An OutKick column published Nov. 2, 2026, reviewed several sports stories, including an NFL play, college football attendance and golfer Charley Hull’s appearance in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit content. The column also included the writer’s personal opinions and observations; those views are not independent measurements or established explanations.
The NFL example was a missed sack attempt by Miami Dolphins rookie cornerback Chris Johnson during a game against the New England Patriots. The columnist said Johnson came around unblocked toward quarterback Drake Maye but failed to make the tackle. The writer described it as an unusually conspicuous miss and noted that Johnson had also made a strong play later in the drive. The column criticized officials’ ruling on that later play, saying it should have resulted in a fourth-down stop rather than a first down. It did not provide further detail about the ruling.
The writer also raised concerns about attendance at college football games. The column referred to images of sparsely filled stadiums, including at a Texas Tech-Arizona matchup and at Penn State. Maryland was offered as a case the columnist considered understandable, citing the team’s poor performance and the recent firing of its coach. The source did not give attendance totals, identify the dates of the games shown, or provide comments from schools, fans or conference officials.
As possible reasons for lower crowds, the columnist argued that the expanded playoff structure had weakened the regular season and that frequent player transfers had reduced fans’ connection to teams. The writer also suggested that players at major programs were less connected to local communities. These were presented as the columnist’s theories, not as findings supported by attendance data or interviews. The column also said television ratings remained strong, but did not cite figures or specify a measurement period.
The column highlighted Hull, an LPGA golfer, appearing in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit content while on a boat in Ibiza. It did not provide further details about the content or the timing of its release.
The article additionally showed a video of the WNBA champion Golden State Valkyries receiving what the columnist characterized as a muted crowd response. The writer criticized the audience’s apparent lack of enthusiasm and the public-address announcer’s efforts to encourage louder reactions. No crowd size, audio data, team response or independent account of the event was included.
The piece was a daily sports-and-culture roundup, combining brief sports items with the writer’s commentary. Its claims about attendance, audience reaction and the causes of fan behavior should be understood in that context: the source provided examples and personal judgments, rather than a comprehensive attendance analysis.
