Funny is the seasoning. Accurate is the roux.
How we label stories, name sources, fix mistakes, handle sponsors and make our cartoons.
The four story labels
Every news item and opinion on Gridiron Gumbo carries one of these labels:
CONFIRMED Official source. The school, the SEC, the coach or the player said it on the record, or it’s in an official release or report.
REPORTED Named outlet. An established outlet reported it, and we name and link that outlet. It isn’t official yet.
RUMOR Unconfirmed. Anonymous, single-source or social-media chatter. A rumor stays a rumor until a school, the league or the person involved confirms it.
TAKE Our opinion. Grades, rankings, picks, columns and jokes. Strong takes, clearly marked as takes.
Sourcing
- Name the source. We link the school, the coach or the outlet that broke the story. No source, no post.
- Credit who broke it. If another outlet got it first, we say so and link them.
- Date and time it. News items carry the date and time (CT) they were posted or last updated.
- Upgrade labels in public. When a RUMOR is confirmed, we change the label and note the update. When it falls apart, we say that too.
How we fix mistakes
We fix errors in public. We never quietly delete them.
- We correct the post as soon as we confirm the error.
- We add a dated Correction note at the top or bottom of the post. It says what was wrong and what’s right now.
- Pick Tracker and record mistakes are fixed and noted the same way. Locked picks are never edited after the fact.
- Small fixes like typos and broken links may be made without a note. Anything that changes a fact, a score, a quote, a record or a label gets a note.
Spot something wrong? Email thegridirongumbo@gmail.com or use the Contact page.
Readers can also use our short Report an error form; the “Spot an error? Report it” link sits at the bottom of every story and on each scoreboard game card.
Example: “Correction (Oct. 15, 2026): An earlier version of this post listed the wrong kickoff time. It is 2:30 PM CT.”
Sponsors and paid posts
- No paid post, paid mention or sponsored reel runs without a clear SPONSORED label.
- Sponsors can’t buy picks, grades, rankings or coverage, and they can’t change a story.
- Affiliate links, if we use them, will be disclosed.
- Alcohol and betting-related sponsors follow age and state rules. Any picks content stays “for entertainment only, not betting advice.”
About our cartoon art
The 3D cartoons on Gridiron Gumbo are AI-assisted illustrations. That includes the T-Rohn avatar, the critters in team colors and our graphics. They’re made for humor and commentary. They’re not photos, and they don’t show real events. We don’t make realistic fake images of real people, and we don’t use cartoons to present something false as fact. Team colors and mascot-style critters are used for commentary and parody, and we’re not affiliated with any school or the SEC.
Respect for players
We roast decisions, play-calling, refs and fanbases. We don’t mock players: not their looks, their families, their injuries or their personal lives. Most of them are college kids. We criticize play on the field, fairly. Injury news is reported only from official or named sources, without jokes at the player’s expense. Same goes for recruits and high school athletes.
Our lean, out loud
T-Rohn leans Mississippi State and says so up front (see About). State gets graded by the same rules as everybody else.
More from the kitchen: How We Make Picks and Grades · Corrections and Ethics · Gumbo Pick Tracker · Contact