their own.

But to understand why the NBA came down this hard, I'm going back 26 years.

I revisit the bizarre Joe Smith salary-cap scandal that rocked Kevin Garnett's Minnesota Timberwolves in 2000, from Smith turning down a lucrative Sacramento offer to sign in Minnesota for just $1.75 million, to the secret plan involving Bird Rights and a potential future payday worth tens of millions. I then explain how a bitter breakup between agents Eric Fleisher and Andrew Miller helped expose the written agreement, and why commissioner David Stern responded by voiding Smith's contracts, punishing Timberwolves leadership and initially stripping Minnesota of five first-round picks.

Then, we revisit another infamous chapter in Clippers history: Donald Sterling. From the racist recording and the Clippers players' playoff protest to Adam Silver's lifetime ban, the Sterling Family Trust battle and the eventual $2 billion sale of the franchise to Steve Ballmer, we look at how the same commissioner has now overseen two extraordinary disciplinary crises involving two different Clippers owners.

Ultimately, today's question is bigger than one team: How do you punish a billionaire?

Because money can be replaced. Competitive assets can't.

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The United States strikes Iran again, Tyler Robinson is headed to trial in the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and Tiger Woods will be without a driver's license for five years.

On today's episode of The Counter, we begin with the rapidly escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. CENTCOM says American forces targeted Iranian air defenses, radar systems, maritime assets, communications infrastructure and mine-laying capabilities after continued threats to commercial shipping and U.S. forces. Iran has since retaliated again and expanded its attacks across the Gulf, while President Trump warns that another Iranian response could trigger an even larger American attack.

I break down the objective behind the latest U.S. strikes, why Trump's decision not to publicly telegraph the operation matters, and the increasingly difficult question facing Washington: if deterrence isn't stopping Iran from retaliating, where does this escalation end? We also look at Iran's mounting economic pressure, Trump's calls for the Iranian people to rise up, and whether U.S. policy is beginning to move from changing Iran's behavior toward something much larger.

Then, a Utah judge rules that Tyler Robinson will stand trial for aggravated murder in the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Robinson has pleaded not guilty, and the death penalty remains possible if he is convicted. We examine what prosecutors and the defense argued at the preliminary hearing and why political violence cannot become an acceptable response to political disagreement.

Finally, Tiger Woods reaches a plea agreement stemming from his March rollover crash in Florida. Woods pleaded no contest to reckless driving and refusing testing, and his driver's license has now been suspended for five years.

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President Trump says another U.S. response against Iran is coming. Nearly 30 years after Tupac Shakur was murdered in Las Vegas, a jury has convicted Duane Davis. And Lionel Messi is saying goodbye to Argentina.

On today's episode of The Counter, we begin with the renewed escalation between the U.S. and Iran. After American forces struck Iranian rocket launchers near Larak Island and Iran retaliated against U.S. forces in the region, Trump says the United States will respond again. But what is the objective of another strike? And when does military deterrence risk becoming an endless cycle of retaliation?

Then, we go back to September 7, 1996, and reconstruct the night Tupac Shakur was shot in Las Vegas. From the Mike Tyson fight and the MGM Grand altercation involving Orlando Anderson to the white Cadillac that pulled alongside Tupac and Suge Knight later that night, we look at the events prosecutors say led to the killing, and how Davis' own public statements decades later ultimately became central to the case against him.

Finally, Lionel Messi retires from international football at 39. We look back at an extraordinary Argentina career: the heartbreak that led Messi to briefly retire in 2016, his return, two Copa América titles, the 2022 World Cup triumph and one final World Cup run in 2026.

Ten years ago, Messi walked away from Argentina heartbroken.

This time, he walks away fulfilled.

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The military lull between the United States and Iran is over.

On today's episode of The Counter, U.S. forces strike Iranian rocket launcher sites near Larak Island after CENTCOM says the IRGC was preparing to deploy new sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. Iran then retaliates against U.S. forces in Jordan. I break down why the initial American strike happened, what made this operation different, and the biggest question now: can both sides stop before another cycle of retaliation begins?

Then, President Trump announces a massive new oil agreement with Venezuela involving 17 fields and roughly 65 billion barrels of oil potential. As someone with Venezuelan family roots, I look at the deal from both sides: Washington secured extraordinarily favorable terms, but after decades of economic collapse, deteriorating infrastructure and mass migration, how much negotiating leverage did Venezuela really have? And even if billions in new investment arrive, how do you actually rebuild an entire country?

Finally, it was a ridiculous Sunday in sports. Scottie Scheffler comes from three shots behind to win the TOUR Championship at East Lake, Aaron Donald comes out of retirement to rejoin the Rams, Odell Beckham Jr. completes his comeback by making the Giants' initial 53-man roster, and Pete Crow-Armstrong hits FIVE home runs in two days to put himself within striking distance of the 40/40 club.

A loaded Monday to start the week!

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President Trump has officially renamed Lake Ontario “Lake America” for U.S. federal purposes, but what exactly does America gain from doing it?

On today's episode of The Counter, I break down the new executive order, Canada's refusal to recognize the name, the escalating U.S.-Canada trade war behind it, and why I question whether symbolic moves like this actually advance American interests.

Then, the Good Good Golf crisis has gone from a controversial 15-second advertisement to a full-scale corporate collapse. Callaway has terminated its partnership with Good Good, major retailers have pulled merchandise, Good Good has stepped away from its PGA Tour title sponsorship, and Big Break x Good Good has now been canceled. Overnight, Good Good CEO Matt Kendrick also publicly accused Callaway of asking for and approving the original ad before abandoning the company, an allegation that adds another extraordinary layer to an already historic PR disaster.

How does a creator brand rebuild when the problem isn't simply losing views, but losing the trust of the companies that helped build its business?

Finally, we remember Peter Cullen, the legendary voice behind Optimus Prime. From Transformers to Eeyore and even Predator, Cullen's voice reached generations of fans across a remarkable career.

And we end our first full week of The Counter with the philosophy that helped define his most famous character:

“Be strong enough to be gentle.”

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Today on The Counter, we remember Tim Curry, confront another troubling finding about CTE in football, and break down a $17.1 billion settlement that could reshape how teenagers use social media.

Tim Curry has died at the age of 80 after a career that stretched across generations. From The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Clue to Pennywise in It, Home Alone 2 and the voice of Nigel Thornberry, Curry became one of those performers you may have encountered countless times without realizing just how much ground his career covered.

Then, a major new study found that at least roughly one in four former NFL players in a group of 878 deceased players had CTE. I look at what the study actually found, why the often cited 91% figure needs important context, and what the findings mean for football beyond the NFL, including my own experience with helmets and equipment while playing high school football.

Finally, Meta has agreed to a $17.1 billion settlement over allegations involving teen safety on Instagram and Facebook. New restrictions could include daily time limits, nighttime protections, stronger parental controls and other changes to teen accounts. But as social media increasingly becomes a place for news, business and professional communication, is limiting access as simple as limiting entertainment?

Two very different industries. One surprisingly similar question:

How much responsibility does an institution have to protect the people participating in what it created?

New episodes Monday through Friday.

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