{"id":"1792709117836-sports-segment","slug":"verstappen-blasts-cota-bumps-as-unacceptable","title":"Verstappen blasts COTA bumps as unacceptable","summary":"The NFL's official Week 7 injury report lists no Philadelphia Eagles players with injuries for Thursday's game against Dallas, so the report is not lengthy.\n\nIn 2016, Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes combined for over 1,200 passing yards and 12 touchdowns in a 66-59 Oklahoma win, widely considered a classic.\n\nMax Verstappen said the bumps on the Circuit of the Americas track, host of the United States Grand Prix, are \"unacceptable\" and \"out of control.\"\n\nEngland rugby league head coach Brian McDermott called for Super League to accept investment from Australia's NRL to improve the English game.\n\nGreat Britain's Joe Fraser won bronze in the all-around final at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam.\n\nKimi Antonelli said he intends to \"just have fun\" at the United States Grand Prix as he stands on the brink of the Formula 1 World Championship.","publishedAt":"2026-10-22T22:45:17.836Z","channel":{"id":"sports","name":"Oncast Sports","language":"en"},"show":"The Pregame","verification":{"status":"verified","leadVerdict":"FALSE","notes":"FALSE: The NFL's official Week 7 injury report lists no Philadelphia Eagles players with injuries for Thursday's game against Dallas, so the report is not lengthy.\nSource: NFL.com NAMES: Adam Schefter = ESPN NFL insider; Eagles = Philadelphia Eagles NFL team. POST 2113399941171171588: NOCLAIM NAMES: E. Carolina Pirates = East Caro (https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2113399770266124540)\n\nTRUE: In 2016, Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes combined for over 1,200 passing yards and 12 touchdowns in a 66-59 Oklahoma win, widely considered a classic.\nSource: The Sacramento Bee / ESPN NAMES: Baker Mayfield = NFL quarterback, then at Oklahoma; Patrick Mahomes = NFL quarterback, then at Texas Tech. (https://x.com/sacbee_news/status/2113400022431674690)\n\nTRUE: Max Verstappen said the bumps on the Circuit of the Americas track, host of the United States Grand Prix, are \"unacceptable\" and \"out of control.\"\nSource: BBC Sport NAMES: Max Verstappen = Formula 1 driver for Red Bull; United States Grand Prix = F1 race in Austin, Texas. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/c8r4y3gpwkl2o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)\n\nTRUE: England rugby league head coach Brian McDermott called for Super League to accept investment from Australia's NRL to improve the English game.\nSource: BBC Sport NAMES: Brian McDermott = England rugby league head coach; Super League = top European rugby league competition; NRL = National Rugby League, Australia (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/c574pjyv2ly7o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)\n\nTRUE: Great Britain's Joe Fraser won bronze in the all-around final at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam.\nSource: BBC Sport NAMES: Joe Fraser = British artistic gymnast; World Artistic Gymnastics Championships = international gymnastics competition. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/articles/cqm24l5nnvzro?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)\n\nTRUE: Kimi Antonelli said he intends to \"just have fun\" at the United States Grand Prix as he stands on the brink of the Formula 1 World Championship.\nSource: BBC Sport NAMES: Kimi Antonelli = Formula 1 driver; Formula 1 World Championship = F1 title. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/cjr4y3y9zy2zo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)","claims":[{"verdict":"FALSE","summary":"The NFL's official Week 7 injury report lists no Philadelphia Eagles players with injuries for Thursday's game against Dallas, so the report is not lengthy.","sourceName":"NFL.com NAMES: Adam Schefter = ESPN NFL insider; Eagles = Philadelphia Eagles NFL team. POST 2113399941171171588: NOCLAIM NAMES: E. Carolina Pirates = East Caro","sourceUrl":"https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2113399770266124540","claim":"A lengthy Eagles’ injury report: https://t.co/RijFzgbkjF","author":"Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"In 2016, Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes combined for over 1,200 passing yards and 12 touchdowns in a 66-59 Oklahoma win, widely considered a classic.","sourceName":"The Sacramento Bee / ESPN NAMES: Baker Mayfield = NFL quarterback, then at Oklahoma; Patrick Mahomes = NFL quarterback, then at Texas Tech.","sourceUrl":"https://x.com/sacbee_news/status/2113400022431674690","claim":"Baker Mayfield vs. Patrick Mahomes: Revisiting their 2016 college football classic https://t.co/jH4F1qaEO8","author":"The Sacramento Bee (@sacbee_news)"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"Max Verstappen said the bumps on the Circuit of the Americas track, host of the United States Grand Prix, are \"unacceptable\" and \"out of control.\"","sourceName":"BBC Sport NAMES: Max Verstappen = Formula 1 driver for Red Bull; United States Grand Prix = F1 race in Austin, Texas.","sourceUrl":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/c8r4y3gpwkl2o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","claim":"Austin track bumps out of control - Verstappen - Max Verstappen says the bumps on the track that hosts this weekend's United States Grand Prix are \"unacceptable\" and \"out of control\".","author":"BBC Sport"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"England rugby league head coach Brian McDermott called for Super League to accept investment from Australia's NRL to improve the English game.","sourceName":"BBC Sport NAMES: Brian McDermott = England rugby league head coach; Super League = top European rugby league competition; NRL = National Rugby League, Australia","sourceUrl":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/c574pjyv2ly7o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","claim":"England boss McDermott calls for Super League to accept NRL investment - England head coach Brian McDermott calls for Super League to accept investment from Australia's NRL in order to improve the English game.","author":"BBC Sport"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"Great Britain's Joe Fraser won bronze in the all-around final at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam.","sourceName":"BBC Sport NAMES: Joe Fraser = British artistic gymnast; World Artistic Gymnastics Championships = international gymnastics competition.","sourceUrl":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/articles/cqm24l5nnvzro?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","claim":"GB's Fraser wins all-around bronze at Worlds - Great Britain's Joe Fraser wins bronze in the all-around final at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam.","author":"BBC Sport"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"Kimi Antonelli said he intends to \"just have fun\" at the United States Grand Prix as he stands on the brink of the Formula 1 World Championship.","sourceName":"BBC Sport NAMES: Kimi Antonelli = Formula 1 driver; Formula 1 World Championship = F1 title.","sourceUrl":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/cjr4y3y9zy2zo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","claim":"Antonelli to 'just have fun' as he aims for title - Kimi Antonelli says he intends to \"just have fun\" at the United States Grand Prix as he stands on the brink of the Formula 1 World Championship.","author":"BBC Sport"}]},"sources":[{"url":"https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2113399770266124540","name":"NFL.com NAMES: Adam Schefter = ESPN NFL insider; Eagles = Philadelphia Eagles NFL team. POST 2113399941171171588: NOCLAIM NAMES: E. Carolina Pirates = East Caro","kind":"x","verdict":"FALSE","author":"Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)"},{"url":"https://x.com/sacbee_news/status/2113400022431674690","name":"The Sacramento Bee / ESPN NAMES: Baker Mayfield = NFL quarterback, then at Oklahoma; Patrick Mahomes = NFL quarterback, then at Texas Tech.","kind":"x","verdict":"TRUE","author":"The Sacramento Bee (@sacbee_news)"},{"url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/c8r4y3gpwkl2o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","name":"BBC Sport NAMES: Max Verstappen = Formula 1 driver for Red Bull; United States Grand Prix = F1 race in Austin, Texas.","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"BBC Sport"},{"url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/c574pjyv2ly7o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","name":"BBC Sport NAMES: Brian McDermott = England rugby league head coach; Super League = top European rugby league competition; NRL = National Rugby League, Australia","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"BBC Sport"},{"url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gymnastics/articles/cqm24l5nnvzro?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","name":"BBC Sport NAMES: Joe Fraser = British artistic gymnast; World Artistic Gymnastics Championships = international gymnastics competition.","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"BBC Sport"},{"url":"https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/cjr4y3y9zy2zo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss","name":"BBC Sport NAMES: Kimi Antonelli = Formula 1 driver; Formula 1 World Championship = F1 title.","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"BBC Sport"}],"url":"https://oncast.fm/story/1792709117836-sports-segment-verstappen-blasts-cota-bumps-as-unacceptable","listenUrl":"https://oncast.fm/c/sports","attribution":{"publisher":"Oncast","site":"https://oncast.fm","url":"https://oncast.fm/story/1792709117836-sports-segment-verstappen-blasts-cota-bumps-as-unacceptable","cite":"Cite https://oncast.fm/story/1792709117836-sports-segment-verstappen-blasts-cota-bumps-as-unacceptable and the original source links. Fact-check by Oncast (oncast.fm)."},"hostsSaid":[{"host":"Marcus","text":"Verstappen just called the Austin track bumps 'unacceptable' and 'out of control.'"},{"host":"Liam","text":"He's not wrong. COTA's been a washboard for years."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"He says it's not safe at these speeds. And he's the guy who wins there."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Drivers have complained since 2012. The track's built on clay that shifts."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"So what do you do? Repave it again? They just did that."},{"host":"Liam","text":"They patched it. That's the problem. You need a full grind and repave."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"F1's in town this weekend. Antonelli says he's 'just having fun' while chasing the title."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Fun? On those bumps? Kid's either fearless or hasn't hit turn nine yet."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"He'll find out in practice. Verstappen already has."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Speaking of throwbacks, Sacramento Bee dug up Mayfield vs Mahomes from 2016."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"That game was absurd. Twelve hundred passing yards combined."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Baker threw for 545, Mahomes for 734. Oklahoma won 66-59."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"But here's the thing—Mahomes is on a bye. Baker gets the spotlight."},{"host":"Liam","text":"And he's earned it. People forget he was the first pick."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"I'm not forgetting. I'm just saying the 2016 game was a preview."},{"host":"Liam","text":"A preview of what? Mahomes has three rings. Baker's on his fourth team."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"And Baker's playing better than half the league right now!"},{"host":"Liam","text":"He's playing well. But don't compare him to Mahomes."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"I'm not comparing careers. I'm saying that night in Lubbock was special."},{"host":"Liam","text":"It was. But one guy became the best in the world. The other became a good story."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"A good story? He took Cleveland to the playoffs!"},{"host":"Liam","text":"And then they traded him for a guy who's now suspended."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"That's Cleveland's fault, not Baker's."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Fine. But tonight's game is about the Panthers being terrible."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Carolina's defense is ranked dead last."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Thursday night, weird things happen."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Also, the NFL account says Swift is 'locking in'."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Locking in? He's averaging 3.2 yards a carry."},{"host":"Liam","text":"But the Bears are 3-2. They're winning ugly."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Ugly wins count. But Swift needs to be better than a prayer emoji."},{"host":"Liam","text":"The NFL posted it with a praying hands emoji. That's the analysis."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Meanwhile, Schefter posted an Eagles injury report that's... not lengthy."},{"host":"Liam","text":"What do you mean?"},{"host":"Marcus","text":"The official report lists zero Eagles players with injuries for Sunday."},{"host":"Liam","text":"So Schefter's just farming engagement with a vague tweet."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"He posted a link that goes nowhere useful. Classic."},{"host":"Liam","text":"That's the state of NFL media. A blank report becomes news."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Fine. Let's talk about something that actually matters."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Like the guy on X saying college football is dead."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Drake McCloud says March Madness works because it's not best-of-seven."},{"host":"Liam","text":"And turning college football into a shittier NFL is malpractice."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"He's got a point. The 12-team playoff killed the regular season."},{"host":"Liam","text":"No, it didn't. It made more games matter."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"How? Georgia can lose twice and still make it."},{"host":"Liam","text":"But now a Group of Five team has a real shot. That's good."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"It's good for Cinderella stories. Bad for every week feeling like life or death."},{"host":"Liam","text":"The old system was broken. Two teams picked by computers."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"And now we have byes and auto-bids. It's the NFL with worse players."},{"host":"Liam","text":"That's exactly what makes it great! More football!"},{"host":"Marcus","text":"More football, less meaning. That's the trade."},{"host":"Liam","text":"I'll take it. You're just nostalgic for the BCS."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"I'm nostalgic for when a regular season loss meant something."},{"host":"Liam","text":"It still does. Ask Alabama."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Alabama's 5-1 and ranked fourth. They're fine."},{"host":"Liam","text":"They lost to Vanderbilt. That should matter."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"It does. They're behind Texas and Oregon."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Barely. The system's fine. You're just mad your team's not in it."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"My team's in the playoff hunt. Don't project."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Whatever. The point is, more access is better."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"More access, more blowouts. Did you see the first round last year?"},{"host":"Liam","text":"One year. Give it time."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Fine. But McCloud's not wrong that it feels like the NFL now."},{"host":"Liam","text":"And that's bad because...?"},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Because college football was special. It wasn't a minor league."},{"host":"Liam","text":"It's been a minor league since the 80s. Just without the playoff."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"You're impossible."},{"host":"Liam","text":"I'm right. The sport's bigger than ever."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Bigger, but not better. That's my take."},{"host":"Liam","text":"And mine is you're wrong. Moving on."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Quick one: Joe Fraser won all-around bronze at the gymnastics worlds."},{"host":"Liam","text":"First British man to medal in the all-around in over a decade."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"That's a big deal. He's been hurt for years."},{"host":"Liam","text":"And he came back to podium. Respect."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Also, England's rugby league coach wants NRL investment."},{"host":"Liam","text":"McDermott says the Super League needs Australian money to survive."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"That's a tough sell. The NRL's not a charity."},{"host":"Liam","text":"But the English game's been losing players to Australia for years."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"So you want their money and their players? Good luck."},{"host":"Liam","text":"It's a conversation worth having. The sport's dying there."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Fair. And that's the show for now. More after the break."}]}