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Issue VII – Welcome!
FINALLY – some football 🏈 weather!
Nothing says football season quite like a rainy, 60°F day and chili on the stove. It’s the perfect atmosphere for cozying up on the couch with my heated blanket and laptop to write another issue of Her Sports Desk. 😌
And let me tell you, I’m pretty excited about what’s included in this week’s release!
– jen
In today’s memo:
Meet Carlie Irsay-Gordon
Your World Series prep kit
#InCignettiWeTrust
The NBA Regular Season kicks-off this week
AND MORE!
PS: Be on the look out for an up-and-coming NFL Football Guide!
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DON’T FORGET…
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NFL 🏈
MEET CARLIE IRSAY-GORDON
📸: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Okay, I’m obsessed with her.
She’s not your dad’s owner, and definitely not your typical CEO.
Carlie Irsay-Gordon runs the Indianapolis Colts and does it from the sideline – headset on, call sheet in hand, sharpie ready. After her father Jim Irsay passed in May, the franchise formally shifted to the Irsay sisters, with Carlie stepping in as principal owner & CEO.
But here’s her flex: that headset isn’t for show or for drowning out crowd noice. Irsay-Gordon is actually listening in on game operations to learn the moving parts of a single snap—play calls, substitutions, clock choices—so she can support football ops better the other six days of the week. She also sits in on various meetings throughout the week, just to keep a pulse on where the team’s offensive and defensive coaches are at mentally.
But she’s not new here. In fact, Irsay-Gordon’s been in the building for years, learning about the family business through various positions like internships, VP roles, and league committees, all of which made her transition into the CEO seat pretty seamless.
Critics say her game-day tactics are overbearing, even a little micromanager-y, but the players and coaches seem to love it. It makes the entire organization feel like the CEO is invested to their success, because…well…she is! And it must be working because the Colt’s are having one of their best seasons in a long time!
Week 7 Final Scores
THUR, Oct 16
Cincinnati Bengals (3-4) 33, Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) 31
SUN, Oct 19
North Carolina Panthers (4-3) 13, New York Jets (0-7) 6
Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) 28, Minnesota Vikings (3-3) 22
Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) 31, Las Vegas Raiders (4-2) 0
New England Patriots (5-2) 31, Tennessee Titans (1-6) 13
Cleveland Browns (2-5) 31, Miami Dolphins (1-6) 6
Chicago Bears (4-2) 26, New Orleans Saints (1-6) 14
Los Angeles Rams (5-2) 35, Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) 7
Green Bay Packers (4-1-1) 27, Arizona Cardinals (2-5) 23
Dallas Cowboys (3-3-1) 44, Washington Commanders (3-4) 22
Indianapolis Colts (6-1) 38, Las Angeles Chargers (4-3) 24
Denver Broncos (5-2) 33, New York Giants (2-5) 32
San Francisco (5-2) 20, Atlanta Falcons (3-3) 10
MON, Oct 20
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1) @ Detroit Lions (4-2), 7:00 PM EST, ABC/ESPN
Houston Texans (2-3) @ Seattle Seahawks (4-2), 10:00 PM EST, ABC
Week 7 Byes: Bills & Ravens
A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR
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MLB ⚾️
YOUR AT-HOME WORLD SERIES PREP KIT
First pitch of the World Series is set for Friday, Oct. 24, and I want to make sure you’re ready for a week’s worth of baseball fandom!
Set the vibe.
Games are usually in the evening, so you’ll want to grab your comfy pjs, cozy socks, and favorite blanket! Go ahead and use these next three hours as an excuse for some self-care like a mud mask, red light therapy, and a glass (or bottle…who am I to judge?!) of wine. 🍷
Do a tech check.
FOX will be your broadcasting host, so make sure you have that station save or memorized. Switch your phone to Do Not Disturb and set RECORD in case you fall asleep.
Cheat card (save this).
The World Series is a best-of-7 → first to 4 wins = CHAMPS
9 innings: visitors bat at the top of the inning, home team bats at the bottom
Touch home plate = 1 run. Tied after 9? We go into extra innings!
Play a little BINGO with us!
Download our World Series BINGO card and follow along with the fun! If you get BINGO, snap a photo and tag Her Sports Desk on Insta!
CFB 🏈
IN CIGNETTI, WE TRUST
Late last week, Indiana University head coach Curt Cignetti not only got a H-U-G-E pay raise, he also put those Penn State coaching rumors to rest. Here’s how things went down:
Sun, Oct 12, 2025 — Penn State hits the eject button.
Penn State fires James Franklin after 12 seasons, naming Terry Smith interim. The buyout is massive (>$49M), and the head hunting starts immediately.Mon–Wed, Oct 13–15 — Rumor mill dial turned up to FULL BLAST.
With a hug opening, message boards and columns start listing candidates – Cignetti was naturally floated given IU’s rise over the past two years. Still, local chatter in Indy leaned towards “he isn’t leaving.”Thu, Oct 16 — Indiana slams the door on the rumors.
IU announces a new 8-year contract extension for Cignetti through 2033, averaging $11.6M/year – instantly reframing the “is IU a football school, now?” conversation. (OKKURRR Coach! Get your bag 💰)Sat, Oct 18 — Indiana handled Michigan State 38–13 to hit 7–0 and leap to No. 2 in the AP poll. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza tossed four TDs, the Hoosiers grabbed the Old Brass Spittoon, and Sunday’s AP Poll ballots made it official: IU’s a legit national threat.
So, yeah…I think it’s safe to say Curt Cignetti isn’t going anywhere, and so it’s #InCignettiWeTrust from here on out!
NBA 🏀
ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE?!
📸: Elvin Hasanli
The NBA is BACK…starting tomorrow! Opening Night has Rockets at Thunder (hello, KD in Houston vs. the champs) and Warriors at Lakers on NBC/Peacock.
Here are your top headlines heading into the regular season:
OKC’s encore. The Thunder just won their first title but can the kids run it back with a target on their backs? 🤷🏻♀️
KD in H-Town. Kevin Durant engineered a blockbuster move to the Rockets and recently signed a massive extension.
Luka + LeBron go full send in L.A. Six months after landing in L.A., Luka Dončić signed an extension (through at least 2028) while LeBron picked up his option for Year 23 (!).
New “heave” rule = more buzzer prayers. End-of-quarter launches from 36+ feet in the first three quarters (when a play starts in the backcourt) now count as a team shot, not a player shot.
FANTASY
HOW TO INITIATE A TRADE
Need to trade but afraid you’ll get it wrong? I gotchu!
Find your match:
Look for a team that’s missing what you have extra of. Example: you drafted two strong runners but only need one; they have extra receivers and need a runner.Make a simple, fair offer:
Trade one reliable player + one extra player for one better player at the spot you need help. But do a quick gut check – would you accept this if the roles were reversed? If not, sweeten it a little.Send the message (copy/paste this message):
“Hey! I saw you could use help at running back. I can trade [Player A] and [Player B] for your [Player C]. You’d get steady points each week; I’d fill a need on my team. Totally open to tweaks—who’s off-limits?”If they hesitate:
“No worries—what would make this a yes?” or “Would swapping [Player B] for [Player D] work better?”
Do / Don’t:
Do: solve a problem for both teams and explain the win-win in one sentence.
Don’t: send a low offer just to see if they’ll bite or blast the proposal in group chat before you two decide.
TERMINOLOGY
PLAY ACTION PASS
Play action pass refers to a fake handoff from the QB to the runner to make the defense think it’s a run, except the quarterback actually keeps the ball to throw. The point is to freeze the defenders for a beat—when they step toward the “run,” receivers slip open behind them for a catch. 🏈
