Is it football season yet?

I want to start this post by stepping back and paying respect to the individuals that lost their lives Friday at the massacre in Colorado. Such a senseless act that should have never happened. Its a shame that someone can have that much evil and lack of care for human life as James Holmes did that night. Things like this make you realize just how precious and fragile life can be. We never know what the next day or moment holds so we must cherish each moment we are given. 

Sports are a big part of my life and many others but sometimes you have to step back and see whats important. Today I just wanna acknowledge this and give my prayers and best wishes to those who lost loves ones as well as those still fighting to recover physically and emotionally. May God bless you all. 

To wrap up today's short post, I want to touch on the Penn State situation for (hopefully) the last time. It breaks my heart to know this happened and was covered up for so long but ESPN and others have beat this story to death. Its time to put this behind us and at least try to move forward. Last week the statue of Joe Paterno was taken down from outside of the stadium--a move that angered the Paterno family, who says the decision was done without input or notification from them. I agree with the move to take it down because in my opinion he is just as guilty as Sandusky and to keep the statue up is in bad taste and Penn St can find another way to honor Joe Paterno. I disagree with the family's stance....Joe knew what was going on and didn't make sure it was handled correctly. This situation is centered around football, of course, but its now a far more important matter than just football. Its a now legal matter and needs to be handled as such....meaning the families comments and influence shouldn't hold much, if any at all, weight on decisions and penalties that are handed down. 

The penalties that Penn St will face were delivered today and include the following: 

1. $60 Million Dollar Fine

2. 1998-2011 wins vacated, totaling 112 victories (now making Bobby Bowden the all time winningest coach....Paterno now ranked 5th)

3.  Four year post-season ban

4.  Four year scholarship ban (10 initially, 20 total)

5. Players allowed to transfer as of today, without penalty 

( Waiver for teams to exceed scholarship/roster limit to allow Penn St transfers to join team in 2012 season is in the works)

6. Athletic Department on Probation for Five years 

This seems like a fair penalty in my mind. The NCAA had to send a message and make a stiff penalty and it delivered. I understand that kids are being punished for things they did not have part in, BUT they are allowed to transfer and play elsewhere immediately and compete for a championship, something Penn St, won't be able to do for the next four years. Desmond Howard said it best "These players have a choice, these innocent young men did not." He went on to say,(paraphrased) if you love PSU, you can still play here and represent PSU well and get a degree. Otherwise, you are free to transfer TODAY! 

These penalties will obviously set back the football program a great deal and hurt the future as recruits will likely not even look at Penn St in the coming few years as they are guaranteed they won't get a shot at playing for a conference championship or bowl game for the next four years. Unless guys are dedicated to Penn St and been long time fans etc, they are likely to go elsewhere. But like I said, this is far more important than football. Hopefully these young men will make the decisions that will benefit them the most and the victims will continue to heal and move forward from this horrible situation. 

Why?

This Trend Has to Stop




One of only things that really grinds my gears is (not really sure why I said that...probably the first time I've ever used that expression) athletes that have all the talent in the world that either 1. waste it or 2. abuse it and risk losing everything over a dumb life decision. It seems almost every year you see a major college football player arrested and/or kicked off the team due to violence, drugs, guns, etc. These guys have bright futures but risk all of that over nothing. It blows my mind. Then there are guys that sit around being lazy when they have all the potential in the world. There is a certain player I had the chance of meeting and knowing personally that had all the talent in the world but couldn't stay focused and out of trouble and now football is far in his past and he has wasted his God given talent to one day be a superstar on the football field. Its a problem in almost every level of sports now. NFL players get arrested for DUI, drugs, etc all the time and they are the role models for the upcoming star players and are leading by poor example. Everyone makes mistakes, I get that, but these guys just make flat out STUPID decisions that just blow my mind. If you are a multi-million dollar football player or sports star, why would you ever put yourself in the position to get a DUI? You have many people that would drive you come, call a cab, call a friend, heck, you could find a random person driving down the street that would probably give you a ride. For example, as much as I dislike Lebron James or Tom Brady if I were at a party and they came up to me asking me for a ride, I would have them in my car and buckled up on our way so fast it'd make their head spin. Why risk your career over something that can be so easily avoided. You have too much to lose. Don't do it!


 NFL players need to step it up and stop being a poor influence for younger guys who follow the same route. The commissioner needs to also step it up and enforce stricter punishments. In my opinion a DUI or traffic stop or something of the sort that leads to a drug or gun related arrest should call for a season-long suspension in the NFL (without pay). I understand that is steep but this needs to and HAS to stop. A slap on the wrist and a $5000 fine isn't gonna stop these guys from making these dumb choices so the penalty has to outweigh the benefits of these actions and decisions.

This off-season we have already seen Sammy Watkins of Clemson, Greg Reid of Florida State and Isaiah Crowell of UGA arrested and booked on a drug or gun related charge, with Crowell already being dismissed from the team and university. Michael Dyer, formerly of Auburn, ran into some trouble and admitted to smoking synthetic marijuana during the season which was a factor in his dismissal from Auburn. He now plays at Arkansas St. For now, Watkins' punishment hasn't been decided/made public though we expect him to remain with the team. Reid's news is new so we will have to watch and see what his punishment will be. Bottom line is, these guys are grown men and they know better. As star athletes you are held to a higher standard and can't go out and do what everyone does. You have way too much to lose. Not saying you can't go out and party and have a good time, but for heavens sake. BE SMART. Think about what you are doing before you do it. Losing your scholarship and chance to play at the next level and earn your degree should not be put on the back burner because you were to busy wanting to get high in your friends apartment or drive around with a AK 47 in the back seat.

I'm gonna just stop with the ranting here but I think you get my drift. We have to start being more serious about these arrest and their penalties thereafter so hopefully it will stop and these gentlemen can graduate and continue to showcase their talent for years to come and not have to be a resident in cell block-C.










On a brighter note



Yesterday I made the trip down to Atlanta to catch a Braves game. It had been years since I had been to one so it was really nice to come back and see the Bravos in action again. We had tickets to watch from Delta's 755 club so we enjoyed lunch from the balcony overlooking the field before heading to our actual seats. It was a nice and fun experience and I look forward to making the trip back to Braves games more often in the future. I appreciate the games more now that I'm older. Yesterday was a great day for baseball and though it was very warm, I enjoyed it because the forecast had called for showers throughout the afternoon but they held off until later that night when we were headed home. It was a great game of baseball that went back and forth with the Braves pulling it out with a 3 run-rally in the bottom of the 8th and held off the Mets in the top of the 9th to win 8-7. Really glad I got to see Ole Chipper Jones in action one last time. The Braves went on to knock off the Mets Sunday afternoon as well to complete the sweep and extend the winning streak to 7 games straight. The highlight of the day was meeting former Brave Otis Nixon. Things didn't work out so I missed out on getting a picture with him but it was great meeting him. For those that don't know, Nixon played with the braves from 91-93 and 1999. He shares the single game MBL record for stolen bases in a game with 6 on June 16, 1991. Nixon battled drugs throughout his career but overcame it and now in his post-baseball life has started On-Track Ministries and is working towards a Masters Degree in Divinity.

The Big Debate

 When I first heard about this big debate on if the 2012 team is better/could beat the 1992 "Dream Team" I couldn't help but laugh and think it was a joke. As I continued to watch and listen the past week or two, I found out this is serious talk. I think the comparison of the 2012 team to the 1992 team is absurd. Like comparing an IPhone to a Razor. Like comparing Steak to Chicken, like comparing a Lamborghini to a Mustang....like....okay so you probably get the point. If you had the 1992 dream team time machined forward to today and put them on the court against the 2012 squad, there isn't a doubt in my mind that the dream team would win. Sure the 2012 team "could" get win against them but I see it as very doubtful. Especially in a single game showdown. The 1992 team consisted of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, David Robinson and Charles Barkley. How do you defend against a team such as this? The team has a solid balance of good shooters and big men down low that could defend as well as mid range shooters and outside shooters and ball control players. Way too much talent for any other group to handle. These guys were old school ballers and were darn good and they knew it.


 This years team is composted of Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Tyson Chandler, Anthony Davis (who takes over for an injured Blake Griffin) Kevin Durant, James Harden, Lebron James, Kevin Love, Chris Paul, Andre Iguodala, Russel Westbrook and Deron Williams. At first glace when comparing, I see a problem with the big men. The 2012 squad would struggle down low defending the likes of Malone, Johnson, Bird, Ewing and Robinson and likely have players fouling out left and right. You would have to respect the post presence as well as the ability to dish out for a mid range or long range jumper. This years squad would struggle even keeping up, let alone winning against the 1992 guys. If it came down to a 7 game series, not much would change. However, I would think 2012 USA might be able to steal a game MAYBE  two games max. As much as I like Kobe I have to side with Jordan and company on this one. I just don't think this team has what it takes to match up against the Dream Team. There is a reason they were dubbed such name and it wasn't by mistake. This is easily the best organized professional team that has played together. Hands down, end of discussion. Though we will never get to see this play out and can only predict and wonder, I feel comfortable in saying this series, if played, probably wouldn't be too competitive and I could see the 1992 team winning by 10-15 points. Sorry Kobe and Lebron,....its just not gonna happen.

The Future of Penn State

Whew....been a busy and stressful past week or two for yours truly which is why I haven't posted in a while. I will try to make up for it some today touching on some things that have been going on in the sports world. I'll start with the touchy Penn State subject. News broke earlier this week that the late Joe Paterno, among others withheld vital information over and over that could have led to Sandusky's conviction years ago. Innocent children could have been saved, but instead this horrible string of abuse was aided and allowed to continue by those in powerful positions at Penn State. Many now are calling for Coach Paterno's statue to be removed from outside of the stadium as the school and community attempts to begin the long healing process for not only the football program, but the school and its supporters and as well. Coach Bobby Bowden told College Football Live he isn't supporting the push for the Death Penalty, but does agree that the statue needs to be taken down as the legendary coach's image has been tainted by this horrible crime he allowed to be kept under wraps. His legendary career will now forever be foreshadowed by Sandusky's acts of sexual abuse on innocent children. It will be interesting to see what happens next and how Penn State plans on honoring and respecting the coaching legacy of Joe Patrerno but still trying to remove the bad of the situation and progressively move forward. As for my opinion, I think an in depth investigation needs to take place and all the people that knew this was going on need to be held accountable for their actions. They are, in my mind, just as guilty as Sandusky. Next, the football program has to be punished. I think the death penalty is a bit too extreme and the kids playing there now shouldn't have to suffer because of others actions. However I could see being banned from attending a bowl game for the next few years and/or a forfeit of wins/championships from the time period this took place should be called to order. But we have to remember, this is far more important than any football game. Innocent lives were changed forever because of one sick minded human being and his co-workers that covered for him. My thoughts and prayers goes out to the young men whose lives were ruined over these horrible crimes that were committed by Jerry Sandusky.

Off Season Excitement

If You Can't Beat 'em, Join 'em! 

It has only been a few short weeks after the NBA season and the excitement and anticipation for next season has already begun. As I predicted a few weeks ago, the stage was set for a great deal of  "significant" roster movement during the off-season. I was more than correct as we've already seen some HUGE trades and signings as teams have worked fast to put their teams in order and make necessary changes to improve the franchise. The excitement began just over a week ago when rumors surfaced that Ray Allen was in contact with Miami officials and both sides were showing interest in having the now former Boston Celtic bring his talents down to South Beach. Earlier tonight, it became official when Heat Owner Micky Arison tweeted the announcement just after 9:30pm Friday and it was confirmed by Allen's agent, James Tanner, shortly thereafter. HUGE pick-up for the already loaded Champion Miami Heat basketball team. Allen's deal is expected to be worth around $3.09 million. It is just another daily headline for what has been arguably the biggest week of trades/signings in this era.

I'll start with my Lakers who also picked up a solid, quality guard in Steve Nash who leaves Phoenix to join his division rivals. The Lakers really needed a solid PG and got just that and more with Nash. A hard working and all around team player, much kudos to Kobe and company for bringing in Steve. The work is not done for LA, though. Rumors are out that they may be pursuing Dwight Howard as well. Though it appears the only way that will happen is if they give up Bynum. Not too sure that will happen. But with the addition of Nash, LA may also look towards a good outside shooter. With World Peace, Gasol and Bynum down low, having someone other than Bryant that Nash can dish out to knock down shots will be huge for the Lakers. It will be interesting to see what LA's next move is, if anything at all. Great choice by both sides on this one.

Just earlier this week, Boston announced it had acquired  former Dallas Maverick, Jason Terry with a 3 year deal worth $15 million. Terry and the rest of the Celtic nation were hoping this move, along with a solid offer, more than double what Miami was offering, would keep Allen in Boston. However, Ray made it clear tonight he is ready to move on and capture one last ring and ran with this golden opportunity down in South Beach. On the Boston side, I'm not really understanding this one. Boston needed to bring in some young(er), proven talent. I guess 1 out of 2 isn't too bad. But seriously, you have to question the decision. Bringing in a 35 year old guard makes it clear, at least to me, either this was just a flat out bad call by Boston or they aren't looking at the long haul and "rebuilding" this old team. Rather they are looking at the short term and making this work right now. Also with Allen now gone, I wonder if they are second guessing the deal as they were probably hoping it would help convince Ray to stay and that they could compete for the title again next season. Nevertheless, #20 is gone and Jason Terry is filling the gap.

Yesterday news broke that yet another Dallas Maverick was packing his bags and heading North. Jason Kidd signed an estimated three year deal with the New York Knicks worth around $9 million dollars, basically the same deal Dallas had put on the table to retain Kidd. In another case of trying to win and leave the game a champion, 39 year old Jason Kidd said he wanted to "go out swinging" and after looking at two different rosters believed New York gave him the best chance to compete and win. Kidd says understanding and respect from teammate Dirk Nowitzki made the decision an easier one. Another good deal for both sides in my opinion. The Knicks should contend this year though they aren't gonna be able to get past Miami, especially with Ray Allen in the picture. Nevertheless, everybody won in this move...that is if you don't count Dallas, who now desperately needs a point guard as both are now gone.

Monumental Moments

Playoffs, you kidding me? Playoffs?? 

For years, College Football fans have prayed for a playoff system to be put into place. It made perfect sense...especially since every other sport does it. Why did college football still have the flawed BCS system in use? Worry no longer, my friends. Earlier this week NCAA presidents approved a 4 team playoff system that will start in 2014 and run until 2025. Many have shown opposition to the ruling saying it should be more teams. I strongly disagree. Every year there is usually one team that is a for sure lock and most commonly no more than 2 other teams that have a legitimate argument for claiming a spot in the title game. Therefore, having a 4 team set up gets the best teams to battle it out for who deserves a chance to play in the national championship. With the way the bowl season is set up, you have to tweak the system and extending the playoffs further than 4 or 6 teams at the most is excessive and does more harm that good.

The requirements for qualification for the 4 teams must be ironed out but you would think the SEC would basically be an unofficial automatic qualifier. Big 12 and the Pac 12 champions would also appear to be contenders that could snatch up a spot. I honestly feel like you basically must win your conference to make the playoffs, though that shouldn't be a golden ticket invitation.

This new system should hopefully eliminate some of the flaws of the BCS system and will get rid of situations like the 2004 Auburn team from the SEC went undefeated knocking off 4 Top 15 teams in the process, however they were left out of the Championship game, and undefeated Oklahoma who's strength of schedule was easier than Auburn's and had less quality wins/less wins over ranked opponents, played USC in the national championship. Oh, by the way, they loss 55-19 to the Trojans. It was an amazing championship game to watch. (sarcasm)

This also will help with the ongoing argument of the TCU's and Boise States of the world. Though Boise has been their own worse enemy and loss a crucial late season game the past two years to kick them off the contender platform, they will now a chance to prove they are worthy of a national championship (or confirm to most college fans that they are not) if they can run the table and snag that 4th slot.

Its an exciting time for College Football fans and teams as, what many view as the most exciting sport in the world  has just kicked it up a notch! ACC Commissioner John Swofford called it a "milestone" for college football. I'm not crazy about the guy, but he hit this one right on the head. And as Lebron James would say, "Its about damn time!"


Moving on up!

Tiger Woods picked up a milestone win today as he squeaked out a close win at the AT & T National Sunday afternoon to capture his 74th PGA Tour win. With the victory, he surpassed Jack Nicklaus for 2nd most wins all-time. It was a great win for Tiger, who finished 8-under. Woods is now only eight wins away from catching Sam Snead for  the most PGA tour wins ever. He has also moved to back to #1 on the PGA Tour money list and FedEx Cup Standings list for the first time in nearly three years. Coincidence that was right before his relationship saga hit mainstream news media and his face was seen on the cover of magazines across the nation? I'm gonna go out on a limb and say no. Nevertheless, congrats to him on a huge victory. Maybe he has finally gotten over the hump and has his swagger back. We'll have to see.