Everything Is Okay

This is a spinoff of The Commish's recent post regarding Thee Ohio State football players getting caught selling their merchandise. When I first saw the report, via ESPN, I was so excited. Of course I only read the initial introduction line stating 5 Ohio State players suspended for the first five games next season. Then I saw who the players were, including Pryor, and I got even more excited. Then I read the whole article and my excitement changed to deranged, out loud laughter. I even threw out a What the Fuck???

It is beyond comprehension, at least mine, that the NCAA has the audacity to assume American college football fans are stupid enough to stomach their absurd punishment and their reasoning for same. Thank God our justice system, however screwed up it is sometimes, doesn't dole out punishment like the NCAA does. Personally I think those convicted of crimes should be allowed to take a 6 month vacation before actually going to prison... NOT!!!

Just like everything else in America. Those in charge, the leading authorities of whatever, think they are so much smarter and that us Peons don't know any better and will just take in the face. I think it is flat out insulting and a slap in the face that the NCAA would even attempt to try and come up with some half ass reason as to why these 5 guys can play in the Sugar Bowl. These guys should Not be playing in the Sugar Bowl more than they should not be playing next season. They were caught for selling bowl game stuff and the NCAA is letting them play in another one? Let's just give the recovering crack addict some more crack for Christmas.

Now the NCAA says that $$$$$ is not the reason why and that playing in a bowl game is separate from regular season NCAA games. They also insinuate that they do not have the authority to impede these guys from playing in bowl game because it is separate from regular NCAA play. I'm sure USC may have a different take on that being they were banned (by who) from bowl game play for 2 years.

With all this being said, I am happy to report, with the help of ESPN, that my frustrations and dismay are no longer. Finally someone has stepped up to the plate and circumvented the NCAA and their terrible handling of this whole incident.

Luckily for us their is someone out there with honor, integrity, and a cardigan sweater made of justice. Thank you Coach Jim Tressel for holding your players accountable and making sure they do the right thing.

Today I am proud to report that Coach Tressel has made his 5 players verbally pledge to him that they Will return to play next season. I am proud to report that these players have pledged to Coach Tressel that they Will return next season. I am proud to report that Coach Tressel is now allowing them to play in the Sugar Bowl as a result of their verbal pledge. Apparently Coach Tressel did not feel it was fair that these players would play in the Sugar Bowl and then leave for the NFL.

Way to go Coach Tressel!!! Just when I thought someone, or some entity, could not be more stupid then the NCAA, you step up and really slap us in the face. I'm sure your verbal pledges are legally binding and you (and the university) would have a legal leg to stand on if one of these players tried to back out after the bowl game and go to the NFL. Good luck with that one in court.

I wonder if all the other underclassmen, who are NFL eligible, had to make the same pledge in order to play in the Sugar Bowl?

What a Joke

Disagree with the NCAA and with Ohio St players

Recently 5 Ohio St. Players, including starting QB Terrell Pryor, were brought up on charges for selling items given to them by the university. The resulting punishment by the NCAA is suspension for the first 5 games of next year's season. However, they can play in this year's Sugar Bowl.  Agree or Disagree?

Specifically, the players sold such items as jersey's, cleats, other uniform parts, Big Ten championship rings, bowl game awards, etc...  Money ranged up to $1,000 and even a trade for free tattoos.  As a result, the NCAA decided to punish for these actions.

Here's some issues with this:

1. Follow the $....if the offenses are so bad then why does the NCAA allow them to play in this year's Sugar Bowl? Why? Because these are 5 starters, a QB, running back, receiver, linebacker. Bowl Games are huge $ for the NCAA and the university playing. Out of the first 5 games next year for OSU, the toughest is an away game at Miami.    The other include such names a Akron and Toledo.

2. What a slap in the face if you're a coach! Players selling their Big Ten championship rings....wow....again, it's clear the games mean more to the coaches than to the players.  The rumors have it that Terell Pryor is a primadonna and Jim Tressel really won't be sad to se him go.

3. The players said they didn't know they couldn't sell these items.  I sort of believe this, but with all the things the NCAA does how can you not suspect you'll get in trouble for selling jerseys and bowl game awards.  The other argument is that these items were given to the players so why shouldn't they be allowed to sell? They are possessions of the player.....

4. Cam Newton is cleared by the NCAA even though his dad admits he tried to extort $150,000 out of Miss. St. in order to get his son.  Of course Cam "claims" he had no idea what his dad did.  Surrreeeeeeeee....i believe he and his dad neeeeever discussed this. And Cam claims he and his dad are very close....

Don't Believe The Hype....ESPN u bunch of p-ssies!

Oh my gosh!  What did mankind do for thousands of years until dome stadiums were invented?   Did the eskimos not play any games while it snowed? Didn't the Packers and Bears play outside during the 40's, 50's ....oh and still today?   In the early days of the NFL there was a team in Duluth, Minnesota....did they play in somebodies garage?

To recall an old favorite....GIVE ME A BREAK ESPN AND MIKE TIRICO!   When the Vikings were feared...when the defense was called "The Purple People Eaters"....when they went to 4 Super Bowls....they played outside.....and , yes, in Minnesota!   Guess what...it was cold then too!  Mike Tirico couldn't stop mentioning the cold, the weather, at one point he called the field a "skating rink"  (Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall seeing anybody slipping?)  Of course, according to Tirico, Brett Favre was injured because his head hit the frozen tundra (forget he had a 300lb dude slamming him to the ground and fallen on top of him).....A Vike D-Back was injured trying to make a tackle. According to Tirico it too was the frozen ground causing a head injury (had nothin to do with Bears Forte lowering his head and jamming his right knee into the guy's head)

In the 70's when Bud Grant coached the Vikes he used the elements.  He would not allow heaters on the sidelines. No special equipment.....no heating coils under the field......

God help us if the Chinese ever attack us....it better be during the summer or agree to a conflict inside.

Nut Suckers

1) I DO NOT like Tom Brady nor do I like the New England Patriots.

2) I DO respect the Patriots and I know they are a very good football team. I also know that Tom Brady is an outstanding QB that ranks at the top of the list with the best of all time.

With that being said, could the ball tonguing media please stop sucking Tom Brady's nuts.

Last night (early Monday morning) I was listening to ESPN Radio which was recapping Sunday's games. Don't know which program it was. Pick any. Fill in the blanks. They all say the same thing...

Look at what Tom Brady did/does and look at what he did/does it with (meaning his average at best receiving crew).

Yes... the Patriots do not have the big name receivers. Sure they have guys who are not considered "elite" receivers but give me a break... this is the NFL.

I guess I am supposed to believe that the Patriots' receivers possess no receiving ability at all? That they cannot run routes, they can not catch, nor can they put on their helmet and shoulder pads without Tom Brady's help?

I guess I am to believe that when Tom Brady gets the snap the receivers magically run their routes as if Tom was manipulating them like marionette puppets? That when he throws the ball to his receivers the ball has some magical power (conjured up by Tom) that allows the ball to stick to his receivers hands after Tom so precisely places ball on their hands?

I guess its possible. It's Tom Brady.

Can the all knowing media maybe give his receivers some credit. Could they acknowledge that these guys have played football just as long as Tom, if not longer? Could it be that his receivers actually have the ability to run routes, catch passes, and score touchdowns? I guess it's possible.

There are roughly 1000 college football teams in the country if one counts D1A, D1AA, D2, D3, and Junior College teams. Lets say that each team has roughly 15 receivers, counting TE, on their roster. That is 15000 college football players who are available to catch passes in the NFL, and we aren't even counting RB who participate in the passing game.

Now... out of those 15000 eligible candidates, roughly 480 play a receiving position in the NFL. That's less than 1% for us non math majors.

I think it's safe to say that the NFL, even the Patriots, are getting the best of the best, the cream of the crop, when it comes to their receiving corps. Sure... some are better than others but aren't these guys the best? This is the NFL, right??

I hate the bitch, but how come Tony Romo isn't getting his Brady Balls licked too for making D3 player Miles (I hate the bitch too) Austin so good? Or did he??? Maybe Miles is just good?

Give these guys some credit media nut suckers. Tom Brady is good, even very good, ok... great, but how many Superbowl rings would he have if it were not for Adam Vinatieri? A KICKER

Lets Talk Some Baseball

The long awaited winter meetings have wrapped up and the clear winner is the Red Sox. They walk away with Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. All I can say is wow, that is going to be some lineup. They now will have have 4 guys in the prime of their career in that lineup with Pedroia, Yuk, Gonzalez, and Crawford. Sprinkle in a healthy Ellsbury, Drew, and Papi and man, that it is one lineup that is going to be hell to deal with. Unlike the Yankees, all of their core long term players will be in their late 20's - early 30's with perhaps their best years ahead. To me, if this team stays healthy they will be the favorites in the American league next year.

As far as my beloved Orioles go, I have to say that I like the deals they made. They aquired two players and lost little. Hernandez may end up being a stud, but only if he develops a good secondary pitch. He should do well in the division he is in. I hope "Dandy Andy" (credit Mass for the nickname) can fill the void at first and add a veteran starter along with a few arms for the bullpen and the Orioles could have an decent product on the field. If only they were not in the AL East.

Going back to the heated debate that went on last year with the Commish, which team now has more promise, the Nats or the O's. The Nats have just wasted 130 plus million on Jayson Werth who I will go on record now and say this, during his time with the Nats, he will never hit more than 30 hr's, never bat above .300, and maybe one year out of 7 he will knock in 100. They would have been better off to cut the deal in half and keep Dunn. Steven the Great is out for the year and they think so highly of their good young SS Ian Desmond that they were open to trading him this winter. So Commish, do you still feel the same way about the Nat's?

IS it just me or is anybody else embarrassed when the "Shake Weight" commercial comes on?  Especially when the dude is grunting and making faces while the dumbass barbell is going back and forth......

just wondering

Some observations from the NFL season thus far

I just got done watching the Colts lose to America's team, the fighting Jerry Jones'. As a fan of the Colts, this season has been a while coming. I have never seen Peyton Manning force so many throws in his career. As is stands right now, I doubt they make the payoffs and that may be whats needed for the great Bill Pollian to open up his eyes and fix this team. I know alot of players are injured, but the offefensive line sucks and they couldn't rush for 100 yards against a high school team. Every offensive lineman is let go, and gets his position filled by some cheap undrafted free agent. The defense can't stop the run, and have not been able to for the last 10 years, the only reason they won their Super Bowl was that for one month, they were able to stop the run and play defense.

*As far as the Cowboys go, I have to tip my hat to them for not packing it in. The only question I have in their season, is why their offense is so balanced now as opposed to when the puffy marshmellow was roaming the sidelines because the same guy is calling the plays.

* How in the world does Norv Turner still have a job. Is there anyone as clueless in football as this man. How can you let the Raiders come in your house and smack you in the mouth like that. The problem with Norv is that he panics and completely becomes one dimenional when the team falls behind. Also, lets end the talk of Rivers for MVP. MVP's don't lose at home to the Raiders.

* On to the Chiefs, I hope they make the playoffs but at the same time, I hope their coach doesn't blow it for them. As I have seen him do on numerous occasions, he makes stupid decisions that will come back and get him at soem point. Case in point, they are up 7, 4th and goal from the 2, late 3rd or ealr 4th but I can't remeber the exact time, and he goes for it and Cassell gets sacked at the 19. Take the 3 and make it a 2 score game. They only won 10 to 6 and Denver had its chances, so he got lucky today.

* Ahh, the might Atlanta Falcons, they may get home field, but I still don't buy into them. They will be one and done, yup you heard it here. Also, can somebody please send a memo to Artur Blank and tell him he is not Jerry Jones, we don't need to see his ugly face on ther sidelines at the end of every game.

* Da Bears, my prediction is this, they not only don't win the division but don't make the playoffs. They still have the Jets, Pats, and Packers left, as well as the Vickings so I'm thinking alot of disappointment in Chicago

* Da Booths team, the Eagles, hey what can I say, Vick has been awesome, no doubt about it. I do worry about the hits that he takes, still think he needs to find the sidelines or slide cause one hit could cost him. I worry about the defense, but if Samuel is healty (the best off corner in the game) they play better.

* Finally here is my prediction on the playoffs from this point

AFC - Jets, Ravens, Jags, Chiefs, wildcards are Steelers and Pats

NFC - Eagles, Packers, Falcons, Rams wildcards Giants and Saints

Wildcard weekend could potentially have 3 or even all the road teams win this year

Takin' a Wiki-Leak

I have been trying to broaden my horizons by actually watching the news and reading something other than Depreps and orioleshangout online lately. One of the big news stories is the release of 250,000 US diplomatic documents on Wikileaks, a political sharing website.

Now granted, I certainly don't have all the information regarding policies on releasing government information, but doesn't anybody else have a problem with this? Could you pull this shit anywhere else but the U.S??? Some dude starts a website and posts sensitive and private government documents, and there are no repercussions? I am completely mind-f'd!!!

You know, I love this country, and thank God every day for the blessings I have, including the freedom to make choices and decisions. But I feel like what makes this country so strong is being exploited to a level that will soon (if not already) make us weak. This dude should be in prison, no questions asked. This site should be taken down and any sites like it. I get the freedom of expression and freedom of information, but there are limits.

Am I a stark raving communist and out of my mind?? Or do you share my opinions???

Get A Life, Man!!!

It did not take until today to realize this. I have known it for some time but for whatever reason I decided to Blog about it. It doesn't bother me that much but I figured it would be a fun topic to discuss.

First let me tell you a little bit about what means the most to me. What makes me happy and what little makes me sad. What makes me sad??? I would have to say dying. Death is a very sad occasion. Whether it a family member, a friend, an acquaintance, or even someone I don't know. Dying is just sad period. No getting around it. Seeing my daughter upset makes me sad to. That's about it. Life is short. So why be upset over petty shit.

What makes me happy. My wife. My daughter. My family. My friends. My co-workers. A nice day on the golf course. Doesn't take much to make me happy.

Now let me get on with it. It perplexes me to see how certain individuals wrap their whole lives around their favorite sports team and/or athlete.

As I'm sure most of you know Lebron James made his return to Cleveland last night. How could you miss it. If you turned on a sports station (tv or radio) yesterday or today then that was the whole talk of the day.

The media is comparing King James leaving to a bitter divorce or breaking up with a serious boy/girlfriend.

I watched the highlights of the game today. Funny to see 60000 people so emotional and irate over Lebron. Really makes one wonder how someone can be so crazy over Lebron.

Then theirs the poor Boise State kicker. The guy and his family have been getting death threats and harassing messages because of his missed kicks.

What in the hell is wrong with some people?

The only way I become that upset is you fuck with me or my family. Who gives a flying shit about Lebron James or Boise State. Hello people... it's a game. Just a game. The outcome has no actual physical effect on you.

So let me give you a piece of advise. Get over it already and Get a Life, Man!!!

Take all that negative energy and put towards bettering your already obvious, pathetic life.