HEISMAN TRUST YET TO VOTE ON REGGIE, MANY NFL BLACKOUTS ON THE HORIZON & A LOT OF NFL PREDICTIONS
The rumors have run rampant since YahooSports reported the Heisman Trust intends to revoke the award for Reggie Bush. The Heisman Trust is 8 voters. They meet the second Tuesday of every month. They claim they haven't addressed this issue & certainly haven't voted on it. But 2 lawyers on the the Trust quickly pointed to the clause in the award process that might cause Reggie to lose his award.
"The recipient must be in compliance with the bylaws defining an NCAA student athlete."
So if you have been declared ineligible for any reason, you can't possess this award. Personally I think Reggie knew everything he accepted, cash, a home for his parents, car for him, furniture & appliances for the home & airline tickets for his folks to travel to every road game for 3 years, was wrong. There's no excuse for it & to his credit, Bush doesn't claim innocence, he just professes his "undying loyalty to the Trojan program." The program he caused so much harm, he has undying loyalty now that only the program, the university & it's players are the ones to be harmed by Bush's actions. It won't cost Reggie Bush a dime. You think I want the award revoked? Honestly, I don't know, the Trust might be creating a slippery slope, one that could be tough to navigate if they go ahead & vote to revoke the award. Are they going to look into everyone's background that has won the Heisman? It's not fair to invoke the name of O.J. Simpson, he's a double murderer who's walking around golf courses, but his entire career at USC & in the NFL was spotless. In the end, it's their behavior during the time they were considered for the award. As far as Reggie Bush goes, look at the quote above, he wasn't in compliance, not by a long shot. I think a message needs to be sent, don't reward anyone breaking the rules, regardless if it's after the fact. We've already had a number of college players suspended, the NCAA isn't playing around with those who think they're above the rules & I'm totally on board with that. I think the BCS should revoke USC's 2004 national championship, it makes sense to revoke the award based on the same criteria as the Heisman Trust bylaws. But don't make the Heisman award become a witch hunt on all former recipients.
The University of Kansas will be looking for a new athletic director after Lew Perkins abruptly stepped down. He read a prepared statement, refused to answer any questions & then walked off into the sunset. His department has been racked with scandal for over a year now. Football coach mark Mangino was forced into resigning after numerous players described a pattern of abuse. The ticket department stole & sold prime basketball & football tickets totaling over $1 million. Perkins was accused of excessive travel perks for he & his family as well as exercise equipment that was installed in his home at no cost to him. Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little was present with Perkins but didn't speak. I have to believe she had seen enough & Lew was shown the doors. In his prepared statement he talked about the $180 million upgrades in Jayhawk athletic facilities on his watch. He also mentioned the charitable work he & his wife had taken part in Lawrence, but no mention of anything that created the horrible P.R. that sealed his fate.
According to USA Today, there are as many as 11 NFL teams facing blackouts this season. Jacksonville, Detroit, Kansas City, Oakland, St. Louis, Arizona, Cincinnati, San Diego, Carolina, Seattle & Buffalo were mentioned as the candidates facing the blackouts. The NFL has a rule that home teams facing blackouts may buy enough unsold seats for $.34 on the dollar. That figure is the revenue that is split between the visiting team & the league. The visitors aren't at fault for your inability to sell all of your tickets & the league wants their cut on everything. In this economy, one has to wonder just how far ownership will go to avoid a blackout. It's an expense of at least $300,000 per game, plus they lose the remaining $.66 on the dollar. I personally believe the Chiefs will pay to absorb these tickets, the organization is trying to create new fans, loyalty & excitement. Blacking out home games doesn't achieve any of those goals.
Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green an All-SEC performer, will have to serve an additional 3 games of suspension for selling his Independence Bowl jersey for $1,000 to an agent. He has already donated the $1K to charity & will sit out the South Carolina, Mississippi State & Arkansas games.
Denver coach Josh McDaniels said on Wednesday he didn't know if running back Knowshon Moreno would be able to test his hamstring in time to play on Sunday at Jacksonville.
Alabama coach Nick Saban said Heisman Trophy winning running back, Mark Ingram, would most likely sit out this Saturday when the Crimson Tide welcomes JoePa' Penn State Nittany Lions. Best offensive player & best defensive player, DE Marcel Darius who was suspended, will not play in this showdown. Still like the Tide.
To JJR20 & mikemm, thanks for reading, but to your contention that "Boise State couldn't win half their games in the SEC or Big-12" Sorry guys, but I believe they could win way more than half their games in any conference. It's no mirage the Broncos consistently shut down their opponents' running game. The TCU, Oregon & Va Tech running games were all held to less than 60 total yards. The Hokies' Ryan Williams ran for over 1,600 yards last season, he was held to 44 yards on 21 carries Monday night. Last season in the Oregon opener, the Ducks didn't have a 1st down until the 4:40 mark of the third quarter. You can't discount this, their scheme & discipline is as good as any team in the nation. They are very well coached & unlike Monday night, they don't normally make many mistakes. My other point is, when all else fails, blame the refs. The game was officiated by a Big-10 crew who really had a bad night, but the questionable calls went both ways, it wasn't just on Va Tech.
And now for some fearless NFL predictions starting with my thoughts on each division, Wildcard & Super Bowl winner. That will be followed with my picks of the week for all you people in office pools looking for help. One thing tho, when you lose by one game, don't send me an email cursing my name, you don't like these picks, do it yourself. If you win, I'll expect you undying gratitude & a restaurant gift card.
NFC EAST
New York Giants--wins the div. with only 10 victories, their defensive dominance returns
Dallas--This team has too many issues with their offensive line, the head coach & the owner
Philadelphia--The Kevin Kolb era begins on a sour note, 7-9 record
Washington--The Shanahan era begins in D.C. & the Skins play hard to tie Philly at 7-9
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta--Matt Ryan takes a major step forward
New Orleans--Super Bowl hangover & a defense that doesn't get all the turnovers like last season.
Carolina--Hopes for significant improvement in John Fox's last season, maybe 6-10, maybe
Tampa Bay--Team has a long way to go, 4 wins.
NFC NORTH
Green Bay--Elite QB play, havoc-wreaking defense & a boatload of skill position players
Minnesota--Won't recreate the magic of last year, 9 wins.
Chicago--Barely finishes ahead of the Lions with just 6 wins, Cutler/Martz marriage on the rocks
Detroit--Improved but still a ways to go before they can compete for a playoff spot
NFC WEST
San Francisco--No real competition for Niners in this, the worst division in the NFL
Arizona--Will any retired player be more missed than Kurt Warner? I don't think so
Seattle--Pete Carroll has a strange mixture on his roster, they don't make it work in 2010.
St. Louis--Rams fans should pray Sam Bradford & Steven Jackson stay unscathed
Wildcard winners: Dallas & New Orleans
NFC Champion: Green Bay
AFC EAST
New England--The Pats defense is questionable, but in a QB-driven league, I'll take 1 of the greats
New York Jets--Primed to implode, way too much hype & very questionable quarterback play
Miami--There was early excitement, but Henne looked miserable in preseason, 8 wins
Buffalo--Might just be the worst team in the entire league
AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis--Manning plus a stout defense makes me believe they can win 12 games again
Houston--Better, but just not 12 wins good, yet.
Tennessee--Very competitive team in a brutal division
Jacksonville--There's a reason the Jags are facing 8 straight blackouts, it's a 5-win team.
AFC NORTH
Baltimore--The Ravens win a brutal division fight with 11 wins
Cincinnati--More weapons for Carson Palmer & a tough "D" should net 10 wins
Pittsburgh--Going against all the trends, Steelers will survive Big Ben's suspension with 10 wins
Cleveland--They'll be better, but still way back from the rest of the division
AFC WEST
San Diego--Division's best QB by a long ways, won't be as dominant as years past
Kansas City--Sticking my neck out calling for 7 wins
Oakland--You never know what will happen w/Raiders, I'll say 6 wins
Denver--Tied with Oakland with 6 wins, Broncos could go off the rails early & really disappoint
Wildcards winners: Cincinnati & Pittsburgh
AFC Champion: Baltimore
Super Bowl Champion: Green Bay
This weeks NFL predictions:(winner in bold letters)
Minnesota at New Orleans
Miami at Buffalo
Cleveland at Tampa Bay
Cincinnati at New England
Indianapolis at Houston
Carolina at New York Giants
Oakland at Tennessee
Denver at Jacksonville
Atlanta at Pittsburgh
Detroit at Chicago
Arizona at St Louis
Green Bay at Philadelphia
San Francisco at Seattle
Dallas at Washington
Baltimore at New York Jets
San Diego at Kansas City
"The recipient must be in compliance with the bylaws defining an NCAA student athlete."
So if you have been declared ineligible for any reason, you can't possess this award. Personally I think Reggie knew everything he accepted, cash, a home for his parents, car for him, furniture & appliances for the home & airline tickets for his folks to travel to every road game for 3 years, was wrong. There's no excuse for it & to his credit, Bush doesn't claim innocence, he just professes his "undying loyalty to the Trojan program." The program he caused so much harm, he has undying loyalty now that only the program, the university & it's players are the ones to be harmed by Bush's actions. It won't cost Reggie Bush a dime. You think I want the award revoked? Honestly, I don't know, the Trust might be creating a slippery slope, one that could be tough to navigate if they go ahead & vote to revoke the award. Are they going to look into everyone's background that has won the Heisman? It's not fair to invoke the name of O.J. Simpson, he's a double murderer who's walking around golf courses, but his entire career at USC & in the NFL was spotless. In the end, it's their behavior during the time they were considered for the award. As far as Reggie Bush goes, look at the quote above, he wasn't in compliance, not by a long shot. I think a message needs to be sent, don't reward anyone breaking the rules, regardless if it's after the fact. We've already had a number of college players suspended, the NCAA isn't playing around with those who think they're above the rules & I'm totally on board with that. I think the BCS should revoke USC's 2004 national championship, it makes sense to revoke the award based on the same criteria as the Heisman Trust bylaws. But don't make the Heisman award become a witch hunt on all former recipients.
The University of Kansas will be looking for a new athletic director after Lew Perkins abruptly stepped down. He read a prepared statement, refused to answer any questions & then walked off into the sunset. His department has been racked with scandal for over a year now. Football coach mark Mangino was forced into resigning after numerous players described a pattern of abuse. The ticket department stole & sold prime basketball & football tickets totaling over $1 million. Perkins was accused of excessive travel perks for he & his family as well as exercise equipment that was installed in his home at no cost to him. Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little was present with Perkins but didn't speak. I have to believe she had seen enough & Lew was shown the doors. In his prepared statement he talked about the $180 million upgrades in Jayhawk athletic facilities on his watch. He also mentioned the charitable work he & his wife had taken part in Lawrence, but no mention of anything that created the horrible P.R. that sealed his fate.
According to USA Today, there are as many as 11 NFL teams facing blackouts this season. Jacksonville, Detroit, Kansas City, Oakland, St. Louis, Arizona, Cincinnati, San Diego, Carolina, Seattle & Buffalo were mentioned as the candidates facing the blackouts. The NFL has a rule that home teams facing blackouts may buy enough unsold seats for $.34 on the dollar. That figure is the revenue that is split between the visiting team & the league. The visitors aren't at fault for your inability to sell all of your tickets & the league wants their cut on everything. In this economy, one has to wonder just how far ownership will go to avoid a blackout. It's an expense of at least $300,000 per game, plus they lose the remaining $.66 on the dollar. I personally believe the Chiefs will pay to absorb these tickets, the organization is trying to create new fans, loyalty & excitement. Blacking out home games doesn't achieve any of those goals.
Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green an All-SEC performer, will have to serve an additional 3 games of suspension for selling his Independence Bowl jersey for $1,000 to an agent. He has already donated the $1K to charity & will sit out the South Carolina, Mississippi State & Arkansas games.
Denver coach Josh McDaniels said on Wednesday he didn't know if running back Knowshon Moreno would be able to test his hamstring in time to play on Sunday at Jacksonville.
Alabama coach Nick Saban said Heisman Trophy winning running back, Mark Ingram, would most likely sit out this Saturday when the Crimson Tide welcomes JoePa' Penn State Nittany Lions. Best offensive player & best defensive player, DE Marcel Darius who was suspended, will not play in this showdown. Still like the Tide.
To JJR20 & mikemm, thanks for reading, but to your contention that "Boise State couldn't win half their games in the SEC or Big-12" Sorry guys, but I believe they could win way more than half their games in any conference. It's no mirage the Broncos consistently shut down their opponents' running game. The TCU, Oregon & Va Tech running games were all held to less than 60 total yards. The Hokies' Ryan Williams ran for over 1,600 yards last season, he was held to 44 yards on 21 carries Monday night. Last season in the Oregon opener, the Ducks didn't have a 1st down until the 4:40 mark of the third quarter. You can't discount this, their scheme & discipline is as good as any team in the nation. They are very well coached & unlike Monday night, they don't normally make many mistakes. My other point is, when all else fails, blame the refs. The game was officiated by a Big-10 crew who really had a bad night, but the questionable calls went both ways, it wasn't just on Va Tech.
And now for some fearless NFL predictions starting with my thoughts on each division, Wildcard & Super Bowl winner. That will be followed with my picks of the week for all you people in office pools looking for help. One thing tho, when you lose by one game, don't send me an email cursing my name, you don't like these picks, do it yourself. If you win, I'll expect you undying gratitude & a restaurant gift card.
NFC EAST
New York Giants--wins the div. with only 10 victories, their defensive dominance returns
Dallas--This team has too many issues with their offensive line, the head coach & the owner
Philadelphia--The Kevin Kolb era begins on a sour note, 7-9 record
Washington--The Shanahan era begins in D.C. & the Skins play hard to tie Philly at 7-9
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta--Matt Ryan takes a major step forward
New Orleans--Super Bowl hangover & a defense that doesn't get all the turnovers like last season.
Carolina--Hopes for significant improvement in John Fox's last season, maybe 6-10, maybe
Tampa Bay--Team has a long way to go, 4 wins.
NFC NORTH
Green Bay--Elite QB play, havoc-wreaking defense & a boatload of skill position players
Minnesota--Won't recreate the magic of last year, 9 wins.
Chicago--Barely finishes ahead of the Lions with just 6 wins, Cutler/Martz marriage on the rocks
Detroit--Improved but still a ways to go before they can compete for a playoff spot
NFC WEST
San Francisco--No real competition for Niners in this, the worst division in the NFL
Arizona--Will any retired player be more missed than Kurt Warner? I don't think so
Seattle--Pete Carroll has a strange mixture on his roster, they don't make it work in 2010.
St. Louis--Rams fans should pray Sam Bradford & Steven Jackson stay unscathed
Wildcard winners: Dallas & New Orleans
NFC Champion: Green Bay
AFC EAST
New England--The Pats defense is questionable, but in a QB-driven league, I'll take 1 of the greats
New York Jets--Primed to implode, way too much hype & very questionable quarterback play
Miami--There was early excitement, but Henne looked miserable in preseason, 8 wins
Buffalo--Might just be the worst team in the entire league
AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis--Manning plus a stout defense makes me believe they can win 12 games again
Houston--Better, but just not 12 wins good, yet.
Tennessee--Very competitive team in a brutal division
Jacksonville--There's a reason the Jags are facing 8 straight blackouts, it's a 5-win team.
AFC NORTH
Baltimore--The Ravens win a brutal division fight with 11 wins
Cincinnati--More weapons for Carson Palmer & a tough "D" should net 10 wins
Pittsburgh--Going against all the trends, Steelers will survive Big Ben's suspension with 10 wins
Cleveland--They'll be better, but still way back from the rest of the division
AFC WEST
San Diego--Division's best QB by a long ways, won't be as dominant as years past
Kansas City--Sticking my neck out calling for 7 wins
Oakland--You never know what will happen w/Raiders, I'll say 6 wins
Denver--Tied with Oakland with 6 wins, Broncos could go off the rails early & really disappoint
Wildcards winners: Cincinnati & Pittsburgh
AFC Champion: Baltimore
Super Bowl Champion: Green Bay
This weeks NFL predictions:(winner in bold letters)
Minnesota at New Orleans
Miami at Buffalo
Cleveland at Tampa Bay
Cincinnati at New England
Indianapolis at Houston
Carolina at New York Giants
Oakland at Tennessee
Denver at Jacksonville
Atlanta at Pittsburgh
Detroit at Chicago
Arizona at St Louis
Green Bay at Philadelphia
San Francisco at Seattle
Dallas at Washington
Baltimore at New York Jets
San Diego at Kansas City
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