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Trading Moss-tique For Future Gains…That’s Business

2010-10-07T00:32:00.001-04:00

In the words of the immortal Eric B. & Rakim, 'it's been a long time'…if you are one of the subscribers to this blog on Facebook, thank you very much for taking time out read about my take on NFL wide-receiver Randy Moss' trade from the New England Patriots to the Minnesota Vikings, which has apparently become a hot button topic over the past few hours not only in the New England area, but pretty much across the country. BTW, very quickly, I want to give a quick shout and congrats to 'Big Daddy' Craig Forde on the birth of his son, Kyle Jameson Forde today. Now, on to pressing matters for discussion…I have been away from writing about sports for a while now because I have grown discontented with the manner the subject is presented to the public. I decided to fall back and re-evaluate how to approach the subject and today, with the emotional responses I've read from the fans and numerous media outlets about the Moss trade, biased or unbiased it just hit me…that's just how it goes sometimes.

One thing that I learned over my past two years is to appreciate value…as a law student or any student or broke individual we learn how to cut corners and save a few bucks in order to move on to the next day. The questions range from Rib-Eye or cube steak? Cheetos or Jax? Value Brand clothing starch or Niagara?, 60 watts or 35 watts?...yes it all ranges and we all look to save a few bucks to even wash laundry (in the sink or go to the Laundromat? However, contrary to public belief, this Randy Moss trade today wasn't about those swashbuckling Patriots who are always looking to save a penny like Phillip does at EVERY WAKING HOUR, but more about the growth of the organization's overall on-field product. To me, the trade stems from fact that the Patriots are growing in another direction in terms of offensive football. They are evolving. The skills that Moss brought to the team had begun to hinder the growth that the organization wished to have on that side of the football. For those who don't watch entire Patriots' games, and haven't seen them over the past two seasons, you pretty much are only privy to the highlights shown post-game and they generally will show all these breathtaking catches No. 81 makes…one handed, over the defender, running after the catch, splitting double teams and corner of the end zone grabs while keeping both feet in. It looks all sweet and dandy from a distance, but when you watch the games, I mean really watch the games, you will see an offense attempting to force-feed Moss the ball in order to placate him and get him going in the offensive game plan. It was very frustrating to see the QB throwing deep to Moss so many times during a game knowing that any competent defensive coordinator has already game-planned that particular stratagem. This is the very reason why the Patriots have had so many difficulties with good defensive teams; they became very predictable on offense and Moss was used as a convenient excuse as to why we all knew what the Patriots were going to do and what would happen with Moss if he did not see the ball early…he would check out. Watching the Patriots beat the Miami Dolphins on Monday night, a game in which Moss had no receptions, his first catch-less game since 2006 when he was with the Oakland Raiders, he did not look as jovial as the rest of his teammates as they 'Beamerballed' their way to a resounding 41-14 victory. I had made up my mind on that night that Randy Moss…yes, that Randy Moss was a contributing factor in holding back the development of the team on offense.

Think of it this way… and bear with me…you have an employee; let's call them star employee. They are one of the best workers in your office. They dress well, are clearly talented and in many cases are heads and shoulders above the crowd of others who occupy their field. You paid them relatively well too; they came to you after some minor dust ups at their prior position in another company and you were able to get them at a significant discount…kind of a probation period. When you hired them, your sales and revenue went through the roof… because their masterful technique in what they did was well tested and successful throughout their career. They began to develop a mystique about them; everything they touched turned to gold and they could do no wrong. Heck, your company is now at the top of its industry!! You decided to keep them on and gave them an insane salary…at the same time you began to hire new employees to work alongside your star employee. They were just out of college, but they were talented. The next fiscal year, your sales and revenue dipped, but your star employee kept exceeding expectations. However, you did notice that the star has begun to rely strictly on their older methods which still worked, but you began to see that there was a plateau effect…it brought in money, but are you still at the top of the industry overall? You also have seen that your star employee is no longer that humble individual that came to your company a few years back. They carry a sense of entitlement and although they want to stay in the company and is a leader among their peers, resumes are found in the printer and they are complaining to you about how much they do and why have you not given a commitment redo their employment agreement.

As the younger employees begin to make significant contributions, and the contract that your star works under begins to become more and more of an issue, you have to start evaluating whether they are the best fit for you now. You've begun to do what all successful organizations do…you begin to change your philosophy by taking a fresh approach to your business. You begin to lean on the newer and younger employees who have the ability to bring something new to the table. You've reorganized areas of the company and handed responsibilities to people who may not have the pedigree, but have the desire and skills to get the job done. You understand that you may take losses here and there, but you KNOW you have a talented group. Meanwhile, the star employee is still relying on the older methods they have used…they have not changed. The managers defer to the star's whims because they've bought into the star's mystique: 'They did bring in record revenues…'in the past. The newer employees are now being featured on the bigger accounts and it was expected that your star employee would be able to mesh into the plan and mentor the younger, new employees with his experience so as to minimize mistakes and mitigate losses. However, the star has increasingly have become discontent and a distraction to what you are doing by airing their grievances with the company publicly. What do you do in this case? You know that the star is going to bring in money. They do things many people in their position throughout the industry cannot do, but they are becoming stale both professionally and personally. Their mystique is what makes them attractive in the industry; they have done (key word)…done excellent things, but their brand of excellence can be holding back a new development plan that could benefit everyone on the whole. Do you keep them on for short term success? Or do you make the decision to jettison them in order to take a risk on long term gains?

My analogy may be flawed in some areas, but hey…gimme a break; I'm trying to prove a point. The Patriots are committed to evolving their offense and featuring pass catching tight ends, speedy, smaller receivers and versatile running backs. With Moss in the offense, yes, he demands a double team, BUT the offense becomes limited when teams game plan around that double team commitment. The name of the game is to exploit matchups all over the field; in essence, flooding the zones with pass catchers within an offense run by a trigger-man QB that can get the ball to them in the right space, at the right time, so the receiver can make plays after the catch. With Moss, it was the same thing, pretty much every play…just like when I was a young wolf playing WR in football as a kid…GO DEEP. In essence, Moss has been relegated to a decoy for defenses so the offense can open up and put the ball into playmakers hands within the flow of the offense. Sometimes when I watched the Pats, I saw two offenses operating at once; you had the Randy Moss go deep plays and the rest of the guys playing within the flow of the offense. Moss is too talented to be a decoy, point blank. It would be unfair to ask him to do this over the course of the season. But it is a detriment to all of the other guys on the team if he must still be the focal point at the expense of the development of a new offensive stratagem and players who can make a difference. Thus, the best way to resolve the matter is to make a trade. Now, a case can be made that the Patriots brain trust could have colluded in order to make sure Moss did not see the ball and try to get some insight as to how things would work without him on the field. It was reported that the trade talks with the Vikings were a week deep by Tuesday evening. Therefore, I can see the Patriots keeping the ball away from him either to see how things would run without him or to prevent him from incurring an injury while playing. I am no Patriots-flavored Kool Aid drinker; it is not beyond this organization to make a business decision like that. This is an organization that traded a cornerstone player in Richard Seymour right after training camp broke in 2009; they took the pre-season time to see if he was physically sound and I guarantee that the trade was set up at least a month before it went down. We all saw what happened with Lawyer Milloy in 2003 and acrimonious ending of Asante Samuel's career in New England in 2006.

It is a little weird to see Moss get traded, but I never really bought into the mystique that he carried; this is mainly because a record setting receiver is only as good as the QB that throws the ball. The QB is only as good as the offensive line that protects him. Football is not a game for individuals. Any success is based upon a number of individuals who do their respective jobs and execute what has been taught. One breakdown causes that TD to Moss to become a strip sack, an interception or results in injury. Moss now is united with another guy who lives on the laurels of his past accomplishments in Brett Favre; they both will attempt to use their older techniques of winning games in order to get the Vikings to the Super Bowl, but Moss is entering a similar environment that he just left…there is an aging star employee on board that is playing to the detriment of younger players who we will never really know if they had what it took to lead the team. Why you ask? The coach is on the hot seat. That is the biggest difference between the two organizations. Bill Belichick is going nowhere folks. He in effect, IS the Patriot brand whereas Brad Childress is just a coach…get results or hit the bricks. And we all know what happens when people are insecure…they make rash decisions based on the short term outlook.

Lastly, the Patriots got value for the trade of Moss. In 2007 they traded a 4^th round pick to the Raiders for him. In 2010, they were able to get a 3^rd rounder for him. So basically, they got a player who was considered done by some prognosticators and were able to build his value back up for a small profit. Don't some of you wish you could get someone out of your life AND gain from it? In actuality we all do in one way or another, but that is a topic meant for Joyce Brothers or Dr. Phil…or maybe even Kat Stacks in some circles. That's all for now…thanks for reading.

Play or Sit? Not an Easy Question to Answer

2010-01-04T09:52:00.004-05:00

It is amazing what a knee on an All-Pro wide receiver and the angst of an entire fan base with dashed visions of an undefeated regular season can do in order put certain practices that are commonplace in the NFL under the microscope before the playoffs begin. Last week, the Indianapolis Colts in essence allowed the New York Jets to win a game in which the Colts pulled its starters in order to protect them from injury, which also ended its bid for making history as the first Super Bowl Champion with an unblemished record. Yesterday, during the New England Patriots first drive of its game against a hungry Houston Texans squad seeking its first winning season in team history, and the Patriots essentially playing for nothing (already got into the post-season), Wes Welker reportedly blew out the ACL and MCL of his left knee while running after a catch. The NFL is looking into the practice of teams sitting their starters during regular season games because with the backups in the game, the affair turns into a glorified pre-season match-up with the fans paying big bucks to watch the Curtis Painters and Mark Brunells of the world. Are fans entitled to watch the players or the team they came to see? Are teams separate entities of themselves that reserve the right to use their employees in any matter they see fit? What are the rights of the player/employee in regards to whether they perform or not? I am not going to go too in-depth because that would equal a 20-30 page endeavor that I do not want to get into right now because the gym is calling. However, I here are my thoughts:

If I am the coach or administrator of a team that clearly has accomplished the goal of making the playoffs, it is in the best interest to sit my starters if the team is playing well and it has not hit any form of wall as the season draws to a close. I would want my best players who may be nicked up to rest for the post-season and be ready when it counts. However, if my team has played poorly as it moves towards week 16 and it may need to get its collective rhythm back, it would be a good idea to leave the starters in for the majority of the game as I would want some carry-over into the playoffs…but at the same time, I risk potential season sinking injuries to my players. In his team's situation, Jim Caldwell, the head coach of the Colts made the decision to sit his guys despite the march towards history the team was making because of the 'Big Picture'. The 'Big Picture' is the view that every team, every year wants to get into the playoffs and have a chance to win the Super Bowl. Caldwell's team had already accomplished this goal and he felt that playing his stars was too big a risk when a team is seeking a Super Bowl. You know what? I agree there. The goal of winning the Super Bowl is bigger than an undefeated season and games played in January are provide no guarantees in the NFL. I'd rather be a 10-6 Super Bowl winner than a 16-0 Super Bowl loser. In the case of the New Orleans Saints, they needed to have ALL their guys on the field on Sunday because it is clear that the strength of the team (the offense), has lost its edge…nobody wants to go into the playoffs with high expectations saddled with a losing streak. That's a lethal concoction.
If I am a player that has a chance to accomplish a goal that few others can brag about, I am all in to chase history. Remember back in 2007 when the Patriots played their starters in the regular season finale against the New York Giants? They accomplished something that not many players can say…I was undefeated. In response that, my gut also tells me that this game provided the template for how the Giants were to play the Patriots in the Super Bowl that season also…they showed them WAY TOO MUCH. But alas, they captured history. If I am a player in position to do the same and take it further, I want that chance. Think of it…over 250 guys per year are drafted into the NFL. Every year! Rarely does one have a chance…even as a lowly practice team guy, to accomplish something that will immortalize them in history. However, the players don't have the right to play when they want to (ask Brandon Marshall). If one wants to be etched in history, get that Lombardi Trophy and a chunky, iced-out bling thing called 'A Championship Ring'. Do that, and you are remembered.
Finally and most importantly, the fan. Fans have been paying hefty prices to attend NFL games for quite a while now. When new stadiums go up, so does the price of admission. When a team captures lightning in a bottle and makes a run towards a Super Bowl, that $ 10 hot dog that could have been purchased at Wal-Mart for $5.00 (well, more like 3 packs of dogs, bread and industrial grade Catsup) taste like a medium-well rib-eye steak. The beer is like Andre Champagne. With Personal Seat Licenses (PSL's) becoming the norm in professional sports, combined with parking, drinks, time to travel, costs associated with travel, and tough economic times, is it too much to see the players whom the fans tickets help to pay their salary? Sports are and always will be a diversion for the public. It gets one's mind off that boss they want throw coffee (iced or piping hot) at, that empty gas tank, rent being due next week, and war abroad and at home. Are the fans not entitled to spend some time away from that world in order to see their favorite team win games? When the team lays down like the Colts did last week, the hot dog tastes like...um…a hot dog. That beer is not champagne, its bitter, overpriced malt liquor reserve and the team's actions probably will drive a person to the liquor aisle at Wal-Mart to purchase the cheapest alley wine to forget the game. Are fans deserving of seeing the players they paid to see or are they merely entitled to see the team? I would've had no problem with the Patriots benching their guys back in '07 against the Giants. In fact, I was praying for it, screaming at the television 'YOU'RE SHOWING THEM TOO MUCH!!!' Granted it was a road game, but still…the ticket prices skyrocketed when the chance to witness history presented itself. The NFL will be looking into sitting star players as potential public relations issue in relation to team decisions. With the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations between the players and owners still at a standstill and 2010 basically shaping up to be the last we will see of the NFL for a bit, the league has to make sure that the fans do not jump ship because the practice of sitting starters has an effect on the competitive balance of the league, which can be drastically altered as a result.
Think about it: the Jets are in the playoffs and if the Colts hadn't laid down, the Jets would be at home making vacation reservations. Who knows how a Colts win would have changed the fortunes of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans. Like getting to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop, the world may never know. Could fans force the league to take away the rights of NFL franchises and make them play starters in games that do not mean anything? The first thing that comes into my mind is this: Team X, which has made the playoffs and has nothing to play for, finishes the regular season against Team Y, a team that either wants to finish on a positive note (i.e. pride) or is a fringe playoff team that needs a myriad of factors to fall in place in order to advance. If I am the coach for Team X, and I am forced to play my starters, I would send my QB out there and hand the rock to the third string RB all day. I may even run Wildcat a majority of the time with my QB flanked out and the play designed to go to his opposite side. How would that help the competitive balance? Would the game be entertaining? It would make for some interesting plays, but it would not assuage any concerns. The NFL needs to stay out of this one. Imagine the NFL forcing a player to play against his team's wishes and he gets injured? Then where does the responsibility lie? The team, depending on the role of the player can be disrupted and not be able to reach its potential at the right time. That's what backups are for right? Okay, you throw Charlie Frye in there against Pittsburgh and ask me that question again.
Speaking of laying down, how many NBA teams do this every year? In order to get the No. 1 overall pick, many teams will gladly run out Popeye Jones, Tyrus Thomas and Mark Blount to chase that goal. No sanctions from the league there…AND the players are given guaranteed contracts, unlike the NFL.
As much as I love the enthusiasm fans bring to sports in the form of energy and unconditional band-wagoning, one thing disturbs me the most…when a player gets injured, why is it that fans tend to think of the team's fortunes first rather than the man? In terms of Wes Welker's knee injury, I saw so many people thinking of his team and its fortunes instead of his pain, the impending journey from rehab back to the field and his contract status. He was in line to at least command top-5 receiver coin based on his production over the past three seasons. Now he will probably have little to no leverage at the negotiating table. Deion Branch, the player Welker in effect replaced, suffered a similar injury in 2006 and has not been the same since. The manner in which Welker plays is based on his precise route running and cutting….we will see how his impending ACL reconstruction responds to that.
What the heck happened to the Giants? I said it before and will say it again, that Super Bowl win was the worst thing that could have happened to the Giants because they ended up being forced to tie the organization's fate to Eli Manning. I don't see it in him…what kind of quiet 'lead by example' QB wins? The defense and a great catch on a Hail Mary type pass got that trophy in '07, not Eli. The 2009 edition of the Giants was weird…dominant against some good teams, laid on their backs against really good teams and let teams with nothing to play for kick their heads in. The last two losses to Carolina and Minnesota equal some widespread changes in the organization. If you ask me, they fell into the dreaded 'began to think they were as good as people told them they were' mentality. Brandon Jacobs has morphed into Shaun Alexander after he got his big contract, star defensive end Osi Umenyiora was benched and the three big ticket free agent acquisitions in Rocky Bernard, Chris Canty and Michael Boley made little to no impact. Changes are a'comin' for the Giants as they move into a new stadium. The lesson here is: I have no idea. Eli may be Drew Bledsoe-lite in that he MUST have all-pros around him at every position in order to reach his potential.
Is it that the San Diego Chargers backups are that good or the Washington Redskins starters are that bad? Either way, poor ol' hung out to dry head coach Jim Zorn should be fired soon. I hope the guy lands on his feet because he took all the shots from the firing squad and still stood up there week after week taking responsibility…while others resigned under cover of darkness. Why not hire Urban Meyer now? Any fan of the 'skins would not doubt that the call was at least thought about by owner Daniel Snyder.
Oh yeah, watch out for the Jets. Teams generally play like it has a second life when opportunities that generally would never be available, is gift wrapped for them. It reminds me of a situation back in my youth where two of my friends had a double date set up with these girls. One of my boys was an idiot over the phone to the girl and blew off the date. My other boy needed a replacement, and called me. It was easy for me to captivate her because: 1) someone else looked so bad, anyone would have been in a good situation with her, and 2) I had no business being there and nothing to lose. Ladies and gents, your 2009 New York Jets.
For all of those who read last week's article, click here for ESPN's take on the inequalities that exist in NCAA basketball programs…guess who the star of the show is? After watching this, you will notice that ESPN devoted little to no time addressing former University of Nebraska QB Sam Keller's class action lawsuit against EA Sports, and the NCAA over the usage of college player's images on video games with no compensation. It makes one ask the question…if am a University of Florida and Tim Tebow fan, am I buying the game because it's Florida or to play as Tebow? For those who say it's because of Florida, why are they not playing College Football 2004 or 2003? It's still Florida right? I will keep tabs on this case.
Lastly, if anyone caught it, Boston's Fenway Park was the site of the NHL's Winter Classic on New Year's Day. I have to give credit where credit is due. Once again the NHL pulled off a great event at a venue nobody would have thought could be fitted for hockey much less look as good as it did.. To top it all off, the Bruins and Flyers played a great game. I am thinking that this outdoor hockey thing has cross-over appeal among sports fans. I would have loved to attend this game and any other one that will be held in the future…one never knows.

Coach Speak…Empty Words or Platform for Personal Success?

2009-12-19T11:26:00.004-05:00

I wrote an article on my issues with coaches in the NCAA in early 2009 and have come to the point where I have to revisit this matter in the wake of the recent comments made by former college basketball coach Bobby Knight: "We've gotten into this situation where integrity is really lacking and that's why I'm glad I'm not coaching," he said. "You see we've got a coach at Kentucky (John Calipari), who put two schools on probation and he's still coaching. I really don't understand that. "And very few people know this, but a kid can play the first semester as a freshman, pass six hours of anything and play in the NCAA tournament without ever attending a class in the second semester. I don't think that's right."

Let me premise this article by stating that any coach in any sport has little to no job security; they can be fired by their employers for pretty much any reason which could stem from the inability to win, lack of communication with the employer, failure to provide deference to star athletes, failure to provide adequate discipline for star athletes, winning in an dishonest manner and indiscretions while off of the job. In other words, they live a tenuous lifestyle that in many ways is out of their control; those who are able to procure some sense of control are paid the most and are in the highest demand. Maybe these are reasons why NCAA coaches behave in such a manner when it comes to fulfilling career goals and personal achievement.

Last year, Boston College head football coach Jeff Jagodzinski under the cover of darkness, used his minimal success with a previous coach’s players and a certified star quarterback in Matt Ryan to attempt to hasten his career path towards an NFL head coaching gig. After it was discovered through the media, he then had no shame in the negative impact he was making his student athletes in interviewing for the head coaching job of the New York Jets. He was quickly fired after his flirtation with the NFL and the Boston College program has moved on without him. By the way karma hurts right? BC never missed a beat and Jags was hired as offensive coordinator by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was fired right after pre-season. It appeared that there were character flaws with this individual and that is what the premise of this article is…character. What are the coaches of college athletes teaching the highly impressionable youth they in affect are raising throughout their college lives? I touched upon this subject in last week’s “why” section when I mentioned Brian Kelly’s decision to coach Notre Dame. I wholeheartedly agree with Knight’s assessment regardless of how much Calipari has tried damage control through the media; the fact of the matter is that on two separate occasions in his college coaching career, he just happened to high-tail it out of town before the NCAA came with sanctions on him and the program he built. On the first occasion, he cut and run from the University of Massachusetts to the NBA’s New Jersey Nets right before the allegations of star Center Marcus Camby accepting money and jewelry broke. Approximately 14 years later, he left the University of Memphis amid concerns that Derrick Rose was an ineligible player on his 2008 Final Four squad. In both instances, the schools had to forfeit their most memorable moment in program history and thus had to suffer the consequences while the man who was supposed to be overseeing these programs was able to leave freely AND accept a more lucrative position elsewhere. Let me get this straight…NCAA coaches can shirk their responsibilities at will and land on their feet elsewhere with a hefty pay raise while the college athlete who no longer wants to play at a particular school has to sit out a year before lacing up their kicks to play again, which could threaten their prospects for a professional career. Anything wrong with this picture?

A large number of NCAA coaches are looked upon as nothing more than mercenaries who have the ability to use their current success to ditch their present employer whenever they feel it is worth their while. I’d have no problem with it if the guy was a lowly office worker being paid nowhere near his commensurate market value at his current job who leaves after accepting a better offer from a company that appreciates what he brings. Heck, even if it was a high ranking executive, I’d have no problem. Here, the issue is different; college coaches are charged with the duty to teach young men and women not only about sport, but life…you know, the typical song and dance ‘stick together, team first, integrity, honesty, fairness and appreciation’. However when a coach such as Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly bails out on the young men of the University of Cincinnati before the biggest game of their lives, what message is he sending? Does his message, which resonated with his players and played a large role in how they got to where they are now, mean anything at this point? Starting quarterback Tony Pike is quoted as saying ““He told us from the get-go that we’d be the first people to know whatever he decides”, “we’re going to keep him at his word. We’ve trusted him this far and we’re going to believe what he says.” Kelly notified his former team well after the news broke about him accepting his new job; what is the message there? Did he care about his players? Or was the job nothing more than a springboard for him to realize his goal? Wow, seems like corporate America at its finest.

The popular media celebrates NCAA coaches who leave smaller programs for bigger ones but the players they leave behind who traveled long distances away from home because they believed in his vision and commitment to the program are left with uncertain futures. I believe the NCAA must place some form of control over the coaches because they are sending the wrong message to college athletes…not hip hop music, agents, sneaker czars, Michael Jordan or Chad Ochocinco. As long as coaches have the kind of stroke they currently have, coach’s salaries will continue to go through the roof. Did you know the University of Texas pays its head football coach Mack Brown $5 million per season? UT is a state institution and state money goes to this one singular individual coach. Why? Because his program makes a boatload of cash for this said state university. The University of Alabama will be playing for the National Championship with head coach Nick Saban leading them onto the field in January, 2010. Many overlook the fact that he bailed out on LSU and all of the athletes he made promises to four years ago in his failed attempt to coach in the NFL. He came right back to college football to compete in the same conference and against the school he once coached. Some coaches are given contract extensions and jump ship before the ink is dry on the paper. Remember Bobby Petrino the current (for now) coach of the University of Arkansas? When he was the head guy at Louisville in 2006 he signed a 10- year contract extension in July. By January ‘07, he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. It was reported that the contract was offered in order to persuade Petrino to stay and end his constant flirtations with other jobs…so much for that. What values are these men teaching? UMass, in 2005, upon the recommendation of former player Rick Pitino (they should have seen the warning signs there), hired his protégé, Travis Ford as head coach of its basketball program. By 2007, the program began showing signs of life and the team played in the NIT (National Invitation Tournament); shortly thereafter, he accepted the Oklahoma State head coaching job, leaving recruits and broken promises in his wake.

Schools walk a thin line between making money for the institution and educating all student athletes in the manner their parents or guardians were told they’d be taught. The schools always have slogans that make the layman believe they offer things that seem great if you are wearing your rose colored ‘Blu-Blockers’ such as: “Advancing Knowledge. Changing Lives” and “Where You’re A Name, Not A Number”. However, the messages that come with accountability, loyalty, commitment, integrity appear to have been thrown out of the window when it comes to football and basketball at major universities. It is a money and status grab that the coaches seem to believe that if not snatched, it may not be available later, regardless of their coaching acumen. Yet, in order to protect their precious job security, some will attempt to dissuade star players from going pro early such as the case of Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez. USC’s head coach Pete Carroll was verbally against Sanchez’s decision to go pro citing that he wasn’t ready to make the leap. However, if Carroll is not ready to back to the NFL, would he be saying the same thing to himself with those seven to eight digit numbers dancing in his eyes? Many coaches fail to realize that maybe they have a good thing going where they are. Maybe they can build a culture of integrity that will last at the school well after they have departed. Maybe it isn’t all about national championships, but more about molding young adults, the majority of which will not be professional athletes. Maybe their job is more about coaching up walk-ons and fifth year seniors who play because they love the experience rather than the sure-fire pro prospects. Therein lies the dilemma…walk-ons, marginal recruits and fifth year seniors don’t insure bowl berths and NCAA Tournament invites. Rely on them to save your job and you will have a short shelf life at College Tech.

When I think of solutions, I believe a minimum number of years should be served to a university before a coach can explore leaving. The school should also be notified before the regular season begins that the coach has decided to explore other coaching opportunities, which should give the school a chance to keep a short list of candidates on hand. However, the inner lawyer in me is yelling “What about the school?!?!” “They can fire the coach whenever they want; is that fair!?!!” Well, most sports contracts, professional or college are one sided; it is the nature of the beast. My reasons for writing this article is so we all can watch the college bowl season with a little more thought into the inner mechanisms that make the system work. The schools get paid by the bowls; the higher profile the bowl, the bigger the score. Better players are recruited based on bowl wins. Jerseys are sold by the NCAA with popular player’s numbers on the back, but the players don’t get a piece. Video games that feature player’s likeness and skill are sold, but the players don’t see a penny. However, they are suspended and vilified by the school and the national press when they accept meals, rental cars or clothing from outside parties. Yup, another one sided contract…play by their rules or don’t play at all. All the while the coach can leave at anytime without consequence or responsibility towards those who took them at their word. No wonder players are fighting to be eligible for the pros after high school; it’s like the old adage, many people learn how to become criminals while in jail.

But what am I thinking right? Our society is all about who gets drafted, who gets the awards and has the best chance of getting a ton of money. Why should the coaches be any different?

Back in the Saddle…Again

2009-12-13T03:53:00.005-05:00

First of all, I'd like to apologize to all of the readers for my prolonged absence. My second year of law school needed a solid start and all of my creative energies went into writing papers, doing re-writes and re-writes on the re-writes…get it right? So now that the first semester has ended and I have some time to work on my personal projects, I am back and will be providing my weird and sometimes mundane take on the sports world and how it relates to the American and global social atmosphere. I will try to stay on point and be concise since this is my first article back after a long layoff, so bear with me and enjoy. Once again, for those who have read these articles, I thank you greatly.

One of the more popular subjects that has been harped on, twittered about and blogged upon continually is the state of the 2009 New England Patriots. For those of you who follow me on facebook, I've tried to be short in discussing the matters concerning this team whether it be my premature prediction of a Bills victory in the season opener, the gloating high points of a 59-0 drubbing of Titans squad that looked to have no business on a Madden controller, much less an NFL field, the painful loss that made me eerily think back to how teams who played the Pats in 2007 (except the Giants of course), felt when they were spanked by the Saints and lastly, the disappointing 22-21 loss to the Dolphins (which I predicted, right Brian?) that had me feeling like I was watching the Patriots of 1992. The simple fact of the matter is that the team is in a 'rebuilding on the fly' mode where the best hope is a well coached team, despite its obvious holes in veteran leadership and experience on defense can be buttressed by a very good offense, can grow together as the season wore on and make some noise in the playoffs.

However, it seems as if that plan has gone hung-kung phooey because the team started out fairly well but cannot not finish games early, which leads to late game collapses (which teams with young defenses often are a victim of). Now with the news about former Pats Defensive Lineman Richard Seymour reportedly receiving texts from his ex-teammates about how he 'is missed' and 'the team could use him', and Defensive End Adalius Thomas popping off in the media about how he was treated after he was sent home after arriving late to a meeting, it looks like the fans of other less celebrated NFL teams smell blood in the water similar to how we all smelled the blood of those declining Dallas Cowboys teams of the 90's. We remember those days right? The cocaine, the hookers, the DUI's and poorly coached teams that barely resembled that dominating ones that won Super Bowls essentially with ease. There are four points that need to be considered when looking at the present state of the Patriots which can provide optimism or worry among the Patriot faithful.

1) With Scott Pioli in Kansas City, will Bill Belichick revert to the Cleveland Browns version of himself?: Let's make one thing clear here. Pioli was the only guy in the organization that could say no to Bill. Period. When Bill thought of impulsive ways to motivate his team or shape it in his philosophical image, Pioli could offer counterpoints to those thoughts and use his vested authority to veto certain moves pertaining to the roster. With players sniping him in press, will Belichick turn into the 'your our guy this week, but you will sit for the next five weeks even though your replacement is not as good as you' coach that practically turned the Browns upside down in the latter stages of the team's existence in Cleveland? (that's right people, the Browns we see in the NFL today are not those Browns…that team is in Baltimore.)

2) Can the younger players become championship caliber pieces of a championship team?: Let's be honest.The Pats have screwed up most of their drafts over the past 4-5 years. There are underachievers such as '06 first rounder Laurence Maroney and there are also shining spots such as '07 first rounder Brandon Meriwether and '08 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in Jerod Mayo. However, the team has done poorly in the areas where all good teams make their bread and save money: the middle rounds. So in the '09 Draft, the Patriots wheeled and got four second round players that could provide the bedrock of their defense in the future in Pat Chung, Darius Butler and Ron Brace along with an anchor on the offensive line in Sebastian Vollmer. They also acquired other lower round picks and dealt them into next year's draft.

We also cannot forget their find in the 7^th round this year in former University of Toledo quarterback, turned NFL wide receiver, Julian Edelman. In referencing the Richard Seymour trade this off-season, the Pats acquired a 1^st round pick in 2011 from the Oakland Raiders for a soon to be free agent defensive lineman that was going to be expensive and is also on the back-end of his career. The 2011 pick is premised around the possibility that there will be a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in place between the NFLPA and the NFL owners, which will institute more prohibitive salary controls for newer players in the league. In other words, as long as Oakland keeps disfunctioning, the Pats may have recent Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram in uniform in 2011 (provided there is no owner's lockout). I look at it this way: if a good coach has good players, it makes for a good team. So yes, the Patriots have the tools to develop young talent into championship caliber players.

3) Is Tom Brady still an elite quarterback?: As I sit back and watch Brady eyeball Wes Welker and Randy Moss the same way Drew Bledsoe did Ben Coates and Terry Glenn, I get a little concerned. However, since Brady is not easily rattled as Bledsoe and Welker and Moss are exceptional athletes, I can go to bed every night knowing Brady will give my fantasy team crazy points week to week and plus he…wait…sorry. Got into fantasy mode there. I have always stated that it is best to have an ACL injury earlier in a career than later because that type of injury is 2-3 years in terms of recovery time (getting back to normal). At Brady's age, his timing, aptitude and feel for the game may be eroded by the time he fully recovers from this injury, thereby making him a more susceptible to other injuries. Hopefully as a professional, he will not rest on his laurels and continue to get healthier, but the odds are against a consistent pre-injury Brady showing up again. The Pats have also failed to develop a backup before Matt Cassel was traded to Kansas City. Hey, if Tim Tebow or Sam Bradford is on the board when the Pats pick in '09, is it a bad investment?

4) Will the players begin to tune Belichick out?: I would like to say no because he along with other good coaches and administrators have put in place a culture that cultivates hard work and dedication to developing one's craft. However, Seymour made a good point when he alluded to Belichick perhaps relying on schemes over personnel. It is like asking what comes first, the chicken or the egg? If the scheme is designed around exploiting weaknesses in an opposing teams strategy, can anyone be plugged into the scheme and thus keep it successful? Or does a scheme's quality trace back to exceptional cerebral and athletic individuals who can make the scheme more effective based on their football IQ? Athletes can change games, but players make plays in my opinion. And when they feel expendable, it generally does not equate to a good relationship with a coach.

Although I agree with Seymour's assessment, one must take into account the financial ramifications of having superior athletes on the field; is the cost worth what they bring or can a lower profile player with similar traits bring the same thing to the field? It is obvious that Thomas did not turn out to be an adequate replacement for Mike Vrabel and there has been nobody that has even come close to the qualities the since departed Asante Samuel brought to the team at cornerback. With turnover in personnel comes turnover in personalities…it is a way of life. One player would willingly follow the coach over cliff while the next guy would question the logic of doing so. This will be the challenge for the coaching staff and scouting department…finding guys who fit into the culture of the organization seamlessly and will trust in what they are told to do. If this team cannot get more of these types of players, the Patriots will sink into mediocrity in the NFL.

Now to the juicy stuff for all you TMZ'ers and Bossipers…Tiger Woods and the bevy of mistresses who thought he presented too GRRRRR-EAT!!! of an opportunity to pass up and not get rich off of. He did the right thing in taking time out of the public eye to handle his family issues. Many people vilify this man for a human mistake based on what he supposedly represented: a squeaky clean image that made him accountable and held to a higher standard than the rest of us. I believe that is crap…a big, hot, steaming load of it. The kind that looks like chocolate soft serve ice cream. Why? Well, let's just say that his sponsors wanted to portray him in that manner in order to shill their shoddy, overrated cars, razor blades and sugary sports drinks. That's their job…to make him look so good, that an average couch jockey would say "hey, if Tiger uses Gillette Escalade Gator-juice, I guess it is a good product".

At no time did Woods come out and spout the ramblings of a bootleg preacher with a flask of scotch in his jacket pocket and Hustler magazines in the glove box of his car. He played the game. He changed the game. He won. He made a boat-load of money. Maybe all of the acrimony has more to with that than his extra-marital affairs. History tells us anybody who has done any of the above things just mentioned in any realm of society experiences a large share of jealousy and envy. So when they slip up…just like that couch jockey who forgot to pick up his wife from work because he was watching the Spice Channel commonly does, he is exempted from a normal person's status and automatically given a higher standard of conduct. Give me a break.

I just wonder what the sponsors for all those PGA events are going to do now that they have little to no prospects of relying on the spotlight Woods brings to their events. Perhaps a bailout of more than a few after next year may be in the works? I believe they will monitor the next season closely in order to find out what Woods' worth is to the Tour, then make the cut & run decision.

This is my section called WHY? (Please play Jadakiss' 'Why' when reading this):

1) Why did Iverson go back to the Sixers of all teams? He could have waited until March and signed with a contender, got his ring and retired to his vast Newport News Iverson Compound.

2) Why does the NCAA resemble pro sports more and more every day? With the way things are currently constituted, those players will need to be paid soon. Think of it…a player generates millions for the school and in return is given a $100,000 scholarship. He also goes out in public and sees people wearing jerseys bearing his number and doesn't get a piece of each sale. Someone needs to challenge the NCAA not on the court, but in court.

3) Why is Brian Kelly not coaching the University of Cincinnati football team in the Sugar Bowl after accepting the head coaching gig at Notre Dame? This guy led a group of young men to the cusp of a national title only to abandon them because he wanted to coach one of the most overrated, over-scrutinized, living in the past, hasn't been relevant since I was a child a** school. His former players openly criticized his decision to jump ship even after he told them a week before that he was going nowhere. Hey Coach, good way to teach young men about character, honesty and commitment. Why not accept the job after the game? Show some class. I hope he falls on his face just like his predecessors at that crap program. The New York Yankees of college football. Can a student please bring suit soon against the NCAA in order to prevent this kind of behavior?

4) Why is Shaquille O'Neal on the Cavaliers? The team obviously flows better offensively without him on the floor. Man, if they do not win the 'ship this year, I will lament O'Neal's legacy if he does not grab his '32' Vitamin Water, put Icy Hot on his head and call a press conference to announce his retirement. I am so tired of seeing these past their prime players who used to be great, living off of their legacy in order to stay in the spotlight. They end up hindering their teams because the game has passed them by; just ask James Worthy, Patrick Ewing, Shawn Kemp and even Michael Jordan. Yeah, I said it. Jordan. Stop drinking the media Kool-Aid…did ANYONE think those Jordan-led Washington Wizards were going to contend for a title? 'Nuff Said.

5) Why is Danica Patrick relevant? Win a race in a legit manner and maybe she can be a headliner. Is sports (although I highly question the qualifications of NASCAR as a sport, but oh well) about winning or gender equality? I can get a 6'11'' woman who can run fast and shoot a mean jump shot…does that mean she can play in the NBA? All I am saying is that is sports business, it's about winning and the only reason why Patrick has sponsors is because they want to be on the ground floor if and when she wins a race so they can clean up in profits. It reminds me of insurance…it only matters if I get sick or get into an auto accident. So I just pay and pay…all the while nothing happens. Know what normal people call that? A scam. She's got to win and win soon in order to validate all of the camera time and money she gets as the fraudulent 'barrier breaker' of car racing.

6) Why does anyone think the USA will truly make noise in Soccer's World Cup? There is a clear distinction between the US and most of the other countries who are elite when it comes to soccer (except Canada maybe)…the sport's culture on the national scene. For years the MLS has tried to pry its league into the national consciousness, but to no avail. They tried washed up international stars, too young for primetime stars and the tying up of the league's fortunes to oh yeah, another washed up international soccer star. Sorry. The international players are tougher, faster, more athletic and hungrier than players born and raised in the US…it's obvious. Many of the international players grew up in squalor and used rocks or other apparatus to play the game. They played on dirt and had to work their way up in status through the country's cut-throat training programs. Here, mom drops them off at practice and picks them up. They play on Field Turf spread fields and with regulation equipment. Who would you take to the World Cup? The kid with nothing to lose or the pedigreed kid that has had everything granted to them?

I will be writing again soon, now that I have the time. Once again feel free to leave comments on alphaleticarticles@gmail.com or on this page. Big shouts to Boston College facing USC in the Emerald Bowl. Even though the school is too cheap to send the band out there with you guys, I hope you guys score early and often so the administration feels like chumps for choosing the money they'll get from the bowl over the essence of college football…the band.

Free Agency Isn't That Free...Sometimes

2009-07-07T13:52:00.000-04:00

Hello, readers. As popular media continues to hit the public with notifications of the deaths of well known individuals, I have a few words about the latest to pass: Steve McNair. This has all the earmarkings of one of those 'If I can't have you, nobody will' love affair endings. I always thought that many athletes led lives where they had a public front complete with wife and kids but privately enjoyed the spoils of their status fueled by alcohol, drugs, fast cars and many mistresses. It made me think a little deeper and I realized that this is something prevalent throughout all aspects of society, so why would it not affect the relatively small pool of individuals blessed with extreme wealth? When we read newspapers about a husband that killed a wife (or vice versa) over infidelities or a spurned lover that had promises made that were not kept who decided to make the decision easier for both parties, we become a bit desenitized by it.

That is why when the news reported that McNair had been shot four times and the other party, presumably, his scorned lover having a single gunshot wound to the side of her head, I came to the conclusion that this was an affair that extended well beyond a 'booty call' or 'part time lover' exploit. (Click here to see pics of McNair and Shahel Kazemi parasailing 0n vacation) This killing was up close and personal similar to the manner in which ex-pro footballer Rae Carruth ordered and witnessed the fatal driveby shooting of the mother of his yet to be born child back in 1999. In the larger scope of things, there are many commonalities that stem from this situation which pervade our world: children who are left fatherless, women who have lost a husband (or provider), promises made that were not kept, secrecy revealed, mistrust surfaced and houses divided...sounds like America in a nutshell huh?

Now, as Snoop Dogg would say, 'back to the lecture at hand'. As many of you know, free agency season has decended upon the NBA. Many teams that are looking for that missing piece of a championship puzzle will overpay a competent to effective player in order to outbid other potential suitors in order get to the NBA Finals. There is much logic that goes into this as a team that makes the playoffs makes more money because they are alloted more home games in which to sell not only tickets, but concession items (beer, hotdogs, banners) and it helps corporate sponsors continue engaging potential customers for their business.

The average lousy team, lets say, the Los Angeles Clippers, rarely sell out any of their alloted 41 home games during the regular season and are always in the Lottery (ie, the air ball generated chance game as to who will have the No. 1 pick in the annual college draft). If it wasn't for revenue sharing among all of the teams in the NBA, the Clips would have closed shop years ago. However, with the NBA having to cut back the purse strings a bit in the wake of the global economic crisis, many teams that have good players but are not good enough for the playoffs are looking to move on a free agent player that could push them towards the goal at hand. The only problem is that free agents (especially veterans) are not really willing to go to mediocre teams; they want a chance to win championships with teams that need a missing piece. Bad teams such as the Clippers not only garnered the No. 1 pick this year in Blake Griffin, they are sadly suffering from the free agency debacle from 2008 win which they signed an obviously declining player in Baron Davis to a large contract in hopes of luring another free agent, Elton Brand to the team. However, Brand reneged on his promise to sign with the Clips and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Now the Clippers are stuck in between phases...do they carry the large Davis contract and try to bolster the team through free agency? Do they trade Davis or another veteran player to another team in order to begin the rebuilding phase with Griffin? With teams not willing to spend the motherlode until 2010 (Lebron James, Dwayne Wade etc.), not many are willing to take on any more large contracts and the free agents they do sign, they give them what is called the mid-level exception, which gives a player approximately $5-6 million per year. Davis for instance, who signed a 5 year, $65 million contract last year and proceeded to have his worst statistical season, prevents teams from taking on such a high salary commitment. The Clips did manage to move PF Zach Randolph's contract off the books this season by trading him to the Memphis Grizzlies, so they may have room next season to go after one of the prized free agents of 2010. The only problem here is that it takes a person to have an incredibly diarreah-like brain fart to sign with them as the team has a history of woeful mismanagment. Therefore, the Clips will have to cross their fingers and hope the team they have presently constituted can be good enough for a playoff run as the money is needed...and the sponsors are praying. However, if a washed up Billy Crystal is the Clips' biggest fan, I feel for the fans and sponsors.

As you can see, free agnecy carries many financial ramifications for a team. There are also risks for the players. A great number of fans continue to ramble on about how players make too much money and they don't care about the game. Well, if these fans were offered 120% more money to jump ship from their present job to a competitor, would they do it? Well...the first thought is yes until one thinks about the monumental life shift that will take place; from a family man's viewpoint, if one already has a fair amount of money saved up, the kids are happy in school where they are and the wife is content why would one leave? From a single man's perspective, however if he has established a place on the social scene, has business interests in the area and is settled in a nice home, why leave? So many factors go into a decision involving a long distance move for a job; a plant manager for GM faced with relocating from Michigan to Alabama is posed the same question. Will you fit in the social scene? Will the kids get the same level of education? Will you be able to establish businesses in this new area? What about race relations?

A good case in point lies with former Orlando Magic F and new Toronto Raptor Hedo Turkoglu. He opted out of his contract with the Magic in order to broker a more lucrative deal with them; however, the Magic decided to trade for Nets F Vince Carter and Turkoglu had to shop his wares on the open market. Shortly after free agency commenced, reports stated that he was set to sign with the Portland Trailblazers, but he about faced and signed with the Raptors. Oh...typical athlete, he just got more money from the Raptors right? Fortunately, that answer is wrong and it is wrong for all the right reasons. When he and his family visited Portland, he did not feel it was a good fit on a social level; the money was right and the team was perfect, but he did not feel he could be the best player he could be without his life off the court in being in order. There was little to no Turkish community and he wanted to be around cultural hub...Toronto, being on the east coast and closer to Turkey was a good fit. He could take direct flights from Canada to his native land and the city offered an international flavor that made him and his family (namely, the wife) happy. In other words, he followed his heart and good sense when he made the move, not just the money...even though the Raptors will still be a crappy team.

Quick trivia question (the winner gets a $5 gift certificate to Dunkin Donuts): Who was the first quarterback taken in the famed 1983 NFL Draft and who was the team that drafted him?

A. Tony Eason
B. Dan Marino
C. Peyton Manning
D. John Elway
*Please respond via aphaleticarticles@gmail.com

Mike & My Youth

2009-06-25T19:12:00.000-04:00

Welcome back readers. I have decided to write a quick blog before the 2009 NBA Draft which should be taking place within the next hour or so. However, I must depart from sports for a minute and share my thoughts about the pop icon of the true '80's babies', Michael Jackson, who passed on today. I send condolences to his family and loved ones and I ask the fans who are reading this just go to youtube.com, put on the MP3, spin that CD or go waaaaay back in the day and run that cassette tape.

While on the subject, it made me think not only of my mortality, but also conjured up some of the memories from the past. Yes, I had the Thriller album poster on the wall and begged my mother for jheri curls as a snot nose. I remember the MTV world premier of the 'Thriller' video which was one of the most entertaining videos I've ever seen...to this day (pop stars of today, please take note). The thoughts of Mike defined my youth in many ways from the little kid listening to 'Off The Wall' to the 'Thrilller' era to my teenage years when I grew out of his sound. I am not stunned about this by any stretch because death is a part of life and is never a matter of if, but when for ALL OF US. Enjoy the memories and the music and in celebrating his life, you are indeed celebrating yours as well because many of us grew up with him. I started thinking about all of the things that went on in my life during this time...Jessie Jackson's run for the Presidency, space shuttle Challenger's explosion, the U.S.'s invasion of Grenada, a young hip hop culture emerging, Nancy Reagan's hollow 'Just Say No' campaign, the nasty rumor about 'killer clowns' that drive a white van and hunt kids during Holloween, the Iran Contra Affair, Larry v. Magic, heck, the New England Patriots were in the Super Bowl back in these days... As you can see, the music of Jackson binds into the memories of my youth. For instance, when the 'Thriller' single first dropped, my family was coincidentally on the way to Gary, Indiana (Mike's hometown), for the funeral of my uncle. I had the Fisher Price recorder (stop laughing), pressed to rear speakers of the car and made sure to tape the song as it played at least three times an hour on the radio.

Another quick memory from back in the day: I remember being the chubby 9 year old wearing the tight 'mom chosen' Sears & Roebuck brand 'Husky' jeans with holes in the knees patched up, running around Parkside Christian Academy on a rampage. In my 3rd grade class, there was a kid named 'Reggie' who was a quiet, constructive type of fellow who was the class representative for Michael Jackson. He would wear the high water, leather pants with white socks and well polished penny loafers. He even had the well sought after 'Beat It' and 'Thriller' leather jackets and was sporting white tee shirts before they became very popular. Whereas me and the rest guys, we weren't so fortunate; remember 'Members Only' folks? Zips, the suede Ralph Sampson Pumas w/ fat New York laces, Kangaroos and Izod shirts before they became $100? How about Nike when they were sold at Stride Rite before a gangly kid from North Carolina changed the way the youth viewed footwear? Shoot, I thought argyle was a brand name when I was young...yeah, that's how in touch with style my mother was back in the day. Anyways, Reggie's biggest talent however was his propensity of drawing photos of Mike ALL THE TIME. He studied his 'swag' and drew pictures from the Grammy Award ceremony photos, Mike's public appearances to his album covers. So what he always drew Mike with a huge square head and the body of a toothpick? Thinking back, it kind of looked like a cross between Razor Ramon and one of the Olsen twins. We would even have competitions in class as to who was the best singer: Michael Jackson or Prince? Yeah, these were the times that defined my youth.

Sadly, the Mike I grew up with, which captivated my generation, is not the same as the Mike we've seen over the past 15-20 years. Age had changed his appearance and his view of music/entertainment while many of us children that listened to him became hardened adults...some even fragile in response to the rapid changes of our world. Despite this, I have learned to accept that I too am no longer that young kid that was mezmorized by Mike's talent; my music tastes grew over the years and I am unable to think as I did when I was younger. All I can do now is enjoy the memories and think when Wu-Tang Clan, w/ Gladys Knight sample of course, asked 'Can It Be That It Was All So Simple Then?' it meant more than just the passage of time, it meant that our lives weren't so compartmentalized and complex; and if it was, did we stress it the same we do as adults? It just so happened that Mike provided the soundtrack for many people during that time. But alas, change is a part of life as much as death. It took me a time to realize this and whatever happened in Mike's personal life in recent times will not tarnish my memories of his music...it defined many aspects of the times I 'came up' in.

I hope. Somewhere. Today. At this time. Reggie is a healthy adult and happy with his life. I hope he understands that I along with all of our classmates are thankful he was able to show his love of Mike to all of us. I also hope that he is still not drawing those distorted Mike pics. It is truly sad that young people can so effortlessly show adoration with such genuine fervor while adults seem only to ride with what is the most popular opinion...in a very disingenuous manner. With that, I say to all of his fans, only YOU can keep him alive. I hope you use it as a porthole to examine your lives and understand the unique journey that life gives us all. Play that music and enjoy not only his talent, but your life.

***I will have exciting news available to all members of the AlphaleticArticles blog community soon. It will involve prizes, raffles and good times, so stay posted.

30 Days to Nowhere

2009-06-17T04:58:00.001-04:00

Today's trivia question: Who was the last NBA player to average a triple double for an entire season?

I was just thinking about time…about a month to be exact. Like, in a month's time, I will be mentally preparing to go back to Houston and commence my second year of law school. It seemed like it took me a month to write a 'simple' summary judgment during my first year and yes, in the span of one month, I will STILL be sleeping on an army cot in my father's basement with two psychopathic cats. Within this seemingly short (or long, depending on your situation) amount of time, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will have probably flip flopped first place in of the American League East Division multiple times and several NBA players will have found a new place to call home complete with a trophy wife and a 'why should I work hard anymore, I've hit the jackpot' attitude via the spending frenzy that is free agency. Heck, within a month NFL players will be prepping for training camp, Iranians will still be protesting the recent presidential 'election' and we won't know truly, how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop. Wonder where I'm going with this huh? Well, in order to get some perspective on my thought process, it may be in your best interest to read my entry, Mike's Con-Vicktion Should Be Change. In that article, I referenced the unusually long jail term (a year and change plus probation plus the complete destruction of his financial viability) former NFL quarterback Michael Vick had to serve in Federal Prison for animal cruelty.

According to various media outlets, NFL wide receiver Donte Stallworth has reached a plea agreement in regards to the vehicular manslaughter charges levied against him in connection with the death of 59 year old father and husband, Mario Reyes on March 14^th. The plea agreement details his punishment for driving while drunk (double Florida's legal limit) and speeding on a Miami street, which is 30 days in jail, 10 years probation and he had to pay the family restitution for the death of Reyes. Now, I am all for good lawyering, but come on now. Vick was practically put under the jail and his life spread eagle for the American public to spit at him and scrutinize his very being. His employer (the NFL) turned its back, the team he played for, the Atlanta Falcons, bid him adieu, the legal system bankrupted him and finally, his creditors decided to cut bait and go after everything he owned. Makes me wonder…dogs and humans. Man's best friend verses a man who was quite possibly a friend to many other people including his family. Federal time for a dog and a short stint in State prison for a human. Is something wrong here? Is this a money issue or is this a dangerous precedent that can trickle down throughout the legal system allowing others to serve the same amount of time for a similar crime? In my opinion, it is a combination of both. Stallworth says in an official statement, "I accept full responsibility for this horrible tragedy" and further states "I will bear this burden for the rest of my life." It is fitting that he says that he will bear that cross for his entire life, but so will the family of Reyes. In Vick's case, what heirs or family members of the dogs he participated in killing will suffer?

Animal cruelty is a part of all of our lives at some point or another. Whether one participates in legal abuse such as horse racing (which only is legitimized by widespread coverage in the media and mummified millionaire horse owners who throw insane amount of money behind the process of breeding a quality 'stud', those who wear leather or fur clothing, sleep on goose down pillows, eat animal flesh as a part of their diet or love the feel of ivory on their skin as jewelry are connected to cruelty. However, there is commerce circulates behind those various industries and the infrastructure of our economy cannot sustain itself without it…so if dog fighting is not something that can line the pockets of the same elements that dictate the economy, go get Vick, lock him up and destroy his life!

I guess it is an entirely different story when we talk about the killing of another person. It is understandable if someone dies in an accident. It is not understandable when one drinks alcohol until legal inebriation, decides to cruise the streets of Miami at dawn beyond the speed limit and kills another human being. I cannot see the justification for how 30 days in jail and 10 years of probation (with a couple of bucks thrown in for the family to boot) can adequately replace a life of a man. In 'Mike's Con-Vicktion', I touched upon the fact that a dog does not have the capabilities to change the world. If that dog did gain this ability (we'll call him Underdog), it was from the training of a human. The value of a human is immeasurable as one can invent an apparatus that can change other's lives. One has the potential to cure disease, build shelters for others and provide peace and security for those around them. These are things that dogs cannot provide humans unless a dog carries a gene that can cure cancer or be the base for an HIV serum; a dog can only find shelter in what they may dig for themselves or what they find pre-existing in nature. Now dogs can provide security…however, it is only through the hand of a human being. There is no reason Stallworth would serve less jail time than Vick except the possibility that either Reyes' life is looked at as less than a dog, Stallworth greased palms in various places, he had a pit bull (pardon the expression) for a lawyer or maybe a combination of all three elements. Now, I am not saying that Vick should not have been punished at all; I do however believe a more reasonable sentence…like 30 days and probation, seems more appropriate.

Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL has a sterling opportunity to make his league come across a sterling example of management of its 'citizens', the players. Goodell can hand down a punishment that is even more severe than that of Florida courts and will be able to say the league is more intolerant of crimes by its employees than the States are of its citizens if the viability of the league wanes in the eyes of the government (see Major League Baseball Senate Hearings). The Stallworth punishment not only sets forth a slippery slope for high profile individuals but also citizens such as myself…wait…can I pay a family a large sum of money to make them go away? Would his lawyer even talk to me without my father putting up his house (with cot included) as a retainer? Better yet, I would probably be shuttled from my 2000 Mitsubishi Galant straight to prison. I admire the fact that Stallworth owned up to the killing and didn't come up with a 'Juiced-Up' story about how he didn't do it (listening O.J.?), as he comes across as a responsible person. However, in this case, when gets to prison, being a nice guy with a heart of gold will only get him so far. There are going to be guys in the prison he will be incarcerated with that were locked up for a long stretch due to a similar crime, who may resent him. I guess that's what Protective Custody is for eh? At any rate, I hope Vick has his chance to play professional football again. He was the big name in an investigation that included numerous people who were engaged in the same activity. Stallworth acted alone. I still wish him well, but it painfully apparent that a dog's life is worth years while Reyes' life was only worth 30 days. Something needs to change.

The answer to today's question: Oscar 'The Big O' Robertson, who during the 1961-62 regular season averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game.

Coaching With The Best…Well, Until It Counts

2009-06-15T00:35:00.001-04:00

Trivia Question and of course, the winner gets nothing: Who was the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in 1995?

You know, I'd bet some of you would call me a soothsayer or maybe even psychic if Blogger hadn't messed up two days ago. I wrote a very interesting piece about the blunders of certain coaches and how they seem to doom the teams and sometimes the organizations they work with. I discussed Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy's stupid decision to bench point guard Rafer Alston in the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers due to Alston merely barking back at him during a time out…a very under-represented turning point of the series that is hardly discussed by the major media outlets. It seems that Shaquille O'Neal was right about Van Gundy as being 'the master of panic'. I wrote in that post about how the Lakers will come into Game 5 and apply the same pressure as they did in the second half of Game 4 and we can all sit back and watch the Magic fold up shop and show us all what a real 'magic' disappearing act is supposed to look like. But painfully, it was all for naught and many of you are sitting back saying…Phillip is so full of sh**, whereas I sit back and yell out…DAMN YOU BLOGGER, DAMN YOU!!! Yeah, it may be time to hasten my process of converting this to a full-fledged website and call it a day. But then I think, 'when you are living in the basement of your father's house, sleeping on an army cot and working an internship with no pay within an economic meltdown, it's best to count your blessings and keep writing.' With that, I will…while damning blogger for taking away a potential moment of glory.

Moving on, I wrote about several coaches from several different professional sports leagues that have been notorious for not getting their teams to the top despite their all world coaching credentials and supposed reputation. But before I get into that, I'd like to take some time to congratulate the target of many black women's ire, one Kobe Bryant for winning his fourth NBA title this evening. I wish I could say that he had to work for it in the Finals (which he would have had to if the Cavaliers had been the opponent) but nonetheless, he is writing a nice piece of history for himself. Also, the walking mummy himself, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson, won his NBA record 10^th title as a head coach. Now, I respect all that he's done as a coach but…something is telling me that he does not deserve as much due as he is taking from the ABC's and ESPN's of the world. He never really had to put together a really good team himself; he merely had a all world superstar player guzzle his tall, heaping glass of Zen Kool-Aid and put him in a domineering position within a team full of capable role players who are scared to death to let him down…or else be banished to the Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder or whatever garbage pail team is out there.

The Lakers, if all stays relatively the same, you know, with Kobe diagramming the plays, Jim Cleamons falling asleep behind the bench, Kurt Rambis trying to look cool in search of his first head coaching job (despite his former appearance) and a hungry group of former first round draft pick flame outs (Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown) on the bench, big things may be on the horizon. As for Orlando, I am not sure the outlook is so rosy. Van Gundy is fast developing a reputation of not being able to push his teams over the top through expert coaching. This is the same guy who coached the 2006 Miami Heat for half the season and general manager Pat Riley, sensing that the moment and stage was too big for Van Gundy to handle (or too big for Riley not be in the spotlight) took over as head coach and pushed them past the soft butt Dallas Mavericks to win the NBA Finals. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds in the following season, but keep this in mind: Dwight Howard has already criticized the coaching of the team and if he and other players feel that Van Gundy's personality will only allow the team to go so far, expect the pink slip to arrive soon after a slow start to the 2009-10 NBA regular season.

Watching 'The Master' Van Gundy conjures up many memories of all of my favorite whipping boy coaches who even when given teams ripe for winning a title, failed to deliver. The first head coach would be former NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer. Now don't get me wrong, Marty was a great coach who inspired his teams to perform beautifully…until when it counted the most. If it wasn't for poor Marty of the NFL's greatest comebacks (or collapses) would not have happened. Anybody remember Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway's famous 'Drive' in the 1986 AFC Championship Game against Marty's Cleveland Browns? Before this game, he delivered a stirring speech to the players that inspires me to laugh off of a chair…it's called 'The Gleam' please click here for a sample of the audio. If anyone had a chance to see the footage of this on the field speech, or has a chance to look it up, please look at the players faces as he speaks…you can see several of them saying 'what the f*** is coach talking about?' 'He never gave a speech like this before any other game this season and he waits until now to give it?' 'What the heck is a gleam anyways?' Well, whatever the gleam was, it obviously was firmly seated on the opponent's side of the field and enabled them to not only pull off 'The Drive' but also helped them win the game in overtime on the strength of a Rich Karlis kick that was obviously wide left and no good click here to view. Marty's wizardry (another Magic reference, ha-ha) didn't stop there either. He coached the dominating and top seeded Kansas City Chiefs team to a quick exit in their first playoff game in 1995 at home no less, and against a lesser opponent. Apparently, place kicker Lin Elliot, who missed three attempts in the game, didn't feel 'the gleam'. New England Patriots fans may remember the 15-1 San Diego Chargers team in 2006-07 that hosted a playoff game against a wild card Patriots team that had no business winning…until Marty's team lost 'the gleam' and the game…again. Sadly, Marty was forced out of the Chargers organization after this game and in my opinion, is stuck with the stigma of being a horrible big game coach…which is something I feel Stan Van Gundy is well on his way to becoming.

I also touched upon another coach whose resume out performed his coaching ability, NHL coach/general manager/president/PR nightmare, Mike Keenan. When I researched him on Wikipedia.org of all places, this one of the opening headlines in his profile states 'His inability to maintain working relationships with players and team organizations has resulted in a lack of long term coaching positions. His coaching resume includes abrupt terminations or resignations from coaching or general manager positions, sometimes at bafflingly inopportune, or peak, moments of his career.' Keenan alienated many of his best players during his NHL odyssey and amazingly his teams accomplished what happens when any polarizing coaching personality does when they leave a team, they got better. Want proof? The Florida Panthers were 5-8-2 in 2003-04 when he was fired and after the 2004-05 lockout season, the team finished with a 37-34 record in the 2005-06 season. Okay, maybe a reach. How about the 1996-97 St. Louis Blues who sported a 15-17-1 record when he left and rallied to make the playoffs with a 36-35-11record. More you ask? How about the 2000-01 Boston Bruins? He led the team to a 33-26-7 non playoff record that season before abruptly resigning. In the 2002-03 season, the team posted a 43-24-6 record which was good enough for a playoff appearance. He was recently fired by the Calgary Flames after the 2008-09 season, when the team lost in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year. So according to the percentages, I expect the Flames to be right in the thick of things next season especially in light of a potentially large free agent market due to the projected lowering of the salary cap for NHL teams next season (more on that at another time). Now, Keenan did win a Stanley Cup, coaching the 1994 New York Rangers to the title, but I attribute most of the credit to a great all around playoff performance by Mark Messier.

Answer to today's trivia. Remember, the winner gets nothing: Vinny Testaverde. Kudos to those who got it right. Now a follow up question: who was his back up?

A)Todd Philcox
B) Eric Zier
C) Brady Quinn

Please send your answers by either responding with a comment or send an email to alphaleticarticles@gmail.com

What Happened To the NBA's Last Great White 'Nopes'?

2009-06-05T03:40:00.000-04:00

Quick Trivia: What movie featured this line: "That is genuine Alpaca...you blot that s**t"
The winner gets nothing...

Ahh...kicking back and watching the NBA Finals...the television/media's annual worship of the individual over the team. Last year it was Kevin Garnett and his long, winding road towards his first title. Great ratings. The constant vignettes and camera shots and his hugging the Larry O'Brien Trophy in hopes that he will become 'certified'. Now that the NBA has been deprived of it's LeBron-Kobe Finals, it appears that this year will be the Kobe Love Fest. His search for individual vindication as his career is entering into the winter years is becoming the story de jure of the day. 'He never needed Shaq' the Kobe apologists will say when or if he wins his fourth ring. Great ratings. The San Antonio Spurs have been consistently good over a decade now with a constant nucleus and interchangeable parts during a crippling salary cap era in the NBA. Team basketball greatness to behold right? Well, not according to the viewers. Yes, we are in the front row of the Kobe Bryant NBA (not basketball) Hall of Fame, 'we forgive you for tarnishing us, now pass the baton to LeBron' ceremony. It is wierd to see this, but Bryant's road to this point has been rocky to say the least. Throughout all of his accomplishments, there have been...rocky roads.

Yeah, we can say that Kobe has experienced his fair share of individual disappointments...the failure to successfully cheat on his wife in Colorado, the failure to keep his mouth shut about other people's personal lives (Shaq's hush money...shhh) and the failure to get the young center Andrew Bynum out of LA and into Minnesota in exchange for Garnett and another championship ring. Now, I am not being judgmental because I have failed in many areas of my life and disappointed many...shoot, I dropped out of high school at one time, took the 10-year plan for college, failed to read 'Wuthering Heights' in the 10th grade then got caught with Cliff Notes by the teacher, and if you ask the City of Boston, I've failed to pay more than a few parking tickets (and no, there is no hush money for you). If you ask Kobe, he will emphatically say that Phillip will NEVER have the kind of money Kobe has earned in only ONE year of his employment in the NBA during Phillip's life and promptly tell all of us to put that in our collective glass pipes and smoke it...while wearing Nikes and eating Nutella for desert after downing a McDonald's value meal.

However, Kobe and I are not the only ones to have failed at something in life. Look at the NBA for instance. The league has been searching high, wide, far and long for the replacement for Larry Bird as the league's 'Great White Hope'. The NBA has cycled through numerous names; some we know and other we don't...players such as Keith Van Horne, Micheal Smith, Bobby Hurley, ALL of the Barry Brothers, Shawn Bradley, Wally Szerbiak and Ashton...ahem, Kyle Korver. That is just a minor sampling and if any of the readers know of more, please let me know. But back to the subject at hand; I was watching the opposing benches during the game tonight and noticed two players who many think of as disappointments on the bench of both the Magic and the Lakers. I noticed the NBA's last two incarnations of the 'Hope' in Adam Morrison of the Lakers (in civvies, no less) and Orlando's J.J. Reddick still riding the bench and playing wide-open look, 'garbage time' during blow outs or just playing because nobody else is effective. Back in 2006, David Stern and the NBA could not have imagined something like scene we saw on the bench of both teams in the NBA Finals. Look at the draft reports of Reddick and Morrison respectively:

Reddick: Reddick’s unbelievable range and scoring ability will definitely intrigue most NBA teams. However, he will need help to get his shot off in the NBA where he will be guarded by much larger and athletic men. Will struggle defending NBA guards due to his size and lack of NBA-level quickness. Still, will be very valuable to a team running him off of picks (like Detroit’s Richard Hamilton) or a team with an inside presence that is doubled down on frequently (leaving J.J. open behind the arc).

Morrison: Watching him play in a setting like this, it’s hard not to come away with the feeling that his impact in the NBA will be almost immediate. Granted he lands on the right team (Toronto, Charlotte or Portland, for example), he has to be considered the early favorite for Rookie of the Year honors. That isn’t saying that he doesn’t still have room to continue to grow as a player and improve upon his weaknesses, though, as a new dimension to his slashing game will be opened up as he improves on his strength through work in the weight room.

As you can see, Reddick was obviously lesser thought of by the NBA scouts, but nonetheless, he was not a Euro-Import that was drafted rather high. He was a home grown talent like Morrison and both were the faces of their respective high profile college programs. Morrison was drafted 3rd overall by the Charlotte Bobcats, a move that signified Michael Jordan's first draft pick as an executive of the Bobcats...now remember, this is the guy that drafted Kwame Brown for the Washington Wizards...not exactly a good track record. Morrison tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in his right knee prior to the 2007 season after a fair, but underwhelming rookie season. Morrison was subsequently traded during the 2008-09 regular season along with another first round flame out in Shannon Brown for Vladimir Radmonovich.

We no longer see the cool 'stache or the moppy hairdo that enthralled America during his college career; just a shaved head and leisure suit, wandering around during timeouts with nobody to talk to. Meanwhile, Reddick drafted with the 11th pick of the 2006 NBA Draft struggled just to get on the floor during his first season. He even blogged about his frustrations and requested that his agent seek a trade...and here he is (upper left), on the bench during the Finals wearing that cool Magic warmup jacket sitting with Tony Battie, who last saw his heyday with the 2002 Boston Celtics. Yeah...quite the investment eh?

It can be construed as disappointing seeing these guys tonight given that many people thought that at least one of these two players would be superstars in the NBA. Apparently I am not the only person who thinks of these two when watching the Finals either. I was researching the Internet on this Finals subplot between two overly hyped friends and found this excerpt on a HoopsHype.com forum: That's right people. The most wished-for matchup of our lives has finally come to life. Mr. JJ "All-time ACC" Reddick is going to battle against Adam "I swear I was great in College" Morrison in what will be a series for decades to come. I can't believe it's finally here. I'm so anxious to see which superstar will outshine the other and lift their team to that sweet smell of victory. To read the rest, click here .

It is a sad tale to have watched unfold as even I thought Morrison would at least be a functional player by this time; however in basketball, ACL injuries can be a tricky issue based on the movements a player must make on the court. I still believe that Morrison can be a good player as long as he is in Phil Jackson's 'triangle offense' and he can be a good spot up shooter and maybe even do some slashing and penetrating. As far as Reddick...hmm. I am not sure where he will be in the future. He just doesn't seem like an NBA player that can be effective outside of his comfort zone. Are these players disappointments? It depends on who you ask. I never really expected much from either of the guys as Morrison never consistently faced top shelf competition in college playing with Gonzaga whereas Reddick's weaknesses were well disguised by a veteran coaching staff at Duke University. I'm not saying these guys can be the next coming of Woody Harrelson's character in 'White Men Can't Jump' either. They need to be professionals in the truest sense and find a role. Role players come in all colors, sizes and mentalities. Ever hear of guys such as Scott Wedman, Andrew Toney, Steve Kerr or Vinnie Johnson? These guys were too limited to be starters on good teams but found solid roles on championship teams. This is where Morrison and Reddick must start.

There is no doubt in my mind that the NBA was seeking to expand its audience on the backs of both Reddick and Morrison and now it seems all for naught. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Dwayne Wade are the present and future faces of the league. There is no Larry Bird, John Stockton, Tom Chambers, Kevin McHale or even a Jack Sikma to speak of nowadays although we do have a declining Steve Nash who won two consecutive NBA MVP awards. I am not writing this trying to play a shallow race card at all; I am merely pointing out how anytime a white American basketball player excels on the collegiate level and is considered draft worthy by the NBA and its media affiliates, there is a well spring of support pushing them into the national consciousness. It is not fair to the players and it is equally embarrassing for the league when we see the state of its former darlings in a suit on the bench or jacking up 3's with 2 minutes left on the wrong end of a blowout. I guess that's life and sports eh? Nevertheless, I wish both men success in their careers and maybe one day, they will make their mark on the league.

Today's answer of the trivia question is: American Gangster! A great line by Denzel Washington in that movie. By the way, did you know that his son, RB John David Washington was an undrafted free agent signee by the St. Louis Rams in 2008?

Mike's Con-Vicktion Should Be Change

2009-05-25T01:09:00.000-04:00

I am sitting here mentally refreshing myself from a very hard first year of law school. Just thinking about how much home has changed…or did I? I think about all of the things that made Boston, MA also made me and at times, I reflected the worst of my hometown while at other times, I displayed many of the positive things. The whole goal in life is to get better and recover from the mistakes we made and if we do something well, to continue doing it. I was far from a choir boy in my formative years and I still made some serious gaffes in my young adult years. However, through it all, I maintained a positive view of the future and took the words of the more experienced elders to heart. Believe it or not, I ended up in the place where I always wanted to be: law school. I also have put forth the dedication of providing readers with informative nuggets of my personal insight on the world of sports. To all of my readers, you are an inspiration for me to continue to do this and get better at it the more I put my fingertips to the keys. Despite the challenges to my will this past law school year, I believe I have come to realize what is important to me and how I can utilize my newfound knowledge of the law for the betterment of not only myself, but the community at large.

While on the subject of my personal growth, I cannot gloss over the hot button topic of former NFL quarterback Michael Vick and his journey back to his profession despite public outcries to bar him from his chief source of employment. Yes, what he participated in was egregious to say the least and his actions in regards to his forthrightness in response to questions of his knowledge of dog-fighting on his private property did not inspire faith in his character. As a result of his actions, he spent over a year in federal prison, which in my opinion was way too excessive. Leonard Little, a defensive lineman for the St. Louis Rams killed a woman in a car accident years ago and did less time in prison than Vick. Former NFL running back Lamar Smith (pictured on far left) was impaired while driving which led to an accident and the permanent paralysis of a teammate, yet he was allowed to come back to the NFL and play another day after serving time in prison. In 1984, former NHL player Craig Mac Tavish (pictured on the left) was involved in a fatal car accident after leaving a Boston area nightclub that killed a woman. He spent a year in prison and was allowed to return to the league and play with the Edmonton Oilers. Now, I understand the PETA side of the argument in regards to Vick, which predicates its argument on the cruelty of defenseless animals and making an example of those who participate in such activities. It is no question that Vick became the face of animal cruelty, but is this enough to keep him from earning a living? Does the public at large have the right to deprive one of pursuing their happiness even after he has served his debt to society in prison?

I firmly believe that the life of a human being is worth more than an animal based on the one thing that separates us: the potential to change the world. Any individual has the potential to alter the lives of others at any time while animals, which can provide happiness and are sources of unconditional love on a level that even humans at times cannot match, still cannot change the world. Why would anyone feel that Vick should be deprived of his right to make a living based on his mistakes in regards to dogs while others who kill humans can return to society and take advantage of gainful employment? Some may say he can work as a painter or in construction; he can bag groceries or drive trucks across the United States right? However, why should he be forced to do so? Is making money based on a physical talent punishable a privilege that should be taken away based on mistakes not related to what one does in their line of work? An elementary teacher who gets caught in a sex sting operation with a school aged child being used as bait is understandably a good reason to keep that individual out of the classroom; but what does dog fighting or killing dogs have to do with playing quarterback in the NFL? Are people of the belief that because he made a large amount of money playing professionally, he should be punished by not being able to do so based on his mistakes? If so, that is a poor reason. If these people understand anything about the elements that make this country different from others is one always has a chance to redeem themselves; they have a change to make something out of nothing and can change their lives based on the work they do for themselves and others. Although there are portions of American society that take on the distinctions of a caste system, the positive elements of the Constitution still lay out a classical view of American life…life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. It is not meant to be construed as life and liberty if the public at large allows and pursuit of happiness being conditional on how one is perceived.

I see our society moving towards a culture of taking away rather than providing…we are living in tough times where funding towards education, retirement and care for the mentally/physically impaired are being cut by governmental entities in all states and federal levels. It is not a good precedent to bar a person no matter what their socioeconomic or celebrity status from being able to earn money based on their talents. Michael Vick needs to play football as that is his skill, just as another person is a horseshoe maker and another is an auto mechanic. It is not fair, nor feasible to force him to do something else based on his mistakes. There also appears to be a little jealously abound because there are many of us who will never make the money Vick has made in a year during their lifetimes who love to see another knocked off the pedestal of wealth and cast down into the tax brackets of the ‘commoner’.

I believe that a trash collector who is convicted of a death of another human being or animal should not be forced to sweep floors in a warehouse after serving his time in prison and has adequately showed his/her positive changes. I hope Vick has a chance to resume his career in the NFL and has made the necessary improvements as a man in order to ensure he does not put himself in a similar position in the future. I would hope that any of my law school colleagues, if they make mistakes in their professional career that are not serious enough to disbar them will have the opportunity to redeem themselves. That is what it is all about…that is what’s fair. Good luck Mike.

The Importance of Sports in 'The City'

2009-05-22T23:42:00.000-04:00

I just finished watching the athletic phenom himself, LeBron James, win a game in the last second on the brightest stage of his career. This made me reflect on the effect on people's emotion that sports has and how it effects lives. How many times have you been at the office or at school the day after the home team won or lost a big game? Being on either side, you will notice that the environments can be very positive or very moribund. I remember the day after the New England Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl in 2002, the boss in the office was more aloof than the the employees. We didn't get anything done on that day. On the flip-side, when the Pats lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, man we got so much work done on that day, it was unbelievable. I mean, people did not want to talk about the game and would have rather gotten lost in work than discuss the disappointment of a beloved team losing a big game.

In regards to Game 2 of the 2008-09 Eastern Conference Finals, I cannot help but think about the effect of James on the city of Cleveland. The Cavaliers franchise is located in an area of the United States commonly referred to as the 'Rust Belt', where in the early parts of the 20th Century, the steel manufacturing industry kept cities afloat. As the industry waned in the latter parts of the century, the cities declined and interestingly, so did the fortunes of the sports teams in the area. The Cavaliers were atrocious in the 90s as were the Browns in Cleveland, which was moved and re-named in 1995; the Detroit Lions still are affected by the crumbling economy that is interwoven into the day to day operations of the organization; the Cincinnati Bengals haven't even sniffed any semblance of true relevance since 1989. The Detroit Pistons and Pittsburgh Steelers are pretty much the only organizations who have relatively sustained themselves throughout the changes of society. The Steelers have done so due to a commitment to a manner of business that is deeply rooted through family lineage while the Pistons learned to adapt and change with the times without adhering to the same business paradigm that brought success in the past.

Getting back to the subject of this entry, I am very happy for the people of Cleveland. I had a chance to visit there during a research project in 1998 and I saw a ghost town in Downtown Cleveland. Cleveland Browns Stadium was still under construction, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Jacobs Field were pretty much the only attractions for the out of towner. As I walked about the burned out remnants of a city that boasted the dubious distinction of having a lake so polluted (Erie) that it caught on fire, I thought if there was something positive and transcending, it would bind the people. If I were to visit Cleveland today, the downtown area that I saw ten years ago all but abandoned would have life...thanks to LeBron James. The city is now in the epicenter of the sports world and the city has money coming in via the NBA coverage and increased tourism. Even though the city is divided at its core due to it's history, the fans are united under the success of a common interest. However, what happens to the city if James leaves for literally 'greener pastures' when he opts out of his current contract in 2010? The rumors of Nike paying him extra money to join a large market team are false and impractical in these economic times, so his staying where he is will be motivated by his desire to continue the transformation of his 'hometown', which will not only have a tremendous impact on the fortunes of the team, but the city as well. If Eric Mangini can turn around the Browns and James leaves, then maybe it would lessen the blow, but Cleveland's resurgence was built by James and could hollow out without him. The unity under the thin veneer of a winning team led by an iconic figure disappears and the positivity and economic growth associated with it likewise disintegrates.

The fans of Cleveland sports should enjoy this moment. The reason being is that it is easy to be spoiled by greatness when it is around on a year to year basis...just ask the fans of the Patriots, the Chicago Bulls or Montreal Canadiens. I constantly remind my friends that victory and success can be fleeting and things never remain the same in the sports world; ACLs tear. Players age. Overrated player are bums. Coaches get tuned out. Ownership changes. It all connects with us on so many levels as we work, study and live. Sports gives us a creative outlet and inspires us all. I know we all remember the camera shot of the young fan sporting the James jersey incredulously holding his head after Hedo Turkaglu hit that potential game winning shot tonight. That same kid's emotions swung 180 degrees after the winning shot by James. Imagine going into a holiday weekend on the losing end of the stick and now think about how many bars are breaking the bank as people celebrate. Cab drivers are making a killing and I bet Trojans are making thousands of 'entries' this evening. Winning changes everything and everyone is happy. That is why in these trying times, sports fans located in the 'Rust Belt' deserve to taste winning on the same level as those in Boston, Los Angeles and New York. Congrats, folks...enjoy it while it lasts.

Revisionist History Post---Part I

2009-04-16T12:50:00.000-04:00

Hello all. Since I have been studying for final exams and writing papers, I've not had the time to write articles for the blog. So, in order to provide new material and to fool myself into thinking that I have actually been writing for the blog, I have decided to pull out a new idea...'why not re-package some old blogs and pass them off as new?' Well, I got the idea from one of my readers who expressed the need for an update as I still have the 'will Cutler be traded?' article up on my facebook status. However, the revisionist idea may be good as it gives insight as to how a team has changed over the past year.

So I have decided to post one on the Jacksonville Jaguars which discussed the relevance of the re-signing of quarterback David Garrard and head coach Jack Del Rio to new contracts. As you read, you will see that I was quasi-on point with some observations and woefully off target with others...but hey, it's the NFL and anything can happen, right? I still believe the Jags are on track for winning in the long term and will recover from a disappointing 2008 regular season. The moves made by the organization in the wake of a bad season include: firing the GM who signed Porter and Williamson(which gives Del Rio more say in personnel matters), letting Taylor go via free agency, re-signing Jones-Drew and making him the 3rd highest paid running back in the game while also getting rid of two other first-round bust receivers in Matt Jones and Reggie Williams (the dead wood).

BTW, notice my first question? With Matt Cassell cashing in for last season's performance for the New England Patriots, yes, all it takes is one year of efficient ball to demand big dollars as a starting quarterback in the NFL. I have posted numerous blogs on myspace dealing with football (which is rarely used these days). I am under the name Phil-Matic if you choose to read others. Enjoy.

The David Garrard Contract...Good or Bad?

Tuesday, April 08, 2008, 9:00pm

Who knew that it only takes one efficient season as the starting QB of an NFL franchise in order to cash in to the tune of a reported $60 million over seven years? David Garrard (pictured) passed for 3,543 yards over five seasons previous to his statistically monstrous season of 2007. During those previous five seasons his total for touchdowns was 18 and his interception total was 13. By looking at the simple statistics and comparing them to the 2007 season (2,509 yds,18 tds, 3 ints), I can see why Wayne Weaver and Jacksonville Jaguars brain-trust would invest in this player. Garrard has shown that he can be a capable long term investment at the most critical position on the football field because he is efficient (career 59.8 completion percentage), can create throwing space with his legs in the face of a rush and more importantly, he does not turn the ball over. If you combine his numbers over the six seasons he’s been in the NFL, 36 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions would compare favorably to the best QB’s in the league. The front office had to be salivating as Garrard did this with two first round busts as starting wide receivers and an underachieving TE that also was picked rather high in an NFL Draft.

When I saw Garrard escape from the Pittsburgh Steelers rush during the AFC Divisional Playoff game, darting and dashing down the field in order to position the Jaguars to win, I knew Garrard could be special. It is what a QB does during the most pressing times that define their true value to a team; the Jags blew a lead on the road to a tough team, the momentum was on the other side of the field and losing was a real possibility…to everyone else except Garrard and the Jags. The Jags went on to lose the following week in New England, but if it weren’t for a dropped pass by Dennis Northcutt (a perfect pass, mind you), the outcome may have been different. Garrard paid his dues behind a highly touted QB of the future in Byron Leftwich and when given the opportunity, he shined. He shined so much the organizational philosophy may have been influenced.

In my previous article, I mentioned that NFL franchises are moving away from the hire coach fire coach, hire GM fire GM approach to building teams. They are now moving towards the college type of system programs are built. Owners want continuity and stability as this can be cost effective in the long run; the hire/fire approach leads to paying more to hire new coaching staffs, sacrificing sound cap management by paying more for the appropriate players to fit the revolving door of systems, releasing good players who may not fit in the new coach’s plans (then deal with the cap hit), and finally endure with the on-field struggles of players constantly having to adapt to different ways of playing the game philosophically. In this atmosphere, fans become disconnected from the on the field product which affects revenue streams at the gate and in merchandising. Basically, what I am getting at is the Jags signed head coach Jack Del Rio (pictured) to a five year contract extension and followed up by ponying up big bucks to his QB. This is a clear example of program building and the fact that Del Rio made Garrard his choice in leading the team, he probably will have earned more say in personnel matters. Garrard was also given two new receivers, one of which is proven (Jerry Porter) and the other in the mold of the dead wood they already have on the roster (Troy Williamson). Although it is up for debate how these two players will do, it is clear that the organization is committed to giving Garrard the tools in order to be successful.

There is definite hope in Jacksonville and as long as the QB-coach tandem is in place, I see the team being competitive. The contract Garrard signed is more than likely designed to enable financially flexibility for the first three seasons, which should be enough time to see Maurice Jones-Drew (pictured) grow into a force, Fred Taylor continue to amaze us with his durability in the final years of his career and for smash-mouth football fans to witness a tough defensive match-up week in and week out. The Jags made two huge team building maneuvers over the past couple of days; they made a decision on who will lead this team how it will be done in the foreseeable future, which is a place many other teams wish they could be right now. Although many people my give this move a thumbs down, I believe this is a sound investment that will improve this organization on the field and off it.

Denver Prepping The 'Cutler'-y for Jay?

2009-03-21T04:08:00.000-04:00

Over the past few days the airwaves, Internet and water-cooler topic concerning the NFL is not the upcoming draft and the free agent buzz has seemed to have dissipated. The issue many are talking about is Denver Broncos quarterback, Jay Cutler, feeling rebuffed by trade talks concerning him supposedly initiated by new head coach, Josh McDaniels. Cutler feels alienated to the point of selling his real estate in the Denver area, and subsequent talks via teleconference and a face to face meeting have pretty much gone nowhere. What exactly is the big deal here, you ask? For Cutler, it is a respect factor based on his accomplishments thus far in his career as a starting quarterback for a high profile organization in the NFL. For McDaniels, it is putting his stamp on a high profile team in the mold of his former organization, the New England Patriots. Both competing interests appear to be butting heads rather than working together in order to promote the overall improvement of the team.

According to numerous sources the Broncos, shortly after the free agent period began, initiated trade proposals with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New England Patriots which would have sent Cutler (pictured) to Tampa Bay, Matt Cassel to the Denver and draft picks to New England. The alleged plan back-fired when New England sent Cassel to the Kansas City Chiefs for a second round pick in this years draft which left McDaniels, and Broncos owner, Pat Bowlen in full spin control when Cutler got wind of the news. It is critical to remember that Cutler was a Pro-Bowl invitee (haha, torts) this past season in which he threw for 4,526 yards and 25 touchdowns; we are not exactly talking about a substandard player here. Secondly, the Broncos' downfall last season where they choked up a sure division title by submarining in the final weeks was mainly attributable to a porous defense. I mean, the defense was so bad, when a playoff spot was on the line in week 17 in a 'winner takes all' affair against division rival, San Diego Chargers, they were soundly beat by the score of 52-21. One question that was asked by many pundits shortly after McDaniels took over was 'why start revamping the offense when the defense was the problem?'

This is what leads us down the road we are looking at today. Cutler has officially requested a trade, the potential trade market has dwindled to 2-3 teams and the Broncos have no leverage whatsoever in their trade demands as they have no proven quarterback on the roster that has a full season's worth of effective play under his belt. The parties have reached an impasse and Cutler has every right to be miffed as he said that he was told by Bowlen (pictured during the glory days) after Mike Shanahan was fired that the offensive staff will stay intact and that he was not shopped by the team to others in hopes of consummating a trade. He feels lied to and has no trust factor in his dealings with McDaniels as during a meeting with his new head coach, that anyone can be traded. If it were me in those shoes, I'd be a little perturbed to say the least, but Cutler has to realize that he is employed in an industry where everyone is replaceable and as we have seen from Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, one hit can alter a career. If Cutler believed that he would spend his entire career with the Broncos, I am glad that he now (hopefully) understands his mortality especially in the shadow of 'the business'. Cutler recently no-showed an involuntary organized team activity (OTA) earlier this week and seems dead set on forcing the Broncos' hand in resolving a situation (via trade) that conceivably should have never been.

McDaniels (pictured) is a 32 year old head coach that spent his entire professional career with the Patriots, which has set up a coach manufacturing factory in Foxboro, MA. In his time, he has seen players such as Drew Bledsoe and Deion Branch who were mainstays on the team be traded as soon as the organization identified an individual who could fill his spot at a lower price and with equal to more compatibility with the team's system. It is understandable for him to want to bring 'his guys' to Denver in order to make his transition from offensive coordinator to head coach smoother. However, what gets many people scratching their heads is the fact that McDaniels allegedly never gave Cutler a chance to at least learn his offensive system and determine whether his skill set would fit into what he wanted to accomplish. If the player did not fit after year 1, trade the guy and rebuild the position during a conceivable uncapped 2010 season. If he wanted to make the big splash, I would have thought he would have done it on the defensive side, starting with cornerback Champ Bailey, who is still an elite player but may be declining and could have a good market via trade. The breakdown on Bailey's remaining years under the 7 year, $63 million contract signed in 2004:

2009: $6.5 million (+ $2 million roster bonus due 3/3/09), 2010: $9.5 million, 2011: Free Agent. *Cap charge: $13.669 million (2009).

I cannot see how the Broncos could have thought saving a substantial amount of cap dollars by trading Bailey rather than irritate a notoriously thin skinned Cutler, was not a viable option. Cutler is one of the better young quarterbacks in the NFL; he was drafted behind Vince Young who lost his starting job with the Tennessee Titans and Matt Leinart of the Arizona Cardinals who suffers the same situation as Young. I am not making a case for Cutler and nor am I excusing the behavior of the Bronco brain-trust; however, I am questioning the lack of foresight on both sides which if used, could have prevented a bad situation from getting worse. Cutler must realize that if he will make good on all of the potential he has, he must find a way to make this situation work and position himself into the holder of power down the line. Right now, the Broncos have the power and they also have the ammunition on draft day to either trade for a replacement or draft a player that can be developed under Cutler while Cutler takes the pounding and hits while the coach implements new players into a new system. McDaniels has learned (hopefully) the cardinal rule in any walk of life for any manager or CEO: never walk into a room and alienate those who have been there before you. If you do not carry a big stick and reputation to back it up, it is best to come in, let people know what you expect of them and weed out the misfits later.

I hope both McDaniels and Cutler find a way to work through this as they are both talented at what they do. However, the discontent in reference to McDaniels among the Broncos faithful is beginning to peak before he has even coached a game. I would expect something like this to occur after he guided the team to a 4-12 finish in 2009 rather than in the off season. If McDaniels is able to get Cutler back into the fold and on the same page, this will be an interesting team this year; all they have to do is fill in youthful depth on defense and win the games they are supposed to. If a trade is made, Cutler will need to adapt his attitude to different culture and also become proficient in a new offense with sub par personnel as any team that has the assets the Broncos want for him, will be a bad one. These two parties need each other in order to succeed and I hope this mess is sorted out before training camp as no player wants to be traded during this time and no team that expects to contend wants a question mark at the most critical position.

Re-'cap'ping Some Issues

2009-03-13T16:13:00.000-04:00

Amazing how time flies when one is having fun (sarcasm)...while in the midst of my second semester of writing papers and studying, I had to prioritize my duties in regards to alphaleticarticles and make time for it during a full spring 'break', which features more paper writing and preparations for my final exams. It is refreshing to be back in the swing of things as I am alone in the library, on a Friday night no less, trying to make good on the promises I made to myself and the readers of this blog. I appreciate the emails from a couple of readers asking for another entry (Doris) and suggestions on potential articles (Puente). Rest assured, I will be putting in maximum effort to get this thing going for my...I guess it's called spring edition. So lets go in on it....

Many tidbits of news over the past few months have hit the sports pages and airwaves from basketball, football, baseball and soccer. We are now preparing for the NCAA's 'Selection Sunday' which will bracket 65 college basketball teams for an annual tournament crown a new National Champion. I have to admit, that this is an exciting deal which generates attention to many smaller schools who feature teams with talent we have not been exposed to. Just think of last year...I mean, did anyone even fathom Stephen Curry of Davidson College would be considered a potential first round pick in the NBA draft if he didn't get hot during the 2008 tournament? I have to look at it this way as my bracket is always garbage and 4th seed that I pick to win gets knocked off by a better, but lower seeded squad. A classmate of mine (Quintero) just came by and lobbied for his alma mater, Texas A&M, to get into the tournament and expressed his displeasure with the smaller schools playing to gain access to it. It still must be noted how exciting it is for basketball players at smaller schools to even get a chance to 'go dancing'...these players bring an exuberance that cannot be measured and provide interesting stories (personal and program-wise) to all of the games they play in which many people can relate to. Reminds me of 'caste system meets capitalism' in a strange way where all is equalized for a very short time and anything can happen...then it's back to normal. However, it is a far cry from the 'could he drafted?' question that is largely applied to standouts at more prominent basketball programs. It is also enough to keep people such as myself tuned into their games, provided they are not blitzkrieged within the first five minutes.

In a nutshell, I believe that the games will be compelling this year and there will be a few upsets, just like every other year. At the end of the day however, the impressive collection of talent coupled with superior coaching will reign as the Final Four will more than likely feature noticeable names such as Duke and UConn rather than Northern Iowa or Stony Brook.

Another issue that has been spoken of over the past month or two is the issue of free agency in the NFL. Albert Haynesworth is now a Washington Redskins member, Matt Cassel was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs and Terrell Owens was very wisely released the Dallas Cowboys, and subsequently found able employment with the Buffalo Bills shortly thereafter. Here is my take on the Owens saga; I believe that he needed to be let go by the 'boys not just due to the locker room disruptions and the demands he placed upon a quarterback who is still trying to find his way in the NFL. Many people seem to ignore his age and the salary cap number he was carrying going into 2009. I have not seen 35 year old receivers dominate on the NFL scene in my life much less get paid on par with one who is younger and does so. He was incompetently signed to a 4 year $34 million contract extension last year by the Cowboys who had to at least have knowledge that even Jerry Rice or Chris Carter for that matter, was not dominating at that age. He is still a good receiver, but due to his age and penchant for drawing needless attention to himself, the Dallas brain-trust, if they intended to keep him, should have given him at 2 year extension and front-loaded it as much as possible in order to lessen the salary cap hit if they decided to part ways in the subsequent off-season.

It seems as if Buffalo got it right with Owens, giving him a one year deal as they knew that he usually provides maximum performance in his first year with a new team. Look at the stats:

Philadelphia Eagles (2004): 77 catches, 1,200 yards, 14 touchdowns
Dallas Cowboys (2006): 85 catches 1,180 yards, 13 touchdowns

I expect a good season out of him, but he went to a division where every coach bases their defense on pressuring quarterbacks and taking away things that the opposition does best. If Trent Edwards is in obvious passing situations more often than not, Owens will be rendered ineffective as coverage will be rolled over to him and Lee Evans, although a good player and underrated in my opinion, has yet to prove that he can take take over a game and be a superstar. Edwards seems to be the type of quarterback that can play very well as long as the offensive game plan is dictated successfully and he can use is skills to improvise when plays break down. The biggest benefit of Owens' arrival will be for slot receiver Roscoe Parrish (pictured). He will be matched up against slower safeties or less physical corners and will have room to display his speed in space after the catch. Running back Marshawn Lynch should have a better season as a result as well as the passing game will keep teams from loading 8 men in 'the box' to defense the running game. Just having Owens on the team is good for about 2-3 more wins for the Bills; being that they finished 7-9 last season, I fully expect at least 10 wins out of them this year, which may still not be good enough as every other team in the AFC East has reloaded on defense.

The second side of this move is that the Bills are in financial peril. They reside in a small market that was gutted by the fall of industry in the latter stages of the 20th Century. The owner, Ralph Wilson is testing the lucrative waters of Canada (Toronto) with his team in order to get things turned around and will probably make a move there if things continue to go the way they have been. What better way to get a sudden influx of cash than bringing in a high profile player such as Owens? If he does well, the Bills get exposure, if he acts like a jerk, the Bills get exposure. There will a spike in sponsorships and the jersey sales will pick up. They may even get some prime time games which adds more to the signing. Good move on both sides as far as I am concerned. Both need each other equally.

The steroid era has apparently not ended in Major League Baseball. Apparently as long as the league features sluggers from that historical statistical era (1994-2005), there will be sufficient ink dedicated to the issue by all major publications and small time blog writers such as myself. The newest addition to the 'Juice Crew' is Alex Rodriguez, once touted as a boy wonder drafted out high school by the Seattle Mariners. I had suspicions about him especially when he was hitting 50 home runs as a shortstop; however, my scrutiny means nothing as the news is out and it is easy to say it now that the man has admitted to doing steroids. However, my main issue is this...why is it a big deal? Why must the U.S. Government be involved in all the appearances on Capitol Hill before committees? The use of steroids (in my opinion) is not for hitting home runs, but rather for recovery after long and tenuous exercise. Yes, the player gets bulked up at times, but does he give the fans what they want? Even Greg Maddux put it succinctly in a commercial from years back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ltD21rYWVw I look at it like this...if I am working in an environment where in order to garner a contract to guarantee the future of generations of little Cooks' kids, I need to get an extra edge, serious consideration may need to be put into doing so. Especially if the means to that end is encouraged by the lack of policing by my employer (intentional blind eye) while it openly celebrates ones who reap the benefits of it's usage. Shoot, I am not standing around in 120 degree heat for a hometown discount and peanuts.

I feel that Rodriguez owed nobody an apology; who did he hurt except himself and his reputation? The people who paid for tickets? Not so. They got what they wanted which is a long ball, a strikeout, an acrobatic catch, a stolen base or the occasional brawl (the experience). The owners? No. They continue to reap huge profits (well in some cities) and are still handing out $100 million contracts like candy. Fellow baseball players? Once again, no-no. Contracts that are so high and in the case of Rodriguez, $200 million plus, drive the market upwards. Even a marginal player who goes out of his mind in his walk year can cash in better than he could have 5-10 years ago. What Rodriguez does with his body does not adversely affect me or any other follower of MLB; he will have to pay the price when he looks back in time after retirement and thinks of his personal legacy...then he can look at his bank statement and take a private jet anywhere he wishes to relax for a day or two, which is something many of us will NEVER be able to do whether we take steroids or not. However, it appears that the wear and tear is beginning for Rodriguez as he just underwent hip surgery; is it related to steroids? Who knows? I just wish him the best in his recovery and hopefully he will be back to form soon.

Another issue that has been widely discussed is Albert Haynesworth and the free agent contract he signed with the Redskins. It was widely reported that the contract is for 7 years, $115 million and believe me, I heard the outcry from the public, from friends and classmates alike about how he is not worth that much money especially in these days and times. Well, in the NFL the public is correct, he is not worth that much money. In the NFL the contracts are not guaranteed and agents, players and front office personnel alike spend allot of time trying to figure out creative ways of structuring contract that will lessen detriment on both sides. For instance, a player wants to equal or exceed their market value when they are a free agent, but there are limits in case of injury or ineffectiveness, which teams will argue over. A team may want to protect their salary cap flexibility within the foreseeable future and have an interest in keeping the numbers reasonable within a certain period of years while the player argues his skills are worth stretching that reasonableness. The interests of the player and the team make for interesting contracts and Haynesworth's is no different. Here is the breakdown, thanks to XtremeSkins.com and CNNSI.com:

2009: $5 million (signing bonus) $6 million (base) 2010: $21 million (option bonus) $3.6 million (base), *2011: $5.4 million, 2012: $7.2 million
Total: 4 years, $48.2 million.

The asterisk is for an additional $1 million he may earn in the form of an off-season workout bonus.

The remaining years of the deal calls for Haynesworth to earn $29 million in 2013, $10.8 million in 2014 and $12 million in 2015. Now tell me folks, if Haynesworth is 29 right now, who in their right mind will pay him $29 mill in 2013 at the tender age of 34, which in football years, may as well be 50 doing what he does? That's right, nobody. The $100 million issue is nothing but window dressing to to show how much a team is willing to go numbers-wise with a player in bidding for his services. Even in the NBA, which has guaranteed contracts, if a player is 34 and making $29 million, he will be traded around the league like Karrin Stephans in hip hop circles in order to create salary cap space. Or even perhaps he can be bought out of that contract for quarters on the dollar. There is no market for anyone outside of a 30 year old Michael Jordan or a 26 year old Lebron James perhaps, to make that kind of money...well, except maybe A-Rod, but we already covered that issue. So I tell fans out there, don't believe the hype. In the middle of every belief, there is a lie, so be careful when looking at an NFL contract. Except....

when looking at Matt Cassel's one-year $14.65 million deal he signed as a franchise player with New England Patriots before being traded to the Chiefs two weeks ago. Being a franchise player guarantees Cassel the entire balance during 2009. As I read through the articles devoted to the trade and the fans' reaction to why the Patriots were only able to garner a 2nd round pick for him while also giving up a well respected, veteran defensive player, I looked primarily at two issues: 1) Cassel was a 2005 7th round pick that carried no risk and the organization was able to parlay that into a 2nd round selection. That is a testament to the system the team runs and how they view value. If one can turn electroplate into a solid 10 carats, I'd have to say they did a good job of either knowing how to manipulate gold or finding a sucker who will pay a 10 carat price for the same old electroplate. We will see in 2009. 2) The pick that was garnered, #34, is two spots out of the first round. In essence, it is a player with a first round grade and value; he will drop into their laps at a price that is very palatable which helps salary cap wise. Alternately, the pick can be used as a bargaining chip to move up or down in the draft. Flexibility is the thing any organization wants, which is why a bad team dreads being No.1 as nobody wants to trade for the pick. The team this season, the (sigh) Detroit Lions, will be forced to pay top of the market money to a player who has not done a thing in the NFL. The Patriots have done well in creating flexibility for themselves.

What else has gone on in the sports world eh? Ah...David Beckham tried to back out of his Major League Soccer deal but was not allowed to. My question on that issue is: Whether the deal didn't go down not so much because Beckham relented as MLS had lined up so many sponsors as a result of his arrival and the fear losing them could further expose it to the economic crisis? Besides, I firmly believe that the contract is a hybrid of international and traditional U.S. contract law and that all parties, when reviewing it, said 'thanks but no thanks' when it came down to any potential revisions or ways to get out of it's obligations. Remember, consideration is a must in that situation and both sides don't want to give back any piece of what they've gotten thusfar.

Well, I am pretty much done. I will add a new addition later next week. Thanks for tuning in and please feel free to offer suggestions or give questions in my Ben Stabler inspired 'Mail Bag'....TMSL students only know that.

Super Bowl XXLIII: Cardinals Steel Belted

2009-01-23T16:21:00.000-05:00

Finally it is Friday, so I can take a few minutes out to discuss some sports. Of course those of you reading have been exposed to the 'hype' surrounding Super Bowl XXLIII, which will take place on February 1st, in Tampa, FL. I have to admit, it is hard to get up for this one, but I still believe we may be seeing a good game in that we will be seeing a very good offensive squad in the Arizona Cardinals matching up against the dominating Pittsburgh Steelers defense. However, there is a certain quality missing that I just can't put my finger on (perhaps that the Patriots missed the playoffs, the Colts choked again, the Giants could not could not make another run and the Chargers can never seem to close the deal when given the chance).

The Steelers are very deserving of this chance and from the few people I've spoken to, it appears to be a foregone conclusion that they will be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy the end of the game. However, isn't the act of conceding the game to what we perceive to be the better team what we (well, those outside of the New York City metro area) thought about last year's game? What about Kurt Warner's last Super Bowl appearance with the Rams in 2001? In this posting, I will discuss my thoughts on how the participants in this year's Super Bowl match up with each other. I will not be name dropping too much, just going over how I feel each squad's scheme of playing will open up opportunities or expose their weaknesses. Then I will do the corny and geeky 'I told you so' score prediction.

There is no doubt about it, the Steelers D is going to be hard to contend with as Arizona's attack is so predicated on the pass. However after careful consideration, I have begun to feel that if running backs Edgerrin James and J.J. Arrington are major components of the game plan early, they may be able to control the clock and keep the Steelers offense off of the field. The obvious peril in holding onto the ball against a team that is as disciplined on defense as the Steelers is that sooner or later they will find a way to create a turnover or the offensive players will have difficulty in maintaining focus during prolonged drives. Just imagine, Arizona starts from its own 25 yard line, meticulously drives all the way down to the Steeler's 15 yard line only to lose a fumble, thrown an interception or victimize themselves with drive killing penalties.

The aforementioned scenarios deflate any offensive unit in the regular season much less one that is playing the Super Bowl. The alternative to 'matriculating the ball down the field', in the words of the great Hank Stram, would be for the Cards to employ the ol' heave ho to Larry Fitzgerald, which worked for them throughout the playoffs against some quality defensive units. However, it is a literally painful fact that the Steelers are different animals when it comes to measuring defensive prowess. The defense has only allowed 12 touchdown passes and has picked off 20 errant or poorly thrown balls. In analyzing the Steelers defense, the operative word is pressure. Pressure is something Kurt Warner has had problems dealing with throughout his career, so it no secret that Pittsburgh will try to rattle him early (hence, the need to lean on the running backs). The Cards will be at their best if they can keep the Steelers off balance and thus, make them predictable in terms of how they plan to defend their offensive attack.

The Steelers yielded 3.3 yards/carry during the regular season, which if one listens to the professional analysts, would seem pretty meager; however, if the Cards even get 3.0 per carry, their playbook could expand to include screen plays, reverses, flea-flickers, throw backs and direct snaps as they could conceivably face 3rd and 4 or 5 if they stay par for the course consistently. Three yards per carry does not spell doomsday for the Cardinals. If they are averaging 2 yards or below per carry, their may be problems; if they are facing in 3rd & 6 or 7 more often than not, they are playing into the Steelers' hands as this is what their defense relies on: enforcing predictability from its opposition. These are the downs where you will see safeties and linebackers such as James Harrison (left) hugging the line of scrimmage and zone-blitz schemes (defensive linemen dropping into coverage) being called by Steelers defensive coordinator, Dick Lebeau in order to counter potential 'hot routes' run by receivers. The Steelers want the Cardinals to account for blitzes by max protecting (i.e. keeping a running back and tight end from releasing into pass routes during the play to block potential blitzers in pass situations) as it will hinder what they do best, which is pass the ball.

Now, as far as the Cardinal defense is concerned, I feel that they may be able to compete with the Steelers so long as they are able to match the physical intensity in the trenches and on the peripheries of play. Although they are a little small up front, they may be able utilize speed in order to gain penetration and limit the Pittsburgh ground attack. If I were in Mike Tomlin's shoes, I'd immediately attempt to test the stoutness of the Cards' defensive line in order to find out how they intend to scheme against my offense. I would like to see the Steelers come out ready to pass the ball as it is more than likely, eight Cardinal defenders will be in 'the box' to defend against the run early. The major ace 'card' in Arizona's favor is that their head coach, Ken Whisenhunt and assistant head coach, Russ Grimm are well steeped in how the Steelers play offense as they were on their staff for a number of years: Whisenhunt (2001-2006) and Grimm (2000-2006). These coaches know the Steelers' personnel and can push the buttons that need to be pushed in order force quarterback Ben Roethlisberger into errors of judgement when confronted by certain defenses. The Cardinals' secondary is also playing very well and with loads of confidence, but the Steelers receivers (notably, Hines Ward) are notoriously physical blockers; will the corners and safeties be able to get off of blocks in order pursue plays? Blitzing Roethlisberger is a very hard thing for a team to do as he is very adept at keeping broken plays alive and turning them into positive gains. The Cards will need to hold coverage as long as they can when defensing pass plays. If Big Ben wants to run, they should let as that will not beat them...losing assignments while he is scrambling often does however.

Keys: When the Steelers have the ball:

The number one key for the Cardinals on defense is to make sure they stop the run early and do not allow Willie Parker to get outside on running plays; if they are able to keep the play in front of them, safeties such as the under-appreciated Adrian Wilson can support the run. Secondly, they have to be willing to give Roethlisberger those scrambling yards; if he is surrounded by three men before he has committing to running for yardage, that is bad news. The secondary has been playing exceptionally well and they must not only continue their string of effective play, but also step it up. They will have to be physical as TE Heath Miller is a favorite downfield target in Pittsburgh's offense.

The Steelers' number one key on offense is establish the run. So, as I said earlier, I will not be surprised to see Pittsburgh try to spread Arizona's defense out with multiple receiver sets in order to soften them up for the run, which if administered by the Steelers, is done late rather than early (especially when playing with a lead). Willie Parker is the type of running back that cannot be held for an entire game without him making a play or two. It is critical that the Steelers set up the Cardinals with the pass in order to get the running game going provided they are able to get an early lead. Number two, get physical in the passing game. Hines Ward wears out opposing players whether he is blocking them or they are tackling him; as games wear on, those hard don't seem so hard. Get the ball the receivers in space so they can utilize effective blocking in order to turn modest gains into big ones.

Keys: When the Cardinals have the ball

For the Steelers, the first key is simple and many teams have done it before: get to Kurt Warner early. Bringing that extra pass rusher at will throw off his timing and thus cause interceptions or strip sacks. It is imperative to note that the more Warner is hit, the worse he gets (but that's just about any QB). Based on the manner in which the Cardinals worst losses were this season, if they get down or demoralized early, they generally do not recover. The offense, which is primarily one dimensional cannot sustain comebacks as their can be disrupted easily by teams that follow their keys. Secondly, as for dealing with a receiving corps that features three 1,000 yard gainers, the Steelers have to select one player they can live with having a good game. I would suggest that this player is NOT Larry Fitzgerald. If Fitzgerald is neutralized, the opportunity for instant offense via the 'jump-ball' is greatly decreased. I am not scared of Steve Breaston beating me if I am the Steelers. Anquan Boldin is still suffering from a hamstring and in light of the recent dust up with offensive coordinator and his character being questioned, he may have something to prove. We also have not seen how these receivers react to being hit in manner in which the Steelers hit opposing players; I am unsure what the response from Fitzgerald et al will be as I've not seen cornerbacks get physical with him off the line of scrimmage too often. I still think he will be 'Cover 2'd' all day with saftey coverage being rolled over to Fitzgerald's side of the field to assist the cornerback who will be covering him. Boldin can be dealt with via single coverage...heck, if Warner is under duress, he won't have time to get the ball to Boldin.

The Cards' first key is to show no consistency when dealing with Pittsburgh. All of the tendencies they displayed during the regular season and playoffs need to be scrapped. This is why I say that they need to come out and try to run the ball. If it is not the run, short passes such as screens or direct snaps would be sufficient; it would not surprise me to see a little 'Wildcat' being utilized as has been successful for several teams during the regular season. One thing that I would not do if I were Ken Whisenhunt is come out trying to spread the Steeelers defense out...many have tried and few have succeeded; doing so only gives the Steelers more space in which to bring a free pass rusher. Get James involved early and since he is relatively fresh, why not put the ball in his hands? I would not trust Tim Hightower to tote the rock too much as he is a rookie and his style of running exposes the ball, enabling him to be stripped by defenders. He could be utilized in short yardage situations and perhaps in blocking for max protect situations if they should arise. Secondly, get Arrington(pictured) involved in all aspects of the offense similar to how the Philadelphia Eagles use Brian Westbrook. If he is effective, his presence on the field alone will open up opportunities for Fitzgerald to victimize single coverage; if this happens, the entire offensive game plan can be dictated to the defense.

In predicting this game, I cannot overlook the physicality of the Steelers defense, especially in big games. This team answered blow for blow against a hardened Baltimore Raven team I have doubts the Cardinals would even be able to contend with. I have yet to see the Cardinals in a fight for their life as they have gotten their opponents in the playoffs down by many points early and then held on to win. They will be in a serious fight come next Sunday and I do not believe they can go the distance against a well seasoned, playoff tested team. For these reasons, I believe the game may be close early, but turnovers will play a huge role in the Cardinals demise...they should have listened to me. I will take Pittsburgh 27-13. MVP? Who cares?

Gruden Fired...speculated here first

2009-01-16T23:50:00.000-05:00

Yes, finally Chucky himself has been vanquished in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers have just fired John Gruden and it was speculated on this very blogsite two weeks ago. If you asked me, he took too much credit for winning a Super Bowl with Tony Dungy's team. The glaring weaknesses in personnel evaluation, poor drafting and the dizzying. endless carrousel of quarterbacks which will hopefully be at an end. I am not a Bucs fan, but I am excited for them. It is clear that the team had tuned out the dirty faces and the yelling. The lack of clutch performances when the team needed them speaks volumes of how they responded to him and his initmidating style of coaching. Hmm...maybe Keyshawn Johnson had something when he virtually quit on the team a few years back referencing differences of opinion between he and Gruden. Now, Gruden is a good coach it would be a wise move to start all over again as I believe he needs to be a coordinator again before going back to a head coaching gig. He will also have to learn to stick with one QB and let him play through the good and bad times...look what it did for Eli Manning to have a coach stick with him when he struggled mightily.

On the other side Raheem Morris is a member of the Dungy coaching tree and he was hired with hopes that what Herman Edwards and Mike Tomlin had in coaching talent will transfer to him. We will see. Man, I have to do some analysis on the age of head coaches in the NFL dropping down to my age....wierd.

Philadelphia Eagles: Preparing to Throw McNabb the 'Out-Route'?

2009-01-16T16:50:00.000-05:00

Man, it has been a trying week. I have returned from my winter break hiatus from law school and thought I had the gas to just keep up the pace I had last semester. Wrong. It however is good to be back in the swing of things and writing these articles for you and the rest of the world that has some time to spare. Thank you for your time as writing these for you is the highlight of my week. I have been thinking heavily about the NFL playoffs and who will be the respective representatives of the AFC and NFC in the Super Bowl after this weekends conference championship games.

You could have slapped me silly if I told you a rookie quarterback (Joe Flacco) would be leading the offense of a team that is one game from the Super Bowl. You could have slashed my tires and taken all of the CDs in my car if I told you in September that Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner will be one step from returning to the Super Bowl and thus potentially cementing a Hall of Fame career. However, the story of these playoffs in my opinion at least is neither Flacco or Warner. It isn't even Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who since coming into the NFL has consistently been a winner. The story that intrigues me is that of Donovan McNabb, quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles. It is not so much that he has been a major role in the resurrection of a team many (including me) left for dead when he was benched in week 12 against the Baltimore Ravens. It is the fact that McNabb is in a unique position that forces me to analyze loyalty, money and organizational success in the NFL. These factors are what separates good teams from bad teams and at the same time could shift the future success of the player and the franchise both negatively and positively.

There is no doubt in my mind that the 2009 NFL off season will be pivotal for every team and the league itself. There are so many questions that need to be answered from Terrell Owens' future with the Dallas Cowboys, the rumors that LaDanian Tomlinson will be traded from the San Diego Chargers, the Matt Cassel-New England Patriots saga and the moves the Detroit Lions will make in order to distance itself from a historically woeful and winless 2008 season. Other issues will be the collective bargaining agreement between the players and owners; who will be Gene Upshaw's replacement as the Executive Director of the Player's Union? What will happen after 2009 if an agreement has not been struck between the two parties. Believe it or not, the question of Donovan McNabb touches upon all of these issues in some way or another.

I've made up my mind that if the Eagles are unable to win the Super Bowl in Tampa, FL on February 1st, the team will need to seriously consider the future of McNabb and whether the team as presently constituted will be able to compete for a championship in not only the short term but the long haul (3-5 years in the NFL). The Eagles are making their 5th NFC title game appearance in 8 years with their lone breakthrough to the big game being in 2005 (which was lost). The team showed tons of heart down the stretch run of the regular season, eventually procuring a wild card berth. However, how long can this team continue to keep this up? The roster is showing serious signs of wear and tear from years of elongated seasons via failed playoff runs. Want an example? Since 2001, the Eagles have played 14 post season games, which is the equivalent of a regular season prior to 1978. Giving added significance to this while taking a swipe at Matt Millen, the Lions have appeared in 0 playoff games during this period. 14-0. Seems like a score between the Eagles and the Lions huh? However, despite the failure to win a Super Bowl and exposure to more football than the lay teams, the franchise has not made major changes. The Eagles are a very loyal franchise to their signature players. They brought back Hugh Douglas when it was apparent he was no longer an elite player. They allowed Jeremiah Trotter to return after several injury plagued seasons elsewhere. They held on to players such as Eric Allen and Bobby Taylor when they had obviously passed their prime. In a way, this behavior reflects the ideology of 'brotherly love', but when precious salary cap dollars are hanging in the balance in today's NFL, in this country's economy, how long can a team hang onto highly compensated players who have already peaked and appear to be on the decline? Sadly, McNabb is one of those players.

McNabb signed a 12-year, $115 million contract with a $20.5 million signing bonus in 2002, which at the time, gave him the highest paid contract in NFL history. Originally signed through 2013, his being able to meet certain performance clauses in the contract voided the final three years of the deal and the contract is set to expire in (ding, ding) 2010, the uncapped salary year if the CBA is not renewed. McNabb's salary cap number for 2009 (base salary and pro rated signing bonus) will be $10.3 million. The team is long in the tooth at several positions (safety, linebacker) and also has needs for the future elsewhere (running back). The Eagles have done their best to keep a core group of players intact for quite a while and have yet to win a Super Bowl. I commend Jeffrey Laurie, owner of the Eagles, for keeping the team intact and allowing consistency to become a culture throughout the organization. However, I wonder...if the Eagles stumble in Arizona this weekend or in the Super Bowl in a couple of weeks, is he still willing to stay the course with his present QB who has yet to lead this team the ultimate goal? Can that extra $9 million (provided McNabb is traded) be put to use in order to build the Eagles of tomorrow and thus potentially extend the run of consistency? Is just making the playoffs every year the ultimate goal?

I fear that Laurie, team president, Joe Banner and coach Andy Reid will be making a cardinal mistake if they do not trade McNabb in the offseason provided they do not win during the rest of these playoffs. The risk factors with McNabb are stark. He has endured problems with his thumb, tore an anterior cruciate ligament in his knee and broken an ankle (which he played on). If these injuries were prevalent in the past, does one think he will be healthy in the future? McNabb started all 18 games this season but look at his games started going back (2007: 14, 2006: 10, 2005: 9, 2004: 10). I am not saying that he cannot be counted on...heck he was a major player in getting T.O. and his poison out of their locker-room. He is a team leader and he has been the figurehead during arguably the most prominent era of Eagles football. However, the facts remain that he is no longer the elite player he once was. He can still make plays that every Tom, Dick and Trent Green can make, but he has become more a game manager; if the team relies too heavily on him, he cannot win games consistently. It is Brian Westbrook that is target of every defensive coordinator; McNabb is not the dynamic threat that the organization depended on and paid handsomely back in 2002. One thing that the organization does not want to do is allow themselves to rest on the laurels of the past when it comes to McNabb similar to how the Boston Celtics did with Larry Bird in his latter years. Celtics' management was more concerned with cementing Bird's legacy than looking towards the future and seeing how they can parlay an aging and declining former superstar into a new era (remember, an upstart player by the name of Reggie Lewis languished on the bench for two years before Bird retired). Staying with 'your guy' too long can set a franchise back for a decade at least...just ask the NY Knicks and how they handled Patrick Ewing or the Miami Dolphins with Dan Marino.

On the flip-side, I also kind of appreciate the loyalty that the Eagles have shown to McNabb. It is the kind of loyalty that is rarely seen especially when the player is going through the ringer in the press, life or in the locker room. This loyalty has been rewarded by playoff appearances and has sold out Lincoln Financial Field consistently. I constantly harp on the value of loyalty and how it is a missing component in not only the sports world, but also in our everyday lives. People's futures are determined by the stroke of a pen in order to help a company spare the bottom line which enables discontent in the workplace to stay extremely high. In Philadelphia, the player wishes to be re-signed and the employer seems to want to do the same. It is a rare amount of respect shown in public. However, the Eagles are still a business and they are not out to make older players feel welcome; they are in business to win and generate revenue, just like every other team or business. There are teams that are so cut-throat, you have to follow suit sometimes just to financially compete with them. The Patriots got Drew Bledsoe out of New England as soon as they found a more effective, and efficient player to take his place. The Indianapolis Colts allowed Edgerrin James, a cornerstone to the franchise's resurgence to walk via free agency as he demanded the motherload. The NY Giants waved the franchise's all- time leader rusher, Tiki Barber out of the door and into the cozy confines of an NBC studio set after his complaints and threats to retire wore on everyone associated with the organization. What do all of these franchises have in common? The players that replaced these legends were younger and cheaper. Know what else? After replacing them, the team won championships.

Now, if the Eagles are able to win the Super Bowl this year, it may no problem to bring McNabb back for a 2009 swan song. Going into 2010 flush with cap space and a market that does not restrict spending, may enable the team acquire that player who can get them over the top. It is a popular sentiment to bring back your Super Bowl winning quarterback with a brand spanking new contract extension in order to create the illusion that the team is back to defend the title. What happens when Jason Taylor edge rushes McNabb into a separated throwing shoulder and the team is now committed to him for more years with even more money sitting on the cap? It may be in the best interest of the Eagles, if they win...if they win....to not give McNabb a new contract but bring him back (loyalty and forward thinking) while allowing, ulp... Kevin Kolb to get a majority of the snaps in the preseason after getting another signal caller in the draft. We all appreciate the McNabb signature moments...can anyone say 4th and 26? However, are they worth not allowing the franchise to move forward if they cannot complete the quest for a title with him at the helm? Either way 2010 is the year the in which the Eagles can really do some damage. They are fiscally responsible and know how to prepare financially for the long term. Once again, if they do not win, it may be in every one's best interests to try another strategy in order to reach organizational and personal goals.

By the way, yes it is true...LaDanian Tomlinson is on the trading block. Do you think the Chargers should pull the trigger? Are they kicking themselves for not locking up Michael Turner two years ago? Turner carried the ball 376 times for the Atlanta Falcons for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns...sounds Tomlinson-esque doesn't it? What are your thoughts about McNabb? If the Eagles win, should they still pursue a trade while he is at his highest value? If they lose, should they bring him back? Is the salary cap relief worth cutting or trading a beloved player?

Coach's Dilemma...Emphasis on a broken system

2009-01-08T22:53:00.000-05:00

I was doing some research on my next article and happened upon an interesting article by ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski in regards to University of Miami quarterback Robert Marve. Marve requested to be released from his scholarship and the school granted the release...under the condition that he not attend schools in conferences of the school's choice. The interesting twist is what we touched upon the previous post...if the coach decides to break his contractual commitment, he can do so without any strings attached by the school. However, if the student athlete decides to do so, his choices are crippled by the institution. The question is what message is being sent to other recruits? To emphasize the point on the previous post, the relationship between recruits and the school of their choice is unfair...don't even get me started on these bowl games where the school pockets the advertisement money and student athletes get nothing. The article is a good read. Enjoy.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=3815468&sportCat=ncf

Coach's Dilemma: Honor Thy Contract or Not?

2009-01-07T14:19:00.000-05:00

Well folks, my winter hiatus from law school is running out and my focus has somewhat been skewed from sports alone back to legal issues. Funny how that kind of works out as I was reading my very first blog and noticed that I wrote like someone who just was liberated from their first semester of work, yet still constrained by the intricate details of legal training. As I progressed into the break, my writing became a little more free and I was able to venture out again as far as topics and provide nuggets of information that perhaps you will not find elsewhere. It's nothing out of the ordinary, this is what we do here at AlphaleticArticles. In other words, I am patting my back. I also thank you for tuning in and hopefully we can continue our weird writer-reader relationship.

Relationships are critical in all aspects of our lives. Relationship dictate living space, transportation and employment. One portion of our society where relationships are very important is the area of athletics. The common mode of legitimizing relationships in athletics is a contract. We the public are provided with a great deal of the details in regards to these complex agreements whether it be a player's salary, a team's corporate sponsor, an executive officer's scope of power and even issues regarding the sale of tickets. Coaches themselves have their contractual agreements with their employer thrust into the public spotlight for debate, praise or analysis. Sports fans have seen the role of contracts and their validity come to the surface in instances where coaches who signed contract extensions (Sylvester Croom and Maurice Cheeks for instance) with their employer, be summarily shown the door shortly afterwards due to the struggles of the team.

The administrators who gave them these contracts were criticized for these decisions being that the coach is rewarded for doing a great job with the team by being give an extended commitment of security; but if the team struggles or has a bad year, that security is null and void. Is that fair? Well, it all depends on who you ask. The employer thinks its fair as they are trying to bring out the best in their investment. The cost of firing a coach on a professional level is small in comparison to keeping the coach and watching good money being spent on an already salary-bloated roster. On the collegiate level, all of the resources that go into recruiting, raising money for the program and casting the school in a positive light for higher admission rates takes precedent over the coach's contractual commitment to the school.

Now what happens in a situation on the collegiate level where the coach has done a great job, has a long term contract, and wants to see if he can procure a better job elsewhere? If the coach interviews elsewhere or accepts a new job? Is that fair to the school? I mean, the coach is a human being that has higher goals for themselves and a family to support. For instance, Boston College has just fired their head football coach Jeff Jagodzinski today in reference to his recent interview for the vacant head coaching position with the New York Jets. Jagodzinski became the head coach of BC in 2007 and led the team to the highest ranking (No.2 in the country) in the school's history and also coached it to back to back berths in the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) Championship Game. He in all respects has done what the athletic department has asked of him and in turn, rewarded them with sterling results. Jagodsinksi signed a 5-year contract as head coach and it has been reported that the athletic director for BC, Gene DeFilippo, hired him on the condition that he honor the entire length of the deal (doesn't anyone?). There were also reports that the contract stipulated that he is not interview with any NFL team until after his third year of the contract, although this has not been confirmed as true.

After the 2008 season for BC ended with a 16-14 loss to Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl, rumors began to swirl in regards to Jagodzinski's interest in coaching in the NFL and his having been in contact with the Jets. When DeFilippo asked him if this was true, Jagodzinski said no. Is this reason to be fired? How about the ultimatum from DeFilippo warning Jogodzinski that if he interviewed with the Jets, he would be fired? Was that warranted? When looking at this issue, I have no choice but to look at a shining example of a school that was burned by a coach who, flush with a long term contract still had his eyes to door.

Anyone remember Bobby Petrino? He signed a 10 year, $25.5 million contract with the University of Louisville in 2006 and subsequently left to become the head coach of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons for the 2007 season, despite offers from the school to up his salary in order to convince him to stay. Petrino signed a 5-year $24 million deal with the Falcons and then quit on the team during the season no less, to become the head coach of the University of Arkansas. Is something wrong here?(pictures of his odyssey below) The one thing that I think about the most in regards to Petrino's mess is not that he said 'you got yourself a head coach' to Falcon's owner Arthur Blank in the midst of the stories concerning his imminent departure. It is the fact that the coaches find it so easy to bail out (the operative term for the latter part of this decade in the U.S.) on the student athletes that they recruit.

Jagodzinski and countless other coaches visited the homes of many high school juniors and seniors in order to convince them that their institution is best for them. There is tradition, top ranked academics, plenty of women, active city life and oh yeah, can't forget...a chance to go to the NFL. Some of these young men live thousands of miles away from the school and the parents trust the coach enough to send their child to this school under the watchful eye of the man who sits in the living room pitching the program to them.

What if after the young man commits to going to the school, the coach quits in order to get a higher profile and higher paying job elsewhere? Now, the coach can bail out of his contract, but the student athlete is stuck in his agreement (letter of intention). I don't care about the AD at BC, the local/national news services or pundits. If anyone has a right to be angered by this type of behavior, it should be the parents of the student who were recruited by the coach who engages in such a practice. Now, Jagodzinski was merely testing the waters when he put out feelers for jobs in the NFL. Although this does not mean he was actively shopping his wares, it has to be disturbing to others who's livelihood depend on his being there to coach. Is his inquiry into the head coaching job with the Jets a breach of contract? I am not sure as we are not privy to the language in the document. Were his actions a breach of trust between his employer, the students and their parents? Yes. This breach of trust is what cost him his job.

As I've stated, student athletes are most affected by this. Think of all of the prized recruits who realized a dream when they were recruited to play for Steve Spurrier at the University of Florida, only to see him on ESPN announcing he has accepted the head coaching position of the Washington Redskins (which didn't last long). The same thing can be said about University of Alabama's Nick Saban, who in the course of three years, left LSU(Louisiana State University), took the head coaching position with the Miami Dolphins and then quit after two seasons to return to the college ranks. How can any parent in clear conscious trust the coach that comes to their home? He will say to the parent 'I am here for the long term' or 'I'm not going anywhere', but does that mean anything if the coach inherently wants to coach on the professional level or at a higher profile school? Who gets left behind when he leaves?

As I touched upon earlier, coaches are people just like you and I. They have goals they set for themselves and those goals are set high (I hope yours are too). If the opportunity to grab that goal by the horn presents itself, why shouldn't they take it? For all Jagodzinski knows, the next recruiting class could underachieve and the team could suffer through injuries the following season. If the team doesn't do well, he is back down on the totem pole with years to build back up to where he is now. If he doesn't get optimum performance out of the players, guess what happens to him? He gets that call down to the AD's office and he will be FIRED. The average coach's life and family are always hanging in the balance no matter what job they take because so much is not under their control. Why not find ways to keep the pipeline of communication to better jobs open? Is it his kids he cares about most or someone else's kids? I know when I had a job in my pre-law school life, I went on job interviews from time to time. I did it just to get a gauge on where I stood in the market and what skills would make me more attractive in the future. If I received an offer, I weighed it and then made the informed decision which was best for me. I always remembered that everyone is replaceable, so why not look out for other opportunities? The employer is always looking for some new and exotic way to cut costs.

My last point is that Boston College fumbled the ball on this whole sordid affair. It allowed internal entities to leak the school's position to the press and DeFilippo let his opinions be known too early. As a result, after day two, the matter took on a life of it's own and DeFilippo painted himself into a corner; he had to fire Jagodzinski. This could have been avoided by offering 'no comment' to all questions or by putting an internal gag order on the matter immediately after the rumors surfaced. Silence and vague statements are what keep Mayors, Presidents, CEOs and coaches alike employed. Once one lets the world know their position, they no longer have maneuverability or leverage. If you don't follow through, you have no spine and your word means nothing; if you do follow through, you cut off your nose to spite your face. There are many lessons to be learned through this situation, that's for sure.

If my opinion is wanted on the issue, Jagodzinski should have been forthright with his employer and told the truth about his contact with the Jets when they asked him about it. He betrayed the trust that got him hired. Without that same level of trust, there is no way he could have returned as head coach. Now BC has to go tell Jagodzinski's recruits a story about how the football program is still stable.

BTW: See how the Jets' organizational incompetence affects other organizations? Man oh man...

The NHL Outdoors: Opening the Door for Diversity? Maybe...

2009-01-03T14:48:00.000-05:00

Good Evening/Morning to those who are reading this entry. Once again, thank you for tuning in to read a little bit about my take on issues within the vast universe of sports. I do not plan on getting too in depth on this entry as I am trying to get my behind to the gym before the sun rises. Interestingly enough, ever since I've been on Winter hiatus from school, I've been a vampire...I stay up all night reading and preparing new material for this medium and then sleep half the day...I better get myself in gear before school starts back, that's for sure. Anyways, I am sitting here writing and just put on some old school music while I write. Got a little Chaka Khan and Rufus going on right now. Before I go forward, I would like to send my condolences out to the family and close friends of one of my favorite hip hop artists, Arthur "Party Arty" or "P-80" Sheridan, who passed on December 4, 2008. I know many of you do not know Arty, but he was a one half of the group "Ghetto Dwellers" and a member of the Worldwide D.I.T.C. Crew (Diggin' in the Crates). Rest in Peace, dun, this is dedicated.

Now, while the sports world has been focused on the popular topics of the NFL Playoffs, the ascension of Lebron James to the NBA elite, Brett Favre, coaches in all professional sports being dropped at a dizzying pace and the gawd-awful, dreadful, begging episode narrated by Jared Allen of the Minnesota Vikings on the teams website, pleading the struggling American citizens in the Minneapolis area to buy tickets to the last evening's playoff game. The game could have been blacked out in the local market due to the stadium not being sold out...so Allen basically stated "I know you got your holiday bonus, buy some tickets". Now this is from a man that signed a $69 million contract in the 2008 off-season. People are losing jobs, homes and futures. And he, with the co-signing of his employer had the nerve to address such a condescending message to fans. I for one, am glad the Vikings lost last night. No more tickets to be sold for this season!!! Whoever is the public relations specialist in that organization should be put in a position to know exactly what the lay American laborer is dealing with...a pink slip firmly in hand. As it was stated on Cannibal Ox's album " The Cold Vein"...'it's a cold world out there, sometimes I think I'm getting a little frosty myself.'

Speaking of cold and frosty, I am unsure if the average sports fan has paid attention to what the NHL has been doing over the past two seasons. The league has created what is called a "Winter Classic" where two teams play a hockey game outdoors. I have to admit, it was exciting to watch and I have no doubts that if this idea is implemented and packaged to the consumer correctly, it can not only expand the league brand, but also increase it's influence demographically. Let's be frank here...I am African American and I remember my first NHL game...in Boston. In 1993. In the old Boston Garden. Yes, back when I was in high school. Reggie Lewis was doing his thing for the Celtics and Bill Clinton was President. My boss at my little part time job was a season ticket holder and he could not go to a game (Bruins vs. St. Louis Blues, to the best of my memory). So he gave the tickets to me and my homeboy Andy, who is Puerto Rican. As we made our way to the seats, you should have seen, or felt the eyes of the predominately...forget that...all of the white people in the section squarely on us. We were made to feel we did not belong, but we had a good time nonetheless. The experience did not endear either of us to accepting tickets again however, as we both felt that the game was not as enjoyable without a diverse group of fans rooting for the local team.

When I watched portions of the Winter Classic last year which was played in Ralph Wilson Stadium, in Buffalo, N.Y., I actually wanted to be there. For one, it wasn't such a closed in, tight box of a venue (thank you TD Banknorth Garden) and two, the stadium was so huge, you knew that there is at least a remote chance that there would be more diversity among the fans in attendance. Even though the crowd was more than likely 90-98% white, I still felt more comfortable and open to the idea of taking in a Winter Classic. When you look at the picture of the atmosphere to your left, you cannot tell me that anyone wouldn't at least be interested in taking in that experience. If you are a sports fan, that is a memorable scene, regardless of which team you were rooting for or what sport is your fancy. The television ratings for that game also reflected as much, garnering a 2.6 last year. This year it grew to 2.9, which is leap of 12%. The increase in those rating absolutely had to include people who had little to no interest in hockey and tuned in out of curiosity. How can the NHL continue to hold onto these casual viewers?

For one, the league has to increase it's presence in strongholds where Latinos, African Americans and Asians live and work. The NFL, MLB and NBA's presence far outweighs the NHL due to the fact that they engage the audiences they wish to cultivate. Even though the NBA does this to a point of alienating the older, established and more well endowed pockets of fans of previous generations, the NFL and MLB have taken their product and made it very global in scope. Why is the NHL not doing this? I am not sure, but maybe it has to do with how expensive it is to get involved with youth hockey. Maybe being on skates and sliding around on ice is not appeal ling to cultures and races other than whites. I have no idea. I for one love the game...it combines the physicality of football with speed, gracefulness, athleticism and stratagem of soccer. If you like those two elements, it cannot be beat as far as entertainment. Gary Bettman, the Commissioner of the NHL, used to be an NBA exec, so I know he is trying to grow hockey in America and abroad in a similar manner as the NBA grew in the late 70's, early 80's and throughout the 90's. However, the racial divide that seems to be simmer underneath and maybe even inherent at the sport's core can be something that could perhaps hinder its growth.

In the January, 26 2008 Time Magazine article, "Will Hockey Ever Get Its Tiger Woods?" Sean Gregory and John Hollis highlight a strategy the NHL is employing to get more involvement in hockey among African Americans and change the perception that hockey is reserved for only the white population:

'The NHL is hoping, once and for all, to change that perception. During the first intermission of Sunday's NHL All-Star game in Atlanta, the league is honoring Willie O'Ree, who broke hockey's color barrier 50 years ago'

However, the authors continue:

'But half a century later, with hockey in desperate need of new fans to restore its fading relevance in the U.S., the game still holds very little appeal among blacks.'

For the entire article, click the link below: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1707253,00.html

This is where the Winter Classic can have serious relevance and impact that negative fact positively. This year, the game was held in Chicago, IL in Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs (right). The venue was sold out and the fans loved it. The one thing that struck me about both last year's game and this year's edition is that both Buffalo and Chicago are cities where there is a strong African American populace. Is this a coincidence? I am not sure. If not, is the NHL taking advantage of this? They'd better. This article is not so much about just African Americans, but the entire scope of the racial composition of our country and how more people can follow the great game of hockey. I firmly believe that the Winter Classic, with its unique atmosphere, being outdoors, brings an appeal any sports fan can appreciate. I liked hockey before the Winter Classic but I feel more engaged when it is on this type of stage. I feel comfortable going to a hockey game outdoors with a literally ice cold beer in my palm, following the action with the rest of the fans. By the way, the Bruins game I went to back in 1993 was a shutout, 4-0 Blues. Not much celebrating to do in the old barn that day. However, this opportunity to diversify the fans of the league is what Bettman must work towards in order to keep the NHL a viable sports product both in North America and in limited areas abroad. The league has instituted a salary cap and can thus keep their players from facing the stigma that players in MLB are labeled with, when markets become unstable and the demand for players outstrip the good of the league. If the NHL does not take advantage of their current position, it will continue to languish on the bottom of the sports totem pole in America.

N.Y. Jets: Long Island Dreamin'

2009-01-02T20:57:00.000-05:00

Oh man....what a ride. I have driven from Dallas to Houston today, contending with the soccer moms driving Dodge Caravans on steroids, rich folks in expensive cars that want to play chicken on the highway and looking out for that elusive state trooper that we all know is somewhere on the shoulder of the road in which we are obliterating the speed limit on. And of course we cannot forget the people who are doing 55 mph on a 70 mph limit highway that insist on staying in the fast lane no matter how many people they slow up or cause to stay stuck behind them. Yes, that trip is always a challenging adventure that I look forward to. Needless to say, Happy New Year to all of my readers (all five of you), and here's to wishing a yule log, more money, hope, prosperity and a better go 'round this time than in 2008.

While I was on the highway today, I picked up sports talk radio while looking for a new CD to play. The topic de jure, which has been beaten to death was the Brett Favre and N.Y. Jets situation and the fallout from the team's late season collapse. For those of you who have read my last entry, I firmly believe the firing of Eric Mangini by owner Woody Johnson in concert with Mangini's PNC (partner n crime) Mike Tannenbaum (Christmas tree), was the wrong decision by a franchise that structured its entire operation around Mangini's management, personnel and system requirements. After shelling out a massive amount of money to sign free agents in order to bolster a 4-12 '07 roster, and trading for a grizzled, yet experienced star studded quarterback, I believe that the coach deserved at least one more season to get the team to jell under his watch. I am not sure if it is good business to bailout on such a huge overhaul of talent on the roster after just one season while not knowing who is going to replace deposed coach and whether the new system fits the players you just blew out the market for in order to sign.

I decided to read the New York papers and national media websites searching for a reporter or writer to hit on this point especially in light of the salary cap ramifications. Nothing. What I also noticed is that everyone seems to be dumping on the long and sordid histories of perennial cellar dwellers in the Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals, but yet nobody has taken the liberty to throw the Jets into that discussion. The Jets' only Super Bowl title came in 1969...Super Bowl III for those who are too young realize. The Jets have had such a long history of ineptitude and mismanagement, I question why they are not thrown into the same category as the Lions, Bengals and Saints as teams that are more consistently thought of based on their failures and high draft picks than wins and title runs. Indeed, the history of the New York Jets is just as or even more depressing than the Lions. I mean, at least the fans knew that ownership was selling them crap...the Jets have always led the way in dressing garbage up in the fanciest of clothing and selling it to the people like it is a privilege to buy it...like they are doing the favor. The far fetched promises always have seemed to earn them the likes of Dwayne Robertson, Marvin Jones, Jeff Lageman, Browning Nagle or Blair Thomas.

I remember back in the day, my uncle had season tickets to the Jets. He got them right after the Super Bowl victory in...yup 1969. Back in 1982, the Jets played in Shea Stadium and my uncle and cousin welcomed my mother, father and me to see them play the New England Patriots. All I have to say is, what an experience. Johnny 'Lam' Jones, Wesley Walker and Co. tore up my beloved Pats that day. This was back when Mark Gastineau and Joe Klecko were doing their thing....back when Marion Barber III's and Jabar Gaffney's fathers were on the team. And team still couldn't win. In my lifetime, the Jets have been to two conference championship games and lost them both. In the years following the appearances, they fell back into mediocrity and subsequent disarray. Little did I know even then that the Jets were playing, and still are, second or even third fiddle to the NY Giants, no matter whether they had the same coaches or personnel.

The Jets have tried everything possible to change the direction of an otherwise rudderless franchise...the hiring of Bruce Coslett, with hopes to create a new 49ers type offense, the hiring and firing of Pete Carroll (yes, that Pete Carroll) after just one 8-8 season, the sad and sorry affair of the Rich Kotite era, which included a 1-15 season and earned them Keyshawn Johsnon in the 1996 NFL Draft, the Bill Parcells era where the Hall of Fame head coach took them to the AFC title game in 1998, lost, then was snake bitten by injuries and Rick Mirer the following season, which was supposed to be the big Super Bowl run. Now that's bad luck. Bill Belichick wanted nothing to do with being 'HC of the NYJ' and Al Groh didn't fare any better than Parcells' predecessors. How is this any better than the Lions or Bengals? Is being a New York team an exemption from membership to the dregs of NFL futility?

Lets look at the records of the Jets going back to 1990:

2008: 9-7------>1999: 8-8 ----->1990: 6-10

2007: 4-12----->1998: 12-4

2006: 10-6----->1997: 9-7

2005: 4-12----->1996: 1-15

2004: 10-6----->1995: 3-13

2003: 6-10----->1994: 6-10

2002: 9-7------>1993: 8-8

2001: 10-6----->1992: 4-12

2000: 9-7------>1991: 8-8

Total: 136-168. Not exactly world beaters huh? I am not even counting the ill-fated 1986 season when the Jets started off 10-1, lost their last five and snuck into the playoffs as a Wild Card. The point I am trying to make is that the New York media and many writers seem to look at the Jets as a team that has a history of doing something tangible enough to warrant the type of attention they are getting. In reality, the franchise is one that has been mired in instability from ownership all the way down to sideline going back at least two decades. So when I hear all of the Favre bashing coming from players and media, I have to admit that this seems to be a culture that goes far back even before the current roster was composed. Maybe Mangini tried to change the culture and was met with resistance...maybe Favre did not react well with the ingrained culture or the attempts by the coach to change it. One thing is for certain, and this is my opinion folks, (pre-blog), Favre was never a good choice for this team due to his penchant for making critical mistakes at the wrong time. In the AFC East, if a team expects to win consistently, it needs an efficient QB that does not turn the ball over and manages the game...Favre has NEVER been that kind of player...was the brain trust that shortsighted to believe he would change from his gunslinging ways? It is that shortsightedness that has defined the NY Jets whether it be the jettisoning of one of its all time best players in Chad Pennington for nothing in return or trading a first round pick to the Oakland Raiders in 2005 for TE Doug Jolley...that's right, a tight end...who hasn't been heard from or seen since.

The main point of this article is that the Jets will continue to make the same mistakes unless they start thinking outside of the box when it comes to running the organization. Hiring coordinators from competitors with hopes to replicate successes that the said coordinator had in a different culture and organizational structure has never worked in professional sports. In reading the blogs written by season ticket holders, the Jets, with their new stadium set to open in 2010 have instituted exorbitant prices for PSLs (personal seat licenses) charging fans large fees just for the right to purchase tickets. The Jets have always had a down to earth, moderate to upper class fan base (I know because we ate smuggled in sushi and sausage sandwiches in the stands); these fans are now being being pinched by the country's economic crisis and they now ask in unison 'why alienate them, especially now?' It is clear to them that the Brett Favre trade was a fiasco to build excitement in order to get those PSLs moving...however, sound planning and an eye towards putting together a team that the fans can embrace is what could have moved those PSLs and maybe even not made the play so obvious. I am not even a Jet fan but look back to that 1998 season where Vinny Testeverde, Curtis Martin, Wayne Crebet, Anthony Pleasant, Aaron Glenn, Ray Mickens and Bryan Cox made them downright scary to watch. I felt that team because I was connected to the way the team was constituted and the way they played...that is what the fans buy Mr. Johnson. That is what makes them spend money better spent somewhere else to experience the journey of a team that is a product of sound management/coaching that always has a chance to win, and when in defeat, points the finger within, not at each other.

So when looking for the next individual to build the organization Mr. Johnson, focus on a guy that you know touches an accord with the fans and has the ability to do the same with his players. Resorting to gimmicks in order to buy a playoff spot or sell a stadium has never worked in the NFL...just ask Jerry Jones. Mr. Johnson, look at the team's history and the moves the front office made in the past...such as signing a washed up Tony Eason from the Patriots, throwing the mother load at mistake prone Neil O'Donnell, and in essence trading a capable head coach in Herman Edwards for a draft pick, which nobody does in professional sports. I hope that they find their man, but I believe that they already fired him. Mangini needed a chance to grow into a head coach the Jets envisioned. However in these days, owners are more concerned with the bottom line NOW, rather than giving a first time head coach the support he needs in order to develop his own philosophy among a revolving door of personalities from year to year. As long as the Jets are looking to make the big splash, without taking into account the less than stellar history and problematic culture within, the organization will always be Long Island Dreamin'.

The NFL Coach's Firing Line...Deservedly or Not?

2008-12-29T08:15:00.000-05:00

We have reached the end of the 2008 NFL regular season and the talk around the watercoolers, on sports talk radio and between friends and family will center around the upcoming playoffs and who will be the new faces on the sidelines next season. Today, I would like to go through the annual 'head coach firing bloodbath' that has become an end of the season ritual in the NFL.

As a New England Patriots fan, I am proud of the manner in which the team carried itself throughout the season despite all of the injuries and tough, close losses. It highlighted the reason why this organization has been so good for so long. They have coaches that are teachers first; when in that teaching capacity, the players are instructed about situations of every kind so they will not be unprepared for what losing teams would call 'unforeseen'. The players that are drafted or brought in via trades or free agency have high football IQ, put football first and have no problem being a part of a machine rather than be 'the man' (listening, T.O.?). Living in Boston, MA over the years and looking not so much as the wins and losses but the manner in which the organization operates (Spygate, Shmygate), I look at other organizations with an intense amount of scrutiny and can understand why they lose. Another interesting tidbit of information is that they don't beat themselves, setting the record for fewest penalties in NFL history for a 16-game schedule. Please keep in mind that I was a huge Pats fan even back in the early 1990's during the 1-15 and 2-14 years, so believe me when say that I can feel a Lions, Chiefs, Bengals, and Raiders fan's pain.

Gone:

Romeo Crennel (Cleveland Browns): A good man who had to learn the hard way that there is a difference between head coach and coordinator. He was also tied to a General Manager in Phil Savage, who was rightgfully dumped shortly after their season ending 31-0 loss to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Crennel is a great defensive mind, but he was plauged by the issues on the offensive side of the ball. Whether it was the quarterback issues between Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn or the diva-like behavior between receivers Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow and awful free agent signings such as Donte Stallworth (did they get the hint that he wasn't justified in receiving a $35 million contract when Jabar Gaffney beat him out late in 2007 with the Patriots?). Remember folks, there is a reason why Jim Johnson in Philadelphia and Monte Kiffin in Tampa Bay have been coordinators for so long...they know their role.

The defense was competent but they were always on the field due to the ineptitude of the offense; this team did not score an offensive touchdown for final five weeks of the season and was shut out twice. This type of performance on offense is indicative of a team that could not convert third downs and turned the ball over often. My big off-season mistake for them (pre-blog life) was trading Leigh Bodden to the Lions for a 4th round pick before the season. Bodden was a integral part of the defense last season and I figured he deserved a chance to grow in the system; as we all know, you can NEVER have too many good defensive backs in the NFL. Oh yeah, can't forget about paying Shaun Rogers, a notorious career underacheiver, big money to man anchor the defensive line.

The final stake in the proverbial coffin was the stupid and asinine move by Savage to angrily reply to a fan's critical email. There is a level of professionalism expected from a check out counter at a fast food restaurant to the boardroom of a multinational corporation that people in any business capacity are expected to adhere to. In the microscope world of professional sports, Savage should have known better and realized that he, as a figurehead of an NFL would cast a negative shadow on the organization as whole. That alone, if I am an owner gives me due cause to fire him. Lastly, look at how the team finished (all losses): 16-6, 10-6, 28-9, 30-10, 14-0, and 31-0. No coach can survives these results...in the words of of Jim Mora's famous rant 'I don't care who you play...'

Rod Marinelli (Detroit Lions): Hate to see this guy get the hatchet. My co-workers at my old job would notice that I would put Marinelli quotes on my desk cubicle and they would always ask me, 'who is that?' I would feel so proud they didn't know who the author of my hidden gem of football quotes was but now I know they know who he is. Put simply, there is no recovery for going 0-16 in an NFL season. The team played hard, they competed, but they just could not get out of their own way...even when they winning, they would find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The architect of this mess was Matt 'from the booth to GM' Millen, he who drafted wide receivers four drafts in a row in the first round earlier this decade. I really can't say too much about this but that this is the official bottoming out of this franchise. They do however, have the building blocks to turn it around as they did have a solid 2008 NFL Draft, getting a franchise running back and offensive lineman. They also have Calvin Johnson(first round, 2007) who is a superstar in the making...if allowed to.

The Lions demise sits at the foot of the ownership who failed to realize that the organization was was not being run correctly despite the poor records, team chemistry, coaching and attendance. Millen was allowed to hire and fire coaches at a rate that was unfair to the players, particularly on offense. The influx of systems, players and differing terminology, stunted the growth of players they relied on and rendered them useless. The fans were alienated by ownership's obstinatance in staying with Millen and revolted; the anti-Millen websites cropped up by the dozens and this reflected onto the product on the field. This then transformed the Lions into a national media laughingstock. The Lions officially became a bad team when they refused to develop their own quarterback; Jon Kitna and Daunte Culpepper are washed up players who's best days are well behind them, yet they stuck with them. I sat back week after week thinking 'they drafted Drew Stanton in the 2nd round in 2006, why not let him develop? You can go 0-fer the season with him much less Culpepper, while Stanton at least develops.'

Lastly, this organization was woeful at best in personnel decision making. Their best defensive player, Dre' Bly was traded to the Denver Broncos in 2006 for running back Tatum Bell. Guess who was the starting running back for the Broncos yesterday? Tatum Bell. What a waste. They did the right thing in trading wide receiver Roy Williams soon after Millen was disposed of. They gained first and third round picks for him and should be able to parlay these picks into pieces to be added to the new direction for this once proud franchise and deprived fans.

Eric Mangini (New York Jets): Wow, all of the former Patriots coordinators are being fired up today...however, unlike the Crennel move, I firmly believe the Jets made the wrong move here. It all starts with why he was hired in the first place: To be another Belichick. Ownership failed to realize in the aftermath of firing the once named 'Man-genius', two factors that I will touch upon:

1) If Mangini was hired to be the next Belichick, why not give him a better chance to develop than Belichick himself got when he coached the Cleveland Browns back in the 1990's? Three years is not enough time (at least in my opinion) for a coach who took the team to the playoffs in his first season. Granted there was some drop-off in the second year, he still won 9 games this season. I firmly believe that he really did not get the proper amount of time to put his stamp on the team and present a finished product.

2) The organization tied themselves to Mangini based on the free agent shopping spree of 2008, the (now ill-fated) trade of Brett Favre and draft picks over the past three seasons. There is a philosophy that was not allowed to absorb into the players and I think back to 2006 when they made the playoffs how so much trust was earned and put into him. Why pull the plug two seasons after?

*The defensive players will now need to learn a new system and there is no telling how the financial investments made in players such as Kerry Rhodes, Vernon Gholston, David Harris, Bryan Thomas and Kris Jenkins will play out if they are now going to be asked to play a different style or position next season. Alan Faneca, Damien Woody and Brett Favre came with a high cost that will impact the salary cap in a large manner. Laverneus Coles and Chris Baker argued themselves into contract extension in successive years. The team was built to make a run for the trophy, but wilted under the rigors of the late season pressure pot of the AFC East; does the team not deserve a chance to correct the mistakes and make another run?

The biggest dagger in Mangini's fate was Chad Pennington, a player who was under contract whom they let go for nothing during training camp, came back to haunt them in the final week of the season with the playoffs on the line. Favre was brought in to replace Pennington, a player who was about class and character from the start; the players believed in him, but the coaching staff did not. So he goes to the Miami Dolphins and not only wins the AFC East, but he wins it in Giants Stadium in front of Mangini. The Jets clearly miscalculated the value of Pennington as his efficiency, leadership and intangibles cannot be measured by salary caps or depth charts. Conversly with Favre, you will see chance taking, too many mistakes (22 ints this season) and was so selfish, he hindered an entire organization (Packers) from proceeding into the off-season of 2008. Reading the lips of Mangini after yet another Favre interception last evening ('what are we doing?') tells the whole story about whether the quarterback and coach were on the same page.

The money spent by Mangini and Mike Tannenbaum (Christmas tree), will be an issue that will affect their salary cap for years to come; if the Jets make the wrong hire, they will be in last place in the AFC East for a while. This is the reason why they may have been better off keeping Mangini for at least one more season. There may have been concerns about Mangini's personality and how it affected others on the team or within the organization...well, in light of what he did to his long time mentor, (Spygate) character may have been an issue.

Maybe: Herman Edwards (Kansas City Chiefs)

Herman 'Miracle in the Meadowlands' Edwards was thrust into a tough situation when he agreed to coach an aging and rapidly declining team. He had no choice but to rebuild the team and do moderately well through the draft; the positive results in the standings however are missing. With long time General Manager Carl Peterson 'resigning' two weeks ago, there is no protection for Edwards as Peterson brought him in via a trade with the Jets. Ownership has stated that they will let the new GM pick the new head coach in light of the fact that Edwards has one year left on his contract. Ownership is not sure if they want to eat the final year if they do not necessarily have to. There are some good pieces in place for this team as Dwayne Bowe continues to develop, Larry Johnson has a backfield mate in Jamal Charles and Tony Gonzalez is still effective. In addition, they may have accidently found their QB of the future in Tyler Thigpen.

I say Edwards will be gone. There is a need for a culture change on the team and since Edwards was Peterson's guy, it will be the wise choice to begin anew. The players seem to have the skills needed to be successful in a West Coast offense, but we will see.

Maybe: Wade Phillips (Dallas Cowboys):

If a man coaches a team that has a chance to get into the playoffs just by winning one game and lays down against a bitter rival, to the tune of 44-6 nothing is guaranteed. Phillips was given a vote of confidence before the game, but now, nothing is a sure thing. Jerry Jones put together a poisonous collection of personalities in the locker room in hopes of returning to football glory. It amazes me how all of titles Jones won as Cowboys owner came with a certain manner of conducting the program, yet he believes in this new way of acquiring the quest for another championship. However, like Hank Steinbrenner will realize, after his recent free agent superstar spending spree, Jerry Jones is reaping the rewards of playing a collection of individuals against a team. Talent alone gets some wins, but teams excel when times get tough. I believe the laydown job by the players can be attributed to the coaching to some degree, but the balance of the collapse is because of Jones. Jones can take responsibility and hire someone to run the show (and thus step out of the spotlight) or continue to be glory hound like most of the players he brings in and suffer late season losses amid undeserved high expectations. Not many coaches can thrive in this environment.

Maybe: Jim Haslett (St. Louis Rams):

This organization is in deep trouble. The head coach Scott Linehan was fired 5 weeks into the season. The President has recently resigned. The players have written a letter to ownership endorsing interim coach Haslett. Nobody knows who is running things here and the entire organization needs to be revamped from top to bottom. I say he is gone. This team has pretty much bottomed out as well. Running back Stephen Jackson is a bright spot as is rookie wide receiver Donnie Avery. However, there are no defensive players of note that can be mentioned on this team and the quarterback situation must be addressed. It is evident that the organization thinks improvements are in order too; they wrote a letter to the fans on their website: http://www.stlouisrams.com/splash/

Maybe: Marvin Lewis (Cincinnatti Bengals):

Maybe the three game winning streak to end the season saved his job. This team has been beset with injuries and poor personnel decisions from the front office. Bringing back Chris Henry (thus undercutting the coach's authority), signing Cedric Benson, allowing Chad Johnson to bad mouth the organization and still letting him back in the locker room; these things doom organizations. The least the front office can do is give Lewis one more year after all of the bonehead draft picks that gave him (Henry, A.J. Nicholson, Odell Thurman, Reggie McNeal, Jonathan Joseph, and Chris Perry) to rely on. Marvin Lewis stays.

Bubble guys:

-Sean Payton, New Orlean Saints (still can't stop anyone on defense and the offense disappeared at the wrong times of the season)

-Norv Turner, San Diego Chargers (so what he made the playoffs!!)

-Dick Jauron, Buffalo Bills (there may be no other choice as an adequate replacement)

-Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars (victim of front office mistakes that screwed up the chemistry of the team)

-Tom Cable, Oakland Raiders (who else would want to work for Al Davis at this point?)

-John Gruden, Tampa Bay Buccanneers (how long can one's reputation help them keep a job?)

Good Call of the Week: San Francisco 49ers. Hiring Mike Singletary as the head coach. He changed as the team changed around him. Positively. Classic situation where Singletary is a coach that the players will play for...with pride. We'll see how long the honeymoon lasts, but I have a good feeling about this hire.

The NBA's Parody Era Set to Begin...stay tuned

2008-12-26T03:17:00.000-05:00

I am just waking up at 2:19am the day after Christmas...man I have learned the age old lesson of not mixing creativity with some really good food. Remember that television I was trying to hook up? Well, I fell asleep...literally knocked out while working on it. However, while in my seafood induced coma, I had come up with some thoughts about the Celtics-Lakers rivalry and asked myself whether these two teams will be in line for a return engagement in the 2009 NBA Finals. I ask this question within the backdrop of a vastly underrated paradigm shift of competitiveness in the National Basketball Association. David Stern should be proud in light of the fact that after years and years of Western Conference dominance and Eastern Conference incompetence, there is certifiable competitive balance prevalent in the league that has not been seen for a long time. Currently, there are more NBA Title contenders than I can count on one hand which is an anomaly.

Throughout my younger years, an NBA fan can look forward to 1 to 3, maybe 4 at most really good teams that can be called true contenders; now we have at least 10 squads that have the depth, coaching and star power to get hot and make a serious sprint towards holding that Larry O'Brien Memorial Trophy in June. In the successive eras of Magic, Bird, Thomas, Jordan, Olajuwon and Shaq and Duncan NBA fans witnessed the pinnacle of the superstar player surrounded by a wealth of talent whether it was upstart superstars or established veterans who basically ran roughshod over the entire league with little to no resistance. If we look at the number of NBA champions going back to 1980, we will see over the years, there are only 8 teams that have won NBA titles...let me clarify that in better terms...in the last 28 years, there have only been 8 organizations who have had the privilege of celebrating a title in June. In no major American professional sport do we see this type of statistic. However, when looking at the statistic, it tells me that winning in the NBA is formulaic and very few organizations have positioned themselves to construct the formula and fined tuned it to be able to withstand the regular season grind and post-season marathon.

The institution of a salary cap, beginning in the 1984-85 season (yep, it goes back that far) was made in order to engender competitive balance and parity within the league. Looking at the title winners before then, one will see the landscape dominated by the Celtics and Lakers, so the league felt showcasing more teams with winning spread among the entire league will lead to increased revenues and expand the brand among a wider demographic. However, the fact that there are so few amounts of different NBA Champions tells me that winning teams are doing things differently whether it be cost effective spending, trading volume for a player who will get them 'over the top' so to speak, drafting better and willing to let good players develop into great ones. I firmly believe if Michael Jordan was born later and drafted into the NBA in the 1990's he would have been traded around more than Chris Gatling. People seldom remember Jordan's first few years in the league were marred with injury, losing and the ability to carry bad teams. How many players suffered through that in the 1990's and were traded?

The losing end of the NBA culture is littered with bust first round picks, fired coaches, unstable ownership and reliance on one player to turn around the fortunes of the team. The current era has seen a wider number of organizations making a commitment to winning on par with NBA Title winners of the past; this is the reason why there are so many good teams right now. Organizations are not only drafting better, they are recognizing their centerpiece player(s) and rather than centralizing everything around them (despite the opposite shown in NBA related merchandising), they surrounding them with a mix of capable veterans and young players that fulfill specific roles on offense and defense. I know it sounds obvious, but that is what those 8 eight winning organizations since 1980 (Celtics, Lakers, Spurs, Heat, Pistons, 76ers, Rockets and Bulls) have done, except now it is being done on wider basis. So when I see players like Dwight Howard, Lebron James, Chris Paul and Deron Williams I know that the league is in good hands. These players are supported by organizations who do not expect them to win by themselves and also are willing to spend to place a group of players around them that will extract the best from it's superstar investment. Ultimately, I believe the influx of such multi-faceted and talented players will lead to more teams winning titles in the NBA over the next 10-15 seasons. This of course could change if the teams they currently are on mismanage finances and field poor supporting casts; of course this will lead to some the young superstars jumping ship to a traditional contender, ala Shaq leaving Orlando for L.A.

With the recent resurgence of the Boston Celtics to the forefront of the NBA landscape, it is easy to look at the acquisitions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen adding these future Hall of Fame players to a roster featuring another potential HOF'er Paul Pierce and overlook the development of future star, Rajon Rondo. The Celtics have done a great job of drafting over the past few seasons and with a young roster, notably excepting the aforementioned players, they are quietly building group of battle tested players that could potentially bridge them into a successful future of the organization. In the 1980's, 90's and going into the current century, teams were content to spend their way to a title (never worked, ask Timberwolves, Hornets, Knicks and Suns); or just purposely thrown really crappy teams on the floor with hopes of drafting the future superstar that could change their fortunes. Sometimes it works (Cavaliers in 2003 is the most modern sabotage example) and sometimes it doesn't (Clippers in 1998, Celtics in 1997 and 2007).

The rise in the salary cap underscores how critical teams must manage their finances and since the contracts are guaranteed, if a player is signed to a mega-deal and does not pan out, the team is stuck with the contract. The teams are then forced to trade the contract (not the player as much) to get it off their salary cap and be able to spend freely again. To the left you will see a diagram of the growth of the NBA salary cap over the years. It has grown with the economy as we can see. *Shout out to wikimedia for the image.

The salary cap is not a hindrance to keeping teams together, but it can be if the organization commits itself to spending freely without the right mix of personalities, poor coaching or a lack of an organizational commitment to a firm plan of where the team will be in the short and long term. It is easy to draft a player with superstar potential, but if he is placed in a situation where he or the coaching staff is not able to maximize his talents, the team will not succeed (Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets). It costs far more to rebuild past mistakes than it is recognize trends and adjust on the fly. As we can see, with the recent spate of coaches being fired, the teams are obviously concerned with winning and putting people in the seats. However, if a team drafted a player, signed free agents and made trades with the coach's system in mind, what happens when he is fired? For one, the coach is paid the balance of his contract and then the team has to pay an interim coach. Who knows if his new system or method will maximize the ability of the roster? If not, the players get disgruntled, tune him out and before ownership knows it, they have to sell off the assets to begin anew. In other words, a team that does this (listening Clippers and 76ers?) will continue to be in the NBA Draft Lottery and stay in 'rebuilding mode' while the teams that are committed to a players and have a plan of competing with them in mind will add to the list of NBA titlist teams in the future.

To wrap this up, I am excited for the NBA for the first time in quite a while; I cannot predict who will be the champion this year as there are so many upstart teams that can get hot and go on a run towards the NBA Finals. Here is my first annual 'Look to the Future but It Can Be Now' list (4):

Cleveland Cavaliers
Atlanta Hawks
Portland Trailblazers
Orlando Magic

*All of them have this in common: 6 years ago, they all were very bad teams. Unstable ownership, behavioral issues among the players and rosters constantly being turnover. These teams drafted well (not to hard to do when you are always in the top 3), recognized their franchise player, hired coaches with winning pedigrees (African American head coaches, NCAA athletic directors out there who may be reading this) and planned future drafts, trades and free agent additions with an eye towards making the franchise player(s) better. We will see what happens with these teams over the next few years but it is encouraging to see parody (well, relative to what we are used to seeing) in the NBA.

*By the way, the television still doesn't work.

Commercial Christmas In L.A.

2008-12-25T17:59:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays to readers, non-readers and soon to be readers. I hope you and your families are enjoying the season of good food, free gifts, and fun yet perilous travel. I have just finished a horribly failed attempt to move a television into my mother's living room and get the cable hooked up...min-electrical shocks, tears and fists slamming on the well cushioned carpet floor.

We are officially at halftime in Los Angeles with the Boston Celtics trailing the Los Angeles Lakers by a score of 51-45. One of the things I notice early is the officiating; there are not many calls as the players are being allowed to bang and be physical, which is a good thing. The Celtics, who regularly get to the free throw line with high frequency have only taken two free throws in the first half (both with 12.5 seconds left in the second quarter). Secondly, I notice the incessant commericals. How many full, ahem, commercial timeouts are needed? The amount of timeouts called in the first half are the exact opposite of how the coaches coach.

The constant T-Mobile 'Fav-Five' references brought into any conversation between commentators or in studio analysts...sheesh. I have T-Mobile for service, but I am wondering how the NBA feels the Gorilla Marketing that takes place on all NBA/ABC telecasts works to draw people to change their service...I am of the opinion that adults are well set in their ways when it comes to cell service so the only other demographic left to market are the young'uns who have yet to enter in the cell phone market. I am not sure if it works but they apply the pressure well along with cross referencing Disney movies by using the tired old strategy of speaking to the star of the said movie who coincidentally happens to be sitting courtside (tell me that ticket was not provided by the good ol' folks at ABC). It's good to see that there is no holiday for for marketing strategies to absorb money from people whether they are struggling economically or not.

That is my halftime rant. For those who wonder where this is coming from, I have no television and this is my first...that's right, first NBA game being watched since the Finals in June. As for analysis, the Lakers are putting up quite the battle, but the Celtics are battle tested. At the start of the second half, the Celtics are trying to throw the game away, but the Lakers will not allow it. By the way, am I the only one who noticed after a courtside 'NBA Christmas on ABC/NBA' rap by a well known hip artist and overhyped media figure, Snoop Dogg who makes no secret about his gang affiliations, he threw up what appeared to be a gang sign? (sign shown below by hip hop recording artist, Jim Jones) Snoop and Jones are from rival factions, but the hand sign was similar to what Jones is displaying. I am not writing this to gossip; this is interesting as ABC, the 'family network' allowed that to be shown. I am waiting for the media backlash on that one, especially in light of the Paul Pierce playoff bruhaha last season. Stay tuned and if you hear about it on the radio or see it on televison, remember where you heard it first.

I will check in later with a full NBA article.

Mark Teixeira & New York Yankees---The Soothsayer Liveth

2008-12-23T21:18:00.000-05:00

I've tried to keep this to myself as I never wanted to be a columnist that blew his own horn or write the proverbial 'I told you so' type of article. But what the heck...I'm new to this and have an excuse for not knowing any better. Something interesting happened today in the sports world today... Major League Baseball (MLB) free agent, Mark Teixeira inked an 8 year, $180 million contract with the New York Yankees. Teixeira was highly coveted by numerous teams including the Yankees' main rival, the Boston Red Sox. However, the signing ended up coming down to the type of culture and environment the player wanted to surround himself with and based on his choices, I can see why.

In Boston, Anaheim (Angels), Washington, D.C. (Nationals) or in Baltimore (Orioles), he would be greeted with rabid fans and an easily impressed sports media waiting to exalt him as the player that could single handedly turn around the franchise or be a bridge to further future success. In New York, everyone in the office/clubhouse is 'the man' and if the team struggles blame can be deflected without him even saying anything or pointing fingers. Granted the media is harsh, but who do they attack when the guy who sits next to Teixiera has a larger contract than he? If the team wins, then he becomes another in a long list of players in pin-stripes that won a World Series Title. Conversely, being the shark in a sea full of tuna such are the environments of Boston, D.C., Baltimore and Anaheim he cannot hide if he struggles to justify his exorbitant salary; many a player have wilted under such heavy expectations.

Enough of the analysis...down to the soothsaying and personal back-patting and ball washing. I wrote a blog last week on some sports website, and that blog prompted me to begin my own blog endeavor. The Yankees at the time were in the background watching what other suitors were offering Teixiera and there were reports that they were willing to go up to $200 million or more over 8, 9 or 10 years. Here is my response:

'This is definitely a ploy to drive the price up on the Red Sox. And if they succeed in doing so, they will be able to get him. HOWEVER....have they not learned from the post World Series Dynasty they had? What happened to bringing in modest veterans, mixing in ONE or TWO superstars and have loaded pitching? Instead, they have continued to put together a traveling All Star team that isn't a team...remember the old saying, 20 players in twenty taxis after the game? This is what they create. It seems as if they want a corporate culture in a sports locker-room...it is TOO uptight for athletes who play for fun as much as for the money. When one supersedes the other, you don't win. I can understand now why A-Rod doesn't perform when it counts; the game is no longer fun for him.'

And I continue...

'It's a shame to see organizations try to 're-live the old days' by having a 'Murderers Row'. They seem to forget that it was those championships they won back in the 90's and early 2000's that built this new stadium, not the overpriced, underwhelming collection of prima-donas they have made a company-wide mission of fielding for the past few years. Get Paul O'Neil, Scott Brosius, or Wade Boggs type players...guys who have suffered for years on crappy teams but still performed. Players like that bring you rings, not the guys who come at the highest price.'

Now...I hate to piggy back on some of the big boys of sports media, but after Teixiera signed his contract today, Sports Illustrated's Lee Jenkins wrote in his article titled "Corporate' Teixeira has the temperament of a natural Yankee". Please read the comments below:

'The caricature of the New York Yankees, drawn by the legions who resent them, is that they are 25 bat-wielding CEOs, dressed in button-down shirts and pinstriped suits, carrying Blackberrys and briefcases into a clubhouse that could double as a board room. They are clean-shaven, image-conscious, supremely wealthy and not a whole lot of fun.'

'Mark Teixeira will fit right into the caricature. Teammates joke that they have never seen him with a five-o-clock shadow, an un-tucked shirt, a hair out of place. One general manager describes him as "corporate" and "businesslike." Teixiera describes himself as "obsessive compulsive." Scott Boras, his agent, says Teixeira has "the make-up of a CEO." Some may be turned off that Teixeira does not often hang around the clubhouse after games, pounding beers and telling stories. But the Yankees, who pride themselves on their professional work environment, will not mind.'

My only point of contention is that I do not resent the Yankees. If a team has the money, by all means spend it. However, if things do not turn out as they want, i.e. a dominating 125-win season complete with a World Series, the ownership should not be pointing the players, but the men in the mirror. Secondly, it may be a good idea to check into my blog every now and again as I believe I have a good pulse on the sports industry and the thoughts of media pundits and fans. As for the Yankees prospects this upcoming season, I am not sure how that will go. I firmly believe that you cannot hit your way to a title. A team needs clutch pitching that is battle tested and mentally strong. Looking up and down their roster, I see less and less of these types of players as the years go by. I see hired guns who've been on bad teams but never lifted those teams. Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez were teammates on horrible Texas Rangers teams. C.C. Sabathia, although a recent Cy Young Award winner, can't win big games against good teams (go ahead and look up the record). A.J. Burnett for the second time in his career turned in his statistically best season during the last year of his contract.

The bottom line is you do not win with players like this; they may win some games, but against tight knit teams of lesser talent, but more heart such as the Rays of last year, the Red Sox of '04 or the Tigers of '06, they will struggle. In the past, ownership thrust players like this on classy former manager Joe Torre in the latter dynasty years and he assumed the blame for their shortcomings even when he kept them competitive despite their incompetence. Imagine what happens when these guys clash with the confrontational second year manager Joe Girardi. Good luck.

New England Patriots: Brady's Cassel to Lose?

2008-12-22T22:21:00.000-05:00

After such a fun filled week of NFL football complete with no shows by teams who should be prepping for the playoffs (Jets(thanks), Cardinals, Vikings and Eagles) and enough playoff intrigue build up to keep the casual fan interested in the outcome of the games during the last week of the season. I reside in Houston, TX right now and my apartment complex is a 5 minute walk from the front door of Reliant Stadium, yet I have no interest in the Texans...I can't call it...is it because I am a Northeast guy? a Patriot apologist (sort of at least)? I think it stems from the fact that the team never gave their first ever draft pick David Carr, a chance to be successful. As the first face of a new franchise in a city starving for pro-football, I thought Carr would at least warrant competent protection and weapons rather than suffer hit after hit until he became shell shocked, i.e. a QB that expects to be hit so much that he cannot focus on the play in front of him. As a result, the Texans released Carr and shipped second round picks of the 2007 and 2008 NFL Draft plus a swap of 2007 first round picks to the Atlanta Falcons in order to acquire a seldom used back up, Matt Schaub and then signed him to a six year $48 million contract. All of this for a player who had not yet started an entire season. It has not yet been determined if Schaub is a success, but time will tell. Schaub has had injury issues which have prevented him from playing a full regular season, but when he does play, he is effective. This did not stop the fans clamoring for Sage Rosenfels to be the starter whenever he played well in relief or in place of Schaub. At any rate, the Texans will again miss the playoffs in 2008. (no pun intended)

The quarterback situation with the Texans got me thinking about quarterback controversies that are on going in the league right now. One controversy of note has shaped up into a game with heavy playoff implicatons as the Miami Dolphins travel to the Meadowlands to face the N.Y. Jets this weekend. Not only do both teams have playoff berths on the line, it is the return of Chad Pennington to Giants Stadium where he played for the Jets for parts of eight seasons. Why is this significant? Well, he was released by the Jets earlier this year in order to allow them to sign Brett Favre. Jets fans are going crazy over this as Pennington has gone to the 'Fins and put up MVP-like numbers while the man who was supposed to put the Jets over the top in Favre, has struggled mightly all season long. Tavaris Jackson of the Minnesota Vikings had early season struggles before being benched, but it was thought he turned the corner when Gus Frerotte went out three weeks ago with an injury. He has played well, and Jackson led them to two big wins, but after last weeks loss to the Falcons, will the coaching staff turn the duties back over to Gus for that final playoff push? My final QB controversy thought and subject of this article, is currently brewing in the Boston area. Although it is not something that will impact the current season, it WILL dominate the early months of 2009. This is the unique issue the New England Patriots will have to address when discussing their quarterback of the future: Tom Brady or Matt Cassel.

What does a business do when they have an older, yet effective employee that has spurred tremendous growth of the business, bringing it industry-wide respect that is physically prevented from continuing his job? What if the older guy had trained and brought along a younger, albeit less experienced employee who performed more than ably in the older employee's place? What if the business sits in the middle of an economic downturn for the entire country and costs of running the business are a major concern? Is the business sure the younger guy not only continue the course of the business but also grow it? Or is the business better off with steady, well experienced and established hand that ensured success in the past? Sorry for all of the questions, but these are some of the questions posed to the New England Patriots braintrust during the rapidly approaching off season. Tom Brady is the unquestioned face of the franchise that has enamoured football and pop culture fans alike. He has been the consummate teammate (well, according to what I've read or heard), making concessions in salary numerous time in order for the organization to afford putting top talent around him. Brady was an unheralded 6th round pick in the 2000 NFL Draft and he had the unenviable task of replacing a well known and respected veteran QB, Drew Bledsoe, who at the time was in decline and injured via the infamous Mo Lewis hit on the sideline while running for a first down. Brady siezed the opportunity and made the job his, leading the Patriots to their only Super Bowl victory in 2001; over the following 4 seasons, 2 more Super Bowls were won and Brady cemented himself as an NFL legend being the youngest QB to win a Super Bowl (succeeded by Ben Rothlesberger in 2005) and in the company of several great QBs who've won 3 Super Bowls. The resume is impressive to say the least. He added to his list of accomplishments last season by passing for 50 touchdowns and leading the 2007 Patriots to an undefeated regular season. Yes, I know...stop sweating Brady right? Well, the fairy tale of my story ends here.

In the opening minutes of the 2008 regular season, Brady's MCL(medial collateral ligament) and ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in his left knee were severely injured. Seldom used back up and 2005 7th round draft pick Matt Cassel took over. What has transpired since then casts more than a shadow of doubt over Brady's future with the team. In comparing the stats for both players in their first season as starters the numbers are eerily similar:

*Cassel: Completed 63.8 percent of his passes, 3,270 yards, 18 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a QB rating of 87.1 (so far)

*Brady: Completed 63.9 percent of his passes, 2,843 yards, 18 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 86.5 rating.

Now just because they are similar does not mean that Cassel is the next Brady; however on the business side of things, if I am Cassel's agent, that is my best weapon in order to procure the best deal possible for my client. There are several factors that work in Cassel's favor: 1) he is an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the season, so he may be able to break the bank, 2) who knows how Brady will react to the surgery and whether the knee will hold up and being that the Patriots have committed so much money to him, how will this affect his status? 3) the new CBA(Collective Bargaining Agreement) between the Players Association and the owners is due to expire following the 2009 season.

Lets hit on factor #1, Cassel can pretty much name his own price as there are a bevvy of sub-par (at best) teams in the NFL right now. Or he will make some serious money in the short term if the Patriots slap the franchise tag on him (average of the top 5 salaries at his position) perhaps even a long term deal if a team comes along and signs him to a long term contract commensurate with the top quarterbacks in the league. He is in a win-win situation financially here. Factor #2 plays significantly in his future; Brady is a high paid player coming off of an injury that more often than not ruins careers in any sport, much less football. If he is not progressing as well as the organization thinks he should, there is a chance, the Patriots will sign Cassel to a long term or short term deal and have him compete with Brady for the top spot for 2009. Now, that is waaaaaay out there, but it is a possibility. Another (and most likley) possibility is that the Patriots let him walk and he goes on to another team after signing a crazy contract. Remember, the Patriots spent a 3rd round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft on rookie QB Kevin O'Connell and could potentially be in line to receive a compensatory 3rd round draft pick in 2010 for Cassel walking. Factor #3: With the new CBA looming many teams are signing their main guys long term in order to prevent them hitting the market during a potentially un-capped salary cap season in 2010. Cassel could easily take respectable money for 2009 and completely bust the market out its seams by signing an uncapped contract with another team in 2010. If I am his agent, maybe sticking with the Patriots for one more year is not that bad of a deal. However, our microwave, instant gratification society may not not allow this.

The Patriots may have information that Brady is progressing well from his injury, but lets be realistic; this is a two year injury. Players generally are not able to gain the explosion they had prior to the injury until at least two years after it ocurred. Carson Palmer, quarterback of the Cincinnatti Bengals took about that same amount of time in order to return to his old self (and same old Bungles). It could be in the Patriots' best interests to make sure an experienced QB that knows their system and has performed well in, be on hand if needed at least until O'Connell is ready to assume the primary back up duties. Brady also had the injury at the worst time as he is scheduled to become a free agent in 2010, that's right, you guessed it...the uncapped year. He has no choice but to come back and be effective...well he actually can leave the game and be Gisele's gopher if he wanted to. The Patriots may seem to be in tough position, but if they manage it right, they can walk away with a quality, in-house trained quarterback either way they turn along with draft picks. Patriots fans are divided as to who the QB or the future for the Patriots should be especially given the eery manner in which Brady, and now Cassel assumed their starting position: by replacing a respected player who was felled by an injury.

So even if you hate the Patriots, this situation bears watching. It carries implications that will affect many players and organizations in light of the salary cap for 2009 and the potentially uncapped year of 2010. Cassel can be constricted by the market in 2009 or be unrestrained in 2010...you do the math.

WWE: Wrestling with Labor Issues

2008-12-21T01:11:00.000-05:00

One of my very few (but soon to be many) readers asked me why did I start a sports blog to write about professional wrestling; they actually questioned my logic in even considering addressing this 'sport' on this medium. I responded by pointing out may of the performers ARE indeed athletes; many are former football and basketball players. Some are former Olympic athletes, bodybuilders and children of pro wrestlers who grew up behind the scenes of this unique industry. Secondly, these individuals are bound by contracts, performance clauses and get injured, which in themselves constitute the same status of any professional athlete in any sport. They also have something most of us have in common: they make more money than many of us. However, this is purely theoretical as opposed to C.C. Sabathia who was reported to have pocketed $9.5 million just for signing his recent free agent contract with the New York Yankees...please read on so I can elaborate.

I was looking at old Youtube.com videos of wrestling from the old days, reflecting on my youth and decided to look into the business of pro wrestling; when I was younger back when Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair were ruling the roost as the top drawers in the industry, I actually thought it was a real sport, complete with legitimate beefs, titles, agendas and in-match injuries. As I got older, I wanted to know what the life a pro wrestler was OUTSIDE of the ring. Do they really ride in limos and fly in private jets? Do they lay up with super models and have tailor made suits made of silk? Do they say their prayers and take their vitamins, thus enuring another hard fought victory? Well, now that I have the time to look into that aspect, I can explore and write about it.

One thing that I did not know up until at least 72 hours ago is that pro wrestlers are entitled to little to no protection against injury as they are not employees of the various (and dwindling) wrestling promotions. They are considered 'independent contractors' who are not provided with W-2's for tax filing or given medical, dental or life insurance. They are paid weekly and if they are legitimately injured, it is up to them to foot the bill for getting better. Granted they are paid moderately well, are in the public spotlight and pretty much can use pro wrestling as a springboard into other endeavors, I thought this to be rather odd. In the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) for instance, the wrestlers are required to license themselves in the areas where they are to perform and if they need help, the WWE will charge them for assistance in doing so. In looking at the industry from my old perspective, I thought it was more like a team traveling from town to town where the company had a roster of paid employees who were taken care of, but now I look at the industry sort of like a circus where if the Elephant is injured and cannot stand on it's hind legs (compete) within 6 weeks of the injury, the boss reserves the right to put them to sleep (or in WWE's case, to terminate the contract). Some of the performers are provided perks such as first class plane tickets, hotel accommodations, and a certain percentage of the merchandise sales bearing their images. However, if I am a lay wrestler that has not yet made a name for myself in the business or generated a buzz with a fancy tag line or gimmick (which if developed while in WWE, belongs to them), not only do I pay for my transportation, I pay for living expenses, insurance, licenses, a place to live and other miscellaneous expenses...not exactly the most glamorous life huh?

As far as injuries are concerned, these athletes live a life that ensures that there are numerous high risks for injury; in order to entertain the fans, the performers take what are called 'bumps' whether it be falling from high altitudes, getting hit with tables, ladders or chairs. In order to recover from injuries that are the result of these risks, wrestlers eventually turn to performance enhancing substances in order to recover from the injuries so they can keep working. This is something that is a culture in the industry of pro-wrestling as a performer can be one missed event away from not being to feed their family or take care of themselves. Of course we know the downside of using steroids, cocaine and painkillers as they played roles in the deaths of numerous wrestlers. Once again, this is not something done by the WWE, but an inherent culture in the industry itself.

I apologize for digressing, as I wanted to really put emphasis on the injury side of the business and how razor thin the margin of error is for some performers; I can now see why if someone has slipped a disc in their back after falling 15 feet onto a thinly padded mat would take Vicodin or Percocet rather than go to a doctor and take time off to rehab the injury. I also can see that when is living on the road over 300 days per year, one can develop some some dangerous 'off the job' habits such as illicit drug use and alcoholism.

Scott Levy, better known as 'Johnny Polo' or 'Raven' in the 'sports entertainment' industry along with two other wrestlers are bringing suit against the WWE in regards to their status as 'independent contractors'. In their 'booking contracts' there are numerous clauses in them that have to do with elements an employer would ask an employee to do such as: a training regimen, how physically fit they are to be, and behavioral clauses. All of this, plus asking one to be one the road a majority of the year, not entitled to workman's compensation, health insurance, life insurance or accidental death insurance. This is something that is demanded of them even when not working for the WWE (for instance a house for a small regional brand). Wow. It has not been revealed what Levy or the other plaintiffs are seeking in damages, but it makes for a good case to examine. To be totally honest, now that I am looking at wrestling differently, I can see why performers can be looked upon as disposable. The promoter has no ties to them at all except paying for the performance or taking credit for 'developing' their character. In the late 1990's, a slew of older wrestlers left what was then called the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) and went to WCW(World Championship Wrestling) not because they wanted to stick it to Vince McMahon, but because they were offered guaranteed contracts and a lighter workload...that's it. Now that McMahon has virtually monopolized the industry since the acquisition of WCW in 2001, performers are relegated to the independent circuit where their situation can be tenuous at best or go to another company called TNA (Total Non-Stop Action) where all of the older performers are residing now. Once again the same conditions will more than likely apply for many wrestlers; the contract can be terminated at will by the promoter.

The bottom line is this: I never in my wildest dreams would have thought the life of a pro wrestler would be so difficult. The promoters do a great job of dressing up a hard, ugly industry and making it palatable for public consumption. It makes me think deeper about the business when I watch the older matches from my youth...'was he injured when he fell like that?' or 'what is his/her life like when the cheers stop, the lights go out and there is no more money?' 'How does this lifestyle affect wives and children?' On the other end, to be fair, what is a promoter to do in a case where he has assets that can be seriously debilitated at any moment? The wrestlers have no union so everyone is pretty much in it for their own well being for the most part. In the NFL, there is a similarity in that an individual can lose the ability to play in a matter of seconds and the team still has the right to terminate a contract if it is felt a player is not playing well enough; the risk doesn't warrant a total commitment. If there was a total commitment by owners in these high risk sports, the league would be subject to financial difficulty by paying for all of the injuries, especially after a career is finished; and this is why I cannot wait for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement in the NFL between owners and players. The players are guaranteed signing bonuses even though the rest of the their contract isn't; so the players are not walking away from the negotiation table with nothing in hand. I am not YET well versed in labor law, so I cannot really get into the nuts and bolts of this but I can say at least the NFL has a a union and pension fund complete with a drug prescription plan, albeit a grossly underfunded one. Do the wrestlers deserve a similar structure based on the demands placed upon them to entertain us?

I will try to keep an ongoing update in regards to the goings on of Levy's case as the WWE is preparing a motion for summary judgement. I will post any new information as I receive it.

How to Blow $200 Million and Live to Fight Another Day

2008-12-19T16:56:00.001-05:00

I am not sure if it is on heavy rotation in the sports world, but Evander Holyfield, yes THAT Evander Holyfield is back in the boxing ring...again. This time he is facing a sideshow like freak of a man by the name of Nikolai Valuev for the WBA Heavyweight Championship of the World this Saturday in of all places, Zurich, Switzerland. Now, many pundits have put their pen to this issue and lambasted Holyfield as it seems he is just another in a long line of pro athletes who just don't know how to go away. If we were to place a 'reasonable man' in his position, I am willing to wager that he would have flown the coop with loot, cashed out of all debt and is quietly living off of the interest is some non-extradition country of their choice. I know that sounds far fetched, but I had to write on this as I am still trying to fathom how one can blow throw over $200 million; Holyfield made $34 million alone in ONE night's work against Mike Tyson!!

I am not sure if anyone remembers a movie by the name of 'Brewster's Millions'. Richard Pryor starred alongside John Candy as a washed up lower level pitcher for some minor league team. His great uncle or other rich relative type died and left him $30 million with the condition that he spend it all in 1 month and have no assets at that time; if successful, he would get $300 million. If want more details, go see the film...in the movie, the character STRUGGLED to blow $30 million in a month...a fictional person in Hollywood script...how in the world is Evander Holyfield's home in foreclosure? Why has he coined same tag-line most broke athletes used when not paying attention to their money while living in a 'American Dream' haze? 'I trusted people around me and I was robbed'...The simple fact of the matter is that it SHOULD be impossible to blow $30 million, much less $200 million; but let us look at the factors abound that would lead a 46 year old man to continue fighting. Is it the 11 children he has? I don't think so; I know that child support can be a major constraint on one's cash flow, but $200 million? I doubt it. Let's see, he is still under investigation for receiving HGH (human growth hormone) by mail; but even Jose Canseco or Hulk Hogan cannot run through $200 million worth of chemical performance enhancers.

Most of the money (that's just purse money, not the Burger King money or Sega's 'Real Deal Boxing' money) was probably tied up in shady 'get richer quick' schemes and excessive living. I can see why one would want to live in a huge house, but let's be for real...if one is in foreclosure, that means one has a loan against the property and if one has a loan, they don't own. Is it possible that he surrounded himself with items and property that he did not own or intend to own? We all know that the with loans, rates change and as rates change and fights (in his case) become more sparse, and endorsers no longer showing interest, there is nothing but drain going on...likewise in excess. He probably had a lawyer on retainer 24 hrs a day and wanted live off the sweat of his toil that broke his face, battered his body and took a piece of his ear (thanks, Mike). One thing I believe athletes do not prepare for is this type of dilemma...you leave the game or the game passes you by and they are sitting virtually in the same mental condition (or worse) that the got into it with. They did not become savvy and invest in themselves, who is the real cash cow in life. Now image if he got his BA/BS or Graduate Degree, imagine if he paid for media training and became a student of the game so much so that he would be a part of the broadcast team covering some washed up fighter looking for a quick buck rather than being the washed up fighter.

The official bottoming out for an athlete of this kind is when they sell the very items that brought them so much fame, money and glory. The stubbornness to not move out of the compound and into a relatively modest, yet very high end condo was not an option. Getting rid of the 7 sports cars and jewelry was out of the question. This type of logic only leads to all of the 'Golden Gloves' trophies and other memorabilia that was meant for him to look back on with pride and accomplishment being on eBay, some nut with real money can brag and boast about how 'Evander and me were so tight he gave me his Golden Gloves trophy from 1985'. We need not go any further in that discussion when we look at the downfall of OJ Simpson, who needed money, which led to the failed attempt to re-acquire and sell his old football memorabilia which has landed him in prison. I wish 'Real Deal' the best, but George Foreman has already written this story with a happy ending (cooking salmon on my grille as we speak); sadly many other athletes travel this slippery slope in a quest to maintain an impossible lifestyle. When you are finished reading this, please provide a list of athletes and entertainers who have lived so fast and rich but have bottomed out due to a depressing life of excess; gives more significance to the term 'disposable money'. On a side-note, look up the fighter Holyfield is facing...what a monster...literally. I hope he gets a GEICO endorsement deal if he wins...no make up needed.

Franchise Tag Discussion---What is Haynes Worth?

2008-12-17T23:54:00.000-05:00

Today was very interesting in that I had an opportunity to see Downtown Houston, TX and I have to say I am impressed! The only thing that throws me off is that I am so used to my Boston jaywalking days, I actually felt weird leaving others on the edge of the crosswalk when I saw no traffic heading our direction. If you ask me, screw the lights, if you have time and space to make a move, make it...that is how we do walking or driving in merry ol' Boston. BTW, quick solicitation...I need a job folks...I'm starving right now and the federal loan $ is drying up. If there is anyone willing to pay me up to $20/hr to sit and write these articles, watch football, sleep, talk on the phone (minutes paid for up front of course), study or challenge some of the knuckle-headed Houston drivers on the road...you already know.

As for the interesting world of sports, I was looking around on the Internet and one thing struck me...how Albert Haynesworth is the luckiest man this side of Lee Majors. I mean this guy had at least 1,000 lbs fall on his knee and all he has is a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL). When I first saw the injury, I know his agent was screaming DAMN!!!!! For those who do not know, Haynesworth is one of the more dominant defensive tackles in the NFL and was a mid- season candidate for NFL MVP. He has seemingly come a long way from the Andre Garoude http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5nlEA8BUTQ stomp-out a couple of seasons back and put himself in line for a huge contract once he hit unrestricted free agency. His current team, the Tennessee Titans decided to hang onto him last season, placing the 'franchise tag' on him, which is a one year deal, salary all guaranteed and amounting to the average salary of the top 5 players at his position in the league or 120% of his previous year's salary, whichever one is higher. However, the major risk in a deal of this sort is that there is no long term commitment from the team and if the player's value slips during the subsequent season, he will make considerably less on the open market or be forced to sign back to his original team at a significant discount.

Now say if Haynesworth suffered a Tom Brady-like injury where the not only the MCL is blown out, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is destroyed as well, imagine the free fall in his value for the next season. He would not have the protection of a long term commitment from his existing team AND no other team would be willing to make such a risky investment over the long term. This is the dilemma players in the NFL face when they sign are tagged and sign the 'franchise' agreement. In Albert's case, I know his career flashed in front of his eyes as he made the changes in his on field behavior, rebounding from a heinous act in stomping out a fellow player (cleats to his face) and was able to rehabilitate his image to the point where his team was willing to make a large investment in him.

In signing the franchise agreement, Albert was investing in himself; a good season gets you good money, a bad season gets you decent money and a superb season lets the player set the market standard. The tag's essential purpose is to get the player to the negotiating table without the interference of other teams; if a team wants the player they must give up not one, but two future first round picks. In many cases, the player and the team come to an agreement as Lance Briggs and the Chicago Bears did last season where the team agrees to not place the tag on the player again if he agrees to play under the tag. I have two examples of this; one past and the other in the present. In 2007, New England Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel (who garnered a Briggs-like agreement) played under the 'franchise' tag and proceeded to have one of the best seasons of his career on a record setting team. The Patriots attempted to make an offer, but after a great season and not being able to hammer out a long term contractual commitment, Samuel decided to let the market dictate what he was worth rather than the Patriots. He was worth $57 million over 6 years to the Philadelphia Eagles. Presently Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomghua is playing under the 'franchise' tag and seems set to rake in a big haul in free agency.

However, the Raiders do reserve the right to tag Asomoghua again this off-season; this is something not unprecedented as Seattle Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones played under the tag for three consecutive seasons (2002-2004) was lucky enough to stay healthy and cash in when the team believed they could make a long term commitment without suffering negative salary cap ramifications. However, Asomghua has several things working for him: 1) he is an elite player that has not slipped during this season in performance, so he will match or exceed the market at his position, 2) the Raiders are notorious for overvaluing players on OTHER teams and undervaluing the players they do have, 3) he can always hold out until he is traded, which the Raiders would do (hopefully not for a 4th round pick in the draft ala Randy Moss) and finally, 4) the team may be better off letting him go as the organization needs a top to bottom philosophical shift in approaching football operations.

I for one am glad Albert Haynesworth will be okay and he will be able to reap the benefits of another 'franchise' tag (which I know he will probably not do), strike a deal with the Titans at market value or blow out the market when he hits unrestricted free agency. The franchise tag in my estimation works well for both sides (player and team) as the team is forced to put up a lions share of guaranteed money that counts against the salary cap (which can inhibit them from signing players they need to be competitive) and the player assumes the risk of injury and poor performance...classic benefit detriment as I have learned in law school. Imagine if it is all positive and it works out with the team being successful, the player can get his money and the team can attract prime free agents from other teams. This a classic situation in which the Titans and Haynesworth are in now; get well big man and get paid.

The Price of Winning

2008-12-15T21:40:00.000-05:00

Hello readers, bloggers, internet hacks and casual browsers. I am sitting here in my empty apartment after the hardest academic exercise of my life writing about sports, that's right sports. My friends tell me that I have better things to do such as get a job, go to the bar or whatever now that I am 'free' from my law school constraints. However, as we all know, no matter how liberated one may feel, they are never truly free. What is free though is some of my insight on the the world of professional sports. I hope you enjoy reading my postings as much as I enjoy writing them. So....

I have been stuck in books, studied through a hurricane and worked insane nights waiting for the opportunity to give my take on the sports world that I have not been a part of for at least 4 months. One of things that has been stuck on my mind doesn't have to do with batting averages, yards per carry, penalty minutes or assist to turnover ratio. It has to do with the recently declared recession in the United States and how it is and will affect not only the economics of the professional and ameatur sports we enjoy, but also the jobs of the people who are directly involved in the industry whether it be the sausage vendor, ticket scalper, equipment manager, coach or Vice President of an organization. I have seen owners of teams so vastly affected by the ever-shrinking bottom line, that the general managers, coaches and players they employ have shorter leashes than in the past and there is no longer patience for team to get better over a series of seasons whether they be up or down. If an owner (or school, as we shall see) is hemorraging money, the only way to conceivably break even, is to put immense pressure on the people they employ to win NOW. The days of hiring a coach and giving him 3 years to turn around a program are becoming a thing of the past. Barry Melrose of the Tampa Bay Lightning lasted mere weeks before given his walking papers. Owners who are facing serious financial peril need a product that the fans, sponsors, local and national media can embrace as it will equal more merchandising opportunities and then in turn, increased gate attendance at games (especially if one put up tons of cash to finance the building of a state of the art arena or stadium). The NBA has already featured 5 coaching changes within the the opening stages of the 2008-09 season; Washington's Eddie Jordan, Oklahoma City's P.J. Carlisimo, Sacramento's Reggie Theus, Minnesota's Randy Wittman and Philadelphia's Maurice Cheeks have been handed the ol' pink slip by their employers within the past three weeks and we have not even reached the halfway point of the regular season. In the NFL, numerous teams will undergo major organizational reconstruction projects on the personnel side, coaching and the executive positions. If anyone were to ask if this is necessary, I would bittersweetly say yes.

If I were an owner of a pro sports franchise in the current economic environment, I have to be cognizant of several things: 1) If the team is not winning, how do we make a profit? 2) If the on the field/court/ice product does improve, will it positively affect the bottom line? and 3) If I can positively affect the bottom line, can I afford to do it over a 3-5 year period? The answer is no. Look at the recent examples of not only the NBA coaches but the short life span that Romeo Crennel and Phil Savage will have for the NFL's Cleveland Browns or the recent resignation of former Kansas City Chiefs President and General Manager, Carl Peterson. In the NBA, the Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor decided to relieve General Manager Kevin McHale of his duties and put him on the bench to coach the team McHale himself assembled, which is an obvious move to push McHale out of the organization; John Wooden, Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach combined could not get this young team to win NOW. The pressure is on coaches and players to perform and the economic contraints are clearly showing ; the NFL contracts are now featuring behavioral clauses for a large number of players, which will enable the organization to distance themselves from dibilitating financial ramifications of a deal signed with players. Even leagues themelves are affected; the WNBA's Houston Comets, once the flagship of the popular league is now defunct and the Arena Football League (AFL) has cancelled it's 2oo9 season. It has been said that pro sports is recession-proof, but as we can see with the layoffs all of the major professional sports leagues have initiated recently, this obviously is not true.

If we look at the new stadiums that popped up from 1995 t0 2007, we see a sterling example of publicly funded venues that raked in profits for the owners, tax money for the municalities and increased prices (and taxes) on the consumer. Taxpayers across the country have financed large number of the these projects and the states themselves have given prime land and investment to them; however, citizens are the ones's often footing the bill on maintenance and infrastructure. Teams have forced fans to buy personal seat licenses and overpriced food at the games with the combined costs of travel and parking, the typical night out with the family is too much to bear. Now the fans are in an even more precarious position; the recession has rendered the average fan no choice but to not go to the games not willing to frivilously spend money that can be saved on on paying that adjustable rate mortage. This fan especially is not going to pay large money to see a young team 'getting their lumps' but improving slowly before they make some noise down the line at some indeterminable time. In the 1990's that plan was acceptable as money was flowing all over the place to the point where we saw our first $100 million player in Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kevin Brown.

For a profit/spotlight seeking owner, this was a great environment to operate; however now, this does not exist. The owner now faces the prospects of either a championship run or empty stands...there no longer is that happy medium. In Sunday's Phoenix Cardinals-Minnesota Vikings game, the stadium was not sold out. This is not a regular stadium either mind you; it is the prestigious University of Phoenix Stadium (look up at my header, yeah that's the stadium). The Cards are division champions for the first time since 1975 AND the game could be a playoff preview between two good teams. Under normal circumstances, that place would be banged out and the fans would have been going crazy...not anymore. This dilemma is exactly what prompted Ralph Wilson, the owner of the Buffalo Bills, to examine potential profits in other markets, hence, the team's recent agreement to play several games over the next few years in Toronto, Ontario.

Owners now have to find a way to justify all of the political strong-arming, the financing of expensive venues and exorbitant salaries of employees that no longer relate to the people who watch them. The luxury boxes built into new stadiums were contructed with corporate interests in mind; now that the corporations are themselves suffering, what is an owner to do? If they have priced out the 'everyman' who was and still loyal. The upper classes are scaling back their expenses and less wealthy fans are considering cutting this entertainment out entirely. How can an owner make a buck here? WINNING. The owners are willing to spend now to gain a foothold in future generations via that magical championship season(s) and it is the coach who will bear the brunt of pressure because of this. The Philadelphia 76ers gave Maurice Cheeks a contract extension 2 and a half months before firing him. Sylvester Croom, the head coach of Missisippi State University's football team was forced to resign one season removed from being named SEC Coach of the Year and likewise rewarded with a contract extension(yes, the bottom line has trickled down to the college ranks as well). The message here is mere improvements only buy you stay; there is no room for a 'bad' season; just ask Tommy Tuberville, the deposed football coach at Auburn University.

If we thought sports on any level was bottom line before, there is no doubt it really going to be at that point from now on. There are positives that may come out of this such as better management, more control over the market value of the players (i.e. protecting the owners from themselves), better player development and owners making hires on a common ground with the individual they are bringing in, which would save us from Lane Kiffin-Al Davis like feuds. However, it seems as if some organizations still don't get it as the New York Yankees handed out over $200 million in combined guaranteed money to two free agents while employing one with a $180 million deal and another with a $250 million contract. Winning is at an all-time premium right now and everyone (fans, owners and players) has a smaller margin for error due to the economic crisis in the United States.