Idle Thoughts, while waiting for a better launch angle, Giants/Cowboys in Week One and for the next edition of Pete Walker vs. Aaron Boone:

• Dr. Idle, Dr. I to his close friends, can’t go 10 minutes anymore without saying, “that’s the dumbest thing ever.”

Example: The Ubiquitous One, otherwise known as U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, tweeted this the other day:

“This idea that ‘UConn athletics is broke’ is silly. Student athletics is supposed to be part of the academic mission supported by tuition dollars — not some for profit appendage. UConn athletics is no more ‘broke’ than the UConn biology department.”

Really, Senator?

Does the biology department spend tens of millions more than its budget?

Is the biology department running at a $53 million deficit?

Would you care to explain your dismissive wave of a $53 million deficit?

Dr. I understands that neither Murphy nor Sen. Richard Blumenthal can go 10 minutes anymore without appearing on the evening news (or Twitter) with their latest cause. But don’t urinate on our shoes and tell us it’s rain.

• Then there’s our esteemed governor, who has requested a meeting with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Seems Gov. Lamont wants to lure the Arizona Coyotes (who may be leaving the desert) to Hartford.

And where would Gov. Lamont like this new team to play?

It can’t be the 48-year-old barn in downtown Hartford that Lamont has allowed to crumble in the last 10 years.

Straight up: Hartford has little chance here anyway. But the statewide inertia toward fixing the XL Center in the last 10 years has given us zero chance. Nice work.

• Trivia: Name the three pitchers who defeated Ron Guidry in 1978. Many thanks to reader Keith Tomlinson for this one. (Answer below).

• Breaking: The Waterford Speedbowl has been replaced as the region’s No. 1 raceway.

The new place to watch the vroom vrooms is Howard Street in New London, where the impetuous, indignant and intolerant try to go 65 miles per hour. The poor souls exiting delicious Captain Scott’s from Hamilton Street, trying to make a left on Howard, have less of a chance than Custer did.

Beggin’ ya, Mayor Passero: We need a stoplight there.

• In case you missed it: Boston College baseball swept Notre Dame in a split doubleheader Friday. The gutty, gritty Eagles won the nightcap at Fenway Park, thus making it the first time in Dr. I’s life he ever rooted for the home team at the Fens.

Speaking of the Eagles: very proud to see NFA grad Eric Campbell’s number (29) retired on the outfield wall of BC’s on-campus ballpark.

Campbell made the majors after a wonderful career at BC. He was part of Dr. I’s favorite all-time high school baseball team, NFA of 2003, the Class LL champ and No. 1 team in the final poll.

• Dr. I and the guys at coffee in the morning are discussing whether to form our own rock band.

We’re thinking, based on our ages, aches and pains, of calling it “Deep Vein Thrombosis.”

Catchy, right?

• So let Dr. I get this straight:

NBA players are passionate about social justice reform.

Part of social justice reform is to curb gun violence.

And then they all act like they’re in witness protection in the matter of gun-waving Ja Morant.

How consistent.

• Terrific work in Salem, naming the town soccer field after the late Bobby Appleby, who was a soccer giant in the region. Well deserved.

• Congrats to Marvelt Fleurijeune of New London High and Alyssa Lazarou of St. Bernard, recipients of newly created scholarships from the IAABO Eastern Board 8 Basketball Officials. Per a release, the “program is designed to provide a scholarship for up to two student-athletes, one male and one female, who excel as leaders, professionals and display a level of respect for the game of basketball and their peers, while also contributing to their school and community.”

• Note to all you analytics folks:

It’s been a “slider” for 100 years. Not a “sweeper.” A “sweeper” is a position on a soccer field or a guy with a broom.

Is Dr. I clear on this?

• A get-well shout out to the great Glen Hamler, the unofficial Financial Genius of southeastern Connecticut. Glen has been a little under the weather recently. Here’s hoping he’s back at Great Neck CC soon.

• Trivia answer: Mike Caldwell (Milwaukee), Mike Flanagan (Baltimore) and Mike Willis (Toronto).

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro