ESPN’s new regular “MNF” booth made its regular-season debut last night during Rams-Raiders, and Twitter reviews were more complimentary of analysis coming from Booger McFarland compared to Jason Witten. The Athletic’s Scott Bordow tweeted, “Witten is no Tony Romo in the booth. His comments about Raiders tear down were nonsensical.” SI.com's Robert Klemko: "Witten has been in this game so long he doesn’t realize that 'just hook up and bang it on him' is not a thing normal people understand." Fox Sports Radio's Ben Maller added, "Witten looks very robotic, if [he] played for some other team than Cowboys, he wouldn't be on MNF."

The Athletic's Don Banks: "Booger upstaging Witten, no?" Charlotte-based WJZY-Fox' Erick Weber: "Witten is now just saying things to say things, guy better get better & fast." CBSSports.com's Will Brinson noted, "ESPN's done a really good job incorporating @ESPNBooger as part of the broadcast despite being on the field. Love the insight on the Raiders sideline there. Feels like he's in the booth with the convo." ESPN Radio 102.5 Nashville's Jared Stillman: "Witten's explanation for why Jon Gruden traded Khalil Mack just made absolutely no sense." Awful Announcing's Ben Koo wrote, "Rewinding the game a bit, Witten went almost 4 minutes without saying a single word just now during a period where two timeouts were called but no commercial breaks. That’s not good."

Hurricane Florence is expected to reach the North Carolina/South Carolina coast on Thursday, and some colleges in N.C. "have yet to make a decision on Saturday football games." N.C. State hosts West Virginia, and NCSU coach Dave Doeren said that the "game is still on for now." The school is in "regular communication" with WVU and the ACC. UNC officials "will continue to meet each day to determine a plan of action" ahead of their Saturday matchup with UCF (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 9/11). Coastal Carolina's Saturday home game against Campbell has been "moved up to Wednesday afternoon and relocated to Campbell's campus" in Buies Creek, N.C. (AP, 9/10).

Meanwhile, the Cubs-Nationals game rained out on Sunday is scheduled for a "late afternoon makeup" on Thursday. But the Cubs "should complain" about MLB's decision to play the game in DC with a "potential Category 4 or 5 hurricane bearing down." Switching it to a "day game in Chicago, or even Milwaukee if the Nationals are worried about giving the Cubs home-field advantage, makes much more sense." It is "not unprecedented, and it's obviously doable" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/11).

The Whitecaps, CFL BC Lions and concessionaire Centerplate are offering new in-seat ordering from mobile devices in premium areas at BC Place stadium. The new Ready In-Seat Ordering is being rolled out in 1,300 seats in premium and club areas at the Vancouver stadium. Fans in those sections can scan in a QR code for their seat and order via their smart phones. The effort does not require downloading an app or registration, and food and drinks are delivered directly to fans’ seats.

La Liga said that it has "requested permission" from Spain's national soccer federation to "play a regular-season match" between Girona and FC Barcelona at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 26. Playing in the U.S. is "part of the league's goal of promoting soccer and its brand in other countries." La Liga President Javier Tebas met with Spain's players' association yesterday and "planned to give players a detailed description of the project." La Liga said that a "compensation package has been offered to season-ticket holders of Girona" (AP, 9/11).

The USL formally announced the launch of a new league-wide licensing program aimed at delivering further fan engagement and support by providing more licensed club products in the coming season. The league has tapped veteran licensing exec Stu Crystal to lead the initiative. Crystal had previous stints at MLS and Starter, and he now heads up the Crystal Agency (USL). USL clubs previously "managed their own licensing and merchandise independent from each other and the league." USL "does not have an overarching uniform supplier." USL President Jake Edwards said that clubs had roughly $10M in "retail sales combined last season, an average of roughly $300,000 per team" (SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 9/10 issue).

MLSE and Toronto's Ryerson Univ. today will launch the Future of Sports Lab, a "think tank for innovation." The goal of the FSL is to "create a new sports-business ecosystem, which brings together industry leaders, tech startups, faculty and students, to discover and foster new business solutions and technologies." The goals are "wide-ranging, and could include anything from improving player performances or the fans' experience." The first of "many initiatives for the FSL will be an incubator for tech startups" (GLOBE & MAIL, 9/11).

Financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald is holding its annual Charity Day around the anniversary of 9/11, and several athletes are expected to participate as “ambassadors” and conduct trades over the phone with clients (THE DAILY). Cantor Fitzgerald Chair & CEO Howard Lutnick noted Giants RB Saquon Barkley, Knicks C Enes Kanter and Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist are among the athletes expected to take part today (“Squawk Box,” CNBC, 9/11).

Meanwhile, Mets 3B Todd Frazier, RF Brandon Nimmo and Ps Steven Matz, Corey Oswalt, Paul Sewald and Drew Gagnon yesterday visited the "Yorkville 9" firehouse in N.Y. This is a "tradition for the Mets at this time of year" as players visit a city firehouse that "suffered losses on that fateful day" (NEWSDAY, 9/11).

Cavaliers F Kevin Love appeared on last night’s episode of Comedy Central's “The Daily Show” and talked about his new fashion line in collaboration with Banana Republic. Love said, “It’s very fun to make the collection. It was over, probably, a year and a half of putting this together. There was a lot of leg work and things behind the scenes that went on, but I’m very proud of it and I’m excited for all you guys to see it on September 18th.” Love also discussed the essay he wrote this spring for The Players' Tribune regarding mental health and depression in the NBA, saying it is "great" that athletes are “furthering the conversation” about such an issue (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 9/10).

A "sparse crowd of around 10,000 fans" took in Brad Keselowski's win at the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard yesterday after Sunday's postponement (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/11).

The Cobb County (Ga.) Board of Commissioners today is expected to vote on a settlement with the Braves "over millions in disputed" ballpark costs related to SunTrust Park (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 9/11).

Joe Benigno yesterday returned to WFAN-AM to "co-host the midday show with Evan Roberts, nearly two months after he was placed on leave in the wake of a civil lawsuit that accuses" him of sexual harassment (NEWSDAY, 9/11).

Nonprofit Red Earth tweeted out a leaked photo of the Thunder’s potential new "City Edition" Nike uniforms, and based on the early response, the "new Native American-centric theme will be wildly popular" (OKLAHOMAN, 9/11).

Look what came our way. It appears to be a photo of the Thunder's new "City Edition" uniform for this season, with a Native American influence. Very nice! pic.twitter.com/4iyUKnEalq

— Red Earth (@redearthinc) September 10, 2018

"I would have had a conversation with my dad, and based on that conversation, and conversations, I’ve had with him, I’m pretty sure I would have" -- Fox NFL analyst Michael Strahan, appearing on Ellen DeGeneres' daytime talk show, on if he would take a knee during the anthem if he was still playing (WASHINGTON POST, 9/11).

"They go to a couple games, but these are kids who hopefully grow up supporting the team and having great memories watching the games" -- Penguins C Sidney Crosby, on taking a day before the start of training camp to deliver tickets to season-ticket holders and their families (TRIBLIVE.com, 9/10).

"We’ve had some issues with stuff that’s out of our control, stuff that’s stuck at customs. (We sent) everything early -- our goalie gear is with the league. Our shoes got stuck at customs for almost 10 days. It’s little stuff you shouldn’t have to worry about but it all adds up" -- Flames Head Equipment Manager Mark DePasquale, on the team loading nearly 7,000 pounds of luggage onto a plane bound for Shenzhen, China, for their preseason games against the Bruins (CALGARY HERALD, 9/11).

The San Jose MERCURY NEWS goes with, "How Raiders' Jon Gruden Landed Monday Night ESPN Gig." In '09, ESPN exec Jay Rothman "seized on opportunity" after the Super Bowl-winning coach was fired from the Buccaneers. Gruden "remained there for nine years and 144 broadcasts," as ESPN "essentially provided a lab for Gruden to work in."

Also: 

• Stadiums finally make the cheaper food-attendance boost connection. 
• How Hawks rookie G Trae Young created his own avatar for "NBA 2K19."
• Can the Drone Racing League really take flight?
• Longtime golf writer Jason Sobel on caddying in the BMW Championship.

Roger Goodell is going to be wearing a t-shirt tomorrow with Matt Patricia sporting a clown nose. #jets #lions

— David Lennon (@DPLennon) September 11, 2018

When I saw that it was the Genesis Halftime Show, I was expecting Peter Gabriel or Phil Collins. #LARvsOAK

— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) September 11, 2018

When’s the last time the Jets and Browns both didn’t lose on the same week?

— Geoff Mosher (@GeoffMosherNFL) September 11, 2018

You think you’ve heard it all, and then Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez each tell stories about how they used to dry out minor league infields by pouring gasoline on them and then setting them on fire.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) September 10, 2018

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

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Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “The Southern Hemisphere.”

“To set a record for longest solo journey by kayak, 2,010 miles, Helen Skelton traveled through this nation for a month.”

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “U.S. Open: 50 Years.”

$200: “In 1968, the first Open men’s single winner was this athlete and activist, whose name is now on the Open’s main stadium.”
$400: “In 1973, Miss Court and Mr. Newcombe got $25,000 each as the U.S. Open was the first of this quartet of titles to equalize men’s and women’s prizes.”
$600: “With a powerful style of play, she won the women’s singles in the 1990s, 2000s, and the 20-teens, the only player to do so.”
$800: “The 1990 Open heralded a new all-time great when, at nineteen, he beat Agassi to become the youngest men’s singles champ.”
$1000: “His dominance in the first decade of the 2000s includes an Open era record of five straight titles, losing only two sets in five finals.”

Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah said of Les Moonves stepping down as CBS CEO, “It is just not believable to me that no one else at CBS knew he was doing this for 30 years. Really? No one knew? They’ve got so many detectives working there!” Noah referenced all of CBS’ “NCIS” properties. “They can solve a murder in an hour, but can’t figure out who’s the guy in the hallway with his pants down? Here’s my pitch. They need to start a new one, ‘CSI: CBS.’ That’s where they do all the cases in the building” (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 9/10).

Actress Elle Fanning appeared on NBC’s “Late Night” where host Seth Meyers asked about her athletic family background. Meyers noted that Fanning’s father is a former MLBer, her grandfather a former NFLer and her mother was a tennis player. Fanning: “In school, I played volleyball and basketball, and it wasn’t that thing where I wasn’t good. I was actually very aggressive, so I would get fouled out all the time -- hit people, girls would be bleeding. I don’t even know, but somehow on the other side of the volleyball court, even though there’s a net in between, somehow I made someone bleed.” Meyers: “Fortunately, you chose a better path. Although, the world of professional sports misses your rage, we’re all better off” (“Late Night,” NBC, 9/10).

“What is Brazil?”

Correct responses to the “U.S. Open” category:
$200: “Who is Arthur Ashe?”
$400: “What is the Grand Slam?”
$600: “Who is Serena Williams?”
$800: “Who is Pete Sampras?”
$1000: “Who is Roger Federer?”